ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Hawks newly acquired forward Jonathan Kuminga will miss at least one week while recovering from a left knee bone bruise.
The Hawks announced before Saturday night's home game against Charlotte that Kuminga suffered the injury while playing for Golden State at Dallas on Jan. 22. The Hawks acquired Kuminga and guard Buddy Hield in the trade which sent center Kristaps Porzingis to the Warriors on Wednesday night.
The Hawks say Kuminga will be evaluated following the All-Star break.
Atlanta forward-center Onyeka Okongwu is available against Charlotte after missing four games with a dental fracture. Okongwu wore a protective mask in pregame warmups.
Jaylen Brown dunks the ball during a playoff game between the Celtics and Knicks in 2025.
BOSTON — The hobbling Knicks arrived here Saturday to a snowy city, where the locals were gearing up for their big Drake Maye Day and Jaylen Brown had his sights set on the opponent he enjoys beating the most.
“We just got to keep it up,” Brown said after the Celtics toppled the Heat on Friday night. “Sunday is going to be a big matchup so we need the fans to have the same energy.
“Looking forward to it.”
For the Beantowners, it’s a pre-Super Bowl showdown against the Knicks, who eliminated the Celtics from the playoffs last year and are now among a handful of teams jockeying at the top of the East.
The Knicks (33-19), whose eight-game winning streak was embarrassingly snapped Friday night in a blowout defeat to the Pistons, are third in the conference and a full game behind the No. 2 Celtics (34-18).
Jaylen Brown dunks the ball during a playoff game between the Celtics and Knicks in 2025. Charles Wenzelberg
“He just brings a level of toughness to the team, his energy is unmatched,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “What he can do defensively in the full court and even in the frontcourt on the ball, especially on pick-and-rolls and stuff like that, is at a pretty high level.”
The Celtics also have a newcomer — the skilled but athletically limited Nikola Vucevic — who they got from the Bulls ahead of the trade deadline.
But Boston’s success this season — which is a surprise given Jayson Tatum’s absence following Achilles surgery — rides on the shoulders of Brown, who has made it known how he feels about the Knicks.
“Last year [in 2024] we were a championship team,” Brown said in a Netflix show ahead of this season. “We won the championship … Duckboats, champagne. … This year we gotta listen to insufferable Knicks fans. I don’t know how we lost in general.”
In December, Brown was more blunt: “F–k the Knicks,” he said on a livestream, a few weeks after dropping 42 points in a victory over New York at TD Garden.
Sunday is the latest installment of the rivalry and occurs with New York looking up at Boston in the standings.
The Knicks had been impressive for weeks before their ugly effort Friday in Detroit, where they managed a season-low 80 points and were overwhelmed by the Pistons speed and physicality.
Jaylen Brown attempts a shot during the Celtics’ Dec. 2 game against the Knicks. Imagn Images
“We missed a lot of shots offensively,” reserve guard Jordan Clarkson said. “They pressured us. We were just taking tough shots throughout the whole game. So, they got out and scored easy transition points and stuff like that. So, it’s definitely tough to beat a team on their own court when stuff like that is happening.”
The Celtics, who have won five straight, are theoretically a better matchup than the Pistons for the Knicks, who won’t win a footrace but can handle size.
The teams split the first two matchups of this season.
And if the current standings hold up, the Knicks would again meet the Celtics in the second round.
That’s an opportunity Brown — who is averaging 29.5 points this season — has been waiting for.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - DECEMBER 20: Keyonte George #3 of the Utah Jazz brings the ball up the court against the Orlando Magic during the second half of their game at the Delta Center on December 20, 2025 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The new-look Utah Jazz will take on the Orlando Magic in the first game, with Jaren Jackson Jr., Vince Williams, and John Konchar now available for the Jazz. What’s exciting for Jazz fans is that they get to watch them all together at least this one time, including Keyonte George tonight.
Jazz starters tonight: Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., Jusuf Nurkic.
Keyonte George on a minutes restriction around 24 MPG.
