Category: Basketball

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis and Ja Morant are the three biggest potential targets ahead of the 2026 NBA trading deadline.

All three are injured, and all three will be sidelined well beyond the Feb. 5 deadline. This complicates the overall market.

Each player is expected to make an eventual full return to health, though each – to varying degrees – has his own complicated injury history. The problem arises in the risk potential suitors may be feeling to trade for players who have combined to miss 63 games this season, as well as the real assets required to pry those stars away from their teams.

This all points to a potential drag in the trading market, possibly making this a sleepy deadline – especially when compared to last season’s that saw stars like Luka Dončić, Jimmy Butler, De’Aaron Fox and Brandon Ingram each shipped to new teams.

Complicating this further is that the entire market is in somewhat of a holding pattern, awaiting to see what happens with Antetokounmpo, the two-time Most Valuable Player and biggest chip on the board.

Antetokounmpo technically has not requested a trade, and the Milwaukee Bucks have been reluctant to make their franchise player available in a deal. But Antetokounmpo, 31, has repeatedly voiced his frustrations – he most recently characterized the team’s play as “selfish” – and has maintained that he wants to compete for championships.

The Bucks are 18-26 and 10th in the Eastern Conference. This is quickly becoming a lost season, and the latest Antetokounmpo injury likely precludes them from being buyers ahead of the deadline. So the Bucks may reluctantly understand that a fresh start is best for everyone, particularly because Antetokounmpo has one more year on his deal with a player option for 2027-28 that he can decline.

NBA POWER RANKINGS: New No. 1 team unseats OKC Thunder

TRADE RUMORS: NBA players who could be on the move at the deadline

Essentially, if Milwaukee senses that Antetokounmpo is considering walking during the 2027 offseason, the Bucks may want to at least recoup some assets for a rebuild. In that case, a trade makes perfect sense.

Yet, potential suitors will have far more financial flexibility and draft capital to deploy in an Antetokounmpo trade over the offseason, so the Bucks are probably best served to exercise patience.

Either way, we’re nearly 50 games into the season, Antetokounmpo is dealing with an injury that has nagged him, and he’s expected to be reevaluated in a month – at the earliest. That puts potential contenders who would be interested in him in a tricky spot.

Adding Antetokounmpo is a franchise-altering move that also impacts the day-to-day operation of a team. Regardless of who the suitors may be, a player like Antetokounmpo completely alters the way offenses are run, so there would be an adjustment period.

Not only are the mechanics of trading a player like Antetokounmpo during the season complicated (with a third team possibly needing to be involved), it also means these suitors would need to undergo a massive pivot, which is a risk this late in the year.

So, as the rest of the league awaits for resolution with Antetokounmpo, this could create a further lag in the trading market.

The Mavericks have also indicated they’re not necessarily in a rush to move Davis, who was the headliner returned in the infamous Dončić deal. Davis turns 33 in mid-March and is a constant injury concern, though he can be effective when he’s on the floor.

Dallas, though, is hanging around the play-in picture in the West and is also without Kyrie Irving. Eventually, the Mavericks may feel that they can make a late push for the playoffs.

And the Grizzlies have to contend with a depressed market as Morant’s value is as low as it has been throughout his career.

Granted, this could all change very quickly. If the Bucks decide they want to prioritize a head start on a rebuild, they could look to move Antetokounmpo sooner. If the Mavericks feel they can get good value for Davis, maybe they scoop up younger players more aligned with their timeline. Maybe the Grizzlies decide their relationship with Morant has run its course.

This trading deadline will certainly be active with role players like Jonathan Kuminga, Michael Porter Jr., Coby White and Domantas Sabonis likely to find new teams.

Don’t be surprised, however, if all this smoke about Antetokounmpo, Davis and Morant turns out to be just that.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA trade deadline could be a bust depending on Giannis Antetokounmpo

As March Madness inches ever closer, we offer our latest attempt to project the men's basketball NCAA tournament field. While four different conferences are still represented on the No.-1 seed line, the upper quadrant of the bracket skews heavily toward the Big Ten.

