Worldwide Sports News

Is “everyone” on the Brooklyn Nets roster available for the right price as Sam Amick reported Friday in a round-up of trade rumors?!? Even 20-year-old Mikel Brown Jr. and Egor Demin, the organization’s two highest draft picks over the past 30 years?!? Seems a bit much, but with the Nets record disappointing as they get ready to play the Memphis Grizzlies at the end of a four-game road trip, the general sentiment appears true, as the The Athletic reporter noted.

If you call the Brooklyn Nets (3-8) about any of their players, they will listen. Per a team source, it’s just that simple.

Such is life when you’re a rebuilding team, not to mention an organization that has two veterans — Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle — who could help any number of contenders.

Those two players are widely discussed as top targets in league circles, with Porter (21.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per) above all the rest of the Nets. The 28-year-old small forward who won a title with Denver in 2023 is in the last year of his deal ($40.8 million). Randle, the 31-year-old forward who helped Minnesota reach the West finals in 2025, has a player option worth $35 million for next season.

Two days ago, Jake Fischer of The Steinline offered a similar assessment.

An expectation persists in some corners of the league that Brooklyn, which owes its first-rounder in June to Houston as a lingering vestige of the acquisition of James Harden in January 2021, might indeed decide to shop veterans such as Michael Porter Jr. via trade between now and Feb. 11 to see if it can capitalize on the anticipated lack of true sellers in the marketplace.

So, it’s increasingly a given in NBA circles that the Nets will be a bazaar come February 12 at 3:00 p.m. EST or maybe even before, say December 15, the unofficial start of trade season when the dozens of players signed or re-signed over the Summer become available for the first time. The larger the pool of players, the more possibilities that GMs and capologists can noodle. Of course with all the injuries across the league, it’s possible teams will want to find replacements earlier than that.

MPJ is the MMP of the group == Most Mentioned Player — for a number of reasons. He is having yet another good season as Amick notes and is on an expiring deal. If the Nets don’t want to extend him — they can up till June 30 — then they’d better do something or lose him without a return. That is not going to happen. Randle is in a bit of a similar situation but he isn’t expiring. He’s got a player option and while he will be four years older than Porter Jr. by the deadline, his contract load is lighter. MPJ is owed $40.6 million this season, compared to the $33.3 million Randle makes now and the $35.8 million he’ll earn if he doesn’t exercise his option. He is expected to.

Otherwise, what’s the Nets rush? That’s where it gets interesting. For one thing, the Draft and off-season are when Sean Marks & co. makes their biggest moves and it’s also when teams examine their futures a lot more closely. They know what the need. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Nets look to add more assets for a big trade, even if they already had 13 first rounders and 19 seconds available. Do they have their eye on someone? Almost certainly, they have a list, but as Marks admitted on Brooklyn’s Media Day in September, there’s a lot that has to be considered, starting with who other teams are willing to part with.

Marks was specifically asked at Media Day when he might “push all the chips to the middle of the table” and make the big move for that player, as he has said, who will “absolutely and automatically change the trajectory of the franchise.” He was generally non-committal, but did identify the factors that will come into play.

“We’ve got a couple more rookies this year to add into the fray as well,” Marks said, suggesting he wants to see how his young players do this season. “But then it’s also a combination of what becomes available, right? I can’t predict when players from other teams become available, what free agency looks like down the road and so forth. So, I think that’s where you just keep your flexibility and you know, like, okay, when’s the right time to go for this?

“We’re always listening. I’m not sure we’re going to be any more active than we have been in the past, but that doesn’t mean we’re not listening. That doesn’t mean we’re not shaking trees and seeing what’s out there. I think a lot will be predicated first and foremost on what this roster looks like, and we’ll get a good feel for that pretty early.” (Emphasis added.)

Of course, the Nets has been very very active in the recent past with the two franchise-defining trades with the Knicks and Rockets just before the the Draft in 2024, or the multiple salary dump deals just before the Draft in 2025 that got them MPJ and the Nuggets 2032 pick and the Hawks No. 22 pick. or just before the Draft in 2026 that got them Randle in the T’Wolves first round pick.

