NBA Basketball 24-Hour Briefing
×Key Storylines
Deandre Ayton and the Lakers face a pivotal moment as the season enters its stretch run. The question looms whether Ayton will embrace the role the Lakers desperately need him to play.
Game Results
The Pistons pulled off an upset against the Thunder despite missing six key players, including all five of OKC's top scorers. This unexpected result came in what could have been an NBA Finals preview.
League News
Mat Ishbia is offering $1 million to winners of All-Star Weekend events when Phoenix hosts next year, hoping to entice more star players to participate. Meanwhile, the Lakers have added Tony Bennett as an NBA draft adviser to Rob Pelinka.
Player Updates
MVP odds have tightened as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic approach ineligibility for the award. In injury news, James Harden will miss Wednesday's game after suffering a non-displaced thumb fracture.
Off-Court Developments
Banned NBA player Jontay Porter is planning to join the upstart USBL's Super Hawks, marking his return to professional basketball following his lifetime ban and guilty plea in a gambling case.