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Doncic, Antetokounmpo Lead Early Fan Voting For All-Star Game

December 29th, 2025 at 12:20pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Lakers guard Luka Doncic and Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo lead the Western and Eastern Conferences, respectively, in the first returns of fan voting for the All-Star Game, NBA Communications tweets.

Doncic leads all players with 1,249,518 votes. The top five from the Western Conference includes Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Warriors guard Stephen Curry, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama.

Joining Antetokounmpo among the top five vote-getters in the Eastern Conference are Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey, Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, Pistons guard Cade Cunningham and Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell.

Fans voting represents 50% of the vote to determine the five players from each conference to be named as starters for the All-Star Game, with current NBA players and a media panel accounting for 25% each. This year, All-Stars are being selected without regard to position.

A newly-created, round-robin tournament featuring a USA vs. World format will be held Sunday, Feb. 15 at the Intuit Dome, the new home of the Clippers.

Sixers Notes: Embiid, Maxey, George, Beauchamp, Oubre

December 27th, 2025 at 10:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers are counting on Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George to be their team leaders, but they haven’t been on the court together long enough to build any kind of chemistry, writes Tony Jones of The Athletic. Friday’s game against Chicago marked just the fourth time this season that all three players have been available. They each turned in fine individual performances, but it wasn’t enough to prevent a 109-102 loss that gave them an 0-4 record in those games.

“I’d like to see them have 10, or 15, or 20 games together,” coach Nick Nurse said. “I think the issue here is that there have been so many injuries that there just hasn’t been enough time for them to get onto the floor together.”

Jones points out that the Sixers have to determine how they’re going to run the offense when Embiid, Maxey and George are on the floor at the same time. Embiid has been an offensive force throughout his career whose production has only been limited by his frequent injury issues. However, Maxey is one of the NBA’s top scorers this season at 30.8 PPG, and giving the ball to Embiid to operate in the post limits Maxey’s opportunities.

Jones adds that the Sixers were successful early in the season because they played at a fast pace with Maxey and rookie guard VJ Edgecombe leading the attack. Once Embiid began to play more regularly, the offense slowed down and that weapon was taken away.

“What’s tough is that we haven’t been able to have much practice time with all three of us on the floor,” Maxey said. “And that’s something we need to deal with because the games are different. They are much different. We missed a lot of shots that we know we should have made. Those things happen. But we have to figure it out, quick.”

There’s more on the Sixers:

Embiid is coming off one of his best games of the season with 31 points and five rebounds in 32 minutes at Chicago. However, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer observes in a subscriber-only story that Embiid’s movement was limited due to pain in his right knee. Pompey believes the Bulls repeatedly targeted Embiid on defense, although Nurse disagreed. “I don’t know about that,” Nurse said. “I got to look at that first (on film). I thought he had some really good possessions by him defensively. But let me look at the film first before I comment. I don’t think that.”
MarJon Beauchamp, who signed a two-way contract on Friday, feels fortunate that his latest NBA opportunity is coming with the Sixers, Pompey states in a separate story. “Guys are injured,” Beauchamp said. “I feel like I can help the team with my length, my defensive abilities, and my shooting abilities. I shot well in the G League this year. I feel like I can bring a lot to the team, and just my young energy, and bring good energy around the team. So I just feel like it’s a great opportunity.”
Kelly Oubre Jr., who has been sidelined with a left knee ligament sprain since November 14, is getting “much closer” to returning, Jones tweets. Oubre was heavily involved in individual work at Saturday’s practice, Jones adds, focusing on starting and stopping and changing direction at full speed.

Jaren Jackson Jr., Jalen Brunson Named Players Of Week

December 22nd, 2025 at 2:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. and Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson were named the Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, according to the NBA (Twitter links).

This marks the second career Player of the Week award for Jackson, who averaged 27.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 2.7 blocks in 32.7 minutes per game and led Memphis to a 2-1 record during the week of December 15-21.

