Even as the deficit kept swelling on Saturday night, the Chicago Bulls maintained their resolve against the Portland Trail Blazers.
After allowing 43 points in the second quarter, the Bulls yielded just 17 in the third en route to a 129-121 home win against Portland.
Chicago coach Billy Donovan hopes the commitment and consistency the Bulls showed in erasing a 17-point deficit can be a catalyst. Monday’s visit from the struggling San Antonio Spurs, who begin a nine-game road trip, offers a chance to find out.
In addition to dialing up their defense when they needed it, the Bulls shot 60 percent from the floor and had 32 assists on 48 made baskets.
Chicago’s “Big Three” set the tone as the team won for the third time in four games. Zach LaVine scored 36 points, DeMar DeRozan followed with 27 and Nikola Vucevic had a double-double of 23 points and 11 rebounds.
San Antonio enters on an eight-game losing streak, the team’s fourth skid this season of at least five games.
The Spurs have been idle since Friday’s 137-125 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, which capped an 0-4 homestand.
To San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich, the 76ers’ ability to capitalize off his team’s 18 turnovers proved the deciding factor.
Among the bright spots was rookie Malaki Branham, who scored a season-best 26 points to eclipse his previous high of 22 set two nights earlier.
What’s been the catalyst for Branham’s surge?
Host San Antonio edged Chicago 129-124 on Oct. 28 in the first meeting between the teams this season. Keldon Johnson and DeRozan scored 33 points to pace their respective teams on a night DeRozan surpassed 20,000 career points while playing against his former club.
Seven Spurs finished in double figures.
San Antonio has won four of the past five games between the teams. The Bulls won 120-109 on Feb. 14, 2022.
The Brooklyn Nets can move on without the distraction of Kyrie Irving hanging over them.
The Nets traded the guard on Sunday to the Dallas Mavericks, according to multiple reports, and they will host the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday knowing he is not coming back.
The Nets will receive guard Spencer Dinwiddie, forward Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2029 unprotected first-round draft pick, a 2027 second-round pick and a 2029 second-round pick, according to The Athletic. The Mavericks also received forward Markieff Morris in the deal.
Irving’s three-plus seasons with the Nets ended with him appearing in only 143 of 278 regular-season games as he missed games due to injuries, suspensions and lack of a COVID-19 vaccine. Coach Jacque Vaughn addressed Irving’s trade request on Saturday.
Irving didn’t play Saturday night, with the team citing calf soreness. Without Irving out and Durant missing a 12th straight game due to a sprained right medial collateral ligament, the Nets stormed back for a wild 125-123 victory — three nights after a 139-96 loss at Boston.
The Nets pulled off the comeback while only eight players were available as Ben Simmons (sore left knee) and T.J. Warren (left shin contusion) did not play and Seth Curry (left adductor) and Morris (sore left knee) were injured during the game as the Nets allowed 73 points by halftime.
One of the available players was Cam Thomas, who scored a career-high 44 points on 16-of-23 shooting while playing 29 minutes. Thomas scored 19 points in the fourth, capping the team’s comeback with a go-ahead three-point play with 12.2 seconds left.
The Clippers are 7-2 over their past nine games since losing nine of 11 from Dec. 29 to Jan. 18.
Six of those wins came on the road and four were by seven points or fewer, including Saturday’s 134-128 overtime victory over the New York Knicks. After squandering a 21-point lead in Thursday’s 106-105 loss at Milwaukee, the Clippers blew a 17-point lead to the Knicks, but Nicolas Batum hit a 3-pointer at the horn in regulation. Los Angeles scored 19 points in overtime by hitting 15 free throws.
Leonard led the Clippers with 35 points and made six free throws in overtime. It marked the fifth time in his past eight games Leonard scored at least 30 points, and it came on a night when head coach Tyronn Lue only used eight players.
