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The Denver Nuggets (28-14) and the Boston Celtics (32-9) link up in a potential NBA Finals preview on Friday. The clubs are currently in the top three of their respective conferences. Boston ranks fifth in the NBA in scoring (120.9 points per game), while Denver is third in the league in assists (29.5 assists per game) and field goal percentage (49.9%).

Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET at TD Garden in Boston. The Celtics are 7-point favorites in the latest Nuggets vs. Celtics odds via SportsLine consensus. The over/under for total points is 233.5. Before making any Celtics vs. Nuggets picks, you need to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 13 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 42-23 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Celtics vs. Nuggets and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Nuggets vs. Celtics:

Nuggets vs. Celtics spread: Boston -7
Nuggets vs. Celtics over/under: 233.5 points
Nuggets vs. Celtics money line: Boston -273, Denver +222
DEN: The Nuggets have hit the 2Q game total Over in 26 of their last 32 away games
BOS: The Celtics have won 20 straight at home
Nuggets vs. Celtics picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Nuggets can cover
Center Nikola Jokic is an impactful presence all across the floor. Jokic rebounds the ball well, handles the ball with ease and has superb court vision. The five-time All-Star is fourth in the NBA in both rebounds (11.9) and assists (4.1) and 15th in scoring (25.5). Jokic has recorded 12 triple-doubles on the year. In his last outing, he tallied 25 points and 19 boards.

Guard Jamal Murray is a fearless scorer from any spot on the court. Murray has a sweet jumper and will put the ball on the deck when needed. The Kentucky product averages 20.5 points, 6.5 assists and shoots 41% from beyond the arc. On Jan. 14 against the Pacers, Murray racked up 25 points and eight assists. See which team to pick here.

Why the Celtics can cover
Forward Kristaps Porzingis (7-foot-2) is a very long and lengthy presence who owns a pure jumper with the ability to be a reliable shot-blocker. The 28-year-old averages 19.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game. On Jan. 13 versus the Rockets, Porzingis notched 17 points, seven boards, five assists, and three blocks.

Guard Jrue Holiday brings lockdown defense to the perimeter for the Celtics. Holiday is a great rebounder and has the court vision to be an effective passer. The UCLA product can also create his own shot and logs 13.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. In his last outing, Holiday finished with 22 points, six boards, seven assists, and two blocks. See which team to pick here.

How to make Celtics vs. Nuggets picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Under on the total, projecting 232 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits almost 60% of the time. You can only see the model’s picks at SportsLine.

Seven games will make up Friday’s NBA slate with matchups tipping off between 7:00 and 10:30 p.m. ET. We have our eye on one upset, a spread pick and one plus-money prop ahead of the action. Are you looking to find an edge? We’ve gone over each pairing to identify three plays worth considering.

Moneyline: Phoenix Suns (+118) @ New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans split a two-game series with the Luka Doncic-less Dallas Mavericks before crushing the Charlotte Hornets in its last game, but the Suns have more momentum after racking up three straight wins. Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal are improving their chemistry quickly, and Brandon Ingram’s recent offensive struggles could put New Orleans at a major disadvantage against a team with so much firepower.

Spread: Philadelphia 76ers -5.5 (-105) @ Orlando Magic
The 76ers beat a healthy Magic squad by 20 in Orlando this past December, and it appears like the second meeting between these Eastern Conference rivals won’t be as competitive. The home team is down Franz Wagner and Gary Harris, who are crucial parts of the league’s sixth-best scoring defense. We’ll have to see whether the Magic continue to bring Wendell Carter Jr. off the bench, as Joel Embiid leads the league in first and third-quarter points per game and could help Philly build a lead early against Goga Bitadze.

Player prop: Keldon Johnson over 8.5 assists + rebounds (+104)
Victor Wembanyama won’t play on Friday, so Johnson is in for a large bump in production. The San Antonio Spurs forward is averaging 30.8 minutes per contest when the top pick from last year’s draft doesn’t suit up. He could be in for a big game against the Hornets. Johnson has gone over this total four times in five games without Wembanyama this season. Four teams are giving up more rebounds per game than the Hornets this season and three teams are giving up more assists per game.

