The Islanders will try to rediscover their game, or at least their look, with a visit to Philadelphia tonight. The Flyers are just two points back with a game in hand, coming off a potential “statement” victory in Colorado. That third position in the Metro the Isles currently (and tenuously) hold has become more prominent lately, as the two current wild card holders are from the Atlantic, Montreal and Boston, each three or more points ahead.
Lots of season left to go, but the first-quarter narrative of the laughable Atlantic has shifted now that Boston has righted itself, Montreal has rebounded from a swoon and the Sabres continue to do whatever the hell they’ve been up to over the past 20 games ever since they started hanging around that Faust guy.
Isaiah George was thrilled to make his season debut Saturday, after missing out on previous callups due to his own injuries. [Isles | Newsday | Post | THN]
Takeaways from Saturday: the benched top line, the overturned goals (well, one was simply after the horn sounded), and “did it to themselves.” [Isles]
The Skinny: In WTF trivia, “Alex Lyon and Tristan Jarry are the only opposing goaltenders with two shutouts at UBS Arena.” [Isles]
Gross: It was the right call to sit Barzal-Duclair-Lee to uphold a standard for the team. [Newsday]
Elsewhere
Sunday scores included the Devils falling in Seattle (two goals for Jordan Eberle), the Senators blowing out Vegas and the Penguins survived a late push by the lowly Canucks.
Also, Brock Nelson completed a hat trick against the Leafs with an empty net goal. [NHL]
So do the Knights, at least for one game. Mark Stone blasted his team for playing “like a junior team” against his old squad. [Sportsnet]
Probably include the Leafs in that self-assessment, too. [Sportsnet]
Linus Ullmark didn’t start, but he was back in the lineup for the Sens after his personal leave for whatever your local tweeter rumored it was for. [TSN]
Sam Montembeault continues to…not inspire confidence in Montreal. [Sportsnet]
Over halfway into the season, the Boston Celtics find themselves sitting at second in the Eastern Conference with a record of 28-17. They’ve set high standards for themselves by consistently sitting at or near the top over the past decade, but this year is different. Prior to the start of the season, the basketball world was debating whether they would be tanking for a top pick, or if they would somehow find themselves fighting for a play-in spot.
There’s still a lot of season left, so Boston may not be able to maintain their position throughout. There’s no doubt that tanking has always been out of the question for a team with championship DNA, though. The Celtics play to win, plain and simple. Soon enough they may also be getting a top-5 player in the league back on the court, which should make winning a little easier.
That doesn’t mean we should lose sight of the people who have carried them this far. There is plenty of praise and credit to go around, from Joe Mazzulla and the coaching staff who have prepared the players, to Jaylen Brown who has shouldered a lot of the load during an MVP-level season, to the young guns who are making the most of every opportunity, and everyone in between.
Of course, there are two guys who may be getting slightly overlooked at the moment: Derrick White and Payton Pritchard. Fans were expecting a huge jump from both in terms of offensive production, but the stats haven’t exactly backed that up so far. That being said, they provide a whole lot more than the numbers could never capture.
Let’s start with the bad. Derrick only saw an increase of 1.2 points per game (PPG) while his efficiency took a big hit, 38.8% on field goals (FG%) and 32.1% on threes (3P%). The FG% is a career low for Derrick, and a steep drop-off from the 44.2% he was shooting last year. Similarly, the 3P% is the second lowest of his career, and another big drop from last year’s 38.4% from range.
Payton has been more efficient than Derrick, but he’s been having some struggles of his own. His FG% sits at 45% at this point in the season, which isn’t bad, but is his lowest mark of the past three years, down from his 47.2% from last year. The real struggles are coming from behind the arc for Pritchard, 34.4% from three, a career low, and far below his 40.7% from last year.
And as far as the bad goes, well, that’s just about it. Once you look past the efficiency, Derrick White is averaging career highs in every major statistical category: 17.6 PPG, 5.4 assists per game (APG), 4.6 rebounds per game (RPG), 1.3 steals per game (SPG), and 1.5 blocks per game (BPG). Payton is averaging career highs in points (16.7 PPG), rebounds (4.4 RPG), and assists (5.4 APG), while being just 0.1 steals per game and 0.1 blocks per game off of career highs in those categories as well, though neither have ever been his strong suit, 0.8 SPG and 0.1 BPG this season.
