Category: Basketball

It was the first time Deandre Ayton played in a game on the same team as LeBron James, but not the first time they had connected on an alley-oop. That first bucket came when the now-27-year-old Ayton was in eighth grade. It was at James’ basketball camp in Las Vegas.

“I finished it,” Ayton said with a bewildered smile. “I couldn’t believe he threw it. Here I am again. I can’t believe he threw the lob.”

James’ return from sciatica spurred the Lakers to a 140-126 win over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer made his impact while in play-making mode, dishing 12 assists — including the lob to Ayton in the second quarter — with 11 points and just one turnover. During the first quarter, James was honored on the big screen for being the first player to start his 23rd NBA season. He waved modestly to the crowd. He doesn’t play like it’s been that long.

Read more:LeBron James returns and hands out 12 assists as Lakers defeat the Jazz

“Running next to him, he’s running as fast as me down the floor,” Ayton said. “You don’t think that it’s his 23rd year. The dude’s a machine.”

Here are three takeaways from James’ first game of the season:

Good vibes always

The Lakers (11-4) accomplished plenty without James during their first 14 games. Luka Doncic jump-started his most valuable player campaign and rose to the top of the NBA scoring leaderboard. Austin Reaves is averaging career highs nearly across the board. Some wondered how much the team would really benefit from James’ return when it started 10-4 already.

Then the Lakers scored a season-high 140 points, shot a season-best 59.5% from the field and locked down on defense to allow just 32 points in the first 21 minutes of the second half before the benches cleared.

“I can fit in with anybody,” James said. “I don’t even understand why that was a question.”

Doncic continued his scoring spree with 37 points and 10 assists, but with eight turnovers. Reaves had 26 points.

The Lakers lauded their early-season chemistry, and coach JJ Redick praised his players for leading themselves through difficult times. He purposely restructured timeouts to give players time to discuss alone before the coaches would join them, hoping that the opportunities for player-to-player communication would prompt stronger team connection. Adding James’ voice to the conversation was an easy transition.

“Us as a young team, I’m glad we got hold of accountability before LeBron got out there,” Ayton said. “I’m glad we went through some tough games and a little of hardships and ups and downs and adversity. And it made us prepare for times like this where he says one thing and we get it done right away.”

The Jazz (5-9) knocked the Lakers back with guard Keyonte George making five threes in the first half and 23 points on nine-for-15 shooting. Utah jumped out to a 11-point lead in the first half, but the Lakers tied it with 18.8 seconds left in the second quarter and went into halftime down by four, prepared to make a push.

“I think the word we were using as a coaching staff was our poise as a group,” Redick said. “Not overreacting, not pulling apart, problem solving, all that stuff, in real time. Just continuing to play. That, at times, was missing last year, and for us to get that on the first night [fully healthy] was really good."

Second-half surge

The Lakers shot a blistering 65.9% from the field in the second half en route to their season-best scoring performance, but they said the catalyst was their defense. The Lakers finished the third quarter on a 21-5 run, capped by a three-pointer from Gabe Vincent when he scooped a low James pass seemingly off his shoelaces and hoisted it at the buzzer. The Lakers forced 11 missed shots during the run and allowed just two offensive rebounds, finishing defensive possessions quickly on the glass and pushing the ball ahead.

“I’m starting to realize this team, what gets us going is our defensive stops,” said Ayton, who finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds. “That’s what keeps our momentum push[ing].”

After giving up 71 points in the first half, Redick challenged his team at halftime to simply guard. George had just 11 points in the second half. Markkanen was held to just nine.

The Lakers have shown stretches of defensive dominance in the last two games. They locked Milwaukee down for 34 points in the first half last Saturday.

Odd men out

The Lakers were whole for the first time this season as Vincent (ankle) also returned alongside James. With the whole roster finally at his disposal, Redick changed up the rotation that left some mainstays on the bench.

Jarred Vanderbilt, who was averaging 18.4 minutes per game and was one of just two players who had appeared in all of the Lakers’ first 14 games, didn’t play Tuesday. Marcus Smart, who had starred in his role as a tenacious defender and tertiary ball-handler without James, played just 17 minutes off the bench, his fewest of the year. He finished with five points, one made three-pointer and three rebounds.

