Crimson Tide

The Miami Heat continued to make moves as they have acquired guard Davion Mitchell from the Toronto Raptors, according to ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania. In exchange, they will send out recently re-acquired forward PJ Tucker, a second-round draft pick, and cash considerations.
Trade Details:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Miami Heat Receive:</li>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Davion Mitchell</li>
</ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Toronto Raptors Receive:</li>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">PJ Tucker</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Second-round draft pick</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Cash considerations</li>
</ul>
</ul>
ANALYSIS: Davion Mitchell, 26, has averaged 6.3 points, 4.6 assists, and 1.9 rebounds over 44 games this season, starting in 22 of them. He is set to become a restricted free agent after the season.&nbsp;
A defensive dynamo, Mitchell bolsters the Heat's backcourt depth that includes Tyler Herro, Terry Rozier, and Duncan Robinson as they prepare for the latter part of the season.
PJ Tucker, a seasoned forward, brings veteran experience to the Raptors. The inclusion of a second-round pick and cash considerations provides Toronto with additional assets for future flexibility, but it will be interesting to see if Tucker gets traded again to a potential contender that could use his services.

The Miami Heat continued to make moves as they have acquired guard Davion Mitchell from the Toronto Raptors.

Heat receive Davion Mitchell from Raptors for PJ Tucker

With just days left until the 2024-25 NBA season tips off, the Eastern Conference teams are settled, prepped, and ready for action. The offseason moves are done, rosters are set, and almost everyone&rsquo;s locked in for what&rsquo;s shaping up to be an intense race. From title contenders to dark horses, the East is packed with teams ready to make noise. So, let&rsquo;s dive into the top 15 teams in the East as we gear up for this brand-new season&mdash;no fluff, just what you need to know.
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">New York Knicks The Knicks made significant moves this offseason, adding Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges while retaining key pieces like Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby. With depth, defense, and firepower, they look primed for a deep playoff run. After a 50-win season in 2023-24, they now have realistic championship aspirations and could be the biggest threat to the Celtics in the East.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Boston Celtics The defending champions kept their core intact, extending Jayson Tatum and Derrick White. With Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Jrue Holiday leading a formidable lineup, the Celtics are aiming to repeat as NBA champions. Despite concerns about Al Horford&rsquo;s age and frontcourt health, Boston remains the favorite heading into the 2024-25 season.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Milwaukee Bucks The Bucks didn&rsquo;t make major changes but added depth with Gary Trent Jr., Taurean Prince, and Delon Wright. After an injury-plagued season from Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, Milwaukee looks to bounce back under returning head coach Doc Rivers. With questions surrounding Lillard&rsquo;s form and Middleton&rsquo;s durability, the Bucks remain playoff contenders, but how far they go will depend on health and chemistry.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Philadelphia 76ers The 76ers had a big offseason, adding Paul George, Andre Drummond, and Caleb Martin to support Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Maxey&rsquo;s rise as a star solidifies Philly&rsquo;s title hopes, and Embiid&rsquo;s MVP-level play is crucial for their success. With an improved supporting cast, the Sixers could be serious challengers in the East, but Embiid&rsquo;s health remains the key.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Cleveland Cavaliers After a solid 48-win season, the Cavs focused on continuity by keeping their core of Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. New coach Kenny Atkinson brings fresh leadership, and Cleveland hopes to build on last season&rsquo;s playoff run. With a healthier roster and improved coaching, the Cavs could reach 50 wins and challenge the top teams in the East.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Indiana Pacers The Pacers had a quiet offseason but retained Pascal Siakam and made a key addition in James Wiseman. Tyrese Haliburton&rsquo;s breakout season makes Indiana a team to watch, and they&rsquo;re looking to build on their deep playoff run. With improved chemistry and young talent, Indiana could surprise as a top-five team in the East.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Orlando Magic The Magic are banking on internal growth, led by Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. After winning 47 games and making the playoffs last season, they added veteran Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for shooting and leadership. With a young core developing, Orlando could win 50 games if they continue their upward trend and improve their perimeter shooting.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Miami Heat The Heat had a quiet offseason, adding Alec Burks while re-signing key players like Bam Adebayo. With Jimmy Butler&rsquo;s future uncertain and health concerns for both Butler and Tyler Herro, Miami could face challenges in a competitive Eastern Conference. However, Adebayo&rsquo;s All-NBA-level play will keep them in the playoff hunt.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Atlanta Hawks The Hawks overhauled their roster after a disappointing 36-46 season, headlined by trading Dejounte Murray and acquiring the No. 1 pick, Zaccharie Risacher. With Trae Young remaining the focal point, the Hawks are banking on Risacher&rsquo;s development and contributions from new additions like Larry Nance Jr. and Dyson Daniels. This team looks poised to contend for a Play-In spot but lacks the co-star power needed for a deep playoff run.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Charlotte Hornets The Hornets enter the season with fresh energy, thanks to the hiring of new coach Charles Lee and the re-signing of Miles Bridges. With LaMelo Ball back healthy and Brandon Miller continuing to impress after an All-Rookie season, Charlotte&rsquo;s young core could surprise many. If Ball stays on the floor and their youth develops quickly, the Hornets might find themselves contending for a Play-In spot and shaking off years of underachievement.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Detroit Pistons The Pistons are looking to turn the page on a tough 2023-24 season and have made moves to fast-track their rebuild. With Cade Cunningham healthy, new leadership under J.B. Bickerstaff, and rookie Ron Holland adding spark, Detroit could outperform expectations. If Cunningham returns to form and the team gels quickly, don&rsquo;t be surprised if the Pistons emerge as a dark horse in the East.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Toronto Raptors The Raptors are in transition, keeping their young core of Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley intact. After a poor finish to last season, Toronto is betting on Barnes&rsquo; continued growth and the addition of Davion Mitchell to improve their fortunes. While their ceiling might be a Play-In appearance, the Raptors are hoping their trio can take a big step forward.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Chicago Bulls The Bulls traded DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso, adding Josh Giddey and Jalen Smith to the mix. Zach LaVine&rsquo;s injury history remains a concern, but the Bulls are counting on Coby White&rsquo;s emergence and the potential of lottery pick Matas Buzelis. Chicago is likely to be a competitive team some nights, but they may struggle to rise above the Play-In threshold.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Brooklyn Nets The Nets are entering a rebuild after trading Mikal Bridges and Lonnie Walker. With a young roster led by Nic Claxton and Cam Thomas, Brooklyn&rsquo;s focus is on player development. Ben Simmons remains a question mark, but the team&rsquo;s recent moves set them up for future success with significant draft assets. A playoff berth seems unlikely as they look to position themselves for a high draft pick.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Washington Wizards The Wizards continue their rebuild with the addition of Alex Sarr, the No. 2 overall pick. With Malcolm Brogdon and Saddiq Bey joining the squad, Washington hopes to see growth from young talents like Bilal Coulibaly. However, they&rsquo;re still far from playoff contention and will likely be looking at another lottery-bound season.</li>
</ol>

Let's dive into the top 15 teams in the East as we gear up for this brand-new season.

2024-2025 NBA Eastern Conference Power Rankings: A new number one arises at the top

After trading OG Anunoby and acquiring youngsters RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, the Toronto Raptors seem poised for a rebuild.
This recent trade with the New York Knicks begs the question: Is All-Star Pascal Siakam the league&rsquo;s most desired player as the Feb. 8 trade deadline approaches?
With Toronto likely looking to jumpstart their rebuild, the 29-year-old does not fit the timeline of their other high-value players, including Scottie Barnes (22 years old) and Barrett (23 years old). Barnes is averaging career-highs in nearly every major statistic, and he's the Raptors' second-leading scorer behind Siakam. Barrett has not lived up to expectations as a former No. 3 overall pick, but he has proven himself as a solid scorer, averaging 18.2 points on 42.3% shooting. The Raptors are entering 2024 with a lineup that's built to compete in the coming years rather than this season.
Many organizations believe they have a cast strong enough to compete for a championship or, at the very least, a playoff berth. There are very few sellers this season, and the lack of teams interested in parting ways with their key contributors further enhances Siakam&rsquo;s value. With so few impact players on the market, many front offices around the NBA could view Siakam as their missing piece.
There is an argument for stars such as Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen or Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro being the most sought-after player, but neither has the newfound availability of Siakam. Also, it seems unlikely that either of those players will be traded, whereas a Siakam deals seems more likely, especially since he'll be an unrestricted free agent after this season.
<a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/39209777/knicks-acquiring-raptors-og-anunoby-trade-sources-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski</a> reports that "Toronto is expected to continue to explore trades involving forward Pascal Siakam." While he points out that "there are no deals with traction now," that's likely to change as the trade deadline gets closer.
Siakam is a two-time All-NBA forward who's averaging 21.9 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists on 51.2% shooting. Teams seeking a player to stretch the floor should consider looking elsewhere, as Siakam is shooting 26.1% from three-point range through 32 games. He's an offensive engine who has the ability to create his own shot, with just 58.1% of his points being assisted. For comparison, reigning MVP Joel Embiid is assisted on 56.8% of his makes.
Two of the strongest contenders for Siakam are the Philadelphia 76ers and Sacramento Kings.
Philadelphia could benefit from a third scoring option alongside Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. The Sixers' tandem is averaging a combined 61.3 points. The 76ers sit as the No. 3 seed in the East, trailing the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks.
Forward Tobias Harris provides solid contributions, but lacks the offensive skill-set of Siakam. Harris would likely act as the center of Philadelphia&rsquo;s offer. The 31-year-old is averaging 17.3 points and 6.1 rebounds on 51.3% shooting. It's no secret that Daryl Morey has been pursuing a third star ever since trading James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Meanwhile, the Kings currently hold the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference. If they add a third star to the exhilarating duo of De&rsquo;Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento could elevate further up the standings. The organization has a multitude of valuable assets, including Keegan Murray, Kevin Huerter, Davion Mitchell and Malik Monk. 
However, it remains to be seen whether Sacramento is willing to part with these pieces and push their chips to the middle of the table. Murray is averaging 15.5 points per game in his sophomore season, while Monk and Huerter provide solid scoring and shooting from beyond the arc.
While the 76ers and Kings make sense as landing spots for Siakam, plenty of teams will likely call about the forward in the coming weeks. Don't be surprised if there's a bidding war for Siakam's services.

After trading OG Anunoby, the Raptors could look to move All-Star Pascal Siakam, who will be highly coveted in the coming weeks.

Is Pascal Siakam the NBA's most sought-after player?

