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The Golden State Warriors are back in action tonight, and they’re headed to Texas to take on Klay Thompson, Cooper Flagg, and the Dallas Mavericks. It’s the Warriors first game on the road since January 5, and their first out-of-state game since New Year’s Eve.

Both teams are missing some serious star talent. Here’s the full injury report.

Warriors

Out — Jimmy Butler III (right knee ACL tear)

Sigh. It’s not fun writing it out, but I’ll be doing it a lot, as Butler will be sidelined for the rest of the year, and the start of next season following an ACL tear on Monday night.

Out — Seth Curry (left sciatic nerve irritation)

Curry should be re-evaluated soon, and hopefully can get back on the court before too long. The Warriors could use some extra scoring with Butler out.

Questionable — Gary Payton II (right foot soreness)

I wouldn’t be surprised if GPII sees a bigger role going forward, given the defense and athleticism that the team lost with Butler’s injury. Hopefully he’s good to go tonight.

Mavericks

Out — Anthony Davis (left finger sprain)

Davis was linked to the Warriors a little bit before suffering yet another injury. Now that Butler — whose contract matches Davis’ — is out for a year, you can expect to at least see a little speculation that the teams might swap their injured stars on massive deals. I don’t think there’s much of a chance of it happening, though.

Out — Kyrie Irving (left knee surgery)

Like Butler, Irving has a torn ACL, which he sustained in March of 2025. It’s unclear when he’ll be back on the court.

Out — Dereck Lively II (right foot surgery)

After a standout rookie season in 2023-24, things have gone downhill for Lively. He was limited to 36 games last year, and didn’t show much improvement. And this year he suffered a foot injury after just seven games, and is out for the season.

Out — Dante Exum (right knee surgery)

Exum, unfortunately, saw his season end before it started. He hasn’t played this year and he won’t play this year, as he rehabs from knee surgery.

Doubtful — Daniel Gafford (right ankle sprain)

Gafford plays a critical role for the Mavs with Davis sidelined, but he’s had his own issues staying healthy. He’s missed the last three games, and 15 overall this year.

Probable — Moussa Cissé (illness)

Cissé went undrafted in June, but has filled in for the injury Davis and Gafford on a few occasions this year. He’s a very strong rebounder.

Enjoy the game, Dub Nation. It tips off at 4:30 p.m. PT on Prime.

As a winter storm delivers brutally low temperatures and the threat of snow and ice across the United States, some collegiate sports teams are taking precautions to make sure players and fans are safe.

Several games on Saturday, Jan. 24 have been either postponed or had their tip-off times pushed up, including Duke's ACC bout with Wake Forest and North Carolina's conference game against Virginia, which would have also included the dedication of Virginia's court to former head coach Tony Bennett.

LIVE Winter storm live updates: Latest snowfall forecasts, warnings

College basketball looks like it's going to deal with quite a few shake-ups, with several situations pending.

Here are the events that have been affected in anticipation of the inclement weather.

Download the free USA TODAY app and turn on “Notifications” to get breaking news updates on the winter storm. Prefer email news alerts? Sign up for those here.

College sports rescheduled due to winter storm warning

All times Eastern

Men's basketball

• Saturday's Virginia vs North Carolina tip-off pushed up to noon from 2 p.m. (court dedication to Tony Bennett postponed) (ESPN2)
• Saturday's Wake Forest vs Duke tip-off pushed up to noon from 5:45 p.m (The CW)
• Saturday's Louisville vs Virginia Tech tip-off pushed up to 2:15 p.m. from 3:15 p.m. (The CW)
• Saturday's Little Rock vs UT Martin doubleheader postponed
• Saturday's Towson vs North Carolina A&T tip-off pushed up to noon
• Saturday's James Madison vs Texas State tip-off pushed up to 1 p.m.
• Jacksonville State vs MTSU rescheduled to Friday at 6:30 p.m. from Saturday
• Lipscomb vs Florida Gulf Coast rescheduled to Friday, Jan. 23 from Saturday, Jan. 24

Women's basketball

• UConn vs Seton Hall tip-off pushed up to noon on Saturday, Jan. 24 from Sunday, Jan. 25
• Saturday's Princeton vs Brown tip-off pushed up to noon
• Saturday's Eastern Kentucky vs North Florida tip-off pushed up to 11 a.m.

