Joel Embiid had a strong offensive showing on Friday. On defense, the Sixers started experimenting a bit with how they used him. An Embiid-centric look at another brutal loss for the Sixers in Chicago:
Adam Aaronson
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Hits just keep coming: Hornets’ Kon Knueppel injured in win over Orlando
Apparently, the Charlotte Hornets are battling an invisible Scrooge during the holidays.
Just when things were looking brighter, another dark cloud engulfed the Hornets, shelving one of their most promising prospects.
Kon Knueppel exited the Hornets’ 121-105 win over the Orlando Magic at Kia Center on Friday night with a right ankle injury, further adding to a list of walking wounded that included fellow rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner.
Knueppel was guarding Orlando’s Desmond Bane during a drive to the basket and elevated attempting to block the shot with 1:49 remaining in the second quarter. However, he landed on Bane’s right ankle on the follow-through and Knueppel’s right ankle twisted awkwardly, causing him to come up gingerly.
And it happened after Knueppel tossed in a career-best 16 points in a quarter, torching the nets in the game’s opening 12 minutes.
Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets drives to the basket. Jared C. Tilton Getty Images “I thought it was a good team win by the whole group,” coach Charles Lee said, “and Kon helped us tremendously with the way he started the game. Obviously, we kind of just broke the huddle (just) now, and it sounds like X-rays were negative. We’ll get more information as we get back to Charlotte.”
Considering Knueppel’s strong start, it’s a huge blow for the Hornets. In holding his own in the race for the NBA’s rookie of the year honors, he entered the game posting 19.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists.
He recently became the fastest player in league history to reach 100 made career 3-pointers, shattering the previous record of Utah’s Lauri Markkanen by 12 games.
“The impressive part about Kon is that he is such a good overall player,” Lee said. “I think the threes get highlighted a ton, which they should. … But outside of the shooting, what has been really impressive is what he brings on the defensive end of the floor. The physicality that he plays with.
“I was just telling one of our assistants, ‘How come a lot of our defensive clips are Kon?’ He’s stopping guys and creating turnovers on the ball, so he’s just been really impressive there. And offensively, outside of his shooting, he just makes the right reads. When people run him off the line, he’s showing he can do more.”
Here’s what else the Hornets had to say of note in Orlando:
On Moussa Diabate:
“The thing that’s always impressive about Moussa, it doesn’t matter how much size he’s giving up,” Lee said. “He’s got a motor, he’s got a mindset, he’s got competitiveness, he’s got a relentless attack and I think technique to get a couple of offensive rebounds.”
On signing Clemson product PJ Hall to a two-way contract:
“He brings a competitive spirit to our group, which we are really excited about,” Lee said, “and I think adds versatility on both ends of the court. With his size and his athleticism, he’s shown that he can play in some drop coverage if needed. He can also switch a little bit, and then offensively, another guy kind of like Moussa, where their motor to hit the offensive glass is really impressive.
“And then I think the ability with a little bit of continued work, the ability to stretch the floor with the three. So I think that it’s really an intriguing prospect for us. “
On Liam McNeeley:
“I think that during Liam’s extended stint with the Swarm,” Lee said, “he’s gotten some extended minutes, which is always great with young players. Sometimes, in our rotation, I looked down at the box score and he played five minutes, and those were a great meaningful five minutes for him, but it’s nice when he can go out and play through some mistakes and maybe get 25, 30 minutes and earn a little bit more of an opportunity to play. So, I’ve noticed defensively from him, there’s been a mindset to impact that side of the ball a lot more.
“I think Liam has a really good and high basketball IQ … so a lot of times he’s in the right spots. He just has to add more activity and more physicality behind it to be impactful, and I thought I saw that from his stint in Greensboro. Offensively, I want him to continue to hunt catch-and-shoot threes. … If he starts there, it’s going to open up everything else in his game.”
Roderick Boone
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Lakers get preferred starting lineup back in Christmas clash with Rockets
LOS ANGELES — For the first time in a couple of weeks, the Lakers started their preferred first unit in Thursday’s Christmas Day matchup against the Houston Rockets.
With Luka Doncic and Rui Hachimura back in the lineup after being sidelined because of a lower left leg contusion and right groin injury management, respectively, the Lakers were as close to fully healthy as they’ve been since the Dec. 10 NBA Cup quarterfinal home loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
Doncic and Hachimura started alongside Austin Reaves, LeBron James and Deandre Ayton on Thursday at Crypto.com Arena.
Reaves moved back into the first unit after coming off the bench in his return from a minor calf injury in Tuesday’s road loss to the Phoenix Suns.
“In a perfect world, it gives you just sort of a normal flow in terms of your offensive optionality,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said of the starting lineup. “We still got to monitor AR (Reaves) a little bit with some of his minutes and workload. It’s not that he’s like on a minutes restriction, but we still got to be smart with him because of the nature of his injury versus Rui and Luka’s.”
The Lakers have started the Doncic-Reaves-James-Hachimura-Ayton lineup only seven times, with James missing the first seven games of the season because of sciatica, and every starter missing multiple games since James’ season debut in the Nov. 18 home win over the Utah Jazz.
The Lakers were still without two rotation players in reserve big man Jaxson Hayes (left ankle soreness) and Gabe Vincent (lumbar back strain).
Redick feels the the inconsistent player availability had impacted the team’s ability to hone in its defensive identity.
The Lakers entered Saturday with the No. 28 defensive rating (third worst) across the league since Nov. 23.
“It’s hard to judge,” Redick said. “You asked the other night about that being a factor in trying to execute what your schemes are defensively and not having that continuity. That’s part of. It’s the modern NBA where there’s injuries and then there’s not a lot of ton of time to practice. When you have continuity, you can kind of capture what you’re trying to do and you feel comfortable and good about it.
“The thought I had was this stretch has been like eerily reminiscent of last March for us, where I thought we were playing really good basketball – we still were getting better – but then injuries, then we are playing different lineups. Guys were playing on two-ways a lot and you just don’t seem to have that kind of consistency with what we’re trying to do.”