After a long four-month offseason, the 2023-24 NBA season officially kicks off on October 24. Preseason action is currently underway, with teams evaluating their roster and getting ready for the start of the regular season.
There were a few roster rule changes of note this offseason that were introduced as part of the new CBA. Now, each team can sign up to three two-way players (up from two) who are able to play up to 50 games with their NBA team and spend the rest of their season in the G League. Also, offseason rosters were originally limited to 20 players but have since increased to 21.&nbsp;
Each team needs to be at 15 standard contracts prior to the start of the season, which means a few players on guaranteed deals will have to be cut prior to the season. While some teams have a pretty set roster, others (like the Oklahoma City Thunder) will be forced to part ways with talented players to reach their roster limit.&nbsp;
Looking at the Atlantic Division, let's see how each team&rsquo;s lineup is shaping up and what questions they may need to answer before the start of the season.
(This is part one of a six-part series, with more divisional previews coming soon).
<h1>BOSTON CELTICS</h1>
Outside of the top-six players, who will be the most reliable depth option?
After acquiring Jrue Holiday, the Boston Celtics may have the best top-six of any team in the league. While we can add the Holiday trade to their list of aggressive offseason transactions, their depth has taken somewhat of a step back.&nbsp;
They will have to replace four rotation players from last year&rsquo;s Conference Finals team with a few players who don&rsquo;t have much experience in playoff situations. Three players who should definitely see more minutes are Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser and Luke Kornet. Pritchard has played well on both ends of the floor when given an opportunity, notably shooting 40% from three-point range over his first three seasons. The Celtics rewarded him with a team-friendly extension that should see him take up about 5% of the salary cap over the next four years. Hauser has also been a stellar three-point shooter, knocking down 42% since coming into the league.&nbsp;
The frontcourt is probably the most notable weakness on the team&rsquo;s depth chart. Joe Mazzulla has expressed confidence that <a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/2023/10/7/23907608/boston-celtics-depth-sam-hauser-luke-kornet-payton-pritchard-joe-mazzulla-blake-griffin-bus-one-boys" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kornet should be successful on both ends of the floor and will be their go-to backup center to start the season.</a> The preseason will be important in determining who else (i.e. Oshae Brissett, Jordan Walsh, Svi Mykhailiuk, etc.) may stand out for Mazzulla and get an opportunity for playing time behind Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis.&nbsp;
Roster Decisions
The Celtics have the least amount of players on guaranteed contracts in the league (10). However, their roster for opening night is likely set unless they want to open up flexibility to sign other veteran players or buyout candidates later this season. If they choose to cut someone, it would very likely be a player on a non-guaranteed deal. Mykhailiuk and Dalano Banton each have a partial $200,000 guarantee that increases to over $1,000,000 if they make the roster. Kornet, Wenyen Gabriel and Lamar Stevens all have non-guaranteed contracts.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 19 players (10 guaranteed, 2 partially guaranteed, 3 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 1 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Jrue Holiday, G/F Jaylen Brown, F Jayson Tatum, F/C Al Horford, F/C Kristaps Porzingis
Projected Rotation Players: G Derrick White, G Payton Pritchard, C Luke Kornet (non-guaranteed), F Sam Hauser, F Oshae Brissett
Projected Reserves: F Jordan Walsh, G/F Svi Mykhailiuk ($200K guaranteed), F Wenyen Gabriel (non-guaranteed), G Dalano Banton ($200K guaranteed), F Lamar Stevens (non-guaranteed)
Projected Two-Way Players: C Neemias Queta, G JD Davison, G Jay Scrubb (Injured)
Projected Roster Cuts: G DJ Steward (Exhibit-10)
<h1>BROOKLYN NETS</h1>
What is Ben Simmons' role?
Ben Simmons has only played 42 games since being acquired by the Nets in February 2022, dealing with physical and psychological hurdles that have made him somewhat of an afterthought. Head coach Jacque Vaughn has expressed confidence that Simmons is now 100% healthy and ready to contribute again at a high level.&nbsp;
He seems to be penciled in as the team&rsquo;s starting point guard, starting in the Nets&rsquo; first preseason game. Though it was just a small 14-minute sample size, Simmons looked a lot like his former All-Star self. Having not played since February 15, he looked athletic, aggressive and confident before sitting out the second half.&nbsp;
&ldquo;He attacked the rim, I think he played with pace, looked pretty natural out there getting up and down the floor, communicating with guys into the flow of the game,&rdquo; Vaughn said, <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/10/10/ben-simmons-passes-eye-test-in-nets-preseason-opener/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">praising his $38-million man</a>. &ldquo;Really good to see.&rdquo;
Vaughn has some options when it comes to starting lineups where he could go smaller, with a backcourt of Simmons and Spencer Dinwiddie, or decide to start Dorian Finney-Smith and use Mikal Bridges as a big two-guard.&nbsp;
Roster Decisions
Darius Bazley, Harry Giles and Trendon Watford are all on non-guaranteed deals and are vying for the final two roster spots. The Nets also have an open two-way spot, which I believe they could potentially use on a player like <a href="https://www.si.com/college/tennessee/mens-basketball/kennedy-chandler-starring-in-nba-summer-league" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Summer League standout</a> and former Memphis Grizzlies second-rounder Kennedy Chandler.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 18 players (13 guaranteed, 3 non-guaranteed, 2 two-way)
Projected Starters: G/F Ben Simmons, G Spencer Dinwiddie, F Mikal Bridges, F Cameron Johnson, C Nicolas Claxton
Projected Rotation Players: F Dorian Finney-Smith, F Royce O&rsquo;Neale, G Cameron Thomas, G Dennis Smith Jr., C Day&rsquo;Ron Sharpe
Projected Reserves: G/F Lonnie Walker IV, C Noah Clowney, F Dariq Whitehead, F Darius Bazley (Non-Guaranteed), C Harry Giles (Non-Guaranteed)
Projected Two-way Players: G Armoni Brooks, F Jalen Wilson, G Kennedy Chandler* (Projected Signing)
Projected Roster Cuts: F Trendon Watford (Non-Guaranteed)
<h1>NEW YORK KNICKS</h1>
Who will be the first option off the bench?
New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau has his fair share of options to headline his second unit. In his third year, Immanuel Quickley had his best season to date, finishing as the runner-up for the Sixth Man of the Year award behind Malcolm Brogdon. Quickley was the primary scorer for the second unit, but he shouldn&rsquo;t have to carry the entire load on offense with the addition of Donte DiVincenzo.&nbsp;
DiVincenzo impressed last season with the Golden State Warriors as a reliable bench shooter and should spot minutes for Quentin Grimes and R.J. Barrett when offensive pushes are needed. Josh Hart could also be the team&rsquo;s sixth man, just like he was during the Knicks&rsquo; playoff run. After being traded from Portland, Hart averaged 30 minutes per game despite coming off the bench most of the time. It is worth noting the Knicks-Villanova connection between Hart, DiVincenzo and Jalen Brunson, who should fit seamlessly together on the floor thanks to their pre-existing chemistry. While unlikely to be the first off the bench, Isaiah Hartenstein also deserves mention since he has been one of the league&rsquo;s better backup centers and could see more time if Mitchell Robinson gets in foul trouble. In terms of rotation issues, Thibodeau should see this as a good problem to have regardless of who he brings off the bench first.&nbsp;
Roster Decisions
The Knicks have three spots up for grabs between Ryan Arcidiacono, DaQuan Jeffries, Isaiah Roby and Duane Washington Jr. All are on non-guaranteed deals that won&rsquo;t be fully guaranteed until the league-wide guarantee date on January 10.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 21 players (12 guaranteed, 4 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 2 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Jalen Brunson, G Quentin Grimes, G/F R.J. Barrett, F Julius Randle, C Mitchell Robinson
Projected Rotation Players: G Josh Hart, G Immanuel Quickley, G Donte DiVincenzo, C Isaiah Hartenstein, G Miles McBride
Projected Reserves: G Evan Fournier, C Jericho Sims, F Isaiah Roby (non-guaranteed), G Ryan Arcidiacono (non-guaranteed), G/F DaQuan Jeffries (non-guaranteed)
Projected Two-way Players: F/C Nathan Knight, G/F Dylan Windler, F Jaylen Martin
Projected Roster Cuts: G Duane Washington Jr. (non-guaranteed), G Charlie Brown Jr. (Exhibit-10), F Jacob Toppin (Exhibit-10)
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/embiid332.jpg" alt="" width="672" height="440" />
<h1>PHILADELPHIA 76ERS</h1>
Will Tyrese Maxey become more of a creator and how can that adjust the rotation?
The Sixers&rsquo; ceiling is contingent on how much Tyrese Maxey can improve this season. Maxey hasn&rsquo;t needed to be the team&rsquo;s primary distributor since James Harden joined the team, allowing him to blossom into a reliable 20-PPG scorer. Regardless of whether Harden&rsquo;s trade situation is resolved, Maxey will need to become a better creator and distributor if he wants to take his game to the next level. Prior to Harden&rsquo;s arrival, Maxey had an impressive 4:1 assist-to-turnover ratio despite his small frame and risk-averse tendencies.&nbsp;
Interestingly, team president Daryl Morey has held off on giving Maxey an extension this offseason, electing to wait until next summer to pay his budding young guard. Maxey will likely demand near max-level money that could harm Philly&rsquo;s flexibility to go after star players next offseason. If he can improve his ball-handling and distribution tendencies, the Sixers&rsquo; offense should benefit tremendously, helping the offensive output of players like P.J. Tucker and Paul Reed and easing the reliance on De&rsquo;Anthony Melton and Patrick Beverley.
Roster Decisions
Two players will likely be fighting for the Sixers&rsquo; final roster spot. The team re-signed veteran Danny Green, who played for the team from 2020 to 2022, to a non-guaranteed deal. They also brought over young big Filip Petrusev, who was drafted by Philadelphia in 2021. Petrusev signed a multi-year deal that was partially guaranteed for $559,782 this season and non-guaranteed next year. Although unlikely, the 76ers could also elect to waive Montrezl Harrell despite his deal being fully guaranteed, as he should miss this season with a torn ACL.
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 21 players (14 guaranteed, 1 partially Guaranteed, 1 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 2 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Tyrese Maxey, G James Harden, F P.J. Tucker, F Tobias Harris, C Joel Embiid
Projected Rotation Players: G De&rsquo;Anthony Melton, G Patrick Beverley, F/C Paul Reed, F/G Kelly Oubre Jr., F Danuel House
Projected Reserves: C Mo Bamba, F Furkan Korkmaz, G Jaden Springer, G/F Danny Green (non-guaranteed), C Montrezl Harrell (injured)
Projected Two-way Players: G Terquavion Smith, G Ricky Council IV, F Azuolas Tubelis
Projected Roster Cuts: F/C Filip Petrusev ($559,782 guaranteed), G David Duke Jr. (Exhibit-10), G Javonte Smart (Exhibit-10)
<h1>TORONTO RAPTORS</h1>
What style does Darko Rajakovic bring to Toronto and who will benefit the most?
New coach Darko Rajakovic inherits an interesting Raptors team with plenty of talent, but they may be facing a crossroads in terms of how successful they can be as a group. Rajakovic is in his first NBA head coaching gig after three seasons as an assistant with the Grizzlies and is known around the league as a pick-and-roll guru.&nbsp;
The idea of the Raptors being a primary pick-and-roll team became less appealing when they were unable to retain Fred VanVleet in free agency, replacing him with a less reliable shooter in Dennis Schr&ouml;der. Instead, Rajakovic will likely rely on Schr&ouml;der and his newly paid center Jakob Poeltl for more ball movement and playmaking. Rajakovic compared Poeltl to Domantas Sabonis before the Raptors&rsquo; preseason win over the Sacramento Kings on October 9 and could use him in a similar role. If Poeltl can be 70% of what Sabonis was last season, it can be a huge boost to an inconsistent offense.
Roster Decisions
The Raptors have 15 players on guaranteed deals going into the season, but also carry Jeff Dowtin Jr. on a non-guaranteed deal. Dowtin played on a two-way contract with Toronto last season, appearing in 25 games. With the roster full, Dowtin is unlikely to make the regular-season roster but he has still <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/raptors/news/toronto-raptors-praise-jeff-dowtin-jr-as-roster-decisions-await" target="_blank" rel="noopener">impressed the coaching staff this preseason</a>. If any player is in danger of losing their roster spot to Dowtin, it would likely be former first-round pick Malachi Flynn. Dowtin&rsquo;s deal becomes guaranteed for $900,000 on October 21, four days before the team&rsquo;s season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves. I would expect the Raptors to make a decision on Dowtin before then.&nbsp;
Rotation
Current Roster Count: 21 players (15 guaranteed, 1 non-guaranteed, 3 two-way, 2 Exhibit-10)
Projected Starters: G Dennis Schr&ouml;der, F/G Scottie Barnes, F OG Anunoby, F Pascal Siakam, C Jakob Poeltl
Projected Rotation Players: G Gary Trent Jr., F Precious Achiuwa, F/C Chris Boucher, F Jalen McDaniels, G/F Gradey Dick
Projected Reserves: F Thaddeus Young, G Malachi Flynn, F Otto Porter Jr., C Christian Koloko, G/F Garrett Temple
Projected Two-way Players: G/F Ron Harper Jr., G Markquis Nowell, G Javon Freeman-Liberty
Projected Roster Cuts: G Jeff Dowtin (non-guaranteed), F Mouhamadou Gueye (Exhibit-10), C Makur Maker (Exhibit-10)
Other news from around the web: <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/dress-to-impress-why-barbie-and-ken-are-the-hottest-couples-costume-this-halloween/ar-AA1iaTEh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barbie and Ken are the hottest couples costume this Halloween</a>

