NBA Editorials Articles - Page 4

The month of December has not been kind to the Atlanta Hawks, as they’ve done a lot of losing over the course of the past few weeks and have fallen to 10th in the Eastern Conference. Even with Trae Young returning from an MCL injury that knocked him out of the rotation for over a […]

With just about five weeks until the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 5, trade rumors around the league are heating up. The hottest rumor surrounds Anthony Davis, Trae Young, and the Atlanta Hawks, as the Dallas Mavericks star has emerged as a prime trade candidate for the Hawks. Despite his injury concerns since arriving in […]

The New Orleans Pelicans may have fallen short against the New York Knicks. However, Zion Williamson’s return to the starting lineup offered a glimpse of hope for a franchise desperately seeking consistency and direction. After a stint coming off the bench, Williamson reclaimed his spot in the starting five, playing extended minutes without restrictions. While […]

For all the defensive progress Zion Williamson’s New Orleans Pelicans believe they are making heading toward 2026, one issue continues to undermine their climb. In the eyes of James Borrego, defensive rebounding is no longer a secondary concern or a situational weakness. It is the defining variable separating a respectable team from a potentially competitive […]

The blueprint for defending Trey Murphy III used to be simple, if daunting. Find the 2021 first-round pick in transition, stick to him in the half-court, and under no circumstances let the 6-foot-8 flamethrower see a clean look from beyond the arc. This season, and particularly with James Borrego at the helm of the upstart […]

Masterful. Brilliant. Sensational. Extraordinary. We could keep rattling off words to describe what Nikola Jokic has achieved this season, but the three letters that stand out after seeing the Denver Nuggets center perform on NBA Christmas Day are MVP.  Since the start of the 2025-26 NBA season, Oklahoma City Thunder guard and reigning league MVP Shai […]

WASHINGTON D.C. — The Washington Wizards are either beginning a long-term shift or experiencing a temporary hot streak, but they’re certainly playing better than they were at the beginning of the season. Part of that is because second-year center Alex Sarr and oft-injured guard Bilal Coulibaly have each started over the last three games, which […]

Cleveland Cavaliers six-time All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell received a lot of love in the first fan returns of 2026 NBA All-Star voting. In the league’s official announcement on Monday afternoon, Mitchell is listed as the fifth-highest vote-getter in the Eastern Conference with 851,155 votes. Behind only Giannis Antetokounmpo, Tyrese Maxey, Jalen Brunson, and Cade Cunningham, […]

Fans should be forgiven for asking if the year is over yet, even though one New Year’s Eve game against the Philadelphia 76ers remains. Beale Street will not see winning basketball in 2025; that much was assured with a second loss to CJ McCollum’s Washington Wizards in eight days. Ja Morant’s second game back (16th […]

Throughout the first two months of the 2025-26 NBA season, nobody has been able to stop the Oklahoma City Thunder. The defending champions steamrolled through their schedule entering December, and it appeared as if the Thunder would remain atop the NBA power rankings the entire year… that is, until they ran into the San Antonio […]

Just when it’s looking like the Minnesota Timberwolves have begun to figure it out, they fall back into old habits. Carrying a four-game winning streak into Christmas made it seem as though the Timberwolves were going to establish themselves as a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference, especially when that streak included a huge win […]

The play was over, a routine fast-break for the Memphis Grizzlies leading to a second-quarter timeout, but the lesson was just beginning. As the rebuilding Washington Wizards grabbed some water, CJ McCollum was already deep in conversation with Alex Sarr, diagramming a read. It was a small moment, invisible to the public for the most […]

A lot of trade talk is generated at the NBA G League Winter Showcase. This year, Coby White emerged as the name that could soon be on the move. The Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Atlanta Hawks have all been linked as potential trade destinations for the Chicago Bulls guard. The Hawks serve […]

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson expressed extreme disappointment after his team suffered a 117-100 loss to the Houston Rockets on Saturday. That final score was generous, as the Cavs trailed by as many as 31 points in the fourth quarter and barely showed a pulse in their follow-up to a promising week of basketball. […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Perfection is usually impossible, but the Washington Wizards were close to perfect in their 138-117 home win over the Toronto Raptors on Friday. That’s partially because third-year guard Bilal Coulibaly had his best game of the season after returning from a sprained ankle on Tuesday. The 21-year-old opened up post-game about how […]