FINNEY-SMITH BACK
Former Laker Dorian Finney-Smith made his Rockets debut Thursday after missing Houston’s first 27 games while recovering from offseason ankle surgery.
Finney-Smith, 32, arrived in Los Angeles via trade from the Brooklyn Nets in December 2024.
He averaged 7.9 points (44.2% shooting overall; 39.8% from 3-point range), 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 28.8 minutes (43 games) with the Lakers, with his impact often not fully being captured by a box score.
The Lakers were 18-13 before trading for Finney-Smith and went 29-14 in the 43 regular-season games in which he played.
Finney-Smith signed a four-year, $53 million contract with the Rockets in free agency after declining his $15.4 million player option for 2025-26.
“Everybody knows how fondly we feel about Doe,” Redick said. “A number of us, whether it was me being his teammate or [assistant coach] Greg [St. Jean] coaching him prior in Dallas, we knew what we were getting with him.
“And he didn’t disappoint in terms of just being a warrior every single night and doing whatever is required to help win. He’s a player who drives winning without having to take 15 shots or have the ball in his hands.”
Khobi Price
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Cam Johnson injury: Nuggets say forward out 4 to 6 weeks with hyperextended knee
As two Nuggets starters inch closer to a return, another will replace them in street clothes on the sideline.
Cam Johnson is expected to miss at least four to six weeks after hyperextending his right knee Tuesday in Dallas, the team announced before hosting Minnesota on Christmas. Johnson underwent an MRI that revealed a bone bruise on Wednesday — a best-case outcome after a painful landing that could’ve resulted in structural ligament damage.
Still, after another day of assessing the severity of the injury, Denver determined Johnson will be its third starter to miss a stretch of four or more weeks this season. Aaron Gordon (hamstring) and Christian Braun (ankle) have not played in December, with coach David Adelman eyeing an upcoming seven-game road trip as the earliest opportunity for one or both to return from injuries.
Johnson, 29, is averaging 11.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game in his first season as a Nugget. Denver traded Michael Porter Jr. and a future first-round pick for him in June. He started the season in a nasty slump but turned a corner around mid-November, helping the Nuggets to an 10-5 record in games without Gordon and Braun.
In his last 17 games — including Tuesday’s loss in Dallas when he suffered the injury — Johnson was averaging 14.6 points on 52.3% shooting from beyond the arc. He started staggering with Denver’s bench unit more frequently as Adelman tried to navigate the ailing health of his rotation, a tweak that allowed Johnson to grow comfortable by playing with the ball in his hands more.
In the starting lineup, Johnson has been a spacing threat and dangerous off-ball movement shooter next to Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.
Perhaps the biggest looming area of concern regarding Johnson when the Nuggets traded for him was his injury history, which includes a surgery on a right knee in 2022 to repair an injured meniscus. He missed 89 combined regular-season games over the last three years with Brooklyn and Phoenix.
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Bennett Durando
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Terry Rozier Seeks Dismissal of Federal Betting Case
Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier wants a federal judge to throw out the sports betting case against him. The 31-year-old argues that prosecutors have been stretching the law and solely leaning on thin evidence in their attempt to turn a state-level matter into a federal crime.
Rozier Addresses the Supreme Court’s Decisions
In a motion to dismiss dated December 12 and made public this week, the player pointed to a series of US Supreme Court decisions that he said undercut the government’s case.
Rozier, who pleaded not guilty earlier this month, has been away from the team since his October indictment after being charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.
Rozier strongly believes that federal prosecutors are making use of broad statutes in a way is counterintuitive to what the Supreme Court intended them. Namely, to use federal law as a “tool to criminalize conduct traditionally regulated by the states.”
Rozier also pushes back on what he describes as the gap between the government’s public narrative and what the indictment actually alleges.
All On a Game
Despite claims of insider betting and game manipulation, he argues the case boils down to something far more limited. “The indictment alleges something less headline-worthy: that some bettors broke certain sportsbooks’ terms of use against wagering based on non-public information and ‘straw betting,’” the filing says.
The motion emphasizes that the indictment centers on a single game. Prosecutors allege that in March 2023, when Rozier was still with the Charlotte Hornets, he told a childhood friend that he would pretend to be injured and exit a game early.
That friend is also accused of passing the information along to bettors. Rozier left the game in the first quarter and finished with just five points and two assists, well below his usual performance.
A former federal prosecutor told Front Office Sports in October that focusing on one game does not necessarily mean the case is narrow.
“You’re never going to get the full scope in the indictment,” the former prosecutor said. “When you’re talking about a broad conspiracy like this, usually the majority of evidence is not spelled out in the indictment.”
The Ciminelli Example
Rozier’s filing also addressed specific concerns that were raised by prosecutors regarding his decision to pay for his friend’s legal defense.
The government suggested that the arrangement could create conflicts of interest, but Rozier called the claim unfounded.
Central to the motion is a 2023 Supreme Court ruling that overturned convictions in the “Buffalo Billion” case. In Ciminelli v. U.S., the Court unanimously rejected a broad interpretation of wire fraud.
Rozier’s lawyers argue the same logic applies here. “This is the precise theory of fraud that the Supreme Court rejected in Ciminelli,” the motion states.
Taken together, the charges amount to “precisely the kind of overreach the Court has cautioned against for decades,” Rozier argues,
Melanie Porter
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Report: Sixers signing MarJon Beauchamp to two-way contract, waiving rookie Hunter Sallis
Hunter Sallis made seven appearances for the Sixers before being replaced by former first-round pick MarJon Beauchamp.
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Do the Hornets have a run in them? What they said after beating the Wizards
Understanding it was the final appearance together before Christmas and knowing they wouldn’t see each other for at least 24 hours, the Charlotte Hornets still weren’t in the gift-giving mood Tuesday night.
Instead, they doled out a lump of coal to the Washington Wizards.
After turning the ball over far too often in their previous two games, leading to losses, the Hornets took much better care of it against the Wizards. They rode the coattails of an efficient second half fueled offensively by star guard LaMelo Ball and committed a season-low five turnovers, upending Washington 126-109 at Spectrum Center.
