The NBA weekend of January 10–11, 2026, felt less like a sports league and more like a high-stakes drama. While some teams found their rhythm, the headlines were dominated by a “tunnel ambush” and a devastating injury that has effectively ended the Dallas Mavericks’ postseason dreams.
The Big Winners NBA weekend: Ice-Cold Resilience
- The Sacramento Kings: Despite the infamy surrounding their lead guard, the Kings are prove they can win without the drama. While they navigate the PR fallout, the roster has stayed focused, proving they are deeper than just one player’s temper.
- The Denver Nuggets: Nikola Jokić is reportedly “antsy to return,” and the Nuggets have maintained their elite standing in the West without him. They remain the most stable “winner” in a conference currently defined by instability.
- The Utah Jazz: By delivering the physical blow that sidelined Anthony Davis on Jan 8, the Jazz have accidentally become the most impactful “spoiler” of the 2026 season.
The Big Losers NBA weekend : Ambush & Agony
- The Dallas Mavericks: This was a catastrophic weekend for Dallas.
- The Injury: Anthony Davis is out indefinitely with severe ligament damage in his left hand.
- The Fallout: Without AD, the Mavs are a dismal 4–14. With a total record of 14–24, the “Luka-for-AD” trade is officially being labeled a disaster as the team looks toward the draft lottery.
- Dennis Schröder: The Kings guard is the weekend’s biggest individual loser after the NBA handed down a 3-game suspension.
- The “Ambush”: Schröder allegedly waited 40 minutes after a game to track down and “attempt to strike” Luka Dončić in a hallway at Crypto.com Arena. It’s a move that cost him his game checks and his reputation.
NBA Weekend Power Ranking: The 2026 Pulse
| Status | Team/Player | The “Why” |
| Rising | Denver Nuggets | Masterclass in stability; Jokić return is imminent. |
| Crashing | Dallas Mavericks | AD’s injury kills their season and any trade-deadline leverage. |
| Banned | Dennis Schröder | Sidelined for “tunnel toughness” that went way too far. |
| Spoilers | Utah Jazz | The “Glass Giant” killers who just reset the Western Conference. |
A Stiff Shot of NBA Weekend Reality
The NBA in 2026 is currently being shaped more by security footage and MRIs than by triple-doubles. The Mavericks are staring down a lost season and a “tank” for a top pick, while the Kings are learning that hallway brawls only lead to empty seats and league fines.
Last week was a chaotic ride for NBA fans, defined by massive scoring outbursts and season-altering injury news. Below is the full scorecard for the games played from January 5 to January 11, 2026.
NBA Weekend Game Results & High Scorers: Jan 5–11, 2026
| Date | Matchup | Final Score | High Scorer |
| Jan 11 | Cleveland vs. Minnesota | CLE 146 – 134 MIN | Donovan Mitchell (CLE) – 28 pts |
| Jan 11 | Sacramento vs. Houston | SAC 111 – 98 HOU | Amen Thompson (HOU) – 31 pts |
| Jan 11 | Atlanta vs. Golden State | ATL 124 – 111 GSW | Stephen Curry (GSW) – 31 pts |
| Jan 11 | Phoenix vs. Washington | PHX 112 – 93 WAS | 3 Tied (PHX) – 19 pts |
| Jan 11 | San Antonio vs. Minnesota | MIN 104 – 103 SAS | Victor Wembanyama (SAS) – 29 pts |
| Jan 11 | Milwaukee vs. Denver | DEN 108 – 104 MIL | G. Antetokounmpo (MIL) – 31 pts |
| Jan 11 | Oklahoma City vs. Miami | OKC 124 – 112 MIA | S. Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) – 29 pts |
| Jan 11 | Orlando vs. New Orleans | ORL 128 – 118 NOP | Desmond Bane (ORL) – 27 pts |
| Jan 11 | Toronto vs. Philadelphia | TOR 116 – 115 PHI (OT) | Tyrese Maxey (PHI) – 38 pts |
| Jan 11 | New York vs. Portland | NYK 123 – 114 POR | Jalen Brunson (NYK) – 26 pts |
| Jan 10 | Charlotte vs. Utah | CHA 150 – 95 UTA | Brice Sensabaugh (UTA) – 26 pts |
| Jan 10 | Boston vs. San Antonio | SAS 100 – 95 BOS | Derrick White (BOS) – 29 pts |
| Jan 10 | Dallas vs. Chicago | DAL 125 – 107 CHI | Coby White (CHI) – 22 pts |
| Jan 10 | Indiana vs. Miami | IND 123 – 99 MIA | Andrew Nembhard (IND) – 29 pts |
| Jan 10 | Detroit vs. LA Clippers | LAC 98 – 92 DET | Kawhi Leonard (LAC) – 26 pts |
NBA Weekend Highlights & Lowlights
- The Lopsided Blowout: The most staggering result of the week was the Charlotte Hornets dismantling the Utah Jazz with a final score of 150–95. This was Utah’s heaviest defeat of the season and highlighted their desperate need for defensive adjustments.