The Cleveland Cavaliers have not nearly been as good this season as they were the previous campaign. In fact, the decline has been steep. Following the Cavs’ disappointing 126-124 Christmas Day defeat to the New York Knicks, Cleveland is now the owner of a disappointing 17-15 record. For reference, the Cavs lost all of 18 […]

Everyone needs an occasional confidence boost from time to time. Whether from a friend or a professional peer in a high-wire field, just hearing the support of others can help a player. GG Jackson knows this all too well after years with the consistently inconsistent Memphis Grizzlies and some recent trade rumor news. So does […]

Before their Christmas Day battle with the Houston Rockets, JJ Redick made it clear that his Los Angeles Lakers needed to give more effort and that the “shortcuts” some players have been taking defensively are unacceptable. The lack of effort and intensity Redick saw from his group in a 132-108 loss to the Phoenix Suns […]

The banged-up Memphis Grizzlies reached Christmas Week still searching for traction, their recent stretch a study in uneven execution, fluctuating availability, and narrow margins. Those same trends have defined much of the season’s news. Sure, there have been some unexpected road victories. Too many frustrating setbacks are highlighted in the ongoing defensive lapses and challenges […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma City Thunder met its number one contender and biggest threat to repeating as NBA champions in the San Antonio Spurs. After winning six of eight games without All-Star Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs beat the Thunder not once, not twice, but three times in December, including a 20-point blowout two days […]

The Orlando Magic made it clear this past offseason that they were looking forward to taking the next step in their road to contention. They traded away a king’s ransom of future draft picks to bring in Desmond Bane, hoping that he’ll be the shooter the team has sorely needed amid their struggles on the […]

The Atlanta Hawks are nowhere near where they envisioned they would be heading into the 2025-26 campaign. This past offseason, they were very aggressive, bringing in Kristaps Porzingis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker via trade and free agency, respectively, to try and make the leap in the wide-open Eastern Conference. But instead of taking the leap, they’ve […]

Few stories capture the essence of perseverance quite like that of an overlooked rookie rising to the occasion. Thankfully for the rebuilding Washington Wizards, December numbers offer a snapshot of a young player beginning to turn promise into production. The 21st overall pick has been turning heads, averaging 8.5 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and […]

NEW YORK– The New York Knicks did not play a particularly crisp brand of basketball during their Christmas Day matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers, but the energy of certain key role players was enough to help them gut out a 126-124 victory. In particular, Jordan Clarkson, Tyler Kolek, and Mitchell Robinson were integral parts of […]

NBA on Christmas Day games are among the most important in basketball. The league pairs up the best teams in the biggest rivalries, and teams usually deliver with iconic performances. All of these teams playing on Dec. 25, 2025, are primed to contend for the NBA Finals, and Christmas Day games could preview that. However, […]

SAN FRANCISCO, CA– Steve Kerr and Draymond Green have always been able to move forward whenever their emotions boiled over and regrettable words were exchanged. The proof of that is etched in the four championships they’ve won together. It’s etched in the hundreds of wins they’ve earned together, it’s etched in the love they’ve each […]

There is no better time than the holiday season in the NBA. Aside from the new year beginning and a great slate of games on Christmas Day, featuring plenty of championship hopefuls, the NBA trade season has begun. So many big names have heard their names rumored on the trade block since the start of […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Washington Wizards wing Cam Whitmore hasn’t played since his team’s 146-101 loss to the Boston Celtics on Dec. 4, and it’s unclear when he will return. The 21-year-old has been diagnosed with a blood clot named “deep vein thrombosis” in his right shoulder, via ESPN’s Shams Charania. “Washington Wizards forward Cam Whitmore […]

The end of December is not only a time to celebrate all of your achievements over the last year and the holidays with friends and family, but it’s also for trade talks and intel spreading across the NBA. With the holiday season upon us, there is no better time to unwrap the latest trade intel […]

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 […]