Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has strengthened his position as the favourite for the NBA Most Valuable Player award in the latest media straw poll.

The Canadian received 78 first-place votes in the survey of 100 media members conducted by ESPN.

He was the only player to appear on every single ballot cast this week.

The reigning MVP is enjoying another prolific campaign, averaging 31.8 points and 6.4 assists per game.

His efficiency remains elite, shooting 55.4% from the field for the Western Conference leaders.

Injury issues threaten contenders

Despite their leader’s individual brilliance, the Thunder have cooled off recently following a blistering 24-1 start to the season.

Injuries have seen the team go 17-13 in their last 30 games, with Gilgeous-Alexander currently sidelined by an abdominal issue.

While the Thunder guard remains the frontrunner, the league’s mandatory 65-game eligibility rule is beginning to impact his closest rivals.

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic retained second place in the voting with 18 first-place selections.

However, a bone bruise sustained in December kept the Serbian out of action for nearly a month.

The three-time winner is now perilously close to falling foul of the NBA’s award criteria.

If Jokic misses two more games, he will fail to reach the threshold required for end-of-season honours.

Disqualification would end his streak of five consecutive top-two finishes in MVP voting.

Wembanyama rises in rankings

San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama has surged from eighth to fourth in the poll.

The French phenom picked up three first-place votes and appeared on 75 ballots.

Now in his third season, Wembanyama is averaging 24.4 points, 11.1 rebounds and a league-leading 2.7 blocks per game.

Like Jokic, the 21-year-old is walking a tightrope regarding availability.

Having missed 13 games already, Wembanyama can afford only four more absences to remain eligible for the award.

If he stays fit, the Spurs could look to replicate the late charge made by Joel Embiid to win the trophy in 2023.

Kristaps Porzingis scored 12 points in his debut for the Golden State Warriors as they fell to a 121-110 defeat against the Boston Celtics.

The Latvian forward came off the bench to feature for 17 minutes in San Francisco, marking his first appearance since playing for the Atlanta Hawks on 7 January.

Despite a late rally sparked by the new arrival, Steve Kerr’s side were comprehensively beaten at home.

A rusty start for Porzingis

Having been acquired before the trade deadline, the Warriors took a cautious approach with the 7ft 2in centre.

Porzingis initially struggled with the pace of the game, missing his opening two attempts as the visitors surged ahead.

Boston produced a dominant second quarter, outscoring their hosts 38-19 to build a commanding lead that reached 32 points.

Finding rhythm in the second half

The former New York Knicks draft pick found his range later in the contest, converting two long-range three-pointers and succeeding in the post.

While Jaylen Brown starred for the Celtics with a triple-double of 23 points, 15 rebounds and 13 assists, the Warriors outscored Boston by 15 with Porzingis on the court after the interval.

“He just looked more comfortable and settled in,” said head coach Kerr.

“Boston was incredible. They’re having an amazing season. They’re a machine right now.”

Injury woes continue for Golden State

Porzingis admitted he is keen to increase his playing time “as quickly as possible” despite accepting he is far from perfect shape.

“Even if I’m exhausted out there, I still want to push myself,” he said.

The result leaves the reeling Warriors with a 29-27 record as they prepare to face the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.

They remain without key talisman Stephen Curry, who is sidelined with a knee issue, while Jimmy Butler has been ruled out for the season with a torn ACL.

Cade Cunningham staked his claim for the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award with a dazzling 42-point display as the Detroit Pistons swept the season series against the New York Knicks with a 126-111 victory.

The 23-year-old guard added 13 assists and eight rebounds to his tally, dominating proceedings at Madison Square Garden.

It was a statement performance from the league leaders, who secured the win despite missing key frontcourt players through suspension.

‘If you don’t agree, that’s your opinion’

Cunningham had previously suggested individual accolades would naturally follow team success, but was more direct regarding his credentials on Thursday.

Having led Detroit to the NBA’s best record, the playmaker believes his performances now speak for themselves.

“I think I am [MVP],” Cunningham told ESPN. “And if you don’t agree with me, that’s your opinion.”

The former number one draft pick admitted he wanted voters to analyse the game intelligently rather than relying on him to campaign verbally.

“It comes from doing the things I said, what I needed to do to be in that conversation,” he added.

Pistons overcome suspensions to dominate

Detroit arrived in New York without their primary big men, Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, following an altercation in Charlotte before the All-Star break.