After a lethargic performance Friday, the Boston Celtics had the rest of the weekend off in order to get energized for a road matchup against the Detroit Pistons on Monday.
The Celtics are at the top of the Eastern Conference standings and face the club at the bottom after both were defeated by the Phoenix Suns over the past few days.
Boston shot 38.7 percent from the field while losing at home to the Suns 106-94. The Celtics have been held under 100 points three times while losing four of their last six games.
The Celtics looked as if Friday’s game required less than a full effort, with the Suns still awaiting the return of Devin Booker from a groin injury.
Boston has played without guard Marcus Smart during their current uneven six-game stretch. The Celtics had a nine-game winning streak before Smart injured his ankle.
The Celtics’ Jayson Tatum, who is averaging 30.9 points, had one of his worst offensive performances of the season against the Suns. Tatum shot 3 of 15 from the field while scoring 20 points, with the total enhanced by his 11 made free throws.
Tatum had no trouble with efficient scoring during Boston’s first two games against Detroit this season. He had 31 points in a 128-112 win over the Pistons on Nov. 9 and 43 points in a 117-108 triumph on Nov. 12.
Detroit lost to Phoenix 116-100 on Saturday. The Pistons, who never led, trailed by double digits most of the second half after the Suns opened the third quarter with an 8-0 run.
The Pistons defeated Charlotte 118-112 the previous night. Detroit lacked the same verve on the second night of a back-to-back and Casey considered it inexcusable.
Saddiq Bey scored a combined 47 points over the weekend while coming off the bench, including seven made 3-pointers. Following a slow start, Bey has increased his scoring average to 15.0 points — third-best on the team among players who have appeared in at least 40 games.
SUNRISE, Fla. – The Toronto Maple Leafs will host the 2024 Honda NHL® All-Star Weekend at Scotiabank Arena, the National Hockey League® announced today. The League’s midseason showcase will include the NHL All-Star Skills™ presented by DraftKings Sportsbook on Friday, Feb. 2, 2024 and the Honda NHL® All-Star Game on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024.
“We are thrilled to bring the Honda NHL All-Star Game back to Toronto for the ninth time, and to shine a spotlight on our current stars in a setting that evokes over a century of League history,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “Toronto fans are among the most knowledgeable and passionate in our game and the city’s rich hockey history dates back to the creation of the sport. What better place to play host to our annual midseason celebration of the best and brightest in the NHL?”
“We are excited and honored to announce the 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend in Toronto,” said Maple Leafs President and Alternate Governor Brendan Shanahan. “We very much look forward to welcoming the game’s biggest stars and treating our fans — and fans from around the world — to a premiere event that showcases all of what Toronto has to offer.”
The roots of the NHL All-Star Game were formed in Toronto. In 1934, Maple Leaf Gardens hosted the ‘All-Star’ game, serving as a benefit fundraiser for Maple Leafs forward Ace Bailey, who suffered a career-ending injury during the 1933-34 season. Thirteen years later, the Maple Leafs hosted the first official NHL All-Star Game in 1947, which called for the defending Stanley Cup champion to play against a selection of All-Stars from the other five teams. The 2024 event will mark the ninth time the Maple Leafs and Toronto host NHL All-Star activities and the first time since 2000.
Further details on the 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend, including ticket information, special events and broadcasting information, will be released at a later date. Fans can sign up to receive news and updates at https://events.nhl.com/event/2024-nhl-all-star-weekend.
Today’s announcement was made by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman prior to today’s 2023 Honda NHL All-Star Game, which will begin at 3 p.m. ET and be broadcast on ABC, ESPN+, Sportsnet, CBC and TVA Sports.
* Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk put on a show in front of his home fans by posting seven points to help the Atlantic Division claim its first 3-on-3 title and earn All-Star MVP honors.
* Mitchell Marner and JustinBieber each shared their excitement for the announcement that Toronto will host the 2024 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend.
