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Lakers superstar Luka Don\u010di\u0107 returns to Dallas for the second time since last year\u2019s blockbuster trade.<\/p>\n
AWS NBA Rivals Week wraps up with an ABC tripleheader stacked with star power \u2014 including four of the 10 All-Star starters<\/a> announced on Monday \u2014 and plenty of storylines. Here are three things to know about each matchup:<\/p>\n New York Knicks at Philadelphia 76ers (3 ET<\/a>)<\/p>\n Clash of All-Star guards: Philadelphia\u2019s Tyrese Maxey and New York\u2019s Jalen Brunson were both named All-Star starters for the first time in their careers on Monday. They both enter this matchup ranked top 10 in the league in scoring<\/a> with Maxey (career-high 31.0 ppg) third and Brunson (27.9 ppg) tied for ninth.<\/p>\n A historic rivalry: The Knicks and Sixers have clashed since 1949, featuring nine playoff matchups, including the 2024 First Round<\/a> when Josh Hart sank the Sixers with a game-winner in Game 6<\/a> in Philly. New York followed that win by sweeping the 2024-25 regular-season series. But, so far in 2025-26, the Sixers have turned the tables, bringing a 2-0 lead into Saturday\u2019s matchup.<\/p>\n Tight race in East: While Detroit holds a 4.5-game lead on the field, the Nos. 2-6 seeds in the East are separated by just three games<\/a>. In the middle of that pack are the Knicks (who are clinging to No. 3 after going 3-9 in their last 12 games) and Sixers (who sit sixth in the conference after going 9-5 in their last 13 games). Can Philly continue its ascent? Or can New York build off its historic win over Brooklyn as the Knicks try to right the ship?<\/p>\n Golden State Warriors at Minnesota Timberwolves (5:30 ET<\/a>)<\/p>\n Wolves on two streaks: Minnesota has won five straight games over Golden State \u2014 the final four of the 2025 Western Conference Semifinals<\/a> and the first the 2025-26 regular season on Dec. 12, despite Stephen Curry\u2019s 39 points. However, the Wolves enter Saturday looking to snap a four-game skid that has dropped them from fourth to seventh in the West.<\/p>\n Warriors searching for answers: Golden State won its fourth straight game on Monday, but lost Jimmy Butler III for the season<\/a> with a torn ACL. The Warriors have gone 0-2 since, including a loss to Dallas on Thursday that saw Jonathan Kuminga, who picked up minutes in Butler\u2019s absence, go down with ankle and knee injuries of his own. Kuminga is out for this matchup as the Warriors await MRI results<\/a> to determine the injury\u2019s severity. Who will be the \u2018next man up\u2019 for the Warriors as they begin a four-game road trip in Minnesota?<\/p>\n 3-point trio: This matchup features three of the top 12 players in 3-pointers made<\/a> this season: Golden State\u2019s Steph Curry leads the league (164), while Minnesota\u2019s Donte DiVincenzo (137) and Anthony Edwards (125) rank sixth and 12th, respectively.<\/p>\n Los Angeles Lakers at Dallas Mavericks (8:30 ET<\/a>)<\/p>\n Luka\u2019s homecoming: Luka Don\u010di\u0107 returns to Dallas<\/a> for the second time since last season\u2019s blockbuster trade for Anthony Davis. Don\u010di\u0107 looks to improve to 4-0 against his former squad, while Davis will miss this matchup<\/a> (hand injury).<\/p>\n Flagg \ud83e\udd1d Don\u010di\u0107: Cooper Flagg enters this matchup averaging 18.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists. He\u2019s on pace to become only the 12th player in NBA history to average at least 18-6-4 as a rookie. The last one to do it? Don\u010di\u0107 in 2018-19.<\/p>\n Clutch time: At 26-17, the Lakers own the eighth-best record in the NBA despite having a negative point differential (-16), which ranks 17th in the league. How have they pulled this off? By being the best team in clutch games<\/a>. The Lakers are 13-2 in games that are within five points in the final five minutes. No team has played as many clutch games as the Mavericks\u2019 30, but Dallas is just 13-17 in those games so far this season.<\/p>\n * * *<\/p>\n Brian Martin has covered the NBA and WNBA for more than 15 years. You can e-mail him\u00a0here<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0follow him on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Lakers superstar Luka Don\u010di\u0107 returns to Dallas for the second time since last year\u2019s blockbuster trade. 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