Bulldogs

DENVER (AP) &mdash; Nikola Jokic rode atop a firetruck with people who mean&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/lionelbienvenu/status/1669395480961495040" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the world to him</a>&nbsp;&mdash; his teammate Jamal Murray, his family &mdash; and the NBA trophy.
Jokic and the Denver Nuggets soaked in the moment and were soaked, too, by champagne spray on Thursday during a parade through downtown Denver to celebrate their first NBA title.
His young daughter, Ognjena, stole the show as she sat in front of him on the firetruck, at times wearing Jokic&rsquo;s championship hat. Jokic turned in some big assists, too, shielding her from champagne showers.
This celebration has been a long time in the making and swarms of fans showed up. It took 47 seasons&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-finals-aba-nuggets-9294860355b4db51adfb86ec3bce674e">in the NBA</a>&nbsp;for the franchise&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/DenverChannel/status/1669401885998997506" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">to finally make</a>&nbsp;Denver the home of the Larry O&rsquo;Brien Trophy.
And to think, Jokic was more concerned about when he could return home to Sombor, Serbia, than attending the parade. The player known as &ldquo;Joker&rdquo; changed his tune following the festivities.
&ldquo;This is amazing,&rdquo; Jokic said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re all going to remember this our whole lives.&rdquo;
Near the end of the parade route, an officer was struck by a firetruck and suffered a serious leg injury,&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/DenverPolice/status/1669443565330595845" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Denver Chief of Police Ron Thomas said</a>&nbsp;at a news conference. The officer was in serious and stable condition. Later in the day and after the parade, a shooting took place in the downtown area that injured two people. Thomas said the police didn&rsquo;t believe the incident was associated with the celebration. It follows&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-shooting-nuggets-suspect-ee4869abf1afee855565f1c517bfae1f">a mass shooting in downtown</a>&nbsp;Denver after the Nuggets clinched the title Monday night. The shooting was likely sparked by a drug deal gone wrong, according to police.
The Nuggets capped off an impressive postseason by beating the Miami Heat in the Finals in Game 5. The Nuggets finished 16-4 in the playoffs, which was tied for the second-best mark by an NBA champion since the first round was expanded to best-of-seven in 2003. San Antonio also was 16-4 in 2007, and Golden State went 16-1 in 2017.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s hitting me right now,&rdquo; said coach Michael Malone, who was choking up as he was interviewed shortly after climbing off his firetruck for the parade. &ldquo;This is an amazing experience.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve got a crazy idea,&rdquo; added Malone, who was wearing a shirt that read &ldquo;Put this in your pipe and smoke it&rdquo; with a picture of the NBA trophy under it. &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s do this again. I want to be on another float. I want to be at another parade and do this thing again.&rdquo;
This title and this parade is a tip of the cap to the team&rsquo;s ABA roots. It&rsquo;s also a tribute to all the players who ever wore the Nuggets&rsquo; iconic rainbow uniforms or any other version of the jersey.
There were so many scenes to absorb. There was rookie Christian Braun tossing his shirt into the crowd. Veteran DeAndre Jordan mingling with the fans, giving them high-fives. Murray signing a painting of himself. And Kentavious Caldwell-Pope playing the role of TV broadcaster when he interviewed teammate Aaron Gordon.
&ldquo;KCP, reporting live,&rdquo; he said, turning to Gordon on the Denver 7 broadcast. &ldquo;How does it feel to be a champion?&rdquo;
&ldquo;You would know, champ,&rdquo; Gordon responded to Caldwell-Pope.
Caldwell-Pope was the lone Nuggets player to have earned a championship, courtesy of his title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.
That is, until now.
&ldquo;We really did this,&rdquo; said Murray, who returned to elite form this season after missing all of 2021-22 as he recovered from a torn ACL. &ldquo;We champs for life &mdash; champions for life.&rdquo;
Twenty miles away from the party downtown, the Broncos wrapped up their offseason program Thursday in relative isolation. Veteran safety Kareem Jackson said the Nuggets&rsquo; championship inspires them.
&ldquo;Yeah, definitely seeing another team in the same city win it all, and those guys had a great year. It&rsquo;s definitely encouraging for us. We definitely want to do the same thing,&rdquo; Jackson said.
Jokic is coming off an historic playoff performance, where he became the first player to lead the league in total points (600), rebounds (269) and assists (190) in a single postseason. The two-time NBA MVP added more hardware to his resume, too, capturing the Finals MVP.
He had that trophy next to him, too. Jokic momentarily&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1669171648136724482" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">misplaced it Monday night in the chaos of winning</a>&nbsp;a title.
Jokic was called up to the microphone to speak and serenaded with thunderous chants of &ldquo;MVP,&rdquo; &ldquo;MVP&rdquo; from the crowd.
&ldquo;Ok, ok, ok, ok,&rdquo; he said to quiet them down. &ldquo;Thank you. Thank you, though.&rdquo;
With the season now officially closed, Jokic will soon head home to spend time with his family and return to his other passion &mdash; horse racing. He&rsquo;s hoping to make it back in time to attend a harness race on Sunday.
This is the second straight June the city has held a parade. The Colorado Avalanche were the guests of honor last year after hoisting the Stanley Cup.

The Nuggets celebrated their first NBA championship on Thursday with a parade through downtown Denver.

Nuggets celebrate NBA title with parade through downtown Denver

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) &mdash; Klay Thompson scored 33 of his 38 points in the first half, Stephen Curry added 23 points, seven rebounds and five assists, and the Golden State Warriors beat the Phoenix Suns 123-112 on Monday night.
Jordan Poole had 20 points and six assists off the bench for the defending champions.
Kevon Looney helped the Warriors win their eighth straight home game and 12th of 13 with nine points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Golden State is 29-7 at home but 7-26 on the road.
Devin Booker scored 32 points and Deandre Ayton had 27 points and 12 rebounds for the Suns, who roared back after halftime to make it interesting.
Josh Okogie&rsquo;s 3 with 4:59 left in the third pulled Phoenix within 85-81 and his putback a minute later made it 87-84 before Curry and Co. came on again.

Klay Thompson scored 38 points, Stephen Curry added 23 points, and the Warriors defeated the Suns 123-112 on Monday night.

Klay Thompson, Steph Curry lead Warriors past Suns 123-112

PHOENIX (AP) &mdash; Paul George and Terance Mann each scored 26 points and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Phoenix Suns 116-107 on Thursday night in the final NBA game before the All-Star break.
Kawhi Leonard added 16 points, all in the second half, and nine rebounds. Ivica Zubac and Eric Gordon each scored 13 points and Zubac had 12 rebounds.
The Clippers go into the break with wins in their last two games as they adjust to a new lineup rotation. Recent acquisitions Gordon, Bones Hyland and Mason Plumlee all played important roles in the victory. They combined for 30 points and 10 rebounds and were a collective 11 for 11 from the foul line.
&ldquo;The new guys came in and just plugged right in as if we started the season,&rdquo; George said. &ldquo;We played great team basketball. We shared it and got stops as we needed to.
&ldquo;We got everything we need. We just have to bring that all together and find an identity that can carry us.&rdquo;
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Leonard missed all eight of his shots in the first half but was 5 of 10 after that and made all six of his free-throw tries.
&ldquo;I just made shots,&rdquo; Leonard said abut the difference. &ldquo;You just gotta keep pushing.&rdquo;
The Suns missed nine of their first 10 3-point attempts, with only Josh Okogie warming up later in the game. Okogie led Phoenix with 24 points. He was 6 of 12 from behind the arc, but the rest of the Suns made five combined.
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&ldquo;It feels good without having to look over your shoulder when you mess up,&rdquo; said Okogie, whose recent performances have put him in the running to join Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Deandre Ayton in Phoenix&rsquo;s starting lineup when Durant returns from a knee injury.
&ldquo;Coach (Monty Williams) told me, &lsquo;I don&rsquo;t care if you miss eight in a row. I won&rsquo;t take you out for missing but I will take you out for not shooting.&rsquo;&rdquo;
Booker had 19 points and nine assists for Phoenix. Ayton scored 18 points and newcomer Terrance Ross had 16 points. Booker was 1 of 6 from 3-point range, but tied Steve Nash&rsquo;s franchise record with 1,051 3s.
Paul had 11 assists, two nights after having a season-high 19 against Sacramento.
The Clippers have scored 100 or more points in 20 of their last 21 games.
The loss was the Suns&rsquo; first against a Pacific Division opponent in 10 games, and the Clippers moved ahead of Phoenix into second place going into the All-Star break.
TURNOVER
The Suns won the first two meetings between the teams, both in Los Angeles, but the squads have undergone major changes since then.
The Clippers&rsquo; new threesome made their presence known Thursday night, while the Suns expect Kevin Durant to play soon. He was acquired with T.J. Warren from Brooklyn for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and Jae Crowder plus four first-round picks.
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said the Suns&rsquo; trio of Durant, Booker and Paul reminds him of going against Durant, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson when Lue was coaching Cleveland in the NBA Finals.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t want to think about it,&rdquo; Lue said about the Suns adding Durant to their rotation. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a tough coverage, tough matchup. I&rsquo;m interested to see how they play, how they share the basketball. But on paper it looks really good.&rdquo;
NEW GUY
Ross joined the Suns for the game and made a quick impact, scoring a team-high seven points in the first quarter. Ross, a 6-foot-6 guard/small forward, was waived by Orlando as his contract was expiring after this season.
Ross, in his 11th NBA season, was averaging eight points in 22 minutes per game for the Magic.
TRAINER&rsquo;S ROOM
Los Angeles played without Norman Powell, who was resting his ailing right knee. &ldquo;No bigger concerns,&rdquo; Lue said of Powell resting the Clippers&rsquo; last game before the All-Star break. Phoenix remains without Durant (knee), Landry Shamet (foot) and Cameron Payne (foot).
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Paul George and Terance Mann each scored 26 points and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Phoenix Suns 116-107.

All-Star George, Mann lead Clippers past Suns 116-107

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Deandre Ayton matched his career high with 35 points, Devin Booker scored 19 in his first game since Christmas and the Phoenix Suns held off Cam Thomas and the Brooklyn Nets 116-112 on Tuesday night.
The 21-year-old Thomas led a late charge and finished with 43 points, becoming the youngest player in NBA history with three straight 40-point games. He had 44 and a career-high 47 points in his previous two games.
Mikal Bridges had 17 of his 21 points in the second half and played a key role in the defensive effort that cooled off Thomas just long enough for the Suns to build a 12-point lead with 2:25 remaining.
Booker missed the previous 21 games with a strained left groin. but had a strong stretch after the Suns led by just three midway through the fourth quarter. He scored six points and set up Ayton for another basket during a 13-4 run that pushed it to 109-97 with 2:25 to go.
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Thomas rallied the Nets mostly from the free-throw line, and his intentional miss with 4.1 seconds remaining left the Suns with a 114-112 lead. He then fouled Ayton, who finished it off with two free throws after going 14 for 18 from the field and grabbing 15 rebounds.
Nic Claxton and T.J. Warren had 17 points each for the Nets, who lost on back-to-back nights after trading Kyrie Irving and fell to 5-9 without the injured Kevin Durant. They opted not to play Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith, the players they acquired from Dallas in the trade for Irving.
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TIP-INS
Suns: Chris Paul surpassed 2,500 steals, a mark reached by only John Stockton, Jason Kidd and Michael Jordan. He had nine points and 12 assists.
Nets: Brooklyn was also without Seth Curry (left adductor strain) and Yuta Watanabe (back tightness). ... Coach Jacque Vaughn said Durant continues to progress well in his recovery but still hasn&rsquo;t been involved in the any portions of practice where there is contact. Vaughn said he didn&rsquo;t know when Durant would take that step, and he won&rsquo;t play before he does. The Nets only have four games remaining before the All-Star break.
DINWIDDIE AND DORIAN
Dinwiddie spent five seasons with the Nets and recalled when he signed a multiyear deal in December 2016 after coming into the league as a second-round pick who battled to prove he was more than a G League player.
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&ldquo;My career&rsquo;s been hard, and that right there kind of solidified knowing, like, my family&rsquo;s going to be fine,&rdquo; Dinwiddie said.
He said there was nostalgia being back in Brooklyn, where he averaged a career-best 20.6 points in 2019-20, and praised Finney-Smith&rsquo;s ability to be an important contributor to the team.
&ldquo;Understanding that we may not be the best trade package, but we are the best-looking and the Nets needed some help in that department,&rdquo; he joked.
ANOTHER TRADE
The Nets dealt forward Kessler Edwards to Sacramento for the rights to 2016 second-round pick David Michineau and cash. Edwards began last season on a two-way deal before playing well enough to earn a standard NBA contract, but had appeared in just 14 games this season.
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Deandre Ayton scored 35 points, Devin Booker added 19 in his return and the Phoenix Suns beat the Brooklyn Nets 116-112.

Ayton has 35, Suns hold off Thomas, Nets in Booker’s return

Only 18 times in NBA history has a player averaged 20-plus points, 10-plus assists and 5-plus rebounds per game across an entire season. James Harden and Nikola Jokic are on pace to join the list this year.
Three NBA players &mdash; Russell Westbrook, Oscar Robertson and Isiah Thomas &mdash; have put up at least 20 points and 10 assists per game over four or more separate seasons in their career. Harden is on pace to be the fourth.
Harden missing out on his 11th NBA All-Star appearance is simply a travesty. Maybe it's because the scoring volume is down, or because he's no longer the top bucket-getting option on his team. Whatever the case may be, he deserves applause for the way he has adapted with age and in a new role to help Philadelphia reinvent its path to contention.&nbsp;
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6 threes for <a href="https://twitter.com/JHarden13?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JHarden13</a> and call it a SZN HIGH! <a href="https://t.co/OZF4WCWR1i">pic.twitter.com/OZF4WCWR1i</a>
&mdash; Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) <a href="https://twitter.com/sixers/status/1620969675780935684?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2023</a>
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Harden is currently posting 21.0 points, 10.9 assists and 6.4 rebounds per contest. His mark of 14.9 field goal attempts per game is the lowest since his days on the Oklahoma City Thunder, but his overall efficiency is on par with his prime years in Houston &mdash; albeit in different forms. And with a dominant scorer in Joel Embiid by his side, Harden has reached new heights as a table-setter.
At 33 years old, Harden doesn't attack the basket with the same ferocity as his peak years. Only 24% of his shot attempts are coming at the rim (career-low), per Cleaning the Glass, and he's driving the basketball 13.3 times per game (lowest since 2013-14), according to Second Spectrum. They're still high numbers for most NBA players, but low by Harden's standards. His straight-line speed, probably still underrated in his heyday, has been sapped a great deal.
That's okay. Harden has been&nbsp;relatively&nbsp;confined to the perimeter, and he's made it work with a 38.8% three-point clip, his best since 2011-12. One key reason for the jump: Harden is canning a red-hot 47.7% of his attempts off the catch, which make up over one-eighth (12.7%) of his total shot diet, according to PBP Stats. That's the largest share of catch-and-shoot treys he's logged since 2016-17 and almost double last year's frequency.&nbsp;
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James Harden&rsquo;s reaction to making three catch-and-shoot 3s was pretty funny. And then, more serious: &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been working on it, so that&rsquo;s pretty exciting. You don&rsquo;t do too much, just catch-and-shoot it. You put the work in, I work on it every day.&rdquo; <a href="https://t.co/bH9p2iGTNX">pic.twitter.com/bH9p2iGTNX</a>
&mdash; Rich Hofmann (@rich_hofmann) <a href="https://twitter.com/rich_hofmann/status/1620982628995448832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2023</a>
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This isn't to say Harden has completely disavowed his iso-ball ways. According to Synergy, he takes the third-most isolation possessions per game (6.2) in the NBA. But those possessions are less taxing because he has a co-superstar beside him; Embiid actually logs a slightly higher isolation volume (6.3). And Harden doesn't have to will himself to the basket at his age &mdash; Embiid is also collapsing defenses.
The Harden-to-Embiid assist combination is the most popular connection in the league this season. The Beard has hit up The Process 150 times, per PBP Stats, including 71 Embiid buckets at the rim. Their 40-assist lead on the second-most prominent combo of Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield (110) is as large as that duo's edge between it and the 31st-ranked coupling (a tie between Jalen Brunson and RJ Barrett, Killian Hayes and Bojan Bogdanovic, and Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton).&nbsp;
Meanwhile, though much less often, Embiid is the most frequent passer when Harden picks up an assisted bucket. They've teamed up 19 times this season, including 11 Harden makes from beyond the arc.
The Embiid-Harden pick-and-roll has boosted their ascension to perhaps the most dynamic two-man action tandem in the league. But Harden's comfort in Philly is also boosting the supporting cast &mdash; most exemplified in Tobias Harris.&nbsp;
Harris, now 30 years old, has quietly settled into an efficient complementary role while Harden, Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Shake Milton initiate most offensive possessions. He's shooting a career-best 58% from two-point range. Harris' at-rim frequency (34%), field goal percentage (69%) and assisted-make rate (62%) are all the highest of his four-plus seasons with the Sixers, according to Cleaning the Glass.
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Less than a minute into the second half, James Harden records his 71st career triple-double with this dime to Tobias Harris 🔥<a href="https://t.co/uC4MpbmmYv">pic.twitter.com/uC4MpbmmYv</a> <a href="https://t.co/VEgsAzQYG2">https://t.co/VEgsAzQYG2</a>
&mdash; ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPointsApp/status/1612200618436730880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2023</a></blockquote>

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The scoring opportunities get easier with Harden on the floor. The former MVP sends 18.1% of his passes to Harris, who in turn makes 59.2% of his ensuing twos and 37.7% of his threes. Harris has typically averaged 8-10 drives per game over the course of his prime years vs. his 6.7 drives this season. The creation burden has been lessened and the efficiency has increased.
It helps that the Sixers added De'Anthony Melton to space the floor and act as a secondary ball-handler, and Maxey certainly gives them another sharp driving punch. But Harden has made everyone, including Harris and Embiid, better since finding his comfort level on the team.
Harden's average of 92.7 touches per game ranks third in the NBA and is still on par with his typical touch rate throughout his career. He's still the ignition for Philly's ninth-ranked offense and a matchup nightmare when he's on the floor, even if the picture looks a little different.&nbsp;
Whether it's the lack of All-Star recognition or the general lack of buzz, Harden's superstardom has taken a back seat in the national consciousness. Don't make that same mistake.
THE OUTLIERS (a.k.a. other random interesting numbers I found in the void):
<ul>
<li>A cool blocked shot locations graphic from Edoardo Vergani. Look at Bol Bol!</li>
</ul>
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NBA: Blocked shot location of the 12 players with most blocks during this season! What pops out? Let me know! <a href="https://t.co/shFXLWFonW">pic.twitter.com/shFXLWFonW</a>
&mdash; Edoardo Vergani (@ed_vergani) <a href="https://twitter.com/ed_vergani/status/1621863738931400705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2023</a></blockquote>

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<ul>
<li>Brandon Miller is such a fascinating NBA Draft prospect:</li>
</ul>
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Brandon Miller is putting up unprecedented versatility and efficiency in his jumpshot diet for a college big wing. Here's how he compares to some other 6'7+ shooters - Jabari Smith, Keegan Murray, Saddiq Bey, Brandon Ingram, and Khris Middleton. <a href="https://t.co/DUNsKNXfb4">pic.twitter.com/DUNsKNXfb4</a>
&mdash; Mark (@MarkC_NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkC_NBA/status/1621229412091039744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2023</a></blockquote>

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<ul>
<li>The Pacers are an absolutely chaotic basketball team, as shown in this table from Tom Bassine:</li>
</ul>
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Net rating in each quarter. Best by Q: 1 - Nuggets 2 - Pacers 3 - Thunder 4 - Cavs <a href="https://t.co/0dKf9ChDbI">pic.twitter.com/0dKf9ChDbI</a>
&mdash; Tom Bassine (@tvbassine) <a href="https://twitter.com/tvbassine/status/1622230703017525249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2023</a></blockquote>

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James Harden is on pace to be the third player to average 20 points and 10 assists in five seasons. Ethan Fuller praises his play.

