LAS VEGAS — The NBA Cup is not the NBA Finals. It is, however, something more than just a regular season game — putting half a million dollars per player on the line will have that effect.

Yes, Knicks or Spurs players want to grab that bag. However, they also see the Cup as a stepping stone to where they want to be next May and June.

"I think history is kind of showing that if you can make it to this Cup, then you can win a championship," San Antonio's De'Aaron Fox said.

Last season, Oklahoma City lost in the NBA Cup championship game but went on to win the NBA title in June. The Lakers, who won the inaugural tournament in 2023, did so with essentially the same core that won the NBA title three years before. Los Angeles beat an Indiana team that advanced to the NBA Finals last season.

The stepping-stone analogy particularly resonated with a young Spurs team looking to grow into a contender.

"It's a high-stakes game that both teams are going to be very invested in winning," San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama said. "It just shows that we are preparing and we will pass the next step for more significant games in the playoffs. This is a complicated explanation, but it's as simple as that: As competitors, we want to win every game, and this one brings something new on the table, so we want to win it even more."

"Being able to have this, obviously it's not going to be the exact same, but you get a little glimpse of what it could be like playing in the Playoffs and the different officiating," Fox said. "No matter how much they say they don't officiate the games differently in the playoffs, we all have eyes, and we can see it. But being able to play in as many of those games, it definitely helps you come playoff time."

These Knicks have more playoff experience — they were in the Eastern Conference Finals last season — but also see the Cup as a path forward.

"I think the Cup is big for us just for the energy it brings to our team…" Karl-Anthony Towns said, adding that the energy and winning foster belief this team will need in the postseason. "I think it brings great energy to the team, great mojo to the team. It also brings that feeling of winning. No matter if it's the Cup, NBA Finals, winning any game, when you get that feeling of winning, it's addictive. Obviously, I want us to have that mindset where we're addicted to the next championship if we can win this one."

Can Knicks stop Wemby? Can the Spurs stop Brunson?

As for the game itself, Wembanyama's return against the Thunder in the semifinals changed the dynamics. While the Spurs' speedy guards — De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper — can all get downhill and touch the paint, Wemby adds another dynamic.

"You're not going to be able to guard a guy like that one-on-one," Knicks coach Mike Brown said. "You try to put length, size, physicality at the point of attack when it comes to him, but it's got to be five guys guarding the basketball at all times… But we have some pretty good defenders with length, and hopefully they can, at the point of attack, try to make it as difficult as possible with him, knowing that they have help behind them."

The Spurs have their own defensive challenge in slowing Jalen Brunson. San Antonio is loaded with long defensive wings who are strong at the point of attack, but so did Orlando in the semifinals, and Brunson dropped 40. In the quarterfinals, it was Toronto with their long, rangy defenders, and Brunson dropped 35 on them.

What might be the story in this game is the Knicks' 3-point shooting. Under Brown, the Knicks get 37.4% of their points from beyond the arc, ranking in the top 10 in the league. With Wemby patrolling the paint, New York may need those threes coming over the top of the defense to win this one.

Towns said the key for the Knicks is to keep doing what got them to this point—and to the Eastern Conference Finals last season.

"Everything for us is about execution," Towns said. "I think that's what's made us really good recently playing basketball is our execution. So we've just got to go out there and find a way to do that for 48 minutes."

If they do, if they win the NBA Cup, it's something to build on.

It's the unofficial start of NBA trade season.

As of today — Monday, Dec. 15 — 79 players who signed or extended their contracts last summer became eligible to be traded. That means the options have greatly expanded for front offices trying to match salaries and develop trade packages that work for both sides.

Who are the five players most likely to be on the move before the Feb. 5 trade deadline? Let's break it down. [Note: This list does not include Giannis Antetokounmpo because there are so many rumors about him that he has his own story.]

Anthony Davis (Mavericks)

It's no secret that the Mavericks are willing to listen to offers for Davis, something league sources have confirmed to NBC Sports and multiple other outlets have reported.

The more interesting question: How strong is the market for Davis?

This season is the perfect example of why some teams are hesitant to go all in on the 10-time All-Star and NBA champion. When he is on the court this season, Davis has looked like an All-NBA player, averaging 20 points and 10.5 rebounds per game while playing strong defense. The problem is that the 32-year-old has played in just 11 games due to injury. Add to that the fact that Davis, with agent Rich Paul leading the way, are expecting a massive contract extension from any team that trades for him, and a lot of teams are thinking twice about a deal.