It’s the best lineup possible for the Jazz, even if Keyonte George will be on a minute restriction. It’s an important one to watch for Jazz fans because you might not see much of this lineup this season with the Jazz looking to keep their pick, or even rise higher in the tank standings.
Next season, Utah will likely be adding Walker Kessler and, hopefully, a top-8 pick in the draft. It’s going to be a team with a ton of potential. This game is a preview of that, and it’ll be exciting to get a flavor of Jaren Jackson Jr. next to Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George, and Ace Bailey.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Xzayvier Brown scored 14 of his 20 points in the second half and Oklahoma held off No. 15 Vanderbilt 92-91 on Saturday to end a nine-game losing streak.
Nijel Pack added 17 points for the Sooners (12-12, 2-9 Southeastern Conference) who had a 21-point lead with 12:03 left. Oklahoma shot 53.4% from the field.
Tyler Tanner led Vanderbilt (19-4, 6-4) with 37 points. Tyler Nickel added 18.
Nickel hit a 3-pointer with 1 1/2 minutes left to cut Oklahoma's lead to 10. AK Okereke had a 4-point play to make it a two-possession game with 49 seconds remaining.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Chauncey Wiggins scored 22 points, and Florida State survived a late Notre Dame rally for an 82-79 win on Saturday in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
Florida State (11-12, 4-6 ACC) hit five straight 3-pointers to open the game and jumped out to a 17-2 lead with 14:00 left in the first half. The Seminoles led 41-32 at halftime, then watched Notre Dame close the gap in the final minutes of regulation.
Logan Imes’ 3-pointer gave Notre Dame a 75-74 lead with 2:07 remaining, but Wiggins answered on the next possession, burying a 3 of his own to put Florida State back in front 77-75. Lajae Jones made two free throws with 35 seconds left, Martin Somerville split a pair with 17 seconds remaining, and Alier Maluk made two with nine seconds left to seal the win.
Wiggins went 5 of 10 from 3-point range as Florida State made 15 3s and committed five turnovers. Robert McCray V scored 15 points and hit four 3s, Alex Steen had 10 points and nine rebounds, and Jones added 11.
Braeden Shrewsberry scored 18 points for Notre Dame (11-12, 2-8). Jalen Haralson had 15 before fouling out, Cole Certa scored 14 and Sir Mohammed added 11 off the bench for the Fighting Irish.
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Labaron Philon Jr. tallied 25 points, six assists and five rebounds, Amari Allen added 17 points and six rebounds, and Alabama took down Auburn 96-92 on Saturday.
The Crimson Tide (16-7, 6-4 Southeastern Conference) trailed by as many as 10 points, but rallied back with runs of 11-0 and 8-0 in the second half. They took the lead for good with 10:39 remaining in regulation.
Aden Holloway scored 15 points, and Charles Bediako had 12 on 5-for-5 shooting. Aiden Sherrell had a game-high four blocks.
The Tigers (14-9, 5-5) were led by Tahaad Pettiford, who scored 25 points to go with seven assists. Keyshawn Hall added 24 points on 8-for-22 shooting before fouling out late, and Kevin Overton scored 17. Keshawn Murphy had a 13-point, 12-rebound double-double.
Auburn led 41-37 at the half, with Overton pacing the Tigers with 11 points in the first frame. Philon Jr. scored nine first-half points for Alabama.
PORTLAND, OREGON - FEBRUARY 01: Lonzo Ball #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the first half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on February 01, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Freeing up two roster spots after sending Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porziņģis and trading Trayce Jackson-Davis to the Toronto Raptors for a second-round pick, the Golden State Warriors signed Pat Spencer to a standard roster contract. Their one remaining roster spot is now left open for a potential buyout acquisition.
Per NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Warriors are looking closely at Lonzo Ball, currently a free agent after being waived by the Utah Jazz, not long after acquiring him from the Cleveland Cavaliers. In 35 games this season, Ball has averaged 4.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in 20.8 minutes.
As the Warriors are working to convert two-way guard Pat Spencer to a roster spot, Golden State also has its sights set on adding Lonzo Ball via the buyout market, sources say.
