分類: 综合

On Sunday evening, the Atlanta Hawks picked up their fourth consecutive win with a home win over the Portland Trail Blazers. It was another great game for recent trade acquisition Jonathan Kuminga, who scored 20 points off the bench in his third game since joining the lineup.

Kuminga was recently acquired by the Hawks from the Golden State Warriors in exchange for big man Kristaps Porzingis, and at one point during Sunday’s game, Kuminga threw down a dangerous tomahawk dunk, followed by another contested left-handed slam.

The Hawks announcers saw Jonathan Kuminga wave his hands in the air on the dunk and immediately started clowning for the Warriors to give up on him 😭😭

“Thank you Golden State Warriors! We appreciate it”

“How you give up on a young man with that potential is beyond me.” pic.twitter.com/7faJmMPiI5

– Hater Report (@HaterReport) 2 March 2026

After the epic play, Hawks legend and commentator Dominique Wilkins shouted out the Warriors for their role in the Kuminga deal.

“Thank you to the Golden State Warriors. We appreciate it,” Wilkins said. “…How you give up on a young man with that potential is beyond me.”

Making matters more embarrassing for the Warriors is the fact that Porzingis has played just one game in Golden State, suffering from an illness that also plagued him during his brief stint with Atlanta.

Overall, Kuminga fits the Hawks’ vision of building a team of young, athletic wings who can run the floor and push the ball in transition. It should be noted that Kuminga’s three appearances in Atlanta have come against less than stellar competition, but for Atlanta fans who have endured a disappointing 2025-26 season so far, they are glad they have something to cheer about.

There are certainly concerns about having Kuminga, Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels out of the lineup, especially as it relates to the trio’s ability to drain perimeter shots. However, if they can improve in that department, Atlanta could have an interesting young tandem of versatile wings on their hands.

In any case, the Hawks will look to pick up their fifth consecutive win against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night.

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s return from injury will give the Bucks an extra boost when the Boston Celtics face the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday. While the Bucks will be getting a boost, the Celtics will be lacking as star wing Jaylen Brown is going to miss the game due to illness according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

Brown has been the driving force behind the Celtics’ success this season, playing at an MVP level in the absence of Jayson Tatum. The Celtics have surprised many people this season and have exceeded expectations. This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

The Celtics say Jaylen Brown (illness), Neemias Quetta (rest) and Jayson Tatum (Achilles) will all miss tonight’s game against Milwaukee … while the Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo has been upgraded to questionable after a five-week absence.

– Mark Stein (@TheSteinLine) 2 March 2026

Ever since the Houston Rockets lost Fred VanVleet to a potential season-ending injury before the year started, it has been reported that they have explored the market for a veteran point guard. One such player became available this weekend when the Dallas Mavericks opted to release Tyus Jones at his request.

However, according to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Rockets could look for point guard help in the final stretch of the regular season, but they reportedly have no plans to make any roster moves at this time.

Right now, the Rockets have an open roster spot that could potentially go to Tyus Jones at some point following his release. Jones has until the final day of the regular season, April 12, to sign with a team to be eligible to play in the playoffs.

Before his release, Jones had appeared in eight games for the Mavericks, including two starts, averaging a little over 16 minutes per game. He averaged 3.9 points, 1.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists, while shooting only 38.2 percent from the field and 21.1 percent from the 3-point line. Jones was acquired by the Mavericks at the trade deadline in a deal with the Charlotte Hornets involving Malachi Brahman.

Since the start of the season, the Rockets have gone with a larger lineup, using Amen Thompson at point guard in VanVleet’s absence. His primary backup has been Reed Shepard, while veteran Aaron Holiday may also play minutes. Should the Rockets sign Jones, it’s unclear exactly where he would fit on the depth chart.

Milwaukee Bucks superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has not played in more than five weeks, is set to return from his calf injury on Monday night against the Boston Celtics, as first reported by ESPN. He will face a minutes restriction in his first game in more than a month.

As of 1:30 pm ET on Monday, the Bucks have listed Giannis as questionable for Monday night’s game.

Antetokounmpo has not played since Jan. 23, when the Bucks lost 102-100 to the Denver Nuggets. Earlier in the game, Giannis suffered a worrisome right calf strain that sidelined him during the All-Star break and an eventful trade deadline where the two-time MVP was brought up in trade conversations around the league.

Although several teams, including the Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat, held direct talks with the Bucks about a trade for Giannis before the February 5 trade deadline, Milwaukee was never serious in its intent to trade the multi-time All-Star, league sources told ClutchPoints.

The teams that were showing heavy interest in Antetokounmpo never once felt that Giannis being traded in the middle of the season was a real possibility, and the Bucks informed him of this hours before the trade deadline.

Without Giannis, the Bucks have actually had quite a bit of success, winning eight of their last 15 games and moving within three games of the Charlotte Hornets for the 10-seed in the Eastern Conference standings. Cam Thomas, Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. have been great playing off each other in the Bucks’ backcourt.

The Bucks are still attempting to make the playoffs this season, and Giannis has made it clear to the organization that he has no intentions of sitting out the remainder of the year. This is why the organization is not following in the footsteps of those finishing at the bottom of the league standings and conceding the season.

With Antetokounmpo returning to the lineup on Monday night against Boston, the Bucks will look to keep their momentum in a positive direction. After their game against the Celtics, who are playing their second game in as many nights, Milwaukee will enter a number of games against some teams with losing records and other teams battling major injury concerns.

There’s potentially a way to find success and move up in the standings, which is why the Bucks and Antetokounmpo are still fighting entering March.

In 30 games this season, Giannis is averaging 28.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game, while shooting 64.5 percent from the floor. Missing more than 17 games this season resulted in him being ineligible for season-ending awards and honors, meaning Antetokounmpo’s streak of seven consecutive All-NBA first-team selections and nine straight All-NBA selections overall has ended.

Dallas Mavericks cornerback Cooper Flagg has missed the last seven games due to a foot injury, putting his Rookie of the Year chances in serious doubt heading into the final seven weeks of the season. Tuesday night’s road matchup against the Charlotte Hornets will give him a chance to surpass former Duke roommate Kon Knueppel, his biggest competition for the aforementioned award. Flagg is not expected to suit up at Spectrum Center, but his return is imminent.

NBA correspondent Mark Stein writes in his Substack, “Mavericks coach Jason Kidd has already announced that Flagg ‘probably won’t’ play in another Rookie of the Year showdown against the Hornets’ Kon Nueppel on Tuesday in Charlotte… but stay tuned.” “The one game that certainly matters just as much for the Maine-raised flag – Dallas’s lone trip to Boston of the season – is Friday night.”

The 19-year-old suffered a mid-left hamstring sprain against the Phoenix Suns on Feb. 10 and is certainly becoming a concern after being confined to the sidelines. Dallas doesn’t mind improving its NBA Draft Lottery odds until the flag is fixed, but the organization understands how much the TD Garden game means to the New England native. Although a sea of ​​green will still fill the arena, the Mavs phenom is sure to get a warm welcome in Boston.

Cooper Flagg is scoring a rookie-leading 20.4 points per contest while shooting 48.2 percent from the field and 30.2 percent from 3-point land. He averaged 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals in 49 games. Knueppel is emerging as a new ROTY favorite after making history from beyond the arc, but no one can underestimate the burden the No. 1 overall pick has had to endure amid the Mavericks’ injury troubles and organizational idiosyncrasies.

Flagg would ideally gain valuable experience after facing substantial adversity in his first NBA season. He doesn’t need to win any hardware this year to know he has a promising career ahead of him. If the teenager can continue to improve and finish the campaign strongly, both he and the franchise will be thrilled in the summer.

ClutchPoints will keep you informed about the latest injury updates around the flag.

It looks like the Boston Celtics are on the verge of seeing Jayson Tatum return after suffering a setback during last year’s playoffs.

According to The Stein Report on Substack, Marc Stein, a veteran basketball writer, believes in a “conspiracy theory” as to when and why Tatum will return. Basically, Tatum would like to return to the Celtics’ games on NBC.

“PPS – Boston has games March 10 (at San Antonio) and March 22 (home game against Minnesota) on NBC. If you buy the conspiracy theory that Jayson Tatum wants to make his comeback from an Achilles tear the network is running extended coverage behind the scenes of his rehab.”

However, media personality Bill Simmons believes Tatum will return much earlier on Friday against the Dallas Mavericks.

Tatum suffered an Achilles injury during the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the New York Knicks last May. A series in which the Celtics lost in six games.

Tatum finished last season averaging 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game.

Currently, the Celtics have the second-best record in the Eastern Conference at 40–20. At the same time, they have won eight of their last ten matches.

Tatum won an NBA championship with Boston in 2024. He is also a 6-time NBA All-Star and was the 2023 NBA All-Star Game MVP.

Additionally, he has won two Olympic gold medals with Team USA, in Tokyo in 2020 and Paris in 2024.

Tatum has been with Boston since the 2017–18 NBA season as the third overall pick out of Duke.

As the NBA world reacts to the New York Knicks breaking Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs’ 11-game winning streak, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst sees it as a warning to fans. Wembanyama and the Spurs’ crushing 114–89 loss to the Knicks ended a long winning streak, but also put San Antonio’s weaknesses on full display.

Spurs never recovered from 19-0 Knicks run in the second quarterThat reminded some of his inexperience, Windhorst said, according to ESPN’s First Take.

Windhorst said, “I’m not going to overreact to the afternoon’s game at the Garden. If you’re making the case why Spurs won’t win, you saw it yesterday.” “When the Knicks threw some punches at them they couldn’t handle it. It was a 19-0 run in the second quarter. You’re not going to win a playoff game when you give up a 19-0 run on the road. So, you see things like that.”

The Spurs also finished 9-for-34 from beyond the 3-point arc (26.5%) against the Knicks.

“They are still, as a team, inconsistent on 3-point shots. When they get to the playoffs, opposing teams, when they’ve got a fully fleshed out game plan for a playoff series, they’re going to force them to take threes. And they want Victor Wembanyama to take threes. They’re still a bottom 10 3-point percentage shooting team. Whether you like it or not, the NBA is still 3-point. League.”

“If you’re making the case why Spurs won’t win, you saw it yesterday.”

—@WindhorstESPN On the concerns over the Spurs’ NBA title hopes 👀 pic.twitter.com/EDFohIBK2g

– First Tech (@FirstTech) 2 March 2026

Brian Windhorst says 3-point shooting and experience are glaring weaknesses for the Spurs.

Victor Wembanyama’s confession after Spurs defeat

Spurs All-Star Victor Wembanyama took responsibility for Sunday’s 25-point loss to the Knicks. While admitting that the Knicks’ defense prevented them from finding their offensive rhythm, Wembanyama also said that he wished he would have passed the ball more, as the Spurs were in a heavy deficit.

“I think they had some physicality, but not what we’ve seen… For some reason, we were a little hesitant… I was especially hesitant on threes… I was holding the ball too much… We gave them a breather. We should have been better, especially in the first quarter. That was the game.”

Wembanyama finished with 25 points on 8-for-17 shooting, 13 rebounds and four blocks in Sunday’s loss.

Victor Wembanyama and Spurs have been performing highly this season. They are firmly in the Western Conference playoff race, sitting at the second seed in the conference, and within striking distance of the Oklahoma City Thunder for the top seed. But the Knicks were able to figure out how to cool down a hot San Antonio squad.

It appears that teams will choose to get physical with Wembanyama to take him off his game, as the Pistons attempted to show in their loss last Monday. This time, it appeared that the Knicks were able to crack the winning formula with their aggressive defensive coverage and Wembanyama recognized this in postgame comments received by Hector Ledesma.