Blake Stern previews the Atlantic Division, breaking down each team's projected lineup and a burning question entering the season.

NBA Atlantic Division Preview: Burning questions, rotation projections

With the NBA&rsquo;s 2023 free-agency period pretty much wrapped up, why not take a look at how projecting next year's free-agent market? Obviously, a lot can change between now and then, but let&rsquo;s examine each team&rsquo;s cap situation and how much cap room they project to have next summer.&nbsp;
Next year&rsquo;s free-agency class could feature some big names, including Kawhi Leonard, Pascal Siakam, Tyrese Maxey (restricted), Paul George, LeBron James, James Harden, Jrue Holiday, OG Anunoby and DeMar DeRozan.&nbsp;
For the purposes of this exercise, I&rsquo;m going to separate teams into four spending-power tiers: Cap Space Teams, Non-Tax MLE Teams, Luxury Tax Teams and Second Apron Teams. Also, let's assume that the salary cap will be set at $149,623,000 and the luxury tax will come in at $181,823,000, the maximum 10% jump from this upcoming season set under the new CBA.
CAP SPACE TEAMS
Teams in this tier are currently projected to have cap space next summer. They have spending access to their cap space, Bird Rights, the Room Exception (projected at $8,495,000) and the Veteran Minimum Exception.
San Antonio Spurs ($77,195,776 under the cap) If Victor Wembanyama is 70% as good as he&rsquo;s hyped up to be entering this season, one would figure that the Spurs will spend big or at least make a meaningful impact on the free-agent market next summer. They project to have an enormous amount of cap space, so it&rsquo;s very possible we&rsquo;ll see San Antonio take on some more bad contracts in trades to give them even more draft capital. Also, they&rsquo;ll want to retain Devin Vassell, who will be a restricted free agent next offseason once the Spurs extend his qualifying offer.
Philadelphia 76ers ($73,034,842 under the cap) The Sixers are perhaps the most interesting team in terms of their 2024 offseason outlook. By letting Tyrese Maxey hit restricted free agency next summer rather than extending him this year, Philadelphia gave themselves serious cap flexibility. Tobias Harris and James Harden both have expiring contracts, so the Sixers will have to use their cap space to replace their production. A Harden trade would obviously change their projected cap room, but it remains to be seen what they&rsquo;ll get back for the former MVP and how much it&rsquo;ll impact their books.
Toronto Raptors ($60,339,034 under the cap) After losing Fred VanVleet, the Raptors are walking a tightrope when it comes to whether they&rsquo;ll compete or rebuild. They face some tough decisions. Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby are both set to hit free agency next summer, so Toronto needs to decide whether they want to extend or trade their best players. Not to mention, Precious Achiuwa and Gary Trent Jr. also need new contracts.
Orlando Magic ($58,010,944 under the cap) Orlando has a lot of options for next summer, but the Magic may start with retaining many of their own players. Franz Wagner will likely receive a big contract extension, while Markelle Fultz and Cole Anthony will be up for new contracts. Given that Orlando has a logjam in their backcourt &ndash; with Fultz, Anthony, Jalen Suggs and Anthony Black &ndash; it&rsquo;ll be interesting to see what they do with Fultz and Anthony. The Magic will still have plenty of room to add quality talent for yearly average values over the NTMLE.
Detroit Pistons ($57,781,166 under the cap) Detroit may approach the 2024 offseason similar to how Houston approached this summer, as a young team hoping to use its massive cap space on good veterans in order to take bigger steps toward playoff contention. With that said, the first priority for the team will be agreeing to a contract extension with Cade Cunningham.
Utah Jazz ($50,315,319 under the cap) The Jazz find themselves in a unique position where they could go in two directions. After committing a three-year deal to Jordan Clarkson, they can use their cap space to give 2023 Most Improved Player Lauri Markkanen a contract extension. If they want to have significant cap space for next summer instead, they can hold off on giving Markkanen an extension until free agency is settled.
Washington Wizards ($47,123,801 under the cap) Despite their cap space next year, don&rsquo;t expect Washington to be a big player in 2024 free agency. In the beginning stages of a rebuild, the Wizards will probably keep their sights on collecting more draft capital. They do have an interesting decision coming up with recent trade acquisition Tyus Jones, whom they&rsquo;ll likely want to keep long-term.&nbsp;
Charlotte Hornets ($41,300,515 under the cap)&nbsp; They may lose some 2024 cap space if they eventually re-sign PJ Washington this offseason, but watch out for Charlotte to be one of the many small-market teams with money to spend next summer. With LaMelo Ball in the first year of his max contract extension, Charlotte may cash in on a marquee player to keep their young star happy.
Brooklyn Nets ($33,048,185 under the cap) The Nets do have the potential to have significant cap space next summer if they choose not to re-sign most of their own free agents. However, the Nets will more than likely focus on exploring the trade market and retaining big man Nic Claxton before reaching next year&rsquo;s free agency. Spencer Dinwiddie and Royce O&rsquo;Neale will also hit free agency next offseason.
Indiana Pacers ($20,488,005 under the cap) Indiana could get to an even higher number in cap space if they decline Bruce Brown&rsquo;s $23 million team option next season. If Brown has a good year, the Pacers would likely keep him on a long-term deal that would consume a good chunk of their space. Other impending free agents they might like to keep include Obi Toppin, Aaron Nesmith and Jalen Smith.
Oklahoma City Thunder ($10,264,814 under the cap) The Thunder will likely continue to utilize the strategy of taking on short-term, bad-money contracts in exchange for draft capital. As they inch closer to contention, they will be looking at some big-money extensions for many of their young pieces, including one for Josh Giddey next year.&nbsp;
NON-TAX MLE TEAMS
Teams in this tier are currently projected to be over the salary cap but under the luxury tax. They have spending access to Bird Rights, the Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception (projected at $13,644,000), the Bi-Annual Exception (projected at $4,968,000) unless used in 2023-24, and the Veteran Minimum Exception.
Chicago Bulls ($19,465,689 under the cap) The Bulls could potentially operate as a cap-space team if they elect to let DeMar DeRozan and Patrick Williams walk in free agency, but that seems unlikely. In addition, the Bulls could potentially create more space if Lonzo Ball&rsquo;s knee injury is considered career-ending by an NBA/NBPA-appointed physician. (Ball would still be paid, it just wouldn&rsquo;t count against the cap).&nbsp;
Sacramento Kings ($210,669 under the cap) The Kings used up most of their cap space by signing Domantas Sabonis to a big four-year extension that ties him with the team through 2028. As long as they are competitive, they will likely pursue quality pieces with their Non-Tax MLE to support Sabonis and De&rsquo;Aaron Fox. They will also likely try to keep Malik Monk and look at extension options for Davion Mitchell.
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New Orleans Pelicans ($487,911 over the cap) The Pelicans are fairly set with their core of CJ McCollum, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram under contract through 2025. Ingram and McCollum are both extension-eligible this offseason, but the Pelicans may wait on dishing out extensions to maintain flexibility under the tax. New Orleans must also monitor Jonas Valanciunas&rsquo; free agency and a possible extension for Trey Murphy III.&nbsp;
Atlanta Hawks ($1,658,172 over the cap) Similar to the Kings, the Hawks wiped away their cap space when they signed Dejounte Murray and De&rsquo;Andre Hunter to four-year, $120 million and four-year, $90 million extensions, respectively. Already pushing past the salary cap, the Hawks may face a money crunch as they broach the luxury tax line. Retaining restricted free agents Onyeka Okongwu and Saddiq Bey next offseason may be tricky.
Los Angeles Clippers ($5,018,261 over the cap) The Clippers are in an interesting spot with George and Leonard both needing new deals, which they will likely get despite their inability to stay on the floor. Many veterans with big salaries will come off the books next year, like Marcus Morris, Nic Batum and Robert Covington. The question is whether the Clippers will continue to commit significant capital to a roster that hasn&rsquo;t met its lofty expectations.
Miami Heat ($7,751,630 over the cap) The Miami Heat are in a holding pattern with their roster as they engage in a Mexican standoff with the Blazers on a Damian Lillard trade, which could see them skyrocket into the deep tax. Outside of the Dame situation, Jimmy Butler will likely look for another big extension this offseason, which will pay him max money deep into his late 30s. They will also have to contend with potentially losing Caleb Martin, who has a player option for 2024-25.
Houston Rockets ($8,734,919 over the cap) The biggest spenders of this past offseason, the Rockets made big moves for Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks. Houston could get back into the cap-space tier again if they choose to part ways with Kevin Porter Jr. and his non-guaranteed $15.9 million salary. Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun will also be up for extensions.&nbsp;
Cleveland Cavaliers ($11,399,749 over the cap) The Cavs are pretty set going into the 2023-24 season and beyond with two max guys (Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell) and key guys on fairly big deals (Jarrett Allen, Caris LeVert and Max Strus). They will likely give Evan Mobley a big extension next offseason, which could push them into the luxury tax in the near future. For next offseason, their only notable free agent is Isaac Okoro.
New York Knicks ($11,400,861 over the cap) This morning, the Knicks inked Josh Hart to a four-year contract extension that pushed them over the cap for 2024-25. Their main concerns for next summer are Immanuel Quickley and Isaiah Hartenstein, who are both up for new contracts. They will likely be able to avoid the tax by declining their team option on Evan Fournier or trading his expiring contract for another expiring deal.
Dallas Mavericks ($13,566,153 over the cap) The Mavericks are not likely to seek pathways to cap space next summer after doubling down on their trade for Kyrie Irving by re-signing him to a three-year, $120 million deal. They should look to retain Josh Green, who will be a restricted free agent. Luka Doncic&rsquo;s happiness looms over all of the Mavs&rsquo; moves, as ESPN&rsquo;s Tim McMahon <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/mavs-fear-luka-doncic-may-request-trade-unless-they-build-contender">reported in April</a> that the Mavericks are worried about Doncic potentially seeking a trade elsewhere as soon as next year.
Los Angeles Lakers ($15,380,636 over the cap) The Lakers had a pathway to almost two max slots in the unlikely scenario that they decided to pivot from the LeBron-AD era. However, that option is out the window with them inking Davis to a three-year supermax extension that will keep him with the team through 2028. LeBron James&rsquo; decision to stay with the team or leave will ultimately dictate how the Lakers approach spending next offseason.
Portland Trail Blazers ($20,567,876 over the cap) Portland is in the midst of turning the page to a new era as they look to accommodate franchise cornerstone Damian Lillard&rsquo;s trade request. If they do end up trading Lillard, expect their cap numbers to come down slightly, but not enough to get any meaningful space. Whether Lillard is traded for the Miami package or something else, Portland shouldn&rsquo;t be a major player in free agency for a while.&nbsp;
LUXURY TAX TEAMS
Teams in this tier are currently projected to be over the salary cap and luxury tax. They have spending access to Bird Rights, the Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception (projected at $5,500,000), and the Veteran Minimum Exception.
Minnesota Timberwolves ($14,474,085 under the tax) The Timberwolves have paid the luxury tax only once since 2007. They should be a tax team once again, with Karl-Anthony Towns' supermax extension and Anthony Edwards' max extension kicking in. In addition, Minnesota will need to use significant capital to keep players like Jaden McDaniels, Mike Conley and Kyle Anderson, all of whom will be free agents in 2024.
Golden State Warriors ($9,696,462 under the tax) While the Warriors are currently under the tax, they are likely going to re-sign 2024 free agent Klay Thompson to a long-term deal at a lower number or at least use his Bird Rights to acquire another piece at a similar number. Golden State can cut some costs by releasing Chris Paul after the season, as his $30 million salary for 2024-25 is non-guaranteed.
Milwaukee Bucks ($6,142,529 under the tax) The Bucks re-signed Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez to big-money deals, committing to the players who won them the 2021 title. Another one of those players, Jrue Holiday, is set to reach free agency and will likely demand max money. In addition, Giannis Antetokounmpo becomes eligible for a supermax extension of up to three years in October and can sign a four-year supermax extension next offseason.
Denver Nuggets ($6,732,627 over the tax) The defending champs have their core of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon locked in through the 2025 offseason. They&rsquo;ve already lost Bruce Brown and Jeff Green this summer and will be forced to work around the edges with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope potentially heading for free agency next summer.
Boston Celtics ($7,306,800 over the tax) The trade for Kristaps Porzingis pushed the Celtics into the luxury tax for the first time since 2018, and that was before they signed Jaylen Brown to a five-year supermax extension. With Jayson Tatum&rsquo;s own supermax extension on the horizon next year, the Celtics figure to be a tax team, and potentially a second apron team, for the foreseeable future.
SECOND APRON TEAMS
Teams in this tier are currently projected to be over the salary cap, luxury tax and second luxury tax apron ($17.5 million over the tax). They have spending access to just Bird Rights and the Veteran Minimum Exception. The second apron was introduced in the new CBA and prevents teams from using the Taxpayer MLE, trading first-round picks seven years away, signing buyout free agents and taking back more salary than they send out in trades among other restrictions.
Memphis Grizzlies ($13,829,477 over the tax) For the first time under owner Robert Pera, the Grizzlies will be paying the luxury tax. While Memphis probably won&rsquo;t reach the second apron, they are not likely to have enough spare capital to use their Tax MLE and be able to fill out their roster without going over it. Their core of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. are locked up to big money, long-term deals that will keep Memphis among the league's biggest spenders for likely the next decade-plus.
Phoenix Suns ($27,039,607 over the tax) Phoenix is by far the most limited team when it comes to spending, and they will be for the next few seasons after trading for Bradley Beal&rsquo;s behemoth contract. With four max contracts, including two supermax contracts, the Suns have blown through the second apron. Like this past offseason, the supporting cast around their core four will be mostly minimum-salary contracts.

