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Pep rules out managing another club after City
Pep Guardiola has said he would not want to start again at another club when his contract at Manchester City is up but has not ruled out taking on a national team.
The Catalan manager has signed a two-year extension to his City contract through to 2027 and said international management is a possibility when he leaves the four-time defending Premier League champions.
"I'm not going to manage another team. I'm not talking about the long-term future, but what I'm not going to do is leave Man City, go to another country, and do the same thing as now," Guardiola told celebrity chef Dani Garcia in an interview broadcast this week.
"I wouldn't have the energy. The thought of starting somewhere else, all the process of training and so on. No, no, no! Maybe a national team, but that's different."
Guardiola is widely considered one of the greatest football coaches of all time after a trophy-laden career with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City.
He has won 15 major trophies with City, including six league titles in seven years and the Champions League.
By the time his contract expires, he will have spent 11 years at the Etihad Stadium.
He has won 32 major trophies during his coaching career, including league titles in Spain and Germany and a total of three Champions League trophies.
He has not ruled out leaving coaching entirely when his time at City is up.
"I want to leave it and go and play golf but I can't. I think stopping would do me good," he said.
Inside Amorim's first month at Man United and his next set of challenges
It was unseasonably bright for November when Ruben Amorim arrived at Carrington for the first time. As he stepped out of the black Mercedes van that took him straight to the training ground from Manchester Airport's private terminal, he was met by Manchester United chief executive Omar Berrada, sporting director Dan Ashworth and technical director Jason Wilcox.
"You see the weather?" Amorim said with a beaming smile. Yet the sun didn't last and by the time the Portuguese tactician held his first news conference as United's new head coach two weeks later, the weather had turned to the usual winter rain and ice. It was so dark outside that extra lights had to be brought in to illuminate the room.
The brightness of Amorim's honeymoon at Old Trafford hasn't lasted long either.
On Wednesday, the 39-year-old celebrates one month in the job, and he's already had to deal with the departure of Ashworth -- exiting after just five months in the sporting director role -- a row over the Premier League's LGBTQ+ initiative, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe's unpopular decision to raise ticket prices.
That's on top of his main task of getting an underperforming team back on the right track despite having precious little time on the pitch during English's football's hectic festive fixture list. United have nine games (Premier League, Carabao Cup and Europa League) in December alone, with consecutive defeats to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest merely adding to the gloom.
"The storm will come," warned Amorim after watching United beat Everton 4-0 in his third game in charge. It has perhaps arrived even sooner than he thought.
What Amorim has brought to Man United in his first month
Amorim's appointment as Erik ten Hag's successor was led, primarily, by Berrada. During negotiations, the newly installed CEO didn't try to sugarcoat the size of the task, but sources have told ESPN that Amorim already believes the job will be more complicated than he first thought. His five games in charge have yielded two wins, two defeats, a draw, and a mixed bag of performances.
Parachuted into the job midseason, the former Sporting CP coach has tried to compensate for a lack of time on the training field with extended sessions on the full-size pitch in the academy hall. Ten Hag and his staff would primarily use the area for warm-ups, but Amorim conducts tactical walk-throughs focused on player positioning during different phases of the game.
Everyone is expected to take part, even if they're just watching. Sources have told ESPN that Amorim doesn't hold many individual meetings with players -- those are left to his assistants -- and as much of the work as possible is done as a team.
This team focus is one of the reasons Amorim was willing to back the squad's decision to opt out of wearing specially made LGBTQ+ jackets ahead of the game of Everton after Noussair Mazraoui -- a devout Muslim -- chose not to take part on religious grounds. It follows the mantra that the squad either does it together or not at all.
Amorim also began defending his players in his first news conference before a ball was kicked. "I truly believe in the players," he said. "I know you guys [the media] don't believe a lot in these players, but I believe a lot."
Sources familiar with the hiring process have told ESPN that part of Berrada's interest in Amorim was driven by the bond he builds with his players. United chose to move on from Ten Hag in part because of a feeling that he could be too distant from the squad.
At 39, Amorim is still young enough to remember what he liked and disliked as a player during his spells at Benfica and Braga, and it's shaped the way he coaches. It's one of the reasons he doesn't hold traditional postmatch team talks; instead, players are invited to hold their own debrief after the final whistle if they wish, and Amorim addresses them the following day. It gives him a chance to further analyse parts of the game and deliver a clear assessment once the emotion of matchday has died down.
He doesn't do lengthy half-time team talks either, and often spends the majority of the break preparing his substitutes. He came out of the dressing room at half-time against Arsenal at the Emirates nearly 10 minutes before the restart to focus on giving instructions to Amad Diallo.