With only two days left until Christmas, a young Hornets fan holds a homemade “Merry Swishmas” sign during the game against the Wizards on Tuesday at Spectrum Center. Hornets fans received an early gift with a 126-109 win over the Wizards. Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez mrodriguez@charlotteobserver.com “We played a couple of physical teams the last two games, and I thought we kind of got knocked back by their physicality,” Kon Knueppel said. “I wouldn’t say the Wizards play as physical as the Detroit Pistons or the (Cleveland) Cavs, but I also just thought that we did a good job of playing at our pace and making smarter decisions with the basketball.
“Obviously five total turnovers, it’s pretty good. So we’ll live with that.”
Break up the Hornets, who’re now immersed in their most impressive stretch of the season. They’ve won half of their past dozen games and are creeping up in the Eastern Conference standings, elevating to 12th place. That leaves them currently 3.5 games behind the final play-in tournament spot currently occupied by the Chicago Bulls.
“Yeah, we’re just going to take one game at a time, compete and try to get a win every night,” Knueppel said. “And going forward, I think if we play our brand of basketball and play the way we want to play, we’re going to have a good chance to do that.”
Exactly what’s gotten into the Hornets (10-20) of late? Their head coach has his reasoning.
“I think some of it’s our defensive intensity,” Hornets coach Charles Lee said. “I feel like our defensive continues to get better. The games that we win, our defensive rating is usually in a really good spot. And then offensive, I feel like ever since the game at Brooklyn, we’ve done such a better job of trusting the pass, playing the pass.
“I come up here a lot of games now and I’m talking about how many assists we had on how we made field goals. And it’s a testament to our overall pace. But also guys getting out of screens, our execution in the half court and our execution in the early offense is really good.”
Here are some of the key takeaways from the Hornets’ third win in their past five games:
Welcome back Collin Sexton
That revolving door remains ajar.
Keeping in tune with the usual theme, the Hornets welcomed back one face while having to see another planted on the bench in street clothes — Ryan Kalkbrenner — due to injury. Collin Sexton hadn’t played since coming up gimpy in New York during their Dec. 3 loss to the Knicks, nursing a left quadriceps strain.
Although no one sounded the proverbial alarm at the time, Sexton wound up being sidelined for seven games, putting a dent in the Hornets’ guard depth. But Lee finally had him at his disposal again, summoning the eighth-year pro into the rotation in the first quarter after initially going to Tre Mann to spell Ball.
Hornets guard Collin Sexton loses control of the ball while driving to the basket during the game against the Wizards on Tuesday at Spectrum Center. Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez mrodriguez@charlotteobserver.com Sexton’s numbers in his return won’t blow anyone away — he posted 12 points in 16 minutes — but his imprint can’t always be measured in statistics.
“Just his overall energy and his passion for the game,” Lee said. “We always talk a ton around here about competing and what that looks like. And you can compete in a lot of different ways, but Colin just never stops. I think defensively and offensively, he’s always thinking about how can I win every possession and how can I be impactful in every possession.
“I love the boost that he gave us from a spirit and a competitiveness standpoint. Defensively, he crawls up into guys. He gets a deflection on like one of his first defensive plays where he’s about to blow up a screen, which really helped us because I thought their off ball movement was hurting us a bit.”
Assessing Brandon Miller’s production
Worried about Brandon Miller’s shooting percentage? Lee isn’t
.Despite Miller knocking down only 38.8% overall and 32.7% from 3-point land, the concern level remains low. Miller, who went 8-for-16 against the Wizards, hit half of his attempts or better in two of his previous five games.
It’s a small sign of progress.
“I would say some of the shooting numbers will improve with more time back at the on the court,” Lee said. “I do think sometimes he’s had some shots that are short, which just shows me some of that’s your conditioning and how you’re coming back to the rhythm of the game, having to play intense defense. I think that he has stepped up his defensive mindset, wanting to take on some of the better matchups of the other team.
“I think that we’re seeing his legs get up underneath him. He’s been scoring at a lot higher clip and I think that offensively I’ve just seen him actually develop a more all-around game. We know how much he can score. I’ve been really impressed with how much he’s been passing and finding guys and picking roles or finding guys on his drives and then he’s had some explosive finishes at the rim that show that he’s starting to find his rhythm.”
Hornets guard LaMelo Ball is held back by a teammate as he reacts after being pushed off the court by Wizards’ guard Kyshawn George during Tuesday’s game at Spectrum Center. Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez mrodriguez@charlotteobserver.com Ryan Kalkbrenner not center of attention
That’s two straight games missed by Kalkbrenner. The rookie center had been available for all but one outing prior to sitting out the Hornets’ last two matchups, so he’s really hurting.
Originally listed as questionable against the Wizards before being downgraded two hours prior to tipoff, Kalkbrenner is dealing with a sprained left elbow. His status for Friday’s game in Orlando is uncertain.
“Just obviously got back late (Monday) night and so (Tuesday) was another day for him to come in and get some evaluation and treatment,” Lee said. “Sounds like he’s still just trying to figure out what the plan is going to be for him to return to play. I think after (Tuesday), we’ll have a little bit of a clearer idea of what’s going on with him.”
Roderick Boone
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Nuggets start game on 19-0 run, hold off Utah Jazz in bounce-back win
The Nuggets might’ve been guilty of coasting Monday, but they could afford to coast.
Scoring the first 19 points of the game and leading by 25 after the first quarter, Denver bounced back from its largest loss of the season with a 135-112 blowout win over the Jazz at Ball Arena.
The Nuggets (21-7) haven’t lost consecutive games yet this year. They’re about to play 10 of their next 13 on the road, including a back-to-back Tuesday in Dallas.
Jamal Murray led all scorers with 27 on Monday, but this was a comprehensive team win. Peyton Watson added 20 points on nine shots in his return from a trunk injury that sidelined him for the last two games. Cam Johnson made all six of his 3-pointers. Nikola Jokic had a triple-double five minutes into the third quarter, on his way to 14 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists.
Utah pushed the deficit inside of 20 points a couple of times, but Denver’s dominant start was more than enough to handle business against a division foe.
Jokic started the onslaught with a pair of jump shots. Then Murray and Watson joined in. Watson reached double figures about five minutes into the game. It took Utah another three minutes after that to get to 10 as a team.
Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets makes a three pointer over Keyonte George (3) of the Utah Jazz during the second quarter at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) The Nuggets scored 15 fast-break points in the first quarter alone. They shot 9 of 14 from deep and assisted on 13 of their 15 total made shots. The Jazz put up nine more field goal attempts than Denver in the frame but still trailed 40-15 when the dust settled.
The 19-0 run fell just short of Denver’s season-best 20 consecutive points in a win at Atlanta.
The Nuggets were fresh off their least efficient offensive game under new head coach David Adelman, a 115-101 loss to Houston that featured season-lows in points and field goal percentage (40.2%). They could’ve used some of their shot-making Monday in that slugfest. They converted a season-high 24 buckets outside the arc. It was their third time this year making 22 or more, aided by a 6-for-11 push from Tim Hardaway Jr. off the bench.
He came alive in the second half to hold off Utah’s best comeback efforts. All-Star candidate Lauri Markkanen was back in the Jazz’s lineup after missing the last two games, and he put up 27 points and eight boards in the loss.
“It’s very challenging, not to mention where he shoots the ball from,” Adelman said. “Jokic is like that, too. Once he gets to his spot, that’s it. We just had to deal with Kevin Durant for two games last week, and you have to do your work early with a guy like Lauri. Just with the size and the touch and the way he shoots it, everything has to happen before he can get there. You can’t hope you can contest late with him. Special player, unique player.”
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Bennett Durando
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Lakers make concerning Luka Doncic announcement vs Clippers
Luka Doncic did not return to the court for the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night.
As the Lakers paid a visit to the Los Angeles Clippers, Doncic reportedly suffered a left leg contusion during the first half of the matchup.
Doncic played in 20 minutes. He shot 4-13 from the field, making just one of his six attempts from beyond the arc. Along with his scoring, Doncic came down with five rebounds and produced two assists. He turned the ball over four times.
When the Lakers took the floor in the third quarter, the team started the second-year guard, Dalton Knecht, in Doncic’s spot for the remainder of the game.
Although Doncic’s absence in the second half of Saturday’s game is concerning, the severity of the setback is unclear. The team’s head coach, JJ Redick, will have to address it with an update following Saturday’s game.
For the time being, the Lakers are looking to climb back against the Clippers. Entering the night, both teams have been in very different positions.
The Clippers have been struggling, posting a 6-21 record through the first few months of action. They have shocked the NBA with how much they’ve struggled so far this year.
As for the Lakers, they have been in the playoff picture with a 19-7 record. Despite dealing with key absences at times, the Lakers have found ways to win more often than not. Earlier this year, they had an opportunity to play without Doncic and have held their own in his absence.
Back in October, Doncic was ruled out for three games in a row. The Lakers went 2-1 during that stretch. He missed his fourth game on November 3. The Lakers defeated the Portland Trail Blazers on the road.
Recently, Doncic was out for two straight games due to personal reasons. The Lakers split those games, with a win over the Toronto Raptors and a loss against the Boston Celtics.
Heading into Saturday’s action, Doncic had 20 appearances under his belt. He averaged 35.2 points, while shooting 46 percent from the field and 32 percent from three.
Along with his scoring, the star guard produced averages of 9.1 assists, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game.
For all the latest NBA news and rumors, head over to Newsweek Sports.
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Lakers hope to get Austin Reaves, Deandre Ayton back soon
INGLEWOOD — The Lakers were without three of their normal starters for Saturday night’s road game against the Clippers, but they hope to have two of them back in the lineup as soon as Tuesday’s matchup against the Phoenix Suns in Arizona.
Starting guard Austin Reaves (left calf strain), center Deandre Ayton (left elbow soreness) and forward Rui Hachimura (right groin soreness) were all unavailable on Saturday night.
Reserve guard Gabe Vincent also missed his second game because of lower back tightness.
Marcus Smart, Jake LaRavia and Jaxson Hayes started alongside Luka Doncic and LeBron James for the Lakers on Saturday in light of the injuries.
Coach JJ Redick said the hope is for Reaves and Ayton to be available against the Suns, while the team is hoping Hachimura’s ailment will only keep him sidelined for 3-5 days.
After their matchup against the Suns, the Lakers will host the Houston Rockets on Thursday in a Christmas Day matchup.
Reaves’ absence on Saturday was the third consecutive game he missed because of the calf ailment, while Ayton has missed a pair of games.
Ayton suffered his injury after getting tangled up with Suns center Mark Williams during last Sunday’s road win in Phoenix.
Redick also acknowledged the uncertainty of the timelines for when players might return.
“I never know with these guys, I never know,” he said. “It’s hard to commit to timelines here. A guy wakes up and says, ‘Ah, something’s wrong with me.’ That’s, we got to deal with it. I don’t know, but we hope to have them back soon.
“D.A., Austin, progressing. Hope to have them back soon and then Rui, it’s a new issue that popped up post-Utah game and we’re targeting, or we’re saying it’s 3-5 days.”
IMPACT ON MARGINS
In his previous two games since being back in the rotation, forward Jarred Vanderbilt grabbed 18 rebounds, including 11 on the offensive glass, in 40 minutes.
Vanderbilt acknowledged his presence on the glass has been a priority since playing regular minutes again.
“That’s something I can bring to the table every single night, especially some games (when) we’re not shooting well,” Vanderbilt said. “So it’s a lot more opportunities for offensive rebounds. We’re trying to win that possession battle. If we’re not having a great shooting night, I think having multiple efforts and being able to get more opportunities up on the glass and offensive rebound is gonna just better our chances.”
Vanderbilt’s presence has helped the Lakers have two of their best offensive rebounding games of the season as they focus on winning the margins they typically struggle with.
Despite the ways teams defend Vanderbilt, having the player defending him sag off into the paint and clog up driving/passing lanes, the Lakers have a similar offensive rating (points scored per 100 possessions) with Vanderbilt on the court (118.9) versus when he’s off the court (120.6), according to Cleaning The Glass.
