NBA Basketball 3d Briefing
×Player Moves & Injuries
Payton Sandfort espn.com signed a two-way contract with the Thunder after being waived by Iowa. Joel Embiid espn.com will miss at least three games with a strained right oblique. Zach Edey espn.com is set for another ankle surgery with his return undetermined. Norman Powell espn.com suffered a Grade 1 groin strain and will miss at least a week. Lauri Markkanen espn.com will be reevaluated in two weeks after a hip injury. Cole Anthony espn.com was waived by the Suns just three weeks after being acquired at the trade deadline.
Team Performance & Standings
The Cavaliers have surged to the NBA's best record after adding James Harden espn.com. The Knicks espn.com ended the Spurs' winning streak with dominant defense holding them to 89 points. The Celtics espn.com posted one of the league's best offensive performances in history against the Nets. The Lakers espn.com secured a win during LeBron James' father-daughter road trip with Zhuri. The Pelicans espn.com saw Zion Williamson tweak his ankle in a victory over the Jazz.
Notable Returns & Debuts
James Harden espn.com made his successful return for the Cavaliers despite a broken thumb in his non-shooting hand. Kon Knueppel espn.com broke the NBA rookie record for 3-pointers in just 59 games. Mason Plumlee espn.com signed with the Spurs for the remainder of the season. Gui Santos espn.com received a three-year, $15 million contract extension from the Warriors.
Health Updates & Setbacks
Stephen Curry espn.com will sit out at least five more games due to persistent right knee issues. Kristaps Porzingis espn.com missed his fourth straight game with general illness. Donovan Mitchell espn.com and James Harden both sat out their second straight game for the Cavaliers. Zion Williamson left the game after tweaking his ankle in the second quarter.
Controversies & Highlights
Nikola Jokic espn.com angrily confronted Lu Dort after the Thunder guard was ejected for a flagrant foul 2 that appeared to trip the Nuggets star. A blaring horn caused an 18-minute delay during the Pistons-Cavaliers game after a power surge affected the scoreboard. Erik Spoelstra espn.com called the possibility of Kevin Durant playing in the 2028 Olympics "incredible" if Durant still wants to compete.
Leap Year Birthday
Tyrese Haliburton espn.com shared his appreciation for birthday wishes, noting that being born on leap year is "just as good" when it's not technically his birthday. The Pacers star has spoken about his unique birthday situation multiple times throughout his career.