Eagles

Some stories from the golden era of the NBA exist in that fascinating space between confirmed history and beloved lore,&nbsp; too detailed to be invented, too strange to be mundane. The tale of what happened in an elevator at the 1998 NBA All-Star Game in New York City sits squarely in that territory. It involves a teenager named <a href="https://rg.org/news/basketball/phil-handy-jordan-kobe-lebron-goat-debate">Kobe Bryant</a>, a 270-pound veteran named Jayson Williams, a near-brawl in an enclosed space, and the intervention of a man who would eventually become the 45th and 47th President of the United States.
The confined space of an elevator is the last place you want to be when a 270-pound professional athlete decides he has been disrespected enough. According to Williams's account, one he has told many times over the years with the kind of vivid detail that only a born storyteller can summon, that is exactly where things stood between him and a young Kobe Bryant during All-Star Weekend at Madison Square Garden.
A Future President Steps Between Two Giants
Williams reportedly swung at Bryant, and what started as a locker room tension between a veteran who felt disrespected and a teenager who refused to back down threatened to become something far worse. This is where the story takes its most improbable turn. Donald Trump, then a New York fixture and real estate mogul who had turned celebrity into its own kind of currency, did not step back. He stepped in.
Trump later confirmed the incident during an interview with Jake Paul, offering a characteristically direct account of what happened. "That was a long time ago. Yeah, well I was breaking up a fight, which sometimes is more dangerous than being in a fight," Trump said. "But I like Kobe. Kobe was having a hard time with somebody, and it worked out fine. But yeah, I broke it up,&nbsp; probably not a smart thing to do. Historically, it's never good to break up fights."
According to the account that has circulated since, Trump physically grabbed Williams and told Bryant to get out. The elevator doors opened. Kobe walked. A potential disaster for the NBA's rising star, a teenager still finding his footing in the league, was averted in one of the most unlikely moments in sports history.
"I was breaking up a fight, which sometimes is more dangerous than being in a fight... I like Kobe. Kobe was having a hard time with somebody, and it worked out fine." <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/14/sports/donald-trump-confirms-breaking-up-fight-involving-kobe-bryant/">said Donald Trump</a>
<h2>Charles Oakley, the Witness Who Doesn't Quite Remember</h2>
Every great piece of basketball lore needs a credible voice to place it in context, and Charles Oakley, one of the toughest and most respected players of that era, provides exactly that, even if his account comes with a caveat. Oakley, speaking with Yahoo Sports, was measured: he doesn't personally recall being in the elevator that day, but he has absolutely heard the story, told by Williams himself, on multiple occasions to multiple people.
"He had told it to some people that I was around," <a href="https://scoopb.com/2026/03/exclusive-the-night-trump-saved-kobe-inside-the-1998-elevator-brawl-with-untold-accounts-from-jayson-williams-and-charles-oakley/">Oakley said to Brandon 'Scoop B' Robinson</a>&nbsp;"Jayson, he liked to be a story. He's a storyteller. I told him, 'Jayson, I mean, you 55, 57. You probably told that story 50 times.'" When I spoke with Oakley separately, he echoed that sentiment. While he couldn't personally account for the specifics of the elevator incident, he was quick to note that Williams tells it with extraordinary conviction and color. "Jayson is an awesome storyteller who brings these moments to life with incredible detail," Oakley said. That endorsement, from a man who has no incentive to embellish, carries its own weight.
<h2>Jayson Williams and the Locker Room That Made History</h2>
Williams's connection to the 1998 All-Star Game runs deeper than one elevator encounter. He has vivid memories of walking into the locker room at Madison Square Garden and locking eyes with Larry Bird, who was coaching the Eastern Conference that weekend. The history between them stretched back to Williams's second game in the league, when Bird, still active and relentless, had torched him for 45 points while repeatedly demanding that the coach put the rookie back in so he could keep going.
"He just looked at me and said 'Your minutes are on the board'... And I said 'Thanks Coach' and he goes 'You f---n' rookie!' This is Larry Bird and he remembered that for 25 years!" Williams said. "He's one of the biggest and best smack talkers but he can back it up. All the time though!"
And then there was Michael Jordan, the loudest presence in a room full of legends. Williams describes Jordan's energy that day as laser-focused and entirely intentional: MJ was announcing to anyone who would listen that he wanted the ball every single possession. "He was coming in there letting us all know that he wasn't going to take the ball out because you know in the All-Star Game when you take the ball out you don't get it back," Williams explained. "He's MJ baby! He's the best who ever did it."
<h2>Why This Story Still Matters</h2>
The 1998 NBA All-Star Game produced a box score and a winner. But the stories that live from that weekend, a future president breaking up a fight in an elevator, Larry Bird's long memory for a rookie he once torched, Michael Jordan manufacturing motivation in real time, are the ones that remind you why the human element of professional basketball is as compelling as anything that happens between the lines.
Jayson Williams may have told the elevator story fifty times. But fifty tellings of a story this strange, this specific, and this perfectly placed at the intersection of basketball and American history is not repetition. It is preservation. And now it belongs to the record.

A veteran who felt disrespected. A teenager who refused to back down. A future president who stepped into the middle of it. The story of one of the NBA's most surreal untold moments — set against the electric backdrop of Madison Square Garden in 1998.

Donald Trump Stopped Kobe Bryant–Jayson Williams Elevator Fight (1998 NBA All-Star)

The 2025 NBA Christmas Day delivered high-level hoops and dramatic finishes across a full slate of five games, with several teams making the holiday spotlight on the national stage.
<h3>Knicks rally to edge Cavaliers in MSG thriller</h3>
The day&rsquo;s action kicked off at Madison Square Garden, where the New York Knicks completed a stunning comeback to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 126-124. Trailing by 17 in the fourth quarter, New York rallied behind Jalen Brunson&rsquo;s 34 points and timely contributions from Tyler Kolek and Jordan Clarkson &ndash; turning a huge deficit into a late lead and Christmas Day victory.
<h3>Spurs dominate Thunder again, go up 3-0 in season series</h3>
In yet another heated Western Conference rivalry, the San Antonio Spurs took down the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder 117-102 in a rematch from just two days ago. De&rsquo;Aaron Fox led San Antonio with 29 points, while Victor Wembanyama added a strong all-around showing off the bench. The win marked another impressive Christmas Day performance for the Spurs and another blemish on the Thunder&rsquo;s otherwise elite season, as they have completely outclassed the defending champs. The Spurs have now won all three games against the Thunder this season, with one more play date to happen in January.
<h3>Warriors outlast Mavericks in Cooper Flagg&rsquo;s Christmas debut</h3>
The Golden State Warriors continued their holiday bliss with a 126-116 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. Stephen Curry led the way with 23 points, including a clutch fourth-quarter three that helped separate the Warriors from Dallas. Jimmy Butler added 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists for the Dubs, who are now on their first three-game win streak this season. Rookie Cooper Flagg starred for the Mavs with 27 points, but Golden State&rsquo;s depth ultimately made the difference. Nevertheless, Flagg showed out in his first-ever Christmas Day game and should be a fixture in the NBA&rsquo;s annual event for years to come if he keeps up his play.
<h3>Rockets roll past Lakers behind Amen, KD</h3>
Over in LA, the Houston Rockets pulled off a dominant 119-96 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Amen Thompson (26 points) and Kevin Durant (25 points) spearheaded Houston&rsquo;s balanced attack as the Rockets raced out to a big lead and never looked back. The defeat marked another frustrating Christmas Day outing for the Lakers despite Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James playing in the starting lineup.
<h3>Nuggets top Timberwolves in overtime shootout</h3>
In the nightcap, the Denver Nuggets survived a wild overtime battle against the Minnesota Timberwolves, winning 142-138. Nikola Jokić was sensational, recording a historic triple-double with 56 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists &ndash; one of the greatest individual performances in Christmas Day history. Minnesota&rsquo;s Anthony Edwards dropped 44 points to pace his team in the defeat, after hitting a wild left fading corner triple to tie the game and force overtime.
<h3>THE HIGHLIGHTS:</h3>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">New York&rsquo;s comeback over Cleveland was one of the biggest fourth-quarter rallies of the season.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The Spurs continued their strong trend vs. the Thunder with another decisive win, seemingly being their kryptonite. The Thunder are 26-2 against the entire league, but are 0-3 against the Spurs.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Curry and the Warriors remained a tough holiday matchup, a team that&rsquo;s a fixture in the NBA&rsquo;s annual premier play date.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Houston&rsquo;s balanced scoring showcased the Rockets&rsquo; roster depth, while it showed the Lakers&rsquo; flaws as a team.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Jokic&rsquo;s historic triple-double capped off a memorable Christmas slate with one of the best games of the season thus far, including one of the best for Jokic&rsquo;s entire career. It spoiled an otherwise great game for Anthony Edwards, who scored 40 points after his interview with ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania where he said he will be scoring 40 points in Christmas &ndash; and he did.</li>
</ul>

The 2025 NBA Christmas Day delivered high-level hoops and dramatic finishes across a full slate of five games.

2025 NBA Christmas Day: Knicks, Spurs, Warriors, Rockets, Nuggets all take wins

The NBA has released its most anticipated schedule matchups in a post by ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania, featuring the Opening Night and Christmas Day games for the 2025&ndash;26 season, delivering marquee showdowns and setting the tone for a star-studded campaign.
Opening Night (October 21)
Opening Night on October 21 will be broadcast nationally on NBC and Peacock, spotlighting two blockbuster matchups:
&minus; Houston Rockets @ Oklahoma City Thunder: A thrilling homecoming for former Thunder star Kevin Durant as he returns with Houston to face the reigning champions. &minus; Golden State Warriors @ Los Angeles Lakers: A high-voltage matchup featuring Stephen Curry and LeBron James, with LeBron entering his record-breaking 23rd NBA season.
Christmas Day (December 25)
The holiday slate promises five consecutive nationally televised games, packed with compelling narratives and rivalries, to air on ABC, ESPN, and streaming platforms. The schedule includes:
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Cleveland Cavaliers @ New York Knicks &mdash; A high-stakes Eastern Conference preview at Madison Square Garden.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">San Antonio Spurs @ Oklahoma City Thunder &mdash; Featuring the defending NBA champions, the Thunder, against rising superstar Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Houston Rockets @ Los Angeles Lakers &mdash; A renewed Durant-versus-LeBron showdown packed with star power.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Dallas Mavericks @ Golden State Warriors &mdash; A fresh chapter as rookie Cooper Flagg faces off against Stephen Curry&rsquo;s Warriors.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Minnesota Timberwolves @ Denver Nuggets &mdash; Closes out the day with a Western Conference clash featuring Anthony Edwards and Nikola Jokic.</li>
</ol>
Opening Night passages build excitement around new dynamics and rivalry renewals &ndash; especially Durant&rsquo;s return to OKC and the enduring Lakers-Warriors, James-Curry rivalry. Christmas Day continues the NBA&rsquo;s tradition of elite storytelling, blending dynasties and rising stars on a festive stage, as NBC&rsquo;s expanded footprint &ndash; including its Opening Day coverage &ndash; marks a significant shift in broadcast strategy, signaling the league&rsquo;s evolving media landscape.
These scheduling highlights promise an electrifying launch and a festive climax to the NBA's regular season, setting up what could be a memorable year of hoops.

The NBA has released its most anticipated schedule matchups in a post by ESPN’s Shams Charania.

