The race for NBA Rookie of the Year was practically settled in late January and early February. Cooper Flagg, the Dallas Mavericks’ all-world teenager, put together four consecutive eye-opening games from Jan. 29 to Feb. 5.

He scored a then season-high 49 points against the Charlotte Hornets, followed by 34 points against the Houston Rockets, 36 against the Boston Celtics, and 32 against the San Antonio Spurs. Four impressive performances against four playoff teams. Flagg showed up and showed out and proved to the basketball world that he’s more than capable of carrying a franchise. After all, he is the Maine Event.

Flagg’s 49-point outing on Jan. 29 came against his chief rival in the rookie race, Kon Knueppel. Knueppel spoiled his former Duke Blue Devils teammate’s night with 34 points, including the clinching free throws with 4.1 seconds left to give the Hornets a 123-121 victory.

Even though Knueppel got the win, the game felt more like a coming-out-party for the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Flagg did more than enough to win the Rookie of the Year award. Years from now, we’ll look back and have a good laugh at how this was even a discussion.

Flagg is a generational talent. Guys like him don’t come along every year. Knueppel is a specialist. It’s easier to find a player with his skill set.

Flagg was the front runner to start the season, made a big move since the All-Star break, and he put an exclamation point to his rookie campaign with a 51-point burst against the Orlando Magic on April 3. The 19-year-old became the youngest player in NBA history to score 50 points.

The Dallas Mavericks forward followed up his historic game with a 45-point effort against LeBron James and the L.A. Lakers on April 5. Flagg is the first rookie to score at least 40 points in back-to-back games since Allen Iverson in the 1996-97 season.

Flagg ranks in the top five in all the meaningful statistical categories. He is first in points (21.2), fourth in rebounds (6.7), second in assists (4.6), third in steals (1.2), and fifth in blocks (0.9).

About the only stat that Flagg doesn’t dominate is wins and losses. His Mavericks are in the bottom tier of the Western Conference and bound for the lottery again. The Mavs have been decimated with injuries and haven’t been whole all season.

All-Star guard Kyrie Irving missed the entire season while recovering from an ACL injury and center Dereck Lively was also sidelined for the season due to a foot injury that required surgery. All-Star center Anthony Davis, the main piece the Mavs received in the Luka Doncic trade, was traded to the Washington Wizards just ahead of the February trade deadline. The move was largely seen as a reset for the the Mavs to build around Flagg.

Despite all of Flagg’s spectacular performances and impressive statistics, many basketball pundits — including highly respected experts such as Bill Simmons and Steve Aschburner — are not convinced that Flagg is the top rookie in the 2025-26 season.

Simmons and Aschburner are on the Knueppel side of the rookie debate. They both believe Knueppel deserves to win ROY because he’s had the better season based on his impact for the playoff-bound Hornets.

Charlotte had more than doubled its victory total from last year and put together a top-five offensive rating thanks to the threat of Knueppel’s outside shooting.

Aschburner wrote on NBA.com:

Aschburner’s argument about winning being a major factor in postseason awards isn’t wrong but it is flawed. If we’re putting all our eggs on team standings then VJ Edgecombe deserves to be in the ROY conversation because the Philadelphia 76ers wouldn’t be in the playoffs without Edgecombe’s contributions. As a matter of fact, an strong case could be made that Edgecombe has had a larger impact on his team because he’s had to fill in as the No. 2 option behind Tyrese Maxey due to all the injuries the Sixers have dealt with all season.

It is true that the addition of Knueppel has made the Hornets better. He has quickly established himself as one of the elite shooters in the NBA, breaking Keegan Murray’s mark for most 3-pointers made by a rookie. He leads the league in total 3-pointers made, averaging 3.4 per game, and he ranks in the top 10 in 3-point percentage (42.7%).

There’s no question Knueppel has had a significant impact on the improved Hornets. But Kon is a role player. He’s the third or fourth option on the Hornets. He has far less responsibilities on offense and defense. By contrast, there is a ton of responsibilities on Flagg’s plate.

Flagg is not only the primary playmaker but he’s also asked to make plays on defense. Flagg is asked to do more with less talent around him. Knueppel is mainly a 3-point specialist who has to rely on his teammates like LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges to get him shots.

Over 80% of Knueppel’s 3-pointers made have been assisted, primarily by Ball. Flagg, on the other hand, creates 51% of his shots on his own through post-ups and dribble drives. He is the focal point of the Mavericks offense while Knueppel is the floor spacer on the Hornets.

Here’s a question for all basketball media types: Would you pay money to see Kon Knueppel? Or would you rather pay money to see Cooper Flagg? Would you pay money to watch Knueppel shoot 3s or would you pay money to watch Flagg pull off a highlight-reel play?

We know what most of them would say.

Joel Huerto is editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. He hosts a sports podcast on YouTube @onemanfastbreak1.

After shedding a few pounds, a leaner and meaner Luka Doncic shredded the competition at the FIBA European championships.

The Los Angeles Lakers should be excited for the 2025-26 NBA season following Doncic’s historic EuroBasket performance in which he led Slovenia to the quarterfinals before being eliminated by Germany.

“Luka’s play in EuroBasket made it clear to the entire basketball world that he’s on that incredibly short list of ‘best player on the planet’ candidates, if not at the top,” said Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, who traveled to Poland to watch Doncic.