Read more:LeBron James is back. What's next for the Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves-led Lakers?

After signing with the Lakers as a free agent, Smart was a potential candidate to move into the starting lineup this season, but with all 14 standard contract players available for the first time, Redick stuck Rui Hachimura in the starting unit. Hachimura, who finished with six points and four rebounds Tuesday, had been averaging a career-high 15.8 points on sizzling 57.7% shooting. He started along with Ayton, Reaves, Doncic and James, who played 29 minutes and 37 seconds and could have played longer if the team needed him in a close game, Redick said.

“We're going to make decisions based on how the team is playing and how the groups work together,” Redick said. “It's not, like, beholden to one thing throughout the season. But I feel comfortable with that lineup. They've played a ton of minutes together at the end of last season, minus DA, so we'll continue to build on that."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Knicks are 8-5 despite working their way through the implementation of a new offense and injuries to their best player and another starter. 

While the early results are solid, there are some weak points that have become apparent and are worth monitoring as the season progresses. 

Here are the three biggest questions facing New York early this season...

Are they too small?

A recurring image in these early games has looked something like this: the Knicks miss a shot and try to get back defensively, but some 6’7” wing already has Landry Shamet pinned underneath the basket for an easy score or foul. Mismatches happen, but New York is generally running smaller lineups than prior years -- arguably a necessity for this offense to work and the team to get enough ball-handling.

The simplest way to portray this trend: Josh Hart and OG Anunoby’s minutes per game have fallen from 74.2 last season to 56.6, with Shamet and Jordan Clarkson taking on much of those minutes. The Knicks are top three in offense, but there is a downside to that trade-off in that you allow more favorable matchups and require more defensive rotations and help. 

To quantify how big this issue is, New York ranks 16th defensively. But the damage is being done from three -- not the paint. How much of that is due to needing to help these smaller guards is the question.

There’s definitely a blow-by problem with the aforementioned names, especially once you throw in Jalen Brunson, on top of the size issue. These three-guard units should look much better if that’s tightened up.

New York could theoretically look to its bench for some added bulk on the wings, but Guerschon Yabusele is struggling to find his spot in the rotation and has largely played center, while their next best options are unproven youngsters Pacome Dadiet or Mohamed Diawara. The idea was for the new head coach to experiment more with these guys, but perhaps the staff and front office have closed the lab for now. 

This likely won’t end up a long-term or debilitating issue with options at the end of the bench and trade deadline, not to mention simply playing bigger lineups when the time comes. Head coach Mike Brown is likely doing his due diligence in leaning on these smaller lineups, in hopes of getting them ready for the big stage. 

Do they need another depth upgrade?

Do the Knicks actually have enough on their bench? Their headline-grabbing offseason upgrades of Yabusele and Clarkson, healthy management of Mitchell Robinson, and unlocking of Shamet have all resulted in, once again, a championship-level nine-man rotation with a cliff dive in talent beyond that.

Yabusele has amassed 30 points on the season, Robinson is restricted, and none of the young talent that withered on last year’s bench has shown enough to demand alternative treatment this season. Tyler Kolek hasn’t gotten burn with Brunson hurt.

If the deep bench is truly that unplayable, it seems almost imperative that the Knicks add to it. Unfortunately, their options are scant.

The trade market will open up in less than a month, but with how close the Knicks and other teams are playing it to the new apron rules, finding the right deal will be tricky. If they want to truly upgrade they’ll likely have to deal one rotation piece for two, further limiting them.

There are still intriguing free agents out there like Spencer Dinwiddie, Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz, and Alec Burks, but the Knicks would need to make room to sign any of them. None would likely move the needle much, but that’s not what’s needed.

Ultimately, the Knicks just need a couple of guys to be ready should injuries or other circumstance befall them in their championship hunt. They should exist on the current roster, but until we see it this will be an ongoing concern.

Will the three-point defense improve?

