Icy veins in the Valley? Book it.
Devin Booker’s last-second winner over OKC stamped a Suns Sunday statement.
See what else is trending around the NBA as the first full week of 2026 tips off.
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
Clutch Time: Book stuns OKC, Pistons stave off Cavs, LeBron & Luka spark Lakers
Superstars Shine: Giannis dominates again, Ant hits unprecedented milestone
Sunday Roundup: MPJ leads Nets past Nuggets, Powell erupts, Magic dub
What’s Trending – Peacock Spotlight: Top contenders and rapid risers take center stage
What’s Trending – Surging Squads: Brown’s boost, the Spurs’ holiday push & more stories to know
BUT FIRST … ⏰
Eight games tip off tonight, headlined by a Peacock tripleheader, starting with the Knicks visiting the Pistons in a battle of the East’s top two teams (7 ET | Tap to Watch).
Then, the Sixers host the Nuggets (8:30 ET | Tap to Watch), before the Warriors face the Clippers (10 ET | Tap to Watch).
Cast Your All-Star Ballot: Fans can vote for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game starters every day through Jan. 14 using their NBA ID. Make it count, vote now.
1. CLUTCH TIME: BOOK CALLS GAME, PISTONS SURVIVE, LAKERS RALLY
One thousand eight. That’s how many days it had been since the Suns beat the Thunder.
But on Sunday, with Phoenix playing its best ball and seeking a signature win, the streak finally snapped.
Suns 108, Thunder 105: Down as many as 18, the Suns stormed back and used an 11-3 burst to take the lead late, before Jalen Williams’ jumper tied the game for OKC with 9 seconds left.
But it was too much time for Devin Booker. The Suns star received the ensuing inbound, sized up the league’s top defense, then made his move: ‘tween, dribble, stepback, splash. | Recap
- Big-Shot Book: The 3 dropped with 0.7 ticks left, marking Booker’s eighth game-winner in the final 5 seconds since entering the league in 2015-16 – trailing only Kawhi Leonard for the most in that span
- “That’s a feeling you can’t replicate,” said Booker on the shot. “I’m not close to retirement, but when that day comes, you’ll look back on those moments that you dreamed of as a kid.”
- Big Boost: Book finished with 24 points, 6 boards and 9 dimes, while Jordan Goodwin added a career-high 26 points off the bench
- Big Win: It’s Phoenix’s sixth dub in its last seven games and its first victory over OKC since April 2, 2023, ending an eight-game drought
- “It took everybody,” said Goodwin on the win. “We already know we can compete with anybody in this league, we just gotta go out there and prove it.”
- OKC Stars: Williams (23 pts, 7 ast) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (25 pts, 6 ast) led OKC, which moved to an NBA-best 30-6 after joining rare company with its second straight 30-5 start
Before the West-leading Thunder were stunned in Phoenix, the East-leading Pistons revved up in Cleveland.
Pistons 114, Cavaliers 110: In an epic eruption, Daniss Jenkins dropped 21 points in the 2nd quarter to put Detroit up 10 at the break, and although Donovan Mitchell (30 pts) led a late Cavs’ push, the Pistons held on to improve to 26-9 – their best start since 2007-08. | Recap
- Unconscious: Jenkins (25 pts) went 7-of-7 from the field in the 2nd quarter with six 3s, capped by a triple at the halftime buzzer
- Unshaken: Mitchell scored 23 in the 2nd half to rally Cleveland from 13 down, but Ausar Thompson’s tip-in put Detroit up 4 with 17 ticks left before Jenkins iced it at the line
- Cade Cooking: Cade Cunningham was just as key (27 pts, 6 reb, 7 ast) as his superstar rise continues, averaging career-bests in points (26.6) and assists (9.7) for a second straight season
- Winning Parallels: Like OKC, Detroit is anchored by a relentless defense, as the two conference leaders rank 1st and 2nd in both DefRtg and opponent FG%, respectively
- And Detroit’s Still Hungry: “We’re still working and not finished by any means,” said Pistons coach JB Bickerstaff after the win. “I expect us to keep growing.”
While Detroit staved off a rally, Luka Dončić and LeBron James sparked one.