Luka described his offseason as a “great summer,” and he appears to be in the best shape of his basketball career. He gave a taste of what he’ll be serving in the upcoming NBA season with a spectacular performance during the European championships.

Doncic led EuroBasket with 34.7 points per game, becoming the third player to average over 30. His average ranks third in tournament history, trailing only Nikos Galis’ 37.0 in 1987 and 35.6 in 1989.

Doncic looks to be in prime shape and prime position to have an MVP-type season for the Lakers, and it’s up to head coach JJ Redick — who signed a two-year contract extension to be with the Lakers through the 2029-30 season — to make sure to put Doncic in the best possible position to succeed in Year 2 of their partnership.

“I expect the best version of Luka, and it’s my job to bring that out every day,” Redick said during a Lakers press conference.

Pelinka and Lakers governor Jeanie Buss traveled to Poland to watch Doncic play for Slovenia and came away impressed with Luka’s growth as a leader.

“He not only led by example, but he was very demonstrative in practice, in terms of his expectations of the team and how they play,” Pelinka said of Luka.

Doncic seems at peace over what transpired on Feb. 2, 2025, when he got traded from Dallas to L.A. But it doesn’t mean he has forgotten about the simple fact that the Mavericks — a team that drafted him and practically raised him — shipped him out of town.

The Luka Revenge Tour is coming to every NBA city, especially in Dallas, and the extra motivation could lead to an MVP season for Luka and a potential return to the NBA Finals for the Lakers.

OneManFastBreak projects the top eight teams in the Western Conference.

1-Oklahoma City Thunder — Fresh off winning an NBA title, the Thunder signed their top three players to significant contracts and brought back their major role players from their championship squad. However, repeating as NBA champions won’t be easy, as the West is stacked and there hasn’t been a repeat NBA champion since the 2018 Warriors.

2-Houston Rockets — The loss of veteran guard Fred VanVleet, who tore his ACL, hurts from a leadership standpoint. The absence of VanVleet puts added pressure on Alperen Sengun to be more of a playmaker. Sengun had a superb EuroBasket, and his blossoming game should make Ime Udoka and the Rockets coaching staff excited. The addition of Kevin Durant and Dorian Finney-Smith make Sengun even more dangerous as he’ll have more room to operate.

3-L.A. Lakers — Pressure is on head coach JJ Redick to navigate around LeBron James’ potential last season with the Lakers, which could become a distraction. LeBron is entering the final year of his Lakers contract, and the team has shown little interest in extending his deal. “We would love for LeBron’s story to retire as a Laker. That’d be a positive story,” Pelinka said about LeBron’s future with the team.

4-Denver Nuggets — The Nuggets are trying to maximize Nikola Jokic’s prime years. They traded Michael Porter Jr., one of the key pieces of their 2023 championship team, to the Brooklyn Nets for a draft pick and forward Cam Johnson. The team moved off Russell Westbrook and brought back Bruce Brown, and signed veteran Jonas Valanciunas. Valanciunas should lessen some of Jokic’s heavy workload at the center spot.

5-Minnesota Timberwolves — Anthony Edwards is rededicating himself to getting in better shape, and it starts on the defensive end. Ant-Man is entering his sixth NBA season. He has been to the conference twice. For the Timberwolves to advance to the NBA Finals, Ant-Man must be more detailed on both ends of the floor.

6-Golden State Warriors — When Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler are healthy and playing together, the Warriors put together a 23-8 record. The problem is that age and mileage might be catching up with Curry (36), Butler (35), and Green (34).

7-San Antonio Spurs — Victor Wembanyama certainly had an adventurous offseason. He trained with Shaolin monks in Zhengzhou, China. He trained with NBA Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon in Houston. Wemby is entering his third season as well-prepared as any player. This could be the year the Spurs return to the postseason.

8-L.A. Clippers — Allegations of a no-show endorsement contract between Kawhi Leonard and a now-bankrupt green banking company hang over the Clippers like a dark cloud. It’ll be up to head coach Ty Lue to keep the team focused and navigate around the scandal.

Play-In teams: Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks

The first time Cooper Flagg touched the ball, two L.A. Lakers defenders ran at him in a rare double team shortly after tip-off. It was the type of attention Flagg commanded both on the court and inside the Thomas & Mack Center as the main event of the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

The teenager from Newport, Maine, and the second-youngest No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft certainly didn’t disappoint in an 87-85 Dallas Mavericks victory over the Lakers. He knew a lot of eyes were glued to him, and he gave the fans who packed UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center a good show — for about a half.

After missing his first two shots, Flagg delivered a highlight-reel dunk on a fast break for his first basket as a member of the Mavs. He followed it up with a pull-up jumper from the corner over Dalton Knecht. Then, there was a sequence in the second quarter when Flagg posted up on the wing while being guarded by LeBron James’ son, Bronny James. It caused a few oohs and aahs from the pro-Laker crowd on the first night of the Las Vegas Summer.

A determined Flagg kept bumping Bronny with each dribble, but the second-year Lakers guard stood his ground and came close to causing a turnover but was called for a foul.

On the very next play, Flagg posted up Bronny again and this time he elevated over him and drained a turnaround jumper. Flagg turned to a few of Mavs teammates sitting courtside, including Kyrie Irving, and gestured something that got them all riled up.

Tickets for courtside seats were selling for $2,500, so Kyrie and Co. got their money’s worth.