How many teams are willing to take that risk? In an NBA shifting towards deeper rosters of good players around one or two stars, a mid-30s Davis making 30% of the salary cap is a hard sell. Only a few teams might go all in. Keep an eye on Atlanta. If Kristaps Porzingis' illness keeps him out for an extended time, the Hawks might be willing to bet on Davis as the defensive force in the paint and pick-and-roll partner with Trae Young they hoped KP would be.

Detroit and Toronto are also rumored to be interested. However, the Chicago Bulls reportedly do not want to bring Davis home, seeing him as not a fit with the timeline of their younger stars.

Jonathan Kuminga (Warriors)

It's no secret that Kuminga is available in a trade: The Warriors played hardball this summer and pushed Kuminga into a contract designed to dealt (two years, $46.8 million, with a team option on the second year).

The Pelicans and Nets are teams rumored to be willing to take a flier on Kuminga, although Steve Kerr pulling him in and out of the lineup this season has not exactly increased his market.

Considering there is also a lot of buzz about the Warriors' interest in Trey Murphy III — a fantastic two-way wing fit next to Stephen Curry — it's possible to see the foundation of a trade, but Golden State will have to give up picks and more than just Kuminga. Another potential target for the Warriors: Brooklyn center Nic Claxton, which leads to another set of rumors.

Lauri Markkanen (Jazz)

By all accounts, Markkanen has not been made available for a trade. Remember that Utah locked up Markkanen with a four-year, $195.9 million extension, and he is in just the first year of that massive contract. Also, Markkanen has done nothing but praise Salt Lake City and how much he wants to be there.

That said, two things keep other teams around the league thinking the Jazz could trade Markkanen after all. One is simply that the 28-year-old Markkanen is not on the same timeline as Utah's other young stars, such as Keyonte George (22), Walker Kessler (24) and Ace Bailey (19). If Utah can trade Markkanen to get young players or picks, it makes sense.

The other reason is that Markkanen is playing at an All-Star level and helping Utah win games, and the Jazz have a top-eight protected pick otherwise owed to the Thunder. The expectation around the league is that the Jazz will want to actively tank to increase the odds of keeping that pick (currently, the Jazz have the eighth-worst record in the league, and if the NBA draft lottery were held today, they would have a 60.7% chance of keeping that pick).

Utah is a team to keep an eye on.

Keon Ellis (Kings)

While the big names in Sacramento — Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan — have drawn the trade headlines, the player on the roster most likely to be traded is defensive-minded guard Keon Ellis. Sam Amick summed this up well at The Athletic.

Beyond Sacramento's core, fourth-year guard Keon Ellis remains the most talked-about trade target among rival teams. Never mind that his league-wide value doesn't reconcile with the way he's used by Kings coach Doug Christie (he has played 20-plus minutes just once in the past 11 games and had a DNP-Coaches' Decision in that span).

The real question, however, is whether the Kings' price point for moving him will be so steep that it makes a deal hard to reach. It remains possible that Ellis and the Kings find a win-win proposition on the extension front (he's eligible as of Feb. 9).

One team to watch in the chase for Ellis: The Lakers (more on that below).

It's worth noting that among the stars in Sacramento, Sabonis is the most likely to be traded, with the Wizards, Bulls, and Suns all expressing some level of interest. While the Bucks reportedly have shown interest in Zach LaVine, she makes $47.4 million this season —with a player option for $48.9 million next season — and that makes finding any trade nearly impossible. Plus, to get off LaVine's salary, the Kings would likely have to throw in a first-round pick and Sacramento GM Scott Perry is not looking to give up picks.

Gabe Vincent (Lakers)

The Lakers are a quality team, and with the trio of Luka Dončić, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves, they are a team nobody wants to see in the playoffs.

Yet, their point-of-attack defense is holding them back. It's not a secret, coach J.J. Redick has talked about it. Which is why the Lakers are in the market for Ellis, a 3&D wing in the mold that they are seeking.

Whatever trade the Lakers might make at the deadline, Gabe Vincent — a solid, veteran guard — is likely the guy headed out the door (or, at least part of the package). The Lakers need to do something, which is why Vincent might want to have a go-bag ready by the door.

Honorable mention names to watch: Daniel Gafford (Mavericks), Herbert Jones and Trey Murphy III (Pelicans), Nic Claxton (Nets), Anfernee Simons (Celtics), Robert Williams III (Trail Blazers), and CJ McCollum (Wizards).

Other trade notes

Knicks looking to add ball handler

While the Knicks are most often linked with Giannis Antetokounmpo in trade rumors, that is not the only guy on their board. Then there is this note from the tied-in James Edwards of The Athletic.

Rockets not interested in Morant

The Houston Rockets are a team committed to their young core as the future (except maybe for Antetokounmpo). While they made one big win-now addition in acquiring Kevin Durant, they are not expected to make another short-term move.

Which is why Houston has no interest in trading for Ja Morant, The Athletic reports. The speculation was that Houston was looking for a replacement for the injured Fred VanVleet, but the Rockets are 16–6 with a top-five offense and defense so far this season. Why would they break that up?

The Detroit Pistons (20-5) travel to TD Garden for a matchup on Peacock with the Boston Celtics (15-10).

This is third meeting of the season between the teams as they split the series one apiece. Both meetings have come by six or fewer points, so another competitive and possible classic is on the way.

Boston was on a season-high five-game winning streak before losing 116-101 to Milwaukee. The Celtics as a team went 14-of-49 from three for 29% and allowed 28 assists in the loss. Jaylen Brown has been on fire with 30-plus points in four straight games and seven of the past eight. Brown scored 33 and 41 points in two meetings with Detroit this season. Boston is back at home after two road games and have had three days of rest ahead of this matchup.

Detroit is in first-place of the East and still riding high with three consecutive wins and a 5-1 record over the last six games. The Pistons offense has scored 122-plus points in three straight games and enter with equal rest as Boston. Cade Cunningham scored 42 and 25 points versus Boston this year and is coming off a season-low 15 points in 23 minutes over Atlanta (142-115).

Let’s dive into tonight’s matchup and find a potential sweat or two! We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff. Odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

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Game Details and How to watch the Pistons vs. Celtics live

• Date: Monday, December 15, 2025
• Time: 7:00 PM ET
• Site: TD Garden
• City: Boston, MA
• Network/Streaming: Peacock

Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest NBA Player News for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Game odds for the Pistons at the Celtics

The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of DraftKings:

• Moneyline: Boston Celtics (-122), Detroit Pistons (+102)
• Spread: Celtics -8.5
• Total: 229.5

Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!

Expected Starting Lineups for the Pistons and the Celtics

Celtics

PG Payton Pritchard
SG Derrick White
SF Jaylen Brown
PF Jordan Walsh
C Neemias Queta

Pistons

PG Cade Cunningham
SG Duncan Robinson
SF Ausar Thompson
PF Tobias Harris
C Jalen Duren

Injuries for the Pistons and the Celtics

Celtics

None

Pistons

None

Important stats, trends and insights ahead of Pistons at Celtics on Monday

• Detroit is 14-11 ATS overall
• Detroit is 2-0 ATS as a road underdog
• Detroit is 11-8 ATS coming off a win
• Detroit is 14-10-1 to the Over
• Boston is 4-4 ATS as a home favorite
• Boston is 6-3 ATS coming off a loss
• Boston is 13-12 to the Under

Rotoworld Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Pistons to cover the first quarter:

“On Peacock this season, the underdogs have done very well in the first quarter and I think this is another case. Boston finally dropped a game to Milwaukee after a five-game winning streak, so they are most vulnerable. Normally, I'd back Boston off a loss, but this is not the same Celtics team without Jayson Tatum.

Despite Boston winning four-consecutive first quarters, I will fade them here coming off a loss. The Celtics have actually been the best team in the NBA coming off a loss and winning the first quarter at 7-1 on the ML, but this could easily be a spot where that regression hits. Detroit has taken four-straight first quarters and 13 of the past 14. I will take the half-point in the first quarter with Detroit.”

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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Pistons & Celtics game

• Moneyline: Pistons ML (low confidence)
• Spread: Pistons +1.5 (low confidence)
• Total: Under 229.5 (low confidence)

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

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- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
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- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)

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