Bottom line, we think, is that the Nets are holding their cards close, maybe even closer than usual (which is saying something.) It makes sense, of course, because you can’t keep accumulating assets forever. You have to move.

BOSTON — The Celtics will have their full roster available when they host the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday night. Boston has no players listed on its injury report — that includes Paul George, who missed Wednesday’s win over the Toronto Raptors with an illness on the second night of a back-to-back.

George sat out in Toronto just a day removed from a 36-point performance against the Philadelphia 76ers. He has been the Celtics’ second-leading scorer so far this season, averaging 22 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. He’s also been the team’s most efficient high-volume scorer, shooting 48.8% from the field and 44% from three.

Still, the Celtics survived without him on Wednesday, erasing a 22-point deficit on the second night of a road back-to-back to beat the Raptors 98-93. The win capped a perfect 4-0 road trip and extended Boston’s winning streak to five games. At 10-2, the Celtics lead the Eastern Conference, have won 10 of their last 11 games, and own the league’s best net rating.

Boston has had three days off since returning from Toronto, and now opens a home back-to-back; the Celtics host the Raptors on Sunday and then the Orlando Magic on Monday night.

The Celtics could rest players on Monday against the Magic

Sunday’s clean report doesn’t guarantee the Celtics will be at full strength on both nights. Boston has rested players on back-to-backs before this season: Mitchell Robinson sat the front end in Orlando on Nov. 1, and George sat the second night in Houston the following day.

Jayson Tatum, meanwhile, has played in every back-to-back game so far, though he’s said he’s open to conversations about rest management. He also noted that he doesn’t like sitting out road games, which has factored into his decision to play on the second night of multiple back-to-backs.

“It’s my 10th year, so I understand the balance of wanting to play every game, and rest, and back-to-backs, three-in-fours, five-in-sevens,” Tatum said last week in Charlotte. “It’s always a conversation. We talk about it. We have a plan. I don’t really like sitting out on away games, but we just kind of figure it out as we go.”

The Celtics will begin a four-game West Coast road trip on Wednesday, which includes stops in Denver, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Washington D.C.

The Mavericks are on the second night of a back-to-back

Dallas will arrive in Boston after facing the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night; the Mavericks entered that game at 7-5 after getting blown out by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving were both off Dallas’ injury report for Saturday’s game.

Flagg, the reigning Rookie of the Year, is averaging 24.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game, while Irving is scoring 21.6 points per game. Irving, who returned this season from a torn ACL, sat out the second night of Dallas’ first back-to-back of the season for load management, so it’s possible he misses Sunday’s game, though the Mavericks have yet to list their injury report.

Max Christie (left ankle sprain), Sergio De Larrea (right knee sprain), Tarik Biberović (right heel bursitis), and Dereck Lively II (right foot surgery recovery) were all ruled out ahead of Saturday’s game.

Sunday will be Flagg’s second game at TD Garden. The Newport, Maine native drew plenty of support from the crowd during his Garden debut last March; the Celtics won the game by 20 as Jayson Tatum made his return from his Achilles injury.

Celtics-Mavericks tips off on Sunday night at 6pm ET.

The Dallas Mavericks (7-5) head out on the road for the start of a back-to-back against Eastern Conference teams, first facing the Cleveland Cavaliers (6-7) on Friday night. Dallas is coming off a brutal beating at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Cleveland most recently lost one against the Miami Heat on Friday night. It may well be an ugly and weird game as yesterday’s FAA issues kept the Cavs in Miami until this morning. Here are the main things to know:

• WHO: Dallas Mavericks vs Cleveland Cavaliers
• WHAT: Start of a road back-to-back
• WHERE: Rocket Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
• WHEN: 6:30 pm CST
• HOW: KFAA

The Dallas Mavericks injury report is a mixed back, but nothing should come as a surprise. Morez Johnson Jr. is available to play despite his shin injury, which is good news. Caleb Martin is available as well, he has a few more weeks with the brace on. Max Christie will miss this game with an ankle sprain. Tarik Biberovic and Sergio De Larrea are still out as well.