“I think they had some physicality, but not what we’ve seen… For some reason, we were a little hesitant… I was especially hesitant on threes… I was holding the ball too much… We gave them a breather. We should have been better, especially in the first quarter. That was the game.”

Wembanyama made it clear that the Knicks gameplan impressed him and it was something he was aware of.

“They’re a good basketball team, but they’re not like the worst team. They’re not an ugly team to watch, but they’ve made our game ugly.”

Still, Vembanyama doesn’t think the team is going backward.

“I don’t see any downside. I think it’s good for us to see such adversity. We want to play the best teams. This is a top-seeded playoff team – experience. They know what it’s like, and they gave us a good performance today.”

Earlier this week, the Phoenix Suns opted to shake things up by waiving guard Cole Anthony, who the team acquired in a recent trade with the Milwaukee Bucks. The move was relatively surprising for a Suns team that is currently low on perimeter scoring, with both Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks sidelined.

Now, more details are emerging on Anthony’s post-verdict move.

“The Suns are converting Jamari Bouia from his two-way deal to a standard contract after waiving Cole Anthony,” ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel, formerly of the X, reported on Twitter.

Bouya has been a pleasant surprise for the Suns this year, averaging 6.5 points and 1.8 assists per game this season, and has consistently put pressure on opposing defenses with his speed, while also providing solid perimeter defense on the other end of the floor.

Anthony’s decision was necessary to ultimately pave the way for the Suns to convert Bouya from his two-way deal to a standard NBA contract.

Currently, the Suns are 34-26 on the season, and are in contention to secure one of the top six seeds in the Western Conference, which is where most pundits thought they would be at this point in the campaign after trading Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets last season.

Unfortunately, the Suns are currently down two of their top scorers in Booker and Brooks, who has been a revelation in Phoenix this year, expanding his offensive game while remaining an elite defender.

If Booker and Brooks are able to return to the lineup at some point in the near future, it would do wonders for the Suns’ potential ability to shock the NBA and secure one of the top six seeds in the conference.

The Denver Nuggets are on a two-game losing streak following losses to the Thunder and Timberwolves, but Jamal Murray is not discouraged. The team has been troubled by injuries to several key players, including Nikola Jokic, who was sidelined for 16 games with a left knee strain before returning. Nevertheless, the Nuggets found a way to remain among the top six teams in the Western Conference. But in February he had to face a lot of difficulties.

The Nuggets finished the month at 4–8, and despite picking up a big win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday evening, their losses to both Western Conference finalists did not lift the spirits. But Murray believes the team will fully realize its true promise when Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson return.

“Obviously it’s disappointing. It’s unnatural, but that’s OK. Once we get healthy and figure it out … we’ll be good. I’m excited for what’s in store for us,” Murray said, per comments obtained by ClutchPoints Nuggets reporter Rachel Strand.

The absence of a key starter in Watson and a reliable role player in Gordon has diminished the championship-level depth the Nuggets often enjoy. Gordon has been ruled out of the last 16 games after a promising start to the season. Meanwhile, Watson is out of the last nine matches. Following the team’s matchup with the Jazz on Monday evening, they took a short break before beginning a tough stretch facing playoff teams in both the East and West.

The schedule in early March will be the biggest test for the Nuggets, and getting back healthy will certainly help them weather the upcoming storm of competition.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and James Harden were nearly dealt a season-deciding injury blow on Wednesday. An X-ray of the star point guard’s right thumb revealed he suffered a non-displaced fracture against the New York Knicks on Tuesday. While the injury usually requires surgery, Harden never considered it an option.

“It’s too much time,” the Cavaliers star said after Sunday’s 106-102 win over the Brooklyn Nets. “Thought about playing the last game, thought about playing in Milwaukee. There’s going to be some discomfort, so just figuring out ways to fight. There’s no other option.”

James Harden asked if he’s considering surgery on his broken thumb:

“No. It’s too much time… there’s going to be some discomfort, so just figuring out ways to fight it… I have no other choice.” pic.twitter.com/PG2qe37o07

– Eric Slater (@erikslater_) 2 March 2026

Harden’s injury could have been a devastating blow to Cleveland’s title hopes. After a disappointing start to the season, the Cavaliers traded an injured Darius Garland for the 36-year-old Harden at the trade deadline. The availability of the latter was a driving force in its acquisition.

However, after injuring his thumb, it was unclear whether Harden would be able to play during the stretch run to end the regular season. With Donovan Mitchell also out with a groin injury, Harden missed the first two games of Cleveland’s road trip, suffering tough losses to the Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons.

The Cavaliers arrived in New York on Saturday and Harden went to the NBA Players Association gym to get his thumb tested.

“See if I can dribble,” he said of the goal of the workout. “If I can dribble, I can play. I still couldn’t dribble the way I wanted to, but it was good enough.”

Initially listed as questionable, Harden took the field against the Nets on Sunday.

James Harden playing for Cavaliers despite broken thumb

To the relief of Cavs fans, he broke through in the game and played well enough to earn the win. Harden logged 36 minutes, posting 29 points on 5 of 9 shooting from the field, 4 of 7 from three and 8 of 8 from the free-throw line, along with nine rebounds, eight assists and five turnovers.

“Too many turnovers,” he said of his performance. “Not being able to handle the ball properly. After this game, hopefully I’ll take a few days to rest and let it heal and then go from there.”

While Harden finished with a near triple-double, Kenny Atkinson noticed that he was not his usual self.

“You could see in the first half that he wasn’t 100%, obviously,” Atkinson said. “Just tipping the ball. Some of those turnovers weren’t his. Then I noticed he was tipping the ball a few times while bringing it up. Which he never does. Just probably needed to give it a break. It’s tough, especially for a guy who handles it as much as he does.

“I thought in the second half, we had that stretch where we were struggling and he kind of took over. Got to the free-throw line and then hit a couple threes. He’s a gamer. Kind of made it tough… We needed him. He played handicapped. But he still played well.”

The Cavaliers are currently the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference standings, two games ahead of the Toronto Raptors and 1.5 games behind the New York Knicks. Their next two games include two of their toughest tests since acquiring Harden.

Cleveland returns home for a rematch with the Pistons on Tuesday. They will then have four days off to rest Harden before back-to-back home contests against the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers.

Harden’s thumb will continue to be one of the top stories surrounding the Cavaliers in the coming weeks. However, the 11-time All-Star is adamant that he will do whatever it takes to remain on the court during his 36-year-old season.

“I love playing basketball even with no money,” Harden said. “Basketball is a thing that we do, and it’s a safe place. As you get better and start studying the game and start learning more and get comfortable, it’s the same with anything, you just get used to it. I’ve been fortunate to play in this league for as long as I have, and I’m still doing it at a high level. Even now, as I’ve gotten older. When I was younger, I’ve always been It felt like that, but I still realize I have a few more years left to play basketball, so I definitely cherish them and have no regrets about playing.

Despite putting in big numbers this year, Luka Doncic has faced heavy criticism this season. From the discussion about his foul play to a heliocentric game that people consider “undesirable”, Doncic has gone through a lot of discussion as the Lakers try to steady themselves in the final stretch of the regular season.

Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors star and host of his eponymous podcast, decided to weigh in on the discussion, taking the media to task for its criticism of Doncic, but saying it was the same criticism that prompted Harrison to be traded in the first place.

A lot of people crushed on Nico for the reasons he gave. When Nico gave those reasons everyone said he was ridiculous, he was crazy. Now when I turn on the TV all I see is the media that trashed Nico, which essentially got him fired, repeating the same things Nico Harrison was saying. I haven’t seen anyone come out and say, ‘Hey Nico, I’m sorry for the things I said about you when you did these things because I said the same things out of my own mouth.’

Green said, “It has nothing to do with Luca and it has nothing to do with the media and Nico Harrison. Nico gave his reasoning for why he felt it was the right move. Everyone said ‘You’re an idiot.’

Harrison’s criticism of Doncic focused on a mix of on-court and off-court factors. The former Mavericks star was due to receive a five-year, $345 million supermax extension in the summer of 2025 and Harrison raised issues about Doncic’s condition, off-court habits and a chronic calf strain that sidelined him to the point of being traded to the Lakers.

Harrison was eventually relieved of his duties with the Mavericks after a disappointing start to the season.

A few days ago the Los Angeles Lakers got a big win against the Golden State Warriors, but it was not good throughout the game. There was a moment when Luka Doncic came out of the game, as he walked to the bench, JJ Redick grabbed his wrist in an attempt to talk him down.

Doncic didn’t seem like he wanted to talk and moved his wrist away from Redic. The head coach followed Doncic until he reached his seat and the two had a conversation. Redick got the last word, and as he walked away, Doncic stood up as if he wanted to follow him. Additionally, Jared Vanderbilt stood up to Doncic so he wouldn’t chase Redick, and fans applaud him for doing so.

Luka had to back up from JJ Redick pic.twitter.com/cwyB61XAmy

– BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) 2 March 2026

“Shout out to Jared Vanderbilt,” one user wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

A second user wrote, “Vanderbilt clearly has the ability to try and spread the word here, while alternatively making it appear he is cheering. A+ teammate.”

Another user wrote, “Extend the wand. And put him in the fourth quarter for defensive purposes in close games against good teams. Thanks.”

A fourth user wrote: “Hats off to the man who is standing and stopping Luca from moving forward.”

Vanderbilt got a lot of props for standing up to stop Doncic from doing whatever he planned to do, but that would have drawn a lot of unnecessary attention.

It seems like Redick was probably holding Doncic accountable for something he did, and the Lakers star didn’t like what was said. They have probably recovered from the situation now, and can focus on the rest of the season while trying to get back on track.

The good news is that the Lakers have won their last two games, but they have some tough games coming up on their schedule.

The Denver Nuggets are currently facing a challenging stretch, having lost six of their last nine games, including a 117-108 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday. This slump has dropped them to fifth place in the Western Conference standings. Last week’s 128-117 loss to the Golden State Warriors highlighted late-game execution issues, with star center Nikola Jokic initially concerned about the team’s difficulty making open shots during key moments.

However, as per a report by Rachel Strand and noted by ClutchPoints, Jokic now views these struggles as a positive development for the defending champions.

Commenting on the team’s recent performance, he said, “It’s a good thing to happen. You’ll start worrying; you’ll start caring more. The struggle is good… you’ll play a little harder and better.”

“It’s a good thing to happen. You’ll start worrying, you’ll start caring more. The struggle is good… you’ll play a little harder and better.”

Nikola Jokic is going through a tough time on the Nuggets 🗣️

(via @milehighrachel) pic.twitter.com/LPme5cmXKH

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 2 March 2026

This perspective suggests the reigning MVP believes the current challenges can help eliminate complacency and sharpen the team’s focus on the postseason.

Guard Christian Braun also echoed this sentiment after last week’s game, emphasizing that the Nuggets’ challenges stemmed more from a lack of physicality and “not holding our spots” than from flaws in their overall gameplay.

With important matchups scheduled against the Utah Jazz and the strong Los Angeles Lakers, the Nuggets must find a way to increase their strength.

Jokic remains optimistic that experiencing the pressure of these defeats will ultimately motivate the team to improve its performance when it matters most.

On Sunday, Tyler Reddick made NASCAR history by becoming the first driver since 1949 to win the first three races of a season. This Duramax came to the Circuit of the Americas at the Texas Grand Prix. His car owner Michael Jordan was sitting next to him.

Jordan definitely knows a thing or two about three-peats.

After the win, Reddick decided to honor his car owner by recreating Jordan’s iconic three-peat image.

pic.twitter.com/D8ZS9NVkbf

– Tyler Reddick (@TylerReddick) 2 March 2026

The original image was taken after Game 6 of the 1993 NBA Finals. The Chicago Bulls defeated the Phoenix Suns in a tough six-game series for their first three-peat. At the time, the Bulls were the first team in NBA history to win three consecutive championships, following the Celtics’ 1960s dynasty.

