February's Eastern Conference Player of the Month Jalen Brunson will miss a second straight game due to foot soreness.
New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau confirmed Brunson's absence prior to Tuesday's game against the Charlotte Hornets, having been listed as questionable, but eased fears of a long-term absence.
Brunson averaged 23.9 points per game during February, helping the Knicks launch their win streak which currently stands at nine straight victories heading into Tuesday's game.
"Not ready," Thibodeau said about Brunson pre-game. "Much better today but not quite ready, so we'll see where he is tomorrow."
The Knicks point guard was absent for Sunday's thrilling 131-129 double-overtime victory over the Boston Celtics with the same issue, where Immanuel Quickley filled in for Brunson with a career-high 38 points.
Thibodeau added: "I leave that up to the medical staff and the player. I know he'll play if he can play.
"If the medical people and he feels he needs another day, then give him the day. We love our depth. We saw 'Quick' gave us a great game. We have more than enough to win."
Thibodeau said Brunson will be part on the Knicks' upcoming road trip starting on Thursday against the Sacramento Kings.
The Knicks head coach acknowledged Tuesday's game against the 20-46 Hornets was a "trap game" but called on his players to be ready.
"I think every game is a trap game," he said. "It's human nature, you let your guard own a little bit, you're going to slip.
"If you look at Charlotte over their last 10 games, they're 5-5. If we're not ready to play, what happened last game has nothing to do with this game."
Brunson is averaging 23.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 6.2 assists since joining the Knicks this season from the Dallas Mavericks.
Police are investigating whether Ja Morant broke the law when he appeared to be pictured holding a gun in a Colorado nightclub last weekend.
Morant was suspended by the Memphis Grizzlies after he posted an Instagram Live video which seemed to show him brandishing a gun.
The Glendale Police Department confirmed to the Associated Press that the incident is being investigated.
It is not against the law to carry a gun in Colorado, but there are exceptions to the rule, one of which being you must not be in possession of one while under the influence of alcohol.
Morant, the 2022 NBA Most Improved Player, was not seen to be drinking during the footage.
In a statement released to ESPN shortly after his suspension was confirmed, Morant apologised for his actions, saying he took "full responsibility".
"I'm sorry to my family, team-mates, coaches, fans, partners, the city of Memphis and the entire Grizzlies organisation for letting you down," Morant added.
"I'm going to take some time away to get help and work on learning better methods of dealing with stress and my overall well-being."
James Harden was saluted for an "incredible" feat by coach Doc Rivers after becoming the first Philadelphia 76ers player to post 20 assists in a game twice in a season.
After scoring a personal season-high 38 points in the 147-143 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday, Harden made his next game one to remember, too.
He was not so prolific in the points column against the Indiana Pacers on Monday night, with a modest 14 to his name, but 20 assists and nine rebounds helped to guide the Sixers to a 147-143 victory.
It followed his 21-assist game against the Los Angeles Clippers in December. These are the only 20-plus rebound games in 33-year-old Harden's career to date.
Joel Embiid led scorers with 42 points, while Tyrese Maxey (24 points) and Jalen McDaniels (20) also weighed in.
Rivers said of Harden's effort, amid a strong team display: "It's just incredible. The great thing about James overall is he pretty much doesn't turn the ball over a lot, makes smart plays.
"But his passing when he plays like tonight and the other night – the other night he had 30 and 10, tonight he had 14 and 20 – it just makes us so hard to beat with his ability to pass."
Looking at some of Harden's most audacious passing, Rivers said few in the NBA possessed comparable quality.
"Those passes are five-guys-in-the-league, maybe, passes," Rivers said.
Harden joked about Maxey failing to secure him a 21st assist late in the game, as Philadelphia (42-22) consolidated third spot in the Eastern Conference.
"Seriously man, what are we doing? I'm just playing," Harden said.
"But I'm just trying to make plays. Not really efficient scoring the basketball tonight but find other ways to put an impact on the game. I saw some different things, made some good passes and had one turnover and that's because Joel couldn't catch the basketball.
