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Celtics Ice Indiana Pacers

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – Jaylen Brown tossed in a game-high 31 points and added nine rebounds to help the Boston Celtics overcome a 20-point deficit and defeat the visiting Indiana Pacers 103-95 Monday night. Indiana, which led by 20 early in the third quarter, was held to 34 points in the second half and 13 points in the fourth quarter.

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The Celtics received 19 points from Derrick White and a game-high 11 rebounds from rookie Hugo Gonzalez. Pascal Siakam tallied 25 points for Indiana and Andrew Nembhard contributed 20. Bennedict Mathurin added 16 points and nine rebounds for Indiana, which has lost five in a row.

Boston forward Jordan Walsh did not play because of an illness that also prevented him from playing in the second half of Saturday’s 112-96 victory over Toronto. Walsh is averaging 7.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game this season.

Indiana led 30-18 after an Ethan Thompson 3-pointer with 4:25 left in the opening quarter. It was the last of eight straight 3-point shots the Pacers made in the quarter. Boston scored the next eight points, but Indiana led 35-26 after 12 minutes. The Pacers held a 61-41 lead — their largest lead of the first half — with 1:22 remaining in the second quarter. Indiana made 12 of 30 3-point attempts in the first half and led 61-43 entering the third.

Boston coach Joe Mazzulla pulled his starters early in the third, and Boston whittled Indiana’s lead to six points, 74-68, on an Anfernee Simons 3-pointer with 3:15 left in the third. The Pacers led 82-74 after three quarters, but misfired on 11 of their 12 3-point attempts in the stanza. The Celtics took their first lead in the second half on a Brown reverse layup that put Boston in front 85-84 with 7:19 to play.

With the score tied at 91, the hosts outscored their guests, 10-0, capped by a White driving layup with 41.7 seconds remaining.

The Pacers missed 19 of their 20 3-point attempts in the second half. Boston outscored Indiana 52-28 in the paint.

The two squads will meet again Friday in Indiana.

–Field Level Media

Adam Silver: State of the NBA

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LAS VEGAS – (Wire Service Report) – A decision on possible NBA expansion is due next year, and Las Vegas and Seattle are at the head of the line should the league open the door to new franchises, commissioner Adam Silver acknowledged on Tuesday at a media gathering prior to the NBA Cup final.

“It’s not a secret we’re looking at this market in Las Vegas,” Silver said. “We are looking at Seattle. We’ve looked at other markets, as well. I’d say I want to be sensitive there about this notion that we’re somehow teasing these markets, because I know we’ve been talking about it for a while.

“We’re in the process of working with our (existing) teams and gauging the level of interest and having a better understanding of what the economics would be on the ground for those particular teams and what a pro forma would look like for them. And then sometime in 2026, we’ll make a determination.”

The NBA last expanded in 2004 with the arrival of the Charlotte Bobcats as the 30th team. Charlotte previously had a team, the Hornets, that relocated to New Orleans. Seattle hopes to follow a similar pattern, as it lost the SuperSonics to Oklahoma City in 2008.

Las Vegas has never been home to an NBA franchise, but it has close ties to the league as the site of a summer league and as the host of the NBA Cup semifinals and final the past few years.

“I think Seattle and Las Vegas are two incredible cities,” Silver said. “Obviously, we had a team in Seattle that had great success. We have a WNBA team here in Las Vegas in the Aces. We’ve been playing the summer league here for 20 years. We’re playing our Cup games here, so we’re very familiar with this market.”

“I don’t have any doubt that Las Vegas, despite all of the other major league teams that are here now, the other entertainment properties, that this city could support an NBA team.”

Silver addressed other league topics:

–The NBA commissioner said he is closely monitoring the collective-bargaining talks between the WNBA and its players union.

“As I’ve said before, we, the NBA, WNBA collective, acknowledged that our players deserve to be paid significantly more than they have so far based on the increased success of the league, and it’s just a question now of finding a meeting of the minds in terms of what is a fair deal,” he said. “It’s going to require compromise on both sides. I remain optimistic we’ll get something done.”

–The Miami Heat might be granted salary-cap relief related to the absence of Terry Rozier. The guard is on leave after he was charged with alerting gamblers he would leave a game early, allowing them to cash in on prop bets regarding his statistics. Rozier pleaded not guilty in federal court last week.

“We’re going to try to work something through, work this out with them, but there’s no obvious solution here,” Silver said. “I would just say that there’s no doubt at the moment they have a player that can’t perform services for them. … Obviously, he hasn’t been convicted of anything yet either — but this is an unfortunate circumstance. Sometimes there’s these unique events and maybe sometimes they require a unique solution.”

–Silver disputed assertions that the NBA Cup is overloading the players.

“All I can deal with is the data itself, and the data we have so far this season is we have the lowest number of injuries in the last three years,” Silver said.

–Field Level Media

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Spurs Beat OKC in NBA Cup

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LAS VEGAS – (Staff and wire Service Report  – San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama delivered 15 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter in his return from a calf injury and the Spurs earned a spot in the NBA Cup West final with a 111-109 upset of the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night. The Spurs will play the New York Knicks in Tuesday night’s NBA Cup final. The Knicks beat the Orlando Magic 132-120 earlier Saturday in the other semifinal.

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Devin Vassell scored 23 points and De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle added 22 apiece as San Antonio handed the Thunder just their second loss in 26 games this season.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 29 points for the Thunder, who had their franchise-record 16-game winning streak halted. Oklahoma City had not lost since Nov. 5 at Portland.

Wembanyama returned after a 12-game absence and was limited to 20 minutes. He collected nine rebounds and San Antonio outscored the Thunder by 21 when Wembanyama was on the floor. Jalen Williams had 17 points, seven rebounds and four steals and Chet Holmgren added 17 points for Oklahoma City. Alex Caruso had 11 points, eight rebounds and three steals off the bench and Isaiah Hartenstein contributed 10 points and nine rebounds.

The Thunder pulled within 106-105 on a dunk by Gilgeous-Alexander with 14.9 seconds left. Castle made two free throws with 9.8 seconds remaining to give San Antonio a three-point lead. After the Thunder again pulled within one, Vassell made two free throws with 3.3 seconds left to give the Spurs a 111-108 lead.

Williams was fouled and made the first free throw with 1.5 seconds left. He missed the second on purpose but Caruso’s follow sailed behind the basket.

The Spurs made 41.1% of their field-goal attempts, including 13 of 42 from behind the arc, while winning for the 18th time in 25 games this season. Oklahoma City shot 41.3% from the field and was just 9 of 37 from 3-point range.

The Spurs took their first lead at 57-56 on a basket by Fox with 8:45 left in the third quarter. That was part of a 10-0 run that ended with Vassell’s trey to put San Antonio up six with 7:58 remaining. Fox made two free throws with 0.1 seconds to go as San Antonio took a 78-77 lead into the final stanza.

The Spurs were up five in the fourth quarter before the Thunder used a 11-3 push to take a 93-90 edge on Caruso’s basket with 6:47 remaining. At the outset, Oklahoma City jumped out to a 14-4 lead and ended up with a 31-20 advantage after the opening period.

–Field Level Media

Knicks Beat Magic for Trip to NBA Cup Final

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LAS VEGAS – (Wire Service Report) – Jalen Brunson scored 25 of his season-high 40 points in the first half, Karl-Anthony Towns added 29 points and the New York Knicks advanced to the NBA Cup final with a 132-120 victory over the Orlando Magic on Saturday night. OG Anunoby scored 24 points and Mikal Bridges added 16 as the Knicks won their fifth consecutive game to match a season high. New York shot 60.7% from the floor while improving to 9-1 since Nov. 24.

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The Knicks will face the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Cup final on Tuesday here in Las Vegas.

Jalen Suggs scored 26 points and Paolo Banchero added 25 as the Magic lost for the first time in six NBA Cup games while getting eliminated. Desmond Bane scored 18 points and Wendell Carter Jr. had 14 as Orlando lost for the third time in five games overall. Suggs also scored 25 points in the first half while helping to pick up the offensive slack for the Magic without Franz Wagner, who has missed consecutive games with a sprained left ankle. Suggs took just one shot in the second half.

The Knicks have defeated the Magic twice in the past seven days after Orlando won the first two matchups of the season series in November.

The Knicks went on an 8-0 run to close the third quarter while turning a 92-92 tie into a 100-92 lead. The Magic failed to score over the final 2:30 of the third quarter and nearly two minutes into the fourth as New York went on an extended 10-0 run for a 102-92 advantage.

Suggs departed with 7:35 remaining while favoring his left hip and went directly to the locker room as the Knicks held a 108-98 advantage.

Brunson gave the Knicks a 121-110 lead with 2:47 remaining on a step-back jumper to reach 40 points. New York’s Josh Hart (12 points) sealed the victory on a driving layup with 1:20 left for a 125-116 lead.

–Field Level Media

Reeling Raptors Host Celtics

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TORONTO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Toronto Raptors are showing the effects of a grueling stretch in the schedule and there is no letup this afternoon when they host the Boston Celtics. The Raptors have dropped four of five after losing 111-86 to the Charlotte Hornets on Friday.

