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The Knicks (30*-18) welcome the Lakers (29-18) to Madison Square Garden with the building buzzing again. New York has won five straight games (four by double digits) thanks to a top-10 defense, world-class rebounding, and an explosive offense. The team that was a reeking garbage pile just a couple of weeks ago smells fresh as daisies again. Ain’t winning the best antiseptic?

Los Angeles brings star power and a strong road record, though the distance between their offensive and defensive ratings is approximately the distance from Crypto.com Arena to MSG. When Luka Dončić has one of the rotation’s best defensive ratings, of course they’re ranked 26th. Sure, the Lakers’ off-court Buss family drama makes the Clippers seem like a well-behaved organization by comparison; and yes, players like Deandre Ayton sometimes make coach JJ Redick reconsider his life choices; but these Lakers have enough talent to sit squarely in the playoff hunt and pose a big challenge for our heroes tonight.

Remembering the last time these teams played still makes my right eye twitch. On March 6, 2025 in Los Angeles, the Knicks led for long stretches behind a big Brunson night before overtime arrived on flatulence fumes and the Lakers stole a 113-109 win. I recall seething at Bridges for taking six shots in 43 minutes and KAT for shooting 23%. Good thing we haven’t had those miseries this season.

The story of the Lakers’ year is one of extremes. The offense hums at a top-10 level, shooting the best field goal percentage in the league and taking steady trips to the line. Yet all those gains are offset by a defense that lags near the bottom of the barrel, barely rebounds, and hardly blocks. It takes a special kind of alchemy to achieve a perfect zero net rating, but they’ve done it!

Everything runs through Luka, one of the league’s best swishers and dishers. His fellow superstar LeBron James, playing his 120th season, is still a force to be reckoned with, too, thanks to excellent conditioning and a daily diet of virginal blood. 

In an internal P&T poll of one, Deandre Ayton was voted player most likely to be intentionally left behind after a road game. Still, he’s averaging 13.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per night; just imagine what he could do awake. 

Austin Reaves is a very fine player, but has been sidelined with a calf injury since Christmas. He’s on today’s report as day-to-day. Look for Jake LaRavia and Marcus Smart to round out the starters, and beware the latter especially. Smart is one of those cats who will shoot 25% from downtown for the season and turn into Steph Curry when he sees an orange and blue jersey.

Miles McBride (ankle) is day-to-day for New York.

Prediction

ESPN.com thinks New York has a 68% chance tonight. Maybe. Take into account that, against the Knicks, Luka has averaged 30.5 PPG in 12 career games, and LeBron has averaged 26.7 PPG in 61. Not only should you expect 60 points between them tonight, but watch James go totally bananas because a) it is potentially his last game at the Garden, and b) it will be nationally televised. New York will give you your money’s worth, fighting late into the game, but this has the weird feel of LeBron’s Swan Song to NYC. Call me cynical, but it might come down to whether you see Scott Foster on the officiating crew today. If you do, trust that the league wants this one for Bron; if you don’t, Knicks by three.

Game Details

Date: Sunday, February 1, 2026
Time: 7 PM ET
Place: Madison Square Garden, NYC

TV: NBC / Peacock
Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky

* Should be one more, but the Cup final doesn’t count. 

The Dallas Mavericks took on their intrastate rival Houston Rockets Saturday night. Dallas saw their losing streak push to four games after a 111-107 defeat.

Let’s get to the grades!

Max Christie: C+

11 PTS / 2 REB / 1 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 32 MIN

His overall shooting was far from lights out (4-for-11), but a few of his misses were nearly all the way down before improbably spilling out. Still, his shots were smart ones that looked good and he stayed the course throughout the game, hitting 3-for-4 from deep. A decent if not mainly ineffectual game.

Naji Marshall: C

8 PTS / 8 REB / 2 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 32 MIN

Much like Christie and P.J. Washington, Marshall had a very “mid” game. He converted on only three of his 11 shot attempts and logged the worst plus/minus on the team (-18).

Cooper Flagg: A

34 PTS / 12 REB / 5 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 39 MIN

Flagg was the shining star for Dallas by a big margin on Saturday night. While one could argue 1-for-4 from deep and 7-for-10 from the free throw line could have been better, I find it hard to fault him much for those. Flagg shot an effective 52% on 25 shot attempts and was the only reason the Mavs were as close as they were despite otherwise widespread ineptness. Great game following a career game just two nights prior.

