Dallas guard Kyrie Irving is expected to miss one to two weeks with a bulging disk in his back, and Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said a timeline for his return was not immediately known.

That decision forced the Thunder to stick close to the Mavericks' role players throughout the first quarter. Once Washington scored the first five points, Irving asserted himself and drained a 3-pointer before finishing at the basket with a finger roll to give the Mavericks an early 10-0 lead.

The Houston Rockets are 1.83 favorites on Bet365, while the Denver Nuggets are at 2.00 odds. The over 230 is at 1.762 on 1xbe, while the under is at 2.075 odds. The Denver Nuggets are 1.80 on the (+2.5) handicap on Betway, while the Rockets are at 1.99 to overcome the (-2.5) spread. Read more here.

Dallas Mavericks' Kyrie Irving (11) is defended by Houston Rockets' Dillon Brooks during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526.

Dallas Mavericks' Kyrie Irving (11) is defended by Houston Rockets' Dillon Brooks during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J.

The Mavericks have had some ups and downs. Will they make moves for the better as February's trade deadline draws near?

Former Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant reflected on his time with the franchise during his appearance on the "Out The Mud" podcast.

With that said, here is the 11th edition of the NBA Power Rankings: Previous ranking: 30 The Wizards are squarely in the driver's seat for the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes. They rank dead last in the league in both offensive rating and defensive rating and Washington's focus for 2024-25 should be on moving the veterans and developing the youngsters.

Cleveland and Oklahoma City have followed similar paths to success in the years since the departure of their franchise icons.

R.J. Barrett scored 22 points as the lowly Toronto Raptors turned the tables on the Boston Celtics with a dominant 110-97 victory over the reigning NBA champions on Wednesday.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jalen Brunson scored 16 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, and Josh Hart had the 11th triple-double of his career as the New York Knicks beat the Philadelphia 76ers 125-119 on Wednesday night.