NBA

Giannis powers Bucks to vital win on return as skid finally ends

Giannis Antetokounmpo
December 2025

Giannis returned from a right calf strain to power Milwaukee’s 112-103 win in Chicago, scoring 29 points in under 25 minutes and transforming a Bucks team that had gone 3-11 without him and arrived with a 12-19 record, tied for its worst 31-game start of his era. Doc Rivers carefully limited him to 28 minutes across three second-half stints despite Giannis’ frustration, while teammates highlighted how his scoring, rim protection and gravity restored belief and sharpened execution, snapping a brutal month and giving Milwaukee a platform to climb the East once the rest of the roster also improves.

Giannis returns from calf strain as Bucks try to revive season

Giannis Antetokounmpo
December 2025

Antetokounmpo is back in action after missing eight games with a right calf strain suffered against Detroit. Milwaukee went 2-6 without him and sit 11th in the East at 12-19, but remain within touching distance of the playoff places. Having previously battled a left adductor issue and an earlier calf strain that ended his 2023-24 season, Giannis focused his rehab on getting fully healthy amid persistent trade speculation. He insists he is “locked in” on the Bucks, recognising outside noise but prioritising fitness and a push back up the Eastern Conference standings.

Westbrook overtakes Magic in assists and joins 2,000-steal club

Russell Westbrook
December 2025

Russell Westbrook climbed to seventh on the NBA’s all-time assists list, passing Magic Johnson with his 10,142nd dime and finishing the night on 10,149. He also recorded his 2,000th career steal, becoming only the 14th player in league history to reach that mark. The Kings guard, a former MVP and three-time assists leader, now has realistic chances to leapfrog Mark Jackson and Steve Nash this season, while also chasing Mookie Blaylock and Karl Malone in career steals. The double milestone underlines his long-term playmaking and defensive impact despite changing roles late in his career.

Jazz rookie Ace Bailey sidelined by hip strain in early exit vs Pistons

Ace Bailey
December 2025

Utah rookie Ace Bailey left in the first half against Detroit with a left hip strain and did not return, snapping a run of strong offensive form in which the No. 5 pick had averaged 10.7 points and reached double figures in four consecutive games for the Jazz. Bailey logged 11 scoreless minutes before departing, with Brice Sensabaugh starting the second half in his place. The Jazz will now assess the severity of the strain, weighing caution against their reliance on Bailey’s length and versatility, especially in late-game situations where he has often featured.

Jaylen Brown chases Larry Bird record with red-hot 30-point streak

Jaylen Brown
December 2025

Jaylen Brown has scored 30 points in eight straight games, a feat only matched once in Celtics history by Larry Bird’s nine-game run in 1985, while averaging 29.4 points this season and leading Boston to a 6-2 record during his current scoring explosion. Brown poured in 30 points on ultra-efficient shooting against Indiana, following a season-high 42 earlier in the streak. Despite modest three-point volume, he is hitting over 50 percent from the field and repeatedly carrying Boston’s attack, putting him on the verge of tying Bird’s iconic club mark.

Mavericks’ Anthony Davis suffers groin spasms, ruled out vs Warriors

Anthony Davis
December 2025

Dallas Mavericks center Anthony Davis exited the Christmas matchup against the Golden State Warriors with groin spasms after pulling up while running in the second quarter, adding another setback in a season already interrupted by a significant left calf issue. Davis left with three points, three rebounds and two blocks in under 11 minutes before medical staff ruled him out for the remainder, with no firm return date yet as Dallas weigh short-term depth problems against the need to protect a key big man’s health.

Mobley returns early from calf strain to give Cavs timely boost

Evan Mobley
December 2025

Evan Mobley made a rapid return from a Grade 1 left calf strain to log 14 points and nine rebounds in 25 minutes during the Cavaliers’ narrow 126-124 loss to the Knicks, beating the original two-to-four-week recovery estimate. After progressing quickly through 3-on-3 and 4-on-4 in practice, the 23-year-old Defensive Player of the Year came off the bench, joining other recent returnees like Wembanyama and Williamson in easing back from injury as Cleveland tries to build momentum despite multiple starters sidelined.

Nuggets boosted as MRI shows bone bruise only for Cameron Johnson

Cameron Johnson
December 2025

Denver received encouraging news on forward Cameron Johnson after an MRI showed only a bone bruise in his right knee, with no ligament or structural damage, easing fears of a major setback following his injury during the Nuggets’ narrow 131-130 loss to Dallas. Johnson is expected to miss only a handful of games but joins starters Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun on the injury list, leaving Denver short-handed for their upcoming Christmas matchup with Minnesota as they manage minutes and depth across a demanding festive schedule.

NBA loads Christmas Day slate with its most-watched stars

NBA
December 2025

The NBA’s Christmas Day schedule will showcase nine of the league’s ten most-viewed players across official social platforms, underlining how star power drives fan attention. Dončić, Wembanyama, Curry, James and others headline five nationally televised games, continuing an 18-year run of a full holiday slate. Cavaliers vs Knicks, Spurs vs Thunder, Mavericks vs Warriors, Rockets vs Lakers and Timberwolves vs Nuggets form the broadcast lineup on ABC and ESPN. Only Giannis Antetokounmpo from the social top ten is absent, as the league uses its biggest digital draws to maximise Christmas audiences and commercial impact.

Carlisle to step down as coaches’ boss, Bickerstaff to take over NBCA role

Rick Carlisle
December 2025

Rick Carlisle will end a 20-year run as president of the National Basketball Coaches Association at month’s end, with Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff elected as his successor, as Carlisle nears his 1,000th NBA coaching win and shifts focus fully back to team duties. Praising Bickerstaff as a trusted leader who has stabilised difficult situations in Memphis, Cleveland and Detroit, Carlisle called the new role “life-changing” and also used the moment to champion Bernie Bickerstaff’s Hall of Fame case, highlighting the Bickerstaff family’s long-standing impact on coaching and front-office culture.