Per our Riser/Fallers tool, these 5 players have risen most over the past 3 seasons in our Offensive Talent metric:
Up +4.18: Deni Avdija +3.14: Austin Reaves +2.60: Anthony Edwards +2.52: Shai-Gilgeous Alexander +2.31: Payton Pritchard
If we listen to Joe Mazzulla and take a step further out, things look even better. After a solid win against the Pacers, Joe had this to say about the two of them: “Those are always two guys that – they’re not defined by shot making… It’s not just the stats with them. They’re always doing the intangibles, and they always give us a chance to win.”
Joe couldn’t be more right. With how young the Celtics are this year, strong leadership makes a world of a difference. When you see Derrick taking charges, opening himself up to poster opportunities, challenging guards and centers alike at the rim, and giving his all on every possession no matter which side of the ball he’s on, how could you not be inspired? So much of this team’s identity is their grit, which the young guys embody night in and night out – but it always starts with Derrick.
As for Payton, he currently ranks as the most efficient isolation scorer in the NBA, yet the ball never sticks with him. He does a masterful job of controlling the pace of the offense, whether that’s creating opportunities for himself or others. He increased his APG average by nearly 1.9, and is currently tied with Derrick in leading Boston in that category. Pritchard has always been an undersized guard as well, but still does a great job holding his own on defense, and is tied for fourth on the team in rebounds per game despite being the shortest one on the court more often than not.
Boston’s starting backcourt plays with incredible poise, averaging less than 3 turnovers combined. Pritchard even has the highest assist to turnover ratio in the league, 4.74, and set the franchise record this season for most 20+ point games without a turnover at 13. They are one of the big reasons why Jaylen can play as great as he has this season, and why the Celtics are as competitive as they are.
Going back to the Pacers game, Derrick earned a lot of praise that day. Joe added on to his previous comments, saying this about White: “He’s not defined by shooting efficiency. I think, to me, that’s a bonus… I just think it’s hard to recognize all the other stuff and it’s easy just to notice the shooting.”
Before the game even started, Rick Carlisle, head coach of the Pacers, started off his presser by saying that White should be an All-Star before he was even asked a question. Jaylen Brown had a lengthy answer after the game echoing the sentiment, and added on that Derrick should be a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year as well. Neemias Queta got in on the love circle by calling White a “Swiss Army Knife.”
Like Joe said, it’s easy to get caught up in the shooting numbers, but the impact Derrick and Payton make on a game is immeasurable. It’s clear that their teammates feel the effects. Stats may not lie, but they don’t tell the whole story. At the end of the day, Boston can always like their chances when those two are on the court.
Good morning, it’s Monday, January 26th. The Cleveland Cavaliers are 27-20 and play the Orlando Magic at home tonight at 7 PM. We wish you warmth and a clear driveway today.
Donovan Mitchell scored 36 points in the Cavaliers’ win over the Magic in Orlando on Saturday. Cleveland has now won 10 of their last 14 games and is back in the mix for the second seed of the Eastern Conference.
Today’s Game of the Day
Portland Trail Blazers at Boston Celtics – 8 PM, Peacock
Let’s switch it up and talk about some different teams.
The Trail Blazers (23-23) and Celtics (28-17) are each having better-than-expected seasons. Portland has been led by the breakout of Deni Avdija (who is listed as questionable for this matchup) while the Celtics have proven that sticking to a strong identity can lead to positive results, no matter who is in the rotation. This should be a fun one.
The Rest of the NBA Slate
Indiana Pacers at Atlanta Hawks – 1:30 PM
Philadelphia 76ers at Charlotte Hornets – 3 PM
Orlando Magic at Cleveland Cavaliers – 7 PM
Los Angeles Lakers at Chicago Bulls – 8 PM
Memphis Grizzlies at Houston Rockets – 8 PM
Golden State Warriors at Minnesota Timberwolves – 9:30 PM
There are plenty of games to choose from today if you’re able to stay home and avoid the snow. The NBA has you covered.
With this winter storm crushing half the country and NBA travel either delayed or cancelled this weekend, the Celtics return home for what could be another regular season-defining stretch of games. Here’s play-by-play announcer Sean Grande with the details:
I don't know if the energy is about to shift…but the schedule sure is….