“Over the last couple of games, it’s been the second-effort stuff, the offensive rebounds, giving us more opportunities to score, being decisive when he does get the ball,” Redick said. “We’ve got to play a little bit differently. Post facing, using him as a passer.
“But I do think we’ve had a number of defense-to-offense plays with him on the floor and with that group that started the second and fourth quarter of the last couple of games. And that’s really helped the offense without having to run a play and all that stuff.”
Khobi Price
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Warriors instant analysis: Butler, Curry help Golden State survive Green ejection
Despite large swaths of San Francisco struggling with blackouts as heavy rainstorms moved through the Bay Area on Saturday night, the Warriors’ 119-116 over the Suns was not lacking for juice.
Less than 48 hours after the Suns beat Golden State in a chippy one-point game, the teams squared off again, this time in the Bay Area.
Like many of Golden State’s games this season, it was competitive late into the fourth quarter.
With a minute showing on the clock, Curry brought the ball up with the Warriors leading by just two. Curry hit Gary Payton II, who found Jimmy Butler on the baseline for a contested layup that he turned into an and-1 score and a 115-112 lead.
Devin Booker responded by driving for an and-1 layup of his own five seconds later. Collin Gillespie had a chance to take the lead on an open corner three, but he missed, Brandin Podziemski grabbed a contested rebound, and Steph Curry made two free throws to push the lead back to four.
But Gillespie made it a 117-116 game when his one-legged 3-pointer in the corner went cleanly through the rim. The Suns elected not to foul, and let Steph Curry make a baseline layup with 5.7 seconds remaining. The Suns missed a desperation attempt from midcourt to end the wild game.
Curry scored a team-high 27 and Butler put up 25 points for Golden State, and Will Richard added 20. Booker led Phoenix with 38 points, and Dillon Brooks scored 22.
It was abundantly clear early on that neither side had much love for the other.
There were three technical fouls handed out and one ejection.
Draymond Green was ejected in the second quarter after shoving Gillespie from behind and arguing with the officials afterwards.
Booker also got whacked with a tech for complaining to Pat Fraher’s crew over what he believed to be an uncalled foul on Curry.
Brooks, the longtime Warriors nemesis, and Butler had a brief incident when Butler flung the ball at Brooks after a Warriors bucket, but no technical was called.
The Suns jumped out to a 44-32 lead after one quarter, but the Warriors cut the deficit to 67-64 at halftime thanks to Richard and Butler’s aggression. The Warriors led 93-87 after three quarters.
The Warriors (14-15) will remain in the Bay Area and will welcome the Magic to Chase Center on Monday.
Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers
Steve Kerr has tried quite possibly every lineup combination possible, attempted a multitude of tactics this season, all in aims of finding a way of mitigating the Warriors’ turnover-happy ways.
None of them are working, and nothing he did seemed to work on Saturday night. After giving up 30 points on 20 turnovers on Thursday, Golden State did not benefit from being back home.
The Warriors turned the ball over 13 times in the first half alone, and 20 times overall. Those giveaways led to 15 points for Phoenix.
Will Richard makes most of opportunity
One adjustment Kerr made in rainy San Francisco was giving an unheralded rookie another chance. After starting a dozen games in November and early December, the second-round rookie Richard was a healthy scratch for each of the past three losses.
But with the team in need of a spark, Kerr went back to the kid from Georgia.
He made the most of his first action in almost two weeks when he checked in during the first half in lieu of Buddy Hield. The rookie out of Florida scored 20 points, shooting 6 of 7 in the process, including 4-of-4 on 3-pointers and 4-of-4 from the line.
Jonathan Kuminga out with illness
One game after rejoining the Warriors’ rotation, Jonathan Kuminga remained at home with an unspecified illness. Curry also previously missed time with an illness.
Kuminga rejoined the rotation after three consecutive healthy scratches, and produced two points and four rebounds in 10 minutes of action.
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Nuggets’ Bruce Brown, Rockets’ Kevin Durant are former teammates. Now they have beef.
Bruce Brown and Kevin Durant probably won’t be sending each other Christmas cards.
They played together in Brooklyn for two years. They competed against each other in a playoff series in 2023, when the Nuggets eliminated the Suns in six games. Their relationship as former teammates has “been cool,” according to Brown. Until Dec. 20, 2025.
“I think it’s been cut slow now, after tonight,” Brown said Saturday. “Some words were said that’s a little disrespectful. I can’t wait to see him next time.”
After verbally sparring throughout a chippy NBA game — the Nuggets lost 115-101 to Durant’s Houston Rockets — they continued to throw jabs in their postgame interviews.
Brown told reporters that on separate occasions, Durant said something to him and to another Nuggets player that crossed a line.
“As a man,” Brown said, “there’s certain things you don’t say to another man.”
Durant agrees.
“I definitely wanted to cross the line tonight,” the two-time NBA Finals MVP said, smiling. “That’s basketball. That’s in between the lines. Ain’t no respect. Ain’t no love. Nothing. People don’t show love to me. They cross the line a lot with their physicality. It’s just part of the game. Some people can talk and play. Some people can’t. I had to learn how to talk and play as a player. So I think Bruce is probably learning the same thing.”
Denver Nuggets guard/forward Bruce Brown (11) and Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) get chippy during the second half on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, at Ball Arena in Denver. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post) With 2:40 to go in the third quarter of a tight game between Western Conference title contenders, Brown grabbed an offensive rebound and made a floater. It cut Houston’s lead to 69-62 and prompted a timeout from Rockets coach Ime Udoka.
Brown immediately located Durant, who wasn’t involved in the play, and stared him down.
Both players declined to share the specifics of what Durant had said that offended Brown, but the Nuggets wing claimed Durant’s offensive comments had been ongoing “before and after” that moment.
“He said it before to someone else, and then he said it to me,” Brown said.
“Nothing that should be told to the media,” Durant added. “He knows. He understood. I understood. We know what that is. We don’t need to tell you about it.”
The Rockets pulled away for a 16-point lead by the end of the third quarter. Durant amassed 31 points, six rebounds and five assists in the win, shooting the 3-pointer at a 5-for-6 clip. Brown compiled 12 points and 12 rebounds off the bench for Denver.
