The Knicks Are Sinking In The Standings And Darius Garland Is On The Mend Again

Lachlan Cunningham. Getty Images.

This is NBA Brain Food, the NBA blog for basketball fans written by superfans of each team. This is the Eastern Conference edition.

Click here for the Western Conference edition from Tuesday.

1) Detroit Pistons (29-10, 1st in the East) via Adam M

• The Pistons secured a gritty 108-105 win vs the Suns in an ugly game Thursday night. The team was lead by Duncan Robinson with 19 points and Jalen Duren with 18 boards. 
• Injuries have plagued this team over the last two weeks, with most players returning last night. Cade returned, but struggled with his shot shooting 3-16 and 0-7 from three. 
• Bickerstaff has greatly defended this team’s effort despite all the injuries, saying “you won’t find anything negative” praising their grit to remain in games and embody the “next man up” mentality. 
• Detroit continues its stretch with a busy schedule this week. Four games including Pacers, Celtics, Pelicans, and Rockets. Busy week, but also a great opportunity to extend their lead in the east. 
• The Pistons hold a 4.5 game lead in the east ahead of the Celtics. This marks the first time that they’ve held that top stop this deep into the season since 2005-06. That season they finished with the top seed in the conference and best record in the NBA

2) Boston Celtics (25-15, 2nd in the East) via Dan F

• The Celtics went 2-2 this past week in what was a bit of a shaky stretch. The C’s started with a strong win against Toronto and capped off the four-game stretch with a monster comeback win in Miami. Close losses to the Spurs and Pacers dampened excitement, however.
• Boston was able to secure an important win against fourth-seeded Toronto last Friday, largely in part to continued three-point success from Sam Hauser (19 points on 5-7 shooting from deep). Hauser has returned to form in the new year, as he has averaged 3.14 threes per game in January.
• The Celtics seemed to be on the wrong side of the non-existent whistle when it came to matchups against San Antonio and Indiana. The C’s had just FOUR free throw attempts against the Spurs, sparking negative officiating post-game comments from Jaylen Brown. “I’ll accept the fine at this point. I thought it was some bullshit tonight. They’re a good defensive team, but they ain’t that damn good,” Brown put bluntly. This was followed by just nine free throw attempts the following game at the Pacers, where Joe Mazzulla answered his post-game questions with a simple and consistent response, “illegal screen.” This isn’t just a fan and players complaining about a couple of games with no calls. The Celtics have the least free throws attempted per game at 18.9, nearly two full free throws lower than the second least (Bucks with 20.7 FTA per game).
• The Celtics capped off this past week with a 19-point comeback in Miami on the back of a 39-point performance from Anfernee Simons. Not only did he save the game, it was historic. Simons’ 39 were the most points ever scored by a Celtics non-starter in a road game. When Simons gets hot, he seems to hit every big shot he puts up. With his name floating around in a lot of trade talks, I’m hoping we explore other avenues because Simons fits “Mazzulla Ball” perfectly.
• Luka Garza has been really impressive lately. With up and down playing time most of the season, Garza has seen a more consistent role in January (22.1 MPG compared to 16.7 MPG in December). In January, Garza has 10+ PTS, 1+ 3PM and 5+ REB in 5 of 8 games, giving the C’s solid and consistent big man production coming off the bench.

