Sunaya Sapurji

Jayson Tatum starts vs. Mavericks, live updates: Highlights, analysis and latest on Celtics star's return from Achilles Injury Follow live coverage of Jayson Tatum's return from injury as the Celtics face the Mavericks in Boston.

You can follow Jayson Tatum's return in tonight's Celtics game through our live blog:

www.nytimes.com/athletic/liv...

Jayson Tatum nearing return to Celtics’ lineup after 10-month absence with Achilles tear The Celtics' star is listed as questionable to play Friday. Without Tatum, the Celtics have surged to second place in the East.

Upgraded to "questionable" for tomorrow night's game.

Jayson Tatum’s return will come with sky-high stakes for contending Celtics There are few examples of a star returning from injury this late in the season for a contender. That adds to the pressure for Tatum, Boston.

Jayson Tatum’s return will come with sky-high stakes for contending Celtics www.nytimes.com/athletic/708...

The Pistons’ fortunes have changed, but Cade Cunningham hasn’t: ‘Stay humble’ (Gift Article) "I'm not here to be just an NBA player. The whole point of all of this is to be a champion, to win and to be great," the All-Star said.

I sat down with Cade Cunningham for an exclusive on the Pistons’ ascension, how he stays grounded and why he isn’t satisfied.

“What’s the point of coming all the way up to the top if you ain’t going to do something with it?”
www.nytimes.com/athletic/708...

If this Knicks defense is here to stay, an NBA title is within their reach

There was a time, not long ago, when the Knicks’ defense was in the same convos as the 19-win Pelicans.

Now they’re in a completely different convo — one that can take them where they want to go *if* they keep up the bit.

My column (link is free):

www.nytimes.com/athletic/708...

Predicting playoff rotation, Mohamed Diawara's development, more: Knicks mailbag

Thanks to everyone who sent in a question. Here’s what is in the latest Knicks mailbag:

— predicting playoff rotation
— Diawara’s progress
— are the picks New York traded really that big of a deal?
— more

www.nytimes.com/athletic/708...

Incredible work here.

Sorry Luke, but sex workers are also the "daughters, wives, sisters, mothers, and partners" you've chosen to stigmatize.

Plus, I've heard great things about the wings.

Submit a question for Eric Koreen’s Raptors mailbag Call it the race to avoid the Play-In Tournament. If the Toronto Raptors should have a standings-based goal, that should be it. Heading into Monday’s games, the Raptors, in fifth in the Eastern Confer...

Submit a question for the ol' Raps mailbag: www.nytimes.com/athletic/708...

Submit mailbag questions!

The complicated season of Knicks’ Mikal Bridges Bridges' in-game performances can fluctuate from loud to quiet. That experience is complicated, both for him and the Knicks' fanbase.

Mikal Bridges, who went off against the Spurs, has had a season that is complicated to explain because he can make his own game more complicated than it needs to be at times.

Wrote about that, dreams vs. reality and why only one matters right now:

www.nytimes.com/athletic/art...

Your weekly notebook...

Alex Sarr has stopped jumping. Donovan Clingan, for the first time, is forcing the opposition to leave its feet. And Jaylon Tyson’s crosscourt cuts are a ruse.

This week’s around-the-NBA notebook: www.nytimes.com/athletic/707...

Ausar Thompson is the Pistons’ floor-raising, defensive dynamo (Gift Article) Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren are Detroit's two best players. But Thompson showed against the Thunder why he's the biggest X-factor.

The Pistons go as Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren go. But Ausar Thompson raises their floor.

“You know how people have offensive modes where they feel like they’re on fire? I feel like I have defensive modes like that.”

On Thompson’s value to Detroit:
www.nytimes.com/athletic/707...

The Athletic Welcomes New Colleagues | The New York Times Company We’re excited to announce the hiring of several Washington Post journalists as The Athletic expands its coverage of the Commanders, launches a new Nationals beat and adds to its growing roster of…

The Athletic is hiring Barry Svrluga, Adam Kilgore, Candace Buckner, Ava Wallace, Spencer Nusbaum and Jason Murray www.nytco.com/press/the-at...

No way. Ned Braden was a left-winger, a college graduate and an American citizen. Woke AF.

The NBA’s 65-game rule is backfiring — and it could hand MVP to the wrong player What are we doing with the 65-game rule? And, is it time for changes?

The 65-game rule isn't doing what it was designed to do, or certainly not enough to outweigh the negatives: making the awards a joke. Time to scrap it.

Enough of these regular-season Knicks — let’s just get to the playoffs Who are the Knicks? They don't know yet, and the rest of us might not know until the playoffs.

The Knicks can be good, bad, frustrating and everything in between. Dissecting them can be a headache.

Let’s just get to playoffs so we can find out who they really are. We’ve been waiting long enough for an answer — or maybe we have it.

My column:

www.nytimes.com/athletic/706...

It rocks that America is so insecure now that they’ll give you the Medal of Freedom for winning a hockey game against Canada

From the DetroitPistons community on Reddit Explore this post and more from the DetroitPistons community

Doing a Reddit AMA this Thursday from 3-4 ET. Tap in and let’s chop it up about the Pistons!

www.reddit.com/r/DetroitPis...

Ranking the top 24 hip-hop NBA songs: Drops from ball references to cultural lore A panel of The Athletic writers ranked 24 of the greatest NBA drops in lyrics that spanned almost five decades worth of hip-hop music.

The NBA and hip-hop were made for each other. @curlyfro.bsky.social Jason Jones and Tony Jones rated the top 24 NBA hip-hop drops. We could have done 240! Drop yours in the comments.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...

Harrison Faulkner: Hockey programs should be more heavily subsidized across the country. The cost for Canadian kids to become goalies is far too high. Rink fees are outrageous and ice time needs to be seriously reconsidered. Pricing kids and Canadian families out of the game while bulldozing historic hockey rinks is insane. Ripping the heart of hockey culture and demonizing Hockey Canada to score political points has a detrimental impact on the country. It should be a right for Canadian kids to play hockey, not a privilege.

Canada's Olympic hockey defeat is driving right-wing influencers into the arms of socialism

Sandro Mamukelashvili, fellow Raptors reserves are hurting for playoff experience No main Raptors reserve has played a playoff minute. They're playing as if they're desperate for them.

The Raptors bench rotation has zero playoff experience. Mamu & co. are hurting to change that.

The healing has started.

In the same system that he’s tussled with, from the same spots and same coach, Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns has started to look like the player we all know over the last few games.

Only one thing has changed.

On the curious season of KAT:

www.nytimes.com/athletic/706...

Hockey is for everyone! (Including asshats)

Enjoy, America! Really savour it!

Cade Cunningham makes his MVP case while leading Pistons past Knicks Cunningham had 42 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds as Detroit completed a season sweep of New York.

“He’s flirting with a triple-double every game. … Why wouldn’t he be the MVP?”

Cade Cunningham made his strongest MVP case yet by dominating the Knicks at MSG.

Here’s more on what last night proved:

www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...

Raptors face 3 big questions: Jakob Poeltl’s impact and more Will the Raptors' offence benefit from a true 7-footer?

From Chicago, the three questions that will determine whether the rest of the Raptors regular season is a success.

I've found a new way to judge the tanktasticness of games, and it's by counting how many players are on the court whose first names I don't know. There are currently 4 on the floor in Wizards-Pacers.