分類: 综合

Anthony Edwards is unquestionably one of the best players in the association, and some even believe he is the best player in the NBA bar one. Now, it’s hard to crown Edwards given how talented his teammates are, but the fact that he’s keeping pace with the elite is nothing less than a huge win for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

On Friday night, with Edwards playing for the Timberwolves for the first time since the All-Star break, the 2026 NBA All-Star Game MVP picked up right where he left off. He scored 40 points for Minnesota to lead them to a 122–111 win over the Dallas Mavericks, and in doing so, he notched his eighth 40-point game of the 2025–26 campaign.

This places him in rarefied air; This season, only two players have scored 40 points in a single game at least eight times, with Edwards joining Luka Doncic in that exclusive club, as reported by the official ClutchPoints account on Ax (formerly Twitter).

Edwards is now averaging 29.5 points per contest on the season, which ranks him third in the association behind Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. That’s why the Timberwolves are emerging as a secret contender in the Western Conference, and Edwards is a big factor in that.

Timberwolves don’t let off the gas pedal vs. Mavericks

It was thanks to a stellar first quarter performance that the Timberwolves managed to create a comfortable cushion between themselves and the Mavericks. At the end of the period they were already ahead by 15, and Edwards scored only three runs during that period. Edwards led the way in the second frame, scoring 17 points in 10 minutes, and Minnesota kept Dallas at bay for most of the game.

Edwards, who was without Cooper Flagg on Friday night due to a foot injury, battled his way against an overmatched Mavs team.

Kon Knuppel made a splash with his performance in the Charlotte Hornets’ matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night.

Knueppel is halfway through his rookie year in the NBA with the Hornets. He has made remarkable progress as one of the best-performing newcomers from the 2025 draft class, becoming a contender for Rookie of the Year.

The star rookie proved himself with another excellent performance against Cleveland. In 37 minutes of action, Knueppel had a stat line of 33 points, six rebounds, two assists and one steal. He made 11 of 20 shots from the field, including 7 of 15 from beyond the arc and 4 of 5 from the free-throw line.

Kon Knuppel in the Hornets’ loss to the Cavs tonight 🐝

33 points 11-of-20 FG
6 rebounds 7-of-15 3pts
0 turnover pic.twitter.com/hhvqBDhVu3

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 21 February 2026

It didn’t take long for fans to react to her performance, expressing their amazement at the newbie’s star talent. Here are some of their reactions.

One fan said, “Kon Nuppel kid is gonna be a problem. So good 💫.”

“This is a big night for Kon Knueppel – 33 points on 11/20 shooting and 7/15 from three is excellent efficiency – especially in 37 minutes. This kind of perimeter shooting shows confidence and ability to make serious shots,” another commented.

One commented, “Kon Knueppel dropped 33 points on 7 of 15 from three in the same night Donovan Mitchell scored 32 and the Cavs are showing they have a lot of ways to beat you. Knueppel is no longer a rookie, he’s a weapon.”

“33 in 37 minutes…that’s the real production 🔥,” one replied.

One fan said, “No need for that kind of “adjustment” from day one. It would be a travesty if he wasn’t rotten.”

Kon Nueppel, how the Hornets played against the Cavaliers

Despite notable efforts from Kon Knueppel, it was not enough as the Hornets lost to the Cavaliers 118–113.

Five players scored in double figures for Charlotte in the loss, including Knueppel. LaMelo Ball was next with 18 points and six assists, Brandon Miller had 18 points and four assists, Ryan Kalkbrenner added 12 points and 13 rebounds, while Josh Green added 11 points and two assists.

Charlotte finished the season with a 26–31 record and 10th place in the Eastern Conference standings. They are above the Milwaukee Bucks and Chicago Bulls, while trailing the Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat.

The Hornets will look to bounce back in their next match while on the road. They will face the Washington Wizards on February 22, tip-off at 6 PM ET.

The Philadelphia 76ers were widely expected to make a cost-cutting move before the trade deadline, as that is how their front office has operated over the past few seasons. He has shown an aversion to paying the luxury tax, and for better or worse, he has ensured that he does not stray above the tax apron.

However, the 76ers found the tax savings they were looking for in an unexpected place. They traded their 2024 first-round pick, Jared McCann, who had shown so much promise before tearing his meniscus, to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a 2026 first-round pick (from the Houston Rockets) and three second-round picks.

Now, McCain is turning his attention to the defending champion. On Friday night, he scored 21 points on 7-12 shooting from the field in the Thunder’s 105–86 win over the Brooklyn Nets. He starred for an OKC team that was missing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, and McCann’s emergence has given OKC more room to rest those key guys — much to the dismay of 76ers fans.

76ers fans crying over Jared McCann loss after big night for OKC

The 76ers’ decision to trade McCain was a surprising development, as it looked like he was going to be part of the team’s core for the near future, given how well he played in his rookie season.

Now, McCann is playing well for the Thunder, and 76ers fans are heartbroken that the guy they picked is working for a different team in his second year campaign.

Sixers fan RN after trade of Jared McCain https://t.co/50ysWG7DFf pic.twitter.com/QM3mv0TSnt

– Chilinwari (@chilinwari) 21 February 2026

“Jared McCann playing so well shows just how bad Nick Nurse is on this roster,” wrote X user @Youdownwith_LNV.

@TimeoutSPORTS3 said, “The Sixers gave Jared McCain practically nothing. Non-serious organization.”

@Glenjr1988 added, “I was right about Jared McCain. I mean Sam Presti traded for him.”

76ers president Daryl Morey said they were “highly sold” on McCann. Only time will tell whether this is actually the case or not. However, everything is not looking good for Philly at the moment.

After a 2024-25 season in which the Cleveland Cavaliers finished atop the Western Conference and still ended the season with a disappointment, the Cavs are looking to rebuild once again. The arrival of James Harden and an influx of stars headlined by Donovan Mitchell means the Cavs are once again seen as genuine title contenders.

And while Mitchell notched his 100th 30-point game for the Cavs against the Charlotte Hornets, his postgame comments will put an even bigger smile on fans’ faces.

Donovan on his 100th, 30-point game as a Cavalier:

“Hopefully I get 100, 200 more, that’s the goal. … I love being here, I love being a part of this group, I love being a part of this organization and this city. There’s a lot of Cavs fans out there coming to see the crowds we have on the road. Before I… pic.twitter.com/9e4tXeWx81

-RealCavsFans.com (@realcavsfans) 21 February 2026

“Hopefully I get 100, 200 more, that’s the goal. … I love being here, I love being a part of this group, I love being a part of this organization and this city. To see the crowd we have on the road, there are so many Cavs fans. Before I got here, I didn’t know how many people were actually from Ohio. To hear that wherever I go is special,” Mitchell told RealCavsFans.com As explained in a post on

The 29-year-old has established himself as one of the best scorers in the NBA, averaging 28.8 points per game (career-high), 5.9 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals. The win is Cleveland’s seventh consecutive win and 12th in the last 13 games.

The defining story was Mitchell’s acquisition in the fourth quarter. The All-Star guard finished with 32 points, including 13 in the final period.

And while Mitchell sealed the game, Jarrett Allen’s interior dominance was equally important. Allen contributed 25 points and 14 rebounds while Harden chipped in with 18 points and eight assists.

For the Hornets, Kon Knueppel had a 33-point performance with seven three-pointers, bringing his total three-pointers for the season to 193, the second-most by a rookie in the NBA. Despite trailing by 14 points after the first half, Knueppel’s effective shooting allowed the Hornets to get back into the game.

Nevertheless, the Hornets lost due to lack of support, with their second highest scorer Brandon Miller finishing with 18 points. The Cavs’ offensive talent proved too much in the end, helping them earn their seventh consecutive win.

Anthony Edwards has certainly been having a great time lately. After winning the All-Star Tournament and MVP awards, Ant was once again the star for the Timberwolves as they recorded a dominant 122–11 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

And well, in totally typical fashion, according to a post by the NBA on X, Edwards was seen showing off his MVP trophy to his teammates with a big smile on his face. Edwards can be seen patiently showing the trophy to each of his teammates before putting it back.

Ant made sure all of his teammates got a good view of the Kobe Bryant trophy 🏆 https://t.co/6EB7MyQIvj pic.twitter.com/Eem2nH4g9C

– NBA (@NBA) 21 February 2026

Playing his first game after the All-Star break, Ant made 16 of 30 shooting (53.3%), hit 5 of 13 from three, and added six rebounds in 38 minutes. Despite being the main focus of the hapless Mavericks defense, Edwards committed only three turnovers on the night.

The Mavericks struggled to keep up throughout and fell behind every time they threatened to take over the game. When Dallas erased a significant deficit and tied the game at 103 with 6:55 remaining, Edwards answered with a step-back three that reestablished Minnesota control.

Edwards scored 14 fourth-quarter points as the Timberwolves finally got comfortable and finished the game ahead by 11 points. The Timberwolves shot 16-of-42 from three (38.1%), leading to a 24-point advantage from beyond the arc.

Rudy Gobert delivered 22 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks, while Naz Reed provided ample support, adding 21 points and four three-pointers. For the Mavericks, Khris Middleton led the way with 18 points and Marvin Bagley produced a 15-point, 13-rebound double-double.

However, in the absence of several stars including Cooper Flagg, Max Christie and Kyrie Irving, the Mavericks struggled with their shooting all night and their team field-goal accuracy was 42.3%. This proved to be his downfall as ANT bounced back with his eighth 40-point game of the season, helping hand the Mavs their tenth consecutive loss.

Minnesota will now face the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday while the Mavericks will next face the Indiana Pacers.

The hits keep coming for the Los Angeles Clippers; Still without Darius Garland, the key player they got in exchange for James Harden, they lost John Collins to a serious head injury in Friday night’s contest against the Los Angeles Lakers.

To make matters worse, the Clippers will now be without Kawhi Leonard for the final few minutes of a close game against the Purple and Gold, as Tomer Azharli beat a ClutchPoints reporter.

Leonard was experiencing pain in his left ankle, and it looked as if he had dislocated it on the first play of the fourth when he attempted to post up and the ball slipped out of his grasp. The Clippers star was treading cautiously, and now, the team is opting to play it safe, refusing to risk any more losses to their best player.

Leonard scored 31 points on 11-19 shooting from the field, with four rebounds and five assists, before being forced to leave the game due to an ankle injury.

Things go from bad to worse for the plucky Clippers

To say that this season has not gone according to plan by any means for the Clippers would be a huge understatement. Leonard’s alleged involvement in a cap rigging business tied to a bankrupt company called Aspiration got this season off to a bad start for the Clippers, and now, LA is going to be without two key players at such a crucial point in the season.

The Clippers were one win away from reaching the .500 mark, which is a borderline miracle considering their 6-21 start to the season, but their loss to the Lakers has delayed their spectacular climb for the time being. If Leonard, Collins and Garland miss even more time, the onus will be on Benedict Mathurin to lead the team in scoring.

Austin Reaves had a ridiculous highlight during the Los Angeles Clippers matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.

Reeves is playing the fifth season of his NBA career with the Lakers. He rose up the ranks as he became one of the best guards in the league, turning himself into one of the top scoring options on the team.

Reaves continues to make headlines with his finesse on the offensive side of the ball. This was the situation during the Lakers’ duel with the Clippers. The star guard drove the ball into the paint behind his back and successfully converted a wild reverse layup, surprising the home crowd.

Austin found out what the game is 🍿👀

(via @nba)
pic.twitter.com/4AMsVMt5KU

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 21 February 2026

Austin Reaves, how the Lakers played against the Clippers

It was an incredible highlight for Austin Reaves as he helped the Lakers come out of the All-Star break with a solid 125-122 win over the Clippers.

The two teams went toe-to-toe throughout the game and the Lakers only led 99-95 heading into the fourth quarter. Despite this, the hosts held on and made enough big plays to secure a win over their state rivals.

Four players scored in double figures for the Lakers in the win, including Reaves. He finished with a stat line of 29 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals. He made 9 of 15 shots from the field, including 4 of 5 from beyond the arc and 7 of 7 from the free-throw line. Luka Doncic led the way with 38 points and 11 assists, LeBron James came next with 13 points and 11 assists, while Deandre Ayton provided 13 points and seven rebounds.

Los Angeles improved to a 34–21 record on the season and finished fifth in the Western Conference standings. They are above the Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns while trailing the Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets.

The Lakers will stay at home and await their next matchup. They will host the Orlando Magic as tip-off takes place on February 24 at 10:30 PM ET.

ATLANTA – The Atlanta Hawks started the second half of the season with a road win, an environment they have been quite comfortable in this year. As of Friday, the Hawks were 17-15 on the road.

It’s home games where they lag (10-16 record), and that was the case in their 128-97 loss to the Miami Heat. The Hawks took a flat approach to start the game, while the Heat were clicking on both sides of the ball.

It was the second quarter where the Hawks came alive, and with a run started by Corey Kispert and CJ McCollum, they saw a 15-point deficit disappear.

“We played with better pace,” McCallum said. “We came out and ran. I think in the first quarter, we got our sea legs back and we didn’t come out and run. Didn’t get a chance to get stops.

“In the second quarter, we came out and ran. Corey got a dunk and a transition three. Got some rim pressure, got some kick out three eyes out. I think that was the difference.”

The Hawks trailed 57-51 at halftime and with little momentum. Unfortunately, they went back to their old habits and the Heat never looked back in the second half, taking a 34-point lead in the fourth quarter.

“They went into the zone to start the fourth quarter and I think that changed the game,” McCollum said. “They took advantage of some turnovers and missed shots. I don’t think we did enough to win. [Tyler] Hero got down. He’s got a lot more freedom, a lot more space in his pick and roll, and a lot more space in his pull-ups. I think a lot of guys hurt us tonight, and I think we didn’t deserve to win this game.”