With only three weeks remaining in the USFL’s regular season, the playoff picture is anything but clear. We’ll attempt to sort things out below, but first, consider the roller-coaster ride we’ve seen thus far.

The New Orleans Breakers started 4-0 and were the last team to lose a game — and they’ve gone 0-3 since.
The Memphis Showboats looked like the league’s worst team after an 0-3 start — and they’ve gone 4-0 since.
The Philadelphia Stars didn’t look anything like they did while reaching last year’s championship game after a 1-3 start — and they’ve gone 3-0 since.
It all adds up to one difficult league to try and figure out, but in Week 7 there was one team that staked its claim to being the one to beat. We also saw a big day by a former NFL first-round draft pick. We’ll break down everything below, but before we dive in, a look at the scores.

Saturday
Birmingham Stallions 24, New Orleans Breakers 20
Philadelphia Stars 37, Pittsburgh Maulers 31
Sunday
Memphis Showboats 23, Houston Gamblers 20
Michigan Panthers 25, New Jersey Generals 22

Playoff picture
Only 12 total regular-season games remain, yet the four playoff spots are truly up for grabs. The one spot that may be in the firmest grasp belongs to the defending champion Birmingham Stallions. The Stallions, 5-2 after winning two straight, are the latest team to beat the formerly 4-0 Breakers — who suddenly sit in a three-way tie for second place (or last, depending on how you look at it) in the South Division. New Orleans is 4-3, as are the Showboats and Gamblers. The Breakers play the Showboats (Week 9) and Gamblers (Week 10) to finish the season, and those games should go a long way in determining who gets the South Division’s No. 2 seed, assuming Birmingham continues to play well.

In the North, the Stars sit in first place after their three-game win streak, but it’s difficult to say that seat is secure — given that they’ve allowed 28 more points than they’ve scored this season (143 scored, 171 allowed). The Stars are also the only North team that has to play Birmingham in one of their final three games. The good news for Philadelphia is that the North is by far the weaker of the two divisions. The Pittsburgh Maulers and New Jersey Generals aren’t eliminated — in fact, they’re only two games out of first — but at 2-5, they are tied with the USFL’s worst record. The Michigan Panthers, who beat the Generals on Sunday, are a game behind the Stars at 3-4.

Whoever wins the North will be a big underdog in the USFL title game against the South champ, but as we saw in the XFL championship game, anything can happen.

Stallions retake title of the team to beat
The Stallions are the defending champs but they hadn’t been alone atop the South Division all season — until this week. Birmingham led the whole way Saturday, as quarterback Alex McGough had two TDs (one rushing and one passing), including a 20-yard scoring pass to Jace Sternberger at the end of the third quarter that put the Stallions up 24-9.

New Orleans made a run in the fourth, as a 55-yard field goal by Matthew Coughlin cut it to 24-20 with six minutes left. But the Breakers’ Hail Mary attempt in the final ticks was intercepted.

Suddenly the Stallions are looking like champs again, and players are doing flips.

That’s our ball!!! 👏 pic.twitter.com/5n0O7mBJxx

— Birmingham Stallions (@USFLStallions) May 27, 2023
Stars rolling with Coleman in spotlight
Corey Coleman was as first-round NFL pick in 2016 (taken by the Browns at No. 15 overall) and lately he’s been flashing that talent in the USFL. On Saturday, Coleman took this one from Case Cookus 56 yards for the touchdown.

The #USFL after dark is lit, no pun intended. Case Cookus finds a wide open Corey Coleman for the 56 yard score, and just like that the @USFLStars take a 27-24 lead.

Cookus x Coleman has been a fun duo to watch this USFL season.pic.twitter.com/Ohf1m6xSa6

— James Larsen (@JamesLarsenPFN) May 28, 2023
Coleman had four catches for 75 yards. Cookus (18 of 30, 235 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT) also had a big day, but it was Philly’s rushing attack that was most surprising. The Stars entered the day last in the league in rushing, but Matthew Colburn ran for 83 yards on 20 carries with 2 TDs. Colburn had only 169 rushing yards in the first six games combined.

Showboats suddenly sizzling behind defense
Not only did Memphis start the season 0-3, one of those losses was a 42-2 drubbing at the hands of the Stallions. But since that 0-3 start, something clicked for the Showboats, and on Sunday they won their fourth straight. Memphis has been winning with defense, getting two interceptions off the Houston Gamblers. Nose tackle John Atkins dominated, with two sacks and four tackles. In their previous three wins, the Showboats had 10 takeaways, the most in the league.

