The Washington Wizards snapped a nine-game losing streak when they beat the Detroit Pistons earlier this week. In Orlando on Wednesday, Washington went right back to their losing ways. The Wizards saw the Magic run away from them late in what became a 19-point loss.

Following the game, Kyle Kuzma was asked how things got away from Washington. The Wizards veteran forward said it starts on defense.

"We can't guard a stop sign," Kuzma said. "That's kind of really what it boils down to. We let anybody get whatever they want on us. So, until we change that, then that's probably going to be the result."

The Wizards have the NBA's 30th ranked defense, with a 120.6 defensive rating. They are just behind the Charlotte Hornets, who have a defensive rating of 120.3.

Mark Cuban has agreed to sell a majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks to the Adelson family while he is expected to retain control on basketball operations and serve as governor. 

Marc Stein reports that Cuban "has certainly granted more front-office autonomy to general manager Nico Harrison (hired in June 2021) than many initially expected and has likewise relished that Mavericks CEO Cynthia Marshall has run the business side since her arrival in February 2018." The Mavericks hired Marshall following an in-depth report from Sports Illustrated detailing the "corrosive workplace culture" of the franchise.

Cuban continues to take a very active role on the basketball side of the Mavericks and "his focus in recent years has been placed almost exclusively on the basketball side."

"League sources say he is determined to operate as a very active partner to the Adelsons on the basketball front while happily letting them focus on the pursuit of TV money, real-estate plays for the franchise, their continued efforts to lobby Texas lawmakers to legalize gambling, etc.," writes Stein.

The Boston Celtics knew they were chasing point differential totals to advance in the In-Season Tournament. Boston needed to not only beat the Orlando Magic, but they had to stay far enough in front of the Brooklyn Nets too. The led to Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla having his team employ the "Hack-A" strategy on Chicago Bulls center Andre Drummond in the fourth quarter on Tuesday.

Following the game, Mazzulla apologized to Drummond for the tactic. Mazzulla also said he talked with Bulls coach Billy Donovan about how the circumstances weren't just about staying in front of the Magic, but also the Nets.

For his part, Donovan said he didn't like Boston intentionally fouling Drummond. Donovan said, "I just felt bad for Andre in that situation." However, Donovan said he understood the Celtics were chasing the point differential tiebreaker to win Group C.

Jaylen Brown of the Celtics also said he didn't like the situation, even if he understood why it was a necessary one.

Josh Hart wanted it made clear that he's not a disgruntled player, despite his unhappiness with his role in the New York Knicks offense. Hart even asked reporters to tweet that he's not disgruntled, after he talked about his role with the Knicks this season.

“I’m a rhythm player. So sometimes if I don’t touch the ball for four or five minutes running up and down the floor, just catch-and-shoot, I might as well be playing with a football,” Hart said. “I feel like I have no feel for [the ball]. There are definitely times I [pass up shots] because I’m not in the rhythm. I don’t like the feel of it.”

Hart went on to sarcastically "agree" with New York coach Tom Thibodeau who said he doesn't feel Hart's role has changed.

“Yeah, we’ll go with that," Hart said when told Thibodeau said Hart's role isn't different from last season.

Still, Hart knows it's on him to adjust to the team and his role, instead of the opposite.

“I might have to change my style of play a little bit,” Hart said. “And be more of a catch-and-shoot kind of guy. It really depends on what the team needs and if that’s what my role and my job is going to be this year, that’s what I have to do. I have to make the most of this situation and make the most of the minutes Thibs gives me.”

The Golden State Warriors will continue to back Draymond Green "no matter what he does," a source told Kendra Andrews of ESPN.

Another source said the Warriors lost leverage with Green after they decided not to discipline him after punching Jordan Poole. A source also said that the tolerance in which the Warriors have shown with Green could change once he is no longer an effective player.

Green apologized to the Warriors for the incident with Rudy Gobert, which led to a five-game suspension.

The Warriors re-signed Green this past offseason to a four-year, $100 million contract.

Klay Thompson's contract negotations with the Golden State Warriors are weighing on him, sources tell Kendra Andrews of ESPN. Thompson will be a free agent this offseason if he and the Warriors don't agree to an extension. Thompson was last a free agent in 2019.

Thompson has been in a slump to start this season though he was in a similar state last season. 

The Warriors and Thompson were reportedly far apart on extension talks as recently as October. 

The New York Knicks have waived Duane Washington Jr. from his Two-Way and have signed Jaylen Martin with the Two-Way slot.

Martin is out for up to two months with a thumb injury.

Martin was with the Knicks for Summer League and training camp.

Marcus Smart may be out with an injury, but that didn't stop him from delivering a fiery speech to his teammates during a timeout. The Memphis Grizzlies were down to the Minnesota Timberwolves during the fourth quarter when Smart exploded on them.

"It's embarrassing! It's embarrassing!" Smart yelled multiple times. From clips shared on social media, the veteran guard called out the Grizzlies effort level. Smart also said that the fans are paying to come see them play, and it's unacceptable to play without effort.

Memphis has gotten off to a 3-13 start. The Grizzlies are 0-8 at home. Ja Morant has nine games left on his 25-game suspension. Memphis also has six players out with long-term injuries.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has completed his five-game suspension for putting Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert in a headlock. Green was adamant that he'll always have his teammates' backs in a situation like that.

"I don't live my life with regrets," Green said after practice, the first time he has spoken to reporters since his suspension. "I'll come to a teammate's defense any time that I'm in a position to come to a teammate's defense. ... What matters to me is how the people that I care about feel, first and foremost. How are the people that I care about affected? How are the people I care about, what do they have to deal with? That's it for me."

Green said that after talking with Warriors coach Steve Kerr and general manager Mike Dunleavy, that he's not going to change who he is.

"The consensus amongst all of us is that I'm going to be me no matter what. That's not going to change," Green said. "But in saying that, there's always a better way that something can be done. So it's figuring out a better way. That's the consensus among all of us."

Green also said he shouldn't continue to be punished for prior transgressions. He feels that the NBA shouldn't be taking that into account with current and future incidents.

"To continue mentioning, 'Oh, well, he did this in the past,' I paid for those," Green said. "I got suspended in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. You can't keep suspending me for those actions."

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey will play while the NBA conducts an investigation into his off-court activities. The league is investigating Giddey having an inappropriate off-court relationship.

Both Giddey and Thunder coach Mark Daigneault offered no comment when questioned about the alleged inappropriate relationship after practice on Friday. Daigneault confirmed Giddey would be available to play in Saturday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers.