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Nets

In the single most stunning and shocking trade in NBA history, the Los Angeles Lakers have traded away Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Luka Doncic.
As first broken out by ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania, the Lakers are sending away Davis, Max Christie, and their 2029 1st round pick to the Mavericks in exchange for Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris. The Utah Jazz swooped in as a third team in the blockbuster mega deal, securing the Lakers&rsquo; Jalen Hood-Schifino, a 2025 Clippers 2nd round pick, and a 2025 Mavericks 2nd round pick.
ANALYSIS: The move brought shockwaves to the entire NBA world, drawing several reactions from players and media alike.
There has never been a trade of this magnitude, with a generational offensive talent being traded out in his prime. Doncic, who is just 25 years old, has made 5 All-NBA first teams and has been arguably a top 5 player in the league for the past 2 seasons.&nbsp;
What&rsquo;s even more surprising is this came out of the blue without anyone knowing except the Lakers and the Mavericks&rsquo; front offices. There have been reports of the Mavericks&rsquo; concern of Luka&rsquo;s conditioning and his impending supermax extension worth $345 million. Dallas GM Nico Harrison has also stated &ldquo;defense wins championships&rdquo; and that they believe that the 31-year-old Davis who is a defensive caliber player and an all-star will lead them and establish their identity as a defensive team. The Mavericks clearly made this move in a win-now scenario as they believe Davis, star Kyrie Irving along with their role players can help the team win a title despite giving up a superstar of Doncic&rsquo;s caliber.
For the Lakers, this is a move to shore up their future for the impending retirement of LeBron James. The now 40-year-old superstar, despite still playing at a high level, is nearing his retirement, and snagging a superstar like Doncic in his prime was too good to pass up. LA will now have another superstar next in line to carry the torch for the legendary franchise, which saw Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, and James to bear the gold and purple threads.

In the single most stunning and shocking trade in NBA history, the Lakers have traded Anthony Davis to the Mavericks for Luka Doncic.

Lakers trade Anthony Davis to Mavericks for Luka Doncic in blockbuster mega deal

Coby White scored 24 points and the short-handed Chicago Bulls rallied past the depleted Mavericks 115-112 on Friday night, eliminating Dallas from play-in contention a year after the club reached the Western Conference finals.
Dallas coach Jason Kidd said before the game an &ldquo;organizational decision&rdquo; was made to limit Luka Doncic to the first quarter while sitting fellow All-Star Kyrie Irving and four other regulars before the club was eliminated from the postseason.
Despite the move, the Mavericks led by double digits when Markieff Morris scored 13 points in the second quarter and rookie Jaden Hardy hit a half-court shot to beat the halftime buzzer for a 67-54 lead.
Neither Morris nor Hardy played in the second half, and a lineup filled mostly with players who spent the season at the end of the Dallas bench lost the lead but kept the game close.
McKinley Wright IV's layup got Dallas within a point with 39 seconds left before Dalen Terry scored on an alley-oop dunk from White with 23 to go.
Theo Pinson missed a potential tying 3-pointer for Dallas, which had three more attempts at a tying 3 in the final seconds.
The loss clinched the 10th seed and final play-in spot in the Western Conference for Oklahoma City.
Irving was out for right foot injury recovery. The others sitting with him were Tim Hardaway Jr. with left ankle soreness, Maxi Kleber for right hamstring injury recovery and Josh Green and Christian Wood for rest.
The Bulls sat their top two scorers in DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, but they are already locked in to the 10th seed in the East. Patrick Williams scored 23 points, and Nikola Vucevic had 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Doncic, who scored 13 points, ended up playing a few seconds into the second quarter on a night when the Mavericks paid tribute to his home country of Slovenia.
Keeping Doncic in was an apparent attempt to get him an ovation after Kidd suggested before the game it would be the 24-year-old superstar's final action of the season. The move didn't work because fans didn't seem aware and therefore didn't cheer.
Kidd said the decision was made by owner Mark Cuban and general manager Nico Harrison to rest most of the regulars. Dallas entered the game tied with Chicago for the 10th-worst record in the NBA.
If the Mavericks have a top-10 pick in the draft in June, they get to keep it. If the pick is 11th or lower, it goes to the New York Knicks as final payment for Dallas' trade to acquire Kristaps Porzingis in 2019. Next month's draft lottery will determine the final order.
Wright joined Doncic and Morris with 13 points to lead the Mavs.
SCORING RACE
Doncic's limited action in most likely his last game of the season should clinch the scoring title for Philadelphia's Joel Embiid. Doncic is at 32.4 points per game to Embiid's 33.1. The Sixers' MVP candidate is probably finished for the regular season with his team locked in to the third seed in the East.
UP NEXT
Both teams are at home for their regular-season finales Sunday. The Bulls play Detroit. The Mavs face San Antonio.

The short-handed Bulls rallied past the depleted Mavericks 115-112 on Friday night, eliminating Dallas from play-in contention.

Mavericks fall to Bulls, eliminated from play-in race

DALLAS (AP) &mdash; Kyrie Irving isn&rsquo;t interested in talking about what his long-term future could be with the Dallas Mavericks, and he doesn&rsquo;t understand why people don&rsquo;t think he can play well off the ball.
&ldquo;All I know, this is really playing basketball with a lot of high-level, high-IQ players and making it work,&rdquo; Irving said before his first home game Monday with the Mavericks and All-Star teammate Luka Doncic. &ldquo;Every single time I step foot out there, I get a chance to prove it to myself that I can play with anybody and everybody and still be efficient and be myself.&rdquo;
Irving&rsquo;s home debut in Dallas came a week after the blockbuster deal became official to bring the potential free agent from the Brooklyn Nets.&nbsp;The Mavericks lost 124-121&nbsp;to the Minnesota Timberwolves, who held on even as Irving scored 26 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter.
The first three games for Irving with the Mavs were on the road, and he played with Doncic for the first time Saturday night &mdash;&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/dallas-mavericks-sacramento-kings-nba-sports-deaaron-fox-13409941fa60c60c1528d0ea68ef3a41" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Irving had 28 points and Doncic 27 in an overtime loss at Sacramento</a>. Doncic had 33 points against Minnesota.
As for what happens after this season, the talented and enigmatic eight-time All-Star said that question constantly getting asked just puts unwanted distractions on him and the team.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve dealt with it before and it&rsquo;s very emotionally draining to ask questions about what&rsquo;s the long term,&rdquo; Irving said. &ldquo;What the future holds is really only going to be dictated on what I do right now, and how I prepare for those next steps, and that&rsquo;s being the best teammate that I can in that locker room and a great leader out here, I think within the Dallas community. ... So we&rsquo;re just putting that to bed and just focus on what we have ahead as a team.&rdquo;
The Mavericks, with 23 games remaining, are part of a crowded mix for a playoff spot. They are tied for fifth in the Western Conference, only 2 1/2 games ahead of 11th place &mdash; the first spot left out of the postseason.
When Dallas general manager Nico Harrison was asked his response to people who viewed the acquisition of Irving and his expiring contract as a risk, the former Nike executive, who already had a relationship with the player, said that wasn&rsquo;t the case.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t see any risk involved at all. I&rsquo;ve known Kyrie for a long time, I know his core, I know what what type of person is. I think anybody who&rsquo;s ever watched him play basketball knows the type of basketball player he is,&rdquo; Harrison said. &ldquo;So I don&rsquo;t see risk. I actually see a risk in not doing it.&rdquo;
Irving smiled and responded, &ldquo;touch&eacute;,&rdquo; then adding that he appreciated their relationship and that it was now up to him to prove it &ldquo;and control what I can control.&rdquo;
Dallas also got Markieff Morris in the trade&nbsp;that sent Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2029 first-round pick and two second-round choices to the Nets.
Irving had a relationship with Nike for the entirety of his NBA career until earlier this season, when the sneaker giant dropped him &mdash; and canceled the planned release of his next signature shoe just before it came out &mdash; after Irving tweeted a link to an antisemitic film.
&ldquo;I would love to be well-liked by everybody. ... Oh, that&rsquo;s just not it. That&rsquo;s just not for I think anyone in this room,&rdquo; Irving said. &ldquo;But the genuine love that you have in your heart is the only thing that you can really control. I have open dialogue with everybody that spends time with me, wants to have conversation, wants to ask me questions.&rdquo;
For those who don&rsquo;t like him, he said he wishes them well.
&ldquo;But I have a life to live and I have kids to raise,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;So I don&rsquo;t really have the energy to sit and focus on things I can&rsquo;t control.&rdquo;