BOSTON CELTICS ROAD GAMES Last 29 days: 11 Next 25 days: 2
BOSTON CELTICS HOME GAMES Last 33 days: 5 Next 18 days: 7
With the NBA trade deadline (February 8th) and All-Star Weekend (February 13-15th) on the horizon, the Celtics will play seven of their next nine games at TD Garden:
1/26: Portland Trail Blazers
1/28: Atlanta Hawks
1/30: Sacramento Kings
2/1: Milwaukee Bucks
2/3: at Dallas Mavericks
2/4: at Houston Rockets
2/6: Miami Heat
2/8: New York Knicks
2/11: Chicago Bulls
Not exactly a murderer’s row with the road back-to-back, but nothing can be taken for granted. It’s not as if Boston has exactly taken care of business recently. In what was supposed to be the easiest month of the Celtics’ schedule, they’re a respectable 8-5 so far, but it sure feels like they’ve left some games on the table.
They’ve been playing .500 ball over their last ten with the losses to the Nuggets, Spurs, Pistons, Detroit, and Chicago totaling just 15 points. Boston could easily be knocking on Detroit’s door for #1 and now, only five games separate the Celtics from the #2 seed and the Play-In Tournament.
With that in mind — at least narrative-wise — an 8-1 or 7-2 run could go a long way in solidifying this roster as true contenders. Most likely though, Brad Stevens knows what they have and no record will change how he approaches the trade deadline or Jayson Tatum’s return.
Still, decisions loom about setting the Celtics up best for the long term, Boston is still relatively high above the tax, and the team could use another consistent rotation player especially if Tatum can’t return this season. Brad Stevens, Bill Chisholm and company at least owe it to this group to stand pat and allow this team to play out the year.
There will always be trade rumors, especially for teams at the top of the conference, so expect to hear more about the Celtics trying to cut more salary and reduce their tax burden, finding front court help, using Anfernee Simons $27 million expiring contract as a trade chip, etc. This is the NBA nonetheless and the NBA loves rumor season.
The reality is the Celtics could enter All-Star Weekend with Jaylen Brown repping the team as a starter and Jayson Tatum nearing a return. And regardless of how they finish their next nine games, their last forty-five have proof positive that Joe Mazzulla is one of the league’s best coaches and his staff, the front office has a keen eye for finding players that fit their culture and system, and to a man, each of them has grabbed this opportunity and ran with it.
Vegas Golden Knights (25-14-12, in the Pacific Division) vs. Montreal Canadiens (28-17-7, in the Atlantic Division)
Montreal, Quebec; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens host the Vegas Golden Knights after Cole Caufield recorded a hat trick in the Canadiens' 4-3 loss to the Boston Bruins.
Montreal is 28-17-7 overall and 14-11-1 at home. The Canadiens have a 25-6-6 record in games they score three or more goals.
Vegas has a 13-7-6 record in road games and a 25-14-12 record overall. The Golden Knights are 24-5-7 in games they score at least three goals.
The matchup Tuesday is the second meeting between these teams this season. The Canadiens won 4-1 in the previous meeting.
TOP PERFORMERS: Caufield has 29 goals and 24 assists for the Canadiens. Alexandre Texier has four goals and four assists over the past 10 games.
Pavel Dorofeyev has 22 goals and 16 assists for the Golden Knights. Jack Eichel has seven goals and 11 assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Canadiens: 5-4-1, averaging 3.6 goals, 6.3 assists, 4.8 penalties and 11.8 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.
Golden Knights: 7-3-0, averaging 4.3 goals, 7.2 assists, 2.2 penalties and 5.2 penalty minutes while giving up 3.2 goals per game.
INJURIES: Canadiens: None listed.
Golden Knights: None listed.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
The Red Raiders aren’t done yet, with men’s basketball (16-4) and women's basketball (20-2) on course to continue the run of success. Texas Tech's men racked up another big win Saturday, Jan. 24, beating Houston to prove it is a national title contender.
It was one of the most impressive performances of the season. Houston is reliably spectacular on defense, yet it didn’t look like it in Lubbock. The Red Raiders outmuscled the Cougars, drew fouls and forced Kelvin Sampson’s team to play their way. They scored 55 points in the first half, the most Houston has allowed under Sampson’s 12 seasons at the helm.
Despite 42 points from Houston freshman Kingston Flemings, Texas Tech didn’t crack with a late run to put it away.