Despite those absences, the visitors stifled the Knicks’ offence, restricting one of the league’s most prolific perimeter teams to just eight three-pointers from 35 attempts.

New York, looking for revenge after facing a sweep in the season series, missed 15 consecutive shots from distance during a difficult first half.

“This isn’t an us versus the Knicks thing,” said Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. “The majority of our games, we’ve played the same way… This is just basketball for us.”

Detroit tighten grip on top seed

The victory improves Detroit’s record to 41-13, cementing their status as the NBA’s best team having recently overtaken defending champions the Oklahoma City Thunder.

They now hold a six-game lead over the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference standings.

Cunningham’s dominance was total, overcoming defensive attention from OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges to shoot five-of-11 from deep while adding two blocks.

“I don’t think you pick an MVP based off just one game,” added Bickerstaff. “He’s been this way for the entire season. He’s dominated both ends of the floor and impacted winning in a major way.”

Defending NBA champions Oklahoma City Thunder will resume their campaign without key duo Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams due to ongoing injury concerns.

The franchise announced on Thursday that Gilgeous-Alexander requires re-evaluation in approximately one week regarding an abdominal strain.

Williams, an All-NBA selection last season, is set to be sidelined for roughly two weeks as he recovers from a right hamstring strain.

Key reserve guard Ajay Mitchell also remains unavailable and will be re-assessed in a week following a left ankle sprain sustained over the All-Star break.

Injury timelines and setbacks

The reigning league MVP has been absent for the past five games, having initially suffered the abdominal issue on 3 February.

Oklahoma City must now navigate a challenging schedule of four fixtures within the next seven days without their primary playmaker.

Williams had briefly returned from a 10-game absence against the Los Angeles Lakers on 9 February before re-aggravating his hamstring just two nights later.

Despite the recurrence of the injury against the Phoenix Suns, the forward demonstrated his importance by scoring 28 points in just 20 minutes before leaving the court.

Mitchell adds to the depth concerns, having not featured since 21 January due to a previous abdominal strain before his recent ankle issue.

Battle for the top seed

The Thunder currently sit atop the Western Conference standings with a 42-14 record.

They hold a three-game cushion over the San Antonio Spurs as they look to secure the number one seed in the West.

However, the Detroit Pistons have moved marginally ahead of Oklahoma City in the race for the league’s best overall record.

Holding the best record would guarantee homecourt advantage throughout the post-season, including the NBA Finals.

The NBA plans to implement strict new anti-tanking regulations for next season after Commissioner Adam Silver delivered a forceful message to general managers on Thursday.

Silver addressed executives from all 30 franchises to outline the league’s determination to safeguard the sport’s integrity.

Discussions regarding potential reforms have intensified recently involving the board of governors and the competition committee.

Radical proposals under consideration

Multiple concepts were discussed during the meeting to curb the trend of teams losing deliberately to improve draft stock.

Sources indicate that the competition committee is evaluating several significant changes to the draft lottery system.

The league is also considering restricting protections on traded first-round picks to top-four or top-14 selections only.

Silver demands ‘prompt attack’

The league chief was described as “forceful” in his desire to address a problem that has escalated significantly in recent weeks.

Mike Krzyzewski, the legendary former college coach now acting as senior adviser, urged a “prompt, tasteful attack” on the issue during the meeting.

Those involved were told to be prepared for legislative changes to be enacted in the coming months.

Recent fines and criticism

The crackdown follows comments from Silver at All-Star Weekend where he admitted the issue was “worse this year than we’ve seen in recent memory”.

Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia recently criticised the practice on social media, calling it “much worse than any prop bet scandal”.

Administrative action has already begun regarding player availability.

Last week, the Utah Jazz were fined $500,000 (£395,000) and the Indiana Pacers $100,000 (£79,000) for resting healthy players in moves deemed to compromise the league’s integrity.

The jersey worn by Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg during the first half of his NBA debut has been sold for a record-breaking $1m (£790,000).

The memorabilia was sold privately by Sotheby’s following the teenager’s first professional appearance against the San Antonio Spurs.

This sale establishes a new financial record for any collectible associated with Flagg.

It also stands as the most expensive shirt ever sold through the official NBA Auctions programme.

Historic price for rising star

Flagg recorded 10 points and 10 rebounds during the 125-92 defeat on 22 October.

Since that season opener, the 18-year-old has rapidly established himself as one of the league’s most potent offensive threats.

He has already become the youngest player in NBA history to score 40 points in a single game.