Despite all the changes stemming from a swap in head coach, much of this team remains the same, like their defensive geography. New York is keeping with tradition in bottling up the paint, even throwing out new coverages we’ve yet to see to do so, at risk of giving up threes.

New York's foes are absolutely lacing them right now, as the Knicks are bottom five in opponent three-point accuracy. A good part of this is luck, as they’re making a very high amount of open looks, but they’re also getting too many, which should be a point of focus given New York’s average defensive performance.

This is reminiscent of prior years, as the Knicks historically helped aggressively one pass away and prioritized protecting the paint. The flavor is a bit different as they’ve thrown in different pick coverages and even some zone, but the issue is familiar and should improve over time.

Simply better, more engaged point to attack defense will help cut down on drives that send helpers into the blender. They can also get a little more selective with their switching depending on matchup and game flow.

If opponents slow down the three point barrage, that should also bump their numbers. Many times, we’ve seen seasons start with the Knicks getting rained on only for things to subside.

Warriors' De'Anthony Melton progressing in rehab, to be re-evaluated in 10 days originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

De’Anthony Melton is inching closer and closer to a return.

The Warriors provided an official update on Melton (ACL) before Wednesday’s game against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center.

“Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton, who underwent surgery to repair a torn left ACL on December 4, 2024, continues to make good progress with his rehabilitation,” the team wrote. “He has intensified his workouts in recent weeks, participating in practice and scrimmages with the Santa Cruz Warriors on multiple occasions. He will continue to be integrated in full practice and various scrimmages with the Warriors. He will be re-evaluated again in 10 days.”

Melton signed a one-year, $12.8 million contract with Golden State last offseason and played in just six games before suffering a sprained left ACL that required season-ending surgery. In those games, Melton averaged 10.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game on 40.7-percent shooting from the field and 37.1 percent from 3-point range.

The veteran guard re-signed with Golden State on a two-year, $6.5 million contract this offseason.

The Warriors anticipated Melton missing the early portion of the 2025-26 NBA season, and shared an initial update on Oct. 29 that he would be re-evaluated in three weeks.

Now three weeks later, Melton has continued to progress, but there still doesn’t appear to be a target return date for the 27-year-old.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr was asked Tuesday about Melton’s progress in an appearance on 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibs” and stated Melton was “not very close” to a return.

That seems to be the case.

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Draymond Green believes fan response to NBA's new All-Star format is ‘alarming' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Draymond Green didn’t mince words when reacting to the NBA’s newest attempt to revive the NBA All-Star Game.

On Monday’s episode of “The Draymond Green Show,” the Warriors veteran called the league’s recently announced USA vs. World format “alarming” — not because of the structure itself, but because of the public’s muted reaction.

“I must say it was a little underwhelming, the support or the attention that this drew,” Green said. “To me, that was an alarming sign. Like this was announced and nobody cared.”

The NBA announced that the 2026 All-Star Game will feature a three-team, round-robin tournament — two U.S. squads and one international team — with four 12-minute games on Feb. 15, 2026. It is the latest in a series of format changes designed to rekindle interest in a weekend that has struggled to capture fan excitement in recent years.

Green, however, isn’t convinced.

“What this showed to me was very clear,” Green said. “Unless the NBA does something like hockey did last year, where they had the four nations, like even in staging this like ‘Oh man, it’s still the All-Star Game,’ the lackluster response to this news really just showed me, ‘Man, All-Star might really be dead.’ “

Green pointed to the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off as an example of how an All-Star replacement can work. That event, featuring teams from the United States, Canada, Finland and Sweden, earned rave reviews and drew global attention as a high-energy alternative to the traditional exhibition.

“That thing was so fun to watch,” Green explained. “When I saw the lackluster response to this news, it was very clear to me that like ‘Man, I just don’t know that it’s ever going to matter again.’ We can try all these different iterations, and I just don’t know that it’ll ever pick up the lust that it once had.”

In the end, Green said the reaction to the new format spoke volumes.

