Worldwide Sports News

In today’s Dub Hub:

• According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, Warriors are considered “less likely” to trade Jonathan Kuminga following Jimmy Butler’s season-ending ACL injury. 
• Undermanned Warriors suffer blowout 108-83 loss against Minnesota Timberwolves Monday night.
• NBA reveals rosters for 2026 Rising Stars game.

The Golden State Warriors’ outlook on Jonathan Kuminga may have shifted following Jimmy Butler’s season-ending ACL injury a week ago. According to a report from ESPN’s Anthony Slater, Golden State has been described as “less likely” to move Kuminga ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline.

Per ESPN:

Multiple team sources have described it as less likely Kuminga is moved following Jimmy Butler’s right ACL tear. Prior to that injury, Kuminga was a $22.5 million wing rotting on the bench, having not seen the floor for 16 straight games. Without Butler, he’s back in the mix, scoring 30 points in 30 bench minutes before the injury. There’s internal conversation that he’d get another crack at minutes post-deadline — if he’s still around. That has yet to be determined, though.

Before Butler went down, Kuminga’s role was effectively diminished. He hadn’t appeared in 16 consecutive games, and yet, the team was still winning, going 12-4 in his absence. Coupling that with his team-friendly contract signed over the offseason and a very public trade demand, Kuminga was looking increasingly expendable as Golden State hoped to make a championship push.

However, that thinking shifted once Butler was lost for the season. In need of additional scoring, Kuminga re-entered the rotation and immediately delivered, scoring 20 points in his first game back. He followed that with 10 points in the first half against the Dallas Mavericks before a knee injury forced him out. Kuminga has since missed the past two games after an MRI revealed a bone bruise in his left knee, with no clear timetable for his return.

This latest report could represent posturing from the Warriors as they attempt to maximize leverage in any potential Kuminga deal. Still, league perception around his market appears relatively settled, and if Golden State isn’t satisfied with the offers available, it’s becoming more plausible that this saga stretches into the offseason.

For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Tuesday, January 27th:

Warriors News:

Overmatched Warriors go off script, invite blowout loss to Timberwolves | NBC Sports Bay Area

This was an opportunity for players in this group, mostly reserves, to persuade Kerr and his staff that they deserve more minutes. Regardless of whether minutes are available, the goal always should be to prove you are worthy.

Each of the five starters – Pat Spencer, Moses Moody, Podziemski, Post and Santos – scored double figures. Only Post, however, shot better than 40 percent from the field. Podziemski lapsed into zero-pass, 1-on-1 ball at least four times.

Kawakami: Why I’m not writing off this Warriors era | The San Francisco Standard

6. Once they hit the button and blow it up, they can’t go back.

Ask the Bulls, who thought they could set up a new golden era after Michael Jordan with Toni Kukoc, Tim Floyd, Brent Barry, Corey Benjamin, and others.

That was 27 years ago.

Steve Kerr discusses the team’s experience in Minneapolis this weekend

NBA News:

NBA buzz: Latest updates, trades, intel ahead of Feb. 5 deadline | ESPN

Regardless of whether the Milwaukee Bucks trade Giannis Antetokounmpo or keep him past next week’s trade deadline, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said Milwaukee’s focus for the remainder of the season should be on improving their draft positioning. The Bucks will have the worse of their pick and the New Orleans Pelicans‘ pick in June’s draft.

“Forget about this season for the Bucks,” Windhorst said. “The tank is now on the table for them, and the tank plus Giannis is what they’re looking at.”

NBA announces the participants for this year’s Rising Stars Game

In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:

Warriors vs. Timberwolves player grades: No stars to be found

Gary Payton II

12 minutes, 4 points, 1 rebound, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 6 fouls, 2-for-4 shooting, 0-for-2 threes, 50.0% TS, -20

GPII played less than 12 minutes and fouled out. And that’s all I have to say about that, too.

Grade: D
Post-game bonus: Tied for the worst plus/minus on the team.

Follow @unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.

The Milwaukee Bucks have been a trainwreck without Giannis Antetokounmpo this season, so there’s not much reason for optimism as they take on the Philadelphia 76ers tonight.

The Greek Freak is expected to miss at least a month with his latest calf injury, and my Bucks vs 76ers predictions expect Tyrese Maxey & Co. to show no mercy at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Get the latest on this Tuesday, January 27 matchup with my free NBA picks.

Bucks vs 76ers prediction

Bucks vs 76ers best bet: Tyrese Maxey Over 27.5 points (-120)

With Joel Embiid and Paul George in and out of the Philadelphia 76ers lineup, at least Nick Nurse can count on Tyrese Maxey to be ready to roll. Though the heavy minutes seemed to catch up with Maxey in yesterday's blowout loss in Charlotte, I’m picking him to bounce back against the flailing Milwaukee Bucks.

He dropped 54 points on Milwaukee back in November, and I like his chances of nailing this Over, with no Giannis to worry about as a rim deterrent.

