Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown is grateful for everything he’s accomplished alongside Golden State Warriors centers Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis. Less than two years ago, they captured an NBA championship together in dominant fashion, and the first-year Warriors both played major roles in that title run.

However, just because Brown enjoyed his time with Horford and Porzingis doesn’t mean he’s not going to go easy on them when the Celtics face the Dubs in San Francisco on Thursday night. Brown, who officially became a five-time All-Star last weekend, paced the Warriors with 23 points, 15 rebounds and 13 assists – enough for his third triple-double of the season.

His impressive performance helped the Celtics score 34 points and win 121–110 at Chase Center. After the double-digit win, he thanked and teased his former teammates via an NBA on Prime Video broadcast.

“Well, those guys helped us win a championship in 2024, so there’s no better way to honor them than giving them the belts tonight,” Brown said with a smile.

Jaylen Brown on playing against Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis tonight:

“Well those guys helped us win a championship in 2024, so there’s no better way to honor them than giving them the belt tonight.” pic.twitter.com/O084Hq0kIf

– Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) 20 February 2026

Despite a winning effort from the 2024 NBA Finals MVP, the Celtics couldn’t completely dismantle the Warriors on Thursday evening. Golden State cut Boston’s lead to 11 points in the fourth quarter and won the final frame 37–19.

However, time was not on Golden State’s side, and Porzingis’ seven points in the final 12 minutes of the game were not enough to complete the comeback. In his Warriors debut (and first game since January 7), the Latvian big man recorded 12 points and one block in 17 minutes off the bench.

As for the other ex-Celtics on the floor, Horford struggled offensively, missing eight of his 10 shots en route to a five-point outing. However, he was far from the worst Warriors center to take the court, as veteran big Draymond Green did not score in 18 minutes of play and posted the team’s worst plus-minus rating of minus-28.

Awesome post-game scene when Al Horford and his son Ian made their way to say hello to almost everyone at the Celtics – almost as if they were both former Celtics pic.twitter.com/iWUdN2or5H

– Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) 20 February 2026

Without real size and, most importantly, the presence of star shooting guard Stephen Curry due to a knee injury, the Warriors could not keep up with the overachieving Celtics. Brown and company will now look forward to their successful reunion in the Bay Area and look forward to Sunday afternoon’s showdown with the rival Los Angeles Lakers.

Speculation regarding Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers is beginning to resonate in familiar territory as the franchise approaches a pivotal offseason.

In the latest episode of Clutch Scoops, ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel drew a comparison between Leonard’s current situation and the circumstances that led to him being traded from the San Antonio Spurs to the Toronto Raptors in 2018.

Siegel said, “I think if he’s still on the Clippers roster in the summer and his contract isn’t voided. He’ll be in the last year of his deal.” “I believe it’s worth $50.3 million dollars and no matter how old he is, as long as he’s healthy, it will be looked at like another scenario from when the Spurs traded him to the Toronto Raptors. He’s in the final year of his contract. He can still be a big part of a championship team.”

The 34-year-old Leonard has averaged 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.1 steals per game in 41 games this season. He is shooting 49.1 percent from the field, 38.3 percent from three-point range and a career-high 91.2 percent from the free-throw line in 32.8 minutes per contest.

The Clippers were active at the trade deadline as they recalibrated their roster around Leonard. Los Angeles traded Ivica Zubac and Kobe Brown to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Benedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, a protected 2026 first-round pick, an unprotected 2029 first-round pick and a future second-round selection.

. @TomerAzarly And @BrettSiegelNBA Live to talk NBA All-Stars, tanking problems + some early NBA offseason intel! https://t.co/duIKN4TFxL

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 19 February 2026

Clippers reshape roster at deadline as Kawhi Leonard’s offseason future is in jeopardy

In a separate move earlier in the trade cycle, the Clippers dealt James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Darius Garland, signaling a broader shift toward reshaping their core while maintaining offensive firepower.

Siegel said that from a front office perspective, exploring a Leonard trade this summer could more closely align with the Clippers’ long-term vision.

“From a front office standpoint and if you’re looking at it through the lens of the Clippers’ future, it probably makes more sense to trade him in the offseason,” Siegel said.

Los Angeles entered Thursday at 26-28, tied for 10th in the Western Conference after bouncing back from a 6-21 start. The Clippers return to action following All-Star festivities when they host the Denver Nuggets at 7:30 pm PT.

With Leonard potentially entering the final year of his deal this summer, league observers will be monitoring whether the Clippers follow a similar path to the Spurs’ 2018 decision — a move that ultimately reshaped the championship landscape.

As soon as the Sacramento Kings lost Zach LaVine to a season-ending injury, some even considered him a player to move forward between now and the end of the offseason. The Kings likely won’t reach a deal with LaVine, who had a tendon repair in his right pinky.

Per ClutchScoops’ Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, LaVine could help mentor the young Kings during the final year of his contract.

“To be honest, unless the Kings are willing to take on contracts they don’t want, which they’ve indicated isn’t going to happen, they want to pursue clean books,” Siegel said. “I don’t see any option other than to try to buy him out, maybe in the off-season, or just waive him and pay him $49 million.

“If you’re the Kings, why would you do that? If you’re going to pay him $49 million anyway, you might as well add him as a featured star on your roster to mentor some of these young guys.”

In the final season of LaVine’s five-year, $215.1 million deal for the next one, there is a player option worth $48.9 million.

Zach LaVine undergoes season-ending surgery

After the Kings announced Domantas Sabonis would have season-ending knee surgery, Zach LaVine suffered a similar situation during his hand surgery. Sabonis went under the knife to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, as both his and LaVine’s regular seasons ended abruptly.

The Kings, who enter the All-Star break with a 12-44 record, are in last place in the Western Conference standings and have the fewest wins in the NBA.

The allure of Los Angeles never wanes, but Phoenix Suns superstar guard Devin Booker has no interest in joining the Los Angeles Lakers at this time.

That’s a lesson we can learn after watching a hilarious conversation between Booker and an apparent Lakers fan who asked the former Kentucky Wildcats star to join the Purple and Gold team.

“Book it, you can come to the lake show too, man!” In a video the fan can be heard saying this to Booker, who laughed at the encounter before walking away.

This Lakers fan tried to inspire Devin Booker to come to Los Angeles

Fans: Book, you too can come to Lakeshow!

Booker: “Come on, man! Come on, man!”

(via @ruthlesssrich/TikTok)pic.twitter.com/mXTcLNwNdt

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 19 February 2026

Most fans would want someone like Booker to play on their team. It’s easy to understand why the Lakers supporter took his shot at Booker, although there’s almost zero chance that he’ll have any influence on any future career decisions the five-time NBA All-Star makes.

Booker is still under contract with the Suns until at least the end of the 2028–29 NBA season. He signed a two-year, $133.25 maximum contract extension with Phoenix in 2025, which came with a player option worth $69.191 million for the 2029–30 campaign.

In other words, unless Booker is surprisingly traded to the Lakers by the Suns, the only way Lakers fans’ wish to see him in Los Angeles colors will be fulfilled would be if the shooting guard chooses not to pick up that player option and signs with LA in the summer of 2029. If he signs by exercising that option, Booker will be on the market in 2030.

Booker entered the All-Star break with season averages of 25.2 points, 6.3 assists and 4.0 rebounds, while shooting 45.5 percent from the field.

When Klay Thompson signed with the Dallas Mavericks in 2024, he thought he put himself in a position to win his fifth championship. But now, Luka Doncic is no more, Anthony Davis played only 29 games before being included in the trade, and Kyrie Irving is still recovering from knee surgery.

Two years after Thompson’s arrival, the Mavericks have become a completely different entity. They are in the bottom half of the standings with a 19–35 record and are highly unlikely to return to the NBA Finals, where they reached a season before Thompson joined the team.

Dallas Cooper will continue to build around Flagg and find young pieces for the future. For Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, he not a good sign For Thompson and other veterans.

“Besides (Daniel) Gafford, a big name we should try to keep an eye on, whether it’s a shopping in the offseason or a potential trade, is Klay Thompson,” Siegel said on “Clutch Scoops.”

“Because he’s in the last year of his contract, he doesn’t fit their timeline anymore, and he wants to be on a team that’s going to compete for championships. So I’ll keep an eye on Klay Thompson to see what’s going to happen with him at draft time.”

. @TomerAzarly And @BrettSiegelNBA Live to talk NBA All-Stars, tanking problems + some early NBA offseason intel! https://t.co/duIKN4TFxL

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 19 February 2026

It’s not hard to imagine the 36-year-old Thompson playing for a new team next season. As Siegel mentioned, the Mavericks are moving in a different direction with Flagg’s meteoric rise, making the older guys on the roster more expensive.

While Thompson is still one of the most lethal shooters in the NBA and has been serviceable off the bench for the Mavericks, he has been significantly slowed by his past injuries.

The four-time champion is averaging a career-low 11.6 points, 38.8% field goals, 2.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 22.1 minutes per outing.

On Thursday, the Chicago Bulls were back in action from the All-Star break and defeated the Toronto Raptors at home. Head coach Billy Donovan was recently absent to care for his family. his father diedBilly Donovan Sr.

Before the game, Bulls issued a tribute To Donovan Sr., according to ClutchPoints.

The Bulls honored the passing of head coach Billy Donovan Sr., father of head coach Billy Donovan, before tonight’s game versus the Raptors.

(via @DravesZachary) pic.twitter.com/ui1abaibg3

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 20 February 2026

Billy Donovan Sr. was a standout player at Boston College, where he finished as the No. 3 top scorer in program history with 1,102 career points. He was a first lieutenant in the army.

Billy Jr. later began playing basketball and played in college at Providence. In 1987, he was part of the team that reached the Final Four. Ultimately, Billy Jr. became the head coach at Florida and led them to two consecutive NCAA Championships in 2006 and 2007.

After his father passed away, colleagues like Rick Pitino sent my best wishes. Meanwhile, the Bulls are 24-31 and on a six-game losing streak.

Donovan has been the head coach of the Bulls since the 2020–21 season. Till now he has made a record of 195-205. Additionally, Donovan led the Bulls to the 2022 NBA Playoffs, in which they were eliminated in the first round by the Milwaukee Bucks in five games.

Previously, Donovan was the head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder from 2015 to 2020. He compiled a record of 243–157. His current overall coaching record in the NBA is 438–362. In 2025, Donovan was Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Meanwhile, Wes Unseld Jr. has taken over as interim head coach.

The Houston Rockets bounced back from the All-Star break with a 105-101 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday, led by a historic performance from Kevin Durant. Durant scored 35 points in 36 minutes, going 14 of 20 (70%) from the field, 2 of 4 from three-point range, and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line. He combined this with eight rebounds, four assists, three blocks and one steal while committing only one turnover.

The 35-point outing was the 429th 30-point game of Durant’s career, tying Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for sixth in NBA history. He now sits fifth on the all-time list, two behind Kobe Bryant. It was Durant’s highest scoring performance in more than a month and followed a 31-point effort against Charlotte on February 5. Through 51 games this season, the 37-year-old has averaged 26.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists while shooting 51% from the field and 40.4% from three.

Houston shot 48.8% overall, but struggled from deep, finishing 9 of 32 (28.1%). The Rockets compensated by outscoring Charlotte 48-32 in the paint and shooting 12-of-13 (92.3%) at the line. He also forced 16 turnovers (23 per one report) and recorded 15 steals and eight blocks, leading to defensive pressure that resulted in 16 fast-break points. Houston finished with 11 turnovers compared to the Hornets’ 16 turnovers, which was a significant factor in the four-point game.

Jabari Smith Jr. recorded 15 points on 6 of 9 shooting and 2 of 3 shooting from three, seven rebounds, one block and one steal. Alpern Sengun contributed 13 points and seven assists despite making 6 of 16 shots, while Reed Shepard also scored 13 points. The Rockets overcame an 11-point deficit in the first half to lead 95–84 with five minutes remaining.

For Charlotte, Grant Williams led the way with 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting (4-5 from three). Brandon Miller scored 17 but shot 1 of 12 from deep and 5 of 22 overall for the lead. LaMelo Ball, playing a day after a car accident, finished with 11 points, seven assists and seven rebounds. Rookie Kon Knueppel scored 15 points and hit several late threes, but Durant closed out the game with 10 fourth-quarter points, including two free throws with 3.2 seconds remaining.

The win improved Houston to 34–20 and placed them in fourth place in the Western Conference, one game ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers and one game behind the Denver Nuggets. The Hornets entered the break winning 11 of 12, remaining in 10th place in the Eastern Conference with a 26–30 record, one game behind the Atlanta Hawks.

The Rockets next take the field to face the New York Knicks on Saturday, while Charlotte will host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.

The Indiana Pacers came out of the 2026 NBA All-Star break and immediately suffered a loss to the Washington Wizards on Thursday night at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC.

Despite the 112–105 loss to the Wizards, Indiana had some positives to take from the contest, including the play of Jarre Walker. The former Houston Cougars star power forward paced Indiana against Washington with 19 points and 13 rebounds. While he made only 5 of 15 shots from the field, he made 8 of 10 from the free-throw line. Walker recorded seven assists and two steals in 30 minutes of action.

After the game, Walker received praise from Indiana head coach Rick Carlisle, who considered the player’s development “one of the triumphs of this season”, according to Scott Agnes of Fieldhouse Files.

Granted, the Pacers don’t have much to celebrate heading into the 2025-26 NBA season, seeing Walker improve on the court gives Carlisle and the team something to feel good about.

It’s also time for Walker to translate his potential into raw numbers, as he’s already in his third season in the league. In his first two seasons in the NBA, Walker, who was selected eighth by Indiana in the first round of the 2023 NBA draft, averaged only 5.4 points and 2.7 rebounds in 14.1 minutes per contest. He entered the Wizards game with season averages of 10.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in 54 games.

Still, there’s plenty of room for improvement for the 22-year-old Walker, including his shot efficiency. He made only 40.4 percent of his attempts and posted a 49.3 effective field goal percentage in the first half of the season.

Cade Cunningham’s historic performance led the Detroit Pistons to solidify their hold on the top spot in the Eastern Conference with a 126-111 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night.

Cunningham produced 42 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds in 38 minutes, shooting 17-for-34 (50 percent) from the field, 5-for-11 from three-point range and 3-for-3 at the foul line. He finished with one steal, two blocks, five turnovers and zero fouls. The 24-year-old scored 24 of Detroit’s 58 points in the first half and 14 points in the opening quarter, hitting three 3-pointers, as the Pistons erased a 9-2 deficit with a 21-8 run. He finished the first half with eight points and assists on a 7-0 run, leading Detroit 58–48 at halftime.

Cunningham’s stat line made franchise history. He became the first Pistons player to post at least 40 points, five rebounds, 10 assists and five 3-pointers in a single game. It was his third 40-point game of the season, his 28th double-double, and fell four points shy of his career high. He is now third in MVP odds at +700 at BetMGM, behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (-150) and Nikola Jokic (+275).

Meanwhile, Detroit improved to 41–13, the best record in the NBA, six games ahead of the Boston Celtics in the East and seven games ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Central Division. The Pistons have won nine of their last 11 games and completed a three-game season sweep of New York by a combined 84 points, extending their regular season winning streak over the Knicks to six games after losing 16 straight in the earlier matchup.

Playing without suspended centers Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, Detroit still won the rebounding battle 44–38 and outscored New York 58–56 in the paint. Paul Reed started at center and recorded 18 points, seven rebounds and three blocks, while Tobias Harris contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds. Ausner Thompson scored 10 points.

New York shot 47.1 percent overall but just 8-for-35 (22.9 percent) from three. Jalen Brunson scored 33 points with eight assists, and Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points and 11 rebounds.

The Knicks host the Houston Rockets next Saturday, while the Pistons travel to Chicago to face the Bulls.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The LA Clippers begin the post-All-Star break portion of their season with a matchup against the powerful Denver Nuggets, led by three-time MVP Nikola Jokic. The game got off to a bad start for the Clippers. That is, until Benedict Mathurin checked in.

Denver blew a 13-4 lead over the Clippers in Thursday night’s contest, trapping Kawhi Leonard 30 feet from the basket and forcing him to make other players. Benedict Mathurin checked in midway through the third quarter and immediately contributed 11 points off the bench in six minutes of the first quarter.

This was a far cry from the Mathurin everyone saw debuting for the Clippers against the Houston Rockets a week ago, and it was exactly what the Clippers needed against the Nuggets.

“We had a conversation during the first game in Houston,” head coach Tyronn Lue said of Benedict Mathurin. “I thought he was really passive, turned down some shots, wasn’t aggressive. I pulled him to the sideline during a timeout and told him, ‘You’ve got to be aggressive, you’ve got to be who you are, and we’ll figure out the rest.’ We needed everything we got tonight. “He’s aggressive, getting to the basket, getting to the free throw line and making some big shots for us.”

Mathurin not only made a strong start to the Clippers’ offense and did not give up all night. In his third game since the trade deadline deal that traded him to the Indiana Pacers, Benedict Mathurin recorded a Clippers franchise record for points in a home debut. The Clippers guard led the way with 38 points on 12-of-22 shooting from the field and 12-of-13 from the free throw line.

“Man, this is going to be awesome [playing for Tyronn Lue],” Mathurin said after the win. He could be my best friend. He told me to be aggressive, man. He told me to be myself, and I feel like he really knows my game. He really knows what I can do. It’s been a pleasure to have him as a coach. And I think by bringing everybody together, we can do a lot of great things.”

Kawhi Leonard, who was battling an illness, recorded 23 points, four rebounds and three assists, but saw double-teams and traps all night by the Nuggets defense that made it difficult for him to find a rhythm. However, he had a 10-point third quarter that helped the Clippers clinch the win in the minutes that Benedict Mathurin was off the field.

“Business went so fast, man,” Mathurin said. “I found time to talk [Kawhi] A little bit, just to meet him after the All-Stars. Great boy! We’re trying to build that relationship as quickly as possible so we can make a deep run in the playoffs.

Mathurin started the game with 11 points in the opening period and finished his 38-point performance with 16 points in the final frame.

“It’s fun to see how happy my teammates were for me,” Mathurin said after the win. “Just winning, actually winning my second game with the team. So far, so good.”

Mathurin recorded his second straight game with double-digit free throw attempts, repeatedly displaying the ability to take contact, finish through contact and get to the free throw line.

“I think I’ve always been aggressive, just getting to the rim,” Mathurin said after the win. “That’s one of my biggest strengths. So I think, you know, just knowing when to take a shot or be aggressive is kind of the difference between those two.”

In three games so far with the Clippers, Benedict Mathurin has averaged 21 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.0 steals in 30 minutes per game.

The Clippers are back in action on Friday night when they take on the Los Angeles Lakers inside Staples Center, the second game of a back-to-back set.

The Philadelphia 76ers officially signed guard Tyrese Martin to a two-way contract on Thursday, the team announced in a press release. President of basketball operations Daryl Morey confirmed the move as the Sixers continue to restructure their roster following the All-Star break.

The 26-year-old Martin began the season with the Brooklyn Nets and appeared in 37 games with six starts. He averaged 7.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 18.8 minutes per game while shooting 39.2% from the field. He scored in double figures 12 times, including a season-high 26 points on 7-of-14 shooting and 5-of-9 from three-point range against the Toronto Raptors on November 23. After meeting the guarantee deadline of his January contract and securing his entire $2.2 million salary, Martin was waived on February 5 to make roster space for Brooklyn’s trade for Hunter Tyson.

Over the past two seasons with the Nets, Martin played in 97 games, making 17 starts, and averaged 8.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 20.7 minutes per game, while shooting 34.6% from beyond the arc. For his three-year NBA career with the Atlanta Hawks and Brooklyn, he has appeared in 113 games, averaging 7.2 points on 40.1% shooting as well as 3.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists. He has six 20-point performances in his career, including a 30-point outing with eight three-pointers against the Phoenix Suns on November 27, 2024.

Originally selected 51st overall in the 2022 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors, the Allentown, Pennsylvania native has also performed in the G League. In 72 games with the Atlanta Skyhawks, Iowa Wolves and Long Island Nets, Martin averaged 17.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 32.8 minutes, recording 25 double-doubles and 21 games of at least 20 points, including five 30-point attempts and one 40-point game.

Martin filled Philadelphia’s open two-way spot with Marjon Beauchamp and Delon Terry after Jabari Walker was promoted to the 15-man roster.

The 76ers entered the stretch run with a score of 30–25, sixth in the Eastern Conference, avoiding the play-in tournament. With Paul George serving a 25-game suspension, Martin has added depth to the backcourt as the Sixers head toward the postseason.

The Chicago Bulls lost their seventh consecutive game to the Toronto Raptors, 110–101. This was his first game after the All-Star break. one thing that came to light there was a notable absence Jaden Ivey’s.