NBA Stats Notebook: Giving James Harden the flowers he deserves

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) &mdash; Grant Sherfield scored a season-high 30 points, and Oklahoma beat No. 2 Alabama 93-69 on Saturday in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge to end the Crimson Tide&rsquo;s nine-win streak.
Jalen Hill added a career-high 26 points, helping second-year Oklahoma coach Porter Moser to his biggest win with the program. Tanner Groves had 14 points and 12 rebounds.
The Sooners (12-9) had lost three straight, but against the Crimson Tide shot 58% from the field.
Rylan Griffen led Alabama (18-3) with 15 points and seven rebounds. Freshman Brandon Miller, who came in averaging 19.5 points per game, finished with 11.
NO. 3 HOUSTON 75, CINCINNATI 69
HOUSTON (AP) &mdash; Jarace Walker had a career-high 25 points and seven rebounds, and Houston rallied from an 11-point second-half deficit to defeat Cincinnati.
Walker, who scored 13 points in the second half, was 10 of 14 from the field. J&rsquo;Wan Roberts added 14 points and six rebounds, and Jamal Shead scored 13 points for Houston (20-2, 8-1 American Athletic Conference).
Houston has won at least 20 games in eight straight seasons under coach Kelvin Sampson.
Landers Nolley II had 24 points, including 6 3-pointers. Vicktor Lakhin added 15 points, and David DeJulius had 14 points and nine assists for Cincinnati (14-8, 5-4).&nbsp;
NO. 4 TENNESSEE 82, NO. 10 TEXAS 71
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Olivier Nkamhoua scored 27 points and Zakai Zeigler had 22 points and 10 assists to lead Tennessee over Texas in an SEC/Big 12 Challenge.
Josiah-Jordan James added 14 and Santiago Vescovi had 12 for Tennessee (18-3), which led by as many as 22 midway through the second half.
Sir&rsquo;Jabari Rice scored 21 to lead Texas (17-4). Marcus Carr and Brock Cunningham finished with 11 each.
NO. 5 KANSAS STATE 64, FLORIDA 50
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) &mdash; Keyontae Johnson had 13 points and 11 rebounds against his former team, Markquis Nowell flirted with the first triple-double in Kanas State history, and the Wildcats beat Florida in an SEC/Big 12 Challenge.
Nowell finished with 13 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, and Nae&rsquo;Qwan Tomlin also had 11 points. The Wildcats improved to 18-3 to match the 1972-73 team for the best start through 21 games in school history.
Johnson struggled from the field, going just 5 of 16 and even getting stuffed by the front of the rim during a windmill dunk on a second-half fast break. But it was nevertheless a special night for the senior forward, who collapsed on the Gators&rsquo; sideline due to a heart condition during a game against Florida State just over two years ago.
Colin Castleton scored 13 points for the Gators (12-9). Myreon Jones and Will Richard had 11 apiece.
NO. 6 ARIZONA 95, WASHINGTON 72
SEATTLE (AP) &mdash; Azuolas Tubelis had 25 points and 10 rebounds, Oumar Ballo added 21 points and 12 rebounds, and Arizona used a big second-half run to pull away to win its fourth straight.
Tubelis topped 20 points for the first time in five games and his rebound putback while being fouled with 4:29 remaining gave the Wildcats a 78-63 lead and sent Washington fans headed for the exits.
Kerr Kriisa added 18 points, hitting six 3-pointers, and Courtney Ramey scored 14 for the Wildcats (19-3, 8-3 Pac-12).
Keion Brooks Jr. led Washington with 25 points and Keyon Menifield added 21. But the Huskies (13-10, 5-7) suffered from too many scoring droughts and didn&rsquo;t have an answer for Arizona&rsquo;s 19-1 run in the early stages of the second half.
NO. 7 VIRGINIA 76, BOSTON COLLEGE 57
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) &mdash; Armaan Franklin and Jayden Gardner scored 18 points each and Virginia used a big first-half run to take control over Boston College for its sixth straight victory.
The Cavaliers (16-3, 8-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) trailed 18-15 before starting an 18-4 run over the next 11 minutes. Virginia put the game away with a 16-4 second-half spurt.
Quinten Post scored 24 to lead the Eagles (10-12, 4-7) and Makai Ashton-Langford added 12 points.
Virginia&rsquo;s Isaac McKneely finished with 12 points and Reece Beekman had 11 and eight assists.
NO. 9 KANSAS 77, KENTUCKY 68
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) &mdash; Jalen Wilson scored 22 points, including one in a series of huge 3-pointers down the stretch, and Kansas avoided its first four-game losing streak under coach Bill Self.
Wilson made 9 of 18 from the field and grabbed eight rebounds for Kansas (17-4), which finished even with Kentucky at 49% shooting. K.J. Adams Jr. added 17 points, Dick had 13 and McCullar 11 with 12 rebounds as the Jayhawks edged Kentucky 34-29 on the glass.
Oscar Tshiebwe had 18 points and nine rebounds, and Jacob Toppin and Cason Wallace each added 14 for Kentucky (14-7), which had won its previous four.
MISSISSIPPI STATE 81, NO. 11 TCU 74, OT
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) &mdash; Tolu Smith had 27 points, 13 rebounds and five assists to lead Mississippi State to an overtime victory.
Dashawn Davis added 16 points to help Mississippi State (13-8) snap a five-game losing streak. Shakeel Moore had 11, including six in overtime, while Cameron Matthews had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulldogs. Tyler Stevenson also added 10 points off the Bulldogs&rsquo; bench.
Damion Baugh led TCU (16-5) with 19 points and Emanuel Miller had 13. Shahada Wells and Jakobe Coles each had 12 for the Horned Frogs and Chuck O&rsquo;Bannon had 10.
Davis&rsquo; 3 pointer with 55 seconds left in the second half gave the Bulldogs a 66-64 advantage. Emanuel Miller scored with 32 seconds remaining and then both teams missed chances to win in regulation.
MISSOURI 78, NO. 12 IOWA STATE 61
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) &mdash; Kobe Brown scored 20 points, and D&rsquo;Moi Hodge scored 17 points to help Missouri take down Iowa State in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.
Brown scored 14 of his points in the first half and led Missouri (16-5) with 12 rebounds. Nick Honor added 12 points and DeAndre Gholston scored 10.
Jaren Holmes led Iowa State (15-5) with 19 points, and Gabe Kalscheur added 14.
The Tigers&rsquo; 78 points were a season-high for an Iowa State opponent in regulation; the Cyclones are 0-3 this season when allowing at least 70 points in regulation.
CREIGHTON 84, NO. 13 XAVIER 67
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) &mdash; Arthur Kamula scored 20 points, Creighton&rsquo;s four other starters finished in double-figures and the Bluejays earned their fourth straight Big East win.
Creighton (13-8, 7-3) steadily built a double-digit lead throughout the game and made 34 of its 60 field goal attempts (56.7%) before a sold-out crowd.
Ryan Kalkbrenner scored 17 points, Baylor Scheierman had 14, Trey Alexander finished with 13 and Ryan Nembhard added 11 for the Bluejays, who avenged a 90-87 loss at Xavier on Jan. 11.
Zach Freemantle led Xavier (17-5, 9-2) with 18 points, followed by Colby Jones and Adam Kunkel with 13.
NO. 14 GONZAGA 82, PORTLAND 67
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) &mdash; Julian Strawther had a career-high 40 points, including eight 3-pointers, and Gonzaga pulled away down the stretch for its 16th consecutive victory over Portland.
Anton Watson added 17 points for Gonzaga (18-4, 7-1 West Coast Conference).
Strawther is the first player to reach 40 points for the Zags since Kyle Wiltjer had 45 against Pacific in 2016.
Portland (11-13, 3-5) was led by Moses Wood with 19 points. Juan Sebastian Gorosito, a freshman, finished with a career-high 17 points.
WEST VIRGINIA 80, NO. 15 AUBURN 77
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) &mdash; Erik Stevenson scored a career-high 31 points and West Virginia withstood a furious late rally from Auburn to win an SEC/Big 12 Challenge matchup.
The Mountaineers (13-8) have won two straight for the first time in a month. Jimmy Bell Jr. added 15 points for the Mountaineers.
Charles Barkley cheered on his alma mater from a courtside seat, but Auburn (16-5) couldn&rsquo;t overcome another slow start. The Tigers have lost two straight for the first time in two years.
Jaylin Williams led Auburn with 18 points. Johni Broome added 15 and Allen Flanigan scored 13.
NO. 16 MARQUETTE 89, DEPAUL 69
CHICAGO (AP) &mdash; David Joplin went 8 for 11 from 3-point range for a career-high 28 points, Tyler Kolek had 24 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds, and Marquette defeated DePaul.
Marquette has won eight of its last nine games, and moved into a tie with No. 13 Xavier atop the Big East.
Marquette (17-5, 9-2) pulled away in the second half. Oso Ighodaro had 10 points, making all five of his shots, and Olivier-Maxence Prosper scored 13 and had 8 rebounds.
Umoja Gibson scored 25 points for DePaul (9-13, 3-8) on 8-of-12 shooting.
NO. 17 BAYLOR 67, ARKANSAS 64
WACO, Texas (AP) &mdash; Keyonte George scored 24 points, including seven in a row down the stretch, and Baylor beat Arkansas in an SEC/Big 12 Challenge.
Baylor (16-5) fell behind by as many as eight points in the second half after an early 11-point lead. But the Bears closed it out after Flo Thamba made two free throws for a 55-53 lead with 3:37 left.
LJ Cryer added 20 points and Jalen Bridges had 10 for the Bears, who won their sixth game in a row despite shooting a 34% (20 of 59) from the field. They offset the season-worst shooting from the field by making 21 of 24 free throws, including two by Cryer with 10 seconds left and two by George with 4.3 seconds remaining.
Ricky Council IV scored 25 points for Arkansas (14-7). Davonte Davis had 16 points, but missed the front end of a 1-plus-1 with 2.3 seconds left, though Joseph Pinion got the ball in the right corner only to miss wildly on a 3-pointer as time ran out.
HOFSTRA 85, NO. 18 COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 81
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) &mdash; Aaron Estrada scored 25 points and Darlinstone Dubar added 18 as Hofstra ended College of Charleston&rsquo;s 20-game winning streak.
The Pride (15-8, 8-2 Colonial Athletic Association) were down 28-20 early before rallying past the Cougars (21-2, 9-1), who had not lost since falling to then-No. 1 North Carolina on Nov. 11.
Tyler Thomas had 17 points and eight rebounds for Hofstra.
Ante Brzovic finished with 18 points to lead Charleston.
PITTSBURGH 71, NO. 20 MIAMI 68
PITTSBURGH (AP) &mdash; Blake Hinson tipped in a Jamarius Burton miss with 31 seconds remaining and Pittsburgh rallied past Miami.
The Panthers (15-7, 8-3 ACC) held the Hurricanes (16-5, 7-4) scoreless over the final 2:26 while closing on an 11-0 run to beat a ranked team for the third time this season to bolster its increasingly impressive NCAA tournament resume.
Hinson finished with 21 points for Pitt. Burton had 19 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists as the Panthers stunned Miami in front of a rare sell-out crowd at the Petersen Events Center.
Jordan Miller led the Hurricanes with 18 points. Isaiah Wong added 14 but Miami committed three of its 12 turnovers in the final 35 seconds as the Panthers stormed back.
NO. 21 FAU 70, W. KENTUCKY 63
BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Brandon Weatherspoon scored 14 points and Florida Atlantic remained undefeated at home.
The victory extended FAU&rsquo;s winning streak to a program-record 20 games, which is now the nation&rsquo;s longest. The Owls&rsquo; 21 victories on the season ties their Division I record set in 2010-11. Western Kentucky (11-11, 3-8 Conference USA) has lost five straight.
Alijah Martin scored eight while grabbing seven rebounds for the Owls (21-1, 11-0).
Jordan Rawls led all scorers with 17 for W. Kentucky. Dayvion McKnight and Emmanuel Akot each had 16.
NO. 22 SAINT MARY&rsquo;S (CAL) 57, BYU 56
PROVO, Utah (AP) &mdash; Logan Johnson had 14 points and freshman Aidan Mahaney scored all 10 of his points, including a fade-away jumper just before the buzzer, in the second half and Saint Mary&rsquo;s (Cal) won its 10th in a row.
Mitchell Saxen had 11 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two blocks for Saint Mary&rsquo;s (19-4, 8-0 West Coast Conference). Alex Ducas scored 12 points and Augustas Marciulionis added 10.
Dallin Hall was fouled on a driving lay-up attempt with 10.2 seconds left and made 1-of-2 free throws to give BYU a 56-55 lead but Mahaney took the inbounds pass, probed the defense before he drove the lane, stopped near the right block and pivoted away from the basket before hitting the winning jumper over the out-stretched arm of defender Fousseyni Traore.
Hall scored a career-high 23 points on 9 of 14 shooting but made just 3 of 6 from the free-throw line for BYU (14-10, 4-5). Fousseyni Traore added 11 points and eight rebounds.
NO. 24 CLEMSON 82, FLORIDA STATE 81
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Chase Hunter drove the lane and drew a foul, sinking the free throw, to help Clemson escape with a win over Florida State.
Hunter Tyson scored 27 points on 10 of 17 shooting for Clemson (18-4, 10-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), which halted an eight-game road losing streak to Florida State. Hunter finished with 25.
Matthew Cleveland scored 15 of his 18 points in the second half for Florida State (7-15, 5-6), which made a season-high 13 3-pointers. Caleb Mills and Darin Green Jr. each hit four 3-pointers for the Seminoles. Freshman forward Baba Miller had his best game, scoring 11 points and pulling down four rebounds in 20 minutes.

A recap of Saturday's action in men's college hoops includes five upsets in the AP top 15.

