NBA Basketball 3d Briefing
×Injury Updates & Player Health
Suns All-Star guard Devin Booker espn.com will miss at least one week with a right hip strain he suffered against the Spurs on Thursday. Booker left espn.com the Suns' loss to the Spurs in the first half because of right hip soreness. Meanwhile, 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. Curry remains out espn.com for the Warriors as they exited the All-Star break against the Celtics.
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. Grizzlies guard Ja Morant espn.com will miss at least two more weeks as he continues his recovery after spraining the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow on Jan. 21. 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.
Team News & Transactions
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 following its sale last year. The Lakers appear to be fully healthy for the first time espn.com in recent memory with Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton all expected to play Friday against the Clippers.
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.
Game Highlights & Performances
Pistons guard 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. 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 & Policy Developments
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, sources told ESPN. 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: counting wins after the All-Star break espn.com.
Off-Court News
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. The Lakers confirmed to ESPN on Saturday that they are planning ticket price increases espn.com for the 2026-27 season.
Playoff Race & MVP Watch
With so many MVP contenders in danger of missing the 65-game threshold, this race could take a sharp turn espn.com. The Spurs espn.com are bound for the playoffs one year after a blood clot ended Victor Wembanyama's season. The 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.