The Heat had 72 points in the paint to the Hawks’ 38. They were defeated 58-46. Plus, they got 20 points off their turnovers. The only thing that went good for the Hawks in this game was that they shot 42% from the three-point line, but that was still not enough to win.

“I think when we follow the game plan, and we come out and execute the game plan, that’s when we play our best. I don’t think we did a good job of executing the game plan tonight,” Jalen Johnson said.

The Hawks were coming up by one, but they didn’t use it as an excuse for the loss.

“I would have liked to have gone to bed before 3 a.m. last night, but they beat us to it,” McCallum said. “It’s the same. They came out, they played better than us. They started well. They got points in transition, they got threes, they got rim pressure. Tonight they did what they wanted. So back-to-back or not, they did enough to win, and we didn’t do enough.”

The Hawks have four consecutive games to correct their mistakes for their home woes this season, and they are coming against opponents who haven’t had the best performances this year.

Johnson said, “The opportunities are in front of us. We just have to go out there and get it. We got another chance to regroup on Sunday, and tomorrow we got a chance to watch film and get better.”

Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is considered one of the most instinctive players in the NBA, his stellar play extending beyond the court and into his personal style. Naturally, Gilgeous-Alexander has one of the best looking signature sneakers in the game at the moment, turning heads with the recent release of his Converse SHAI 001. Ahead, we’ll see a patterned colorway for the first time in the collection.

Check out our sneakers news for more upcoming releases and breaking content!

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took the road less traveled when joining Converse Basketball in 2020. In addition to becoming the new face of Converse Basketball (a subgroup of Nike), Sga also earned the title of Creative Director for their basketball line. It has also opened the door to past and future lifestyle ventures including everyday sneakers and apparel.

Typically, we have only seen the SHAI 001 in monochromatic colors, with every facet and panel matching a uniform color. Here, we see a pattern on the shoe for the first time, which is an exciting indicator of what the future may hold for future concepts.

Conversation SHAI 001 ‘Camo’

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s “Camo” Converse SHAI 001 is dropping this year 👀 pic.twitter.com/iINsvsGDNL

– Nice Kicks (@nicekicks) 17 February 2026

SGA spotted wearing an unreleased camo Converse Shy 001 👀🔥

Thoughts on these?

(via @shaiglalextimnodelman/IG) pic.twitter.com/1rtEWqaesC

– B/R Kicks (@brkicks) 18 February 2026

initial look 👀
Converse Shai 001 ‘Camo’ pic.twitter.com/K3H1B18CyJ

– Sneaker Sense (@sneaker_sense) 17 February 2026

During the 2026 All-Star Weekend, Gilgeous-Alexander was seen rocking an unreleased colorway of his signature SHAI 001 along with a camo outfit with sneakers. The shoe comes dressed in a classic camouflage mix of military green, black, gray and brown. The primary color is Light Military Green across the midsole, outsole, back heel, sockliner and mesh upper below the zipper.

Although there is no information on an official release date, multiple outlets are reporting a time frame during the spring of 2026, potentially set for April 3. The shoes are expected to follow previous releases and come with a standard $130 retail tag, available through select Converse platforms and Nike SNKRS.

The Portland Trail Blazers are rumored to be in the process of being purchased by Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon, leading to concerns over the limitations of the Moda Center as well as the franchise being moved out of the city. While the sale is expected to be completed around March 2026, many fans, including Denver Nuggets head coach David Edelman, do not want the Trail Blazers to move on.

Edelman was asked about his favorite childhood memories of Portland, and his response became an impassioned plea.

“They have to keep the team here. They have to find a way to do that. This is a basketball town. Northwest deserves two teams. It would be crushing for this community… Emotionally, I know what this place is and what it means to have a professional basketball team here. It’s not just something to hang out with. It’s something to go to and be a part of,” he said, according to a post on X by journalist Brenna Green.

David Edelman was asked about his favorite childhood memories in Portland @katywinge And it turned into an impassioned statement about why the Blazers should stay in PDX:

“They’ve got to keep the team here. They’ve got to find a way to do that. This is a basketball town.… pic.twitter.com/Gz95dpdVbN

– Brenna Greene (@BrennaGreene_) 21 February 2026

Edelman spent a large portion of his childhood in Portland as he is the son of former Trail Blazers head coach Rick Edelman, who also previously played for the team. The Trail Blazers have been in Portland for more than 55 years, but things could change with the expected approval of Tom Dundon’s purchase at a valuation of more than $4 billion.

The limitations of the arena’s infrastructure, along with new ownership and the fact that the long-term lease expires in 2030, have brought uncertainty about the future. The Trail Blazers are the area’s only major men’s professional sports franchise in leagues such as the NBA, NFL, MLB, or NHL, further increasing the importance of the team residing in the city.

However, an immediate transfer appears unlikely. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has indicated that a transfer is “not under consideration right now”, although according to WRAL News, this phrase makes the future uncertain.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are stuck in a dogfight in the Western Conference, as they remain sixth in the standings despite easily defeating the Dallas Mavericks 122-111 in their first game after the All-Star break. It’s going to be tough going forward, which in turn will force the Timberwolves to raise their standards so they can surpass their peers.

However, at this point, the Timberwolves are looking for ways to be better than the team they were the day before and the day before that. They are not exactly keeping themselves on par with others; What is important for them is that they reach their full potential.

However, currently, head coach Chris Finch said he does not know if the Timberwolves are there yet, especially when compared to last season.

“When you sit back and look at it, we have very high internal expectations. If you take the temperature of the team internally, we’ll probably be a little disappointed with where we are. We feel like we should be a little more forward. We’ve been inconsistent on our defense at times, that’s hurt us. The West is even more competitive this year,” Finch said, via Dan Moore, Timberwolves beat reporter.

“I don’t know if we’re better or not. We’ll evaluate that at the end of the season. But we know who we need to be when we become a good team. And sometimes we stray from that.”

Here Chris Finch was asked whether this season’s Wolves team is better than last season’s team.

“When you sit back and look at it, we have very high expectations internally. If you measure the temperature of the team internally, we’ll probably be a little disappointed with where we are… pic.twitter.com/qN2UpcWTQT

– Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) 20 February 2026

Timberwolves know next step is to get over the hump

The Timberwolves may have made the conference finals in 2024 and 2025, but they weren’t exactly competitive once they got there. They lost to the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder in five games; They gave up a few winnable games against the Mavs, but against the Thunder, they trailed for most of the five-game series.

The challenge has not been easy for the Timberwolves. Thunder is still looming. The Nuggets have a lot of depth. But he has the ability to overcome the hump, that is for sure.

LOS ANGELES – After a late turnover-related mistake that gave the LA Clippers a chance to tie the game, the Los Angeles Lakers emerged with a 125-122 win after Nicolas Batum missed a 3-point attempt. The entire game was a high-scoring affair, but according to Lakers head coach JJ Redick, the biggest play of the game came from Austin Reaves on the defensive end.

When the Clippers trailed by three, 118–115, with less than two minutes left in the game, Benedict Mathurin attacked the basket to cut the Lakers’ lead. But Austin Reaves beat him on the spot, putting a charge on the game and giving the Lakers some momentary relief.

Luka Doncic missed a clutch floater, and Austin Reeves took a charge from Benedict Mathurin at the other end, fouled out (the challenge was not successful).

with replay pic.twitter.com/mVKIwNXMhX

– MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) 21 February 2026

Reaves tried to draw another charge that was not called, and according to JJ Redick it would have been a game-defining play if it had gone the Lakers’ way.

“I thought the charge was the play of the game,” Reddick said after the win. “Frankly, the other allegation was that if they had made the right call the game would have been played, which they didn’t…it was a huge play given the circumstances.”

The Clippers game was Reaves’ first game in the starting lineup since he returned from a calf injury. He was coming off the bench under a one-minute ban. At Lakers practice on Thursday afternoon, Redick acknowledged that Reaves will no longer be on a minutes restriction.

Reeves had another All-Star caliber effort with 29 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals in 33 minutes. He shot a perfect 9 of 15 from the field, 4 of 5 from the 3-point line, and 7 of 7 from the free-throw line.

“He was fantastic tonight,” Redick said. “Other than the two turnovers there and the third turnover in traffic, they just played a super efficient night.”

Coming into Friday’s game, Reeves had appeared in 28 games this season, a little over 33 minutes per game. He averaged 25.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.0 steals with splits of 50.8 percent shooting from the field, 36.3 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 86.7 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

Reeves was on pace to make his first All-Star appearance, but his unfortunate calf injury hindered his chances.

The Lakers currently have two more games to play at home, starting with a showdown against their historic rival at the Boston Celtics on Sunday. They face the Orlando Magic on Tuesday before heading out on the road to close out the month.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City Thunder rookie Nikola Topic addressed the NBA media for the first time since his cancer diagnosis. Topic made his NBA debut last week before the All-Star break in a 105-86 win against the Milwaukee Bucks. It was an emotional moment for Nicola, who received a standing ovation at the Paycom Centre.

After helping lead the Thunder to a 105-86 win against the Brooklyn Nets, the subject, playing in my first two NBA Games talked about what it was like during his first postgame media availability on Friday.

Topic said, “Amazing moment. I’ll remember this for the rest of my life – thanks to the fans.” “Definitely, I will remember it for the rest of my life.”

Nikola Topic got a standing ovation as he checked in to his first career NBA game.

He also gets an assist with a nice pass to Jaylin Williams for an easy bucket. Topic made a great start pic.twitter.com/oJqrXDkPKT

-Joshua Peacock (@Joe_Sway) 13 February 2026

Topic admits that it felt strange to return to the game after being away from the game for so long. However, he managed to put his emotions aside shortly after attending the first NBA game of his career.

Topic continued, “It was weird at first. I’m just getting back to the game experience again.” “I was out for a while. It was very weird coming back. I was finding myself doing things I had never done before. It was pretty hard to adjust to, but every game was better. The first game in the G League. The second game was better. The first game here was OK. The second was better. But I think it will only get better.”

Nikola Topic thanks Thunder fans for standing ovation in NBA debut:

“I will remember this for the rest of my life” pic.twitter.com/N8xqQELZoc

-Joshua Peacock (@Joe_Sway) 21 February 2026

Topic finished with nine points on 4-for-6 shooting, including 1-2 from deep, three rebounds and two assists in 11 minutes. He helped put the Nets away throughout the second half, especially early in the fourth quarter when Topic scored five points and an assist in less than two minutes, giving Oklahoma City a 16-point advantage.

Chet Holmgren keeps it 100 about Thunder’s Nikola theme

All-Star Chet Holmgren reacts to Nikola Topic’s Thunder debut, praising the newcomer’s courage. While Holmgren missed his entire rookie season due to injury, similar to Topic’s ACL repair that sidelined him for the entire 2024-25 campaign, Chet couldn’t start since October due to Nikola’s testicular cancer diagnosis.

Holmgren shares heartfelt comment on Topic’s return to basketball.

“Anyone battling cancer is fighting for their life. I’ve never been able to understand what it’s like. It just speaks to the power of [Topić]And who he is as a person,” Holmgren said. “It would have been very appropriate for him to be down and angry at everyone around him, and be angry at the world because the child he is doesn’t deserve this. We’re all very happy that he was able to fight through it, get back to hooping.

“You see the huge smile on his face when he’s able to put his shoes on and get out there. I thought he played a really good game tonight. He could have made 100 shots or missed 100 shots tonight; it was an amazing game for him. To be able to get out there, get some reps under his belt, and now, he can learn from them, we can learn from him too.”

Topic will play the third game of his NBA career when the Thunder host the Cavs on Sunday at Paycom Center.

The Los Angeles Lakers faced the LA Clippers for the fourth and final time in the 2025-26 regular season, and it was another chance for Luka Doncic to play against a team he has struggled with more than any team in his career.

In their first game out of the All-Star break, the Lakers led by 14 points at the end of the first quarter, 41–27, thanks to Luka Doncic’s hot shooting start. In the first 12 minutes of the game, Doncic recorded 17 points, two rebounds and four assists, while shooting 6 of 8 from the field and 4 of 5 from three.

Doncic’s four assists led to a pair of three-pointers and a pair of two-pointers, meaning he accounted for 27 of the Lakers’ 41 points in the opening period.

Doncic’s 17-point first quarter marked the 30th time the guard recorded at least 10 points in a quarter against the Clippers. This is the 60th time that Doncic has recorded 10 or more points against the Clippers in a single quarter, including the regular season and postseason.

Tonight’s first quarter was the 60th time in Luka Doncic’s career that he recorded 10+ points in a quarter against the LA Clippers.

This was his 30th appearance in the regular season.

– Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) 21 February 2026

The only other player to have a quarter of 10 or more points against the Clippers is Kevin Durant, with 79 points. Doncic tied Stephen Curry’s 60 quarters of 10 or more points against the Clippers.

What is the difference between the three? Durant is currently in his 18th season in the NBA, Stephen Curry is in his 17th season, and Doncic is only in his eighth season. By the time it’s all said and done, who knows how far up on that list Luka Doncic will be.

Additionally, Luka Doncic has the second-most points per game average of any player versus the Clippers franchise.

Doncic’s 32.1 points per game average against the Milwaukee Bucks trails only Michael Jordan’s 32.3 points per game. The next three highest points per game averages against a single franchise are also owned by Michael Jordan (32.0 vs. the Cavs, 32.0 vs. the Knicks, and 31.9 vs. the Knicks).

Luka Doncic is averaging 32.1 points per game against the LA Clippers.

