NBA Editorials Articles - Page 3

The Cleveland Cavaliers got back in the win column on Monday night with a 139-132 victory over the Charlotte Hornets. It snapped a three-game losing streak and showed what this group is capable of, which was needed. However, one victory over a team they should beat, especially at home, doesn’t mean everything is fixed. Despite […]

Even if he can’t exactly hit an ollie or a kickflip, Gary Payton II has always had an affinity for skateboarding. Whether it was spending hours on his video game console grinding Tony Hawk Pro Skater, or riding to the skate park with his buddies back in high school, skateboarding has always called out to […]

Cleveland Cavaliers forward De’Andre Hunter looked as confident as he was at the beginning of the season on Monday night, scoring 27 points on 9-of-13 from the field and literally bloodying his nose in his best game in some time. It’s only the third time this year that he’s come off the bench, a decision […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Washington Wizards own the NBA’s worst record at 5-22, but the development of young players like Tre Johnson and Bub Carrington is why their rebuild remains exciting. Johnson opened up to ClutchPoints about how he’s improved offensively this season after tying his career-high with 19 points (6-10 FG, 3-6 3-point) in […]

The Houston Rockets had a great offseason that was highlighted by one of the biggest trades in NBA history. In a seven-team deal, the Rockets added Kevin Durant and Clint Capela. In addition, they signed Dorian Finney-Smith and Josh Okogie, and they re-signed Aaron Holiday, Jeff Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Steven Adams, Jae’Sean Tate, and […]

The NBA Cup has to mean something, right? Maybe every team in the league doesn’t take it as seriously as others, but a few MVP candidates took part in the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas, and it was Jalen Brunson who claimed the in-season championship over Victor Wembanyama. Even though Wembanyama and his San […]

In Jalen Brunson, the New York Knicks have the most coveted kind of player in basketball: a superstar. The point guard’s 47-point performance against the Miami Heat on Sunday fittingly concluded his MVP-caliber week, for which he earned his second Player of the Week designation of the season. It also vindicated a bold statement Knicks […]

With the NBA Cup in the rearview mirror after the New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs in the championship game, the league as a whole turns its attention to ushering in 2026 on the right foot in the NBA power rankings. Well, that certainly hasn’t been the case for many top teams as […]

Ahead by two (102-100) with 2:13 left to play in a 112-107 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder starter Lu Dort’s missed three-point attempt would have given his team a five-point lead. Instead, a 12-5 Timberwolves run sealed the Thunder’s second loss in three games. Dort finished 3-for-10 from deep, including a second […]

The New York Knicks have weathered a slow start to the 2025-26 season and are now 20-8 on the season after taking a 132-125 win over the Miami Heat on Sunday night. They have already accomplished something season, bagging home the NBA Cup trophy, but their ambitions go far beyond that piece of regular season […]

The Golden State Warriors are looking to blaze a trail up the Western Conference standings, and they are coming off a hard-fought 119-116 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night. It’s clear that Stephen Curry still has a lot of gas left in the tank, and Jimmy Butler is dispelling allegations that he is […]

The Toronto Raptors have been one of the surprise teams of the NBA season. They are currently 17-12 and in fifth place in the Eastern Conference, but they soared as high as the No. 2 seed not long ago. After an earlier nine-game winning streak, Toronto has lost five of their last seven games. They […]

The Dallas Mavericks might be a little scared off from making trades anytime soon. Last year, the team dealt Luka Doncic. It was a shocking move at the time, and hindsight hasn’t done it any favors. Anthony Davis was the centerpiece in Dallas’ return in that deal, and he has spent most of his time […]

The Boston Celtics were not making plans for another championship run in the 2025-26 season. When Jayson Tatum went down with an Achilles tear in last year’s playoffs against the New York Knicks, the immediate thought was he would not be back until the 2026-27 season. As a result, general manager Brad Stevens was able […]

The Golden State Warriors are not where they envisioned would be with over a third of the season having already gone. They are currently sitting in 9th place in the Western Conference standings with a substandard 13-15 record, and their team is looking like a shell of the one that defeated the Houston Rockets in […]

NEW YORK – Just 20 hours after winning the NBA Cup, the New York Knicks tipped off again. Players knew that, regardless of the result, they would be playing their third game in four nights on Friday. Such were the woes of the 2025 NBA Cup champions, who earned a packed schedule with their Las […]

Outside of the Smoothie King Center, two-time All-Star Zion Williamson dominates the headlines alongside rookie Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears. Inside league circles and the rejuvenated New Orleans Pelicans practice facility, even interim head coach James Borrego concedes Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III’s voices are what cut through all the noise. However, the two […]

James Borrego’s New Orleans Pelicans are experimenting with an unconventional approach to managing a years-long headache, and the early returns suggest it might be working. Zion Williamson, the former number one overall pick and two-time All-Star, has recently shifted into a sixth man role coming off the bench. The move has been accepted as less a […]

Turnovers have always been the Achilles’ heel of the Golden State Warriors dynasty– the small sacrifice to pay in exchange for all the good that comes from the intricate, controlled chaos required to maximize the attention Stephen Curry’s gravity attracts. But amid a rocky 13-15 start to the season, the turnovers have done the Warriors […]