3) New York Knicks (25-16, 3rd in the East) via Rebecca C

• The Knicks went 1-3 on their west coast trip this week, losing Brunson along the way. On a positive note, Josh Hart and Landry Shamet both looked good in their return. If you didn’t stay up for the games, good move, here’s your recap:
• The trip started with a loss in Phoenix after a close game. All 5 starters were in double digits, but couldn’t get the win. Brunson led the team with 27 points and 5 assists on 50% shooting from 3. 
• Josh Hart made his return Sunday in Portland and his impact was immediate. He had 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists shooting 50% from 3, but with Hart, the box score isn’t the whole story. Right away his energy and hustle had the Knicks playing like it was December again. OG had a big offensive game (24 points on 9-15 shooting) while working hard on defense guarding Deni Avdija. Jalen was awesome as usual.
• Jalen went down with an ankle injury 4 minutes into the game against the Kings. Mitchell Robinson was the only bright spot with 8 points and 11 rebounds (7 offensive) in 19 minutes. The Knicks had their worst 3-point shooting game of the year going 8-41 from behind the arc. There was a clear lack of energy, noted by Mike Brown, including a specific calling out of KAT for being on the floor after a miss, while the Kings ran a 5 on 4. He failed to recover when Josh tipped the rebound to mid court.
• Brunson and Robsinson were out vs. the Warriors, but Shamet made his return. While the team put up a bit more of a fight, they once again fell short. KAT seemed motivated (20 rebounds, 8 offensive), but foolish fouls had an impact. Overall, the game lacked consistency. OG and Deuce led the team with 25 points each, but it wasn’t enough to get the job done.
• The team has fallen since the highs of December. The lack of consistent hustle and defense is keeping this team from playing how they should be. Something is off with the team, and the fans know it. The trade deadline is approaching and with the Knicks winning only 2 of their last 9 games, the fans are speculating about a big move. 

4) Toronto Raptors (25-17, 4th in the East) via Shay

• The Raptors have quietly become one of the more readable betting teams since January 8. Not because they’re dominating, but because the hierarchy is stable. Scottie Barnes controls the offense, Brandon Ingram is the primary scoring option, and Collin Murray-Boyles benefits directly from frontcourt opportunity.
• That clarity is what’s driving the prop value.
• Scottie Barnes’ assist market has been the most dependable angle. Since January 8, Barnes has cleared his standard assist line in 5 of his last 7 games, good for roughly a 71 percent hit rate. That number jumps when games stay competitive. In games decided by 10 points or fewer, Barnes has gone over his assist line in 4 of 5 games, while averaging just under 10 assists per game in those spots.
• Barnes’ triple-double and double-double markets have also re-entered the conversation. He’s recorded a double-double in 4 of his last 6 games, and when Jakob Poeltl has been out or limited, Barnes’ rebound totals have increased by roughly two boards per game. In those situations, Barnes has flirted with triple-doubles in 3 of 5 games, making alt double-double or small-unit triple-double plays more viable than straight points overs.
• Brandon Ingram’s scoring props have been more volatile, but still exploitable. Since January 8, Ingram has cleared his points line in 4 of 7 games overall, about a 57 percent hit rate. That number improves significantly in faster-paced games or when Toronto scores 110 or more as a team. In those games, Ingram has gone over his points line in 4 of 5, while averaging in the high 20s.
• The more consistent angle has been Ingram’s points plus rebounds. Since January 8, he’s cleared that combo line in 5 of 7 games, roughly a 71 percent hit rate. When Poeltl is unavailable or playing reduced minutes, Ingram’s rebound totals jump into the 7 to 10 range, which has allowed him to clear combo lines even on nights when his scoring sits in the low 20s.
• Collin Murray-Boyles has quietly become one of the strongest situational props on the roster. His rebounds over has hit in 4 of his last 5 games when Poeltl is out or limited, an 80 percent hit rate in that split. In those same games, his minutes have stabilized in the high 20s, which has been the key driver rather than matchup.
• Murray-Boyles’ points plus rebounds line has also shown value. Since January 8, he’s gone over that line in 4 of 6 games, roughly a 67 percent hit rate. He doesn’t need usage to get there. His scoring comes off put-backs and cuts, and his rebounding floor has been far steadier than the market implies. His assist props remain inconsistent, clearing in only 2 of those 6 games, which is why rebounds and combo markets have been the better focus.
• At a team level, Raptors games have leaned over when Barnes and Ingram both play. Since January 8, the full-game over has hit in 5 of 7 games with both active, about a 71 percent rate. Live overs have been even stronger. In games where Toronto is trailing by single digits at halftime, second-half overs have hit in 4 of 5, as Barnes’ usage spikes and the offense becomes more direct.
• The takeaway from this stretch is simple. Toronto’s roles are defined. Barnes drives volume, Ingram converts it into scoring, and Murray-Boyles benefits from chaos in the frontcourt. When roles are this stable, prop betting becomes less about guessing and more about identifying when game context pushes those roles to their ceiling.
• That’s where the edge has been — and for now, the market still hasn’t fully adjusted.