For now the top regional seeds are unchanged from our previous installment of bracketology. Arizona has the strongest case for the top overall seed, with Michigan, Connecticut and Duke still projected to lead the regionals. The Wolverines head a group of five Big Ten squads among our projected top 12, despite preseason league favorite Purdue slipping to a No. 3 seed. Red-hot Illinois has moved up to a No. 2 along with still undefeated Nebraska, and perennial tournament contender Michigan State is also on the third line.

Mid-major power rankings: Keep eye on these teams in March

Weekend recap: Paying attention to Texas Tech yet? You should.

It might be a case of quantity over quality for the SEC, which is still well represented with 10 teams in the field but none seeded higher than Florida and Vanderbilt at No. 4 for the moment. The league’s automatic qualifier based on the current standings would be Texas A&M, though the Aggies likely will need to improve their profile should they require at-large consideration.

Seton Hall has toppled out of the field for now, leaving the Big East with just three tournament squads. The Mountain West also has three spots, though a couple of them are dangerously close to the bubble.

Bracketology: NCAA tournament field projection

March Madness Last four in

TCU, UCLA, New Mexico, Miami (Fla.).

March Madness First four out

Virginia Tech, Indiana, Missouri, Seton Hall.

NCAA tournament bids conference breakdown

Multi-bid leagues: Big Ten (10), SEC (10), Big 12 (8), ACC (8) Big East (3), Mountain West (3), West Coast (2).

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness bracketology: NCAA Tournament projection led by Big Ten

With college football season over and the Super Bowl only two weeks away, many of the country’s sports fans will adopt what has become a familiar routine over the years — digging into men’s college basketball and counting down the days to the start of the NCAA tournament.

At least some of the excitement and joy from the madness of March comes from outside the sport’s biggest conferences, where smaller schools pull off the kinds of upsets that thrill fans and destroy brackets. It’s part of the beauty of NCAA tournament folk heroes, with previously little-known players, coaches, programs and schools become national darlings in an instant.

Those teams, though, can be enjoyed well before they become household names.

NCAA tournament bracketology: Big Ten dominates March Madness projection

What we learned last week: Paying attention to Texas Tech yet? You should

As March inches closer, USA TODAY Sports will do weekly rankings of the 10 best teams from outside of the five Power conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Big East and SEC), so while programs like Gonzaga or San Diego State — both of which have made the national title game in the past five years — are nobody’s idea of a mid-major, they fall into this category for the sake of this exercise.

Where do teams from outside the biggest conferences stand as February approaches?

College basketball mid-major power rankings

1. Gonzaga (21-1)

Mark Few has made the Bulldogs a model of consistent success for any program at any level of the sport and this season has been no exception. Since a loss to No. 2 Michigan in the Players Era Festival on Nov. 26, the Zags have rattled off 14 consecutive wins, a run that has included victories over Kentucky (by 35), UCLA, Oregon and Santa Clara. Graham Ike and Braden Huff form one of the best frontcourts in the country, with the forwards averaging a combined 35.9 points per game.

2. Saint Louis (19-1)

If it weren’t for a buzzer-beating 3-pointer in a 78-77 loss to Stanford on Nov. 28, the Billikens would be among the small handful of undefeated teams remaining in the sport. In its second season under coach Josh Schertz, Saint Louis has emerged as the class of the Atlantic 10, with a 7-0 conference record and only two of those games decided by single digits. College basketball folk hero Robbie Avila, who previously played for Schertz at Indiana State, is averaging a team-high 12.7 points and four assists per game.

3. Miami-Ohio (20-0)

The RedHawks are one of just three undefeated teams at the Division I level, with a 20-0 mark on the heels of a 25-win season in 2024-25. It marks the first time a Mid-American Conference team has ever won its first 20 games. Their nonconference schedule was the fourth-easiest among Division I squads, according to KenPom, but coach Travis Steele’s team has shown its mettle in pressurized situations, with overtime wins against Buffalo and Kent State, as well as a three-point victory over reigning MAC champion Akron.

4. Utah State (16-3)

The Aggies have become a launching pad for promising coaches to bigger, higher-paying jobs, with four coaches in the past six years. Through it all, though, they keep winning, with Vanderbilt transfer MJ Collins Jr. pacing this season’s team with 19.3 points per game on 42.4% shooting from 3. They’ve cooled off a bit lately, losing two of their past three after a 15-1 start, but they still look like the Mountain West favorite.

