Le Journal

Philadelphia 76ers rookie guard VJ Edgecombe is set to miss his first game of the season, against the Miami Heat, due to a knee injury. Edgecombe had appeared on the 76ers’ injury report earlier this season, but he ultimately didn’t need to miss any games. But as VJ Edgecombe is now ruled out on the 76ers’ injury report for their game against the Heat, there’s not reason to panic just yet, as per Paul Hudrick of Liberty Ballers. 76ers head coach Nick Nurse said Edgecombe received imaging on his knee and the results came back clean. Edgecombe apparently suffered the injury during the 76ers’ win against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday. The No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Edgecombe had been one of the early front-runners for the Rookie of the Year Award. His play has since come back down to earth a little bit, but the 76ers have a legitimate building block for the future, as well as the present. Edgecombe has appeared in all 15 games for the 76ers so far at a little over 37 minutes per game. He’s been averaging 15.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.3 steals with splits of 40.7 percent shooting from the field, 36.6 percent shooting from the three-point line and 73.7 percent shooting from the free-throw line. The 76ers are currently 9-6 and in sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings. The 76ers took a step closer to being healthy as Paul George made his season debut after recovering from a knee injury The team continues to monitor Joel Embiid’s availability, and two other key players in Kelly Oubre Jr. and Adem Bona are also sidelined at the moment. The post VJ Edgecombe out with knee injury vs. Heat, but there’s a silver lining appeared first on ClutchPoints.

The Detroit Pistons have surged into the Eastern Conference picture with a start that has stunned the league, yet their early rise has done little to accelerate the possibility of a major trade for Utah Jazz star Lauri Markkanen. The forward is widely viewed as a dream target for Detroit. But multiple obstacles stand in the way of any deal. Detroit has the salary room, draft capital, and roster flexibility to explore a significant move. Rival executives have long pointed to Markkanen as a natural fit. Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff once worked with the Finnish scorer in Cleveland. Moreover, Detroit President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon reportedly pushed New Orleans to pursue Markkanen before his rise in Utah. On the court, his size and shooting make him an ideal complement to Cade Cunningham and an offense that ranks near the bottom of the league in three-point production. The problem is not talent or fit. It is the price. Utah has made it clear that any Markkanen trade would require a massive return. League observers believe the Jazz would ask for Tobias Harris, Jaden Ivey, and multiple first-round picks. Some around the league even expect Utah to request Ausar Thompson, a young defender Detroit views as central to its identity. The Pistons have no appetite to include Thompson in any negotiations. Do the Pistons want to disrupt what they’ve built? Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images There is also the question of whether Detroit wants to disrupt a roster that has built its success on depth, continuity, and defensive toughness. Langdon has consistently urged patience, both publicly and privately. He sees long-term commitments ahead for Jalen Duren and Thompson. A deal for Markkanen would likely cost several rotation players. That could threaten chemistry and leave the Pistons with fewer assets for future moves. Utah has little incentive to lower its demands. Markkanen is producing at an All-Star level and projects as the franchise’s best path back to playoff contention. Jazz leadership has repeatedly dismissed outside speculation that a trade is inevitable. For now, a Markkanen pursuit appears unlikely for Detroit. The Pistons may continue to evaluate smaller moves. But the current asking price from Utah presents a roadblock too steep for a team that believes its foundation is already in place. The post NBA rumors: Why a Pistons trade for Lauri Markkanen has multiple roadblocks appeared first on ClutchPoints.

The San Antonio Spurs started the regular season without De’Aaron Fox for eight games. Second overall draft pick Dylan Harper, who impressed from the get-go, hasn’t played since early November. The Spurs are now missing Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle. In between, key players like Luke Kornet, Kelly Olynyk and Jeremy Sochan have spent time on the sideline as well. But though they’ve lost their stars for stretches, the Spurs haven’t lost many games. ClutchPoints asked Fox if this is the making of a special season. “Yeah. We definitely feel like there’s something special.” With the Silver and Black near the top of the West Standings, San Antonio’s second-leading scorer expanded his response to ClutchPoints. “Definitely. I mean, we’re playing lineups that we hadn’t even practiced with, or went through training camp or preseason with,” Fox continued. “We want to jell together as quickly as possible, and whenever we have all of our guys back, we want to do that as well.” "…Yeah, we definitely feel like there's something special." -Asked De'Aaron Fox if considering they keep on winning without some of their best players, if that indicates a special year could be in the works for the #Spurs Our Desi @martinezlawsa Report#GoSpursGo #PorVida pic.twitter.com/CgIktfRyBv — Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) November 21, 2025 De’Aaron Fox ponders how Spurs can be even better After last season ended in March because of surgery on his left hand, Fox sustained a hamstring injury in the summer that caused him to miss the Spurs’ 6-2 start. “We see what can be done,” the 2023 All-Star said. “Even when I was out, we were winning games.” Wembanyama has been out since Nov. 14 with a calf strain. San Antonio lost Castle to a hip flexor strain a game later. The Spurs say Harper is close to returning from a calf strain of his own for his first action since Nov. 2. “Vic and Steph were out, and Dylan’s out. We’ve had so many guys that have missed some time and we’re still finding ways to win games,” Fox added. “So, when everybody’s back, that’s what we’re continuing to expect. But, it’s going to be lineups that we haven’t played with as well. So, you try to jell together as quickly as possible and it’s great winning games while you’re doing it.” While some of the Spurs who’ve stepped up are veterans who’ve done so in their careers like Harrison Barnes, Keldon Johnson and offseason additions Kornet and Olynyk, another, like Summer League star David Jones Garcia, has stuck out as well. “We have a team. I think KJ [Keldon Johnson] was great. So, we have a lot of guys who can come off and affect the game offensively, affect the game defensively, affect the game with just energy in itself. So, whenever you have that, especially when it’s not coming from starters, that’s big for you,” Johnson shared. San Antonio is looking for its first trip to the playoffs since 2019. Beyond that, the proud franchise hasn’t won a postseason series since 2017. If they are to break either skid, Wembanyama, Castle and Harper will play a role — just not right now. “We have guys who are coming off the bench who can really affect the game. That’s what I’m talking about when I’m saying, ‘We have a team.'” Whether this team is special is what remains to be seen. The post Why De’Aaron Fox believes these Spurs can be ‘special’ despite injuries appeared first on ClutchPoints.