Jackson recorded a season-high 31 points and five blocks in the Grizzlies’ 121-103 road win last Monday against the Clippers and followed that with 28 points, a season-high 12 rebounds and three blocks in Memphis’ 116-110 road victory on Wednesday against Minnesota.

Brunson racked up 31.3 points, 8.0 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game as the Knicks went 2-1 after their NBA Cup triumph. He had 47 points in the Knicks’ 132-125 win over Miami on Sunday.

It’s the second major individual award for Brunson over the past week. He was also named the MVP of the NBA Cup. He also becomes the first two-time Eastern Conference Player of the Week this season, having also earned the honor on December 1.

Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe (Trail Blazers), Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert (Timberwolves), Keyonte George (Jazz), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) and Nikola Jokic (Nuggets) were the other nominees for the Western Conference Player of the Week award.

Cade Cunningham (Pistons), Josh Giddey and Nikola Vucevic (Bulls), Kon Knueppel (Hornets), Tyrese Maxey (Sixers) and Derrick White (Celtics) were the other nominees in the East.

Sixers Notes: Walker, Edgecombe, Embiid, Barlow

December 21st, 2025 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Head coach Nick Nurse stuck with the same five players through the entire fourth quarter Saturday night in the Sixers‘ win over Dallas, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required). Reserve Jared McCain joined Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe in a three-guard lineup alongside backup big men Jabari Walker and Adem Bona. That group held the Mavericks to 30.4% shooting from the field in the final 12 minutes to reclaim control of a game that appeared to be slipping away in the third quarter.

Maxey had 16 points in the closing quarter, and Nurse believed all three guards were having a positive impact. He was also confident in the contributions he was getting from Walker and Bona.

“As far as the two bigs, I felt Jabari was playing (Cooper) Flagg super physical,” Nurse said. “And the other thing, we started doing some switching between the four and five. Jabari also would get switched onto (Anthony) Davis and was playing him physically to get him off the block and battle him. I don’t know how many rebounds Jabari got. But it sure seems like he snatched a bunch of them down there, that was also critical.”

Walker pulled down six of his eight rebounds in the fourth quarter while playing effective defense on Flagg, helping to hold the star rookie to four points in the quarter on 2-of-6 shooting. Walker, who has been a valuable contributor after signing a two-way contract during the summer, credited “a great scout report” for the defensive effort against Flagg.

“I think (Dominick Barlow) started off on him. Big credit to him,” Walker said. “He had a great night tonight, also. I want to show him some love with that. I think either one of us could have finished the game. We both understand that about each other. So, some games it is going to be (like that). So I just tried to feed off the energy he had tonight.”

There’s more on the Sixers:

Saturday’s game featured two of the top selections in June’s draft, with Edgecombe (26 points, six rebounds, four assists), who was chosen at No. 3, slightly outperforming the top pick Flagg (24 points, four rebounds, three assists). Nurse marveled at the ability of both players to be able to contribute right away, Pompey states in the same piece. “The rookies that have impacted in a big way is really something,” he said. “Especially considering those two guys are really young. I guess they’re really good. I think most rookies, you will see flashes. You will see one great game, then six go by. These guys are starting to do it like night in, night out. And to me, that’s like what the NBA is.”
Joel Embiid sat out both weekend games due to right knee injury management and an illness, Pompey adds. He’s now up to 16 missed games for the season and will almost certainly fall short of the 65-game requirement to qualify for postseason awards. “He just didn’t have a great week with the illness and a little bit of soreness in the right knee,” Nurse said. “And fortunately, we can get through the week and … get another couple of days, and hopefully get him going.”
Barlow, another two-way offseason addition, was more aggressive than usual in attacking the basket against Dallas, observes Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports (subscription required). The fourth-year forward finished with 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting, taking advantage of his matchup with Klay Thompson and the Mavs’ defensive focus on Maxey. “If he’s scoring the ball the way he does, they’re gonna over-help on that. Or if they’re switching they’re not gonna worry as much about me as they are him, and that makes a lot of sense,” Barlow explained. “Just being aggressive on that, to make them where they have to respect me, guarding the ball, knowing that I will do that (drive), will make his life easier.”

