No. 7 is now No. 6 on the all-time scoring list.
On Sunday, Kevin Durant passed Dirk Nowitzki on one of the game’s most illustrious lists.
Today, the NBA honors something bigger than basketball, celebrating the life and lasting impact of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
NBA On MLK Day: 40 years of honoring Dr. King through reflection, service and hoops
National Spotlight: Four games across NBC & Peacock open today’s hoops marathon
Sunday’s Best: KD continues his climb, Ja’s return ignites Grizz in NBA London Game
Roundup: Ayton’s perfect night, another Avdija clinic, Hornets slow Nuggets, Bulls roll
AWS NBA Rivals Week: The fourth annual AWS NBA Rivals Week tips off Tuesday
BUT FIRST … ⏰
NBA on MLK Day delivers a nine-game slate, including four matchups across NBC & Peacock, beginning with the Hawks hosting the Bucks at 1 ET (Peacock | Tap to Watch).
The 2026 NBA All-Star Game starters will be revealed at 2 ET ahead of the Thunder-Cavs game on NBC/Peacock (Tap to Watch).
All-Star Friday Is Calling: Tickets for the 2026 Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game and Castrol Rising Stars are on sale now.
The fan-favorite events tip off Friday, Feb. 13, at the Kia Forum and Intuit Dome in Inglewood, CA. Use promo code NEWS26 to grab your tickets now.
1. NBA ON MLK DAY: 40 YEARS OF REMEMBRANCE & IMPACT
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the NBA uses the game as a platform for reflection, service and action, honoring the life, leadership and lasting impact of Dr. King – on and off the floor.
Observed annually across the league, MLK Day remains one of the NBA’s most meaningful regular-season showcases. The day extends beyond the final scores, amplifying voices, stories and initiatives that reflect Dr. King’s call for equality, unity and justice.
See how the NBA family is honoring Dr. King on the 40th edition of NBA on MLK Day.
MLK’s Life & Legacy: NBA players reflect on how to continue the movement for racial, social, and economic justice
Service & Positive Impact: Voices across the league emphasize the importance of helping to build a community shaped by love, compassion and kindness
NBA Pioneers: Steph Curry and Earl Lloyd himself discuss how Lloyd dealt with racism upon joining the NBA and how others stepped to help
Inside MLK Day: Ernie Johnson guides us on a journey through three decades of MLK Day coverage on “Inside the NBA,” where ‘we’ve never stopped learning’
Get Involved: NBA Cares is committed to helping achieve 100 million hours of service by 2029 in honor of MLK’s 100th birthday
The NBA continues its tradition of celebrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with nine games today, including four across NBC & Peacock. The action tips off at 1 ET in Dr. King’s hometown of Atlanta, where the Hawks host the Bucks.
Bucks at Hawks (1 ET, Peacock)
Thunder at Cavaliers (2:30 ET, NBC/Peacock)
Mavericks at Knicks (5 ET, NBC/Peacock)
Celtics at Pistons (8 ET, NBC/Peacock)
Five more games get underway on League Pass, including Victor Wembanyama’s Spurs taking on the Jazz, before Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler III and the Warriors host the Heat.
Clippers at Wizards (3 ET)
Jazz at Spurs (5 ET)
Pacers at 76ers (7 ET)
Suns at Nets (7:30 ET)
Heat at Warriors (10 ET)
2. NBA ON MLK DAY: NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT ON NBC & PEACOCK
The NBA on MLK Day action starts early and lasts late into the night with 11+ hours of hoops on deck, headlined by four marquee matchups across NBC & Peacock.
Bucks at Hawks (1 ET, Peacock): The hometown of MLK plays host to the first game of the day as both Atlanta and Milwaukee look to snap respective three-game skids.
Freak Force: Giannis Antetokounmpo has thrived offensively this month, racking up a 67.2% field-goal percentage and 28.4 ppg in seven games
Thunder at Cavaliers (2:30 ET, NBC): These two entered last postseason as the No. 1 seeds in the West and East. Tonight, they meet for the first time in 2025-26.
Throne Defenders: Oklahoma City boasts a 5.5-game lead for 1st in the West at 35-8, and behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 2nd-best 31.8 ppg, has won nine of its last 12
Spida’s Climb: Cleveland, meanwhile, got 35 points from Donovan Mitchell on Wednesday amid his career-best year featuring 29.2 ppg, 48.9 FG% and 39.1 3P%
Mavericks at Knicks (5 ET, NBC): Standing No. 1 on the Kia Rookie Ladder, Cooper Flagg could be set for a rite of passage today: his Madison Square Garden debut.