“We’re coming in here and playing a championship organization with arguably, in my opinion, one of the top 10 players, five players that I’ve ever seen play basketball, you know?” Durant said, referring to Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. “That’s how much respect I’ve got for these dudes, that I want to get up and bring that energy. Bring that fight. It might go across the line. But that’s basketball sometimes. So Bruce will be all right.”
Durant continued to relish his role as the antagonist throughout the fourth quarter at Ball Arena. He and Tim Hardaway Jr. picked up matching technical fouls after Durant buried a three over the Nuggets guard. A few minutes later, Durant taunted Nuggets coach David Adelman when Adelman was ejected for arguing with the referees.
Then with about six minutes remaining, the eighth-leading scorer in NBA history made another 3-pointer, this time over Jamal Murray. It gave Houston a 98-81 lead. Durant pointed an imaginary gun in the direction of Murray and the crowd then danced down the court.
Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) celebrates a three-pointer during a 115-101 win over the Denver Nuggets during the second half on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, at Ball Arena in Denver. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post) “Somebody in the crowd was talking crazy to me right before that,” he said. “So everybody enjoyed it. People in the stands enjoyed the game. Bruce and Tim Hardaway probably didn’t enjoy it. But I enjoy when we go back and forth. That’s basketball, you know what I’m saying? A lot of people say that’s missing from the game. When I do it, it’s a problem. But it was a fun game. Glad we got the win. I’m not celebrating like it’s the championship, but we lost two in a row (before Saturday). We wanted to win tonight.”
Adelman said he had no issue with how Durant made fun of him after the ejection. Jokic also weighed in on the chirping.
“They can do whatever,” he said. “I think some people like to do that. Some people don’t care. I think some people get their energy from that. So I’m OK. I don’t care.”
Durant has long held deep admiration for Jokic, but he also bickered with Nuggets fans on social media for being too devoted to him during the 2024 Paris Olympics. People from Denver who were rooting for Jokic’s Serbian national team to beat Team USA in the semifinals of the basketball competition, Durant asserted, were “lame.” No basketball player in history has won as many Olympic gold medals as Durant, who has four.
“A lot of people may disagree with me right now, but I feel like (Jokic and I) have a similar mentality with how we approach the work, just the game itself,” he said Saturday, smirking as if he recognized the comparison might irritate Nuggets fans. “And I can sense that from afar. So I always have respect for him. … But when we’re playing against each other, once again, we might cross the line.
“So if that offends you, that’s on you. Next game, I’m sure Bruce will be better from that. But I crossed the line tonight.”
When they were Brooklyn Nets teammates in 2022, Durant got annoyed at an unfiltered comment Brown made to the media about the Boston Celtics, saying that Brown’s blunt criticism gave Boston bulletin board material in a playoff series between the two teams. Brooklyn got swept.
Durant has since been traded twice, going to Phoenix and now Houston. Brown, who won an NBA championship in Denver, reunited with the Nuggets last offseason after two years away.
The Nuggets prevailed in overtime when they hosted Houston last Monday in another emotionally charged game, adding to the tension surrounding the Saturday rematch. Udoka was fined $25,000 by the NBA for his postgame comments about the refs after Monday’s contest, while Adelman also felt the whistle had disadvantaged his team. Jokic and backup big man Jonas Valanciunas both fouled out in the eventual win, leaving Adelman without a center at the end of overtime.
Denver still leads the season series 2-1 after the loss on Saturday. One more regular-season meeting remains on the schedule, but it’s not until March 11, 2026.
“Walking off the court, I was asking when we’re gonna play them again,” Brown said. “… I can’t wait.”
The night before emotions boiled over between him and Durant, Brown was taking in a Colorado Avalanche game at Ball Arena. A loyal supporter of Denver’s NHL team, he said his main takeaway was that “I wish there was fighting” in the NBA. “I wish we didn’t get a fine.”
Would Brown have dropped the gloves on Saturday with Durant if it was kosher?
“I would have thought about it,” he said.
Bennett Durando
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Instant observations: Tyrese Maxey’s superstar surge resumes without Joel Embiid, Sixers nab clutch win over Knicks
When the Sixers and Knicks face off at Madison Square Garden, chaos and intensity typically ensue. That was no different on Friday night.
Adam Aaronson
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Nets coach vows support for Jewish community following Australia Hanukkah attack: ‘A sad day’
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NEW YORK – The Brooklyn Nets paid tribute to the victims of the Sydney Hanukkah massacre in a Hanukkah celebration at the Barclays Center during the team’s game against the Miami Heat on Thursday night.
Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez said that the team’s thoughts and prayers were with the Jewish community.
“Yeah, I mean all our thoughts and prayers (are) with the community, and it was a sad day. You never want to see it, doesn’t matter beliefs, religion,” Fernandez told reporters during his postgame press conference.
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Head coach Jordi Fernandez of the Brooklyn Nets reacts during the first half against the Miami Heat at Barclays Center in the Brooklyn borough of New York City on Dec. 18, 2025. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
“It was sad, it should’ve never happened, and you don’t want to see that anywhere in the world. Anything we can do to show support we will.”
A giant basketball menorah was lit during the game by the 14-year-old nephew of Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who was killed in the Sydney massacre last week. The ceremony was facilitated by the Chabad Teen Network, the world’s largest teen organization.
Fox News Digital spoke with Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky of Chabad World Headquarters, who said the Nets recognizing Hanukkah and celebrating Jewish heritage is one of the things that “makes America great.”
NETS HONOR AUSTRALIA HANUKKAH ATTACK VICTIMS, LIGHT MENORAH DURING GAME
A menorah made of basketballs overlooks the Barclays Center prior to the Brooklyn Nets taking on the Miami Heat in Brooklyn, New York, on Dec. 18, 2025. (Ryan Canfield/Fox News)
“I think that it is really, really incredible to see America in its whole glory, where it stands for what we believe in. And we celebrate our ideals and our traditions, and our holidays, and it’s supported by the Nets, which is an incredible franchise,” Kotlarsky said.