NBA unveils 2025-26 Opening Night & Christmas Day matchups

Views are the author&rsquo;s and do not necessarily reflect the views of the website.
As the 2024-25 NBA regular season winds down, it&rsquo;s time to spotlight the standout performers who rose above the rest. From breakout stars to defensive anchors and rookie sensations, here are my picks for the major awards this season &mdash; including some deserving runner-ups and honorable mentions.
<h3>Most Improved Player: Dyson Daniels (Atlanta Hawks)</h3>
Runner-ups: Ivica Zubac, Christian Braun
Notes: Dyson Daniels has made the leap. After being traded to the Atlanta Hawks, Daniels not only found a larger role but embraced it fully, evolving into a dynamic two-way guard. His length, defensive instincts, and vastly improved shooting have made him one of the league&rsquo;s biggest revelations. Daniels went from being a defensive specialist to a legitimate secondary playmaker and spot-up threat, thriving alongside Trae Young. Daniels also has a legitimate case for the Defensive Player of the Year after leading the league in steals, and this only strengthens his case for Most Improved.
Ivica Zubac has a notable case for runner-up after seeing growth as a more consistent interior anchor for the Clippers. Zubac also had a huge year offensively, often conniving with James Harden for lob and post opportunities. Meanwhile Christian Braun carved out a bigger offensive role in Denver with increased minutes and responsibility as he saw the biggest increase in PPG from over a season ago.
<h3>Sixth Man of the Year: Payton Pritchard (Boston Celtics)</h3>
Runner-ups: Malik Beasley, Ty Jerome
Pritchard stepped up in Boston&rsquo;s championship-caliber rotation, giving them much-needed energy, scoring punch, and floor-spacing off the bench. He played with confidence, controlled tempo, and was crucial during clutch stretches when starters rested. His knack for scoring in bunches and orchestrating the offense when Jrue Holiday or Derrick White sat was invaluable.
Beasley&rsquo;s sharpshooting in Detroit has stood out, garnering a league-2nd-best 319 threes as a bench player while Ty Jerome&rsquo;s steady second-unit play in Cleveland has them at the top of the East and worthy of 6th man consideration.
<h3>Defensive Player of the Year: Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors)</h3>
Runner-ups: Evan Mobley, Lu Dort
This should have been Victor Wembanyama&rsquo;s award if not for the blood clot injury, but here we are. There should be a winner, and my pick would be Draymond Green. Even in his 30s, Green remains a defensive savant. He quarterbacked Golden State&rsquo;s schemes, constantly switching, communicating, and anchoring a defense that ranked among the best post-All-Star break. While Green&rsquo;s impact isn&rsquo;t always in the stat sheet, his presence turned the Warriors into a top-tier defensive team when he was on the floor.
Mobley continued to showcase elite versatility for Cleveland, while Dort was once again a perimeter nightmare for opposing guards and wings. Both Mobley and Dort deserve these runner-up spots due to their teams (Cleveland and OKC) performing well because of them.
<h3>All-Defensive Teams</h3>
1st Team: Draymond Green, Evan Mobley, Lu Dort, Amen Thompson, Dyson Daniels 2nd Team: Jalen Williams, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jaren Jackson Jr., Toumani Camara, Ivica Zubac
Amen Thompson&rsquo;s disruptive length and switchability earned him a First-Team nod as a rookie, while Dyson Daniels brought relentless on-ball pressure. On the Second Team, Shai&rsquo;s defensive improvements were evident this year, and Camara turned heads with his rugged, fearless wing defense in Portland. Zubac was a rock-solid rim protector all season long.
<h3>Rookie of the Year: Stephon Castle (San Antonio Spurs)</h3>
Runner-up: Zaccharie Risacher
Castle made an immediate impact in San Antonio with his poise, defense, and playmaking. He embraced the challenge of playing next to Victor Wembanyama and flourished as a stabilizing backcourt force. Castle's two-way effort, ability to guard multiple positions, and unselfish offense stood out in a deep rookie class.
Risacher showcased his offensive polish and smooth shooting stroke in Atlanta and made a strong late push for the award.
<h3>All-Rookie Teams</h3>
1st Team: Stephon Castle, Zaccharie Risacher, Alex Sarr, Jaylen Wells, Zach Edey 2nd Team: Bub Carrington, Isaiah Collier, Matas Buzelis, Kel&rsquo;el Ware, Yves Missi
From Sarr&rsquo;s shot-blocking to Jaylen Wells&rsquo; scoring flashes, this rookie class was filled with gems despite a no-clear-star tag. Edey proved his game could translate at the next level, and Buzelis quietly put together a solid two-way campaign. Carrington and Collier each had stretches of brilliance at the point guard spot for their respective teams.
<h3>Coach of the Year: Kenny Atkinson (Cleveland Cavaliers)</h3>
Runner-ups: J.B. Bickerstaff, Tyronn Lue Honorable Mentions: Ime Udoka, JJ Redick, Mark Daigneault
Kenny Atkinson&rsquo;s return to head coaching was a rousing success. He reshaped the culture in Cleveland, maximizing the young core&rsquo;s strengths and installing a balanced system that translated to wins. The Cavaliers became the best team in the East, and Atkinson&rsquo;s ability to unlock both offense and defense from a good squad last year to a better squad this year was remarkable.
Bickerstaff turned Detroit around after a league-worst record , and Lue once again juggled egos and lineups with the Clippers to keep them near the top of the West despite losing Paul George in free agency.
<h3>Clutch Player of the Year: Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks)</h3>
Runner-ups: Anthony Edwards, Stephen Curry
Jalen Brunson owned the fourth quarter. His combination of poise, patience, and pure bucket-getting in crunch time made him one of the league&rsquo;s most dangerous closers. Whether isolating, using the pick-and-roll, or getting to his spots, Brunson delivered when it mattered most &mdash; and turned Madison Square Garden into his stage.
Edwards embraced the big moments in Minnesota to have one of the most points in clutch time, while Curry remained a timeless threat late in games.
<h3>All-NBA Teams</h3>
1st Team: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards 2nd Team: Karl-Anthony Towns, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Cade Cunningham, Donovan Mitchell 3rd Team: Jalen Brunson, Evan Mobley, Jaren Jackson Jr., James Harden, Ivica Zubac
SGA led the way with MVP-level consistency and picking Jokic, Antetokounmpo, and Tatum were no brainers.Edwards made his All-NBA debut with a huge leap in production and impact, being a top 5 scorer in the league. Cade Cunningham took over the reins in Detroit and finally stayed healthy, while Zubac&rsquo;s defensive presence and scoring efficiency earned him a well-deserved spot among the league&rsquo;s elite.
<h3>Most Valuable Player: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder)</h3>
Runner-up: Nikola Jokic Honorable mention: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Rather than rehash the argument, I&rsquo;ll let this piece explain it in full detail: 🔗 <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/making-shai-gilgeousalexanders-case-as-the-2025-nba-mvp">Making Shai Gilgeous-Alexander&rsquo;s case as the 2025 NBA MVP</a>

As the 2024-25 NBA regular season winds down, it’s time to spotlight the standout performers who rose above the rest.

OPINION: Picking the 2024-2025 NBA Awards winners

Two weeks after winning the women&rsquo;s NCAA national title, Paige Bueckers has taken her act to the WNBA.
The Dallas Wings picked the historic UConn guard to be their 1st overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft Monday night at The Shed in New York City.
Bueckers, who led the Huskies to their 12th national title, becomes the sixth player from the school to get drafted no.1 overall. She joins Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Tina Charles, Maya Moore, and Breanna Stewart in the exclusive list.
Now, Bueckers will be teaming up with WNBA All-Star Arike Ogunbowale to form a dynamic backcourt for the Dallas Wings as they try to rebuild and get back to championship contention as soon as possible.
The draft also highlighted the league's growing international presence, with French center Dominique Malonga selected second by the Seattle Storm and Lithuanian guard Justė Jocytė picked fifth by the expansion team Golden State Valkyries.​
USC star Kiki Iriafen and Notre Dame mainstay Sonia Citron rounded up the top 5 picks of the first round after they were selected by the Washington Mystics.
Check out the complete recap of the draft below:
<h4>First Round</h4>
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Dallas Wings &ndash; Paige Bueckers (G, UConn)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Seattle Storm &ndash; Dominique Malonga (C, France)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Washington Mystics &ndash; Sonia Citron (G, Notre Dame)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Washington Mystics &ndash; Kiki Iriafen (F, USC)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Golden State Valkyries &ndash; Justė Jocytė (G, Lithuania)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Washington Mystics &ndash; Georgia Amoore (G, Virginia Tech)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Connecticut Sun &ndash; Aneesah Morrow (F, LSU)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Connecticut Sun &ndash; Saniya Rivers (G, NC State)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Los Angeles Sparks &ndash; Sarah Ashlee Barker (G, Alabama)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Chicago Sky &ndash; Aj&scaron;a Sivka (F, Slovenia)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Chicago Sky &ndash; Hailey Van Lith (G, TCU)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Dallas Wings &ndash; Aziaha James (G, NC State)​</li>
</ol>
Note: The Las Vegas Aces forfeited their first-round pick due to a league rules violation.
<h4>Second Round</h4>
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Las Vegas Aces &ndash; Aaliyah Nye (G, Alabama)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Dallas Wings &ndash; Madison Scott (F, Ole Miss)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Minnesota Lynx &ndash; Anastasiia Olairi Kosu (F, UMMC Ekaterinburg)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Chicago Sky &ndash; Maddy Westbeld (F, Notre Dame)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Golden State Valkyries &ndash; Shyanne Sellers (G, Maryland)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Atlanta Dream &ndash; Te-Hina Paopao (G, South Carolina)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Indiana Fever &ndash; Makayla Timpson (F, Florida State)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Indiana Fever &ndash; Bree Hall (G, South Carolina)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Los Angeles Sparks &ndash; Sania Feagin (F, South Carolina)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Chicago Sky &ndash; Aicha Coulibaly (G, Texas A&amp;M)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Washington Mystics &ndash; Lucy Olsen (G, Iowa)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Minnesota Lynx &ndash; Dalayah Daniels (F, Washington)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Connecticut Sun &ndash; Rayah Marshall (F, USC)</li>
</ol>
<h4>Third Round</h4>
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Los Angeles Sparks &ndash; Serena Sundell (G, Kansas State)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Dallas Wings &ndash; JJ Quinerly (G, West Virginia)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Los Angeles Sparks &ndash; Liatu King (F, Notre Dame)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Seattle Storm &ndash; Madison Conner (G, TCU)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Golden State Valkyries &ndash; Kaitlyn Chen (G, UConn)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Dallas Wings &ndash; Aaronette Vonleh (F, Baylor)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Washington Mystics &ndash; Zaay Green (G, Alabama)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Indiana Fever &ndash; Yvonne Ejim (F, Gonzaga)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Seattle Storm &ndash; Jordan Hobbs (G, Michigan)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Las Vegas Aces &ndash; Harmoni Turner (G, Harvard)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Atlanta Dream &ndash; Taylor Thierry (G, Ohio State)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Minnesota Lynx &ndash; Aubrey Griffin (F, UConn)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">New York Liberty &ndash; Adja Kane (F, Landerneau Bretagne Basket)​</li>
</ol>

The Dallas Wings picked Paige Bueckers to be their 1st overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft Monday night at The Shed in New York City.