5) Philadelphia 76ers (22-17, 5th in the East) via Devin C

• For the fourth consecutive week, the 76ers check in as the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference. Overall, it’s not a terrible place to be considering how last season unfolded—but it’s also not where this team should want to remain. Sitting at 22–17, Philadelphia is just a half-game ahead of the Play-In line and only 2.5 games back of second place. With the roster trending toward full health, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Sixers finish as a top four seed and secure home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
• That said, if you’ve followed the NBA—or this franchise—over the past decade, it’s usually safest to prepare for the worst. In this case, that would mean a sluggish second half of the season and a return to the Play-In tournament come April.
• This past week featured a pivotal four-game stretch: back-to-back contests against the Raptors in Toronto, followed by two home games against the Cleveland Cavaliers. With Philly sandwiched between those two teams in the standings, it was a prime opportunity to gain ground—and potentially position themselves favorably for tiebreakers down the line.
• Sunday night in Toronto, the Sixers rested both Paul George and Joel Embiid. Tyrese Maxey and the rest of the group appeared to do enough to secure a shorthanded win, but poor inbound execution in the final minute allowed the Raptors to force overtime, where they ultimately pulled out the victory. Looking to make things right the following night, Philadelphia came out inspired. Fueled by Maxey’s 18-point first quarter, the Sixers built a 29-point lead in the first half, a deficit Toronto never recovered from.
• The highlight of the Toronto mini-series came late in that second game. With the outcome well in hand, Raptors fans loudly cheered and begged head coach Nick Nurse to give franchise legend Kyle Lowry a few garbage-time minutes. When Lowry finally checked in, the arena erupted. It was one of those rare, goosebump-inducing moments an athlete dreams of—well worth tracking down for a jolt of Friday positivity.
• Momentum came to a halt Wednesday night against Cleveland. From the opening tip, the Cavaliers controlled the game. After falling behind 33–18 in the first quarter, every Sixers push was answered by Donovan Mitchell. Mitchell was incredible in this game, finishing with 35 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists. Evan Mobley was equally impressive, tallying 17 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, and anchoring the defense with four blocks.
• Philadelphia won’t have to wait long for a response. The two teams tip off again at 7:00 p.m. EST, giving the Sixers an immediate chance to avenge the loss and show some much-needed grit.

6) Orlando Magic (23-18, 6th in the East) via Mason M

• Up until the Berlin game yesterday, the Magic were 7-7 over the last 14 games alternating wins and losses over that 14 game span (L, W, L, W, L, W, L, W, L, W, L, W, L, W)
• Franz Wagner returned 1/15 in his hometown of Berlin Germany. Started slow shooting 2/10 of the field but finished 4/6 and hit a couple big free throws at the end of the game to finish with the win and 18 pts and 9 Rebs
• Mo Wagner also came back from his ACL tear last year and started where he left off. With a 7 point 4 Reb game in 14 mins and 8pts 2 Rebs in 9 mins. Magic have missed his scoring off the bench. Look for his minutes and role to increase as he gets back in game shape
• Anthony Black with another 20 point performance now has more 20 point games this season than he had combined in his first two years really filling the PG role for the Magic 
• Magic only have another game in Europe as they play Memphis again on 01/18 at Noon ET in London. With the travel the Magic only play that one game in the next 7 days