Flagg finished the first half with 10 points on 5-for-15 shooting, playing predominantly as a point forward and initiator on offense. That was Mavericks coach Jason Kidd’s plan all along. He wanted to see how Flagg handles ball pressure.

“He’s shown that he can handle the press,” Kidd said of Flagg during a halftime interview with ESPN’s Malika Andrews.

Kidd continued: “When you have someone like Cooper who can handle, who can shoot, who can pass you want the ball in his hands. He’s a great decision-maker. He did that at Duke and also in high school. He’s gonna have some mistakes; he’s gonna throw [the ball] in the stands. We all do. But I think just his poise as an 18-year-old is incredible.”

Flagg played 16 minutes in the first half, which is highly unusual for a rookie playing in his first pro game, especially a rookie who hasn’t played a meaningful game in four months. He tallied a total of 32 minutes and fatigue factored in his second-half struggles as he went 0-for-6 from the field, including two air balls from the mid-range where he normally excels.

“The coaches have a lot of confidence in me,” Flagg told reporters after the game. “They’ve been telling us to experiment and try some new things. I was trying to be aggressive, which was new for me, too. I would say it might be one of the worst games of my life.”

It wasn’t the “worst game” of Flagg’s basketball career, but his 5-for-21 shooting, including 0-for-5 from behind the 3-point line, was dreadful. But the shooting stroke will improve as he gets more fit and gets used to playing 30-plus minutes against NBA competition.

Flagg was relatively absent much of the second half until the final minute of the game gave the Mavs the lead for good. However, he made a key block to snuff a layup that ignited a fast break that led to a 3-pointer by Ryan Nembhard — on an assist from Flagg — that gave the Mavs an 87-85 lead.

Flagg only cares about winning, and the block and the assist on the game-winning 3-ball are the kind of winning plays he’ll be doing for the Mavericks. He can impact the game in so many ways, and he doesn’t have to score to impact the game.

He’ll have more good days ahead than bad days.

Los Angeles is the entertainment capital of the world. In order to compete in a city full of celebrities, you need a star. The Lakers franchise have been lucky enough to land some of the best players in basketball throughout their storied history. From Wilt Chamberlain to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Magic Johnson to Shaquille O’Neal to Kobe Bryant to LeBron James, the Lakers have had a superstar headliner for the past 50 years.

LeBron is now in the twilight of his phenomenal career. His individual statistics still look good, but he is no longer an elite player. He is 40 years old and his star is slowly fading. The Lakers needed a new box office headliner to lead the Lake Show. Enter Luka Doncic.

ESPN reporter Shams Charania, Adrian Wojnarowski’s protégé, dropped an epic “Woj bomb” shortly after midnight eastern and 9 p.m. L.A. time. The breaking news post said the Dallas Mavericks were trading Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the L.A. Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first round pick.

The post, which was viewed by 81 million users, was so unbelievable that Shams had to immediately do a follow-up post just to let everyone know that he didn’t get hacked. It was real.

The multiplayer blockbuster deal that sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers and shipped Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks not only sent shockwaves around the basketball community but it ushered in a seismic shift in L.A. LeBron’s Lake Show residency is expiring soon, and Luka steps in as the new face of the team tasked with keeping the championship window open.

“Luka is a one-of-a-kind, young global superstar who will lead this franchise for years to come. His killer instincts and commitment to winning championships will be a driving force for the team,” Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka said in a statement.

Doncic, who turns 26 this month, is just entering his prime. He’s coming off a season in which he led the NBA in scoring (33.9) and made his first NBA Finals appearance. He was named to the All-NBA first team five times in his seven seasons in Dallas.

Only time will tell if the Lakers’ Luka gamble will pay off and result in an NBA title. Where does the Doncic-for-Davis trade rank in Lakers lore? OMFB examined five blockbuster trades in NBA history involving the Lakers and what were ultimate payoffs.

Lakers traded for Wilt Chamberlain in 1968 — Wilt the Stilt was 31 years old and still in his prime when the Philadelphia 76ers sent him to the Lakers for Darrall Imhoff, Archie Clark, Jerry Chambers and cash. Four years later, the Lakers won an NBA title with Chamberlain teaming up with fellow Hall of Fame Jerry West on a squad considered by many as one of the greatest teams in NBA history. With Chamberlain as the anchor, the Lakers won a record 33 straight games and finished with a then-record 69-13 mark. Bill Sharman’s group capped off the season with a convincing series victory over the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals.

Lakers traded for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1975 — The Kareem trade altered the fortunes of two franchises. The Milwaukee Bucks, which received Junior Bridgeman, Dave Meyers, Elmore Smith and Brian Winters from L.A., would go more than 50 years before winning their next championship. Meanwhile, the Kareem trade was the foundation of the Lakers’ dynasty in the 1980s. Abdul-Jabbar was named NBA MVP in each of his first two seasons in L.A. and never missed the playoffs in his final 13 seasons. Kareem and Magic Johnson became one of the greatest duos as the pair led the Showtime Lakers to five NBA championships and eight appearances in the NBA Finals in a 10-year span.