A year later, Jordan had a bat and glove in his hand while playing for the Birmingham Barons in Minor League Baseball. In 1995, he came back, and by the next season, the Bulls were on top again. From 1996 to 1998, Jordan and company achieved their second three-peat.

Jordan co-owns 23XI Racing with NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin. In addition to Reddick, Bubba Wallace drives the No. 45 Toyota Camry. Riley Herbst drives the No. 35 Toyota, and Corey Heim is a development driver.

Reddick is coming off wins in the Daytona 500 and next weekend’s Autotrader 400.

Jordan has been involved with 23XI Racing since 2020. Overall, he has won 12 races. Most recently, Jordan was heavily involved in an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR regarding its charter system. Ultimately, a compromise was reached, whereby team owners were granted permanent charters.

On Saturday, February 28, 2026, CM Punk defeated Finn Balor to retain his World Heavyweight Championship at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. While his wife, AJ Lee, won the Women’s Intercontinental Title from Becky Lynch earlier in the night, Punk’s entrance and victory became the talking point.

Before Punk entered the arena, he was shown backstage, where “Serious” by The Alan Parsons Project was played. The song was popularly used for the starting lineup introduction of the NBA’s Chicago Bulls during the time of NBA legend Michael Jordan. As Punk entered, he also received a Bulls-style introduction before his entrance theme “Cult of Personality” hit.

Later in the post-show at Elimination Chamber, Punk explained his Bulls-inspired entrance. “That song, The Alan Parsons Project, obviously belongs at the United Center as the introduction to the Bulls Dynasty. There’s a statue of a guy named Michael Jordan in the vestibule. It was also Ricky Steamboat’s entrance to much of his time in WWE.

“Ladies and gentlemen, it’s a magical song and I get goosebumps just thinking about it and talking about it. But the best thing about that entrance is these people are behind me. And when I say people are behind me, I mean the entire city of Chicago, because they’re always behind me,” Punk said.

Following his victory over Balor, Punk ended his segment celebrating with the brand new Women’s Intercontinental Champion and his wife AJ Lee. “The Second City Saint” is now scheduled to fight Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 42 with his world title intact.

Over the past few years, player agent Rich Paul has seen his influence grow. Many believe that his work at Klutch Sports has led him to become one of the most influential figures in the NBA, including handling Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.

Rumors even surfaced that Paul and James are planning to purchase an expansion team in Las Vegas if approved by the NBA. Las Vegas has often been mentioned as a possible destination for the league’s 31st team due to its sports market and economic feasibility.

However, Paul flatly denied this on his podcast, “Game Over.”

Paul said, “I don’t know where any truth or merit comes from in that. But what I would say to understand the importance of buying a team is, one, I don’t have enough money to buy a team, I really don’t.”

“Today, at least last time I checked, I would have needed to pretty much zero in on what I saw. Still, no. But I would say when thinking about buying a team, and I think you mentioned Vegas, this is not a team I would want to buy.”

According to Forbes, 45-year-old Paul has a net worth of $120 million. When his co-host, Max Kellerman, asked why he did not envision forming a team in Sin City, Paul claimed “There’s no point in it.”

Paul said, “If you’re buying a team, it’s a huge asset. You want the opportunity for growth, and when I look at buying a team and most teams, people say they lose money.”

“If I owned a team, I would be one of those owners who wouldn’t mind paying taxes because paying taxes means you’re making a valiant effort to win every year.”

Currently, the average value of a franchise in the NBA is approximately $4 billion to $5 billion.

The NBA has held the Summer League in Las Vegas for the past several years and experts believe it is ripe for expansion. Las Vegas already has a team in the WNBA, NFL and NHL.

Even if Paul isn’t interested, there are certainly other wealthy people willing to take a bet on starting a team in Las Vegas.

Kawhi Leonard accomplished an impressive feat in franchise history after his performance in the Los Angeles Clippers’ win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday night.

Leonard is in the 15th season of his NBA career, his seventh with the Clippers. Despite injuries impacting his time with the franchise, he continued to shine as one of the league’s best veteran stars when healthy.

His latest game against New Orleans was another example of his elite skills. In 29 minutes of action, Leonard finished with a stat line of 23 points, five assists, three rebounds and one steal. He shot 8 of 18 from the field, including 1 of 7 from beyond the arc and 6 of 7 from the free-throw line.

As a result, Leonard has maintained his 20-point streak for the 37th consecutive game. As a result, according to reporter Tomer Azzarly, he made franchise history by tying with Bob McAdoo in statistical scoring.

“Kawhi Leonard has extended his streak of 20+ point games to 37 straight. This is the third-longest streak in franchise history. Kawhi becomes the only player in franchise history to score 20 points in 37 consecutive games, joining Bob McAdoo,” Azarly wrote.

Kawhi Leonard, how the Clippers played against the Pelicans

Kawhi Leonard’s impressive performance continues, leading the Clippers to a dominant 137-117 win over the Pelicans.

Five players scored in double figures for Los Angeles in the win, including Leonard. Jordan Miller delivered a strong performance with 19 points, eight assists, three steals and two rebounds. He made 5 of 6 shots overall, including 1 of 1 from downtown and 8 of 11 from the charity stripe. Derrick Jones Jr. was next with 17 points and two rebounds, Brook Lopez had 16 points and seven rebounds, while John Collins provided 15 points and seven rebounds.

Los Angeles improved to a 28–31 record on the season and finished ninth in the Western Conference standings. They are above the Portland Trail Blazers and Memphis Grizzlies while trailing the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns.

The Clippers will look forward to their next matchup while on the road. They will take on the Warriors as tip-off takes place on March 2 at 10 PM ET.

ATLANTA – Over the past few years, Onyeka Okongwu hasn’t been afraid to let the three-ball fly, and teams have empowered him to keep shooting it. Results like tonight happen when you keep shooting it, and Okongwu’s seven three-pointers led the Hawks to a 135-101 win against the Portland Trail Blazers.

When the Hawks played the Trail Blazers earlier this season, Okongwu shot 15 three-pointers, but could only make five of them. This time, he took 12.

After a few players fell down in the first quarter, he looked at the Trail Blazers’ bench and pointed out how many threes they had at the moment.

“I know a coach there,” Okongwu said. “I was looking at him like, ‘You let me shoot all night?’ Then, after my fourth, I asked them to change the coverage.

Fun fact: They didn’t change the coverage.

Okongwu basically stayed on the perimeter all night, compensating for Donovan Clingan’s paint presence and forcing him to step up to the three-point line to defend himself.

“When I make a one, two, or three, they have to do something about it,” Okongwu said. “When it rains, it pours.”

“He tells everybody in the locker room he’s the best shooter in the locker room,” Dyson Daniels said. “So if they leave him open like that, he’s got to go out and prove it. When he’s hot and knocks them down like he did, you find him, even when he’s not knocking them down. We’re confident.” [Okongwu] To take those shots; We want him to take those shots. “It helps our team.”

That rain turned into a big storm for the Trail Blazers, as the Hawks continued to drain three-pointers, use their lightning speed to score points in transition, and throw down several emphatic dunks throughout the game. But it all started with how Okongwu created the environment to begin with.

“Before the game, they were joking saying shoot 20 threes tonight. Everyone was telling me to shoot them if they wanted to play with me like that. And tonight, they had to pay for it,” Okongwu said.

“You become more confident when your teammates trust you,” Quin Snyder said. “Guys were looking for him. We talked about not trying to attack the rim if the rim is safe. Those were the shots we saw him take and make. The last few games, he didn’t shoot as good as he wanted to, but he came in and did the extra work, and it showed tonight.”

If there’s one person who has helped build confidence in Okongwu to shoot the ball, it’s Snyder. Since he became the head coach, Okongwu has shot more three-pointers every season. After a while, Snyder designed plays for Okongwu to get open looks on the perimeter.

Now, Okongwu’s three-pointers come in the flow of the offense, and teams have to come out and try to guard him.

It seemed like the Trail Blazers didn’t want to make any adjustments to their game plan, so Okongwu continued to make shots. He finished the game with 25 points, 10 rebounds and six assists as the Hawks finished their homestand with their fourth consecutive win.

There are many words to describe Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic. But for coach JJ Redick, one adjective stands out, and he heard it from an old mentor.

The Lakers earned an easy win for the second consecutive night after defeating the Sacramento Kings 128-104 at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday. They defeated the Golden State Warriors 129-101 on Saturday at Chase Center.

Doncic was remarkable in both games. Against the Kings, he had a game-high 28 points on 10 of 16 shooting, five rebounds and nine assists. Despite slipping on the floor in the third quarter, he made a spectacular shot.

When asked about it, coach JJ Redick had the perfect word to describe Doncic: Daring.

“Coach K always used the word ‘courageous,'” he said, referring to his former coach at Duke, Mike Krzyzewski, in a video posted by Khobi Price of the California Post.

“There is courage in Luka’s game. One of the many reasons that makes him such a special player.”

JJ Redick on this shot from Luka Doncic: “Coach K always used the word daring; daring is in Luka’s game. One of the many reasons that makes him such a special player.” https://t.co/mgJ6yaREa3 pic.twitter.com/F21IikmqFe

– Khobi Price (@khobi_price) 2 March 2026

Since entering the NBA as a teenager from Slovenia, Doncic has mesmerized fans with his daring performances, including making shots from beyond the three-point area and delivering nearly impossible passes.

He has mastered court angles, using his high intelligence and speed to beat defenders despite his lack of speed and athleticism.

Doncic’s highlight reel is full of how-ever shots he made, and he’ll happily add his wild bucket against the Kings to it.

Redick has known Doncic since they were teammates on the Dallas Mavericks, and while the second-year coach isn’t afraid to rein in his players, he wouldn’t dare demand his prized star change his style.

LOS ANGELES – After a three-game losing streak, the Los Angeles Lakers managed to get back on track with consecutive blowout wins, most recently a 128-104 win against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday. During the Lakers’ loss, fans and media alike criticized him, and then started singing praises after the win, but Luka Doncic didn’t pay any attention to it.

After the Lakers’ win against the Kings, Luka Doncic talked about not thinking too far ahead and staying grounded while blocking out what outside voices have to say.

“Obviously it was two great wins. But we have to take it game by game,” Doncic said. “Obviously there’s a lot of noise outside. I try not to pay attention to that. We’ve got to go game by game and the last two games have been good.”

Doncic did his part in helping the Lakers get the narrow win. He finished with a game-high 28 points in 29 minutes while shooting 10 of 16 from the field, 4 of 8 from the 3-point line and 4 of 7 from the free-throw line. He also added five rebounds, nine assists, one steal and one blocked shot.

Earlier in the season, Doncic was a strong contender for the MVP award. Although those discussions have cooled off since then, it’s possible he finds himself back in the running depending on how the rest of the Lakers’ season goes.

Doncic currently leads the NBA in scoring with 32.6 points per game. He also averaged 7.7 rebounds, 8.6 assists and 1.4 steals while splitting 47.1 percent shooting from the field, 35.8 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 77.5 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

Following the Lakers’ win against the Warriors, head coach JJ Redick spoke about his confidence in the team still being able to reach the level of competitiveness he wants them to perform on a consistent basis. After the win against the Kings, he also admitted not to get too caught up in outside noise.

“The world has fallen for us 19 times. It’s part of the nature of this cycle,” Redick said. “As I’ve talked about every game, our players have bounced back and responded well throughout the season. We’re tied for fifth and a few games into the loss column and none of these teams are coming at us. We’re just going to keep playing to win.”

