NBA Articles - Page 119

The Memphis Grizzlies will have Ja Morant available against the Milwaukee Bucks, and that news shifted the outlook before tipoff. Cedric Coward has also been cleared, giving the Grizzlies back an important rotation wing, while the Bucks continue to play without Giannis Antetokounmpo, who remains sidelined with a right calf strain. The swing is clear: […]

As NBA analysts continue to react to Denver Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic’s historic 56-point Christmas Day classic, has he surpassed Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the MVP race? Zach Lowe believes so. After Jokic and the Nuggets’ 142-138 overtime thriller against the Minnesota Timberwolves, coupled with the Thunder’s recent string of losses to […]

The Utah Jazz received an early-season reminder of rookie growing pains from guard Ace Bailey, who recently detailed his “welcome to the NBA” moment after being benched by head coach Will Hardy. As the Jazz (10-19) continue to navigate a challenging start to the season, Bailey reflected on an early lesson delivered just minutes into […]

LOS ANGELES – After missing three straight games due to a calf injury, Austin Reaves returned to the Los Angeles Lakers’ lineup on Tuesday during the team’s loss to the Phoenix Suns. On Christmas Day against the Houston Rockets, Reaves was off to a good start, but was unable to return to the game after […]

As the Dallas Mavericks continue to navigate an uneven season, a prominent NBA analyst has cautioned against forcing a major roster move involving Anthony Davis. Following Dallas’ 126–116 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day, Zach Lowe outlined what he described as a “soft tank” approach that would keep the Mavericks intact rather […]

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 […]

A third-straight San Antonio Spurs victory vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder has turned the NBA on its head. When the two teams met on Dec. 13, OKC had just matched the best 25-game start in NBA history. Less than two weeks later, Victor Wembanyama and company have not only beaten the defending champs three times, […]

Cam Thomas is making his long-awaited return to the Brooklyn Nets’ lineup. Jordi Fernandez announced that Thomas, who has been sidelined since Nov. 5 by a left hamstring strain, will play on Saturday vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves. Thomas’ return comes amid a dramatic Brooklyn turnaround in the wake of his absence. The Nets are 9-12 […]

What’s been the secret to the San Antonio Spurs domination of the Oklahoma City Thunder? Victor Wembanyama isn’t telling. “We learned a lot on the tactical side, but I don’t want to say too much about it. I want to keep some for us, but we definitely got some intelligence after playing them so much.” […]

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 […]

Any potential blockbuster trade involving the Golden State Warriors and forward Jonathan Kuminga would likely need to include veteran forward Draymond Green, according to discussion on the latest episode of The Hoop Collective featuring ESPN insiders Tim MacMahon and Brian Windhorst. MacMahon outlined the salary and roster realities facing the Warriors if they were to […]

The Dallas Mavericks dropped to 12-20 on the year after a 126-116 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day. Mavs rookie Cooper Flagg played well, scoring 27 points with a historic stat line on a positive note on Christmas Day. But, injury woes continued as the Mavs saw Anthony Davis leave the game […]

With the Miami Heat looking to get back on track as the team has lost eight of its last nine games, one bright spot has been the recent play of second-year center Kel’el Ware. As Ware had been on an impressive stretch with the Heat, there’s no denying that there was hard coaching along the […]

MIAMI – With the Miami Heat taking on the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night, the team is looking to get back on track after dropping eight of its last nine games. After the Heat’s blowout loss to the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday, one aspect of the team that should see a slight change is the […]

The Dallas Mavericks may have been defeated 126-116 by the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day, but Cooper Flagg turned in another electric performance. The 19-year-old finished the game with 27 points, six rebounds and five assists. With his effort, Flagg became the first rookie to record a 25-5-5 stat-line on Christmas Day since Pete […]

The NBA owns Christmas Day, regardless of what other leagues try to do to assert their dominance on the 25th of December. That was pretty evident on Thursday, as all five Christmas Day games in the NBA delivered compelling storylines and must-see action. This marquee five-game slate Santa Claus gave us started with a two-point […]

As the Los Angeles Lakers continue to search for answers amid mounting defensive issues, a familiar name has resurfaced in league discourse. On the latest episode of The Hoop Collective, ESPN NBA insider Tim MacMahon proposed a bold solution: reuniting the Lakers with Dallas Mavericks star forward Anthony Davis. MacMahon framed the idea as a […]

Update: Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe will play for the Philadelphia 76ers vs. the Chicago Bulls, according to the team. With all eyes on the Philadelphia 76ers’ injury report for the game against the Chicago Bulls, the two main names present are star Joel Embiid and rookie standout VJ Edgecombe. After an injury scare for […]

Update: Bam Adebayo has been ruled out for the Miami Heat’s game against the Atlanta Hawks, according to Marc Stein. The Miami Heat will be facing the Atlanta Hawks, and they have a few players on the injury report coming into the matchup. Tyler Herro has already been ruled out because of his toe, but […]