Kyrie Irving isn’t interested in talking about what his long-term future could be with the Dallas Mavericks.

After trade to Mavs, Kyrie Irving doesn't want to talk about future

After trading Kyrie Irving and Markieff Morris to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and picks over the weekend, the Brooklyn Nets aren't done wheeling and dealing.&nbsp;
The Nets continue to explore their trade options and they have had numerous conversations with the Toronto Raptors, according to multiple reports. While Fred VanVleet and O.G. Anunoby have been linked to Brooklyn lately, another name has also come up in the trade talks: Pascal Siakam.
According to <a href="https://hoopshype.com/2023/02/06/sources-nets-raptors-trade-talks-involve-pascal-siakam-ben-simmons-nic-claxton/">Mike Scotto of HoopsHype</a>, Brooklyn has tried to pry Siakam away from the Raptors, offering Ben Simmons and several first-round picks for the 28-year-old forward. Scotto also notes that Toronto covets Nic Claxton, who could potentially be included in a package for Siakam.
Siakam is averaging 24.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.3 threes on .469/.315/.766 shooting splits this season. If the Raptors make Siakam available, there will be plenty of interested teams.
All eyes are on the Raptors as Thursday's trade deadline approaches, as it's unclear whether they'll be a buyer or seller (or simply choose to stand pat). Many rival executives are hoping that Toronto decides to sell off pieces like Siakam, Anunoby, VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr.
Brooklyn has been communicating with Kevin Durant about possible moves as they try to keep him happy and keep the team in contention.
The Nets are currently 32-21, which is the fifth-best record in the Eastern Conference. Brooklyn has the NBA's fourth-best offense (scoring 114.2 points per 100 possessions) and 10th-best defense (allowing 110.2 points per 100 possessions).
The Raptors are currently 25-30, which is the 11th-best record in the East. Toronto has the NBA's 14th-ranked offense (scoring 112.0 points per 100 possessions) and 20th-ranked defense (allowing 112.3 points per 100 possessions).

While Fred VanVleet and O.G. Anunoby have been linked to the Nets, Pascal Siakam has also reportedly come up in trade talks.

Nets have discussed Pascal Siakam trade with Raptors

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) &mdash; Kyrie Irving hadn&rsquo;t arrived yet and Luka Doncic was out, so it was time for the Dallas youngsters to shine.
Josh Green and Jaden Hardy each scored career highs of 29 points and the short-handed Mavericks stunned the Utah Jazz 124-111 on Monday night after completing a trade for Irving.
&ldquo;Luka (and Irving) are going to have their amazing nights, but if we want to be a championship team it&rsquo;s about the rest of us being able to step up,&rdquo; Green said.
The Mavericks acquired the eight-time All-Star along with Markieff Morris from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2029 first-round pick and two future second-round picks.
Irving and Morris arrived in Dallas on Monday to undergo physicals and were not available for the game. But their new team rallied behind Green, who averages 8.1 points, and Hardy, who scores 5.6 per game.
&ldquo;We believed we could win this from before the game even started,&rdquo; Hardy said. &ldquo;The Jazz didn&rsquo;t seem like they were taking it seriously. They came out late before the game to warm up, all nonchalant.&rdquo;
When Green was on the court, the Mavericks outscored the Jazz by an astonishing 39 points and won their first game in eight tries without Doncic, their leading scorer with 33.4 points a game.
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&ldquo;The guys believed and Josh set the tone,&rdquo; Dallas coach Jason Kidd said. &ldquo;He understands how to play and he&rsquo;s not afraid of the moment.&rdquo;
Doncic (heel bruise) missed his third game in 10 days. The Jazz beat the Mavs 108-100 on Jan. 28, when the Slovenian star was out with a sprained ankle. This time the Mavericks bested the Jazz in nearly hustle category, including a 49-37 advantage on the boards.
&ldquo;It was exemplified when (5-foot-11) McKinley Wright was boxing out (Utah&rsquo;s 7-foot-1 Walker) Kessler. The physicality for us tonight was high, no matter how small we were out there,&rdquo; Kidd said.
After scoring 12 total points over six games, Hardy broke out for his career night and Dwight Powell added 12 points and a career-best 16 rebounds.
&ldquo;It was super fun,&rdquo; Hardy said twice with a smile that didn&rsquo;t leave his face for a long while.
Jordan Clarkson paced Utah with 26 points on 7-for-19 shooting and Lauri Markkanen added 19 &mdash; the first time he has failed to reach 20 points in the last 21 games.
&ldquo;They played better than us. They played harder than us. Give credit to them, but I don&rsquo;t think we were ready to play,&rdquo; Markkanen said.
The Jazz are now 7-5 on a stretch where they&rsquo;re playing 11 of 13 games at home, when they hoped to gain ground on teams like Dallas, but are now two games behind the Mavs.
The Jazz struggle when their 3s aren&rsquo;t falling and they often fail to get back on defense. The upstart Mavs led the Jazz 27-4 on fast break points.
&ldquo;This is the first game all season where I just feel disappointed in our focus,&rdquo; Utah coach Will Hardy said. &ldquo;We just did not have the necessary focus and attention to the little things. They had 27 points in transition and 24 second-chance points and that&rsquo;s how we lost the game.&rdquo;
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As could be expected with different rotations and the end of the bench getting significant minutes, the Mavericks looked out of sync at times. But they started running at every opportunity and went on a 23-6 run bridging the second and third quarters to take a 75-66 lead.
The Jazz trimmed the lead to a single possession in the fourth quarter but could never catch the Mavs.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: Wright finished his first start with a career-high 10 points. &hellip; Davis Bertans (left calf strain) and Maxi Kleber (right hamstring tear) were out. &hellip; Dallas outscored Utah on second-chance points, 24-12
Jazz: Jarred Vanderbilt, the subject of persistent trade rumors, missed his second game with back spasms. &hellip; Mike Conley, who had a game-high 11 assists, turned his ankle in the fourth quarter but continued to play after a timeout. &hellip; Utah went 6 of 31 from 3-point range but had a 62-42 edge in the paint.
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Josh Green and Jaden Hardy each scored career-highs of 29 points and the short-handed Mavericks stunned the Utah Jazz 124-111.

