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On a night of blowouts across the NBA, the New York Knicks had the most impressive such result. They went into Philadelphia and destroyed the 76ers, 128-92, for their most lopsided win in over a full calendar year. In the process, they moved to 3-0 since acquiring OG Anunoby in a blockbuster trade late last month.

At the time of the deal, the Knicks had lost four of five games and decided to act before things got any worse. While everyone expected Anunoby to be on the move at some point, the Knicks got a jump on the rest of the league and pulled off the first blockbuster deal of the trade deadline season.

Whether they overpaid or not by giving up both RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley is still up for debate, but the upside of adding an elite perimeter defender while creating a better roster fit around Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle was too tantilizing to pass up. Anunoby is an elite 3-point shooter from the corner — 44.9% for the season — which is a big part of the Knicks’ offense. He also doesn’t need the ball in his hands and can guard the other team’s best offensive player. Meanwhile, the trade freed up more minutes for shooters such as Quentin Grimes and Miles McBride, the latter of which signed a three-year extension in the hours following the trade.

Their dominant performance against the Sixers was the most emphatic showing yet for this new group.

Neither Randle nor Anunoby could buy a bucket — they were a combined 4-of-22 from the field — and yet the Knicks still scored almost at will against the second-ranked defense in the league. That was thanks in large part to their 3-point attack, which was led by Grimes and McBride. The youngsters took advantage of their expanded roles to each hit four 3-pointers.

As a team, the Knicks went 18-of-41 from downtown in the win, with both the makes and attempts tied for their third-most in a game this season. Since the trade, they are making 39.8% of their 3s on 37.7 attempts per game, up from 37.5% on 34.4 attempts prior to the deal. That’s a small sample size, but the numbers are positive. With more spacing and better shooters on the floor, the Knicks should not only make more 3s, but open up more space for Brunson and Randle concurrently.

Defensively, they held the SIxers’ high-powered attack to its least-efficient outing of the season. Philly had a 92.0 offensive rating in this game; their previous low, including all the games Embiid has missed, was 100.0. Embiid was held in check, and as a team, the Sixers shot 40.9% from the field and turned it over 14 times.

Anunoby was a big part of that, as he spent most of the game chasing around Tyrese Maxey, but it was a true team effort all the way through. They were swarming to Embiid in the paint and closing out hard on the 3-point line. The Sixers had little answers once the Knicks shut off their transition game, which led to 16 points in the first quarter.

Since the trade, the Knicks have now beaten two of the top-five teams in the league (they beat the Timberwolves on New Year’s Day), boast the best defense in the league in that stretch and have a plus-19.1 net rating. There’s a long way to go, but the early evidence suggests that the Knicks have raised their ceiling with the bold move to get Anunoby.

Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins was lucky to escape without an ejection on Friday night after a bizarre incident in which he ran onto the floor in the middle of his team’s 127-113 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Jenkins, who was upset about an altercation between LeBron James and Jaren Jackson Jr., nearly collided with Taurean Prince and forced the game to stop.

Jenkins told the media after the game that he apologized to Lakers head coach Darvin Ham.

“You can’t do that, so I take full responsibility there,” Jenkins said. “I saw a tussle there, Jaren’s clamping LeBron, then I saw something that crossed the line… I had to stand up for my guy.”

In the middle of the third quarter, Marcus Smart tried to feed the ball into Jackson, who was posting up James. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year was unable to corral it, though, which led to a scramble between him and James, who eventually came up with the ball. After doing so, however, James appeared to hit Jackson in the face with an elbow/forearm shiver.

Taylor Jenkins livid after a no-call 😳 pic.twitter.com/bjznk7v3uw

— Bally Sports: Grizzlies (@GrizzOnBally) January 6, 2024
The referees didn’t catch that in real time, but Jenkins did. He stormed onto the court while play continued, which stopped the Lakers’ fastbreak, and was immediately hit with a technical foul. Even after the tech, he continued screaming at the referees, who went to the monitor to review the situation.