Lakers traded Shaquille O’Neal to the Miami Heat in 2004 — One month after losing to the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Finals, the Lakers jettisoned Shaquille O’Neal to Miami for Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, Brian Grant, and a future first-round pick which turned out to be guard Jordan Farmar. The Heat clearly won the first half of the trade, winning a title in Shaq’s second year Miami. But the Lakers might have had the last laugh. The first season without Shaq (2004-05) the Lakers went 34-48 and earned a lottery pick, a pick they used to select center Andrew Bynum. Bynum, Odom and Farmar became part of the core group, spearheaded by Kobe, that reached the NBA Finals three straight years and won championships in 2009 and 2010.

Lakers trade for Pau Gasol in 2008 — In one of the most surprising in-season trades in league history, the Lakers swung for the fences and hit a home run by acquiring Spanish big man Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron McKie, the draft rights to Marc Gasol, and first-round picks in 2008 and 2010. Pau instantly clicked with Kobe, seamlessly fitting in without a hitch. He quickly picked up Phil Jackson’s complicated triangle offense the moment he arrived, and the Lakers went from pretenders to contenders almost overnight. Gasol, Bynum and Odom formed one of the best frontcourts, and the Lakers won 57 games in Gasol’s first four seasons. Gasol, whose No. 16 was retired by the team, will be remembered for his heroic 19-point, 18-rebound performance in Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics.

Lakers traded for Anthony Davis in 2019 — Prior to the mega deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, the Lakers acquired LeBron James in free agency in the summer of 2018. LeBron wanted an All-Star running mate and he found it in AD. The Lakers gave up a big part of their young talent – Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart – plus three first-round draft picks (one a first-round swap) in order to get AD. But it was worth the gamble. The Lakers went on to win the NBA title in 2020 inside the Disney World bubble in Davis’ first full season teaming up with LeBron. Davis’ six years in L.A. was a mixed bag. He played in only 132 games from 2021-23 due to an assortment of injuries. When he’s healthy, he was outstanding. He played a career-high 76 games in 2023-24, a season the Lakers won the inaugural NBA Cup, and made second team All-NBA.

Klay Thompson returned to the Bay Area for the first time as a member of the visiting team. The Dallas Mavericks guard/forward wasn’t treated as a villain. He was treated like a conquering hero.

Thompson, an integral part of the Warriors’ four NBA championships in his 13 years there, received the ol’ tip of the cap by an adoring faithful. The sold-out crowd during the NBA Cup game at Chase Center wore a boat captain’s hat as a salute to Thompson, who used to take boat rides to games when he played in the Bay wearing a captain’s hat. Thompson wore that same white cap during the last Warriors championship parade in 2022.

The sea of white caps certainly moved Thompson. You could see the emotion of his face during pregame introductions. There was a two-minute video tribute that rolled through his greatest moments as a Warrior, from the night he was drafted in 2011 to his Game 6 heroics in the playoffs to his record-setting 14 threes in one game to the championship runs in an eight-year span.

“It was a really cool experience. I appreciate the fans very much,” Thompson said after the game. “It was really cool to see the fans’ gratitude towards myself.”

Thompson deserved every bit of love he got from the Warriors organization and their loyal fan base. He grew up in Southern California and attended Washington State, but he made his mark in Northern California. He is a beloved sports figure in the Bay Area, and he will likely enter the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., as a Warrior.

Thompson was one half of the Golden State Splash Brothers — the greatest shooting backcourt in basketball history. His former Splash Bro, Steph Curry, gave him a big embrace before the game. Once the game started, they went at each other like two brothers playing on the family driveway.

On the Mavericks’ first possession, Thompson and Curry were matched up and Thompson drew a foul on Curry for two free throws. Moments later, Steph responded by dropping a 3-pointer in Klay’s face. This tit-for-tat went on for the entire game. Competition at its finest.

“That’s my road dawg. That’s my friend,” Curry said afterwards.

After a slow start, Thompson got hot and reminded Dub Nation what he used to be before the ACL tear and Achilles tendon rupture. Thompson rattled home six 3-pointers and finished with 22 points, making 7-of-17 shots from the field.

But in the end, his former Splash Brother had the last word. Curry scored the Warriors’ last 12 points in the final three minutes, finishing with 37 points (5-for-12 from 3-point range) to lead the Warriors to a 120-117 victory in a playoff-type atmosphere.

Thompson said it was “surreal” witnessing Curry’s late-game flurries as an opposing player.

“It was fun matching up with Steph,” he said. “It hurts to be on the other side of one of his flurries. Guy got hot at the end and made some ridiculous shots.”

It was a night Thompson will never forget, and Dub Nation went home happy.

Joel Embiid posted a question on social media after the Boston Celtics took a 3-0 lead in the 2024 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks.

“Did the Bucks give them the championship?” Embiid said referring to the offseason move that led to Damian Lillard coming to Milwaukee and sending Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers, who later traded Holiday to the Boston Celtics. The Celtics acquired Holiday in exchange for Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams, and two-first round picks.

Even though the actual deal that brought Holiday to Boston went through Portland, Embiid squarely put the blame on the Bucks for letting Holiday, one of the main contributors to Milwaukee’s 2021 NBA title, walk away and allow chief conference rival Boston to snag him and be a difference-maker in its championship run. Holiday was a two-way standout in the Celtics’ convincing 4-1 series win over the Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals.

Holiday’s role with the Celtics was far different than his role with the Bucks. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are Boston’s two primary scorers and the ball is in their hands the majority of the time. Holiday adjusted to his new role, playing off the ball more and playing in the dunker spot more than he’s ever had his entire career. What Holiday didn’t change was his lockdown defense.

