NBA on MLK Day means much, much more than just basketball.

Join the NBA family as we celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. all day.

5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
Jan. 20, 2025

NBA On MLK Day: A full day of hoops, remembrance and celebration of Dr. King

Sunday Highlights: The top Kia MVP Ladder leaders pop off and more from Sunday’s 7 games

What’s Next: NBA Rivals week, NBA Paris Games and an epic Saturday finale

What’s Trending – Wild West Race: OKC sends a statement, four contenders climb

What’s Trending – East Intensifies: Offense at the top & 3.5 games separating six teams

BUT FIRST … ⏰
Last day to send your favorites to The Bay…

It’s the last day to vote for the 2025 All-Star Game starters! And it’s a 3-for-1 Day presented by AT&T, meaning your vote counts three times on the NBA App or NBA.com with your NBA ID. Tap to vote now before the window closes at 11:59 p.m. ET.

The All-Star Game starters will be revealed this Thursday on TNT (7 ET).

1. NBA ON MLK DAY: BIGGER THAN BASKETBALL

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and beyond, the NBA highlights the power of community and action in carrying forward Dr. King’s vision.

Through league-wide initiatives and reflections, the day serves as both a celebration of his legacy and a reminder of the work still to be done.

See how the NBA family is both honoring and remembering Dr. King on the 39th edition of the NBA on MLK Day.

• MLK’s Impact: Players and coaches around the league reflect on Dr. King’s influence and legacy
• “Life-Changing”: NBA stars use one word to describe Dr. King and his societal contributions
• Youth Movement: Players discuss how the youth can use their voices for positive change in communities
• Unfinished Business: NBA legend Isiah Thomas speaks on keeping Dr. King’s Dream alive
• Get Involved: NBA Cares is committed to helping achieve 100 million hours of service by 2029 in honor of MLK’s 100th birthday

The NBA continues its tradition of honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with eight matchups on Monday, including three on the national stage:

Mavericks at Hornets (12 ET, NBA TV): Today’s slate tips off at Noon ET, when Kyrie Irving and the defending West champs face LaMelo Ball and the Hornets.

Wolves at Grizzlies (2:30 ET, TNT): Two more electrifying guards will meet in a matinee matchup as Ja Morant’s Grizzlies host Anthony Edwards’ Wolves in Memphis, continuing a tradition that goes far beyond the game.

• Remembering Dr. King: This is the 23rd year that the Grizzlies will host an MLK Day matchup in Memphis, the city where Dr. King was tragically assassinated on April 4, 1968
• Continuing His Message: The team will hold several events aimed at furthering Dr. King’s fight for equality and justice as part of their annual celebration

Celtics at Warriors (5 ET, TNT): A 2022 Finals rematch caps TNT’s doubleheader, as Jayson Tatum and the reigning NBA champs challenge Steph Curry’s Warriors in the Bay.

Five more games get underway on League Pass, including a duel between the top two picks of the 2021 Draft, Jalen Green and Cade Cunningham, as the Rockets host the rising Pistons (2 ET).

• Hawks at Knicks (3 ET)
• Suns at Cavaliers (3:30 ET)
• Jazz at Pelicans (8 ET)
• Bulls at Clippers (10:30 ET)

2. SUNDAY RECAP: KIA MVP CANDIDATES DAZZLE & MORE

The top three Kia MVP Ladder leaders all took the floor Sunday, and all three shined.

Thunder 127, Nets 101: At the top of the MVP Ladder is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who returned from a one-game absence to drop 27 points and 10 assists along with 4 steals, as the West-leading Thunder earned a bounce-back win. | Recap

• Shai & MJ: SGA is on pace to join Michael Jordan (2x) as the only players to average 30+ pts on 50% shooting, along with 5+ rebs, 5+ ast, 2+ stl and 1+ blk in a single season
• Bay Bound: OKC improved to 35-7 with the win, earning coach Mark Daigneault and an assistant the opportunity to lead two of the four teams in the All-Star Game

Nuggets 113, Magic 100: In his league-leading 18th triple-double of the season, Nikola Jokić only needed nine shots (7-9 FG) to turn in 20 points while adding 14 boards and 10 dimes, lifting Denver over Orlando. | Recap

