Last night delivered one of the most surprising results of the season as the Oklahoma City Thunder deconstructed the Cleveland Cavaliers in a dominant 134-114 v

The Celtics are struggling and one of their stars says the team is playing without spirit and personality during this rough stretch.

Here is more background on matchup: Boston Celtics (26-10, second in the Eastern Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (20-14, fourth in the Western Conference) BOTTOM LINE: Denver plays the Boston Celtics after Nikola Jokic scored 46 points in the Denver Nuggets ...

Which NBA teams are the biggest threat to keep the Boston Celtics from repeating as champs? In the league's Eastern Conference standings, the weaker of the two conferences this campaign, one could make a case for the Cleveland Cavaliers, and perhaps the New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks if one squints hard enough.

The New Orleans Pelicans have been playing better since welcoming Zion Williamson back to the lineup, but remain in last place in the Western Conference standin

The Celtics are enduring a 7-6 spell after squeezing out a nail-biting 120-119 home victory on Sunday against the eight-win New Orleans Pelicans, who sit last in the Western Conference.

The Nuggets were third in the NBA in scoring entering Monday's play, one rung ahead of the Celtics, with an offense not surprisingly built around what star Nikola Jokić does best.

New Orleans Pelicans (8-31, 15th in the Western Conference) vs. Boston Celtics (27-11, second in the Eastern Conference) Boston; Sunday, 6 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics ...

The typically optimistic Kristaps Porzingis struck a different tone Wednesday, calling out the Celtics for lacking “spirit” and “personality” in their loss at Toronto.

The Celtics also have a really good sixth man who is in the running for Sixth Man of the Year. Payton Pritchard has been playing the best basketball of his young career. He's averaging 14.8 points per game on 46.7 percent shooting from the field and 42 percent shooting from three.

New Orleans takes on Boston for a non-conference matchup. The teams meet Sunday for the first time this season.

A six-game Saturday slate brings the top of the East into sharper focus, with the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers both in action. We’ll also get a pulse check on a few scuffling Western Conference teams, including the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns. Read on for my favorite NBA player props and NBA picks for the January 18 schedule.