5. Saint Mary’s (19-3)

Like West Coast Conference rival Gonzaga, the Gaels win year after year and have continued it this season, with 10 wins in their past 11 games. Among the areas in which they’ve excelled? At the free-throw line, where they’re burying a Division I-best 81% of their attempts.

Coaches Poll, AP Top 25: Men's college basketball rankings after Week 12

6. Santa Clara (17-5)

Under veteran coach Herb Sendek, the Broncos are on pace for their most wins in a season in a decade while collecting several impressive victories along the way — beating, among others, Saint Mary’s, Xavier, Minnesota, Nevada and McNeese.

7. San Diego State (14-5)

The Aztecs have found their footing after a 3-3 start, winning 11 of their past 13 games (with one of those losses coming to No. 1 Arizona). As always, they’ve been fierce on the defensive end, ranking 26th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.

8. New Mexico (16-4)

After winning 30 games last season at UC San Diego, coach Eric Olen has kept things rolling in his first season with the Lobos, who are 13-2 since Nov. 21 and have picked up wins against Santa Clara, VCU, Mississippi State and Nevada.

9. George Mason (18-2)

Tony Skinn helped lead the Patriots to the 2006 Final Four as a player and has excelled since returning to the school as a coach, winning at least 20 games in his first two seasons. This squad might be his best yet. Like Miami (Ohio), George Mason feasted on a weak nonconference schedule, but it still has quality wins over VCU and George Washington.

10. Akron (16-4)

Three of the Zips’ four losses this season have come by five points or fewer, with only No. 12 Purdue beating them by a larger margin. Senior guard Tavari Johnson is one of the most dynamic scorers in the country, averaging 20.3 points per game and shooting 38.7% from 3.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College basketball mid-major rankings: Gonzaga, Saint Louis lead way

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

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More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

BOSTON — Late in the fourth quarter of the Celtics 102-94 win over the Portland Trail Blazers, Payton Pritchard crouched down in pain on the TD Garden parquet and clutched his left hand. Moments later, the Celtics guard headed into the locker room, his injury status seemingly up in the air.

But, much to the relief of the Celtics fans who braved the winter storm to watch Jrue Holiday and Rob Williams make their triumphant returns, Pritchard returned just a few minutes later and closed out the final 42 seconds of the ball game. The Celtics put away the Blazers, and improved to 29-17 on the season — the Eastern Conference’s second-best record.

Afterwards, Pritchard revealed that the injury was nothing too concerning; he simply re-injured a pinky finger that’s been bothering him for the past month.

Pritchard looked like he aggravated a left pinky/hand injury that he already had wrapped. Left the game with just under 3 minutes remaining. pic.twitter.com/asMuxx7cj4

— Bobby Manning (@RealBobManning) January 27, 2026

“I’ve been dealing with it, jamming it back and forth, and then he just kind of hit it,” Pritchard said, explaining his finger turned sideways.

Pritchard said he thinks he first hurt his finger when the Celtics faced the Trail Blazers on December 28th. But it’s not something that’s put him on the injury report; he’s only missed one game in January, and that was due to listed ankle soreness.

“When you play basketball, you deal with finger injuries,” Pritchard said.

Payton Pritchard put together another strong showing vs the Blazers

On Monday, Pritchard beat both the end-of-first-quarter and halftime buzzers, while tallying 23 points on 8-16 FG, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists.

The finger injury doesn’t appear to have slowed down his production. This year, Pritchard is averaging 16.8 points while shooting 45.1% from the field and 34.7% from three-point range.

Payton Pritchard in the paint, he is the first player with 20 pic.twitter.com/OBdXGKFYWY

— Danielle Hobeika (@DanielleHobeika) January 27, 2026

In January, his counting stats have slightly decreased, but his efficiency has improved; he’s averaging 15.9 points and shooting 46.6% from the field and 39.4% from three-point range. All season long, Pritchard has had one of the best assist-to-turnover ratios in the NBA; he’s averaging 5.3 assists and 1.1 turnovers per game.

