NBA Basketball 3d Briefing
×Injury Report
Dillon Brooks espn.com suffered a broken left hand in the Suns' loss to Orlando and is facing an extended absence. The Suns' injury crisis deepened as Devin Booker espn.com is out at least a week with a right hip strain, an issue that first flared up in the previous game against San Antonio espn.com. In Chicago, Jaden Ivey espn.com will miss at least two weeks due to soreness in his left knee. The Sacramento Kings lost another key player for the season as De'Andre Hunter espn.com underwent surgery to repair a detached retina. Oklahoma City will remain without stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander espn.com and Jalen Williams to start the post-break schedule. Dallas rookie Cooper Flagg espn.com is out Friday with a left midfoot sprain, while Golden State's Stephen Curry espn.com will miss at least five more games with a persistent knee injury after a clean MRI.
Game Highlights
Jalen Green espn.com rescued the Phoenix Suns with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer in double overtime, securing a 113-110 win over the Magic. In Detroit, Cade Cunningham espn.com delivered a dominant performance with 42 points, 13 assists, and eight rebounds to lead the Pistons past the Knicks. Kristaps Porzingis espn.com provided a valuable spark in his Warriors debut after a long absence, scoring 12 points in 17 minutes. One year after a blood clot diagnosis ended his season, Victor Wembanyama espn.com has the Spurs firmly in the playoff hunt.
Team News & Moves
The Los Angeles Lakers espn.com expect a fully healthy roster for Friday's game against the Clippers, with Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and Deandre Ayton all cleared to play. The organization also made a significant front-office addition, hiring longtime Dodgers executive Lon Rosen espn.com. Meanwhile, the Lakers are planning major ticket price hikes espn.com for the 2026-27 season. The LA Clippers' coach Tyronn Lue espn.com emphasized the team's commitment to winning despite a different roster than expected. Atlanta's Trae Young espn.com is nearing his Washington Wizards debut, while New Orleans' Anthony Davis remains in a holding pattern.
League Issues & Power Rankings
Suns owner Mat Ishbia espn.com launched a strong critique of tanking, calling it "losing behavior done by losers." His comments follow the NBA's plan to enact anti-tanking rules espn.com next season, as reported by sources. The league's MVP straw poll espn.com shows Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic leading, but the race is chaotic due to the 65-game threshold. One proposal to fix tanking suggests counting wins espn.com after the All-Star break. A separate analysis identified players most likely to play frequently down the stretch and forecasted Tyrese Maxey espn.com as a potential top scorer.
Off-Court & Olympic News
Pau Gasol espn.com was chosen by Olympic athletes to represent them on the IOC executive board through the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Jaylen Brown espn.com is considering legal action against Beverly Hills after police shut down a private event he hosted during All-Star Weekend. La Melo Ball espn.com described himself as "blessed" to be uninjured after a two-car crash in Charlotte. The jersey from Cooper Flagg's espn.com Mavericks debut sold for $1 million, a franchise record for a rookie collectible.