- Wemby’s Near-Heroics: Victor Wembanyama put up a massive 29 points in just 27 minutes in his return to the San Antonio lineup on Sunday. However, a late comeback by Anthony Edwards (23 pts) and the Timberwolves handed the Spurs a heartbreaking one-point loss.
- High-Scoring Heat: The Cleveland Cavaliers delivered the week’s most dominant offensive performance against Minnesota, dropping 146 points in regulation.
Here are the current NBA conference standings following the weekend action as of January 12, 2026.
Western Conference Standings – NBA weekend
The Oklahoma City Thunder continue their dominance at the top of the West with a league-best 33–7 record.
| Seed | Team | Record | Win % | GB | Last 10 |
| 1 | Oklahoma City Thunder | 33–7 | .825 | — | 7–3 |
| 2 | San Antonio Spurs | 27–12 | .692 | 5.5 | 5–5 |
| 3 | Denver Nuggets | 26–13 | .667 | 6.5 | 5–5 |
| 4 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 26–14 | .650 | 7.0 | 6–4 |
| 5 | Los Angeles Lakers | 23–13 | .639 | 8.0 | 4–6 |
| 6 | Phoenix Suns | 24–15 | .615 | 8.5 | 8–2 |
| 7 | Houston Rockets | 22–14 | .611 | 9.0 | 5–5 |
| 8 | Golden State Warriors | 21–19 | .525 | 12.0 | 6–4 |
Eastern Conference Standings
The Detroit Pistons remain the team to beat in the East, holding a solid lead over the New York Knicks.
| Seed | Team | Record | Win % | GB | Last 10 |
| 1 | Detroit Pistons | 28–10 | .737 | — | 6–4 |
| 2 | New York Knicks | 25–14 | .641 | 3.5 | 5–5 |
| 3 | Boston Celtics | 24–14 | .632 | 4.0 | 7–3 |
| 4 | Toronto Raptors | 24–16 | .600 | 5.0 | 7–3 |
| 5 | Philadelphia 76ers | 21–16 | .568 | 6.5 | 5–5 |
| 6 | Orlando Magic | 22–18 | .550 | 7.0 | 5–5 |
| 7 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 22–18 | .550 | 7.0 | 6–4 |
| 8 | Miami Heat | 20–19 | .513 | 8.5 | 5–5 |
Conference Highlights
- West Dominance: The Oklahoma City Thunder have the highest win percentage in the league and are currently on a 3-win streak.
- Eastern Tensions: The race for the second seed in the East is tight, with the Knicks and Celtics separated by only half a game in the loss column.
- Struggling Giants: The Dallas Mavericks (14–25) and Sacramento Kings (9–30) continue to slide, sitting at 12th and 14th in the West, respectively.