This is the second-highest career points per game average of any player versus one franchise (regular season and postseason). pic.twitter.com/Bw2fVALr7w

– Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) 21 February 2026

Entering Friday’s game, Luka Doncic had played 42 games against the LA Clippers, combining both the regular season and postseason. Their record in those games is 23-19.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jared McCain scored a season-high 21 points in a 105–86 win against the Brooklyn Nets. In the Thunder’s sixth consecutive game without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, McCann’s 21 points led Oklahoma City in scoring before his team’s debut.

McCain, this has become a tradition for new players over the years debuted its bark During his first walk-off interview for the Thunder, according to FanDuel TV.

Jared McCain is barking in his Thunder postgame interview ??? pic.twitter.com/tdMDjD7PqZ

– NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) 21 February 2026

The new Thunder Player Postgame Bark began when Jalen Williams and Jaylin Williams introduced it to fans in attendance and during walk-off interviews, and eventually became required for all new Thunder players.

Mark Daigneault praises Thunder for making major adjustments

With the Thunder missing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams for the next one to two weeks, head coach Mark Daigneault says that although Friday’s win against the Nets was not good, his players found a way. The Thunder defense held the Nets to 10 points in the second quarter. Then, found their offensive rhythm in the second half.

For Daigneault, the absence of Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams and Ajay Mitchell has disrupted the Thunder’s offensive continuity, forcing the defending champions to make quick adjustments.

“We’re obviously missing some on-ball creators. So, the way we’re trying to create an advantage is different right now,” Daigneault said. “But once we get the lead and once we move the ball, those games are no different. I thought we played some pretty good plays. I also thought we had some plays we could learn from. We had a lot of turnovers. It wasn’t a clean offensive game.

“It was tough to establish a rhythm with some of those plays, but guys are being put in good positions. Obviously, we have to start building our muscles collectively, but we also have to continue to develop those habits offensively.”

The Thunder will host the Cavs in a matinee on Sunday.

The Dallas Mavericks suffered their tenth consecutive loss at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves, with Anthony Edwards having a stellar performance with 40 points and six rebounds in a 122–111 victory. After the game, the All-Star MVP was seen not only in excitement, but also made a firm announcement to the fans.

“We got 25 more [games] Hopefully we can go 25-0,” ANT responded when asked about his expectations for the rest of the season, per a post on Ax by ClutchPoints.

“We got 25 more [games] “Hopefully we can go 25-0.”

Anthony Edwards after Timberwolves’ win to start after All-Star break

(via @ESPNNBA)pic.twitter.com/MbXHZNyB0e

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 21 February 2026

The Timberwolves currently sit in 5th place in the Western Conference with a 35-22 record and will have their sights set on the top spots in the standings. Edwards recorded his eighth 40-point outing of the season and pushed the Mavericks’ losing streak to their worst in three decades.

The Timberwolves started the game 8-for-13 from three-point range, exploded for 40-points in the first quarter, and built a lead that reached 17–18 points before halftime. Edwards led that surge with 20 points in the first half, including 17 points in the second quarter.

The Wolves finished the half with 69 points and 11 made threes and then proceeded to withstand a late surge from the Mavericks. Dallas responded with a 24–8 run that cut the deficit to two midway through the third quarter.

However, the comeback was immediately stopped, even though the Mavs were tied at 103–103 with 6:55 remaining. Dallas is also missing players like Cooper Flagg and Max Christie, along with Kyrie Irving and Derek Lively, who are both out for the season.

Edwards took control of the final minutes and scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to eventually make the margin comfortable. In addition to ANT, Rudy Gobert recorded 22 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks, while Naz Reed added 21 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four threes.

The Timberwolves will now play the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, with the Mavericks set to take on next year’s finalists the Indiana Pacers, hoping to end their losing streak.

The Golden State Warriors are entering the most important phase of their season, but they will have to do it without their North Star. Stephen Curry recently met with the media to provide the latest on the persistent right knee injury that has kept him sidelined since late January, and while the news isn’t “bad,” it’s certainly not what fans wanted to hear.

“It’s not going the way I wanted it to,” Curry admitted via NBC Sports Authentic. The two-time MVP has been battling patellofemoral pain syndrome, commonly known as “runner’s knee.” While a second MRI on Wednesday night confirmed that there was no structural damage, the lingering pain and swelling has refused to subside. Curry said that although he is “moving in the right direction,” the priority is to stay healthy for the postseason rather than getting back in time for a February matchup.

Steph Curry shares the latest update on his knee injury and recovery:

“Feels good. I mean, it’s not going the way I wanted it to, but I think we’re on the right track to try to get back there as quickly as possible. The goal is to stay healthy come playoff time and… pic.twitter.com/LpXdWwryol

– Ali ✶ (@jinttherty) 21 February 2026

The timing couldn’t be worse for Golden State. The team is already missing Jimmy Butler, who is out for the season after ACL surgery. This latest delay is also a big personal sting for Curry: By missing his 18th game of the season against the Boston Celtics on Thursday, he becomes officially ineligible for All-NBA and MVP honors under the league’s 65-game rule.

On the court, the shorthanded Warriors have been bad but inconsistent. They recently pulled off a stunning 101-97 comeback win against the Phoenix Suns with the help of a career-high 20 points from Pat Spencer and 18 points from Gui Santos. However, a lack of late-game shot creation was evident as they relied on a 25-7 closing run to escape. D’Anthony Melton scored 17 points, but the offense clearly lacked the “gravity” provided by Curry.

The Warriors, currently 29-27 and in eighth place in the West, will reevaluate Curry in 10 days. For now, “Dub Nation” faithful will have to hold their breath and hope the supporting cast can keep the ship afloat until No. 30 is cleared for takeoff.

Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic decided to prepare a surprise for his head coach JJ Redick.

Doncic and Redic are going through their second season together. The latter is his second year as a head coach in the NBA, while Doncic is in his second year with the franchise after being acquired by the Lakers from the Dallas Mavericks last February.

The pair have gotten along well as Doncic has settled into life in Los Angeles. They’ve been creating comedic moments on and off the court, and after one of the Lakers’ games, Doncic decided to give Redick a surprise gift.

Doncic wore a jacket last week, which caught Redick’s attention on the sidelines. The coach took an interest in the jacket, ordered the star guard and gave him the jacket shortly after the game. It’s safe to say that Redick appreciated the kind gesture from his star player.

“I know you want to be like me,” Doncic told Redick in the video.

“I know you want to be like me.”

Luka Doncic surprises JJ Redick with the same jacket he wore last week

(via @lakers)pic.twitter.com/yJJjpsKHAa

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 21 February 2026

Luka Doncic, what’s next for the Lakers

It’s a great moment for Luka Doncic and JJ Redick to share with each other. It is important for the head coach and superstar player to get along well to lead the Lakers to major success.

Doncic is playing at an MVP level for the eighth full season of his career. He averaged 32.8 points, 8.6 assists, 7.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. He is shooting 47.3% from the field, including 34.5% from beyond the arc, and 78.1% from the free-throw line.

Los Angeles has a 33–21 record on the season, finishing fifth in the Eastern Conference standings. They are above the Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns, while trailing the Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets.

Following their matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers, the Lakers will prepare for their next contest. They will be at home when they host the Boston Celtics on February 22nd at 6:30 PM ET.

The Moda Center felt like a dream sequence Friday night when Portland Trail Blazers rookie Yang Hansen finally came face to face with his basketball idol, Nikola Jokic. For Hansen, a 7-foot-1 center often dubbed the “Chinese Jokic” for his excellent passing and high basketball IQ, it wasn’t just another game on the schedule; It was a meeting that took months in the making.

The two ran into each other near mid-court during pregame warmups, a light-hearted moment that certainly calmed some of the 20-year-old rookie’s nerves. Hansen has been vocal about his admiration for the Denver Nuggets superstar since Portland selected him 16th overall last summer.

Yang Hansen has revealed how much he admires Nikola Jokic. The two are meeting before tonight’s game here in Portland. pic.twitter.com/XkTgri9gS4

– Katy Winge (@katywinge) 21 February 2026

He even famously joked during All-Star weekend that he “can’t wait to kiss” the three-time MVP. Jock, always wise, had previously set a humorous condition for a photo op: he would only take a photo if Hansen promised to play poorly against him.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have a way of making Target Center feel like a highlight factory, and Friday night was no exception. While the Timberwolves were recently sitting comfortably in the Western Conference playoff race, Nazi Reed decided to provide a moment that will be played on loop for the rest of the season.

With less than two minutes left in the first quarter and Minnesota already having a 10-point cushion, the sixth man of the year took matters into his own hands.

Reed caught a pass at half-court and took off on a one-man fastbreak. Most big men will look for the trailing guard or decide to drop to safety, but Reed is not most big men. He took a smooth “around the world” step to get past a retreating defender, picked up his pace and took off.

Naz Reed. Hey mom‼️

Put Danielle Gafford on a poster 🖼️pic.twitter.com/17BnlSl90p

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 21 February 2026

Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford attempted to meet him at the summit, but he quickly realized he was on the wrong side of things. Reed hit a powerful poster dunk at home that literally sent the Minneapolis crowd into a frenzy. It wasn’t just a dunk; It was a statement.

Reed scored 6 points on 3-of-5 shooting, while also grabbing three rebounds and one assist. His energy off the bench led to a massive run that the Mavericks couldn’t answer. Minnesota is shooting a collective 46% from the field, overwhelming a Dallas team that is struggling to find its rhythm without rookie star Cooper Flagg.

Anthony Edwards led the Wolves with a game-high 20 points, while Rudy Gobert had 12 points and 11 rebounds. On the other hand, Khris Middleton is trying to keep the Mavericks afloat with 12 points.

If you weren’t a believer in the “Naz Reed” hype before, this poster on Gafford should officially convert you.

Phoenix Suns owner Matt Ishbia recently spoke out about teams reportedly lagging in the NBA, calling it “losing behavior.” With tanking emerging as a hot topic in the league, it looks like Ishbia has at least one supporter in the form of Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob.

According to Tim Kawakami of the San Francisco Standard, while discussing the state of the Warriors this season, Lacob made it clear that his team is not making any efforts to tank. He acknowledged Ishbia’s comments and firmly declared that Golden State was not an organization that would ever come under his ownership.

“I saw another boss come out today and say [tanking]Matt Ishbia,” Lacob said. “I think, you know, it’s not in my DNA to do that, and it’s not in the DNA of this organization … it’s not a good look. This is a game. We must play to win. And that’s not a way I’ll ever be comfortable trying to make my team better.”

Joe Lacob believes in the idea that his team, along with others in the league, must perform their best for the fans who pay for tickets to watch their games and buy their merchandise. Overall, he wants to put the best product on the court, even if the club is facing some problems, like Jimmy Butler’s injury for example.

“Look, this season matters to the fans who bought tickets this year,” Lacob said. “Hopefully, they’ll be our fans next year too, obviously. I think you’ve always got to try to win and do your best. We’ve been dealt some tough cards here right now. And our expectations probably shouldn’t have been as high as they were. I thought, with Jimmy, since we got him, we had the fourth-best record in the league, I think.”

Butler has been ruled out of the remainder of the 2025-26 campaign due to an ACL injury. Once he was ruled out, the Warriors had every excuse to go all out this season. Instead, the front office traded for Kristaps Porzingis, giving the roster a huge boost in the front court that could ultimately lead to huge success if it pays off.

However, we’ll see how it goes, as the Warriors are currently without Stephen Curry due to a knee injury. Curry is expected to eventually return, but he will miss at least the next four games after missing Thursday’s 121-110 loss to the Boston Celtics.

On Friday, NBA legend Charles Barkley turned 63. The vocal “Round Mound of Rebound” received a lot of love.

Throughout the day, Barkley received several birthday messages. The first to celebrate was his 1992 Dream Team teammate, Magic Johnson.

“Happy Birthday to my good friend and dream teammate Charles Barkley! He’s the funniest guy on TV!” Johnson posted on Twitter, ex.

Happy Birthday to my good friend and dream teammate Charles Barkley! He’s the funniest guy on TV!

– Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) 20 February 2026

Later, actor Samuel L. Jackson posted a video Johnson and I are jointly wishing Barkley a happy birthday.

“Happy Birthday to our man, Charles Barkley,” Jackson posted.

Happy Birthday to our man, Charles Barkley‼️🔥 pic.twitter.com/RuOavhZOKc

– Samuel L. Jackson (@SamuelLJackson) 20 February 2026

Jackson appears in Capital One’s March Madness commercials with Barkley and Spike Lee.

Then, the Philadelphia 76ers, for whom Barkley played from 1984 to 1992, released his celebratory poseOn Barkley’s birthday.

“A franchise and an NBA legend. Happy Birthday to the one and only Sir Charles Barkley!”

A franchise and NBA legend.

Happy Birthday to the one and only Sir Charles Barclay! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/WaIu6TVwKi

– Philadelphia 76ers (@Sixers) 20 February 2026

Of course, Barclay is full of hyperbole. Radical, controversial, beloved, unapologetic and iconic. He was like that both on and off the court. On the court, Barkley was one of the defining players of his generation. Although he never won an NBA title, he mesmerized fans and contemporaries alike with explosive toughness.

He was a 5-time NBA All-Star, 1993 NBA MVP, 1988 rebounding champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist, Hall of Famer, and on the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.

Off the court, Barkley lets loose, especially when he’s calling NBA and NCAA basketball on television. Besides, he’s not afraid Venture into politics and social issues.

At 63, Sir Charles remains an undeniable icon that never ages.

With the Golden State Warriors trading Jonathan Kuminga to the Atlanta Hawks at the trade deadline, it cannot be denied that it has been a up and down road for the player and the franchise. As fans were expecting the Warriors to trade Kuminga, owner Joe Lacob broke his silence to talk about the deal.