Flagg’s Status: He is questionable with an ankle injury and posted 27 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals in his last full game on Jan. 12
Celtics at Pistons (8 ET, NBC): MLK Day in the NBA concludes with a meeting of major proportions as the East’s top two squads – separated by 4.5 games – go toe-to-toe.
Sizzling Start: Detroit’s 30-10 record represents its 2nd-best 40-game start in franchise history, trailing only the 2005-06 squad, which went to the East Finals
Riding High: Boston seeks a signature victory after a 26-point win vs. Atlanta in which Jaylen Brown (career-high 29.7 ppg) turned in 41 points
3. SUNDAY’S BEST: KD PASSES DIRK, JA FUELS GRIZZ IN LONDON GAME
Kevin Durant keeps climbing.
Nine days after passing Wilt Chamberlain for 7th on the all-time scoring list, Durant jumped Dirk Nowitzki for 6th – the latest checkpoint in a career defined by relentless production and pure buckets.
Rockets 119, Pelicans 110: Even on a cold-shooting night, KD made his presence felt, posting 18 points, 6 boards and 8 assists, capped by a pair of game-sealing free throws with 15 seconds left to beat the Pelicans and leapfrog Nowitzki (31,560) for 6th all-time. | Recap
Rocket Man: The win came two nights after Durant dropped 39 to beat the Wolves. In Year 19, he’s leading Houston with 26.1 ppg on 51% shooting
Easy Money: Outside of 2019-20 (which he missed with an Achilles injury), Durant is on pace to average 25+ ppg on over 50% shooting for a 14th straight season – the longest such streak of all-time
Timeless Problem: In fact, Durant has averaged 20+ ppg every season since his freshman year at Texas. The key? Confidence
What separates KD isn’t just volume, but versatility.
Few players in league history have piled up points this evenly across three levels – let alone sustained it for 19 seasons.
He scores in the paint, eats in the mid-range, stretches defenses from deep and cashes in at the line, a near-perfectly balanced attack that’s gone unsolved for nearly two decades.
“One of the purest, smoothest scorers the game has ever seen,” Nowitzki said in a congratulatory video to Durant. “It’s been incredible to watch his career.”
“To be up there with Dirk, somebody I looked up to, idolized, competed against … to be up there with a legend like that, it’s just insane,” said Durant. “And I’m gonna continue to keep stacking. Keep climbing, and see where I finish.”
Smith Shines: Jabari Smith went off for Houston (32 pts, 8 reb, 7 3s), while Alperen Sengun (21 pts, 8 reb) and Amen Thompson (20 pts, 8 reb, 6 ast) added 20 pieces, improving the Rockets to 25-15
Thursday’s NBA Berlin Game 2026 delivered a thriller, with the Magic storming back from 20 down to beat the Grizzlies, punctuated by Anthony Black’s dunk heard ‘round the world.
In Sunday’s NBA London Game 2026, Memphis found itself up 20 again on Orlando – but this time the Grizz slammed the door shut.
Grizzlies 126, Magic 109: In his first game since Jan. 2, Ja Morant (24 pts, 13 ast) ignited a 72-point 1st-half for Memphis, which led by as many as 33 in the 2nd quarter and never looked back for a wire-to-wire win, splitting the Europe series with Orlando. | Recap
Welcome Back: Morant had 20 points and 10 dimes at the break, becoming the first player in Grizzlies history to post 20/10 in any half in the play-by-play era
International Love: Ja was a fan favorite in London, soaking in the crowd’s energy all night
“I needed it,” said Morant on London’s support. “Fans constantly calling my name, cheering when I was scoring, that’s big-time.”
Global Scenes: Isiah Thomas, Pau Gasol, Tony Parker and other NBA legends were honored at the game, while more celebrities took in the action courtside
Global Slam: Black’s poster over four defenders in Berlin is the most-viewed highlight of the season across NBA social platforms, racking up 85 million views and counting
4. ROUNDUP: AYTON & AVDIJA SHINE, HORNETS & BULLS ROLL
After five losses in six games, the Lakers entered Sunday searching for a much-needed win.