2025 WNBA Draft: Paige Bueckers goes no.1 to the Dallas Wings

Aaron Rodgers was sitting alone in the dark two months ago, pondering his future while many speculated about his next move.
Now, the New York Jets quarterback is the toast of his new town, bonding with the Big Apple and his excited teammates.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s a legend right there, that&rsquo;s a Hall of Fame player,&rdquo; wide receiver Garrett Wilson said Wednesday during a video call. &ldquo;This is something 20 years from now, 30 years from now, I can tell my kids, &lsquo;You know, I played with Aaron Rodgers.&rsquo; I try not to think about it too much at this point, you know, just because we&rsquo;re going to work and he&rsquo;s my teammate and that&rsquo;s got to be the mindset.
&ldquo;But the reality of it is it&rsquo;s awesome, man.&rdquo;
After an offseason that included Rodgers going on an isolation retreat in Oregon and deciding to continue his playing career &mdash; and with the Jets &mdash; the four-time NFL MVP was&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/aaron-rodgers-new-york-jets-nfl-0a298bb72384d01d8ed5b0bcae9e340e">formally introduced by New York last Wednesday</a>&nbsp;after acquiring him from Green Bay. The deal&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/aaron-rodgers-trade-jets-packers-0a6b5e68c1c3d5c2ab1b9e59312dd181">brought one of the league&rsquo;s greatest players</a>&nbsp;to a franchise frustrated by 12 straight seasons without a playoff appearance and hungry for a winner.
And Rodgers is already making an impact.
&ldquo;We know that all of the sudden, all eyes are on us,&rdquo; Wilson said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got to back it up every time we take the field, you know, practice or game.&rdquo;
Rodgers is also enjoying his turn as New York&rsquo;s newest celebrity while taking in Knicks and Rangers games at Madison Square Garden.
&ldquo;I met Spike Lee, Martha Stewart and Patrick Ewing,&rdquo; Rodgers&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/PatMcAfeeShow/status/1653473013109755905?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">said Tuesday on &ldquo;The Pat McAfee Show&rdquo;</a>&nbsp;on YouTube and SiriusXM. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m sitting next to Jack Harlow. So much fun. Just having a ball.&rdquo;
He was there&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/jets-allen-lazard-aaron-rodgers-nfl-free-agency-b2e191509441f98a7dc54ef62d77b758">with former Packers teammate Allen Lazard</a>&nbsp;and running back Breece Hall for the Rangers&rsquo; 5-2 win over the Devils in Game 6 last Saturday. Rodgers and Lazard were back the next day for the Knicks&rsquo; playoff loss to Miami in Game 1. On Tuesday night, Rodgers and cornerback Sauce Gardner sat courtside next to actor Jerry Ferrara and former Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist for the Knicks&rsquo; victory in Game 2.
&ldquo;It was great being around a veteran guy like him, a down to earth guy who &mdash; I didn&rsquo;t know he was that funny,&rdquo; Gardner said.
&ldquo;Everybody knew who he was and I was able to just be in his shadow a little bit.&rdquo;
Rodgers, who&rsquo;s 39, teased the 22-year-old Gardner about his age at times during their night out on the town &mdash; which started with the QB picking up the tab for dinner at Carbone restaurant.
&ldquo;We were getting seated (at the Garden) and he was like, &lsquo;We&rsquo;re about to sit by Jessica Alba,&rsquo;&rdquo; said Gardner, last season&rsquo;s AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. &ldquo;I was like, &lsquo;Oh, I don&rsquo;t know who that is.&rsquo; He looked at me like I&rsquo;m crazy.&rdquo;
Rodgers probably would&rsquo;ve had a similar look a few months ago if someone had told him he&rsquo;d be calling the New York/New Jersey area home &mdash; as a member of the Jets.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m just pinching myself a lot of days,&rdquo; Rodgers said. &ldquo;I can&rsquo;t believe it&rsquo;s real sometimes. It&rsquo;s been a dream, for sure, just to be here.&rdquo;
Rodgers is participating in offseason workouts, something he hadn&rsquo;t done the past couple of seasons in Green Bay while he feuded with the Packers&rsquo; front office. A&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/nyjets/status/1653096952236503041?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">slow-motion video posted Monday by the Jets</a>&nbsp;of Rodgers throwing a pass to Wilson, last season&rsquo;s AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, has gotten more than 9.6 million views.
&ldquo;I ain&rsquo;t gonna lie to you, I was kind of starstruck at first,&rdquo; linebacker Quincy Williams said with a smile. &ldquo;I was like, &lsquo;Hold on, coach, let me just take a little minute to just take this in,&rsquo; just to watch a few throws and seeing him in the green.
&ldquo;And it was like, all right, let&rsquo;s get to work so we can give him more opportunities to throw the ball.&rdquo;
The Jets are counting on Rodgers doing that and jumpstarting an offense that ranked near the bottom of the league in several categories the past two years with Zach Wilson struggling in then-coordinator Mike LaFleur&rsquo;s system. Rodgers is reunited with Nathaniel Hackett, his offensive coordinator for three years in Green Bay, including the last two of his four MVP awards in 2020 and 2021.
Hackett isn&rsquo;t the only former Packers teammate joining Rodgers in New York. The Jets signed Lazard, backup quarterback Tim Boyle and&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/jets-billy-turner-aaron-rodgers-hackett-a6c3c931ddc16822cd7db87f8226ac3b">offensive lineman Billy Turner</a>&nbsp;in free agency. They also already had wide receiver Malik Turner and offensive lineman Adam Pankey.
The Jets also&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/jets-randall-cobb-aaron-rodgers-a4d1e5166dd1bd02cf034294ca3c290a">signed wide receiver Randall Cobb</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday night. Cobb had two stints as Rodgers&rsquo; teammate in Green Bay and walked off the field with the quarterback after the Packers&rsquo; season-ending loss to Detroit at Lambeau.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s like the first day of school every single day,&rdquo; Rodgers said on &ldquo;The Pat McAfee Show.&rdquo; &ldquo;Everything&rsquo;s new and exciting and fun.&rdquo;

The New York Jets quarterback is the toast of his new town, bonding with the Big Apple and his excited teammates.

Aaron Rodgers bonds with new Jets teammates at Knicks playoff games

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

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) &mdash; Texas commit Ronald Holland had 15 points and USA Basketball rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Team World 90-84 at the Nike Hoop Summit on Saturday night.
Bronny James &mdash; the son of LeBron James, who was in attendance &mdash; made his USA Basketball debut and scored 11 points, including a pair of free throws to seal it with 5.4 seconds remaining.
Holland added nine rebounds, six steals and five assists for the Americans, who got 11 points from Isaiah Collier. Jared McCain, DaJuan Wagner and Justin Edwards each scored 10 points for Team USA.
Mackenzie Mgbako scored 22 points for Team World, which got 17 from Michael Nwoko, 15 from Aden Holloway and 12 from Andrej Stojakovic &mdash; the son of former NBA player Peja Stojakovic.
The U.S. improved to 17-7 against the World teams at the Nike event that dates to 1995.
Mgbako made a fadeaway with 7:56 left to put the World team up 70-69, but the Americans quickly reclaimed the lead and kept it the rest of the way. James made a 3-pointer with 4:54 left to push the USA lead out to six, and Holland had a putback score with 3:00 remaining to make it 86-79.
WOMEN&rsquo;S GAME
TEAM USA 100, TEAM WORLD 79
LSU commit Mikaylah Williams scored 22 points, Notre Dame commit Hannah Hidalgo added 13 and Team USA topped Team World 100-79 in the inaugural women&rsquo;s game of the Nike event.
Connecticut commit Kamorea Arnold, Stanford commit Sunaja Agara and Oklahoma commit Sahara Williams each had 10 points for the Americans, while Hidalgo finished with eight assists and five steals. Texas commit Madison Booker finished with eight points, eight assists, five assists and three steals for Team USA.
Williams was 6 for 7 from 3-point range.
Shaneice Swain &mdash; who is entering the WNBA draft and expects to be picked Monday &mdash; led Team World with 19 points, while Toby Fournier had 18 points with nine rebounds and Nyadiew Puoch scored 16 points.

Both the men and women represented Team USA with victories over Team World on Saturday.

USA Basketball sweeps Team World at Nike Hoop Summit

Here's the list of NCAA players who have as of April 6 filed for consideration as a candidate for the 2023 WNBA Draft

2023 WNBA Draft: Full list of prospects who have entered

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Stories of New York City point guards have an almost mythical quality.
There are Hall of Famers and trailblazers such as Bob Cousy and Nate &ldquo;Tiny&rdquo; Archibald. In the 1980s, Kenny Smith and Kenny Anderson followed a similar path &mdash; from the same Catholic high school in Queens to the Atlantic Coast Conference to the NBA.
From Pearl Washington to Mark Jackson, Stephon Marbury to Sue Bird, tenacious players forged by rugged games played at the famous courts at Rucker Park and West Fourth Street are a part of basketball lore.
And while New York City high schools haven&rsquo;t been pumping out stars in recent years the way they used to, three of the four teams that have reached the NCAA Tournament's&nbsp;East Regional at Madison Square Garden have point guards with Big Apple backgrounds.
Michigan State&rsquo;s Tyson Walker and Kansas State&rsquo;s Markquis Nowell will renew their acquaintance in the Sweet 16 when the seventh-seeded Spartans (21-12) face the third-seeded Wildcats (25-9) on Thursday night.
&ldquo;I grew up playing in parks with him,&rdquo; Nowell said. &ldquo;I just want to give a big shoutout to New York City for breeding tough and gritty guards and just give him a shoutout.&rdquo;
The other point guard who&rsquo;s making a homecoming this week will only be able to watch his team at The Garden. No. 4 seed Tennessee managed to reach the second weekend of the tournament without the injured Zakai Zeigler,&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/zakai-zeigler-injury-tennessee-basketball-0fa91f6e3e517321879a013285ed97d9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">who blew out his left knee on Feb. 28.</a>
&ldquo;I had no doubt in my mind that we were going to be here in this situation,&rdquo; said Zeigler, who grew up on Long Island and finished his high school career in the Bronx. &ldquo;So now that I&rsquo;m back here and I can have some pizza, I feel great.&rdquo;
The Volunteers (25-10)&nbsp;face&nbsp;ninth-seeded FAU (33-3)&nbsp;in the late game of the doubleheader.
The 5-foot-8 Nowell became one of the breakout stars of this NCAA Tournament when he went off for 27 points in a&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-kentucky-kansas-state-e0f322d3422ce45e56ec92d210ea55d8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">second-round victory against Kentucky.</a>
Nowell, whose Twitter handle is&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/MrNewYorkCityy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@MrNewYorkCityy</a>&nbsp;and is&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://www.instagram.com/mr.newyorkcity/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@mr.newyorkcity</a>&nbsp;on Instagram, grew up in Harlem, attended high school in the Bronx and went to college at Arkansas Little-Rock before transferring to Manhattan &mdash; Kansas, that is.
&ldquo;I made a promise to myself back when I was in high school that I was going to do anything and everything in my power to be the best player that came out of New York,&rdquo; Nowell said. &ldquo;So I kind of keep that edge and that kind of just reminds me every day that I wake up that I still have more work to do. Guys like Carmelo (Anthony), Bernard King and all the greats came out of New York, so that just keeps me grounded and keeps me working hard.&rdquo;
Ask Nowell about the New York City point guards he idolized in high school and he brings up the Mavericks&rsquo; Kemba Walker, who led UConn to a national championship and was a first-round pick in the NBA draft in 2011, and the Pelicans&rsquo; Jose Alvarado, who played at Georgia Tech.
Alvarado went to Christ the King High School in Queens, a power in both boys and girls basketball that also produced Bird and the Spartans&rsquo; Walker.
Like Nowell, Walker started his college career at a mid-major (Northeastern) and transferred after two seasons to Michigan State in 2021.
According to 247 Sports rankings, the last top-30 national recruit to come from a New York City high school was Moses Brown, a 7-footer who went to UCLA from Archbishop Molloy, where Smith and Anderson starred in the &rsquo;80s.
&ldquo;Are we as good as we once was? Well, if you take away all the kids that grew up in New York that go to prep school outside of New York ... and consider them New York, yes, we are,&rdquo; said Cardozo High School coach Ron Neclario, the winningest NYC public school coach ever. &ldquo;Do we have as many high, high, high majors? Maybe not, but we have plenty of low-majors. We have plenty of mid-majors.&rdquo;
Where Nowell leans into his New York roots, Walker takes a low-key approach.
&ldquo;Just got to be tough. Got a different type of finesse with you,&rdquo; he said.
Walker was also a difference-maker in the second round of the tournament, scoring 23 points to lead&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-michigan-state-marquette-izzo-690d24a67256a2bf187353c0bfed577a" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michigan State past second-seeded Marquette.</a>
&ldquo;I think sometimes the New York swagger is a very cocky swagger, and sometimes that&rsquo;s good,&rdquo; Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s kind of had the happy medium. He&rsquo;s got enough cockiness to be confident, and yet he&rsquo;s an unbelievable kid.&rdquo;
Izzo joked after beating Marquette about how Walker owed him cab ride and a slice of pizza for helping him earn a trip home.
&ldquo;Got me my pizza last night,&rdquo; Izzo said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m looking for the cab ride today.&rdquo;
Nowell is one of four Kansas State players from the New York area, along with Tykei Greene, Nae&rsquo;Qwan Tomlin and Ismael Massoud. None has ever played at The Garden, only dreamed about it.
&ldquo;I had my big brother, my father, my uncles working me out every day for a moment like this,&rdquo; Nowell said. &ldquo;Standing here, being here at Madison Square Garden.&rdquo;

Three of the four teams that reached the NCAA Tournament's East Regional at MSG have point guards with New York backgrounds.