How much cap room is your favorite NBA team projected to have next summer? Blake Stern breaks down where all 30 teams stand.

Which NBA teams project to have the most cap space in 2024?

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry has been named the 2022-23 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion, the NBA announced today.
Curry was selected from a group of <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/2023-kareem-abdul-jabbar-finalists-revealed" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nba.com/news/2023-kareem-abdul-jabbar-finalists-revealed&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1684950559417000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0yR7wPqL_AlyY9Kx217W6h">five finalists</a>&nbsp;for his dedication to pursuing social justice and advancing Abdul-Jabbar&rsquo;s life mission to engage, empower and drive equality for individuals and groups who have been historically marginalized or systemically disadvantaged.
Curry prioritizes uplifting communities by fostering equity and creating access to opportunity. As a co-chair of former First Lady Michelle Obama&rsquo;s &ldquo;When We All Vote&rdquo; initiative, Curry uses his platform to drive voter registration, education and turnout, most recently during the 2022 election season. His role encouraged millions of new voters to participate in the political process and make their voices heard through civic engagement. As part of his ongoing voting-related efforts, Curry participated in the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition&rsquo;s &ldquo;Freedom to Vote&rdquo; <a href="https://twitter.com/representus/status/1470182428547244034?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://twitter.com/representus/status/1470182428547244034?s%3D20&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1684950559417000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2xr1diKYJYDyNGBlgPRMQb">social-media campaign</a>&nbsp;to help advocate for the passage of the&nbsp;Freedom to Vote Act in the U.S. Senate. Curry is also committed to raising awareness around issues of community safety, utilizing the Warriors&rsquo; 2023 White House visit to engage directly with President Biden and participate in a White House press briefing with head coach Steve Kerr to publicly address the matter.
Much of Curry&rsquo;s work also focuses on supporting underrepresented groups and reducing barriers to opportunity. In 2022, he graduated from Davidson College and wrote his final thesis on gender equity in sports, an issue that anchors his progressive and innovative ventures across the consumer, entertainment and non-profit spaces. Through UNDERRATED, Curry&rsquo;s lifestyle brand that empowers underrated and underrepresented individuals by opening doors for often-overlooked student-athletes, he creates equity, access and opportunity for basketball and golf athletes around the world to be seen by college recruiters, sports agents and other industry leaders. UNDERRATED has also enabled female athletes to access the same opportunities as their male counterparts, provided scholarships for athletes and offered personal development programming for young people. Among these efforts, Curry committed $6 million in funding to the men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s golf team at Howard University, which hadn&rsquo;t been active for 50 years.
Unanimous Media, Curry&rsquo;s multimedia company rooted in the mission to inspire audiences through authentic storytelling, is dedicated to collaborating with underrepresented filmmakers, creators and writers across the entertainment industry.
Through Eat. Learn. Play., Curry&rsquo;s nonprofit co-founded with his wife Ayesha, Curry works to ensure every child in Oakland has access to nutritious food they need to be healthy and thrive, resources to foster a love for learning and reading, and safe places with equitable opportunities to play. With a mission to address and overcome the systemic socio-economic barriers facing underserved communities, Eat. Learn. Play. and its partners continue making a positive impact in the lives of children and families in need. Over the last year, Eat. Learn. Play. has provided over two million meals and 500,000 books to Oakland students, funded over 1,500 teacher-led classroom literacy projects, remodeled four new playspaces complete with multi-sport courts, playgrounds, gardens and murals, and more.
Curry has selected University of San Francisco Institute for Nonviolence and Social Justice, which investigates, illuminates, and advances the theory and practice of transformational nonviolence to confront and overcome injustice and systemic violence and contribute to the just resolution of communal conflict, to receive a $100,000 contribution from the NBA on his behalf.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m passionate about the work of the University of San Francisco Institute for Nonviolence and Social Justice and its commitment to overcoming injustice and systemic violence through peace,&rdquo; said Curry.&nbsp; &ldquo;As an athlete, I consistently leverage my platform to amplify advocacy and address the pervasive issue of systemic racism. I firmly believe that we must be vocal both on social media and in real life, taking tangible actions to effect real change in our society and for generations to come. Together, with the organization's co-founder and director, Dr. Clarence B. Jones, we have initiated meaningful conversations around social justice with the school's student body, doubled the charity&rsquo;s donations through my foundation Eat. Learn. Play.'s gift matching initiatives, and continued building on its mission in my personal and professional life by holding people accountable and promoting the principles of justice, fairness and equality today, tomorrow and in the future.&rdquo;
The four other finalists &ndash; Memphis Grizzlies forward-center Jaren Jackson Jr., San Antonio Spurs guard Tre Jones, Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul and Boston Celtics forward Grant Williams &ndash; will each receive $25,000 donations from the NBA to the following social justice organizations of their choosing: VisionC (Williams), The Girls Opportunity Alliance/The Obama Foundation (Jackson), Children's Bereavement Center of South Texas (Jones) and the Social Change Fund United (Paul).
The winner of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion award was determined by a selection committee comprised of Abdul-Jabbar and notable social justice leaders Director of The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport Dr. Richard Lapchick, National Urban League President and CEO Marc Morial, UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murgu&iacute;a, Rise Founder and CEO Amanda Nguyen and NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum. This year&rsquo;s youth representative and Jr. NBA Court of Leaders member was Leah Harmon.&nbsp;

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry has been named the 2022-23 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion.