He did not play the entire game. Later, interim head coach Wes Unseld Jr. explain why According to Gavin Dorsey of The Roundtable Network, this was the case. Overall, it came down to basketball and the fact that the Bulls are loaded with guards. Additionally, they also had Josh Giddy and Trey Jones both are returning After being out due to a hamstring injury.

“Strictly a basketball decision,” Unseld said. “It’s really hard to play six guards. I wanted to try to see if I could increase Josh and Trey’s minutes. I think we were comfortable, considering where they were.”

He later said, “I thought those guys gave us the best chance. We had some very good stretches, very good combinations. He was absolutely the odd man out tonight.”

Ivey arrives in Chicago from Detroit Pistons As part of three-way trade That sent Kevin Huerter to Detroit. He has played four games with Chicago and is averaging 11.5 points per game.

As a result, the Bulls are now 24-32. This weekend, they have back-to-back home games against the Detroit Pistons on Saturday and the New York Knicks on Sunday.

Afernee Simmons led the way with 20 points. Additionally, Isaac Okoro finished with 16 points and five rebounds. Jones had 12 points and six assists. Colin Sexton came out with 11 points.

Meanwhile, Giddy finished with 5 points and was 1 of 7 from the field. Additionally, Matas Buzelis only had four points but finished with six rebounds.

The Golden State Warriors were back on the court Thursday night following the NBA All-Star break. They hosted the Boston Celtics in a rematch of the 2022 NBA Finals. While Stephen Curry is out with a knee injury, the Warriors finally got a new star in the lineup.

Kristaps Porzingis made his Golden State debut on Thursday.

Upon checking in on the game and being announced on PA, Porzingis received praise From the crowd of domestic warriors.

Kristaps Porzingis checks in with the Warriors for the first time

(via @kenzofuku) pic.twitter.com/7QVLufl6Ym

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 20 February 2026

The Warriors traded with the Atlanta Hawks for Porzingis before the NBA trade deadline. It was an interesting move, especially given Golden State’s position in the Western Conference. Curry’s subsequent knee injury has certainly made his stride a bit worse.

Nevertheless, the Latvian big man will certainly make a positive impact.

On Thursday night, the Warriors hosted the Celtics team with whom Porzingis won his only championship. Boston won the NBA title two seasons ago, with Porzingis making a big impact despite missing time due to injury.

Injuries have wreaked havoc throughout his career. The 10-year veteran has only played 18 games this season, missing time for a variety of reasons. He has missed 16 to 39 games in each of the last nine seasons of his career.

But Warriors coach Steve Kerr is highly optimistic that Porzingis will be able to make solid contributions the rest of the season. Unfortunately for the Dubs, the Celtics are getting the best of Golden State.

At the time of this writing, Boston led by 23 points at halftime. Porzingis has five points in seven minutes played.

The Brooklyn Nets looked like a team still on vacation during their first game after the All-Star break. Jordi Fernandez’s team sleepwalked through a 112-84 loss to the streaking Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday to start the second half of the season.

This game marked the Nets’ NBA-leading eighth wire-to-wire loss of the season. Brooklyn trails by 43 points.

“It was everything. The physicality, the intensity, all those things we weren’t matching up to,” Fernandez said. “Their physicality, their intensity was exactly what a winning team should be. We weren’t even close.”

With starting center Nick Claxton sidelined, the Nets had no answer for the Cavaliers on both ends during the lopsided loss. He shot 30 of 87 (34.5 percent) from the field and 14 of 49 (28.6 percent) from three.

Brooklyn offered little resistance defensively as the Cavs shot 44-of-86 (51.2 percent), with seven players reaching double figures.

Nets dominate Cavs during blowout loss, tipping off tank race

Brooklyn’s lack of engagement was evident from the opening tip. After some miscommunication on their first two possessions, Fernandez called a timeout 40 seconds into the game in an attempt to wake up his team. He had little success in doing so.

“It was two mistakes that were completely controllable, and it tells me about the readiness of our players. It was a lack of effort and readiness, and I’m not going to let it fly. And we didn’t wake up,” Fernandez said. “We know we are better, our standards are higher than this. Now we have to go to the next level, and hold everyone accountable, including me, and go and fight better [on Friday in Oklahoma City]”

Michael Porter Jr. led the Nets with 14 points, five rebounds and two assists on 5 of 13 shooting. Ochai Agbaji added 13 points on 5-of-5 shooting off the bench during his second game with Brooklyn. Danny Wolf scored 11 points and seven assists on 4-of-12 shooting, while Egor Demin had 10 points on 3-of-8 shooting.

Donovan Mitchell scored a game-high 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting for Cleveland, while James Harden added 16 points and nine assists on 6-of-8 shooting.

The loss brings a ray of hope for the Nets, who are tied with the Washington Wizards for fourth place in the draft lottery standings. Brooklyn is tied in the win column and twice behind the Indiana Pacers and New Orleans Pelicans in the loss column, who are in second place.

Fernandez’s team will be back in action on Friday during a road matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The San Antonio Spurs picked up where they left off before the midseason break with an easy 121-94 win over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday at the Moody Center.

After a hard-fought first half, the Spurs outscored the Suns 37–22 in the third quarter, blowing the game open.

San Antonio won its eighth straight and moved to 39–16, while Phoenix fell to 32–24. The loss could be extra costly for the Suns, as Devin Booker was forced to exit early with a hip injury and did not return.

Spurs coach Mitch Johnson sent a message of support for Booker, who has struggled to stay healthy this season.

“Hopefully, Devin is OK. You hate to see one of the league’s premier players get injured,” Johnson said, as quoted by Jared Weiss of The Athletic.

Booker played only nine minutes, tallying five points and one rebound.

He has already missed 13 matches due to an ankle injury.

Stephen Cassel had 20 points, four assists and three steals to lead the Spurs, with Victor Wembanyama adding 17 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks. De’Aaron Fox contributed 15 points, three rebounds and eight assists.

Booker’s premature exit further troubled the Suns, who were playing without Dillon Brooks due to a one-game suspension.

Jalen Green led Phoenix with 26 points, three rebounds and three steals in his second game back from a hamstring injury. Mark Williams contributed 10 points and 11 rebounds.

It’s unclear whether Booker will miss an extended period of time, but as Johnson said, it would be good for the league to get the All-Star guard back on the court as soon as possible.

Despite their up-and-down campaign, Stephen Curry remains adamant that if the Golden State Warriors qualify for the playoffs, it will be a tough fight for anyone.

warriors want to capture the fort Curry still out with knee injury. Although his MRI revealed no structural damage, the two-time MVP will remain out and will be reevaluated in 10 days, according to the Warriors.

The Warriors remain in eighth place in the team standings with a 29-27 record after losing to the Boston Celtics on Thursday.

Jimmy Butler is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, while Kristaps Porzingis is still trying to adjust to the team after being acquired from the Atlanta Hawks at the trade deadline.

However, the 37-year-old Curry has full confidence in the Warriors.

“It’s been a unique year, but as long as we can find our way into a playoff series, we think we’re going to be tough for anybody at the top of the West,” Curry said in an interview with ESPN.

“With Porzingis here, hopefully, he’s healthy and able to be out there consistently because we know what he’s capable of.”

The 30-year-old Porzingis made his debut for the Warriors against the Celtics and scored 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting in 17 minutes off the bench.

The oft-injured star, who is recovering from a long illness, could be the interior threat Golden State has been waiting for. He has also proven to be a reliable rim protector.

The Warriors still have a chance to avoid the play-in tournament, but they need added urgency to get more wins even without Curry.

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham had a night at Madison Square Garden on Thursday and led the New York Knicks to a game-high 42 points.

With Cunningham scoring at will, the Pistons defeated the Knicks 126–111 for their fourth consecutive win.

The two-time All-Star made 17-of-34 shots from the field, including 5-of-11 from long range. He added eight rebounds, 13 assists and two blocks as he continued to show that he should also be considered the face of the NBA.

Actor Ben Stiller, a longtime Knicks fan, praised Cunningham’s stellar performance.

“Cade kicked our ass. We have to be better,” Stiller wrote on X.

The 60-year-old star of “Zoolander” and “There’s Something About Mary” is regularly seen courtside at Madison Square Garden cheering for his beloved team.

He has lived through poor campaigns for the Knicks, and while the team has had success in recent years, Stiller knows there is always room for improvement.

Perhaps he could urge the Knicks to watch “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story.”

New York coach Mike Brown admitted that he failed to execute his defensive strategy against the 24-year-old Cunningham, who is averaging 25.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 9.6 assists.

Like other stars, the do-it-all guard seems to enjoy playing at Madison Square Garden, a place that knows how to appreciate good basketball, even by the opponent.

The Knicks have canceled three of their meetings with the Pistons this season.

Cunningham has become an unstoppable force in his fifth year in Detroit, carrying over the momentum of his breakout campaign last season, where he was named to the All-NBA Third Team.

When the Los Angeles Clippers traded James Harden and Ivica Zubac, they made it clear that they were rebuilding rather than completely rebuilding. Steve Ballmer invested nearly $2 billion in Intuit Dome, so he might not want to hit the reset button. Instead, the organization has added youth to the NBA’s oldest team. Newcomer Benedict Mathurin thrilled the crowd in LA’s first home game since the aforementioned trades, making history in a 115–114 win against the Denver Nuggets.

The former Indiana Pacers wing, who was included in the Zubac deal, scored a game-high 38 points in 34 minutes off the bench, while shooting 54.5 percent from the field and recording five rebounds, four assists and three steals. According to ClutchPoints reporter Tomer Azarli, he set a new scoring record for a Clippers player debuting on his home field and also matched a career high. That was not all.

Appropriately, Mathurin passed Jamal Crawford for most points by a reserve in his LA debut. This squad has a new offensive spark plug, and he is only 23 years old. After making an impressive debut against the Houston Rockets last Wednesday, the young Canadian won over Clippers fans by outclassing several competitors, including Nikola Jokic, Kawhi Leonard and Jamal Murray.

Benedict Mathurin will be a restricted free agent this summer, but it stands to reason Los Angeles will want to lock him up for the foreseeable future. Tyronn Lue’s team is now just one game below .500, and Darius Garland still isn’t in tune. Although it’s not what City had envisioned, there is certainly excitement in the air after this hard-fought victory.

After recently announcing his retirement from the NBA, Chris Paul is now looking to enjoy his personal time.