They got one against a top-four team in the East.
Lakers 110, Raptors 93: Deandre Ayton was perfect from the field (25 pts, 13 reb, 10-10 FG), while Luka Dončić (25 pts, 7 ast) and LeBron James (24 pts, 7 ast, 2 blk) combined for 49 points and 14 dimes as the Lakers surged past Toronto. | Recap
Big Company: Ayton is just the fourth Laker to notch 20+ points and 10+ rebounds on 100% shooting in a game, joining Shaquille O’Neal (2003), Mitch Kupchak (1981) and Wilt Chamberlain (2x)
Where They Stand: Los Angeles is 6th out West, one game back of 4th-place Minnesota, while Toronto is one game behind New York for 3rd in the East
Back from a one-week absence, Deni Avdija picked up right where he left off – and Portland picked up another dub.
Blazers 117, Kings 110: Avdija racked up 30 points, 8 boards and 8 dimes, while Donovan Clingan dominated the glass (21 pts, 17 reb) and Shaedon Sharpe poured in 27, powering Portland past Sacramento, despite Russell Westbrook’s busy night (23 pts, 7 ast, 3 stl). | Recap
Blazing: It’s the Blazers’ third straight win and their eighth in 10 games, moving them to .500 (22-22)
Another Level: Posting career highs across the board, Avdija (26.2 pts, 7.1 reb, 6.9 ast) has now notched 12 30-point games in 2025-26 – his most in a single season
Hornets 110, Nuggets 87: Brandon Miller led the way offensively (23 pts), but it was Charlotte’s defense that made the difference, holding Denver to 87 points – tied for its season-low – to snap the Nuggets’ four-game win streak. | Recap
Record Rookie: In the win, Kon Knueppel (14 pts, 3 ast) became the fastest Hornet in franchise history to reach 800 career points, doing so in just 42 career games
Still Here: Despite the loss, Denver is 7-4 since Nikola Jokić went down with a knee injury on Dec. 29. It remains in 3rd-place out West, with a two-game lead over Minnesota
Bulls 124, Nets 102: Coby White caught fire, going 7-of-11 from deep en route to a game-high 24 points. Six other Bulls joined him in double figures as Chicago raced past Brooklyn. | Recap
5. UP NEXT: AWS NBA RIVALS WEEK TIPS TUESDAY
After a packed NBA on MLK Day, AWS NBA Rivals Week tips off Tuesday across the league.
The Spurs host the Rockets tomorrow (8 ET, NBC) in their 221st regular-season meeting. San Antonio holds the all-time edge, 120-100, but Houston has had its number lately, winning eight of the last 11 matchups.
In His Bag: Victor Wembanyama finished one point shy of tying his season-high with 39 against the Timberwolves on Saturday and was 12-for-23 from the field
Smooth Stride: In seven games played this month, the two-time blocks leader has put up 24.9 ppg, aided by a 42.1% mark from beyond the arc
Entering Stratosphere: The Rockets are in search of their third straight win, time and again guided by Kevin Durant (26.1 ppg), who could match up with Wemby
Later on Tuesday, the Lakers and Nuggets go head-to-head (7 PT, NBC) as a pair of top-six squads in the West. It’s the first time they’ve met in 2025-26, having evenly split last season’s four matchups.
Leader Luka: There’s been no scorer who can match Luka Dončić this season. The five-time All-NBA selection leads the Lakers – and the league – with 33.3 ppg on a 46.4 FG%
The King: LeBron James has buoyed Los Angeles’ offense with 25.6 ppg of his own since his 41st birthday on Dec. 30
Down, Not Out: Jamal Murray has bumped up his scoring average from 25.9 this season to 28.8 in Denver’s 11 games without Nikola Jokić, leading Denver to four wins in its last five games
Rivals Week rolls onward with plenty more big-time players in big-time matchups. It all ends with the first NBA Saturday Primetime of the season.
Wednesday on ESPN: Cavaliers at Hornets (7 ET), Thunder at Bucks (9:30 ET)
Thursday on Prime: Warriors at Mavericks (7:30 ET), Lakers at Clippers (10 ET)
Friday on Prime: Rockets at Pistons (7 ET), Nuggets at Bucks (9:30 ET)
Saturday on ABC: Knicks at 76ers (3 ET), Warriors at Timberwolves (5:30 ET), Lakers at Mavericks (8:30 ET)
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