Tech has won nine of its past 10 games , the only loss a four-point defeat at Houston a few weeks prior. During that stretch, the Red Raiders have beaten Duke, BYU and Houston, one of the best collections of wins you can find in the country.
It all starts with an offense that’s on fire. The 3-point shooting is relentless, making more than 11 a game — and if they aren’t making it from deep, they have JT Toppin continuing to dominate inside. He had 31 points and 12 rebounds against Houston, his eighth double-double in the past nine games.
Simply put, if Houston can’t stop this offense, then who can? The Big 12 is loaded with title contenders, and Texas Tech put itself in the conversation to keep the fun times in Lubbock and lead the top storylines of the weekend in college hoops.
How long until undefeated teams lose?
We enter the final week of January with three undefeated teams: No. 1 Arizona, No. 7 Nebraska and Miami (Ohio), all 20-0. It’s rare to have multiple undefeated teams at this point of the season, so it’s worth asking how long can this go?
Arizona hasn’t really been tested to start the Big 12 slate. That will change with a trip to BYU on Monday, Jan. 26. The Cornhuskers will have their biggest week yet, at Michigan for a top 10-ranked matchup followed by a visit from Illinois.
That leaves the mighty RedHawks. They beat Kent State in a thriller, as the Golden Flashes were the best chance to beat Miami (Ohio). Now it faces UMass next, a team that was expected to contend in the MAC but hasn’t looked the part.
Keaton Wagler cooks Purdue, Boilermakers in trouble?
Have yourself a day, Keaton Wagler. The Illinois freshman set a Mackey Arena opponent record by dropping 46 points to lead his team to a 88-82 road win against Purdue.
The Fighting Illini have been on fire with nine consecutive wins, really looking like the team much of the country envisioned coming into the season. While Illinois deserves its flowers for this win, it brings up questions surrounding the Boilermakers (17-3). Two straight losses wouldn't normally be concerning, but Matt Painter's team hasn't been playing well recently.
It was uninspiring in wins against Penn State, Iowa and Southern California. Braden Smith hasn't been the problem, but Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn have been very inconsistent, an overarching theme for the rest of the offense. Wagler's performance also highlighted Purdue hasn't been able to keep opponents from taking over the game.
Purdue is still a title contender, but cracks are starting to show for preseason No. 1, and they better get patched up before the panic alarm sets off.
Freshman light up scoreboards
Wagler and Flemings weren't the only first-year players with big days as Jan. 24 belonged to the freshmen. Look at these numbers from around the country:
Back-to-back road losses to Cal and Stanford were so bad for North Carolina, it needed a big win to avoid people from yelling the sky is falling. Luckily for the Tar Heels, they picked up a Quad 1 win at Virginia on Jan. 24
North Carolina fell by 16 points in the first half and the Cavaliers looked like they'd run away with this ranked matchup. Whatever was said at halftime resonated, as the Tar Heels looked completely different in the second half. The offense was flowing, led by Jarin Stevenson scoring all of 17 points in the final 20 minutes, knocking in some big momentum buckets. He was able to take the pressure off Caleb Wilson and Seth Trimble, who had to pick up from the struggles of Henri Veesaar.
You can't overstate how badly North Carolina (16-4, 4-3) needed this win. It was the first road ACC win of the season, and prevented problems from snowballing. This could be the victory that turns everything around.
Rick Pitino makes history, St. John's finding momentum
St. John's had a second-half comeback and fought off a Xavier rally to beat the Musketeers. Pitino got the best of the Musketeers and son, Richard, for win No. 900, the fourth Division I men's basketball coach to reach the mark. With the win, the Red Storm have won six straight — four on the road — to get back near the top of the Big East, where many expected them to be this season.
It's redeeming the 7-4 start St. John's had, which can't be completely ridiculed since it was a tough schedule. The Johnnies are building toward another strong campaign, and have a chance to run the Big East once again en route to March.
Ben Shelton came from a set down to book his place in the last eight, after Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner had eased through too
Down break point at 0-2 1-2, Darderi locates an ace, but he must soon handle another, Sinner dashing in to put away a volley having cracked a forehand to the corner. But a netted return restores deuce and from there he closes out the game before celebrating by petulantly throwing down a towel next to his coach. Meantime, Swiatek is doing all she can to prevent Inglis getting on the board, an overhead dispatched with prejudice saving game point at 3-0.