P.J. Washington: C+

9 PTS / 4 REB / 1 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 25 MIN

Washington is struggling. I find myself affording him some grace in light of recent injuries and personal issues, but his fast break into a turnover that resulted in a Rockets’ three-pointer on the other end was a microcosm of his game. He then took a friendly-fire shot to the head and spent the latter portion of the fourth quarter in the locker room.

Daniel Gafford: B+

16 PTS / 11 REB / 1 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 28 MIN

Gafford had a quiet, yet somewhat dominant(!?) game. At the half, he was sitting on 10 points and eight boards as the only starter with a plus/minus in the black (+8), but perhaps more surprisingly, he held opposing center Alperin Sengun to 2-for-12 shooting over the first 24 minutes. The “quiet” aspect of the equation ironically spoke loudly, however, in that he likely could have stuffed the stats more. There were a few too many times he was outworked on the boards or plainly mishandled the ball to botch possessions. He also disappeared for long stretches in the second half.

Brandon Williams: N/A

13 PTS / 0 REB / 0 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 9 MIN

Williams doesn’t qualify for a grade due to his early exit following a knee injury, but he deserves a ton of credit for coming out piping hot on 5-for-7 shooting, including 2-for-3 from deep. Had he not been injured, he could have been the difference maker for a win.

Klay Thompson: C

9 PTS / 2 REB / 0 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 28 MIN

Thompson struggled to find his shot early. It wasn’t so much that he had a “bad” game or was outplayed, as it was he just couldn’t quite find the range on generally good shots.

Moussa Cisses: N/A

3 PTS / 1 REB / 1 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 13 MIN

There isn’t enough for a grade, but we’re going to give Cisse an Honorary A for a late game sequence the likes of which we may never see again in an NBA game. Cisse volleyball spiked a shot attempt for a highlight-reel block and ended up on his back as he came down awkwardly. From there, the 6’11” center kipped-up like a pro wrestler and proceeded back on offense. Spectacle!

Final Thoughts

The Mavs played a special kind of odd on Saturday night. They missed an inordinate amount of free throws (15-for-26), committed bizarre turnovers, didn’t shoot especially well (44.6%) and bobbled rebounds to the Rockets on multiple occasions. Despite it all, they remained connected throughout. I’d like to think this was a secret effort to tank, but can’t honestly suggest that a team could so flawlessly look so strange for a sabotage effort. With the relatively quiet games from Kevin Durant and Alperin Sengun, Dallas easily could have run away with this had they even mildly improved on a few aspects of their game.

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

Per the Golden State Warriors’ official PR account on X (formerly Twitter), Seth Curry, brother of Stephen Curry, is making good progress in his rehabilitation from what is deemed as a “Sciatic nerve-related injury. Seth has missed the last 18 games. His last appearance was on December 4, 2025, during the Warriors’ game against the 76ers in Philadelphia.

Seth has progressed to various on-court workouts in addition to his rehab work, and will be re-evaluated again in two weeks.

Seth Curry injury update: pic.twitter.com/pEJhIx3GAH

— Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) February 1, 2026

The Warriors have been in dire need of shot finishing off of created advantages, a reason for Seth’s acquisition. However, with only two games played for the team — the last being nearly two months ago — it brings to question whether Seth can quickly return to form in time for when the Dubs will need his shooting and shot-making services (if he returns at all this season).

The Dallas Mavericks lost 111-107 to the Houston Rockets Saturday night, the Mavericks fourth loss in a row. Cooper Flagg had another outstanding game, but it wasn’t enough as other Mavericks struggled to support the superstar rookie.

Flagg had 34 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists. The Rockets had a much more balanced attack, with all their starters in double-figures, with Amen Thompson leading them with 21 points.

This was a back-and-forth game, with the Rockets extending to double-digit lead in the fourth quarter, only for the Mavericks to make a furious rally to tie the game in the final minute, before Alperen Sengun made the game-winning layup with 28.6 seconds left.

Dallas still sits outside the play-in picture at 11th and is now four games back of 10th. Onto the stats we noticed.