NYC guards lead Michigan State, Kansas State to Sweet 16 at MSG

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Willis Reed, who dramatically&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49vo1JvT8Ss&amp;list=PLTFeiOvo3A8YnG7byZppaX5GOw1Mi7hTV&amp;index=4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">emerged from the locker room minutes before Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals</a>&nbsp;to spark the New York Knicks to their first championship and create one of sports&rsquo; most enduring examples of playing through pain, died Tuesday. He was 80.
Reed&rsquo;s death was&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/NBAalumni/status/1638253401988296726?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">announced by the National Basketball Retired Players Association</a>, which confirmed it through his family. The cause was not released, but Reed had been in poor health recently and was unable to travel to New York when the Knicks honored the 50th anniversary of their 1973 NBA championship team during their game against New Orleans on Feb. 25.
The Knicks tweeted a photograph&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://twitter.com/NY_KnicksPR/status/1638265697380737027?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">picturing Reed from behind</a>&nbsp;walking onto the floor as his teammates were warming up for the 1970 finale, one of the most memorable moments in NBA and Madison Square Garden history.
&ldquo;As we mourn, we will always strive to uphold the standards he left behind &mdash; the unmatched leadership, sacrifice and work ethic that personified him as a champion among champions,&rdquo; the team said. &ldquo;His is a legacy that will live forever.&rdquo;
Nicknamed &ldquo;The Captain,&rdquo; Reed was the undersized center and emotional leader on the Knicks&rsquo; two NBA championship teams, with a soft shooting touch from the outside and a toughness to tussle with the era&rsquo;s superstar big men on the inside.
His accomplishments &mdash; seven All-Star selections, two NBA Finals MVP awards among them &mdash; would have warranted Hall of Fame induction by themselves. During the 1969-70 season, he became the first player to sweep the MVP awards for the regular season, All-Star Game and NBA Finals.
But his spot in history was secured simply by walking onto the floor on the final night of that season.
Reed had injured a thigh muscle in Game 5 of the series between the Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers, tumbling to the court in pain. He sat out Game 6 as counterpart Wilt Chamberlain had 45 points and 27 rebounds in a Lakers romp that forced a deciding game at Madison Square Garden.
Reed&rsquo;s status was unknown even to his Knicks teammates as he continued getting treatment until shortly before Game 7. Both teams were warming up when Reed came out of the tunnel, fans rising and roaring when they saw him emerge from the tunnel leading to the locker room.
&ldquo;And here comes Willis and the crowd is going wild,&rdquo; radio announcer Marv Albert said.
The Lakers stopped to watch Reed, who then made two quick jump shots in the early minutes of the game, running back down the court after both with a noticeable limp. He wouldn&rsquo;t score again but the Knicks didn&rsquo;t need it, with their captain&rsquo;s return and Walt Frazier&rsquo;s 36 points and 19 assists energizing them to a 113-99 romp and their&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHzxM69qm50" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">first NBA title</a>.
Frazier&rsquo;s performance was one of the finest ever in a deciding game, but it was forever a footnote to Reed&rsquo;s return. In 2006, to coincide with the NBA&rsquo;s 60th anniversary, it finished third in voting of the league&rsquo;s 60 greatest playoff moments, behind Michael Jordan&rsquo;s championship-winning jumper for his sixth title in 1998 and Magic Johnson ending his rookie season by filling in for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at center in Game 6 of the 1980 finals to lead the Lakers to a championship.
Long afterward, a player&rsquo;s return from injury has sometimes compared to Reed, such as when Boston&rsquo;s Paul Pierce was carried off the floor with a knee injury in Game 1 of the 2008 NBA Finals against Los Angeles before quickly returning. But Phil Jackson, a teammate of Reed&rsquo;s and then Lakers coach, dismissed that because of how serious Reed&rsquo;s injury was.
&ldquo;If I&rsquo;m not mistaken, I think Willis Reed missed a whole half and three-quarters almost of a game and literally had to have a shot &mdash; a horse shot, three or four of them &mdash; in his thigh to come back out and play,&rdquo; Jackson said.
Reed wouldn&rsquo;t be able to recover so quickly from injuries in the coming years. He was limited to just 11 games in 1971-72 but came back strong the next season to spark the Knicks to a second title in what was his last full season.
Though his return always made the &rsquo;70 title the more celebrated one, it was the &rsquo;72-73 squad, having been fortified by Hall of Famers Earl Monroe and Jerry Lucas, that stood out to Reed.
&ldquo;That, to me, in my mind was the best team,&rdquo; he said during its 40th anniversary celebration.
Reed would play only 19 games in 1973-74 before retiring because of a knee injury after just 10 seasons.
That was long enough to collect more than 12,000 points and 8,400 rebounds, both of which still rank in the top three on the Knicks&rsquo; career lists.
Willis Reed was born June 25, 1942, in Hico, Louisiana. He stayed in his home state for his college career, leading Grambling State to the 1961 NAIA championship and a third-place finish in 1963. The school retired his number and named its court after Reed in 2022.
A second-round pick in 1964, he quickly proved that standing only 6-foot-9 wouldn&rsquo;t keep him from becoming one of the league&rsquo;s top centers. He was voted Rookie of the Year and earned the first of his seven straight All-Star selections.
Reed was the anchor as the Knicks became one of the best teams in the NBA, with Hall of Famers such as Frazier, Bill Bradley and Dave DeBusschere.
Reed provided them with 18.7 points and 12.9 rebounds for his career, along with plenty of toughness. An ESPN documentary in 2014 on those Knicks showed footage of a 1966 fight in a game against the Lakers in which Reed appeared to throw punches at multiple opponents, with Jackson noting that it appeared Reed &ldquo;decimated this team.&rdquo;
His No. 19 was the first number retired by the Knicks and he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 1982.
Reed went on to coach the Knicks to a playoff berth in 1977-78 but coached them only 14 more games the following season. He also was a head coach at Creighton and the New Jersey Nets, but his greatest success after his playing career came in the front office.
He was their senior vice president of basketball operations when they drafted Derrick Coleman and Kenny Anderson, who became All-Stars and led the Nets to the playoffs.

NBA legend and Hall-of-Famer Willis Reed, who helped the Knicks win their two championships, died on Tuesday at 80 years old.

Willis Reed, leader on New York Knicks’ two title teams, dies at 80

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Olivier Nkamhoua tied his career high with 27 points, including 13 straight for Tennessee during a decisive span in the second half, and the fourth-seeded Volunteers beat Duke to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2019.
Tennessee (25-10) ended Duke&rsquo;s 10-game winning streak and sent first-year coach Jon Scheyer, charged with replacing Mike Krzyzewski, home after two NCAA Tournament games. These Vols used a brand of &ldquo;bully ball&rdquo; to send the fifth-seeded Blue Devils (27-9) packing.
Tennessee advanced to face Florida Atlantic or Fairleigh Dickinson on Thursday in the East Region semifinals at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Duke didn&rsquo;t handle Tennessee&rsquo;s physical style very well. The Volunteers set the tone early, clearly wanting to push around Kyle Filipowski and get hands in the faces of guards Jeremy Roach and Tyrese Proctor. Filipowski took an elbow to his face and ended up with a small cut under his left eye.
Proctor led Duke with 16 points. Roach and Filipowski chipped in 13 apiece.

Olivier Nkamhoua tied his career high with 27 points, and the fourth-seeded Volunteers beat Duke to advance to the Sweet 16.

No. 4 Tennessee beats No. 5 Duke 65-52 behind Nkamhoua's 27 points

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Tyler Kolek had 21 points and 10 assists, and No. 6 Marquette clinched its first outright Big East championship by beating Butler 72-56 on Tuesday night.
The victory was the fifth in a row and 10th in 11 games for the surprising Golden Eagles (24-6, 16-3), picked ninth by the league&rsquo;s coaches in the preseason poll.
Marquette, which had already secured a share of its first Big East title since 2013, had not won an outright regular-season crown since doing so in Conference USA in 2003.
Olivier-Maxence Prosper added 14 points and Oso Ighodaro had 12 for the Golden Eagles, who will be the top seed in the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden &mdash; an event Marquette has never won.
Jayden Taylor scored 13 and Jalen Thomas had 10 for Butler (14-16, 6-13), which finished 4-6 in Big East home games.
NO. 3 KANSAS 67, TEXAS TECH 63
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) &mdash; Jalen Wilson scored 21 points in his Allen Fieldhouse farewell, fellow senior Kevin McCullar Jr. added 14 points and nine rebounds, and Kansas clinched a share of the Big 12 regular-season championship.
Dajuan Harris had 16 points for the Jayhawks (25-5, 13-4), who would capture the outright crown if ninth-ranked Texas loses to No. 22 TCU on Wednesday night. Otherwise, the Jayhawks &mdash; now with an NCAA-leading 64 conference championships &mdash; would need to beat the Longhorns in a head-to-head showdown Saturday in Austin.
De&rsquo;Vion Harmon had 15 points to lead Texas Tech (16-14, 5-12), which was just 3 of 16 from the 3-point line. Kevin Obanor added 14 points, Fardaws Aimaq had 13 points and 18 rebounds, and Pop Isaacs finished with 11 points.
NO. 12 TENNESSEE 75, ARKANSAS 57
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Olivier Nkamhoua scored 16 points and Tennessee earned its second consecutive win.
Despite the victory, the Volunteers (22-8, 11-6 Southeastern Conference) may have sustained a significant loss. Three minutes into the game, sophomore point guard Zakai Zeigler, who brings energy on offense and defense, went down with an injury to his left knee. The extent of the injury wasn&rsquo;t immediately known, but he did not return.
Santiago Vescovi, who took over the role of point guard for Zeigler, added 14 points and Josiah-Jordan James scored 11.
Anthony Black and Davonte Davis each scored 13 for the Razorbacks (19-11, 8-9). Nick Smith Jr. scored 14 and Ricky Council 11.
NO. 13 VIRGINIA 64, CLEMSON 57
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) &mdash; Jayden Gardner had 12 points and nine rebounds, Armaan Franklin and Isaac McKneely each scored 12, and Virginia stopped a two-game skid.
The Cavaliers (22-6, 14-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) moved into a tie for second place in the league with No. 16 Miami with one game remaining.
PJ Hall led the Tigers (21-9, 13-6) with 19 points and Hunter Tyson had 17. Clemson got within 59-55 with 33 seconds left, but Virginia made five free throws and had a steal, sending the Tigers to their fifth loss in eight games.
IOWA 90, NO. 15 INDIANA 68
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) &mdash; Kris Murray scored 26 points, Tony Perkins flirted with the first triple-double in Iowa history and the Hawkeyes defeated Indiana.
Perkins had 23 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high eight assists for Iowa (19-11, 11-8 Big Ten).
Trayce Jackson-Davis led the Hoosiers (20-10, 11-8) with 26 points and 13 rebounds. He became the school&rsquo;s career rebounding leader with 1,096 &mdash; on a night the Hoosiers lost their fourth in a row in the series.
BOISE STATE 66, NO. 18 SAN DIEGO STATE 60
BOISE, Idaho (AP) &mdash; Max Rice scored 26 points and reeled off 12 straight points in a 14-0 run to close out the game and Boise State remained perfect at home in conference play.
The Broncos (23-7, 13-4 Mountain West Conference) avenged a 20-point loss to San Diego State on Feb. 3. It was the Broncos&rsquo; first win over a ranked team this season. Tyson Degenhart scored 14 for Boise State, while Naje Smith added 10.
San Diego State (23-6, 14-3), which had already claimed a share of the conference crown with its buzzer-beating win over New Mexico on Saturday, failed to hold onto a late nine-point lead. Matt Bradley paced San Diego State with 16 points, and Micah Parrish chipped in 11.
NO. 24 TEXAS A&amp;M 69, MISSISSIPPI 61
OXFORD, Miss. (AP) &mdash; Tyrece Radford scored 13 points as Texas A&amp;M erased an early 12-point deficit to beat Mississippi.
Wade Taylor IV added 12 points and seven assists and Julius Marble scored 10 for the Aggies, who went 13 of 16 from the free-throw line in the second half to stave off the Rebels&rsquo; attempt at a late rally.
Texas A&amp;M (22-8, 14-3 Southeastern Conference) trailed 20-8 after seven minutes but took a 29-26 lead on Taylor&rsquo;s 3-pointer with 4:06 left in the first half. The Aggies never trailed again.
Matthew Murrell made 8 of 11 from 3-point range and scored 26 points to lead Ole Miss (11-19, 3-13).