Having inherited a squad low on confidence, team spirit and togetherness is a priority. Players returning to training after injury are welcomed by running the gauntlet and getting playfully slapped on the head by the rest of the squad. He's able to speak to players in English, Portuguese and Spanish, and has taken time to get to know their families.
Amorim is young and charismatic, but he's not just at Old Trafford to be everyone's friend. He was furious during the game against Everton that one of his substitutes wasn't immediately ready to come on when he asked.
He has also introduced some strict rules like banning food in the dressing room on matchdays. Instead of doing MUTV interviews in a small room in the Jimmy Murphy Building frequently used by Ten Hag, he prefers to do them standing up in front of a sponsors backdrop in the reception area.
What month two at Man United will bring for Amorim
Amorim's family are set to move to Manchester in January once his two young children have finished the first half of the school year. Currently staying in a city centre hotel, he's looking for a house in the area. He's planning to spend Christmas working -- United face struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux on Boxing Day -- and will have a small celebration with his staff after training. Because of United's hectic schedule with three matches between Dec. 22 and Dec. 30, his family will spend Christmas in Portugal and travel to Manchester in the new year.
The Christmas fixture list is something Amorim is working hard to manage, with sources at the club telling ESPN that he is relying heavily on performance data to decide which players can train and play. Any player close to the "red zone" is rested in an attempt to avoid injury. Amorim is well aware of the injury problems that played a part in Ten Hag's downfall -- long first-team absences from the likes of Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia plagued the Dutchman -- and he's determined to avoid a repeat.
Mark Ogden says Manchester United would be smart to allow Marcus Rashford to leave the club and reinvest in new players.
Minutes on the training pitch and in games are being managed carefully. Amorim is conscious that asking the squad to begin running more midway through the season is a tough task, particularly when preseason fitness levels were decided by another manager.
Former United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer worked to improve the fitness of the players when he took over from José Mourinho in December 2018. It initially paid off, with United winning 14 of their first 17 games under the Norwegian, but their form fell off a cliff in March. United won just two of their final 12 games of the season, with player burnout considered a major factor in the decline. Sources told ESPN at the time that the data from a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City at Old Trafford in April 2019 showed that Pep Guardiola's team were far fitter -- exactly the scenario Amorim is keen to avoid.
Amorim's former club, Sporting CP, is one of Portuguese football's biggest names, but he's admitted he's still coming to terms with the size of United and attention that comes with it. But despite the mountain of media requests, he performs the ones he's contractually obliged to do with the same smile he wore when he first arrived. Asked at the end of one interview to do a second take so the cameras could capture him walking into the room and shaking hands, he joked afterwards that his acting "should win the Oscar."
Amorim, however, has his eyes firmly trained on winning other prizes. His first month at Old Trafford has shown him exactly how tough that might be.
Warner leans towards Konstas as BBL opening partner
Only weeks after both pushed ultimately unsuccessful cases for the Test opening vacancy, Bancroft and Konstas are set for more internal competition at Thunder.
Nic Maddinson's finger surgery has left the pair as the two clearest options to partner new captain Warner at the top to start the BBL, which the pair enters with varying recent records.
Bancroft has failed to pass 20 in 15 of 19 digs across red and white-ball cricket this summer, but did make an unbeaten 105 in Western Australia's penultimate Sheffield Shield game before the break. Warner said a firm decision had not yet been made on the opening partnership.
"We'll speak about it this week, we'll see in the warm-up game. I'm probably erring between myself and probably Sammy Konstas at the top," he said.
Warner has been impressed by Konstas, but wants to talk shop with the 19-year-old ahead of Thunder's first game against Adelaide Strikers next Tuesday.
"We know he's talented but it's about going out there in the Twenty20 stuff and trying to work out how to sort of play that format as well, and what he's going to bring to the table," Warner said. "I'll have a chat to him about how he wants to play and what his style of cricket is as well.
"We'll have these conversations in the next couple of days about how we want to play and making sure that everyone's on the same page."
After being signed as a foundation player for the first BBL summer, Warner has dipped in and out of Thunder for the past two summers around Australian duties.
Now retired from internationals, the 38-year-old is set to play the entire tournament for the first time in a big boost for a competition that has long struggled for star power in the absence of Test players.
"I'm excited," Warner said of the BBL. "It's another challenge for me. I'll uphold my own standards and make sure I'm contributing to the team and getting us off to a good start and leading by example of the field with the captaincy."