Despite cooling off a little, Maxey is still averaging 29.4 PPG, sixth-most in the NBA, and Philadelphia may again be missing Embiid, who’s listed as questionable.

Don’t count on Maxey getting many breaks tonight, either. He leads the league with 39.2 MPG, and he’s averaging 20.8 shots per game this month.

With George set to return and pick up some of the playmaking responsibilities, Maxey should have a little more breathing room to get to his spots, and there are enough minus defenders for him to target on switches.

There’s a growing sense that Giannis may have played his last game for the Bucks, and I don’t see the rest of this roster putting up much of a fight. That’s a recipe for some Maxey fireworks.

Bucks vs 76ers same-game parlay

No one expected Ryan Rollins to be shouldering this kind of scoring burden for the Bucks, and I’m fading his 3-point makes tonight. Though Rollins drilled four triples on Friday against the Nuggets, he had finished with two or fewer threes in his eight prior contests.

I’ll round out my SGP with the Under, which has been a winning ticket in five of the Bucks’ past seven contests. Without Giannis to spark the offense, it could be a long night for the visitors. Meanwhile, the Under is 4-2 in Philly’s last six outings.

Bucks vs 76ers SGP

• Tyrese Maxey Over 27.5 points
• Ryan Rollins Under 2.5 made threes
• Under 219

Our "from downtown" SGP: Bob's Your Uncle

Someone has to soak up extra shots in this Milwaukee lineup, and Bobby Portis won’t be shy about throwing his hat into the ring. He’s knocked down three 3-pointers in three of his past four games, and he scored 19 points last week against the Hawks.

Bucks vs 76ers SGP

• Tyrese Maxey Over 27.5 points
• Ryan Rollins Under 2.5 made threes
• Under 219
• Bobby Portis Over 16.5 points

Bucks vs 76ers odds

• Spread: Bucks +10 (-110) | 76ers -10 (-110)
• Moneyline: Bucks +325 | 76ers -425
• Over/Under: Over 219 (-110) | Under 219 (-110)

Bucks vs 76ers betting trend to know

The Bucks are 1-6 ATS in their last seven games. Find more NBA betting trends for Bucks vs. 76ers.

How to watch Bucks vs 76ers

Bucks vs 76ers latest injuries

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

BOSTON — During what’s become an increasingly dark time in Minnesota, players, coaches, and public figures alike have begun speaking out against the deadly violence carried out by federal immigration agents. On Monday night, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla joined in on the conversation.

Before hosting the Trail Blazers at TD Garden to open a four‑game homestand, Mazzulla was asked about the unrest in Minnesota that so far has resulted in the deaths of 37‑year‑old Renée Good, a mother of three, and 37‑year‑old Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs hospital — both killed in separate federal immigration enforcement shootings.

“Everyone’s impacted by stuff differently,” Mazzulla said.

“Everyone has a way to use their platform differently. So I think the most important thing with that is actually the opposite: I’d rather have those conversations with them, or let them feel any way that they can impact the platform that they have — which is way more important than basketball. We have a great group of guys that do that in different ways; some do it in the public, some do it in the private. And I think you just allow for people to do that. That’s my favorite thing, being around them as men — whether they’re fathers, husbands, or just guys that have impact on people. That’s the most important thing you can do.”

The killings of Good and Pretti have triggered outrage nationwide, with protests erupting across the country in response to the increasingly aggressive actions of federal agents — not police officers. Forced stops demanding identification and proof of citizenship, along with escalated use of force, have become more and more common, exposing millions of Americans to the risks posed by immigration enforcement.

Former Celtics Isaiah Thomas and Guerschon Yabusele spoke out on social media after videos of Pretti’s death began circulating Saturday. The widely shared footage drew responses from Thomas, a father of three, and Yabusele, who welcomed his first child last year. Though from very different backgrounds — Thomas, a Tacoma, Washington native, and Yabusele, a Frenchman who first arrived in the United States in 2016 — both expressed similar sentiments on their respective platforms.

The National Basketball Players Association released a statement of solidarity on Sunday, standing by those in Minnesota affected by the ongoing violence that’s plagued the entire state.

“Now more than ever, we must defend the right to freedom of speech and stand in solidarity with the people in Minnesota protesting and risking their lives to demand justice,” the statement reads. “The fraternity of NBA players, like the United States itself, is a community enriched by its global citizens, and we refuse to let the flames of division threaten the civil liberties that are meant to protect us all.”

Mazzulla, a devout Catholic, understands the weight of today’s political climate. The effects aren’t limited to NBA fans — players, too, feel the impact of a rapidly changing American landscape. They recognize the challenges fans face and the responsibility they carry in using their voices to speak for those who don’t have one.

The NBA has long been at the forefront of speaking out against social injustices — a role Celtics leader Jaylen Brown, Vice President of the NBPA, has embraced. Brown has admired the pioneering work of basketball legend Bill Russell, who, alongside Muhammad Ali and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., led the charge for civil rights activism in the 1960s.