The Golden Eagles had not won an outright regular-season crown since doing so in Conference USA in 2003.

No. 6 Marquette clinches first outright Big East title

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Destiny Littleton scored 18 points with six assists as Southern California pulled off a program-defining victory Sunday with a 55-46 upset victory over No. 2 Stanford.
Okako Adika scored 11 points with 11 rebounds, while Taylor Bigby and Kayla Williams added nine points each as the Trojans set the tone with their defense and held on late to end a 14-game losing streak against the Cardinal, who had won 51 straight against unranked opponents.
It was USC&rsquo;s first victory over Stanford (17-2, 5-1 Pac-12) since the 2014 conference tournament. Cameron Brink scored 11 points with 14 rebounds for Stanford, which saw its 12-game winning streak come to an end.
USC (13-4, 3-3) held Stanford to four points in the first quarter, its low for any period this season.
NO. 1 SOUTH CAROLINA 81, MISSOURI 50
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) &mdash; Aliyah Boston had 20 points and 10 rebounds for her 71st career double-double and South Carolina won its 24th straight by beating Missouri.
Boston&rsquo;s 11th game with double-figure points and rebounds moved her with one of program-record holder Sheila Foster &mdash; and kept the Gamecocks perfect at 18-0 and 6-0 in the Southeastern Conference.
Zia Cooke added 16 points and Ashlyn Watkins 13 for the Gamecocks.&nbsp;
Missouri (14-5, 3-3) lost its third straight after opening SEC play with three consecutive victories. Lauren Hansen finished with 14 points to lead the Tigers.
NO. 4 UCONN 65, GEORGETOWN 50
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) &mdash; Aaliyah Edwards scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as UConn opened up a close game against Georgetown in the second half.
Huskies leading scorer Azzi Fudd left the game in the first half when she appeared to reinjure her right knee. Fudd was playing in just her second game back after missing the previous eight after hurting that knee in December.
Dorka Juhasz had 13 points for the UConn (15-2, 8-0 Big East), and Nika Muhl and Lou Lopez Senechal each added 12.
Brianna Scott led Georgetown (8-9, 1-7) with 11 points.
NO. 5 LSU 84, AUBURN 54
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) &mdash; Angel Reese had 23 points and 15 rebounds to maintain her streak of double-doubles in every game this season, and LSU improved its program-record best start to 18-0 with a win over Auburn.
Jasmine Carson scored 18 points, and Alexis Morris had 12 points and 10 assists for LSU, which led the entire way to end up 6-0 in Southeastern Conference play &mdash; winning each of those by 19 or more points.
Precious Johnson scored 13 points and Kharyssa Richardson added 10 for Auburn (10-7, 0-5), which lost its fifth straight since opening SEC play.
NO. 6 INDIANA 93, WISCONSIN 56
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) &mdash; Mackenzie Holmes scored 29 points and Yarden Garzon added 19 to help Indiana run to a 93-56 win over Wisconsin.
Indiana (16-1, 5-1 Big Ten) shot 55% from the field, including 8-for-20 from beyond the arc, while its defense held Wisconsin (6-12, 2-5) to 35% shooting.
The Badgers had no answers for Holmes, who shot 11-for-15 from the field in her 26 minutes.
Wisconsin was led by Brooke Schramek&rsquo;s 13 points and Serah Williams&rsquo; 10.
NO. 7 NOTRE DAME 72, SYRACUSE 56
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) &mdash; Olivia Miles scored 13 of her game-high 23 points during the second half of Notre Dame&rsquo;s win over Syracuse.
Dara Mabrey chipped in 15 points for the Irish (14-2, 5-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), who were coming off a dominant 86-47 victory over Wake Forest on Thursday. Miles also had seven boards and seven assists.
Dyaisha Fair&rsquo;s 14 points led the way for the Orange (13-5, 4-3), who entered Sunday on a three-game winning streak.
NO. 8 UCLA 87, CALIFORNIA 70
LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Freshman Londynn Jones had 18 points and Charisma Osborne added 17 to lead UCLA past Cal.
UCLA star freshman Kiki Rice had a double double with 15 points and a career-high 12 assists.
The Bruins (15-3, 4-2 Pac-12) trailed by as many as 12 points in the first quarter but came back. Cal played well on the road and kept it close until the fourth, when UCLA, trailing by two points, went on a 12-2 run.
Kemery Martin had a game-high 23 points for the Bears ((10-7, 1-5).
NO. 9 MARYLAND 80, RUTGERS 56
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) &mdash; Diamond Miller had 17 points, six rebounds and five steals, and Maryland forced 17 first-half turnovers in a victory over Rutgers.
The Terrapins (14-4, 5-2 Big Ten) rebounded from a loss at No. 6 Indiana earlier in the week. Brinae Alexander led Maryland with 20 points, surpassing 1,000 for her career, and Abby Meyers added 14 with three steals.
The Terps beat Rutgers (8-11, 2-5) for the second time in 14 days. The Scarlet Knights turned the ball over 22 times in the first meeting, and they had 23 on Sunday against Maryland&rsquo;s pressing defense.
Kaylene Smikle scored 21 points for Rutgers and Chyna Cornwell contributed 15.
NO. 10 UTAH 80, NO. 14 ARIZONA 79
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) &mdash; Alissa Pili scored 27 points, including the winning free throws with 0.3 seconds left, to lead Utah past Arizona.
Pili went 11 of 16 from the field, while Gianna Kneepkens finished with 20 points and seven rebounds for the Utes (15-1, 5-1 Pac-12). Issy Palmer added 10 points.
Cate Reese tallied 25 points and 10 rebounds to lead Arizona (14-4, 4-3). Jade Loville finished with 17 points and Esmery Martinez and Shaina Pellington chipped in 10 apiece for the Wildcats, who lost their second straight game.
NO. 22 NORTH CAROLINA 56, NO. 11 N.C. STATE 47
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) &mdash; Kennedy Todd-Williams scored eight of her 15 points in the fourth quarter, Destiny Adams scored all of her eight points in the final 4 minutes and North Carolina beat rival N.C. State.
Alyssa Ustby added nine points and a career-high 18 rebounds for North Carolina (12-5, 3-3 ACC).
Jakia Brown-Turner led N.C. State (13-4, 3-3) with 14 points and Camille Hobby scored 13 in a game that saw 10 lead changes and six ties through the first three quarters.
TEXAS 68, NO. 15 IOWA STATE 53
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) &mdash; DeYona Gaston scored 17 points and Shaylee Gonzales had five of her 11 in a game-breaking 13-0 run in the fourth quarter and Texas defeated Iowa State.
Izzi Zingaro&rsquo;s layup to open the fourth quarter pulled the Cyclones within 52-49 but they went scoreless for the next 6:17, missing five shots with five turnovers as the Longhorns increased the defensive pressure.
Sonya Morris added 11 points for the Longhorns (13-5, 4-1 Big 12 Conference), who have won 10 of 11 since a 5-4 start knocked them out of the rankings.
Ashley Joens scored 21 points for Iowa State (11-4, 3-2) and grabbed six rebounds to become the Cyclones&rsquo; all-team leading rebounder.
NO. 16 DUKE 65, GEORGIA TECH 47
ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Celeste Taylor scored 13 points, Elizabeth Balogun added 12 and Duke overcame a halftime deficit to defeat Georgia Tech for its 11th straight win.
The Yellow Jackets managed only six of their 19 second-half points in the fourth quarter and Duke (16-1, 6-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) did not allow a point in the final 5:45 of the game, outscoring Georgia Tech 9-0 down the stretch.
Kayla Blackshear led Georgia Tech (9-9, 0-7 ACC) with 14 points. She made 7 of 10 shots and grabbed eight rebounds. Tonie Morgan added 10 points, five rebounds and three assists.
WEST VIRGINIA 74, NO. 18 BAYLOR 65
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) &mdash; Madisen Smith and Ja&rsquo;Naiya Quinerly scored 17 points apiece, Jayla Hemingway added 15 points and 14 rebounds and West Virginia&rsquo;s defense forced seven fourth-quarter turnovers in its win over Baylor.
West Virginia (12-4, 3-2 Big 12) has won three consecutive games and improved to 4-22 all-time against Baylor.
Sarah Andrews hit four 3-pointers and finished with 24 points, Darianna Littlepage-Buggs added 14 points and 15 rebounds, and Caitlin Bickle scored 10 points for Baylor (12-4, 3-1).
WASHINGTON STATE 85, NO. 21 OREGON 84, OT
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) &mdash; Bella Murekatete scored 20 points, Jessica Clark scored six of her career-high 14 in overtime and Washington State defeated Oregon for its first win over a ranked team since 1998.
Washington State won despite giving up a 14-point lead in the final four minutes, allowing the tying free throws with 0.1 left in regulation and surviving an Oregon shot in the closing seconds of overtime. The Cougars never trailed in the extra session, which started with a Clark layup for a 78-76 lead.
Charlisse Leger-Walker scored 17 points for Washington State (13-3, 3-3 Pac-12 Conference), Johanna Teder had 15 and Ula Motuga had 14 with 10 rebounds.
Endyia Rogers scored 33 points, making 6 of 8 3-point attempts, for Oregon (13-5, 4-3), Chance Gray added 22, Te-Hina Paopao 11 and Grace VanSlooten 10.
NO. 24 ILLINOIS 70, MINNESOTA 57
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) &mdash; Makira Cook scored 20 points, Genesis Bryant added 18 and Illinois celebrated its first game as a ranked team in 23 years with a win over Minnesota.
Brynn Shoup-Hill and Adalia McKenzie both added 13 points for the Illini (15-3, 5-2 Big Ten Conference), who haven&rsquo;t had a winning season since 2012-13, haven&rsquo;t made the NCAA Tournament since 2003 and were last ranked on Nov. 27, 2000.
Alanna Micheaux scored 24 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for the Golden Gophers (8-10, 1-6), who have lost five straight. Micheaux was 11-of-16 shooting, her teammates 12 of 46 (26%).

A recap of Sunday's top-25 action in women's college basketball includes the Trojans' first victory over the Cardinal in nine years.