The Cavaliers side of the report is embarrassing. We get it, you had to fly in this morning. Boo hoo. These are the players that are out due to “injury management”: Jarrett Allen, James Harden, Sam Merrill, Donovan Mitchell, and Peyton Watson. That’s a third of the team! “Injury management” is code for “we’re mad the game wasn’t rescheduled”. Evan Mobley is out with turf toe.

Dallas should take this one with authority, but they cant afford to take their weakened opponent lightly. Check out the deeper preview from Tyler here, though some of that info is now outdated given the injury report.

Since you’re here checking out this post, it’s for one of two reasons.

• Injury report news
• Discussion and comment thread

If you’re part of the former, please consider signing up for an account. You get way fewer ads, and you can comment! If you’re part of the latter group: GO GET THE APP. I’m serious. The app has some real-time features specifically for game threads like this one and you can comment and get notified really, really easily. It’s part of what’s keeping this whole series of sites going. So go do it for us and in doing so, you’ll see why the experience is simply better.

The Detroit Pistons face the Giannis-led Miami Heat for the second time this season, but this is not the same Heat team Detroit beat 128-111 in the second game of the season. The Heat can get above .500 with a win after winning six of its past eight games, including the previous three in a row. The Heat are starting to understand how best to play around Giannis Antetokounmpo, especially Bam Adebayo. In the team’s most recent win, Bam and Giannis scored 37 points, and Davion Mitchell was able to support the big two with a 22-point, 17-assist effort.

The Pistons also had Jalen Duren the last time the two teams faced each other, and the big man is still out, and Detroit’s big man is still out recovering from a hamstring injury. Detroit’s big men have been an issue since Duren went down, and that could be an issue when going against both Bam and Giannis. Of course, the Pistons do have Cade Cunningham, and he has vaulted himself into a top-10 player in the NBA. Cunningham is coming off a career-high 52 points and an NBA-first 50-point, 10-assist, zero-turnover game. I’m not sure what he’ll be able to do for an encore, but if the Pistons don’t get decent efforts out of John Collins and Paul Reed, it might not matter.

Game Vitals

When: 8 p.m. ET
Where: Kaseya Center, Miami, Florida
Watch: TV: NBA TV, TV-20 | Streaming: DAZN-Det
Odds: Pistons -3.5

Projected Lineup

Detroit Pistons (8-3)

Cade Cunningham, Daniss Jenkins, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, John Collins

Miami Heat (6-6)

Davion Mitchell, Klay Thompson, Myron Gardner, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo

While rocketing toward the top of the league, the Lakers have been far from perfect. That’s good news to them.

“A big thing that we talk with our players about a lot is being able to learn and get better and try to correct things even when you are winning,” coach JJ Redick said.

The Lakers (11-2) have won seven consecutive games entering Sunday’s 1 p.m. PST matinee against the Suns (5-6) in Phoenix.

Using a rare multiple-day break between games to audit their performances, coaches and analytics staffers showed slide presentations to players about both offensive and defensive flaws this week. The lectures left the team with one of the best records in the league feeling as if it was one of the worst, forward Ziaire Williams joked.

Already the top-ranked offense in the league, the Lakers should strive to match that by becoming a top-10 defense, Redick implored his team. Williams is not stopping there.

“Top 10 should be at least like our standard, if not better,” the forward said. “Our half-court defense has been great. Obviously, rebounding has been one of the biggest things for us, cleaning up transition as well. But the potential’s there. We have the size, the length, the athleticism. It’s just about going out there and executing.”

Read more:Lakers' Austin Reaves considered day-to-day with heel injury

The Lakers, ranked 18th in defensive efficiency, thrive on forcing turnovers and protecting the rim. Their 18.5 turnovers forced per game rank third in the league, and they average an NBA-best 11 steals per game. Center Walker Kessler’s 2.2 blocks per game rank third.

But they can’t finish the strong half-court possessions. The Lakers are ranked 28th in defensive rebounding and 25th in second-chance points given up.

The Lakers staff rewatched every offensive rebound given up this season. Lack of boxing out was the biggest fault. Then there were instances when players stood and watched.

“If I stand and watch and try and outjump someone else, I’m probably not going to get the rebound,” said forward Jake LaRavia, who has been an offensive rebounding revelation since entering the starting lineup, averaging 2.8 offensive rebounds in the last nine games. “So you have to go and be physical and hit bodies, and then just be able to dive on loose balls, finish possessions, it’s really just who’s going to work harder.”

