BREAKING: SPURS STUN KNICKS IN EPIC COMEBACK AS VICTOR WEMBANYAMA SUFFERS SCARY KNEE INJURY
Julian Champagnie hits 11 threes as the Spurs rally from 19 points down to beat the Knicks. Plus: Victor Wembanyama injury update.
In a New Year's Eve game that kept fans on the edge of their seats, Julian Champagnie sank 11 three-pointers, and Victor Wembanyama put up 31 points, helping the San Antonio Spurs rally and beat the New York Knicks 134-132.
The Spurs, who lost to the Knicks in the NBA Cup final two weeks before, got their revenge. They came back from a 19-point deficit in the second quarter to grab an awesome win.
Wembanyama, the talented French player, was a key part of the win. He scored 31 points and grabbed 13 rebounds before leaving the game with a leg injury early in the fourth quarter.
The 21-year-old later returned to the bench and celebrated with his teammates as the Spurs finished off the exciting win. This improved their record to 24-9, keeping them second in the Western Conference, just behind the Oklahoma City Thunder (29-5), who have the best record in the NBA.
While Wembanyama was important in the comeback, Champagnie brought the heat on offence, hitting a bunch of three-pointers and ending the night with 36 points.
The 24-year-old American hit four threes in the fourth quarter, helping San Antonio tie the game and then pull ahead.
"It feels great, man—I just go out there and do my job," he said after the game. That’s all I can do... I was just trying to shoot the basketball.
The crowd of 18,602 at San Antonio’s Frost Bank Centre got quiet when Wembanyama limped off the court after landing awkwardly while going for a rebound.
But he later said he thought he would recover quickly from what he called a left knee hyperextension.
My body’s feeling good, just sore, Wembanyama said. I’m very confident and positive.
I expect to be back next game—I don’t know if the team expects that, he added.
San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson said, I have no idea what to say, but it was good to see him walk back out and be able to finish the game on the bench with his teammates.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 29 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns and Jordan Clarkson each scored 20.
In other games on Dec 31, the Golden State Warriors kept up their good play, beating the Charlotte Hornets 132-125 on the road.
Stephen Curry, playing in front of his hometown fans, scored 26 points for Golden State, including five three-pointers. The Warriors have now won five of their last six games, improving their record to 18-16 in the Western Conference.
Jimmy Butler and Brandin Podziemski each added 19 points to support Curry.
Curry, who heard MVP chants during a road game against the Brooklyn Nets on Dec 29, was warmly welcomed by a record Charlotte crowd of 19,685 fans.
“I’m always amazed by the support he gets everywhere,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said about Curry. It makes sense because of who he is, what he’s done, and what kind of person he is... It shows how much Steph impacts people; there’s something special about him.
Elsewhere, the Thunder easily beat the Portland Trail Blazers 124-95, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scoring 30 points.
Other scores: The Atlanta Hawks beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 126-102, thanks to 34 points from Jalen Johnson. The Orlando Magic edged out the Indiana Pacers 112-110, with Paolo Banchero scoring 29 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.
In Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell outscored Devin Booker to lead the Cavaliers to a 129-113 win over the Phoenix Suns.
Mitchell had 34 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists, while Booker scored 32 points in the loss.
LAKERS ON THE BRINK: LEBRON JAMES ADMITS DISAPPOINTMENT AFTER 3-0 SERIES DEFICIT
"We still have life." LeBron James remains defiant despite a brutal 131-108 loss to OKC at the Crypto.com Arena on Saturday.
The Los Angeles Lakers find themselves just one loss away from elimination after a tough 131-108 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday night. Although the Lakers held a halftime lead for the second consecutive game, they again fell apart in the second half, allowing Oklahoma City to cruise to a 3-0 series lead.
LeBron James spoke after the game, highlighting the Thunder’s depth and relentless energy while emphasising that the Lakers still believe they have a chance to push the series further. The Thunder outscored Los Angeles 74-49 after halftime and once more dominated the third quarter, continuing a pattern that has largely defined this series.
“They’re solid from top to bottom,” James said after the game. “And they never take their foot off the gas.”
Oklahoma City converted at a 56 per cent clip and spread the scoring load, even though reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was only 7-of-20 from the field with 23 points. The Thunder’s supporting players reinforced the effort alongside Chet Holmgren, Ajay Mitchell, Jared McCain, and Alex Caruso.
LeBron pointed directly to the third quarter as the turning point for Game 3.
