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Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu has some serious dental work in his future after taking an elbow to the face during Atlanta’s 117-106 win over the Boston Celtics Wednesday.

Taking to his Instagram Story after the game, Okongwu shared a photo of his bloodied mouth and some of his front teeth, which appeared pushed back and knocked out of place.

“Good winssss birdsss,” Okongwu wrote.

Okongwu caught an elbow in the mouth from Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, who was trying split a double-team from Okongwu and Hawks guard Dyson Daniels during the fourth quarter.

Brown was assessed a flagrant 1 offensive foul.

Okongwu went over to the bench and then jogged back onto the court to shoot his two free throws.

Jaylen Brown’s elbow DESTROYED Okongwu’s right side of his mouth pic.twitter.com/zJJq9aI2Vs

— Logion Noops (@LogionNoops) January 29, 2026

He made one to give the Hawks a 107-92 lead over Boston.

After the game, Brown explained that his elbow to Okongwu’s face “wasn’t intentional,” and sympathized with him over the injury.

“Just being aggressive like I always am,” Brown said. “Just a basketball play. It’s unfortunate. Okongwu is a good player.

“I know from my own experiences with a fractured face and chipped teeth, that s–t is a hassle. It wasn’t intentional, and I know it’s going to be a long day at the dentist tomorrow, so hopefully he has a good recovery.”

It’s unclear if Okongwu, who’s only missed two of the Hawks’ games this season, will miss time for dental work.

“I mean, he’s tough,” Hawks head coach Quin Snyder said after the game. “He took quite a shot. It’s a good thing that dentistry as a profession is — I don’t know what he’s going to need, but he’s pretty banged up. He took quite a shot.

“I told him he’s still handsome, but it’s a good thing that people can repair his teeth, because he’s going to need some work.”

Okongwu finished with 17 points, six rebounds and three assists.

I was tired before this game even started. I had just spent two straight days in 10 hours of meetings, and I was mentally done. It was my department’s annual meeting at work, and usually it’s a “destination” event. Sometimes it’s in San Antonio — yes to that! It’s my hometown, an easy drive from Houston, and the Riverwalk rocks. It’s been in Dallas before (no fun — longer drive and an uninteresting city in my opinion), but this year, it was going to be in Florida! (Fun, plus I haven’t been there since I was four years old!)

Regardless of where, it’s supposed to be anywhere but Houston since over half my department is here, with the rest scattered around the eastern half of the country, and the goal is to have everyone together where there’s dinner and bonding afterwards while no one can slip out and go home. It’s tiring, but I enjoy the bonding part of it (at least dinner, I’m not part of the crowd that goes drinking until 2AM just to be suffering through the next day of meetings).

However, for budgetary reasons, Florida got canceled, and the meeting was here in our downtown Houston office, with all the remote folks on conference call. Without being in a hotel, there was still the commute to and from work, making the day even longer, and I didn’t get to see coworkers from around the country whom I talk to often but am lucky to see in-person once a year. And for the cherry on top, this was the third year in a row the meeting was impacted by a winter storm, which ended up canceling Monday’s events and jamming everything into Tuesday and Wednesday. In other words, it was just two super long work days with the only plus being free breakfast and lunch.

After all that, an 8:30 Spurs-Rockets tip-off felt even more brutal than usual. Compound that with a horrible first 20+ minutes of action where the Spurs looked completely helpless — it felt like they weren’t even trying while the Rockets were slicing right through their defense on their way to a 16-point lead with 3:22 left in the first half — and I was ready to write a cranky WWL this morning. Longtime Pounders probably know I’m usually an optimist and try not to be too critical (they’re young, this is Mitch Johnson’s first full season as a head coach, give him a chance, etc.), but I wasn’t having it last night. Not after they showed a similarly atrocious effort in a home loss to the Pelicans a few days ago, and not after this issue with complacency and inconsistency has been going on for over a month now.

