NBA Southwest

In a clash of titans, it was Zion Williamson left standing at the expense of Joel Embiid.

The New Orleans Pelicans superstar went off for 36 points and five rebounds against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night, leading his team to a 127-116 win.

JOSE ➡️ ZION 💪#Pelicans pic.twitter.com/Zjdx2TsW5l

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) December 31, 2022

Take it to em Z. pic.twitter.com/s9NPtFJapH

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) December 31, 2022

Z IS UNSTOPPABLE!!!💪@PelicansNBA | #Pelicans |📺:BSNO pic.twitter.com/qBKVdQPkWu

— Local Sports New Orleans (@BallySportsNO) December 31, 2022

Embiid didn't exactly roll over without a fight. The superstar center had a vintage performance of his own, putting up 37 points and eight rebounds while trying to will his team to a tough road victory.

But the one-two punch of Williamson and CJ McCollum (42 points, career- and franchise-high 11 threes) was too much to overcome.

McCollum was shooting fireballs from beyond the arc all night long:

NEW FRANCHISE RECORD 🚨

CJ McCollum with his 11th three of the game!

Up to 42 points 🔥 pic.twitter.com/JwQ0oRSHzr

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) December 31, 2022

All 10 of CJ's threes 🙌 pic.twitter.com/JfeKaIcwej

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) December 31, 2022

Franchise record 11 3s for CJ McCollum.

He's also got 42 now. That's the most he's scored as a Pel and the second time he's had 40 as a Pel.

— Andrew Lopez (@_Andrew_Lopez) December 31, 2022

CJ McCollum and Zion Williamson are also the first Pelicans teammates in franchise history to go for 40+ points in back-to-back games.

— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) December 31, 2022

Unsurprisingly, NBA Twitter enjoyed every moment of the showdown:

If Zion is gonna hit midrange fadeaways you tip your cap. What a monster.

— Paul Hudrick (@PaulHudrick) December 31, 2022

PJ Tucker is guarding Zion like a bag of bricks sitting in the middle of train tracks. Probably not going to derail it, but let’s just see what happens.

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) December 31, 2022

Joel Embiid and C.J. McCollum are both putting on an offensive clinic from their respective positions.

— Rich Hofmann (@rich_hofmann) December 31, 2022

update: Zion with no Embiid on the floor has been a very bad time for Philly https://t.co/rJtxJSz7Gb

— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) December 31, 2022

https://twitter.com/SpikeEskin/status/1609005914996019200

McCollum in dang near close to being in video-game mode. Dude is up to 34 points.

— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) December 31, 2022

CJ McCollum is very good but this is wild.

— Paul Hudrick (@PaulHudrick) December 31, 2022

The Pelicans offense is laughably good when CJ McCollum is on.

— Scott Kushner (@ScottDKushner) December 31, 2022

3J… I mean CJ McCollum with a career high 11 threes. pic.twitter.com/myirFGUrTJ

— Amy Fadool Kane (@amyfadoolNBCS) December 31, 2022

It was an incredibly impressive offensive showing from the Pelicans (23-12), especially without Brandon Ingram available because of a toe injury.

For the Sixers (20-14), meanwhile, it was a second straight loss after an impressive eight-game winning streak.

The good news for the Sixers was that star guard Tyrese Maxey returned after a lengthy layoff. The bad news was that he struggled in his return, coming off the bench to post just nine points on 4-of-10 shooting from the field in 19 minutes. Some rust was to be expected, however, after missing over a month.

It didn't help that James Harden had a particularly odd game, offering up a 20-point, 10-assist double-double but also adding seven turnovers on the evening, and he only attempted eight shots from the field.

It may not have mattered had he played better. This night clearly belonged to Zion's bulldozing drives into the lane and McCollum's sniper-scope precision. Had the Sixers played a perfect game, maybe they could have overcome that duo's offensive fireworks.

But they didn't play a perfect game, and they left New Orleans with a loss.

The New Orleans Pelicans currently occupy the top seed in the Western Conference with a 22-12 record, and a lot of that has to do with the return of 2019 first overall pick Zion Williamson.

The Duke product, who missed the entire 2021-22 season because of a nagging foot injury, has returned to being mostly healthy this season, picking up right where he left off when he last took the court.

The 22-year-old is averaging 25.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.2 steals in 26 games while shooting 60.7 percent from the floor and 36.8 percent from deep.

According to CJ McCollum, the team's game plan this year is to run the ball through the 6'6" forward.

"Get the ball to Z and get the f--k out of the way," McCollum said when asked to describe the team's strategy late in the game, per The Athletic's William Guillory.

If Williamson can stay healthy, the Pelicans will be a real threat to capture the Western Conference crown for the first time in franchise history. Additionally, the team is hoping to make a run to the NBA Finals for the first time ever.

Ja Morant isn't sweating the Western Conference.

During an interview on ESPN's NBA Today on Wednesday, Malika Andrews asked Morant who he thought the Memphis Grizzlies might have to get through to win a title, and he said the Boston Celtics.

