National Basketball Association

National Basketball Association

The 33-year-old sported blonde hair on the Hornets bench during their 102-95 Monday win against the New Orleans Pelicans. Charlotte's broadcast team showed Connaughton's look late in the third quarter in what was described on the broadcast as ramifications for losing a bet. After the game, Hornets guard Kon Knueppel revealed that Connaughton's bleach blonde hair was the result of finishing last in the team's fantasy football league.

"Whatever happens, happens. I'm just thankful to have a job,"

Some fans don't understand it, but it's easy to see why Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra values Dru Smith. It's because he falls right in line with previous developmental success stories of guards who can't really shoot the basketball efficiently, but can do virtually everything else. Smith epitomizes Heat culture, and in small doses, has proven to be quite productive for the organization. Perhaps most importantly, he's a true competitor. And that's what Spo has to like best.

INDIANAPOLIS -- All-Star forward Kevin Durant will not play for the Houston Rockets on Monday night after spraining his left ankle when he stepped on a fan's foot during a recent game. Coach Ime Udoka provided the update about 90 minutes before his team was scheduled to play at the Indiana Pacers, saying Durant "tweaked" the ankle. He provided no timetable for a return.

The referees did not do their job tonight,

Around this time last year, I was listening to The Athletic's daily NBA podcast. One host recapped the week in professional basketball, ending with the news that player Terry Rozier was under federal investigation as part of a sports betting scandal. "Brutal," his co-host responded. "From that, um, let's go to our, uh, BetMGM line of the week, brought to you by BetMGM."

During their current five-game win streak, which was extended on Sunday night with a 112-100 win over the Los Angeles Lakers at Madison Square Garden, they rank No. 1 in the NBA in defensive efficiency, No. 2 in opponent three-point percentage, No. 5 in turnovers forced, and No. 6 in opponent field-goal percentage. It is a significant turnaround from the unit that ranked 29th in opponent three-point percentage and 26th in defensive efficiency during an 11-game stretch in January, when they went 2-9.

Turnovers told the story before anything else had a chance to. The Nets handed the ball away 25 times Sunday night at Little Caesars Arena. The Detroit Pistons turned those mistakes into 39 points, shot 56.5% from the floor and committed just eight turnovers themselves. By the time it was over, Brooklyn walked off with a 130-77 loss, falling to 13-35 in a game that was over long before the final buzzer.

NEW YORK -- Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson was fined $50,000 by the NBA for "aggressively pursuing, berating, and making inadvertent contact with a game official" during a game on Friday night. The NBA's head of basketball operations James Jones made the announcement on Saturday. The incident happened after Atkinson was called for his second technical foul and ejected from the game with 10:59 remaining in the fourth quarter of a 126-113 loss to the Phoenix Suns.

Dallas coach Jason Kidd ripped the referees for not calling a foul on Flagg's drive to the basket late in the game. "I saw a foul," Kidd said. "[Officials] Sean [Wright], Simone [Jelks] and Jason [Goldenberg] were awful tonight. The referees were unacceptable. It's a foul, and he needs to be at the free throw line. Now, does he make both? That's up to the player, but the referees did not do their job. They were terrible."

But while the public gets caught up in the storylines, smart money is focused on the value. By activating the latest DraftKings promo code, new users can exploit this high-profile matchup with a massive leverage play: place a wager of just $5 on this East-West clash, and if your read is correct and the bet wins, you secure $300 in bonus bets.