7) Cleveland Cavaliers (23-19, 7th in the East) via Joe R

• Cleveland got a big win over the 76ers 133-107, to bring their record to 23-19. Currently 7th in the eastern conference and In their last 5 games, CLE has went 3-2 with three of those wins against the Nuggets, Timberwolves, and 76ers.
• With 40 games remaining, the Cavs have the “easiest” strength of schedule, and also are tied for the fewest games left to play. Cavs could benefit from less back to backs greatly.
• Darius Garland is out tonight against the 76ers with what they’re calling Toe soreness. Keep in mind this is not the same Toe that he had surgery on. Unfortunately this is the other foot…
• Jaylon Tyson. In the Cavs matchup against the wolves, Tyson posted 23pts, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists. He has taken a large leap in terms of contributing to this teams success. In his last five games, he’s averaged: 9.4ppg, 4.0rbg, 2.4apg.
• Cavs still have problems being consistent. Two of their best wins came in the last 5 games. Their loss to the Jazz on Monday proves that they still have glaring issues they need to sort out and need to put some stretches of winning multiple games in a row. Cavs play the 76ers again tonight on ESPN. If they beat the 76ers they will move up to the 5 seed.

8) Miami Heat (21-20, 8th in the East) via Nicky Smokes

• We fucking suck again. This team is a disaster, and I can’t believe how much my opinion has flipped from the start of the season to now. 
• Bam looks like a shell of himself. We controlled Boston for 90% of that game and, like clockwork, completely choked it away in the fourth.
• We’ve lost four of our last five, and it’s gotten so bad that Pat Riley is apparently saving up for a big splash in 2028. Not this year. Not next year. 2028. Sounds great, Pat.
• This team is in shambles. The fun is gone. The good vibes are dead and buried six feet under.

9) Chicago Bulls (19-21, 9th in the East) via Anthony T

• Survived the Jazz Wednesday despite giving up 43 points to Brice Sensabaugh off the bench
• Josh Giddey has ramped up basketball activity and could be back in the next week or two
• Decent bench play from Jalen Smith and Ayo Dosunmu
• Defense is bottom 5 in the league allowing 121 ppg
• Bulls radio announcer Chuck Swirsky caught attention early in the week with his criticism of Bears head coach Ben Johnson locker room talk. This caught the ire of local radio broadcaster Marc Silverman aka Silvy stating he is one of the worst people out there. Silvy is correct, majority of Bulls fans are not even fond of Chuck Swirsky. Mikey Bets tweeted we’re sick of his idiotic dancing after wins. That is 100% valid.
• Now that Mikey Bets has been relieved of coaching duties, they may need him for defensive presence

10) Atlanta Hawks (20-23, 10th in the East) via Josh W

• The Hawks go 2-2 over their last 4 games starting with 2 good performances and ending the week with 2 unwatchable performances. Thankfully the west coast run is over because the Hawks were looking very stagnant towards the end of the run. 
• Jalen Johnson has taken a bit of a dip in scoring and hasnt been the triple double machine that he was in December though still playing well with room for improvement. 
• The Hawks had a good run defensively where they were one of the most effective defenses in the league and then went to L.A. and Portland where it looked like they completely forgot how to play defensive. 
• CJ McCollum has come on and proved he can provide points off the bench and be a solid contributor to this team.
• Onyeka Okongwu has been very good offensively while sub-par on defense and Nickeil Alexander-Walker continues to shine leading the team in points per game with 22. 
• Luke Kennard has finally started being more aggressive and is shooting lights out from 3 over the last couple weeks shooting above 60% from downtown. 
• Dyson Daniels is a menace on defensive and can drive to hole to get points but hasn't made a 3 pointer since early December, 0 for his last 18 attempts.
•  The Hawks lead the league in assists per game with 31 per game. 
• They look to get back to winning ways with a game against the Celtics at home on Saturday.