After the win over the Blazers, Pritchard said the discussions around the Celtics taking a step back this season were motivating.

“People have been doubting me my whole life,” he said. “For me, it’s like show up, go to work, figure out how to win games — and prove people wrong. So, nothing changed for me in my mindset.”

Good morning, it’s Tuesday, January 27th. The Cleveland Cavaliers are 28-20 and beat the Orlando Magic yesterday.

They host the Los Angeles Lakers tomorrow. We hear a certain someone will be in town. You won’t want to miss it.

Today’s Game of the Day

• Detroit Pistons at Denver Nuggets – 9 PM FanDuel Sports Network, NBA League Pass

Still no Nikola Jokic, but the Nuggets (31-15) are still a team worth watching. That is, if Jamal Murray doesn’t miss this game as well. Murray is currently listed as questionable with a hamstring injury.

Nevertheless, this is a chance for Cavs fans to keep an eye on the Pistons (33-11). Detroit probably won’t relinquish control of the Eastern Conference’s top seed, but you can scout the best team in the East and get a sense for how the Cavs might stack up against them.

The Rest of the NBA Slate

• Portland Trail Blazers at Washington Wizards – 7 PM
• Sacramento Kings at New York Knicks – 7:30 PM
• Milwaukee Bucks at Philadelphia 76ers – 8 PM
• New Orleans Pelicans at Oklahoma City Thunder – 8 PM
• Brooklyn Nets at Phoenix Suns – 9 PM
• LA Clippers at Utah Jazz – 10 PM

Honorable mention to the Clippers and Jazz game. I don’t know why, but I feel like that could end up being an entertaining one.

Cavs links of the day

• Cavs’ sophomore Jaylon Tyson selected for NBA’s 2026 Rising Stars game – Fear the Sword
• Cavs stay close to top of NBA power rankings – Cavs on SI
• Opposing teams are trying to trade for Cavs small forward – Fear the Sword
• “The ultimate glue guy,” Unheralded Dean Wade becoming Cavs starting lineup linchpin – Cleveland.com

NBA links

• NBA Rewind: What does Giannis really want? – New York Times
• NBA Trade Deadline: What should the Bucks do with Giannis? – ESPN
• NBA Power Rankings: Pistons surge past Thunder for No. 1 spot – NBA.com

BOSTON — Jrue Holiday ran into Neemias Queta, Xavier Tillman, Celtics staffers and Jordan Walsh while doing mobility drills in the hallway on Monday afternoon. Walsh and Holiday, who mentored the rookie during his first NBA season, talked about shoes. Walsh inquired if Holiday had anything for him. Holiday quipped Walsh doesn’t wear his shoe size.

“Different on the other side now, but it feels good,” Holiday told reporters moments before Celtics-Blazers. “Glad to be back, see a lot of familiar faces and excited to play.”

Holiday again discussed the Celtics’ front office being upfront that he would likely be traded last offseason due to second apron penalties, and appreciated the heads-up Stevens gave before Boston executed a trade to send him to Portland. Holiday briefly landed with the Blazers in 2023 in the Damian Lillard trade before Portland flipped him to Boston in a trade that involved Robert Williams III. Williams III also made his first on-court return to the TD Garden since that trade on Monday after two injury-riddled seasons away from Boston.

Those relationships from that brief crossover helped Holiday land more softly with the Blazers this time around, who he’s led through their continued rebuild, Chauncey Billups’ arrest in October, Lillard’s recovery from Achilles surgery in his return to the Blazers and Tiago Splitter’s ascension to interim head coach. Holiday missed 27 games with a hamstring injury, sitting out the Blazers’ win over the Celtics in Portland late last month before returning to average 12.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists on 46.2% shooting through his first six games back. He hasn’t been surprised with the Celtics’ success since losing him and several contributors to the 2024 championship.

“I knew that they’d do well, knowing the type of determination that this coaching staff and organization has,” Holiday said. “Being with this team for a couple of years now and knowing the type of players that they are and how they prepare, I figured that they’d be good and obviously knowing Jaylen, I feel like he takes a lot of things personally, so he doesn’t accept a lot, especially when it comes to being bad.”