Green, Hardy help Mavs surprise Jazz 124-111 without Doncic

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Paul George scored 29 points, Kawhi Leonard added 24 and the Los Angeles Clippers overcame a career-high 47 points from Cam Thomas in his first start to beat the short-handed Brooklyn Nets 124-116 on Monday night.
Ivica Zubac added 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Clippers, who won for the eighth time in 10 games and finished 4-2 on their six-game Eastern Conference road trip.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m happy with the road trip we had,&rdquo; Leonard said. &ldquo;We came out 4-2, and that&rsquo;s a pretty good road trip for us.&rdquo;
Thomas, who scored 44 to rally the Nets past Washington on Saturday, was even better on the day the Nets completed the trade that sent Kyrie Irving to Dallas. But Los Angeles outscored Brooklyn 25-9 over the final 6:20.
&ldquo;Their objective (was) to come in and play hard and go hard, and they did that,&rdquo; George said. &ldquo;I thought it was a good experience for us to get good possessions down the stretch.&rdquo;
Nic Claxton had 15 points and 15 rebounds for the Nets, while Edmond Sumner chipped in 23 points for Brooklyn. Before the game, the deal that sent Irving and forward Markieff Morris to Dallas for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and multiple draft picks was announced.
Neither Dinwiddie nor Finney-Smith were available, nor were stars Kevin Durant and Ben Simmons and guard Seth Curry due to injury, leaving coach Jacque Vaughn forced to rotate 11 of his 12 dressed players.
&ldquo;You just got to give credit to our group for being ready to play,&rdquo; Vaughn said. &ldquo;The optimism and belief that we can win a basketball game with the group we had was (good) to see, and our overall effort and energy and communication was good throughout the night.&rdquo;
Still, Los Angeles&rsquo; bench still outscored Brooklyn&rsquo;s 38-10.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s huge,&rdquo; Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. &ldquo;We have a really good bench that we really trust, and you saw that tonight, increasing the lead when (George) and Kawhi went to the bench in the first half. ... We really lean on those guys to be good for us.&rdquo;
But Thomas almost single-handedly kept Brooklyn within striking distance. Thomas had 22 in the first half, then electrified the crowd with a combination of 3-pointers and mid-range jumpers, helping Brooklyn lead by 107-99 midway through the fourth.
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&ldquo;I came out hot early,&rdquo; Thomas said. &ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t know it&rsquo;d be another 40, but I knew I&rsquo;d probably have a great game again. Kudos to the guys for believing in me and letting me make decisions down the stretch.&rdquo;
Los Angeles rallied with a 9-0 run and outscored Brooklyn 33-28 in the fourth, keyed by Leonard&rsquo;s nine points in the frame.
&ldquo;Defensively we were able to get some stops and get out in transition a little bit,&rdquo; Lue said. &ldquo;Being down eight, we just came out settled down and came out and went on the 9-0 run and took control of the game.&rdquo;
The Nets made 8 of 12 first-quarter 3-pointers and built an eight-point advantage. But the Clippers closed the first with a 10-0 run then George then scored nine in the second, helping the Clippers build an 11-point advantage.
But the Nets closed the half with a 13-4 run, cutting Los Angeles&rsquo; lead to 55-53 at halftime.
TIP INS
Clippers: Forward Marcus Morris Sr. was ejected with 1:57 left in the second quarter. &hellip; The Clippers improved to 14-11 against the Eastern Conference and 8-7 on the road.
Nets: Durant (sprained right MCL) missed his 13th straight game. The Nets are expected to give an update on his progress Tuesday. ... Simmons (left knee soreness) was unavailable for the fifth straight game but could play Tuesday against Phoenix on the second night of a back-to-back.
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Paul George scored 29 points, Kawhi Leonard added 24 and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the short-handed Brooklyn Nets 124-116.

Clippers surge late, overcome Thomas’ 47 to top Nets 124-116

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Cam Thomas scored a career-high 44 points off the bench and the short-handed Brooklyn Nets rallied from a 23-point deficit to stun the Washington Wizards 125-123 on Saturday night.
Edmond Sumner also set a personal best with 29 points and Nic Claxton had 15 points and 13 rebounds for the Nets, who had their largest comeback win of the season and swept the regular-season series against the Wizards. Patty Mills added 13 points and Royce O&rsquo;Neale had 10 for the Nets, who trailed 44-21 late in the first quarter.
The victory came despite Brooklyn being without Kyrie Irving, who was out with what the team said was right calf soreness &mdash; a day after he told the Nets he wants to be traded.
The Nets, who also played without Kevin Durant (right knee MCL sprain), T.J. Warren (left shin contusion) and Ben Simmons (left knee soreness), also lost Seth Curry (left adductor) and Markieff Morris (sore left knee) in the game.
Kristaps Porzingis led the Wizards with 38 points before fouling out. Deni Avdija finished with 23 points, Monte Morris added 18 and Corey Kispert had 15 as Washington lost its second in a row.
Entering the fourth quarter, Washington was clinging to a 99-92 lead but Mills, Thomas, and Yuta Watanabe scored eight points to help Brooklyn close to 102-100. Porzingis replied with a 14-footer and two free throws to extend the Wizards&rsquo; lead to 106-101.
It didn&rsquo;t last long.
Mills and Sumner made baskets to cut it to 106-105, but Porzingis&rsquo; three-point play pushed the lead back to four. Thomas converted a layup and a two-handed dunk on Brooklyn&rsquo;s next two possessions to tie it at 109-109.
After Washington took a 110-109 lead on a free throw by Porzingis, Brooklyn went ahead for the first time in the game on Thomas&rsquo; 3-pointer with 5:46 left. Porzingis knocked down two free throws to tie it again.
With the Nets ahead 120-119, Morris gave the Wizards the lead again on a pair of free throws. But Thomas made a jumper, Morris had a pull-up jumper and Thomas made a layup and then a free throw after Daniel Gafford was called for goaltending and Avdija whistled for a foul &mdash; giving Brooklyn a 125-123 lead.
Washington had a chance to tie when Thomas was called for a foul, but Morris missed both foul shots and the Nets got the rebound and ran out the clock.
TIP-INS
Wizards: Coach Wes Unseld Jr. said before the game Bradley Beal was out with &ldquo;left foot soreness.&rdquo; At some point during the Wizards&rsquo; 124-116 loss to Portland on Friday night, Beal landed on Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons&rsquo; foot. &ldquo;He was able to get through, (but) you could tell there were some moments throughout the third or fourth quarter when he just didn&rsquo;t move correctly,&rdquo; Unseld Jr. said. &ldquo;So he&rsquo;ll get re-evaluated this afternoon, this evening and tomorrow.&rdquo; Beal, in his 10th season, is averaging 22.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game.
Nets: Much of coach Jacque Vaughn&rsquo;s pregame availability was spent discussing Irving&rsquo;s trade demand, which became public Friday afternoon. The Nets entered the game third in the Atlantic Division, fourth in the Eastern Conference, and sixth overall in the NBA. &ldquo;I think you make this as simple as possible,&rdquo; Vaughn said. &ldquo;With the group, you&rsquo;re extremely honest with these guys. ... So I think that&rsquo;s the approach with this group: focus on today. That doesn&rsquo;t change. We&rsquo;ve been really good at just locking in and doing our jobs.&rdquo;
UP NEXT
Wizards: Host Cleveland on Monday night.
Nets: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night.

Cam Thomas scored a career-high 44 points off the bench and the Nets rallied from a 23-point deficit to stun the Wizards 125-123.