The six-time All-NBA defensive player put on an absolute clinic on how to play on-ball defense, especially in the NBA Finals against Kyrie Irving. Irving entered the Finals smoking hot as he averaged 27 points per game in Western Conference finals. With Holiday as the primary defender on him, Irving struggled mightily against the Celtics. Irving was held to 12, 16, and 15 points in three of the five games, and he was unable to shake free from Holiday’s grip.

Holiday was the catalyst of a smothering Boston defense that held the Mavericks under 100 points four times — all Celtics victories.

On Draymond Green’s podcast, “The Draymond Green Show,” the Golden State Warriors forward said the Celtics were gifted a title thanks to the Bucks’ lack of foresight, the Blazers’ tanking, and the creative mind of general manager Brad Stevens.

Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis were the two big acquisitions by Stevens during the offseason. Both were instrumental in helping the Celtics produce a league-best 64 wins and the No. 1 overall seed in the postseason. They were significant upgrades from Robert Williams and Marcus Smart. Both were members of Boston’s 2022 Finals runner-up team.

“We knew we need to make some changes. Brad [Stevens] brought in Jrue and KP, and we were able to raise banner No. 18,” Celtics majority owner Wyc Grousbeck said while accepting the 18th championship trophy in franchise history.

Smart won NBA defensive player of the year in 2022, but he was more of a terrific help defender than a straight-up shutdown defender. He is also a world-class flopper, which hurt his team more than it helped. Holiday, by contrast, is arguably the best one-on-one defender in basketball and flopping is not in his vocabulary. A true lockdown perimeter guard who can be left on an island and be able to shut down his man with little help.

Holiday’s impact wasn’t just felt on the defensive end. His leadership and voice in the huddle were immeasurable, helping Tatum and Brown navigate through tense moments in the postseason. Holiday’s calming voice — something Smart couldn’t provide because he wore his emotions on his sleeve — was exactly what the Celtics needed to get over the hump after multiple trips to the conference finals and falling one game short of a title in 2022.

“I think there’s some other things Milwaukee could have done to keep Jrue. But yes, they did [give Boston the championship] … Joel Embiid’s question that he knew the answer to is absolutely correct,” Draymond said on his podcast. “It did give them the championship and Boston has done the job of putting it together. You got to give those guys credit … but he gave it to them.”

Even Tatum couldn’t believe the Celtics were able to acquire Holiday.

“I don’t know how they let us get him, but I’m so happy we got Jrue on our team and we’re so fortunate,” Tatum said after Game 3 in an interview with NBA TV.

The Celtics certainly wouldn’t have beaten the Mavericks in the NBA Finals without Holiday, now a two-time NBA champion.

“I’m just about winning, and I want to win, whatever it takes,” Holiday told Fox Sports. “It doesn’t matter if I score. Honestly, it doesn’t matter if I’m on the court. If I’m handing people water bottles and towels, and if that’s helping us build our confidence and good chemistry and getting us wins, then I’ll do it.”

To make sure Holiday is not going anywhere, the Celtics signed him to a four-year extension worth $135 million. The contract will keep Holiday in Boston through the 2027-28 season.

Celtics are not making the same mistake the Bucks made.

Christmas Day for basketball fans is the unofficial start of the “real season,” when contenders begin to separate themselves from the pretenders.

Seven of the top 10 teams and seven of the 10 best players in the NBA are playing on Christmas Day. There’s no shortage of star power when ABC starts its live marathon live coverage at noon ET.

But this year there’s major competition.

The NFL has a three-game slate on Dec. 25. Aaron Rodgers’ Green Bay Packers take on the Miami Dolphins at 1 p.m. ET followed by the Denver Broncos-L.A. Rams at 4:30 p.m. ET. The prime-time game at 8:20 p.m. ET features Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the Arizona Cardinals.

Football is king when it comes to TV ratings, so the NBA will have to compete for viewers on a day when it usually owns the viewing audience. To help solve this viewing dilemma, OneManFastBreak.net has tagged three must-see NBA games. The other two games, well, let’s just say you’re fee to switch channel to the NFL games.

Must-see games
Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks (noon ET, ABC/ESPN) — The Knicks enter Christmas Day as one of the hottest teams in the league. They’ve won eight in a row and now currently sit among the top six teams in the Eastern Conference. The offseason acquisition of point guard Jalen Brunson has solidified New York’s once shaky backcourt. Brunson is the perfect tough-as-nails leader head coach Tom Thibodeau has been seeking since his days with the Chicago Bulls. Brunson takes the pressure of forward Julius Randle and knows how to win close ballgames, which was a big problem last season. The Sixers have been coasting so far, but they still have MVP candidate Joel Embiid. When Embiid decides to take over a game, there are few people on planet Earth who can slow him down. Madison Square Garden will be rocking for this sexy matchup.

Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks (5 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN) — This could very well be a preview of the East finals. Both teams enter the colossal showdown with their full compliment of players. Khris Middleton, who missed last year’s playoff series with a knee injury, is starting to get back into shape. Middleton is the Robin to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Batman. The Celtics welcome back center Robert Williams, who was vital to their run to the NBA Finals last season. Jayson Tatum is enjoying an MVP season and his running mate, Jaylen Brown, is making a strong case to make the All-NBA squad. Celtics had owned the league’s best record until a rocky West Coast trip tripped them up and allowed the Bucks to gain ground in the standings. The Bucks’ game in Milwaukee starts at 5 p.m. ET, well after the kickoff for Packers-Dolphins game. Wisconsin fans will be able to watch their Packers and their Bucks on Christmas Day.