Swimming

• Tennessee vs Georgia swim meet rescheduled to 1 p.m. Friday from Saturday

Gymnastics

• Friday's Georgia vs Oklahoma meet pushed up to 2:45 p.m. from 6 p.m.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Winter storm watch: College games postponed, rescheduled

Tim MacMahon of ESPN published a mid-season report on Cooper Flagg Thursday. It featured thoughts from opposing teams’ personnel and statistics comparing him to great teenagers of years past, like soon-to-be Hall of Famer LeBron James. The reviews were raving. One Western Conference scout said he was “better than advertised”. An East scout called him a “winning player”. And, my favorite quote, one West general manager said, “his greatest strength is his competitiveness”. 

Throughout the piece, the common sentiment became clear: Flagg is an uber-talented, uber-driven star-in-the-making. What he can be is better than you think, and what he will be has a less volatile floor than you realize. And if you have watched him this season, you have seen this play out in real time. I found a draft profile from around this time last year, where they labeled his weaknesses as not being able to handle perimeter pressure, a question mark over his isolation scoring ability, and the fact that he needs to get stronger to handle contact. It has not even been 50 games into his rookie campaign, and his lack of turnovers (2.2 per game), clutch scoring (ninth most in the NBA), and ability to get downhill at will (53.5 percent on 11.4 drives per game) have put those concerns to rest.

To say the sky is the limit for Flagg would be doing him a disservice. He is improving at a rate even bullish analysts have undersold. The narrative he has had since high school is that his defense would translate to the next level, but it remained to be seen how quickly his offense would come along. In 37 college games, he averaged 19.2 points on 48.1 percent shooting. Through 41 NBA games, he is at 18.8 points on 47.8 percent shooting. Every question we have asked has been answered (except for three-point shooting). As a 19-year-old rookie, the eye test tells you Flagg can be anything he wants. And, according to Tim MacMahon, the league agrees.

The most meaningful aspect of MacMahon’s reporting is that it confirms a thought I have had since the Mavericks secured the number one pick last May: the intangibles will define him, not his raw skill. Being a good player does not make you a part of a winning formula (see Bradley Beal and LaMelo Ball). There is plenty of talent in the NBA. What there is not an abundance of is winners. With the amount of money that has been pumped into not only professional sports but also college sports in the last few years, it is easy to lose sight of winning. Flagg is not someone who has fallen victim to that. His physical frame and talent will prevent him from being less than a very good player. But his mindset, his addiction to improvement, and his singular commitment to winning will make him great. How great he will be is something only he can determine.

The Sixers’ year-long celebration of the 2001 Eastern Conference Champion squad reaches its apex this month. When the team hosts the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday, Jan. 31, it’ll be a big ol’ reunion.

The organization announced on Thursday that they will “honor the legendary players and coaches who electrified the city, taking the 76ers to the NBA Finals.“ Additionally, the Sixers say that the evening will be ”packed with powerful tributes — pre-game, in-game and at halftime — honoring the grit, heart and legacy of that squad.“

The Sixers, naturally, will be donning their beloved black throwback jerseys as well.

The 2001 team, between Allen Iverson’s MVP heroics and their upset win in Game 1 of the NBA Finals over the Los Angeles Lakers, leaves them as one of the most beloved in the history of Philadelphia even though they didn’t win the championship outright.

Part of it is the way they played: the feisty Iverson scoring in bunches while their defense swarmed everywhere. Part of it is Iverson’s legacy as a transformative presence in the league both on and off the court. Part of it is, simply, that they’re the only truly great Sixers team of the last 40 years.

Though the Sixers appear far away from that level of contention at the momentum even with Tyrese Maxey’s own superstar ascension and the dominant stretches that Joel Embiid has put together this season, celebrating the 2001 team is a reminder of how great things once were for professional basketball in Philly and how maybe, just maybe, they could be that great again one day.

For those wanting to get in on the festivities, the cheapest tickets on Ticketmaster, as of this writing, are $44.18. That’s honestly a bit better than I imagined it would be for a Saturday with all of this going on. I hope Sixers fans pack the house!

For the second time in four days, the Utah Jazz and San Antonio Spurs will face off when the Spurs travel to Utah on Thursday night.

In the two previous meetings between the Jazz and Spurs this season, the teams split wins, with the Jazz coming away victorious in December and the Spurs winning on Monday.

On the Dec. 27 matchup, Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George combined for 57 points and took advantage of De’Aaron Fox’s absence from the lineup in the win.

On Monday, Victor Wembanyama scored 33 for the Spurs in a 13-point victory at home, maintaining San Antonio’s position as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.

Injury Report

Utah Jazz:

Keyonte George — Questionable (Left forearm strain)

Lauri Markkanen — OUT (Return to competition reconditioning)

San Antonio Spurs:

Jeremy Sochan — Questionable (Illness)

Luke Kornet — Questionable (Left abductor tightness)

Devin Vassell — OUT (Left abductor strain)

How to watch

Where: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT

When: 7 p.m. MT

Channel: KJZZ, SEG+

Radio: 97.5 FM 1280 AM

LeBron James capped off a noisy Wednesday by sharing a sweet moment with his inner circle.