1: Teenagers with consecutive 30-point double-doubles

Cooper Flagg is ridiculous. He scored a historic 49 points against the Hornets on Thursday, the highest points scored in a single game by a teenager in NBA history, and the Mavericks record for points by a rookie. His encore was a delicious 34-point, 12 rebounds, five assist performance against a great Rockets defense — on the road no less.

Flagg started off a bit slow (for his rising standards), but exploded in the fourth quarter. According to the box score, Flagg was 9-of-13 in the paint. He continually went straight at the Rockets best perimeter defenders like Thompson and Tari Eason. Flagg stumbled a bit in the final possessions, and his final attempt to tie the game was wild drive at the rim right at Thompson, but Flagg will learn. It’s just crazy how polished he is as a scorer, without his jumper being consistent.

27.3: Naji Marshall’s field-goal percentage

Marshall had an absolutely killer January shooting nearly 60 percent from the field entering tonight, but this was a rough one. Marshall was 3-of-11 from the floor and scored only eight points. It’s his lowest point total of the month.

Dallas desperately needed someone else to join Flagg in his scoring barrage, and Marshall has usually been the guy. It was an off night for Marshall, and Dallas couldn’t recover.

18: Houston offensive rebounds

Houston leads the league in offensive rebounding, and they dominated the Mavericks on the glass tonight, even without injured Steven Adams.

The Rockets had 18 offensive rebounds, and combining that with only six total turnovers, they won the possession game decisively. Houston had 108 shot attempts compared to 92 for Dallas.

Flagg and Marshall were Dallas’ leading defensive rebounders, with 11 and seven respectively. Starting center Daniel Gafford had another poor defensive rebounding game. He had 11 overall, but only six of those were defensive boards. The Mavericks simply needed more from their starting center in this one.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz are both chasing history in the Australian Open men's final on Sunday night.

Djokovic, who shares the all-time record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles, is chasing an unprecedented 25th major championship to become the most decorated tennis player of all time.

Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz, a 22-year-old Spaniard, is bidding to become the youngest man ever to complete a career Grand Slam.

They both survived grueling five-setters in the semifinals on Day 13. Alcaraz held off No. 3 Alexander Zverev on Friday. Djokovic’s epic win over two-time defending Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner ended after 1:30 a.m. Saturday.

The 10-time Australian Open winner was still doing interviews at 3 a.m. inside the depths of Rod Laver Arena.

Djokovic's record in finals at Melbourne Park is 10-0. Alcaraz is playing his first Australian final.

Rod Laver Arena was sold out, with ticket prices surging ahead of the championship decider. Formalities for the final were due to start at 7:30 p.m. local time (0830 GMT).

Conditions were cool and cloudy with some gusting breezes, and light rain showers possible.

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

The Orlando Magic have a winning record, but after taking a small leap last season and with powerhouses like the Boston Celtics and Indiana dealing with serious injuries, some pundits envisioned them finding their way into a top four spot in the East. That hasn’t been the case so far, in no small part due to injury woes. Orlando’s two cornerstone players, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, have both missed significant time this season. This is especially true for Wagner, who has appeared in just 26 of the Magic’s 47 games this year due to a lingering ankle injury. Overall, their offense has improved compared to last year even with the injuries, but the defense has fallen significantly, going from 2nd to 16th in defensive rating.

Coming off a bad loss to the (admittedly hot right now) Charlotte Hornets on the road yesterday, the Spurs should have some fire in their bellies for yet another early game. One bad quarter in that game was enough to doom the Spurs, yet another reminder in a season full of the importance of playing a full 48 minutes. In the Western Conference, every win is an important one.

San Antonio Spurs (32-16) vs Orlando Magic (25-22)

February, 1 2026 | 6:00 PM CT

Watch: FDSS | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)

Spurs Injuries: Jeremy Sochan, quad (OUT)

Magic Injuries: Franz Wagner, ankle (OUT)