• Joker’s Record Year: Ranking 3rd in points (30.1), 3rd in rebounds (13.2) and 2nd in assists (9.9) per game, Jokić is on track to become the first player to finish a season in the top 3 of all three categories since 1969-70

Bucks 123, 76ers 109: In the Deer’s fourth straight dub, Giannis Antetokounmpo went off for 34 points, 15 rebounds and 6 assists, powering the Bucks past the Sixers despite Tyrese Maxey’s big night (37 pts, 7 ast). | Recap

Greek Freak Flex: Giannis now has 21 30-point double-doubles in just 35 games – eight more than the next closest player (Karl-Anthony Towns: 13)

Kings 123, Wizards 100: Light the Beam! Domantas Sabonis was a beast, as he posted his NBA-best 37th double-double (29 pts, 18 reb) to top the Wizards, marking the Kings’ ninth win in 10 games. | Recap

Clippers 116, Lakers 102: LeBron James scored a game-high 25 points, but Norman Powell (22), James Harden (21), Ivica Zubac (21) and Kawhi Leonard (19) combined for 83 to beat their crosstown rivals. | Recap

• The Beard & The Big O: In the win, Harden passed Oscar Robertson (26,710) for 14th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list

Heat 128, Spurs 107: Another MVP candidate, Victor Wembanyama, also stuffed the stat sheet on Sunday (21 pts, 10 reb, 1 blk), but the Heat got the win behind Kel’el Ware’s 25 points. | Recap

• Wemby’s Milestone: It was Wemby’s 75th straight game with a block, becoming the youngest player in NBA history to record such a streak, at 21 years and 15 days old

Blazers 113, Bulls 102: With 25 points and 8 dimes, Scoot Henderson became the youngest player in Blazers history to total 100+ pts and 30+ ast over a 4-game span while leading Portland to a win over Chicago. | Recap

3. WHAT’S NEXT: RIVALS WEEK, PARIS GAMES & A CAN’T-MISS SATURDAY FINALE

On Tuesday, the Battle of the Boroughs and a star-studded affair tip off NBA Rivals Week, which features 10 national games in the span of five days.

Knicks at Nets (7:30 ET, TNT): After spending the last two years in Brooklyn, Mikal Bridges makes his first return to Barclays Center as the Knicks look to move to 3-0 this season against their crosstown rivals.

76ers at Nuggets (10 ET, TNT): Next, Jokić, Jamal Murray and Denver host Tyrese Maxey and Philly. The last five matchups between the two sides have been decided by 7 or fewer points. Will we get another thriller?

On a massive Thursday, familiar East powers collide before a classic nightcap. Meanwhile, the NBA Paris Games commence.

Spurs at Pacers (2 ET, NBA TV): In his first regular-season NBA game in his home country, Frenchman Victor Wembanyama will lead the Spurs against the Pacers in their first of two matchups from Paris.

Heat at Bucks (7:30 ET, TNT): Miami and Milwaukee have met in the Playoffs three of the past five seasons. After a 3-point Bucks win in November, the familiar foes face again.

Celtics at Lakers (10 ET, TNT): One of the most iconic rivalries in sports writes a new chapter as LeBron James and the Lakers look to knock off the defending champs in their first matchup of 2024-25.

All roads lead to Saturday, as the finale for both Rivals Week and the Paris Games coincide, capped by the first ABC games of the season.

Spurs at Pacers (12 ET, ESPN): Two days after their first clash, San Antonio and Indy will duel again in Paris, marking the first time the NBA will play two regular-season games in the French capital in the same season.

Nuggets at Wolves (3 ET, ABC): Last year’s West Semifinals went the distance as Minnesota outlasted Denver to end the Nuggets’ title defense. Now, the Wolves will look to go up 2-0 in their 2024-25 season series.

Celtics at Mavericks (5:30 ET, ABC): The last time Boston and Dallas shared a floor was Game 5 of the 2024 NBA Finals, which saw the C’s clinch their record 18th title. Who will take this season’s first rematch?