Following a brief review, the officials decided not to assess any further penalties. Play resumed, and Jackson, who finished with 31 points, nine rebounds and three blocks, remained in the game.

“That’s my dog,” Jackson said. “He’s been great all season. He’s been great ever since he’s been here. He’s held it down the whole time, and that’s just what he does. He’s one of us, he’s a player’s coach. He’s with us in the den, he’s with us when it gets hard. I expect nothing less. I already knew what he was on. I could hear him when I was on the ground. At all times, I know he’s got my back.”

With the win, the Grizzlies improved to 6-3 with Ja Morant in the lineup this season. At 12-23 overall, however, they remain five games back of 10th place and the final Play-In Tournament spot.

There were 14 games on the NBA docket on Friday, but one of the busiest nights of the season ended up being a bit disappointing from a competitive standpoint. Nine of those 14 contests were decided by double-digits, including three by 30-plus points and another three by at least 20.

But while there wasn’t much drama, there was a lot going on from a statistical and historic perspective. Here’s a look at some of the most interesting notes from Friday’s action.

Celtics stay undefeated at home
The Jazz were the unlucky team that had to face the Celtics at TD Garden just days after the league’s best team saw their desperate fourth-quarter comeback attempt fall short against the Thunder. Back at home on Friday, the Celtics took out their frustration on the Jazz with a dominant 126-97 victory. They were up by double-digits for the final 42 minutes, and led by as much as 36 along the way.

With the win, the Celtics improved to 17-0 at the Garden, and remained the only team with a perfect home record this season. That ties the longest home winning streak to start a season in franchise history. The Celtics are still well off the all-time record, which was set by the 2015-16 Spurs, who won their first 39 at home.

Jayson Tatum put on a show in Boston as the Celtics improved to 17-0 at home!

30 PTS / 9 REB / 5 AST / 5 3PM pic.twitter.com/03KUThFOlV

— NBA (@NBA) January 6, 2024
Embiid’s streak continues in defeat
The Sixers had a rough night, losing by 36 to the new-look Knicks, in part because Joel Embiid was unable to assert his will. New York hounded Embiid, who tweaked his ankle early on, and limited him to 10-of-23 from the field — one of his least-efficient outings all season.

Even so, Embiid was able to keep his historic 30-point, 10-rebound streak alive by hitting a pair of free throws in the fourth quarter to finish with 30 points and 10 rebounds on the dot. He’s now hit those marks in 15 consecutive games, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain as the only players to accomplish that feat. Chamberlain, remarkably, did so 67 games in a row during the 1961-62 season, which is the all-time record.

Pacers make more offensive history
The last time the Pacers and Hawks played, they combined for a staggering 309 points in regulation. As expected, their meeting on Friday was another offensive showcase, though this time around the Pacers were the only team participating. They stayed red-hot, shooting 63.8% from the field en route to a 150-112 win — their sixth in a row.

In the process they set a new franchise record for assists with 50, which is tied for the seventh-most in a game in NBA history. In fact, this is just the 11th time that a team has reached that mark, and only the second time this century. Tyrese Haliburton, who leads the league with 12.8 per game, dished out 18 by himself in just 25 minutes.

For the season, the Pacers now have three games where they scored 150 points. The rest of the league combined has three such games, all of which came against the Pacers. If you like offense, tune in when Indiana is involved.

Banchero gets first triple-double, leads Magic comeback
Late on Friday, the shorthanded Magic pulled off an incredible 18-point comeback to stun the defending champion Nuggets. Paolo Banchero came up clutch down the stretch with two free throws to tie the game with 35 seconds remaining, and another pair to win it with 10 seconds left.

While he didn’t have his best shooting night — 8-of-21 from the field — Banchero finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists to record the first triple-double of his career. The 11 assists were a career-high, and he either scored or assisted on 59 of the Magic’s 122 points.

Banchero’s first triple-double came just two nights after he set a new career-high with 43 points in the Magic’s loss to the Kings. The Magic’s comeback ended a three-game losing streak and brought their grueling West Coast road trip to an end in style.

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James didn’t mince words after his team’s 127-113 home loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday. It was the fourth straight defeat and ninth in the last 11 games for the Lakers, who dropped out of play-in position in the Western Conference standings.

James, who put up 32 points, seven assists, five rebounds and five steals in Friday’s loss, was asked whether he thinks his team can recapture the success and intensity of their In-Season Tournament championship run. The 39-year-old was blunt with his reply.

“I mean, that was just two games. Small sample,” James said after Friday’s loss to Memphis. “Everybody’s getting so cranked up about Vegas and keep bringing up Vegas. It was two games. We took care of that business that was the In-Season Tournament. We played. We won it. But that was literally just two games.

“I’m not thinking that far into the past, to be honest. We just suck right now.”

Lakers head coach Darvin Ham brushed off the team’s recent underwhelming performance after the game, saying that he’s “tired of people living and dying” with every result.

As of Friday night, the Lakers had the 23rd-ranked offense in the NBA, scoring 111.8 points per 100 possessions. Meanwhile the defense, which was fourth in the league after the All-Star break last season, has slipped to 12th.

It’s easy to see why James would be frustrated considering both he and Anthony Davis have been relatively healthy and playing at an All-NBA level all season long. Ham has tweaked the starting lineup several times, most notably sending Austin Reaves to the bench early in the season.

In his 21st season, James is averaging 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists on 40% 3-point shooting, his highest mark in a decade. Asked how he can help remedy the Lakers’ woes, James said it’s just business as usual.

“I show up to work, punch my clock every day, stay positive,” James said on Friday night. “Go out and try to lead out on the floor, inspire on the floor. That’s what I do.”

Since the end of the Phil Jackson era in 2011, no coach has lasted more than three seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers. Just keep that in mind. This has been a revolving-door situation for more than a decade.

Now, you might think Darvin Ham built up more equity than a Luke Walton or Mike Brown or Mike D’Antoni or Byron Scott after rallying the Lakers into the Western Conference Finals last season, but Frank Vogel — who, you’ll recall, is the coach Ham replaced — won a championship for crying out loud, and he still got canned after Year 3.

Ham is in Year 2, and it’s not going very well. After falling to the Memphis Grizzlies, 127-113, on Friday, the Lakers have now lost four straight and 10 of their last 13 since winning the In-Season Tournament’s NBA Cup on Dec. 9. If the season were to end today, they wouldn’t even make the play-in.

“It is what it is. It’s the NBA, man. It’s a marathon,” Ham said following L.A.’s loss. “You have to look at the totality of the picture. I’m tired of people living and dying with every single game we play. It’s ludicrous, actually. … We hit a tough stretch. It’s the same team that, you know, we played some high-level games a little while ago, and we just got to get back to that. We got to keep the fight though. We cannot lose our fight.”

This is a man who is feeling the heat. You can hear the irritation in his voice.

pic.twitter.com/bgKhd1w2Dr

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) January 6, 2024
It’s understandable that Ham is feeling the squeeze. On Thursday, The Athletic reported a “deepening disconnect between Ham and the Lakers locker room,” citing “six sources close to the team.”

On a recent episode of No Cap Room podcast, Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer called the chatter around Ham’s job status “the tip of the iceberg of this guy being legitimately on the hot seat right now.”

Ham tried to downplay the reports that he’s in danger of losing his job prior to Friday’s game, saying the following: “I’m solid. My governor, Jeanie Buss, the boss lady; our president, Robert Pelinka — we’re all aligned. As long as they’re not saying it, I guess I’m good. Which I know how they feel about me and the situation we’re currently in.”

Again, is Ham sure about that? Things turn quickly in the NBA. They turn especially quickly inside the Lakers’ fishbowl. Inside the LeBron James fishbowl. After the game on Friday, James wasn’t singing a “marathon” tune. He wasn’t talking about anyone being “solid.”

