Boston acquired big man Mike Muscala from Oklahoma City on Thursday, The Athletic reported.

The Thunder received forward Justin Jackson and two second-round draft picks in exchange, per the report.

The NBA trade deadline is Thursday at 3 p.m. ET.

Muscala, 31, is averaging 6.2 points and 3.1 rebounds and shooting 39.4 percent from 3-point range in 43 games (five starts) in his fourth season with Oklahoma City.

He owns career averages of 6.2 points and 3.2 boards in 475 games (35 starts) with the Atlanta Hawks (2013-18), Philadelphia 76ers (2018-19), Los Angeles Lakers (2019) and Thunder.

Jackson, 27, has appeared in 23 games and contributed 0.9 points and 0.7 rebounds in 4.7 minutes per contest.

Jackson has averaged 6.0 points and 2.4 rebounds in 278 games (61 starts) with six teams since Portland drafted him 15th overall in 2017.

–Field Level Media

From C-minus status to conference favorite, the Phoenix Suns are back in the Western Conference driver’s seat with KD.

A flurry of superstar trade activity led oddsmakers to adjust the Western Conference favorite odds overnight Wednesday. They elevated the Suns to the top line at +200 (FanDuel) after reports of Phoenix adding Kevin Durant in a blockbuster trade that sent three players and at least four draft picks to the Brooklyn Nets.

The Nets have traded James Harden, Kyrie Irving and Durant in the span of 12 months and dropped from +700 on Sunday night to win the NBA title to +10000 on Thursday morning at BetMGM.

The Suns’ title odds were +1800 to start the week and as of Thursday at BetMGM hit +450.

FanDuel’s updated NBA title futures odds listed the Boston Celtics as the favorite at +300 followed at +420 by the Milwaukee Bucks, Suns (+460) and Denver Nuggets (+700).

Counting futures bets made this week only, BetMGM said no team has drawn more bets than the Suns — 34.5 percent — and Phoenix represents 43.9 percent of the total handle in that same timeframe.

When the Dallas Mavericks acquired Irving earlier in the week, the Mavs’ odds to win the NBA title went from +2500 to +1600 at BetMGM.

At DraftKings, the Suns are now down from +1800 to win the NBA title to +500 behind only the Celtics (+360).

The Suns are 30-26 entering play Thursday after posting the NBA’s best record in the 2021-22 regular season and losing to the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2022 NBA Finals.

–Field Level Media

The Toronto Raptors are reacquiring center Jakob Poeltl from the San Antonio Spurs, ESPN and The Athletic reported early Thursday morning.

For Poeltl, who was among the players Toronto dealt to San Antonio to pick up Kawhi Leonard in July 2018, the Spurs will receive center Khem Birch, a protected 2024 first-round draft pick and two second-round picks, per the reports.

The Raptors (26-30) are in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, which would leave them in the conference’s play-in tournament to vie for a playoff berth. They are 4 1/2 games behind the Miami Heat for sixth place and an assured playoff spot, but the Washington Wizards trail Toronto by just percentage points for 10th.

Poeltl, 27, is averaging 12 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.1 blocks in 26.1 minutes per game this season. He is shooting 61.6 percent from the field. He scored 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the Spurs’ 112-98 loss to the host Raptors on Wednesday night.

In his seven-year career, the past five with the Spurs after the Raptors took him with the ninth overall pick in the 2016 draft, he is averaging 7.8 points and 6.4 rebounds in just under 21 minutes per game. He has been a starter in 210 of the 462 games in which he has played.

Birch, 30, is in his sixth NBA season, his third with Toronto. After he was waived by the Orlando Magic in April 2021, he joined the Raptors days later to finish that season, and then signed a multiyear contract with them four months later.

In 20 games this season, all coming off the bench, he is averaging 2.2 points and 1.3 rebounds in just over eight minutes per game. His most productive stretch came as he closed out the 2020-21 season with the Raptors. In 19 games, 17 as a starter, he averaged 11.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks.

At 14-41, the Spurs are one game out of last place in the Western Conference.