"There's questions for all us to answer the last couple of years, the way that we've played," he said. "We've got some craft in the middle and hopefully at the top of the order we can fire as well."
Baroda 172 for 7 (Rawat 40, Rajput 37, Pramanik 2-6) beat Bengal 131 (Shahbaz 55, Meriwala 3-17, Hardik 3-27) by 41 runs
Bengal were off to a steady start with 28 runs on the board after three overs, before Meriwala's dream over. He had Karan Lal chopping on for 6, trapped Sudip Kumar Gharami lbw for 2, and took a stunning return catch to dismiss Writtick Chatterjee for a duck.
Rajput and Rawat upped the rate with 50 runs on the board after the powerplay and all ten wickets intact. Shahbaz was slashed over extra cover for four and reverse swept for six. In the eighth over, Rajput swat-pulled Saksham Choudhary for six over long-on, before Rawat heaved and Rajput slapped Shahbaz for six and four more.
Their stand ended on 90 in the tenth over, and that started a phase where Baroda lost 4 for 23 within five overs. But handy cameos from Shivalik Sharma (24 off 17), Bhanu Pania (17 off 11) and Vishnu Solanki (16* off 7) ensured Baroda posted 51 in the last four overs. In the end, the 172 they took their side to proved more than enough.
Venkatesh Iyer's all-round effort guides MP to semi-final
Rahane and Shedge help Mumbai knock off 222 to make semis
Mumbai 224 for 4 (Rahane 84, Shaw 49, Dube 37*, Shedge 36*, Parwani 2-33) beat Vidarbha 221 for 6 (Taide 66, Wankhade 51, Dubey 43*, Ankolekar 2-32) by six wickets
By the time the game was done, a total of 39 fours and 22 sixes had been smacked in Alur.
NBA Power Rankings: Biggest issue on offense and defense for all 30 teams
We're nearing the end of 2024, but nowhere close to the end of what's been an intriguing 2024-25 NBA season.
After a slow start, the Milwaukee Bucks have made a comeback in the Eastern Conference standings. Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers, after an unprecedented run in the inaugural NBA Cup last year, are struggling this season to stay afloat in the conference standings.
In the West, the Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies are making their presence known, chasing the conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder, who seem unmovable at the top.
In addition to our weekly rankings, our NBA insiders break down the biggest issues on offense or defense for all 30 teams. From slow starts to lack of defensive paint presence, here is what is plaguing teams on both ends of the court.
Note: Team rankings are based on where members of our panel (ESPN's Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Michael Wright, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin, Ohm Youngmisuk, Chris Herring and Kevin Pelton) think teams belong this season.
Previous rankings: Preseason | Oct. 30 | Nov. 5 | Nov. 13 | Nov. 20 | Nov. 27 | Dec. 4
Jump to a team:
ATL | BOS | BKN | CHA | CHI | CLE
DAL | DEN | DET | GS | HOU | IND
LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MIN
NO | NY | OKC | ORL | PHI | PHX
POR | SAC | SA | TOR | UTAH | WAS
2024-25 record: 19-5
Previous ranking: 1
Next games: vs. DET (Dec. 12), @ WAS (Dec. 15)
Biggest issue: Elevating their defense
It's hard to find any blaring issues with the defending champions and a team that's seen as the favorites to repeat this season, but it will be interesting to see if Boston can improve on its solid, but not spectacular, showing defensively. The Celtics currently rank 10th in the league in defensive rating, well south of its No. 2 ranking last season. Kristaps Porzingis returning and getting up to speed should help. -- Tim Bontemps
2024-25 record: 21-4
Previous ranking: 2
Next games: vs. WAS (Dec. 13), @ BKN (Dec. 16)
Biggest issue: Free throw attempts per game
To be fair, the only issue a healthy team with a 21-4 record can have is that it must wait four months for the playoffs. However, ranking 26th in free throw attempts with 20.6 per game is at least mildly concerning for a few reasons. It could mean Cleveland doesn't attack the paint enough, it doesn't get a good whistle, or both -- a combo that can make postseason success more elusive. -- Dave McMenamin
2024-25 record: 19-5
Previous ranking: 3
Biggest issue: Rebounding
Oklahoma City ranks second to last in rebounding rate (47.5%) after finishing 28th in that category last season. In this instance, however, there is a 7-foot asterisk. The Thunder have been an average rebounding team since Isaiah Hartenstein made his season debut, which was delayed by a broken hand. Hartenstein, who was signed to a three-year, $87 million deal over the offseason in large part to address this issue, averaged 12.8 rebounds in his first eight games entering Tuesday's NBA Cup knockout-round matchup with the Mavs. -- Tim MacMahon