Lakers 120, Grizzlies 114: Two days after combining for 65 points against Memphis, Dončić (36 pts, 9 reb, 8 ast) and James (26 pts, 7 reb, 10 ast) totaled 62, stuffing the stat sheet to fuel a 16-point comeback and sweep the weekend series. | Recap
- The King, The Closer: Los Angeles outscored Memphis 66-49 in the 2nd half, with James pouring in 18, before Dončić delivered back-to-back dagger 3s
- Defying Time: Entering Friday, no NBA player had ever scored more than 25 points at age 41 or older. LeBron – who turned 41 last week – has now done it twice in back-to-back games
- Bucket Leader: Luka continues to pace the league in scoring (33.7 ppg), and his 13 35-point games are the most this season
- Clutch Kings: The Lakers are now 12-0 in clutch games this season and 22-11 overall, jumping Denver for the 3rd out West
2. SUPERSTARS SHINE: GIANNIS BOOSTS BUCKS, ANT LEADS WOLVES
The Bucks went 2-6 during Giannis Antetokounmpo’s eight-game absence.
Since his return last Saturday, Milwaukee’s gone 4-1 – and the Greek Freak hasn’t missed a beat.
Bucks 115, Kings 98: After a game-winning oop on Friday, Giannis came through again – this time without any late-game drama – dropping 37 points and 11 boards to fuel a big Bucks’ win over the Kings. | Recap
- Immediate Impact: Giannis is averaging 30.6 points and 9.3 boards since his return, capped by three straight 30-point double-doubles
- On Both Ends: In that same span, the Bucks have allowed just 109.8 ppg – the 4th-fewest in the NBA
- Royal Russ: Two days after surpassing Oscar Robertson for 15th on the all-time scoring list, Russell Westbrook led Sacramento with 21 points, 6 rebounds and 4 steals
Wolves 141, Wizards 115: After dropping 33 on Saturday, Anthony Edwards poured in 35 last night, going 6-of-10 from downtown while adding 6 boards and 4 steals as the Wolves raced past the Wiz. | Recap
- 12k Before 25: With the performance, Edwards became the first player in NBA history to make 1,200+ 3s under the age of 25
- Highly Flammable: He’s averaging 31.2 ppg since returning from a hamstring injury on Dec. 19 and has six 40-pieces this season – tied with Luka for the most in the NBA
3. ROUNDUP: MPJ & POWELL POP OFF, MAGIC’S DEPTH SHINES
Nets 127, Nuggets 115: Michael Porter Jr. had a day in his first game against his former team (27 pts, 11 reb, 5 ast), leading Brooklyn to a near wire-to-wire win over Denver, despite Jamal Murray’s monster double-double (27 pts, career-high 16 ast). | Recap
- Brooklyn Clamps: The Nets are 8-6 since Dec. 1, boasting the 2nd-best DefRtg in that span
- ICYMI: After a historic 56/16/15 outing on Christmas, the Kia MVP Ladder leader Nikola Jokić went down with a hyperextended knee on Dec. 29 and will be reevaluated in 4 weeks
- Joker Brilliance: Despite the injury, Jokić still leads the NBA in total assists, ranks 2nd in rebounds, 5th in points and has twice as many triple-doubles (16) as the next closest player (7)
- Stepping Up: Murray’s 16 dimes were a career-high, and he got some help as Aaron Gordon scored 20 in his first game back since Nov. 21
Heat 125, Pelicans 106: Trey Murphy III became the Pelicans’ all-time leader in 3s, splashing seven en route to 27 points. But it wasn’t enough to keep pace with Norman Powell (34 pts), who drilled a career-high 9 treys to power Miami past NOLA. | Recap
- New Norm: Powell went 11-of-15 from the field and 9-of-12 from deep. He’s posting a career-best 24.4 ppg this season as Miami ranks 3rd in scoring (120.8 ppg)
Magic 135, Pacers 127: Orlando’s “Killer B’s” were buzzing as Desmond Bane (31 pts, 6 reb, 6 ast), Paolo Banchero (28 pts, 12 reb, 5 ast) and Anthony Black (27 pts, 10 ast) combined for 86 points to top Pascal Siakam (34 pts, 7 reb) and the Pacers. | Recap
4. WHAT’S TRENDING: SIZZLING STARS MEET TONIGHT ON PEACOCK
The first full week of 2026 opens with a Peacock tripleheader, featuring top contenders and rapid risers.
Knicks at Pistons (7 ET): New York and Detroit last met in the First Round of the 2025 Playoffs, where the Knicks ousted Detroit in six games, with the final four matchups coming down to the last possession.
Eight months later, they’re neck-and-neck atop the East.