Holiday said Jaylen Brown took the postseason loss to the Knicks in May personally, and credited Joe Mazzulla’s communication and coaching methods for their success as well. He also mentioned Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, Queta and the coaching staff’s defiance to being proven out as drivers of success this season.

Mazzulla, who usually doesn’t comment on opposing players, even family members and returning Celtics, made an exception for Holiday. He praised Holiday’s off-court contributions as much as what he brought to Boston on the court, which included an XChange business incubator program across several cities including Boston, that Holiday remains invested in alongside Brown.

“The biggest thing that stands out is who he is as a person,” Mazzulla said. “When you take a look at a guy who’s a champion and an All-Star and comes in and accepts a completely different role, and does it with a smile on his face and does it with a level of respect and professionalism and is willing to do what it takes to win every night … the love he had for his wife, taking a year off and being there for his family and his kids and the relationship that he and his wife have, all that stuff sticks out more than the basketball, so it was great having him for the time that we did and I love him to death.”

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — England captain Harry Brook won his first toss of the series and elected to bat in the third and final ODI against Sri Lanka on Tuesday.

Brook criticized the track in the second ODI as the “worst pitch” he’s ever played on despite the visitors winning the game by five wickets and levelling the series 1-1.

England retained the same spin-heavy XI that troubled Sri Lanka in the second game. Zak Crawley couldn’t recover from his knee injury, which means Rehan Ahmed will once again open the batting with Ben Duckett.

Sri Lanka, which hasn’t lost a bilateral home series over the last five years, brought in ace spinner Wanindu Hasaranga in place of fast bowler Pramod Madushan as the wicket is expected to help slow bowlers.

Hasaranga was rested for the first two games with the T20 World Cup starting on Feb. 7.

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Lineups:

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka (captain), Janith Liyanage, Pavan Rathnayake, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jeffrey Vandersay, Asitha Fernando.

England: Rehan Ahmed, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (captain), Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Luka Doncic put on another scoring masterclass with 46 points as the Los Angeles Lakers claimed a 129-118 victory at the Chicago Bulls.

The Slovenia guard's haul included eight three-pointers, and he also registered seven rebounds and 12 assists at the United Center to end the Bulls' four-game unbeaten run.

Doncic becomes the quickest Laker to reach 2,000 points - achieving the feat in his 65th game since he was traded by the Dallas Mavericks last February.

It was the fourth match in a row that the 26-year-old has finished with more than 30 points and he tops the NBA scoring charts with an average of 33.8 points per game.

He joins Kobe Bryant as the only players in Lakers history with at least 45 points, 10 assists and five three-pointers in a single game.

LeBron James added 24 points, five rebounds and three assists for the Lakers with Rui Hachimura hitting 23 points off the bench.

Despite Doncic's achievements, Lakers coach JJ Redick admitted after the game that the superstar still gives him some anxious moments on the sidelines.

"He's an engine that's fully on and he likes to create out there and that's part of what makes him a great player," he said.

"Because I played with him, I have a pretty good understanding of that - not to say it doesn't test your patience at times.

"You have to be willing to live with some of the stuff he tries because more often than not you will get a great result."

Chicago Bulls (23-23, ninth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Indiana Pacers (11-36, 14th in the Eastern Conference)

Indianapolis; Wednesday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Pascal Siakam and the Indiana Pacers host Nikola Vucevic and the Chicago Bulls.

The Pacers are 7-24 in Eastern Conference games. Indiana is 5-28 against opponents with a winning record.

The Bulls are 3-7 against the rest of the division. Chicago allows 119.9 points to opponents while being outscored by 2.0 points per game.

The Pacers score 110.2 points per game, 9.7 fewer points than the 119.9 the Bulls allow. The Bulls are shooting 47.7% from the field, 0.6% lower than the 48.3% the Pacers' opponents have shot this season.

The teams play for the third time this season. In the last meeting on Dec. 6 the Pacers won 120-105 led by 36 points from Siakam, while Coby White scored 22 points for the Bulls.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jay Huff is scoring 8.3 points per game and averaging 3.7 rebounds for the Pacers. Siakam is averaging 21.8 points and 7.6 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Vucevic is averaging 16.8 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists for the Bulls. White is averaging 16.3 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Pacers: 5-5, averaging 108.2 points, 44.7 rebounds, 29.2 assists, 8.0 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 44.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.0 points per game.