Lakers at Warriors (8:30 ET, ABC): Exactly one month after an instant classic on Christmas Day, LeBron James and Steph Curry meet again.

4. WHAT’S TRENDING: OKC’S STATEMENT, WEST CONTENDERS CLIMB

All eyes were glued to “The Rematch” last Thursday between the East-leading Cavs and the West-leading Thunder, who avenged their loss in Cleveland eight days prior with a statement 134-114 win in OKC, highlighting a dominant 7-week stretch.

• Thunderstorm: OKC’s top-rated defense locked down Cleveland’s top offense, forcing them into a season-high 21 turnovers to build a commanding lead that stretched to as many as 42
• Shai Shines: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was masterful in the win, dropping 40 points in just 29 minutes to boost his Kia MVP campaign
• Historic Start: The Thunder are 20-2 since Dec. 2 for a 35-7 overall record – their best 42-game start in franchise history
• Historic Dominance: If the season ended today, OKC would own the best single-season point-differential in NBA history (12.5)

Behind OKC, just seven games separate seeds 2-11 in the West – and four contenders are making noise.

• Blast Off: 6.5 games back of the Thunder are the 2nd-place Rockets, who have won six of their last seven outings, including a pair of dubs over the 3rd-place Grizzlies
• Mile-High Movement: One game back of Memphis are Nikola Jokić and the 4th-place Nuggets, who have won six of their last seven games and 10 of their last 13
• Surging Sac-Town: But no squad in the NBA has a better record in their last 10 games than the Kings (9-1)
• Suns Rising: Two spots behind 9th-place Sacramento is Phoenix, which has won five of their last six outings, fueled by five straight 30-pieces from Devin Booker

5. WHAT’S TRENDING: CAVS KEEP ROLLING, EAST RACE INTENSIFIES

The NBA-best Cavs are still cooking. Despite falling in “The Rematch,” Cleveland has won 14 of its last 16 outings, carving out a 6.5-game lead over the Celtics atop the East.

• Historic Leaders: Now 35-6, Cleveland joined OKC this week as the 15th and 16th teams in NBA history to notch 34+ wins in their first 40 games
• Can’t-Miss Cavs: Boasting the best OffRtg in the NBA (121.1), the Cavs rank first in 3P% (39.6) and second in both FG% (50.0) and ppg (122.1)
• Cleveland’s Conductors? Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, who are on track to join Steph Curry and Klay Thompson as the only backcourts in NBA history to average 20+ ppg on 40%+ shooting from 3 in a season

Steady At The Top: Since the end of October, the No. 2 seed in the East has belonged to Boston. Trailing the C’s, are the Knicks, who have held 3rd-place since Dec. 15.

• Winning Ways: The C’s consistency reached a record high last week as they passed the Spurs for the best all-time win percentage among active NBA teams (59.5%)
• East Beast Attacks: While Cleveland owns the top OffRtg in the NBA, New York (119.2) and Boston (118.8) rank 2nd and 3rd
• Perfect Knick Mix: Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns fuel NY’s attack, as they’re on pace to become the first guard-center duo to both average 25+ ppg in a season since Shaq & Kobe in 2002-03

Surging Squads: From the 4th-place Bucks to the 9th-place Pistons, six teams are separated by just 3.5 games – and wins are stacking up on both ends of the spectrum.

• Bucks In Stride: Milwaukee has won eight of its last 11 games, including four straight, led by Giannis (31.5) and Damian Lillard (25.0) – the highest-scoring duo in the NBA (56.5)
• Indy Finding Pace: Meanwhile, last year’s East runners-up have gone 9-2 in their last 11, tied with Cleveland and OKC for the best record in that span
• Hawks Soaring: Right behind 5th-place Indy is Atlanta, which has notched three wins in a row, capped by Saturday’s OT victory in Boston
• Pistons Purring: On the other end, Cade Cunningham and Detroit are closing the gap, with seven dubs in their last 10 outings
• MVP Level: On track to become the first-ever Piston to average 20+ pts, 5+ reb and 9+ ast in a season, Cunningham is ninth on the latest Kia MVP Ladder