The surprisingly successful Utah Jazz will be without veteran point guard Mike Conley for at least the next two weeks after he was diagnosed with a sprained knee.
Conley, 35, is averaging just 10.2 points per game this season for his lowest figure since his rookie season back in the 2007-08 season, but his 7.9 assists per game is setting a new career-high.
His leadership and ball distribution have helped the Jazz to 12-6 record – the best in the Western Conference – in a season where they were expected to bottom-out after trading away max-contract talents Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell in the offseason.
During Utah's 118-113 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday, Conley left the game after playing only eight minutes, going down awkwardly with a non-contact knee injury.
Usually a sign of significant damage, Conley dodged a bullet when it was revealed on Sunday by The Athletic's Shams Charania that he had only suffered a knee sprain, and could be back in as little as two weeks.
His absence could lead to increased opportunity for Collin Sexton, who has been relegated to a bench role since arriving from the Cleveland Cavaliers as part of the trade for Mitchell.
Jamaica’s men successfully navigate qualifying round at FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup in Puerto Rico
Jamaica’s Men’s 3x3 Basketball team successfully navigated Thursday’s qualifying round at the FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Drawn in qualifying group B alongside Mexico and Guatemala, they finished with a record of 1-1 to advance.
They lost 13-22 to Mexico before rebounding with a 21-13 win over Guatemala.
They will take on the USA and Argentina in Pool A on Saturday.
Magic savour 'special' Washington triumph after record-equalling ninth straight win
Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero and coach Jamahl Mosley both lauded a "special" night for the team as they equalled the franchise's record winning run by overcoming the Washington Wizards.
Banchero finished with 28 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists, while Franz Wagner had a game-high 31 points as Orlando beat Washington for the second time in two days on Friday, clinching a 130-125 success at Amway Center.
The victory was Orlando's ninth in a row, taking them to 14-5 for the season and matching their longest ever streak, with the team having previously won nine straight in 1994, 2001 and 2010-11.
Orlando are one of just two NBA franchises – along with the Indiana Pacers – to never enjoy a double-digit winning run, but they have the chance to do so for the first time when they visit the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday.
"It's pretty special," Banchero said of the team's run, which began with the first of back-to-back road wins over the Chicago Bulls on November 15.
"Eventually I think a loss is going to come, but we just want to keep it rolling for as long as we can.
"But you're not surprised when you do something like this because we've got great chemistry and we play really well together."
Orlando are up to second in the Eastern Conference, with only the 15-4 Boston Celtics and the 14-4 Minnesota Timberwolves boasting better records across the entire league.
Head coach Mosley said: "It's a big time for this group, but more importantly, I think it's a big time for the fans and the organisation.
"There's an energy, there's a vibe, a buzz about this group, and our guys are doing a good job of embracing it, not getting too high or too low but being able to register that this is something special."
Jamaica women through to quarterfinals of FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup in Puerto Rico
Jamaica’s women’s basketball team has advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2023 FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The Jamaicans got through qualifying on Thursday’s opening day with a pair of dominant wins over Nicaragua (21-1) and the Cayman Islands (22-3), respectively, while suffering a narrow 14-22 defeat to Colombia in between those games.
Friday saw them go 1-1 in Pool D play, losing to Puerto Rico 14-16 in overtime before beating Mexico 16-14, to advance to the quarterfinals.
They will tackle Brazil in the quarters on Saturday afternoon.
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