Top Stories

• Jimmy finally gets out of Miami

• Toronto gets their 2nd star to pair with Scottie

• Lakers finally trade for a Center

🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀

Games of the day

Last Night’s Top Games! (link to the box scores of every game from yesterday)

Darius Garland hit a 31-foot 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Cleveland Cavaliers a 118-115 win over the Detroit Pistons on. The Cavaliers, playing without All-Star Donovan Mitchell who missed the game with a shoulder contusion, overcame nine points from Detroit's Cade Cunningham in 11 seconds. Cunningham made it 112-109 with a 3-pointer with 16 seconds left, but Garland hit a free throw to make it a two-possession game. Cunningham made three free throws to pull Detroit within one with 7.3 seconds to go. The Pistons fouled Garland, who made 115-112. Cleveland fouled Cunningham on a 3-point attempt, and he hit all three, tying the game with five seconds left. Garland rushed down the court and hit the winning shot from just inside the center-court logo. Evan Mobley had 30 points for Cleveland and Garland added 25. Cunningham had 38 points, nine assists and seven rebounds.

Victor Wembanyama broke a tie with a free throw with 2.4 seconds left and De'Aaron Fox scored 24 points in his first game for San Antonio, leading the Spurs to a 126-125 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. Fox arrived from Sacramento in a three-team trade Sunday and started in his San Antonio debut as Wembanyama’s new point guard. Wembanyama, who also had 24 points, intentionally missed the second free throw, denying Atlanta the opportunity for an inbounds play. Trae Young missed a last-second 3-pointer. Wembanyama added 12 rebounds. Fox matched his season high with 13 assists. Young had 32 points with 12 assists for Atlanta. Onyeka Okongwu had a career-high 30 points. The Spurs led by 20 points early in the second half but had to withstand the Hawks' comeback attempt. De'Andre Hunter's 3-pointer with less than two minutes remaining pulled the Hawks to 123-121. Young made two free throws to tie it at 123 and hit a jumper for another tie at 125.

🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀

League News

Around the League

• After weeks of back and forth, the Heat agreed to a massive multi-team trade that will send six-time All-Star forward Jimmy Butler to the Warriors in exchange for Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schroder, Kyle Anderson and a protected first-round pick. Schroder and Anderson will be routed to different teams as part of a 5 team deal. Additionally, Butler has declined his 2025-26 player option in order to sign a two-year, $121-million extension that will keep him with the Warriors through 2026-27. The 35-year-old swingman joins his fifth team, where he’ll team with fellow veterans Stephen Curry and Draymond Green in the hopes of lifting the Warriors, who are stuck in 11th place in the Western Conference, back into playoff contention. The Pelicans are sending former All-Star Brandon Ingram to the Raptors in exchange for guard Bruce Brown, center Kelly Olynyk and multiple draft picks, including a first-rounder. With Ingram and Zion Williamson limited to just 32 combined appearances and Dejounte Murray out for the season with a torn ACL, New Orleans finds itself at the bottom of the Western Conference standings at 12-39. Ingram had played well when available, averaging 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists. His production is similar to a pair of his new teammates: Scottie Barnes (20.2 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 6.4 apg) and RJ Barrett (21.6 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 5.7), giving Toronto one of the NBA’s more versatile trios. The Lakers were at it again too, sending rookie guard Dalton Knecht, veteran forward Cam Reddish, an unprotected 2031 first-round pick and a 2030 pick swap to the Hornets for blossoming young center Mark Williams. The Lakers had already been thin up front even before sending Anthony Davis to Dallas. But Williams’ addition helps at least some of that scarcity, giving the Lakers a promising young 7-footer who only just turned 23 in December.