2024-25 record: 16-9
Previous ranking: 8
Biggest issue: Luka Doncic's slow start
The Mavs have the league's fourth-ranked offense despite one of Dallas' scoring staples producing disappointing results. The Mavs average 14.1 field goal attempts off seven or more dribbles -- third most in the league -- but rank 27th in effective field goal percentage (42.9) off those shots. By contrast, Dallas ranked fifth in that category (52.9% eFG) last season, when the Mavs led the league with 15.1 such shots per game. The drop-off is primarily due to Doncic's slow start after missing all of training camp and preseason due to a calf contusion. His effective field goal percentage on such attempts is a career-low 41.0%, but he's improved since taking 10 days off to rest a sprained wrist and work on his conditioning (51.9% eFG in four games). Last season, Doncic had a 56.7% eFG on 683 shots off seven-plus dribbles, the best of the 28 players with at least 250 attempts. -- MacMahon
2024-25 record: 17-8
Previous ranking: 5
Next games: vs. BKN (Dec. 13), @ LAL (Dec. 15)
Biggest issue: 3-point shooting
It's tough to nitpick a team that has won nine of its past 10 outings, especially one that just snapped a 10-game skid against Boston on the road. Memphis ranks among the top seven in offensive and defensive rating. Offensively, the Grizzlies are putting up their best effective field goal percentage (56.1%) in a decade. But they lag just behind the rest of the league in 3-point shooting, ranked 17th in 3-point percentage heading into Monday's games. If Desmond Bane (32.3%) gets back to his career average (41%) from deep, watch out. -- Michael Wright
2024-25 record: 16-8
Previous ranking: 4
Next games: vs. GS (Dec. 11)
Biggest issue on offense: Poor shooting
Houston gets it done on the defensive end, but the Rockets rank 16th in offensive rating due in large part to poor shooting. Houston ranks 27th in effective field goal percentage (50.3%), but its saving grace has been offensive rebounding. The Rockets are No. 1 in offensive rebounds per game (14.2), gobbling up their misses. Houston's starting backcourt of Fred VanVleet and Jalen Green are shooting below 40% from the field, and opponents have outscored the Rockets in the paint in their past six games. -- Wright
2024-25 record: 15-9
Previous ranking: 9
Next games: vs. ATL (Dec. 11)
Biggest issue: Karl-Anthony Towns's slow defensive start
Towns's advanced defensive metrics have improved in recent weeks, however he's still allowing opponents to shoot 6.5 percentage points better than their seasonlong averages near the basket. That's the worst rate among NBA centers who have played 15 games and defended at least four rim attempts per outing. Because of that, it will be worth watching how often coach Tom Thibodeau plays Towns with Precious Achiuwa, the backup big and rim protector who recently made his season debut after returning from an injured hamstring. -- Chris Herring
2024-25 record: 14-9
Previous ranking: 7
Next games: @ HOU (Dec. 11)
Biggest issue: Balancing a deep rotation
Steve Kerr has been using 11-to-12-man rotations, touting the depth of the roster. But with De'Anthony Melton out for the season and other injuries that have kept key players out, Kerr has been experimenting and even shortening his rotation to 10 during their 12-3 start. Perhaps the most important thing is finding the right lineup to maximize Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield. The Warriors are starting Kuminga to see if he can be the much-needed scorer they need alongside Stephen Curry. Kerr would love to start Draymond Green at center alongside Kuminga but doesn't want to wear out Green against bigger centers and could settle on bringing him off the bench and starting Kevon Looney. Also, finding the right lineup to get Hield humming from 3 again will go far. -- Ohm Youngmisuk
2024-25 record: 17-10
Previous ranking: 6
Biggest issue: 3-point shooting
Only once in the past nine seasons have the Magic ranked outside the NBA's bottom seven in 3-point percentage, but this year's league-worst 31% accuracy would be a new modern low. (Orlando shot 29.5% in 1989-90, the franchise's inaugural season.) The Magic figured newcomer Kentavious Caldwell-Pope would help, but he's shooting a career-worst 30%, while Jalen Suggs has slipped from 40% last season to 32%. Orlando's biggest concern is healthy oblique muscles. Improbably, Franz Wagner suffered the same oblique strain that has sidelined Paolo Banchero, leaving the Magic without their top two scorers. -- Kevin Pelton
10. Denver Nuggets
2024-25 record: 12-10
Previous ranking: 10
Next games: vs. LAC (Dec. 13), @ SAC (Dec. 16)
Biggest issue: Perimeter defense