Stephen Curry named Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion

The NBA announced that 242 players have filed as early-entry candidates for the 2023 NBA Draft. Here is the complete list.

NBA announces 242 early-entry candidates for 2023 NBA Draft

The last time Golden State faced a 2-0 series deficit, Stephen Curry was finishing his freshman year at Davidson and coach Steve Kerr was still in broadcasting.
It&rsquo;s been a while. It was 2007, to be precise.
But that&rsquo;s where the Warriors are again now, having dropped&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-playoffs-warriors-kings-2023-965846db11aa9086e8eb66b846d6bd0a">the first two games to the Sacramento Kings.</a>&nbsp;Also in a 2-0 hole: The Brooklyn Nets, who fell again&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nets-76ers-playoffs-b1d93ff38c8b4896bfa13e18462b7912">to the Philadelphia 76ers.</a>&nbsp;Philadelphia simply held serve at home, as did Sacramento, but the pressure is now quite high on both the Warriors and Nets.
Atlanta, Cleveland and Phoenix will look to avoid falling into 0-2 holes on Tuesday.
WHAT'S NEXT?
<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/playoffs-cavaliers-knicks-celtics-hawks-59a6e8717e469c11883a51b3c889ef15">A trio of Game 2&rsquo;s await on Tuesday,</a> with Atlanta at Boston, New York at Cleveland and the Los Angeles Clippers at Phoenix. The Celtics, Knicks and Clippers will be seeking 2-0 leads.
Game 2&rsquo;s in the Los Angeles Lakers-Memphis, Miami-Milwaukee and Minnesota-Denver series are set for Wednesday.
KINGS-WARRIORS TENSIONS
Golden State&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-playoffs-2023-draymond-green-ejected-075df068895834184e0877648d513b0a">Draymond Green was ejected for stomping</a>&nbsp;on the chest of Sacramento&rsquo;s Domantas Sabonis in Game 2 on Monday night &mdash; with some of the Warriors saying Sabonis committed the actual dirty play by grabbing Green&rsquo;s ankle.
Now the teams will wait to see if the NBA will weigh in, with fines or suspensions possible.
HOW TO WATCH
&mdash; Most games being played Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday will be shown nationally on TNT. The exceptions are Hawks-Celtics on Tuesday, Heat-Bucks on Wednesday and Suns-Clippers on Thursday; they&rsquo;ll all be on NBA TV. There&rsquo;s also local coverage for most games in Round 1.
&mdash; Some games return to ESPN and ABC this coming weekend.
&mdash; The NBA Finals will be broadcast on ABC beginning June 1.
WHO WINS THE AWARDS?
We started finding out those answers on Monday, the first of four days of award-handing-out from the league office this week.
&mdash; Monday:&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/jackson-grizzlies-dpoy-nba-defensive-player-award-25780ba4e0e48bdc7bd9ba2707cbaf97">Memphis&rsquo; Jaren Jackson Jr. won defensive player of the year,</a>&nbsp;with Milwaukee&rsquo;s Brook Lopez finishing second and Cleveland&rsquo;s Evan Mobley placing third.
&mdash; Tuesday: The inaugural winner of the new Clutch Player award &mdash; Miami&rsquo;s Jimmy Butler, Chicago&rsquo;s DeMar DeRozan or Sacramento&rsquo;s De&rsquo;Aaron Fox &mdash; will be made known.
&mdash; Wednesday: Coach of the Year &mdash; Sacramento&rsquo;s Mike Brown is the big favorite, with Oklahoma City&rsquo;s Mark Daigneault and Boston&rsquo;s Joe Mazzulla the other finalists &mdash; will be awarded.
&mdash; Thursday: Sixth Man of the Year will be revealed, with Boston&rsquo;s Malcolm Brogdon, Milwaukee&rsquo;s Bobby Portis Jr. and New York&rsquo;s Immanuel Quickley the finalists.
INSIDE THE DPOY VOTE
Only five players &mdash; Jackson, Miami&rsquo;s Bam Adebayo, Golden State&rsquo;s Draymond Green, and Milwaukee teammates Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday &mdash; got defensive player of the year votes both last season and this season.
Adebayo has gotten at least one first-place vote in four consecutive seasons. That&rsquo;s the longest active streak in the league.
Last year&rsquo;s top three votegetters &mdash; in order, Marcus Smart, Mikal Bridges and Rudy Gobert &mdash; got 63% of the votes in 2022. They combined for zero votes this year.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
The Warriors and Kings combined for 18 turnovers in the first quarter Monday. The last time an NBA game had more in a first quarter was Nov. 15, 2010, when Memphis and Orlando combined for 20. That was about 16,000 first quarters ago.
QUOTABLE
&ldquo;Steph is the greatest of the great. You&rsquo;re not stopping him. You&rsquo;re not going to slow him down. You just want to try your best to make him work.&rdquo; &mdash; Kings coach Mike Brown, on the challenge of guarding Stephen Curry.

Brooklyn and Golden State will head home down 0-2, while Atlanta, Cleveland and Phoenix look to avoid falling into an 0-2 hole Tuesday.

NBA Playoffs: Warriors, Nets heading home in 0-2 hole

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) &mdash; De&rsquo;Aaron Fox scored 24 points and made a backbreaking 3-pointer that led the playoff newcomer Sacramento Kings to a second straight victory over the defending champion Golden State Warriors, 114-106 on Monday night.
The Kings closed the game strong after Golden State&rsquo;s Draymond Green was ejected for a flagrant foul and became the first team to take a 2-0 series lead over the Warriors in the Stephen Curry era.
The Warriors will try to get back into the series when it shifts less than 90 miles southwest to San Francisco for Game 3 on Thursday night.
The game got heated in the fourth quarter when Green stomped on Domantas Sabonis&rsquo; chest with 7:03 to play, leading to an ejection for a flagrant foul.
During the review, the fans in Sacramento yelled derogatory chants toward Green, who egged them on by waving his hands, holding a hand to his ear calling for louder cheers and standing on a chair.
The Warriors fought back to tie the game before the Kings went on a 17-8 run to run away with it to the delight of the towel-waving crowd.
Fox&rsquo;s 3-pointer made it 107-101 with 2:17 to play and the Kings were in control from there. Davion Mitchell put it away with another 3 that made it 112-103 with 1:18 left.
Sabonis added 24 points for Sacramento and Malik Monk scored 18 off the bench.
Curry led the Warriors with 28 points but made just 3 of 13 from 3-point range as Golden State struggled to get going offensively. The Warriors committed 22 turnovers.
The crowd in success-starved Sacramento didn&rsquo;t quite hit the fever pitch of the opener when the fans celebrated the franchise&rsquo;s first playoff game following a record drought of 16 seasons.
The fans started to get into it in the second quarter thanks to another spark off the bench from Monk, who scored 32 points in the opener. Monk hit three 3-pointers in the first 2:04 of the period to help fuel a 23-8 run that turned a six-point deficit into a nine-point lead.
Golden State fought back and tied it on a 3 by Curry before allowing the final six points of the quarter to trail 58-52 at the half.
The Kings built the lead to 14 points in the third quarter before the Warriors scored eight in a row. Sacramento led 83-75 headed to the fourth.
SLOPPY START
The teams got off to a sloppy start with each committing nine turnovers in the first quarter. The 18 combined turnovers in the first quarter were the most in any game in more than six seasons and the most in a playoff game since at least the 2001-02 season.
The Kings also missed their first 11 3-pointers before Fox made one late in the first.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Andrew Wiggins was back in the starting lineup in his second back following an absence of more than two months to deal with an undisclosed family matter. Wiggins scored 22 points. ... Golden State committed five fouls in the first 1:42 of the third quarter.
Kings: Sacramento&rsquo;s 41 points in the second quarter marked the eighth time a team scored at least 40 in a quarter of a playoff game against Golden State in coach Steve Kerr&rsquo;s tenure.
UP NEXT
Game 3 is Thursday night in San Francisco.

De'Aaron Fox led the Kings to a second straight victory over the defending champion Warriors, 114-106 on Monday night.