11) Milwaukee Bucks (17-24, 11th in the East) via Colin B

• If this past week wasn’t rock bottom for the Giannis-era Bucks, we are quickly approaching that point. After a promising win in Los Angeles against the Lakers last Friday night, the Bucks have lost three straight. The first was in Denver against the injury-riddled Nuggets (without Jokic or Murray), followed by two pathetic performances against the Timberwolves (without Anthony Edwards or Gobert) and Spurs.
• The darkest point came in the loss at home to Minnesota, where the Bucks were down by 25+ for a majority of the game. As the Bucks were down more than 30 at halftime, they were showered with boos from the unhappy Fiserv Forum crowd as they headed to the locker room. Giannis, apparently taking this personally, booed the crowd back only 50 seconds into the second half with two big thumbs down, after finishing through a Julius Randle foul. After the game, Giannis stated that “Whenever I get booed, I boo back…I don’t think anybody has the right to tell me how I should act on a basketball court after I’ve been here 13 years. And I’m basically the all-time leader in everything.” While Giannis has certainly booed opposing crowds like Indiana or Chicago before, the superstar has never turned against Bucks’ fans like this. This comes just a week after Giannis reiterated his commitment to Milwaukee and the Bucks in a post game press conference. If the Bucks don’t start turning it around quickly (or at least show effort), things could get even uglier fast.
• While Bucks fans are starting to accept that this team is just not particularly good, there is a steady drumbeat of support for Doc Rivers’ firing, and frankly I don’t blame them. Between the Timberwolves loss and the Spurs loss, there is no effort. The offense is stagnant and predictable, with players standing around watching Giannis dribble. Couple that with the deplorable defense and rebounding and it’s no wonder that this team stinks. Doc Rivers, full of excuses, said after the Timberwolves loss that “we were playing with dead legs,” following their West Coast road trip, refusing to hold players accountable. Giannis, the ultimate competitor, responded, saying “I don’t think it's dead legs. Come on…that cannot be an excuse.” Not exactly a vote of confidence when your superstar openly disagrees with your coaching perspective. Given the Bucks will do anything to keep Giannis happy, and the lack of on-court production from the team recently, don’t be surprised if Doc Rivers is let go sometime soon.
• This team is staring at a fork in the road. You can accept that this is just not the Bucks’ year, fire Doc Rivers, and trade guys like Bobby Portis, Kevin Porter Jr., and Kyle Kuzma for draft assets. Or you can make a panic trade for someone like Ja Morant or Zach LaVine, which would do little to nothing in terms of being a championship contender. Obviously, they want to maximize Giannis’ prime, but the Bucks’ simply do not have the roster to do so this year. It may be time to shut this year down and accept the reality of mediocrity, for better or worse.
• This week, the Bucks have a light week, playing in Atlanta against the Hawks (1/19), before returning home to face the defending champion OKC Thunder (1/21). 

12) Charlotte Hornets (15-26, 12th in the East) via Jake L

• LaMelo dominates the Lakers. He hit 9 3-pointers against the Lakers, 8 in the second half leading them to an 18 point win.
• They went 1-1 in their LA road trip, losing to the Clippers by 8 on Monday. Lamelo played great with 25 points, but the rest of the team struggled from 3 and they weren’t able to match Kawhi and James Harden’s offensive explosion.
• This might be the best 15-26 team I’ve ever seen!
• They have the best offense in the NBA in the last 10 games. Teams shoot 37.2% against the Hornets from 25+ feet out (nearly a Three) that’s second highest in the league. That’s probably due to their limited size on the perimeter and they don’t have a lockdown defender to guard the other team’s primary scorer.
• Gambling advice, whatever star player is playing the Hornets, take their over on total points. Luka had 39 last night, Kawhi and James Harden had 30+ on Monday, even Brice Sensabaugh had 26 points on them last weekend.
• Kon has hit a bit of a rookie wall but we’re not going to talk about that right now. Let’s go beat the Warriors this weekend