This was what I had to say while texting with Jeje Gomez and Jacob Douglas during the first half, right after a slew of Rockets offensive rebounds (including one where the ball bounced between three Spurs who were just watching before a Rockets player who was outside the play grabbed it) and careless backcourt turnovers: “I can give them (the Spurs) a grace period for stuff like shooting slumps, but poor effort and complacency is unforgivable. How many more ‘wake up call’ games do the need (before they get the memo)?”

Apparently, my superpower is the reverse jinx, because not long after that, they figured something out. They got more physical, stopped being careless with the ball, and started getting stops and rebounds. I was personally shocked that they were still in the game and only down by eight at the break, and in a reverse from last week’s game in Houston, the team that started hot fell off a cliff in the second half, especially the fourth quarter, and by then the Spurs were running over them so badly that even Kevin Durant was about to throw a fit.

The Spurs got Kevin Durant IN HELL pic.twitter.com/HQx4s0Z5DD

— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) January 29, 2026

This is what we expect to see from this team: physical, hungry and determined. The second half brought me joy the same way the first half brought me frustration, and it turned this entire WWL on its head. Was this finally the wakeup call they will take to heart, or are we destined to be frustrated again if a Charlotte Hornets team currently playing well above its record catches them off guard on an early Saturday tip-off? We’ll find out then, but in the meantime, I’ll relish the win against a rival that I already saw as a scheduled loss, which seemed even more likely after 21 minutes of play.

Takeaways

• Just like this game and the Spurs as a whole, it was a tale of (almost) two halves for Stephon Castle. For the first 21 minutes, he was the frustrating version of himself: sporadic on defense, indecisive on offense, and leaving everyone clamoring for him to just let De’Aaron Fox have the ball-handling duties. Then, like everyone else, he flipped a switch and was the best version of himself by the second half. He guarded and annoyed the Rockets best players, from Kevin Durant to Alperen Sengun, and contributed on offense by not trying to do too much, simply taking the lanes the defense gave him and finishing at the rim. As he showed last night, he’s a game changer for the Spurs when everything is clicking, and now we just need to see it on a more consistent basis.
• I was ready to give Victor Wembanyama an equally hard time on here while watching the first half. He was passive and looked frustrated on both ends, which has been a common theme for him against physical teams like the Rockets. But perhaps my biggest concern was watching him get manhandled by the similarly slender Durant. Granted, Durant is a bit thicker with 4 extra pounds to cover at last 5 fewer inches (I still say Wemby is closer to 7’7” than 7’4”, but whatever), but he’s still 15 years older. While he’s still a very good player at age 37, he should not be pushing Wemby around on his way to the basket or preventing Wemby from doing the same on the other end. Fortunately, Wemby figured that out in the second half and picked up: attacking everyone on defense, blocking shots, and muscling his way to the rim for shots or free throws. To both Wemby and Castle: more of this, please.
• Our Editor-in-Chief J.R. Wilco has told me he feels the same way, but I have a passionate sports hate for Sengun, and I’m not even going to pretend like I don’t know why. I’m sure he is a great guy off the court, but man, I can’t stand watching him play basketball. He flops too much for such a big dude, he’s a Luka Doncic-level whiner with the same whiney face and “I’ve never committed a foul in my life but am fouled every time I touch the ball” attitude, and his body language is terrible. He’s an All-Star level player that I’m sure we would love if he was a Spur — we all know the mistake the Spurs made in drafting you-know-who ahead of him in 2021 — but ultimately, I’m glad he’s not. I just don’t like him, and it’s only compounded by him being on a direct rival.

Why are we talking about trade rumors? How many of these articles…

Oops. Sorry. Thought I was in the comments section.

Look. It’s trade season. There will be trades. There will be trade discussions. If you’re someone who gets irrationally furious at the mere mention of an NBA trade (a surprisingly common cohort), the internet is not for you. Go to the park.

If you’re still here, let’s take a look at some Houston Rockets trade rumors.

Coby White

We’re mostly talking about guards here, for obvious reasons.

Whether those reasons are obvious to Ime Udoka is a different question.