“It made it very evident to me that there may not be any coming back for All-Star Weekend,” he said. “It’s a tough pill to swallow, but I think it’s one you have to take a deep look at.”

Whether the USA vs. World format can change that remains to be seen, but Green’s message was direct: the NBA All-Star Game might have already lost its spark.

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The Wagner brothers not only made headlines with their athletic performance during the recent victory of the NBA team Orlando Magic against the Golden State Warriors. The two Berliners also made a real fashion statement!

Mega-talent Franz strolled through the tunnel wearing the freshly released DFB jersey for the 2026 World Cup. Moritz, who is currently still recovering from a cruciate ligament tear, even wore the shirt visibly under his open jacket during the game.

shouts @DFB_Teampic.twitter.com/fOJTxuLsQR

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) November 18, 2025

This move is likely a clear hint at an upcoming mega-deal: According to 'Sport Bild', both are apparently on the verge of signing as Adidas brand ambassadors.

Nothing has been officially confirmed yet, but the latest images speak for themselves.

The German Basketball Federation (DBB) was particularly pleased and shared the scenes directly via social media. The background: Starting in 2026, Adidas is set to replace Peak as the new supplier for the national team. After ending their partnership with the DFB, Adidas now wants to conquer basketball!

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

📸 Julio Aguilar - 2024 Getty Images

LeBron James made history Tuesday, becoming the first player to span 23 NBA seasons, facing seven Utah Jazz players who weren’t even born when he debuted.

“That just made my back hurt,” the 40-year-old Los Angeles Laker joked to reporters when told the stat, surpassing Vince Carter’s 22 seasons.

Five other players have played 21 seasons, including Robert Parish, Kevin Willis, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki, and Chris Paul. James is now 48 games shy of Robert Parish’s record of 1,611 regular-season games.

Despite admitting his lungs were "burning," the Akron, Ohio, native set the NBA’s career-length record, playing 29 minutes and posting 11 points, 12 assists, and three rebounds in the Lakers’ 140-126 win over the Jazz.

Tuesday also marked James’ return to the court after a nearly seven-month absence due to sciatica, which sidelined him at the start of training camp. The four-time NBA champion missed the entire preseason and the Lakers’ first 14 regular-season games.

New Lakers center Deandre Ayton was also impressed with James’ performance, recalling that an alley-oop he received for a dunk was only the second lob from James he’d ever caught.

“I was just telling him a fun fact. I said, ‘That’s my second alley for me from you, the first one was when I was in eighth grade at your camp,’” Ayton told the media.

James, who had previously never missed a season opener in his nearly three-decade career, returned to basketball last week, practicing with the Lakers for the first time Monday.

"The pace tested me, but I was happy with the way I was able to go with the guys," James commented after the game.

"As the game went on, my wind got a lot better. Caught my second wind, caught my third wind. Rhythm is still coming back, obviously. First game in almost seven months, so everything that happened tonight was to be expected."

Some observers had questioned whether James’s return might disrupt a Lakers side that had started strongly with a 10-4 record in his absence. James dismissed such notions with a laugh.

"I can fit in with anybody," he asserted. "I don’t even understand why that was even a question. What’s wrong with these people out here? I can fit in right away with anybody.

“Just watching the guys the first 14 games, I was putting myself (mentally) in position while I was watching the games of how I could help the team and how I could be successful to help those guys. I’m still able to gain a lot of eyes when I’m driving the ball or have the ball."

Approximately 30 minutes before tip-off, the team confirmed James would make his 1,561st start in his 1,563rd regular-season game, receiving a loud ovation when announced in the Lakers’ starting line-up.

Though he didn't score in his first 11 minutes, James soon found his stride, hitting two three-pointers in the second quarter and dishing out eight assists in the second half, including six in just over three minutes early in the fourth quarter.

Lakers coach JJ Redick praised James’s unselfishness: "He played with the right spirit. Very unselfish all night. Was a willing passer. Didn’t force it. Took his drives and his shots when they were there. The defence is going to pay attention to him, and I just thought he made a lot of great decisions tonight. Really great to have him back."

James already holds the NBA record for combined regular-season and playoff games (1,855) and most total minutes played.