USC topples No. 2 Stanford, its first vs Cardinal since 2014

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) &mdash; Zia Cooke scored 16 points and Aliyah Boston added 12 to help No. 1 South Carolina remain unbeaten with a 58-51 win over Mississippi State on Sunday.
The Gamecocks were held to a season-low point total but were able to find a way. Boston added 15 rebounds in the win.
South Carolina (16-0, 3-0 SEC) had a massive advantage at the free throw line where the Gamecocks were 14 of 24 while MSU was 2 of 5. The Gamecocks also dominated the boards with a 53-35 edge including 22 offensive rebounds.
Jerkaila Jordan led the way for the Bulldogs (12-5, 1-3) with 13 points and five rebounds. Jessika Carter had 11 points and nine rebounds.
NO. 2 STANFORD 60, CALIFORNIA 56
BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) &mdash; Haley Jones scored the go-ahead layup with 1:17 to play, Cameron Brink had 25 points, 17 rebounds and three blocked shots as NBA pal Stephen Curry watched courtside, outdueling Leilani McIntosh down the stretch as Stanford held off California.
Jones wound up with 12 points and 11 rebounds as the Cardinal (16-1, 4-0 Pac-12) ran their winning streak to 11 games.
McIntosh finished with 19 points for the Golden Bears (10-5, 1-3).
Stanford won its 38th straight game against Pac-12 teams including the past two conference titles and postseason.
NO. 3 OHIO STATE 87, ILLINOIS 81
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) &mdash; Taylor Mikesell scored a game-high 31 points as Ohio State erased a halftime deficit and avoided an upset.
Mikesell shot 50% from the field and Cotie McMahon added 22 points for Ohio State (17-0, 6-0 Big Ten). Taylor Thierry had 12 points and swiped four steals.
Kendall Bostic notched her sixth double-double of the season behind 27 points and 15 rebounds. Genesis Bryant finished with 20 points, Makira Cook had 12 and Brynn Shoup-Hill tallied 10 for Illinois (14-3, 4-2).
NO. 22 NORTH CAROLINA 60, NO. 4 NOTRE DAME 50
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) &mdash; First-year guard Paulina Paris scored 11 of her season-high 16 points in the fourth quarter to help North Carolina push past Notre Dame.
Deja Kelly added 14 points for the Tar Heels (10-5, 1-3 Atlantic Coast Conference), who snapped a four-game skid that had drained some of their early season buzz.
Olivia Miles had 15 points and seven rebounds to lead Notre Dame (12-2, 3-1), which had entered Sunday as one of two unbeaten teams in ACC play.
NO. 6 INDIANA 72, NORTHWESTERN 50
EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) &mdash; Mackenzie Holmes scored 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and Indiana beat Northwestern.
Grace Berger finished with 16 points and five assists for the Hoosiers (14-1, 4-1).
The Wildcats got a boost off the bench as Jasmine McWilliams added eight points on 3-for-3 shooting in the third. McWilliams and Sydney Wood led Northwestern (6-9, 0-5 Big Ten) with 10 points each in their seventh loss in nine games.
NO. 7 LSU 67, KENTUCKY 48
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) &mdash; Flau&rsquo;jae Johnson scored 26 points, including eight during a 12-0, second-quarter run to break the game open, Angel Reese also scored 26 and LSU earned its best start in school history.
Reese had 13 rebounds for her nation&rsquo;s-best 16th double-double. The Tigers (16-0, 4-0 Southeastern Conference) outshot Kentucky just 40%-35% but dominated nearly every other statistical category including rebounding (45-23).
Maddie Scherr had 22 points for Kentucky (8-8, 0-4), which dropped its fourth in a row and lost its second game this season in Rupp Arena, home of the men&rsquo;s basketball team.
MIAMI 77, NO. 9 VIRGINIA TECH 66
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Jasmyn Roberts scored a career-best 23 points, Haley Cavinder added 19 and Miami held off Virginia Tech.
Roberts was 8 for 12 from the field, 5 of 7 from 3-point range for the Hurricanes (10-6, 3-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), who won their third straight game. Cavinder was 6 for 12 from the field, and Miami shot 54%.
Elizabeth Kitley scored 20 for Virginia Tech (13-3, 3-3), which had beat Miami five consecutive times. Georgia Amoore added 13 for the Hokies.
NO. 10 NC STATE 87, VIRGINIA 62
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) &mdash; Jada Boyd scored 13 points and No. 10 North Carolina State snapped a two-game home losing skid.
Camille Hobby and Mimi Collins both had 12 points, and Diamond Johnson and River Baldwin added 10 points apiece for the Wolfpack (13-3, 3-2). Jakia Brown-Turner and Madison Hayes each finished with nine.
Camryn Taylor scored 16 points, Taylor Valladay had 13 and Sam Brunelle 12 for Virginia (13-3, 2-3), which dropped a game to a top-10 team for the second time in four days after losing Thursday at No. 9 Virginia Tech.
NO. 17 OKLAHOMA 82, NO. 11 IOWA STATE 79
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) &mdash; Ana Llanusa scored 23 points, Skylar Vann hit the final go-ahead basket, and Oklahoma defeated Iowa State in a matchup of the Big 12&prime;s top two offenses.
In a game with 25 lead changes, Oklahoma struck last.
Vann finished with 13 points and eight rebounds for Oklahoma (12-2, 2-1 Big 12). Nevaeh Tot also scored 13 points, and Taylor Robertson finished with 10.
Ashley Joens finished with 27 points and nine rebounds. She made 12-of-13 free throws. Lexi Donarski scored 20 and Nyamer Diew 14 for the Cyclones (10-3, 2-1).
NO. 12 UCLA 61, SOUTHERN CAL 60
LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Freshman Londynn Jones scored 13 of her career-high 22 points in the second half and UCLA used a big fourth-quarter run to beat Southern California.
Emily Bessoir hit 3 of 5 from 3-point range and finished with 11 points for UCLA (13-2, 2-1 Pac-12). Charisma Osborne scored six of her nine points in the fourth quarter.
Rayah Marshall had 15 points, eight rebounds and three blocks for Southern Cal (11-4, 1-3) and Kayla Williams also scored 15 points. Okako Adika added 11 points and Destiny Littlejohn 10.
NO. 15 ARIZONA 79, NO. 18 OREGON 71
TUSCON, Ariz. (AP) &mdash; Madison Conner scored 16 second-half points to lead five Arizona players in double figures and the Wildcats beat Oregon.
Shaina Pellington had 14 points, six rebounds and six assists, Jade Loville scored 13 points and Esmery Martinez 11 for Arizona (14-2, 4-1 Pac-12). Kate Reese had 10 points.
Grace VanSlooten led Oregon (12-4, 3-2) with 18 points. Te-Hina Paopao and Endyia Rogers scored 17 apiece, Chance Gray added 10 and Phillipina Kyei had six points and 10 rebounds. The 6-foot-8 Kyei has grabbed at least 10 rebounds in eight consecutive games.
NO. 24 ST. JOHN&rsquo;S 71, XAVIER 52
NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Jayla Everett scored a season-high 26 points and St. John&rsquo;s bounced back after its first loss of the season.
Jillian Archer had 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Red Storm (14-1, 5-1 Big East Conference).
Mackayla Scarlett had 18 points for the Musketeers (7-9, 0-7), who have lost six straight as well as 15 straight to St. John&rsquo;s.
NO. 25 CREIGHTON 68, MARQUETTE 42
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) &mdash; Lauren Jensen scored 19 points and Creighton defeated Marquette after holding the Golden Eagles to 14 points in the first half.
Chloe Marotta scored 20 points for Marquette and Jordan King added 13. Only four players scored for the Golden Eagles (10-6, 3-4 Big East).
Jensen made 9 of 14 shots and added three rebounds and five assists. Morgan Maly had 10 points and seven rebounds, and Emma Ronsiek scored 10 for the Bluejays (10-5, 4-3) who had lost four of their last five games.

A recap of Sunday's women's college basketball slate features the top-ranked Gamecocks in a battle with the Bulldogs.

No. 1 South Carolina battles back to beat Mississippi State

Christmas comes with traditions. Like the New York Knicks playing at Madison Square Garden. Or LeBron James lacing up his sneakers and going to work. And the defending NBA champions getting into the holiday game action.
All those things are happening this year.
And this holiday features a new twist: Memphis, welcome to the Christmas stage.
The NBA&rsquo;s Christmas quintupleheader is Sunday, with the Grizzlies and Ja Morant set to play on Dec. 25 for the first time in that franchise&rsquo;s history. They get the distinction of going to Golden State and facing the reigning &mdash; albeit shorthanded and reeling of late &mdash; champions in a rematch from last season&rsquo;s Western Conference semifinals, won by the Warriors in six games.
It&rsquo;s the 15th consecutive year of five games being played on Christmas. Some things to know about the five matchups (all times Eastern):
PHILADELPHIA AT NEW YORK, Noon
The Knicks are extending their record for Christmas appearances, getting picked to play on the holiday for the 55th time. Of those, 47 have been at home.
It&rsquo;s the 13th Knicks-76ers game on Christmas; no two teams have faced each other more on the holiday. And it features two of the NBA&rsquo;s hottest teams right now &mdash; the Knicks are 8-2 in their last 10 games, and the 76ers are on a seven-game winning streak. Joel Embiid is leading the NBA in scoring at 33 points per game.
Fact: 76ers coach Doc Rivers played four times on Christmas, including once when he was with the Knicks, and all four of those games were on the road. Add in his coaching years, and this is the 17th time that Rivers has been part of a Christmas game &mdash; the 15th that will be a road game.
L.A. LAKERS AT DALLAS, 2:30 p.m.
LeBron James seemingly appears on Christmas as often as Santa Claus does. If James plays, it&rsquo;ll be his 17th Christmas appearance, which will break a tie with Kobe Bryant for the most in NBA history. If he plays and the Lakers win, it&rsquo;ll be James&rsquo; 11th time walking off as a Christmas winner &mdash; another record for NBA players.
And the Lakers are appearing on Christmas for the 24th consecutive year. They enter with an all-time Dec. 25 record of 24-24, the most wins on the holiday in NBA history, one ahead of the Knicks.
It&rsquo;ll be Mavericks star Luka Doncic&rsquo;s second Christmas game, after he and Dallas lost a road game to the Lakers in 2020. Mavs coach Jason Kidd played on the holiday four times, including a loss to James and the Miami Heat in an NBA Finals rematch to open the 2011-12 season.
Fact: <a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-lakers-dallas-mavericks-nba-sports-dirk-nowitzki-b34f47eafd6cb75ea48e166966a4499d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Mavericks will unveil Basketball Hall of Fame nominee Dirk Nowitzki&rsquo;s statue</a> at their arena a couple hours before the game.
BUCKS AT CELTICS, 5 p.m.
It&rsquo;s a double rematch, after Milwaukee beat Boston on Christmas last year and the Celtics topped the Bucks in seven games in last season&rsquo;s Eastern Conference semifinals.
Before Giannis Antetokounmpo came along, the Bucks had played on Christmas only four times in their history. They&rsquo;re now playing on the holiday for a fifth consecutive season &mdash; though Antetokounmpo appeared to hurt his right hand in a loss Friday night to the Brooklyn Nets.
The Celtics aren&rsquo;t exactly rolling into the matchup. They&rsquo;ve dropped five of their last seven games, after a blistering 21-5 start to the season &mdash; but are coming off an impressive 121-109 win Friday over Minnesota.
Fact: This is Boston&rsquo;s 36th Christmas game, but only the fourth at home. The Celtics, for decades, insisted that they didn&rsquo;t want to make arena workers and others be away from their families on the holiday.
GRIZZLIES AT WARRIORS, 8 p.m.
Stephen Curry is injured and won&rsquo;t play for Golden State, which is 2-7 in its last nine games. This matchup is the opening of an eight-game homestand for the defending champions, who are 15-18 and right now on the outside of the Western Conference playoff picture.
&ldquo;Obviously, we&rsquo;ve got to turn things around,&rdquo; Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. &ldquo;The good news is the standings are pretty bunched up in the West. Despite our record, we are not in dire straits. We need to get solid. We need to get some guys healthy. And we need to start playing better, obviously, and get some momentum.&rdquo;
For Morant and the Grizzlies, this was a stage and a matchup they wanted. Morant tweeted his excitement to Warriors forward Draymond Green when the NBA announced the Christmas schedule back in the summer; Green responded by inviting Morant and his family over for Christmas dinner.
Fact: Now that Memphis is in a Christmas game, Charlotte is the only active franchise yet to play on the holiday.
SUNS AT NUGGETS, 10:30 p.m.
Denver is seeking its first Christmas win since 1994, and two-time defending NBA MVP Nikola Jokic is playing like someone certainly worthy of much consideration to win the award yet again.
The Suns didn&rsquo;t play on Christmas from 2010 through 2020, but are back on the holiday schedule for a second consecutive season. They lost to Golden State last year on Christmas.
Fact: Phoenix is 12-7 on Christmas, the league&rsquo;s fifth-best record. Denver is 1-6, the league&rsquo;s second-worst record entering this year ahead of only Toronto (0-2).