Phoenix Suns vs. Denver Nuggets (10:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN) — The Suns-Nuggets game is the last NBA game on the Christmas Day schedule. The first quarter of Suns-Nuggets might be a skip since most of us will be watching the end of the Buccaneers-Cardinals game when Brady leads the Bucs to victory over a depleted Cards squad. Once the NFL prime-time game is over, you can tune in to Suns-Nuggets. Both teams don’t like each other. During the 2021 playoffs, the Suns swept the Nuggets and Nikola Jokic was ejected in the clincher for a hard foul on Cameron Payne. Jokic and Devin Booker had to be separated after a heated exchange. Jokic’s brothers got involved in the bruhaha when they yelled at Booker from the stands. We could see fireworks again.

Skip these games
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Golden State Warriors (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN) — A once promising matchup turned into a sour showdown after reigning Finals MVP Steph Curry injured his left shoulder and will be sidelined for a few weeks. Without Curry, the Warriors are a shell of themselves. There’s some bad blood between the Grizzlies and Warriors, so this could have been spicy. The Dubs-Griz game will be going head-to-head with Bucs-Cards, and we all know America will always choose football over basketball. It’s OK. This game could get ugly, anyways.

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks (2:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN) — Not even LeBron James and Luka Doncic can save this awful matchup. The Lakers won’t have All-Star Anthony Davis and the Mavericks are struggling to find four other guys to play with Doncic. If LeBron was playing Luka one-on-one, then this game actually be interesting. But as currently constructed, it’s a battle of two teams closer to the bottom of the conference.

Rajon Rondo is traded to the Dallas Mavericks. (AP)

The Dallas Mavericks sent shockwaves around the NBA by trading for Rajon Rondo. The Mavs acquired the All-Star point guard by giving up role players Brandan Wright, Jae Crowder, Jameer Nelson and draft picks to the Boston Celtics. The Celtics will reportedly receive a first-round pick in the 2015 draft and a second-rounder in 2016.

Rondo joins a Mavs squad that features future Hall-of-Famer Dirk Nowitzki, Monta Ellis, Tyson Chandler and Chandler Parsons. The new Dallas starting five easily becomes one of the most potent in the Association, and it gives Dallas coach Rick Carlisle another chess piece to work with.

Rondo could fill the Jason Kidd role that worked perfectly in 2011 when Dallas won the NBA title. Rondo does need to score to be effective. He’s a walking triple-double — just like Kidd — on offense and on defense he provides the Mavs a terrific on-the-ball defender who can stick guys like Tony Parker, Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry and Chris Paul.

Carlisle should send his former Boston buddy Danny Ainge a Christmas card because the Celtics president of basketball operations just gift-wrapped him a wonderful holiday present. With Rondo, the Mavericks went from a very good team into one of the elite squads in the Western Conference.

“[This trade] puts [Dallas] in a position to win a championship,” ESPN analyst and former NBA player Jalen Rose said on The Grantland Basketball Hour. “They are going to be a terrific team in Dallas. [Rondo] is going to balance the floor. This guy is a floor general. He makes players around him better.”

The Mavericks are now loaded in the backcourt. Rondo and Ellis are the clear-cut starters; J.J. Barea will likely back him up at the point and Devin Harris can play either guard position. Raymond Felton is still on the roster, so Carlisle will have to make a decision who to sit because you can’t rotate five guards. It’s a nice problem to have.

If there’s a negative side to the deal it’s the Mavericks’ weakened frontcourt. Wright was a solid backup center who kept Tyson Chandler from having to play a ton of minutes. Now, Tyson will have to extend himself a bit more.

The trade ends Rondo’s nine years with the Celtics, a stretch that includes an NBA championship in 2008 and a trip to The Finals in 2010. Rondo carved out his niche in Celtic lore with some memorable playoff moments. None better than when he dislocated his left elbow in Game 3 of the playoff series against the Miami Heat in 2011. Rondo courageously returned to the game, arm dangling, and led the Celtics to an emotional win at the TD Garden.

But when the Celtics started peeling off their championship squad, Rondo — who is coming off ACL surgery last season — didn’t fit into the rebuilding process. The Celtics are clearly looking into the future, and Rondo was in the way of that plan. They drafted point guard Marcus Smart in 2014, which led many to believe was the beginning of the end of the Rondo era in Boston.

Rondo’s statistics declined in some key areas this season. His free throwing shooting percentage is a career-low .333 and his scoring average dipped to 8.3 points per game, his lowest since his rookie season of 2006-07, when he averaged 6.4.

“We all know what he does really well,’’ Celtics coach Brad Stevens told The Boston Globe. “There’s very few people in the game that can do some of the things he can do and you can probably extend that — the way he passes the ball and the way he gets other people the ball — you can extend that to the history of the game. He’s really done a lot of good things.”

Through 22 games this season, Rondo is leading the league in assists (10.8). He also is averaging a career-high 7.5 rebounds. He has also put up three triple-doubles. He has averaged 11 assists per game in four out of the last five seasons. He’s only 28 years old, so he is still in the prime of his basketball career.

