Paul George is Done for the Season

At this point, the Philadelphia 76ers’ season feels cursed. First, Joel Embiid went down with a knee injury that shut him down for the rest of the year. Then Tyrese Maxey hit the injury list, and now Paul George is officially out too.

The team announced Monday that George is medically unable to play for the next six weeks after receiving injections in his left knee and groin. If there was any hope left for this Sixers squad, it just walked out the door.

And this was supposed to be THE season.

George signed a four-year max deal last summer to team up with Embiid and Maxey in what was supposed to be Philadelphia’s superteam. Instead? He only played in 41 games, averaging 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.8 steals before injuries piled up. Now, Philly is 23-44 and completely out of the playoff race. They’ve lost 17 of their last 21 games, and the only thing left to play for is a draft pick.

No Steph, No Problem

The Golden State Warriors didn’t have Stephen Curry on the court, but they still handled business against the Milwaukee Bucks with a 104-93 win on Tuesday night.

Curry, fresh off becoming the first player in NBA history to hit 4,000 threes, was given the night off for what Steve Kerr called a “mental and emotional break.” But even without their franchise superstar, the Warriors found a way.

Jimmy Butler stepped up with 24 points, eight rebounds, and 10 assists, proving once again that he doesn’t just show up in the playoffs.

Buddy Hield came off the bench with 15 points and six boards, while rookie Brandin Podziemski got the starting nod and made the most of it, dropping 17 points and pulling down seven rebounds.

With 13 games left in the regular season, the Warriors (40-39) are clinging to the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference. Every game matters now, and with Curry expected back soon, they’re in a fight to avoid the Play-In Tournament.

Kawhi Leonard Dominates as Clippers Take Down Cavs

This game was supposed to be a Cavs bounce-back win. Instead, Kawhi Leonard had other plans. With 33 points on the night, Leonard led the Clippers to a 132-119 victory, handing Cleveland their second straight loss after their 16-game winning streak came to an end against Orlando.

The Clippers weren’t just a one-man show. Ivica Zubac was a monster in the paint with 28 points and 20 rebounds, while James Harden controlled the tempo with 22 points and nine assists.

Cleveland looked unbeatable for weeks, but suddenly, they’ve dropped two in a row. The real concern is their defense. They gave up 132 points, which is rare for a team that built its identity on locking opponents down. Meanwhile, the Clippers are peaking at the perfect time with four straight wins.

The Miami Heat Are Stuck in No Man’s Land

The Miami Heat used to be the team that never folded. No matter the injuries, the doubters, or the trade rumors, they always found a way to make it work. But this? This is different.

Their 116-95 loss to the Knicks marked eight straight defeats, the longest losing streak of Erik Spoelstra’s career. The Heat are unraveling, and even Spoelstra knows it.

They’re officially in no man’s land. They’re not bad enough to tank and keep their 2025 first-round pick (which belongs to OKC unless it’s in the lottery). But they’re also not good enough to be a real playoff threat. They’ve fallen to 10th in the East, but are still way ahead of the Raptors, meaning they’re Play-In bound.

So now what? Do they tank and try to keep their pick? Or do they push for the playoffs and give OKC their first-rounder so they can control their 2026 draft?

This is the kind of decision that could shape Miami’s future. The Heat are in unfamiliar territory, and for once, there might not be a way out.

The Wizards' Tank is in Jeopardy

Somebody forgot to tell Jordan Poole that the Wizards are supposed to be losing.

With 5.1 seconds left against Denver, Poole launched a 35-footer from the logo and sent the Nuggets home. It was the kind of ridiculous shot that only Poole would take, and he made it look effortless.

The problem is Washington is supposed to be tanking. This team was running away with the worst record in the league, but now they’ve won four of their last seven games. That’s the opposite of what they’re supposed to be doing.

The Wizards are still tied with the Jazz for the league’s worst record, which gives them the best chance (14%) at landing the No. 1 pick. But with 16 games left, they can still mess this up. If they win too much, they could fall out of the bottom three, which would make their odds of drafting first significantly worse.

The Nuggets’ Backups Had the Warriors Looking Lost

The Golden State Warriors needed a win against the Denver Nuggets on Monday. And it should’ve been easy. Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray, and Christian Braun were all out with injuries. This was the Warriors’ best chance to capitalize. But instead Aaron Gordon torched them for 38 points, and the Nuggets won anyway.

Denver led nearly the entire game and controlled the pace, proving once again that their system works even without their stars. Gordon took over, Michael Porter Jr. chipped in 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Russell Westbrook dropped 16 assists in a vintage playmaking performance.

Meanwhile, the Warriors looked lost. Jimmy Butler led them with 23 points, but Stephen Curry struggled, shooting just 4-of-14 from deep.

Denver is locked in a tight battle for the No. 2 seed, and a win like this shows why they’re still a legit title threat.

Brink Claps Back at Sparks Tryout Criticism

When the Los Angeles Sparks put out a public call for male practice players, they probably weren’t expecting the kind of reaction they got. On the latest episode of her Straight to Cam podcast, Cameron Brink didn’t hold back, calling out the inappropriate and uncomfortable responses flooding social media.

"I'm really icked out by the potential new practice players," Brink said, after seeing replies from people way too eager to play against WNBA players for all the wrong reasons.

Brink pointed out that the Sparks typically use USC college students, the same players who practice with the USC women’s team. But after reading through some of the public responses, Brink is feeling uneasy.

Brink, the No. 2 overall pick in 2024, is gearing up for her second season after tearing her ACL as a rookie. She’s been one of the most outspoken young stars in the WNBA, and this moment was no different. Whether the Sparks make adjustments to their practice player selection process remains to be seen.

Stewart’s Injury Raises Questions About Unrivaled

Breanna Stewart went under the knife this week, announcing her right knee surgery on Instagram.

While Stewart is expected to be ready for training camp, the situation has sparked a bigger conversation, was her commitment to Unrivaled worth the risk?

Her caption hinted that she’d been playing through knee pain during the 3-on-3 Unrivaled league, which she co-founded with Napheesa Collier. If she knew something was wrong, why did she wait? Would she have prioritized her health differently if she wasn’t running a league on the side?

The Liberty might not say it out loud, but they can’t be thrilled about this. Stewart is the face of the franchise, and she played through an injury in a startup league before taking care of it. And with the WNBA's CBA battle looming, this is a prime example of what player control vs. league control might look like.

That’s all for today, thanks for reading.

We’ll see you on Wednesday!

— The Players Unlimited Team