James became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in February 2023 and, last March, was the first player to accumulate 50,000 total points in the regular season and playoffs combined.

His illustrious career, which began with the Cleveland Cavaliers in October 2003, includes four NBA Finals MVP awards, four league MVP awards, and 21 All-Star selections.

He led the Lakers to their 17th championship in 2020 and saw them reach the Western Conference finals in 2023, winning the Pacific Division title last spring after acquiring Luka Doncic, whom James describes as his favourite current player.

Despite admitting his body isn’t yet in ideal game shape, James remains eager to continue his career.

He has repeatedly stated he isn’t assuming this will be his last season, though he hasn’t decided on playing another year.

His most recent off-season was plagued by injuries, including two months of recovery after spraining his knee ligament during the Lakers’ first-round playoff loss to Minnesota, followed by the painful bout of sciatica.

The Lakers’ next fixture is on Sunday, again against the Jazz in Salt Lake City. With at least two practices scheduled before then, James will have further opportunities to establish his chemistry and role within the team.

"I don’t have to worry about chemistry," James affirmed. "This is a great group. Everyone enjoys being around each another, sacrificing for one another, playing for one another. (Just got to) get my wind, get my rhythm back.

“Missed a couple of chippies tonight that I’m used to making. But that will come around."

Stats show Warriors' lopsided early 2025-26 NBA season game, travel schedule originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors have been put to the test early on to begin the 2025-26 NBA season.

Golden State (9-7) not only has played the most games (16) of any NBA team this season, but will play in its fifth back-to-back of the season when it faces off against the Miami Heat on Wednesday at Kaseya Center.

The Warriors’ five back-to-backs are, as Tom Haberstroh highlighted in a post on X, the most in the league.

Fans on X also pointed out that Golden State, throughout its 11-games-in-18-days marathon since Nov. 4, will have traveled 9,492 miles, which also is far and away the most in the league during that timeframe.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr has been vocal about his team’s lopsided early season schedule, stating it has been the “toughest” early season schedule he has experienced throughout his entire NBA playing and coaching career.

Golden State has opted to rest veteran players like Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler and Al Horford at times this season, and once again will be without all four players for Wednesday’s game against the Heat.

The Warriors, as ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Wednesday, are optimistic all four veterans will be available for Friday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Chase Center, where Golden State will begin a five-game homestand that features zero back-to-backs.

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Jimmy Butler, Draymond reportedly ruled out vs. Heat alongside Steph Curry originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors will be without, perhaps, their four best players as they close out their six-game road trip.

Steph Curry (ankle soreness) and Jonathan Kuminga (bilateral knee tendinitis) officially were ruled out of Wednesday’s game against the Miami Heat before ESPN’s Shams Charania reported shortly after on “NBA Today” that both Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green also are not expected to play.

Curry told reporters after Tuesday’s game against the Magic that he tweaked his ankle in San Antonio and re-aggravated it against Orlando.

“Those are the things that you just try to play through and try to figure out how to build momentum,” Curry said (h/t ESPN’s Anthony Slater). “We all know what the schedule’s been like. We try not to think about it too much, knowing it is what it is. You have to find a way to overcome it.”

Charania also reported that the Warriors are “optimistic” that all three of Curry, Butler and Green will return for Friday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Chase Center.

After missing three games due to an illness, Curry joined the Warriors on the road and has been on a heater. In five games, he’s averaging 29.8 points on 48-percent shooting from the field and 39 percent from 3-point range in 30.4 minutes.

In Tuesday’s loss to the Magic, Curry scored 34 points in 34 minutes.

After the game, he told reporters he would see how he felt before determining his status in Miami.

“We’re just looking at how it responds because I did it again in the first half tonight,” Curry said Tuesday. “I don’t think it’s anything crazy, but we’ll see how it responds during the flight and how I feel tomorrow.”

Veteran guard Buddy Hield (illness) also was listed as questionable on the Warriors’ injury report, while center Al Horford (toe/injury management) will miss the second game of the back-to-back.