Paul went on to have an illustrious career spanning 20 seasons and cemented his legacy as one of the greatest guards in league history. Once eligible, he or she must be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Paul, 40, was looking forward to his farewell season with his return to the Los Angeles Clippers. But things quickly deteriorated, with the Clippers surprisingly releasing Paul before their game against the Atlanta Hawks in December.

CP3 remained confident that he would find another team. But he also remained realistic and set a self-imposed deadline before deciding to walk away, as he shared on “7pm in Brooklyn.”

Paul said, “When all this happened, I trained and worked out, obviously, I was in Atlanta. A whole bunch of my family was in Atlanta for that game. My brother and some of my friends were there.”

“Then we flew back, and I was working out and training, and I talked to some of my friends, and I said, ‘I’m going to give myself a deadline. If I’m not on the team by a certain point, All-Star (weekend), I’ll be done with it.'”

At the trade deadline in February, the 12-time All-Star was traded to the Toronto Raptors in a three-team deal involving the Brooklyn Nets. However, the Raptors immediately waived Paul.

Some believed that Paul, who had career averages of 16.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 9.2 assists and 2.0 steals, might eventually land with the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers or San Antonio Spurs, but nothing panned out.

Although Paul’s exit from the NBA was not ideal, he will always be remembered as a great competitor and a fearless leader.

The 2025-26 season was supposed to be a watershed moment of sorts for the Denver Nuggets, as they added some new pieces to their core four of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Christian Braun, and this new depth was going to make them unbeatable, especially in the postseason.

However, this campaign has been particularly unforgiving for the Nuggets on the injury front, with players like Jokic, Gordon, Braun, new addition Cam Johnson and now breakout star Peyton Watson missing significant time with significant innings. Of course, the goal for the Nuggets is simply to complete the rigors of the regular season together, and given their situation at present, even that is not certain.

Whatever the case, the Nuggets have called on some unlikely contributors to step up, and credit to them. But the Nuggets front office knows time is ticking. Their salary cap obligations are about to increase significantly, as Watson is set for a new big contract. To retain Watson, the Nuggets will have to dive into the luxury tax if they choose to keep their current roster together for the next few seasons.

This prompted them to pull off a salary dump trade before the deadline, sending former second-round pick Hunter Tyson along with a 2032 second-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets just to avoid the luxury tax. They were $1.8 million under the luxury tax before the move was made to comply with the 14-roster size requirement following the Tyson trade.

Spencer Jones’ Nuggets future is secure…for now

In an ideal world, the Nuggets would have unlimited resources, and they could put their core together without being overly cautious of the punitive nature of the luxury tax under the current CBA. Alas, the Nuggets are not living in an ideal world.

Paying luxury tax is not really a problem when a person is careless. Of course, this plays a factor, as owners are at least very adamant about not wasting money, but the roster move restrictions that come with being in the first or even second apron make roster construction much more difficult.

The Nuggets wanted to get into the tax bracket to reset their timer for at least this season, because their hand will be forced very soon. Nonetheless, they finalized the facilitated transaction of converting Spencer Jones’ contract to a standard contract, making him eligible for the postseason.

Jones is one of the players the Nuggets have relied on to help their injured starters. In fact, the 24-year-old sophomore has made 34 starts for the Nuggets this season, which is nothing short of a huge developmental win for a team that needs some cost-effective but productive players to fill out the roster.

Jones plays unselfishly and he shoots efficiently, and considering how important he has been this season, it was no easy task for the Nuggets to turn his deal into a standard one. His impact doesn’t go beyond the stat sheet, but as a 6’7″ wing who can shoot and defend at multiple positions, he is invaluable to a team with contending aspirations.

However, the problem is that the Nuggets were able to convert his contract to a prorated minimum deal for the remainder of the season instead of signing him to a multi-year contract, which would keep him in the Mile High City on an affordable arrangement for the next few seasons.

With this agreement, Jones will be eligible for restricted free agency this summer, and if he makes seven more starts for the Nuggets, he will be eligible for a qualifying offer of $5.9 million – further reducing the Nuggets flexibility amid their current troubles clearing the salary cap.

At least, the Nuggets now have Johnson and Braun healthy, and they’ve been riding the hot hand of Julian Strother lately, reducing their need to rely on Jones to fill in as the starter. It was going to be difficult for the Nuggets to keep Jones out of the starting lineup as his situation has not improved on the injury front, but now, they have a legitimate reason to bring him off the bench.

But it seems that the hard part is just beginning for the Nuggets.

Denver’s bill is coming due

The Nuggets were absolutely impressed by Braun’s 2024-25 campaign, as he made the move after Kentavious Caldwell-Pope left in free agency. Braun signed a five-year, $125 million contract extension – a significant commitment for the Nuggets knowing their cap obligations at the time.

Braun has struggled this season with 36 missed games, a huge decline from last season. And the Nuggets have since seen Watson take the next step in his development, blossoming into a legitimate shot creator on the wing and a far more well-rounded two-way threat than Braun.

Watson is set to enter restricted free agency in the summer, and the Nuggets will have to pay more than $20 million per season to retain Watson. Denver has some tough decisions to make moving forward, and that’s without considering what it would take to keep Jones on a long-term contract.

Cutting Zeke Nnaji’s salary is a way for the Nuggets to make room, and so is moving Johnson out. However, the Nuggets hardly have any assets left to sweeten salary-dump trades, and losing Johnson would be costly, as he’s shooting over 43 percent from deep this season and is on an affordable contract anyway.

Will the Nuggets let Braun go to make room for Watson? This seems like a possible route Denver could take. But his best bet for maintaining his status as a title-contender during Jockey’s prime is to endure the tax hit for at least a year before making a change if he really has to.

Winning fixes everything. And for a Nuggets team that is about to be financially ruined, all the blood they shed will be worth it if they hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy in June.

The Orlando Magic etched their place in the record books with an easy 131-94 win over the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on Thursday.

The Magic rained down three-pointers on the Kings, scoring 27 in total, setting a new franchise record for a single game.

orlando broke old team record Courtesy of Jett Howard with 2:33 left in the fourth quarter. For good measure, he added another three-pointer with 33 seconds remaining.

Jett Howard’s trey sets franchise-record 26 threes in a single game for Magic 🔥pic.twitter.com/uXY5kdLEsR

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 20 February 2026

Paolo Banchero made 5 of 7 shots from long range and finished with a game-high 30 points. He also had five rebounds and six assists.

Howard, Anthony Black and Tristan Da Silva each had four three-pointers, while Desmond Benn, Jalen Suggs and Devon Carter each had three three-pointers. Mo Wagner added a three-pointer.

Overall, the Magic went 27 of 50 from beyond the arc.

This may simply be an aberration, as Orlando is averaging just 11.5 three-pointers this season while shooting at a 34.2% clip, tied with three other teams for the league-worst percentage.

He was just three three-pointers away from breaking the league record of 29 long bombs set by the Boston Celtics against the New York Knicks in 2024 and the Milwaukee Bucks versus the Miami Heat in 2020.

The Magic were also part of another team record – sort of – as they handed the Kings their 15th consecutive losing streak, the longest in franchise history.

Black scored 20 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals, while Benn had 17 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Orlando improved to 29-25, while Sacramento fell to 12-45.

The Magic will look to continue their impressive shooting from deep on Saturday against the Phoenix Suns.

The New York Knicks could not unseat the Detroit Pistons in the 2025-26 NBA season.

On Thursday, the Knicks again failed in their mission to pick up a win at the expense of Detroit, as they lost 126–111 to the visiting Pistons. This was New York’s third loss against Cade Cunningham and Co. this campaign, which also means they have lost this regular season series.

Each of Detroit’s losses was a double-digit blowout. The first meeting in Detroit ended with a score of 121–90, with the Pistons defeating the Knicks 118–80 in the second meeting.

Given how the Pistons have misbehaved in New York this season, it appears that the Detroit Knicks will have their biggest nightmare in the 2025 NBA Playoffs.

But for Knicks newcomer Jose Alvarado, New York’s outlook in the postseason, if it meets the Pistons there, is not as discouraging as it seems.

“The playoffs are a completely different ballgame,” Alvarado said after the game (h/t Knicks Video). “We’re not going to sit here and say, ‘Oh, they beat us in the regular season…’ We’re not thinking like that.”

Still, it’s clear that the Pistons are a big thorn in the side for New York.

The Knicks eliminated Detroit in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, but the Pistons have since become one of the best teams not only in the East but in the entire league. At this point in the season only the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder have more wins than Detroit, improving to 41–13. The Knicks, on the other hand, fell to 35-21.

The Charlotte Hornets missed a chance to get a big win over the Houston Rockets, losing 105-101 at the Spectrum Center on Thursday night, but LaMelo Ball is grateful he was even able to play. Following the loss, the star point guard spoke on the car accident he was involved in on Wednesday.

According to Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer, Ball told the media, “Unfortunate, {but} everybody’s good, so good blessings.” “God is great.”

The 24-year-old, who was driving a custom-built Hummer through an intersection, collided with another vehicle in downtown Charlotte. Footage from the scene shows Ball drifting out of his lane and into another car. However, it is still not completely clear what exactly caused the accident. One wheel of the Hummer rolled off after the collision, but it is difficult to say when it started coming loose.

LaMelo’s postgame press conference: Reaction to the accident, his game tonight and more. pic.twitter.com/1CfT3J9jPh

– Rod Boon (@rodboon) 20 February 2026

Thankfully, as the former Rookie of the Year said, no one was seriously hurt. The other person involved in the accident exited his vehicle immediately after the accident. After police arrived at the scene, Ball drove away in a Lamborghini that had come to pick him up. A reporter asked him why he walked away from the wreck, but the 2022 All-Star did not answer the question. “No, you’ll have to check it out,” he replied.

LaMelo Ball was apparently unable to drive the Hummer, so it makes sense that he would call for a ride. One would assume that he had provided the necessary information to the police and the other driver before leaving the scene. However, because of his history on the road, people will be extra curious about the accident.

Video compilations can be found in which he is shown driving recklessly. In 2024, a woman filed a lawsuit against the Hornets playmaker for running over her son’s foot. The child and other people huddled around Ball’s vehicle before it was driven away from the field. He denied responsibility, claiming that the boy harmed himself.

The No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft clearly wants to put this latest incident behind him immediately. A day after the accident, he posted 11 points on 5-of-14 shooting with seven assists and seven rebounds.

The Boston Celtics take on the Golden State Warriors in the woodshed at San Francisco’s Chase Center on Thursday, with Peyton Pritchard adding even more to his team’s incredible evening.