“The last two years he was playing like a guy who didn’t want to get hurt,” said Grantland editor Bill Simmons, a longtime Celtics fan. “He’s gonna go to Dallas and he’s gonna be awesome. He always rose to the occasion. Now that he’s on this [Dallas] team, that’s perfect for him.”

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

As long as Tim Duncan is healthy, the Spurs will contend for a championship. (GETTY IMAGES)

The Spurs made it to the NBA Finals and had the Miami Heat on the ropes, but were unable to prevent LeBron James and Co. from winning their second straight title.

This year, San Antonio should still be the class of the Southwest Division, but the gap is narrowing. The rest of the division is improving and it may not be long before the Spurs are in full rebuild mode.

But, as long as Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and The Nose (aka Manu Ginobili) are in the Alamo City, the Spurs rule the Southwest.

OneManFastBreak.net examines the teams in the Southwest Division and where they’ll finish:

1-SAN ANTONIO SPURS

The Spurs didn’t go out and tinker with their success by making a ton of changes. It looks like they are going with the tried and true concept they have had for over a decade.

They lost guard Gary Neal to free agency when he signed with the Bucks and DeJuan Blair when he left for the Mavs. However, they added veteran but injury-prone swingman Corey Maggette, who is trying to revive his once promising career. At 33, it’s possible Maggette could have a little something left in the tank like Boris Diaw and Stephen Jackson did when the Spurs acquired them.

San Antonio also brought in guard Marco Belinelli, who played for the Bulls last year. He’ll fill in Neal’s role as instant offense off the bench. Belinelli is a good passer and shooter, so should fit right in Gregg Popovich’s system. They also re-signed Tiago Splitter to be their starting center.

But, are the Spurs still a serious NBA title contender? It all depends on how Duncan holds up. If he can continue to defy Father Time, yes. If not, the Spurs are in trouble because Duncan is the heart of this team. And as good as Parker has become, he can’t carry the team by himself.

Kawhi Leonard is the wild card. If he can continue to improve, the Spurs will be set for a long time. Leonard has serious superstar potential.

As good as they are, the Spurs have some questions entering this season that may determine just how far they can go in the Western Conference postseason, but Oklahoma City also has some questions after Kevin Martin bolted as a free agent for Minnesota a year after they traded away James Harden. Not to mention, Russell Westbrook is rehabbing from a serious injury after a second knee surgery. So, it’s all there for the Spurs to repeat as conference champs if they can turn back the clock.

2-HOUSTON ROCKETS

The Rockets did everything they could to unload salary and landed the biggest free agent prize in center Dwight Howard. They added a very good defensive player and a rebounder extraordinaire, but he doesn’t have the offensive game to be a dominant player on offense. However, he’s such a huge upgrade over Omer Asik, who may be moved to power forward.

Houston is better, but they still lack a true power forward to take a little pressure off Howard. D-12 will be expected to carry the load on defense and clean up other players’ defensive mistakes. They better hope DH is happy (he certainly wasn’t in Orlando or L.A.) because he’s known to be very moody.

The offense the Rockets run is very similar to the Lakers offense. Houston averaged 106 points per game (second most in the NBA) in comparison to L.A.’s 102.2 (sixth best). So is Kevin McHale suddenly going to slow the game down and pound the ball inside to Howard? While with the Lakers, Howard made several comments about everybody getting involved. In case he wasn’t paying attention, James Harden likes to shoot the ball; he averaged 17.1 field goal attempts last season.

Point guard Jeremy Lin and small forward Chandler Parsons also need shots. So, yes, the Rockets got better but they aren’t a top-three team in the West.

3-MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES

The Grizzlies opted to let their head coach Lionel Hollins walk after the most successful season in franchise history. Memphis replaced him with Dave Joerger and while he may be a good coach one day, he is an unknown at this point. The best thing that can be said is they stayed within the organization to find Hollins’ replacement.

Zach Randolph has been a beast for the Grizzlies, but he’s 32 and starting to show some signs that he isn’t the same player he once was. He came into the NBA after his freshman year at Michigan State and is now entering his 13th season. Ed Davis was acquired from the Toronto Raptors in the Rudy Gay trade and he’ll need to show he can take some of Zach’s minutes while not losing much in the way of performance on the court.

Memphis relies on the 1-2 punch of Marc Gasol and Randolph. Kosta Koufos was acquired from Utah to back up Gasol and give them some depth at center. They will go with veteran Tayshaun Prince and Quincy Pondexter at small forward, but it’s Pondexter’s job sooner than later. Prince’s tank is almost on empty (he averaged just seven points in the playoffs on 35.5% shooting) and he’ll probably finish his career on the bench.

Mike Miller was brought back to back up Tony Allen and help their outside shooting, a major weakness last year. Miller converted 41.7% of his 3-pointers last season (44.4% in the postseason) and will give them a little offense while Allen provides his lockdown defense.

Conley is a steadily improving point guard (17 points and seven assists in the playoffs), and he’s backed up by Jerryd Bayless.

The Grizzlies will try and compete in an ever-improving Southwest Division, but they seem to have taken a minor step back with the new coach — especially if they decide to trade Randolph at some point to save more cash. The new ownership seems to be quite frugal and while Randolph is past his prime, he is still a quality player and his replacement, Davis, may not be ready to assume a bigger role. As it is, the Grizzlies should be good enough to finish third and compete for a playoff spot.