Ball certainly hasn’t had a good season, but the Warriors may be seeking his ability to be a connector, a trait the Warriors and head coach Steve Kerr highly value. Furthermore, Ball has been somewhat of a turnover-generator on defense (2.2 steals per 75 possessions), which does fall in line with the Warriors’ defensive identity of a team that forces tons of turnovers (fifth in non-garbage-time opponent turnover rate, per Cleaning the Glass). Furthermore, his rebound and assist rates for a guard (6.8 rebounds per 75 possessions and 6.7 assists per 75 possessions) are nothing to scoff at.
However, signing Ball would do little to alleviate the problem of shooting and spacing, as Ball is shooting 27.2 percent on 4.2 three-point attempts per game, not to mention a less-than-ideal 44.8 percent on two-point shots. Ball has struggled to recover his shooting stroke after coming back from two seasons of inactivity due to knee problems.
The NBA trade deadline has come and gone. Contenders buffed out their scratches, owners ducked their taxes, and now, Tank Season awaits the rest of us serfs. With two months left in the regular season, injury reports and funky substitution patterns provoke cries for Adam Silver and essays questioning whether Giannis Antetokounmpo publicly embracing Kalshi as a shareholder is a greater threat to the NBA’s integrity than Keshon Gilbert getting 29 minutes in a regular-season game for the Washington Wizards. It’s a dark, confusing world out there.
But at least it’s funny. Few sporting events capture this like a true NBA Tank-Off, so shameless and so absurd, with its participants forbidden from acknowledging it as such. World-class athletes don’t just have their own fans rooting against them, but their bosses too. Would NBA League Pass really be worth it without this perverse spectacle?
On Saturday afternoon, the 14-36 Wizards held up their end of the bargain. Forget some legitimately injured vets like Anthony Davis and Trae Young, they put ten guys on the injury report. Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr, and Kyshawn George were questionable with injury, and none of them played. At the very least, the Wiz had the excuse of a back-to-back (facing the Miami Heat on Sunday) and four wins in their last six tries.
The 13-37 Brooklyn Nets did not, and they did not partake in the calculated fun. They handed in their cleanest injury report of the season; even trade acquisitions Josh Minott and Ochai Agbaji were available, though neither played. Perhaps Brooklyn didn’t learn their lesson from last season…
Maybe ownership believes you can’t turn the tank up to ten before the All-Star break. Maybe Michael Porter Jr.‘s knee is 100% fine and they didn’t want a call from the league office, maybe they thought there was no way to lose to the skeleton-crew Wizards. Maybe, they just wanted Jordi Fernández to see his team play well.
“While we’re not changing, you have to play hard and with purpose,” said Fernández pregame. “If we find that balance, we’ll see a competitive group. It’s not that hard, you just have to be committed. Lately we haven’t found those two things together.”
On Saturday, the Nets were finally on the other side of a lopsided first quarter. The hosts led 46-20, then 80-47 by halftime. Of course, it marked their highest point-total in any half this season, and Fernández got what he wanted: “I mean, playing extremely hard and with purpose. I thought we, like you said, found ways to score the ball. And I think that second group had a great thing going, from defense to offense, running the floor, doing the right things. And I think that group, if you look all the way through, that’s the one that gave us the win.”
Fernández isn’t lying. Michael Porter Jr. led the team in scoring with 23 points on 8-of-16 shooting, and Nolan Traore played well in another start, putting up 15/3/4 on 6-of-7 shooting with one lone turnover, but it was the bench that truly embarrassed Washington. To no surprise, the fringe NBA players off their bench couldn’t handle Day’Ron Sharpe, who mauled his way to 19/9/4.
Nor could they handle Sharpe’s partner in the front-court, Danny Wolf. The two were attached at the hip on Saturday, sharing all their minutes together. Wolf dropped 16/7/6, with three of those assists to Sharpe down low.
