Australia's Ben Simmons has returned from a five-game absence amid doubt around his NBA future to help the Brooklyn Nets snap a seven-game

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Keon Johnson led a balanced Brooklyn attack with 18 points, and the Nets snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 104-83 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night. Jalen Wilson added 15 points and Tosan Evbuomwan had 14 for the Nets,

Fernandez refused to pull the plug, and his team left it all on the court. The Nets rolled to a 104-84 win, improved to 15-33 this season and snapped a seven-game losing streak in the process. It was Brooklyn’s first victory since it defeated the Portland Trail Blazers on the road on Jan. 14.

The Thunder and Cavaliers continue to earn straight A's, while the Pelicans and Wizards may need to stay after school.

The Nets are believed to be seeking two first-round draft picks or one pick and a top young prospect. The Kings seem to be unwilling to trade third-year forward Keegan Murray or rookie guard Devin Carter, so it might be difficult to get a deal done before the Feb. 6 trade deadline.

If the Sixers don’t fall within the first six selections in May’s NBA draft lottery, they would lose their first-round pick in the NBA draft, which is expected to be a strong class.

Being a general manager is incredibly difficult. Tasked with building a championship-worthy team, these executives do their best to balance tough

But Clowney has hit a cold spell since last Wednesday against the Clippers — when, to be fair, the Nets lost by a staggering 59 points and nobody covered themselves in glory. But in the prior five games, he’d averaged 15.4 points, five boards and a steal, looking the part of a solid piece going forward.

Before the 76ers played the Denver Nuggets in Ball Arena, Maxey received a nice gift from a child– himself in Lego form. The 24-year-old appreciated the creative gesture and signed the boy's jersey. Unfortunately, the feel-good moment did not carry over into the game.

Nothing - not even the return of the franchise player - can right the ship in a meaningful way until they all look in the mirror.

Tyrese Maxey will look to follow up a great three-point shooting night with another, as his Philadelphia 76ers take on the Denver Nuggets. In New York, can Ben Simmons dish out at least eight assists against the New York Knicks?

Rivers spent three seasons navigating the NBA gantlet peppered with Embiid health issues. The former MVP has played in only 13 of the Sixers’ 41 games.