Swiatek breaks Inglis immediately for 2-0 and though, as she seeks to consolidate, she’s taken to deuce, she eventually prevails. She can play a lot better than this – and if she wins, against Rybakina, she’ll have to.
Steve Kerr has been in charge of the Golden State Warriors since 2014 [Getty Images]
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr said his team won a "bizarre, sad" game at the Minnesota Timberwolves in a "sombre atmosphere" after the fatal shooting of an intensive care nurse by immigration agents in Minneapolis.
The death of 37-year-old Alex Pretti on Saturday was the second time in less than a month an American citizen has been killed by federal agents in the city, and has sparked angry protests both locally and in other parts of the US.
The Timberwolves held a minute's silence for Pretti before Sunday's game, which was punctuated by anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) chants from fans.
An ICE operation in Minnesota ordered by President Donald Trump's administration has been going on for more than six weeks. ICE agents have the power to stop, detain and arrest people they suspect of being in the US illegally.
Renee Good, another Minnesota resident, was shot and killed by an ICE agent on 7 January.
"Honestly, what I felt was that [the Timberwolves'] group was suffering," said Kerr after the Warriors' 111-85 win.
"It was one of the most bizarre, sad games I've ever been a part of. You could feel the sombre atmosphere.
"Their team, we could tell they were struggling with everything that's been going on. And what the city has been through. So it was a very sad night."
Warriors forward Moses Moody, who scored 19 points with eight rebounds and two blocked shots, said you could "feel the weight of the city" during the match, which had been postponed for 24 hours after Pretti's death.
"I couldn't imagine too many different times where that large amount of people are together in the midst of a situation like this, so you definitely felt that," said Moody.
Stephen Curry led the scoring for the Warriors with 26 points to climb level with Paul Pierce at 19th on the all-time scoring list - finishing the game with 26,397.
Anthony Edwards scored 32 points and recorded 11 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who lost a fifth-straight match.
Casemiro is thriving under Michael Carrick, Newcastle look short of ideas and Sean Dyche takes aims at … towels?
Casemiro will depart Manchester United this summer. His four years in English football have been mixed but he may yet go out on a high. At one point in his first season, such as his performance in the 2023 League Cup final, he was hailed as the club’s best signing since Eric Cantona. He never lived up to that billing, the accusation that United had overpaid for someone who left his legs in Madrid. At the Emirates in 2026, just as against Manchester City the previous week, he showed his muscle memory endures. Kobbie Mainoo is a project player for Michael Carrick. Mainoo can learn much in his remaining months alongside Casemiro, who completed the 90 minutes at Arsenal and retained his influence. United are linked with younger midfielders in Carlos Baleba, Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson. They may now have something to live up to. John Brewin
Brooklyn Nets (12-32, 13th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Phoenix Suns (27-19, sixth in the Western Conference)
Phoenix; Tuesday, 9 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Brooklyn is looking to stop its five-game slide with a win over Phoenix.
The Suns are 14-6 in home games. Phoenix is fifth in the NBA with 13.0 offensive rebounds per game led by Mark Williams averaging 3.2 offensive boards.
The Nets have gone 6-15 away from home. Brooklyn has a 1-2 record in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Suns are shooting 45.9% from the field this season, 3.1 percentage points lower than the 49.0% the Nets allow to opponents. The Nets average 107.9 points per game, 3.9 fewer than the 111.8 the Suns give up to opponents.
The teams square off for the second time this season. The Suns won the last meeting 126-117 on Jan. 20. Dillon Brooks scored 27 points to help lead the Suns to the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Collin Gillespie is averaging 13.4 points and 4.7 assists for the Suns. Grayson Allen is averaging 3.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Michael Porter Jr. is scoring 24.9 points per game and averaging 7.3 rebounds for the Nets. Egor Demin is averaging 2.3 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Suns: 6-4, averaging 112.0 points, 44.0 rebounds, 24.3 assists, 8.9 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 43.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.0 points per game.
Nets: 1-9, averaging 103.3 points, 40.2 rebounds, 24.9 assists, 7.2 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 42.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.8 points.
INJURIES: Suns: Jalen Green: out (hamstring), Devin Booker: out (ankle).