Pritchard moved ahead on the franchise’s all-time 3-pointers list, passing the legendary Ray Allen for the No. 6 spot via Boston coverage manager Taylor Snow.

Former Oregon Ducks star Pritchard entered the Warriors game with 797 3-pointers in his NBA career with Boston, and Allen needed only one to tie the franchise list.

The 28-year-old Prichard has played all of his years in the NBA in Celtics colors, and he has developed into one of the team’s more reliable offensive weapons.

With Jayson Tatum still out due to injury, Pritchard has seen increased playing time and has been rewarded by providing consistent scoring for Boston, mostly as a starter. During his first 53 games in the 2025–26 NBA season, Prichard averaged 17.2 points (career-high), 4.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists, while draining 2.6 3-pointers per outing.

Opposing defenses have paid more attention to Pritchard amid Tatum’s absence. But he’s still providing consistent offensive performance for the Celtics, who remain one of the league’s best teams despite Tatum’s injury.

Pritchard, whose current contract with Boston does not expire until the summer of 2028, can continue to compile more 3-point shots. Right above him on the list is Marcus Smart, who drained a total of 911 3-pointers as a Celtic.

Paul Pierce is the Boston franchise’s all-time leader in 3-pointers with 1,823.

LOS ANGELES – When the Los Angeles Lakers resume the regular season this Friday against the LA Clippers, they will get good news on the injury front. Lakers head coach JJ Redick noted during team practice on Thursday that Austin Reaves, who has returned this month from a calf injury, is no longer on minutes restriction. Reaves’ return to the lineup has been a big boost for the Lakers, and not just for his on-court play, but for his leadership as well.

Going back to last season, Redick has challenged Austin Reaves to take on a more leadership role with the Lakers. After Thursday’s practice, Reeves talked about that ongoing development, and how interesting it has made becoming a leader.

“He [JJ] “Before last year and before this year, we had some meetings over the summer and he challenged me to get better in that aspect,” Reeves said. “I think it’s an opportunity to really connect with everyone on the team. And learn not only about his basketball game, but as a person.”

“We’ve got a great group. Everyone loves being with each other. We’ve got some interesting people, Luca [Doncic] Being one of them,” Reeves joked. “But it’s fun getting to know these people and building real relationships. So when it comes to the court, they really trust what I do and what we do as a team.”

Reeves returned to the Lakers’ lineup at the end of the Grammys road trip during their win against the Brooklyn Nets on February 2. After such a good game by his standards, he looked like the player who was in All-Star contention earlier this season when he scored 35 points in a win against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Since his return he had been on a minutes restriction, meanwhile coming off the bench. But now that the ban has been lifted after the All-Star break, it is possible that he returns to the starting lineup against the Clippers.

Reeves has appeared in a total of 28 games so far this season, averaging a little over 33 minutes per game. He averaged career-highs of 25.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.0 steals while splitting 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.

In his most recent game, in a win against the Dallas Mavericks just before the break, he finished with 18 points, four rebounds and six assists in 28 minutes.

MIAMI – The Miami Heat are getting a huge boost from Tyler Herro returning to practice after missing the last 15 games, another player on the team chasing consistency is Nikola Jovic. While Jovic’s fourth Heat season has been an extended slump, the 22-year-old spoke honestly about his year and what he wants to address.

With 26 games left in the season, Jovive looks to help Miami win games somehow, although his minutes have been up and down, averaging 17.9 minutes, his lowest since his rookie season. It’s no doubt been a tough season for Jovic, getting used to the team’s new fast-paced style of offense, as he averaged 7.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, while shooting 37 percent from the field and 27.2 percent from deep.

The “repeat” area the Heat’s Nikola Jovic is trying to get rid of

Jovic spoke to ClutchPoints in a one-on-one interview after Thursday’s practice, and emphasized how this season has been a “repetitive” trend with his inconsistent outings and interactions with head coach Erik Spoelstra.

When it comes to his performance, he describes how he would play well in some games, then lag, lose playing time and then find himself taken out of the rotation. In trying to shake off that tendency, Jovic is confident that it is not a mental issue that is hindering him.

“Spo [Spoelstra] He called me to his office several times. And it’s usually the same thing, he’s always asking me, how can he help me?… But at this point, it’s usually the same thing; I’ll play well a few games, and my minutes will go down, and then I’ll be out of the rotation. I’ll be back, looking good again. And it’s getting repetitive to such an extent that when I sit down with Spo, it feels like we’re trying to figure out what to do.

“But it’s not easy, but like I said, it’s not a confidence thing. I really believe in myself. I know how good I am. It’s just a weird season, the way we play, the way the team works. You know, it’s just weird. But Spo is really trying to help me, and I’m really trying to help the team. It’s just at this point, it’s really repetitive, where it’s kind of the same. Things are happening…so, yes, we’re still trying to figure things out.”

Heat’s Nikola Jovic is on much-needed All-Star break

As the Heat are trying to turn their season around, Jovic is looking to do the same individually, as he has shown flashes throughout his young career that he can help the team in a myriad of ways. The team feels the same way, as the 2022 first-round pick was rewarded with a four-year, $62.4 million contract extension in October.

Having the ability to be a point-forward, providing Miami with positional versatility, he may want to come back to provide significant minutes off the bench or when he is in the starting lineup. There’s no doubt that the reset was needed for Jovic as the All-Star break comes at the perfect time, he told ClutchPoints it helped his body rest physically, but also took his mind off basketball for a while.

“Coming off a tough EuroBasket that I had, I came right here, and I was trying to look as good as possible. So I didn’t really stop working out. So this break really helped my little injuries, kind of, heal,” Jovic said. “Mentally, it was good. I was with some of my friends. Mentally it was a good thing for me, I wasn’t thinking too much about basketball, but at the same time, trying to figure out what I want to do and how to make sure I look my best when I come back.”

Jovic will talk about the importance of taking good care of the mental side and how important it is for any basketball player, but will also discuss how it hasn’t been a hindrance this season.

“I’m happy every morning, I’m happy every time I go to sleep. And I think that’s something that’s really important,” Jovic said. “Basketball is something I know I’m good at. And even though some people may think I’m not doing well this year…I also feel like I’m probably not the best version of myself…but I don’t think it has anything to do with the mental side of things.”

Heat’s Nikola Jovic is on if offense is hurting his season

There may be a lot of talk about why Jovic has struggled to find a consistent role this season, with one possible reason being the new offensive identity the Heat are implementing. Although the team has regressed to the middle after getting off to an electric 14-7 start, Miami is still averaging 119.6 points per game (fifth in the NBA) and leads the league with 104.87 possessions per 48 minutes.

As for Jovic, he’ll say his down season “probably” has to do with the new offense, but more that it’s not a byproduct of the system.

“I mean, it’s probably, you never really know,” Jovic said. “The weird thing is we talk about how much better we look, but the reality is our record is the same as last year, you know. And people thought we looked really bad last year. So there’s both sides. Maybe it’s because of the offense, maybe it’s because I’m just not doing good enough. Me personally. I don’t think it has anything to do with the offense, the way I play, the way my minutes work…”

Jovic added, “I started at the beginning of the year, after the first game, I was eight, nine, games off the bench.” “So I got waived then, and then after five games I was out of the rotation. So it was a weird season, you know. And even now, I don’t know when I’ll go in, whether I’ll play 5, 12, or 17 minutes…So right now, I’m just trying to help this team win.”

Heat’s Nikola Jovic talks about his goals for the rest of the season

If one thing is certain, it’s that the Heat want to move away from the eighth-seed purgatory and make another trip to the play-in tournament that they have been languishing in for the past three seasons. Jovic echoes the same sentiment, saying that his goal for the remainder of the season is to help Miami win more games, hopefully improving as a result.

When Jovic was asked what his mindset was going into the remaining 26 games, he said, “Help this team win as many games as possible.” “You know, it’s been the same thing since I’ve been here, you know, basically, if I played or I didn’t play, well, it seems like we’re always finishing in the play-in, you know. And it feels weird. So we’re trying to get in the top six, where we don’t have to be in the play-in.”

“And from there, I’m trying to figure things out. I’m really just trying to help this team win and then get to the playoffs and then figure out how to win the playoffs. So, I don’t personally look at my stats, or how I look personally, as long as we win, I know I’ve done my job,” Jovic continued.

As Jovic pointed out, Miami is in a familiar spot, where the team has a 29-27 record and is in eighth place in the Eastern Conference, but a hopeful turnaround will begin on Friday against the Atlanta Hawks.

Is it really over for the Golden State Warriors? It hasn’t been for lack of trying, but the Warriors no longer look like they have a chance to compete for a title. Jimmy Butler’s injury at the end of the season practically sealed the Dubs’ fate: whatever slim chances they had of competing for a championship vanished when Butler aggravated his knee and tore his ACL on an errant pass from Brandin Podziemski.

The Warriors’ two-timeline ploy didn’t work. James Wiseman was a failure. Jonathan Kuminga has not lived up to expectations. Moses Moody is a role player, a quality player, but not a star who can take over the team. Jordan Poole flared up and upset one of the pillars of the franchise in Draymond Green. And now, the Dubs are stuck with a mediocre and aging roster that is going to have their work cut out for them in a Western Conference challenge.

Credit should go where credit is due; The warriors are still not giving up. They traded for Kristaps Porzingis in a deal that sent Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks, taking the risk that Porzingis’ talent is worth the gamble despite his season-long battle against POTS.

This trade created a roster spot for the Warriors, although they had already filled one of their open roster spots by converting Pat Spencer’s contract to a standard deal, a move that made sense considering how instrumental Spencer has been in covering the team’s injury problems.

The Dubs created another roster spot when they traded Tracy Jackson-Davis to the Toronto Raptors for a second-round pick. With that in mind, the Warriors may have one more move left to make to prepare for the stretch run ahead.

Will the Warriors raid the buyout market?

Before diving into the potential targets the Warriors may set their sights on filling their open roster spot, their financial situation should be taken into consideration. Currently, the Warriors have a total of $205.2 million allocated for their player payroll, which puts them above the tax apron. They are a repeat tax-paying team, which will only serve to make their luxury tax penalty more punitive.

This also reduces their flexibility in the buyout market. The Warriors cannot sign any players in the buyout market whose contract was worth at least $14.1 million (equivalent to non-taxpayer MLE) this season because they were above the first apron. Not many buyout candidates are making that much money anyway, so it’s not like it’ll be a huge factor for the Dubs moving forward.