“We suck right now,” James said.

Listen to the man talking. You can hardly hear a word he’s saying.

LeBron James: “We suck right now.” He also framed LAL’s in-season tournament as “only two games,” suggesting that championship should be given the proper weight pic.twitter.com/a1IaENpWyh

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 6, 2024
If you didn’t get all the way to the end of that clip, go back to the 2:35 mark. A reporter asks James about the retirement of Ricky Rubio, and the way James answers it, everything from his tone to his actual words, tells you everything you need to know about where James’ head and patience level is at.

“I’m not really in the mood to answer that question [about Rubio],” James said with a look on his face that said it was all he could do to not tell this reporter to get lost. “I respect Ricky. Congratulations on a hell of a career. And uh, if I don’t seem sincere when you see this video, it’s because we got our ass whooped again. So, I apologize. It’s actually bad timing on the interviewer asking me this question. It’s not me, Ricky. So, congratulations.”

Yeah, this man is steaming. And when you are dealing with an unhappy LeBron, and you are under .500 as the coach of the Lakers with two All-NBA level players at your disposal, you are not “solid.” Again, just look back through the coaching history post Phil Jackson.

Nobody lasts more than three years. Ham is in Year 2 — which, with LeBron is in Year 21, feels like about Year 7. The clock is ticking faster, and louder, the closer the Lakers move toward the end of the LeBron era. Ham can clearly feel that, no matter how he tries to downplay the realities of his perilous predicament.

The Indiana Pacers (20-14) will try to extend their six-game winning streak when they face the Boston Celtics (27-7) on Saturday night. Indiana extended its hot streak with a 150-116 win over Atlanta on Friday, setting a team record with 50 assists. Boston had its six-game winning streak snapped in a loss at Oklahoma City on Tuesday, but it bounced back with a 126-97 win over Utah on Friday. The Celtics are in first place in the Eastern Conference, while Indiana is in fourth place.

Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET on Saturday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Celtics are favored by 6 points in the latest Pacers vs. Celtics odds, while the over/under is set at 247.5 points, per SportsLine consensus. Before entering any Celtics vs. Pacers picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the model at SportsLine.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model entered Week 11 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 106-59 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning well over $4,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

The model has set its sights on Boston-Indiana. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for the game:

Celtics vs. Pacers spread: Celtics -6
Celtics vs. Pacers over/under: 247.5 points
Celtics vs. Pacers money line: Celtics -226, Pacers +184
Celtics vs. Pacers picks: See picks here
Why the Pacers can cover
Indiana is one of the hottest teams in the NBA right now, having won six consecutive games to move into fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings. The Pacers set a franchise record with 50 assists in a 150-116 win over Atlanta on Friday, as Tyrese Haliburton accounted for 18 of those dimes. Center Myles Turner led the team with 27 points, while Bennedict Mathurin added 18 points.

Bruce Brown missed five games due to a bone bruise in his right knee, but he scored 17 points against Atlanta in just his second game back on the court. Indiana beat Boston by 10 points in the most recent meeting between these teams, knocking down 19 of 40 attempts from 3-point range. Haliburton scored a team-high 26 pints in that Dec. 4 matchup, which was part of the NBA’s in-season tournament.

Why the Celtics can cover
Boston is coming off an impressive showing of its own, cruising to a 126-97 win over Utah on Friday. The Celtics held a 36-point lead in the second quarter, allowing them to rest their starters for most of the second half. They tied a franchise record by scoring at least 120 points for the ninth consecutive game, matching the 1959-60 Celtics team.

The Celtics have won 12 of their last 14 games and will be motivated to maintain their lead atop the Eastern Conference standings. Jayson Tatum poured in 30 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in a 155-104 win over Indiana on Nov. 1, as the Celtics knocked down 20 of 35 3-point attempts. Boston has covered the spread in eight of its last 12 games, and it has won 15 of the last 20 meetings between these teams. See which team to pick here.