Nets: Haywood Highsmith: out (knee), Cam Thomas: out (ankle), Nolan Traore: out (illness), Noah Clowney: out (back).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Los Angeles Clippers (21-24, 10th in the Western Conference) vs. Utah Jazz (15-31, 13th in the Western Conference)
Salt Lake City; Tuesday, 10 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The Utah Jazz host the Los Angeles Clippers in Western Conference action Tuesday.
The Jazz are 9-22 against Western Conference opponents. Utah averages 30.3 assists per game to lead the Western Conference, paced by Keyonte George with 6.6.
The Clippers are 11-14 against conference opponents. Los Angeles is last in the NBA recording just 23.4 assists per game led by James Harden averaging 8.1.
The Jazz's 13.2 made 3-pointers per game this season are only 0.3 fewer made shots on average than the 13.5 per game the Clippers allow. The Clippers are shooting 47.6% from the field, 1.7% lower than the 49.3% the Jazz's opponents have shot this season.
The teams play for the third time this season. In the last matchup on Jan. 2 the Clippers won 118-101 led by 45 points from Kawhi Leonard, while Kyle Anderson scored 22 points for the Jazz.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jusuf Nurkic is scoring 11.2 points per game and averaging 10.2 rebounds for the Jazz. George is averaging 24.1 points and 2.6 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Harden is averaging 25.6 points and 8.1 assists for the Clippers. Leonard is averaging 19.7 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Jazz: 3-7, averaging 116.4 points, 40.4 rebounds, 30.8 assists, 7.9 steals and 3.6 blocks per game while shooting 48.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 130.4 points per game.
Clippers: 8-2, averaging 114.5 points, 41.1 rebounds, 22.5 assists, 10.0 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 48.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.8 points.
INJURIES: Jazz: Lauri Markkanen: day to day (illness), Georges Niang: day to day (foot), Kevin Love: day to day (knee), Walker Kessler: out for season (shoulder).
Clippers: Bradley Beal: out for season (hip), Derrick Jones Jr.: out (knee), Bogdan Bogdanovic: out (hamstring).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Detroit Pistons (33-11, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (31-15, third in the Western Conference)
Denver; Tuesday, 9 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Detroit will try to keep its three-game road win streak alive when the Pistons take on Denver.
The Nuggets are 12-8 on their home court. Denver ranks eighth in the Western Conference at limiting opponent scoring, giving up only 116.2 points while holding opponents to 46.8% shooting.
The Pistons are 14-6 on the road. Detroit ranks second in the Eastern Conference with 18.2 fast break points per game led by Cade Cunningham averaging 3.5.
The 120.7 points per game the Nuggets average are 10.6 more points than the Pistons give up (110.1). The Pistons are shooting 48.0% from the field, 1.2% higher than the 46.8% the Nuggets' opponents have shot this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jamal Murray is averaging 26 points and 7.3 assists for the Nuggets. Peyton Watson is averaging 20.8 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks over the past 10 games.
Cunningham is averaging 25.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 9.7 assists and 1.5 steals for the Pistons. Duncan Robinson is averaging 14 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 7-3, averaging 107.3 points, 39.0 rebounds, 24.5 assists, 6.7 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 44.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.6 points per game.
Pistons: 8-2, averaging 112.3 points, 44.6 rebounds, 26.6 assists, 12.1 steals and 8.0 blocks per game while shooting 47.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 100.8 points.
INJURIES: Nuggets: Cameron Johnson: out (knee), Tamar Bates: out (foot), Aaron Gordon: out (hamstring), Jonas Valanciunas: day to day (calf), Nikola Jokic: out (knee), Christian Braun: out (ankle), Peyton Watson: day to day (ankle), Jamal Murray: day to day (hamstring).
Pistons: Caris LeVert: out (illness).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Minnesota comes into the matchup against Golden State after losing five games in a row.
The Timberwolves have gone 14-14 against Western Conference teams. Minnesota is fifth in the Western Conference with 33.5 defensive rebounds per game led by Rudy Gobert averaging 7.4.
The Warriors are 16-13 in conference games. Golden State is ninth in the Western Conference with 11.0 offensive rebounds per game led by Jimmy Butler III averaging 2.3.
The Timberwolves average 14.1 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.5 more made shots on average than the 12.6 per game the Warriors give up. The Warriors are shooting 46.2% from the field, which equals what the Timberwolves' opponents have shot this season.