The Penn State football team picked up a win in another Big Ten game on Saturday. This time the Nittany Lions defeated Nebraska, by a 37-10 score. Penn State moved to 5-6 on the season, and kept alive its hopes to make a bowl game. The clash with Nebraska was a very physical one for the Nittany Lions. In one powerful moment, Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton saw his helmet break apart after taking a hit. The contact caused the paint on his helmet to chip off. The hit knocked THE PAINT off his helmet! #B1GFootball | @PennStateFball pic.twitter.com/aLKMw1b3yl — NBC Sports (@NBCSports) November 23, 2025 Singleton didn’t seem phased as he ran off the field, with his dilapidated helmet still attached. He finished the contest with two rushing touchdowns, and 44 yards on the ground. The win was a huge one for the Nittany Lions, who have had a surprisingly disappointing season. Penn State fired head coach James Franklin, after three consecutive losses to Oregon, UCLA and Northwestern. Franklin already has another job, as he will coach Virginia Tech starting in 2026. Penn State hopes to make a bowl game Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images Penn State football entered the 2025 season with the highest of expectations. The Nittany Lions were expected to compete for a national championship, with Franklin at the helm. Everything went wrong though, starting with a loss at home to Oregon. Veteran quarterback Drew Allar got hurt and is out for the year. Penn State suffered embarrassing defeats, including that stunning loss to UCLA. The Nittany Lions though are doing better in recent weeks. Penn State football picked up an impressive win on Saturday night, against a Nebraska team that is going to a bowl game. Interestingly, Nebraska coach Matt Rhule had been mentioned as a strong candidate to take the Penn State job this offseason. The Nittany Lions are currently led by interim coach Terry Smith. Smith is picking up supporters as he has won back-to-back games. “I’m very motivated by the support,” Smith said, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “My players love me unconditionally, I love them unconditionally. Their support means everything to me. The fans were unbelievable again tonight. This is back-to-back Beaver Stadium turnouts from our fans, just incredible support. We all like support. It encourages us. It motivates us. It gives us energy, and it gave our guys energy.” Penn State’s fate rests with its final game of the season. The Nittany Lions take on Rutgers on Saturday. The post This brutal hit knocked the paint off Nicholas Singleton’s helmet for Penn State appeared first on ClutchPoints.

After the Clemson football team beat the Furman Paladins on Saturday, 45-10, there was a play late in the game that had fans debating the sportsmanship quality of it. While the Clemson football now become bowl eligible, there was a storyline with the victory over Furman that garnered the take of Paladins head coach Cley Hendrix. With the Tigers up 38-10 late in the fourth quarter, quarterback Chris Henson would score a 10-yard rushing touchdown with nine seconds left in the game, showing that the team still had its foot on the gas. Some could look at that as being unnecessary when the game was all but over, but Hendrix downplayed any problem, more so finding displeasure in his players’ unable to tackle Henson. “Bad for us that we didn’t tackle the guy,” Hendrix, according to Chapel Fowler. “I mean, obviously the guy’s a little slippery, but are you kidding me? No, I mean, Dabo [Swinney], I got a lot of respect for him and the program; he could’ve kept the foot on the gas earlier in the game, too, so that’s just football. We got to play better, I don’t care who you got in there, you gotta go execute, and we didn’t there, that’s what I’m disappointed about.” Furman HC Clay Hendrix says he had no issues with Clemson scoring a TD with 9 secs left to go up 45-10, when they could’ve run out the clock: “That’s football … and Dabo could’ve kept his foot on the gas a lot earlier.” His only frustration there: His guys didn’t make the tackle pic.twitter.com/dV1irRvWBU — Chapel Fowler (@chapelfowler) November 23, 2025 Clemson football’s Dabo Swinney on becoming bowl eligible © Ken Ruinard / USA Today Co Inc SC / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images There’s no denying that it has been a down year for the program, with even Clemson football head coach Dabo Swinney admitting he’s “sucked” this season. However, he would speak of the importance of being bowl eligible after the brutal start to the season, losing three of the team’s first four games of the season. “It’s a big deal,” Swinney said, via Yahoo Sports. “In 130 years, there’s been 30 teams at Clemson that started 1-3. I think we’re only the fourth team to rally back and get to the postseason. That’s not what we were shooting for coming into the season, but you’ve got to respond to where you are. To see them respond that way and do something like that is awesome.” The Tigers’ final game of the regular season comes next Saturday against South Carolina. The post Furman HC weighs in on last-second Clemson football touchdown appeared first on ClutchPoints.