The Lakers’ next chance to add to their current winning streak is on Tuesday, March 3 against the New Orleans Pelicans.

DeAndre Ayton recently made headlines when he expressed his frustrations about his role for the Los Angeles Lakers. He was heard saying that the Lakers were turning him into “Clint Capela”, as if that in itself was a bad thing.

It seems as if Ayton wants a bigger role in the Lakers offense rather than being relegated to a roll man/dive option for players like Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James. But Ayton hasn’t shown enough consistency to warrant that kind of involvement in the Lakers offense.

Capela has known her role from day one and has tried to be the best version of herself as possible. And from the perspective of retired big man Channing Frye, he urged the Lakers center to do just that in a fiery speech on the Road Trippin’ Show.

“Deandre Ayton is not an expert at anything. In what world would I play basketball to Deandre Ayton when I’m messing with Austin Reeves, LeBron and Luka. Stop it. You’re going to fire JJ Redick. Who’s running those plays? When have you seen consistency in that guy? You’ve never seen it. So he said, ‘They want me to be Clint Capela.’ “Yeah, crap, he’s averaging double that for most of his career,” Fry said.

Deandre Ayton needs to buy into his role for the Lakers

Ayton’s offensive game hasn’t developed enough for him to be a consistent night-in-night option for the Lakers. It may be better to try to help the Lakers win rather than trying to do it your own way.

The 27-year-old big man has flourished on a winning team in the past, as he was the starting center on a team that was two wins away from winning the title. So it’s not that he doesn’t know what it takes to win. Now maybe it’s time for him to look in the mirror and admit that he probably isn’t “the one.”

The Los Angeles Lakers were so in control of Sunday night’s contest against the Sacramento Kings that it looked like Luka Doncic had to pull out a few tricks from the deepest recesses of his bag to entertain himself and the fans at Crypto.com Arena. With less than four minutes left in the third quarter, Doncic nailed an improbable three-pointer after a move that belongs more in streetball than in a professional basketball setting.

Doncic found himself pinned down by Kings defender Daquan Plowden and tried to hightail it to the basket. But as soon as he saw Plowden off balance, Doncic tried to step back for a three-pointer. Even he couldn’t match his speed and eventually slipped, but he still had control over the basketball. He then proceeded to dribble behind the line perform an inclined triple drill On the competition of Plowden.

“I did it on purpose. And the -1 mixtape? That’s what they were saying on the bench,” Doncic said in his postgame presser, via Khobi Price of the California Post.

Luka Doncic: “I did it on purpose. And 1 mixtape? That’s what they were saying on the bench.” https://t.co/mgJ6yaREa3 pic.twitter.com/rML58vYimu

– Khobi Price (@khobi_price) 2 March 2026

Doncic may have said he did it intentionally in jest, but it’s hard not to take him seriously at this point. After all, the Lakers were toying with the Kings all night, and that shot only proves that they were far ahead of them on the night.

Luka Doncic, Lakers bring good vibes

The Lakers have been a little inconsistent lately, and considering Deandre Ayton isn’t very happy with his role for the team, the vibes haven’t been too spotty. But this win over the Kings at least helped boost the morale of the entire team, and Doncic’s And-1 mixtape-esque shot served to further unify the team.

The Lakers will look to continue their winning ways on Tuesday when they take on the New Orleans Pelicans at home.

Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant is unquestionably a future first ballot Hall of Famer and he is definitely in the discussion as to who is the best scorer to ever play for the NBA. Durant’s legacy is secure; He has two championships to his name, has won two Finals MVPs, and he was a regular season MVP in 2014.

However, Durant’s investigation makes sense. He gave up some legacy points by joining the Golden State Warriors (where he won a title), and he has yet to blossom into the undisputed best player on any team. He came close a few times with the Oklahoma City Thunder but pulled the plug just as OKC was reaching its peak with the Durant-Russell Westbrook duo.

Now, many are convinced Durant can’t hack it as “the man” — Houston-based rapper Killa Kylan said in a guest appearance on the Road Trippin’ Show’s Perk Unplugged segment that the Rockets star serves as a competing team’s “Robin,” not “Batman.”

“I’m going to say this, and I’m going to say it looking into the camera. Easy Money, I rock with you my boy, but you’re the best Robin to ever play basketball. You’re not Batman. That’s not Batman,” said Killa Kylon.

“He’s good for scoring, no doubt about that. He can pick off the son of a b***h and perform well, but when you need that team leadership and when you need that nucleus to be Batman, he’s not going to be Bruce Wayne.”

The Rockets’ Kevin Durant remains one of the most polarizing stars of all time

No one can ever dispute the greatness of Durant. But some people feel as if he has betrayed the game by joining the Warriors, and he has lagged behind in every successful stop. With the Brooklyn Nets, he could only reach the second round. His Phoenix Suns career ended badly. And with the Rockets, according to the rapper, he’s still not the “Batman” the team needs.

“I’m going to tell you this, he’s Nightwing. Nightwing was the best motherf**king version of Robin ever. He was ultimately a superhero of the caliber of Batman, but he always lived in the shadows. Wherever he went, he was never a bus driver,” Killa Kylan said.

Detroit Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham’s MVP case continues to gain significant momentum. The Pistons recently defeated the Orlando Magic 106-92. This marks the most regular season wins for Detroit since 2007–08 with 45, and the Pistons’ All-Star was a major reason for that.

Cunningham had another impressive performance with 29 points, 11 assists, six rebounds and two steals. He even took a defensive step, taking on the challenge of guarding Magic forward Paolo Banchero. Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff has been a big supporter of Cunningham as an MVP candidate. He continued that campaign in front of the media after the Pistons’ win in Orlando.

Bickerstaff explained, “He’s special because of the type of person he is. He’s special because of the type of teammate he is. It’s a blessing to be with him and work with him every day.” “The basketball skills speak for themselves. There’s nothing on the court he can’t do on both ends of the court. He can score, he can share it, he can manipulate, he can get stops, block shots and get steals. Whatever you want him to do on the basketball court, he’s able to do it, and it’s not hollow. Everything he does, he has winning in his mind.”

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remains the current betting favorite for the coveted MVP award. Cunningham is currently ranked third in the highest ranking. Despite the buzz of the Thunder guard winning awards in back-to-back seasons for Oklahoma City, there is still plenty of regular season left for Cunningham to make his case.

Gilgeous-Alexander missed the last nine games due to injury. If he misses six more games, he will no longer be eligible for MVP. Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic also missed a long time due to a knee injury. Jokic can only miss one more game before his eligibility is up. The Nuggets have also moved into the fifth seed in the Western Conference after going 4-7 through February.

Cunningham has 23 games left in the regular season to stake his claim. He is currently averaging 25.4 points, 9.8 assists and 5.8 rebounds in the 2025-26 regular season. These stats place him in the top-15 in scoring and second-best in assists. Cunningham has also totaled 33 double-doubles this season as the Pistons’ leading guard.

His exceptional production has helped lead Detroit to a 45–14 record. This leaves them in first place in the Eastern Conference and with the best winning percentage in the entire NBA. Detroit has made tremendous changes since drafting Cunningham. After the success they have achieved this season and last season, they have left their days as one of the worst losing teams behind them.

Cunningham has also played on several nationally televised stages to help present his game more publicly among the league’s voters. The Pistons have eight more nationally televised games before the season ends. The Pistons should continue to emerge as the best team in the league record-wise, with an elite level of production from their 2026 All-Star starter. Cunningham could carve out a legitimate path to becoming the first Pistons player to win MVP in franchise history.

When it comes to professional sports, no one is immune to the influence of Father Time. Every human being slows down eventually, even those who appear to be immortal (like the great LeBron James). And Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden, who is currently dealing with a thumb injury that caused him to miss 22 points in Sunday’s 106-102 win over the Brooklyn Nets, knows that the sports grim reaper is coming for him someday.

However, Harden is still playing at a high level; He may be 36, but retirement isn’t exactly imminent for a man who averaged nearly 25 points per game this season and more than eight assists per contest. However, the Cavs star loves basketball so much that he wants to keep playing it as long as he canEspecially when he still has an elusive championship ring to compete for and, hopefully, win.

“I know [retirement is] coming soon. Hopefully, sooner rather than later, but it is a reality. Everyone has to go through this sometimes. I’m just trying to keep my body fit and play well. We’ll see what happens over the next few years. Take one game at a time and cherish the moments,” Harden said, via Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

James Harden on how long he wants to play: “I know it’s going to be sooner rather than later. Hopefully, sooner rather than later, but it’s a reality. Everybody has to go through this sometimes. Just trying to keep my body in shape and play well. We’ll see what happens over the next few… pic.twitter.com/BPvW7Fwtfj

– Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) 2 March 2026

James Harden and the Cavs’ last stand at the title?

The Cavs know their title-rival’s time is short, so rather than risk Darius Garland’s health, they went out and acquired Harden, who is more than 10 years Garland’s senior.

Harden has dealt with his injury troubles in recent years, battling hamstring issues, but he has been quite durable and has been very reliable, especially during the regular season. The playoffs, of course, are where Harden will be tested, and whether or not he can be a part of this team that is finally looking to bounce back from the loss.

Sunday night brought some relief for the inconsistent Los Angeles Lakers, as they faced a terrible Sacramento Kings team on their home turf. As expected, the Lakers won a very easy 128–104 victory, with no suspense whatsoever, as the Purple and Gold essentially blew the game away in the first quarter, and ended the period with an 18-point lead (36–18).

The Lakers’ dominance paved the way for head coach JJ Redick to limit the minutes of his best players, including LeBron James, who played only 27 minutes on the night. This also opened up some trash-time minutes for fan favorite Bronny James, who draws oohs and ahhs every time he enters the game.

But while millions of people around the world cheer whenever Bronny gets some playing time, the 21-year-old guard has no bigger fan than his father, LeBron. And Sunday night, LeBron was in dreamland Bronny scored on a three off a dribble handoff from Edou Thirou as he was celebrating his son’s shot on the bench.

Lebron was loving this brony threesome 🔥 pic.twitter.com/v9SW4LJufe

– Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) 2 March 2026

These were Bronny’s only three points in six minutes of play of the night. He went 1-3 from the field and missed his only two-point field-goal attempt of the night for the Lakers.

The Lakers could take it a little easier right now…

The Lakers know every win matters, especially in the bloodshed of the Western Conference playoff picture. But they can at least take it a little easier the next few days, especially with the game coming up against the hapless New Orleans Pelicans.

Not a single Lakers player played 30 minutes or more on Sunday, and they’ll have to take more care of that kind of business, as their tendency to play high-leverage games increases the wear and tear on their star players.

Whenever the Minnesota Timberwolves step onto the hardwood, Anthony Edwards is sure to command any opposing team’s attention. In fact, on Sunday night, Edwards got so much respect from the Denver Nuggets that there was a point in the game where he was drawing double teams as soon as he crossed halfcourt.

In the end, Edwards and the Timberwolves persisted despite the Nuggets’ shameless defensive tactics, as they won 117–108 on the road. The Timberwolves star hasn’t had the best of nights; He finished with only 21 points on 9-19 shooting from the field, which is quite low by his standards, but the defensive attention he attracted opened up the court so much for his teammates.

This speaks volumes about Edwards’ progress as a basketball player he doesn’t care anymore Whether the opposition wants to take the ball out of his hands or not – as long as his team is playing winning basketball.

“It might have been last year or the year before last when I said, ‘Man, they’re double partnering me. I don’t like it.’ At this point, it’s a sign of respect. Because they were double teaming me. They were hitting me from halfcourt. I’m not angry at all because, at the end of the day, my four is better than those three. We’re playing three on four,” Edwards said, via Dan Moore of Blue Wire.

In today’s game, Denver was sending another defender when Anthony Edwards crossed the court.