To us laymen, it sure looks like Houston needs a player who can handle the ball. It ought to be someone who also has at least a semblance of off-ball value. The Rockets don’t need to revolutionize their offense by bringing in a ball-dominant star. Alperen Sengun is doing well with playmaking reps, and both Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard are making progress throughout the season.

White would suffice. He’d make the offense more dynamic. He’s averaging 19.0 points and 4.7 assists per game this year, and shooting 37.0% from long-range.

There are complications. White’s on an expiring deal. The Rockets would likely be looking at flipping Dorian Finney-Smith’s nearly identical contract and a heavily-protected first-rounder for a potential rental. It doesn’t feel like Stone’s style.

Let’s look at some lower-risk moves.

Jose Alvarado

Here’s the conundrum: lower risk means lower reward. Spoiler: The other guards on this list would not be certain to usurp Aaron Holiday in the rotation.

Although it wouldn’t be absurd to prefer Alvarado’s statistical profile. He’s averaging 12.9 points, 5.2 assists, and 1.6 steals per 75 possessions to Holiday’s 15.9, 2.7, and 1.1. Alvarado (-2.2) has a marginally better Box Plus/Minus than Holiday (-2.6). He may be the better player.

Does he move the needle enough to be worth doing – well, anything? That’s a different question. If Alvarado can be had for a couple of second-round picks, the juice should be worth the squeeze, but parting with anything substantial would be a mistake.

On that note…

Chris Paul

The Clippers have to trade Paul. They won’t get anything valuable in exchange for the right to roster him for the second half of the last season of his career. The Rockets could send Jeff Green, and unless the Clippers are including Paul in a larger deal elsewhere, they’d have to accept that deal.

So, for the Rockets, the question becomes three-pronged: Will they play Paul, do they want his voice in the locker room over Uncle Jeff’s, and will they play him enough to justify making that deal if not?

It seems like Paul began to grate on the Clippers. He’s always been prickly. It shouldn’t have shocked anyone if he wasn’t able to co-exist with James Harden.

…

Personality-wise, it feels like he’d be a better fit in Houston. There’s no coddling under the Ime Udoka regime. If Paul is cussing Reed Sheppard out for overhelping on defense, Udoka is likely to nod in agreement.

Still, there are basketball realities to consider. Paul averaged 7.7 points, 8.7 assists, and 1.8 steals per 75 possessions in 16 games for the Clippers. This is a man who can no longer score at an NBA level, as evidenced by Paul’s 41.3 True Shooting % (TS%) during that stretch. It’s hard to think of the right adjective for that number. Horrifying? Yes. Paul’s efficiency this year should make you feel horrified.

Still, as Sigmund Freud said, sometimes a 16-game stretch is just a 16-game stretch. If Paul even just caught fire from beyond the arc at the right time for Houston, he could change their season. He’s still evidently haunted by nightmares where he makes the wrong read in the pick-and-roll. Paul can still orchestrate an offense as well as anyone.

Honestly, I don’t know. Maybe? That’s where I stand on any of these. An emphatic maybe.

Here comes a stronger opinion…

Another Big

Here’s what I initially wrote:

No!

No, no, no. One more no: No. Wait, that’s two more no’s. Nooooooo!

On the buyout market? Sure. Where is Nerlens Noel? Isn’t it time for his annual half-season of NBA basketball?

Trading for a big man would be comically absurd. If the deadline comes, and the Rockets acquire Yves Missi at nearly the same price the Timberwolves pay for Coby White…

Well, I’ll write an article about it.

That was before the Adams injury. Hopefully, the big man rests up well and is back on the floor as soon as possible, but there may be an opportunity here.

I’ll cede some ground: Get a stretch big. Adding another non-shooting big – so, not Missi – would still be senseless. The double big lineups have been lacklustre this year. Now that we’re tinkering, let’s try something new. Someone like Andre Drummond (yes, he shoots now), Bobby Portis, or Zach Collins would be good. Just know that if the Rockets get a non-shooting big…

I will write an article about it.

