Basketball News · LatestTuesday, Jan 6, 2026

Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija is averaging 26.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game this season, joining Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic as the only players posting 25-7-6 averages. The 25-year-old Israeli has emerged as a frontrunner for Most Improved Player and finished fifth in Western Conference All-Star fan voting with over 2.2 million votes. Avdija attributes his breakout to empowerment from former coach Chauncey Billups, chemistry with teammates who celebrate his s...

Devin Booker poured in 33 points, including 20 in the first quarter, to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 129-102 win over the Sacramento Kings on Friday at Mortgage Matchup Center. Dillon Brooks added 18 points and Mark Williams finished with 15 points and nine rebounds as Phoenix built a commanding lead. Collin Gillespie and […] The post Booker scores 33 as Suns cruise past Kings appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points and dished out seven assists to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a dominant 131-94 victory over the depleted Golden State Warriors on Friday at Chase Center. Chet Holmgren added 15 points and a season-high 15 rebounds as Oklahoma City built an early lead and never looked back. The Warriors […] The post Gilgeous-Alexander leads Thunder to 37-point rout of Warriors appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Luka Doncic scored 34 points, including 17 from the free throw line, and added eight assists and six rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers rallied past the short-handed Memphis Grizzlies 128-121 on Friday at Crypto.com Arena. LeBron James contributed 31 points and nine rebounds, leading a dominant fourth-quarter push highlighted by a 12-2 run. Jake […] The post Doncic, James combine for 65 points as Lakers rally past short-handed Grizzlies appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Lakers head coach JJ Redick highlighted his team’s late-game execution following Los Angeles’ 128-121 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday. “I just — our defense has been really good in the clutch,” Redick said, pointing to a series of stops that helped seal the victory. Redick noted the importance of Jaxson Hayes’ presence late […] The post JJ Redick praises Lakers’ clutch defense and energy after win over Grizzlies appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Luka Doncic highlighted the collective effort that fueled Los Angeles’ 128-121 win over Memphis on Friday. “I think we have a lot of people that can close the game. Especially me and Bron, he took over today. Vando hit a big shot, Jake hit a big shot, Jaxson had a big dunk. So it’s kind […] The post Luka Doncic praises teammates and defense after Lakers win over Grizzlies appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Jake LaRavia credited preparation and confidence for his 21-point performance as the Lakers beat Memphis 128-121. “I got going pretty early… the ball was fine to me, especially in that first half, and I was just able to get going and stay aggressive,” LaRavia said. Maintaining confidence through shooting struggles has been key for LaRavia […] The post Jake LaRavia on scoring, defense, and team pride after Lakers defeat Grizzlies appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Memphis head coach Tuomas Iisalo addressed the challenges of containing Los Angeles’ stars after the 128-121 loss at Crypto.com Arena. “We had a very clear game plan… get the ball out of Doncic’s hands and make other guys finish. Only today, those guys shot with a great percentage,” he said. Iisalo noted that Lakers’ mid-range […] The post Tuomas Iisalo reflects on Lakers’ shooting and Grizzlies’ adjustments after loss appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown reflected on Atlanta’s dominance after Friday’s 111-99 loss at Madison Square Garden. “You got to give them a lot of credit. They came in and they’re very physical with us and took us out of what we tried to do offensively,” Brown said. The coach identified paint protection […] The post Mike Brown after Knicks’ loss to Hawks: “I was booing myself inside” appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder highlighted his team’s defensive effort after Friday’s 111-99 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. “I think just playing the style of play that fits us… we’ve got to defend,” Snyder said, noting that rebounding and transition opportunities fueled their offense. Snyder emphasized the importance of […] The post Quin Snyder praises Hawks’ defense and ball movement in win over Knicks appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr described Friday’s 131-94 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder as “a tough night,” noting that his team was disorganized and struggled to compete together. “We weren’t well organized. We didn’t compete well together. Disappointing,” Kerr said following the loss at Chase Center. Kerr acknowledged the challenge of facing […] The post Steve Kerr reflects on Warriors’ struggles in blowout loss to Thunder appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault highlighted his team’s consistency after Friday’s 131-94 victory over the Golden State Warriors. “I thought that was a really consistent effort by the team… from box to wire it was just a really consistent effort,” he said following the win at Chase Center. The Thunder pulled away after […] The post Mark Daigneault praises Thunder’s disciplined effort in rout of Warriors appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

The Boston Celtics travel to Los Angeles to face the Clippers on Saturday, January 3, at Intuit Dome with tipoff at 10:30 p.m. ET. Boston holds a 21-12 record and enters on a two-game winning streak, defeating Sacramento 120-106 on January 1. The Clippers sit at 12-21 but have won six straight, including a 118-101 […] The post Celtics vs Clippers injury report: Who will play on Saturday appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

The Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo could reach a resolution on the star forward’s contract situation this summer, according to Zach Lowe. Speaking on The Zach Lowe Show podcast, Lowe said the most likely outcome will come once Giannis has a clear yes or no on the extension presented this offseason. Lowe added that while […] The post Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Bucks future likely decided this summer appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

During Denver’s game in Cleveland on Friday, NBA on Prime sideline reporter Cassidy Hubbarth shared some optimistic news regarding the health of three key Nuggets players, as relayed by Ryan Blackburn of Mile High Sports. Hubbarth explained that Aaron Gordon, who is dealing with a hamstring issue, and Christian Braun, who is nursing an ankle […] The post Denver upbeat about Nikola Jokic recovery appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Before Friday’s game, head coach David Adelman was asked whether the Denver Nuggets were considering a short-term signing. His response suggested caution more than urgency, indicating the organization is comfortable evaluating what it already has in place rather than rushing to make a move. “Right now, we are who we are,” Adelman said, via Bennett […] The post Nuggets unlikely to pursue 10-day roster addition appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

The Houston Rockets host the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday, January 3, with injuries playing a major role in how this Western Conference matchup could unfold. Tipoff is set for 8:00 p.m. ET at Toyota Center as both teams enter the game on very different trajectories. Houston Rockets comes in with a 21-10 record and a […] The post Rockets vs. Mavericks injury report: Key absences shape Saturday matchup appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Los Angeles Lakers 2024 #17 pick Dalton Knecht says that he actually studied film of his new head coach JJ Redick while playing for Tennessee last year. (via Yahoo! Sports): Reporter: “Back in LA when he met with the media, Rob [Pelinka] said that JJ already had like a whiteboard out and was drawing up […] The post Dalton Knecht: “At Tennessee, I watched a lot of JJ Redick” appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

When Cam Thomas signed his qualifying offer with the Nets in early September, it guaranteed that he would become an unrestricted free agent after this season. Rockets star Kevin Durant believes whichever team signs him this offseason will get a superior talent, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets. “I feel like Cam has a bright future. […]

The Brooklyn Nets continue to struggle whenever Michael Porter Jr. is unavailable, dropping to 0-6 this season in games he has missed. That trend held again as Porter, the team’s top scoring option, was sidelined by illness for the second night of a back-to-back set. Without him, Brooklyn was overmatched by the Washington Wizards, falling […] The post Nets offense collapses without Michael Porter Jr. available appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

The Pistons have issued updates on a trio of injured players, making the following announcements on Saturday (Twitter link): Forward Tobias Harris has been diagnosed with a left hip sprain and will be reevaluated in two weeks. Center Jalen Duren has a sprained right ankle and will be reevaluated in one week. Guard/forward Caris LeVert […]

Trae Young will remain sidelined for Atlanta’s Saturday matchup against the Toronto Raptors, as the lingering bruise to his right quadriceps continues to keep him off the floor. The setback marks a fourth straight absence, stretching his time away as the team prioritizes caution with the nagging injury. Before being shut down, Young had been […] The post Trae Young still unavailable as injury lingers appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

The Nuggets are hopeful both Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon will return from lengthy injury absences for Sunday's game against the Nets.

The Minnesota Timberwolves dominated the Heat 125-115, and Miami’s four-game winning streak on Saturday evening. Anthony Edwards led the Wolves with 33 points, while Naz Reid with 29, and Julius Randle contributed a double-double of 23 points and 10 rebounds. Rudy Gobert also added 13 points and 12 rebounds. The Wolves outscored Miami 19-4 in […] The post Timberwolves snap Heat’s 4-game winning streak appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 ranked prospect in the class of 2025, has committed to play for Brigham Young University next season. The announcement solidifies BYU’s position as an emerging basketball program under first-year head coach Kevin Young. Standing 6-foot-9, Dybantsa is a highly skilled small forward playing his senior year at Utah Prep in […] The post AJ Dybantsa Commits to BYU: Top Draft Prospect Joins Cougars for 2025 Season appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Former Philadelphia 76ers sharpshooter Furkan Korkmaz said that Alperen Sengun is the best center he has played with over Joel Embiid. Turkey outlasted Poland with a 91-77 victory, where the Turkey star Sengun hit a triple-double with 19 points, 12 boards, and 10 assists in a quarterfinals clash in the EuroBasket 2025. “Until now, I […] The post Furkan Korkmaz takes Alperen Sengun over Joel Embiid appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

James Nnaji, the 7-foot center and 2023 NBA draft pick whose signing drew criticism from coaches across college basketball last month, debuted Saturday, scoring five points with four fouls in Baylor's 69-63 loss to TCU in the Big 12 opener for both teams.

The Washington Wizards have surfaced as a potentially serious trade destination for Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young.

Nuggets star center Nikola Jokić and Knicks standout point guard Jalen Brunson are both second among vote-getters in their respective conferences.

Brown will attempt to record his 10th consecutive 30-point game Tuesday night, which would break Bird's record