–Field Level Media

Hours after Mat Ishbia took over as owner of the Phoenix Suns, the team made a stunning acquisition, getting star forward Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets late Wednesday night, according to The Athletic and ESPN.

Durant and T.J. Warren are headed to Phoenix in exchange for Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Jae Crowder and four first-round draft picks, per the reports. ESPN added that the Nets will get a 2028 draft-pick exchange, too.

The Suns add Durant to an underachieving squad that sits at 30-26, tied for fourth place in the Western Conference. Phoenix reached the NBA Finals in 2020-21, then posted the best regular-season record in 2021-22 before falling to the Dallas Mavericks in the conference semifinals.

The NBA trade deadline is Thursday.

Durant’s exit from the Nets ends the sorry history of a ballyhooed “Big Three” that was expected to bring glory to Brooklyn.

Kyrie Irving signed a free-agent deal with the Nets in July 2021, and Durant joined up as a free agent the next month. When James Harden was acquired in a trade in February 2022, the Nets were viewed as a top contender, but injuries and Irving’s various off-court issues scuttled those hopes.

The Nets were swept in the first round of the playoffs last season. Harden exited as a free agent in July. Irving demanded a trade last week, then was dealt to the Mavericks on Monday, and now Durant is gone, too.

Durant, 34, won two NBA championships with the Golden State Warriors, won the NBA Most Valuable Player honor in 2013-14 and is a 13-time All-Star. He has been sidelined since Jan. 8 due to a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee.

In 39 games this season, Durant is averaging 29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists. In his NBA career with the Seattle SuperSonics, Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State and Brooklyn, he has averages of 27.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists.

Warren, 29, played in just 20 games for the Nets after recovering from a foot injury that sidelined him all of last season. He averaged 9.5 points and 2.8 rebounds for Brooklyn, well below his career norms of 15.1 points and four rebounds.

Bridges, 26, made the NBA All-Defensive team last season. This season he was averaging a career-best 17.2 points plus 4.3 rebounds in 56 games for Phoenix, better than his career marks of 12.2 points and four rebounds.

Johnson, 26, was putting up a career-best 13.9 points plus 3.8 rebounds per contest in 17 games (16 starts) for Phoenix this season. For his career, he has averages of 10.7 points and 3.6 rebounds.

Crowder, 32, hasn’t played this season, with the forward and the Suns agreeing he would sit out until he could be traded. As he heads to the eighth team in his NBA career, he has averages of 9.6 points and 4.3 rebounds.

–Field Level Media

Kyrie Irving scored 24 points and dished out five assists in his Dallas Mavericks debut and Tim Hardaway Jr. added 19 points to power a 110-104 victory over the host Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.

Irving, who was officially acquired from the Brooklyn Nets on Monday, was 9 of 17 from the field with his new team as he helped pick up the slack for an absent Luka Doncic, who missed his third consecutive game with a heel injury.

The Mavericks have won four of their past five games as they await the debut of an Irving-Doncic duo, which could happen as early as Friday or Saturday, when they play a pair of road games against the Sacramento Kings.

Norman Powell scored 24 points and Terance Mann added 21 for the Clippers, who lost in their return home. Los Angeles just completed a 4-2 road trip.

Trail Blazers 125, Warriors 122

Damian Lillard had 33 points as part of his second career triple-double and host Portland spoiled Klay Thompson’s 33rd birthday by edging Golden State.

Jordan Poole had a game-high 38 points for the Warriors, including a 3-pointer that put the visitors up 114-110 with 5:48 to go. Golden State didn’t score again until a Poole interior hoop with 46.0 seconds left, a stretch during which the Trail Blazers scored 11 straight points to take command with a seven-point lead. Thompson added 31 points.

Lillard hit all 16 of his free-throw attempts. He added 11 assists and 10 rebounds. Jeremi Grant finished with 22 points, including a three-point play that broke a 114-all tie with 4:31 to go and give Portland the lead for good.

Wizards 118, Hornets 104

Kristaps Porzingis scored 18 of his 36 points in the third quarter to fuel host Washington to a victory over Charlotte.

