It's good to dream if you're an NBA team-builder. Unfortunately, reality usually sets in at some point. With the trade deadline roughly three weeks

The Wizards are squarely in the driver's seat for the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes. They rank dead last in the league in both offensive rating and defensive rating and Washington's focus for 2024-25 should be on moving the veterans and developing the youngsters.

Jalen Green scored 34 points, Alperen Sengun had 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, and the visiting Houston Rockets beat the Denver Nuggets 128-108 on Wednesday night.

The Houston Rockets were in rebuilding mode a couple of seasons ago, and now it seems as if they're in contending mode.

Trae Young hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from beyond the halfcourt line to give the Atlanta Hawks a 124-121 victory over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night. Young took an inbounds pass, dribbled to just short of halfcourt and hit the 49-foot winner as time expired while being loosely guarded by Collin Sexton,

The Jazz tied the game with four seconds left on a 24-foot trey by Collin Sexton. Atlanta, which had no timeouts remaining, inbounded the ball to Young, whocashed in on his heave from midcourt. The shot was reviewed and ruled good.

WASHINGTON — Jalen Green scored 22 of his 29 points in the third quarter and the Houston Rockets routed the short-handed Washington Wizards 135-112 on Tuesday night.

Ball was a highlight reel from the jump, making plays for Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges, finishing with 32 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, and four steals. Bridges finished with 21 points and seven rebounds, while Nick Richards earned a double-double off the bench, scoring 15 points and cleaning the glass 12 times.

Jalen Green scored 22 of his 29 points in the third quarter and the Houston Rockets routed the short-handed Washington Wizards 135-112 on Tuesday night.

Quinten Grimes had 26 points, nine rebounds and six assists as the Dallas Mavericks snapped a five-game skid with a 118-97 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.

DALLAS — Quinten Grimes had 26 points, nine rebounds and six assists as the Dallas Mavericks snapped a five-game skid with a 118-97 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night. Grimes matched his career high with six 3-pointers on 6-for-11 shooting.

Alperen Sengun added 26 points and 10 rebounds, Amen Thompson scored 20 points and grabbed 15 boards, and Fred VanVleet had 19 points as ... a 10-game losing streak with a win over Phoenix. Nick Richards added 15 points and 12 rebounds off the bench ...