#nba

#nba

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Houston Rockets star center Alperen Sengun expressed remorse for repeatedly calling a female referee "a b----" earlier this week, saying that he apologized immediately after the game. The incident, which resulted in Sengun's ejection in Wednesday's 114-93 loss to the Boston Celtics, went viral online in the following days with enhanced audio making his insult to Jenna Reneau clear.

The NBA announced on Saturday morning that rookie Jase Richardson and second-year pro Keshad Johnson will join Jaxson Hayes and Carter Bryant in the competition next Saturday. Richardson, the son of former Warrior Jason Richardson, will look to have the same kind of success as his pops in the hallowed event as a rookie for the Magic. The elder Richardson won back-to-back dunk contests in the early-2000s, but is best known for being a part of the iconic We Believe Warriors.

Jalen Suggs had 15 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for his first career triple-double, Desmond Bane scored 23 points and Paolo Banchero added 22 to lead the Orlando Magic to a 118-98 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night. Playing 29 minutes in his seventh game after missing eight games with a right knee injury, Suggs also blocked four shots and had three steals. Egor Demin led the Nets with a career-high 26 points, shooting 6 of 10 from 3-point range.

LaMelo Ball is for once an aptonym, Brandon Miller is playing like Paul George (laudatory) instead of playing like Paul George (derogatory), and Kon Knueppel is going nuts from three. It's all working, for what feels like the first time in a decade. So this week on Nothing But Respect, we invited on Mother Jones editor Jacob Rosenberg, because he's a smart, hilarious person and also a Hornets fan.

The increase is being largely driven by the Gen Z population, as basketball is now the 6th most popular sport among the 18-24 year old demographic. Despite there being major continental competitions across Europe like the EuroLeague and EuroCup, basketball is a sleeping giant that is awakening in the UK. This movement is likely to cause a massive shift in the sport's associated betting markets as well, but the big question of whether basketball can break into the mainstream remains.

Michael Porter Jr. and the Brooklyn Nets (13-35) battle the Los Angeles Lakers (29-19) on Tuesday, February 3, 2026 at Barclays Center. The game will start at 7:30 p.m. ET on YES and SportsNet LA. The Lakers are coming off of a 112-100 loss to the Knicks in their most recent game on Sunday. The Nets lost their last outing 130-77 against the Pistons on Sunday.

But while the public gets caught up in the storylines, smart money is focused on the value. By activating the latest DraftKings promo code, new users can exploit this high-profile matchup with a massive leverage play: place a wager of just $5 on this East-West clash, and if your read is correct and the bet wins, you secure $300 in bonus bets.

That doesn't mean that the Raptors cannot be a part of the chaos surrounding Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, however. Just as Barnes and Giannis are similar, so the ideal center to put next to them is a similar archetype, a 3-point bombing, rim-protecting 5 who allows non-shooting, playmaking 4s to maximize their impact. The Bucks have such a player in Myles Turner, and the Raptors need such a player.

NEW YORK -- The NBA has announced new dates for four games as a result of the winter storm's impact on the Memphis and Dallas areas. Poor weather last weekend forced the postponement of two scheduled Sunday games: Dallas at Milwaukee and Detroit at Memphis. The Nuggets-Grizzlies game has been rescheduled for March 18, while the Mavericks-Bucks game now will take place March 31.

The Sacramento Kings (12-36) are heavy, 12-point underdogs as they attempt to turn around a six-game losing streak when they visit the Philadelphia 76ers (25-21) on Thursday, January 29, 2026 at Xfinity Mobile Arena. The matchup airs at 7 p.m. ET on NBCS-PH and NBCS-CA. The matchup has an over/under of 227.5 points. When: Thursday, January 29, 2026 at 7 p.m. ET Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania TV: NBCS-PH and NBCS-CA

The Latest from @HotHotHoops on YouTube (Photo courtesy of the NBA) Here's our game thread! Orlando Magic: Colin Castleton (G-League) OUT Franz Wagner (ankle) OUT Miami Heat: Vlad Goldin (G-League) OUT Tyler Herro (ribs) OUT Davion Mitchell (shoulder) OUT Kel'el Ware (hamstring) AVAILABLE Norman Powell (back) AVAILABLE Terry Rozier (not with team) OUT Orlando Magic: Jalen Suggs, G Anthony Black, G Desmond Bane, F Paolo Banchero, F Wendell Carter Jr.. C

Pick the Bulls (-1.5) to Cover The Bulls are 23-22-1 against the spread this season. In the Pacers' 47 games this season, they have 23 wins against the spread. This season, the Bulls have an against the spread record of 7-13 in their 20 games as a favorite of 1.5 points or more. So far this season, the Pacers have been installed as underdogs by a 1.5-point margin or more 40 times and are 20-20 ATS in those games.