Oklahoma's rout of No. 2 Alabama one of many top-15 upsets on Saturday

On Monday afternoon, news broke that the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-reaction-exploring-rui-hachimura-fit-with-los-angeles-lakers-lebron-james-anthony-davis-washington-wizards-kendrick-nunn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Washington Wizards were trading fan favorite Rui Hachimura to the Los Angeles Lakers</a>. It's a move that shocked and disappointed many Wizards fans, who had high hopes for their team's ninth overall draft pick just four years ago.
Hachimura had been averaging 13.0 points and 4.3 rebounds per game this season, just coming off of a season-high 30-point game off the bench in a blowout win over the Orlando Magic this past weekend.
The Wizards did avoid having to take on any long-term salaries in the trade &mdash; and didn't give away any of their draft picks &mdash; but it failed to tip the scale of disappointment for Wizards fans, who looked at Hachimura as being an integral part of the team&rsquo;s future.
I caught up with <a href="https://twitter.com/DrewGooden?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Drew Gooden</a>, a 14-year NBA veteran who formerly played for the Washington Wizards and is now an analyst for NBC Sports Washington and Monumental Sports to analyze this trade.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/screenshot-2023-01-25-at-12-43-03-2b6rbaloibfgflkd6yo2k4knzy-jpg-webp-image-5000-2813-pixels-scaled-29__690w.png" alt="" />
Etan Thomas: What was your reaction to the trade? Rui was really a fan favorite, and a lot of people in the DMV really didn&rsquo;t see this coming and have been voicing their opinions on this, but what was your reaction?&nbsp;
Drew Gooden: "It was strictly business. Like you said, he&rsquo;s a fan favorite and Rui had a window to get better on both sides of the ball both offensively and defensively. He just scored 30 points against the Orlando Magic. So we know what Rui could provide right now and potentially for the future. But I believe this was strictly a business decision the Wizards had to make in order to have the possibility of re-signing Kyle Kuzma in the offseason."
Etan: So, I&rsquo;ve heard people say that and do you think that&rsquo;s all it boils down to? The Wizards had to make this move to free up cap space? I saw they made the point clear that they were not entertaining any calls or inquiries for Kuz as we approach this trade deadline.
Gooden: "Absolutely, this wasn&rsquo;t personal at all. But truth be told, I think this is a great opportunity for Rui. Not only from a business standpoint of getting an extension and becoming part of a great organization in the Los Angeles Lakers, but the relationship that his agent has with Rob Pelinka; there is a business relationship already established there. And he gets the chance to play with one of the best players ever to play the game in LeBron James. And he&rsquo;ll be able to learn under LeBron just like Kyle Kuzma was able to learn under LeBron, so I think this is a positive for Rui.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_19850961_690w.jpg" alt="" />
"And there was some pressure for him to sign his extension. Because if you look at the 2019 draft class and you look at all the guys who have received their extensions &mdash; and these are different players that I&rsquo;m going to list off &mdash; but you have Zion [Williamson], Ja Morant, RJ Barrett, De'Andre Hunter &mdash; the fourth pick &mdash; signed his extension, Darius Garland signed his rookie max extension with Cleveland. So these guys are trying to get locked in, and there is peer pressure &mdash; and you know this &mdash; when you see guys that you got drafted with already getting their extensions, but you haven&rsquo;t gotten yours yet. It&rsquo;s added pressure for you as a player from a business standpoint. And you&rsquo;re looking at your team like, 'Why are these other guys getting paid, but I&rsquo;m not?' and, 'Why are you not investing in me and showing your faith in me?' And unfortunately, the Washington Wizards just weren&rsquo;t in a position to do that."
Etan: I&rsquo;ve heard this in conversation, so let me repeat what the word on the street is. Many people have pointed to the fact that the Wizards have developed almost a pattern of not re-signing their draft picks. In fact, the last Wizards pick to earn an extension was Otto Porter Jr., and he was drafted was a decade ago.
Gooden: "Yeah, I have noticed that. But in this case, Kyle Kuzma just threw a monkey wrench in all of the plans with his play. He has shown that he can actually carry the team when Bradley Beal is out; that&rsquo;s invaluable. And you have another situation in [Kristaps] Porzingis that you may have to be confronted with because he can opt out (in late June before free agency starts) &mdash; now, what happens if he opts out? I&rsquo;m sure the Wizards would love to re-sign both of them, but they have to be in a financial situation where they could possibly do that, and honestly, that&rsquo;s the only reason for this trade. It&rsquo;s a strategic move; not personal, just business."
Etan: Let me ask you this &mdash; and of course, it&rsquo;s hard to predict &mdash; but how likely would you say it is that Kuzma does re-sign with the Wizards in the offseason? Because that&rsquo;s what&rsquo;s on everybody&rsquo;s mind right now. You&rsquo;ve traded this young talent who is a fan favorite, and what happens if Kuzma doesn&rsquo;t re-sign with the Wizards?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Kyle Kuzma's 30 points power the <a href="https://twitter.com/WashWizards?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WashWizards</a> to victory in Dallas! <a href="https://t.co/EAyAPAuZgY">pic.twitter.com/EAyAPAuZgY</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1618237375422799872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2023</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Gooden: "It&rsquo;s, 'What&rsquo;s that magical number that could get the job done? What will make Kuzma sign that deal and stay in DC?' Because he will be an unrestricted free agent. I believe he could maximize his earnings staying with the Wizards. They <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/washington-wizards/kyle-kuzma-23622/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">do have his Bird Rights</a>. That&rsquo;s the hope, that&rsquo;s the strategy and the Wizards have to do everything in their power to put themselves in the position to be able to make that happen, and that&rsquo;s all they can control."
Etan: What does Kendrick Nunn bring to the table?&nbsp;
Gooden: "This is an interesting situation. In my years past looking at these trades &mdash; and giving up someone like Rui and getting draft picks and a guy with an expiring contract &mdash; it&rsquo;s probably another business decision. I&rsquo;m not sure if there is going to be a future here for him or not. But, maybe he&rsquo;ll get a shot and bring something to the table where he changes people&rsquo;s minds, which is very possible. That&rsquo;s what Kyle Kuzma did. He changed the narrative and made the organization shift their plans. Nunn could do that, even with the packed point guards (room) we currently have.
"But I know for a fact that (Nunn) can put the ball in the hole. His time in Miami, he was a 15-plus-point scorer in this league; I saw him with my own eyes in real time. He can catch waves throughout the course of a game and really take over games. So if he has that opportunity to play and show what he can do, there&rsquo;s no doubt in my mind that he can play at a high level. It&rsquo;s just the clutter of all of the point guards on the roster right now. So we&rsquo;ll see what happens."
Etan: Right. It will definitely be interesting to see. Okay, last question. Where do you think the Wizards end up this year? Of course, they have to stay healthy. That&rsquo;s one of the main things. But what is the ceiling or possibility for them this season?
Gooden: "Well, the Play-In Tournament I believe doesn&rsquo;t allow teams to let go of the rope down the stretch of the season. In the past, some teams may get to that point where they&rsquo;re thinking more of improving their chances in the lottery. This is an interesting window, and someone just asked me this question the other day.
"They asked, 'What is the Wizards identity?' And you know what? They haven&rsquo;t been whole the entire season. You have had small sample sizes where you had Porzingis, Beal and Kuzma all on the floor together, but nothing consistent this entire season. But one thing I know &mdash; they have a chance to win every given night no matter who is on the floor. They&rsquo;re a team that won&rsquo;t allow themselves to let go of the rope."

Etan Thomas speaks with Wizards analyst and former 14-year NBA pro Drew Gooden to analyze the Rui Hachimura trade with LA.

Drew Gooden: Wizards trading Hachimura to LA 'strategic, not personal'

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) &mdash; When Monty Williams learned Stephen Curry would be back on the floor and Splash Brother Klay Thompson also would be good to go, the Suns coach figured Phoenix would have to do everything right and make some of its own breaks to beat the defending NBA champions.
Somehow, the injury-plagued, short-handed Suns went out and absolutely dominated.
Mikal Bridges had 26 points, nine rebounds and five assists and Phoenix beat the Golden State Warriors for a third time this season, 125-113 on Tuesday night to snap a season-worst six-game skid.
Former Warriors guard Damion Lee received his championship ring in a pregame ceremony from brother-in-law Curry, then scored 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds against his former team. He converted six free throws over the final 1:13 and went 14 of 14 from the line overall.
&ldquo;I just thought it was a special night all the way around,&rdquo; Williams said, noting of the ring ceremony, Lee's performance and the win, "that's a trifecta if I ever heard of one."
Duane Washington Jr. scored 21 points, Dario Saric contributed 19 points, nine rebounds and seven assists and Torrey Craig had 12 points and 14 rebounds for a deep Phoenix team missing four of five starters and six of eight rotation regulars. The Suns hadn't scored 100 points in their previous four games.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s obvious a big win for us having whatever you want to call it happen to us the past few weeks but collectively we had a connection and a spirit about us tonight, even when they cut it to six,&rdquo; Williams said.
Curry came back from an 11-game absence with a partially dislocated left shoulder to score 24 points on 8-for-22 shooting. Thompson had 29 points with six 3-pointers &mdash; four 3s and 14 points in the first quarter alone. Jordan Poole's 3 with 1:28 remaining cut it to 117-111, and he scored 27 points.
While Warriors coach Steve Kerr noted, &ldquo;to go 6-5 without Steph is an accomplishment,&rdquo; the reigning NBA Finals MVP couldn't do it all against a Phoenix team missing injured stars Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton and Cameron Johnson. The first two meetings in the desert were lopsided, with the Suns winning 134-105 and 130-119.
Kerr said Golden State let its &ldquo;guard down&rdquo; with the Suns missing so many players.
&ldquo;We didn&rsquo;t start competing until it was too late,&rdquo; he said.
The Warriors have lost three in a row after a season-best five-game winning streak, wrapping up an eight-game homestand that matched the longest in franchise history.
Andre Iguodala was ejected with 4:30 left in his second game played this season. But the defending champions had their starting five back together for the first time in several weeks.
Thompson was a late scratch with soreness in his surgically repaired left knee for a 115-101 loss to the Magic on Saturday night as the Warriors dropped consecutive home games for the first time all season. Now they have to hit the road again trying to best their 3-16 record away from Chase Center.
LEE'S RING
Lee, who spent the past four seasons with Golden State, received a warm ovation when he entered the game for the first time at the 5:09 mark of the first quarter.
&ldquo;It's amazing, it's a special moment that I won't take for granted,&rdquo; <a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/JanieMcCAP/status/1612986492883963904">Lee said</a>.
TIP-INS
Suns: Bridges played his 351st consecutive regular-season game, the longest active streak ahead of Golden State big man Kevon Looney (152). Williams credits Bridges' toughness to play through anything. &ldquo;To pinpoint it&rsquo;s this or that, I think it&rsquo;s a combination of things. I just know we value it,&rdquo; Williams said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s just a guy that loves to play.&rdquo; ... The Suns will try for a season sweep when they come back for one more at Chase Center on March 13.
Warriors: Looney had grabbed 10 or more rebounds in five straight games but missed doing so for a career-best sixth in a row. ... Poole has scored 20 or more points in eight straight games for the second-longest 20-point streak in his career. ... The Warriors wound up 5-3 on the homestand.
&nbsp;

Mikal Bridges had 26 points, and the Phoenix Suns beat the Golden State Warriors 125-113 to snap a season-worst six-game skid.

Bridges leads undermanned Suns past Curry, Warriors 125-113

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PHOENIX (AP) — It looked like Father Time might be making some gains on the 37-year-old Chris Paul over the past few months.
The 12-time All-Star proved on Monday night he's not going down without a fight.
Paul scored a season-high 28 points, Deandre Ayton added 21 points and 11 rebounds and the Phoenix Suns rolled past the Los Angeles Lakers 130-104. 
The Suns did just about everything well in the blowout win. They shot 50% from the field, made 20 3-pointers, had a 51-36 rebounding advantage and just eight turnovers.
“When we play like that, it's tough to stop us,” Paul said.
The game was almost more notable for who wasn’t playing instead of the action on the court. The Lakers were missing their All-Star trio of LeBron James (left ankle soreness), Anthony Davis (right foot soreness) and Russell Westbrook (left foot soreness).
The Suns were missing six players, including three-time All-Star Devin Booker (right groin soreness), who scored a season-high 58 points in Saturday’s win over the Pelicans.
Paul had his best scoring game of the season in Booker's absence, shooting 9 of 18 from the field, including 3 of 5 from 3-point range. The point guard had a slow start to the year, coming into the game averaging a career-low 11.1 points per game, but he's been more productive over the past few weeks since returning from a heel injury.
Paul's built his stellar career on passing the basketball and not necessarily scoring, but with Booker on the bench, the Suns needed his production.
“I was happy to see him aggressive, knocking down shots and taking shots,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “Everyone on the team, we tell Chris to shoot the ball. It's the most unbelievable thing ever — having to tell a Hall of Fame player to shoot.”
Paul said he doesn't mind that Williams and his teammates are always bugging him to shoot.
“I guess it could be worse,” Paul said laughing. “They could tell me not to shoot.”
The Suns have won three straight, bouncing back after dropping five in a row. All five starters scored at least 15 points.
Phoenix also has a six-game winning streak over the Lakers during the regular season.
Phoenix led by 26 points early in the third quarter, but the Lakers cut that advantage to 91-77 late in the third. The Suns responded with back-to-back 3-pointers from Ish Wainright and Landry Shamet and took a 99-77 lead into the final quarter.
“That is a well-oiled machine over there,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. “They took care of business over there tonight and I felt that our guys competed to best of their ability.”
Dennis Schroder led the starless Lakers with a season-high 30 points. He shot 12 of 19 from the field. Kendrick Nunn scored 17 points off the bench. Lonnie Walker IV and Thomas Bryant both added 16 points.
“End of the day, it is the next man up mentality,” Schroder said. “Everybody has to be ready to play and compete at the highest level. You can’t control if someone is going to be out.”
The Suns jumped out to a 38-24 lead, shooting 66.7% in the first quarter. Paul scored 14 points. Torrey Craig made a wide-open 3-pointer just before the halftime buzzer to give the Suns a 68-44 advantage.
TIP-INS
Lakers: G Austin Reaves (right ankle sprain) and G Juan Toscano-Anderson (right ankle sprain) were not available.
Suns: Ayton returned after missing two games. ... Along with Booker, F Cameron Johnson (right meniscus tear), F/C Jock Landale (concussion), G Cameron Payne (right foot strain) and G Duane Washington Jr. (left hip muscle strain) were not available. ... Hosted a 43rd consecutive sellout crowd. ... Craig scored 17 points on his 32nd birthday.
UP NEXT
Lakers: Travel to face Sacramento on Wednesday.
Suns: Host Washington on Tuesday.
___
AP NBA: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/NBA">https://apnews.com/hub/NBA</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_Sports">https://twitter.com/AP_Sports</a>

Chris Paul scored a season-high 28 points, and the Phoenix Suns rolled past the Los Angeles Lakers 130-104.