The Dubs don’t need help at the guard positions. In addition to Stephen Curry, the Warriors have the following playing minutes at the one and two: Podziemski, De’Anthony Melton, Spencer, Gary Payton II and Will Richard. Seth Curry could also be a factor after returning from injury.

Whatever happens, the Warriors need help on the wing. Butler’s injury and Kuminga’s departure have further depleted the Dubs’ depth at the position, pushing Gui Santos into the starting role. Santos has been very much solid and seems like he has established himself as at least a quality role player, but their depth on the wing leaves a lot to be desired.

The Warriors were rumored to be interested in Lonzo Ball, but Ball has looked bad all season, and although he can play one position, he doesn’t necessarily provide anything different than the likes of Payton or Melton. He can be a play initiator, and his court vision is still top-notch, but it might be best for the Dubs to reserve their open roster spot for someone else.

The current buyout market does not inspire much confidence. Of those who have already been forgiven, someone like Chris Boucher matters the most. Boucher is also a former Warriors player, so that could make some sense.

Still, Boucher hasn’t played well enough to earn minutes for the Boston Celtics despite the battle for the wide-open position at center, and it’s not like the Dubs need help at the big man spots, considering they have Green, Al Horford, Quinton Post and now Porzingis to fill all the minutes at five.

Of the players who could potentially be acquired, someone like Kyle Anderson or Nicolas Batum would make the most sense for the Dubs, although it’s not at all clear if those two will get a nod of departure from their teams.

Dubs could bring back a familiar face

Batum is unlikely to leave the Los Angeles Clippers. The veteran credited the team for saving his career in 2020, and he clearly loves the franchise. Furthermore, the Clippers value him as a veteran presence, and rumor has it that he will hang up his sneakers after the season. LA has already let him go once, and they’re not doing it again.

This brings the Warriors into a possible reunion with a familiar face in Anderson. Slo-Mo signed with the Dubs ahead of the 2024-25 season, and he was traded to the Miami Heat in the deal that brought Butler to the Bay. He played in 36 games for the Warriors and started three games, playing 15.0 minutes a night.

Anderson is the kind of cerebral veteran that Kerr relies on, and his playmaking, defending and feel for the game make him an easy piece to integrate for the Dubs.

He’s not going to be a very impactful veteran for the Warriors, but he should at least give the team additional insurance at the forward position. The Memphis Grizzlies are also betting on the 2025-26 campaign, meaning Anderson could very well be bought out, paving the way for a return to the Bay.

However, it’s unclear whether the Warriors have any desire to fill their open roster spot. This will only increase their luxury tax bill. But if they do, bringing in Anderson wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world.

The Phoenix Suns were hoping to get off to a great start to the second half of the season, but those plans hit a major roadblock Thursday night.

Devin Booker, the heartbeat of the Suns’ offense, fouled out early during a high-stakes Western Conference showdown against the San Antonio Spurs. The team later confirmed that the five-time All-Star would not return due to a sore right hip, leaving a large void in the lineup.

The Phoenix Suns guard was trying to find his rhythm after the All-Star break before his night was cut short due to injury. Booker checked out, playing only 9 minutes, finishing with five points and 1 rebound. He struggled to find his stroke from deep, going 0-of-2 from beyond the arc, but he was active at the rim and the charity stripe to keep the Suns competitive early.

After the break, the Suns (32-24) are locked in a tight race to avoid the play-in tournament. Facing a red-hot San Antonio Spurs team that entered the night with a seven-game winning streak, the Suns already suffered a loss due to Dillon Brooks’ one-game suspension.

With Booker sidelined, the onus falls on Jalen Green and Mark Williams. The Spurs took full advantage of Booker’s absence, fueled by impressive performances from Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox, and Devin Vassell, who all posted 20+ points in the third quarter. The Spurs lead 89-63 heading into the third quarter at the Moody Center.

Attention has now turned to the severity of Booker’s hip issue. He has already dealt with managing a right ankle injury throughout February, and any extended absence of the Suns’ leading scorer, who averages 25.2 points per game, could be devastating to their seeding hopes.

The Sons are back in action soon, and Wally will be holding his breath for an update on his superstar’s status.

The nice thing about watching the NBA is that you’ll always get a chance to see something you haven’t seen before. Even if that thing is completely unnecessary. Just ask New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby.

The Knicks host the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden on Thursday in a potential preview of the conference finals. It was an up-and-down affair from the start, with both teams refusing to budge.

In the second quarter, Anunoby took it a little too literally. He went up for a dunk, but Cade Cunningham intercepted the ball, which stuck to the side of the rim for a classic, all-time favorite, soul-enriching wedgie.

The great commentator Ian Eagle, in all his gusto, proudly exclaimed: “Oh! A dunk wedgie! That doesn’t happen often!”

“It doesn’t happen often!”

Cade blocks a dunk attempt at the rim for a wedgie 🖐️ pic.twitter.com/AnRdLR3S1n

– NBA (@NBA) 20 February 2026

If that doesn’t get you excited, nothing will.

Of course, fans had to react to the unusual moment, with some insisting that Cunningham escaped the foul.

@PratikGroth said, “The veggie block is crazy. Cade is doing everything there.”

@B82Scottie said, “At least it’s not a high school game where the ref has to use a ladder or a broom.”

“Posting this obvious foul as a highlight is crazy,” @Nafta456 wrote.

@dj_immy_ echoed, “Show the replays closer. That’s a foul.”

“This game is so much fun,” @KOYIN_CENTRAL posted.

Anunoby’s wedgie was a bad omen, as the Knicks fell to the Pistons, 126–111. They went 35-21, including 21-8 at home.

Anunoby struggled with eight points on 3 of 13 shooting, including 1 of 8 from long range. He also had four blocks.

Jalen Brunson had 33 points, six rebounds, eight assists and two steals. They also had six turnovers.

Jaden Ivey has only been with the Chicago Bulls for two weeks. he arrived in chicago share of business That sent Kevin Huerter to the Detroit Pistons. So far Ivy has played four matches.

However, he didn’t play even a minute In the first half of the Bulls’ post-All-Star break game on Thursday against the Toronto Raptors, according to Sports Illustrated’s Elias Schuster. A decision that has surprised some fans.

“And yet that’s not surprising, because, what’s the point in this franchise?” @FrenchBullsFan_ posted on Twitter in ex,

Another user felt this way This was not necessarily surprising, In view of the abundance of guards.

“It’s a tough lineup to crack.” @BabooBott678 posted on social media.

Ivey has averaged 28.5 minutes per game so far with the Bulls. He is also averaging 11.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Ivey’s last game was on February 11 against the Boston Celtics. He played 29 minutes and scored 10 points, as the Bulls lost 124–105.

He was in the starting rotation in his first game with the Bulls on February 5 against the Denver Nuggets. In that game, he scored 10 points, grabbed six rebounds and played 30 minutes as Chicago lost 136–120.

Ivey is coming off of four seasons with the Detroit Pistons. He arrived in Chicago at exactly the same time was making progress. after all, he was after recent knee surgery And watching his minutes dwindle.

After this season, Ivy will become a restricted free agent. Overall, he has a chance to prove his worth. Additionally, Chicago has the power to match any offer from another team or offer it its own deal.

Jaylen Brown isn’t ready to turn the page just yet. Despite the Beverly Hills Police Department issuing a formal apology for shutting down his “741 Performance” brand launch during NBA All-Star Weekend, the Boston Celtics star forward made it clear that a public “sorry” doesn’t fix the finish line.

Brown took to social media to express his disappointment and tagged the department, highlighting the lasting impact of the incident.

“Thank you for the apology @BeverlyHillsPD but the damage is already done and I can’t recreate that moment,” Brown posted. “And what about lost resources/partners? In a moment that was supposed to be celebrated, you embarrassed me and my brand.”

thanks for the apology @BeverlyHillsPD But the damage has already been done and I can’t recreate that moment and what to say about the resources/partners lost? In a moment that was supposed to be celebrated, you embarrassed me and my brand @741show https://t.co/608Iy8jcZD

– Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) 20 February 2026

The confrontation occurred on February 14, when officers arrived at the luxury retail corridor to disperse a crowd gathered for Brown’s event. The department cited safety concerns and a lack of proper permitting, but the move immediately drew backlash from fans and Brown’s camp, who saw it as overreach.

While the off-court drama was going on, the reigning Finals MVP tried to keep his focus on the hardwood. During the 2026 NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles, the Boston Celtics cornerstone played a respectable line out, though the weekend distraction clearly loomed large. Brown finished the Mid-Season Classic with 18 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists, shooting 7 of 13 from the field in 22 minutes of action.

For Brown, it’s not just a matter of the party being over; It’s about business. The “741” brand represents their latest venture into the performance and wellness arena, and the all-star platform was supposed to be its huge coming-out party. Brown argues that by closing it, the city didn’t just destroy the atmosphere; They destroy potential revenue and partnership opportunities.

NBA All-Star weekend is usually a time for celebration, but for Jaylen Brown, it’s leaving a bitter taste. As the Celtics prepare for a deep playoff run, Brown intends to hold BHPD accountable for more than Saturday’s ruined night.

The Houston Rockets opened the second half of the season with a win by defeating the Charlotte Hornets 105-101 courtesy of Kevin Durant’s heroics at the Spectrum Center on Thursday.

The Rockets were leading by three points, 101–98, with just 25 seconds left in the fourth quarter, needing a stoppage to give the Hornets a chance to steal the victory.

But Durant said: No. With the shot clock expiring, the veteran forward sank a dagger jumper over two defenders. seal victory.

Kevin Durant. Dagger.

First game back from break and Reaper dropped 35 points 🗡️ pic.twitter.com/gOVfsyPZ8W

– NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) 20 February 2026

The Rockets improved to 34–20, bouncing back from their loss to the Los Angeles Clippers before the midseason break.

Durant led the freshman season with a game-high 35 points on 14 of 20 shooting. He also had eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks.

LOS ANGELES – It’s been two weeks since Luke Kennard was signed to the Los Angeles Lakers following the NBA trade deadline, but Thursday was his first practice with the team. After his acquisition, the Lakers’ schedule did not allow any practice time, and then the All-Star break loomed. But considering the games he has played for the team so far, consider Luka Doncic a fan.

Luka Doncic has not played alongside Luke Kennard yet since he was sidelined with a hamstring injury during the Lakers’ win against the Philadelphia 76ers on February 5, which was just the game before Kennard’s debut. But after watching him on the court in subsequent games, and now after going through a practice session, Doncic likes the confidence that Kennard has whenever he blasts a shot from downtown.

