NBA Basketball 3d Briefing
×Injury Updates
Kristaps Porzingis espn.com says he feels healthy after recovering from illness and is ready to play consistently again for the Warriors, just his second game back. Meanwhile, Jamal Murray espn.com left with an ankle injury against the Knicks and is scheduled for testing on Saturday. Nikola Vucevic espn.com underwent surgery to repair a fractured ring finger on his right hand and will be reevaluated in three to four weeks. The Lakers will be without LeBron James espn.com and two big men in Deandre Ayton and Maxi Kleber against the Pacers due to elbow and knee injuries respectively. Ja Morant espn.com will miss at least two more weeks as he recovers from a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow.
Game Highlights
Victor Wembanyama espn.com had "zero left" physically but was all smiles after the Spurs overcame a 25-point deficit to stun the Clippers 116-112. In his Wizards debut, Trae Young espn.com proved to be the type of player the team hasn't had since John Wall, thrilling the D.C. crowd with 12 points. Cooper Flagg espn.com returned to the Mavericks' lineup after missing eight games with a left midfoot sprain and had 18 points and six assists in a 115-114 loss to the Orlando Magic. Ausar Thompson espn.com left Thursday's loss to the Spurs in the first quarter with a sprained right ankle and did not return.
Return to Action
Jayson Tatum espn.com is making his return to Boston after a devastating Achilles injury, which could shift the NBA's balance of power with just weeks left in the season. The Warriors pulled off an overtime win in Houston espn.com with Stephen Curry sending encouraging text messages to Draymond Green despite being absent from the game.
League News
A federal judge ruled against Malik Beasley espn.com, issuing a $1 million civil judgment in a contract dispute with his former agency. The NBA is considering a hypothetical All-Contract Team espn.com with only the best contracts in the league, no max or rookie deals allowed, and whether such a roster could reach the playoffs. For the future, nine big questions remain for top freshmen in the 2026 NBA draft espn.com including Cameron Boozer and Darryn Peterson.