What to watch for

• San Antonio was supposed to sleep in their own beds last night, but the snowstorm that pushed their game with the Hornets up earlier left them stranded in Charlotte for one more night than originally expected. For all we know, tonight’s game could be a case of the Silver and Black landing at the airport and heading straight to the arenas for warm-ups and game prep. One would think that this will have to have some sort of impact on San Antonio’s game, especially with Orlando likely already in town following their win Friday night in Toronto.
• At 6’10 and still so young, it’s easy to see the tremendous upside that the 2022 No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero has. He’s more than capable of putting the ball in the basket, but plenty of questions remain, with some pundits considering him an, “empty calories,” player that can put up numbers, but leading to little team success. His shot attempts are down this year as is his scoring (down nearly 4 points), while his jump shot remains a work in progress, shooting under 30% from beyond the arc.
• Victor Wembanyama had a pretty subpar game by his standards in the loss to Charlotte, getting up just 15 shots and only attempting 4 FTs in a game that the Spurs were in down the stretch. It was also the third time in his last 10 games that he failed to register a block, a rarity for the Frenchman. Like most teams do, Orlando will likely send waves of bodies at him in the hopes of forcing him into long jumpers or kicking it out to other players. Wembanyama has shown the ability to respond all season, but can he do it in spite of San Antonio’s unique travel itinerary these last few days?

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If you’d like to, you may follow along with the game on our Twitter profile (@poundingtherock) or visit our Game Thread!

New Orleans Pelicans (13-38, 14th in the Western Conference) vs. Charlotte Hornets (22-28, 11th in the Eastern Conference)

Charlotte, North Carolina; Monday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Charlotte will try to keep its three-game home win streak alive when the Hornets play New Orleans.

The Hornets have gone 10-13 at home. Charlotte is eighth in the league with 12.2 offensive rebounds per game led by Moussa Diabate averaging 3.6 offensive boards.

The Pelicans are 5-19 in road games. New Orleans averages 13.4 turnovers per game and is 11-17 when turning the ball over less than opponents.

The Hornets are shooting 46.4% from the field this season, 1.7 percentage points lower than the 48.1% the Pelicans allow to opponents. The Pelicans average 10.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.5 fewer made shots on average than the 13.3 per game the Hornets allow.

The teams square off for the second time this season. The Pelicans won the last meeting 116-112 on Nov. 5. Trey Murphy III scored 21 points to help lead the Pelicans to the victory.

TOP PERFORMERS: LaMelo Ball is scoring 19.0 points per game and averaging 4.8 rebounds for the Hornets. Brandon Miller is averaging 24.7 points and 5.2 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Murphy is averaging 21.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals for the Pelicans. Saddiq Bey is averaging 2.4 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Hornets: 8-2, averaging 116.7 points, 47.8 rebounds, 28.4 assists, 6.1 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 48.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.3 points per game.

Pelicans: 4-6, averaging 112.5 points, 48.0 rebounds, 23.7 assists, 8.6 steals and 6.3 blocks per game while shooting 44.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.9 points.

INJURIES: Hornets: Mason Plumlee: out (groin).

Pelicans: Dejounte Murray: out (leg).

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

Minnesota Timberwolves (31-19, fifth in the Western Conference) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (18-29, 12th in the Western Conference)

Memphis, Tennessee; Monday, 7:30 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Memphis plays Minnesota looking to end its four-game home losing streak.

The Grizzlies are 14-17 against Western Conference opponents. Memphis is fourth in the Western Conference with 33.9 defensive rebounds per game led by Zach Edey averaging 7.2.

The Timberwolves are 18-14 in Western Conference play. Minnesota is seventh in the Western Conference giving up only 114.1 points while holding opponents to 46.0% shooting.

The Grizzlies are shooting 45.4% from the field this season, 0.6 percentage points lower than the 46.0% the Timberwolves allow to opponents. The Timberwolves average 119.3 points per game, 2.7 more than the 116.6 the Grizzlies give up to opponents.

The teams square off for the third time this season. The Timberwolves won the last matchup 131-114 on Feb. 1, with Anthony Edwards scoring 33 points in the win.

TOP PERFORMERS: Cedric Coward is averaging 13.8 points and 6.3 rebounds for the Grizzlies. Jaren Jackson Jr. is averaging 18.6 points over the last 10 games.

Julius Randle is averaging 22.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists for the Timberwolves. Edwards is averaging 22.4 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Grizzlies: 2-8, averaging 112.1 points, 44.5 rebounds, 28.8 assists, 7.6 steals and 6.0 blocks per game while shooting 45.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.4 points per game.