“He was great in practice today. He’s been great just finding himself,” Doncic said after the Lakers’ practice Thursday. “He’s only played four games with us, so obviously he won’t be fit straight away, obviously he needs time. But in practice, whenever he takes a three, he always thinks it’s going to go in. It’s great to see.”

In Kennard’s Lakers debut, on February 7, in a win against the Golden State Warriors, he finished with 10 points, two rebounds, two assists and one steal in 26 minutes. He shot 4 of 7 overall, 2 of 4 from the 3-point line and most importantly, he closed the game as part of the crunch time lineup at the end of the fourth quarter.

Kennard has appeared in four games so far for the Lakers, including one start, averaging nearly 24 minutes per game. He averaged 10.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists with a split of 62.5 percent shooting from the field and 45.5 percent shooting from the 3-point line. When averaging his 3-point percentage from earlier in the season with the Atlanta Hawks, Kennard leads the league with 49.4 percent.

For Lakers head coach JJ Redick, just being with the team is a good way to get through the on-court grind, especially when the entire group is able to practice.

“I just think every day when you’re with the group, it’s more comfortable,” Redick said. “He did his drills this morning, did a good job. He had a great practice today. It was good to have Luca and AR with us as well.”

Reddick mentioned earlier in the season that he used Pechakucha’s Japanese storytelling presentation format to help with team-bonding activities, and Kennard finally got his opportunity.

With the All-Star break now in the rearview, the Lakers resume the season at home against the LA Clippers on Friday.

Last week, the San Antonio Spurs waived Jeremy Sochan less than four years after selecting him with the No. 9 overall pick in the NBA Draft. He was considered a key member of the franchise’s future, but as time passed and his younger teammates moved on, the former Baylor standout became stagnant and eventually fell out of the rotation. Now, he’s welcoming the opportunity the New York Knicks (35-20) are giving him in the second half of the 2025-26 campaign.

Before making his debut with his new team in Thursday’s highly anticipated battle against the first-place Detroit Pistons (40-13), the 22-year-old forward sported a knickerbockers-inspired, blue-and-orange hairstyle via ClutchPoints. Sochan has been fighting for some minutes and is therefore at least somewhat frustrated, but the sentiment shows how excited he is to play for this organization.

Jeremy Sochan rocks blue and orange hair ahead of his Knicks debut pic.twitter.com/Xi4rIkSmb8

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 20 February 2026

The Polish-American who was born in Oklahoma and raised in England is more in tune with New York culture than most people might imagine. He brings energy and defensive intensity, two qualities that fueled the Knicks during the 1990s and 2000s. Sochan could provide vital frontcourt depth and allow head coach Mike Brown to keep his core players fresh.

Furthermore, he still has time to develop into an impactful NBA contributor, and team president Leon Rose believes that process could potentially coincide with New York’s 2026 playoff run. The 2022 Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year could see his free agency value increase significantly if he helps the Knicks advance to the NBA Finals for the first time this century.

Jeremy Sochan averaged 10.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists while shooting 46.8 percent from the field and 28.7 percent from 3-point land in 212 games with the Spurs. The future is uncertain, but he’s incredibly grateful to have a fresh start in The Big Apple. The top of his head clearly illustrates that point.

The Boston Celtics have been one of the NBA’s most surprising teams this season. As they return to action Thursday night against the Golden State Warriors following the All-Star break, they sit in second place in the Eastern Conference with a 35-19 record.

“I’m trying to come back… I don’t know if that’s it.”@ChrisBHaynes The latest information has come from injured Celtics star Jayson Tatum on whether he will return this season. pic.twitter.com/mAYfrbpcux

– NBA on Prime (@NBAonPrime) 20 February 2026

While they are 5.5 games behind the first place Detroit Pistons, the Celtics look like they could be a dangerous team in the postseason. Jaylen Brown, Peyton Pritchard and Derrick White are leading the offense for head coach Joe Mazzulla and the team’s defense has been solid most nights. The fact that they are playing so well without All-Star Jayson Tatum has been a surprise to many basketball observers.

Tatum has been out the entire year due to an Achilles injury suffered in last year’s playoff loss to the New York Knicks. His rehab has been good and he has returned to practice. However, he is not sure when or if he will be able to return. There is some talk that Tatum will be able to return to the Celtics at some point during the season and lead the team to a playoff push, but Tatum doesn’t want to rush into anything before he is ready.

He Talked to an NBA insider Chris Haynes said that he is making every effort to make a comeback. According to Haynes, Tatum said, “I’m trying to get back and I’m doing everything I can to get back.” “I don’t know if I can.”

If Tatum can return to the Celtics and make a playoff run, it will improve Boston’s chances of making a long run in the postseason.

MIAMI – Miami Heat star Tyler Herro returned to practice Thursday after missing the last 15 games due to a rib injury, with his status for Friday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks likely to be revealed. With rumors swirling as to when the Heat guard will return to Herro, it looks like the answer has been resolved by the injury report.

Miami is listing Herro as “probable” for Friday’s game as the team travels to take on the Hawks, which is a significant point in time for a guard who has missed not only the last 15 games due to injury, but has been absent 45 games this year.

He would miss the first 17 games of the season due to an offseason ankle injury, then missed 13 games due to a toe injury, and an injury that was listed as “Right costochondral; rib injury”. In reference to his role with the team in his first game since January 15, he was asked on Thursday afternoon if he would come off the bench, thus he returned from a toe injury on January 6, but then started after that contest.

“I don’t know, we’ll see what happens if I’m able to play tomorrow. Whatever minutes I get, I’m just happy to be out here again, playing with my teammates and playing a game that I finally love,” Herro said.

Tyler Herro speaks after returning to practice (fully) after missing the last 15 games due to a rib injury. Will travel with the team, but not sure whether he will play tomorrow or not.

Talked about recovery, their disappointing season, Norman Powell being an All-Star, etc. #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/FX13kYtkCE

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 19 February 2026

Herro told ClutchPoints that he suffered three broken ribs, and he played three games on Torodol shots to deal with the pain, but he would be unable to play the entire season that way due to his absence.

In the 11 games he has played, Herro has averaged 21.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game, while shooting 49.7 percent from the field and 35.8 percent from beyond the arc.

Heat’s Erik Spoelstra returning to rotation on Tyler Herro

While the Heat are coming off the All-Star break, the team is still looking for a level of consistency, as injuries have been a problem plaguing the team, such as Herro’s continued absence. When Herro returns, no matter what role he plays, his offensive impact cannot be denied and head coach Erik Spoelstra said how “exciting” it was to see the guard back at practice at full strength.

“But it was very exciting to have Tyler out here in practice. You know, he’s done everything he’s needed to do over the last few weeks to prepare for this. And it’s exciting to have him back in the mix. We’re all excited about it,” Spoelstra said.

Erik Spoelstra talks about Tyler Herro’s return to practice and how “exciting” it was to see him socializing with the team.

As Herro said earlier, I’m not committed to him playing tomorrow. #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/3f1kwQ37we

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 19 February 2026

With 26 games left in the season, Spoelstra will look to find ways to get the best out of Herro, especially with Norman Powell and Bam Adebayo, as the trio have only played in eight games together this season. While that means there will be less playing time for any player on the roster, Spoelstra says there are “levels of sacrifice” that need to be made.

“Let’s not forget, Tyler is a talent,” Spoelstra said. “We need to maximize our rotation, we need our talent; we need to put it together fast. We know what our identity is on both sides of the floor; our guys have a stake in what we’re trying to do. There’s going to be some level of sacrifice throughout the rotation. If all the guys are available then that’s how it should be.”

Erik Spoelstra speaks on using different lineups with Tyler Herro back: #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/WJ3kkC7gWF

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 19 February 2026

At any rate, Miami is 29-27, which puts them in eighth place in the Eastern Conference as Herro looks to officially return to action on Friday in Atlanta.

Charlotte Hornets head coach Charles Lee discussed LaMelo Ball’s recent car accident ahead of Thursday’s game against the Houston Rockets. Fortunately, Ball and no one else were injured in the car accident, which was of most importance to the Hornets head coach.

Lee addressed Ball’s car accident during his Pregame media availability.

“The first thing you do when you hear about any type of accident is you hope that all parties involved are okay, that they’re healthy and safe,” Lee said. “So, he felt good today, ready to go, and he’ll be ready to play tonight.”

“The first thing you do when you hear about any type of accident is you hope that all parties involved are OK, that they’re healthy and safe.”

Hornets head coach Charles Lee on LaMelo Ball’s car accident.

(via @DaShawnWSOC9)pic.twitter.com/HFKVh6VFoU https://t.co/n8JgD68DL9

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 20 February 2026

The video of the car accident surfaced on social media on Wednesday. LaMelo Ball is expected to start for Charles Lee and the Hornets in Thursday’s game.

New video of Hornets guard LaMelo Ball’s car accident

Following the initial footage, a new video of Hornets guard LaMelo Ball’s car accident shows him colliding with another vehicle traveling in the opposite direction from a different angle. When he side-swipes another car, the ball moves slightly to his left and into the opposing lane.

New video offers a closer look The impact of a ball colliding with oncoming traffic in downtown Charlotte.

LaMelo Ball veered into oncoming traffic🤔 pic.twitter.com/iGl9rsEu92

– BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) 19 February 2026

Ball and the Hornets entered the All-Star break winning nine of their last 10 games and improving to 26–29, the ninth-best record in the Eastern Conference standings. Ball has scored 20+ points in four of his last five games, including a 24-point performance in the Hornets’ 110–107 win against the Hawks, which snapped a nine-game winning streak.

When Kyrie Irving suffered an ACL tear last March, everyone knew the star point guard would miss a significant portion of the 2025-26 season. As the year progressed, the timeline for recovery became blurry and as the Dallas Mavericks sank more rapidly, the expectation was that he would not play at all until the next campaign. The team officially signed Irving on Wednesday, a move that fans are extremely appreciative of.

Mavs head coach Jason Kidd explained exclusively why the 2016 NBA champions will be inactive for the remainder of the season.

“Long-term health,” he said, according to Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. “We want to make sure he’s ready for next season… In practice, some of the things he’s been working on have looked good. I think as we get into March and April, we want him to keep moving in the right direction. With the decision he’s made, we’re thinking about his health long-term and us staying healthy next season.”