The teams play for the third time this season. The Warriors won the last matchup 111-85 on Jan. 25. Stephen Curry scored 26 points to help lead the Warriors to the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Julius Randle is averaging 22.3 points, seven rebounds and 5.5 assists for the Timberwolves. Donte DiVincenzo is averaging 3.8 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Brandin Podziemski is scoring 12.2 points per game and averaging 4.4 rebounds for the Warriors. Curry is averaging 3.8 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Timberwolves: 4-6, averaging 118.0 points, 46.9 rebounds, 26.7 assists, 7.9 steals and 6.0 blocks per game while shooting 48.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.5 points per game.
Warriors: 7-3, averaging 123.7 points, 40.5 rebounds, 31.8 assists, 9.9 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 49.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.1 points.
INJURIES: Timberwolves: Terrence Shannon Jr.: out (foot).
Warriors: Jimmy Butler III: out for season (knee), Jonathan Kuminga: out (knee), Seth Curry: out (back).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Memphis visits Houston looking to break its four-game road losing streak.
The Rockets are 15-14 in conference matchups. Houston ranks seventh in the NBA with 52.9 points in the paint led by Alperen Sengun averaging 13.7.
The Grizzlies are 5-4 against opponents from the Southwest Division. Memphis is fifth in the Western Conference with 11.8 offensive rebounds per game led by Zach Edey averaging 3.9.
The Rockets average 11.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.0 fewer makes per game than the Grizzlies allow (14.4). The Grizzlies average 13.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.0 more made shot on average than the 12.4 per game the Rockets allow.
The teams play for the second time this season. The Rockets won the last matchup 124-109 on Nov. 6. Amen Thompson scored 28 points to help lead the Rockets to the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Kevin Durant is scoring 26.3 points per game with 5.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists for the Rockets. Thompson is averaging 19.7 points and 8.8 rebounds while shooting 51.4% over the past 10 games.
Jaren Jackson Jr. is scoring 18.9 points per game with 5.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists for the Grizzlies. Jock Landale is averaging 13.9 points and 8.6 rebounds while shooting 55.6% over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Rockets: 5-5, averaging 108.8 points, 48.8 rebounds, 22.9 assists, 8.3 steals and 5.9 blocks per game while shooting 44.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.2 points per game.
Grizzlies: 3-7, averaging 114.4 points, 46.4 rebounds, 29.2 assists, 7.0 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 45.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.9 points.
INJURIES: Rockets: Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Aaron Holiday: day to day (back), Steven Adams: out (ankle).
Grizzlies: Scotty Pippen Jr.: out (toe), Ja Morant: out (elbow), Zach Edey: out (ankle), Ty Jerome: out (calf), Brandon Clarke: out (calf), Santi Aldama: out (knee).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
New Orleans Pelicans (12-36, 15th in the Western Conference) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (37-10, first in the Western Conference)
Oklahoma City; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Western Conference foes Oklahoma City and New Orleans square off on Tuesday.
The Thunder are 28-6 against conference opponents. Oklahoma City ranks seventh in the Western Conference with 25.4 assists per game led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averaging 6.2.
The Pelicans are 6-25 in Western Conference play. New Orleans is 2-3 in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Thunder are shooting 49.2% from the field this season, 0.8 percentage points higher than the 48.4% the Pelicans allow to opponents. The Pelicans average 6.9 more points per game (114.8) than the Thunder allow their opponents to score (107.9).
The teams square off for the third time this season. The Thunder won 126-109 in the last matchup on Nov. 18. Chet Holmgren led the Thunder with 26 points, and Jeremiah Fears led the Pelicans with 24 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Holmgren is shooting 57.1% and averaging 17.8 points for the Thunder. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 30.9 points over the last 10 games.
Trey Murphy III is scoring 22.2 points per game with 6.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists for the Pelicans. Zion Williamson is averaging 21.1 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 63.0% over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Thunder: 7-3, averaging 119.3 points, 42.4 rebounds, 24.2 assists, 8.6 steals and 7.5 blocks per game while shooting 49.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.0 points per game.
Pelicans: 4-6, averaging 114.8 points, 45.5 rebounds, 24.8 assists, 8.8 steals and 5.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.7 points.
INJURIES: Thunder: Ajay Mitchell: out (hip), Nikola Topic: out (groin), Jalen Williams: out (thigh), Alex Caruso: out (adductor), Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee), Isaiah Hartenstein: out (calf).
Pelicans: Dejounte Murray: out (leg).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