Just hours after a bombshell report claimed his Lakers boss, Jeanie Buss, had grown tired of him, the NBA superstar took to his Instagram page to show he and his loved ones were hardly bothered.

In a video he shared on IG Stories, James could be seen helping lead an adorable birthday celebration for his private chef, Dena Marino.

James, his wife, Savannah, and their daughter, Zhuri, presented Marino with a slice of cake and a candle, and serenaded her with a rendition of “Happy Birthday to You.”

When the gourmet cook blew out the flame, James and his family let out a big cheer.

Marino clearly appreciated the gesture — she reshared James’ video with the caption, “All My favs with my Reese’s Cake!” She included two red heart emojis as well.

The James family and Marino have been tight for years. In fact, back in 2021, LeBron shouted out her special “Creamy Cauliflower ‘Carbonara’” on X, writing that it was one of his favorite dishes she’s ever created.

Of my fav dishes you’ve done! And I have alot of favs! https://t.co/oT8aXso0H8

— LeBron James (@KingJames) December 15, 2021

“And I have alot of favs!” he added.

As for the ESPN report regarding Buss’ alleged thoughts on his “outsized ego,” James appeared to take a page out of his agent Rich Paul’s book on the matter by showing he’s got far more things to concern himself with.

The Suns have shocked many NBA fans by being the underdog story of the year. After trading away Kevin Durant and stretching and waiving the remainder of Bradley Beal’s contract, many thought this team was doomed. Yet the players and coach Jordan Ott did not listen to the outside hate. They invested and ground it out this offseason to prove those doubters wrong, and they have done so in every category.

Now over halfway through the season, a team most outsiders thought was a lottery team once again sits as the sixth seed, 10 games over .500 in a tough Western Conference. The best part? This has all been accomplished despite Jalen Green being out for most of this season.

With him just returning in their last game vs the Philadelphia 76ers, we got to see what he can add to this team. Some great playmaking and downhill attacking, while working nicely with the bigs in this lineup. He came off the bench in his return to action, but coach Jordan Ott has stated that he will eventually be in the starting lineup.

So who comes out of the lineup, and how does this new bench lineup work as a successful unit?

Well, there are two options, and it all depends on the balance you want in the starting lineup. If you take out Collin Gillespie and put in Green, that would leave the Suns with two guards, two wings, and a center, compared to a three-guard lineup if you replaced Green with Royce O’Neale. I know the league has gone positionless, but I do think that, without a true playmaker/initiator for the secondary unit, it troubles them.

Personally, even though I am the Big East Believer and have agreed that Gillespie has earned this starting spot, he is more valuable as the lead offensive guard for the secondary unit than as the third-best scorer in the starting lineup. That would then leave the Suns with an exciting bench unit, and one that can show some great success, like the starters once fully healthy.

The lineup that I think would be the bench is Collin Gillespie, Jordan Goodwin, Grayson Allen, Ryan Dunn, and Oso Ighodaro.

Based on the statistics and the fits of these players, this bench unit will be one of the best by the end of the year. Just as I was discussing it, it makes sense.

Gillespie and Allen are the offensive guards who are going to rain three pointers, which the Suns have succeeded in this year. They will be the main offensive focal points, while also being relentless on defense, making key hustle plays. Dunn and Goodwin are going to be the scrappy defenders who take those defensive assignments to heart. They both crash the boards relentlessly, and can both get hot from three at specific points that make you think they should be in a three-point contest. Last but certainly not least is Oso Ighodaro, the man in the middle, the actual connective engine that would keep this unit going with his solid ability to do it all, rebound, score, and defend when you need it most.

Now, looking at the stats, all those words are proven true.

Looking at the stats from Databallr, we can see that this lineup is very successful. An almost +30 net rating is just ridiculous, especially given their very low offensive turnover percentage. This bench unit would prove lethal not only from three-point land, where they shoot 46% from beyond the arc, but also at limiting opponents to 27% from three.

That aggressive on-ball nature from Goodwin and Dunn would be prevalent here, but you also have the hustle and hard work from both Allen, Ighodaro, and Gillespie. Everyone on this lineup has that bruiser mentality of outworking you and having to do that their whole career. This is what brings out the scrappiness and relentless effort on both ends from these guys, their passion and effort, which Ott has embraced. The underdog mentality has prevailed.

