Sports
Winning Pistons make free throws, Nuggets don't at dramatic finish
Jan 27, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Peyton Watson (8) and forward Spencer Jones (21) defend on Detroit Pistons forward Tobias Harris (12) in the first quarter at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Cade Cunningham had 22 points and 11 assists, Tobias Harris also scored 22 points, including two free throws with 2 seconds remaining, and the visiting Detroit Pistons beat the Denver Nuggets 109-107 on Tuesday night.
Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson scored 14 each, and Ronald Holland II and Javonte Green contributed 10 each for Detroit, which has won nine of its last 11.
Jamal Murray led Denver with 24 points but missed two free throws on separate trips to the foul line in the final seconds that could have sent the game to overtime.
Down 107-104, Murray was fouled on a 3-point attempt, missed the first free throw and made the next two for a one-point deficit. After Harris hit a pair at the other end, Murray again was fouled with 0.7 seconds left.
He made his first foul shot, missed the second and intentionally missed the third.
Jonas Valanciunas finished with 16 points and 16 rebounds, Bruce Brown also had 16 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. contributed 14, Peyton Watson had 13 and Spencer Jones added 12 for the Nuggets.
Denver has dropped three straight home games.
The Nuggets were playing for the first time since Friday night, an unscheduled break after their game at the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday was postponed due to inclement weather.
Denver spent three nights in Memphis after they could not fly out home until Monday morning.
Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, who reinjured his right hamstring at Milwaukee a night later, did not play Tuesday night.
Detroit led by 11 early in the fourth, but the Nuggets chipped away and got within 95-90 on Watson’s 10-footer with 5:25 remaining. Green scored off of an offensive rebound and Cunningham hit a short jumper to make it 99-92, but Murray’s three-point play and later fallaway jumper cut it to 99-97.
Cunningham made a floater, Murray missed at the other end and Harris hit a layup to put the Pistons ahead 103-97 with 1:33 left.
After a timeout, Murray made another fadeaway, Cunningham missed a turnaround and Hardaway hit a 3-pointer to make it a one-point game with 56 seconds remaining.
Harris hit a turnaround jumper with 18 seconds left, setting up the final sequence.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Thunder's Nikola Topic back after cancer battle
Oct 5, 2025; North Charleston, South Carolina, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Nikola Topic (44) drives up the court against the Charlotte Hornets at North Charleston Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Arthur Ellis-Imagn Images Nikola Topic, an Oklahoma City Thunder first-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, made his debut in the G League Monday night as he returned from fighting testicular cancer.
The 12th overall pick in that draft, Topic scored seven points and added seven assists in 16 minutes for the Oklahoma City Blue in their 137-135 overtime win over the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
He is a 6-foot-6 point guard from Serbia.
Topic, 20, has yet to play in a regular-season game for the Thunder. He tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee a few weeks before the draft and did not play as a rookie. Then, in October, he was diagnosed with cancer and underwent chemotherapy.
“There was probably a ton of emotions that he was going through,” Blue head coach Daniel Dixon told reporters postgame. “Having something taken away from you that you loved from a young age cannot be easy, and so, just to see his resilience and him to know that the whole organization is behind him, we’re pushing him forward.”
He added: “Just seeing him crack a smile while being out there on the court again, doing what he enjoys doing, what he loves to do, being out there with his teammates. I mean, there was so many positive things.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Raptors' Brandon Ingram to replace Stephen Curry in ASG
Feb 5, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram (3) holds the ball from Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams (44) in the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram on Tuesday was named to replace injured Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry on USA Stripes in the upcoming NBA All-Star Game.
The selection of Ingram was made by NBA commissioner Adam Silver. The All-Star Game will take place on Sunday at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif.
Ingram, 28, will be playing in his second NBA All-Star Game and first since the 2019-20 season.
He is averaging 22.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 52 games (all starts) this season.
Curry, a two-time NBA All-Star Game MVP, will not compete in Sunday’s annual showcase due to an ongoing injury to his right knee.
The 37-year-old is averaging 27.2 points, 4.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds in 39 games (all starts) this season.
Curry, who has not played since leaving a Jan. 30 home game against the Detroit Pistons, joins Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdomen) as All-Stars who will miss the game. Gilgeous-Alexander has been replaced on the Team World roster by Houston Rockets’ center Alperen Sengun.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Jayson Tatum’s Possible Return Changes Everything for Boston Celtics
This was supposed to be a down year for the Boston Celtics.
Al Horford, the heart and soul of the Celtics, went to the Warriors in free agency. Kristaps Porzingis was shipped off to the Hawks for virtually nothing. Jrue Holiday was flipped to the Trail Blazers for Anfernee Simons, and even depth pieces like Luke Kornet elected to leave for the Spurs in free agency.
Most importantly, in last season’s Eastern Conference Semifinals, Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles tendon — an injury most would have assumed would sideline him for all of this season.
Fast forward to today, and the Celtics are 34-19 and tied for second place in the East. Jaylen Brown has silenced plenty of haters with an MVP-level season, and head coach Joe Mazzulla continues to prove why he’s one of the best leaders in the NBA.
It’s truly been an incredibly fun season for Celtics fans. This year felt like house money, but now Boston is in position to win the East in what was supposed to be a down season.
I wouldn’t bet on this Celtics team to win the East as they’re currently constructed. I’m not sure I love their trade for Nikola Vucevic, but the move I’m most excited about is the potential return of Jayson Tatum.
Boston continues to say it’s being cautious with Tatum, so if that’s the case, he might be superhuman. Early reports highlighted how quickly Tatum was progressing in his recovery, and now he’s been cleared to practice with the Celtics’ G League affiliate in Maine.
Every rational person assumed Tatum would miss the entire season. He still might be out for the remainder of the year, but it’s starting to look like that won’t be the case. If he’s already able to fully practice, how long before he’s back as a full participant?
The Eastern Conference is completely wide open. You cannot rush Tatum back for the sake of his career, but if he’s able to play, would the Celtics instantly become the favorites again?
Most players need a full year of live action to get their legs back after an Achilles tear, but with how quickly Tatum has recovered, he may simply be an athletic anomaly.
Once again, Boston looks like the smartest organization in the league. They moved off big-money contracts in Porzingis and Holiday, retained an elite core led by arguably the best coach in basketball, and now their top-10 player could return for the playoffs.
Boston is +380 to win the East, and that number feels like it has real value. Revenge against the Knicks would certainly be on the table after last year’s second-round upset, and if James Harden doesn’t mesh in Cleveland, Detroit may be the only true competition.
It might be time to start respecting the Celtics again.
Thunder's Nikola Topic back after cancer battle
Primary Ventures raises healthy $625M Fund V to focus on seed investing