"All in all, I'm just happy to come out with the win."
Quoted by the Philadelphia Inquirer, Harden reflected on twice getting to 20 assists in games this season. He leads the league with an average of 10.8 assists per game.
"It's an unbelievable franchise, man," Harden said. "They got so many great players that have put on a 76ers jersey. To be added to the list is one of those feelings."
Going over 40 for the 11th time this season
Joel Embiid finishes with 42 PTS in the @sixers win on the road! pic.twitter.com/UddGffAIc9
— NBA (@NBA) March 7, 2023
The Cleveland Cavaliers became the first team to collect three overtime wins against the same opponent in one season since 2004-05 after Monday's 118-114 comeback against the Boston Celtics.
Cleveland trailed by 12 at half-time, and 14 at three-quarter time, but clawed back late to force an extra period – thanks to some heroics off the bench from Lamar Stevens and a forgettable trip to the free throw line by Grant Williams.
After not playing a single minute through three quarters, Stevens was injected into the game to start the fourth and ended up not coming out the rest of the way. He racked up eight rebounds, including six big offensive boards, to go with eight points and an assist in the fourth quarter and overtime.
But the game would not have even reached overtime if Williams was able to hit a free throw with 0.8 seconds remaining in regulation, missing both attempts to leave the game tied.
All-Star Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 40 points on 14-of-34 shooting, but after the game head coach J.B. Bickerstaff made it clear who the most valuable player was.
"There is no way we win that game without Lamar," he said. "He changed the tone, the physicality, the effort.
"When we have our conversations with guys, we talk to them about who we need them to be, and how they play to their strengths that impacts this team in the most positive way – and Lamar is a dog.
"He is willing to scrap, he's willing to fight, he's not afraid of the moment. He hit the big three, then he drives down the lane with the physical finish, and every time we needed an extra possession he went and got it.
"I can't say enough of how proud I am of him, and how deserving he is of a ton of credit for us winning this game tonight."
For the second game in a row, Stevens was a recipient of the Cavaliers' 'Junkyard Dog Chain' that they award to the grittiest and toughest performance of the night, and Mitchell highlighted how enormous it was for the undrafted 25-year-old to show up in such a high-pressure environment.
"We couldn't really afford to lose this one," he said. "I don't know what the standings are exactly, but I know we're only a game, or two games [clear in the fourth seed] – so this was important.
"This was huge, they were up the whole game, getting whatever they wanted. We just kind of, as a group, needed that spark, and Lamar [Stevens] came in and gave us one. I just wanted to find ways to do it myself as well, and it led to a win.
"When Lamar speaks, you listen. That's something that you earn. I've only been here a few months, but you can tell that as a locker room and as a group of guys, we trust in him, and his voice, and his leadership.
"When he's out there competing, fighting, screaming, getting buckets and also getting stops, you gotta be out there doing the same thing, because you don't want to let Lamar down.
"That's what he provides for us, he's always been that way, and it's great to see a lot of his hard work starting to come out for everybody to see."
Having earned the second spot up on the post-game media podium alongside Mitchell, Stevens spoke about his mindset about how to help his team win as a role player in limited minutes.
"Coming from where I came from, being undrafted, I don't take any moment for granted," he said. "I always want to be ready for any opportunity that comes my way.
"From what the team asks for me and what J.B. [Bickerstaff] asks from me, it's not just to come out and score big numbers, it's just to impact the game and bring that physicality, and defense, and do the things that I know I can control."
He also touched on why he believes his Cavs have been so effective in overtime situations this season, having come through an extra session unscathed against the Celtics on both October 28 and on November 2.
"I think at the beginning of the year, coach made a huge emphasis on us being the most conditioned team," he said. "I think that's just what we are.
"We're ready when it comes down to winning time, I think we get a little bit closer together, and we're able to pull out some big-time wins by just trusting each other and knowing that we're prepared for that moment."
Mitchell, who is a vice president of the NBA Players' Association (NBPA), also shared some insight into the conversation he had with Williams – the first vice president of the NBPA – before his two crucial misses.
