Doug Christie Has the Sacramento Kings Cooking | HOOPS Daily, 1/13/2025
The Kings' seven-game win streak, Isaiah Collier's career day lifts Jazz, Jimmy Butler takes to social media, and more.
The Tip-Off: Teams That Haven’t Lost a Game in 2025
1. Indiana Pacers (6-0)
Weekend Hoops
Pacers Snap Cavs’ 12-Game Winstreak
Cleveland found themselves in an unfamiliar place on Sunday: on the losing end of a basketball game. The Pacers beat the Cavs by 15pts, using a 68-40 second half effort with six of their players scoring in double figures. Shockingly though, one of those six was NOT Tyrese Haliburton. Hali managed 2pts on 1-5 FG in just 19 minutes of action and sat out the second half with hamstring tightness. These teams will meet again this Tuesday in Indianapolis.
Paolo’s Back Like He Never Left
On Friday the Magic welcomed back Paolo Banchero (34pts/7r/3a/2stl) to the lineup in his first action since late October and he immediately picked up where he left off prior to his oblique injury. Though the Magic lost that game to the Bucks, it came down to the wire with Paolo continually making plays to help push them to the brink. He followed that up Sunday with 20pts/8r/6a on just 5-8 FG, including seven points in the last 1:30 of game time. Cole Anthony was also exceptional, going for 27pts/4a as he continues to play more minutes with all of the injuries Orlando has endured.
Jalen Brunson’s Legend Grows in NY
The Knicks clobbered the Bucks on Sunday, putting up 140pts led by Brunson’s 44pts. But it was a moment off the court that will likely stay in Knicks’ fans minds for years to come. Minutes into the third, Brunson took a hard fall after Brook Lopez blocked his shot and it seemed like a fun afternoon blowing out Milwaukee was going to be spoiled by an injury to their superstar. Fortunately, Brunson then came down the tunnel, walked right to the scorers table and checked himself in seemingly without even telling anyone.
The game was already out of hand but the image of Brunson coming back and then sparking another Knicks’ run to blow the game open even more is absolutely going to be something Knicks fans talk about for years to come. Imagine if this had been a playoff game, sheeeesh.
Doug Christie Saved the Kings
Don’t look now but the Sacramento Kings have jumped to 9th in the Western Conference after a slow start led to the firing of head coach Mike Brown. Since Doug Christie, himself a former Kings player, took over, the team has responded accordingly, going 7-1 (seven straight wins) and looking a lot more like the fun, fast-paced team that took the league by storm a few years back. And these aren’t all gimme games either, their seven-game streak includes wins over the Warriors, Grizzlies, and Celtics and three of their seven wins came without De’Aaron Fox in the lineup. Guard Keon Ellis has enjoyed a much more consistent role after finding himself not playing much for coach Brown despite being one of the team’s better defenders and DeMar DeRozan is now taking like four threes a game, which is double his average for the season so far. You can feel the energy in the players as well as multiple guys have commented on the difference Christie has made for the team:
"He's bringing a type of energy that's a little bit contagious, I mean, like I said before, he's the same guy that he was, but whenever you're at the at the front of the helm, I feel like you're probably feeling it a little more.”
- De’Aaron Fox speaking to reporters after 124-119 W over the Bulls
"I think just collectively, everything that we’ve been through in December to now, has just been a 360."
- Keegan Murray after Kings’ practice Saturday
“We bought into what DC is doing, we all just bought into it, and we all feel good and confident in what he’s saying. He played before so I think he knows how to say it to us a little better than people that didn’t play the game before."
- Malik Monk
Career Day from Isiah Collier Lifts Jazz in OT
The Utah Jazz took on the Brooklyn Nets Sunday night in a game that was missing over 15 players including D’Angelo Russell, Cam Thomas, Cam Johnson, Lauri Markkanen, and Jordan Clarkson.
That didn’t matter for the Jazz though because they had Isaiah Collier on the court. Collier, the 29th pick in this year’s draft, had a career day with 23pts including a last second layup in OT to give the Jazz just their 10th win on the season.
The heroics came after a far less flattering sequence near the end of regulation that saw Collier wave off Collin Sexton only to then commit a turnover late.
So to see the 20-year-old rookie end up winning it for his team was extra nice.
It’s Not Sunny in Philadelphia
The 76ers’ season from hell continues. Joel Embiid has missed four straight games with a sprained left foot and the team is 1-3 in that time, here are a few headlines that I think sum up the state of the 76ers rather succinctly:
Paul George gave this incredible quote:
He followed that up with another banger about how bored he is playing center while Joel Embiid and Andre Drummond are out.
And to top it all off, here is a report on Joel Embiid’s sprained foot:
I’m going to take this with a grain of salt given that Embiid’s been hit with these nagging injuries for years, not to mention that the 76ers’ training staff almost killed Zhaire Smith a few years ago.
Today in Phoenix Suns
The Jimmy Butler rumors are continuing to heat up1 and reports are indicating that Phoenix is his desired location. This has further complicated an already frayed Suns’ chemistry as center Jusuf Nurkic, who has been DNP-CD the last few games, unfollowed stars Devin Booker and Kevin Durant amid reports the team is trying to trade him to Charlotte for Nick Richards.
But even amidst all that, the team is on a nice little three-game win streak and Devin Booker has topped 30+ points in four straight games so really who knows what tomorrow is gonna hold for them.
Jimmy Butler on IG
The Jimmy Butler/Miami Heat saga took another turn this weekend as Jimmy Butler went to Instagram to take a thinly veiled shot at Pat Riley and the Heat:
Petty Jimmy may be the best my favorite Jimmy2 so whatever team trades for him might be getting his best effort imaginable.
First Preview for NBA on NBC
We got our first preview for the NBA on NBC which will begin later this year at the start of the 2025-26 season:
Shoutout Detroit, This is Amazing
At the Buzzer
- Pelicans’ Herb Jones suffered torn labrum, out indefinitely3
- Pelicans suspend Zion Williamson for Friday game vs. 76ers due to Zion being late for the team’s flight Thursday
- Klay Thompson surpasses 16,000 points in Mavs’ loss, here is a video of him speaking on LeBron having 40K
- Amen Thompson signs a young fan’s “boo Tyler Herro” sign after a game
- Luka Doncic remains out with calf injury, officially disqualified from regular-season awards due to games missed
- The Jokic/Westbrook connection is a beautiful thing to watch
- In Case You Missed It: Ja Morant’s incredible floater to vs the Wolves
Watching Tonight
The Lakers are resuming their season tonight after their last three games were postponed due to the Southern California wildfires which are still impacting the area but endless respect to the firefighters and first responders who have helped so many. On top of a Wemby/Bron matchup, there are a few other games to keep an eye on:
Spurs at Lakers
Pistons at Knicks
Grizzlies at Rockets
Thank you to anyone who read today’s newsletter, I hope there was at least one thing you enjoyed and I appreciate your time greatly. More importantly, I hope everyone reading this is safe from the fires that are still ongoing and that you and your loved ones are all okay. Check in on all your people, take care.
No pun intended
The thumbs up at the end gets me every time
Someone should investigate the New Orleans’ medical staff while we’re at it