“Obviously, the third quarter is where it starts,” he noted. “We lacked the energy and effort, and they dropped over 30 points on us.”
Despite strong first-half performances from Rui Hachimura and Luke Kennard, giving Los Angeles a one-point lead at halftime, Oklahoma City seized control right after the break, forcing turnovers and capitalising on easy transition baskets.
“In that third quarter, we couldn’t hit shots,” James admitted. “We defended but didn’t get stops, which let them take control.”
The Lakers were outscored 33-20 in that quarter alone. James managed just one field goal, while Austin Reaves went scoreless in the period.
James finished the night with 19 points, eight assists, and six rebounds, but his shooting was off at 7-for-19, and he posted a minus-24 plus-minus rating.
Los Angeles also turned the ball over 17 times, which led to 30 points for the Thunder. Oklahoma City outscored the Lakers 64-44 in the paint as well.
When pressed about the frustration of falling behind 3-0, James kept his response measured.
“I can’t say I’m not disappointed or angry,” he said. “You’re obviously disappointed being down 3-0, but we still have life. That’s all you can ask for. We have to be much better on Monday.”
Lakers coach JJ Redick backed up James’ take, describing Oklahoma City as an elite team in the NBA.
“They’ve beaten us three straight games,” Redick said. “They’re a really impressive basketball team.”
Redick previously drew comparisons between the Thunder and dominant teams like the 1990s Chicago Bulls and the 2017-18 Golden State Warriors. James acknowledged Oklahoma City’s versatility and depth, which have caused significant matchup problems.
“They have the right personnel to adapt to whatever you throw out there,” James said. “And they stay productive no matter who’s on the floor.”
Even with Gilgeous-Alexander’s uneven scoring, the Thunder have continued to win comfortably. Holmgren’s inside presence has been dominant, and Mitchell once again put up a strong stat line with 24 points and 10 assists.
James wasn’t surprised by the Thunder’s sustained pressure, given their roster makeup.
“You’ve seen them develop over the years,” he said. “They have a lot of players who can do multiple things, and that depth really helps.”
The Lakers are still without Luka Doncic, sidelined with a Grade 2 hamstring strain from April, which has hampered their offensive rhythm, especially late in games.
Facing elimination now, James insisted the team’s focus remains squarely on Game 4 rather than any bigger questions about the group’s future.
"No", James said when asked if they considered this might be their last run together. “We’re just concentrating on the moment and moving forward from there.”
Game 4 is set for Monday night in Los Angeles, where the Lakers will fight to avoid a sweep and keep the series alive before heading back to Oklahoma City.
MAX HOLLOWAY BREAKS SILENCE ON PARAMOUNT REGARDING CONOR MCGREGOR UFC 329 RUMORS
Relive the 13-year history between Holloway and McGregor as the Hawaiian star targets International Fight Week for ultimate revenge.
Max Holloway is hungry for payback against Conor McGregor as rumours swirl about a rematch.
McGregor hasn’t stepped inside the octagon since that quick loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in 2021. His last win was way back in 2020 when he steamrolled Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in under a minute. He was supposed to fight Michael Chandler in 2024, but that fell through after he got injured.
Now, at 37, McGregor’s back in training and eyeing a return for UFC 329 on July 11, right as International Fight Week rolls around. Before that, he missed out on a shot at the White House card, so this July date is shaping up to be his next window.
Dana White has flip-flopped a bit on McGregor’s comeback, but now he sounds confident: “It’s looking good. Believe me, you know once we get a deal done with him, we will announce it.” And right now, Holloway looks like the top pick for the fight, 13 years after they first went at it.
Back then, McGregor beat Holloway by decision. Since then, Holloway’s had his own ups and downs; he lost the BMF belt to Charles Oliveira in March and hasn’t fought since. Still, he’s eager to get back, especially if it means a shot at Conor.
Talking to Paramount, Holloway laid it out: “We have history. We fought a long time ago. If someone’s got a win over me, I want that back. If he really is serious about returning, and it looks like he is, then this is an exciting fight. He looks hungry. He even did a boxing exhibition not too long ago, so it looks like he’s really coming back. I just want another shot. Any fight with Conor is huge, but with our past? It means even more. If I can knock a few names off my list, that’s great.”
For now, Holloway hasn’t heard anything official from the UFC about July. "Maybe we'll see what happens,” he said. “I’m seeing all the same talk you are. I haven’t heard anything yet, but July would work for me. They say you’re only as good as your last fight, and I want people to forget about that one as soon as possible.”