The rookie was highly complimentary of the vet, postgame: “He’s playing 20 minutes, and he’s giving you 19/9/4, I don’t know how many bigs in the NBA are doing that. I think his superpower is rebounding, right? And a lot of his points come off put-backs, and you might just look at that as an easy bucket, but it’s not easy to do … As you play with someone more, you’re gonna get that confidence in one another, and you’re gonna learn to play off each other, and it makes the game so much easier for everybody.”
Wolf stole the show, though. He made two threes and shot 7-of-11 without a turnover, all of his problem areas becoming strengths at least for one shining afternoon. Most importantly, Wolf seemed calmer, more self-assured than Nets fans have seen him for months. Not coincidentally, without Traore or Cam Thomas in the backcourt, he had the ball in his hands much more.
Said Wolf: “The last month, two months, it’s just a lot of learning. I was playing off the ball, and for me, it’s just like everything felt — I felt a little bit too sped up, and there’s gonna be games where that’s my role. And then when coach does give me the ball and trust me with it, it’s on me to make the right play.”
Danny Wolf splashes a 3 to give the Nets 46 points in the first quarter.
Egor Dëmin only had four points, going 0-of-5 from three. Still, the rest of the rookies all had shining moments, whether it was an athletic finish from Drake Powell at the rim, a fast-break dunk for Ben Saraf, or this sexy Traore bucket…
The Wizards hit some 3-pointers in the final third of the game, and as a result, Brooklyn’s starters somehow ended up losing their minutes … not that it really mattered. Washington almost almost made it a game, but thanks to Brooklyn’s big bench, the game was over long before halftime.
The Nets shot an incomprehensible 69.8% inside the arc on Saturday; if they had gotten hot from deep, they would’ve put up 150 points. If they were gonna disregard the Tank-Off and win, at least they did it in style.
We’ll see if the NBA Draft Lottery gods reward them for their nobility on May 10.
Final Score: Brooklyn Nets 127, Washington Wizards 113
Milestone Watch
Now here’s some querying: All five rookies have recorded multiple assists in the past two games. Brooklyn becomes the first team in NBA history 5+ rookies do so in the same game, multiple times, since the 1980-81 New Jersey Nets.
Brooklyn’s 36 assists matched a season-high. Six players recorded 4+ assists, tying a franchise record.
Wolf and Sharpe are the first duo in Nets history to both record at least 16/7/4 off the bench in the same game.
Brooklyn outscored Washing by 26 in the first quarter, their best point differential in a quarter since going +29 against Warriors in the first on 12/21/22.
Injury Report
The Nets were completely healthy on Saturday! Only the two-ways, down in Long Island, missed this one. Which means that, yes, Ziaire Williams was a DNPCD, as well as Jalen Wilson, Agbaji, and Minott.
Nets bid farewell to Cam Thomas
Saturday’s game marked the beginning of Brooklyn’s post-Cam Thomas era. When asked about the decision to waive him, Jordi Fernández, didn’t offer much: “I’m not going to speak for Sean [Marks]. When Cam was here, he wore our jersey, he played hard, and competed. The only thing I can say is thanks for the time he spent with us. He always worked, always tried, and was a teammate. Now it’s exciting for him to start somewhere else. We just wish him luck and say thanks for wearing our jersey.”
Remember, English is Fernández’s third language … but that is some quote. He wore our jersey. He was a teammate. Indeed, the Nets did compensate Cam Thomas for his services. This is all true.
When asked about the deadline in general, Danny Wolf singled out Tyrese Martin as a great mentor and someone he’d miss, though didn’t Thomas. Day’Ron Sharpe, a Nets pick alongside CT in the 2021 NBA Draft, was asked directly about Thomas and wished him well, noting their long-term relationship.
Cam Thomas averaged 24 points for the Nets just last season! You wouldn’t know it by his exit.
Tankathon Update
Yep, it’s that time of the year:
Next Up
<p>Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images</p><br>
The Brooklyn Nets continue their homestand with a game against the Chicago Bulls and their revolving door of guards. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on Monday evening.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles won their salary arbitration case Saturday against pitcher Keegan Akin, the first victory for teams this year after five decisions in favor of players.