For Miami, Tyler Herro (ankle) is out and Bam Adebayo (toe sprain) is questionable against Golden State.

While the Warriors’ “Strength in Numbers” mantra let them down in Tuesday’s loss, they might have to rely on it to end the road trip with a win.

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Steph Curry out vs. Heat with ankle injury; Jimmy Butler, Draymond questionable originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors will be without their best player as they close out their six-game road trip.

Steph Curry was ruled out of Wednesday’s game against the Miami Heat with right ankle soreness, per the NBA’s latest injury report. Curry told reporters after Tuesday’s game against the Magic that he tweaked his ankle in San Antonio and re-aggravated it against Orlando.

“Those are the things that you just try to play through and try to figure out how to build momentum,” Curry said (h/t ESPN’s Anthony Slater). “We all know what the schedule’s been like. We try not to think about it too much, knowing it is what it is. You have to find a way to overcome it.”

After missing three games due to an illness, Curry joined the Warriors on the road and has been on a heater. In five games, he’s averaging 29.8 points on 48-percent shooting from the field and 39 percent from 3-point range in 30.4 minutes.

In Tuesday’s loss to the Magic, Curry scored 34 points in 34 minutes.

After the game, he told reporters he would see how he felt before determining his status in Miami.

“We’re just looking at how it responds because I did it again in the first half tonight,” Curry said Tuesday. “I don’t think it’s anything crazy, but we’ll see how it responds during the flight and how I feel tomorrow.”

Jimmy Butler III (back), Draymond Green (illness) and Buddy Hield (illness) are all questionable.

Warriors center Al Horford (toe/injury management) will miss the second game of a back-to-back. Jonathan Kuminga, who’s been sidelined for the last three games while dealing with bilateral knee tendonitis, will miss his fourth consecutive game on Wednesday.

For Miami, Tyler Herro (ankle) is out and Bam Adebayo (toe sprain) is questionable against Golden State.

While the Warriors’ “Strength in Numbers” mantra let them down in Tuesday’s loss, they might have to rely on it to end the road trip with a win.

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Numbers don't lie: Fourth Quarter Derrick is vital to Celtics' success originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Every season, we tie ourselves is knots trying to figure out if there are any not-so obvious bellwethers for the success of the Boston Celtics.

Give us a small enough sample size and we can convince ourselves that the presence of Kelly Olynyk’s headband or the color of Jayson Tatum’s shoes can, on their own, predict the success of those individual players on a night-to-night basis. Sometimes it feels as if the color of the Celtics jersey is enough to determine the final result. 

It is, of course, deeper than that. Crunch the numbers over a larger sample and most of these sartorial predictors get exposed.

But over the past three seasons, there is one very telling, non-apparel-related indicator of Boston’s success: Did the Celtics outscore their opponent during Derrick White’s fourth-quarter floor time? If so, there’s a good chance they won that night.

You see, “Fourth Quarter Derrick” and his knack for winning plays on both ends of the court is a very real thing.

On Tuesday night in Brooklyn, as the Celtics stumbled their way through a turnover-plagued outing against the lowly Nets at the Barclays Center, White channeled some of his familiar fourth-quarter heroics. He knocked down two timely 3-pointers. He drew a charge. He swatted Michael Porter Jr. to force a 24-second violation.

White finished with a team-high eight points in the fourth quarter as the Celtics outscored the Nets by 10 and emerged with a 113-99 triumph.

The Celtics are now 67-7 over the past three seasons when they outscore opponents during White’s fourth-quarter floor time. That’s a .905 winning percentage. Boston was 33-1 last season when the team won White’s fourth-quarter time. The C’s are 6-2 this season.

On the flip side, when the Celtics either tie or are outscored during White’s fourth-quarter floor time, they are 40-27 over the past three seasons (.597 winning percentage). That includes a 2-4 mark this season, as White has struggled to have his familiar fourth-quarter impact in the infancy of this new campaign.