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The five games have come in a seven-day stretch starting Nov. 29 when they lost 118-111 in overtime at Charlotte to end their nine-game winning streak.

The Raptors are 1-2 to start a five-game homestand with the loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday snapping an eight-game home winning streak.

“Mentally, physically, we’ve got to get away, we’ve got to recharge very quickly for Sunday and a 3:30 p.m. game,” Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic said. “A quick turnaround over here, the schedule is what it is. We’re going to bounce back and find our energy levels and compete.”

The Celtics, meanwhile, romped to a 126-105 victory over the undermanned Lakers on Friday and have won four straight and nine of 11.

They also were playing their fifth game in seven days on Friday.

“I thought we did a good job — tremendous job — of figuring out how to pull out wins,” said Payton Pritchard, who scored 15 points on Friday. “And then in these past two games, we kind of just put our foot on the gas and took care of business. I feel like our team is growing, and we’ve just got to keep growing and keep getting better.”

The Celtics defeated the host Washington Wizards 146-101 on Thursday without Jaylen Brown, who scored 30 against the Lakers.

This will be the first meeting between Boston and Toronto this season. The Celtics won three of four from the Raptors last season with the teams splitting two in Toronto.

The Celtics have made an impressive adjustment to the prolonged absence of Jayson Tatum.

Jordan Walsh is one reason for the Celtics’ surge. He shot 6-for-7 from the field on Friday and is shooting 18-for-19 over the past three games.

He had four 3-pointers and scored 17 points against the Lakers, adding two blocked shots and one steal in 26:17. He posted a team-high box plus/minus of +28.

“He’s been great,” Brown said. “I don’t want to boost his head up too much. I don’t want him to start getting cute. He’s got to still take care of the details. But he’s been doing a good job.”

The Raptors did not get much help from their supporting cast on Friday. Immanuel Quickley scored a season-best 31 points, and Scottie Barnes had 13. No one else had more than Jamal Shead’s nine points. Brandon Ingram, who has been among Toronto’s most consistent scorers, was held to seven points on 3-for-13 shooting. He grabbed nine rebounds.

“Physically, we were worn down,” Rajakovic said. “I’m really proud of our guys tonight. I really thought that we tried. We tried. But when you’re trying and you’re missing layups, and you’re missing wide open shots, it’s hard to keep it up. What I think that we did an outstanding job at was we did not quit. We continued fighting and fighting and fighting.”

Jakob Poeltl, who rested his back injury on Thursday, returned on Friday and had five points and seven rebounds.

RJ Barrett (sprained knee) remained out against Charlotte. Jamison Battle suffered a sprained left ankle early in the fourth quarter on Friday. X-rays were negative.

–Field Level Media

Celtics Cruise Past Lakers

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Jaylen Brown had 30 points, eight rebounds and eight assists to help the Boston Celtics stretch their winning streak to four games by beating the visiting Los Angeles Lakers 126-105 Friday night.

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Brown was one of six Boston players who scored in double figures. The Celtics received 19 points from Derrick White, 17 from Jordan Walsh and 15 from Payton Pritchard. Sam Hauser added 12 points and Neemias Queta finished with 10.

Walsh has made 18 of his 19 shots from the floor over the last three games.

The Lakers played without Luka Doncic (personal reasons), LeBron James (right sciatica and left foot joint arthritis) and Marcus Smart (muscle strain). Doncic is the NBA’s leading scorer (35.3 points per game).

Boston made 24 of its 45 3-point attempts (53.3%). White connected on 5 of 10 3-pointers.

Austin Reaves had a 36-point performance for Los Angeles. Gabe Vincent tossed in 18, and Deandre Ayton had six points and a game-high 10 rebounds.

Los Angeles lost despite making 25 of 29 shots from the free throw line. Boston made 10 of its 12 free throw attempts.

Boston started off hot and had a 39-17 lead after one quarter. The Celtics had their largest lead of the first half after Pritchard made a stepback jumper that put Boston up 56-27 with 7:08 remaining in the second quarter.

The Celtics shot 52% from 3-point territory through the first two quarters (13 of 25) and had a 69-46 halftime lead. The Lakers were 13-of-40 (32.5%) from the floor in the first half.

A 9-0 run trimmed Boston’s lead to 17 points, 85-68, with 5:44 remaining in the third quarter. A Reaves jumper with 8.6 seconds left in the third capped an 8-0 Lakers run that made it 97-82 entering the final 12 minutes, but Boston regained the momentum by scoring the first nine points in the fourth.

Boston has won 9 of its last 11 games.