“To be able to recognize and give a voice to many teens who might not be in a Jewish school or might not be in a Jewish (ChaBad), to celebrate their heritage proudly is one of the things that makes America great. One of the things that makes sports, the tool and the vessel that it is, to cross the aisles and empower young people to be proud of who they are.”
The Nets have two Jewish players on their team, Danny Wolf and Ben Saraf, and Kotlarsky said they are inspiring the youth, showing them that they can follow their dreams without compromising their values.
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Brooklyn Nets forward Danny Wolf (2) drives to the basket past Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis (9) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New York, on Dec. 14, 2025. (Heather Khalifa/AP Photo)
Wolf played over 12 minutes in the team’s 106-95 loss to the Heat, scoring eight points while snaring two rebounds.
“People see that no matter where you come from and where your humble beginnings are, you can still be proud of who you are and make it to the top, and you’re celebrated for who (you are). I think the key message, about the whole holiday, is one that we celebrate proudly, that light has infinitely more power than darkness and to have them on the team to be able to say, ‘You’re passionate about basketball, and you can make it,” Kotlarsky said.
“You can celebrate who you are.”
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Kings fall to Trail Blazers 134-133 in nail-biting overtime following last-second free throws
Deni Avdija made two free throws with 1.5 seconds left in overtime for the last of his 35 points, and the Portland Trail Blazers outlasted the Sacramento Kings 134-133 on Thursday night to open a home-and-home set.The teams will meet again Saturday night in Sacramento.DeMar DeRozan hit a jumper with four seconds left to give the Kings a 133-132 lead. With no timeouts, Portland raced down the court and Avdija was fouled by Russell Westbrook. DeRozan’s 3-pointer with eight seconds left forced overtime, completing a 17-2 run in the final 2:28 of regulation.DeRozan led Sacramento with 33 points, with 22 of the points coming in the fourth quarter and overtime. He was 3 of 4 from 3-point range, 10 of 16 overall from the field and made all 10 of his free throws.Avdija was 12 for 19 from the field and made 10 of 12 free throws. The shooting guard also had five assists and five turnovers.Shaedon Sharpe added 26 points for Portland, hitting 4 of 6 3-pointers. Jerami Grant scored 20 points, Donovan Clingan had 19 and Toumani Camara 17.Maxime Raynaud added a career-high 29 points for Sacramento. Westbrook had 20 points and 10 assists. He was 8 of 11 from the field.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
PORTLAND, Ore. —Deni Avdija made two free throws with 1.5 seconds left in overtime for the last of his 35 points, and the Portland Trail Blazers outlasted the Sacramento Kings 134-133 on Thursday night to open a home-and-home set.
The teams will meet again Saturday night in Sacramento.
DeMar DeRozan hit a jumper with four seconds left to give the Kings a 133-132 lead. With no timeouts, Portland raced down the court and Avdija was fouled by Russell Westbrook. DeRozan’s 3-pointer with eight seconds left forced overtime, completing a 17-2 run in the final 2:28 of regulation.
DeRozan led Sacramento with 33 points, with 22 of the points coming in the fourth quarter and overtime. He was 3 of 4 from 3-point range, 10 of 16 overall from the field and made all 10 of his free throws.
Avdija was 12 for 19 from the field and made 10 of 12 free throws. The shooting guard also had five assists and five turnovers.
Shaedon Sharpe added 26 points for Portland, hitting 4 of 6 3-pointers. Jerami Grant scored 20 points, Donovan Clingan had 19 and Toumani Camara 17.
Maxime Raynaud added a career-high 29 points for Sacramento. Westbrook had 20 points and 10 assists. He was 8 of 11 from the field.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
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Nikola Jokic passes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for most assists by center in NBA history as Nuggets beat Magic
For his latest trick, Nikola Jokic dribbled into oncoming traffic and escaped unscathed.
Sometimes after he reels in a defensive rebound, the Nuggets center prefers to launch an aerial attack with one of his long outlet passes. This time, he brought the ball with him up on his usual route up the middle of the floor. Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. trailed him by a step. Up ahead, Tyus Jones veered into his lane from the left, sensing an opportunity to pick the pocket of a lumbering big man.
But Jokic is nimble. Before Jones could cut across his front side, he anticipated the attempted swipe and transferred his dribbling hand with a behind-the-back move that shouldn’t have looked so graceful. Jones whiffed. Carter caught up, but Jokic decelerated to allow him to pass. Then the newly minted best passing center of all time went behind the back again — this time, a dime to Jamal Murray, who finished the play with a lefty floater.
Denver’s stars were just showing off at that point in the third quarter of a 126-115 win over the Magic that wasn’t always so smooth-sailing.
DENVER , CO – DECEMBER 18: Nikola Jokic (15) of the Denver Nuggets passes behind his back as Tyus Jones (2) of the Orlando Magic watches during the third quarter at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Thursday, December 18, 2025. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) It was a monumental night. At 30 years old and 302 days, Jokic passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on Thursday for the most assists by a center in NBA history. Coming into the game, all he needed was six to match Abdul-Jabbar’s career total of 5,660. He finished the evening with 13, highlighting a 23-point, 11-rebound triple-double.
“For those of us that love the history of the game, that one should be wrote about and talked about, and that should be a national story,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said. “Because that’s passing a guy that you could argue — if you just want to go by generations and not, ‘Who’s the best player of all time?’ and all the talk-talk stuff — Kareem is in the conversation. Look at his MVPs. Look at the winning. And our guy tonight from Denver just passed him in a category.”
“This is a time that I can be able to look back and appreciate all the years I’ve had to play this game with him,” Murray said. “It’s special. Passing Kareem in anything is pretty cool. So I think it just speaks to his greatness and how unselfish he is.”
Jokic has also passed other Hall of Famers including Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson on the all-time list this season, now ranking 50th overall in career assists. Next up for him to catch is another legendary passer, Larry Bird. Jokic is 28 away from tying him.
“I always say the assist makes two people happy (instead of one). My coach ‘Deki,’ he always said that,” Jokic said Thursday, paying homage to the late Golden State Warriors and Mega Basket coach Dejan Milojevic.
“Maybe it’s not a splashy pass or whatever,” the three-time MVP continued, “but I think when you make the right play, you’re going to feel good about yourself.”