4-DALLAS MAVERICKS

The Mavs made every attempt to sign Dwight Howard, letting O.J. Mayo, Darren Collison, Chris Kaman and Elton Brand leave Dallas as free agents. Dallas ultimately failed and settled for Samuel Dalembert as its new starting center.

Dallas’ 2012-13 season was very forgettable as they finished 41-41 and missed the postseason. They tried to make a big splash in free agency, but was left with second-tier players (and some may say third tier) in Dalembert, point guard Jose Calderon, shooting guard Monta Ellis, point guard Devin Harris, and reserve forward DeJuan Blair.

Calderon is a better point than Collison (who is better suited to backing up Chris Paul with the Clippers) and provides them with a veteran floor general, but he doesn’t provide much offense. Hence, the reason they went out and signed Ellis to do the heavy lifting on offense and help Dirk Nowitzki.

Ellis should benefit from having a pass-first PG in Calderon after seemingly butting heads with Brandon Jennings in Milwaukee. Vince Carter gives the Mavs an excellent backup option at shooting guard who can also provide some minutes as a backup small forward. If they can limit VC’s minutes to around 23-25, that would be ideal.

Harris will likely back up Calderon, but he was an unusual signing after they used their first-round pick on Shane Larkin. Larkin may see some time in the NBDL with two good players ahead of him on the depth chart. Dallas may try to trade Larkin if a decent offer surfaces.

In the frontcourt, Nowitzki will be the primary focal point of the offense. He started slow last season, but eventually showed the old Dirk (17 points on 47% shooting and 41% on threes). He’s still the best player for the Mavs, and he’ll enjoy having Ellis as a running mate.

The question is who will be the third scoring option?

Small forward Shawn Marion’s skills have declined to the point they may just try and trade his expiring contract before the season is over. Marion can still play a little defense, but offensively he is barely a double-digit scorer. Jae Crowder may be the eventual starter at the position.

Crowder may be just 6-5, but he plays defense and is an energy guy. He may be OK for 20-23 minutes as a defensive specialist. He reminds me a little of former Detroit Piston Michael Curry.

Brandan Wright was re-signed to be a backup power forward and center. Dalembert provides defense, but his offense is virtually nonexistent. Bernard James is a 28-year-old, second-year player who is a little more than just a roster filler.

Dallas isn’t much better than last season, but they made some good moves to try and appease their fans and show that they are trying. But Dirk’s odometer is almost on empty and you have to wonder if they actually have a plan.

5-NEW ORLEANS PELICANS

The newly renamed Pelicans may have one of the most interesting teams in the entire league this season after general manager Dell Demps remodeled their roster after the 2012 season ended. And the city is anticipating this season more than any other in recent memory. Or at least since Chris Paul was in town.

Demps may have scored one of the best offseason acquisitions when they traded center Nerlens Noel and a conditional 2014 draft pick to the Philadelphia 76ers for first time Eastern Conference All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday (17.7 points, eight assists, 4.2 rebounds). The move seemed to signal that the Sixers are interested in tanking their season in effort to get a top pick in next year’s loaded NBA draft that has as many as four or five possible franchise players.

Holiday will help in one key area, close games. The Pelicans were just 7-14 last year in games decided by four points or less and he should help change that. Holiday gives them a thriving young talent probably the most important position in the NBA nowadays, the point guard position.

The biggest issue will be playing Holiday, newly acquired Tyreke Evans (who was involved in a three-way trade that sent Robin Lopez to the Portland Trail Blazers and Greivis Vasquez to the Sacramento Kings) and Eric Gordon together. All three are used to dominating the ball. Holiday has always been considered more of a combo type PG so it’ll fall on his shoulders to get Gordon and Evans the ball. Not to mention, power forward Ryan Anderson and center Anthony Davis.

New Orleans management made the trade for Evans when he said he wouldn’t mind coming off the bench. So it’s a possibility they could play him off the bench as a super sub, sixth man. He signed a four-year, $44 million contract. Gordon makes $14.2 million with Holiday is owed $9.2 million. That’s a lot of money to pay that trio. If Gordon fails to live up to expectations he could be the odd man out.

The playoffs seem a bit of a longshot for a team that is competing in a loaded division, but the Pelicans have a talented roster and just need a season together to work together and develop some chemistry. Just shy of two years after trading Chris Paul, New Orleans is rebuilding much faster than expected.

Darren Jacks is a regular contributor to OneManFastBreak.net. Send him an email at djroxalot@hotmail.com.

Kevin Durant was a perfect 21-for-21 from the free throw line against the Mavericks. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Kevin Durant hardly seemed bothered by O.J. Mayo’s tying 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation.

It just gave the Oklahoma City star a chance for a career high and the first 50-point game in the NBA this season.

Durant scored 52 points, including the go-ahead basket with 16.9 seconds remaining in overtime, and the Thunder turned away a big Dallas rally for a 117-114 victory that extended their winning streak to six games and ended the Mavericks’ season-best run of four straight.

A night after being voted a starter for the All-Star game, Durant had a little trouble from the field, going 13 of 31. But he was 21 of 21 from the foul line, and the Thunder made all 12 of their free throws in the fourth quarter. Watch Durant go off against the Mavericks on national TV: