TEAM-SPECIFIC STORIES
ATL: Q & A: Onyeka Okongwu
Brett Siegel, Sports Illustrated
BKN: Day’Ron Sharpe emerging as true backup center for Nets
Kristian Winfield, Daily News
BKN: Cam Johnson, Jacque Vaughn vocal on Nets’ ‘identity’ after avoiding disaster vs. Rockets
Erik Slater, Clutch Points
BOS: X-Factors Making and Breaking Boston Celtics' NBA Championship Case
Mo Dakhil, Bleacher Report
CHA: What's the buzz with the Charlotte Hornets' defense?
Nekias Duncan, Basketball News
CHI: Lakers exact revenge on Bulls in Chicago
Darnell Mayberry, The Athletic
CLE: Sam Merrill is taking his NBA journey one day at a time
Jackson Flickinger, Fear The Sword
CLE: Jarrett Allen sets the tone on the inside
Dan Gilinsky, King James Gospel
DAL: Mavs GM Nico Harrison Q&A
Callie Caplan, Morning News
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DET: Ivey’s career night highlights his tremendous growth as a rookie
Jack Kelly, Detroit Bad Boys
DET: A tip-in beats the Pistons at the buzzer in OKC
Keith Langlois, Pistons.com
DET: Pistons bested by buzzer-beater again
Omari Sankofa II, Free Press
GSW: Draymond is still an All NBA defender
Rohit Naimpally, From The Logo
GSW: Jonathan Kuminga and Jordan Poole power huge comeback against Pelicans
Eric Apricot, Dub Nation HQ
GSW: Wiggins' absence affecting more than the Warriors' title chase
Connor Letourneau, SF Chronicle
HOU: 3-point math adds up to big deficit in loss to Nets
Jonathan Feigen, Houston Chronicle
HOU: An appreciation of KJ Martin
Salman Ali, Red Nation Hoops
IND: Even in shutdown mode, Pacers still play well enough to impress the NBA's best
Dustin Dopirak, Indy Star
LAC: Clippers find winning blueprint against Grizzlies. This time, without Kawhi Leonard
Law Murray, The Athletic
LAL: Lakers show postseason promise with dominant win over Bulls
Dan Woike, LA Times
LAL: Lakers believe they have ‘all the right pieces’ to go on a run
Jovan Buha, The Athletic
MIA: Takeaways and postgame reaction from loss to Knicks, as Heat sinks deeper into play-in territory
Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald
MIL: Jrue Holiday scores career-high 51 points in Bucks’ win
Jim Owczarski, Journal Sentinel
MIN: Healthy and together, Karl-Anthony Towns-Rudy Gobert duo eyes big things
Steve Aschburner, NBA.com
MIN: Timberwolves are finally whole again, but will it be enough?
Kendra Andrews, ESPN
MIN: Finch: Adding Mike Conley means Timberwolves no longer have to 'hide players' on defense
Chris Hine, Star Tribune
MIN: Jaden McDaniels Is Blossoming Into Exactly What The Timberwolves Need
Mark Schindler, DIME
NYK: Heroes Abound in Huge Win over the Heat
Tommy Beer, What’s On Tap
NYK: Knicks’ postseason hopes will hinge on Julius Randle’s health
Ian O’Connor, NY Post
OKC: Thunder Victorious on Game-Winner
Nick Gallo/ Paris Lawson, OKCThunder.com
OKC: Jalen Williams lifts OKC past Detroit with last-second shot
Joe Mussatto, The Oklahoman
PHI: Sixers get their stars back, snap losing streak
Noah Levick, NBC Sports
PHI: Harden says sore Achilles has bothered him off and on for months
Kyle Neubeck, Philly Voice
PHI: Sixers Overcome Slow Start To Defeat Mavericks
Matt Gregan, Sports Talk Philly
PHI: Q & A: Tyrese Maxey
Jackson Frank, DIME
PHO: Durant rusty in his return, but Suns find a different way to win
Doug Haller, The Athletic
PHO: Kevin Durant returns, scores 16 points in home debut
Nick Friedell, ESPN
PHO: Q & A: Kevin Durant
Shams Charania, The Athletic
PHO: Q & A: Devin Booker and Chris Paul on what KD’s return means
Sam Amick, The Athletic
SAC: Kings of the Dribble Handoff. Inside the play powering the most efficient offense in NBA history
Zach Kram, The Ringer
SAC: Inside Mike Brown’s quest to rediscover the franchise’s soul
Jason Quick, The Athletic
Of the NBA’s 16 postseason berths this season, none will be celebrated as deeply and passionately as by the Kings and their community. In a city that so closely identifies with its only professional sports team, Sacramento hasn’t just lost for the past 16 years. They have done so in embarrassing fashion. They have spectacularly bungled draft picks and churned through head coaches. The on court product was so bad, the most significant accomplishment was earning the crown once worn by the Clippers as the NBA’s laughingstock.
That pain –that embarrassment – had gone on for so long and run so deep that when Mike Brown was hired as head coach last summer, one of the first things he observed was that the franchise had no soul. So he made finding and nurturing the soul of the franchise his top priority.
Now, nine months later, after some sharp moves by second-year general manager Monte McNair, along with the implementation of Brown’s fast-paced offense and hard-hat culture, the Kings are not only 46-20 and in third place in the Western Conference. They have also found their soul, one framed by hard work, fostered by family and fed by having fun. And that soul shines so bright, it sprouts out of Golden1 Center in downtown Sacramento in the form of a purple beam.
So how did the Kings do it? There was no aha moment. No turning-point speech. No moment of adversity to overcome. This was a slow burn, a gradual building of habits, and a steady belief. And most of all, there was a balance between work and fun.
SAC: Why Sacramento’s playoff berth means so much
Sam Amick, The Athletic
SAC: Kings claim 1st playoff berth since '06
Marc J. Spears, ESPN
SAC: Kings clinch first playoff berth since 2006
Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee
(NOTE: We’ll have much more on the Kings clinching in tomorrow’s BI)
TOR: Raptors need to turn around their clutch offence to thrive late in season
Eric Koreen, The Athletic
UTA: Horton-Tucker goes for career-high 41 points in win vs. Spurs — can he learn to shoot consistently?
Andy Larsen, Salt Lake Tribune
UTA: Horton-Tucker has a career night as everybody eats for the Jazz
Sarah Todd, Deseret News
UTA: Horton-Tucker tallies a career-high while learning to play point guard on the fly
Tony Jones, The Athletic
THE DRAFT
Scoot Henderson left a lasting impression with G League Ignite
Marc J. Spears, Andscape
Mock Draft: The First 14 Picks
Rafael Barlowe, NBA Big Board
Who are the Final Four’s top NBA Draft prospects?
Sam Vecenie, The Athletic
Scouting report: Anthony Black
Christopher Kline, The Step Back
Scouting report: Brandon Miller
Christopher Kline, The Step Back
Sleeper Deep Dive: Isaiah Wong
Nick Agar-Johnson, No Ceilings
A deeper look into Hood-Schifino’s freshman season and looming NBA draft decision
William McDermott, Inside The Hall
Top 10 pending 2023 NBA Draft decisions to watch next month
Tristan Freeman, Busting Brackets
YESTERDAY’S GAMES
Scores and recaps
Will Bjarnar, SBNation