Timberwolves: 5-5, averaging 116.9 points, 46.0 rebounds, 26.2 assists, 9.8 steals and 6.4 blocks per game while shooting 47.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.3 points.

INJURIES: Grizzlies: John Konchar: day to day (neck), Scotty Pippen Jr.: out (toe), Ja Morant: out (elbow), Jaren Jackson Jr.: day to day (quad), Santi Aldama: day to day (knee), Zach Edey: out (ankle), Brandon Clarke: out (calf).

Timberwolves: Terrence Shannon Jr.: day to day (foot).

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

Chicago Bulls (24-25, ninth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Miami Heat (26-24, eighth in the Eastern Conference)

Miami; Sunday, 6 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Heat -5.5; over/under is 232.5

BOTTOM LINE: Chicago faces Miami in Eastern Conference action Sunday.

The Heat have gone 13-14 against Eastern Conference opponents. Miami is third in the league with 54.3 points in the paint led by Jaime Jaquez Jr. averaging 10.5.

The Bulls are 16-17 in conference play. Chicago ranks third in the NBA with 29.9 assists per game led by Tre Jones averaging 5.8.

The Heat are shooting 46.3% from the field this season, 1.0 percentage point lower than the 47.3% the Bulls allow to opponents. The Bulls average 14.7 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.7 more makes per game than the Heat give up.

The two teams match up for the fourth time this season. The Bulls defeated the Heat 125-118 in their last matchup on Feb. 1. Ayo Dosunmu led the Bulls with 29 points, and Pelle Larsson led the Heat with 22 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Bam Adebayo is scoring 18.1 points per game with 9.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists for the Heat. Norman Powell is averaging 17.8 points and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 42.3% over the past 10 games.

Dosunmu is scoring 15.1 points per game and averaging 2.9 rebounds for the Bulls. Coby White is averaging 3.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Heat: 5-5, averaging 120.4 points, 49.8 rebounds, 28.3 assists, 8.9 steals and 3.4 blocks per game while shooting 43.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 120.7 points per game.

Bulls: 6-4, averaging 119.9 points, 43.9 rebounds, 32.2 assists, 6.8 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 49.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.2 points.

INJURIES: Heat: Tyler Herro: day to day (toe), Norman Powell: day to day (personal), Davion Mitchell: day to day (shoulder).

Bulls: Noa Essengue: out for season (shoulder), Nikola Vucevic: day to day (rest), Zach Collins: out (toe), Tre Jones: day to day (hamstring), Coby White: day to day (injury management), Josh Giddey: day to day (hamstring), Jalen Smith: day to day (calf).

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

The Cleveland Cavaliers made their first move of what could be a busy trade deadline. De’Andre Hunter, who’s been in trade rumors for weeks, was dealt to the Sacremento Kings in exchange for Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis. The Cavs also had to send the Denver Nuggets’ 2027 second-round pick to the Chicago Bulls to make the deal work.

There are three main benefits to this deal for the Cavs:

1. It adds a proven backup point guard who can attack off the dribble
2. Bolsters a poor perimeter defense
3. Helps the Cavs save money this season and possibly next

Schroder will help the Cavs immensely. The Lonzo Ball experiment has been a disaster. The scoring just hasn’t been there as his three-point shot has completely fallen off a cliff. That has been problematic since he doesn’t have the athleticism to get inside and finish in the paint anymore.

Ball wasn’t brought in for his scoring, but, you can’t be the orchestrator of an offense if defenses don’t respect that you can make them pay for leaving you open. This has led to him being benched recently for Craig Porter Jr., who isn’t ready to be a top-eight rotation player on a contending team.

Schroder solves this issue. He’s a bona fide backup point guard who can create for himself and others off the dribble. He also brings plenty of playoff experience, which is something this group needs.

The 6’4” Ellis is more of a wildcard. He’s a 26-year old, undrafted fourth-year swingman who’s an incredible perimeter defender. That’s an area where the Cavs could use help.

There's a reason why Keon Ellis is one of the best guard defenders in the NBA.

Look at that footwork. Tremendous last step. Always in balance.

Two stocks and a steal off the bench against Boston. pic.twitter.com/3jYuqyQQAY

— Ersin Demir (@EDemirNBA) January 31, 2026

To say Ellis is disruptive is an understatement. He’s currently in the 95th percentile for blocks and 96th percentile for steals for wings.