Kessler is averaging 8.1 defensive rebounds during the Lakers’ seven-game winning streak — which is the second-longest in Redick’s coaching tenure — compared to 6.3 during the first six games.

Forward Jarred Vanderbilt, who did not play in the first four games, has made the most of his limited minutes off the bench, grabbing 7.9 defensive rebounds per 36 minutes, the second-best rate on the team among players who have played more than three minutes. Vanderbilt, averaging 3.8 rebounds per game in 11.9 minutes, had 10 rebounds in less than 14 minutes against the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 8.

Transition defense also is sinking the Lakers’ defensive efforts. Opponents are scoring 20.2 points off turnovers per game, which put the Lakers 24th out of 30 teams. Redick blames some of that on the Lakers’ offensive flaws. Although they are the league’s most efficient offense, the Lakers turn the ball over 16.9 times per game, the fifth-most in the NBA.

Luka Doncic, the league’s leading scorer at 38.6 points per game, also averages an NBA-worst five turnovers. Austin Reaves, who is day-to-day because of a left heel bruise suffered Wednesday against Milwaukee, averages 24.7 points and 3.4 turnovers.

Doncic is expected to play Sunday despite tweaking his right ankle late in Wednesday’s win. Reaves didn’t participate in practice Saturday but Collin Sexton was a full participant. The guard wore a thick Band-Aid over his right eyebrow and had bruising around his right eye after bumping heads with Milwaukee’s Ryan Rollins but said he doesn’t expect to wear a mask. He needs only to keep the cut covered to ensure it doesn’t open up again. The rugged guard is familiar with the protocols; Sexton said this was the 11th time in his career that he’s received stitches in his face.

The short break offered an important opportunity for players to rest after a grueling three-game Eastern Conference trip. They now enter a softer stretch in the schedule. After Sunday’s game in Phoenix, the Lakers play their next four at home against three teams — Charlotte, Sacramento and Utah, twice — that have a combined six wins.

Their next game against a team with a winning record isn’t until Nov. 27 at San Antonio. The 11-2 Spurs, who have won 11 consecutive games, are the only team with an active winning streak longer than the Lakers’.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things Lakers.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Barlow ‘making progress,' Embiid out vs. Pacers, more on Sixers  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Dominick Barlow decided to finish his post-practice workout Saturday with a windmill dunk.

While Barlow remains out with a “lower back stress reaction” listing on the Sixers’ injury report, it’s one sign that he’s trending up in his rehab process.

“He’s making progress,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said. “He was a part of the practice today. It’s kind of a game day type of practice … so it wasn’t super intense, as you might expect. But he was out there doing some stuff. He’s progressing. Just don’t know when he’ll be ready to go, but at least he’s making some progress now.”

Barlow was one of the Sixers’ top role players last season, starting 59 games and contributing in a variety of areas. He averaged 7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.9 steals in 23.8 minutes per game. 

“Size, athleticism, rebounding,” Dean Wade said of the fifth-year forward. “He’s another guy that can switch one through five.” 

Whenever the 6-foot-9 Barlow is available for his season debut, the Sixers will welcome him back as another option at center.

With Ariel Hukporti’s preseason Achilles tendon tear and Adem Bona’s cervical spine sprain, the team is light on healthy resources at the five. And Joel Embiid (right foot plantar fascia injury management) will sit Sunday afternoon vs. the Pacers on the first leg of a back-to-back. He’ll presumably return to the lineup when the Sixers visit the Nets on Monday night. 

“I think (Barlow) is probably going to have to play more five than we envisioned,” Nurse said, “but Jabari (Walker) is doing that as well. If the situation calls for that, I imagine that’s where he’ll help the most.”

Blue Coats reps for Philon and Edwards 

With the Delaware Blue Coats hosting the Maine Red Claws on Friday and Saturday, the Sixers saw an opportunity for two players outside of the regular rotation to log minutes with their G League affiliate.

Rookie guard Labaron Philon Jr. suited up Friday and third-year wing Justin Edwards played both games. Philon posted 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in a blowout loss. Edwards shot just 1 for 10 from the floor in the first game, but he scored 23 points on 9-for-17 shooting in Saturday’s win.