By looking at Cleaning the Glass, we can see some similar stats to Databallr, but also some more in-depth analysis. The lineup we are discussing has the fifth-most possessions together this season, yet it is the second-best for this team. Their strength mainly comes from their defense in this unit. As I stated above, they got those dogs, and with a 99.2 pts per possession and 24.6% turnover rate, I’d say they represent that to a tee. This basically means that almost one out of every four defensive possessions results in a turnover for the bench squad, which is just mind-blowing.

Most starting lineups cannot contribute a stat like that, which shows how locked in defensively this team is under coach Ott now.

The culture has shifted for the better, and this is a prime example; this bench will prove it, too. Now that this team is finally fully healthy, we can actually evaluate it at its best potential, which is higher than where it is now, given all the great stories of guys growing internally in this system.

As we hit the halfway point in the NBA schedule, the Los Angeles Clippers finally seem to be salvaging their season, but that progress will be tested tonight when they host the Los Angeles Lakers at Intuit Dome.

The Battle of L.A. season series sits at 1-1 heading into this matchup, and my Lakers vs. Clippers predictions expect LeBron James to be one of the swing factors.

Let's dive right into my NBA picks for Thursday, January 22. 

Lakers vs Clippers prediction

Lakers vs Clippers best bet: LeBron James Over 12.5 rebounds + assists (-112 bet365)

LeBron James' injury issues may point to a 41-year-old in his 23rd season, but his stat lines suggest he’s got something left in the tank. James has been able to keep his sciatica and arthritis at bay while starting 2026 with a bang, so look for his fingerprints to be all over tonight’s clash with the Los Angeles Clippers.

With Luka Doncic doing so much of the scoring for the Los Angeles Lakers, I’m targeting LeBron’s rebounds and assists here, and he’s gone past this combo O/U number in four of his past five outings.

James has been getting the job done in both these categories so far this month, with averages of 7.7 RPG and 7.6 APG in January, and he was closing in on a triple-double in L.A.’s win over the Denver Nuggets earlier this week.

Until Austin Reaves returns, LeBron is going to have a larger share of the playmaking, particularly when Luka is on the bench, and there’s just not a lot of secondary ball-handling in the current rotation. Equally, he’s got a big role to play alongside Deandre Ayton on the boards.

At this stage of his career, James can still do the little things that drive winning, and the Lakers will need all of that veteran savvy to hold off their cross-city rivals tonight.

Lakers vs Clippers same-game parlay

The Lakers are 7-3 SU in their last 10 meetings with the Clippers, and an impressive 14-8 on the road this season. With Kawhi Leonard still listed as questionable, the burden on James Harden could once again be massive, and the hosts gave up 138 points to the Chicago Bulls this week.

Harden continues to put up big numbers, and I’ll take the Over on his rebounds prop here. He’s grabbed 4+ boards in six of his last seven games, and the Clippers will gladly keep him closer to the rim if it avoids the Luka defensive assignment.

Lakers vs Clippers SGP

• James Over 12.5 reb+ast
• Lakers moneyline
• Harden Over 3.5 rebounds

Our "from downtown" SGP: Brick by brick

Ivica Zubac has had some miserable possessions trying to guard Doncic on switches in the past, but the Clippers will lean on him for big minutes here. Zubac has posted three straight double-doubles, and he’s finished with 11+ rebounds in his last four games. 

Lakers vs Clippers SGP

• James Over 12.5 reb+ast
• Lakers moneyline
• Harden Over 3.5 rebounds
• Zubac double-double

Lakers vs Clippers odds

• Spread: Lakers -1.5 (+100) | Clippers +1.5 (-120)
• Moneyline: Lakers -110 | Clippers -110
• Over/Under: Over 223.5 (-110) | Under 223.5 (-110)

Lakers vs Clippers betting trend to know

The Lakers are 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings between these teams. Find more NBA betting trends for Lakers vs. Clippers.

How to watch Lakers vs Clippers

Lakers vs Clippers latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

Victor Wembanyama plus the Utah Jazz means buckets. The San Antonio Spurs star is in the zone, and the Jazz are one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA, but they’ve been putting up a fight on offense lately.

So, my Spurs vs. Jazz predictions explain why these Western Conference foes will light up the scoreboard tonight, and bring you all manner of NBA picks, including a Wemby-fueled SGP.

Spurs vs Jazz prediction

Spurs vs Jazz best bet: Over 237 (-110)

The San Antonio Spurs have jumped to contender status thanks in large part to Victor Wembanyama. 

Wemby has averaged 25.8 points per game over the last 12 games, and helping San Antonio put up 119-plus in three of their last four. He’ll keep cooking against the Utah Jazz. 