A 60-second tribute video honoring LeBron James has become routine over the past eight years whenever he returns to Cleveland, the city where his NBA journey began.

But Wednesday night at Rocket Arena was different – and it felt that way long before James’s Los Angeles Lakers fell 129-99 to the Cavaliers in a nationally televised game.

For the first time, James struggled to contain his emotions.

As his name was announced during pregame introductions, the crowd rose in a thunderous standing ovation that lingered longer than usual. Minutes later, during the game’s first break, the tribute video played on the jumbo screen hanging above the court. James remained seated on the Lakers’ bench, watching intently along with nearly 20,000 fans who understood they were witnessing something more than a routine return.

The video featured a montage of historic moments from James’s Cavaliers career, highlighted by his unforgettable performance in Game 5 of the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals – when he scored 25 consecutive points, capped by a game-winning layup against the Detroit Pistons. It was the night that first cemented James not only as a superstar, but as Cleveland’s own.

Several times Wednesday night, James lowered his head and wiped away tears with the inside of his jersey. He later reached for a paper towel, dabbing his eyes before the game resumed.

“The moment they put up [the tribute video], the Detroit game, looking up in the rafters and I saw our championship banner [from Cleveland’s 2016 NBA title] … it was a lot of reflection,” James said after the game. “Being present in the moment. It got to me a little bit for sure. I was super thankful.”

On Wednesday, James finished with 11 points, five assists and six turnovers – his worst performance in his return games – but the stat line was secondary to the night’s emotion.

Now in his 23rd NBA season since he was drafted No 1 overall by the Cavaliers in 2003, James’s Hall of Fame résumé includes being the league’s all-time leading scorer, four championships with three different teams, countless playoff moments and nearly every significant individual milestone the league has to offer. Yet as the finish line slowly comes into view, whenever that may be, moments like Wednesday carry deeper meaning. This may have been the final time James played an NBA game in the city where it all began.

Related: Welcome to Duncanville: why the road to the NBA runs through Dallas

“Because it could be [my last season]. I haven’t made a decision on the future, but it very well could be [my final game in Cleveland],” James said. “No matter if it’s here or in Washington playing in our next game, or in the Barclays on this road trip. Obviously, it means more here for me personally because I grew up 35 miles south of here.”

What made the night feel different wasn’t the tribute itself – the Cavaliers have done this many times before – but the collective awareness inside the building. This didn’t feel like a reunion tour stop. It felt like a pause. A moment when a city and its greatest athlete quietly acknowledged, without saying it out loud, that there may not be many of these nights left.

The ovation lingered. Fans stayed on their feet. Some recorded on their phones. Others simply watched. Cleveland no longer demanded anything from James. The city was offering gratitude.

The emotions extended well beyond the court. The night was even more meaningful because James was able to share it with his son and teammate, Bronny, along with several family members watching from a suite.

“It was pretty cool just sitting over there and watching [Bronny] continue to live out his dream,” James said. “My mom was here watching her son and her grandson. I don’t even know how to wrap that all into one in my brain. It’s so weird and so cool and so surreal.”

Bronny, who scored eight points in the loss, felt the weight of the moment himself. As in his game at Rocket Arena last season, the crowd erupted when he entered the game and cheered loudly after his fourth-quarter dunk. It was a symbolic passing of time inside the same building where his father once ruled the league.

“Very nostalgic to be here,” Bronny said. “I was here pretty much every day as a kid, so it feels good to be out here. I was almost emotional myself. Being home is another feeling. It’s crazy to come back and have so much love. It got him. It almost got me.”

James’s mother, Gloria James, was also reflective. She has been present for nearly every step of her son’s career, from his earliest NBA games to the moment he lifted Cleveland’s first championship banner in 2016.

“I don’t get as emotional as I used to, but I did a little,” Gloria James told the Guardian. “I’ve been there from day one, every single game he’s played in the NBA. Thinking about all of those years and being here tonight – it’s memorable and awesome.”