Kings beat Warriors 114-106 for 2-0 lead; Draymond Green ejected

If you missed Friday night's fever dream between the Los Angeles Clippers and Sacramento Kings, I highly recommend finding a way to catch up. Fire up League Pass, see if NBA TV is showing a re-run soon, go to YouTube. Do something.&nbsp;
We're not seeing another 176-175 in double overtime anytime soon. At the very least, I find it hard to believe we will.
That game had everything: Kawhi Leonard (44-4-4-3-2) going off, De'Aaron Fox (42-5-12-5) <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-sacramento-kings-deaaron-fox-early-frontrunner-nba-clutch-player-of-the-year-award-race-kevin-huerter-domantas-sabonis-luka-doncic-nikola-jokic-jalen-brunson-demar-derozan-shai-gilgeous-alexander" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reaffirming his lead in the Clutch Player of the Year race</a>, a career-night from Malik Monk (45 points and 6 assists), Paul George (34-10-5) losing his mind before losing the ball over and over and over again. A Russell Westbrook debut befitting of the future Hall of Famer: 17 points, 14 assists (7 turnovers) and 6 fouls with the Clippers winning his minutes by three points.&nbsp;
Insane three-point shooting, bully-ball post-ups, transition exploits, and ultimately, history. It's the second-highest scoring NBA game of all-time, and the first time in NBA history that a game went into overtime with both teams having at least 150 points beforehand.&nbsp;
The Kings probably aren't in position to potentialy force overtime without the Clippers' turnover-fest &mdash; and Fox's defensive masterclass &mdash; within the last three minutes of the game. And we certainly don't get the overtime without Monk's three from the right corner with 1.1 seconds left.&nbsp;
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/m5xbzx" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
It's a tremendous mix of "what a play call" and "what are the Clippers doing" &mdash; enough that it warrants a breakdown of the play. Let's talk about what happened, and why it happened.
As Mark Jones expertly calls out during the mayhem, the Kings are trying to set up a "Hammer" on the weakside for Monk. The tell for the "Hammer" would be the late screen being set by Keegan Murray as Monk flows to the corner. The setup beforehand, however, is pretty important.&nbsp;
Monk tests the Clippers early by setting a brush screen for Fox right after the inbound. On three occasions before this moment, Monk set early-in-the-clock screens for Fox, with the Clippers opting to switch. Even in the second instance &mdash; a Fox triple &mdash; you can see Terance Mann dropping down in anticipation of a switch.&nbsp;
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/74m6ql" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
As Monk comes across, George subtly grabs Monk. Westbrook turns and hovers around the nail at that moment. A favorable (but ultimately inexcusable) interpretation of Westbrook's actions would be him viewing Paul's grab as a sign he was getting ready to switch, thus making Fox the priority of Westbrook.
But even with Westbrook ultimately making the wrong read, the Clippers had chances to avoid disaster. With Westbrook at the nail, Nicolas Batum had the opportunity to pick up Monk as he made his way around the right wing.&nbsp;
More pressing is what Norm Powell does. He drops down from the weakside corner, showing help against the empty corner ball screen being "ran" by Fox and Domantas Sabonis. If he does that in the second quarter, you don't really blink. Doing so when the Kings are down three, with no timeouts, is an unfortunate lapse in judgment.&nbsp;
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From here, you have to give credit to Monk. On a basic level, he drills the most important shot of the game to that point. What's going under the radar was the read he made in space.
Instead of mindlessly following the playcall and pumping the brakes in the corner, he reads Fox. He drifts back to his left as Fox continues his drive on the baseline, creating the passing window needed for Fox to find him. His movement also makes it impossible for Powell to recover, and puts him in a spot where Westbrook can't really bother him with a contest.&nbsp;
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 0px; overflow: hidden;" src="https://streamable.com/e/2txhxx" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
It was a brilliant play call from the Kings that, intentionally or not, targeted the most questionable off-ball defenders the Clippers had on the court at that time. Westbrook had to defend the inbound pass and the first action of the play; Powell had to navigate things on the back end, with him ultimately going gameplan over time and score.&nbsp;
For more on Monk's impact on the Kings, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-feature-interview-malik-monk-infectious-energy-breathing-life-into-sacramento-kings-mike-brown-chimezie-metu-deaaron-fox-harrison-barnes-davion-mitchell" target="_blank" rel="noopener">check out this excellent feature</a> from our Spencer Davies where he sat down with Monk and his teammates.

Last night's Kings-Clippers game made NBA history. Nekias Duncan breaks down the most important play: Malik Monk's OT-forcing three.

Explain One Play: How Malik Monk extended a wild Kings-Clippers game

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) &mdash; The Sacramento Kings have agreed to a multi-year contract extension with general manager Monte McNair.
McNair has overhauled the Kings since taking over before the 2020-21 season and has the team in position to end an NBA-record 16-year playoff drought. Owner Vivek Ranadiv&eacute; said the team also extended the contract for assistant general manager Wes Wilcox.
&ldquo;Monte is an integral part of this organization, and I am thrilled to announce his extension,&rdquo; Ranadiv&eacute; said. &ldquo;Since joining the Kings, Monte and Wes have proven to be thoughtful and strategic decision makers who have shown their ability to execute a long-term vision for the team. The work continues, and I have confidence in this front office to keep driving our efforts forward.&rdquo;
The Kings (27-19) currently lead the Pacific Division and are in third place in the Western Conference. Sacramento hasn&rsquo;t had a winning record or playoff berth since the 2005-06 season in coach Rick Adelman&rsquo;s last year.
McNair has made several key moves since taking over, including giving an extension to De&rsquo;Aaron Fox, trading for two-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis and Kevin Huerter, drafting players like Davion Mitchell and Keegan Murray, and hiring Mike Brown as coach before this season.

The Sacramento Kings have agreed to a multi-year contract extension with general manager Monte McNair.

Kings give GM Monte McNair a multi-year extension

SAN ANTONIO (AP) &mdash; Harrison Barnes scored 29 points, Domantas Sabonis had 18 points and 18 rebounds, and the Sacramento Kings extended their winning streak to four games with a 132-119 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday night.
De&rsquo;Aaron Fox added 23 points and Davion Mitchell had 19 points for Sacramento. The Kings remain atop the Pacific Division, having won seven of 10.
San Antonio, which has lost four straight, was led by Jakob Poeltl&rsquo;s 23 points. Josh Richardson added 21 points and Keldon Johnson had 20.
The Kings outscored the Spurs 39-26 in the third quarter as a large group of their fans serenaded them with chants of &ldquo;Sac-ra-mento!&rdquo; The Spurs were limited to nine field goals while the Kings shot 60% from the field.
San Antonio hit three consecutive 3-pointers in cutting a 12-point deficit to 111-106 four minutes into the final quarter. Johnson capped the run with consecutive 3-pointers, but air-balled his next attempt as the King extended their lead to 115-106.
San Antonio suffered a second consecutive double-digit loss after falling 144-113 to Golden State on Friday night in front of the largest regular-season crowd (68,323) in NBA history in a home-away-from-home game at the Alamodome.
The Spurs did not suffer a hangover from the historic evening, getting off to a fast start against the Kings.
Poeltl had eight points and two blocks in the opening 4&frac12; minutes as the Spurs opened the game on a 13-4 run. Poeltl was 4 for 4 from the field during the run, driving into Sabonis.
San Antonio had 38 points in the first half, 14 from Poeltl.
TIP-INS
Kings: Sacramento&rsquo;s last loss to San Antonio was Nov. 10, 2021, 136-117 at the AT&amp;T Center. &hellip;. Former Spurs players Chimezie Metu and Trey Lyles seemed a bit surprised when they were recognized before the game for their two seasons in San Antonio. Metu spent his first two seasons in the league with the Spurs, averaging just over 5 minutes in a very limited role. Lyles played two seasons for the Spurs. Lyles averaged 6.4 points in 20.2 minutes while playing 63 games in his first season with San Antonio in 2019. Lyles played 23 games the following season, averaging five points in 15.6 minutes.
Spurs: F Doug McDermott missed the game due to upper back tightness. McDermott was initially listed as questionable after scoring 14 points in 22 minutes against Golden State on Friday.
&nbsp;

Harrison Barnes scored 29 points, and the Kings extended their winning streak to four games with a 132-119 win over the Spurs.

Kings roll past Spurs, extend winning streak to 4 games

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) &mdash; KJ Adams scored a career-high 22 points and No. 2 Kansas closed the game on an 18-4 run to beat Oklahoma 79-75 on Tuesday night.
Kansas (14-1, 3-0 Big 12) got 17 points from Jalen Wilson, 11 from Dajuan Harris and 10 from Zach Clemence. The Jayhawks have won 22 straight games against Oklahoma in Allen Fieldhouse, including 16 straight under coach Bill Self.
Oklahoma (10-5, 1-2 Big 12) was led by Grant Sherfield&rsquo;s season-high 25 points. Sam Godwin added 12 points, Milos Uzan had 11 and Tanner Groves had 10.
Kansas went more than 12 minutes without a field goal in the second half, but Adams ended that streak with a thunderous dunk at the 5:06 mark.
NO. 5 TENNESSEE 77, VANDERBILT 68
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Santiago Vescovi and Julian Phillips each scored 15 points as Tennessee recovered from a halftime deficit to pull out a win over Vanderbilt.
Vescovi scored 12 of his points in the second half to lead the recovery for the Volunteers (14-2, 4-0 Southeastern Conference), who won their 25th straight game at Thompson-Boling Arena. Uros Plavsic contributed 11 points.
Vandy&rsquo;s 7-foot Liam Robbins won the battle of the big men with 18 points off the bench. Noah Shelby had 12 points and Jordan Wright added 13 for Vanderbilt (8-8, 1-2).
NO. 11 KANSAS STATE 65, OKLAHOMA STATE 57
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) &mdash; Markquis Nowell scored 20 points and found Keyontae Johnson for an alley-oop dunk with 38 seconds left as Kansas State held off Oklahoma State.
Johnson added 12 points and Desi Sills had 11 for the Wildcats (15-1, 4-0 Big 12), who won their ninth straight and matched their victory total from last season. Predicted to finish last in the Big 12, Kansas State went from unranked last week to just outside the top 10 in the AP poll.
Kalib Boone scored 23 points and Caleb Asberry had 15 for the Cowboys (9-7, 1-3), who have lost three of four, all by 10 points or fewer.
NO. 13 VIRGINIA 65, NORTH CAROLINA 58
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) &mdash; Ben Vander Plas had 17 points and eight rebounds and Virginia used a 17-2 second-half run to beat North Carolina, which lost leading scorer and rebounder Armando Bacot to a left ankle injury.
Reece Beekman scored 13 points and Armaan Franklin had 12 points and nine rebounds as the Cavaliers (12-3, 4-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) won their eighth straight meeting with the Tar Heels at John Paul Jones Arena.
Bacot rolled his ankle 1:18 into the game and did not return. RJ Davis led the Tar Heels (11-6, 3-3) with 16 points and Caleb Love and Jalen Washington added 13 each. Washington, a freshman, played 27 minutes in Bacot&rsquo;s absence.
NO. 14 IOWA STATE 84, TEXAS TECH 50
AMES, Iowa (AP) &mdash; Gabe Kalscheur scored a season-high 25 points to help Iowa State roll past Texas Tech.
Kalscheur made five of six shots from 3-point range and was 10 of 14 overall as the Cyclones (13-2, 4-0 Big 12) coasted to their sixth straight win.
Jaren Holmes added 15 points. Caleb Grill finished with 14 after hitting four of his first six 3-pointers. Iowa State finished 12 of 22 from behind the arc.
De&rsquo;Vion Harmon led Tech (10-6, 0-4) with 14 points.
MICHIGAN STATE 69, NO. 18 WISCONSIN 65
MADISON, Wis. (AP) &mdash; A.J. Hoggard made a tiebreaking layup with 41 seconds left and Michigan State rallied past Wisconsin for its seventh consecutive victory in a game that had 14 lead changes.
Wisconsin (11-4, 3-2 Big Ten) was playing its second straight game without leading scorer and three-year starter Tyler Wahl, who averages 13.2 points per game.
Joey Hauser had 20 points for Michigan State (12-4, 4-1), which won its first road game since Dec. 7. Tyson Walker added 13 points, Jaden Akins 12 and Hoggard 10.
Steven Crowl scored 19 points, Chucky Hepburn 14 and Connor Essegian 13 for Wisconsin.
NO. 21 AUBURN 82, OLE MISS 73
OXFORD, Miss. (AP) &mdash; Wendell Green Jr. scored 23 points, including 18 in the second half, and Auburn dominated after halftime to beat Mississippi.
Auburn (13-3, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) trailed 35-34 at the break but put together runs of 6-0, 10-2 and 9-4 in the opening 10 minutes of the second half.
Johni Broome had 19 points and 11 rebounds, Allen Flanigan added 15 points and Jaylin Williams scored 11 for the Tigers, who shot 17 of 28 (60.7%) in the second half.
Matthew Murrell led Ole Miss (8-8, 0-4) with 24 points, adding six rebounds and four assists. Tye Fagan scored 13 points and Jaemyn Brakefield added 12 for the Rebels, who lost their fifth straight.
NO. 23 SAN DIEGO STATE 74, NEVADA 65
SAN DIEGO (AP) &mdash; Matt Bradley scored 17 points and Lamont Butler added 15 and San Diego State took sole possession of first place in the Mountain West Conference.
The Aztecs (13-3, 4-0 MWC) dominated on both ends of Steve Fisher Court in a showdown between the last two undefeated teams in the conference to extend their winning streak to six games. Keshad Johnson added 11 points for SDSU, which has beaten Nevada nine straight times.
Nick Davidson scored 17, Kenan Blackshear 12 and Jarod Lucas 11 for Nevada (14-4, 4-1), whose six-game winning streak was snapped.