It’s the 15th consecutive year of five NBA games being played on Christmas. Here are things to know about the five matchups.

The NBA on Christmas: Things to know about the 5 matchups

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Immanuel Quickley scored 22 points, Jalen Brunson had 21 and the New York Knicks rolled to their eighth straight victory, beating the depleted Golden State Warriors 132-94 on Tuesday night.
Quentin Grimes added 19 points and RJ Barrett had 18 as New York extended the longest current winning streak in the NBA.
&ldquo;No one has talked about the streak at all,&rdquo; Brunson said. &ldquo;Obviously, we tell each other to keep it rolling. But, we&rsquo;re just trying to be the best team we can be and just focus on one day at a time.&rdquo;
Julius Randle finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds, Mitchell Robinson had nine points and 11 rebounds and Miles McBride added 10 points.
&ldquo;We have a lot of players on this team who are capable of having monster games,&rdquo; Brunson said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not surprising when someone like &lsquo;Quick&rsquo; plays that way or &lsquo;Q&rsquo; having that type of game or even Deuce (McBride) getting double figures. When they do it, it&rsquo;s definitely a plus.&rdquo;
Jordan Poole scored 26 points for the Warriors, who are without Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins and other key players. Jonathan Kuminga had 13, while Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Ty Jerome each had 11.
The Knicks scored the first eight points of the game and never trailed. They led 33-25 at the end of the first quarter.
The Warriors pulled within 35-33, but a 3-pointer by Grimes with 4:17 left in the second quarter gave the Knicks a 60-45 lead. New York led 69-56 at halftime.
&ldquo;Winning naturally gains confidence,&rdquo; Randle said. &ldquo;But, I&rsquo;m not going to put much into a winning streak or whatever. It&rsquo;s still December.&rdquo;
Robinson&rsquo;s free throws put the Knicks up 88-67 with 5:37 remaining in the third quarter. They again went up by 21 on Quickley&rsquo;s free throws with five seconds left in the quarter.
Quickley shot 6 for 10 after going 3 for 20 in the previous two games.
The Knicks led 100-81 heading into the fourth, and the Warriors never got any closer.
Svi Mykailiuk&rsquo;s free throws with 58 seconds remaining gave New York its biggest lead of the night and were the final points of the contest.
&ldquo;The Knicks are in a good groove right now. They totally outplayed us,&rdquo; said Warriors coach Steve Kerr. &ldquo;We sank tonight. We&rsquo;re trying to hang in there and we will. Another game tomorrow.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Warriors: Golden State is now 3-15 in away games this season, 1-8 against the Eastern Conference. &hellip; Donte DiVincenzo (illness, unrelated to COVID-19) and JaMychal Green (health and safety protocols) did not play. &hellip; Curry became the NBA&rsquo;s career leader in 3-pointers made the last time he played at Madison Square Garden (Dec. 14, 2021). He missed his third straight game (left shoulder injury). &hellip; Andre Iguodala has yet to play this season (left hip injury).
Knicks: New York had lost eight straight home games to the Warriors. The Knicks&rsquo; last victory over Golden State was on Feb. 27, 2013, a 109-105 victory in which Curry&rsquo;s 54 points were his career high. &hellip; Obi Toppin has not played since Oct. 10 (fractured right fibula). Coach Tom Thibodeau said he is doing better but was only working in the pool and still not doing anything on the court.
LONE WARRIOR
Kevon Looney is the only Warrior to start all 32 games this season. Poole is the other Golden State player to see the floor in all 32 games, but he has only started 13.
&nbsp;

Immanuel Quickley scored 22 points and the Knicks rolled to their eighth straight victory, beating the Warriors 132-94.

Knicks rout Warriors 132-94, extend win streak to 8 games

TyTy Washington Jr. remembers being in awe gazing at the banners in Madison Square Garden as he watched the New York Knicks meet the Cleveland Cavaliers and the feeling he had two days later when Kentucky faced Duke at the famed arena.
Something else he won&rsquo;t forget? The reaming he got from coach John Calipari when the team watched video in the Hall of Famer&rsquo;s basement the next day.
&ldquo;He came up to me, he was like, &lsquo;Kid, you don&rsquo;t play hard enough&rsquo; and just started going in on me,&rdquo; Washington said Thursday at the NBA draft combine. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve had coaches go in on me, but I&rsquo;ve never had a coach tell me I don&rsquo;t play hard.&rdquo;
Those experiences were invaluable to Washington, whether it was the feeling he had just being at The Garden or the feedback he got from Calipari after playing poorly in Kentucky&rsquo;s season-opening loss. And he&rsquo;s banking on them to help him make the jump to the NBA.
The college game can offer opportunities that aren&rsquo;t available through other avenues, with the exposure through TV deals and the NCAA Tournament and all that comes with it. The burgeoning name, image and likeness chances that were created last year when the NCAA&rsquo;s Board of Directors cleared the way for college athletes to start earning money without endangering their eligibility or putting their schools in jeopardy of rules of violations are another incentive for top prospects.
Options remain overseas and in the G League Ignite. A new basketball league called Overtime Elite offers top high school players a path to the pros along with six-figure salaries. Two from there &mdash; Dominick Barlow and Jean Montero &mdash; got invitations to the combine compared to three from NCAA champion Kansas.
Though the winners of the NBA&rsquo;s Most Valuable Player Award the past four years did not play college ball, with Denver&rsquo;s Nikola Jokic repeating after Milwaukee&rsquo;s Giannis Antetokounmpo won it two years in a row, the top prospects in the draft next month went the NCAA route. Gonzaga&rsquo;s Chet Holmgren, Duke&rsquo;s Paolo Banchero, Auburn&rsquo;s Jabari Smith and Purdue&rsquo;s Jaden Ivey are likely to go in the top four.
&ldquo;The NCAA is changing a lot,&rdquo; Wisconsin All-America guard Johnny Davis said.
The NIL is a major game-changer.
Banchero worked with Creative Artists Agency and got deals that included becoming the first player featured in the latest NBA 2K video game as well as a basketball trading card from Panini as part of a multi-year agreement. He&rsquo;s about to make more money in the NBA, and he&rsquo;s hardly the only one.
&ldquo;I think college basketball is in a good state right now,&rdquo; said Michigan State guard Max Christie, a Chicago-area product.
He mentioned the quality of the players as well as the impact the NIL is having, even if it wasn&rsquo;t a big factor for him.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s hard to turn down money at some point,&rdquo; he said.
Washington said this year&rsquo;s draft shows, &ldquo;You can still go to college, still do your academic stuff and still be in the same position as everybody else who didn&rsquo;t.&rdquo;
The NIL, he said, helps &ldquo;a lot.&rdquo;
&ldquo;With us being able to make money off our names now, it should encourage more people to go to college,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;If you are an outgoing person, you can also succeed in (NIL), in school and in basketball. I feel like that&rsquo;s three huge wins in life.&rdquo;
Washington had opportunities to play in Australia and the G League. But once Calipari and Kentucky entered the picture, he couldn&rsquo;t see himself going anywhere else.
Washington averaged 12.5 points, 3.9 assists and 3.5 rebounds while starting 29 of 31 contests in his lone college season. The play-making guard also broke John Wall&rsquo;s single-game school record for assists with 17 against Georgia.
Washington missed three Southeastern Conference games because of injuries and scored just five points in Kentucky&rsquo;s loss to Saint Peter&rsquo;s in the NCAA Tournament East Region first round. But he also smoothed things out after a bumpy beginning.
Washington flashed back to that video session following the Duke game and how the energy changed once Calipari entered the basement. He said he never had a coach tell him he wasn&rsquo;t playing hard. But Calipari backed it up by showing clips of him walking up the court.
The next practice wasn&rsquo;t much fun, either.
Calipari pushed the team hard and made sure everyone knew exactly who was responsible.
&ldquo;He was like, &lsquo;Y&rsquo;all know why I&rsquo;m doing this, y&rsquo;all know who I&rsquo;m doing this for.&rsquo; Everybody&rsquo;s just looking at me,&rdquo; Washington said. &ldquo;From that day on, I felt that definitely helped me because that just opened up my eyes.&rdquo;

College can offer opportunities unavailable through other avenues, with the exposure through TV and the NCAA Tourney and more.