* The NHL Morning Skate won’t miss a beat, returning Monday to preview the six-game slate that will include 12 teams returning from both the All-Star break and their bye week. Notes for those games are already available in the Feb. 6 edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates.
OH BROTHER, WHAT A DAY IN SUNRISE!
Panthers leading scorer Matthew Tkachuk (4-3—7) teamed up with his brother, Senators forward Brady Tkachuk (1-4—5), to collect a combined 12 points and help Team Atlantic become the first host division to win a title under the 3-on-3 format.
* The Atlantic Division claimed its first-ever 3-on-3 title and became the first host division to win the tournament since it was introduced in 2016. The Central remains the only division without a 3-on-3 title.
* The Tkachuks both factored on the same goal five times Saturday, including each of the first two tallies to give the Atlantic Division a 2-0 lead in the second semifinal. They became the fourth set of brothers to each factor on the same goal in an NHL All-Star Game, following Daniel and HenrikSedin (2x in 2012), Pavel and ValeriBure (2x in 2000) and Maurice and Henri Richard (1x in both 1957 & 1958).
* Brady and Matthew became the first brothers since 2012 to play on the same team during an NHL All-Star Game and the 11th set overall to skate with the same team at the showcase (the previous 10 All-Star sibling teammates are listed here).
* The brothers, who skated against each other in the 2020 All-Star final in St. Louis, added to a growing list of All-Star memories for the Tkachuk family that date back to when they attended the event to watch their father play.
MATTHEW TKACHUK BECOMES 10TH PLAYER TO WIN ALL-STAR MVP AT HOME
Matthew Tkachuk’s seven-point day equaled the second-highest total in one year under the 3-on-3 All-Star format and helped him become the10th player to claim All-Star MVP honors in his home venue.
* Tkachuk became the second Panthers player to win All-Star MVP, following Pavel Bure at the 2000 event in Toronto. Like Tkachuk this year, Bure also was playing alongside his brother, Valeri Bure, when he received the honor.
* Tkachuk became the fourth U.S.-born player to claim All-Star MVP, following Brock Boeser (2018), Bill Guerin (2001) and Mike Richter (1994). Richter also did so in front of his home fans while representing the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
NHL LEAVES A LEGACY IN FLORIDA, ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR 2024 ALL-STAR IN TORONTO
* As a legacy to the 2023 NHL All-Star Weekend in South Florida, the Panthers and NHL announced they will contribute a joint donation to refurbish and revitalize an outdoor hockey rink at Holiday Park. Florida All-Star forwards Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov, Team Canada teammates Rebecca Johnston and Sarah Nurse, NHL alumni Andrew Ference and Shawn Thornton, and mascot Stanley C. Panther celebrated the donation with kids from the Boys & Girls Club of Broward County at a ball hockey event Saturday morning. Click here to learn more about the Legacy initiative.
* Mitchell Marner and Brendan Shanahan helped announce the League’s midseason showcase will return to Toronto for the first time since 2000, ninth time overall and third time in the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68). While Toronto’s famed Maple Leaf Gardens was home to the first official NHL All-Star Game in 1947, the city’s All-Star roots run deeper as it had previously hosted the first exhibition contest in which a squad of NHL All-Stars had ever been assembled. On Valentine’s Day 1934, a combined total of 22 future Hockey Hall of Fame members participated in a benefit fundraiser for Toronto forward Irvine “Ace” Bailey, who had suffered a career-ending injury during the 1933-34 season. The city also was home to the first ever All-Star MVP presentation, to Toronto’s very own Eddie Shack in 1962.
MARNER HAS SIX ASSISTS AFTER ANNOUNCEMENT OF 2024 ALL-STAR GAME IN TORONTO
After helping make the 2024 All-Star announcement before the game, Maple Leafs forward MitchellMarner proceeded to set a new benchmark for most assists in one year under the 3-on-3 format by tallying 0-6—6 for the Atlantic Division. Entering 2023, the mark stood at five – set in 2019 by Ryan O’Reilly and Roman Josi and equaled in 2020 by Quinn Hughes.