Asked Ant, who was really frustrated with that look, about playing through that type of aggressive coverage.

“I’m not mad at all because, at the end of the day, my 4 is better… https://t.co/lF58jWRhFL pic.twitter.com/YUgr93fu53

– Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) 1 March 2026

Anthony Edwards continues superstar rise for Timberwolves

Five other scorers crossed double figures for the Timberwolves, and it was a balanced effort that made this incredible win over another fellow contender in the Nuggets possible. Edwards has become so dangerous as a scorer that the Nuggets were prepared to beat him with everyone they could — which Minnesota did.

The Timberwolves have made a living taking advantage of their opportunities, but have faced a lot of trouble dealing with weaker teams. They will be tested on Tuesday when they take on the struggling Memphis Grizzlies.

Nolan Traore is finding his feet with the Brooklyn Nets. The 19-year-old rookie has impressed with his composure as the team’s primary ball-handler after earning the starting role. He put in another encouraging performance against fellow Frenchman Victor Wembanyama during Brooklyn’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday.

Wembanyama, who first met Traoré during the French national team’s preparations for the 2024 Olympics, spoke highly of his potential future teammate.

“[Nolan’s] Very young, and he was even younger when we were preparing for the Olympics in 2024,” he said, “and already, what I saw in him was maturity and the way he could control the game. And by the way, it doesn’t matter who the opponent is. He has real guts, and I believe he is someone who will make incredible growth in his career.

Victor Wembanyama has high praise for Nolan Traore as he trains in the lead up to the 2024 Olympics:

“What I saw in him was maturity and the way he could control the game. And the way he could control the game, no matter who the opponent was. He has real guts. I believe… pic.twitter.com/rAr5i8lfj4

– Eric Slater (@erikslater_) 27 February 2026

Many considered Traore to be one of the top five prospects at the start of the 2025 pre-draft process. However, after an up and down 2024-25 season, he dropped to number 19 in the nets.

Nolan Traore impresses in starting point guard role in Nets’ rebuild

Traore struggled during his first NBA appearance and the Nets assigned him to the G League at the beginning of the season. After a highly productive extension with Long Island, the rookie point guard has emerged as the focal point of Brooklyn’s offense during the second half of the season.

Traore is averaging 11.9 points, 2.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists on 44/30/76 shooting splits in 15 starts. The French floor general is the only NBA rookie to average 11 points and five assists during that span. His 6.2 assists per 100 possessions this season ranks third among all rookies who have played more than 800 minutes, trailing only Walter Clayton Jr. (6.6) and Dylan Harper (6.2).

“Nolan always believed he belonged,” Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez said. “He always fights back, and he’s becoming the voice and presence that we believe he is. He’s not there yet because we also believe his ceiling is very high. These last 23 games are huge for him, huge for this group going into the summer, which will be the greatest summer of our lives.”

The Orlando Magic have struggled with inconsistency all season, and it all starts with the leadership of Paolo Banchero. Banchero has moments where he looks like a millionaire and he’s figuring out how to be a superstar in the association, but there are also some nights where some of his bad habits come to the fore. That’s what happened in Sunday night’s 106-92 loss to the East-leading Detroit Pistons.

Banchero had 24 points on only 10 field-goal attempts, so he got to the foul line a lot, which is a testament to how aggressive he was in getting to the basket. However, the Magic Stars were more careless than aggressive in some of their plays. They turned the ball over nine times, which is a straight-up death sentence against a Pistons team that tries to physically overwhelm any opponent that comes their way.

after the game, banchero is owned As for some of his missteps, he expressed his frustration at playing below the standards set for himself.

“I thought we had a lot of turnovers. You know, I had a lot of turnovers. Yeah, we gave them a lot of chances. I think it was some bad passes. I was trying to pass it to my teammates when maybe I should have just shot it,” Banchero said, per Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel.

“Some of them – a trip, a repeated call, just a bad night. Last game, I had no turnovers. This game, I had nine. So, very frustrating.”

“I thought we had too many turnovers. You know, I had too many turnovers,” #magical Forward Paolo Banchero accounted for Orlando’s 19 turnovers, of which he committed nine.

He added: “Last game, I didn’t have any turnovers. This game, I had nine. So, very disappointing.”

Full Comments: pic.twitter.com/1zmk0zybnc

-Jason Beede (@therealBeede) 2 March 2026

Magical battle for position in the east

If the season ended today, the Magic would once again be fighting for their lives in the play-in tournament. This will be the second consecutive season they have struggled to qualify for the playoffs, and it’s a bit disappointing considering how they went out and acquired Desmond Bane in a blockbuster.

Franz Wagner’s injury hasn’t helped, but overall, the Magic have fallen short of expectations this season with a 31-28 record.

The Milwaukee Bucks are in no position to make fun of other teams, considering the franchise is on life support amid the many trade rumors swirling around Giannis Antetokounmpo.

And they’re certainly in no position to mock the Chicago Bulls’ deal before the trade deadline, as they lost to Chicago by 23 points on Sunday night when the Bulls outscored them 33-8 in the fourth quarter, including a 27-0 lead.

However, the basketball gods remember everything, and they certainly didn’t forget what Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said before their contest on Sunday. Before their game against the Bulls, Rivers mocked Chicago’s trade deadline moves.

According to The Big’s Drew Stevens, in response to a question about how much the Bulls have changed, Rivers said, “Yeah, they added 17 more guards.”

It’s a bit of a trend to make fun of the Bulls, but the Bucks had to back up their head coach and they didn’t. Chicago may have added 17 or maybe even 67 guards, but in the end, a win is a win. And on Sunday night, Milwaukee was on the verge of defeat.

The boxes are stuck in limbo

The Bucks have few draft assets and Antetokounmpo should move with a trade demand and not much in the way of solid young prospects to make the team. Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins are two of the best young players on the team, and their long-term position home appears to be the same (point guard).

The Bucks will have no choice but to try to remain semi-competitive for at least the next few years, as they don’t control their future first-round picks until 2031. Until then, they will have to avoid the defeat they suffered against the Bulls on Sunday at all costs if they want to.

Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey continues his progression as one of the NBA’s deadliest players, and at the rate he’s progressing, he may find himself rewriting the record books.

The 76ers defeated the Boston Celtics 114-98 on Sunday at TD Garden. Nevertheless, Maxi once again performed exceptionally well and scored a game-high 33 points. He also had three rebounds, six assists and two blocks.

In the fourth quarter, he made a fallaway jumper to keep them safe. In the process, he also reached an impressive feat. he did his calculations 65th game With at least 30 points and five assists, he surpassed 76ers legend Wilt Chamberlain for fourth most in team history.

With this bucket, Tyrese Maxey recorded his 65th game with 30+ PTS and 5+ AST, surpassing Wilt Chamberlain (64) for the fourth most in 76ers history! pic.twitter.com/jnyOkgGYxs

– NBA (@NBA) 2 March 2026

Whenever you surpass Chamberlain on any list, you know you’re doing something excellent.

Chamberlain, who led Philadelphia to a title in 1967, was very talented in his heyday. Maxi would be honored to know that he has succeeded the late Hall of Famer.

The 25-year-old Maxi had to carry the heavy load for the 76ers against the Celtics, as Joel Embiid sat out again with an oblique injury. Embiid has already missed 27 games this season.

Maxey received support from VJ Edgecombe, who recorded 23 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Andre Drummond, who started in Embiid’s place, contributed 10 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and four steals. However, their efforts were not enough to overthrow the Celtics.

Philadelphia’s three-game winning streak was snapped and it dropped to 33–27, while Boston improved to 40–20.

The Sixers will take on the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday.

The Los Angeles Lakers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 129-101 win against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. The Lakers showed from start to finish the type of complete effort that head coach JJ Redick has been asking for all season.

Some of the Lakers’ issues this season may be due to inconsistency in the lineup and rotation due to injuries, and JJ Redick acknowledged this after the team’s win against the Warriors. But part of it also has to do with the energy and intensity, or lack thereof, that the Lakers have shown at times.

But after a full 48-minute effort against the Warriors, Redick admitted he believes the team will eventually get to the level he wants them to be before the season is over.

“As I said before the game, these guys want to make it right. They’re trying. I know our staff, I know myself, we’re always looking for answers and solutions. That’s it, we’re trying to find solutions,” Redick said during his postgame press conference. “I am confident that we will reach the level we want to reach.”

Redick further said, “It’s partially due to the disruption of the lineup and different factors. We haven’t had the consistency I thought we were going to have coming into this year.” “It’s taken longer than I thought, but I’m confident we’ll get there.”

After the win against the Warriors, the Lakers improved to 35–24 on the season. They are just two games behind the No. 3 seed Houston Rockets in what is shaping up to be a competitive race for position in the Western Conference during the regular season.

There are only three and a half games that separate the No. 3 seed and the No. 7 seed. The Phoenix Suns are currently in seventh place. The No. 7 seed will be directly out of the playoffs and will have to go through the play-ins.

Last season, the Lakers finished with the third seed in the West playoff picture, but were eliminated in the opening round by the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games.

Redick is in his second year as head coach of the Lakers, and the team is currently in sixth place in the West standings. They are only a game and a half up on the Suns and potentially falling into the play-ins. They have 22 games left in the regular season to continue showing the level of competitiveness Redick is confident they can reach.

Friday’s marquee meeting between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets came to a head in the fourth quarter when Lu Dort and Nikola Jokic got into a physical altercation.

Dort was ejected for his roughing foul, while Jokic and Jaylin Williams, who were involved in the fight, were each called for technical fouls. The Thunder defeated the Nuggets 127–121 in overtime.

A day later, Williams shared several photos from the competition on Instagram, including one of her being restrained by her coaches. She captioned the post, “Yeah, okay.”

He was immediately mocked by Nuggets fans.

“Imagine Nikola Jokic running to Instagram to post after a fight in a game,” @NuggetsLead said, adding a screenshot of Williams’ post.

Imagine Nikola Jokic running to Instagram to post after fight in game pic.twitter.com/u28PxRZMpe

– Nuggets Lead (@NuggetsLead) 1 March 2026

“Jokic will never happen. So disgusting,” @JB_DenverSports echoed.

“This is the biggest moment of his career,” @DDelgado38697 said.

“Jokic by 1st round KO,” @ashebabes wrote, adding a photo of Jokic that quickly became a meme.

Jokic by first round KO pic.twitter.com/dtqNixH97u

– AsheBTC (@ashebabes) 1 March 2026

“They’re a bunch of unlikeable guys like the Thunder team,” @cammart32 posted.

@Ballknower240 said, “And them all reposting it is really bullshit.”

Williams had a strong game against the Nuggets, scoring 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting, including two three-pointers, five rebounds, three assists and a block in 26 minutes off the bench. He also helped limit Jokic to 9-of-25 shooting.

The three-time MVP finished with 23 points, 17 rebounds and 14 assists.

The Thunder, who are looking to defend their title, have won the first two faceoffs against the Nuggets this season. They will meet again on March 9 and April 10.

After their heated feud, a bitter rivalry could form, especially after Oklahoma City defeated Denver in the second round of the playoffs last season.

Before facing the Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault responded to Denver Nuggets head coach David Edelman’s recent comments on Lou Dort’s flagrant -2 against Nikola Jokic in Friday’s win. Edelman called out the Thunder’s Daigneault for his opinion on Dort’s ejection, which was mentioned to a reporter by Daigneault before Sunday’s matchup against the Mavericks.

Daigneault doubled down on my tech As of Friday night, reminding reporters that his stance on Dort’s flagrant -2 has not changed in the past 48 hours since the Thunder’s 127-121 overtime win against the Nuggets, according to Sports Illustrated’s Rylan Stiles.