Akin was awarded $2,975,000 rather than his $3,375,000 request by John Stout, Jeanne Charles and Samantha Tower, who heard arguments Friday.
A 30-year-old left-hander, Akin was 5-4 with a 3.41 ERA and eight saves in 64 relief appearances last season, striking out 59 and walking 33 in 63 1/3 innings. He had a $1,475,000 salary.
Akin has a 16-22 record with a 4.48 ERA and 11 saves in six major league seasons, all with the Orioles. He can become a free agent after this year’s World Series.
Players lead 5-1 with up to seven decisions remaining.
In other decisions, catcher Yainer Diaz received $4.5 million instead of the Houston Astros’ $3 million proposal, right-hander Kyle Bradish was awarded $3.55 million instead of the Orioles’ offer of $2,875,000, right-hander Graham Ashcraft was awarded $1.75 million rather than the Cincinnati Reds’ $1.25 million offer and right-hander Edwin Uceta will be paid $1,525,000 rather than the Tampa Bay Rays’ $1.2 million proposal.
Two cases have been argued with decisions withheld until next week: Toronto left-hander Eric Lauer ($5.75 million vs. $4.4 million) and Atlanta left-hander Dylan Lee ($2.2 million vs. $2 million).
Five players remain scheduled for hearings next week: Kansas City left-hander Kris Bubic ($6.15 million vs. $5.15 million), Milwaukee catcher Willson Contreras ($9.9 million vs. $8.55 million), Los Angeles Angels left-hander Reid Detmers ($2,925,000 vs. $2,625,000), Miami right-hander Calvin Faucher ($2.05 million vs. $1.8 million) and Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson ($6.8 million vs $6.55 million).
DALLAS, TEXAS - OCTOBER 24: Anthony Davis #3 of the Dallas Mavericks is defended by Tristan Vukcevic #00 of the Washington Wizards during a game at American Airlines Center on October 24, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Friday night, Chris Haynes of Prime reported that Washington Wizards forward Anthony Davis will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 NBA season. Davis already had various injuries including his hand and groin.
BREAKING: Washington Wizards star Anthony Davis (hand, groin) expected to sit out the remainder of the season to fully get healthy for the 2026-27 season, league sources tell me. pic.twitter.com/HKqEL9mBFC
Sorry I was late on posting this one. However, this news shouldn’t be a surprise because the Wizards are still in position to get a high draft pick later this season. This also means that Trae Young, who is already going to miss all games through All-Star Break, would not be in a rush to get back anytime soon either.
After reaching the 50-game limit afforded to two-way-contract players after the Golden State Warriors’ win over the Phoenix Suns, Pat Spencer has been signed to a standard contract by the Warriors, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The Golden State Warriors are signing two-way guard Pat Spencer to a contract for the rest of the season, Mark Bartelstein and Ross Aroyo of @PrioritySports tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/SBmavXvzVb
Spencer has proven himself to be a stable backup point guard option for Steve Kerr, with season averages of 5.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists on 14.4 minutes per game.
This is the second season in a row that Spencer’s two-way contract has been converted to a standard roster contract, the difference being that his contract last season was converted prior to the start of the playoffs. Spencer will take up one of two roster spots freed by the Jonathan Kuminga/Buddy Hield swap for Kristaps Porziņģis and Trayce Jackson-Davis being shipped to the Toronto Raptors for a second-round pick.
The last spot will be left open for the time being, possibly to make room for a player on the buyout market.
Part of it was the Nets getting past the angst of the trade deadline.
Most of it was playing the shell of a Wizards team far more committed to the tank than they were.
But in the end, Brooklyn rolled to a 127-113 rout of Washington before a sellout crowd of 17,548 in a game nowhere near that close.
In a Tank Bowl against a foe that suited up just eight players and sat ten — including newly-acquired Trae Young and Anthony Davis — the Nets led by 34 and were never threatened.
The only thing threatened was their own lottery standing.
The victory — one many of their fans would call Pyrrhic — saw the Nets (14-37) fall into a fourth-place tie with the Wizards, and 1 ½ games behind both Indiana and New Orleans/Atlanta.