13) Brooklyn Nets (11-27, 13th in the East) via Justin S

• The Nets went 0–4 last week and seemed to have one eye on their draft pick. They played back-to-back games Sunday and Monday and sat several key players in both. Aside from the Clippers game, the losses were all competitive fun watches. 
• Can’t say enough good things about 3gor Demin who is always looking to take the big shot in every close game the Nets have. He had his 7th straight game with multiple three pointers this week tying a rookie franchise record. One of two rookies with back to back games of 5+ 3PM this season. Top 10 all time in games by a rookie with 15+ points  5+ assists and 5+ 3PM. 
• Danny Wolf logged his first career double-double in his start against Memphis this week with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
• Nolan Traore notched his career high of 6 assists in the Memphis game and then followed it up with another 6 assist game against the Mavericks. 
• Also in the Mavs game, Day'Ron Sharpe’s double-double in the first half at 10:27 minutes played is the fastest double-double in the NBA this season. By far the best back up big in the league and would start on most others. 
• Drake Powell in his second career start scored a career high 16 points against the Pelicans. 
• Every week Kirk Goldsberry posts his NBA efficiency landscape graph. The Nets sit in the “quadrant of woe” ranking 25th in defensive efficiency over their last 10 games and after finishing December as the league’s best defensive team. Coincidentally, those 10 games line up with Cam Thomas’s return from injury. Nets have a record of 3–11 with Cam and 8-13 without. Tank Commander.

14) Washington Wizards (10-29, 14th in the East) via Rob G

• The Wizards are back to their losing ways, losing all three games they played this week. The silver lining of these losses is that the Wizards young core of Tre Johnson, Kyshawn George, Alex Sarr, and Bub Carrington all looked good this week. Each of them had either a great game or an overall good week. 
• Tre has had a good week and is averaging 13.6 points, 2.6 assists and 2.6 rebounds a game this week. 
• Alex Sarr had a monster game against Phoenix racking up 19 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks. Don’t sleep on the SuperSarr to become a future all-nba defensive player. 
• Kyshawn George had a great game against the Clippers, dropping 23 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Kyshawn just keeps getting better. Once the Wizards add Trae Young to the mix, the sky's the limit.
• It was announced that Trae Young’s injury will be re-evaluated after the NBA all star game in mid-February. This is great news for the Wizards to keep their top 8 protected pick. This team is lost without a true point guard. The loss of CJ McCollum is really showing how weak this team is without a true PG. The offense just cannot get going. When Trae is inserted into the lineup, this team has the roots in place to be very good in the near future. Sorry Knicks fans, but the Wizards are not going to be losing this pick. AJ Dybantsa or Cameron Boozer, welcome to Washington.
• Plays of the Day (Alex Sarr O 7.5 rebounds (-125), Tre Johnson O 2.5 threes (+135), parlayed together (+325)

15) Indiana Pacers (9-32, 15th in the East) via Ryan S

• The Pacers won 3 games in a row defeating the Hornets, Heat and Celtics before falling 101-115 to the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night. It’s good to know the Pacers can win when the team is healthy but if they want a good draft pick/asset it’s important for them to keep losing to remain a bottom 3 team. 
• Johnny Furphy has been playing well averaging almost 7 points and 6 rebounds in the last 10 games. He recorded his first career double-double in the loss to the Raptors. He’s a 6’8” Aussie guard that has become a fan favorite in Indiana. 
• Pascal Siakam continues to play at an All-Star level, keeping this team together and leading them through a difficult season. Siakam hit another game winner against the Celtics on Monday night after an “illegal screen” allowed him to match up against Derrick White. That win wouldn’t have been possible without Jay Huff’s 20 points, shooting 8/12 from the floor and 4/7 from 3.
• Benn Mathurin is still dealing with lingering foot and thumb injuries. He has not played in the last 2 weeks. Because he’s a restricted free agent once this season ends, athurin’s name has floated around as a trade asset for the Pacers. 
• Trade Deadline is less than a month away. Huff has showed some promise (and inconsistency), the Pacers are still in need of a starting center. The front office is calling multiple teams asking about players such as Daniel Gafford, Walker Kessler, and Ivica Zubac. Some new names that entered the conversation are Nick Claxton, Yves Missi and (my personal favorite) Onyeka Okongwu. It will be interesting to see what move the Pacers make, whether during mid season or in the summer, to secure a starting big man.

Thanks for reading!