“I’ll reiterate what I’ve said whenever we’ve played Denver for a long period of time, which is I have nothing but respect, we have nothing but respect for Denver,” Daigneault said. We are respected from top to bottom. We obviously have respect for Jokic, Gordon, Murray because those guys have worked together for so long and had a lot of success, but we also have respect for their staff.

I mentioned this during the playoffs last year. Like I said, I have nothing but the highest respect. I said it the other night – teams make each other better. That’s why this is a great matchup. That’s all I’ll say about it,” Daigneault concluded.

Mark Daigneault was asked about David Edelman’s comments today about Lou Dort’s Hardcore II over Nikola Jokic “We have nothing but respect for Denver” pic.twitter.com/ycNEp339jw

– Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) 1 March 2026

Clearly, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault is not going to shadow Dort for his Major-2. At this point, he will stick to his response that the Nuggets and Thunder matchup is a physical match that brings emotions to a boil.

David Edelman responds to Thunder’s firing of Lou Dort

Nuggets head coach David Edelman didn’t hold back in his reaction to Thunder veteran Lou Dort after his stellar performance against All-Star Nikola Jokic on Friday. Daigneault never criticized Dort for his vicious foul on Jokic, which led to an interesting response from Edelman ahead of the Nuggets’ matchup against the Timberwolves on Sunday.

“Yeah, I think that’s him,” Edelman said. “He’s a more measured guy throughout the season — I think most guys are. If they’re measured they’re more productive. But there’s a point where we play these games, and he tackles anybody on the night [would] React that way. For Dort to take that shot – and then I guess it was no big deal from his perspective, how he saw it – is ridiculous.

“He was malicious. It was a cheap shot. Lou Dort is a great player, and I haven’t seen him do that before. But at some point, you’ve got to stand up for yourself, and so does the team. They’re a great team. That game itself was like that. But, yeah, Nicola, he’s who he is, man. You can’t have the success he’s had and you can’t be as competitive. There’s feelings inside that he’s in control, but that guy is very capable. And very willing to respond emotionally,” Edelman concluded.

The Thunder will face the Mavericks on Sunday.

Doc Rivers didn’t stop the Milwaukee Bucks from making mistakes during Sunday night’s 120-97 loss to the Chicago Bulls.

Rivers has been a head coach in the NBA since 1999 and has represented five teams throughout his coaching career. He currently represents the Bucks, going through his third season with the franchise.

Milwaukee has played poorly throughout his tenure, with consecutive first-round exits and the future of the franchise is in question as Giannis Antetokounmpo potentially tests free agency in 2027. The team’s loss to Chicago didn’t help matters, losing 27–0 in complete games.

According to reporter Eric Nehm, Rivers reflected on the crushing defeat after the game. He highlighted inconsistent stretches that prevented Milwaukee from taking control, resulting in Chicago’s surge in the contest’s biggest moments.

“The good looks came after bad basketball in the first 11 minutes of the third quarter. In the second group, they gave us a 15-point lead. The first group came in before halftime, lost it and then got it and then lost it again. They lost two 15-point leads… I don’t know if there is such a thing as a basketball god, but if there is, he was alive tonight,” Rivers said.

“When you get that close to the game and play like that, you don’t deserve to win. If we had won the game, I would have been upset. I would have won because we needed it, but that’s not how you play basketball. I don’t know how many jump shots we made in-between in the third. I can’t wait to see it. It felt like every second shot was a dribble, 16 dribbles, a jump shot in between and a contested shot in between.” That’s the worst shot of the game, unless it’s the last five seconds on the clock, so it was a disappointing loss and I hope we all feel that.”

Doc Rivers, how the Bucks performed against the Bulls

Doc Rivers and the Bucks have some soul-searching to do. They may still be without Giannis Antetokounmpo due to injury, but they can’t afford the loss against the Bulls.

Six players scored in double figures for Milwaukee in the loss. Bobby Portis led the team with a stat line of 18 points, five rebounds and one block. He made 7 of 14 shots from the field, including 3 of 8 from beyond the arc. Cam Thomas finished second with 15 points and three assists, AJ Green had 13 points and two assists, while Ryan Rollins had 11 points and seven assists. Meanwhile, Kyle Kuzma and Kevin Porter Jr. provided 10 points each.

Milwaukee fell to a 26–33 record on the season, finishing 11th in the Eastern Conference standings. They are above the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards, while trailing the Charlotte Hornets and Atlanta Hawks.

The Bucks will look to bounce back in their next game at home. They will host the Boston Celtics as tip-off begins on March 2 at 7:30 PM ET.

The Dallas Mavericks will have to finish their game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday without one of their key contributors, as Klay Thompson has been ruled out for the remainder of the game with an adductor strain.

Thompson finished with seven points on 3 of 8 shooting in 15 minutes. off the bench.

The Mavs announced that Klay Thompson (right adductor contusion) is out for the remainder of tonight’s game against the Thunder. pic.twitter.com/KPDqgkMTaT

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 2 March 2026

It is unclear when exactly the sweet-shooting guard suffered an adductor injury, but he could be sidelined for an extended period, as it usually takes several weeks to heal.

It is another blow for the 36-year-old Thompson, who has struggled to regain his form over the past few years following knee surgery.

He has been largely inconsistent in his tenure with the Mavericks, but he remains a lethal threat from outside. He averaged 11.5 points, 38.7% field goals, 73.0% free throws, 2.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists in his career.

Much of this can be attributed to his dwindling confidence, and suffering from an adductor injury certainly won’t help in that regard. For what it’s worth, the four-time champion has been here before. He has proven that he is resilient enough to bounce back. Hopefully he can recover soon.

At the time of writing, the Mavericks are trailing the Thunder by a wide margin in the fourth quarter.

Dallas is already playing without Cooper Flagg, who sat out with a foot injury.

Thompson was rumored to be on the trading block in February, but he managed to remain with the team. However, the Mavericks could move to acquire him in the offseason.

It’s no secret that LeBron James is chasing another ring before riding off into the sunset. While the Los Angeles Lakers are having a tough campaign, they are still in the fight, and it is never wise to bet against a team featuring James and Luka Doncic.

James has willingly taken a back seat to Doncic to allow the talented guard to become the focal point of the Lakers. The 41-year-old James, who has lost his quickness, explosiveness and athleticism over the years, is smartly readjusting his game to remain effective.

On “The Bill Simmons Podcast”, NBA analyst Max Kellerman revealed that James’ agent Rich Paul envisions the future Hall of Famer playing a more specific role for the Purple and Gold.

Kellerman, who co-hosts a podcast with Paul, said, “Rich likes the idea of ​​playing as LeBron’s roller. Becoming Karl Malone. I like that idea too. A smarter Karl Malone. He’s the same size. 6-foot-8, 260 (pounds), and he can shoot from outside.”

However, Simmons was skeptical of the idea.

“I think it’s very hard. I know you’ve talked to Rich about this, and all three of us have talked about it. Taking somebody who was the best of all time at their job and telling them, ‘Now you are this,'” Simmons replied.

Malone had to stay in Los Angeles for a season in 2003 as he tried to win a championship. But even joining the powerhouse unit of Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and Gary Payton wasn’t enough to earn him a ring. He retired at the end of the season.

Malone, who was 40 at the time, averaged 13.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.2 steals in 42 games with the Lakers.

James distanced himself from Paul after he talked about the Austin Reeves trade, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if he does it again.

Walter Clayton Jr. accomplished an impressive rookie feat with his performance in the Memphis Grizzlies’ 125-106 win over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night.

Clayton is going through the rookie campaign of his NBA career, having enjoyed an incredible collegiate career that includes a national championship with the Florida Gators. He began the 2025–26 season with the Utah Jazz before they traded him and several players to Memphis in a player-stacked deal.

The move gave Clayton a chance to take on a larger role, earning more starts as Memphis’ season ended. Clayton has progressed as a two-way guard, showcasing his skills against Indiana. In 34 minutes of action, he finished with a stat line of seven points, 14 assists, four steals, three rebounds and one block.

This performance allowed him to make franchise history with the Grizzlies. He recorded the most assists in any game as a rookie, putting himself at the mountaintop of Memphis’ rookie charts in that statistic.

Walter Clayton Jr. in tonight’s Grizzlies win over the Pacers:

🔹 7 points
🔹 15 assists
🔹4 theft

He now has the most assists in a game by a rookie in Grizzlies history! pic.twitter.com/zY6edF7s9w

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 2 March 2026

Walter Clayton Jr., how the Grizzlies played against the Pacers

Walter Clayton Jr. was active in the drama production department with his 14 recipes. As a result, he helped the Grizzlies defeat the Pacers in a strong road win.

Seven players scored in double figures for Memphis in the win. Taylor Hendricks impressed with a stat line of 19 points, five rebounds and one assist. Jaylen Wells was next with 18 points and three rebounds, Olivier-Maxence Prosper had 17 points and three assists, while Scottie Pippen Jr. had 16 points and five assists. Ryan Rupert, meanwhile, provided 16 points and six rebounds.

Memphis improved to a 23–36 record on the season and 11th in the Western Conference standings. They are above the Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans. However, they are behind the Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers.

The Grizzlies will remain on the road and await their next matchup. They will face the Minnesota Timberwolves as tip-off takes place on March 3 at 8 PM ET.

The New Orleans Pelicans will be without the services of tackle forward Zion Williamson for Sunday night’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Los Angeles.

With the former Duke Blue Devils running back out of that contest due to a lower-body injury, his personal best streak in NBA games played has ended, as reported by NBA insider Marc Stein.

“After playing a career-high 35 consecutive games, New Orleans’ Zion Williamson (right ankle sprain) has been carted off the field against the LA Clippers,” Stein, formerly of the X, wrote via a social media post on Twitter.

Williamson, 25, suffered an ankle injury in the first half of last Saturday’s game against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. He exited that game in the second quarter and did not return.

Before leaving, he scored four points on 1-for-2 shooting with two assists and one rebound in just 11 minutes of action. Despite the former No. 1 overall pick being absent the rest of the way, the Pelicans found a way to defeat the Jazz 115–105, extending their winning streak to four games.

If New Orleans is to keep that undefeated run alive this Sunday, it will have to fill the huge void left by Williamson, who is averaging 21.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting 58.5 percent from the field so far in the 2025-26 NBA regular season.

Williamson’s availability in the NBA has been significantly reduced due to injuries. He has yet to play a full season and has only appeared in 61 games or fewer in four of his first five campaigns since turning professional.

Stephen Curry has received a big update on his injury recovery timeline as the Golden State Warriors wait for his return to the court this season.

Curry has been on the sidelines since his last on-court appearance on January 30 against the Detroit Pistons. He has been dealing with a knee injury that kept him sidelined throughout February, and also prevented him from participating in All-Star Weekend festivities in Los Angeles.

Despite this, Golden State had an important update on the veteran star guard’s timeline. The team believes he is making progress as he will get another evaluation after the next 10 days.

“The re-evaluation concluded that Curry is making continued progress. He will be re-evaluated in 10 days,” the announcement said.

Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs have finally calmed down. After a spectacular 11-game winning streak, the Spurs faltered on Sunday as their run came to a halt with a 114-89 loss to Mikal Bridges and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Losses have become rare for the Spurs in Wembanyama’s third season in the NBA, but Sunday’s setback wasn’t an eye-opener for San Antonio’s franchise player. However, he was still surprised by how it went down.

“They’re a good basketball team, but they’re not the worst team,” Wembanyama told reporters after the game.

“They’re not an ugly team to look at, but they’ve made our game ugly.”

The Spurs shot poorly against New York, making only 42 percent of their attempts from the floor. New York was also not efficient on their shots, as the Knicks shot only 44 percent from the field, but they had 20 more attempts than San Antonio, committing 22 turnovers compared to only 14 by New York.