How to make Pacers vs. Celtics picks
The model has simulated Celtics vs. Pacers 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Over, and it’s also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in over 60% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

The Philadelphia 76ers (23-11) and Utah Jazz (16-20) will both be hoping to move on from lopsided losses when they square off on Saturday night. Philadelphia is coming off a 128-92 loss to New York on Friday night, falling four games behind Boston atop the Atlantic Division standings. Utah had its three-game winning streak snapped in a 126-97 loss at Boston on Friday to open a three-game road trip. The Jazz are in fourth place in the Northwest Division, trailing Denver by 8.5 games for third place.

Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday at Wells Fargo Center. Philadelphia is favored by 11.5 points in the latest 76ers vs. Jazz odds, while the over/under is 237.5 points, per SportsLine consensus. Before entering any Jazz vs. 76ers picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the model at SportsLine.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model entered Week 11 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 106-59 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning well over $4,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

The model has set its sights on Utah-Philadelphia. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for the game:

76ers vs. Jazz spread: 76ers -11.5
76ers vs. Jazz over/under: 237.5 points
76ers vs. Jazz money line: 76ers -737, Jazz +522
76ers vs. Jazz picks: See picks here
Why the 76ers can cover
Philadelphia has done an excellent job of bouncing back from losses this season, as it has not suffered consecutive losses since Dec. 1. The 76ers cruised to a 110-97 win over Chicago on Tuesday, covering the 10.5-point spread prior to their loss against New York on Friday. Star center Joel Embiid has finished with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in 15 consecutive games, giving him a chance to become the first player to hit that mark in 16 straight games since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1972.

Tyrese Maxey had 27 points and nine assists on Friday night, while Kelly Oubre Jr. added 15 points in the loss. Utah is on the second leg of back-to-back road games after getting blown out by Boston on Friday night. The Jazz shot just 36.2% from the floor and committed 18 turnovers in the loss, falling to 5-15 on the road this season.

Why the Jazz can cover
Utah is coming off a rough performance, but it has been playing much better of late. The Jazz beat the Heat, Mavericks and Pistons by a combined 51 points, tying a franchise record with 154 points in an overtime victory over Detroit on Wednesday. John Collins had 12 points and 11 rebounds against the Celtics on Friday, posting his tenth double-double of the season.

Lauri Markkanen led the Jazz with 17 points, while Collin Sexton added 13 points. Philadelphia shot just 40.7% from the field in its loss to New York on Friday, including a 6 of 23 mark from 3-point range. Embiid has been dealing with an ankle injury that he appeared to tweak on Friday, while Tobias Harris sat out during the fourth quarter with left ankle soreness.

How to make 76ers vs. Jazz picks
The model has simulated Jazz vs. 76ers 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is leaning Under, and it’s also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in well over 50% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

The Houston Rockets (17-16) will wrap up a seven-game homestand when they face the Milwaukee Bucks (25-10) on Saturday night. Houston won back-to-back games over Detroit and Brooklyn before losing to Minnesota in a 122-95 blowout on Friday. Milwaukee snapped its two-game losing streak with a 125-121 win at San Antonio on Thursday. The Bucks are in second place in the Eastern Conference standings and are 4.5 games ahead of Indiana for first place in the Central Division.

Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. ET on Saturday at the Toyota Center. Milwaukee is favored by 7 points in the latest Rockets vs. Bucks odds, while the over/under is set at 237.5 points, per SportsLine consensus. Before entering any Bucks vs. Rockets picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the model at SportsLine.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model entered Week 11 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 106-59 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning well over $4,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

The model has set its sights on Milwaukee-Houston. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for the game:

Rockets vs. Bucks spread: Bucks -7
Rockets vs. Bucks over/under: 237.5 points
Rockets vs. Bucks money line: Rockets +215, Bucks -263
Rockets vs. Bucks picks: See picks here
Why the Rockets can cover
Houston lost six of its final eight games in December, but it bounced back with wins over Detroit and Brooklyn earlier this week. The Rockets cruised to a 136-113 win over the Pistons, who were playing their first game since snapping a 28-game losing skid. Center Alperen Sengun led Houston with 26 points and nine assists, upping his season averages to 21.5 points, 8.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game.

