NBA News: Sunday, January 22, 2023

The NBA season continues to roll right along, and the playoff races are heating up in both conferences. We have also reached the point of the year in which teams are starting to figure out what moves need to be made during the trade deadline. 

It has been an interesting last few days in the NBA, while other teams are hoping to get some stars back soon. Here are three of the biggest NBA news stories surrounding the league on Sunday, January 22.

Sharpe, Grizzlies Get Into Scuffle

The Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Lakers played to a one-point finish on Friday night, but that was not the most drama that took place. The biggest news to come from this game happened at the end of the second period when a scuffle took place on the floor. 

Several members of the Memphis Grizzlies got into a heated argument with former NFL player Shannon Sharpe. Dillon Brooks, Steven Adams, and Ja Morant all approached Sharpe on the floor, and security had to step in and separate the parties before things got out of hand. 

Sharpe was removed by security but was eventually back in his seat for the start of the third quarter. Eventually, cameras showed Sharpe and Tee Morant, father of Ja Morant, hugging at the end of the third period. 

The trash talk seemed to get into the heads of the Grizzlies as the loss snapped their 11-game winning streak.

Celtics Lose Two Players

The Boston Celtics picked up their ninth straight win on Friday night in Toronto, but it was a costly one. The Celtics saw two of their best players go down with an injury, although neither player is expected to miss significant time. 

Robert Williams suffered a hyperextended knee after colliding with a teammate in the first quarter. Williams was able to remain in the game at the time, but the team held him out of action in the second half. 

Marcus Smart suffered an ankle injury near the end of the second quarter, and he was not available at all in the second half. Test results did not reveal any structural damage to the ankle, but Smart is expected to miss a few games.

Davis Looking to Return

The Los Angeles Lakers continue to struggle without Anthony Davis in the lineup, but that all could be changing soon. According to multiple sources, Davis is planning a return to the court, and it could happen before the end of January. 

Davis has been out of the lineup due to a right foot injury, but he hasn’t experienced any pain during his most recent rehab. The Lakers begin a five-game road streak on January 28, and that is currently when Davis is hoping to return. 

The Los Angeles Lakers enter Sunday with a record of 21-25 on the year, and they are currently just outside of the final playoff spot in the West. Davis was averaging over 27 points per game before his injury, and getting him back should allow the Lakers to make a run.

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All Media on this page by Associated Press.