Nurse has largely kept a tight rotation early in the season and the 10-3 Sixers haven’t had many lopsided games with ample garbage time. As of Saturday night, the Sixers ranked 29th in the NBA in bench minutes per game.

“My first belief is it’s hard to get better unless you’re playing,” Nurse said. “That kind of trumps everything, in my opinion. Just historically, we’ve had a number of guys that have gone down to those games, respected it … and it’s really helped them in their careers. … It’s been a minute for these guys — both of them — since they’ve had any real court time. 

“So that fit into the schedule well. … I think it will also help them to just find some rhythm, find their legs a little bit. We’re going to need everybody at some point, so keep ‘em going.”

VJ Edgecombe was among the crowd Friday night at Chase Fieldhouse. 

“They’re my brothers, man,” he said. “Labaron, Justin, (Caleb Love), (Rayan Rupert). I just wanted to show love. … I didn’t have (anything) to do yesterday. … We have that relationship off the court, too. I’m just being supportive and showing them that I care about them.” 

Each week, the California Post will power rank the NBA’s 30 teams. Records are as of Saturday morning:

1. San Antonio Spurs (11-2)

The reigning Western Conference champions remain the hottest team in the league after blowing out the Steph Curry-less Warriors on Friday night. The Spurs have won 11 games in a row. They’re top three offensively and defensively across the league, all while Victor Wembanyama is playing at an MVP-caliber level. (Last week, 3rd)  

2. Los Angeles Lakers (11-2)

Luka Dončić may have cooled off from his two-week-long 40-point barrage, but the Slovenian superstar continues to lead the Lakers in exceeding early-season expectations. The Lakers have looked like a potential championship team after seven consecutive wins. And the team received encouraging news regarding Austin Reaves’ heel injury, which the Lakers have classified as a bruise. (Last week, 2nd)

3. Boston Celtics (10-2)

The Celtics made a statement with their midweek blowout victory over the 76ers. They’re elite on both ends of the floor, and Paul George has been an impeccable fit next to Jayson Tatum. (Last week, 8th)

4. Philadelphia 76ers (10-3)

The 76ers’ cracks started to show in their last four games (2-2), suggesting they may not be as good as their 8-1 start. Their offense should click at a higher level once Joel Embiid and LeBron James find their rhythm. (Last week, 1st)

5. Houston Rockets (10-3)

The Rockets have been one of the league’s steadier teams so far, picking up three straight wins over the Nuggets, Warriors and Jazz to remain toward the top of the West. Alperen Şengün is playing at an All-NBA-caliber level. (Last week, 7th)

6. Minnesota Timberwolves (9-3) 

The Timberwolves continue to thrive without Anthony Edwards, winning five straight games including a 39-point blowout victory over the Mavericks on Thursday. LaMelo Ball and Ayo Dosunmu leading the offense while Rudy Gobert anchors the defense has been a reliable formula. (Last week, 5th)

7. Portland Trail Blazers (9-3)

Damian Lillard and Deni Avdija continue to be one of the league’s most dynamic duos, leading the Trail Blazers to back-to-back wins over the Thunder this past week. (Last week, 9th)

8. Detroit Pistons (8-3)

After starting the week with a home loss to the Dončić-less Lakers in which he was held in check offensively, Cade Cunningham provided a reminder of why he’s received All-NBA and All-Star honors the last two seasons, dropping a 52-point, 11-assist double-double in Thursday’s double-overtime win over the Wizards. (Last week, 6th) 

9. Oklahoma City Thunder (8-5)

Two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has found his rhythm as a scorer (30.5 points per game, second in the league), but the dip in playmaking (4.5 assists — his lowest mark since 2019-20) stands out amid the Thunder’s three-game losing streak in light of Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace being sidelined. (Last week, 4th)

10. Denver Nuggets (6-4)

Nikola Jokić is starting to look closer to his typical self while he and Jamal Murray (career-high 26.2 points) continue to carry a significant offensive load. (Last week, 15th)