* Marner, who debuted skates that feature his dog “Zeus,” wasn’t the only member of Leafs Nation that was part of the 2024 All-Star announcement as Justin Bieber shared his excitement for the event – saying that there will be “a lot of surprises in store.”
MORE MEMORIES FROM THE 2023 HONDA NHL ALL-STAR GAME
Fall Out Boy wasn’t the only one to “Light ‘Em Up” at FLA Live Arena on Saturday as All-Stars like DylanLarkin, SethJones, Sidney Crosby and Johnny Gaudreau made their mark in #NHLStats: Live Updates.
* Larkin (5-1—6) scored five goals across the two contests, tying Tomas Hertl (5 in 2020) for the most in one year under the 3-on-3 format.
* Jonesfinished the first semifinal with 1-2—3, boosting his career All-Star totals to 6-7—13 (6 GP) to surpass Roman Josi (3-9—12 in 6 GP) for the most 3-on-3 All-Star points by a defenseman.
* Gaudreau (8-7—15 in 10 GP), who notched a hat trick in the semifinals, and Crosby (8-7—15 in 7 GP) each recorded three points to boost their all-time totals in the 3-on-3 format to 15 points, surpassing Connor McDavid (3-11—14 in 10 GP) for the most under the current format.
The Western Conference-leading Denver Nuggets aim for their fourth straight win on Sunday when they visit the Minnesota Timberwolves in Minneapolis for the first of two straight games between the teams.
Denver scored its third consecutive victory in the first leg of a weekend back-to-back on Saturday, cruising at home past the Atlanta Hawks, 128-108.
Jamal Murray erupted for a season-high 41 points in his third consecutive game with at least 32, shooting 7-for-12 from 3-point range.
Murray is shooting 17 of 35 (48.6 percent) from beyond the 3-point arc over his last three games.
Two-time reigning MVP Nikola Jokic recorded his 18th triple-double of the season and third in as many games with 14 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists on Saturday.
The Nuggets’ offense has clicked over the three-game winning streak, producing at least 122 points in each contest. They went for 122 points in their last meeting with Minnesota, a four-point win in Denver on Jan. 18.
Jokic posted a triple-double of 31 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds in that matchup, and Denver did not allow any Minnesota scorer to record more than 18 points — including limiting Anthony Edwards to 16 points, almost nine fewer than his team-leading season average.
Minnesota will look to avoid a repeat in a potential statement game for the recently surging team.
The Timberwolves can wrap up their six-game homestand at 4-2 with a win Sunday, and beating Denver would mean doing so with wins over each of the top three teams in the Western Conference standings.
Minnesota opened the home stretch defeating second-place Memphis 111-100 on Jan. 27, and followed it up the next night by beating third-place Sacramento 117-110. The Timberwolves added a 119-114 overtime win over reigning NBA champion Golden State on Wednesday, but a sluggish second half Friday against an Orlando Magic team near the bottom of the Eastern Conference doomed Minnesota to a 127-120 loss.
A scuffle late in the third quarter resulted in the ejections of five players, including three Timberwolves: Austin Rivers, Taurean Prince and Jaden McDaniels.
Rivers begins a three-game suspension for his involvement in the fracas on Sunday and will also miss the second game between Minnesota and the Nuggets on Tuesday in Denver. Neither Prince nor McDaniels was suspended.
Minnesota fell behind by as many as 22 points in Friday’s loss before D’Angelo Russell and Luka Garza paced a furious but ultimately futile rally. Russell scored 15 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter, while Garza recorded 15 of his 17 points in the final 4:20.
Knicks host Sixers, look to rebound from disappointing defeat
The New York Knicks don’t have time for the type of sleepless night that often can accompany a loss like the one they absorbed Saturday night.