Sixers Notes: George, Embiid, Maxey, Oubre

December 15th, 2025 at 8:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Paul George turned in his best game of the season — and one of his best since signing with the Sixers in the summer of 2024 — in Sunday’s loss at Atlanta, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required). George didn’t seem to be bothered by the left knee issue that forced him to miss the first 12 games of the season as he went 7-of-10 from three-point range on his way to a 35-point night.

“I’m getting more and more comfortable within the system, within the offense,” he said. “At that point, now, I can kind of just be myself. Just allow the game to come to me, find my moment. And be aggressive in those.”

Injuries limited George to 41 games last season, which played a major role in Philadelphia’s collapse. The decision to give him a four-year, $211.6MM contract at age 34 was widely questioned, but now he’s hoping to change the perception of that deal.

“Last year was a lot going on,” he said. “I was just trying to patch up stuff. This year, I’m a lot healthier. I’m able. I feel like I can play my game. I feel like I can be myself. There’s still some things that got to come back. I’m not all the way 100 (percent). But I’m more myself than I was last year. So that’s the positive that I can take. And everything else is, with time, I’m just going to continue to get better.”

There’s more on the Sixers:

After playing both Friday and Sunday, Joel Embiid said he needs less time between games to prepare his knees, Pompey adds in the same piece. Earlier in the season, he required at least two full days off between games, but the knee pain has eased and he was able to perform effectively on Sunday, finishing with 22 points, a season-high 14 rebounds and two blocked shots. “I feel OK,” Embiid said. “I was a little tired out there. But I feel good. I’ll take it. I came out pretty good either way. So I’ll take it. Obviously, I would have felt better if we got the win. But that didn’t happen. … We’ll see how it feels tomorrow. But it was good things.”
Philadelphia played its second straight game without Tyrese Maxey, who is sidelined due to an illness, Pompey states in a separate story. There’s hope that Maxey, who ranks third in the scoring race at 31.5 PPG, will return for Friday’s contest at New York. “We’re concerned because he’s sick, and he wasn’t well enough to get on the floor here for a couple of games,” coach Nick Nurse said. “After Friday’s game, we thought he’d be at the plane to come with us but didn’t make it. I talked to him last night, and he said he’d see me at practice Tuesday. I said, ‘I’m not sure we’re practicing Tuesday, but I’ll be there. Me and you, man. I’ll see you there.’”
Kelly Oubre Jr. was reevaluated last week for the left knee ligament sprain that has sidelined him since November 14, but Nurse didn’t have an update on his condition, Pompey adds in a mailbag column. Oubre was able to do his first on-court individualized workout since the injury before Sunday’s game, but he hasn’t been cleared for practice yet. “Nothing new,” Nurse said. “He’s out there walking around a bit. He’s on the court a bit. I’m hoping there’s some. … It looks like there’s some progress there. And just like you, I want him out there ASAP and then back.”

Sixers’ Tyrese Maxey Ruled Out Friday Due To Illness

December 12th, 2025 at 5:33pm CST by Rory Maher

5:33 pm: Embiid will be active and Quentin Grimes will start in place of Maxey, according to Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports (Twitter link).

5:11 pm: Sixers star Tyrese Maxey will miss his first game of the 2025/26 season on Friday against Indiana, tweets Tony Jones of The Athletic.

Maxey, who was initially listed as probable before being downgraded to questionable and then out, is dealing with an unspecified illness.

A 25-year-old guard, Maxey is having an outstanding sixth season for Philadelphia, averaging career highs of 31.5 points, 7.2 assists and 4.7 rebounds while leading the league with 39.9 minutes per game. He’s also contributing 1.7 SPG and 0.9 BPG, with a strong shooting slash line of .467/.391/.881 in 23 appearances.