Adelman was especially adamant about the historical significance of the occasion. He gave Jokic the game ball in Denver’s locker room after the win.
“It’s such a cool thing, because it’s Kareem, who was passed by LeBron (James) as the all-time leading scorer, which puts in perspective who Nikola passed,” Adelman said. “So it’s a celebration of both people. It’s somebody that completely changed the game. The sky hook. The longevity. … I feel like in the modern era, we talk about Tom Brady and all these people. But go look at Kareem. The guy changed his name while he played. The guy plays 20-plus years and, until the very end, was impactful on teams that went to the Finals. So for Nikola to pass him, I think, says a lot. And if we’re going to celebrate what LeBron did, (we should celebrate this also). And I know it’s a different kind of thing because it’s a center, it’s a position. I’ll just keep saying it. Just don’t get tired of this, because it’s unique.”
Jokic is also closing in on Oscar Robertson for second all-time in triple-doubles. Thursday was his 177th, bringing him within four of the iconic guard. He became the first center in league history to average a triple-double last season, and he’s on pace to do so again this year with 29.8 points, 12.4 rebounds and 10.8 assists per game.
Orlando called a timeout after Jokic and Murray combined for that saucy transition bucket in the third quarter. As they sauntered to the huddle, Nuggets assistant coaches Ognjen Stojakovic and JJ Barea could only laugh at the duo’s skill and panache.
DENVER , CO – DECEMBER 18: Assistant coach Ognjen Stojakovic laughs as the Orlando Magic take a timeout during the fourth quarter of the Nuggets’ 126-115 win at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Thursday, December 18, 2025. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) “That’s how kind of we made our staple in that second unit growing up, was just the give-and-go,” Murray said of Jokic’s passing. “… A lot of give-and-go, and you could see his court vision and his fluidity.”
The Nuggets did most of their work Thursday during an astonishing second quarter. They flipped a 47-33 deficit with a 35-7 run that only took the last 6:26 of the first half. Murray scored 20 of his 32 points in the frame. Reserve point guard Jalen Pickett ignited the comeback and was a plus-26 in eight minutes of playing time that quarter.
Both teams were short-handed at Ball Arena. Orlando was fending without Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs. Denver was down three of its best defenders with Peyton Watson (right trunk contusion) ruled out shortly before tip, joining Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon on the shelf.
In Watson’s place, Bruce Brown started his first game as a Denver Nugget since April 9, 2023. David Adelman used 10 of his 11 available players, including Julian Strawther, who was cleared to play earlier this week after missing a month with a back injury.
Orlando mounted mini-comebacks throughout the second half, eventually narrowing a 21-point gap to 121-115 with 90 seconds to go.
Moments earlier during a Nuggets timeout, Ball Arena had displayed a graphic commemorating Jokic’s all-time assists achievement. The crowd greeted him with a round of applause as he returned to the court. Then he treated Denver to one more beauty of an assist, passing out of a double-team with a missile across the court to Cam Johnson in the backside corner. His open 3-pointer sealed the win.
“It’s a celebration of our guy, of a Denver Nugget, and it’s a celebration of NBA history, all in the same place,” Adelman said. “And we all got to be there to see it.”
Bennett Durando
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Prosecutors Flag Conflict as Terry Rozier Pays Friend’s Legal Bills
Prosecutors question whether Rozier created a defense conflict by bankrolling his co-defendant’s attorney in the high-profile fraud case
Federal prosecutors have alerted a judge to what they describe as a “serious potential conflict of interest” involving one of the defendants and close friends charged alongside NBA player Terry Rozier in a federal wire fraud case, according to a letter filed in court this week via EDNY.
Miami Heat guard and accused gambling conspirator Terry Rozier is paying the legal expenses of a co-defendant, creating an untenable conflict of interest, federal prosecutors say. https://t.co/9pP8BAPLb8
— NBC News (@NBCNews) December 17, 2025
In the filing, prosecutors told the court that defendant Deniro Laster’s attorney is being paid by Rozier or entities associated with him, raising questions about whether Laster is receiving “conflict-free” legal advice. The letter, submitted by the US Attorney’s Office for the EDNY, asks the judge to conduct a formal hearing to determine whether Laster understands the risks of continuing with his current lawyer.
According to prosecutors, financial records show Laster has “no meaningful income,” earning roughly $200 per month, and relied heavily on funds from Rozier’s company
“GMB Chronicles,” which reportedly paid him more than $165,000 between 2022 and 2025. Laster’s attorney confirmed that Rozier is, in fac,t paying legal fees in the current criminal case. Rozier’s “GMB Chronicles LLC” houses the “Scary Terry” trademark for athletic shirts and sports gear.Prosecutors argued that such an arrangement could compromise Laster’s right to a lawyer whose sole loyalty is to him, noting that a co-defendant paying another co-defendant’s legal fees can create pressure on the attorney to avoid strategies that might harm the payer. They warned that Laster may be discouraged from considering plea negotiations or cooperation if those options could negatively impact Rozier.
The filing also notes public statements made by Rozier’s attorney on national television, in which he suggested Rozier was innocent and implied that a “childhood friend” acted alone. Prosecutors wrote that the description “plainly refers to Laster,” highlighting a direct contradiction between Rozier’s defense strategy and Laster’s interests. The two are widely known as childhood friends, growing up in Shaker Heights, Ohio, with Laster even living with Rozier at one point.
The government asked the court to hold what is known as a Curcio hearing, a proceeding designed to ensure a defendant understands any conflicts stemming from their attorney’s representation. At such a hearing, judges typically advise defendants of their right to
“conflict-free” counsel, their ability to seek a court-appointed lawyer, and the potential consequences of continuing with a conflicted attorney.Prosecutors said intervention is necessary now to protect Laster’s constitutional rights and to prevent future appeals based on ineffective assistance of counsel.
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Rozier, Laster, and other co-defendants were charged in October 2025 of this year in a federal case alleging a wide-ranging fraud scheme with illegal sports and prop betting. The defendants are due back in court in March of 2026 for the next status hearing.
Lauren Conlin
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