- Borough Buckets: New York has dropped three straight, but still stands 23-12 – just 3 games back of Detroit – powered by the league’s 4th-highest scoring offense
- Brunson Balling: That starts with Jalen Brunson (29.3 ppg), the Kia East December Player of the Month, who’s tallied an NBA-best 453 points since Dec. 1
- Detroit Grit: A stiff test awaits, as Detroit is the NBA’s only team ranked top-3 in rebounds, steals and blocks
- Close Calls: Games 3-6 of the two teams’ 2025 Playoff series were all decided by 3 points or less, setting the stage for two of the game’s best closers
- Clutch Captains: While Brunson is the reigning Kia Clutch POY, Cunningham ranks 2nd in total clutch points this season and 4th in total assists
Nuggets at 76ers (8:30 ET): Philly rolls into primetime as one of the league’s hottest teams, riding a three-game heater sparked by Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe.
Standing in the way: a Denver squad still holding firm near the top of the West, even without Nikola Jokić (knee).
- Philly Special: Maxey (34.7), Embiid (27.3) and Edgecombe (24.7) are combining for 86.7 points amid the 3-0 run, with Philly hanging an absurd 130.7 ppg in that span
- MSG Takeover: That stretch includes Saturday’s road win in New York, where Maxey went off for 36 points and six 3s, while Embiid and Edgecombe added 26 apiece
- Murray Time: Now, Philly meets Denver, with Jamal Murray stepping up in Jokić’s absence, averaging 25.5 pts and 10 ast over the last four games
Warriors at Clippers (10 ET): To cap tonight’s Peacock tripleheader, two red-hot vets go toe-to-toe in Steph Curry and Kawhi Leonard. Their recent tears have slingshotted their teams up the West standings.
- Leonard Unleashed: Highlighted by a career-best 55 points last Sunday, Kawhi is posting an NBA-best 36.6 ppg in his last 7 outings, sparking a 6-1 LA surge
- No Slowing Down: He’s now averaging 28.3 ppg this season, on pace to become the first player ever to notch a new career-high in points in Year 14 or later
- Steph Show: Curry has been just as hot, posting 28.6 points and 4.3 treys per game in Golden State’s last seven, sparking the Warriors’ 6-1 run
- New Year Fireworks: His latest act? A 20-point 3rd-quarter eruption to rally past the Jazz on Sunday
5. WHAT’S TRENDING: MORE RISING SQUADS & MONDAY MATCHUPS
Kawhi and Steph have been cooking – but the league’s hottest hand might belong to Jaylen Brown, fresh off matching his career-high of 50 points.
Tonight, he eyes an encore.
Bulls at Celtics (7:30 ET, LP): After posting an NBA-best 31.7 ppg in December, Brown put on a show Saturday night in LA, leading Boston past the Clippers for its seventh win in eight games.
- Green Bean: In that stretch, the Celtics are pouring in 123.4 ppg – the 3rd-most in the NBA – while hitting 16.8 triples a night
- Winning Formula: Boston, which led the league in 3s in each of the last two seasons, has eclipsed 20+ triples nine times this year. In those games, it’s 9-0
- The Orchestrator? Brown, who is averaging a career-best in both points (30.1) and assists (5.0), has Boston just a half-game back of New York for 2nd in the East
- The Next Test: Tonight, the C’s host Josh Giddey and the Bulls – winners of seven of their last 10
Spurs Surge: Only one team has more wins than Boston since Dec. 1: San Antonio. It holds 2nd-place out West at 25-10, its best 35-game start in nine years.
- Rivalry Run: The Spurs knocked off 1st-place OKC three times in December, capped by a win on Christmas Day for their eighth consecutive dub
- Wemby Factor: Victor Wembanyama has shined since his Dec. 13 return (21.9 pts, 10.1 reb, 2 blk) as he’s the only player averaging 15+ pts, 10+ reb and 2+ blk in that span
- Up Next: After missing the last two games with knee soreness, Wemby will look to go Tuesday in Memphis (8 ET, LP), before the Spurs host the Lakers on Wednesday (9:30 ET, ESPN)
More Monday Action: Houston, which is 2.5 games back of San Antonio, hosts the streaking Suns tonight as Kevin Durant faces his former squad (8 ET, LP).
Also on League Pass, two playmakers enjoying career years take the floor as Jalen Johnson leads Atlanta against Toronto (7:30 ET), before Deni Avdija’s Blazers host the Jazz (10 ET).
- Johnson’s Rise: JJ’s seven triple-doubles trail only Jokić (16) for the most in the NBA this season, with five coming in the last 31 days
- Avdija’s Emergence: Avdija continues to play at an All-Star level for Portland, posting career-highs across the board (25.7 pts, 7.3 reb, 7.1 ast)