When asked to confirm if Williams told him beforehand that he would make both, Mitchell responded "yeah, he did".
He continued: "We have a [Players' Association] call on Thursday or Friday, so I was just like 'let's just miss one and talk about it, let's see what happens'.
"He gave us both, and I almost lost us the game because I didn't box out Marcus Smart and he came in for the tip, so that's what I'm really thinking about that moment. He missed both free throws, but I have got to be able to box out in those moments.
"I mean, you're just trying to mess with mentally, just see what happens. I have no doubt in my mind that if Grant's in that position tomorrow, or the next day, he'll make both free throws.
"He's a good player, I'm just trying to find a way to get in his head a little bit."
The Cleveland Cavaliers pulled off an unlikely 118-114 home comeback win in overtime on Monday, but not without some help from the visiting Boston Celtics.
Boston, who led 92-78 at three-quarter time, and 102-91 with 4:30 remaining, gave up a 16-4 from that point to allow the Cavaliers to hit the lead with 24 seconds on the clock.
A Derrick White three-pointer put the Celtics back in front by two, before Donovan Mitchell tied things up at 109-109, but the visitors looked poised to get away with their sloppy fourth quarter after Grant Williams was sent to the free throw line with 0.8 seconds left.
After appearing to tell Mitchell "I'll make them both", Williams proceeded to miss both attempts, blowing a golden opportunity and sending the game to overtime.
The Celtics only mustered five points in the extra five minutes, clearly feeling the absence of missing star Jayson Tatum down the stretch, while Mitchell put the finishing touches on his 40-point night.
Cleveland's top scoring option finished 14-of-34 from the field, adding 11 rebounds and four assists, while rising second-year defensive ace Evan Mobley impressed with 25 points (10-of-14 shooting), 17 rebounds and three blocks.
Jaylen Brown did his best to cover for Tatum, finishing with team-highs in points (32), rebounds (13) and assists (nine), and Malcolm Brogdon was strong off the bench with 24 points (eight-of-14 shooting) and five assists.
Boston (45-21) are now two games behind the Milwaukee Bucks in the hunt for the Eastern Conference's top seed, while the Cavaliers (41-26) are also trending towards having home court advantage in the first round, sitting fourth.
Dame carries the Blazers
Damian Lillard produced his second triple-double of the season, and the third of his career, to lift his Portland Trail Blazers to a 110-104 victory on the road against the Detroit Pistons.
The current third-highest scorer in the league at 32.5 points per game, Lillard showed off his all-round skill set as he snatched down 13 rebounds to go with 12 assists and 31 points, shooting 10-of-28 from the field and six-of-14 from deep.
It was also an eye-opening performance from Cam Reddish. The Portland trade deadline acquisition had never registered more than six assists in a game before, but he flashed some impressive playmaking with eight assists, 13 points, six rebounds and two steals in 40 minutes.
The result leaves the Trail Blazers tied with the 10th-seeded Utah Jazz at 31-34 as they try to force their way into the Play-In Tournament.
Harden and Haliburton combine for 36 assists in shootout
In a clash between the league's top two assist leaders, James Harden's Philadelphia 76ers overcame Tyrese Haliburton's Indiana Pacers in a 147-143 shootout.
Harden finished with 14 points (three-of-11), 20 assists, nine rebounds, and just one turnover, becoming the first player in 76ers history to record multiple 20-assist games in one season.
Meanwhile, Haliburton exploded for one of the best games of his career with 40 points (12-of-19), 16 assists and two turnovers.
Joel Embiid carried the scoring load for Philadelphia, leading the way with 42 points (11-of-16 shooting, 19-of-19 free throws) while also forcing elite defender Myles Turner to foul out in just 17 minutes.
Kevin Durant felt "no emotions at all" when facing former team-mate Kyrie Irving in the Phoenix Suns' 130-126 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.