But Brooklyn snapped a three-game skid, and did it in style.
“We were just playing hard, playing together,” said Day’Ron Sharpe. “They were smaller in the second group, so just dominating in that aspect.”
They dominated the glass 45-30, and scored 66 points in the paint.
Brooklyn put seven scorers in double figures, led by Michael Porter Jr.’s 23 and six rebounds.
Nolan Traore drives to the basket during the Nets’ Feb. 7 win over the Wizards. Imagn Images
Sharpe had 19 points and nine boards in just 19:38 off the bench.
He played every second alongside Danny Wolf, who added 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists with no turnovers.
“[Saturday] the message was there shouldn’t be distractions anymore, and this is who we are,” said Wolf. “Guys did a great job buying into the game plan.”
They also beat up on an outmanned team.
Young is out with an MCL injury, Davis is yet to arrive from his trade (with Washington coach Brian Keefe sidestepping an Amazon report that the big man may sit the rest of the season) and eight more Wizards out including Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George.
Their 46-20 edge after one was their most lopsided period since outscoring the Warriors by 29 on Dec. 21, 2022.
Ben Saraf dunks the ball during the Nets’ Feb. 7 win against the Wizards. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
And they led 80-47 at the break, their fifth-highest scoring first half ever.
Porter’s layup made it 77-43 with 1:19 in the first half, and they held on in the second.
With Porter, Sharpe, Claxton, and the waived Cam Thomas and Tyrese Martin all having their names in rumors leading up to the trade deadline, now the Nets finally know who their team is.
“It’s been tough for everybody. Some of those teammates are like brothers,” said Wolf. “It’s part of the NBA and it sucks, guys getting cut or moved to new cities. But credit to the guys for pushing past it.”
Jordi Fernandez said of Thomas: “When Cam was here, he wore our jersey, he played hard and competed. The only thing I can say is thanks for the time he spent with us. He always worked, always tried and was a teammate. Now it’s exciting for him to start somewhere else. We just wish him luck and say thanks for wearing our jersey.”
NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 7: Will Riley #27 of the Washington Wizards drives to the basket during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on February 7, 2026 at Barclays in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Washington Wizards lost to the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday afternoon, 127-113 on the road. While the result is certainly good for Washington’s 2026 first round draft pick hopes, it’s still disappointing considering the fact that they beat the Detroit Pistons earlier this week.
The first half was all that was needed to put Washington away. Brooklyn shot over 60 percent from the field while the Wizards shot just 35 percent themselves. Michael Porter, Jr. scored 20 of his 23 points in the half while Justin Champagnie scored 17 of his 21 points for Washington. Outside of Champagnie, there wasn’t much to root for.
Will Riley led Washington with 27 points, scoring 16 of those points in the fourth quarter with the game outcome all but decided. I wouldn’t call his performance and start “empty calories” though. That’s because he is one of Washington’s first round picks, so he can certainly use the playing time.
For Brooklyn, seven players scored in double figures, including Day’ron Sharpe, who shot 8-of-10 from the field and scored 19 points.
The Wizards will head back to Washington tonight for their next game which is tomorrow against the Miami Heat. Tip off is at 2 p.m. ET. See you then.
NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Porter Jr. scored 23 points and the Brooklyn Nets used an 80-point first half to beat the short-handed Washington Wizards 127-113 on Saturday.
With the Wizards having only eight players available, the Nets led by 34 points in the second quarter and went on to snap a three-game losing streak.
Day'Ron Sharpe added 19 points and Noah Clowney had 18 for the Nets, who won for just the second time in 12 games. Rookie Danny Wolf had 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
Will Riley scored a career-high 27 points for the Wizards. Justin Champagnie added 21 points and nine rebounds.
The teams are tied for 13th in the Eastern Conference at 14-37, playing plenty of young players as they angle for lottery position. But Brooklyn had its full roster on the court Saturday while Washington sat a few players on the first back-to-back games.
