NBA Basketball 3d Briefing
×Injury Updates & Player Health
Suns guard Devin Booker espn.com will miss at least one week with a right hip strain he suffered against the Spurs. Grizzlies guard Ja Morant espn.com will miss at least two more weeks as he recovers from a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow. Warriors star Stephen Curry espn.com will be re-evaluated again in 10 days for a persistent right knee injury, sidelining him for at least another five games. Kings forward De'Andre Hunter espn.com had surgery Friday to repair a detached retina in his left eye, becoming the third Kings player to undergo season-ending surgery in recent days. Kings stars Domantas Sabonis espn.com and Zach La Vine both underwent season-ending surgeries on Wednesday.
Team News & Transactions
Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg espn.com will sit out the team's first game back from the All-Star break at Minnesota on Friday night because of a left midfoot sprain. Lakers appear to be fully healthy espn.com for the first time in recent memory with Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton all expected to play Friday against the Clippers. Longtime Dodgers executive Lon Rosen espn.com is moving into the Lakers' front office in the latest significant change for the 17-time NBA champion organization. Nuggets are converting two-way Spencer Jones espn.com to a standard NBA contract for the remainder of the season.
Performance Highlights
Pistons' Cade Cunningham espn.com made his MVP case by erupting for 42 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds in a decisive 126-111 win over the Knicks. Warriors' Kristaps Porzingis espn.com, making his Warriors debut in his first game since Jan. 7, opened slow but made an impact in his 17 minutes, scoring 12 points in a 121-110 loss to the Celtics.
League Issues & Policies
Commissioner Adam Silver espn.com informed the league's 30 general managers that the NBA plans to make anti-tanking rule changes for next season. Suns owner Mat Ishbia espn.com sounded off on the issue of tanking in the NBA, calling it a "losing behavior done by losers" and "much worse than any prop bet scandal." There's a clear solution the league should consider espn.com: Counting wins after the All-Star break.
Off-Court Developments
Celtics forward Jaylen Brown espn.com is considering legal action against the city of Beverly Hills after police shut down a private event he was hosting during NBA All-Star Weekend. Hornets point guard La Melo Ball espn.com says he feels "blessed" to be uninjured after being involved in a two-car crash in Charlotte. Two-time NBA champion Pau Gasol espn.com has been chosen by Olympic athletes to represent them on the IOC executive board through the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games.
Upcoming Matchups & Schedules
The defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder espn.com will open the post-break portion of the schedule without injured stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. Trae Young espn.com is getting closer to his Washington Wizards debut, but Anthony Davis still isn't ready for the practice court. The LA Clippers espn.com might look drastically different than the team that came into the season with lofty aspirations, but coach Tyronn Lue made it clear Friday that the organization's goals remain unchanged.
Historical & Record Notes
The jersey worn by Cooper Flagg espn.com in the first half of his NBA debut has been sold for $1 million, a record for a collectible of the Mavericks rookie. One year after a blood clot ended his season espn.com, Victor Wembanyama has the Spurs bound for the playoffs.
MVP Race & Awards
With so many MVP contenders in danger of missing the 65-game threshold espn.com, this race could take a sharp turn. Eric Karabell forecasts espn.com what to expect from notable players such as Tyrese Maxey, Jayson Tatum and more. The best ability is availability espn.com, and while some stars are shut down, here are some who should feature often.
A strong run after the NBA All-Star break espn.com is not rare. Which team could be the next to make a push? The Spurs' 365-day turnaround shows how quickly fortunes can change in the NBA.