Balk if you’d like. We wouldn’t blame you for saying, “Thanks, Captain Obvious: If the Celtics’ starters outscore their opponent in the fourth quarter, there is a very good chance the team wins.” But we ought to know by now: As goes Derrick, so go the Celtics. And his fingerprints were all over getting Boston to the finish line of an otherwise sloppy night in Brooklyn.

Like everything White does, the numbers don’t leap off the page. He didn’t even rank in the top 30 last season for fourth-quarter scoring. But he simply had a knack for big plays in big spots, especially on the road. White did rank fifth in the NBA in fourth-quarter 3-pointers made last season, with 66. Only Stephen Curry, Malik Beasley, Anthony Edwards, and Zach LaVine made more. 

This season, White ranks 21st in the NBA in fourth-quarter points (26). He easily leads the NBA with 43 fourth-quarter 3-point attempts (eight more than second-place Grayson Allen), but has only connected on 30.2 percent of those shots. On the bright side, White is sixth in the NBA in fourth-quarter assists with 21 final-frame helpers (with only four turnovers in 139 minutes of floor time). 

In an eyesore of a game in Brooklyn on Tuesday night, a rare glimpse of Fourth Quarter Derrick was an encouraging sign, especially as he pulls himself out of an-early season shooting funk. We have a lot of data now, and all signs point to the Celtics’ success when White is at his best in the final frame.

LeBron James reflects on ‘rise to the top' of NBA mountain alongside Steph Curry originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

From NBA archnemeses to friends to teammates on the global stage, LeBron James and Steph Curry have come a long way.

If you told the NBA superstars 10 years ago that they’d be sitting side-by-side doing a podcast together, they probably wouldn’t have believed you. But growing in the game over the last two decades has made James and Curry as close as ever, and it’s something James is deeply appreciative of.

“When you’re trying to rise to the top of the mountain, you have guys that’s trying to stop me from getting there and vice versa,” James said after making his 2025-26 season debut Tuesday night. “Steph has been one of those guys throughout our career, we’ve been trying to get to the mountaintop, and we’re trying to knock each other off of it. That competition was brewing for a long time and every time we play against each other, it still brews.

“When you get to a certain age and you get to a certain level and you understand that appreciating greatness and appreciating things that you won’t be able to have for a long time ever after, when you’re done. You can look back on those moments, you don’t want to waste an opportunity to be able to build a relationship with somebody that you kind of share some of the same, I guess, goals in life. Our families. The way we go about our profession. The way we go about our everyday, trying to uplift people, inspire.”

James recently had Curry as a guest on his “Mind the Game” podcast that he co-hosts with NBA great Steve Nash.

The three discussed a variety of topics, including a nearly 10-minute segment where they broke down and analyzed their NBA Finals film from their many championship clashes.

Two of the greatest to play the game, breaking down film — it’s like being a kid in a candy shop for basketball lovers around the world.

“There’s so much mutual respect,” James shared, “and now it’s just even more respect just out of the simple fact that we can hop on a phone call or text or whatever. It was great [for] us to talk basketball in just the most easy, organic way with the two episodes and have that time, so it’s been cool.”

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A month past your fantasy basketball draft, initial fantasy basketball rankings matter less than analyzing real-time production. With the injury report constantly shuffling NBA starting lineups, impacting stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Paolo Banchero, values are shifting rapidly. This week, we'll be talking about buying low on Desmond Bane, selling high on Michael Porter Jr., or holding VJ Edgecombe. Use our updated NBA player projections and the latest fantasy basketball news to capitalize on these opportunities.

Fantasy Basketball Trade Tips in Week 5

Buy

Desmond Bane, Orlando Magic

Bane began his career with the Magic on a rough note, crashing his value in fantasy basketball rankings. Over his first 10 games, he averaged just 14.2 points and 1.2 three-pointers. He shot 43.1% from the field during that span, including 29.3% from behind the arc. The only saving grace was that he still provided 4.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists during that span.

Bane has shown signs of turning things around lately, shooting 44.3% from the field and 34.4% from behind the arc over his last five games. During that stretch, he averaged 22.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 2.2 three-pointers. While he has been given more shot attempts with Paolo Banchero (groin) out, it's his improved efficiency from behind the arc, which should excite fantasy managers. His buy-low window might be closing.