Washington’s Deni Avdija collected 20 points and 13 rebounds and Bradley Beal contributed 17 points and 10 assists in his return from a two-game absence due to left foot soreness. Daniel Gafford added 13 points for the Wizards, who shot 50.6 percent from the floor (44 of 87) and 40.5 percent from 3-point range (15 of 37).

Charlotte’s P.J. Washington scored 20 points and Terry Rozier added 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists. LaMelo Ball collected 16 points and six rebounds and Gordon Hayward added 15 points for the Hornets, who have lost five in a row.

Kings 130, Rockets 128

De’Aaron Fox sank three free throws with 0.3 seconds remaining and Sacramento completed a season sweep of host Houston.

Fox (31 points, 11 assists) scored the final seven points for the Kings, who trailed 128-123 with 1:17 left. Domantas Sabonis added 22 points and nine rebounds for the Kings, while Malik Monk scored 17 off the bench.

Jalen Green scored 41 points on 14-of-22 shooting and Sengun scored 18 points to go with a career-high 11 assists and nine rebounds for Houston. Martin added 15 points — all in the first half — and Jae’Sean Tate added 16 for the Rockets, who committed 13 of their 19 turnovers in the second half. Sacramento scored 27 points off those turnovers.

Cavaliers 113, Pistons 85

Jarrett Allen finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds for his team-leading 23rd double-double of the season to lead Cleveland to a rout of visiting Detroit.

Evan Mobley added 19 points and eight rebounds for Cleveland, which won its fourth straight to continue a charge up the Eastern Conference standings. Bojan Bogdanovic, Detroit’s most prominent trade chip ahead of Thursday’s deadline, led the Pistons with 15 points. Jalen Duren had 14 points and nine rebounds for Detroit, which has lost five of its last six.

For the second time in three meetings with the Pistons this season, the Cavaliers were without their starting backcourt of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland. Taking their place were Raul Neto and Caris LeVert. Neto matched a season high with 14 points to go along with four steals and a season-best eight assists, while LeVert finished with 15 points.

Raptors 112, Spurs 98

Pascal Siakam had 37 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists to lead host Toronto past San Antonio for its third straight win. Chris Boucher added 18 points and 11 rebounds off the bench for the Raptors.

The Spurs, who have lost 10 consecutive games, got 22 points from Keldon Johnson and 14 from Josh Richardson.

Siakam did a lot of his damage early, going 7-for-7 from the field and scoring 18 points to help Toronto to a 34-24 lead after 12 minutes. He finished with 20 points in the first half as the Raptors shot 51.1 percent before intermission.

Celtics 106, 76ers 99

Jayson Tatum collected 12 points, nine assists and eight rebounds to lead depleted Boston past visiting Philadelphia.

Derrick White and Malcolm Brogdon each scored a team-high 19 points for Boston. Blake Griffin (15), Grant Williams (15) and Sam Hauser (14) also scored in double figures for the Celtics, who lost Jaylen Brown late in the first half to a facial contusion. Boston was also without point guard Marcus Smart (ankle), center Al Horford (knee swelling) and center Robert Williams (ankle).

Joel Embiid led the 76ers with a game-high 28 points and seven rebounds. Philadelphia also got 26 points and 11 assists from James Harden.

Heat 116, Pacers 111

Bam Adebayo scored 38 points on 12-for-16 shooting from the floor and a 14-for-14 effort from the foul line as host Miami defeated reeling Indiana.

Jimmy Butler added 25 points and a team-high seven assists as Miami won a season-best seventh straight home game. Caleb Martin added 12 points, a team-high 11 rebounds and four steals.

The Pacers, who were led by Buddy Hield’s 29 points, have lost 13 of their past 15 games. Indiana also has dropped 10 straight road games. Myles Turner added 21 points and 10 rebounds.

Timberwolves 143, Jazz 118

Capping a wild few hours on and off the court, Anthony Edwards scored 31 points and Jaylen Nowell added a career-high 30 as Minnesota routed Utah in Salt Lake City, right after the teams reportedly agreed to be part of a major three-way trade.