Paul scores season-high 28, Suns roll past Lakers 130-104

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Jayson Tatum scored 44 points, Jaylen Brown added five of his 25 in overtime, and the Boston Celtics blew a 20-point lead in the second half before rallying from a late 13-point deficit for a thrilling 122-118 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.
Marcus Smart hit four 3-pointers and scored 18 points for the NBA-leading Celtics, who wrapped up their six-game trip by avoiding their first three-game losing streak of the season.
Anthony Davis had 37 points and 12 rebounds, but he also missed two free throws with 28 seconds left in regulation to allow the Celtics back into it. LeBron James scored 33 points.
The rivals played a wild second half in which the Lakers rallied from an 81-61 deficit midway through the third quarter with a 45-12 surge. Boston then erased Los Angeles&rsquo; 106-93 lead in the final 3:40 with a 17-4 run capped by Tatum&rsquo;s tying jumper with 17.8 seconds left.
Russell Westbrook had 20 points and 14 assists for Los Angeles, but he also missed three open jumpers in overtime while the Celtics pulled away with 12 consecutive points.
BUCKS 128, WARRIORS 111
MILWAUKEE (AP) &mdash; Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 30 points while Bobby Portis finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Milwaukee past Golden State in a matchup of the NBA&rsquo;s last two champions.
Stephen Curry scored 20 points despite missing seven of 10 3-point attempts. Jordan Poole added 18 points and Klay Thompson 14 for Golden State.
The Warriors dropped their third straight road game and fell to 2-12 away from home this season. The defending NBA champions have allowed at least 114 points in every road game.
The Warriors trailed 64-52 at the break and the Bucks created some separation with an 8-2 run to open the second half. Golden State coach Steve Kerr cleared his bench early in the fourth quarter.
76ERS 123, KINGS 103
PHILADELPHIA (AP) &mdash; Joel Embiid scored 31 points, James Harden had 21 points and 15 assists, and Philadelphia scored 80 points in the first half and cruised past Sacramento.
Tobias Harris also scored 21 points for the Sixers, who have won three straight to start a seven-game homestand.
Domantas Sabonis led the Kings with 22 points. Sacramento has lost three of the first four games of its six-game East Coast swing.
Philadelphia led 80-55 at halftime.
ROCKETS 111, SUNS 97
HOUSTON (AP) &mdash; Jalen Green had 26 points and Kevin Porter Jr. added 18 Houston never trailed against slumping Phoenix.
The Rockets led by as many as 23 and held a comfortable lead for most of the night in the return of coach Stephen Silas, who was back after missing the previous game following the death of his father, longtime NBA player and coach Paul Silas.
The Suns dropped their fifth straight. Phoenix was playing without Devin Booker, and Deandre Ayton (left ankle) and Cameron Payne (right foot) were hurt in the first half.
Mikal Bridges led the Suns with 18 points but shot a horrific 4 of 24 from the field and 2 of 10 from 3-point range.
JAZZ 121, PELICANS 100
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) &mdash; Malik Beasley made five 3-pointers and scored 21 points, and Utah cooled off Zion Williamson and New Orleans.
Williamson scored 26 points in 26 minutes and Jonas Valanciunas scored 15, but the Pelicans&rsquo; seven-game winning streak was snapped. Only one of those wins came on the road.
After missing three games with an illness, Utah&rsquo;s Lauri Markkanen showed little rust in scoring 19 points, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker also scored 19 and had a season-high six assists for the Jazz.
Walker Kessler had 11 points, a career-high 16 rebounds and three blocked shots. Jarred Vanderbilt had season bests of 18 points and 14 rebounds.
Williamson played just 11 minutes in the first half because of foul trouble. The Pelicans never recovered the lead they lost when he left the game.

A recap of Tuesday night's NBA action includes an overtime thriller featuring multiple comebacks in Los Angeles.

Celtics blow big lead, rally, finish Lakers in OT 122-118

SAN ANTONIO (AP) &mdash; LeBron James picked the perfect time for his best offensive output of the season.
James scored a season-high 39 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers escaped with a 143-138 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night.
&ldquo;We gave up a ton in transition, we turned the ball over, couldn&rsquo;t get a defensive rebound at times,&rdquo; Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. &ldquo;But again, when you&rsquo;re able to score the ball, it covers up for a lot of mistakes.&rdquo;
San Antonio has lost eight straight, tied for the fourth-longest skid in franchise history.
James matched a career high with seven 3-pointers. He finished 11 for 21 from the field, including a booming one-handed dunk on a lob from Russell Westbrook with a minute remaining in the first half.
While James was playing in his second game following a five-game absence, Los Angeles center Anthony Davis sat out with a bruised left calf he sustained in Friday&rsquo;s victory over San Antonio.
&ldquo;We still honed in and do what we do best,&rdquo; former Spurs guard Lonnie Walker IV said. &ldquo;And LeBron took us home, he took us to victory."
The Lakers (7-12) have defeated the Spurs three times in a seven-game span.
Dennis Schroder had 21 points and six assists for Los Angeles. Walker had 19 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter to help seal the Lakers&rsquo; fifth victory in six games.
Los Angeles opened the season losing its first five games.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s just a sense of you&rsquo;re not really sure of each other, we don&rsquo;t know each other,&rdquo; James said of the start. &ldquo;But over the last couple of weeks, we continue to learn one another, we continue to play some good ball, share ball.&rdquo;
Keldon Johnson had 26 points and 10 rebounds for San Antonio. Tre Jones added 23 points and 13 assists, and Devin Vassell had 19 points.
After trailing the entirety of Friday&rsquo;s loss, San Antonio scored the game&rsquo;s first points on a short jumper by Jakob Poeltl. It was the Spurs&rsquo; first lead since Nov. 20 against the Lakers.
&ldquo;They have got great character,&rdquo; San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. &ldquo;I thought they were fantastic. I am proud of them. They just keep playing. It doesn&rsquo;t matter what the score is, or who is there or who is not there, they are unbelievably coachable and they are trying very hard to do what we want them to do. I was just thrilled and proud of them tonight."
After shooting 6 for 33 on 3-pointers in Friday&rsquo;s loss, the Spurs had a season-high 18 3-pointers. San Antonio was 8 for 15 on 3s in the first half and 18 for 37 overall.
The momentum stalled when the Spurs lost two starters to right quadriceps injuries in the second quarter.
Poeltl had 12 points and nine rebounds in 10 minutes before exiting the game with 7:59 left in the first half. Poeltl felt soreness after landing awkwardly on a dunk.
San Antonio then lost rookie forward Jeremy Sochan with 4:54 remaining in the first half. Sochan took a knee to his right thigh when his layup attempt was blocked by Thomas Bryant.
The Spurs also lost reserve center Zach Collins to an ejection for a flagrant foul on Westbrook with two minutes left in the third quarter.
TIP-INS
Lakers: Westbrook suffered a deep cut at his hairline after taking a right elbow from Collins. After rebounding his own missed layup, Westbrook faked a follow and Collins leapt and came crashing down on him. Westbrook began bleeding profusely immediately but quickly rose from the court to confront Collins. Westbrook was issued a technical foul but Collins was ejected after video review. &hellip; G Patrick Beverley served the second game of a three-game suspension for forcefully shoving Phoenix center Deandre Ayton from behind in Tuesday&rsquo;s loss.
Spurs: San Antonio&rsquo;s longest losing streak is 13 straight in 1989 followed by 10 straight in 1987 and nine straight in 1989. The Spurs have lost eight straight in five other seasons, including 2020 and 1989. San Antonio finished 21-61 in 1989, the final season of David Robinson&rsquo;s two-year commitment to the Navy before joining the Spurs. &hellip; G Josh Richardson missed his third straight game with a sprained right ankle.
UP NEXT
Lakers: Host Indiana on Monday.
Spurs: At Oklahoma City on Wednesday.

LeBron James scored a season-high 39 points as the Lakers escaped with a 143-138 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night.

LeBron James' season-high 39 points lead Lakers by Spurs, 143-138

PHOENIX (AP) &mdash; Devin Booker scored 34 points, Deandre Ayton added 16 points and 14 rebounds and the Phoenix Suns beat the Golden State Warriors 134-105 on Tuesday night in a game that featured Klay Thompson's first career ejection and seven technical fouls.
Both teams lost their cool at various times during the third quarter, with all of the technical fouls called in less than six minutes. Thompson received two quick technicals <a href="https://twitter.com/BallySports/status/1585113969827536896">and was ejected after having words with Booker</a>, who also received a technical because of the exchange.
Thompson finished with two points on 1-for-8 shooting, including 0 of 5 from 3-point range. It was the five-time All-Star's first career ejection in 651 regular season games.
Golden State's Draymond Green and coach Steve Kerr, along with Phoenix players Chris Paul and Ayton also were whistled for technicals for various outbursts in the third, with most of that ire directed at the officials.
While the techs were piling up, so was the Suns' lead, which grew to 105-86 by the end of the third. Without Thompson, the defending NBA champs were never able to mount a rally and the Suns kept a comfortable lead for most of the fourth.
Booker shot 10 of 19 from the field and 11 of 14 on free throws. The two-time All-Star added seven assists.
Steph Curry led the Warriors with 21 points. Jordan Poole scored 17 off the bench. Green added 14 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
Phoenix used a 13-0 run midway through the first to take a 37-29 lead by the end of the quarter. Paul made a 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer to give the Suns a 72-66 lead at the break.
Booker scored 16 points in the first half while Ayton had 12 points and 11 rebounds. Poole led the Warriors with 14 first-half points.
REUNION TIME
Suns backup guard Damion Lee played the Warriors for the first time since he signed with Phoenix during the offseason.
Lee played the previous four seasons with the Warriors, helping them win the title last season. He's already made a mark with his new team, sinking <a href="https://apnews.com/article/dallas-mavericks-phoenix-suns-nba-sports-christian-wood-60167512d0b898cf3bad34cf299c191f">the game-winning jumper</a> in the season opener against the Mavericks.
Lee finished with five points in 15 minutes on Tuesday.
TIP-INS
Warriors: G Donte DiVincenzo (left hamstring) was not available. He's averaging five points per game.
Suns: Forwards Ish Wainright (low back pain) and Jae Crowder (not with team) weren't available. ... Shot 60% (9 of 15) from 3-point range during the first half.
UP NEXT
Warriors: Return home to host the Heat on Thursday.
Suns: Host the Pelicans on Friday.

Devin Booker scored 34 points, Deandre Ayton added 16 points and 14 rebounds and the Suns beat the Warriors 134-105.