"No one in the West?" Andrews followed up.

"Nah," Morant replied. "I'm fine in the West."

The Grizzlies (19-11) are tied for the top record in the Western Conference with the Denver Nuggets. Other contenders include the New Orleans Pelicans (18-12), Phoenix Suns (19-13) and Los Angeles Clippers (19-14).

Then there's the matter of the defending champion Golden State Warriors, who have limped out to a 15-18 record but have still won four of the last eight NBA championships.

But Morant isn't sweating them or anybody else in the conference.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson will be out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the San Antonio Spurs after being placed in the league's health and safety protocols, per ESPN's Andrew Lopez.

This marks the sixth game the 22-year-old will miss this season, as he also missed time earlier this year with injuries to his foot and his hip.

When healthy, Williamson has displayed the skills that made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft. He is averaging 25.2 points on 60.3 percent shooting with 7.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists. It's been a welcome sight to see him back on the floor after his lost 2021-22 season.

However, the Duke product was forced to miss the entire year after undergoing foot surgery and dealing with complications in his recovery. It was yet another setback in the early part of his injury-riddled NBA career, as he was limited to 24 games as a rookie and appeared in just 61 games in his sophomore campaign.

While Williamson is sidelined, the Pelicans will rely on the potent scoring tandem of Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum to shoulder the load on offense. Ingram missed time earlier this season while he was in concussion protocol.

New Orleans will likely split Williamson's minutes at power forward between third-year pro Naji Marshall and veteran big man Larry Nance Jr.

Eric Gordon's time with the Houston Rockets may finally be nearing a close.

With the team in a complete rebuild after a 9-20 start and with young players to build around, Gordon is the "most-asked-about player on the Rockets roster from contenders," according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

Per that report: "The Rockets have turned down offers for Gordon at every possible juncture—the draft, offseason and trade deadline—but a resolution to this saga may finally be had this season. Team and league sources tell The Athletic the Rockets are more inclined to moving the 33-year-old than at any point over the past two seasons."

While Gordon has remained a starter for the Rockets, averaging 29.6 minutes per game across 25 starts, his effectiveness has waned. For the year, Gordon is posting 11.8 points, 2.4 assists and two rebounds per game while shooting 42.8 percent from the field and 35.3 percent from three.

His scoring output is currently the lowest average of his career. He's on a different career timeline than young players like Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Kevin Porter Jr. and Alperen Şengün, among others.

And Gordon reportedly wants a change in scenery. Per that report, the veteran guard "has made no secret of his desire to return to winning, contending ways and he's made his preference for a move to a contender known during the offseason, but he's since remained professional and patient."

"This might finally be the year for EG," an Eastern Conference told Iko. "His contract is essentially expiring with next season being non-guaranteed and he's on a big number. Houston can use that to take on some bad money and get an asset from some teams, but other teams still have real interest in him because he can help a contender. He's a shot creator who can play on and off the ball. Good shooter who can handle it and pass enough. Going into a winning situation should rejuvenate him some too. He's a pro and a team guy."

Gordon's set to make $20.9 million next season, though it's non-guaranteed.

The veteran guard thrived in the past as a role player during the James Harden era, so it's established that he can fit a contending team well. The question will be which team makes a move to land him. Certainly, it appears that his stay in Houston has reached its natural conclusion.

Now into his third season in the NBA, Josh Green has yet to make a breakthrough since the Dallas Mavericks selected him in the first round of the 2020 NBA draft. But that doesn't mean he still isn't valued highly within the organization.

The Athletic's Tim Cato reported the Mavs "would be very hesitant to trade Green at this point" and that one member of the front office said the 22-year-old is "the team's third-most important player after [Luka] Dončić and [Spencer] Dinwiddie."

Green is nursing an elbow injury that has forced him to miss five games. Before going down, he showcased his clear potential to Dallas. Through 25 appearances, he's averaging 7.0 points and 1.2 assists while shooting 58.3 percent overall and 44.4 percent from three-point range.

Cato explained why his skill set is also something the Mavericks badly need.

"The best teams are filled with athletes like [Green], players you have to run off the line due to their three-point ability but who can do something once they're chased away from it," he wrote. "... Dallas just doesn't have enough players like Green to completely shift away from this 3-centric approach."

Upgrades to the supporting cast around Dončić are clearly required. Dallas is 15-15 and ninth in the Western Conference, and the backcourt still has a Jalen Brunson-shaped void after he signed with the New York Knicks.

A trade of some sort feels inevitable, but Green for all intents and purposes appears to be untouchable.

Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Dončić is out for Saturday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers because of a right quad strain, the team announced.

In addition to Dončić, the Mavs (15-14) will be without Spencer Dinwiddie (knee), Josh Green (elbow), Dwight Powell (thigh) and Maxi Kleber (hamstring).