Bulls: 6-4, averaging 118.2 points, 43.4 rebounds, 31.8 assists, 7.2 steals and 5.6 blocks per game while shooting 49.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.9 points.

INJURIES: Pacers: Obi Toppin: out (foot), Tyrese Haliburton: out for season (achilles).

Bulls: Noa Essengue: out for season (shoulder), Zach Collins: out (toe), Tre Jones: out (hamstring).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Atlanta Hawks (23-25, 10th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Boston Celtics (29-17, second in the Eastern Conference)

Boston; Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Atlanta looks to keep its three-game win streak alive when the Hawks take on Boston.

The Celtics are 21-11 in conference play. Boston is 13-11 against opponents with a winning record.

The Hawks are 11-17 against Eastern Conference opponents. Atlanta is 5-6 in games decided by 3 points or fewer.

The Celtics average 15.7 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.4 more made shots on average than the 13.3 per game the Hawks give up. The Hawks average 14.6 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.3 more makes per game than the Celtics give up.

The teams play for the second time this season. The Celtics won the last matchup 132-106 on Jan. 18. Jaylen Brown scored 41 points to help lead the Celtics to the victory.

TOP PERFORMERS: Derrick White is shooting 39.1% and averaging 17.6 points for the Celtics. Brown is averaging 26.2 points over the last 10 games.

Jalen Johnson is averaging 23 points, 10.4 rebounds and 7.9 assists for the Hawks. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is averaging 3.5 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Celtics: 6-4, averaging 113.2 points, 46.3 rebounds, 24.5 assists, 7.5 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 45.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.7 points per game.

Hawks: 6-4, averaging 115.0 points, 44.1 rebounds, 30.6 assists, 10.1 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 45.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.1 points.

INJURIES: Celtics: Jayson Tatum: out (achilles), Luka Garza: out (illness).

Hawks: Kristaps Porzingis: out (achilles), Zaccharie Risacher: day to day (knee), N'Faly Dante: out for season (knee).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Milwaukee Bucks (18-26, 11th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (24-21, sixth in the Eastern Conference)

Philadelphia; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: 76ers -10; over/under is 219.5

BOTTOM LINE: Ryan Rollins and the Milwaukee Bucks visit Tyrese Maxey and the Philadelphia 76ers in Eastern Conference action.

The 76ers are 18-17 in conference play. Philadelphia has a 12-6 record in games decided by at least 10 points.

The Bucks are 14-14 against Eastern Conference opponents. Milwaukee allows 115.5 points to opponents and has been outscored by 3.6 points per game.

The 76ers average 116.1 points per game, 0.6 more points than the 115.5 the Bucks allow. The Bucks average 111.9 points per game, 3.9 fewer than the 115.8 the 76ers allow.

The teams play for the third time this season. The 76ers won the last matchup 116-101 on Dec. 6. Quentin Grimes scored 22 points to help lead the 76ers to the victory.

TOP PERFORMERS: Grimes is scoring 13.3 points per game and averaging 3.8 rebounds for the 76ers. Maxey is averaging 24.9 points and 2.9 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Rollins is scoring 16.1 points per game and averaging 4.5 rebounds for the Bucks. AJ Green is averaging 2.8 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: 76ers: 4-6, averaging 110.8 points, 41.6 rebounds, 23.0 assists, 10.9 steals and 5.4 blocks per game while shooting 45.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.3 points per game.

Bucks: 4-6, averaging 108.0 points, 41.4 rebounds, 26.6 assists, 6.8 steals and 3.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.0 points.

INJURIES: 76ers: Charles Bassey: day to day (personal), Paul George: day to day (knee), Joel Embiid: day to day (knee).

Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo: out (calf), Kevin Porter Jr.: out (oblique), Taurean Prince: out (neck).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

This is the sort of game the Rockets should win going away. The Memphis Grizzlies, shorthanded as almost always, and without Ja Morant, as per usual, should be the sort of team the Rockets beat. Not that they’re a bad team, or have bad players, they’re one of the deeper teams in the NBA, full of generally good players. They’re just always injured, and usually missing at least one of their two stars. The draft picks they got for Desmond Bane will no doubt help them draft still more good, but constantly injured players, but that doesn’t help them much in the present.