Suns push past Warriors for 134-105 win, Thompson ejected

Before every season, I do my best to predict how I think the season will unfold &mdash; where teams will finish and who&rsquo;ll win each individual award. Heck, I even try my hand at predicting the All-NBA/Rookie/Defensive Teams.
Those efforts are generally meaningless; you can never truly account for injuries or transactions, for example, which makes it nearly impossible to truly nail these things down. Still, it&rsquo;s incredibly fun to take a look at the landscape of the league and make educated guesses.
Normally, I&rsquo;d thread my predictions on Twitter since it&rsquo;s a quick and easy way to get those thoughts out into the world. The issue is explaining controversial picks with a character limit; if you&rsquo;ve been on the app for any amount of time, you know how quickly discussions can go left.
Instead, I&rsquo;ve turned my predictions into an article. It&rsquo;ll be easier to track my predictions, and I have the space to explain my reasoning in a more thorough manner.&nbsp;
If you want to laugh at last year's edition &mdash; in which I had the Milwaukee Bucks beating the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals &mdash; you can do so <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/202122-nba-season-and-award-predictions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
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If you want deeper thoughts on your favorite team, read our season previews for the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-23-nba-season-preview-atlantic-division-boston-celtics-brooklyn-nets-new-york-knicks-philadelphia-76ers-sixers-toronto-raptors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Atlantic Division</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-23-nba-season-preview-northwest-division-denver-nuggets-minnesota-timberwolves-oklahoma-city-okc-thunder-portland-trail-blazers-utah-jazz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Northwest Division</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-23-nba-season-preview-central-division-chicago-bulls-cleveland-cavaliers-detroit-pistons-indiana-pacers-milwaukee-bucks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Central Division</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/202223-nba-season-preview-pacific-division" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pacific Division</a>, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/202223-nba-season-preview-southeast-division" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Southeast Division</a> and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/202223-nba-season-preview-southwest-division" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Southwest Division</a>.
Without further ado, here&rsquo;s how I see things going this season.
Individual Awards
Most Valuable Player: Joel Embiid (PHI)
Defensive Player of the Year:&nbsp;Bam Adebayo (MIA)
Rookie of the Year: Paolo Banchero (ORL)
Sixth Man of the Year: Jordan Poole (GSW)
Most Improved Player: Precious Achiuwa (TOR)
Coach of the Year: Ty Lue (LAC)
- This kinda has to be the year for Embiid, no? Back-to-back second-place finishes set the stage for him to grab one if he proves healthy. This is arguably the most talented cast he's had around him. If he's healthy and commits defensively like he said he wants to, an MVP-DPOY combo isn't out of the question.
- Adebayo is the&nbsp;switch big in the NBA, one of a handful of players that can legitimately defend all five positions. Missed games hurt his case last season, but I think the award is his if he plays 65-plus games.&nbsp;
- Banchero should lead all rookies in scoring &mdash; well, unless Bennedict Mathurin pulls it off. The bucket-getting, plus playmaking chops, on a team that I think will be better than most people expect should give him a clear pathway to the award.
- I have a couple of sleepers-that-aren't-sleepers; keep an eye on <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-feature-intreview-bruce-brown-feeling-secure-in-new-role-denver-nuggets-nikola-jokic-jamal-murray-brooklyn-nets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bruce Brown</a> and Brandon Clarke. Ultimately, Poole should lead all bench players in scoring &mdash; and do so efficiently &mdash; while racking up wins on one of the best teams in the league.
- Lue's been a top-three coach for a while now. Getting a 10-plus win improvement (even if it's health-related) while sorting out the rotation of a roster with 13 NBA-level talents would be a pretty strong case.
Team Awards
ALL-NBA FIRST TEAM:&nbsp;Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Joel Embiid
ALL-NBA SECOND TEAM:&nbsp;Trae Young, Ja Morant, Paul George, Kevin Durant, Nikola Jokic
ALL-NBA THIRD TEAM:&nbsp;Devin Booker, Jimmy Butler, Pascal Siakam, LeBron James, Bam Adebayo
ALL-DEFENSIVE FIRST TEAM: Marcus Smart, Mikal Bridges, Draymond Green, Bam Adebayo, Joel Embiid
ALL-DEFENSIVE SECOND TEAM: Jrue Holiday, Herb Jones, Jimmy Butler, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Rudy Gobert
ALL-ROOKIE FIRST TEAM: Jaden Ivey, Bennedict Mathurin, Keegan Murray, Jabari Smith, Paolo Banchero
ALL-ROOKIE SECOND TEAM:&nbsp;Jalen Williams, Jake LaRavia, Jeremy Sochan, Tari Eason, Jalen Duren
- For the All-NBA Teams, apologies are due, but not limited to: Kawhi Leonard (rest days, deep class), Rudy Gobert (deep class), Karl-Anthony Towns (deep class), Anthony Davis (injury, deep class), Chris Paul (deep class, likely regression), Kyrie Irving (deep class), Brandon Ingram (deep class), Zion Williamson (missed time), Bradley Beal (team record), Jaylen Brown (deep class) and Anthony Edwards (deep class).
- Until the ballot becomes positionless &mdash; or at least until they give us two backcourt and three frontcourt options like the All-Star ballot &mdash; a center will get screwed. I think Embiid gets MVP this year, so Jokic falls to the Second Team. They aren't forwards, and won't be played as forwards. I'm not goin'.
- This will be the Herb Jones year if he's healthy. Should've been last year, but I'll save that rant for another day. While we're on second-year players, it wouldn't shock me at all if Evan Mobley makes serious noise in this regard too.
- The All-Rookie First Team seems pretty straightforward. A solid mix of talent and opportunity on the board.
- The LaRavia pick might be spicy, especially if the defense doesn't come along quickly enough. I do think there's enough shooting and connective playmaking there that he could earn consistent ticks in Memphis.
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Eastern Conference
TOP SIX
<ol>
<li>PHILADELPHIA 76ERS</li>
<li>BOSTON CELTICS</li>
<li>MILWAUKEE BUCKS</li>
<li>MIAMI HEAT</li>
<li>CLEVELAND CAVALIERS</li>
<li>TORONTO RAPTORS</li>
</ol>
- This should be a darn good year for the Sixers. Talented top-four &mdash; I'm really here for this decisive version of Tobias Harris &mdash; and more defensive talent on the roster.
- I get the depth/age concerns for the Bucks, but, like, Giannis. Top-10 offense and defense should be in play for them.
- Questions at the 3 aside, the Cavs should be incredibly annoying to deal with. All that size defensively, then the pull-up chops on the other end from Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell? Whew.
PLAY-IN TERRITORY
<ol start="7">
<li>BROOKLYN NETS</li>
<li>ATLANTA HAWKS</li>
<li>CHICAGO BULLS</li>
<li>NEW YORK KNICKS</li>
</ol>
- Seventh feels right for Brooklyn considering the strength of the conference and the early absences of Joe Harris and Seth Curry. I must say, though, I like what they're establishing scheme-wise. A top-four seed wouldn't surprise me at all.
THE REST
<ol start="11">
<li>ORLANDO MAGIC</li>
<li>WASHINGTON WIZARDS</li>
<li>DETROIT PISTONS</li>
<li>CHARLOTTE HORNETS</li>
<li>INDIANA PACERS</li>
</ol>
- I'm prepared to take my L, but I'm high on the Magic this year. There's so much skilled size on the roster. The defense should be solid, and there's enough playmaking and shot creation to make things interesting offensively.
- Already making a change from the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-dunker-spot/episodes/basketballnews-com-episode-145-southeast-division-preview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Southeast Division preview pod</a>; I think the Hornets will be worse than the Wizards. Post-pod, I felt I was too harsh on Washington. Since then, we've gotten a LaMelo Ball ankle turn and a James Bouknight arrest, and we've still heard nothing on the Miles Bridges front (he shouldn't be there). They're closer to the bottom for me now.
- I entered training camp ready to plant the "Pistons make the Play-In" flag, but I feel really uneasy about their switching scheme. That, and the half-court offense is going to take some time to come together. Next year, though!
Western Conference 
TOP SIX
<ol>
<li>GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS</li>
<li>PHOENIX SUNS</li>
<li>DENVER NUGGETS</li>
<li>LA CLIPPERS</li>
<li>MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES</li>
<li>DALLAS MAVERICKS</li>
</ol>
- An uptick of shooting from Curry, a healthier version of Klay Thompson and growth from the youth should lead to bundles of regular-season wins.
- Despite the ugly postseason ending and offseason hoopla, the Suns have a formula (and talent, obviously) to churn out regular-season wins. Let's not overreact.
- Early spoiler: I think the Clippers have the most talented roster in the league. I think star maintenance and lineup tinkering have them closer to No. 6 than No. 1 in the standings.
PLAY-IN TERRITORY
<ol start="7">
<li>MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES</li>
<li>NEW ORLEANS PELICANS</li>
<li>LA LAKERS</li>
<li>PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS</li>
</ol>
- The Pels! They should be electric offensively. Defensively, they have pieces I like &mdash; hello Mr. Jones, Jose Alvarado and Larry Nance Jr. &mdash; but we'll see how they hold up as a unit.
- I have some real questions about the Lakers' shooting talent and the Westbrook fit &mdash; and how long he'll even be there. There's an obvious upside for more if things break right.
- It hasn't been from a lack of effort, but trying to build a defense around a Damian Lillard-Anfernee Simons-Jusuf Nurkic core is just a tough thing to do.&nbsp;
THE REST
<ol start="11">
<li>SACRAMENTO KINGS</li>
<li>HOUSTON ROCKETS</li>
<li>OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER</li>
<li>UTAH JAZZ</li>
<li>SAN ANTONIO SPURS</li>
</ol>
- If the Fightin' KZs Kings are able to defend well enough &mdash; and by that, I mean, like 21st in Defensive Rating &mdash; don't be surprised if they nab 10th. The offense should be good enough to make a push.
- The Rockets are a year of development (and roster consolidation) away from making a Play-In push, I think.
Eastern Conference Playoffs
PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT
Nets &gt; Hawks for 7th.
Bulls &gt; Knicks for 9th.
Hawks &gt; Bulls for 8th.
- A sad end for the Bulls here, but this is simply the strength of the conference. It'll be tremendous fun watching Young try to create space against Alex Caruso or Ayo Dosunmu at the point of attack.
FIRST ROUND
(1) Sixers &gt; (8) Hawks in 5.
(4) Heat &gt; (5) Cavs in 6.&nbsp;
(2) Celtics &gt; (7) Nets in 7.
(3) Bucks &gt; (6) Raptors in 6.&nbsp;
- With the Sixers adding to their defensive personnel and the Hawks looking a little worse in the shooting department, I think the chances of an(other) upset are pretty slim.
- The Nets fare better the second time around against Brooklyn, but I still don't think they have enough defenders to deal with Boston. Should be the best series of the first round, though.
- Bucks-Raptors will be a slugfest; ultimately, I don't know if the Raptors will have the half-court juice to pull things out.&nbsp;
SECOND ROUND
(1) Sixers &gt; (4) Heat in 6.
(3) Bucks &gt; (2) Celtics in 7.
- A pair of second-round sequels with the results flipped! Having Khris Middleton back &mdash; and a little more size, shooting and playmaking with Joe Ingles &mdash; gives the Bucks the boost they need to squeeze by. If Philly's healthy, I struggle to see Miami containing all three of Embiid, Harden and Maxey.
EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
(3) Bucks &gt; (1) Sixers in 6.
- Bucks steal home court in Game 1 and close the deal at home in Game 6. They have the size to make Embiid think and a defender in Holiday to either hound Maxey or absorb some of Harden's strength-based drives.
Western Conference Playoffs
PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT&nbsp;
Pelicans &gt; Wolves for 7th.&nbsp;
Lakers &gt; Blazers for 9th.&nbsp;
Wolves &gt; Lakers for 8th.
- I went back and forth on the Lakers-Wolves game. Still don't feel great about it, but I think the Wolves take care of business at home.
FIRST ROUND
(1) Warriors &gt; (8) Wolves in 4.
(4) Clippers &gt; (5) Grizzlies in 6.
(3) Nuggets &gt; (6) Mavericks in 6.
(2) Suns &gt; (7) Pelicans in 6.
- Clippers-Grizzlies feels like Storm-Mystics from this year's WNBA playoffs; there's no way one of these teams should be knocked out of the first round. I'd worry about the Grizzlies' half-court offense against LA's defense.
- Sign me up for all the half-court goodness Luka and Jokic would provide. Denver's just better if they're healthy.
-&nbsp;I wouldn't be shocked at the Suns/Pelicans result being flipped, but I have too many questions about New Orleans' defense right now to give them a series win.
SECOND ROUND
(4) Clippers &gt; (1) Warriors in 6.
(3) Nuggets &gt; (2) Suns in 7.
- Might be the most controversial pick on the board, but I trust the Clippers' length and switchability to make life a little difficult in the half-court. With Kahwi in the fold, they should be able to mismatch hunt late and eke out a close series.
- Deandre Ayton has defended Jokic well in the past; I think the added/healthy firepower around him may make the Nuggets' offense too much to deal with.
WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
(4) Clippers &gt; (3) Nuggets in 6.
- A bubble rematch! Jokic likely wrecks havoc, but I think the depth and shooting of the Clippers shine through.
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NBA Finals
(3) Bucks &gt; (4) Clippers in 6.
- Deepest team in the league facing an experienced group headlined by the best player in basketball. I think interior size swings it for Giannis and the Bucks.

Nekias Duncan gives his way-too-early predictions for the 2022-23 NBA season.

Nekias Duncan's 2022-23 NBA season and award predictions

Nekias Duncan previews the Hawks, Hornets, Heat, Magic and Wizards ahead of the 2022-23 NBA season.