Dončić's absence will be felt the most against the Cavs (19-11), as he's the focal point of the offense and leads the team with averages of 33.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 8.7 assists and 1.6 steals per game.

The 23-year-old missed 17 contests in 2021-22 while dealing with injuries to his ankle. He also missed the first three games of the postseason after he suffered a calf strain in the last game of the regular season. The Mavericks went 10-10 last year when he was out of the lineup, including the playoffs.

One of the best players in the NBA, Dončić is coming off a stellar run while competing for Slovenia in the EuroBasket tournament last summer. He nearly set a EuroBasket record with 47 points in a win over France, the second-highest point total in the history of the European championships. He averaged 26.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 6.6 assists in seven games during the tournament.

While Dončić is out, the Mavericks offense will need multiple players to help replace his production. Power forward Christian Wood, who was acquired over the offseason in a trade with the Houston Rockets, will likely get more touches on the offensive end.

After some dominant performances last week, New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson and Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis headline the fifth batch of ratings updates for NBA 2K23.

Williamson made the biggest leap this week, getting a four-point boost to 92 overall. The 22-year-old has scored over 30 points in four out of his last seven games. On the season, he's averaging 25.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists while shooting 61.0 percent from the field.

Despite the Lakers' struggles, Davis has looked like one of the best players in the NBA. He's had at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in five out his last six appearances, the only outlier being when he exited early against the Cleveland Cavaliers because of an illness. For his efforts, Davis was bumped up one point to 94 overall.

Other notable players to get a ratings increase this week are Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam (89, +1), Washington Wizards big man Kristaps Porzingis (87, +2) and Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson (85, +1).

The Dallas Mavericks will be without Maxi Kleber for an extended period of time because of multiple injuries.

The team announced Kleber tore his right hamstring during practice Tuesday, and he has no timetable to return.

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Kleber also sprained his right knee.

Kleber sat out the Mavs' 144-115 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Saturday with right foot soreness. He returned Monday against the Oklahoma City Thunder and had eight points and seven rebounds in 31 minutes.

Dallas was already thin in the frontcourt, and losing Kleber will force head coach Jason Kidd to make significant adjustments, particularly on defense.

"Kleber has proven instrumental to the Mavs' defense," Sports Illustrated's Grant Afseth wrote. "He is often trusted to slide over a small-ball 5 role to close games while deploying a switch-everything scheme while being capable of spacing out from beyond the three-point line on offense."

Kleber hasn't started a game this season, but he has averaged 25.6 minutes per game. Christian Wood is the only big on the roster who plays more than Kleber (26.2 minutes).

Kidd has been reluctant to use Wood in the starting lineup in part because he's a liability on defense.

Wood's only start this season came in Saturday's loss to the Bulls. It would be unfair to blame him for the Mavericks' defensive issues in that game. In addition to Kleber, Luka Dončić sat out with a quadricep strain.

If Kidd wants to keep using Wood as a sixth man, Dwight Powell will likely remain in the starting lineup. Wood will be the primary backup, and JaVale McGee will get time off the bench.

The Mavericks have lost three of their last four games. Their 14-14 record ranks ninth in the Western Conference.

As the San Antonio Spurs continue their plummet down the standings, Jakob Poeltl's future with the franchise is going to be a hot topic leading up to the Feb. 9 trade deadline.

Per Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer, the Toronto Raptors have interest in bringing Poeltl back after trading him to the Spurs in 2018 as part of the Kawhi Leonard deal.

Fischer noted the Chicago Bulls had internal conversations about the 27-year-old center prior to last season's trade deadline, and rival teams are "closely monitoring" them as a potential seller.

The Spurs are in a potentially tricky spot with Poeltl. He's only 27 and is one of the few bright spots on their roster right now, but this is also the final season of his current contract.

According to Fischer, Poeltl will "strongly consider" re-signing with San Antonio if he doesn't get moved before the trade deadline.

One potential issue the Spurs face, however, is what Poeltl might command on his next contract. Fischer noted a poll of league executives pegged his upcoming contract valuation between $15 and $25 million per season, with the high end of that projection potentially being more expensive than a rebuilding team might want to pay.

The Raptors are trying to find a spark amid a 13-15 start and need help at center. Christian Koloko has been their primary starter at the position, but he's only averaging 3.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.

Poeltl spent the first two seasons of his career in Toronto. He was drafted with the No. 9 overall pick by the Raptors in 2016. The seven-year veteran is averaging 12.9 points and 9.9 rebounds in 20 starts this season for the Spurs.

The Bulls are another team that had designs on making the playoffs in desperate need of help. They are 6-12 in their last 18 games and have fallen to 11th place in the Eastern Conference.

Nikola Vuçević, the Bulls' current starting center, is in the final season of his contract. They could potentially flip him to a team that needs help at the five and bring in Poeltl, who is five years younger than Vuçević.

The Spurs seem like a team that should go all-in on trading veteran players to acquire more long-term assets. They have lost 17 of their last 21 games and own the worst record in the Western Conference (9-19).