Collin Sexton scored 22 points and Lauri Markkanen added 21 to lead the Jazz. Both squads played short-handed due to injuries (Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert, Kyle Anderson and Karl-Anthony Towns), a league suspension (the Timberwolves’ Austin Rivers) or players involved in the trade between the Jazz, Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers sitting out.

In the reported transaction, the Lakers receive D’Angelo Russell from Minnesota and Utah’s Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt; the Timberwolves acquire Jazz guards Mike Conley and Nickeil Alexander-Walker along with three second-round picks; and Utah picks up Russell Westbrook, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones and a lightly protected 2027 first-round pick from Los Angeles.

–Field Level Media

Damian Lillard had 33 points as part of a triple-double and the Portland Trail Blazers spoiled Klay Thompson’s birthday with a 125-122 victory over the visiting Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night.

Jordan Poole had a game-high 38 points for the Warriors, including a 3-pointer that put the visitors up 114-110 with 5:48 to go.

Golden State didn’t score again until a Poole interior hoop with 46.0 seconds left, a stretch during which the Trail Blazers scored 11 straight points to take command with a seven-point lead.

Jerami Grant had seven of the 11 points, including a three-point play that broke a 114-all tie with 4:31 to go and give Portland the lead for good.

Lillard used a 16-for-16 night at the free-throw line to account for almost half his team-high point total. He made just one of his seven 3-point attempts as the Trail Blazers were able to overcome a 63-24 disadvantage in points from beyond the arc.

Portland’s big edge came at the foul line, where the hosts went 31-for-32, while the Warriors were just 9-for-10.

Lillard complemented his scoring with a game-high 11 assists and a game-high-tying 10 rebounds, giving him just the second triple-double of his career. His other came in January of 2020 against the Houston Rockets.

Shaedon Sharpe added 13 points, Anfernee Simons 11, and Jabari Walker and Drew Eubanks 10 for Portland, which snapped a two-game losing streak.

Poole also found time for a team-high seven assists and shot 7-for-12 on 3-pointers for the Warriors, who went 21-for-49 as a team in the absence of NBA 3-point king Stephen Curry, who remains out with a knee injury.

Thompson celebrated his 33rd birthday with 31 points. Andrew Wiggins and Donte DiVincenzo chipped in with 18 points apiece for Golden State, which saw a two-game winning streak come to an end. Wiggins completed a double-double with a team-high 10 rebounds.

–Field Level Media

Kyrie Irving scored 24 points and dished out five assists in his Dallas Mavericks debut and Tim Hardaway Jr. added 19 points to power a 110-104 victory over the host Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.

Irving, who was officially acquired from the Brooklyn Nets on Monday, was 9 of 17 from the field with his new team as he helped pick up the slack for an absent Luka Doncic, who missed his third consecutive game with a heel injury.

The Mavericks have won four of their past five games as they await the debut of an Irving-Doncic duo, which could happen as early as Friday or Saturday, when they play a pair of road games against the Sacramento Kings.

Norman Powell scored 24 points and Terance Mann added 21 for the Clippers, who lost in their return home. Los Angeles went 4-2 on a road trip through the Eastern Conference as they vacated their arena for the Grammy Awards.

Paul George scored 20 points and Kawhi Leonard had 18 as the Clippers failed to close out a season-series win. The teams split their four games this season.

The Mavericks opened with plenty of energy with Irving in the starting lineup. They led by as many as 19 in the first quarter and held a 41-25 lead after one period. Irving missed his first two shots in a Mavericks uniform before making a jumper from the side of the key four minutes into the game.

Dallas’ Reggie Bullock made his first five 3-point attempts, all in the first quarter, and finished with 18 points.

The Clippers closed within 60-52 at halftime and cut the deficit to 79-78 before the Mavericks took an 81-78 lead into the fourth quarter.

Dallas increased the advantage to 94-84 on a 3-pointer from Theo Pinson with 6:41 to play and closed out the game from there as Irving scored eight points over the final period.

Josh Green scored 14 points for the Mavericks, while Dwight Powell had 10. Irving played 37 minutes in his first game against the Clippers since Feb. 21, 2021, as a member of the Nets.

–Field Level Media