2022-23 NBA Season Preview: Southeast Division

On Wednesday night, Bennedict Mathurin treated NBA fans to another highlight-reel performance by an inbound rookie.
The sixth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft dropped 27 points, shot 61% from the field and threw down this monster dunk for the Indiana Pacers in their preseason contest against the New York Knicks:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Bennedict Mathurin is making everyone who had him Top 5 look very smart in this preseason&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/MgcKLeA05g">pic.twitter.com/MgcKLeA05g</a>
&mdash; Draft Deeper (@DraftDeeper) <a href="https://twitter.com/DraftDeeper/status/1580373117926805505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Mathurin is averaging 20.3 points in just over 22 minutes per game this preseason, ranking second in scoring among all rookies who have played multiple games. He's been a leading hype-getter over the past month, along with others like Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/is-tari-easons-preseason-play-forecasting-a-breakout-rookie-year" target="_blank" rel="noopener">who I wrote about on Monday</a>), Sacramento Kings swingman Keegan Murray and Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey. As always, though, there's the asterisk that comes with a stellar showing in a contest that doesn't count.&nbsp;
So how well does preseason rookie stardom forecast the first year of production? Obviously, countless variables can change the environment for a player between the preseason and regular season. But past trends are always worth a peek and offer a historical look at a portion of the NBA calendar that always gets forgotten.
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Per-game scoring has some of the highest weight in the All-Rookie race. Last year, the top five per-game scorers made up the All-Rookie First Team. In 2020-21, the first-team members included five of the top six scorers. Points shouldn't be the crux of the voting process (see Herb Jones getting snubbed from the First Team!!), but they are.
Here's a look at preseason historical rookie scoring leaders over the last 10 seasons, and how they ended up faring in Year 1. This data is courtesy of RealGM (minimum 2 preseason games played and 50 regular season games played).
(Note: Exceptions were made for Zion Williamson and Joel Embiid, who landed on All-Rookie First Team despite playing well below 50 games. They are included in applicable categories.)
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 76.50130548302872%; height: 242px;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 8.998963522219945%; height: 22px;">Year</td>
<td style="width: 23.9518220184301%; height: 22px;">No. of top-10 preseason scorers who were also top-10 in reg. season</td>
<td style="width: 19.021436368956508%; height: 22px;">No. of top-10 preseason scorers who made All-Rookie teams</td>
<td style="width: 17.556894488460735%; height: 22px;">No. of top-10 reg. season scorers who made All-Rookie teams</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 8.998963522219945%; height: 22px;">2021-22</td>
<td style="width: 23.9518220184301%; height: 22px;">5</td>
<td style="width: 19.021436368956508%; height: 22px;">4</td>
<td style="width: 17.556894488460735%; height: 22px;">8</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 8.998963522219945%; height: 22px;">2020-21</td>
<td style="width: 23.9518220184301%; height: 22px;">6</td>
<td style="width: 19.021436368956508%; height: 22px;">4</td>
<td style="width: 17.556894488460735%; height: 22px;">8</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 8.998963522219945%; height: 22px;">2019-20</td>
<td style="width: 23.9518220184301%; height: 22px;">5</td>
<td style="width: 19.021436368956508%; height: 22px;">4</td>
<td style="width: 17.556894488460735%; height: 22px;">7</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 8.998963522219945%; height: 22px;">2018-19</td>
<td style="width: 23.9518220184301%; height: 22px;">6</td>
<td style="width: 19.021436368956508%; height: 22px;">5</td>
<td style="width: 17.556894488460735%; height: 22px;">8</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 8.998963522219945%; height: 22px;">2017-18</td>
<td style="width: 23.9518220184301%; height: 22px;">7</td>
<td style="width: 19.021436368956508%; height: 22px;">6</td>
<td style="width: 17.556894488460735%; height: 22px;">8</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 8.998963522219945%; height: 22px;">2016-17</td>
<td style="width: 23.9518220184301%; height: 22px;">5</td>
<td style="width: 19.021436368956508%; height: 22px;">6</td>
<td style="width: 17.556894488460735%; height: 22px;">9</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 8.998963522219945%; height: 22px;">2015-16</td>
<td style="width: 23.9518220184301%; height: 22px;">4</td>
<td style="width: 19.021436368956508%; height: 22px;">4</td>
<td style="width: 17.556894488460735%; height: 22px;">8</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 8.998963522219945%; height: 22px;">2014-15</td>
<td style="width: 23.9518220184301%; height: 22px;">2</td>
<td style="width: 19.021436368956508%; height: 22px;">2</td>
<td style="width: 17.556894488460735%; height: 22px;">8</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 8.998963522219945%; height: 22px;">2013-14</td>
<td style="width: 23.9518220184301%; height: 22px;">5</td>
<td style="width: 19.021436368956508%; height: 22px;">5</td>
<td style="width: 17.556894488460735%; height: 22px;">6</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 22px;">
<td style="width: 8.998963522219945%; height: 22px;">2012-13</td>
<td style="width: 23.9518220184301%; height: 22px;">5</td>
<td style="width: 19.021436368956508%; height: 22px;">4</td>
<td style="width: 17.556894488460735%; height: 22px;">8</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
(Scroll right to view full table) 
This table eschews some of the context that comes with the ups and downs of different rookie classes. For example, just four rookies averaged more than 9 points per game, and Steven Adams averaged 3.3 points and managed to land on the All-Rookie Second Team... yeesh. Cade Cunningham probably would have been a preseason top scorer if he wasn't hurt, and the same could be said for Jabari Parker's 2014-15 regular season had he not torn his ACL.
Still, the general theme appears to be that preseason bucket-getters can signal regular-season success, but it's not an automatic transition. And this makes sense &mdash; playing time is obviously different in the preseason, and roles that appear to be solid might dissolve. Jared Butler, Trey Murphy III and James Bouknight were all top-five preseason rookie scorers last year who scarcely played in the regular season (though Murphy caught on late).&nbsp;
The last 10 years of preseason scoring leaders, in reverse chronological order, are Jared Butler (18.0 PPG), Theo Maledon (15.5), Zion Williamson (23.3), Deandre Ayton (18.2), Kyle Kuzma (17.3), Troy Williams (13.2), Emmanuel Mudiay (15.0), Jabari Parker (15.1), Victor Oladipo (13.9) and Damian Lillard (16.2). Seven of those guys landed on an All-Rookie team, but only Lillard earned Rookie of the Year.&nbsp;
That being said, it's significant that Eason and Mathurin have thrived at their current level. They're both putting up over 30 points per 36 minutes, which is ridiculous given their sizeable preseason roles. Williamson is the only other qualifying rookie in the last 10 years to clear such a threshold while averaging more than 20 minutes per game. Let me go find the wide-eyed emoji.
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Playing time, ultimately, is perhaps the trickiest puzzle to solve with preseason. Eason and Mathurin should have room to play through mistakes on teams in rebuilding situations. But what about some of the less emphatic rookie standouts?
This year's 10 leading scorers are Eason (20.7 PPG), Mathurin (20.3), Murray (16.0), Ivey (13.7), Jaden Hardy (13.5), Paolo Banchero (13.3), Jalen Williams (12.8), Shaedon Sharpe (11.8), Ousmane Dieng (11.0) and Jamal Cain (10.0). I'd consider Hardy, Sharpe and Cain the toughest All-Rookie bets of the group, just because they'll have to overcome deeper rosters and show they can impact winning for playoff hopefuls.
It's a boring takeaway, but here's my final thought: Remember that it's the preseason, and the jump to games that matter gets bumpy fast. But be cautiously excited about your favorite rookie. It's healthy to enjoy fun basketball. As interesting as it is to look back at history, every young player faces their own unique set of obstacles on the pathway to success.
Meanwhile, Rockets and Pacers fans &mdash; go wild. Even if the team scores are meaningless, Tari Eason and Bennedict Mathurin sure are awesome.
THE OUTLIERS (a.k.a. other random interesting numbers I found in the void):
<ul>
<li>Happy belated birthday to our Nekias Duncan! He dropped a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/202223-nba-season-preview-pacific-division" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pacific Division season preview</a> and mentioned the Golden State Warriors' we-won't-call-it-a-Death Lineup of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green outscored opponents by 42 points in 105 playoff minutes last year. That's a group to watch out for.</li>
<li>Let's not forget how huge Jerami Grant's addition could be for the Blazers defense (via this graphic from SIS Hoops):&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
In Jerami Grant, Portland adds a versatile defensive chess piece, adept at limiting advantages on the ball and cleaning up as a help rim protector: <a href="https://t.co/un8bilBhI5">pic.twitter.com/un8bilBhI5</a>
&mdash; SIS Hoops (@SIS_Hoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/SIS_Hoops/status/1580221934603640838?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

<ul>
<li>Todd Whitehead has put together some neat visualizations of how players have changed roles over the course of their careers. I thought this one with Pascal Siakam was particularly interesting:</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Who might follow this career path next? Pascal Siakam was super efficient as a slashing wing a few seasons ago but then he took on a more central role in Toronto's offense and his PPP hasn't fully recovered. Perhaps this is the year. <a href="https://t.co/A4WlUBAmj5">pic.twitter.com/A4WlUBAmj5</a>
&mdash; Todd Whitehead (@CrumpledJumper) <a href="https://twitter.com/CrumpledJumper/status/1580345468344623105?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Ethan Fuller looks at past trends to see if this year's preseason rookie stars can keep the momentum going into the regular season.

NBA Stats Notebook: Does preseason stardom translate to rookie success?

Nekias Duncan previews each of the Pacific division teams ahead of the 2022-23 NBA season.

2022-23 NBA Season Preview: Pacific Division

Is the NBA ready to add an expansion team? Evan Sidery explores what kind of team you could build in a present-day expansion draft.

NBA Expansion Mock Draft: What would a new expansion team look like?