Showboats quarterback Cole Kelley and wide receiver Derrick Dillon teamed up for the game’s biggest play on offense with this 64-yard score.

64 YARD TOUCHDOWN FOR THE LEAD!!!! @DerrickDillon4 😤 pic.twitter.com/hBJ8Dd6wVo

— Memphis Showboats (@USFLShowboats) May 28, 2023
Things are going so well for Memphis that a player they signed on Thursday — defensive tackle Jordan Ferguson — was already making big plays, including a sack in the final minutes to stuff an attempted Houston comeback, despite not yet having a jersey with his name on the back.

The USFL’s sophomore season has been one to remember through seven weeks. Every team remains in contention for the league title, thanks to some wild division races that are coming down to the final weeks of the regular season.

In the North Division, all four teams are separated by two games. The South Division has all four teams separated by a game, with three teams tied for second place. Five of the eight teams are over .500 with three weeks left.

The final stretch of the USFL season will separate the contenders from the pretenders, especially since four teams will be competing for the league championship in a month. The Birmingham Stallions are the defending champions and have the best record, so the slightest slip up could keep them out of the playoffs.

Heading into Week 8 of the season, the USFL power rankings are wilder than ever.

1. Memphis Showboats (4-3)
   The last team to win a game in the league this season is just one game behind Birmingham for the South Division title. Memphis has won an impressive four games in a row since its 0-3 start, including an impressive 23-20 victory over Houston to get in the thick of the playoff hunt.

Cole Kelly’s 64-yard touchdown pass to T.J. Green with 1:44 left is a contender for play of the year thus far — and the pass that could get Memphis into the postseason in their first year back in the USFL. There’s still some work to do for Memphis, as it faces New Orleans and Birmingham in the final two weeks (the Showboats do have the edge in the three-way tiebreaker thanks to a 2-1 record against Houston and New Orleans).

2. Philadelphia Stars (4-3)
   Wouldn’t be the second half of the USFL season without the Stars making a run at a playoff berth. Philadelphia rallied in the second half for a 37-31 victory over Pittsburgh, with Case Cookus finding Corey Coleman for a 56-yard touchdown in the third quarter to put the Stars up for good.

The Stars have taken the North Division lead and have won three straight. A Week 8 showdown with Birmingham — and a rematch of last season’s USFL Championship Game — could determine the Stars’ division-title chances. The Stars actually clinch the division with a win over the Stallions and losses by the Maulers and Generals.

3. Birmingham Stallions (5-2)
   The Stallions have the best record in the USFL, yet are one loss away from the outside looking in regarding the playoff race. So is life in the South Division.

Birmingham avenged an earlier loss to New Orleans with a 24-20 victory to take over the South Division lead, holding on to the advantage in the final quarter. The Stallions have the league’s best record and the league’s best quarterback and Alex McGough, but have a showdown with Philadelphia in Week 8.

A rematch of the USFL Championship Game could turn out to be the game of the season. The Stallions’ schedule doesn’t get any easier, facing over .500 teams the last of the way.

4. Michigan Panthers (3-4)
   Michigan continued its surprising season by beating New Jersey in Week 7, as Josh Love found Joe Walker for a 68-yard touchdown to give the Panthers the lead with 4:41 left in a 25-22 victory. The win put Michigan in second place in the North Division, a game ahead of New Jersey and Pittsburgh with three to play.

The Panthers split with the Generals and have the opportunity to split with the Maulers in Week 9. A tough matchup with New Orleans awaits this week.

5. Houston Gamblers (4-3)
   A 23-20 loss to Memphis didn’t help Houston’s playoff chances, as the Gamblers are third in the three-way tiebreaker for second place in the South Division (despite having the highest point differential over Memphis and New Orleans). Memphis actually gets the second playoff spot due to having a 2-1 record against New Orleans and Houston.

Houston faces Pittsburgh this week in a trap game with Birmingham and New Orleans closing out the year. The Gamblers allow 23.1 points per game, second highest in the league.

There’s still work to do in Houston.