–Field Level Media

Nets Beat Celtics in NBA Cup

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – Brooklyn’s Michael Porter Jr. scored 33 points and Nic Claxton recorded his first career triple-double, fueling the visiting Nets to a 113-105 victory over the Boston Celtics on Friday to salvage a split of their home-and-home series. Porter sank 13 of 21 shots from the floor — including 4 of 6 from 3-point range — to extend his career-best run of games with at least 20 points to eight in a row. He scored 16 points in the fourth quarter.

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Brooklyn, which avenged its 113-99 home court setback on Tuesday, improved to 1-2 in NBA Cup Group B play. The Celtics, in turn, fell to 1-2.

Noah Clowney scored 19 points and Claxton had 18 to go along with 12 assists and 11 rebounds. Rookie Egor Demin added 12 points, six rebounds and five assists for the Nets, who have recorded all three of their wins this season on the road.

Jaylen Brown collected 26 points and eight rebounds while dealing with foul trouble for the Celtics, and Anfernee Simons added 23 points off the bench.

Boston trimmed a 15-point deficit down to four at 96-94 following a 17-4 run to start the fourth quarter before Demin drained a crowd-silencing 3-pointer with 5:04 remaining. Porter sandwiched shots from the interior along with a 3-pointer to push Brooklyn’s lead to 106-97 with 2:50 to play. Neemias Queta made a tip-in to bring the Celtics within three points at 71-68 midway into the third quarter before the Nets ignited a 19-4 run. Ziaire Williams threw down a dunk in transition to cap the sequence.

Brooklyn capped a 40-point second quarter with an 11-2 run. Demin scored four points during that sequence and recorded a crucial steal and set up a Clowney for a layup with 2.8 seconds remaining to give the Nets a 62-53 lead at halftime. Porter drained a 3-pointer to stake Brooklyn to a 19-12 lead with 5:14 remaining in the first before Boston began a 16-3 run to end the quarter. Payton Pritchard converted three times from beyond the arc and Luka Garza added a 3-pointer during that sequence and the Celtics took a 28-22 lead after 12 minutes.

Brooklyn converted 43 of 82 shots from the floor (52.4%), while Boston attempted eight more shots, but sank one less field goal (42 of 90, 46.7%).

–Field Level Media

Lenny Wilkens, 88

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SEATTLE – (Wire Service Report) – Legendary NBA player, all-star coach, Olympic team coach and champion Lenny Wilkens, one of the few inductees into the Hall of Fame as both a player and coach, died on Sunday. He was 88. Wilkens’ family announced the news but did not divulge a cause of death.

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Wilkens, a nine-time All-Star point guard from 1960-75, was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 1989. He was enshrined as a coach in 1998 and guided the Seattle SuperSonics to the 1979 NBA title and held the NBA victories record of 1,332 when he retired after the 2004-05 season.

Wilkens also was a college star at Providence College in Rhode Island. His No. 14 was retired by the school in 1996 and he was named to the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.

Tom Heinsohn, Bill Russell, Bill Sharman and John Wooden are the other four who were enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame as both a player and coach.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver paid his respects Sunday to Wilkens, who was named to the NBA’s 75th anniversary team in 2021.

“Lenny Wilkens represented the very best of the NBA — as a Hall of Fame player, Hall of Fame coach, and one of the game’s most respected ambassadors,” Silver said in a statement. “So much so that, four years ago, Lenny received the unique distinction of being named one of the league’s 75 greatest players and 15 greatest coaches of all time.

“But even more impressive than Lenny’s basketball accomplishments, which included two Olympic Gold medal wins and an NBA Championship, was his commitment to service — especially in his beloved community of Seattle where a statue stands in his honor.

“He influenced the lives of countless young people as well as generations of players and coaches who considered Lenny not only a great teammate or coach but also an extraordinary mentor who led with integrity and true class.”

Wilkens had career averages of 16.5 points and 6.7 assists in 1,077 career regular-season games as a player and compiled a 1,332-1,155 record a an NBA coach.

Wilkens, a New York native, was selected with the sixth overall pick in the 1960 draft by the St. Louis Hawks. He spent eight seasons with the franchise and made the All-Star team five teams and finished second behind Wilt Chamberlain in MVP voting for the 1967-68 season.

Wilkens was traded to the expansion Seattle SuperSonics before the 1968-69 season and averaged a career-best 22.4 points in his first of four seasons with the team. He made the All-Star team three times and became one of the most popular figures in franchise history. He became player-coach of the SuperSonics and starred as a player while coaching the team for three seasons, including a 47-35 record in 1971-72.