As currently constructed, the Los Angeles Lakers are nowhere closer to escaping the hole they dug for themselves last offseason. While injuries played a part in their struggles, it&rsquo;s fair to say that the Russell Westbrook experiment couldn't have gone much worse. Westbrook struggled to blend off-ball alongside LeBron James, and his fit was immediately clunky.
Lakers head coach Darvin Ham has been saying all of the right things, discussing how he could get the most out of Westbrook and stressing that there's plenty of blame to go around for last year. Meanwhile, the front office continues to explore possible Westbrook trades.
According to <a href="https://theathletic.com/news/lakers-pacers-russell-westbrook-trade-dead/BmoKawpwiFm8/?source=twitterhq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic&rsquo;s Bob Kravitz</a>, the Indiana Pacers recently rejected an offer from the Lakers that would have sent Myles Turner and Buddy Hield to Los Angeles in exchange for Westbrook, a 2027 first-round pick and multiple second-rounders. Indiana is reportedly ready to accept if the Lakers include their 2029 first-round selection as well. Los Angeles hasn't been willing to do so, which is why talks are currently at a standstill.
For both sides, these negotiation tactics make sense. There&rsquo;s absolutely no reason for the Pacers to help the Lakers, especially if they're only receiving one pick to take on Westbrook&rsquo;s $47.2 million salary for 2022-23. Holding out for both the 2027 and 2029 picks with little to no protections would be a fair haul for both Hield and Turner while absorbing an albatross expiring.
Los Angeles is stuck in a Westbrook bind, and it seems they have three remaining options: run it back, hold out for Kyrie Irving, or pull off this win-now deal with the Pacers. At least the Indiana deal would bring back two starters to place alongside LeBron and Anthony Davis.&nbsp;
Some might argue that the trio of James, Davis and Westbrook only played 21 games together, so we haven't seen enough to properly evaluate this group. However, it&rsquo;s fairly apparent that this core isn&rsquo;t good enough to challenge most of the Western Conference&rsquo;s elite teams. Westbrook was unable to function as a secondary option more often than not, and now he'll turn 34 years old in November. Not to mention, the West will likely be tougher than ever &mdash; with teams like the Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets finally getting healthy and several up-and-coming squads expected to take a leap forward as well.&nbsp;
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Earlier this month, Westbrook parted ways with his longtime agent, Thad Foucher, which set off alarm bells. Foucher had represented Westbrook throughout the entirety of his NBA career, helping him earn $291,756,333 from his NBA contracts alone. Why would they split up now? Well, Foucher didn&rsquo;t mince words in <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34250337/russell-westbrook-long-agent-thad-foucher-parting-ways-irreconcilable-differences" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a written statement</a> to ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski, citing "irreconcilable differences" regarding the direction of Westbrook's career.
&ldquo;Now, with a possibility of a fourth trade in four years, the marketplace is telling the Lakers they must add additional value with Russell in any trade scenario. And even then, such a trade may require Russell to immediately move on from the new team via buyout," Foucher <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34250337/russell-westbrook-long-agent-thad-foucher-parting-ways-irreconcilable-differences" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explained</a>. "My belief is that this type of transaction only serves to diminish Russell&rsquo;s value and his best option is to stay with the Lakers, embrace the starting role and support that Darvin Ham publicly offered.&rdquo;
Less than a week after Foucher&rsquo;s eye-opening remarks, trade winds began to pick up again around the future Hall-of-Fame point guard. There was also the Summer League awkwardness, where James and Westbrook sat on opposite sides of the arena and didn't interract with one another. Reading the tea leaves, it sure feels like Westbrook's days with the Lakers are numbered.
Based on Kravitz&rsquo;s intel from Indiana, the deal between the Lakers and Pacers would be &ldquo;done tomorrow&rdquo; if an additional pick is offered alongside Westbrook. The Brooklyn Nets don't seem to be in any rush to move Kevin Durant or Irving &mdash; with some NBA executives predicting that both players will be in Brooklyn when the 2022-23 season begins &mdash; so this Indiana trade may be the Lakers' only other option to significantly improve their title odds for next season.
As Foucher laid out, the marketplace is telling the Lakers all they need to know right now about extracting peak value in a potential Westbrook trade. It may seem like the Lakers are &ldquo;losing&rdquo; this deal based off of asset accommodation alone, but what are the alternatives? In order to move off of Westbrook's contract&nbsp;and&nbsp;bring back key contributors, the Lakers must include both first-round picks. Think of it like this: One first-rounder is to get Indiana to take on the Westbrook contract, and the other is to acquire Turner and Hield.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/hhdd_690w.jpg" alt="" width="652" height="376" />
Honestly, based off that viewpoint, Indiana&rsquo;s angle seems more than fair. It&rsquo;s been impossible for Los Angeles to find a willing taker for Westbrook, and the Pacers are ready to take on his salary while also relinquishing two key contributors who are certainly worth a future first-round pick.&nbsp;
Acquiring Hield and Turner would be an instant game-changer for the Lakers&rsquo; postseason aspirations and a win on several levels. Hield is a talented sharpshooter who would thrive in the Lakers' system, hitting open looks in the corner or while running off perimeter actions. Thanks to the gravity provided by James and Davis, Hield would consistently feast from the perimeter. The 29-year-old would be the team's best outside shooter, and the Lakers&rsquo; roster is in dire need of perimeter weapons. Hield fills a need, and his salary would only be on their books through the 2023-24 campaign.
Turner has had trouble staying healthy, but he's been extremely productive when he's available. Turner has proven that he&rsquo;s one of the best rim protectors in basketball, averaging 2.5 blocks over the last four seasons. Paired next to Davis, who is more comfortable playing the 4, Turner&rsquo;s defense and floor-spacing acumen would provide a balanced frontcourt attack. Only 26 years old, Turner could become a long-term fixture alongside Davis in the frontcourt, as the Lakers would own his Bird rights going forward.
The Lakers&rsquo; biggest needs are three-point shooting and defensive versatility. Hield and Turner would emphatically check both boxes, and their projected rotation certainly looks more appealing.
Starters: LeBron James, Buddy Hield, Talen Horton-Tucker, Anthony Davis, Myles Turner
Bench: Kendrick Nunn, Austin Reaves, Lonnie Walker IV, Troy Brown Jr., Juan Toscano-Anderson, Stanley Johnson, Thomas Bryant, Damian Jones
As evidence by the larger bench mob, this deal would provide Los Angeles with instant relief &mdash; consolidating a deeper rotation. Losing Westbrook is a net-positive in this situation, because Hield and Turner help address needs while allowing LeBron to run the show as pseudo-point guard.
How exactly should the Lakers and Pacers meet in the middle in these trade talks? If the Lakers are balking on including an unprotected first-round pick in 2029, would the Pacers relent on protections possibly up to top-8? Would Indiana be willing to toss in veteran playmaker TJ McConnell to push this pick into unprotected territory? Packaging McConnell with Hield and Tuner would make this three-for-one deal a nearly identical salary match.
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Indiana is the rare team that would feel comfortable taking on the Westbrook contract, simply because he would never suit up for them. Armed with $31 million in cap space after their failed pursuit of Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton, the Pacers can easily absorb Westbrook&rsquo;s salary. And as they tear the roster down to its foundation and rebuild around Tyrese Haliburton and No. 6 overall pick Bennedict Mathurin, Indiana is nowhere close to competing for a playoff spot. Allowing Hield and Turner the opportunity to play on a title contender also opens up more playing time for prioritized members of their young core like Chris Duarte and Isaiah Jackson.
Looking ahead to next offseason, the Pacers project to have over $70 million in cap space if they move Hield&rsquo;s contract. Also, like the Utah Jazz, Indiana is currently slated to have at least three first-round picks in the 2023 NBA Draft. Moving Turner and Hield for picks could also help Indiana in the tank race for Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson. With some lottery luck, they could land one of these potential superstars and usher in the next great era of Pacers basketball.
If the Pacers traded Turner and Hield for Westbrook (and then bought him out), they would have the perfect lineup for developing their young guys &mdash; and tanking.&nbsp;
Starters: Tyrese Haliburton, Chris Duarte, Bennedict Mathurin, Jalen Smith, Isaiah Jackson
Bench: Andrew Nembhard, TJ McConnell, Aaron Nesmith, Terry Taylor, Oshae Brissett, Goga Bitadze, Daniel Theis
Indiana is in the perfect spot to be aggressive when it comes to salary dumps. With cap flexibility over the next two summers until Haliburton is due for a massive pay raise, the Pacers can continue to stockpile future assets and kick the can down the road as their young core continues to develop together. This trade for Westbrook is a prime example where Indiana can take advantage, because those first-round picks from Los Angeles could be very valuable down the road.
Talks between the Lakers and Pacers have stalled, so it remains to be seen whether negotiations will pick back up. The next steps will be critical in order to re-ignite this potential pathway for offloading Westbrook.
It&rsquo;s a tough pill to swallow for Westbrook and the Lakers, but he&rsquo;s a negative asset at this stage of his illustrious career. The best course of action seems to be finally ending this marriage, and the rebuilding Pacers provide the ideal launchpad to change direction for good.

Should the Lakers re-engage the Pacers' recent trade talks? Evan Sidery believe L.A. should take the Russell Westbrook lifeline.

Lakers would be foolish to reject Pacers' offer for Russell Westbrook

Day 1 of the 2022 NBA free-agency period didn't disappoint, as there were plenty of agreements and surprises. However, a number of free-agency moves and potential trades are currently on hold thanks to one of the biggest bombshells in recent memory: Kevin Durant requesting a trade from the Brooklyn Nets.
It remains to be seen how long Sean Marks and Co. will take to find a new home for Durant, but that will certainly have an impact on the rest of the league. Whenever there's a superstar available &mdash; either via trade or free agency &mdash; that tends to be what teams prioritize.
Still, it's possible we could see some more players come off the board on Day 2. Which notable free agents are still available? Here are some names to keep an eye on.
JAMES HARDEN, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
James Harden declined his $47.4 million player option for the 2022-23 season and he's now an unrestricted free agent. However, all signs point to Harden remaining with the Philadelphia 76ers on a new deal. The two sides are meeting soon to discuss what his new contract will look like, but it's reportedly expected to pay Harden somewhere around $35 million per year. The 32-year-old struggled during the playoffs, especially in the second round when he averaged 18.2 points, 7.0 assists, 6.3 rebounds, 4.8 turnovers and 2.5 threes, while shooting 40.4% from the field, 33.2% from three and 76.1% from the free-throw line. Perhaps Harden will bounce back and benefit from playing with several of his former Houston Rockets teammates again, but he turns 33 years old in August and seems significantly less explosive.
DEANDRE AYTON, RESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Things aren't looking great for Deandre Ayton. He was being linked to the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks, but their interest seems to have cooled off. Once Kevin Durant requested a trade, some wondered if he would land in Brooklyn via a sign-and-trade, but multiple reports have indicated that the Nets aren't interested in the 23-year-old either. A return to Phoenix also seems unlikely given recent <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-draft-rumors-live-notebook-all-the-latest-news-trades-and-intel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> that both sides want to move on. What is the market for Ayton at this point? The Indiana Pacers and Minnesota Timberwolves were mentioned by ESPN's Brian Windhorst as potential dark horses for Ayton, so perhaps one of those squads could emerge as a sign-and-trade partner. However, it's seeming less and less likely that Ayton will get the max deal that he and his camp have pushed for. Ayton is a young, improving player who is widely regarded as one of NBA's best young centers, so a team will be lucky to add him (especially if they can get him at a discount).
MILES BRIDGES, RESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Miles Bridges is coming off of a breakout season, averaging a career-high 20.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.9 threes and 0.9 steals. It seemed like the forward was due for a massive pay raise and Charlotte Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak even said that the team was going to re-sign him. However, that was before Bridges was arrested for domestic violence on the eve of free agency, which could absolutely impact his negotiations. Bridges' wife, Mychelle Johnson, <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNBACentral/status/1542723880619581440/photo/4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spoke out</a> about Bridges' alleged abuse and documented her serious injuries. Not only will this situation likely scare teams away, it's also very possible that Bridges could be suspended by the NBA too.
COLLIN SEXTON, RESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Collin Sexton injured his left knee in November, and an MRI revealed a torn meniscus. He had surgery a week later, sidelining him for the entirety of the 2021-22 campaign. It will be fascinating to see <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-rumors-offseason-free-agency-examining-potential-destinations-collin-sexton-cleveland-cavaliers-washington-wizards-san-antonio-spurs-dallas-mavericks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">what offers he receives on the open market</a>. During the 2020-21 season, Sexton averaged 24.3 points and 4.4 assists while shooting 47.5% from the floor, 37.5% from downtown and 81.5% from the free-throw line. However, he struggled defensively, and the Cavs registered a league-worst 60-159 record over the first three years of his career. With Sexton out of action this season, Cleveland went 44-38 and made the Play-In Tournament. Darius Garland emerged as an All-Star in Sexton&rsquo;s absence. Because he is a restricted free agent, the Cavs can match any offer he receives.
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MONTREZL HARRELL, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Montrezl Harrell is coming off of another productive and efficient season as a reserve, averaging 13.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 23.1 minutes per game, while shooting 64.5% from the field. Harrell started the season with the Washington Wizards and then got traded to the Charlotte Hornets prior to the deadline. The former Sixth Man of the Year is <a href="https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/charlotte-hornets/article262474282.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">facing felony drug charges</a> after officers said they found three pounds of marijuana in his car during a traffic stop back in May. It remains to be seen if this impacts his free-agency negotiations.
KEVON LOONEY, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Every coach would love to have a player like Kevon Looney; he knows his role, never tries to do too much and you never have to worry about his effort. Last season, he averaged 6.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.6 blocks and 0.6 steals while shooting 57.1% from the field. In the Warriors' Game 2 win over the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals, Looney delivered the best game of his career with 21 points, 12 rebounds and 2 assists on 71.4% shooting. The Warriors are trying hard to retain Looney, but he's certainly attracting interest from rival teams as well.
T.J. WARREN, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
T.J. Warren was a beast in the NBA Bubble at the end of the 2019-20 season, when he averaged 31.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.7 threes. With that said, he played just four games during the 2020-21 season, and then he missed the entire 2021-22 campaign. He'll have to provide medicals to any team that&rsquo;s interested, but he's still just 28 years old. Some team will likely roll the dice on a one-year, make-good contract in hopes of Warren resurrecting his career. A return to Indiana remains a possibility too.
CALEB MARTIN, RESTRICTED FREE AGENT
In his first season with the Miami Heat, Caleb Martin averaged 9.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.1 threes, 1.1 assists and 1.0 steal, while shooting 50.7% from the field and 41.3% from three-point range. Martin is restricted, so the Heat can match any offer he receives.
THOMAS BRYANT, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Thomas Bryant inked a three-year, $25 million deal back in 2019 and played very well for the Washington Wizards during the first year of that contract, averaging 13.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in under 25 minutes per game. He also got off to an impressive start the following season before tearing his ACL in early 2021. Bryant returned to action in January, but saw his minutes reduced following Washington's acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis. Still just 24 years old, Bryant could be a worthwhile investment for a team in the market for a young big.
DONTE DIVINCENZO, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
After emerging as a key contributor for the Milwaukee Bucks in recent years, Donte DiVincenzo was traded to the Sacramento Kings as part of a four-team deal prior to last year's deadline. The 25-year-old averaged 10.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.1 threes and 1.5 steals in 26.6 minutes with the Kings. However, DiVincenzo and his camp reportedly felt that Sacramento cut DiVincenzo's playing time down the stretch in order to hurt his stock heading into free agency. The Kings decided not to extend a qualifying offer to DiVincenzo, making him an unrestricted free agent.
JALEN SMITH, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Jalen Smith was the No. 10 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, but the Phoenix Suns decided to trade him after he appeared in just 56 games. The Suns dealt Smith and a future second-round pick to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Torrey Craig. The 22-year-old got a fresh start in Indiana, where he averaged 13.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.4 threes, 1.0 block and 0.4 steals in 24.7 minutes per game. Smith scored in double figures in 18 of his 22 games with the Pacers. Now, after the best stretch of his young NBA career, Smith is an unrestricted free agent and it'll be interesting to see how teams value him.
Check out <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-free-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews' 2022 NBA Free Agency page</a> for our complete rankings, the latest rumors, a glossary of relevant terms and more.
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Entering Day 2 of the NBA's free-agency period, which players are still available? Here are some notable free agents worth monitoring.