The Knicks will look to bounce back quickly from the disappointing defeat on Sunday night when they host the Philadelphia 76ers in a battle of longtime division rivals.
The Knicks will complete back-to-back home games after overcoming a 17-point, fourth-quarter deficit before falling to the Los Angeles Clippers 134-128 in overtime. The 76ers were off Saturday after defeating the host San Antonio Spurs 137-125 on Friday night.
The loss was the seventh in the past 10 games for the Knicks, who were seconds away from a stunning comeback win. New York took its first lead of the game during a 13-2 run in which Jalen Brunson had a pair of assists and four points, including the floater that extended the hosts’ lead to 115-112 with 18.9 seconds left.
The Knicks had a foul to give but didn’t use it on the Clippers’ final possession. Paul George missed a 27-footer with eight seconds left, but Ivica Zubac grabbed the rebound and began one last push for Los Angeles, which tied the game when George fed Nicolas Batum in the right corner for a game-tying, buzzer-beating 3-pointer.
The Clippers never trailed in overtime, when they scored 15 of their 19 points from the free-throw line. The Knicks opened the extra session by going 0-for-2 from the field with four turnovers in the first four minutes before getting as close as four points in the waning seconds.
The 76ers didn’t play their best Friday but still cruised to their 14th win in 17 games dating to New Year’s Eve. Philadelphia trailed the Spurs — who have lost eight straight and have the third-worst record in the NBA — by as many as seven in the first quarter and faced several small deficits in the second before finishing the half on a 22-14 run to take a 73-61 lead.
While the 76ers led by as many as 23 in the fourth quarter and were never seriously threatened thereafter, James Harden lamented the inconsistency of Philadelphia’s performance.
Joel Embiid (33 points, 10 rebounds) posted his fifth straight double-double for the 76ers, who enter Sunday in third place in the Eastern Conference, two games behind the first-place Boston Celtics.
Philadelphia is 6 1/2 games ahead of the sixth-place Miami Heat, who occupy the last guaranteed playoff spot, and 7 1/2 games ahead of the seventh-place Knicks.
Pelicans ride Brandon Ingram’s breakout into tilt vs. Kings
Brandon Ingram has regained his form, and the New Orleans Pelicans’ long losing streak is over.
Ingram returned from a two-month absence due to a toe injury and struggled offensively for most of his first four games back, which were part of a 10-game losing streak.
But in his fifth game back he scored a season-high 35 points as the Pelicans won for the first time since Jan. 13 by beating the visiting Los Angeles Lakers, 131-126 on Saturday.
The Pelicans will try to win consecutive games for the first time since completing a five-game winning streak on Dec. 30 as they host the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night.
Ingram didn’t score in the first quarter after going to the bench with two early fouls, but he dominated the last three quarters and had six points during his team’s closing 11-6 run.
He missed all three of his 3-point attempts but made 15 of 25 2-point attempts and added five rebounds and four assists.
The Pelicans trailed 106-103 after three quarters but found their defense and outscored the Lakers 28-20 in the fourth quarter.
The Kings couldn’t get over the hump Friday night when they lost to the host Indiana Pacers 107-104 as both teams failed to score in the final two minutes.
Sacramento played without starting point guard De’Aaron Fox, who sat out for personal reasons, and committed seven of its 20 turnovers in the final period.
Davion Mitchell started in Fox’s place and had three points and one assist in 22 minutes before head coach Mike Brown decided to go without him down the stretch.
Shooting guard Malik Monk was the primary ball handler at the end. But he had three turnovers in the fourth quarter, including one with 58 seconds left and the Kings having a chance to tie with a 3-pointer.
Brown took responsibility as Sacramento fell to 2-2 on its season-long seven-game road trip.
This is the first meeting between the Kings and Pelicans this season. They will meet again March 6 in Sacramento and April 4 in New Orleans.