6. New Orleans Breakers (4-3)
   The USFL’s last unbeaten team can’t buy a win, as New Orleans has lost three straight following a Week 7 loss to Michigan. New Orleans has the league’s leading passer in McLeod Bethel-Thompson, the league’s leading rusher in Wes Hills, and the league’s leading receiver in Sage Surratt.

The Breakers have the league’s best passing offense and the top offense in yards per game. New Orleans is also third in scoring defense and yards allowed. This team should be better than its record indicates, but averaging 13.3 points over the last three games isn’t going to win many contests.

7. Pittsburgh Maulers (2-5)
   The Maulers are falling out of the playoff picture after a tough 37-31 loss to the Stars. On the bright side, Pittsburgh scored 31 points after getting shut out the week prior.

Pittsburgh is two games behind Philadelphia for the North Division lead, but still remain one game behind Michigan for the final playoff spot. The Maulers have to beat the Gamblers this week to have a shot in Week 9, as they’ll play the Panthers.

8. New Jersey Generals (2-5)
   A four-game losing streak has the Generals begging for a win at this point, as a repeat of the North Division title appears to be out of reach. New Jersey is still one game out of a playoff spot, but has to beat Memphis and Philadelphia to set themselves up to make the playoffs (finish the year against Pittsburgh in Week 10).

DeAndre Johnson’s head injury is a major blow to the league’s top-ranked rushing offense. Johnson doesn’t appear to be playing this week, so Kyle Lauletta will lead an offense averaging just 17.5 points during the four-game losing streak.

With just two weeks left in the USFL’s regular season, every team is still in playoff contention. And one thing is clear — at least one deserving team from the South Division is going to miss the postseason.

In Week 8, when the four South teams were matched up with North opponents, all four from the South prevailed, setting up an odd situation where the worst team in the South has a better record than the best in the North. With the top two teams in each division making the playoffs, here’s how the standings look with just eight games still to be played in the regular season.

The Memphis Showboats are the league’s hottest team, winning their fifth straight after an 0-3 start, yet they could very well be left out of the postseason. The New Jersey Generals and Pittsburgh Maulers are tied for the worst record in the league, yet there’s still a path for each to make the playoffs. We’ll break down the playoff picture and the biggest takeaway from each game below; first, a look at the Week 8 scores.

Saturday
Houston Gamblers 20, Pittsburgh Maulers 19
Birmingham Stallions 27, Philadelphia Stars 24
Sunday
Memphis Showboats 25, New Jersey Generals 16
New Orleans Breakers 24, Michigan Panthers 20

Playoff picture
Let’s start with the North Division. The good news for the Philadelphia Stars, who reached the USFL title game last year, is that they’re in first place. The bad news? They’re only .500 after losing to the Birmingham Stallions, and have allowed 31 more points this season than they’ve scored. In fact, every team in the East owns a minus point differential. The Michigan Panthers are currently in the playoff picture, sitting in second place in the North despite a 3-5 record.

The Stars finish the season with games against the Generals and Panthers, so Philly controls its own fate. In fact, every team in the USFL faces only divisional opponents in what should be a wild final two weeks of the regular season. Everything is still up for grabs.

In the South Division, where all four teams are 5-3 or better, the defending champion Birmingham Stallions boast the league’s best record at 6-2, but a stumble in the final two weeks against a pair of strong divisional opponents (Gamblers, Showboats) could still leave them home for the playoffs. Those Gamblers and Showboats, along with the Breakers — who finally got back in the win column after a three-game slide — are knotted at 5-3, with games remaining only within the division.

Our best guess for the playoffs? Stars and Panthers in the North, Stallions and Showboats in the South. But as we saw in the XFL title game, a better regular season record won’t necessarily translate to playoff success.

Showboats win fifth straight after 0-3 start
Memphis has been on fire of late — they’re even our new No. 1 team — and that continued on Sunday. The Showboats haven’t lost since starting 0-3, and their defense has been the biggest reason for the turnaround.

Memphis leads the league in takeaways the last five weeks, and in Week 8 the Showboats got two quick ones — forcing a fumble on a kick return, followed by this Greg Reaves interception off Generals quarterback Kyle Lauletta.