For those who know James best, the emotion wasn’t surprising.

Chris Dennis, once a James family adviser, said the reaction inside the arena reflected how intertwined James’s story is with Cleveland’s identity.

“They were hyped when LeBron came back into the game after the video, because the fans are a part of who he is,” said Dennis, who is managing partner of Tribute Sports. “A lot of those fans grew up watching LeBron. When you grow up with a dude that represented your city, you’re going to show that love.”

Dennis said the moment hit harder because James understands, even if he hasn’t said so publicly, that time is no longer on his side.

“I’m not basing this on anything I’ve heard,” Dennis said. “But he knows he’s toward the end of his career. It’s harder for him to prepare for games. It’s not easy for a 41-year-old to get ready and play at this level every night.”

Planning for the end is new to James, whose career for most of its duration centered on what he would accomplish next. Now, the question lingers quietly in the background: what comes after?

Several paths remain. James, who spoke before the game about mapping out offseason golf plans, could retire. He could re-sign with the Lakers. Or, in a storybook ending, he could return once more to Cleveland.

Only James knows which direction he will choose.

“The question gets asked more, and the thought creeps into my mind more at 41 years old,” James said. “Of when the end is and where the finish line is when it comes to hanging this thing up. I’m in a battle with Father Time, and I’m taking it personally – seeing how many times I can be victorious over him. But I won’t be one of those guys who won’t be able to walk off the court. That’s for sure.”

On Wednesday night, near the Lakers’ locker room after the game, James gathered with family members, including his mother, surrounded by love, memories, and reflection – not knowing if it would be the last time in this arena.

Time will tell.

This won’t help Charles Barkley re-enter Michael Jordan’s good graces.

Barkley called out NBC for its controversial Michael Jordan usage during its NBA coverage, with one interview being splintered into different segments to be used throughout the season instead of regular chats with the legendary player that some expected for the format.

“It’s a bad look for NBC and it’s just a bad look, plain and simple,” Barkley said on SiriusXM Radio on Wednesday, according to Awful Announcing.

“They couldn’t fly to Michael like once a month and do a new interview? That makes NBC look really bad, plain and simple.”

Many NBA fans loved the idea that Jordan — who can be reclusive — agreed to contribute to the new “NBA on NBC” coverage in its return to the air, hoping to regularly here his takes on the league.

NBC stated Jordan would be a “special contributor.”

Barkley, who had a falling out with Jordan due to critical comments about his Charlotte ownership, said in May that he was “shocked” to learn of Jordan’s decision, but added that he did not expect a ton from him.

Well, it turns out the Round Mound of Rebound had the right idea.

The special contribution from Jordan consisted of one sit-down interview with Mike Tirico that has been cut into different clips for his “MJ: Insights to Excellence” segment.

Instead of Jordan touching on the topics of the day, such as Giannis Antetokounmpo asking out of Milwaukee, the interviews are focused on broader topics.

“I was excited. We need Michael Jordan affiliated with the NBA, but now you see this thing coming out with NBC and you’re like, ‘Wait, y’all did one interview like five months ago and y’all gonna sprinkle it throughout the season?’ Come on, man,” Barkley said. “That’s disingenuous by NBC. That’s crazy, man. I’m so disappointed at the way that worked out.”

Tirico recently addressed the pushback against the segments, focusing on the positives while noting there are no plans yet for a second interview.

“Was it what everyone wanted? Probably not,” Tirico said on the “SI Media with Jimmy Traina” podcast earlier this month. “Was it better than not hearing from Michael Jordan? You’re damn right it was. And if we get another shot at it, will I be more than excited to be a part of it? You betcha. In our world right now, all you want to do is make the final answer before you know everything. I love that Michael trusted us enough to sit and do something that he hasn’t done in a long, long, long time.”

As Barkley criticizes NBC, he’s also expressed some frustration with his new bosses at ESPN over the lack of usage of his “Inside the NBA” show in its transition after exiting TNT.