11. Memphis Grizzlies (8-4)

The Grizzlies were the early-season darlings after starting 6-0. And there’s still plenty to be excited about with Ty Jerome (25.4 points, 5.3 assists) having a career year and Cameron Boozer (15.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists) creating early Rookie of the Year buzz. But the Grizzlies were coming back down to Earth, losing four of five games before a much-needed win over the Pelicans on Friday. (Last week, 10th)

12. Golden State Warriors (8-5)

The Warriors were one of the hottest teams in the league, winning eight straight games, before Steph Curry went down with a torn oblique and suffered back-to-back losses to the Rockets and Spurs. The time without their franchise icon will be a test for the rest of the roster. (Last week, 11th)

13. New York Knicks (6-6)

The defending champions were looking like they were turning a corner on their season, having won four straight games, before back-to-back losses to the Cavaliers and Pacers. They should be fine in the long run, but they need better play from Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart. (Last week, 14th)

14. Atlanta Hawks (7-6)

The Hawks continue to be solid but haven’t shown the ability to compete with the league’s best teams. They’re 0-4 against teams .500 and above and 7-2 against teams below .500. (Last week, 13th)

15. Dallas Mavericks (7-5)

Cooper Flagg continues to shine in his second NBA season, dropping 43 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in Monday’s win over the Pacers. And Kyrie Irving (21.6 points per game) looks like his pre-ACL injury self. (Last week, 17th)

16. Miami Heat (6-6)

The Heat are finding their groove after starting the season 0-4. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo are finding ways to better coexist, combining for 74 points in Friday’s win over the Cavaliers. (Last week, 19th) 

17. Cleveland Cavaliers (6-7)

Meleek Thomas (13 points on 49% shooting, 47.3% on 3-pointers) has been a revelation for the Cavaliers, who acquired the guard out of Arkansas with the No. 34 pick in June’s draft. The Cavaliers, who’ve lost five of their last seven games, have needed every bit of Thomas’ contributions in light of James Harden and Peyton Watson having slow starts to the season. (Last week, 12th)

18. Phoenix Suns (5-6)

The Suns have benefited from an easier schedule, picking up wins over the Hornets and Clippers this past week. The home victory over the Rockets and former star forward Kevin Durant last weekend stood out as a potential turning point of the season. (Last week, 23rd)

19. Toronto Raptors (5-7)

The Raptors, who’ve lost three straight games, continue to miss Kawhi Leonard, who remains sidelined as he works his way back from left knee swelling. (Last week, 16th) 

20. Orlando Magic (5-7)

Franz Wagner has reached another level during the Magic’s three-game winning streak, averaging 34 points, 7.8 assists and 7.5 rebounds over the last week. With Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs still sidelined, the Magic are going as far as Wagner can take them. (Last week, 24th)

21. Indiana Pacers (5-8)

Just when life without Tyrese Haliburton looked like it was going to be filled with doom and gloom, the Pacers picked up back-to-back wins over the Wizards and Knicks to close out the week. Pascal Siakam (22.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists) continues to be a steady presence. (Last week, 21st)

22. Washington Wizards (4-9)

The Wizards have lost six straight as the level of competition picks up with their schedule. The roster, led by Anthony Davis (25.6 points, 10.5 rebounds), has the requisite talent to be better than they have been lately. (Last week, 18th)  

23. New Orleans Pelicans (4-9)

The vibes in New Orleans have taken a turn after five straight losses and a trade request from Dejounte Murray. Losing three straight games by a combined 116 points has been a lowlight for any team across the league. (Last week, 20th)

24. Charlotte Hornets (4-8)

The Hornets ended their six-game losing streak by beating the Cavaliers on Monday. But Kon Knueppel being sidelined for at least the next few weeks has tempered any potential excitement for what this season could’ve been for the Hornets. (Last week, 22nd)  

25. Los Angeles Clippers (3-8)

The Clippers won two of their three games this past week, including the victory over the Thunder, ending a dreadful stretch of basketball. (Last week, 25th)

26. Brooklyn Nets (3-8)

The Nets made 20 3-pointers in their recent win over the Pelicans, the second time they’ve reached that mark this season. So much of their offensive success is tied to whether they’re making perimeter shots. (Last week, 26th)