NBA prospects see value of college despite other options

It's not uncommon for high-profile athletes in New York to experience ups and downs throughout their careers. Yet, in just the three seasons Julius Randle has spent as a Knick, he's endured nearly unprecedented swings, from extreme lows to intense highs and everything in-between...
After making the difficult decision to trade away Kristaps Porzingis in February 2019, the Knicks inked Randle to a three-year, $63 million deal the following summer, hoping Randle could carry the team offensively and help them return to respectability.
However, Randle struggled to handle the bright lights of Broadway during his first year in NYC. After averaging over 21 points per game on 52.4% shooting during his sole season in New Orleans, Randle's scoring average dipped to 19.5 points per game on 46.0% shooting in 2019-20. And while his overall counting stats were solid (19/10/3), his inefficiency and defensive lapses contributed to the Knicks' putrid 21-45 record.
In an article he <a href="https://www.theplayerstribune.com/posts/reputation-julius-randle-new-york-knicks-basketball-nba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">penned for the Players Tribune</a>, Randle acknowledged that he wasn't quite prepared for the pressures that came along with being the top dog in the Big Apple.
"To be honest, I don't think I realized everything that goes into being a No. 1 option in the NBA," Randle <a href="https://www.theplayerstribune.com/posts/reputation-julius-randle-new-york-knicks-basketball-nba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explained</a>. "Another problem, looking back, is that I think I was so focused on proving myself as a No. 1 option, that I lost sight of some of my other responsibilities to the team."
Randle added: "I know you only get one chance to make a first impression in a city &mdash; and I was so disappointed in myself for how that first season in New York had gone."
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Well, his second impression was incredible.&nbsp;
Randle wasn't just good during his second season in NYC; he authored one of the finest all-around seasons in Knicks franchise history.
The winner of the NBA's Most Improved Player, Randle finished the 2020-21 campaign averaging 24.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game, ranking in the top-20 in all three statistical categories. Prior that that, the only other players in NBA history to average at least 24 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists over an entire season were Wilt Chamberlain, Nikola Jokić, Larry Bird, Russell Westbrook and Oscar Robertson.
Randle also averaged 2.3 made three-pointers and 0.9 steals while shooting 45.6% from the floor, 41.1% from downtown and 81.1% from the free-throw line. According to Basketball-Reference, Randle was just the second player ever to average more than 10 rebounds and 5 assists while shooting over 40% from three-point territory and over 80% from the charity stripe. (The only other player in this exclusive club is Bird, who posted those numbers in 1984-85 en route to winning the Most Valuable Player award.)
Knicks fans inside MSG would serenade Randle with boisterous "MVP" chants nearly every time he stepped to the free-throw line over the last two months of the season.&nbsp;
Randle would finish eighth in MVP voting and be named to the All-NBA Second Team alongside Chris Paul, Damian Lillard, Joel Embiid and LeBron James.&nbsp;
Last summer, fresh off his career year, the Knicks inked Randle to a four-year contract extension worth up to $117 million.
Consequently, expectations were sky-high for Randle and his Knicks entering the 2021-22 campaign...
As we know, New York instead finished the year with a disappointing 37-45 record, failing to qualify for the playoffs for the ninth time in the last 10 years.
While Randle's counting stats were once again solid, his offensive inefficiency and porous defense were crippling. After shooting 41.5% on mid-range jumpers in 2020-21, he converted just 33.3% of his mid-rangers this past season. Of the 66 players who attempted more than 500 jump shots this past season, Randle was the least efficient. Every other player in the league who attempted more than three such shots per game converted over 35% &mdash; except for Randle.
Randle also struggled from long distance. After shooting over 41% from behind the three-point arc in 2020-21, that percentage tumbled all the way down to below 31% in 2021-22.
To put Randle's inefficiency in context, consider this: In 2021-22, Randle became the first and only player in NBA history to attempt more than 300 three-pointers and 300 free throws, yet shot below 42% from the floor, below 31% from downtown and below 76% from the charity stripe.
Oh, and his assist average decreased (from 6.0 to 5.1) while committing a career-high 245 turnovers.
Yet, if only his subpar production were an issue, the Knicks front office &mdash; led by team president Leon Rose &mdash; might be far more comfortable bringing Randle back in 2022-23 and hoping he can rebound from a rough year.
However, there are a number of concerns that complicate the situation.&nbsp;
The relationship between the burly power forward and Knicks fans turned toxic at various points over the past six months. During a home game against the Boston Celtics in early January, some New York fans inside Madison Square Garden booed Randle and his teammates after the Knicks fell behind by 25 points. Randle aimed a thumbs-down gesture at the crowd at one point in the fourth quarter. He acknowledged the gesture was directed at the fans after the game (which included a miraculous Knicks comeback, capped by RJ Barrett sinking a miraculous buzzer-beater).
When asked by reporters what it was for, Randle <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/01/06/julius-randle-gives-knicks-fans-thumbs-down-shut-the-f-k-up/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">replied</a>: "To shut the f&ndash;k up."
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WjTuTEQ4r-o" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Unsurprisingly, the relationship remained rocky the rest of the way. As New York piled up losses and Randle continued to miss shots he had made a year earlier, the crowd continued to get on the team's highest-paid player. Making matters worse, <a href="https://tommybeer.substack.com/p/thibs-needs-to-send-a-strong-message?s=w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Randle's lack of effort</a>, especially on the <a href="https://tommybeer.substack.com/p/thibs-needs-to-send-a-strong-message?s=w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defensive end</a>, drew the intense ire of the fan base.
Poor shooting or effort errors (such as giving up an easy bucket because you close out too hard) are frustrating but forgivable. However, New Yorkers won't tolerate consistently failing to box out or hustle back on defense. And, for long stretches this winter, Randle was guilty of such offenses.&nbsp;
Last month, <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/03/29/julius-randle-could-be-forcing-way-off-knicks-in-james-harden-type-of-way/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marc Berman of the New York Post reported</a> that people around the league felt Randle was "acting in a 'James Harden type of way' that suggests he wants a new place of work next season."
Berman <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/03/29/julius-randle-could-be-forcing-way-off-knicks-in-james-harden-type-of-way/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a> that "some NBA sources believe the Knicks will shop Randle for a package revolving around a center if they lose Mitchell Robinson."
Randle has said publicly he wants to remain in New York, but has also stated that his wife and young son were forced to leave their courtside seats at some home games this season due to unwelcome comments from the crowd. Being traded to a new franchise could allow Randle to start fresh and hopefully re-establish himself as an All-Star.
The best resolution for both the player and the team may be parting ways this summer.&nbsp;
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/usatsi_17643895-1_lg.jpg" alt="" width="585" height="390" />
From the Knicks' perspective, trading away an All-Star less than a year after you ink him to a max extension is never ideal. The front office hoped Randle would be a foundational cornerstone for the remainder of his prime. However, New York must acknowledge that this past season was a mess in more ways than one.&nbsp;
Interestingly, one bright spot over the second half of the season was the awe-inspiring play of Obi Toppin. When a sore quad sidelined Randle in late March, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft stepped in and most definitely stepped up. Fans who had been begging for Toppin to see more minutes finally got their wish.
Toppin started each of the Knicks' final five games and averaged 27.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.8 made three-pointers, 2.8 assists and 1.0 blocks. He shot over 55% from the floor, over 46% from downtown and over 86% from the charity stripe. He was one of just seven players to average more than 27 points and 6 boards per game in April. The other six were Jokic, Embiid, LeBron, Luka Doncic, Pascal Siakam and Kevin Durant. (And of this group, Toppin and Doncic were the only players to knock down more than three treys a night.)
While it's foolish to make too much out of relatively meaningless games late in any season, it's impossible to watch Toppin and not recognize he possesses tantalizing upside. And remember, this is the same dude who was named the NCAA National Player of the Year in 2020 due to his dominant play at Dayton, where he averaged 20.0 points to go along with 7.5 rebounds while shooting a scorching 63.3% percent from the field and 39.0% from behind the arc.&nbsp;
Toppin will be due for a contract extension of his own soon, and the Knicks need to determine if he is worth a hefty investment. Trading Randle would open a spot in the starting lineup for Toppin, who is closer in age to the Knicks' young core of Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, etc.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
The issue for New York is that it would have to "sell low" on Randle relative to where his league-wide value was just six months ago. Would the Knicks be content to trade him away if they would only be able recoup around 70 cents on the dollar? On the other hand, would another team be willing to trade for the $100+ million remaining on Randle's contract?
My guess is that the all-around skill set Randle showcased in 2020-21 will be more than enough to entice a few general managers.
Keep in mind that even in a "down year" in 2021-22, Randle averaged 20.1 points, 9.9 boards and 5.1 dimes. The only players to exceed those numbers in each category this season were Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo. In addition, although Randle's contract is certainly not a bargain, it's not an albatross by any means &mdash; even with its 15% trade kicker.&nbsp;
More than 50 players in the league will earn more than Randle next season. A contract averaging around $26 million a year is reasonable for a player with Randle's immense talent and proven durability (he's appeared in 207 of a possible 222 games over the last four seasons).&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Also, the fact that Randle is under team control for at least three more years (he has a player option for 2025-26) would appeal to several teams, especially small-market clubs.&nbsp;
Furthermore, there are always other GMs looking to move their own high-priced players due to positional log jams or salary constraints.
For instance, <a href="https://theathletic.com/3243084/2022/04/11/whats-next-for-lakers-notes-on-nick-nurse-russell-westbrook-and-more/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">multiple</a> league insiders have <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/indiana-intrigue?s=r" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that the Indiana Pacers are "open to trade conversations around Malcolm Brogdon and Buddy Hield this offseason." Brogdon, whose name has been bandied about in trade rumors since Indiana acquired Tyrese Haliburton in February, has three years left on his deal. He and Randle have nearly identical salaries for next season, meaning they could be swapped straight up for each other.&nbsp;
With the Knicks still in desperate need of a point guard, which side would say no to a potential Brogdon-Randle deal?
It's also worth noting that <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10032521-who-will-lead-lamelo-ball-and-promising-hornets-into-their-prime" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report</a> recently reported Charlotte Hornets forward Gordon Hayward is "interested in a change of scenery this offseason." A swap sending Kemba Walker, who is still beloved in Charlotte, and Randle to the Hornets in exchange for Hayward works under the cap. Would Charlotte be willing to include draft capital to get a deal done?
We know the Los Angeles Lakers would love to rid themselves of Russell Westbrook, who has just one year left on his current contract. And if we're thinking outside the box, would the Knicks be willing to consider a reunion with Kristaps Porzings?
The point is, if New York is genuinely willing to make Randle available, the franchise will have plenty of interested parties, which could make for a very interesting offseason.&nbsp;
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!&nbsp;

Tommy Beer analyzes what went awry for Julius Randle in his third season with the Knicks and ponders options for both parties.

Julius Randle and the Knicks should part ways this summer

Every day,&nbsp;BasketballNews.com&nbsp;gives you NBA betting analysis before tip-off. Make sure you subscribe to our daily podcast &ldquo;Nothing But Bets&rdquo; on&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nothing-but-bets/id1589799249" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Apple Podcasts</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6zNxt0NQXPmKuryAdz89m0?si=1038d121100444fd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spotify</a>&nbsp;or wherever you listen to podcasts. This season, &ldquo;Nothing But Bets&rdquo; is up thousands of dollars on PrizePicks.
Without further ado, let&rsquo;s dive into our favorite NBA betting plays for Monday's slate.
Charlotte Hornets vs. Denver Nuggets (-3.5)
<blockquote class="q4-game" data-sport="basketball" data-q4="17e9f58d-4a46-471f-a0dd-1e0dbcdb14f8" data-gid="6167e6b9-6a64-473b-90f3-9af2af05e8b3" data-server="api.quarter4.io">
The Charlotte Hornets have a forecast 69% chance to win against The Denver Nuggets with a spread of -8.5/8.5 and an over/under of 230.0. The Charlotte Hornets are 1 - 0 against The Denver Nuggets in the 2021-22 Season.
&mdash; Monday, March 28th Denver Nuggets @ Charlotte Hornets</blockquote>

<script src="https://s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/quarter4.io-public-assets-ca/widget/v1/embed.js"></script>

This is such an underrated game for Monday&rsquo;s slate with the Nuggets and Hornets squaring off in Charlotte. The Hornets played spoiler on Sunday by beating the Nets in Kyrie Irving&rsquo;s home debut. Meanwhile, Nikola Jokic continues to carry the Nuggets in the Western Conference. In this one, we love the Nuggets simply due to the mismatch Jokic presents against Charlotte&rsquo;s bigs. Expect a monster MVP-type outing from Jokic, so hammer Denver here.
Pick: Nuggets -3.5
PrizePicks Power Play: Nikola Jokic over 27.5 points, LaMelo Ball over 20.5 points, Mason Plumlee over 7.5 rebounds, Aaron Gordon over 5.5 rebounds
Toronto Raptors (-7.5) vs. Boston Celtics
Losing Robert Williams is such a crushing blow to the resurgent Celtics, who now suddenly sit at No. 1 in the Eastern Conference standings. Going up against the Raptors right now is a worst-case scenario for the Celtics, especially with all of the injury concerns. Quietly, Toronto continues to rise in the East. Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet should have their way in this matchup as well. Confidently wager on the Raptors to win comfortably on Monday night.
Pick: Raptors -7.5
PrizePicks Power Play: Pascal Siakam over 22.5 points, Fred VanVleet over 18.5 points, Derrick White over 16.5 points, Grant Williams over 6.5 rebounds
New York Knicks vs. Chicago Bulls (-3.5)
If you&rsquo;re looking for a game to watch with a lot of points, this is the perfect one to place money on from a betting perspective. The Knicks are one of the most inconsistent teams in the NBA, but their duo of RJ Barrett and Julius Randle can keep up when they get going on the offensive end. Chicago is trying to finally find its footing again, and maybe a game in Madison Square Garden is the perfect antidote. Behind big outings from DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, lock in a cover from the Bulls.
Pick: Bulls -3.5
PrizePicks Power Play: RJ Barrett over 24.5 points, DeMar DeRozan over 23.5 points, Zach LaVine over 23.5 points, Julius Randle over 21.5 points
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Make sure to&nbsp;<a href="https://app.prizepicks.com/sign-up?invite_code=News" target="_blank" rel="noopener">check out PrizePicks</a>&nbsp;and use the promo code NEWS when you sign up, and they'll instantly match your deposit up to $100! Also, make sure to listen to "Nothing But Bets" for daily betting analysis on&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nothing-but-bets/id1589799249" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Apple Podcasts</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3rnooUvIsHtvykhPY9Ddt8?si=36d61d2c59a44523" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spotify</a>&nbsp;or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Who are the best bets for tonight's NBA games? Which players should you target in daily fantasy? We've got you covered!

Nyk