A recap of Tuesday's men's top-25 action includes a career night from Jayhawks forward KJ Adams.

No. 2 Kansas extends home win streak against Oklahoma to 22

Basketball News highlights the reporting, analysis and podcasts that defined a year of basketball in 2022.

Best of Basketball News: Spotlighting our top content from 2022

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) &mdash; LaMelo Ball scored 16 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter and the Charlotte Hornets held off the Sacramento Kings 125-119 on Monday night to stop an eight-game losing streak.
&ldquo;He has great courage,&rdquo; Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s confident and he badly wants to win. You are never going to have to worry about his competitive spirit.&rdquo;
Kelly Oubre Jr. had 31 points for the Hornets (8-23), who won for the second time in 11 games.
&ldquo;Great player. Athletic,&rdquo; Ball said. &ldquo;He's a two-way player that gets it done on both sides."
Ball had only three points at halftime but broke loose in the second half. The third-year guard added 12 assists and five rebounds before fouling out with 34.1 seconds left.
It was Ball's seventh game of the season. He missed the first 13 with an ankle injury.
Gordon Hayward added 19 points, Mason Plumlee finished with 15 and Nick Richards scored 14 for Charlotte.
De&rsquo;Aaron Fox had 37 points for Sacramento (16-13). Domantas Sabonis scored a season-high 28 to go with 23 rebounds and seven assists for his third 20-point, 20-rebound performance of the season.
&ldquo;Good reality check for us,&rdquo; Kings coach Mike Brown said.
Keegan Murray and Harrison Barnes added 11 points apiece.
&ldquo;This was definitely a learning experience for us," Murray said.
Sacramento cut its deficit to two with 1:24 left on Fox's layup. Charlotte responded with Hayward's jumper and free throws by Oubre to seal it.
TIP-INS
Hornets: G Terry Rozier was ruled out before the game with a bruised right hip.
Kings: G Davion Mitchell returned after missing Friday&rsquo;s game with a non-COVID-19 illness. ... Barnes bruised his right quad and was ruled out after scoring 11 points. ... Sacramento was 17 for 31 (54.8%) at the free throw line. The Kings on the season shoot 78.8%, which ranks 16th in the NBA.
&ldquo;We didn&rsquo;t lose because we didn&rsquo;t make free throws,&rdquo; Brown said. &ldquo;Obviously, if we would have made free throws, we might have stolen the game, but the way we played, we didn&rsquo;t deserve to win.&rdquo;
&nbsp;

LaMelo Ball scored 16 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter and the Charlotte Hornets held off the Sacramento Kings 125-119.

Ball, Oubre lead Hornets past Kings to halt 8-game skid

Purdue maintained its grasp on No. 1 in the AP Top 25 men&rsquo;s college basketball poll on Monday.
Another unbeaten is closing the gap, though.
The Boilermakers received 40 of the 60 first-place votes from a national media panel after knocking off Davidson in their only game last week, allowing them to hold the top spot for a second consecutive week. But after then-No. 2 Virginia lost to Houston, Connecticut leaped into second place and scooped up the remaining 20 first-place votes.
It&rsquo;s the highest the Huskies, unranked in the preseason, have been in the AP poll since they were No. 1 on March 2, 2009.
&ldquo;We just have to stick to our identity,&rdquo; said UConn star Adam Sanogo, who had 27 points and 14 rebounds in a 68-48 romp at Butler on Saturday. &ldquo;No pressure, just play the way I&rsquo;ve been playing.&rdquo;
The Cougars&rsquo; 69-61 road win over the Cavaliers, along with an earlier win over North Carolina A&amp;T, allowed them to climb two spots to No. 3. Kansas moved up four spots after blowing out then-No. 14 Indiana at Allen Fieldhouse, while Arizona rounded out the top five after knocking off then-No. 6 Tennessee.
&ldquo;For us to get a gritty &lsquo;W&rsquo; against a team like Tennessee, it was a great night,&rdquo; Wildcats coach Tommy Lloyd said.
Virginia dropped to sixth while Texas, which played its first game without suspended coach Chris Beard, remained at No. 7 following a win over Stanford. The Volunteers fell to eighth to begin a run of Southeastern Conference teams with Alabama falling to ninth after a loss to Gonzaga and Arkansas holding onto 10th for the second straight week.
The Bulldogs, who also beat Northern Illinois before their 100-90 road victory over the Crimson Tide, came in at No. 11 while UCLA climbed four spots to No. 12 after arguably the most impressive week of anyone. The Bruins won 87-60 at then-No. 20 Maryland before beating then-No. 13 Kentucky at Madison Square Garden.
&ldquo;Long week,&rdquo; said UCLA coach Mick Cronin, whose team has followed back-to-back losses with seven straight wins. &ldquo;We know what we&rsquo;re capable of if we defend and play with the toughness we played with this week.&rdquo;
Baylor checked in at No. 13 ahead of Duke, the only Top 25 team that did not play last week, while Mississippi State &mdash; one of five unbeatens left in men&rsquo;s Division I basketball &mdash; came in at No. 15.
Illinois began a run for the Big Ten at No. 16 with Wisconsin and Indiana right behind it. Kentucky tumbled six spots to No. 19 after its third loss in its first 10 games, while TCU rounded out the top 20 after its win over Mississippi Valley State.
Virginia Tech, Miami, Marquette, Auburn and Arizona State rounded out the poll.
RISING AND FALLING
Wisconsin made the biggest move in the poll, climbing five spots following its win over Lehigh. But that victory came on the heels of more impressive wins over Maryland and in overtime at Iowa the previous week to open Big Ten play.
Kentucky took the biggest fall after its 63-53 loss to the Bruins. The Wildcats&rsquo; other two losses are to Michigan State and Gonzaga, and they are just 1-3 in games played at Rupp Arena this season.
IN AND OUT
Marquette moved into the poll at No. 23 for the first time this season after beating Creighton to open Big East play, while Arizona State entered in the final slot after its own win over the Bluejays and another over San Diego.
Maryland fell out after its loss to UCLA. So did Ohio State, which lost in overtime to North Carolina in New York.
CONFERENCE WATCH
Seven different leagues fill up the first eight spots in the Top 25, though the SEC has the most teams in the poll with six this week. The Big Ten, American Athletic and Big 12 conferences have four apiece.

Purdue maintained its grasp on No. 1 in the AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll on Monday. Another unbeaten is closing the gap.

Purdue holds top spot in AP poll as UConn climbs to No. 2

Nekias Duncan takes an early look at this year's NBA award races with an in-depth look at who leads the pack through mid-December.