Cam Thomas helps Nets rally from 23 down to beat Wizards 125-123

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; The short-handed Brooklyn Nets lost guard Seth Curry and forward/center Markieff Morris to injuries during their game against the Washington Wizards on Saturday night.
Curry suffered a left adductor injury during the third quarter, and Morris had a sore left knee. The Nets announced neither would return to the game.
Curry and Morris joined Kevin Durant (right knee MCL sprain), T.J. Warren (left shin contusion), Ben Simmons (left knee soreness) and Kyrie Irving (right calf soreness) on the sideline.
Durant has missed 12 consecutive games, while Simmons and Warren have each missed four straight.
<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/exploring-trade-destinations-for-kyrie-irving-nba-trade-rumors-lakers-mavericks-nets-heat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Irving&rsquo;s injury came one day after requesting a trade.</a>&nbsp;He&rsquo;s upset with contract proposals that the team has put forth. Irving is scheduled to be a free agent after this season.
The injuries left Brooklyn with eight available players for the remainder of the game.

The short-handed Nets lost Seth Curry and Markieff Morris to injuries during their game against the Wizards on Saturday night.

Short-handed Nets also lose Seth Curry, Markieff Morris to injuries

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored a season-high 36 points against his former team, and the Los Angeles Clippers snapped a two-game skid by beating the San Antonio Spurs 131-126 on Friday night.
The Clippers had lost nine of 11, but coach Tyronn Lue believed this game could mark the start of a turnaround for his team.
“I felt it this morning,” Lue said. “I think having our guys back and everyone going back to their natural roles helps us out a lot. With Kawhi and PG (Paul George) on the floor, we play at a high level.”
The Clippers had seven players score in double figures, including Norman Powell with 26 points and George had 16 points and 12 assists. 
Los Angeles shot 63% from the field, 54% on 3-pointers and had 31 assists. 
Keldon Johnson had 23 points for San Antonio, which has lost nine of 11. Josh Richardson added 17 points, Zach Collins had a season-high 17 and Jeremy Sochan had 16.
Leonard and George played together for just the third time in January. Leonard put on a show on the court where he won NBA Finals MVP in 2014 with the Spurs. 
After losing 15 pounds, Leonard looked spry and had three thunderous dunks.
“I’m feeling a lot lighter, moving a lot bit better out there,” Leonard said. “I’m feeling pretty good. Played a few games in a row.”
The 6-foot-7 forward was 13 for 18 from the field and 4 for 5 on 3-pointers while adding seven assists, four rebounds and two steals.
“He was great,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. “He’s one of the finest players in the league. We are talking about the very top of the list – he’s with those guys.”
Leonard scored 13 points in just under 3 1/2 minutes starting midway through the third quarter to give the Clippers a 93-90 lead. Leonard had three 3-pointers and a vicious left-handed dunk in the run.
San Antonio did not have an individual answer for Leonard but responded by shooting 57% from the field and 54% on 3-pointers to go along with 34 assists. 
“We won this game tonight because we made shots,” Leonard said. “They shot 57% and we shot 63. We definitely have to get better. We’re not going to shoot 63% every night. We’ve got to make sure their percentages are a lot lower than that. We still need to improve. We’ve got a lot to improve on if we want to be a great team.”
The Clippers set an opponent high with 41 points in the opening quarter, besting the mark they shared with 40 points against the Spurs in the opening quarter on Nov. 19. San Antonio responded by holding Los Angeles to 24 points in the second quarter.
“The team, I thought, was spectacular,” Popovich said. “They never give in. They are playing more physically than they have all year. They are assisting, playing the right way. Those guys made shots down the stretch, and oftentimes, that’s the difference. But I was really proud of our guys. They did a great job.”
TIP-INS
Clippers: PG John Wall sat out with an abdominal strain and G Luke Kennard missed the game with a sore right calf. … F Marcus Morris received a technical foul with 47 seconds remaining in the first half after continually talking to Sochan as the two stood across from each other at the free throw line. Morris’ twin brother, Markieff, got into a skirmish with Sochan on Tuesday. Sochan tumbled to the court and took Morris with him after the Nets forward set a hard screen shortly after Sochan put three fingers in his face following a 3-pointer. 
Spurs: San Antonio assistant coach Brett Brown missed the game due to “personal business,” according to the team. … The Spurs finished a four-game homestand at 1-3. … San Antonio signed veteran center Gorgui Dieng to a second 10-day contract. 
WELCOME BACK
Leonard was cheered by the Spurs fans for the first time since demanding a trade and leaving San Antonio in 2018. 
Leonard was honored before the game with a video highlighting his seven seasons in San Antonio. There was a smattering of boos, but nothing to the level of jeers he received in previous appearances in San Antonio.
“It’s been a long journey,” Leonard said. “The fans are very competitive here. When I’m at the games you might hear boos, but if I’m walking on the street or going to restaurants, people come up to me and still tell me how much they love my game and like me as a person. So, I know it’s just a competition once I’m here. I understand.” 
UP NEXT
Clippers: At Dallas on Sunday. 
Spurs: At Portland on Monday.

Kawhi Leonard scored 36 points, and the Los Angeles Clippers snapped a two-game skid, beating the San Antonio Spurs 131-126.

Leonard has season-high 36 to send Clippers past Spurs

SAN ANTONIO (AP) &mdash; Keldon Johnson had a career-high 36 points and 11 rebounds and the San Antonio Spurs snapped a five-game skid with a 106-98 win over the injury slowed Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night.
&ldquo;A ton of energy, a ton of confidence, that&rsquo;s who Keldon is,&rdquo; San Antonio rookie forward Jeremy Sochan said. &ldquo;He is great. We all trust him.&rdquo;
Sochan added 16 points in a physical outing that included a dustup with Brooklyn forward Markieff Morris.
The Nets lost their third straight. They have dropped every game since Kevin Durant suffered a sprained MCL in his right knee. Kyrie Irving was a late scratch due to a sore right calf.
Johnson was 11 for 26 from the field, including two key baskets in the fourth quarter. He hit a 3-pointer following a missed 3 by Seth Curry, giving the Spurs an 87-82 lead. One possession after Nic Claxton blocked his dunk attempt, Johnson threw down a one-handed dunk for an 89-82 lead.
&ldquo;It felt great. I can&rsquo;t lie,&rdquo; Johnson said of his late 3. &ldquo;They called timeout right after that. I was hyped. My coaches and teammates put the ball in my hands, and I just make something happen.&rdquo;
Ben Simmons had a triple-double of 10 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists for Brooklyn in the opener of a five-game trip. T.J. Warren added 19 points and Claxton had 15 points, 11 rebounds, four blocks and four assists.
A flare-up midway through the second quarter between Morris and Sochan momentarily sparked the Nets. Sochan held three fingers up near Morris&rsquo; face after draining a 3-pointer that gave San Antonio a 39-34 lead with 5:20 remaining in the half. The Nets&rsquo; veteran verbally let the rookie know that wasn&rsquo;t appreciated and then delivered a shoulder into Sochan&rsquo;s chest on the ensuing possession. The play resulted in an offensive and technical foul on Morris, as well as a Flagrant 1 foul on Sochan, who pulled Morris to the court on the play.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a different era, man,&rdquo; Morris said. &ldquo;You seen the play before that he makes a 3 and he&rsquo;s pointing in my face. &lsquo;You made a shot. What is that about?&rsquo; So, I mean, I set a hard screen and then he grabbed me. He actually did like a wrestling move on me. I said that's impressive, I told him. It was impressive because he used a lot of force and he kind of flipped me. He got me.&rdquo;
Brooklyn went on a 15-3 run following the dustup, erasing yet another sluggish start.
That momentum stopped in the third quarter as the Nets were outscored 25-17.
The Nets were scoreless for four minutes after Simmons made the game&rsquo;s opening basket on a driving hook shot 23 seconds in. Simmons opened the game shooting 2 for 5 after a series of spin moves and drives ended with most of his shots rolling off the rim.
&ldquo;With Kevin and Ky out, we have a lot of different lineups that we&rsquo;re not 100% familiar with,&rdquo; Nets wing Joe Harris said.
San Antonio led Brooklyn 27-15 after first quarter. It was the fewest points scored by a Spurs opponent in the first quarter this season. The previous low was 23 points by Minnesota on Oct. 30. The Nets were slowed by seven turnovers.
TIP-INS
Nets: Irving was not initially listed on the injury report, but was ruled out prior to the game. Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said he does not believe the injury is serious and is hopeful Irving can play Thursday in Phoenix. &hellip; Brooklyn&rsquo;s season-low output in the first quarter is 14 points, on Oct. 19 against New Orleans, and Nov. 23 against Toronto. Its season low for any quarter is 13 points in the third against Miami on Jan. 8.
Spurs: San Antonio has not won consecutive games since winning three straight Dec. 8-12.
&nbsp;