The Denver Nuggets survived a Christmas Day thriller with the Minnesota Timberwolves, beating them 142-138 in overtime. Despite Denver blowing a fourth-quarter lead, the Nuggets prevailed in OT. In the process, Nikola Jokic broke an overtime record, previously held by Stephen Curry, according to Underdog. Most points scored in an overtime period in NBA history: […]

As Orlando Magic star Jalen Suggs is dealing with a hip contusion after sustaining the injury in the NBA Cup semifinals against the New York Knicks on Dec. 13, he is hoping that a return is coming sooner rather than later. After Suggs’ injury setback with the Magic, his status for Friday’s game against the […]

As the NBA world continues to react to the San Antonio Spurs go 3-0 against the Oklahoma City Thunder in December, ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins is calling out Chet Holmgren. Between All-Star Victor Wembanyama dismissing any comparisons to the Thunder’s 7-footer, and an abysmal performance in a 117-102 loss on Christmas Day, Holmgren has struggled in […]

The Los Angeles Lakers stumbled on Christmas Day, losing 119-96 to the Houston Rockets in front of a packed house at Crypto. Afterward, JJ Redick was not happy and alluded that the team did not seem to care about the contest. Kendrick Perkins disagreed with this take, blaming Redick for his lack of accountability in […]

OKLAHOMA CITY — All-Star Jalen Williams saw a younger version of himself and the Oklahoma City Thunder amid the San Antonio Spurs’ 117-102 win on Christmas Day. After Williams stated the obvious about the Spurs’ All-Star center, Victor Wembanyama, and his defensive presence, he commended San Antonio’s collective offensive approach. The manner in which the […]

The Denver Nuggets defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 142-138 in overtime on Christmas Day. But this was a game Denver could have won in regulation. Coach David Adelman talked about the plan that failed to stop Anthony Edwards from hitting the game-tying 3-pointer that added extra time to this contest, according to Nuggets beat writer Vinny […]

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic put together a Christmas performance for the ages, leading Denver to a 142-138 overtime win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Jokic finished with 56 points, 16 rebounds, and 15 assists, producing the first 55-point, 15-rebound, 15-assist game ever recorded in the league. The 56-point outburst was the third-highest scoring performance in […]

The Dallas Mavericks’ Christmas Day trip to Chase Center ended in a disappointing 126–116 loss to the Golden State Warriors. The loss dropped Dallas to 4–5 all-time on Christmas Day and 12-20 on the season. Loss aside, rookie Cooper Flagg had a night to remember, making history with his stat line of 27 points, six […]

Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic played Santa Claus and gifted everyone with one of the most iconic performances on Christmas Day in league history. Jokic dropped a monster triple-double of 56 points, 16 rebounds, and 15 assists to power the Nuggets past the Minnesota Timberwolves in overtime, 142-138, at Ball Arena. He also had two blocks […]

Tari Eason has carved out a consistent role for the Houston Rockets as one of the spark plugs off the bench. While he is not as heralded as Alperen Sengun, Kevin Durant, and Amen Thompson, Eason has no problem being under the radar. Eason has missed 14 games this season due to an oblique strain […]

Although Anthony Edwards has resisted the idea of becoming the next face of the NBA, he certainly embraces being the face of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Confronting likely defeat during the fourth quarter, the 24-year-old guard took over and boosted his team into overtime. Edwards dropped 11 points in the final 3:01 of the contest, including […]

Are the Los Angeles Lakers in deeper trouble than they seem to be? The Lakers suffered their third consecutive defeat after getting manhandled by the Houston Rockets, 119-96, at Crypto.com Arena on Christmas Day. While it was not exactly a season-altering loss, frustrations seem to be simmering under the surface. After the game, Luka Doncic […]

The Los Angeles Lakers absorbed their third straight loss after bowing to the Houston Rockets, 119-96, at Crypto.com Arena on Christmas Day. The Lakers had a lackluster start and failed to find their groove after halftime, allowing the Rockets to cruise to the easy win. The Lakers fell to 19-10, including 7-5 at home. They […]

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Lakers’ current losing streak hit three games following their 119-96 loss to the Houston Rockets on Christmas Day. For the Lakers, there are plenty of issues to discuss in regards to their poor play as of late. But for head coach JJ Redick, the ultimate reason for the team’s […]

Luka Doncic did not have to look far to find someone to blame after the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Houston Rockets, 119-96, leaving their fans disappointed at Crypto.com Arena on Christmas Day. The Lakers allowed the Rockets to have a strong start, scoring 37 points in the first quarter. The Purple and Gold […]

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 […]

Golden State Warriors All-Star Stephen Curry reached his 26,000-point career milestone in a 126-116 Christmas Day win against the Dallas Mavericks, and did it while wearing Klay Thompson’s signature shoes. Curry spent 13 seasons as one half of the infamous “Splash Brothers” duo, alongside Thompson. The 3-point chucking pair helped lead the Warriors to four […]

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 […]

Over the years, games on Christmas Day have become one of the NBA’s most cherished traditions, as they have evolved into a national stage for the league’s brightest stars and biggest rivalries. It is among the many ways of the NBA to give back to fans, who spend money on tickets or tune in on […]