Wembanyama finished the Knicks game with 25 points on 8-for-17 shooting, 13 boards and four blocks in 34 minutes, but he had seven turnovers, making it difficult for San Antonio to overcome New York.

Meanwhile, the Knicks got 25 points from Bridges and 24 points from Jalen Brunson.

Despite the loss, the Spurs are still in great shape and will carry a 43-17 record heading into the final stop of their five-game road trip on Tuesday against the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.

NEW YORK – The New York Knicks used every possible first-round pick to build their team, putting pressure on Walt Perine and his scouting department to make the most of any remaining opportunities in the draft. On Sunday, Mohamed Diarra, the 51st overall pick in 2025 and the only Knicks rookie, scored 14 points in 14:55 of the game to help defeat the San Antonio Spurs on prime-time television.

New York’s scoring efforts were led by Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson, who have generally played well against the Spurs throughout their Knicks tenures. Karl-Anthony Towns had a huge breakout season with his 14 points, leading New York to 54 points. That was 13 more than San Antonio.

No bench player on either team took more than eight shots or scored more than eight points. Except for Diawara, who attempted 14 shots in roughly the same number of minutes played. 13 of those came from behind the 3-point arc, leading head coach Mike Brown to praise the rookie’s apparently unmatched confidence.

Brown told media members after the Knicks’ win, “The first thing I would say is Mo is not afraid. I’ve told you guys this before, for a young guy, I’ve thrown him in games, in starts, on national TV.” “He doesn’t even take a look. He can start three games in a row, then he can’t start the fourth game. He doesn’t take a look. He’s the most confident young guy I’ve been around. And he’s got a chance to become — not good, really good.”

It looks like Diarra has the edge over Jeremy Sochan for a playoff spot

Former Spur Jeremy Sochan played just two minutes against his old team. Brown told reporters when he signed that efforts to integrate and evaluate the 22-year-old could impact Diarra’s playing time. The coach was staying true to his methodical approach and trying to understand his options ahead of the most lucrative games of the year.

In recent games, including the Knicks’ last three games, Diawara has come off the bench earlier than expected and played more of a role. Asked by ClutchPoints about trends, Brown said players need to prepare for whatever opportunities they get amid the adjustment.

“What you said is true,” Brown told ClutchPoints. “He and Jeremy are 9th and 10th, 10th and 9th right now. They both just have to prepare themselves because their number could be called at any time.”

The Browns are in no rush to finalize their playoff rotation. He will explore as many options as possible before the probability of error decreases. But if Diarra continues to play with the same aggression and composure on both ends of the ball, Brown’s decision may already have been made for him.

On Sunday afternoon, the New York Knicks picked up one of their most impressive wins of the season with a home demolition of the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs came into this game riding an 11-game winning streak, but the Knicks defense quickly extinguished that flame, which was on full display in this game.

After the game, head coach Mike Brown got 100% real about his team destroying the Spurs.

“I thought our weak-side defense was really good,” Brown said, according to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic on X, formerly Twitter, who noted that Brown “admitted to the Spurs missing shots that they were making, but Brown thought the defense was on a string and the on-ball defense was really good.”

In fact, the Spurs missed countless open looks on Sunday afternoon, which played a big role in the Knicks’ defensive success against them. Still, for the most part, New York did a solid job of clogging up the paint against superstar Victor Wembanyama while homing in on San Antonio’s outside shooters.

Meanwhile, the Knicks also overcame their aggressive start and finished with a solid output on that side of the ball.

Brown said, “At the end of the day, it was great to get 48 3s. With Wembley in the paint, you’ve got to shoot the ball.”

Overall, defense has been one of the major reasons many skeptics have cited why they don’t take the Knicks seriously as a title contender, with New York’s best two players – Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns – both clearly negative on that side of the ball.

However, Towns and Brunson both held up against the Spurs’ explosive offensive attack on Sunday, resulting in the Knicks’ victory.

The Knicks will next take the field against the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday evening.

The Boston Celtics are preparing to host their rival Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday night, and while Philadelphia big man Joel Embiid will not be in the lineup, it is unlikely to be an easy night for the home team. The Sixers have won three straight games and are attempting to move up from sixth place in the Eastern Conference. They are 1 1/2 games behind the fifth-place Toronto Raptors and three games behind the fourth-place Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Sixers will not have Embiid in the lineup because he suffered an oblique injury in Thursday night’s win over the Miami Heat. Embiid will miss at least three games due to injury. The Sixers’ big players have been troubled by several injuries throughout their career. Missing a key game against the Celtics as well as the team’s next two games against the San Antonio Spurs and Utah Jazz is a significant issue for Philadelphia.

Teammate Andre Drummond has a lot of sympathy for Embiid and wants the big man to find a way to avoid injuries and stay healthy. “I want to wrap her in a bubble sheet and hug her, man,” Drummond said, according to Gina Mizell. philadelphia enquirer. “I feel like he can’t get a break.”

Embiid has faced health issues throughout his career. This oblique injury appears to be relatively minor, but missing at least three games at this time of year is a huge blow to him and his teammates.

Denver Nuggets head coach David Edelman has not defended All-Star Nikola Jokic for his reaction to Lou Dort’s headed 2 in Friday’s 127-121 overtime win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. During his postgame press conference, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault never criticized Dort for his hard-2. Instead, Daigneault hoped that the play would be called the same way if it was reversed, with no malicious intent.

Jokic retaliated by getting in Dort’s face. After this, a scuffle started between Thunder center Jaylin Williams and players of both the teams had to separate. According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, Edelman understands why Jokic reached his peak during the fourth quarter of the game, when tension was high between the Thunder and Nuggets.

“Yeah, I think that’s him,” Edelman said. “He’s a more measured guy throughout the season — I think most guys are. If they’re measured they’re more productive. But there’s a point where we play these games, and he tackles anybody on the night [would] React that way. For Dort to take that shot – and then I guess it was no big deal from his perspective, how he saw it – is ridiculous.

“He was malicious. It was a cheap shot. Lou Dort is a great player, and I haven’t seen him do that before. But at some point, you’ve got to stand up for yourself, and so does the team. They’re a great team. That game itself was like that. But, yeah, Nicola, he’s who he is, man. You can’t have the success he’s had and you can’t be as competitive. He’s got emotions that he keeps in control, but he’s a guy emotionally. Very capable and very willing to provide feedback.”

For this, Lou Dort was thrown out. pic.twitter.com/6JO8h2odv8

– SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) 28 February 2026

Apparently, the Nuggets’ David Edelman is not happy with how the Thunder responded to Dort’s foul after the game. When Jokic was asked about it by a reporter during media availability after the game, he didn’t hold back.

“There’s no such thing – I think things like that shouldn’t happen on a basketball floor,” Jokic said after the game. “So, it was an unnecessary move by me and a necessary reaction.”

The Thunder will host the Nuggets again on March 9 at Paycom Center.

Mark Daigneault’s opinion on the ejection of Thunder’s Lou Dort

After Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault called Lou Dort’s flagrant 2 on Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic uncharacteristic of him, All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said he didn’t see the play that made Jokic angry. Nuggets head coach David Edelman would probably have a different opinion. Officials deemed Dort’s play beyond the reach of the Nuggets’ MVP candidate, ruling out the veteran guard after an extensive review.

After the game, Daigneault chalked up Dort’s play to the Thunder guard’s competitive nature amid the fourth quarter of a physical matchup against the Nuggets.

“That was a weird game. These are two teams that played each other in a seven-game series. We’re in the same division. We’ve played each other 100 times,” Daigneault said. “They know our playbook. We know their playbook. It is what it is. It’s going to be an imperfect game, and things escalate like that sometimes. I know Lu [Dort]. I know [Nikola] Jokic.

“I know J-Will. I don’t think anybody is trying to hurt anybody; they’re just great competitors. It just ended up being over. I think it was nothing more than that.”

The Thunder will face the Mavericks on the road on Sunday.

The New Orleans Pelicans continued their improved play as they earned their fourth straight win with a 115-105 win against the Utah Jazz on Saturday. However, one of the major concerns after the game was the status of Pelicans star Zion Williamson, who left the game due to injury. According to ESPN, Pelicans head coach James Borrego had no update on Williamson’s status moving forward.

“Hopefully it’s nothing serious, and we’ll have him back very soon,” Borrego said.

James Borrego also said it was an ankle injury that occurred when Zion Williamson turned it slightly during the second quarter of the Pelicans’ win against the Jazz. Williamson exited the game and did not return. He finished with four points, one rebound and two assists in only 11 minutes of play. He was 1 of 2 from the field and 2 of 2 from the free-throw line.

Although Williamson has struggled with injuries throughout his NBA career so far, he has remained relatively healthy this season. Since he was forced to opt out of the 2021–22 season due to injury, Williamson has played more than 30 games in a season only once. It was in 2023–24 when he appeared in a career-high 70 games. This year, he had already played in 45 games before the latest injury.

The Pelicans are on the second night of a back-to-back against the LA Clippers on Sunday, and the final update on Williamson’s status likely won’t come until just before game tip-off.

Williamson was playing nearly 29 minutes per game, averaging 21.5 points. He never averaged less than 20 points per season. He also averaged 5.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.1 steals while splitting 58.5 percent shooting from the field, 25 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 71.6 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

The New York Knicks ended the San Antonio Spurs’ 11-game winning streak, winning 114-89 on Sunday. The win improves New York to 38–22 on the season, 6.5 games behind the Detroit Pistons for the top record in the East. SNY’s Ian Begley says the much-maligned trade acquisition was key to victory.

Begley reported, “Mikel Bridges’ team-high 25 points and game-high five steals helped NYK defeat the Spurs, snapping SAS’ 11-game winning streak. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call this one of the most impressive wins of this Knick season; six players scored at least 10 points and the team’s defense remained strong all afternoon.”

Spurs’ 11-game winning streak ends against Knicks pic.twitter.com/3mOHMNss95

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 1 March 2026

While the Spurs had won 11 consecutive games, Madison Square Garden has been a home of horrors for them. They have lost six consecutive games in Manhattan, with their last win coming in November 2019. Of course, this does not include the NBA Cup Finals, which the Knicks won in Las Vegas.

Bridges led the way for the Knicks on both ends of the floor, finishing with a team-high 25 points in addition to his defensive talent. Jalen Brunson was right behind him with 24 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart both posted double-doubles. Defensively, Victor Wembanyama was held to 25 points on 1 of 7 shooting from three-point range.

The Knicks have now won four of their last five games, keeping pace with the top teams in the Eastern Conference. But with tough games ahead, Toronto’s journey will begin with a brutal stretch. Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets and both Los Angeles clubs are at stake in the next five matches.

The Knicks are looking to make their fourth consecutive playoff appearance in the Jalen Brunson era. New coach Mike Brown has gone through some ups and downs this season, but should start March off on the right foot with a big win.

Memphis Grizzlies big man Zach Eddy is receiving more bad news regarding his health. According to the team, Eddie required an additional surgery on his ankle. This is Eddie’s second ankle surgery since June 2025.

Hopefully this latest surgery will relieve the stress on his ankle and the ongoing discomfort.

“Eddie is expected to make a full recovery and a timeline will be provided after surgery,” the team said in a statement.

AD is averaging 13.6 points per game during the 2025-26 NBA season. He’s also averaging just over 11 rebounds per game.

This story will be updated.

Recently, the Philadelphia 76ers received some tough news when it was announced that big man Joel Embiid would be sidelined due to an oblique strain. The injury occurred during a recent home win over the Miami Heat, and came as Embiid was recently returning from a calf injury that kept him from playing time since the All-Star break.