Nekias Duncan's 2022-23 NBA award front-runners: MVP, DPOY, ROY, more

When Mike Brown was coaching in San Antonio under Gregg Popovich, he recalls a young, free-spirited Manu Ginobili, whose play would range from &ldquo;wow&rdquo; to &ldquo;doing some stuff that helped Pop get white hair quicker.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Now in the head seat with the Sacramento Kings, Brown sees a little bit of that in Malik Monk in the best of ways.
&ldquo;I'm not comparing him to Manu, so don't write this down at all,&rdquo; Brown said with a laugh. &ldquo;That's kind of Malik. He's gonna do more good than bad out there, so you gotta let 'em hoop. You've gotta let him feel his mojo and all that other stuff, and that's what I try to do.&rdquo;
Averaging career-bests of 14.5 points and 4.0 assists per game on a personal-high 60.1% True Shooting and <a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/4279#tab-offensive_overview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">26.9% assist percentage</a>, Monk is playing with a palpable confidence and energy that has opened up parts of his skill set we haven&rsquo;t necessarily seen on a nightly basis since he came into the league.&nbsp;
He&rsquo;s found a rhythm as a playmaker, has continued to be a microwave scorer and, above all else, has not been pigeonholed.
&ldquo;Mike lets me be me, man. He just lets me go out there and play my game. He don't try to limit me to things,&rdquo; Monk told Basketball News. &ldquo;He'll show me when I miss somebody on the kick-out and things like that, but he doesn't limit me. I've been like this my whole life. I played point guard before I went to Kentucky, so I've been handling the ball for a little bit. So it's just him giving me the opportunity.&rdquo;
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Everybody knows he can put the ball in the bucket. It&rsquo;s how Monk is doing it, and of course, what he&rsquo;s doing to involve his teammates. While he has been more involved in pick-and-roll actions, it&rsquo;s the handoff possessions that jump off the page. With Domantas Sabonis at his disposal, Brown has doubled the average amount of those per game (1.42) from Malik&rsquo;s time in Los Angeles (0.71), per InStat.
Getting him moving on curls toward the ball and similar plays has resulted in the sixth-year guard putting it on the floor and naturally getting to the rim, or dishing it off to the next man for a better look.
&ldquo;First side, the defense is great. Second side, they relax a little bit. Third side, they're relaxing more. So we just try to move it, move the defense as much as possible,&rdquo; Monk explained. &ldquo;But they can't help off me as much 'cause I can shoot. They can't help off of Domas that much because he's a big threat rolling. So whatever they do is gonna be wrong, and I've just been making the right reads this year.&rdquo;
Candidly, Brown made it clear that he will not hesitate to pull Monk aside during those not-so-good moments too, as the 24-year-old is simultaneously turning it over twice a night through 24 games.&nbsp;
&ldquo;When you have a guy that's as talented as he is, he's gonna take some risk,&rdquo; Brown said. &ldquo;He knows if he makes a mistake, I'mma yell at him, I'mma get on him, I'mma coach 'em. I said, 'Come on, you've been around me long enough where sometimes you've gotta let crap go through one ear and out the other. I know I'm the one on you, but that's how you've gotta survive in this business. That's how you thrive in this business. I gotta coach you and I will, but sometimes if you feel like you can make a play, go make a play.'&nbsp;And so, he knows that he's got that support from me, and vice-versa.
"So I think when a player feels that and really believes it, it just gives him more ability to be himself, which is go make plays for himself and others out on the floor.&rdquo;
Kings forward Harrison Barnes agrees with Brown&rsquo;s assessment.
&ldquo;I mean Malik, his energy is vital for us,&rdquo; Barnes said. &ldquo;There's some players who come in this league and... you can't necessarily put them in a role, you can't put them in a box. You kinda just roll the ball out there and pray it goes well.&nbsp;
&ldquo;And he's one of those guys that, for us, we just wanna give him just ultimate freedom, play through his mistakes. He brings so much energy for us, just a different look to our second unit. And I think that has become contagious.&rdquo;
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Monk is at his most dangerous on fast breaks. He likes to push the pace &ldquo;because we know a lot of teams don't like to get back in transition,&rdquo; and averages 1.24 points per possession in those scenarios.&nbsp;
The vast majority of his rapid play comes when he&rsquo;s playing alongside his friend, De'Aaron Fox. Before teaming up on the Kings, Monk and Fox were also backcourt partners on the Kentucky Wildcats in 2016-17. Monk has <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1628370/passes-dash?dir=D&amp;sort=PASS&amp;PerMode=Totals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed to him more than any teammate by far</a> (147 times).
And together, they play at the highest pace on the team (108.21) &mdash; a mark that <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/lineups/advanced?CF=MIN*GE*200&amp;GroupQuantity=2&amp;dir=D&amp;slug=advanced&amp;sort=PACE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ranks 10th in the NBA</a> among duos with at least 200 minutes combined. As far as Monk is concerned, he and Fox have picked up where they left off in Lexington.
&ldquo;He was a big part [of me coming to Sacramento] 'cause we're so comfortable with each other and we know how to play off each other,&rdquo; Monk said. &ldquo;Yeah man, it's been working out for me.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Good morning. I&rsquo;m still thinking about this pass from Malik Monk to De&rsquo;Aaron Fox. <a href="https://t.co/UNFLFRwkba">pic.twitter.com/UNFLFRwkba</a>
&mdash; Frankie Cartoscelli (@FCartoscelli3) <a href="https://twitter.com/FCartoscelli3/status/1599805025962053633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2022</a></blockquote>

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On the opposite side of the coin, Monk has turned up the defensive pressure while sharing the floor with Sacramento&rsquo;s tenacious stopper, Davion Mitchell. In fact, he and the man they call &ldquo;Off Night&rdquo; own the Kings&rsquo; <a href="https://go.nba.com/uytkg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">best defensive rating on the team</a> (99.5) &mdash; the only duo allowing fewer than 100 points per 100 possessions.
&ldquo;Ah, that's hot,&rdquo; Monk reacted when Basketball News told him. &ldquo;I try to give Davion a lot of confidence, man, because he's the head of the snake, 'cause he's the point guard. He usually guards the best player. So however he guards is how the rest of us is gonna feed off of that. And I try to tell him that every game, every time we're on the court.&nbsp;So he just makes me go up a level. That's why I just try to force that [message] to him and I think that's why it's working for us.&rdquo;
A key cog in the bench bunch alongside him, Chimezie Metu has enjoyed the attitude Monk has brought into the locker room and on the floor.
&ldquo;He's great to be around. High energy. He's going out there being vocal, kinda keeping everybody's spirits up and it's just been great having him around,&rdquo; Metu told Basketball News. &ldquo;Personality-wise, he's kind of the guy that's been gluing everybody together. I feel like he has a great relationship with everybody on the team. Yeah man, he's fun to be around and fun to play with.
&ldquo;It's been fun playing with Malik and Davion and TD (Terence Davis) and also Trey [Lyles] at times. I feel like during practice and stuff, we're usually like the second unit that kinda does everything together, so we're always laughing, joking. But I think at the end of the day, we understand the task at hand because I feel like our job is to either keep the lead going or give us the energy to bring us back into a game. So either way, we have to have high energy at all times. I feel like we've been doing a great job of that.&rdquo;
Brown has his own way of describing Monk&rsquo;s effect on his ball club.
&ldquo;You know, he's a free spirit. Malik is what I call a connector,&rdquo; Brown said. &ldquo;He just brings people together and he uplifts people all the time. He talks to everybody and he jokes with everybody, he touches everybody and everybody on the team has respect for him &mdash; not just for him as a person, but also they know that when he speaks, he knows what he's talking about because he's right a lot of the times.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
&ldquo;Malik is what I call a connector &mdash; he just brings people together. He uplifts people all the time &hellip; and everybody on the team has respect for him.&rdquo; Coach Brown on what <a href="https://twitter.com/AhmadMonk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AhmadMonk</a> brings to the squad on and off the court 👑 <a href="https://t.co/bwEuauVWBc">pic.twitter.com/bwEuauVWBc</a>
&mdash; Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) <a href="https://twitter.com/SacramentoKings/status/1601365754313596929?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2022</a></blockquote>

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&ldquo;He's a talented, talented basketball player, and sometimes, especially when they're young like he is &mdash; he's young, but he has an old soul and he understands what's right, what's wrong and the right way to do things and all that.&rdquo;
Altogether, the 24-year-old has found a niche and a comfortability with this Kings team. A lot of that has to do with a consistent role with consistent minutes, which he has found the last couple of seasons between L.A. and Sacramento as opposed to the sporadic nature in the past when he was with the Charlotte Horntes.
&ldquo;It's the biggest relief, man,&rdquo; Monk admitted. &ldquo;I know when I'mma go in, I know when I'mma come out, I know when I'mma go back in again. So it's just a relief, and it just gives me way more confidence to go out there and play my game.&rdquo;
From a young age, Monk has always been passionate about his apparel. He told Basketball News that when he was a kindergartner living with his mom, his older brother Marcus &mdash; a former NFL wide receiver who played for the Chicago Bears &mdash; always rocked BAPE clothing line. Malik latched on to style because of that and has kept up to date with the latest fashion ever since.
On Friday, Monk came into Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse wearing a fuzzy skeleton sweater with black paints, matching shoes and some bling to top it off. Pregame, his teammates tried to figure out what brand he was going with.
&ldquo;Look man, he spends a lot of money on his clothes. They better look good. That's all I'mma say,&rdquo; Metu said with a chuckle.
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<a href="https://t.co/Ol8wlMxDpz">pic.twitter.com/Ol8wlMxDpz</a>
&mdash; Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) <a href="https://twitter.com/SacramentoKings/status/1601371494747369473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2022</a></blockquote>

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&ldquo;If my fit not as up to how I want it, man, I feel like I'll go out there and be a little down. But I haven't done that this year. All my fits been pretty decent so far. Yeah man, it's always 'look good, feel good, play good,'&rdquo; Monk said.
Clearly, Malik Monk has been a positive influence in Sacramento. It&rsquo;s a big reason why they&rsquo;re in the thick of it in the Western Conference &mdash; and that doesn&rsquo;t seem to be changing anytime soon.
&ldquo;I just try to bring everybody life, man,&rdquo; Monk said. &ldquo;Losing streaks, it's gonna happen. It's a game of runs, especially in basketball. So I just try to make everybody feel the same every day. 'Cause we know we're gonna be together for the rest of the year, so I just try to make sure we're like this instead of like that.&rdquo;

Spencer Davies dives into Malik Monk's positive effect on the Sacramento Kings — on and off the floor — in an exclusive interview.

The Connector: Malik Monk's infectious energy breathes life into Kings

BOSTON (AP) &mdash; Jayson Tatum scored 30 points and the NBA-best Boston Celtics pulled away from the Sacramento Kings for a 122-104 victory on Friday night.
Jaylen Brown added 25 points and Derrick White had 16 for Boston (15-4), which won for the 11th time in 12 games. Al Horford finished with 13 points, and Tatum had eight rebounds.
De&rsquo;Aaron Fox led Sacramento with 20 points. Domantas Sabonis had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Davion Mitchell scored 13. The Kings have lost two straight after a seven-game winning streak.
In a matchup of two of the league&rsquo;s hottest teams in November, the Celtics opened a 16-point lead early in the second quarter before the Kings&rsquo; league-best offense got rolling just before halftime, closing to 64-62 at intermission.
From there, the game bogged down with numerous fouls and some sloppy and inconsistent offense for much of the third quarter before Boston took off on a 19-0 run that closed the quarter and extended into Sam Hauser&rsquo;s 3 at the start of the fourth.
Horford&rsquo;s 3 gave Boston a 25-point lead with just over five minutes to play.
TIP-INS
Kings: Coach Mike Brown and Fox were each whistled for a technical foul by referee Natalie Sago midway into the opening quarter. ... Were just 2 for 10 on 3-point attempts in the opening quarter and finished 9 of 36.
Celtics: Brown picked up a T from ref Eric Lewis late in the first quarter. Sago gave one to Grant Williams in the third. ... Opened a double-digit lead midway into the first and led 36-22 after one.
BENCH BOOST
With his team trailing by six and looking sluggish late in the third, Boston coach Joe Mazzulla brought in reserves Payton Pritchard and Luke Kornet for their first playing time of the night. It seemed to spark the team and excited the crowd as the Celtics went on a 16-0 run to close the quarter, with Tatum scoring the last five points.
HIGH OCTANE OFFENSES
The game featured two of the league&rsquo;s highest scoring teams. Sacramento entered first with 120 points per game and Boston was just slightly behind, second at 119.7.
UP NEXT
Kings: Host the Phoenix Suns on Monday.
Celtics: Host the Washington Wizards on Sunday.

Jayson Tatum scored 30 points and the NBA-best Celtics pulled away from the Kings for a 122-104 victory on Friday night.

Tatum scores 30; Celtics pull away from Kings, 122-104

Spencer Davies details Jamal Cain's climb from Pontiac, Michigan to the NBA level through the lens of longtime friend Mychal Covington.