While they held Atlanta to 9-of-40 shooting from behind the arc in a much-needed win Sunday, the Nuggets' defense has been poor. In each of its past five losses, the Nuggets surrendered 122 or more points, including allowing 145 to the Knicks in a 27-point rout back on Nov. 25. In their previous four losses, the Nuggets allowed 16, 22, 18 and 19 3-pointers to opponents and gave up 122 points to a Washington team that had lost 16 straight. It's bad when Nikola Jokic says maybe the Nuggets need a different kind of motivation. "In my country, after this kind of stretch, you're going to get a paycheck that is a little bit less than you had hoped," Jokic said after that Washington loss. "Maybe that's what we need to do." --Youngmisuk
11. Miami Heat
2024-25 record: 12-10
Previous ranking: 16
Next games: vs. TOR (Dec. 12), @ DET (Dec. 16)
Biggest issue: Terry Rozier's efficiency
It might be a little unfair to single him out, but things haven't gone as hoped for Miami since acquiring Rozier in January 2023. This season, the Heat are seven points per 100 possessions better with Rozier on the bench. Jimmy Butler has moved into a more of an on-ball role in recent games as Rozier comes off the bench. -- Bontemps
12. LA Clippers
2024-25 record: 14-11
Previous ranking: 11
Next games: @ DEN (Dec. 13), vs. UTAH (Dec. 16)
Biggest issue: Scoring
The Clippers' defense has been outstanding, keeping them in almost every game. Offensively, Ty Lue will have to find enough points to win games. The Clippers average 108.7 points this season, seventh to last in the league. Outside of James Harden, Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac, the Clippers have to find more offense, especially off the bench. With Derrick Jones Jr. -- one of five Clippers to average 10 or more points this season -- out for at least two weeks with a hamstring injury and Terance Mann out with a finger injury, the Clippers will need guys like Kevin Porter Jr. to provide more offense. -- Youngmisuk
13. Milwaukee Bucks
2024-25 record: 13-11
Previous ranking: 14
Biggest issue: Perimeter defense
The Bucks have had major challenges defending the perimeter for the past two seasons, ever since they swapped Jrue Holiday for Damian Lillard, and those issues have been highlighted even more frequently this season. One of the major issues for Milwaukee during its 2-8 start was how teams attacked its guards on defense, forcing it into the fourth most on-ball screens in the NBA during that span, per ESPN Research. The key for the Bucks defense is for their guards to provide some resistance to give Brook Lopez and Giannis Antetokounmpo a chance to protect the rim. -- Jamal Collier
2024-25 record: 12-11
Previous ranking: 17
Next games: vs. LAL (Dec. 13), @ SA (Dec. 15)
Biggest issue: Defending without Rudy Gobert on the floor
The Wolves have still been an elite defense this season when Gobert is at center, holding teams to 107.5 points per 100 possessions with him on the court. It's when the four-time Defensive Player of the Year sits when the Wolves struggle, surrendering 113.2 points per 100 possessions. That's the difference between what would be the No.1 defense in the league in efficiency and an average defense. -- Collier
15. Phoenix Suns
2024-25 record: 12-11
Previous ranking: 12
Next games: @ UTAH (Dec. 13), vs. POR (Dec. 15)
Biggest issue: Points in the paint
Phoenix averages just 15.3 points in the paint, which puts it 27th in the league. The stat is damning for a few reasons, starting with the clear lack of offensive firepower the team gets from centers Jusuf Nurkic, Mason Plumlee and Oso Ighodaro. And perhaps the most alarming issue is that the Suns rely heavily on Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal's jump shots to generate points, which ultimately makes them easier to defend if they don't diversify their shot locations. -- McMenamin
2024-25 record: 13-11
Previous ranking: 13
Next games: @ MIN (Dec. 13), vs. MEM (Dec. 15)
Biggest issue: Opponents fast-break points per game
There are myriad issues plaguing the Lakers, but a persistent pain in their side all season has been giving up easy points in transition. Teams are scoring 15 fast-break points per game against L.A. -- the only three teams that allow more (Portland, Utah and New Orleans) are all well below .500. To make things worse, the Lakers have gotten their turnovers under control -- 7th best with 12.5 miscues per game -- meaning that they just aren't getting back fast enough on defense. -- McMenamin
17. Atlanta Hawks
2024-25 record: 13-12
Previous ranking: 18
Next games: @ NYK (Dec. 11), @ SA (Dec. 19)
Biggest issue: Perimeter defense