The Rockets added a 112-101 win over Brooklyn on Wednesday, covering the 5-point spread. Sengun poured in a game-high 30 points, while point guard Fred VanVleet posted a double-double with 21 points, 10 assists and six rebounds. Houston has covered the spread in four of its last five home games against Milwaukee, which has only covered three times in its last nine games.

Why the Bucks can cover
Milwaukee bounced back from a pair of losses to Indiana with a 125-121 win at San Antonio on Thursday, as Giannis Antetokounmpo won a showdown with Victor Wembanyama. Antetokounmpo had 44 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists, shooting 19 of 28 from the floor. Veteran point guard Damian Lillard added 25 points, 10 assists and four rebounds.

The Rockets committed 15 turnovers and finished minus-14 on the glass in their blowout loss to Minnesota on Friday. Milwaukee has already won one game between these teams this season, notching a 128-119 victory on Dec. 17. The Bucks have won five consecutive games against teams from the Western Conference, while Houston has only covered the spread once in its last seven games against Central Division opponents. See which team to pick here.

How to make Rockets vs. Bucks picks
The model has simulated Bucks vs. Rockets 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is leaning Under, and it’s also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in well over 50% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

Saturday’s main NBA slate will only consist of four games, and fantasy managers can take advantage of stacking by picking out a group of productive players from the same team when the pool of options is smaller. The Indiana Pacers are the team that stands out from the limited pack ahead of their 7 p.m. ET matchup with the Boston Celtics. Both teams boast top-five scoring offenses, but Indiana is struggling with injuries and could have a significantly shorter rotation.

Here’s the full breakdown of the three players you may want to pair together for your lineups on Saturday:

Pacers stack
Tyrese Haliburton
Myles Turner
TJ McConnell

The Pacers dusted off the Atlanta Hawks 150-116 on Friday and will face the Celtics in the second half of a back-to-back on Saturday. While each side will be playing for the second night in a row, both secured blowout victories in their previous contest. As a result, the stars should be well-rested for this one.

Haliburton is averaging 22.3 points, 13.7 assists, and 6.3 rebounds despite logging a mere 25 minutes against Atlanta. His premier playmaking already helped him post a 26-point triple-double when Indiana hosted Boston earlier this season. He’s averaged 20 points, 15 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game at home since the start of last December. Pairing him with one of his favorite targets makes too much sense here.

Turner scored on 40 more Haliburton assists than any of his teammates this season. He’s thrived during Haliburton’s hot run, with averages of 21.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks at home since last December. He was a dud in his first matchup with the new-look Celtics, but averaged 20.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in three head-to-head matchups with Kristaps Porzingis last season.

McConnell is more of a dart throw, as his ceiling will likely be determined by Andrew Nembhard’s availability. The reserve point guard racked up 10 points and 10 assists in 23 minutes against the Hawks. He’s thrived as the primary ball handler off the bench with averages of 8.0 points, 6.5 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game in the pair of games Nembhard has missed with a back injury. The Gonzaga product is questionable for Saturday and few value players will be able to match McConnell’s potential in this small slate. He could play significant minutes in a close game or blowout, given Indiana’s lack of depth at point guard.

The 2023 USFL champion will be crowned in less than three weeks, but there’s still plenty to be determined when it comes to the playoff picture. Much of it will come down to the final week of the regular season next Saturday and Sunday; we did, however, learn a few things in Week 9.

For starters, we learned that while the defending champion Birmingham Stallions didn’t always look like the best team this season, make no mistake: the Stallions are the team to beat. Birmingham became the first team to clinch a playoff spot — the only team to do so with just one regular-season week remaining — after dismantling the Houston Gamblers.

So, who else will make the playoffs? Two teams make it from each division, and we’ll dive into every team’s chances below, but first a look at the Week 9 scores.