In the trade, Golden State also traded Buddy Hield and received Kristaps Porzingis in return, marking the team’s largest trade as they hope to advance in the playoffs. Lacob Kuminga will speak on the experiment, as his perspective is interesting as he is known to be a big supporter of young players, saying it was “not difficult” to agree to deal with the 23-year-old.

According to The San Francisco Standard, Lacob said, “Everyone believes a lot about it.” “Look, I like him as a player, I like him as a person. … And at times, he showed a lot of potential for us. Just never really worked out to his full potential. And he got injured at an inopportune time.”

Kuminga added, “I think we all knew we had to do something. But we couldn’t just leave it.” “Because he’s a talent, and a lot of people think so. It worked out – we found something we thought was worth doing. Otherwise, we would have kept him.”

Warriors’ Joe Lacob experiment on Jonathan Kuminga isn’t working

While the Warriors were also in Giannis Antetokounmpo talks, the trade with Kuminga and Porzingis was their main deal of the deadline. Kuminga had been with Golden State for five seasons, as Lacob explained how the relationship “didn’t work out.”

“I liked him. I like all of our players. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have gotten them if we didn’t all like them. But you know, it didn’t work out. It looked like it was going to work out. It was going to be that way for a long time,” Lacob said.

The Warriors are looking to improve as their record is 29-27, which will move them into eighth place in the West heading into their next game against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.

The Golden State Warriors fell to 29-27 after a 121-110 loss to the Boston Celtics on Thursday night, and former NBA center Kendrick Perkins believes the loss underscores a bigger reality: The championship window may be closed with Stephen Curry out.

Perkins shared his stance during Friday’s broadcast of First Take, arguing that Golden State’s inability to make a major roster upgrade has effectively ended its title aspirations.

“Steph Curry actually had a chance to win another championship in Golden State, those days are over. His only hope was to be aggressive and try to get Giannis Antetokounmpo and from my understanding the Bucks didn’t want any part of what they were trying to offer. Because I heard they were trying to include Draymond Green in the deal, that probably ruined the whole deal. Milwaukee probably said we were too good for that kind of dollar.” Are.”

Perkins continued to question the team’s current roster construction and future flexibility.

“So when you think about where they are and what would be available on the market for them – we don’t know about Jimmy Butler and how old he would be for us after his ACL injury. Draymond Green is accomplished when it comes to really being a guy that can give you real production, especially with the dollars he’s making. He’s not delivering… It’s a shame because Steph Curry is playing at an all-time high level.”

“Those days of Steph Curry actually having a chance to win another championship at Golden State, those days are over.”

– Kendrick Perkins 👀

(via @FirstTech)
pic.twitter.com/WSPwaCbNTz

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 20 February 2026

Kendrick Perkins links Warriors’ title concerns to injuries, West competition

Perkins later emphasized the competitive landscape within the Western Conference.

“What friends? [are] What’s going to be free is that you can pair up with Steph who is really going to move the needle? Because I say this: SGA, he’s not going anywhere, Anthony Edwards is not going anywhere, Wembley, Jokic, all these guys, Luka, are still in the Western Conference. So, not being able to go get Giannis and see the production around him right now, the pieces he’s got are dead birds in the tall grass. Those days of Steph winning championships in Golden State are over.”

Questions over Golden State’s roster have intensified following Jimmy Butler III’s torn ACL injury last month, an injury that has clouded the team’s short-term outlook. Butler was viewed internally as a key veteran capable of providing postseason experience and a two-way impact upon his return the following season.

The 37-year-old Curry has continued to produce at a high level despite the team’s uneven results. He averaged 27.2 points, 4.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game, while shooting 46.8% from the field and 39.1% from three in 39 appearances. However, Curry has been sidelined since January 30 after suffering a right knee injury during a 131–124 loss to the Detroit Pistons. The Warriors announced he would be reevaluated in 10 days.

At the trade deadline, Golden State made a notable move by acquiring Kristaps Porzingis from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield, indicating a desire to rearrange the roster. Additionally, the Warriors remain in eighth place in the Western Conference standings.

Golden State concludes its four-game homestand Sunday afternoon against the Denver Nuggets (35-21) at 12:30 p.m. PT on ABC. Whether Perkins’ announcement proves premature or prophetic will depend on how the rebuilt roster responds once Curry returns and the postseason picture becomes clearer.

Heading into their most recent game, there were two Western Conference teams that the San Antonio Spurs had yet to beat this season. One is the Los Angeles Clippers, with whom Devin Vassell and company have yet to play. The other was the Phoenix Suns.

“We’re 0-2 against them, so we owe them a favor,” Vassell said before their meeting in Austin, Texas.

The Spurs entered the post-All-Star portion of the NBA year with the second-best record in the West. They are actually closer to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who started the season 24-1, than they are to the team behind them in the standings. And while San Antonio has defeated the defending champions four times in 2025-2026, they have yet to beat a Phoenix team that is also in the playoff picture.

“To be honest, I’m excited for this match,” Vassell said ahead of their latest meeting.

“…They’re still a very good team. We’re 0-2 against them. So we owe it to them. Excited for this game, to be honest”⬇️

-Devin Vassell tonight vs. Suns vs. Dillon Brooks in Austin

Phoenix is ​​the only West team #spurs Have played, but have not been able to beat this season#porvida #GoSpursGo pic.twitter.com/yeQ6k4OpCg

– Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) 19 February 2026

While the Spurs entered the match healthy, the Suns did not. Guard Dillon Brooks was out due to a league-imposed suspension. Adding insult to injury – or in this case the other way around – star guard Devin Booker exited the Spurs’ 121-94 win with hip soreness.

“We know the type of energy, defense and intensity [Dillon Brooks] “They’re still a really good team.”

Spurs want to beat Suns for the first time

San Antonio’s first loss this season actually came in Phoenix. At 5–0 for the first time in franchise history, the Spurs were already without De’Aaron Fox when they lost Dylan Harper to injury in the second quarter. The Suns took a seven-point lead after the first quarter and never really looked back, outscoring the visitors in the second and even third quarters before the fourth quarter, which largely consisted of substitute players, en route to a 130–118 result.

The Spurs lost again three nights later (at the Los Angeles Lakers), but they bounced back by winning three consecutive nights. This helped determine the standing of the Silver and Black’s season so far.

Just three weeks later on November 23, the Spurs found themselves in Arizona again. Still without Harper, who will return shortly after with a calf strain, head coach Mitch Johnson recalled Fox. But they were missing both Victor Vembanyama and Stephen Castle. Spurs’ two young stars had suffered injuries in consecutive games a week earlier. Led by Brooks’ 25 and Booker’s 24 points, the Suns won 111–102.

This led to their latest meeting. Although part of the Rodeo road trip, the games against the Suns and Sacramento Kings are a slight departure from the team’s annual tradition, as part of Spurs Sports & Entertainment made an agreement with the city of Austin and the University of Texas to play two home games in the state capital.

The win against Phoenix marked San Antonio’s seventh consecutive win, extending their longest actual winning streak of the season, the previous eight-game winning streak also included a defeat of the New York Knicks in the NBA Cup Finals.

The Clippers are the only Western team that the Spurs have not defeated. His first shot in LA will come on March 6.

The second half of the season is upon us, and the Atlanta Hawks got off to a good start with a 117-107 win against the Philadelphia 76ers. From now until the end of the season, every game will become more important for the Hawks as they try to climb the Eastern Conference standings.

The Hawks, currently seeded ninth, have a chance to make some headway given the teams ranked above them, but they could fall short in no time with the Charlotte Hornets behind them.

Following their win against the 76ers, Johnson shared what the Hawks will need to do to move up in the standings as the season continues.

Johnson said, “If we continue to play a full 48 minutes, we’ll put ourselves in a position to win every night. I know the guys in that locker room, the coaching staff and everybody, we believe in each other.” “So if we continue to believe in each other, I think we’ll have a good effort.”

The Hawks apparently had a team meeting the night before the game, and Johnson said a message was clear throughout the group.

“We’re ready for the second half of the season. We have the same mentality and I think we understand what needs to be done and what needs to be done,” Johnson said.

It’s been an interesting season for the Hawks, as they’ve had several iterations of this team throughout the year. Six new players have been added to the team via trades, and it’s clear this is not the same group the Hawks started with this season. With that, they have to build chemistry with new people, while also trying to figure out where they fit in.

In the end, the Hawks still have a solid group that can win games, and they are still in position to get a better seed before the end of the season. After playing the most road games in the league in the first half of the season, the Hawks get a break in the second half, and they have one of the easier schedules in terms of opponent winning percentage.

As Johnson said, if they can continue to play the full 48 minutes, they may give themselves the best chance to keep winning games.

Whether or not Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant spends the rest of his career in a Grizzlies uniform is still to be determined, but he hasn’t been a bigger ambassador for the city since arriving in 2019. Recently, Morant has been sharing some leaks of unreleased colorways of his signature Nike Ja 3 sneakers on social media.

Check out our sneakers news for more upcoming releases and breaking content!

Ja Morant has been with Nike since 2019, just before he was drafted by Memphis with the second overall pick. It wasn’t until 2023 that Nike officially released the first Nike Ja 1 sneakers, which instantly sold out and generated a lot of hype for the line. Three years later, Morant is on his third signature model and has been actively releasing new colorways of the Nike Ja 3.

After sharing several “leaks” on social media, one of which was the new giraffe-inspired Nike Ja 3 “Ja Rafe”, Morant continued to share more looks at unreleased versions of his latest sneaker. Some themes like the “Scratch” colorway make a return while teasing new concepts for the first time.

Ja Morant shares new Nike Ja 3 colorways

Ja Morant is back with another leak, this time showing off a twist on the Ja 3 “Scratch 3.0.”

Whether this is PE or an upcoming pairing is unclear at the moment 😵

More info: https://t.co/selwvdRXop pic.twitter.com/qJIkMeCmzr

– Sneaker News (@SneakerNews) 19 February 2026

Nike Ja 3 “Mardi Gras” Unveiled on IG

Read our description >> https://t.co/O3kxWL4ZKQ pic.twitter.com/L69a2PmzWQ

– Sneaker News (@SneakerNews) 18 February 2026

First Look: @jamorant Nike Reveals Ja 3 “Zeraph” pic.twitter.com/sIiOsgYJn7

– Modern Notoriety (@ModernNotoriety) 15 February 2026

In addition to the aforementioned annual special “Ja Rafe”, Morant returns with a teal/red/black “scratch” outfit to match the Grizzlies’ throwback logo and uniforms. We’re also seeing the return of the Mardi Gras theme in yellow/green/violet to celebrate the party in the Big Easy. The “Ja Rough” colorway is likely to remain exclusive to Morant, but there is a strong possibility that we will see the other two leaks appear in retail releases.

The Nike Ja 3 is currently available through Nike retailers for the standard price of $125. In addition to the most recent “Warning Label” All-Star release, expect an extensive slate of releases planned for the remainder of the NBA season as the Grizzlies continue their quest for the NBA Playoffs.

Which of these Nike Ja 3 colorways would you like to see release?

As the Sacramento Kings have lost their last 15 games, the team is now facing more bad news regarding star forward De’Andre Hunter’s eye injury. Hunter will miss time with the Kings due to an eye injury, with the latest report suggesting he will miss significant time.

According to NBA insiders Chris Haynes and Marc Stein, Hunter “will have to have eye surgery at the end of the season”, which will lock him down for Sacramento, as he played only two games with the team after being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers at the deadline.

“BREAKING: Sacramento Kings forward De’Andre Hunter to have season-ending eye surgery, league sources say”. [Marc Stein] And me,” Haynes, formerly of X, wrote on Twitter.

In terms of what exactly he’s dealing with, it’s been diagnosed as “iritis,” as he suffered an injury to his left eye during a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers last February 6. Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee reported that he will be reevaluated in 10 days, with the ultimate conclusion being season-ending surgery.

Anderson wrote on the

The way Hunter was talking about how good his progress was, it was a profound change in pace, almost speaking as if a comeback could be around the corner.

“It’s not quite there yet, but it’s definitely better than it was,” Hunter said Thursday, according to Sports Illustrated. “I’ve been able to actually play, train and do things like that, so it’s progressing really well.”

At any rate, Hunter looks to be fully healthy for next season and will contribute for the Kings.

Kawhi Leonard and the LA Clippers got a big win against one of the NBA’s best teams on Thursday night thanks to the contributions of freshman shooting guard Benedict Mathurin.

The fourth-year guard was traded to the Clippers on the day of the NBA trade deadline in a package that brought Isaiah Jackson and some draft picks to Los Angeles in exchange for All-Defensive center Ivica Zubac.

In his third game with the team since the acquisition – and his first game inside the Intuit Dome as a Clipper – Mathurin led the Clippers’ comeback win.

Benedict Mathurin scored 38 points in his first game at home, leading the Clippers to a 115–114 win over Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. The guard shot 12 of 22 from the field and 12 of 13 from the free throw line in the win, scored 11 points off the bench in the first quarter and poured in 16 points in the fourth quarter to close out the win.

“He’s doing it,” Kawhi Leonard said of his new teammate. “It’s great to have another scorer that can get 30 points, saw him in the NBA Finals [against the Oklahoma City Thunder]. “He was doing that all year with the Pacers, in the finals last year, so it’s great to have him.”

Kawhi Leonard on Benedict Mathurin’s 38-point night vs. Nuggets:

“He’s doing that. It’s great to have another scorer that can get 30 points, saw him in the finals. He was doing that with the Pacers in the finals last year, so it’s great to have him.” pic.twitter.com/rDreMcknPn

-Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) 20 February 2026

Mathurin had some big performances for the Indiana Pacers last season, including a 27-point performance in Game 3, helping his team take a 2–1 series lead, and a 24-point, 13-rebound performance in Game 7, after Tyrese Haliburton ruptured his Achilles tendon.

“He’s been aggressive since he’s been playing with us, but it was great,” Leonard said. “Like you said, he scored 11 in the first, and he continued it from there. He came out in transition, made some layups, hit some big three-point shots. Guarded very well, so it’s been a great pickup.”

Benedict Mathurin has increased his scoring, rebounding and assists for three consecutive seasons, but now he has a chance to develop a consistency that was not available to him at Indiana under head coach Rick Carlisle.

“It’s going to be amazing [playing under head coach Tyronn Lue],” Mathurin said after last night’s win. “He might end up being my best friend.” He told me to be aggressive, man. He told me how I am, and I feel like he really knows my game. He knows exactly what I can do. So, I’m glad to have him as our coach and I think with everyone together we can do great things.”

Thursday night was also the second consecutive game in which Mathurin reached double-digit free throw attempts, displaying the ability to not only score at a high level, but also pressure the defense and get to the free throw line, where he shot 83.6 percent for his career.

The NBA is getting ready for the homestretch of the season, restarting the season following the end of NBA All-Star Weekend. Thursday night was the restart of the season, and the night’s game was an Eastern Conference showdown between the Detroit Pistons and the New York Knicks. The Pistons won 126–111, thanks to Cade Cunningham, but it strengthened the argument that these were the two best teams in the East.

NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson has been known to make some big moves on social media during the NBA season since leaving the Los Angeles Lakers. He spoke after watching the game on Thursday Pistons and Knicks picked to reach Eastern Conference Finals, but worth keeping an eye on The Cavaliers, 76ers, and even the Celtics.

After the game, Johnson praised the Pistons’ performance, especially that of point guard Cade Cunningham after he took over and led Detroit to a big win.

Johnson said, “NBA fans around the world, I hope you didn’t see Detroit Pistons superstar Cade Cunningham’s performance last night against the New York Knicks. He had a spectacular performance, scoring 42 points, 13 assists and 8 rebounds! Cade scored from everywhere on the court – the three-pointer, the midrange jumper, and he was taking it to the basket. When he dunked on the three he may have had the best game of the year. Hits with the left hand!”

New York had some moments, with Jalen Brunson scoring 30 and Karl-Anthony Towns adding 21 points and 11 boards, but the Knicks struggled from three-point range and couldn’t get enough stops on defense to really swing momentum. Detroit consistently created separation, extended the advantage into the high teens late in the game and never allowed it to get into danger.

Johnson’s confidence in the Knicks and Pistons stems from the fact that both teams have been the most consistent in the Eastern Conference. There’s a lot to like about teams like the Cavaliers, 76ers and Celtics, but the consistency of those top two is what sets them apart and is a significant difference.

As Indiana Pacers franchise star Tyrese Haliburton continues to recover from his nagging injury in last year’s NBA Finals, his team remains in last place in the Eastern Conference standings through the All-Star break. As he moves forward this season and looks forward to next season, Haliburton will release a new colorway of his first signature PUMA Hali 1 sneakers as he continues to grow his catalog.

Check out our sneakers news for more upcoming releases and breaking content!

After signing an endorsement deal with PUMA Basketball in 2024, Haliburton’s first signature sneaker hits retailers in September 2025. The refreshed silhouette, designed by sneaker mind and artist Salehe Bembury, first arrived in a pink “Hibiscus” colorway, followed quickly by a blue “Opal” ensemble. The PUMA Hali 1 recently arrived in a neutral gray “Smoke” colorway, offering a different look for the versatile sneaker.

Following the theme of fruits and precious stones, this next dual-tone “Citrus” colorway combines a vibrant color palette with cool tones and balanced color combinations, which Bembury has made a point of in previous creations. Next NBA season, we can definitely expect Haliburton to include this pair with the Pacers’ yellow uniform.

PUMA HALI 1 “Citrus” Official Look

A new PUMA Halli 1 appears in a citrus color palette 🍋
⌛️ Coming soon to PUMA ($130)

More details: https://t.co/xWTJPpC1Au pic.twitter.com/ihM7TqJped

– Sneaker News (@SneakerNews) 20 February 2026

First teased on social media by Haliburton himself, this pair comes in a vibrant orange/yellow/teal colorway. The upper features three shades of Orange across several different panels, joined by a textured Light Green/Yellow midsole. The treaded outsole features a Teal Green hue that features the Haliburton logo on the rear heel and tongue.

Overall, we’ve seen a more monochromatic look in previous releases, but this release sees multiple shades coming together for what might be the best look of this shoe yet. We’re still waiting for a hard release date, but PUMA’s official retailer images hint at something on the very near horizon.

The PUMA Hali 1 is available now via PUMA retailers for a standard $130. The shoes come in full family sizes and with three colorways currently available, we should expect more to drop during this season’s NBA playoffs and the upcoming offseason.

What are your thoughts on Tyrese Haliburton’s signature sneakers?

Kawhi Leonard and the LA Clippers defeated the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night thanks to a herculean effort from freshman guard Benedict Mathurin. But with the Clippers also playing the second night of a back-to-back set on Friday night, is Kawhi Leonard playing against the Los Angeles Lakers?

The Clippers currently have a record of 27–28, and have won 21 of their last 28 games after starting the season with a mediocre 6–21 record. The climb back up the standings and into the playoff race has been led by star Kawhi Leonard. Given his injury history and the upcoming back-to-back set, everyone wants to know if Leonard will play against the Lakers.

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Kawhi Leonard’s injury status vs. Lakers

Kawhi Leonard has played in 42 of the Clippers’ 55 games so far this season. He missed 10 games in November 2025 due to an ankle sprain suffered against the Miami Heat and another three games in January 2026 due to swelling in his knee due to a hard injury suffered against the Detroit Pistons a week earlier.

He played in the Clippers’ first game after the 2026 NBA All-Star break against the Nuggets, but battled an illness as he scored 23 points on 8 of 18 shooting from the field. He received a huge boost from new teammate Benedict Mathurin, who scored a career-high 38 points on 12 of 22 shooting in the win.

Entering Friday night’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Kawhi Leonard is not listed on the Clippers’ injury report and is expected to play. However, it is worth noting that head coach Tyronn Lue has hinted at a minutes restriction on Leonard and that the team will likely limit his minutes as the season progresses.

“He’s on his minutes [restriction],” head coach Tyronn Lue admitted after Wednesday’s practice inside the Intuit Dome. “He’s on his schedule so we can’t overdo it. Like I said, we’re smart about it. We know we can’t just drop him to the ground. As much as he wants to play more and do more, we just know that with that load, we can’t keep it going night and day. So there will be some nights where it’s a little higher than others, but for the most part we want to make sure we’re safe with him.

Kawhi Leonard has played 41 games for the Clippers this season, averaging 27.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.0 steals per game, while shooting 49 percent from the field, 37.8 percent from three and 90.7 percent from the three-throw line. His 27.8 points per night are a personal career high for the Clippers star, who has been tasked with carrying the scoring load during all the trades and injuries he has had to deal with.

The fourth and final matchup between the LA Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers is scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM PST on ESPN.

The LA Clippers picked up a win against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night thanks to big scoring from Benedict Mathurin and Kawhi Leonard. However, he also got assistance from Jamal Murray.

Down by three points, the Nuggets first-time NBA All-Star guard was fouled on a three-point shot attempt with 0.9 remaining on the game clock and no timeouts remaining for either team. Murray, historically a clutch free throw shooter, stepped to the free throw line in front of the Clippers’ wall with a chance to tie the game and possibly send it to overtime.

Jamal Murray missed the first free throw, hit the back of the rim on the second free throw, and then had to wait about 30 seconds due to a substitution before taking his third and final free throw to tie. That shot veered off the right side of the rim and rolled right to left, effectively giving the Clippers the win.

Jamal Murray vs. The Wall… missed the last of 3 free throws to tie and the Clippers won. pic.twitter.com/nFuWFgi1Gx

-Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) 20 February 2026

“What was going through my mind?” When Kawhi Leonard was asked this question after the game, he repeated it. “Uh, I was just hoping he’d miss one, seriously, sh-t,” Kawhi Leonard said. “I mean, we were up by three, he dropped the first two, so really expected he would miss.”

Kawhi Leonard explains what was going through his mind during Jamal Murray’s game-tying free throws:

“I was just hoping he’d miss one, really, bullshit. I mean, we were up by three, he dropped the first two, so I was really hoping he’d miss.” https://t.co/BYVzOwVuLO pic.twitter.com/0oG8ybH6oS

-Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) 20 February 2026

Shooting 88.7 percent on the season, Jamal Murray has missed 11 free throws in clutch situations (defined as a five-point game in the final five minutes) this season. Murray is just 11-of-18 from the free throw line in the final minutes of games with a margin of three or fewer points this season.

Kawhi Leonard finished Thursday night’s game with 23 points on 8-of-18 shooting, adding four rebounds and three assists. The Clippers forward was clearly battling some type of cold or illness after the game, which is why Benedict Mathurin’s big performance was much needed.

In his third game with the LA Clippers, Mathurin scored 38 points on 12-of-22 shooting from the field and 12-of-13 from the free throw line. The 38-point performance is the most by a Clippers player in his home debut as well as the highest individual career performance for the fourth-year guard out of Arizona.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and their G League affiliate have been making moves left and right in February. On Friday, the Charge acquired Victor Oladipo in a trade with the Wisconsin Herd. The Cavs signed Darius Brown II to a two-way contract and waived Emmanuel Miller in a subsequent transaction.

Oladipo is averaging 14.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.8 steals in 26 games with the Milwaukee Bucks’ G League team this season. He shot 40.0% from the field on 12.7 attempts in just under 29 minutes a night. Despite the injury history, the longtime veteran is still showing signs of athleticism and scoring ability as well as defensive ability.

With a quick stint in China in early October, Oladipo faced NBA competition during the preseason. In three games with the Guangzhou Loong Lions, he scored 58 points and recorded eight steals. The 33-year-old last appeared in the league as part of the Miami Heat in late April 2023.

“I don’t believe in age, brother,” Victor Oladipo told ClutchPoints in an exclusive interview on Oct. 10. Enjoying the day, and the marathon, one at a time.

In a separate move, the Cavs reached a two-way deal with the Browns, waiving recently acquired Miller.

Brown has appeared in 34 games with the Charge, averaging 12.4 points, 9.7 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 2.2 steals in 33 minutes per contest with .437/.400/.825 shooting splits. A floor general for Cleveland, he broke the single-game franchise record with 22 assists, just one away from breaking the G League’s all-time record.

The 26-year-old Utah State alumnus has spent the past two summer leagues with the Cavs and was on the team’s training camp roster.

Miller appeared in six games for the Charge, starting two of them. He is coming off a 31-point effort against the Noblesville Boom, where he shot 13 of 20 from the field, pulled down four rebounds, and recorded two assists. The 25-year-old swingman also had two steals and two blocks in the Cleveland win.

The Orlando Magic had a stellar performance coming out of the All-Star break, posting a 131–94 win over the Sacramento Kings while setting a franchise record for 3-pointers.

Orlando connected on 27 of his 50 attempts from beyond the arc, showcasing ball movement, spacing and confidence all night. Leading the charge was Paolo Banchero, who imposed his will early and finished with 30 points, six assists, five rebounds, one steal and one block in 32 minutes. He shot 10 of 21 from the field, 5 of 7 from 3-point range, and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line.

After the game, Banchero pointed to execution and belief as keys to the record-setting performance.

“Yeah, it’s a good, good way to start this back half of the season after the break by getting a three-point record,” Banchero said. “That’s a good sign and yeah, I think we did a good job like I said, finding the advantage and then playing from there and finding the open man.”

He credited the team’s scoring ability from long range.

“I think we did a good job of letting the defense react to what we were doing and then getting a guy open, finding that guy, and then whoever it was – stepping into their shot and hitting it with confidence,” Banchero said. “I thought guys didn’t shy away from threes today. When they’re open, guys let it fly, including me, you know, just being confident in the shot, staying with the results and today they were hitting at a high level.”

Paolo Banchero’s aggression, defense fuel franchise 3-point night vs. Kings

Banchero also emphasized his mindset entering the competition.

“I’m just trying to come out, impose my will, be aggressive,” he said. “As you said, there are a lot of important games coming up, so I think everybody on the team understands that just coming out, doing whatever we have to do to win these games.”

Head coach Jamahl Mosley paired offensive explosion with defensive intensity.

“I really think it was our defense that was making some early, easy offensive looks,” Mosley said. “We were able to get down low, attack the basket, and then we were able to spray out for set three on legs. I thought our guys did a great job of sharing it out, moving it up, trusting the pass and just trusting our teammates.”

Mosley credited preparation and spacing for the franchise milestone.

“I thought it was great,” he said. “I think the guys did a great job in practice yesterday, understanding what shots we were going to get against this team. Our coaches did a great job of setting these guys up in the right situations, in the right spots, and guys were confident and comfortable and ready to get their feet wet and make shots.”

Magical Defense Increases Stealing Process as West Coast Tour Continues

He also praised Banchero’s tenacity.

Mosley said, “I like how he settled into the game, started being very aggressive early on, started getting down low, attacking the basket when she was open, stepping into a shot, letting people know how they were guarding him.” “I thought they did a great job of finding teammates, but overall on our team I think we did a great job of trusting our defense to carry our offense, and that’s why the ball was bouncing the way it was.”

The defensive pressure was evident in the box score. The Magic recorded 13 steals in Sacramento. The team’s PR account shared that this is the fifth consecutive game in which Orlando has recorded at least 10 steals, the third-longest in franchise history. The longest streak of games with 10 or more steals is seven, set from January 29 to February 18, 1994.

The activity at that end helped promote transition opportunities and early attack, reinforcing Mosley’s emphasis on creating rhythm and confidence in defence.

With the win, Orlando improved to 29–25, and moved within a half game of the sixth-seeded Philadelphia 76ers (30–25) in the Eastern Conference. The Magic continue their West Coast trip against the Phoenix Suns (32-24) on Saturday at 5:00 PM ET on NBA TV.

The Orlando Magic turned in a franchise-record shooting performance Thursday night, but it was veteran guard Javon Carter who received strong praise from head coach Jamahl Mosley after a 131-94 win over the Sacramento Kings.

Orlando drained 27 3-pointers in the win, setting a new franchise mark. Carter, playing in his second game since signing with the team after the trade deadline more than two weeks ago, produced his best performance in a Magic uniform. The 30-year-old finished with 14 points, four assists, three rebounds and one steal in 23 minutes off the bench. He made 5 of 8 shots from the field, 3 of 5 from 3-point range and added one free throw, leading to a team-high plus-34 rating.

Carter joined Orlando after being waived by the Chicago Bulls in early February. The Magic immediately added the veteran guard, valuing his defensive intensity and experience.

Mosley said Carter’s impact was immediate.

“He’s about the right things. He’s about winning, he’s about the team, he’s about playing the right way and you saw that as soon as he stepped on the court, the whole court got up, talking to the crowd, getting people in the right spots, making shots with confidence,” Mosley said.

“But still, he’s about all the right things. He’s about winning, he’s about toughness. He fits perfectly with what we do here with the Magic — hard-nosed defense, creating our own offense on the other end.”

Paolo Banchero highlights Javon Carter’s energy in Magic’s historic win

Star forward Paolo Banchero, who led Orlando with 30 points, six assists, five rebounds, one steal and one block, echoed that sentiment. Banchero shot 10 of 21 from the field, 5 of 7 from beyond the arc and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line in 32 minutes.

“Just his energy — his energy, his voice, obviously his play, he’s active on defense, shot maker on offense, he tries to make the right play as a point guard,” Banchero said. “I think he fits really well into what we do… He’s a guy who has been in the league [for] She has a great attitude in a little while and is encouraging her to continue using her voice.”

Carter credited the team’s historic shooting night to unselfish play.

“Just getting down the slope, being unselfish, getting the ball out of it, being aggressive, you know what I’m saying, just taking shots out there. [and] Not really thinking about it, ignoring them. And just playing together,” Carter said.

He described the outing as the result of preparation and work.

“It was fun, I take pride in hard work, you know, hard work always pays off. That’s a motto I live by. You know it was definitely a lot of fun to be out there with the guys, really, getting back into the swing of things.”

With the win, Orlando improved to 29–25, and moved within a half game of the sixth-seeded Philadelphia 76ers (30–25) in the Eastern Conference. The Magic continue their West Coast road trip against the Phoenix Suns (32-24) on Saturday at 5:00 PM ET on NBA TV. Carter’s early impact adds another layer of depth as the playoff race heats up.

The Cleveland Cavaliers will take on the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night on the second night of a back-to-back after a blowout win over the Brooklyn Nets. Evan Mobley has been ruled out on the injury report, while Naquan Tomlin is listed as probable. The Hornets will be without several key players.

Here’s everything we know about the game situation for Evan Mobley vs. the Hornets.

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Evan Mobley’s injury status vs. Hornets

When it comes to the question of whether Evan Mobley is playing tonight against the Hornets, the answer is no.

In his first game after suffering a second left calf injury, Mobley produced 10 points, nine rebounds, two assists and one block in 19 minutes of action. This was the first game he played with Cleveland’s new players. Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson thought he was showing signs of rust in his opener on Thursday, then he found out.

Atkinson said, “I thought his second term was better, a little more improvement.” “The defense was better, but you know how it is. He’s obviously on a minutes restriction. So it wasn’t easy for him to get into the flow.”

“It was nice to get back out there and play with some new guys, build relationships with them, grow that relationship,” Mobley said. “I think it’s a good first game… I think we have a great team. A lot of new guys coming in, a whole new team, but I think everybody is performing very well. Everybody is performing very well. Dennis [Schroder]How can he get down the slope, Keon [Ellis]His defense, and James Harden, obviously. I love our pieces.

Naquan Tomlin is likely headed to the Cavs after missing the Brooklyn game.

Charlotte’s Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate are still serving suspensions for their roles in the brawl with the Detroit Pistons.

The Hornets are still waiting to see Coby White make his debut for the team after his acquisition from the Chicago Bulls as he deals with a left calf strain. Charlotte will also be without veteran Grant Williams and rookie Liam McNally.

Cavs injury report

Naquan Tomlin: Potential (pain in left calf)

Evan Mobley: Out (Left Calf Injury Management)

Max Strus: Out (left leg surgery)

Riley Minix: Out (Two-Way G League Assignment)

hornet injury report

Miles Bridge: Outside (league suspension)

Moussa Diabate: Out (league suspension)

Coby White: Out (left calf strain)

Grant Williams: Out (right knee injury management)

Liam McNally: Out (sprained left ankle)

There are a lot of worthy candidates and compelling storylines in the 2025-26 NBA MVP race, so much so that some fans think the award is theirs. The latest ESPN straw poll suggests otherwise. Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is in position to retain his crown.

A panel consisting of 100 local, national and international media members believe the 27-year-old guard is the man responsible for the beating. Gilgeous-Alexander received 78 first-place votes, surpassing Nikola Jokic (18), Cade Cunningham (1), Victor Vembanyama (3) and the rest of the field. With a lead of 230 points, the consensus is that a player will earn MVP honors in back-to-back seasons for the seventh time since 2006.

A lot has changed since ESPN’s initial survey in December. Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic were locked in a tight battle, with only 15 first-place votes and 43 total points separating the former from the latter. Luka Doncic also secured third place. Due to another injury, the NBA’s scoring leader (points per game) lost much of the lead and fell to fifth in the second poll. The Los Angeles Lakers’ position in the Western Conference standings (fifth) may be a factor.

The Thunder have held first place in the West throughout the season (although the San Antonio Spurs are close). Gilgeous-Alexander is the best player predicted by many to become the league’s first repeat champion in eight years. Stability is also working in their favor.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can easily overtake his competitors

Although the 2025 NBA Finals MVP is currently dealing with an abdominal strain, he has only missed seven games to this point in the campaign. Jokic is dangerously close to falling below the mandatory 65-game requirement (with only one more contest to go), and Wembanyama and Doncic don’t have much room for themselves. Cunningham, who has played in 48 of 54 possible games, could emerge as Gilgeous-Alexander’s biggest competition.

It’s important to note that these votes were tallied before the Detroit Pistons cornerstone rolled into Madison Square Garden and torched the New York Knicks for 42 points, 13 assists, eight rebounds and two blocks. While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to recover from his injury, Cade Cunningham has the perfect opportunity to delight voters with his superbly versatile skill set. He is also leading the team that currently has the best record in the NBA.

The Thunder and Pistons face off next Wednesday at Little Caesars Arena, but based on the latest updates, OKC could be without their top man for that potential MVP showcase. Cunningham can still dominate and find grace, which he will need a lot of if there is to be any suspense around this awards race.

Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.8 points, 6.4 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game, while shooting 55.4 percent from the field (career high) and 39.0 percent from 3-point range. The three-time All-NBA First-Team selection is truly in the midst of a stellar performance, and his trophy collection reflects as much. Assuming he can return to action soon, Gilgeous-Alexander may need to make room for more hardware.

The Brooklyn Nets will have Michael Porter Jr. and Igor Demin available for the first time in a back-to-back in more than two months on Friday. Neither Porter nor Demin appeared on Brooklyn’s injury report ahead of Friday’s matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Both played during Thursday’s 112-84 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Nets have carefully managed the workloads of Porter and Demin this season. No one has come forward since the beginning of December.

Porter has suffered numerous back injuries throughout his career and suffered a “minor” MCL sprain earlier this season. Meanwhile, Damien missed most of the offseason due to a torn plantar fascia.

Michael Porter Jr. and Igor Demin available for back-to-back for first time in several months

Porter and Demin’s light workloads on Thursday after extended layoffs during the All-Star break likely played a role in their availability on Friday. The former played only 20 minutes, while Demin played 26 minutes during a wire-to-wire blowout loss in Cleveland.

Brooklyn will face an Oklahoma City team that is without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal strain), Jalen Williams (right hamstring strain) and Ajay Mitchell (abdominal strain/left ankle sprain).

The Nets will be without Nick Claxton, who is out after spraining his right ankle during practice on Wednesday. Ziare Williams will also be unable to participate in the game due to personal reasons.

After Thursday’s loss, the Nets are tied with the Washington Wizards for fourth place in the draft lottery standings. They are tied in the win column and twice behind the Indiana Pacers and New Orleans Pelicans in the loss column, who are in second place.

As Los Angeles Clippers newcomer Darius Garland struggled with a toe injury, he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers at the deadline in a deal that also included star James Harden. While fans wait for Garland’s debut in a Clippers uniform, he’ll talk about why this happened to him and what his injuries probably had to do with it.

Garland’s name was in the flood of rumors for a trade to the Cavaliers at the deadline, including the winner of the Los Angeles sweepstakes. Speaking with Endscape, Garland would speak on how a trade away from Cleveland was inevitable and that the current toe injury “was a factor in it.”

“It was going to happen at any time, in any situation [trade] deadline or this summer. [My agent] Rich [Paul] I had that conversation with him last summer,” Garland said. “They didn’t know if I was going to be healthy for this season, which I will be. But he thought James had something I didn’t, I believe. He still has playoff experience and All-Star numbers today, even though he wasn’t an All-Star this year. But yes, they want to win right now. He also has a group. And I guess I wasn’t really part of the plan.

Darius Garland calls the Clippers a “really good situation”

With Garland expected to better compete for the Clippers this season and beyond, there is no denying his talent as a star point guard in the NBA. Garland has not played a game with the Cavaliers since January 14, as he explains how excited he is to be with Los Angeles, calling it a “really good situation.”

“But now, I’m in a really good position here. I have the ball in my hands, where I can do a little more. I have another superstar. [Leonard] Next to me. I might as well go get it,” Garland said.

Garland wants to return soon and help the Clippers improve as the team’s record is 27-28, which is ninth in the West.

The New Orleans Pelicans take on the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night. Trey Murphy III is on the injury report. Murphy has been dealing with a right shoulder injury since shortly after the All-Star break. Here’s everything we know about Trey Murphy III’s injury and his game status vs. the Bucks.

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Trey Murphy III injury status vs. Bucks

Given that Trey Murphy III’s injury report is questionable, his chances of playing against the Bucks are slim. This will be only his fifth missed game this season, as Murphy has been incredibly durable throughout the 2025-26 campaign.

Both the Pelicans and Bucks have struggled this year. New Orleans is in 14th place in the Western Conference, while Milwaukee is in 11th place in the Eastern Conference. The last time these two teams faced each other was on February 4. In that match, Pelicans had to face defeat 141-137. Trey Murphy III led his team by recording 44 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals.

Despite a disappointing season for the club, Murphy has been one of the most consistent players on the roster. He is arguably the team’s best player, as his abilities as a two-way player help the Pelicans on both ends of the court. In the 52 games he has played, Trey Murphy III is averaging 22.1 points per game (career-high), 5.7 rebounds (career-high), 3.8 assists (career-high), and 1.5 steals (career-high). He’s also shooting 47.6% from the floor and 37.8% from beyond the three-point line.

So, the Pelicans will be without one of their best players, Trey Murphy III, when they take on the Bucks in New Orleans on Friday.

pelicans injury report

Trey Murphy III – Questionable: shoulder; Indigo
Yves Missy – Outside: left calf; strain
Dejounte Murray – Out: Right Achilles; Breakage
Micah Peavy – Outside: Right big toe; Sprain
Hunter Dixon – Out: G League – Two-Way
Trey Alexander – Out: G League – Two-Way

bucks injury report

Giannis Antetokounmpo – Out: Right calf; Sprain
Miles Turner – Outside: Right calf; Sprain
Taurean Prince – Outside: Neck; surgery
Alex Antetokounmpo – Out: G League – Two-Way

In five games with his new team, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Dennis Schroder is undefeated in wine and gold. In an exclusive postgame interview with ClutchPoints following the Cavs’ blowout 112-84 win over the Brooklyn Nets, Schroder shared that he’s not surprised by how quickly the group has adjusted to him, as well as fellow newcomers Keon Ellis and James Harden.

“They did their job first,” Schroder told ClutchPoints. “We’ve just tried to be included, we’ve just tried to make sure that we’re really, In fact Locked into every single game. It doesn’t matter who we play; We don’t shy away from opportunities, we shy away from good teams. Just playing my kind of basketball and trying to improve every day. I think it’s working.

“We just want to be at our peak in April. I think that’s where it matters most, and there are some steps we have to take. We have to do it every day. Everybody has to buy into it, and that’s what makes it so special right now that we’re playing at such a high level.”

Cavs All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell noticed the new mentality in the building at the team’s first practice after the All-Star break. Harden, Schroder and Ellis have helped people understand the task.

“When you bring those guys in, they bring the level of professionalism that they’ve had in the league,” Mitchell said. “That’s what I’ve been doing since I’ve been in the league, and it’s kind of like that. Just understanding, ‘Hey, we’re getting 5-in-7. Yeah, we’re new and all that, but we also come in there and say, ‘Hey, it’s time to go.'”

“I think we handled it professionally,” Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “I know people work; normally, it takes three, four, five days off. It’s more… I called it a working vacation. We need to keep our bodies moving, make sure we go to the gym. I think most guys have done that. It’s part of a professional approach. But at the same time, man, we’ve got to do something here, and we finally got a sprint here. So it’s a good start, good first game.”

Since arriving in the trade with Ellis from the Sacramento Kings, Schroder has exerted his will defensively and shown his aggressiveness going downhill. Atkinson likes the contrast from the bench versus the big starting five. The 13-year veteran’s biggest impact doesn’t come in the stat sheet for this particular group or at this point in his career; it’s all about How He plays (and so does Alice) – stubborn, relentless and with an edge.

“I don’t know how many distractions there were between those guys tonight,” Atkinson said. “Keion, I’m not sure I’ve seen it in the league. Like, he can get in the passing lane; he had three blocks tonight. I knew it was part of his statistical profile, but it’s impressive to see it live. We threw Dennis in there and Sam [Merrill] And Keon, [and] It’s almost like a different look defensively with our speed and aggression. So, I’m really excited about that second unit because of those guys.

“Dennis, he just picks up the ball,” said Evan Mobley, playing in his first game since Jan. 26. “I think the smaller guard can move guys around and get the offense going later in the shot clock. And Keon, I mean, he’s all over the place. Today, he got a corner-three block; you don’t see that much. His offense, he dunked like two guys. He got a block and then saved it over the guy. He just does a lot of little things that you don’t really see.”

As great as it feels to see this kind of success, there is always room for improvement and the Cavs only have so many days of practice in the second half of the season. What does it take for Cleveland to maintain the momentum it has built after rearranging its roster?

“Enjoying it,” Schroder told ClutchPoints. “Enjoy every single game, every single practice, making sure the chemistry is right. We enjoy each other. I think that’s the most important, because if you have great chemistry on and off the court, it goes a long way.”

“We have a lot of talent with this group and high-character guys, I’m not really worried about the basketball. Coming together as a group and as a unit, I think it will make a big, big difference — especially in the playoffs when we go through tough times, and it’s really physical, and part of the mentality of it. I think when we figure that out, we’ll be really good.”

Dennis Schroder and Jordi Fernandez’s appreciation for each other is mutual

After spending just 23 games together in Brooklyn and moving up to the international level, Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez is well aware of Schröder’s expertise.

“Dennis is the ultimate professional,” Fernandez told ClutchPoints in his pregame press conference. “We know he’s wearing different jerseys, but the reality is teams want him. Teams want him to win. Wherever he goes, he’s going to be a part of the majority of the success. I think that’s very important.

“Not only in the NBA, but also with the German national team, and I have the opportunity to [coach] against him. When I had great respect for him [coached] Against him, and even more respect because I got the chance to train him. And not just the player, but also the individual and his family. I think the Cavs are very fortunate to have him.”

In 2024, before the Golden State Warriors traded for him, he averaged 18.4 points, 6.6 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.1 steals on .452/387/.889 shooting splits in less than 34 minutes per game. Schröder appreciates the short time he spent with Fernandez.

“Just one person who understands what I bring to the table,” Schroder told ClutchPoints. “He made me feel comfortable. It’s one thing to tell, but it’s one thing to really make sure the players know that.” [have] Having the confidence to actually play and be comfortable in your position counts for a lot. He did this for me.

“I played one of my best seasons there, half a season, whatever you want to call it. But I really liked him as a coach. Also a European guy, we’ve seen FIBA, and we’ve seen the NBA side, and it’s been great.”

The Golden State Warriors fell to 29-27 after a 121-110 loss to the Boston Celtics on Thursday night, and former NBA center Kendrick Perkins believes the loss underscores a bigger reality: The championship window may be closed with Stephen Curry out.

Perkins shared his stance during Friday’s broadcast of First Take, arguing that Golden State’s inability to make a major roster upgrade has effectively ended its title aspirations.

“Steph Curry actually had a chance to win another championship in Golden State, those days are over. His only hope was to be aggressive and try to get Giannis Antetokounmpo and from my understanding the Bucks didn’t want any part of what they were trying to offer. Because I heard they were trying to include Draymond Green in the deal, that probably ruined the whole deal. Milwaukee probably said we were too good for that kind of dollar.” Are.”

Perkins continued to question the team’s current roster construction and future flexibility.

“So when you think about where they are and what would be available on the market for them – we don’t know about Jimmy Butler and how old he would be for us after his ACL injury. Draymond Green is accomplished when it comes to really being a guy that can give you real production, especially with the dollars he’s making. He’s not delivering… It’s a shame because Steph Curry is playing at an all-time high level.”

“Those days of Steph Curry actually having a chance to win another championship at Golden State, those days are over.”

– Kendrick Perkins 👀

(via @FirstTech)
pic.twitter.com/WSPwaCbNTz

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 20 February 2026

Kendrick Perkins links Warriors’ title concerns to injuries, West competition

Perkins later emphasized the competitive landscape within the Western Conference.

“What friends? [are] What’s going to be free is that you can pair up with Steph who is really going to move the needle? Because I say this: SGA, he’s not going anywhere, Anthony Edwards is not going anywhere, Wembley, Jokic, all these guys, Luka, are still in the Western Conference. So, not being able to go get Giannis and see the production around him right now, the pieces he’s got are dead birds in the tall grass. Those days of Steph winning championships in Golden State are over.”

Questions over Golden State’s roster have intensified following Jimmy Butler III’s torn ACL injury last month, an injury that has clouded the team’s short-term outlook. Butler was viewed internally as a key veteran capable of providing postseason experience and a two-way impact upon his return the following season.

The 37-year-old Curry has continued to produce at a high level despite the team’s uneven results. He averaged 27.2 points, 4.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game, while shooting 46.8% from the field and 39.1% from three in 39 appearances. However, Curry has been sidelined since January 30 after suffering a right knee injury during a 131–124 loss to the Detroit Pistons. The Warriors announced he would be reevaluated in 10 days.

At the trade deadline, Golden State made a notable move by acquiring Kristaps Porzingis from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield, indicating a desire to rearrange the roster. Additionally, the Warriors remain in eighth place in the Western Conference standings.

Golden State concludes its four-game homestand Sunday afternoon against the Denver Nuggets (35-21) at 12:30 p.m. PT on ABC. Whether Perkins’ announcement proves premature or prophetic will depend on how the rebuilt roster responds once Curry returns and the postseason picture becomes clearer.

With Kristaps Porzingis making his debut for the Golden State Warriors after being acquired at the February 5 trade deadline, there was also talk of his involvement in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes with the Milwaukee Bucks. As the Warriors look to make a move that can take them back to the top, the pursuit of Antetokounmpo was inevitable, although owner Joe Lacob dismissed reports on what was offered.

According to reports from ClutchPoints’ NBA insider Brett Siegel and ESPN’s Golden State beat reporter Anthony Slater, star Draymond Green was involved in talks for Antetokounmpo. Although general manager Mike Dunleavy says Green was never offered, Lacob echoed that notion, saying, “He was never discussed in a trade.”

“What Mike said was 100% correct,” Lacob said, via the San Francisco Standard. “But the truth is, the way these things are, you can’t easily joke about names unless you get serious. We’ve never partnered on some big deals to the point where you get into specific names. People can look at the roster, and they can make assumptions about who’s going to go or not if you have a certain person.”

Warriors’ Joe Lacob expresses how Draymond Green wasn’t ‘bought’

While the Warriors are hoping for a deep playoff push, there is no doubt that the team is at a disadvantage due to Jimmy Butler’s season-ending injury and the continued absence of Stephen Curry. Green has been a key part in Golden State’s dynasty for several seasons, but reporting was that his name was mentioned in a potential deal due to his salary, but Lacob expressed how “he was never bought in any way.”

Lacob said, “He’s a key guy in our franchise. You can’t trade Draymond Green lightly or easily.” “If you have to do it, you do it, and you’re getting tremendous value, and you’re improving your team. Even Drummond has said he understands that. You have to look at these things. But his name was never specifically discussed with any other team. And that’s true.”

At any rate, it remains to be seen whether the Warriors will continue to pursue Antetokounmpo in the offseason and whether Green will be involved.

The Phoenix Suns may not have gotten the start they wanted toward the end of the season, but Jalen Green may have been a ray of hope in Thursday’s 121-94 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.

He scored 26 points in 26 minutes, but it was not the point total that stood out. This was his confidence. After Green battled a hamstring injury for most of the season, the All-Star break was the perfect time to settle things down.

He also talked about using the break to get his physical condition back to 100%. Following the loss, Green stated via Duane Rankin of AZCentral that he felt he was in control of where he was.

“I feel good. It’s the first time I’ve felt this good all season,” Green said after the game.

Having Jalen Green at 100% does wonders for the Suns

His availability has been the biggest question throughout the season. In the small sample size, Green offers something that no one else on the Suns can provide.

Lethal scoring, unmatched athleticism and underrated playmaking ability. At just 24, he appears to be just scratching the surface of his potential.

Playing with Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks certainly helps him too, but Green has his own unique style of play.

No one on the team can really attack downhill like he can and put pressure on the basket. Despite “missing” some of his usual looks, the fact that he is attacking the paint with confidence is a huge positive.

With Booker missing part of Thursday’s game due to right hip soreness, Green may be the one carrying the responsibility to put the team on his back and carry him into the season finale.

The trade of Jayden Ivey from the Detroit Pistons to the Chicago Bulls was meant to give him a fresh start and new opportunities, but after only five games, he has already been removed from the rotation.

Bulls guard Jaden Ivey’s comments following his first career DNP have raised concerns about his health and future. His absence came during Thursday’s 110–101 loss to the Toronto Raptors, the team’s seventh straight loss.

Opening up about his absence, Ivy got candid about the struggles he is facing physically and mentally.

“I’ve been dealing with pain in my knee. I’m sure people can tell it – I’m not the same player I used to be. This is why. I’m not the G I used to be. The old G is dead. No matter the basketball setting, I’m alive in Christ. … It doesn’t matter how many DNPs, how many points I score, those things are a temporary thing. Jesus is eternal.”

Acting head coach Wes Unseld addressed the reasons behind Jaden Ivey’s surprising DNP after the game.

Unseld described this choice as a “basketball decision”, according to Joel Lorenzi.

“It’s really hard to play six guards,” he said, noting that the team’s recent roster changes have made the rotation more crowded.

When questioned about whether Ivey’s upcoming restricted free agency influenced the decision, Unseld chose not to comment.

“That conversation is probably above my pay grade,” he said.

Ivey missed Thursday night’s game but handled it with grace. He recognized his physical limitations without making any excuses, considered the situation through his faith, and insisted that he would be ready when the opportunity arose.

Now the Bulls have to decide when that opportunity will come. Unseld said it is not his job to make major decisions, leaving it to the front office to make sure Ivey’s role matches his value in rebuilding the team.

Ivey accepted the reality of the NBA and his place on the roster, and explained his perspective on sitting out.

“Going into it, you’ve got to look at who’s on the roster. … Making trades, that’s what happens in the NBA.”

Loaded postgame from Jaden Ivey, who thinks he had the first DNP of his career tonight. He said it doesn’t change his character and he is here to “do my job, glorify God.” Asked if he thinks it’s a possibility, he says, “Going into it, you’ve got to see who’s on the roster. … pic.twitter.com/nz8BfC3PYy

– Joel Lorenzi (@JoelXLorenzi) 20 February 2026

In 37 games with Detroit and Chicago this season, Ivy is averaging 8.5 points in 18.1 minutes per game. In his four contests with the Bulls, he has averaged 11.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 28.8 minutes.

The loss dropped Chicago to 24–32, leaving them in 12th place in the Eastern Conference. Brandon Ingram had 31 points, eight rebounds and six assists as Toronto improved to 33-23.

It is a well-known fact that NBA legends Chris Paul and Rajon Rondo have a long-standing rivalry that dates back to the late 2000s, which ultimately resulted in controversy in 2018 when the two played for the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers respectively.

However, sport knows sport, and Paul quickly put aside this long-standing feud when asked about the NBA players with the best attitude on the court.

“When you even say court vision. Rondo, I would say Rondo. Rondo got one of the worst passes ever when he threw a behind-the-back pass into the corner,” Paul said during his appearance on the In Brooklyn podcast at 7 p.m. CP13 just debuted and went into detail about what really set the Rondo apart.

“If you watch sports over the years. You’ll watch teams over the years, you’ll see teams get rebounds, and you can see me being like, ‘Yo, yo, yo, let me get it.’ Rondo was the same way, right. Like, let me get the ball, let me get the ball. It’s because everyone’s like, ‘Oh, he’s got to have the ball.’ It’s like, no. We all have a job to do, I know who I am. I’m not a finisher,” he said.

Some would say similar things about Chris Paul, though the point guard could also score at will during his long time in the league. Nonetheless, both Paul and Rondo fall into the category of truly intelligent players who can control a game on their own regardless of their competition.

Rondo’s exclusion from the 2008 Olympics “Redeem Team” roster, which also included Paul, was seen as an early flashpoint. On the court, the rivalry escalated when Rondo reportedly reminded Paul of Boston’s championship lead during a heated 2009 argument.

However, the largest incident occurred during the 2018 Lakers-Rockets brawl, when a heated exchange turned into a physical fight that involved punches and multiple players.

Of course, Paul’s latest comments indicate that regardless of the incidents, there is immense respect between the two former superstars.

Ochai Agbaji is getting a fresh start with the Brooklyn Nets. Traded by the Toronto Raptors at the deadline, the former lottery pick has an opportunity to regain his form in Brooklyn during the second half of the season.

Agbaji took a step in the right direction during his first extended action in net. The 25-year-old was one of Brooklyn’s only bright spots during Thursday’s 112-84 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He posted 13 points, three rebounds, three assists and one block on 5 of 8 shooting from the field and 3 of 6 from three.

Agbaji finished with a team-best minus-four in 28 minutes.

“[Ochai] Very good job,” Jordi Fernandez said after the game. “He was ready to shoot. He still has to get used to the spacing, the rules, certain plays and defensive concepts. But I think he was great. He was ready; he fought. Physically and mentally, he was ready to go. Nice to see this.”

Agbaji had the best season of his career in 2024–25, averaging 10.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists on 50/40/71 shooting splits in 64 appearances. However, he fell out of the Raptors’ rotation this year due to a career-worst shooting slump (12 of 65 from three in 42 games with Toronto).

Ochai Agbaji struggling to secure long-term role after trade with Nets

While the Nets received a second-round pick in exchange for Agbaji’s contract, Fernandez praised the guard’s skills upon his arrival. With a 6-foot-5 wingspan, a 6-foot-10 frame and above-average athleticism, the former Kansas star has the tools to be an impact guard.

that athleticism was on display On Thursday.

Agbaji got Uttar Pradesh for this rejection

➡️ Watch Live on YES & THE @gothamsports App: https://t.co/sWMqNZ0hci pic.twitter.com/sqneGAEdL6

– Yes Network (@YESNetwork) 20 February 2026

His ability to put together a positive shooting night will go a long way in earning an expanded role.

“It felt good. It felt good to see the ball go in and get some rhythm with my guys and score some runs,” Agbaji said after the game. “Obviously, that was one game before the All-Star break, but [it was] Little minutes here and there. Saw this for the first time [extended] A few minutes to really get my form and go with them, and I’m excited. I’m excited about what we can do. The style we play is very unselfish and I’m that type of player. So I fit in.”

Agbaji will be a free agent when his rookie contract expires this summer. He is one of several players — including Ziaire Williams, Jalen Wilson and Josh Minott — fighting to secure a new deal on the back-end of Brooklyn’s roster.

After considering the idea of ​​retirement, Al Horford decided to change things last summer and leave the Boston Celtics during free agency in favor of moving to the Western Conference to join the Golden State Warriors. The 39-year-old veteran spent a total of seven seasons in Boston, split over two separate stints, and he won a championship with the franchise in 2024.

Horford’s decision to join Golden State, his fifth different organization, was a surprise to many, especially those in Boston.

He had been a veteran leader of the Celtics for years, and Horford played a key role in the team’s success during and before the championship. Although leaving Boston was obviously a difficult decision for Horford and his family, he felt as if it was time to move on and finish his career elsewhere.

As for why Horford made this decision, the Warriors big man shed some light on the topic for the first time since deciding to join Golden State over the summer. However, the exact reason why Horford left is still unclear.

“The decision, it’s something that’s much deeper than basketball stuff. And it’s something I’ll share with people at some point, but for me, it felt like it was time for me to go somewhere else,” Horford told reporters in the Warriors locker room, via Bobby Manning of CLNS. “As far as the end of my career, I don’t know. I’m always keeping it open and it would definitely be a privilege to do that (return to Boston).”

“I’m just focused on trying to finish this year out.”

The Celtics insisted on cutting salary in the offseason, which is why they traded Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks and Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers in the summer. This philosophy continued at the trade deadline, as the Celtics went from being a second-apron team in the summer to below the luxury tax at the deadline.

Whether money played a role in Horford leaving Boston is unknown, but from his tone and the reasoning for his departure it seems as if something was going on behind the scenes that upset the veteran. Although he would not close the door to a possible return to finish his career with the Celtics, Horford made it clear that his decision was influenced by something “deeper than basketball.”

In his first game against the Celtics after signing with the Warriors, Horford recorded five points, eight rebounds and four assists in 28 minutes off the bench. The Celtics defeated the Warriors 121-110 on Thursday night.

Jaylen Brown’s All-Star weekend was marred by an incident at his home. The Boston Celtics All-Star hosted an event at their venue in Beverly Hills. However, police shut down the event after an erroneous report regarding the nature of the party. Brown expressed his dismay over the incident, even calling the Beverly Hills PD when he made the statement.

Now, Brown appears ready to take further action. In a recent interview with Endscape, the Celtics guard said he is considering taking legal action against the Beverly Hills PD after the incident that occurred during All-Star Weekend.

Brown wrote to Mark J. “I’m not one to chase legalities, but you’ve embarrassed my brand and my team. And I think that’s unfair,” he told Spears and Endscape. “And I feel hurt by the fact that you continued to lie in your apology. I will be back with my team this weekend and we will take a decision.”

The event, which was to promote Brown’s performance brand 741Performance, was shut down after an event permit for the said gathering was denied. However, the Celtics star reiterated that the event did not require a permit, as it was a private, invitation-only event rather than a public event. Brown expressed his disappointment after the incident, saying that the Beverly Hills PD lied about parts of the incident.

“I wanted to have fun and I felt like that was taken away from me,” Brown told reporters. “I was embarrassed. If it happened to me, I’m sure it happened to many people in the past. I look at it that way. There’s probably a group of people who don’t scream, preying on deaf fear, which is unfortunate. I’m not sure what the conclusion is. … Even in the statement he made, he included some things in the apology that were not true.

Brown was selected to his fifth All-Star Game this year with the Celtics. The star forward is averaging 29.3 points per game as he has led Boston to second place in the Eastern Conference. Even without Jayson Tatum, Boston is preparing for another postseason appearance.

The Sacramento Kings have entered historically difficult territory with a 15-game losing streak that not only represents the longest losing streak in franchise history, but also underscores the decline of a team that just two years ago looked poised for sustained Western Conference relevance. Sacramento’s 131–94 loss to the Orlando Magic pushed the team to 12–45, the worst record in the NBA, and extended its winless streak to January 16.

Keegan Murray, who returned after missing six weeks due to an ankle injury against the Magic, was at a loss for words after the game.

“It’s hard. Honestly, I don’t really have the words to explain it. I don’t know if anyone has the words to explain what’s happened over the last three or four years, but obviously we have to change something because it obviously can’t happen. Not many teams in NBA history have had 15 consecutive losing seasons,” he said, according to The Sacramento Bee.

The Kings were competitive against Orlando from the beginning and led 28–18. However, the Magic responded with typical efficiency, shooting 16-of-21 (76.2%) in the second quarter and making a franchise-record 27 three-pointers.

The losing streak comes with a real injury crisis. Domantas Sabonis (meniscus surgery) and Zach LaVine (hand surgery) are out for the season, removing Sacramento’s primary interior facilitator and leading scorer from the rotation.

In particular, the absence of Sabonis, who averaged 19.2 points, 11.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists, has hurt Sacramento’s offensive structure, which has been exacerbated by LaVine’s absence. Despite this, Murray’s return has given them a ray of hope.

He scored 15 points and eight rebounds on 6-of-13 shooting (3-of-7 from three) against the Magic and will only be expected to continue to grow from here. Despite this, there is no doubt that the Kings now have a mountain to climb to save themselves this season.

They will now face the San Antonio Spurs, which begins a five-game road trip.

The purple beam over Sacramento was once a symbol of victory and celebration, but it’s fair to say things have become ridiculously off-script. The Sacramento Kings suffered their 15th consecutive loss against the Orlando Magic, a 131-94 defeat that did nothing to lift the franchise’s morale.

And as a result, the official Sacramento Beam account has posted an ‘open for work’ update on the X, simply because it hasn’t been published since January 16th, when they had a win against the Washington Wizards.

Great performance in Sacramento✌️ pic.twitter.com/tsFZII75Ap

– The Beam (@SacBeam) 20 February 2026

It was the fourth consecutive win for Sacramento, their best so far this season. Beyond that, things could get even more serious, considering the next five-game road trip that also includes games against the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers.

Introduced during the 2022–23 season, the Sacramento Beam is a multi-laser installation mounted above Golden 1 Center that fires a purple pillar into the sky after every Kings victory. It has since developed into a civic ritual for fans, and will be lit after each Kings victory.

Sacramento has since fallen to 12–45, the worst record in the NBA, and is on pace to equal their worst Sacramento-era finish of 17–65. The skid has been marred by injuries, missing key players like Domanotas Sabonis, Keegan Murray, Zach LaVine and De’Andre Hunter.

“I’ve been here for the best and here for the worst, so I know what they both look like, and our fans deserve more, and we’ll get there. This is as painful as it gets. “The pain I felt here was something that, you know, in my opinion, can affect your life in a lot of ways. Knowing you have the best team, and you don’t get there,” Doug Christie said after the game, per Sactown Sports, effectively summing up the crisis the Kings are currently in.

Now they face the fiery San Antonio Spurs in Austin, and they need a quick turnaround to turn their fortunes around.

The Miami Heat visited the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night, with Tyler Herro and Norman Powell heading into the matchup on Miami’s injury report. According to the official injury report, Herro is listed as probable while dealing with a right costochondral rib injury, while Powell is questionable due to lower back tightness after missing time before the All-Star break.

Here’s everything we know about Tyler Herro and Norman Powell’s injuries and their game status vs. the Hawks.

*Watch NBA Games Live with fuboTV (Free Trial)*

Tyler Herro, Norman Powell’s injury status vs. Hawks

Given that Tyler Herro is probable on the injury report, the expectation is that he’ll be fit for at least limited minutes against the Hawks. Herro has missed significant time this season after fracturing three ribs in a loss to Indiana in January, forcing him to sit out 15 consecutive games entering the All-Star break.

The timing of his return is important for a Miami team that is 29-27 and sitting in eighth place in the Eastern Conference, just two games behind the sixth seed in a tight playoff race.

Herro has been productive when available, averaging 21.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists, while shooting 49.7% from the field and 35.8% from three in limited appearances. During his absence the Heat’s offense has dropped from 13th (115.7) in offensive rating at the start of the season to 22nd (112.6).

Norman Powell’s position is less certain. The veteran wing is listed as questionable due to lower back tightness after missing the Heat’s final two games before the break.

Powell has been one of Miami’s most consistent scorers, averaging 23 points per game, while ranking among the league’s better perimeter threats with 2.9 three-pointers per game.

heat injury report

Tyler Herro – Probable (right costochondral rib injury)

Norman Powell – doubtful (lower back tightness)

Keshad Johnson – Questionable (sore left calf).

Terry Rozier – Out (not with team)

Andrew Wiggins – available (toe inflammation)

Pelle Larsson – available (finger injury)

Simone Fontecchio – available (illness)

Drew Smith – Available (ankle soreness)

Kasparus Jacusionis – Available (Ankle Swelling)

hawks injury report

Jonathan Kuminga – out (knee)

It’s fair to say that Christian Wood didn’t have the best career in the NBA. However, even making it in arguably the toughest league in the world requires a lot of talent and consistent work, and while Wood last played in the NBA for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2023-24 season, he still made an impact during his eight years in the league.

The 30-year-old told exactly the same thing to an ex user when he was trolled by a fan after he was seen wearing his jersey at an event. Wood wore number 35 throughout his career, the fan in question was wearing a Houston Rockets jersey.

Why is this madness? I was tough, especially on Rocket.. Accidental.. Respect to brother https://t.co/UzbrJ3cCIM

– 35 (@chriswood_5) 19 February 2026

The user initially wrote on the

However, Wood quickly hit back at the slight, even calling the original poster “casual.”

“Why is this crazy? I was tough, especially on the Rockets.. casual.. respect for the brother,” Wood wrote, apparently demanding more respect for his accomplishments in the league.

And this seems appropriate. Not many players are able to average 20 points per game over an entire season, and while Wood only did so once, he consistently proved his ability as a lethal scorer, especially during his two seasons with the Rockets.

During that time, Wood averaged 19.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game, while shooting 50.1% overall and 38.4% from three-point field. And while he was often criticized for his defensive work, his ability on the other end of the court was never in doubt, and deserves more respect from fans.

Of course, the player himself is well aware of this fact and was quick to hit back on social media.

The Boston Celtics started the season with a lot of questions about their ability to compete with the best teams. The injury to Jayson Tatum and the resulting massive turnover of players meant that the Celtics were not even seen as a playoff contender by many.

However, so far they find themselves in second place in the Eastern Conference with a 36–19 record, and the addition of Nikola Vucevic has only improved. His impressive performance also led to some high praise from an unexpected source, with Blake Griffin naming Boston when asked about the team with the fewest weaknesses in the East.

When Blake Griffin was asked @NBAonPrime Pointing to the Celtics on which team in the East has the fewest weaknesses: “That might be the team that has the fewest questions.”

Udonis Haslem feels similarly: “To me, the Boston Celtics have the best habits of any team in the NBA.”

Rudy…

– Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) 20 February 2026

“This might be the team that has the fewest questions,” Griffin said on Amazon Prime, according to a post on X by insider Taylor Snow, with the rest of the crew also naming the Celtics in the segment.

“To me, the Boston Celtics have the best habits of any team in the NBA,” Udonis Haslem claimed, before Rudy Gay explained how Vucevic has single-handedly solved their ‘problems’.

And that praise is also worthy. Despite only playing three games so far, the Montenegrin big man has averaged 15.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists, with the Celtics immediately relying on his interior scoring and floor spacing.

Of course, much of the credit for this also goes to Joe Mazzulla. Despite massive changes in personnel, the Celtics have employed the same high-velocity playing style that continues to get results.

With the offensive leadership of Jaylen Brown (29.3 points) and the possibility of Tatum still playing a role at the business end of the season, the Celtics look capable of emerging as title contenders once again. Derrick White and Peyton Pritchard are both averaging 17.2 points per game, and the addition of Vucevic gives this team another offensive outlet and solution in games where they struggle to score from inside, instead relying heavily on distance shooting.

There’s no doubt that this new-look Celtics team is still capable of producing some big results.