Atlanta has been a slightly above-average club at forcing misses near the rim, holding opponents a little more than one percentage point beneath their seasonlong field goal rates. The Hawks would also gladly take being an average club on the perimeter. Instead, they rank dead last in the NBA in 3-pointers allowed, 3-pointers attempted and opponent 3-point percentage -- even though newcomer Dyson Daniels has been one of the most disruptive wing defenders in the association to this point. -- Herring
2024-25 record: 12-12
Previous ranking: 15
Next games: @ POR (Dec. 13), vs. MIN (Dec. 15)
Biggest issue: Slow starts
San Antonio sits at .500. But you can look back at 10 of their 12 losses and quickly point out the devastating impact slow starts have had on the Spurs. Part of it is inconsistency with lineups considering San Antonio still hasn't played with the starting five it envisioned coming into the season due to injuries to Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan and Victor Wembanyama. But the Spurs have also lost the opening quarter in 10 contests, owning a net rating of minus-31.4 over 120 first-quarter minutes. It's an issue San Antonio recognizes but hasn't been able to solve. -- Wright
19. Sacramento Kings
2024-25 record: 12-13
Previous ranking: 20
Next games: @ NO (Dec. 12), vs. DEN (Dec. 16)
Biggest issue: Opponent 3-point shooting
Remarkably, only the Thunder -- the league's best defensive team -- are allowing fewer 2-pointers per game than the Kings. That's partially by design. Without a strong rim protector, Sacramento tends to help aggressively on drives, resulting in the league's highest 3-point attempt rate on defense -- 46% of all shots they face. Opponents are making those 3s at a 38% clip, second highest in the NBA, and while that typically doesn't carry over, the Kings might be an exception. They've ranked in the league's bottom five in opponent 3-point percentage each of the past four seasons. -- Pelton
20. Brooklyn Nets
2024-25 record: 10-14
Previous ranking: 21
Next games: @ MEM (Dec. 13), vs. CLE (Dec. 16)
Biggest issue: Defense inside the paint
No one sends opponents to the line more per shot attempt than the Nets, a slightly surprising stat considering how well they've been playing relative to the preseason expectations that they would be in the running for the 2025 No. 1 draft pick. The Nets have allowed opponents to shoot nearly 67% from inside of six feet, tied for the league's third-highest rate. (Similarly, or perhaps even worse, the team is allowing the highest effective field goal rate in the league.) The inability to stop clubs from converting that close in leaves Brooklyn in a position where it is often fouling inside the paint. -- Herring
21. Indiana Pacers
2024-25 record: 10-15
Previous ranking: 19
Next games: @ PHI (Dec. 13), vs. NO (Dec. 15)
Biggest issue: Tyrese Haliburton's offensive struggles
The Pacers' run to the NBA Cup and Eastern Conference finals was fueled by a dynamic offense, which ranked second in the NBA last season behind the champion Celtics. That's fallen to 19th in offensive efficiency to start this season, the biggest difference for a struggling Indiana team. The Pacers are fueled by Haliburton, who last season was one of the league's breakout stars, and have not been able to generate the same electric offense this year. Put simply, the Pacers need Haliburton to perform like the player who carried their offense last season. -- Collier
22. Chicago Bulls
2024-25 record: 10-15
Previous ranking: 23
Next games: vs. CHA (Dec. 13), @ TOR (Dec. 16)
Biggest issue: Point of attack defense
The Bulls knew they were going to have a lot of challenges when they traded their best defender, Alex Caruso, in exchange for Josh Giddey, an offensive first point guard. Their defense ranks 27th in efficiency because of their inability to put pressure on ball handlers, which often results in easy driving lanes and opposing guards getting into the paint, especially with forward Patrick Williams sidelined recently with a foot injury. -- Collier
23. Detroit Pistons
2024-25 record: 10-15
Previous ranking: 22
Next games: @ BOS (Dec. 12), vs. MIA (Dec. 16)
Biggest issue: Turnovers
This is unsurprising for a team whose two primary ball handlers (guards Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey) are 23 and 22, respectively. Cunningham's 4.7 turnovers per game lead all qualifying players, and Detroit is one of five teams with multiple players averaging at least three turnovers. As a result, the Pistons have the league's third-highest turnover rate. Those miscues are limiting an offense that still ranks 22nd in per-possession scoring. -- Pelton
2024-25 record: 7-15
Previous ranking: 27
Next games: vs. IND (Dec. 13), @ CHA (Dec. 16)
Biggest issue: Lack of star driven offense