Brown has never feared the aftermath of speaking his mind, regardless of the topic of discussion.

For Mazzulla, creating an environment where players feel comfortable expressing their opinions takes priority. It’s a conversation many are unwilling to have — civilly or in good faith — but one Mazzulla approaches with an open mind and open ears. He doesn’t want anyone in Boston’s locker room to feel censored or unable to speak up, and he’s willing to meet whatever that responsibility demands to ensure players can use their voices where they believe it matters most.

“I think it’s more about listening and allowing people to be who they are, and having a judgment-free zone — looking at people as more than just basketball players. How can I help you with your platform? How can I be there for you? How can I give you the space to be who you are?” Mazzulla said. “That’s one of my favorite things to do — to allow for that. Everyone’s different. It’s a balance. I think it’s more of that, and the other thing is making sure they see the consistency in how I try to live and carry out the platform and opportunity that I have. I think you just kind of keep it to that.”

There was nothing flashy about Jaylen Brown’s performance on Monday night. 

An efficient 20 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists with only one turnover to his name and four steals to Portland’s, it wasn’t another 30-point scoring masterclass, but it was patient, winning basketball, and it was done against a defensive coverage hellbent on forcing the ball out of his hands.

Through double-teams, blitzed pick-and-rolls and a reliance on primary defender Toumani Camara, appropriately nicknamed “The Shadow,” the Trail Blazers adjusted out of the first quarter to make life as difficult as possible for the All-Star starter, and yet, a controlled late-game performance proved to be a difference in a midseason slugfest. 

The 12 minutes and 46 seconds Camara spent matching up on Brown was double the amount of time of the next closest Blazer-on-Celtic matchup last night (Donovan Clingan’s 6:12 on Neemias Queta came in a “close” second). It wasn’t a far cry from Portland and Boston’s first meeting, where Camara spent 8 minutes on Brown during the Blazers’ 114-108 win on Dec. 28. 

Considering Camara’s reputation as a star-guarding defender, that’s not an easy day in the office for Brown, especially when pick-and-roll actions are blitzed to force the ball elsewhere. Yet, Brown’s difficult shotmaking gene and ability to force rotations through his own gravity led to a productive 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting against that matchup. Despite just one of his four assists coming against Camara, you could see the hockey assists and extra passes come into play, particularly down the stretch as Boston’s offense did just enough to close the door on a Portland team that lingered around for the bulk of the game. 

For your enjoyment, here is a compilation of that matchup (both makes and misses) out of the halfcourt: 

What you’ll notice early is the success Brown had in the pick-and-roll game, burying three shots against drop coverage from both Clingan and Robert Williams. Portland didn’t give him that luxury outside of the first quarter, however, jumping those screens and forcing Brown out of the comfort zone he built during Boston’s hot-shooting first quarter.

As that video progresses, you’re seeing more isolation work directly against Camara. On paper, that’s a tall task for any shot creator. Camara is built to sustain drive contact, and his 7-foot wingspan allows him to cover ground even if you get a step on him, but Brown manages to utilize his own strength (and perhaps the occasional push-off) to generate the minimum space requirements needed to bury shots from the mid-range. 

What that isolation work also does is give Brown more court vision to sense where the help is coming from. 

In the fourth quarter, Brown didn’t make a single shot, or register even one assist, but the way he moved the ball into space was instrumental to Boston getting clean looks despite their No. 1 option receiving the bulk of the defense’s attention. 

In the two-clip package below, neither fourth quarter play registers on the box score, and only one ends in a made basket, but notice the attention Brown is drawing at the start of each clip and how he’s working the ball into space. 

In the first clip, he sees three defenders in his area and breaks down the defense with a tough-angle kickout to Derrick White. The second is a pass over the double team where Sam Hauser wisely cuts into space to give him an outlet over the defense, which generates an open mid-range jumper. 

In this last clip (of lesser quality because NBA.com cuts off the entire possession), Hauser is again the safety valve opening up for Brown, this time on a play that puts this game away for good. 

Boston wants to get the ball in Brown’s hands, so they run a gut screen that doesn’t shake Camara but at least gets the ball successfully to Brown, albeit far out beyond the 3-point line. Like his namesake, Camara perfectly shadows Brown to keep him from attacking, but Hauser is all over this possession, ghosting a screen that forces Jrue Holiday to communicate to Shaedon Sharpe to take an off-ball switch, which comes just a little too late as Hauser loops back around toward the nail to receive a lofted pass over the outstretched arms of Camara.

Hauser gets to a soft spot in the defense, where he has space to pitch it to White for the game-sealing dagger. 

That possession took three passes and 18 precious seconds off the clock, and the Celtics were able to come away with a home win where their star player made winning plays against a defense that dared anyone else to find the bottom of the net.