To which I say, aw, that’s too bad.

Meanwhile the Rockets were as full strength as they’re likely to be for a while, though I suspect a fair few of them are battling illness. Jabari Smith in particular had that “I’ve got to choose to when to expend energy.” look tonight, and was sometimes out of the game, and not on the bench.

Meanwhile, Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson looked great, while Kevin Durant seems to be The Terminator of Mid Range Shots.

The Rockets have a problem of playing down to their competition, and they knew Memphis wasn’t really on their level, too. Memphis, for its part, seemed to have ignored that part, and played hard, and to win. They fielded a really small team overall, and that caused the Rockets a lot of problems defensively. Or seemed to, anyway.

What I mean by that is, Memphis scored a lot of easy seeming points, and grabbed a bunch of offensive boards by taking advantage of being smaller and quicker and getting to long rebounds more often. But what did all that add up to in the end? 99 points. So did the Rockets play bad defense? You can’t tell by the scoreboard, and that, after all, is what matters. For all the seemingly easy looks, Memphis shot 37% overall, and 19% from three point range on high volume. They scored 30 points in the second quarter, and never broke 24 in any other.

Maybe we’ve all been infected by Ime Udoka? He seems to regard any points scored on the Rockets as a deep insult, and likely a character flaw on the part of the defender. It’s an impossible standard, and when you look at a point total under 100 points, it’s hard to see what exactly the Rockets did so poorly overall.

The Rockets offense faltered a bit, too, until the fourth quarter when the Rockets stopped messing around, and put the Grizzlies away, 32-22.

There were three notable things tonight from Rockets players. One was a return to inside dominance for Alperen Sengun. As Memphis could only send Santi Aldama and Jaren Jackson Jr at Sengun. (I think JJJ is defensively an overrated player. He does stuff that looks great, but apart from highlights, he doesn’t seem do all that much overall, for a max player). Anyway, those two weren’t close to enough. Alperen Sengun went for 33pts/9rbs/6ast/1stl. He went 15-17 shooting. One of his misses was a late clock 3pt grenade thrown to him by Tari Eason. He shot 3-4 on FTs, and simply dominated inside on offense.

The second thing is that Amen has been generally excellent as a point guard lately. It helps that his teammates now occasionally indulge in the vice known as “Offense” from time to time, but this is mainly thanks to Amen playing the position better all the time, it seems. Tonight Amen had 14 assists to 4 turnovers, to go with 8pts, 8rbs and 1stl. He also played some really good defense.

A brief word about turnovers. For me, they come in different flavors. Some are careless, some are the result of panic, some are because a player is bad at dribbling, or passing, and some are bad judgment or as is often the case with the Rockets, from over passing, forcing a pass, rather than just taking a decent shot opportunity. Those are a problem. Some turnovers are a result of useful aggression, of attempting to break a defense, to find and involve teammates, that fail. Just as every missed shot isn’t the same, every turnover isn’t the same. The second group aren’t turnovers that bother me. Most of Amen’s 4 tonight were of that variety. He’s not panicking when he’s trapped or picks up his dribble anymore.

The third thing is Kevin Durant. It must be dispiriting to play against him. Well, it was certainly dispiriting to watch him play against the Rockets, most nights. A defense can do everything well against him, and it just won’t matter. Tonight he scored 33pts on 11-24 shooting, went 4-9 from three point range, and grabbed 8 boards, dished a couple of assists, and had a block. He does turn the ball over in odd, and frustrating ways, but since a high in Philly, he seems to have become much more careful. Some turnovers you’re just going to have to live with if you make Durant a play initiator, rather than just a scorer and finisher. As long as the number stays low, that’s fine.

Kevin Durant, however, truly shouldn’t be one of the highest minutes per game players in the NBA. There’s enough talent on the Rockets roster that if used properly can prevent this. But we’re seeing what every coach seems to see with KD. It’s just so easy to have him just fix all the offensive weaknesses, simply by being Kevin Durant. And so the minutes, and points pile up. Until they don’t.