Despite his defensive skills, the Kings weren’t giving Ellis the minutes he deserved. He was averaging just 17.6 minutes with Sacremento this season, which is down from the 24.4 he was getting the year before.

Ellis isn’t a well-rounded offensive player, although he is a three-point threat. He’s a career 41.6% outside shooter and is connecting on 36.8% of his threes this season.

The move also saves the Cavs nearly $50 million in luxury tax payments this season, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. That number could be more if the Cavs can find someone to take Lonzo Ball’s $10 million contract for this season.

This trade doesn’t get the Cavs out of the second apron. They’re still over by $13.9 million. However, it does give them more breathing room this offseason.

Schroder is making $10 million less than Hunter next season. Ellis will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer, but is eligible for an extension starting next week. How much future money the Cavs save for next season remains to be seen. This move could help them get under the second apron in the offseason if that’s their goal.

Those benefits came at the cost of Hunter.

Things weren’t working between the Cavs and Hunter. He struggled with his shot at the start of the season, and it never really felt like he bought into the team’s vision after he was moved back to the bench. Still, it’s fair to wonder if the Cavs ever put Hunter in a position to truly succeed.

The ideal version of Hunter was someone who could fit alongside their core four of Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. Hunter had the shooting and size to be the perfect small forward that the team has been looking for to complete that group. That said, he wasn’t given a chance to prove that.

The Cavs played that five-man group just a combined 90 minutes over the last two seasons. That unit did well. They outscored opponents by an outstanding 46 points when they all shared the floor.

Hunter was given a fair shot in the starting lineup. He opened up 23 games with the Cavs this season with just three alongside the core four. Injuries to the other members of that group are mostly to blame for that, but the Cavs didn’t make the most of their various opportunities to see how Hunter worked with that group. That’s frustrating since the little we saw was tantalizing.

Instead, Hunter was mostly asked to be a small-ball power forward — a role that he struggled with immensely. Hunter doesn’t rebound well for his size, which is essential to playing power forward on a team that doesn’t have good guard rebounding.

Moving on from Hunter leaves little depth at small forward. Jaylon Tyson’s emergence makes Hunter more expendable, but the only other players you’re okay giving small forward minutes to in the playoffs are Ellis, Dean Wade, and Max Strus. If you could guarantee perfect health for Wade and Strus in the playoffs, that wouldn’t be a concern.

Still, the Cavs are a more well-rounded team after the move. They needed the skills that both new players bring, and are also in a better financial position because of it. It’s not easy to find deals that accomplish both goals.

Overall, this trade was a win, but it’s difficult to see it as a homerun. Not figuring out how to make things work with Hunter was a swing and a miss. The Cavs gave up two key rotation players, Caris LeVert and Georges Niang, to acquire Hunter at the deadline last season. In hindsight, that move looks like a disaster.

There’s no reason to throw good money after bad, but last season’s failed trade is going to bump the grade of this one down slightly.

Grade: B+

Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd was not feeling a reporter's question about rookie Cooper Flagg following the Mavericks' 111-107 loss to the Rockets on Jan. 31 at Houston's Toyota Center.

Kidd was asked about reports of "criticism" he'd received for playing Flagg, the top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, at point guard. Dallas' fifth-year coach interrupted the question, responding with a profanity-filled rant slamming those reports while flexing his career resume.

"I don't give a (expletive) about the criticism. Criticism? That's your opinion. You guys write that bull(crap)," Kidd said. "That's not ... I've done this. I've played this game. I've played it at a very high level. I know what the (expletive) I'm doing.

"But I don't give a (expletive) what you guys write. Because you guys have never played the game. And so, I build players. So, I know what the (expletive) I'm doing. So, to take criticism, it only makes me better. Because if I wasn't doing it right you guys wouldn't be poking holes in what I've done."

Flagg had 34 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and a block in the loss. In his prior outing he set an NBA record for a teenager, scoring 49 points in a loss against the Charlotte Hornets.

The Mavericks have lost four consecutive games. Their next matchup is Tuesday, Feb. 3 against the Boston Celtics at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jason Kidd rant after Cooper Flagg question: What set him off?