Alex Sarr (right ankle soreness), Kyshawn George (right knee contusion) and Bilal Coulibaly (lower back soreness) were all ruled out Saturday, while the players acquired along with Anthony Davis from Dallas on Wednesday weren’t available yet.
The Wizards had won four of their previous six games, including a victory over East-leading Detroit on Thursday in their last outing.
Brooklyn outscored Washington 23-3 over the final 4 1/2 minutes of the first quarter, pushing a six-point lead to 46-20. Porter scored 13 points in the second quarter, with his free throws giving the Nets their largest lead at 60-26.
It was 80-47 at halftime. It was the Nets' most points in a half since scoring 91 in the first half against Golden State on Dec. 21, 2022.
Luke Kennard didn’t arrive in Southern California until Friday after his trade to the Lakers. But that didn’t stop coach JJ Redick from making it clear what one of the biggest priorities will be when Kennard starts playing for the Lakers.
Kennard comes to Los Angeles as one of the league’s best 3-point shooters – a reputation that’s well-earned considering his 44.2% shooting on 3s for his career is the second-highest mark in league history among qualified players.
But he also comes to the Lakers, who hosted the Warriors on Saturday night, with the reputation of a shooter who doesn’t shoot enough.
Luke Kennard #3 of the Atlanta Hawks shoots the ball in the first half against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on January 11, 2026. Getty Images
A shooter who’ll turn down shots, with the perception by many that he’ll protect his shooting percentages over taking tougher looks.
Among the 68 players who shoot at least 38% from beyond the arc, take at least two 3s per game and have played in at least 30 games entering Saturday, Kennard’s 3.2 3-point attempts per game ranks 54th.
“Excited about Luke,” Redick said. “I’ve known him for about 12 years now and think he’s one of the best shooters in the NBA. I’m going to highly encourage him to shoot more and not turn down shots.”
Kennard played college basketball at Duke, like Redick, before being the No. 12 pick in the 2017 draft.
And also like Redick, Kennard has thrived with being an offensive threat coming off screens.
“One of the underrated parts of his game is his ability to move and create second actions and move the basketball,” Redick said. “And you’ve seen that now at a number of his stops where you can initiate the offense through an off-ball movement, and he will just make the right play and sort of get the offense going. He’ll be a corner threat, an off-ball threat, and we’re excited to have him.”
With the trade now official, JJ Redick was able to address the addition of Luke Kennard and departure of Gabe Vincent.
On Luke: "Excited about Luke. Known him for about 12 years now. I think he's one of the best shooters in the NBA. I'm gonna highly encourage him to shoot more… pic.twitter.com/mN85vnhfHs
Redick isn’t the only Laker familiar with Kennard.
Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia were teammates with Kennard in Memphis, where all three played for the Grizzlies during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons.
“It was a pleasure to play with Luke in Memphis,” Smart said. “One of the better shooters in this league. And he comes to work every day, and I’m excited to see him out here with us again, me and Jake, and kind of keep going what we had in Memphis.”
Even Kennard’s new teammates who aren’t as familiar with him know how they’ll benefit from his addition.
Head Coach JJ Redick of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on January 24, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
“Obviously, as everybody knows, he’s one of the best 3-point shooters in the league,” Austin Reaves said. “If he has any time and space, playing against him, if you gave him time and space, you considered it a bucket. Just being able to space the floor, a guy that knows how to play basketball, stands for the right things. It’ll be fun. Can’t wait to get to work with him.”
As excited the Lakers were to add Kennard, they expressed disappointment about Gabe Vincent, whom the Lakers traded to the Hawks along with their 2032 second-round pick for Kennard, no longer being on the team.
“His teammates loved him,” Redick said of Vincent. “His coaches loved him. From a professionalism standpoint, just embodied everything that is good about this game. And I do think the way he finished last season and the way he started preseason, we all felt like that he was going to really have a breakout year for us here. Unfortunately just had a bunch of injuries.
“He’s a good player and an even better person. I’ve told Gabe this many times, we’re all grateful that we got to work with him and be around him. We’re very appreciative of him.”
