Latest Basketball News
Rockets Dominate Lakers 119-96 on Dec. 26
Houston Rockets defeated the Lakers 119-96, with Amen Thompson scoring a team-high 26 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Kevin Durant added 25 points and 8 assists on 8-14 FG. Luka Dončić led Lakers with 25 points and 7 assists in the loss. Rockets improve to 18-10, Lakers fall to 19-10.
Spurs Extend Win Streak to Eight, Beat Thunder 117-102
San Antonio Spurs defeated Oklahoma City Thunder 117-102, led by Victor Wembanyama's 19 points and 11 rebounds. All-Star De’Aaron Fox scored a game-high 29 points for the Spurs.
Spurs also feature 2025 Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle in their hot streak.
Knicks Edge Cavaliers 126-124 in Thriller
New York Knicks completed a comeback to defeat Cleveland Cavaliers 126-124 with a wild late sequence. Donovan Mitchell scored 34 points and Darius Garland added 20 points with 10 assists for Cavaliers.
Knicks boost title hopes with the victory.
NBA Christmas Day: Knicks Top Cavs, Edwards Drops 44 in Loss
New York Knicks were big winners on Christmas Day with comeback win over Cavaliers. Anthony Edwards scored 44 points but Timberwolves lost, marking him as a key loser.
Defending champs remain title favorites despite routine wins.
Denver Nuggets Excel in Non-Jokic Minutes
Nuggets show playoff promise with strong play without Nikola Jokic, even without Aaron Gordon for over a month. 89% of non-Jokic minutes feature Gordon off the bench, yet performance remains elite.
This bodes well for postseason depth.
Spurs Rookies Castle and Harper Dominate Together
Spurs lineups with Stephon Castle and Harper boast +23.0 net rating. Trio with Wembanyama hits +51.1 net rating in small sample, outpacing top 2024-25 lineups.
Spurs undeterred by long-range shooting woes.
Mavericks' Rookie Ryan Nembhard Boosts Offense
Dallas Mavericks' undrafted rookie Ryan Nembhard has elevated offense by 12.0 points per 100 possessions since starting Nov. 28. Mavericks stand at 12-20 with 0.0% Finals chance per models.
Cooper Flagg led recent loss to Warriors with 27 points.
Full NBA Slate Set for Dec. 27 Games
Saturday features Kings vs. Mavericks at 5 p.m. ET on KFAA, NBCS-CA, NBA TV. Other matchups include Nuggets at Warriors, Magic at Heat, and more with projected lineups available.
DFS picks and injuries highlighted pre-lock.
Pistons Lead East at 24-6, Face Lakers Dec. 30
Detroit Pistons top Eastern Conference at 24-6 with All-Star Cade Cunningham. They visit LeBron James and Lakers on Dec. 30 for NBC doubleheader.
Lakers at 19-10, Dončić leading scorer.
NBC Doubleheaders Feature Wembanyama, LeBron Dec. 29-30
Dec. 29: Spurs host Cavaliers (Wembanyama vs. Mitchell), then Mavericks at Trail Blazers. Dec. 30: Lakers host Pistons with LeBron on 41st birthday vs. Cunningham.
Nationwide on NBC and Peacock.
Rockets' Young Duo Sengun and Thompson Key to Playoff Hopes
Houston's Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson rank 2nd and 3rd in scoring behind Durant. Both improved this season, Sengun All-Star bound, but struggle scoring away from basket.
Critical for playoff success.
Wizards Rebuild Faces New NBA Draft Restrictions
Washington Wizards' prolonged rebuild risks league changes limiting top-4 picks in consecutive years. Recent picks like Alex Sarr and Tre Johnson lack clear cornerstone status.
Time pressure mounts per Shams Charania report.