Myles Turner, Milwaukee Bucks

In his first eight games since signing a big contract with the Bucks, Turner averaged just 9.8 points and 6.5 rebounds. His minutes were down a bit at 28 per game, and he shot just 40.0% from the field. Since then, Turner has averaged 15.3 points and 32 minutes across his last seven games. He shot 47.9% from the field during that span, while also averaging 6.0 rebounds, 1.9 steals, 1.3 blocks and 3.0 three-pointers.

Turner seems to be getting more comfortable in his new surroundings. His efficiency should continue to improve as the season moves along, given that he has shot at least 48.1% from the field in each of the last four seasons. Another reason to consider buying low on him is that Giannis Antetokounmpo landed on the NBA injury report with a groin strain Monday that is expected to sideline him for at least 1-2 weeks. Turner could see significantly more shot attempts during that stretch.

Sell

Michael Porter Jr., Brooklyn Nets

Porter has been nothing short of dominant with the Nets. He is currently on pace to set new career highs in points (24.2), rebounds (7.7), assists (3.2) and three-pointers (3.2) per game. His usage rate is up to 29.0%, which is more than seven percentage points higher than his career mark. With Cam Thomas (hamstring) sidelined, Porter should continue to receive all of the shot attempts that he can handle.

As good as Porter has been, the Nets are 2-12 and barreling towards another dreadful season. Amazingly, the Pacers and Wizards have fewer wins, while the Pelicans have equaled the Nets with two victories. Since the Nets are in the early stages of a rebuild, we might not see much of Porter down the stretch as they try to improve their lottery odds. Porter is at his peak right now, so start shopping him to see if someone will take the risk of rostering him off your hands.

Andrew Wiggins, Miami Heat

Before his 3-for-15 shooting performance against the Knicks on Monday, Wiggins was playing well for the Heat. Even with that line factored in, he is shooting 48.4% from the field for the season. That has helped him average 16.7 points and 1.8 three-pointers, to go along with 4.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.1 steals per game.

Wiggins' improved efficiency is masking the fact that his usage rate has fallen from 26.7% with the Heat last season to 20.9% this season. That's with Tyler Herro (ankle) yet to play and Bam Adebayo (toe) having missed six games. When those two get healthy, they will combine with Norman Powell to lead the Heat's scoring attack. With even fewer shots possibly coming for Wiggins, now is the time to try and trade him.

Hold

VJ Edgecombe, Philadelphia 76ers

Edgecombe provided 19.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.6 steals and 2.6 three-pointers over his first seven games. Since the 76ers were missing so many players because of injuries, Edgecombe was immediately put in a prominent role. As the team's health situation has improved, the rookie has started to see his production slide. Over their last six games, he has averaged 11.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.5 three-pointers.

It was too much to expect Edgecombe to continue producing at the rate that he did out of the gate. It's also not a good thing for him that Paul George made his season debut Monday against the Clippers. However, George and Joel Embiid have a checkered injury history, so they could be in and out of the lineup for much of the season. Even with George back in the fold, Edgecombe isn't going to relinquish his starting role. Don't let George's return force you into a panic move. Hang onto Edgecombe for the long haul.

Devin Vassell, San Antonio Spurs

A deep Spurs team has suddenly become very thin. De'Aaron Fox is back, but Victor Wembanyama (calf), Stephon Castle (hip) and Dylan Harper (calf) are all currently sidelined. With that trio out Tuesday, Vassell played 35 minutes versus the Grizzlies. He finished the game with 10 points, three rebounds, five assists, two steals, two blocks and two three-pointers.

Although he is only averaging 13.6 points per game right now, Vassell had averaged at least 16.3 points in each of the last three seasons. Wembanyama, Castle and Harper could be out for at least a couple of more weeks, so the Spurs are going to need more scoring and minutes from Vassell. We could be getting at least a couple of weeks of improved production from him, so don't look to sell low on him right now while he could provide fantasy basketball sleeper value.