Keldon Johnson had a career-high 36 points and the Spurs snapped a five-game skid with a 106-98 win over the Nets.

Johnson hits career-high 36, Spurs top Nets, end 5-game skid

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Kyrie Irving made his first seven shots, sparked a big bench celebration with a one-handed follow slam after he finally missed and scored 27 points as the Brooklyn Nets beat the San Antonio Spurs 139-103 on Monday night for their 12th straight victory.
Kevin Durant added 25 points and 11 assists for the Nets (25-12), who have ridden the longest winning in the NBA this season to within a game of Boston for the best record in the league. Brooklyn has won 16 of its last 17 games.
Irving shot 11 for 14, Durant was 10 for 14 and neither played in the fourth quarter for the Nets, who are 23-7 under Jacque Vaughn. T.J. Warren finished with 18 points and Brooklyn shot 62% from the field.
The Nets never trailed for the second straight game in an easy start to the new year after going 12-1 in December. They are two wins shy of matching the franchise's longest winning streak, having won 14 in a row twice while based in New Jersey.
Keldon Johnson scored 22 points for the Spurs.
Irving was 6 for 6 in the first quarter, with three 3-pointers, for 15 points and the Nets shot 64% in opening a 37-25 lead.
He finally missed on a 3-pointer in front of the Brooklyn bench but had teammates rushing off the sideline moments later screaming and celebrating when he streaked into the lane after Yuta Watanabe's missed jumper and slammed it down for a 46-27 lead.
Brooklyn led 74-47 at halftime and surpassed 100 points in three quarters for the second time this season, both in the last six games.
TIP-INS
Spurs: Coach Gregg Popovich said he walked about 80 blocks in New York on Monday, eating Italian, Turkish and Lebanese food. Popovich noted that he'll be able to fit in plenty more on this trip, with the Spurs off Tuesday before facing the Knicks on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden, near their team hotel. ... The Spurs have lost six straight to the Nets.
Nets: The Nets were without Royce O'Neale and Markieff Morris because of illnesses not related to COVID-19. ... Joe Harris scored eight points after missing four games due to left knee soreness. ... The Nets congratulated Durant during the game for recently moving into 15th place on the NBA's career scoring list. He passed Tim Duncan, the Spurs' five-time champion. Soccer starts Kylian Mbapp&eacute; and Achraf Hakimi were at the game, with Mbapp&eacute; getting a thunderous ovation when shown after the third quarter.
&nbsp;

Kyrie Irving made his first seven shots on his way to 27 points as the Brooklyn Nets beat the San Antonio Spurs 139-103.

Irving, Nets roll past Spurs 139-103 for 12th straight win

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Anthony Davis knew he had to have a big game to help the Los Angeles Lakers snap a five-game losing streak.
After getting motivation from an unlikely source, he put together his best game of the season.
&ldquo;I was watching the Green Bay Packers game (against the Dallas Cowboys) and Aaron Rodgers threw a slant to Allen Lazard for 40 yards. He was flexing and that got me motivated,&rdquo; said Davis, who had a season-high 37 points and 18 rebounds in the Lakers 116-103 victory over the Brooklyn Nets Sunday night.
&ldquo;I knew I had to dominate to get this win. With LeBron (James) out, a lot of guys lean on me to get the job done.&rdquo;
Davis grabbed 10 offensive rebounds, which tied a career-high in a regular-season game, as the Lakers led throughout. Davis was averaging only 8.6 points in the second half, but had 21 against the Nets, including 15 in the third quarter.
&ldquo;I was trying to get to the paint and score inside knowing thCam Thomasey had limited shot blockers,&rdquo; Davis said. &ldquo;If we put it on the rim then I had a guard on me and a chance to get an offensive rebound.&rdquo;
Davis was not only active inside on the boards, but in his shot selection as well. All but two of his 25 attempts were in the paint.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s been the plan and figuring out how to get him more touches and in rhythm. Everything was aggressive,&rdquo; Lakers coach Darvin Ham said.
Lonnie Walker IV added 25 points for Los Angeles, which was missing James for the second straight game due to an left adductor strain.
Kevin Durant led the Nets with 31 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Cam Thomas came off the bench to score 15 points and Edmond Sumner added 13.
&ldquo;We played in spurts tonight. It was a perfect storm for them. They made shots and got to the rim,&rdquo; Durant said.
The Lakers led by 16 with less than four minutes remaining in the third, but the Nets rallied to close to 91-87 on a two free throws by Durant with 8:27 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Lakers then blew it open with a 15-2 run, including seven points by Walker and four from Davis.
Los Angeles' largest lead was 18 with four minutes remaining.
Kyrie Irving missed his sixth straight game as part of a team suspension for refusing to say he had no antisemitic beliefs,
Los Angeles had a 55-46 lead at halftime. The Lakers extended their advantage to 77-61 with 3:56 remaining in the third quarter on a 3-pointer by Walker before the Nets scored 11 straight points and closed the quarter on a 16-3 run.
&ldquo;I knew we expended a lot of juice from the Clipper game (a 110-95 win on Saturday). The guys gave what they had,&rdquo; said Brooklyn coach Jacque Vaughn after the Nets fell to 1-3 during the second game of back-to-backs.
TIP-INS
Nets: Nic Claxton suffered a left eye contusion during the third quarter and did not return. ... Markieff Morris made a crosscourt shot at the end of the first half, but it happened after the buzzer. ... Ben Simmons was declared out one hour before tipoff due to left knee soreness. ... Seth Curry (left ankle) sat out after playing 26 minutes on Saturday in a win over the Clippers.
Lakers: Austin Reaves had 15 points while Russell Westbrook had 14 points and 12 assists. ... Walker scored 11 of the Lakers' first 20 points.

Anthony Davis had a season-high 37 points and 18 rebounds as the Lakers beat the Nets 116-103 to snap a five-game losing streak.