Utah doesn’t play defense, ranking dead last in defensive rating while surrendering an NBA-worst 127.5 points per game. They allowed 123 points to the Spurs just two games ago.

But the Jazz aren’t rolling over. Even without Lauri Markkanen, they’ve scored 121 ppg over the last six games, cashing the Over in four of their last five. 

Spurs vs Jazz same-game parlay

Wemby has a point total of 26.5 for this matchup. He’s topped that number in six times in the last 12 games, including putting up 33 in that recent meeting against the Jazz.

Utah also struggles to defend the perimeter, ranking dead last in opponent 3-point attempts per game, and surrendering the third-highest 3-point shooting percentage.

So, let’s add Stephon Castle Over 1.5 threes to this SGP. He’s shooting 39.1% from deep over the last five games and has gone Over this number three times during that stretch.

Spurs vs Jazz SGP

• Over 237
• Victor Wembanyama Over 26.5 points
• Stephon Castle Over 1.5 threes

Our "from downtown" SGP: George puts in the work from three

Keyonte George will do his part to send this game Over. He went for 30 in that recent game against the Spurs and has hit four or more threes in three straight games.

Spurs vs Jazz SGP

• Over 237
• Victor Wembayama Over 26.5 points
• Stephon Castle Over 1.5 threes
• Keyonte George Over 2.5 threes

Spurs vs Jazz odds

• Spread: Spurs -12.5 | Jazz +12.5
• Moneyline: Spurs -650 | Jazz +475
• Over/Under: Over 237 | Under 237

Spurs vs Jazz betting trend to know

The Jazz have hit the Game Total Over in 30 of their last 40 games at home for +19.00 Units and a 43% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Spurs vs. Jazz.

How to watch Spurs vs Jazz

Spurs vs Jazz latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

Don’t overreact to the Golden State Warriors. They’re still 5.5 games clear of missing the Play-In Tournament.

That said, losing Jimmy Butler this week flips their season on its head.

My Warriors vs. Mavericks predictions take that urgency into account, and I expect Jonathan Kuminga to step up in Butler’s absence.

Read more in my NBA picks for Thursday, January 22.

Warriors vs Mavericks prediction

Warriors vs Mavericks best bet: Jonathan Kuminga Over 11.5 points (-115)

The Golden State Warriors no longer have a choice. They have to play Jonathan Kuminga.

Kuminga has a standing trade demand, one that Golden State has openly scoffed at. Before Tuesday, Kuminga had sat for 16 straight games, all while the Warriors' front office publicly knocked his trade value.

This stalemate had simply gotten ugly.

But with Jimmy Butler’s ACL tear, Golden State needs to not only play Kuminga but also feature him. It was no coincidence he scored 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting in the first game after Butler’s injury.

Ahead of tonight's matchup against the Dallas Mavericks, the Warriors lack dynamic wings to take the pressure off Steph Curry. Kuminga is one of their only remaining options.

Warriors vs Mavericks same-game parlay

Kuminga isn’t a strong deep shooter, but he takes more shots with Butler out, including from beyond the arc. He averages 3.3 attempts from deep per game without Butler, up from 2.7 when Butler plays. 

However, taking more long-range shots — and missing most of them — won’t help Golden State navigate life without the player meant to extend Steph Curry’s title window.

Warriors vs Mavericks SGP

• Jonathan Kuminga Over 11.5 points
• Jonathan Kuminga Over 0.5 threes
• Mavericks +5.5

Our "from downtown" SGP: Dray Fell Off

If Draymond Green was going to summon some gusto to keep the season alive sans Butler, it did not show up on Tuesday, posting a -27 in 22 minutes in an 18-point loss to the Raptors.

Including that night, Green has fallen short of this modest rebounding prop in three straight games and in seven of nine since New Year’s Day.

Warriors vs Mavericks SGP

• Jonathan Kuminga Over 11.5 points
• Jonathan Kuminga Over 0.5 threes
• Mavericks moneyline
• Draymond Green Under 6.5 rebounds

Warriors vs Mavericks odds

• Spread: Warriors -5.5 (-110) | Mavericks +5.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Warriors -225 | Mavericks +185
• Over/Under: Over 234.5 (-110) | Under 234.5 (-110)

Warriors vs Mavericks betting trend to know

Dallas has gone 4-1 against the spread in its last five games, exceeding bookmakers’ expectations by an average of 9.7 points per game. Find more NBA betting trends for Warriors vs. Mavericks.

How to watch Warriors vs Mavericks

Warriors vs Mavericks latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here