• Injury Updates: James Wiseman tore his achilles and will be out indefinitely. Taylor Hendricks (leg and ankle) suffered a fractured fibia and dislocated ankle and will be out for the season. Isaiah Jackson (achilles) will be out for the season. Chet Holmgren (hip) suffered a fracture and will be out 5-6 weeks. DeAnthony Melton (ACL) underwent surgery and will be out for the season. Grant Williams (ACL) suffered a tear and will be out for the season. Luka Doncic (calf) will be out at least 2 weeks. Larry Nance Jr (hand) will be out indefinitely after surgery. Jared McCain (torn meniscus) will be out for the season. Brandon Miller (wrist) will be out for the season. Donte DiVincenzo (toe) will be out indefinitely. Jalen Johnson (shoulder) will be out for the season. Dejounte Murray (achilles) will be out for the season. We wish all these guys speedy and successful recoveries.

• Trade Updates: The Miami Heat traded Thomas Bryant to Indiana for a 2nd round pick. The Brooklyn Nets traded Dennis Schroder for DeAnthony Melton. The Lakers traded D’Angelo Russell to the Nets for Dorian Finney Smith. Phoenix traded Josh Okogie for Nick Richards. Dallas traded Luka Doncic and Maxi Kleber for Anthony Davis and Max Christie. The Kings traded De’Aaron Fox to the Spurs and received Zach Lavine from Chicago in a 3 team trade. The Clippers traded PJ Tucker and Mo Bamba to Utah for Drew Eubanks. The Kings traded Cidy Cissoko to the Wizards for Jonas Valanciunas. New Orleans traded Daniel Theis to OKC. Milwaukee traded Khris Middleton and AJ Johnson to the Wizards for Kyle Kuzma and Patrick Baldwin Jr. The Heat traded Jimmy Butler to Golden State for Kyle Anderson, Dennis Schroder, a 1st round pick, and Andrew Wiggins. Toronto traded Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, and a 1st round pick for Brandon Ingram.

🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀

NBA MVP Ladder

1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

Last week’s ranking: No. 1
Season stats: 32.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6 assists

His case: Gilgeous-Alexander is fresh off a pair of 50-point games and is the only player to post multiple 50-point games this season. For such a high-volume shooter, his efficiency is impressive (52.8%).

Remember: he’s among the steals leaders and helps inspire OKC’s opportunistic defense. Plus, he has worked much of the season without the aid of a talented big man Chet Holmgren.

2. Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets

Last week’s ranking: No. 2
Season stats: 29.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, 10.1 assists

His case: He’s averaging a triple-double and remains among the league leaders in those three statistical categories. As the season progresses, his staying power will prove a strong argument for him to rise to No. 1. It’s close between him and Gilgeous-Alexander.

Strange thing, though: Denver has lost three straight despite “The Joker’s” dominance. He’ll need his team to perform better to strengthen his case.

3. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

Last week’s ranking: No. 3
Season stats: 31.7 points, 12.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists

His case: “The Greek Freak” and his high-level consistency rolls on. His three most recent games captured the essence of his season: 39 points and 12 rebounds against the Blazers, 35-18 against the Jazz and 36-13 against the Clippers.

The Bucks lost two of those games, although that certainly wasn’t Antetokounmpo’s fault. What Milwaukee does, or doesn’t do, at the trade deadline could determine its East seeding.

4. Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks

Last week’s ranking: No. 5
Season stats: 24.6 points, 13.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists

His case: Towns has been steady all season and wears the unofficial title as Best Center In The East, partly because of his stellar play and, to be fair, partly because former Kia MVP Joel Embiid has struggled with injuries and absences.

Towns and the Knicks managed to handle Jokić and the Nuggets on Wednesday.

5. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics

Last week’s ranking: No. 4
Season stats: 26.7 points, 9 rebounds, 5.4 assists

His case: Tatum remains one of the premier players in the league, all while doing so for an elite team. That said, his play of late has also reflected that of the Celtics as both appear to have hit a wall.

Tatum is averaging 24 points, eight rebounds and 5.4 assists in January, a bit of a decline from previous months. He’ll need to elevate his play to remain in the top five.

The Next 5:

6. Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns
7. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
8. Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
9. Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
10. Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets

🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀

Fantasy Leaders

Cade makes his first appearance in the Top 3

Overtime Thoughts