It has been a tough three weeks for the Memphis Grizzlies, who have lost seven of their last eight games while playing through injuries.
The Grizzlies lost Steven Adams to a sprained PCL for at least a month after a West Coast swing to close out January. They also played without Desmond Bane (knee) and John Konchar (concussion) for multiple games during the three-week swoon, affecting the team’s playing rotation.
And when the Toronto Raptors visit Memphis on Sunday evening, the Grizzlies will be without starter Dillon Brooks, who was suspended for the game for striking Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell during an altercation in a 128-113 road loss to the Cavaliers on Thursday.
With Adams and Brooks out, a combined 23.9 points, 14.9 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game will be missing from Memphis’ starting lineup. Adams’ absence leaves the Grizzlies without the best offensive rebounder in the league.
The good news for Memphis entering its matchup with Toronto is the return of a healthy Bane and the outstanding play of Morant, who recently was named a reserve on the Western Conference All-Star team.
Morant is averaging 27.3 points, 8.3 assists and 5.8 rebounds, while Bane is averaging 21.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists as the duo comprises one of the best backcourts in the NBA.
Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr., a Western Conference All-Star reserve, did not play in the loss to Cleveland due to a thigh bruise that occurred during a 122-112 home loss to Portland on Wednesday. That defeat snapped the Grizzlies eight-game home winning streak.
Jackson (16.5 points, 6.7 rebounds) is expected to return against the Raptors. His presence, especially on defense for Memphis with 3.26 blocks per game, is huge with Adams, and now Brooks, out.
Toronto is coming off a 117-111 road win over the Houston Rockets on Friday behind 32 points from Fred VanFleet, 29 from Gary Trent Jr. and 23 from Pascal Siakam.
Sunday’s game against the Grizzlies will conclude a seven-game road trip for the Raptors, who are 3-3 entering the final stop. They return home to take on the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.
VanFleet, who had his second career triple-double in a 131-128 loss against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, has scored 24 points or more in his last three games. He’s averaging 19.8 points and 6.5 assists this season.
Trent is averaging 18.9 points and is the team-leader in steals (78). Siakam is the Raptors leading scorer (24.8 points) and is hot on the heels of VanFleet for the team lead in assists per game (6.2).
Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland was among the notable snubs when the All-Star reserves were announced earlier this week, but he quickly moved on to more important matters.
Garland remains laser-focused on Cleveland’s playoff push, which continues Sunday against the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis.
The fourth-year pro appeared to have a strong case for the All-Star team, averaging 22.0 points and 8.2 assists for the Cavaliers, who lead the league in defensive rating (109.7).
Garland tallied 32 points and 11 assists in Cleveland’s 128-113 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday.
The game was marked by an altercation in the third quarter after Memphis forward Dillon Brooks swung his hand up and hit Cleveland star Donovan Mitchell in the groin. Brooks was suspended for one game and Mitchell was fined $20,000 for throwing the ball at Brooks and pushing him.
Garland said after the game that the tussle offered a good reminder of the Cavaliers’ identity.
The Cavaliers will look to win two straight for the first time since early January when they visit Indiana.
The Pacers snapped a four-game losing streak with a 107-104 win over the Sacramento Kings on Friday. Buddy Hield made five 3-pointers and scored 21 points, Aaron Nesmith added 17 points, and Myles Turner had 14 points and 13 rebounds.
Indiana coach Rick Carlisle was encouraged by his team’s defensive effort after causing 19 turnovers and holding Sacramento to 43.0 percent shooting.
Indiana split its first two games against Cleveland this season, including a 135-126 victory on Dec. 29. Tyrese Haliburton and Hield combined for 11 3-pointers and 54 points in the win.
The Pacers’ frontcourt received a boost earlier this week with the season debut of center Daniel Theis, who was out while recovering from right knee surgery.
Playing in his second game of the season, Theis had eight points and four rebounds in 15 minutes against Sacramento.