“The $1 million result for Cooper Flagg’s rookie debut jersey is a powerful testament to the significance collectors place on true ‘first moments’ in sport,” said Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of modern collectibles.

“This jersey captures the very beginning of a special career, one carrying huge expectations and excitement.”

Shattering previous records

The transaction eclipses the previous benchmark set by another international sensation.

Victor Wembanyama’s debut jersey, worn for the San Antonio Spurs, sold for $762,000 in November 2023.

Flagg’s market value has likely been bolstered by his historic performance on the court this season.

The Mavericks forward currently holds the single-game scoring record for a teenager after dropping 49 points in a recent contest.

Sotheby’s is set to continue its focus on the new draft class with an NBA Rookie Debut Auction running from 17-23 March.

Jerseys from fellow newcomers VJ Edgecombe, Kon Knueppel, and Dylan Harper are scheduled to be available.

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry will miss Thursday’s game against the Boston Celtics due to a knee injury, though trade deadline signing Kristaps Porzingis is expected to make his debut.

Curry, 35, has been sidelined for the past five games and the exact timeline for his return remains unclear following the All-Star break.

While head coach Steve Kerr had initially expressed optimism that the swelling in Curry’s right knee would subside, the point guard reported he was not ready to participate in live scrimmages on Wednesday.

“Just wasn’t where he needed to be,” Kerr said regarding the four-time NBA champion. “It’s unfortunate.”

“We’ll have an update tomorrow after he goes through his time with the training staff.”

Medical concerns persist

The Warriors are taking a cautious approach with their franchise player, citing the “nebulous” nature of the injury described as “runner’s knee”.

Kerr confirmed it is possible Curry will undergo another MRI after consulting with Rick Celebrini, the team’s director of sports medicine.

However, Celebrini is currently in Milan watching his son compete for Team Canada in Olympic hockey, adding a layer of logistical complexity to the medical decision-making process.

Curry previously told reporters that while the knee was trending in the right direction, managing inflammation was critical to avoiding a setback.

“It’s something we still have to monitor and injury-manage, but it’s something where, if I come back too early, it could flare up,” Curry said.

Porzingis ready for ‘weird’ reunion

In a significant boost for Golden State, Porzingis is set to feature for the first time since his arrival from the Atlanta Hawks at the trade deadline.

The deal, which sent Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to Atlanta, brought the Latvian centre to the Bay Area to bolster the Warriors’ frontcourt.

Although officially listed as questionable, the former New York Knick told reporters he was “ready to go” after scrimmaging on Wednesday.

Kerr plans to utilise the 7ft 2in forward in short bursts off the bench, potentially matching him up against Al Horford and his former Celtics teammates.

“Weird. Who would believe this?” said Porzingis on facing Boston immediately.

“Obviously we expected Boston to have some changes with the money stuff, but it’s going to be weird.”

Play-off push intensifies

The Warriors have spent recent practice sessions adjusting their offence to accommodate Porzingis’ post-up ability.

The 28-year-old, who has been limited to just 17 games this season due to illness and Achilles tendinitis, expressed excitement about playing alongside Draymond Green.

“I love Draymond, man,” Porzingis added. “I can see how important he is to this group.”

Golden State currently sit eighth in the Western Conference standings with a record of 29-26 as they look to secure a post-season berth.

Sacramento Kings stars Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine have both undergone season-ending surgeries as the franchise looks toward the future following a difficult campaign.

The team’s two highest earners had their respective procedures on Wednesday, according to reports in the US.

Sabonis required an operation to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee.

The Lithuanian forward originally suffered the tear in mid-November, missing 27 games while attempting to rehabilitate the injury.

He returned for eight fixtures prior to the All-Star break but has now opted for a full repair with eyes set on next season.

Kings struggles continue

The double blow comes with Sacramento currently sitting at the bottom of the NBA standings.

The Kings hold a league-worst 12-44 record and are currently enduring a 14-game losing streak.

LaVine joins his team-mate on the sidelines after electing to have surgery on a tendon injury in his right hand.

The shooting guard averaged 19.2 points across 39 appearances this season but had missed five of the team’s previous 10 games.

Future uncertainty

Questions remain over the long-term future of both players in California.

LaVine holds a $48.9m (£38.5m) player option for next season which he is widely expected to trigger.

Sabonis has two years and $94m remaining on his current contract.

Sacramento explored the trade market for the pair prior to the deadline but could not finalise a deal.

General manager Scott Perry is anticipated to revisit those discussions during the summer off-season.