The biggest issue with this team is health. But from a strictly on-court perspective, the team is mired at 27th in offensive rating, thanks to ranking 28th in 3-point field goal percentage. One easy fix? The team's superstars must hit their shots. Joel Embiid is just 3-for-23 from 3 this season, while Tyrese Maxey (29.3%) and Paul George (31.2%) have also struggled -- not a good look from a trio with high offensive expectations entering this season. -- Bontemps
2024-25 record: 8-16
Previous ranking: 24
Next games: vs. SA (Dec. 13), @ PHX (Dec. 15)
Biggest issue: Defensive rebounding
There's no shortage of issues for the Blazers, who rank in the bottom 10 in three of the four factors on offense and defense, but they're dead last in defensive rebounding. Among Portland's primary starters, only center Deandre Ayton is grabbing defensive boards above the league's average rate, and the Blazers sink even lower when Ayton is on the bench. Portland has been rebounding slightly better during its current four-game skid, but there have been few misses to secure. Opponents are shooting a league-high 53% from the field in four losses this month. -- Pelton
2024-25 record: 7-17
Previous ranking: 26
Next games: @ CHI (Dec. 13), vs. PHI (Dec. 16)
Biggest issue: Inability to draw fouls
The Hornets' biggest problem, aside from not having LaMelo Ball due to him missing time with a calf strain, is the club's inability to generate trips to the line on offense. No NBA team has a lower free throw attempt rate -- in terms of free throws per game, or free throws taken per shot attempt -- than the Hornets; an ugly reality considering that Charlotte also ranks dead last in 2-point shooting percentage. Getting better efficiency from the line or from inside the arc wouldn't hurt given that the Hornets have played an NBA-high 16 clutch games, where the score is within five points or fewer in the final five minutes. -- Herring
27. Toronto Raptors
2024-25 record: 7-18
Previous ranking: 25
Next games: @ MIA (Dec. 12), vs. CHI (Dec. 16)
Biggest issue: 3-point shooting
Toronto's overall struggles are a bit by design in the rebuilding of the Raptors roster. But as the team continues to progress, one thing to monitor is whether it can increase its 3-point attempt rate. The Raptors are 29th in the league in 3's attempted per game, ahead of only the Nuggets -- a number that would automatically be helped by the return of Immanuel Quickley, who has been limited this season with an elbow injury. -- Bontemps
2024-25 record: 5-20
Previous ranking: 29
Next games: vs. SAC (Dec. 12), @ IND (Dec. 15)
Biggest issue: Inconsistent paint presence on defense
You can trace back all that ails New Orleans to injuries. But it's uncertain whether a fully healthy squad could have avoided the team's current struggle to consistently defend near the basket. Yes, there are issues with transition defense and half-court offense. But the Pels rank 29th in opponent points in the paint (54.7 per game). Roster construction has a lot to do with that. Coach Willie Green has complimented the efforts of starting center Yves Missi. But Missi is a 6-11, 20-year-old rookie. Behind Missi, the Pels have two centers in Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Daniel Theis who stand at 6-8. -- Wright
29. Utah Jazz
2024-25 record: 5-18
Previous ranking: 28
Next games: vs. PHX (Dec. 13), @ LAC (Dec. 16)
Biggest issue: Turnovers
Utah averages 18.4 turnovers, 1.5 more than any other team. The Jazz have many flaws -- and until recently were at the bottom of the Western standings -- but turnovers might be their worst on both ends of the floor, as Utah also leads the league in points allowed off of turnovers (23.7, 2.6 more than any other team). Second-year point guard Keyonte George leads the team with 3.3 turnovers per game, but he's far from the only culprit. Five Utah players average at least two turnovers. -- MacMahon
2024-25 record: 3-19
Previous ranking: 30
Next games: @ CLE (Dec. 13), vs. BOS (Dec. 15)
Biggest issue: Defense
The Wizards have a lot of issues after another throwaway season, but the biggest on-court matters revolve around their defense. Outside of its stunning win over Denver on Saturday when it held the Nuggets to 113 points, Washington has given up 121 or more points in five of its past seven games -- all losses. In their past two defeats, the Wizards have allowed 137 and 140 points each to the Mavericks and Grizzlies. Everyone knows this is a rebuilding season for Washington, but certainly management wants to see some incremental improvements to remain competitive. -- Youngmisuk
OKC shuts down Doncic, moves on to Cup semis
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 39 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Dallas Mavericks 118-104 on Tuesday night in an NBA Cup quarterfinal.
Jalen Williams scored 18 points and Isaiah Hartenstein added 10 points and 13 rebounds for the Thunder, who will play Wednesday's Golden State-Houston winner in a semifinal on Saturday in Las Vegas.