Durant and Irving both joined the Brooklyn Nets prior to the 2019-20 season and endured a mixed spell with the team before the pair were traded away prior to the trade deadline in early February.
Irving was dealt to the Mavericks before Durant was traded to the Suns two days later, setting the pair up to play against each other on Sunday in a repeat of last season's Western Conference semi-finals.
Dallas may have advanced from that series with a 123-90 Game 7 blowout in Phoenix, but it was the Suns who took victory this time as Durant hit the game-winner with 12 seconds left before grabbing the crucial rebound as Luka Doncic could not get an uncontested layup to drop.
Durant scored 37 points while Irving also reached 30, with the Suns forward saying he put emotions to one side when taking on his former colleague.
"[There were] no emotions at all," Durant told reporters at his post-game press conference. "It's another game.
"Like I told somebody earlier. I played most of my career against Kyrie. He was on my team for the last couple of years, but for the majority of my career I played against him, so I know how that feels.
"I just think that we were both locked in on the floor and want to go out there and be the best that we can be. And sometimes you get distracted trying to hang out talking, catching up on old times with a friend.
"So we were both locked in, and I'm glad we got the win."
Durant played 40 minutes for the first time since December 4 as he made it three straight road wins since joining the Suns, hitting 12 of 17 from the field while adding seven rebounds and three assists to help Phoenix move to 36-29 on the season.
It was the type of star-studded game Durant relishes.
He said: "It felt great, being able to play 40 minutes, being in a fourth-quarter game where we had to be locked in all the way to the last possession, that's always fun.
"Playing against two hall-of-fame players on the other side just makes the game even more fun. I'm glad we could come out here and get a win."
Durant is set to make his home debut on Wednesday when the Suns host the Oklahoma City Thunder, and he cannot wait to play in front of his new fans for the first time.
"I'm glad we had a couple on the road to get my feet wet because I know it's going to be loud in there," Durant added. "I'm looking forward to our fans, I know they can't wait to see us out on the floor."
The New York Knicks claimed their ninth straight win on Sunday but top scorer Immanuel Quickley says they are not satisfied.
The Knicks improved their record to 39-27, firming up fifth spot in the Eastern Conference with Sunday's 131-129 double overtime win over the Boston Celtics fuelling the hype surrounding the side.
Quickley stepped into the starting line-up for the absent Jalen Brunson, who was the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for February, before scoring a career-high 38 points showcasing the Knicks' depth.
"We're not satisfied at all," Quickley told ESPN. "We want to continue to get better. We want to continue to make a push down the stretch."
The Knicks are firmly in contention for one of the top four seeds in the East, which would earn them home-court advantage in the first-round of the playoffs.
The Milwaukee Bucks (46-18) and Celtics (45-20) are well out in front in, but the Knicks are closing in on the third-placed Philadelphia 76ers (41-22) and fourth-placed Cleveland Cavaliers (40-26).
Quickley's performance, across a career-high 55 minutes, included making five-of-12 from three-point range with eight rebounds and seven assists, though he was not interested in individual accolades.
"My team-mates did a great job," he said. "I'm really proud of my team. Double overtime against a really good team. You can't ask for better."
The defeat dealt another blow to the Celtics, who have dropped three of their past four games, including two against the Knicks.
Boston had led by 14 points, having allowed the biggest comeback of the season on Friday when the Brooklyn Nets rallied back from 28 points down.
"We're not locking in as much as we need to," said Celtics veteran Al Horford, who missed an attempt for a game-winning three-pointer on the second overtime buzzer.
"This is the second time we've had a lead, we feel good about it and a team makes a run and we let them back in the game.
"Throughout the season you're going to have adversity. We've played pretty good basketball most of the year. This is a time when you tighten up and fix some of these issues or it goes the other way.
"We want to play our best basketball, but this is a part of the season. There's ups and downs."
Celtics guard Derrick White claimed they have lost their "swagger", having surrendered top spot to the Bucks over the past week.
"We've just got to get our swagger back," White said. "Find a way to play with each other, have fun out there. I'm sure we'll get it back here soon."
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