After the 1971-72 season, Wilkens was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers and made his final All-Star squad that season. He played one more season with the Cavaliers before being traded to Portland prior to the 1974-75 season.

He served as player-coach of the Trail Blazers in what was final season as a player. He returned as the team’s coach the following season.

Then he returned to Seattle and topped 50 wins three times in eight seasons. The SuperSonics reached the NBA Finals in back-to-back seasons, losing to Washington in the 1978 finals before beating the Bullets the next season for the title.

Wilkens also coached the Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks in his 32 seasons as a head coach.

Wilkens now ranks third in coaching victories, trailing all-time leader Gregg Popovich (1,390) and Don Nelson (1,335).

In June, a statue of Wilkens was unveiled outside Climate Pledge Arena, the former home of the SuperSonics. The team moved to Oklahoma City after the 2007-08 season.

–Field Level Media

Wash Wizards Always Innovating

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WASH DC – (Staff Report from Official Team News Release) – The Washington Wizards are launching of the “Wizards 529” season ticket plan for the upcoming 2025-26 NBA season. This limited-quantity package offers fans full access to all 41 home games for just $529 – less than $13 per game. Designed as an innovative and affordable season ticket option, the “529 Plan” includes reserved seating in select value sections, along with early access to marquee matchups, exclusive fan events, and loyalty incentives.

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Inspired by both the Wizards’ youth movement and the widely recognized 529 college savings plan, the “529 Plan” encourages fans to invest in the future of D.C. basketball.  Tailored for first-time season ticket buyers, students, families, and young professionals, the package offers an accessible and affordable long-term way to witness the next era of the Wizards, and the growth of the game in the nation’s capital firsthand.

“Our Basketball leadership is building a talented roster for the future, and we want our fans to be part of that journey,” said Hunter Lochmann, Monumental Sports and Entertainment Chief Marketing Officer. “Just like a 529 savings plan, this ticket package is all about smart investing – in this case, investing in the future of D.C. basketball.”

In addition, the Wizards’ College Series and Student Rush ticket packages are returning for the 2025-26 season. The College Series features a 10-game lineup highlighted by UNC, UVA, UMD, and Pittsburgh, and purchases include a limited edition, co-branded school and Wizards Hawaiian shirt, while supplies last. Student Rush presented by Chick-fil-A, will be offered for select home games throughout the season, with tickets starting at just $15. Students will also receive a Chick-fil-A meal voucher with their purchase.

Washington will also have custom player designed giveaways. On Nov. 25, the first 10,000 fans in attendance will receive pajama pants designed by guard Bub Carrington. Fans can also take home a City Edition themed hat designed by second-year man AJ Johnson on Feb. 3.

This season, the Wizards will host a variety of theme nights. For the second consecutive season, Washington will host Hoops & Hounds Night presented by Brandywine Valley SPCA on Feb. 22, inviting fans and their dog to watch the Wizards vs. Hornets matchup at Capital One Arena. In addition, the SPCA will be on the concourse with dogs available for adoption. Further details will be announced later in the season.

Celtics Sign Harper, Jr. to 2-Way Deal

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BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The Boston Celtics announced the player contract for guard-forward Ron Harper Jr. was converted to a two-way contract. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not announced. The slot opened when the Celtics waived R.J. Luis – the 2025 BIG EAST Player of the Year – was waived on October 15.

Harper Jr. (6-5, 233) has appeared in 56 career regular season G League games (49 starts) across three seasons with Toronto (2022-24), Maine (2024-25), and Motor City (2024-25), averaging 17.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.1 steals in 32.6 minutes per game. The 25-year-old scored in double figures in 23 outings last season, including nine games with 20+ points and three games with 30+ points. Harper Jr. posted a G-League career-high 38 points (13-20 FG, 11-18 3FG, 1-1 FT) to go with three rebounds, eight assists, and one steal in a victory over Long Island Feb. 1.

The New Jersey native has seen action in 11 NBA games over three seasons with Toronto (2022-24) and Detroit (2024-25) with averages of 2.2 points and 1.3 rebounds in 6.2 minutes per game. In three appearances with Boston in the 2025-26 preseason, Harper Jr. averaged 4.3 points and 1.0 assists in 10.6 minutes per game. Prior to going undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft, Harper Jr. spent four seasons at Rutgers (2018-22) where he posted averages of 12.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 121 career games (109 starts). He earned All-Big Ten Second Team honors his senior season after averaging a team-high 15.7 points per game and shooting a career-high 39.8 percent (68-171 3FG) from 3-point range. Harper Jr. is the son of former NBA first-round pick Ron Harper, and his younger brother, Dylan, currently plays for the San Antonio Spurs.