Anyhow, a solid, if slightly concerning win. For all the gloom and doom, the Rockets are 16-3 at home. OKC is 20-4, Detroit is 18-4. The Rockets have played 19 at home, to 25 on the road. Next up, a sterner test against San Antonio on Wednesday, in Houston.

Ironically, on a night when the Bulls seemingly could not miss from three, the Lakers had one of their best defensive performances of the season. The box score does not bear it out too much, but that felt as locked in as the team has been defensively in some time.

It tailed off a bit in the fourth, but LA was creating turnovers and finishing stops with rebounds to end the possession. It was a strong showing on that end and even when Chicago opened the second half with a barrage of baskets, LA stayed focused and had a response that kept the game from resembling Saturday’s in Dallas.

So, let’s dive into the win. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.

Jake LaRavia

33 minutes, 8 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 1 foul, 3-6 FG, 2-4 3PT, -9

One thing I really appreciate about LaRavia is how often he is just running around the court. He’s really the perfect glue guy type.

The perfect sequence of that saw him chase a long rebound into the corner only to be beaten to the ball by a Bull. He hustled back, got in front of Nikola Vučević after an early three and boxed him out to secure the board on the other end.

It’s probably an aspect I don’t give him enough credit for.

Grade: A-

LeBron James

33 minutes, 24 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, 9-19 FG, 1-4 3PT, 5-6 FT, -14

A great three quarters for LeBron before a relatively quiet close. He had some ugly misses, but also some big fastbreak dunks. Another strong defensive night from him as well.

Grade: B+

Deandre Ayton

22 minutes, 6 points, 2 rebounds, 1 foul, 3-6 FG, -15

This is the fourth straight game that Ayton has not closed. One of those games was the Nuggets game when he got poked in the ye, but it’s still an interesting development.

Grade: D-

Marcus Smart

32 minutes, 12 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 4 fouls, 3-6 FG, 1-3 3PT, 5-7 FT, +5

This was about as steady a game as you could expect from Smart. Hig biggest contribution to Bulls fans, though, were the two missed freebies at the end.

Grade: B+

Luka Dončić

38 minutes, 46 points, 7 rebounds, 11 assists, 3 turnovers, 2 fouls, 15-25 FG, 8-14 3PT, 8-12 FT, +6

This was as easy as it’s looked for Luka in a long time. It was perhaps his best performance from three this season. It also featured Luka closing a game out with some big threes, which hasn’t happened too often this year. That could be a sign of him and Redick finding better ways to pace things throughout the first three periods.

Grade: A+

Jaxson Hayes

23 minutes, 8 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 2 fouls, 3-4 FG, 2-2 FT, +26

So, yeah, there’s one obvious highlight for Hayes from this one.

JAXSON HAYES OMG!!! 😳#LakeShowpic.twitter.com/YXNyR6hCkD

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) January 27, 2026

That was both cool and terrifying at the same time as he seemed to barely pull it off. Outside of that, I thought Hayes was actually really good defensively as he was part of some switching units that led to him needing to fly out to close outs on the perimeter which he did well.

Grade: B+

Gabe Vincent

12 minutes, 1 rebound, 3 assist, 0-2 FG, 0-1 3PT, +13

His best play was catching an insane Luka behind-the-back crosscourt pass and opting to pass to Rui, who hit the three.

Grade: C

Rui Hachimura

29 minutes, 23 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 foul, 9-11 FG, 4-5 3PT, 1-2 FT, +22

After a strong fourth quarter in Dallas, Rui put together four great quarters in Chicago. He was red hot from the jump and gave the Lakers a huge boost off the bench, something they’ve rarely had this season.

Grade: A+

Jarred Vanderbilt

17 minutes, 2 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 1-3 FG, 0-2 3PT, +21

A good showing overall from Vando, who was part of a couple of lineups that made big runs.

Grade: B+

Drew Timme

Pour one out for Timme’s face after taking that nasty blow to the head.

Monday’s DNPs: Bronny James, Maxi Kleber, Dalton Knecht

Monday’s inactives: Adou Thiero, Chris Mañon, Austin Reaves, Nick Smith Jr.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.