The New Orleans Pelicans are finally finding their rhythm, capping off a pivotal stretch with a three-game winning streak that has injected new life into the team. Victories over the Portland Trail Blazers, Chicago Bulls, and Houston Rockets mark the franchise’s first such run this season, arriving precisely at the one-month anniversary of interim head […]

As the holidays roll in, executives and scouts around the NBA have made their way to Orlando, Florida, for the NBA G League Winter Showcase. While the games and talent on the floor matter to many scouts, this event has essentially become a hub for the start of the NBA trade market, especially with the […]

LAS VEGAS, NV — The LA Clippers made the stunning decision to send Chris Paul home earlier this month during the team’s four-game road trip. After being a productive starter for the San Antonio Spurs last season, the future Hall-of-Famer will not be around the Clippers as they work with him on a new destination. […]

Not many players in the history of the NBA have been able to say they won a championship in their first NBA season. Even fewer are able to say they’ve done so after starting their career on a two-way contract. Ajay Mitchell achieved both of these feats with the Oklahoma City Thunder during the 2024-25 […]

The New Orleans Pelicans are focused less on the standings and more on a set of standards going into the holidays. Zion Williamson and Derik Queen are starting to click, leading to a three-game winning streak in the process. However, while the climb from the Western Conference cellar to the Play-In tournament is steep, James […]

The New Orleans Pelicans have needed good news beyond rookies Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears, and thankfully for their fans, got a couple of mood-boosting wins before Christmas. James Borrego reflected on the significance of the victories in the context of the team’s ongoing efforts to establish a strong foundation around Zion Williamson. While victories […]

Rookies often face a steep learning curve, but the rebuilding New Orleans Pelicans might have found the most keeled ‘kid’ in the 2025 NBA Draft. James Borrego’s assessments of Jeremiah Fears after 27 games sound less like a coach managing a developmental curve and more like one describing a player already comfortable with responsibility. Fears, […]

The Denver Nuggets won the NBA championship in 2023. In the two seasons since, Denver has fallen short, largely in part because of a lack of depth. The team fixed that problem in the offseason by swapping Michael Porter Jr for Cameron Johnson, and then adding Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Jonas Valanciunas. It […]

The biggest name on the trade block is Giannis Antetokounmpo. The two-time MVP has been open to a trade away from the Milwaukee Bucks for quite some time now. He is currently sidelined with an injury, but he and the Bucks recently decided to look back into a possible trade. As one of the best […]

The Chicago Bulls’ offense is quite impressive. They have loads of playmakers and 3-point shooters on the roster. However, they won’t be able to get to the next level as the defense currently stands. Chicago is 26th in opponents’ points per game (121.9). They lack both perimeter and interior defenders, and it will likely take […]

A whopping 12 of 16 Oklahoma City Thunder players under coach Mark Daigneault have spent time in the G League, a trend that runs through the defending champion’s culture. From Lu Dort to a two-time champion and All-Defensive guard in veteran Alex Caruso, whose NBA career started with Daigneault and the Oklahoma City Blue — […]

The New York Knicks are NBA Cup champions. And while it is not exactly an NBA Championship, it is the team’s first championship of any kind since 1973. So, don’t be surprised if New York celebrates this win more than it should. Still, challenges remain. The first two NBA Cup champions failed to turn their […]

The numbers are ugly, the film is worse, and the results are sinking a season of promise. Zion Williamson’s prideful New Orleans Pelicans know their defense has been a glaring, season-long vulnerability, a leaky dam threatening to wash away any NBA Play-In Tournament aspirations. Herb Jones can only do so much alone. Thankfully, interim head […]

The New Orleans Pelicans face a delicate balancing act as they welcome back key players from injury, with interim head coach James Borrego making it clear that the team won’t rush anyone into uncomfortable rotations. Jordan Poole and Zion Williamson’s reintegrations are prime examples of the new training philosophy, though fans can also look to […]

To the surprise of many, the Detroit Pistons are atop the Eastern Conference standings. This comes just two years after they tied the record for consecutive losses. The Pistons have the talent to get into the NBA Finals, and if there is a year to go all in, it is this year. Injuries are preventing […]

If the Cleveland Cavaliers are going to wake up from the nightmare they’re in right now, it will take a team effort. After the wine and gold’s latest 127-111 loss on the road to the Chicago Bulls, Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen are electing to uplift rather than scold while this group tries to find […]

The Milwaukee Bucks are reaching a crossroads. They are signaling to other teams, according to recent reports, that they want to go star-hunting on the trade market to try and convince Giannis Antetokounmpo to commit his long-term future amid the swirling trade rumors involving his name. Alas, the Bucks are nearly stripped bare of tradeable […]

The 2025-26 season is getting away from the Los Angeles Clippers in one of the most shocking turn of events for this campaign. There were so many high expectations for this Clippers team heading into the new season after overhauling the roster and bolstering it with the veteran additions of John Collins, Chris Paul, Bradley […]

The 15th of December officially marked the day that players who signed free agent contracts in the offseason could be traded. With the G League Winter showcase approaching, that’s usually the time that NBA trade winds really start blowing. For teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, this portion of the season serves as time to […]

In the high-stakes world of NBA drafts, teams often weigh talent against risk, especially when injuries enter the equation. For the injury-riddled Memphis Grizzlies, selecting a promising rookie who underwent shoulder surgery just a year ago during his college days might have seemed like a gamble. But as the Grizzlies prepare to face Anthony Edwards […]