Davis scores season-high 37, Lakers beat Nets to snap skid

MILWAUKEE (AP) &mdash; Brooklyn coach Steve Nash wasn&rsquo;t around to watch Giannis Antetokounmpo finish picking the Nets apart.
<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1585443231952646144" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nash was ejected</a>&nbsp;for the first time in his coaching career after arguing that Antetokounmpo should have been called for an offensive foul against Patty Mills while bringing the ball up the court in the third quarter.
Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks dominated the rest of the way in a 110-99 victory Wednesday night.
&ldquo;I was just standing up for our guys,&rdquo; said Nash, who was ejected twice during his 18-season playing career. &ldquo;I thought Patty took a forearm in the throat from Giannis right in front of the ref. I didn&rsquo;t feel that was fair. I don&rsquo;t think I was overly demonstrative. I was upset I got the technical.&rdquo;
Antetokounmpo had 43 points, 14 rebounds and five assists. He scored 34 points in the second half.
That performance three nights after he scored 44 points and shot 17 of 21 in a 125-105 rout of the Houston Rockets, marking just the fifth time in NBA history a player had scored at least 44 points while playing less than 28 minutes.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been working a lot over these few years and this summer and just so anxious to prove to myself that I can do what I&rsquo;ve been working on, and sometimes I think I play not (to) my strength as much,&rdquo; Antetokounmpo said. &ldquo;I kind of scratched that, and in the second half, I was just, &lsquo;OK, I&rsquo;m going to be myself and be OK with it&rsquo; and just tried to drive as much as I can and find my teammates and get in the paint.&rdquo;
The Nets led 70-66 with about 4 &frac12; minutes remaining in the third quarter when Nash received a technical foul and then yelled his displeasure as assistant coach Jacque Vaughn and forward Royce O&rsquo;Neale held him back. Nash&rsquo;s heated reaction resulted in a second technical that got him ejected.
Milwaukee outscored the Nets 44-29 the rest of the way.
After shooting just 3 of 10 in the first half, Antetokounmpo went 13 of 15 the rest of the way. He scored 34 points in the second half as the Bucks outscored the Nets 67-44 over the final two periods.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s vintage Giannis,&rdquo; Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s probably about the best &mdash; he&rsquo;s had a lot of great performances &mdash; tonight that second half, he did everything. He was phenomenal.&rdquo;
<div class="CardHeadline Component-cardHeadlineContainer-0-2-52">
<div class="Component-headline-0-2-56" data-key="card-headline">Bobby Portis had 20 points and 11 rebounds for Milwaukee, and Jrue Holiday added 15 points.</div>
</div>
<div class="Article" data-key="article">
Kevin Durant scored 33, Kyrie Irving 27 and Royce O&rsquo;Neale 12 for the Nets.
Irving scored 11 straight Brooklyn points and sank a jumper that tied the game at 83 with 10:09 remaining, but the Nets went scoreless for the next 5&frac12; minutes as Milwaukee built a 10-point lead.
Durant finally ended Brooklyn&rsquo;s drought by making a driving layup with 4:37 remaining, the first time any Net other than Irving had scored since free throw by Day&rsquo;Ron Sharpe with 3:02 left in the third period.
TIP-INS
Nets: Brooklyn played a second straight game without Markieff Morris, out for personal reasons. Seth Curry (left ankle) and T.J. Warren (left foot) still haven&rsquo;t made their season debuts. Nash said before the game that Curry will practice with the team&rsquo;s NBA G League affiliate Thursday. ... Nash said before the game he wanted to see Ben Simmons recapture &ldquo;that joy of playing the game&rdquo; as the three-time All-Star returns after missing the entire 2021-22 season and&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/brooklyn-nets-nba-sports-ben-simmons-james-harden-c10991637d3e8705102f377d3b02a5e0">undergoing back surgery.</a>&nbsp;Simmons had four points, five rebounds and nine assists Wednesday. He hasn&rsquo;t scored more than seven points in any of Brooklyn&rsquo;s first four games.
Bucks: The Bucks continue to play without Khris Middleton (wrist), Pat Connaughton (calf) and Joe Ingles (knee). ... A moment of silence was observed before the game to honor&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/Bucks/status/1562849859530502144" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Keith Carrington,</a>&nbsp;who had been a lead supervisor for Fiserv Forum event security since 2018. Carrington died during the offseason.
UP NEXT
Nets: Host the Mavericks on Thursday in the first of four straight home games.
Bucks: Host the New York Knicks on Friday in the third game of a season-high six-game homestand.
___
More AP NBA:&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/hub/NBA">https://apnews.com/hub/NBA</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/AP_Sports" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://twitter.com/AP_Sports</a>
</div>

The Milwaukee Bucks defeat the Brooklyn Nets, 110-99.

Bucks use lopsided run after Nash ejected, beat Nets 110-99

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Ja Morant and Desmond Bane scored 38 points each to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 134-124 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night.
Morant and Bane also each had seven assists each. Bane, who struggled shooting to start the season, was 14 of 21 overall and 8 of 11 from 3-point range, the eight 3-pointers a career-high. Santi Aldama scored 17 points for Memphis.
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving each scored 37 points for the Nets, Nic Claxton finished with 16 points.
Memphis broke open a close game with a 17-2 run early in the third quarter. Bane scored 19 in the period. Durant was able to keep the Nets close but had little help as the Grizzlies extended their lead to as many as 15. Despite Durant&rsquo;s 17 in the quarter, Memphis outscored the Nets 45-28 in the third.
Memphis never relinquished its lead in the fourth.
Things got testy in the second quarter as Durant and Dillon Brooks began chirping at each other enough to draw double technicals, two of several in the first half. Those and a pretty steady stream of foul calls kept the game from gaining any pace.
Through the half, the Nets relied on its two-pronged scoring attack with Irving and Durant, along with inside help from Claxton. Morant with an assist from Aldama fueled the Grizzlies offense.
Neither team would build its advantage to double digits before halftime.
TIP-INS:
Nets: Durant passed Alex English (25,613) for 20th on the NBA&rsquo;s all-time scoring list. &hellip; Have a seven-game losing streak to Memphis. &hellip;Markieff Morris was out for personal reasons. Coach Steve Nash said Morris would not be available for Wednesday&rsquo;s game at Milwaukee. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ll see him when we get back home.&rdquo;
Grizzlies: F Dillon Brooks, listed as questionable before the game with a sore left thigh, made his first appearance of the season. &hellip;Bane&rsquo;s previous career-high for 3-pointers was in February against Portland. .Entering the game, Bane was 8 of 28 from 3-point range. &hellip;C Steven Adams had 13 rebounds
UP NEXT:
Nets: Play the Bucks in Milwaukee on Wednesday.
Grizzlies: Start a four-game road trip on Thursday in Sacramento against the Kings.

Ja Morant and Desmond Bane scored 38 points each to lead the Grizzlies to a 134-124 victory.