Former league MVP Joel Embiid is probable for tonight’s matchup with the Pacers due to left knee injury recovery, per the NBA’s official injury report.

Embiid, a seven-time All-Star, missed nine consecutive games last month due to right knee soreness. He has played in three of five contests since returning, and while his athleticism and production have declined, the 31-year-old center is still able to get to the spots he wants to on offense, according to Jones.

For his part, Embiid says he’s been feeling good lately and is optimistic he’ll be able to play more minutes going forward, though the team is still carefully managing his workload — he hasn’t been cleared to play two games in three nights, let alone back-to-backs, Jones notes.

“I think it’s all about getting into that rhythm and playing every other day,” Embiid said. “I think we’re getting there. The plan of playing and then two days off is working pretty well. Hopefully, that keeps going and we can start doing it every other day. But, I’m feeling pretty good.”

Jaylen Brown, Jamal Murray Named Players Of The Week

December 8th, 2025 at 4:54pm CST by Rory Maher

Celtics wing Jaylen Brown and Nuggets guard Jamal Murray have been named the NBA’s Players of the Week, the league announced on Monday (via Twitter).

Brown won for the Eastern Conference, while Murray claimed the award in the Western Conference.

Brown, the 2024 Finals MVP, led Boston to an unblemished 3-0 record in games he played from December 1-7. He sat out the Dec. 4 contest at Washington, which the Celtics won by 45 points. The 29-year-old averaged 34.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.0 steal on .538/.471/.889 shooting in three appearances last week (37.7 minutes per game).

A Georgia native who played one season of college ball for California, Brown is well on his way to making his fifth All-Star game in 2025/26. He’s averaging career highs of 29.1 PPG and 4.9 APG while also contributing 6.2 RPG and 1.1 SPG through 23 contests (33.7 MPG).

Murray, meanwhile, helped guide Denver to a 3-1 record last week. The 28-year-old Canadian averaged 29.8 PPG, 7.5 APG, 4.5 RPG and 1.3 SPG on .595/.621/.929 shooting in four appearances (33.8 MPG).

Murray is off to a fantastic start to the season himself and appears well-positioned to make his first All-Star appearance. Through 22 games (35.0 MPG), he’s averaging 25.0 PPG, 6.8 APG and 4.5 RPG — all career highs — with an elite shooting line of .506/.447/.898.

According to the NBA, De’Aaron Fox (Spurs), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams (Thunder), and Murray’s teammate Nikola Jokic were the other nominees in the West (Twitter link). Jalen Brunson (Knicks), Jalen Johnson (Hawks), Tyrese Maxey (Sixers), Michael Porter Jr. (Nets), and Brown’s teammate Derrick White were nominated in the East.

Sixers Notes: Maxey, Embiid, George, McCain, Oubre

December 5th, 2025 at 9:18am CST by Luke Adams

Entering Thursday’s game vs. Golden State, Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey was off to the third-best scoring start in franchise history through 20 games, writes Tony Jones of The Athletic. Maxey’s 649 points this fall trailed only Allen Iverson‘s 681 in 2005/06 and Wilt Chamberlain‘s 661 in 1965/66 in terms of the best all-time 20-game starts among 76ers players.

Over the course of those 20 contests, Maxey also led the NBA in minutes per game (40.2) and field goal attempts per game (23.1). Head coach Nick Nurse, who has been leaning heavily on the star guard this fall, suggested he wouldn’t have a problem with Maxey playing an even larger role on offense.

“What did he take, 26 shots tonight?” Nurse said after Tuesday’s win over Washington. “He should shoot even more. That’s the big thing. Nobody is stopping him from doing what he wants to do.”

On Thursday, Maxey took Nurse’s advice, taking 27 shots from the floor and making 13 of them. He also went 5-of-5 from the free throw line and finished with 35 points to increase his scoring average to 32.6 PPG. However, his biggest moment of the night came on the defensive end, as he made an incredible chase-down block on a De’Anthony Melton layup attempt at the final buzzer to preserve a 99-98 victory for Philadelphia following a VJ Edgecombe basket with 0.9 seconds left (video link via NBA.com).

