NBA Basketball 3d Briefing
×Key Injuries Shake NBA Landscape
Suns guard Dillon Brooks espn.com suffered a broken left hand in Saturday's game against Orlando and is expected to miss an extended period, dealing a significant blow to Phoenix's rotation. The injury compounds the Suns' challenges as All-Star guard Devin Booker espn.com will also miss at least one week with a right hip strain he suffered against the Spurs on Thursday. Booker espn.com was already ruled out in the first half against the Spurs because of right hip soreness, highlighting the team's mounting injury concerns.
Chicago Bulls guard Jaden Ivey espn.com will be sidelined for at least two weeks due to soreness in his left knee, while 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. The injury bug has also hit Sacramento, where De'Andre Hunter espn.com underwent surgery Friday to repair a detached retina in his left eye, becoming the third Kings player to undergo season-ending surgery in recent days.
MVP Race Heats Up
With so many MVP contenders in danger of missing the 65-game threshold, the race could take a sharp turn, according to our latest NBA MVP straw poll update espn.com. Pistons star 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. Meanwhile, 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.
Team Updates and Transactions
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 that the organization's goals remain unchanged. The Lakers espn.com confirmed plans for major price hikes for the 2026-27 season, while 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.
Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg espn.com will sit out the team's first game back from the All-Star break at Minnesota because of a left midfoot sprain. 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. Trae Young espn.com is getting closer to his Washington Wizards debut, but Anthony Davis still isn't ready for the practice court.
League News and 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. 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." One proposal to fix the tanking problem suggests counting wins after the All-Star break.
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. 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.
Notable Performances and Debuts
Kristaps Porzingis espn.com made his Warriors debut in his first game since January 7, opening slow but making an impact in his 17 minutes, scoring 12 points in a 121-110 loss to the Celtics. Jalen Green espn.com hit a 3-pointer from the right corner at the buzzer to give the Phoenix Suns a 113-110 double-overtime victory over the Orlando Magic on Saturday.
Cooper Flagg's espn.com Mavericks debut jersey has been sold for $1 million, a record for a collectible of the Mavericks rookie. The Lakers espn.com appear to be fully healthy for the first time in recent memory with Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton all expected to play Friday against the Clippers.
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. Victor Wembanyama espn.com has the Spurs bound for the playoffs one year after a blood clot ended his season, marking a remarkable 365-day turnaround for San Antonio.