Bane and Morant score 38 each as Grizzlies beat Nets 134-124

Nobody can be certain how the Boston Celtics will perform under their <a href="https://apnews.com/article/boston-celtics-nba-sports-basketball-ime-udoka-fce31147438f281ce1900637d0a8e2a0">third coach in three years</a>, or whether James Harden can flourish in Philadelphia alongside Joel Embiid, or if Ben Simmons' first season playing with the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/brooklyn-nets-nba-sports-kevin-durant-dab19fb9bb2ded9be5462eb893903bdc">Brooklyn Nets</a> is already the last chance with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
Talent is spread all over the Eastern Conference. So are the question marks.
It's easy to see any of those teams, along with Milwaukee, Miami and perhaps others, finishing atop the conference. It's also easy to see some of them derailed by drama.
For now, everybody is looking at the positives.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s a lot of good teams, a lot of talent in the East, but once the games are being played, that&rsquo;s when you&rsquo;ll declare who the best team is,&rdquo; Durant said. &ldquo;I think obviously first third of the season, halfway through, you&rsquo;ll start to figure it out, but everybody feels great about their team around this time.&rdquo;
Durant didn't feel great over the summer, telling the Nets he wanted to be traded. At the same time, the Nets were declining to give Irving a contract extension after he was unavailable for so much of last season because he refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
But the Nets' problems were old news by the time the Celtics, coming off an NBA Finals appearance, suspended coach Ime Udoka just before training camp for at least this season for multiple violations of team policies involving a woman in the organization. Assistant Joe Mazzulla takes over for Udoka, who just finished his first season after replacing Brad Stevens.
Despite that, 76ers coach Doc Rivers still looks at the Celtics, along with the Bucks, as teams that start 2022-23 in a strong spot. While his team strives to get the best out of former MVP Harden, who was swapped for Simmons at the February trade deadline, the top players on rival squads (Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday in Milwaukee; Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Al Horford in Boston) have played plenty of big games together.
&ldquo;I think as a coach, when you look around, you look at teams that have been together and teams that have an advantage there,&rdquo; Rivers said. &ldquo;Milwaukee. Boston, they&rsquo;ve made some changes, but they still have their core guys, they&rsquo;re still moving that core around. So those are the teams that a team like us, or teams that have made a lot of changes, you have to put a lot of work in. You have to put more work in, because they do have an advantage.&rdquo;
A look at the East, in predicted order of regular-season finish:
PLAYOFF BOUND
1. Milwaukee &mdash; The Bucks should be driven to get home-court advantage after their title defense ended with a Game 7 loss at Boston in the second round.
2. Boston &mdash; The coaching situation is an unknown. The players are not.
3. Philadelphia &mdash; The 76ers will hope for more than the 21 points Harden averaged for them last season.
4. Miami &mdash; Had the East's best record and was a game away from the NBA Finals last season.
5. Chicago &mdash; Bulls were in great shape last year until injuries to Zach LaVine and Lonzo Ball.
6. Cleveland &mdash; Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland in the backcourt with Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley up front should be good enough for a team that just fell short of the playoffs last season.
INTO THE PLAY-IN
7. Brooklyn &mdash; Too explosive to be stopped. Maybe too small to stop others.
8. Toronto &mdash; Needs good bench play to keep the key starters from wearing down.
9. Atlanta &mdash; With Dejounte Murray joining Trae Young, guard play won't be a problem in Atlanta.
10. New York &mdash; Jalen Brunson takes over at the point and tries to get the best out of Julius Randle and RJ Barrett.
FACING LONG ODDS
11. Charlotte &mdash; Coach Steve Clifford&rsquo;s second stint depends, as with recent Charlotte seasons, on the health of LaMelo Ball and Gordon Hayward.
12. Washington &mdash; The potential is there, as long as Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis are on the court together enough.
13. Indiana &mdash; Rick Carlisle for so long had playoff teams in Dallas. He doesn't in Indiana.
14. Detroit &mdash; With Cade Cunningham, No. 5 pick Jaden Ivey and other young talent, Pistons won't be in this position in a few years.
15. Orlando &mdash; No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero is the latest good piece to join Magic's youth movement.
NEWCOMERS OF NOTE
Besides Mitchell, the All-Star guard who was traded from Utah to Cleveland, key additions in the East include Murray (traded to Atlanta from San Antonio), Malcolm Brogdon (Boston) and Brunson (New York).
SECOND-YEAR STARS
Toronto's Scottie Barnes edged fellow forward Mobley of Cleveland by 15 points in voting for Rookie of the Year, the closest finish under the current voting format that began with the 2002-03 season. Throw in Detroit's Cunningham, the 2021 No. 1 pick, and there's some potential sophomore sensations in the East.
BALL BROTHERS
Both LaMelo and Lonzo Ball are battling injuries headed into the regular season. LaMelo, the former Rookie of the Year, has a sprained ankle that has his availability in question for Charlotte's opener. Lonzo won't be ready in Chicago after another procedure last month because he still experienced pain in his left knee after having surgery last season, when he didn't play after Jan. 14.
TOUGHENING UP
Players arriving to add some needed physicality to contenders include P.J. Tucker in Philadelphia, Markieff Morris in Brooklyn, Andre Drummond in Chicago and Robin Lopez in Cleveland.

It's easy to see any of these top East teams finishing atop the conference. It's also easy to see some of them derailed by drama.

NBA's Eastern Conference has many contenders, many questions

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Bam Adebayo scored 17 points and undrafted rookie Jamal Cain added 15 points and 11 rebounds as the Miami Heat defeated the Brooklyn Nets 109-80 on Thursday night.
Kevin Durant led Brooklyn with 22 points on 8 of 12 shooting in 26 minutes. Ben Simmons had four points and 10 rebounds for the Nets.
Miami star Jimmy Butler played for the first time in the preseason, scoring two points in the first half and then sitting in the second half. Tyler Herro and Victor Oladipo didn&rsquo;t play for the Heat.
The Nets were minus Joe Harris, who was resting an ankle that left him out most of last season, and Kyrie Irving, who had the night off after the birth of his child. Seven Heat players scored in double figures.
Kyle Lowry had 15 points and Dru Smith, Duncan Robinson and Jamaree Bouyea each added 12 for Miami. Cain signed with the Heat in July after playing for Marquette and Oakland University.
Cam Thomas scored 13 points and Markieff Morris 10 for the Nets.
Through the first half, the teams tried various combinations, mixing the starters with some key bench players. Both sides seemed to stretch their stars for some extra minutes in the shortened NBA preseason.
Durant played 19 minutes in the first half and scored 18 points, making six of seven shots. Simmons and backcourt mate Royce O&rsquo;Neale each played 18 minutes.
MAGIC 102, SPURS 99
Paolo Banchero, the overall No. 1 pick in the June draft, had nine points and five rebounds as Orlando beat San Antonio.
Wendell Carter Jr. had 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Magic. He shot 8 of 13 as most of the Orlando starters played between 20 and 23 minutes. Franz Wagner had 12 points and Moritz Wagner scored 10.
Doug McDermott led the Spurs with 14 points, and Keita Bates-Diop added 12.. Devin Vassell and Tre Jones scored 11 points each.
THUNDER 131, ADELAIDE 36ERs 98
Tre Mann scored 26 points, including hitting 8 of 10 on 3s, as Oklahoma City beat a team from the Australian National Basketball League.
Lindy Waters III scored 23 points and Eugene Omoruyi added 19 points for the Thunder.
Craig Randall II, who had 35 points in the 36ers' 134-124 win over the Phoenix Suns earlier in the week, led Adelaide with 27 points. Robert Franks scored 20 points and Antonius Cleveland had 19 points.
Adelaide used torrid 3-point shooting, hitting 56% from beyond the arc, to defeat the Suns in the opening game of their preseason tour. But the accuracy was not the same against Oklahoma City as the 36ers went 11 of 36 from distance.

Bam Adebayo scored 17 points and undrafted rookie Jamal Cain added 15 points and 11 rebounds as the Heat beat the Nets 109-80.

Adebayo, Cain lead Heat over Durant, Simmons and Nets

Nekias Duncan thoroughly breaks down all five teams in the Atlantic Division ahead of the 2022-23 season.

2022-23 NBA Season Preview: Atlantic Division

Free agent Markieff Morris has agreed to a one-year deal with the Brooklyn Nets, according to <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1564636465845469186" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania of The Athletic</a>.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Free agent Markieff Morris has agreed to a one-year deal with the Brooklyn Nets, pending physical exam, sources tell <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAthletic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheAthletic</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Stadium?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Stadium</a>.
&mdash; Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1564636465845469186?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 30, 2022</a></blockquote>

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

Morris played last season with the Miami Heat where he was limited to just 17 games after missing four months because of a whiplash injury when he was hit from behind by Denver's Nikola Jokic.