Look at @G_Reaves41 with the INT at the line! 👏 pic.twitter.com/DsU2phiXUl

— USFL (@USFL) June 4, 2023
Kerrith Whyte led the way on offense for the Showboats, rushing for 102 yards on 24 carried with a touchdown.

Breakers finally stop skid with win over Panthers
New Orleans looked like the class of the league when it was the only team to start 4-0, but it immediately followed that with a three-game losing streak. The Breakers finally got a win on Sunday, as they held on after running out to a 21-0 lead on Michigan. The Panthers scored 10 points in the final minute of the first half, however, and cut the lead to 21-17 in the third. In the end, Michigan was down four in the final ticks, but a Hail Mary attempt was picked off.

McLeod Bethel-Thompson led the way for the Breakers, throwing for 328 yards with 2 TDs and 2 INTs.

👀 McLeod Bethel-Thompson finds Johnnie Dixon for a 36-yard score! pic.twitter.com/SkmtpopnFL

— New Orleans Breakers (@USFLBreakers) June 4, 2023
Stallions come back to beat Stars in 2022 title game rematch
Birmingham and Philadelphia clashed in the first USFL championship game last year, and their first meeting since that game was a thriller. It was tied with less than five minutes remaining when a Birmingham field goal put it up three with 4:35 left. Stars quarterback Case Cookus responded with his third TD of the game to put Philly back on top with 3:10 left.

The Stallions got the last laugh, as Alex McGough found La’Michael Pettway on a 7-yard TD with just 25 seconds remaining in the game.

What a game this has been. Alex McGough finds La’Michael Pettway for the go-ahead score with under 30 seconds to go, and the @USFLStallions are back in front.

It’s been an entertaining day for #USFL football. You love to see it.pic.twitter.com/UjtJTfKrIF

— James Larsen (@JamesLarsenPFN) June 3, 2023
McGough threw 3 TDs without tossing a pick, finishing with 333 yards passing. McGough and Cookus had a combined 6 TDs and 598 yards.

Gamblers never lead until final 5 minutes; Thompson saves day
The Maulers led the entire game Saturday until just under five minutes remained in the fourth quarter. That’s when the Gamblers’ Mark Thompson — who leads the USFL in rushing touchdowns — got loose for this 33-yard score, which turned out to be the game-winner.

LUCKY NUMBER 1️⃣3️⃣ @InMarkWeTrust’s 33-yard TD gives us the lead! 🙌

🎥: @USANetwork pic.twitter.com/3tfAXRKymn

— Houston Gamblers (@USFLGamblers) June 3, 2023
It was Thompson’s second TD run of the game, his fifth multiple-TD game in eight weeks, which tops the league. He finished with 98 yards on 14 carries.

The Maulers had led 13-6 at the half. A 53-yard field goal by Chris Blewitt put Pittsburgh up 19-13 with nine minutes left in the game before Thompson’s heroics. The Maulers had a chance to retake the lead with 1:50 remaining, but Blewitt missed from 41 yards out.

The Los Angeles Clippers have been awarded the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, according to Shams Charania. This is the seventh time that the annual event will take place in Los Angeles, but the first time that the Clippers, who moved to L.A. in 1984, will be the sole hosts.

Since 1999, the Clippers have shared Crypto.com Arena — formerly known as the Staples Center — with the Los Angeles Lakers. Beginning with the 2024-25 season, however, they will move into their own building called the Intuit Dome, which was spearheaded by owner Steve Ballmer. The 2026 All-Star Game will serve as a showcase for Ballmer’s vision and the Clippers’ new home.

Previously, the All-Star Game has been in Los Angeles in 1963, 1972, 1983, 2004, 2011 and 2018. No other city has played host as many times.

The All-Star Game report comes on the back of Kawhi Leonard’s contract extension, which was officially announced by the team on Thursday, and will keep the two-time Defensive Player of the Year in Los Angeles until 2027.

“With the conversation that I have with them about it, I think for the most part everybody is coming back,” Leonard told reporters. “So, with me signing the extension, I think it gives us a chance to sign both of those players.”

In addition, Paul George is working on an extension of his own to continue his stay with the Clippers. James Harden, meanwhile, will be a free agent this summer, and could re-sign as well.

“Absolutely,” George told reporters. “You secure and lock in Kawhi, it definitely leaves the door open for myself,” George said. “Very, very optimistic that something will get done on my behalf as well.”