“The block was amazing,” teammate Joel Embiid said, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “I almost forgot where we actually made the game-winning layup. I had to ask after. I was like, ‘Wait, who made a game-winning layup?’ That’s how good the block was.”

Here’s more on the Sixers:

Embiid wasn’t on the court during the game’s final moments after reaching his 25-minute limit in the third quarter, and he won’t play on Friday vs. Milwaukee in the second end of a back-to-back set, notes Bontemps. The star center, who has appeared in just eight games this season due to knee issues, said it’s actually easier on his body to hit his minutes limit earlier in the night rather than being saved for crunch time. “I just think after last game I sat too long, and I think that’s happened in the past, earlier in the season, sitting too long and coming back in the fourth,” Embiid said. “Until I’m able to bump that up or they’ll allow me to play more, I think I just got to not sit too long, just play basketball and that’s also the best way to get in a rhythm because obviously, being in and out and obviously not playing back-to-backs and playing, basically playing every two days, that’s how you get in rhythm.”
Embiid didn’t make a major impact when he was on the court on Thursday, contributing 12 points and six rebounds while shooting just 5-of-13 from the floor. As Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer notes, the 76ers will need more from the former MVP if they hope to have a legitimate chance to make a postseason run in the spring.
After playing three games in a row, forward Paul George sat out on Thursday due to what the Sixers called left knee injury recovery, but he’s trending toward being active for Friday’s game, says Bontemps. In other words, it appears the team is just being careful with George in back-to-backs following his offseason knee surgery, and he didn’t experience a setback.
Second-year guard Jared McCain got off to a very slow start last month after returning from a lengthy injury layoff, but he’s rounding into form as of late, with 12.7 points in 25.8 minutes per game on .453/.419/.833 shooting in his past six outings. “I feel like I’m back to myself,” McCain said, according to Pompey. “… I remember in the beginning when I first came back, I was like, ‘Dang, am I ever going to get this burst back at all?’ But just trusting the process, and now I’m here.”
After being ruled out for at least one more week due to a sprained LCL in his left knee, Sixers wing Kelly Oubre Jr. admitted that it has been frustrating to remain sidelined, as Pompey relays. “It sucks,” said Oubre, who last played on November 14. “Listen, man, I’m trying to stay above water, keep my head about it. Trying to fight the depression and all that stuff that comes with not being able to do your job and fulfill your purpose. So it’s a different challenge, and I’m up for the challenge, and I think the reward at the other side will be great just because I’m trying to take it day by day.”

Nikola Jokic, Cade Cunningham Earn Player Of The Month Honors

December 2nd, 2025 at 2:46pm CST by Luke Adams

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and Pistons guard Cade Cunningham are the NBA’s Players of the Month for October/November, earning the honor for the Western and Eastern Conference, respectively, per an announcement from the league (Twitter link).

It’s the ninth time that Jokic has won a Player of the Month award over the course of his 11-year career. He earned it in this case with a superlative start to the season that saw him comfortably average a triple-double – 28.9 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 10.9 assists per game – while leading Denver to a 14-5 record.

Jokic’s shooting percentages were arguably even more remarkable than his per-game averages, as he shot 63.7% from the field and converted 45.3% of his three-point attempts.

The Nuggets star came out on top of a competitive field that included nominees like fellow MVP candidates Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Thunder and Luka Doncic of the Lakers. Clippers guard James Harden, Rockets center Alperen Sengun, Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, Lakers guard Austin Reaves, and Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards were also nominated for Player of the Month in the West, according to the NBA (Twitter link).

In the East, meanwhile, Cunningham’s Pistons have been one of the most pleasant surprises of the season’s first six weeks. While Detroit was viewed as a strong playoff contender, few NBA observers expected the team to win 16 of its first 20 games and sit atop the Eastern Conference at the end of November.