Free agent forward Markieff Morris has signed a one-year deal with the Brooklyn Nets.

Markieff Morris signs one-year deal with Nets

It's been nearly one month since the NBA's free-agency period got underway, and most of the notable players have already been signed. However, there are still a handful of available players.
Here's a look at the remaining free agents:&nbsp;
COLLIN SEXTON, RESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Collin Sexton injured his left knee last November, and an MRI revealed a torn meniscus that required season-ending surgery. The market has dried up for Sexton, and his best bet may be re-signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers on the qualifying offer (worth $7.2 million) and then hitting unrestricted free agency next summer. During the 2020-21 season, Sexton averaged 24.3 points and 4.4 assists while shooting 47.5% from the floor, 37.5% from downtown and 81.5% from the free-throw line. However, he struggled defensively, and the Cavs registered a league-worst 60-159 record over the first three years of his career. With Sexton out of action last season, Darius Garland emerged as an All-Star and the 44-38 Cavs made the Play-In Tournament.
MILES BRIDGES, RESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Miles Bridges is coming off a breakout season, averaging a career-high 20.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.9 threes and 0.9 steals. It seemed like the forward was due for a massive pay raise and Charlotte Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak even said that the team was going to re-sign him. However, that was before Bridges was arrested for domestic violence on the eve of free agency. Bridges' wife, Mychelle Johnson, <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNBACentral/status/1542723880619581440/photo/4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently spoke out</a> about Bridges' alleged abuse and documented her serious injuries. Not only has this situation understandably scared teams away, it's also very possible that the NBA will suspend Bridges.
MONTREZL HARRELL, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Montrezl Harrell just delivered another productive and efficient season as a reserve, averaging 13.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 23.1 minutes, while shooting 64.5% from the field. Harrell started the season with the Washington Wizards and then got traded to the Charlotte Hornets prior to the deadline. However, it's worth noting that the 28-year-old is facing felony drug charges after officers claimed to find three pounds of marijuana in his car during a traffic stop back in May. That's likely why the former Sixth Man of the Year is still available.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
DENNIS SCHRODER, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Last offseason, Dennis Schroder signed with the Boston Celtics at a significant discount. After struggling during the first half of the season, he was traded to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Daniel Theis. He finished last season averaging 13.5 points, 4.6 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 threes per game, while shooting 43.1% from the field, 34.4% from three-point range and 85.3% from the free-throw line.
HASSAN WHITESIDE, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Hassan Whiteside is a solid backup center who protects the rim. Last season, while backing up Rudy Gobert on the Utah Jazz, he averaged 8.2 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 17.9 minutes per game. In eight starts, the 33-year-old averaged 11.5 points, 11.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks while shooting 63.5% from the field.
CARMELO ANTHONY, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Last season, 37-year-old put up 13.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.2 threes, 0.8 blocks and 0.7 steals in 26.0 minutes per game with the Los Angeles Lakers. In recent years, he has shot the ball much better from three-point range, knocking down 37.5% of his three-point attempts last year and 40.9% from deep the year before. Anthony has been working out with his son, Kiyan, at Impact Basketball in Las Vegas as he prepares for next season.
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Carmelo Anthony (<a href="https://twitter.com/carmeloanthony?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@carmeloanthony</a>) working out at <a href="https://twitter.com/impactbball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@impactbball</a> in Las Vegas: <a href="https://t.co/Rnz8Bam7EO">pic.twitter.com/Rnz8Bam7EO</a>
&mdash; Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1547693404414365702?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2022</a></blockquote>

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DEMARCUS COUSINS, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Cousins became a key contributor after joining the Denver Nuggets in February, averaging 8.9 points and 5.5 rebounds in 13.9 minutes per contest. He looked great at times during the playoffs too, scoring an efficient 19 points in 15 minutes during Game 5 against the Golden State Warriors. The 31-year-old can still help a team.
&ldquo;I belong in this league,&rdquo; Cousins said after Denver was eliminated. &ldquo;I was given the opportunity; I'm thankful for Mike Malone. I spoke with him before. A lot of doors closed for me. Mike looked out, gave me an opportunity. I just tried to take the best advantage of it as I could. That's what I did.&rdquo;
JEREMY LAMB, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Last season, the Indiana Pacers traded Lamb to the Sacramento Kings as part of the Domantas Sabonis deal. In 56 games, Lamb averaged 7.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.0 three in 16.7 minutes a night. The 30-year-old struggled with his shot, knocking down just 38.3% of his attempts from the field and 32.4% of his threes (after shooting 45.1% from the field and 40.6% from three the previous year).&nbsp;
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TRISTAN THOMPSON, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Last season, Thompson suited up for the Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls, averaging 6.0 points and 5.1 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per game. At this stage of his career, the 31-year-old is a solid backup big man who can provide frontcourt depth.
ANDRE IGUODALA, UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
Last season, Iguodala rejoined the Golden State Warriors, averaging 4.0 points, 3.7 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 0.9 steals and 0.7 blocks in 19.5 minutes across 31 games. At this stage of his career, the 38-year-old is mainly a veteran leader and strong locker-room presence, but he can still produce in limited reserve minutes. Don't be surprised if he re-signs with Golden State.
HONORABLE MENTION: LaMarcus Aldridge (UFA), Wayne Ellington (UFA), Blake Griffin (UFA), Markieff Morris (UFA), Isaiah Thomas (UFA), DJ Augustin (UFA), Sharife Cooper (UFA), Dwight Howard (UFA), Rajon Rondo (UFA), Jordan Nwora (RFA), Lou Williams (UFA), Eric Bledsoe (UFA), Juan Hernangomez (UFA), Josh Jackson (UFA), Duane Washington Jr. (UFA), Paul Millsap (UFA), Eric Paschall (UFA), Moses Brown (UFA), Jarrett Culver (UFA), Rodney Hood (UFA), Avery Bradley (UFA), Kent Bazemore (UFA), Michael Carter-Williams (UFA), Brandon Goodwin (UFA), Tony Snell (UFA), Ben McLemore (UFA), Langston Galloway (UFA), Elfrid Payton (UFA)

Nearly one month into the NBA's free-agency period, which players are still available?

2022 NBA Free Agency: Which players are still available?

The Miami Heat <a href="https://twitter.com/MiamiHEAT/status/1521539632302800897" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have officially ruled out Kyle Lowry</a> for Game 2 of their second-round series with the Philadelphia 76ers due to a hamstring injury.
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UPDATE: Jimmy Butler (knee) has come off the injury list but missed today&rsquo;s team practice with an excused absence. Markieff Morris (illness) has also come off the injury list. Kyle Lowry (hamstring) has been ruled out of tomorrow night&rsquo;s Game 2 vs the Sixers.
&mdash; Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) <a href="https://twitter.com/MiamiHEAT/status/1521539632302800897?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Lowry has been dealing with a hamstring injury since Game 3 of the Heat's series against the Hawks. The team has rolled on without him so far, advancing to the second round and beating the Sixers 106-92 in the opening game of the series.
The Heat also say that Jimmy Butler missed practice on Tuesday with an excused absence. Despite dealing with knee soreness, Butler did play in Game 1, scoring 15 points in the win.

The Heat have officially ruled out Kyle Lowry for Game 2 of their second-round series with the 76ers due to a hamstring injury.