Now, In Street Clothes’ Jeff Stotts has shed more light on what the timetable for Embiid’s recovery might look like.

“New Joel Embiid Injury Update: Oblique strains are far more common in sports like baseball, but do occur in the NBA. NBA players to suffer the injury include Desmond Benn and Dame Lillard. In the NBA, the average time lost for oblique strains in a season is 4.2 games (~11.6 days),” Stotts on X, formerly Twitter, reported.

Injuries have been a major part of Embiid’s career, derailing both his 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons following his MVP campaign in 2022-23. He has been in and out of the lineup all year for the 76ers this season as he tries to manage his chronic knee issues.

Meanwhile, the 76ers are still awaiting the return of Paul George, who is currently serving a suspension for violating the league’s banned substance policy.

The 76ers have done a solid job of holding down the fort in the absence of their two stars, with Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe forming one of the most explosive backcourts in the NBA. The 76ers are currently 33-26 on the season, and are in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, 1.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors. If the postseason began today, Philadelphia would face the New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs in a rematch of their 2024 matchup.

In any case, the 76ers will next take the field against the Boston Celtics on Sunday evening.

On Sunday evening, the Atlanta Hawks will take on the Portland Trail Blazers in search of their fourth consecutive win. Jalen Johnson is on the injury report, currently listed as questionable due to left hip flexor irritation. Here’s everything we know about Johnson’s injury and his playing status against the Blazers.

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Jalen Johnson’s playing status against the Blazers on Sunday

Given his questionable designation on the injury report, there is some doubt at the moment as to whether Jalen Johnson will be able to suit up for the Hawks on Sunday evening. Johnson suffered a hip flexor injury during a recent game against the Washington Wizards, causing him to leave in the first half and not return, then was ruled out of Atlanta’s next game, also against the Wizards.

The injury report joins Johnson at shooting guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who is questionable with a left foot sprain and missed Atlanta’s last game against Washington. Rookie Asa Newell is questionable, as he is on assignment in the G League.

The Trail Blazers have not yet released their injury report, as they are on the road for the second straight night after losing to the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday afternoon.

As mentioned earlier, the Hawks will be looking to pick up their fourth consecutive win in this matchup, although that streak has not come against the best competition, with Atlanta beating the Wizards twice and the Brooklyn Nets twice.

However, for a team that is desperate to get back to the .500 mark, the Hawks will win out no matter what.

If Johnson is unable to go, expect another big game from Jonathan Kuminga, who has impressed in his first two games in a Hawks uniform so far.

The Hawks and Blazers are set to tip off at 6:00 PM ET.

The Golden State Warriors returned to their losing streak with a blowout loss at home to the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday evening. It was another missed game for point guard Stephen Curry, who had been dealing with a knee injury long before the All-Star break, and has seen his team sink in the standings as a result.

During the game on Saturday, the Warriors received troubling information about Curry’s condition from the point guard.

“I’m feeling better. It’s a weird thing. It’s unpredictable how it’s going to heal, but it’s been progress every day since the All-Star break. That’s all I can ask for,” Curry said during an in-game interview with ESPN, via ESPN’s Anthony Slater on Twitter.

Curry also said it would “take a while” for him to return to the court.

This is certainly not the update Warriors fans were hoping to hear as they watched their team try to pick up a win without their best player.

On Saturday, the game was over almost before it started, as Golden State trailed by 24 points early in the first half, and never made it very competitive from there.

Of course, even with Curry on the court, the Warriors are far from contenders, especially with Jimmy Butler sidelined for the rest of the year with an ACL injury. Making matters more frustrating is that big man Kristaps Porzingis, whom the team recently acquired from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield, has played just one game for the Warriors as he battles a mystery illness, while Kuminga is off to a great start in Atlanta.

In any case, the Warriors will next be at home against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday evening.

SAN FRANCISCO – While the Golden State Warriors were defeated by the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night, there were still plenty of reasons to celebrate for Gui Santos and the Dubs.

According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, Santos and the Warriors agreed to a three-year contract extension worth $15 million with a player option in 2028-29. The deal prevents Santos from hitting restricted free agency and adds a player who has become an integral part of coach Steve Kerr’s rotation.

“Happy for Gui and happy for us,” Kerr said Saturday. “He’s been such an important player for us, but also an incredible development story. Selected in the second round, and he spent his entire first year in Santa Cruz, and I think he was two-way at some point. But he’s become one of our most important players, and we’re all very excited for him.”

Santos’ contract extension is cause for celebration as it seals one of the Warriors’ most successful development stories. Drafted by the Dubs out of Brazil with the 55th pick in 2022, Santos’ progression from G League player to key rotational piece is a feather in the organization’s cap from both a scouting angle and an internal ecosystem and development angle.

After Golden State’s 129-101 blowout loss on Saturday, Santos reflected on all the work he’s done to get to this moment.

“A lot of things go through my mind when you see your work being rewarded,” Santos said. “Since I’ve been here, through the G League and even before playing in Brazil, it was a lot of work. Whatever resources we have there, it’s not a lot, and just making the league is a big, big deal. But even being able to get an extension with the best organization in the world, there aren’t words that can describe this feeling.”

Reaction of the Santos family and their comrades

When Santos called his parents to tell them the good news, they thought he was calling for a completely different reason.

“When I told them on the call, I was a little serious. ‘Dad, Mom, I need to talk to you guys about something serious.’ And they thought I got my fiancée pregnant,” Santos said, laughing with a big smile on his face.

“I was doing it on purpose [leading them on by saying I had] Something really serious to talk about. They know I had a good life. I wasn’t doing anything wrong. This was the only thing that could happen. That was just a joke. They would say, okay, yes, but if it was news to them, they would have liked it too.

Gui Santos’ family thought he was calling them for a different reason after today:

“I was like, Dad, Mom, I had to talk about something serious and they thought I got my fiancée pregnant.”

Once they got the real news they were still very excited. ??? pic.twitter.com/6BAwYWlCuy

– Kenzo Fukuda (@kenzofuku) 1 March 2026

When someone joked that Santos could have kids with his new contract, he added another joke: “Now I can get some more Gui here!”

But once Santos was able to tell his parents the real news, they became very excited and emotional for him because they understood how hard he had to work to get there. It’s a work ethic that Moses Moody got to see firsthand. After the game, Moody talked about watching Santos work his way into the rotation, noting that his path was not always clear.

“Seeing him come in, working for it — it didn’t seem like there was a clear path to success,” Moody said. “Seizing the opportunity, staying down. But not being overly ambitious, but still working every day, keeping my composure when he wasn’t feeling good. Then it started feeling good. And it’s good to see him be the same person. That’s the conversation I had with him this morning.”

cap implications

It’s safe to say that Santos’ three-year, $15 million extension is a home run for Golden State’s cap books. The Warriors have acquired a versatile forward who can shoot, defend and rebound at a cap hit of $5 million per year, which is something any team in the league would want. And that’s exactly the kind of salary level that’s needed when their two best players, Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler, are making $55 million next year.

As far as their cap situation is concerned, Santos’ deal gives the Warriors approximately $182 million in committed salary to nine players next season, including contracts with player options, i.e. Draymond Green, De’Anthony Melton and Al Horford. The luxury tax threshold next season is projected to be approximately $201.7 million, with the Warriors hoping to stay under that number to maintain their ability to use the non-taxpayer mid-tier exception. Being able to utilize the MLE will be key in their hopes of retaining Melton, who will likely command a number of contenders this season after recovering from his ACL injury.

Therefore, it was necessary to retain Santos at this number. This keeps them flexible, gives them space on their books, and provides a strong backup if Melton leaves.

Santos hopes to set example for Brazil

Santos understands the importance of his contract extension beyond just himself. When he was arriving, Santos talked about nine Brazilian basketball players in the NBA who he could look to as examples of what he hoped to become.

But as the only current NBA player born and raised in Brazil, Santos is the only example the next generation of Brazilian basketball players can look to when they turn on their TVs. It’s a responsibility he takes seriously because he knows all eyes are on him.

Santos said, “I’m the only one here, so I’m the biggest example when you look at basketball and the NBA is the biggest level you can get to. Everyone is looking at me as an example.” “For me, it’s just trying to be a great person and show that work ethic is the most important thing. That’s what got me into this position. …

“Overall, be a good example for our kids in Brazil and show that if you work, you get what you deserve.”

Gui Santos was asked how his story could help the next generation of Brazilian basketball players make it into the league:

“For me it’s just trying to be a great person and show that work ethic is the most important thing because that’s what got me here.”

Full soundbite here: pic.twitter.com/ANuhcQT1AB

– Kenzo Fukuda (@kenzofuku) 1 March 2026

Gui Santos will look to continue this hard work in a Warriors uniform this season and beyond, and look to make a splash in the postseason.

The Cleveland Cavaliers will face the Brooklyn Nets, and there is a possibility that they may get one of their key players back. James Harden has missed the last few games after being diagnosed with a fractured right thumb, but he is expected to return game-to-game. It doesn’t appear that Harden will have surgery, and it may be a matter of enduring the pain if he returns to the court.

Luckily for the Cavs, they’ll be playing the Nets, a team that hasn’t had much success this season. This could be a game in which they let Harden sit out so he can continue to recover.

Anyway, here’s Harden’s position for the game.

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Injury status of James Harden vs. Nets

Harden is listed as questionable against the Nets, which means he is likely to play.

The latest update on Harden wasn’t the best when thinking about a return soon, as head coach Kenny Atkinson shared that the guard was having difficulty dribbling.

“I know he was struggling a little bit with his dribbling this morning,” Atkinson said. “If you have difficulty dribbling and catching [it’s tough to play]. Jarrett Allen went through this early in the season. We tried to bring him back. He wanted to hurry, and then we had to go back and give him some time.

“I know James is different… We have to get feedback from James… There is no one stronger in the league. There is no one else available. No one wants to play more.”

If Harden is struggling trying to dribble, there is no way he can play. At this point, listing him as questionable is probably just putting opposing teams on edge so they don’t know whether they should prepare for him or not.

Veteran center DeAndre Jordan has played with some of the most flammable personalities in NBA history, so he knows a thing or two about keeping you cool. After the New Orleans Pelicans’ 115-105 win over the Utah Jazz on Saturday, Jordan made sure to shout out rookie Jeremiah Fears for a different kind of situation: the lack of technical fouls.

“He ain’t got no technique. I’m very proud of him,” Jordan said, smiling. “He ain’t got no technique today.”

“He didn’t get any techniques. I’m very proud of him. He didn’t get any techniques today”

– DeAndre Jordan on Jeremiah Fear pic.twitter.com/GQ0AgVCqdt

– Pelican Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) 1 March 2026

The veteran’s playful jab came after a high-stakes game where emotions could have easily boiled over. Fears, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, played with a maturity that belied his age, especially after Pelicans star Zion Williamson left the game early in the second quarter with a right ankle injury.

With Williamson sidelined, Fears stepped up in a big way. The rookie guard finished the night with a massive double-double, including 18 points and a season-high 11 rebounds. He also added five assists and two blocks in 34 minutes of action, which shows why he remained atop the NBA rookie ladder throughout the season.

The Pelicans relied on a balanced attack to earn their fourth consecutive win. Saddiq Bey led the scoring with 24 points, while Bryce McGowens matched Fears with 18 points. Herbert Jones led the defensive effort with 17 points and eight rebounds, helping New Orleans hold off a late lead from Utah’s Isaiah Collier, who finished with 21 points.

For a Pelicans team that is beginning to find its stride in the Western Conference, Fears’ development as a skilled playmaker is a huge win. If he can continue to accumulate double-doubles while avoiding the referee’s whistle, DeAndre Jordan will have a lot more to be proud of.