27. Utah Jazz (1-12)

The Jazz have the league’s longest active losing streak at 11 consecutive losses. But at least rookie Darryn Peterson is starting to find his groove, averaging 24.4 points over his last five games. (Last week, 27th)

28. Chicago Bulls (2-9)

The overtime win over the Hawks was a pleasant surprise. But Caleb Wilson suffering a fractured hand took away a lot of the minimal excitement surrounding the Bulls for the next few weeks. (Last week, 28th)

29. Sacramento Kings (1-11)

The Kings followed up their first win of the season over the Mavericks with five straight losses. Yuck. (Last week, 29th)

30. Milwaukee Bucks (1-12)

The Bucks continue to understand what life looks like after trading away a franchise icon near the prime of his career a year or two too late. (Last week, 30th)

I was about 12 years old when I realized that there were people in the Dark Ages who had lived amongst the ruins of the Roman Empire.

Once a week in my art class (usually on a Friday) we were given free reign to pursue whatever we wanted, so long as it pertained to either the creation or study of art.

Being a poor visual artist, I tended to opt for study, and would plop myself into a beanbag chair in the corner of the room with a stack of art books.

In the time before the proliferation of google image searches this felt like a revelation, and I spent countless hours pouring through volumes of paintings that I’d otherwise only have seen in a museum.

I can still recall the goosebumpy thrill of stumbling into the deeply shadowed chiaroscuro of El Greco, or the eerie moonlit majesty of John Atkinson Grimshaw.

But it was a piece by the French Romantic painter Hubert Robert, found in a compendium of work contained in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, that so confounded me that I begged my teacher to make me a photocopy of it.

I kept my humble paper copy of ‘Ruins of a Roman Bath with Washerwomen’ in a manila folder on my childhood bookshelf for many years.

From time to time I would take it out and just stare at it. I couldn’t understand why it had captured me so, but I knew it had something to do with the nature of the situation.

If you’ve seen it, you know that it depicts a towering Roman edifice surrounding a once-ornate bathhouse. It’s clear that the architecture is no longer being maintained. The age is visible. There are stones missing.

And yet, it’s still so majestic. The ruin itself testifies to the grandeur that came before.

The structure is still enormous and strong, and I suspect that one of the first thoughts that anyone has looking at it, is to wonder what it must have looked like at the peak of the empire.

If it were just a painting of those ruins, it would be arresting enough as is.

But it’s the people the really threw me.

Gathered around the edges of the previously opulent pool, are hunched over figures, doing their laundry in the remains of the bathhouse.

I had developed quite a real fondness for the subject of history by the age of twelve, but this was something that had never occurred to me.

People had continued living in Roman ruins.

I suppose some part of my brain had to have registered this, knowing that the Colosseum was still standing, but to me, ruins weren’t a place where people lived.

Sure, if they were important enough, maybe someone would build a museum, and people would come to visit them, but the thought of anyone actually living there was astonishing.

But people had in fact done that. It’s all over the historical record. They did their best to maintain the plumbing and the roads, and the structures, and just stayed where they were.

Crusaders patched and fortified them. Some people carried on as if the Western Empire still existed, awiating a return to glory that never came.

Last night I felt that familiar feeling washing over me any time I saw Warriors fans in the crowd, as the Spurs punctured any illusions of a lingering Golden State greatness.

It’s one thing to witness the fall of an empire. It’s another thing altogether to keep living there.

For a moment (and in spite of Draymond Green’s flagrant antics), I felt a wave of pity wash over me. It quickly turned to empathy with the realization that I too had been there.

Thirty points down at the half, with an all-too-clear vision of the future in front of them, these people were still holding on to a return to glory. Maybe not in this game, but to the season as a whole.

Steph Curry turns 39 in March. Draymond Green hasn’t been an offensive plus in years. Jimmy Butler is still to return from an ACL injury at an age where recovery is negligible.

Promising rookie Yaxel Lendeborg was learning hard lessons about facing the defense of true contenders (he went 1-13), and probably won’t be up to speed in the way that aging squad needs as they approach their 40’s.

There’s no young Kawhi Leonard to tie everything together. The sun is setting. Has, realistically, already set.

There are still people doing their laundry in the ruins.

