National Basketball Association

National Basketball Association

Entering the matchup against his former team, Durant needed four points to hit the 31,000-point milestone. He got there with a pair of free throws and the mid-range jumper on his third attempt of the night. Just two nights before, Durant lamented missing out on the opportunity join the company of 31,000-point scorers Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki and LeBron during a 121-95 win over the Sacramento Kings.

Paolo Banchero is set to make his return for the Orlando Magic on Friday against the Miami Heat. The Magic star power forward had missed 10 straight games with a left groin strain. Banchero suffered the injury during the Magic's win against the Knicks in New York on Nov. 12. The Magic started playing their best basketball of the season one game before Banchero suffered his injury. They have won seven of the 10 games that Banchero missed.

Green Bay was up by 11 with 3:54 left in the game before Robert Morris launched a late rally. With its lead cut to two with 35.7 seconds to go, Green Bay was called for a 10-second violation when it couldn't advance the ball past midcourt. After Robert Morris hit a go-ahead 3 and Green Bay went 1-of-2 from the free throw line to tie the score, Nikolaos Chitikoudis scored the winning layup for Robert Morris with 2.4 seconds to play.

It has been a downright terrible opening stretch for the 2025-26 LA Clippers. Between the Aspiration scandal, the ensuing salary cap circumvention investigation involving Kawhi Leonard and this week's messy public breakup with future Hall of Famer Chris Paul, there's been a steady stream of bad news coming from Inglewood. Not to mention the Clippers are 6-16 and 13th in the Western Conference, a disastrous start given a welcome respite by Wednesday's blowout victory over the Atlanta Hawks.

Noah Clowney delivered another breakout performance with 29 points and career highs in free throws made (10) and attempted (12), but it still wasn't enough. The Utah Jazz surged in the fourth quarter to snap Brooklyn's two-game win streak and send the Nets to 5-17 after a 123-110 win. And for most of the night, it looked like Brooklyn had done enough to extend that streak.

"I know I can't be replaced," Stewart told ESPN recently. "I don't say that to be arrogant, but I know I resonate with the city. I was here in the trenches, setting the culture when nobody didn't give a f--- about Detroit."

Duncan Robinson was essentially a backup plan for the Detroit Pistons. That's not meant to sound disrespectful to the former Miami Heat sharpshooter, but if the Pistons were able to re-sign Malik Beasley, they probably wouldn't have brought Robinson into the fold. But their hand was forced with Beasley under investigation for gambling by the U.S. District Attorney's Office, so they signed Robinson to a 3-year, $48 million deal - and have quickly realized that was a great decision.

I'm going to be honest: I don't know if I ever thought about (retiring my jersey), said Williams, who became the eighth alum to have his jersey retired. I want to say it was more just trying to get better every day. I remember when I first got here, I was just really happy to be a Division I player. My mindset was, How much better can I get every day?' and let the chips fall where they fall.

It took no longer than one possession for the G League's best defence to make its mark, as the 905 forced a shot clock violation on their opening defensive possession. That would be a theme throughout the first quarter, as the pair of teams combined for six turnovers in the first six minutes of the game, which wasn't a surprise given these two teams sit top three in the minors in steals and defensive rating.

The iconic Harlem Globetrotters are asking New York to add one more on Dec. 14 their centennial season tipoff. When you think about the historic and seismic things that people still talk about that happened at the world's most famous arena, there aren't many brands able to say they've made it to 100 years touring the world, impacting people's lives, bringing joy, hope and laughter everywhere they go, Globetrotters President Keith Dawkins told amNY.

Coming out of UNC after a freshman season where he displayed all the traits needed to become an elite NBA-level defender, rookie Drake Powell brought plenty of upside and intrigue to the Brooklyn Nets. His offensive game was, and still is, a project, but the impact he's already made on the defensive end is blatant-and his head coach is noticing. Following Brooklyn's first win at the Barclays Center of the 2025-26 campaign, a 116-103 victory over the Charlotte Hornets, Head Coach Jordi Fernandez praised the 20-year-old's knack for making the plays that don't show up on a stat sheet.

Alone in Santa Clara's practice gym, Thierry Darlan reaches up and grabs onto the bottom of the net with two left fingers. He crosses his left leg over the right and stands with right hand on hip, looking comfortable and beaming as he ponders all he has endured to reach this very place. A place where he feels at home, across the world from family but with people who have provided that same comfort and support.

Melton suffered a partially torn ACL early last season after a misstep against the Dallas Mavericks on Dec. 11. He said he knew something was wrong at halftime of the game, but he played through it. After tests revealed the partial tear, Melton spent several weeks consulting with doctors before ultimately deciding on season-ending surgery. He had the procedure on Dec. 4, 2024. His season debut on Thursday night will be exactly one year after the surgery.

Pull out your Los Angeles Clippers bingo cards. Anyone have the square marked owner and star player accused of skirting the salary cap through improper means? Go ahead and stamp that one. How about losing 14 of 16 after a hopeful 3-2 start? Mark it. And yes, you can fill in other star averaging nearly 27 a night at age 36 including a 50-piece against the Detroit Pistons, one of the league's best teams.

Davion Mitchell finished with 16 points on a perfect 6-of-6 shooting - with four threes - while dishing 12 assists. The 6-foot-1 guard didn't have just any double-double, either. Mitchell, 27, had the most efficient double-double in NBA History (min. 5 TSA), posting a 133.3 true-shooting percentage, 2.5 percentage points greater than Jalen Smith's 130.8 mark he recorded earlier this season.