Cunningham was the driving force behind the Pistons’ hot start, averaging 28.8 points, 9.4 assists, and 6.4 rebounds in 36.8 minutes per game across 17 outings, while shooting 45.6% from the floor and 81.5% from the free throw line.

Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, Celtics wing Jaylen Brown, Bulls guard Josh Giddey, Hawks forward Jalen Johnson, Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, Heat guard Norman Powell, Magic forward Franz Wagner, and Knicks teammates Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns were also nominated for Eastern Conference Player of the Month, which Cunningham won for the first time in his career.

Sixers Notes: Maxey, Embiid, George, Edgecombe

November 28th, 2025 at 1:49pm CST by Luke Adams

After they made a total of 60 combined appearances last season, availability has been an issue again this fall for Sixers stars Joel Embiid and Paul George, who have played in six and three games, respectively, and have yet to share the court.

However, as Tim Bontemps of ESPN writes, Embiid’s and George’s health issues haven’t been as devastating for Philadelphia this fall as they were last season, due in large part to the team’s increasingly dynamic backcourt. The 76ers used the No. 3 overall pick in June’s draft to add VJ Edgecombe to a group headlined by breakout star Tyrese Maxey.

“These guys give them the ability to move on from the Embiid and George era,” one Western Conference executive told Bontemps.

“It just looks like there is more energy,” an Eastern Conference exec added. “They may not be good enough, but it’s not just waiting around for Paul and Joel [to get healthy] like it’s been in the past.”

According to Bontemps, head coach Nick Nurse and the Sixers made more of an effort entering this season not to be so dependent on Embiid offensively. Maxey has become the club’s offensive engine and is thriving in that role, with career-high averages of 32.2 points and 7.5 assists per game through 17 contests. His shooting percentages (.470/.409/.878) are also above his career rates.

“He’s a legitimate first- or second-team All-NBA player now,” one East scout told ESPN. “Even with Embiid’s injury issues, they could still be in the conversation for a top-six spot in the East, because Maxey is really that good.”

Here’s more from Bontemps on the Sixers:

While Embiid may no longer be the focal point of the Sixers’ present and future, he’s still an important part of the roster, Bontemps writes. One executive suggested the club will have to figure out how to maximize Embiid “in a strategic way” when he’s available this season, while a scout pointed out that Philadelphia still needs him on the other end of the court. “They’re not good enough defensively [without him],” that scout said. “That’s why I have a hard time believing in them.”
Sources who spoke to Bontemps believe Embiid will get more comfortable as the season goes in with his surgically repaired left knee, but his current nine-game absence is related to soreness in his right knee, underscoring the fact that the Sixers can’t necessarily rely on having him on the floor with any consistency. And even when he is available, the increased pace of games could be a concern for the big man. “You look at where the league is heading, with the pace and the speed the game is being played,” a scout told Bontemps. “He was having trouble keeping up with it when he was healthy, let alone now.”
There’s a belief among Bontemps’ sources that a healthy version of George would be an ideal fit alongside the team’s guards, even if he’s not as dynamic or explosive as he was earlier in his career. “He can be a floor-spacing [power forward],” an Eastern Conference scout said of George. “Better to not have him handling the ball as much anymore. You can run some pick-and-rolls with him as the screener to take advantage of his shooting and ability to attack mismatches. Will he accept that role? I’ll be curious to see.”
Donovan Mitchell and peak Victor Oladipo were among the players that came up multiple times when scouts pointed to comparables for Edgecombe, according to Bontemps. “I didn’t think VJ would be as good as he’s been,” one scout admitted. “Yes, there’s imperfections, but if they keep pushing him — because he can do lots of different things — he will be a special player.” There’s also a sense that Edgecombe won’t have any problem coexisting with Maxey long-term. “Those guys are pretty good together,” a Western Conference scout told Bontemps. “They work well together because they can both do a bit of everything.”