Based on how the trio has performed together thus far, it’s a no-brainer to bring them back. Once everyone settled into their new roles post-trade, the Clippers have looked like one of the best teams in the league and surged up the Western Conference sandings. They are 21-6 in their last 27 games, and now sit in fourth place in the West — just two games back from the top spot, which is currently in a tie between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves.

With Leonard locked on a long-term deal and George expected to commit soon as well and a new arena opening up, the Clippers are a perfect choice to host the 2026 All-Star Game.

The 2024 All-Star Game, which will be the league’s 73rd contest, will be held in Indianapolis, Indiana on Feb. 18, 2024. The second round of fan voting was revealed on Thursday, and Giannis Antetokounmpo leads all vote getters.

Ten games will make up Friday’s main NBA slate and a trio of games beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET will get the action started. There are plenty of betting options to choose from with so many matchups on tap. Are you looking to find an edge? We’ve gone over each pairing to identify a moneyline, spread and a player prop pick worth considering here.

Moneyline: Sacramento Kings (+100) @ Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers are now 2-7 straight up without Embiid this season and will face an All-Star caliber center in Domantas Sabonis on Friday. They’ve lost three straight contests without the big man and the Kings have enough scoring to keep the pressure on, even with a road matchup. Tobias Harris has no choice but to explode on offense, as De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk, and Keegan Murray will apply tons of pressure to Tyrese Maxey. This seems like a trap after Thursday’s wild Milwaukee Bucks blowout against the Boston Celtics, but Sacramento should get the job done.

Spread: Atlanta Hawks -6 (-110) vs. Indiana Pacers
The Pacers smoked the Hawks the last time these teams met, but Tyrese Haliburton won’t be in the picture this time. Andrew Nembard and TJ McConnell will have to defend Trae Young while matching his offensive production. Indiana is 2-2 without their floor general and their losses were by an average of 34.5 points. If you like Atlanta’s odds to win straight up, you should be comfortable betting against the spread.

Player prop: Brandon Ingram over 23.5 points + rebounds (+104)
Ingram is in a bit of a scoring slump but has had recent success against the Denver Nuggets. The New Orleans Pelicans wing has eclipsed 21 points in each of his matchups with the Nuggets this season. He’s also scored at least 21 points in five of his previous six matchups against the reigning NBA champions. Ingram’s grabbed four boards or more four times in five games this month, so his odds to cash this prop seem strong.

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball returned to action on Friday night, and did so without covering up his neck tattoo. Early in the season, the NBA deemed that Ball’s ink violated league policies regarding the display of corporate logos, but will no longer fine him for failing to cover it up, according to Adrian Wojnarowski.

A red ‘LF’ under Ball’s left ear is the tattoo in question. The initials stand for LaFrance, which is not only his middle name but the name of his lifestyle fashion brand, which he launched in 2020. Ball has a similar tattoo on his left hand, though it is not as obvious as the one on his neck. You can see the tattoo here, as well as the covering he used.

LaMelo Ball is now covering up his new “LF” tattoo.

The LF on his tattoo stands for LaFrancé, the name of Ball’s clothing line. pic.twitter.com/x0BhRLqo7S

— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) November 15, 2023
NBA spokesman Tim Frank released a statement to ESPN on the matter:

“Per the (Collective Bargaining Agreement), players are prohibited from displaying commercial logos or corporate insignia on their body or in their hair during games. We try to enforce the rule reasonably, in accordance with its purpose, and taking into account players’ efforts to express themselves in a non-commercial manner. But LaMelo Ball’s neck tattoo is in obvious violation of the rule and, accordingly, he’s required to cover it.”

Ball’s camp claims that the league rule regarding the matter has been inconsistently enforced and that the initials have been important to him before the launch of his “LaFrance” brand. Ironically, one of the other times that the league did use the rule came in 2018, when Lonzo Ball, LaMelo’s older brother, was required to cover up a “Big Baller Brand” tattoo.

Lonzo eventually settled the matter by covering up the “Big Baller Brand” logo with a new tattoo of a pair of dice. It appears as though LaMelo and the league have come to an agreement that will allow him to continue displaying his tattoo.

Ball missed nearly two months with another ankle injury, but was back in the lineup on Friday versus the San Antonio Spurs. In 15 games prior to the injury, Ball was averaging a career-high 24.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game.

Just when you thought the Detroit Pistons’ season couldn’t get any worse, along came Friday night. They suffered a complete collapse down the stretch in the fourth quarter en route to a 112-110 defeat to the Houston Rockets that ran their new losing streak to seven games and extended a dismal 1-35 stretch.

Along the way, they delivered one of the most embarrassing plays of the season, which encapsulated their ineptitude. A level of ineptitude that has characterized their 2023-24 campaign from the start.

Just a few minutes into the game, Rockets big man Alperen Sengun knocked down a free throw to complete an and-one. The Pistons then somehow messed up the ensuing inbounds in comical fashion. Killian Hayes grabbed the ball and inbounded it to Isaiah Stewart, who apparently didn’t realize that the play was now live. Stewart then went to inbound it himself, and in the process both traveled and stepped out of bounds.

The Pistons’ announcers couldn’t believe it. “Oh my goodness. You want to talk about an unforced error? The Pistons just committed one.”

“Oh, my goodness. You want to talk about an unforced error? The Pistons just committed one.”

Greg Kelser on the call as Killian Hayes and Isaiah Stewart combine for quite the blooper. pic.twitter.com/Z16ZyZccKZ

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 13, 2024
Neither could the coaching staff. Just look at their reaction here:

The Pistons coaches couldn’t believe this turnover 😅 pic.twitter.com/K1wraxgQUZ

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 13, 2024
Mistakes happen, but they shouldn’t happen as often as they do in Detroit. That was one of 13 turnovers on the night for the Pistons, who rank 29th in the league in turnover percentage at 15.8. That issue would crop up again late in the fourth quarter, as their lead melted away. After a Jalen Duren bucket put them up 107-102 with 3:54 remaining, the Pistons scored just three points the rest of the way, in part because of two bad turnovers.

With the loss, the Pistons have now dropped seven games in a row since their win over the Toronto Raptors on Dec. 30. There have been seven losing streaks of at least seven games this season in the NBA. The Pistons have two of them, including a historic 28-game skid. Since the start of that one, they are 1-35 in their last 36 games, and for the season they are 3-36.

Their .077 winning percentage has them on pace for six wins, which would be the fewest of all-time, even worse than the 7-59 Charlotte Bobcats in the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season. The worst record in an 82-game season belongs to the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers, who went 9-73.

Charlotte Hornets rookie Brandon Miller was taken to the locker room on Friday night after taking a scary fall from a flagrant foul against the San Antonio Spurs. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft was able to get up under his own power, but was immediately placed in concussion protocol. The team later announced that Miller was doubtful to return to the game due to a lower back contusion. In the end, he did not return.

Early in the second quarter, the Hornets came up with a steal and Miller took off the other way on the break. LaMelo Ball, back in the lineup after nearly missing nearly two months with an ankle injury, fed him with a perfect outlet pass that Miller took in stride. As he exploded to the rim, Keldon Johnson rose with him and hit his arm instead of the ball. The contact sent Miller crashing back to the floor, where he landed hard on his back and had his head snap back violently.

Brandon Miller is headed to the locker room after taking this hard fall. pic.twitter.com/q34UxV0iy1

— Bally Sports: Hornets (@HornetsOnBally) January 13, 2024
After a review, the officials upgraded the foul to a Flagrant 1 on Johnson because he came “with speed and delivered unnecessary contact when the player had a potential for injury that was high,” according to crew cheif Ben Taylor. Because Miller went to the locker room under the concussion protocol, the Hornets were allowed to pick any player on the court to shoot the free throws.

Entering Friday, Miller was averaging 14.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists through the first 31 games of his debut season. Among rookies, only No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama and 2022 No. 2 pick Chet Holmgren are scoring more than Miller. In addition, Miller is shooting 37.9% from 3-point land and was tied for the rookie lead in 3s per game with 2.1.

Losing Miller for any sort of period of time would be a blow for the Hornets, who just returned Ball to the lineup. Charlotte would end up dropping the game, 135-99, to San Antonio. The loss puts the Hornets at 8-28 for the season, the third-worst mark in the Eastern Conference.