Oklahoma City's largest lead was 20 points in a rematch of last season's Western Conference semifinals series that Dallas won 4-2.
The Thunder and their collection of elite perimeter defenders held Luka Doncic to 16 points on 5-for-15 shooting. Luguentz Dort led the effort, with Alex Caruso and Cason Wallace among the primary helpers.
Naji Marshall and Klay Thompson each scored 19 points and Kyrie Irving added 17 for the Mavericks.
P.J. Washington, a thorn in Oklahoma City's side during the playoffs last season and in Dallas' victory last month, missed the game with an illness.
Oklahoma City led 57-54 at halftime behind 18 points from Gilgeous-Alexander. Doncic had two points on 1-for-7 shooting at the break.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 16 points on 7-for-8 shooting in the third quarter to help the Thunder take control. Isaiah Joe's deep 3-pointer at the buzzer gave Oklahoma City a 90-73 lead heading into the fourth.
Mavericks: Dallas made too many mistakes to have a chance. The Thunder scored 36 points off the Mavericks' 19 turnovers.
Thunder: Oklahoma City brought in the 7-foot, 255-pound Hartenstein as a free agent in the offseason to provide bulk and rebounding. It paid off -- the Thunder outrebounded the Mavericks 52-44.
Oklahoma City opened the second half on a 13-2 run. Gilgeous-Alexander scored nine points during that stretch to help the Thunder take a 70-56 lead.
The Mavericks made just 6 of 19 field goals in the third quarter after shooting 50% from the field in the first half.
Mavericks: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Dec. 19.
Thunder: Will play Golden State or Houston in the NBA Cup semifinals Saturday in Las Vegas.
Sources: Rangers deal for Marlins slugger Burger
DALLAS -- The Texas Rangers have agreed to a trade for power-hitting corner infielder Jake Burger, sources told ESPN on Tuesday night. In exchange, the Miami Marlins will receive two shortstop prospects in Echedry Vargas and Max Acosta and a young left-handed starting pitcher in Brayan Mendoza.
Burger, 28, is controllable for four years and compiled 63 home runs with the Marlins and the Chicago White Sox over the past two years, batting .250/.305/.488 while playing first and third base in 278 games.
In Texas, where Nathaniel Lowe and Josh Jung man first and third base, respectively, Burger seemingly slots in as the everyday designated hitter, adding more length to a lineup that, at full health, can be among the sport's most prodigious.
The Marlins acquired Burger from the White Sox in August of 2023, one of the final pieces to a team that made a surprising run to the playoffs. They have since gone into a full rebuild under current president of baseball operations Peter Bendix, parting with a litany of established players -- Luis Arraez, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Tanner Scott and Trevor Rogers among them -- in an effort to build sustainability.
The Burger trade represents another stage of that pursuit. The headliner of Marlins' return is probably Vargas, a 19-year-old who was ranked 17th in the Rangers' system by MLB.com and produced a .775 OPS with 14 homers and 29 stolen bases in Class A last season. Acosta, 22, produced a .777 OPS with 34 extra-base hits and 26 steals in Double-A in 2024.
Mendoza, a 20-year-old signed out of Venezuela, is coming off a big year at both of the Rangers' Class A affiliates, posting a 2.32 ERA with 109 strikeouts and 25 walks in 101 innings.
Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique praised his side after their 3-0 win at RB Salzburg in the Champions League on Tuesday, but said they must improve if they want to stay in the competition.
The Ligue 1 leaders endured a terrible start to their Champions League campaign, with defeats to Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich and last season's Premier League runners-up Arsenal.
However, Tuesday's win moved them into the playoff places and they now sit 24th in the standings with seven points from six games.
Yet that is not enough for the coach.
"Football is a pretty unfair sport, the classification is quite tight, a goal can make a difference and we still have two important games ahead, we can still be out," the manager said.
"This wasn't a better game than PSV (Eindhoven) or Atletico Madrid, I'd even say it was worse, but that's football, we know we have to improve and the squad hasn't changed a lot. We need points, and we will try to win the next games."
The manager did, however, praise the efforts of Nuno Mendes, who scored their second goal.
"Nuno brings other solutions for his physical and technical qualities. He can both complete the triangle at the back and play up front. He's playing higher up at the moment. He brings a lot offensively. But that could change," the manager added.
Luis Enrique will now turn his attention in the competition to the match against Pep Guardiola's Manchester City on Jan. 22, before they close their campaign against VfB Stuttgart seven days later.
"We don't have the number of points we should have. It was important to score tonight because for one goal, you can be out of the Champions League. We have to go game by game, there's City now," he added.
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