NBA

Thunder rebound, Knicks roll and Sixers explode on offense: NBA round-up

With the trade deadline and All-Star break looming, contenders surge, strugglers stumble and several stars deliver statement performances.

Alonzo Adams

Alberto Clemente Calum Roche

Update: Jan 28th, 2026 04:25 EST

New NBA night with seven games on the slate. Two major dates are fast approaching – one sooner than the other: the NBA trade deadline on February 5, and the All-Star Weekend, which will be held February 13–15 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, bringing with it the midseason break so many players are craving.

Until then, and in another night full of basketball and drama, the Thunder returned to winning ways, the Nets battled without reward, the Clippers kept their hot streak alive and the Pistons conquered Colorado. The Wizards, Knicks and Sixers also picked up wins. All that and more in the night’s roundup...

Washington Wizards 115 – 111 Portland Trail Blazers

Alex Sarr put on a spectacular performance to lift the Wizards to victory in Washington. The center finished with 29 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, two steals and six blocks to seal the win. Portland’s interior game also showed up, with Donovan Clingan posting 14 points and 20 rebounds, while Shaedon Sharpe’s 31 points still weren’t enough for the Blazers.

New York Knicks 103 – 87 Sacramento Kings

The Knicks secured their third straight win on Tuesday, beating the Kings at Madison Square Garden behind 28 points from Jalen Brunson. The game was tied at 72 entering the fourth quarter, but New York closed with a dominant 31–15 run to claim a crucial victory and keep pressure on the Celtics for second place in the East. The Knicks now sit at 28–18, just behind Boston’s 29–17, while the conference is led by the Pistons (34–11).

Brunson scored 11 of his 28 points in the final period. Karl-Anthony Towns added a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Mikal Bridges chipped in 18. New York avenged its loss to the Kings from two weeks ago, in Mike Brown’s reunion with his former team. Sacramento, meanwhile, is going through a rough stretch – this was its sixth straight loss, leaving the Kings bottom of the West at 12–36, despite 34 points from DeMar DeRozan (13-of-26 shooting).

Philadelphia 76ers 139 – 122 Milwaukee Bucks

Paul George erupted for 32 points and nine three-pointers as the Sixers rolled past a Bucks team missing Giannis Antetokounmpo. Joel Embiid added 29 points, nine rebounds and five assists, while Tyrese Maxey contributed 22 points and nine assists for Philadelphia, which bounced back from Monday’s humiliating 130–93 loss in Charlotte.

Giannis is sidelined for four to six weeks with injury, amid growing uncertainty about his future. With the trade deadline looming on February 5, several franchises – including the Warriors – have been floated as potential destinations for the two-time MVP. Against the Sixers, Myles Turner led Milwaukee with 31 points.

Oklahoma City Thunder 104 – 95 New Orleans Pelicans

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 29 points to lead the Thunder past the Pelicans, as the reigning NBA champions snapped a two-game losing streak. Oklahoma City entered the night having dropped three of its previous five games, but held firm at the Paycom Center to strengthen its grip on the top spot in the West at 38–10, ahead of the Spurs (31–15).

Shai also grabbed six rebounds and dished out four assists, despite an uncharacteristic 8-of-24 shooting night. With Jalen Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein out, Chet Holmgren shined with 20 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks. Zion Williamson finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds for New Orleans, but it came to no avail.

Denver Nuggets 107 – 109 Detroit Pistons

Without Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets fought hard only to fall just short at the finish line.

Phoenix Suns 106 – 102 Brooklyn Nets

Jordi Fernández’s Nets threw everything they had at Phoenix but came up short in Arizona, despite a tremendous and admirable effort. Mark Williams led the Suns with 27 points on 13-of-16 shooting, while Dillon Brooks added 26. For Brooklyn, Michael Porter Jr. poured in 36 points in a brilliant but ultimately fruitless performance.