Saturday
Pittsburgh Maulers 19, Michigan Panthers 7
New Orleans Breakers 31, Memphis Showboats 3
Sunday
Birmingham Stallions 38, Houston Gamblers 15
New Jersey Generals 37, Philadelphia Stars 33

South Division playoff race
The Stallions (7-2) are in the playoffs. The New Orleans Breakers (6-3) sit a game back, and split their two games with Birmingham during the regular season, so they still have an outside shot at the top seed. The other two South teams — the Houston Gamblers (5-4) and Memphis Showboats (5-4) — need a win in Week 10 combined with a Breakers loss to have any chance at getting the No. 2 seed.

The South teams all play each other in Week 10 — Stallions vs. Showboats on Saturday, and Breakers vs. Gamblers on Sunday.

The Stallions’ two losses this season came against the Breakers in Week 3 and Gamblers in Week 5. Since the start of last season’s USFL reboot, Birmingham has gone just 2-2 against Houston and 16-1 against every other team combined.

Stallions quarterback Alex McGough added to his case as league MVP on Sunday, throwing for 208 yards with 2 TDs and 1 INT (his first interception since Week 4). One of McGough’s TD throws was this one to Jace Sternberger just before the half.

What a throw, what a catch. Alex McGough to Jace Sternberger has been one of the top connections in the #USFL this season, and another score for the duo gives the @USFLStallions a halftime lead.

It’s heating up in Houston. #USFL | @_Jstern pic.twitter.com/8nUYwo43TN

— James Larsen (@JamesLarsenPFN) June 11, 2023
Sternberger’s touchdown gave the Stallions a one-point lead heading into halftime, but it was all Birmingham in the second half.

The Breakers — aka the only USFL team other than Houston to beat the Stallions in the past two years — also have momentum on their side after crushing the Memphis Showboats. New Orleans controls its own playoff destiny, with a win over the Gamblers next week giving it the No. 2 seed.

The Breakers won with defense on Saturday, including one of the wildest plays in the league this season that resulted in a pick-six.

A MUST SEE PICK-6! 🙌

🎥: @nbc | @peacock pic.twitter.com/9rAXTi70Y7

— New Orleans Breakers (@USFLBreakers) June 10, 2023
New Orleans looks to be back on track after stumbling to three straight losses after a 4-0 start. It’ll be a surprise if the Stallions and Breakers aren’t the two South playoff teams.

North Division playoff race
There’s a strong argument to be made that the USFL’s four best teams reside in the South Division and its four worst in the North. Take the Pittsburgh Maulers, for example — a team that was 2-6 last week yet still controls its own playoff destiny.

Pittsburgh’s win over the Michigan Panthers put both teams at 3-6. The New Jersey Generals are also 3-6, with the division-leading Philadelphia Stars a game ahead of the other three North teams at 4-5.

The Stars had a chance to clinch a spot on Sunday night, but lost to the Generals 37-33. New Jersey led 30-16 entering the fourth quarter before holding off a late Stars rally. Philly lost despite quarterback Case Cookus throwing for 263 yards with 3 TDs and no picks. Darius Victor led the Generals with two rushing TDs.

“The bowling ball, Darius Victor!” 🎳

Who else but @yungvitov for the TD 👏 pic.twitter.com/AaGJPSQXf2

— New Jersey Generals (@USFLGenerals) June 12, 2023
The Week 10 games in the division pit the Maulers vs. Generals and the Stars vs. Panthers. If the Stars win, they’ll be the No. 1 seed with the Maulers-Generals winner the No. 2 seed. A Stars loss makes things very interesting: The Stars, Panthers and Maulers-Generals winner would finish in a three-way tie for first at 4-6, meaning tiebreakers would decide the top two seeds as well as who’s out of the playoffs.

The good news for the Stars — who lost to the Stallions in the USFL title game last year — and every North team is that, as the XFL title game proved, regular-season records don’t mean anything in the playoffs.