Top Stories

• Hawks force OT, beat Celtics in Boston

• KD drops 36 on Detroit

• Jimmy Butler returned to action

• NBA All Star 2025 voting is live!

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Games of the day

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

Dyson Daniels hit a jumper in the lane in overtime and Onyeka Okongwu made two free throws with 11 seconds left, lifting the Atlanta Hawks to a 119-115 victory over the Boston Celtics. Trae Young led Atlanta with 28 points and 12 assists, and Daniels finished with 23 points. Jaylen Brown had 24 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists for Boston. Celtics’ star Jayson Tatum added 23 points after coming into the game listed as questionable with a left shoulder strain. He shot 7 of 21 overall. After putting up 30 points in a victory over Orlando on Friday, Tatum was flexing his shoulder often when he was talking to a trainer during pregame shootaround. He didn’t seem to take many shots and started the game by missing seven of eight. Young hit two free throws to tie it with 3.5 seconds left in regulation and Tatum missed a fallaway as the horn sounded. Tatum also missed a 3 late in OT.

Kevin Durant scored 30 of his 36 points in the second half and the Phoenix Suns defeated the Detroit Pistons 125-121. Devin Booker scored 35 points, his fifth consecutive 30-point outing, as the Suns won for the fifth time in six games. Center Nick Richards made a huge impact in his Suns debut. Richards, acquired in a trade with Charlotte earlier in the week, had 21 points and 11 rebounds off the bench.Richards could be the interior force Phoenix has been seeking to balance its lineup. He's expected to soon move into the starting lineup. Ryan Dunn added 12 points and eight rebounds. Tobias Harris led the Pistons with 21 points, while Cade Cunningham added 20 points and 11 assists. Cunningham, Detroit's All-Star candidate, shot 7 for 26 from the field. Jalen Duren finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds, Malik Beasley scored 14 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Marcus Sasser each had 11.

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League News

Around the League

• Jimmy Butler walked out of the Miami Heat locker room on Friday night wearing a Michael Jordan jersey. It wasn’t a No. 23 jersey. It was a No. 45 — the one Jordan briefly wore when he returned to the Chicago Bulls after coming out of retirement in March 1995. The message was clear: “I’m back.” Butler’s seven-game suspension by the Heat for conduct they deemed to be detrimental to the team is now over and he returned to the Heat lineup for the first time in two weeks, scoring 18 points in Miami’s 133-113 loss to the Denver Nuggets. “This is basketball at this point,” Butler said. “I know what I’m expected to do while I’m here.” The seven-game suspension will cost Butler about $2.4 million, though the National Basketball Players Association has said it will file an appeal. That appeal, if successful, could lessen the financial hit of the suspension or possibly eliminate it altogether.

• 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. Franz Wagner (oblique) has a tear and will be out at least 4 weeks. 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 indefinitely. 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.

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NBA MVP Ladder

1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

Last week’s ranking: No. 1
Season stats: 31.6 points, 6 assists, 2 steals

His case: The good times continue for Gilgeous-Alexander as the Thunder, fresh off a beating of the East-leading Cavaliers, show no sign of slowing down anytime soon. Same for Gilgeous-Alexander as he has dipped under 30 points just twice this month (in blowout wins) and leads the league in scoring and is No. 3 in steals.

And the Thunder schedule lightens up from here, with a pair against the short-handed Mavericks, plus the Jazz, Nets, Blazers and Warriors. All of which provide a chance for Gilgeous-Alexander to put up even bigger numbers.

2. Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets

Last week’s ranking: No. 2
Season stats: 30.6 points, 13.2 rebounds, 9.9 assists

His case: Jokić is dealing with a bum elbow and subsequently is shooting less and therefore scoring less for the Nuggets as of late. However: He’s OK with that last part because his teammates are starting to — finally — play better and rely less on his scoring.

The Nuggets are starting to surge, and if Denver is high in the West standings at season’s end, that can only positively reflect on Jokić’s chances of grabbing another MVP trophy.

3. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

Last week’s ranking: No. 3
Season stats: 31.3 points, 11.8 rebounds, 6.1 assists

His case: Antetokounmpo is averaging 27.3 ppg in January so far, his lowest monthly average of the season. However, that’s more reflective of having to shoot less for the Bucks, who have turned the corner on a season that began slowly and demanded more from Antetokounmpo.

It’s all good — Antetokounmpo is the leading fan vote-getter for the All-Star Game, a sign of respect.

4. Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks

Last week’s ranking: No. 6
Season stats: 25.4 points, 13.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists

His case: Towns is dealing with wrist and thumb issues and had to sit a game; neither injury is considered serious enough to bench him for an extended period.

Otherwise, the consistently high-level performances by Towns keep him high on the Ladder. He went for 30 and 18 against Antetokounmpo and the Bucks before the injury and has a decent chance to be named a starter for the All-Star Game.

5. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs

Last week’s ranking: No. 4
Season stats: 24.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, 4 blocks

His case: Wembanyama continues to issue decent performances although it has been a mixed bag lately, as the Spurs have stumbled in the standings, losers of four of their last five. He’ll need a good stretch to remain in the top five next week.

The Next 5:

6. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
7. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
8. Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets
9. Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
10. Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers

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Fantasy Leaders

KD turned back the clock to take today’s Top spot

Overtime Thoughts