NBA NEWS - NBA PREVIEW for WEEK 16

Suns’ Monty Williams earns spot as head coach of Team LeBron in 2022 NBA All-Star Game - (NBA photo)

Charles Barkley was a member of the 1992 USA Olympic Dream team BUT… he was never a member of an NBA title winning team ALL TIME NBA NEVER WON-NA TITLE TEAM

Los Angeles Lakers Magic Johnson and Boston Celtics Larry Bird in Game two of the 1985 NBA Finals at Boston Garden Date 30 May 1985 - Steve Lipofsky www.Basketballphoto.com ALL TIME NBA 1st TEAM - BREAKING IT DOWN MAGIC JOHNSON & PHAL SAMPHORS

The reserves for the 2022 NBA All-Star Game will be revealed by TNT on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET - Suns’ Monty Williams earns spot as head coach of Team LeBron in 2022 NBA All-Star Game - Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant has scored at least 30 points in a franchise-record six consecutive games - Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham has become the first rookie in franchise history to record multiple triple-doubles in a season - After an 18-18 start to the season, the Denver Nuggets have won 10 of their last 13 games - OUTTA POCKET - THIS DAY IN THE NBA

NEW YORK, NY USA

Monday January 31, 2022

Reserve Judgment:

The reserves for the 2022 NBA All-Star Game will be revealed by TNT on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET. Seven players from each conference will be named: two guards, three frontcourt players and two additional players at any position. NBA head coaches select the reserves. TNT will then televise a doubleheader with the Phoenix Suns visiting the Atlanta Hawks (7:30 p.m. ET) and the Los Angeles Lakers facing the LA Clippers (10 p.m. ET).

Hot Streaks:

The Suns vs. Hawks game features the NBA’s current hottest teams. Phoenix and Atlanta begin the week with winning streaks of 10 and seven games, respectively. At 40-9, the Suns lead the NBA and are off to their best start in franchise history through 49 games in a season. Guard Devin Booker is averaging 30.1 points during the winning streak. For the Hawks, their offense is averaging 119.4 points in the last seven games. Atlanta’s Week 16 schedule also includes a visit to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Morant Magic:

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant has scored at least 30 points in a franchise-record six consecutive games. One day after being named a starter for the NBA All-Star Game, Morant recorded the highest-scoring triple-double in team history with 30 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists against the Utah Jazz on Jan. 28. Behind the first-time All-Star selection, the Grizzlies have won 16 of their last 19 games. In Week 16, Memphis visits the New York Knicks on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Dynamite Denver:

After an 18-18 start to the season, the Denver Nuggets have won 10 of their last 13 games to move within one game of fourth place in the Western Conference. During the 13-game stretch, reigning Kia NBA MVP and 2022 NBA All- Star Game starter Nikola Jokic is averaging nearly a triple-double with 26.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 9.8 assists. Denver’s current five-game winning streak includes four road victories. On Wednesday, the Nuggets will complete a six-game road trip as they visit the Utah Jazz at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Around the NBA:

San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich needs seven victories to pass Don Nelson and become the all-time leader in regular-season wins. Popovich is four wins shy of passing Lenny Wilkens for second place. … The Chicago Bulls (31-18) have already matched their win total from last season (31-41). … Toronto Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr. has scored at least 30 points in each of his last three games. … Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham has become the first rookie in franchise history to record multiple triple-doubles in a season.

Suns’ Monty Williams earns spot as head coach of Team LeBron in 2022 NBA All-Star Game

Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams and his staff will coach Team LeBron in the 2022 NBA All-Star Game, which will be played on Sunday, Feb. 20 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. The 71st NBA All-Star Game will air live at 8 p.m. ET on TNT and ESPN Radio in the United States.

Phoenix (40-9, .816) defeated the San Antonio Spurs 115-110 tonight to clinch the best record in the Western Conference through games played on Sunday, Feb. 6. As a result, Williams has earned a spot as a head coach in the NBA All-Star Game for the first time. He will be the Suns’ first NBA All-Star Game head coach since Mike D’Antoni in the 2006-07 season.

Under Williams, the Suns have the best record in the NBA this season and are off to their best start in franchise history through the first 49 games of a season. Phoenix won a franchise-record 18 consecutive games from Oct. 30 – Dec. 2 and has a current 10-game winning streak. Williams was named the NBA Western Conference Coach of the Month for games played in October/November.

Williams is in his third season as Phoenix’s head coach. Last season, he guided the Suns to a 51-21 record and their first appearance in the NBA Finals since the 1992-93 season. Williams previously served as head coach of the New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans for five seasons.

Each head coach in the NBA All-Star Game will lead the team that includes the captain from the same conference. Williams will coach the All-Star team captained by Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James.

The eligible head coach of the team with the best record in the Eastern Conference through games played on Feb. 6 will coach the All-Star team captained by Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant. Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers is ineligible because he served as a head coach in the NBA All-Star Game last season.

OUTTA POCKET

Magic’s Cole Anthony fined

January 28, 2022 NEW YORK – Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony has been fined $25,000 for directing profane and derogatory remarks toward a game official, it was announced today by Byron Spruell, President, League Operations. The incident occurred at the conclusion of the Magic’s 111-102 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Jan. 26 at Amway Center.

Mavericks’ Kristaps Porzingis fined

January 26, 2022 NEW YORK – Dallas Mavericks forward-center Kristaps Porzingis has been fined $15,000 for kicking the game ball into the spectator stands, it was announced today by Byron Spruell, President, League Operations. The incident, for which Porzingis received a technical foul and was ejected, occurred with 8:21 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Mavericks’ 130-92 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Jan. 25 at Chase Center.

THIS DAY IN THE NBA

January 31, 1994 Atlanta’s Dominique Wilkins became the 11th player in NBA history to score 23,000 career points, netting 24 in the Hawks’ 90-85 win at Dallas.

January 31, 1997 San Antonio’s Dominique Wilkins scored 27 points in the Spurs’ 97-95 loss to Minnesota, giving him 26,009 career points. Wilkins was only the sixth NBA player to score 26,000 points.

January 31, 2001 Milwaukee Bucks’ head coach George Karl guided the Bucks to a 116-111 win over Denver, notching his 600th NBA coaching victory. Karl became the 17th NBA head coach to reach the milestone, and he was the sixth-fastest to 600 wins in NBA history.