And who am I to blame them? If not for the arrival of a certain French sensation, I’d probably be right there with them.

But it does speak to the difference in approaches from the two franchises.

Pursuing longevity, the Popovich/Duncan-era Spurs almost never cashed in all their chips for an all-or-nothing swing at a title. They kept building as they went. And when the end of their run was well and truly visible, they looked at what they had left and tried to repurpose it in a productive way.

It’s not terribly dissimilar from what some of those old Roman communities did.

Recognizing the end for what it was, the citizens of cities like Avneches, Aosta, and Split began to build their own structures within the confines of the old city walls, utilizing some of the remaining architecture as ready-made stone quarries for their rebuilding efforts, while retaining the meticulously laid-out street grids of their predecessors.

There seems to be this idea circulating around the NBA that a rebuild must tear everything down to the absolute studs. That nothing should remain of the previous era. No notion. No mentality. No prolonged eye on the future.

But that’s not how the Celtics or Lakers did it. And it’s not how the Spurs have done it, either.

Sometimes it’s okay to acknowledge the wisdom of a previous era, while knowing that it’s time to turn the page. Not everything needs to be abandoned. There are some points of expertise that endure throughout the ages.

But you can’t just live in the ruins, either, hoping for a lottery ticket to cure all ills, or a glorious return to form.

These Spurs aren’t the Spurs of old, and that’s important to acknowledge.

They’re building something of their own now, but they’re doing so within the thoughtfully constructed confines of a previous glory, and the result is something that feels both new and familiar.

Something as fresh as it is reminiscent. Something as aspirational as it is nostalgic.

You can’t just do your laundry in the halls of a fallen kingdom. That’s how you end up losing your shirt.

Takeaways

• I have to say, Harrison Barnes has looked surprisingly spry so far this season. I assumed he would function as emergency depth when he was re-signed, but he look more like the early-season version of himself from last season, before a slump that allowed Julian Champagnie to work his way into the starting lineup. While he’s certainly not a starter anymore, he’s savvy and sharp-shooting enough to serve as the hot hand on nights where Carter Bryant is missing shots and assignment. That probably raises some questions about Bryant at the same time, but it really underscores just how much functional depth the Spurs have right now.
• It’s also been great seeing Luke Kornet find more of rhythm with the bench unit, after a somewhat concerning opening slate. There’s no way the Spurs win in such a landslide without him stifling their 2nd unit, and that was his 3rd out of the last 4 games with a positive plus/minus, putting him back into the positive in Defensive Wins Shares and Defensive Box Plus/Minus for the season. I still have concerns about the postseason, but it’s nice to see the trend reverse as the Spurs have badly needed it to.
• And while I’m not sure that Stephon Castle’s outstanding performance is indicative of how the rest of the season is going to go for him, it was an absolute blast of adrenaline to see him shoot the lights out against the Warriors specifically, especially after seeming hesitant over the past stretch of games, with the additional pain of his shot not falling. Still, you can really see why the Spurs are committed to turning him into an off-ball threat, because when that shot is falling, you become almost impossible to handle. Kudos to Mitch for having the good sense to ride the hot hand on a night when Wemby was getting a lot of defensive attention, but it also felt like this would have been a blowout even if Wemby had ridden the pine after the 1st quarter. If this was Castle finding his shot and his confidence, they really might keep trucking on at a 68-win pace. That quite literally changes everything, and bring into question whether or not rotations should even be altered all that much once Tobias Harris makes his debut, barring situational need.
• Also, I’d just like to note that Keldon Johnson has really become such a patient jack-of-all for the team. It really doesn’t matter who you put him with, he’s going to find the point of need and do his best to fill it. There have been night where his scoring isn’t needed/prioritized, and he just spent his time crashing the boards and giving it his all on defense, and nights where he comes alive on the offensive end when a particularly juicy matchup presents itself, or the team just needs more points. I’m not sure how the Spurs are going to re-sign him with their eyes on the cap and a whole host of contract balancing issues to come, but I’d love to see them do it. He’s not a perfect player by any means, but he’s really become a perfect Spur.

Playing You Out – The Theme Song of the Evening:

Lighting Crashes by Live