Mavericks hoping to make a strong comeback next season

Dallas clearly doesn’t want Irving to return for the final round of a losing campaign and potentially cause a blowout or inadvertently harm the franchise’s draft position. The Mavericks have had a rough year as they navigate their way into the post-Luka Doncic era. Spectacular rookie Cooper Flagg ensures that Dallas can return to the upside at some point soon, but he could definitely use some more help.

A premium draft pick in a loaded class could give the Mavs one of the brightest futures in the NBA. Kyrie Irving also benefits from this. The 33-year-old knows he has limited time to win a second ring. He’s still a high-level scorer, but taking on larger offensive responsibilities on a nightly basis seems impractical, especially after a major injury. A rising flag and a potential top-five pick might take the load off a bit.

However, due to the young talent on this roster, Irving will still be an extremely important component of the Mavericks for the next two seasons. However, he cannot play that role until he is healthy. The future Hall of Famer now has an additional 200-plus days to recover.

The Los Angeles Lakers remained mostly quiet at the NBA trade deadline, making a small move by sending Gabe Vincent and a pick to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Luke Kennard. While Kennard has performed well in his first few games in Los Angeles, he is unlikely to significantly change the course of the Lakers’ 2025-26 season.

After an early playoff exit, which many anticipate will be in a matter of months, the Lakers will have more flexibility to remodel a sensible roster around Luka Doncic, and recently, ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel broke down a name Los Angeles could pursue to add to their frontcourt depth.

“One team we reported on last year that had interest in Yves Missy is the Los Angeles Lakers. They’re hitting the market looking for a center, and maybe they can get Missy at a cheap price for a first-round pick,” Seagal said on Clutch Scoops, according to Ax, formerly of ClutchPoints on Twitter.

The New Orleans Pelicans tossed Messi’s name around in trade rumors leading up to the deadline, notably having talks with the Chicago Bulls, but ultimately made no move regarding their 2024 first-round draft selection.

Meanwhile, the Lakers have been linked to dating Missy since last summer.

Missy would certainly provide an upgrade over Deandre Ayton and Jackson Hayes in the Lakers’ frontcourt, as he checks a lot of the same boxes that Derek Lively II and Daniel Gafford did as Doncic’s partners with the Dallas Mavericks.

Aside from the trade market, the Lakers should have plenty of room for free agency signings in the offseason when LeBron James is either off the books or back on a significantly reduced contract. Currently, the Lakers have not been able to build a real contender around Doncic, because he and James are receiving huge salaries.

In any case, the Lakers will next be at home against the crosstown rival Los Angeles Clippers on Friday evening.

The Oklahoma City Thunder faced a bit of a tough time from an injury perspective heading into the All-Star break, losing both Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams to injuries. Gilgeous-Alexander was forced to miss last weekend’s All-Star festivities as he recovers from a calf strain, while Williams recently re-aggravated a hamstring injury he suffered in a game against the Phoenix Suns.

Now, NBA insider Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints has provided the latest update on both Williams and SGA with young rising guard Ajay Mitchell.

“The Thunder say Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal strain) and Ajay Mitchell (abdominal strain/left ankle sprain) will be reevaluated in approximately a week,” the former Seagull reported on Twitter. “Jalen Williams (right hamstring strain) will be reevaluated in approximately two weeks.”

The Thunder got off to one of the best starts in NBA history this year, but have slowed down a bit since then and have lost four of their five contests this year to the San Antonio Spurs.

The good news for Oklahoma City is that they recently added some firepower at the trade deadline by acquiring Jared McCain from the Philadelphia 76ers, they won’t have to give up any players from their roster in the process.

McCann’s name is likely to be discussed a lot in the coming matches as the team looks to survive despite injuries to two of its best players.

In any case, the Thunder will next be at home on Friday evening against the Brooklyn Nets, with tipoff scheduled for 8:00 pm ET.

Amid trade talks across the league, the Milwaukee Bucks, with All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo in mind, have reportedly inquired about trading with the Los Angeles Clippers for Kawhi Leonard. In the final hours before the trade deadline, the Bucks were a last-minute contender for Leonard. The Clippers ultimately retained Kawhi for the remainder of the season, but his future beyond 2025–26 remains uncertain.

According to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, a Clippers offseason trade for Leonard could still be on the horizon.

“There were two teams in particular that were pursuing Giannis that called the Clippers about Kawhi Leonard and checked on his availability,” Siegel said. “If he’s still on the Clippers roster in the summer and his contract isn’t voided, he’s going to be entering the last year of his deal, I believe it’s something like $50.3 million.

“Regardless of how old he is, as long as he’s healthy, it will be looked at like another scenario from when the Spurs traded him to the Toronto Raptors. This is the last year of his contract. He can still be a big part on a championship team, even if years later. We saw what Kawhi Leonard can do.”

No one expected James Harden’s trade request in the midst of the team’s most successful regular season run. Then, the Clippers’ trade with the Indiana Pacers for Ivica Zubac prompted other teams to call about Leonard.

Could Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard return to Raptors?

Clippers veteran Kawhi Leonard was the subject of trade rumors before the deadline, and is expected to be the case once again during the offseason, as noted by ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel.

Siegel said, “It was then that the Toronto Raptors traded for Leonard, without knowing what the future held for him in free agency. That move led Toronto to their first NBA championship.”

“Something similar could happen with Leonard this upcoming offseason. Maybe, just maybe, the Raptors’ return to competing for another championship is a scenario we could see play out.”

Perhaps trade talks will resume in the offseason between the Raptors, who were reportedly interested in Ivica Zubac over the summer, or perhaps there will be a call from the Bucks.

As speculation continues to heat up regarding LeBron James and his future with the Los Angeles Lakers, a league insider has openly embraced the idea of ​​a return to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

On the latest episode of Clutch Scoops, ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel said he believes James is leaving Southern California for a third stint in Cleveland this summer.

Siegel said, “Everyone around the league, even at the trade deadline, felt his time with the Lakers was over and it looked like he was going back to Cleveland.” “And that’s been the perception since that road game in Cleveland.”

Siegel pointed to James’ deep ties to the city as a driving factor behind the growing trust.

“We know how much that city means to him. It’s where he’s from, it’s where he still has family and he still does a lot for that community even though he lives across the country,” Siegel said. “So I think for Year 24, at this point, I would be shocked if he doesn’t go back to Cleveland. I just see him taking a discount to do that. Whether it’s a minimum deal, whether they clear cap space to give him something else. I don’t see anyway, A, he returns to the Lakers and B, why he would want to finish his career with a new team.”

. @TomerAzarly And @BrettSiegelNBA Live to talk NBA All-Stars, tanking problems + some early NBA offseason intel! https://t.co/duIKN4TFxL

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 19 February 2026

Cavaliers cap outlook, contenders potentially fuel discussion of LeBron James’ Lakers exit

Siegel said a potential Cavaliers roster that could include James as well as James Harden, Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley could immediately position Cleveland as a contender in the Eastern Conference.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported on Wednesday that the Cavaliers will only be able to offer James a veteran’s minimum contract under current cap constraints.

James, 41, is under contract with Los Angeles and is in his eighth season with the franchise and 23rd overall. He averaged 22 points, 7.1 assists, 5.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game, while shooting 50.2 percent from the field and 30.5 percent from three-point range in 36 games. The Lakers entered the second half of the season at 33–21 and in fifth place in the Western Conference standings.

Los Angeles resumes play against the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night at 7 pm PT on ESPN.

Cleveland, 34-21 and in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, returns from the All-Star break on Thursday night when it hosts the Brooklyn Nets at 4 p.m. PT. The Cavaliers are on a five-game winning streak.

Although no decisions have been made and James has not publicly addressed his long-term plans, Siegel’s comments underscore how there is growing league-wide belief that another chapter in Cleveland could be on the horizon.

SAN FRANCISCO – If you would have told Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis during their championship run with the Boston Celtics that they would find themselves together on the Golden State Warriors, they wouldn’t have believed you.

“When we were in Boston, if anyone said this scenario was going to happen,” Porzingis said. “Who would believe it? But that’s the way it works. And obviously, you know, we expected there would be some changes in Boston in terms of money. But yeah, it’s going to be weird, especially this first game against Boston.”

With the Celtics in town, Porzingis and Horford will be reunited with the team they helped lead to an NBA title just two years ago. For two players who loved the city, loved their teammates, and loved their time in the iconic green and white jersey, this will be an emotional affair not only for them but for their families as well.

After his first full critique of the Warriors since the All-Star break, Horford expressed how excited he is to see all of his former teammates and coaches.

“For me, it’s very exciting,” Horford said. And, you know, my son Ian is looking forward to seeing a lot of people and seeing a lot of coaches. The whole thing is just, you know, it’s going to be good… It’s been different for us, but it’s been good. It’s been good for him, and it’s been good for us as a family.”

How the Celtics have performed since the departures of Horford and Porzingis

Like the unexpected reunion of Horford and Porzingis in Golden State, the Celtics’ season so far has been quite a surprise. With Jayson Tatum rehabbing his torn Achilles, the Celtics sacrificing Porzingis and Jrue Holiday by trading their big salaries under the second apron, and steady veteran Horford departing in free agency, this year was supposed to be a gap year for Boston to lick its wounds and reset.

Instead, the C’s sit at 35-19 on the season, which is in second place at the top of the East in the conference. Right where they were a year ago. And the year before that. This came as a surprise to all the pundits and analysts who had predicted the semi-tank. But for Horford, the Celtics’ unexpected success is no surprise.

When Horford was asked if Boston’s success this season surprised him, he replied, “No.” “Because of which [Mazzulla] And the culture that’s been established in Boston. Probably the most surprising part has been Mimi’s growth [Neemias Queta] And Jordan Walsh. “They’ve really made big steps in their development, and how they’re playing and how they’re impacting wins.”

In Tatum’s absence, Jaylen Brown has emerged as a true number-one option, averaging a career-high 29.3 points per game. And in the holes left by Porzingis, Horford and Holiday, their youth has stepped up. Cueta, Walsh, Peyton Pritchard, Baylor Shearman, Luka Garza, guys who used to sit on the bench and watch their powerhouse team roar, have become the backbone of the Celtics’ depth.

“But overall, it’s kind of expected,” Horford continued, pointing to the underlying win expectation for one of the NBA’s most historic franchises. “That’s just what I think, Brad.” [Stevens] And Joe has done a great job there. And it’s something that’s consistent, so I’m not surprised.

Al Horford talked about what it will be like to face his old Boston Celtics tomorrow night:

“It’s very exciting. My son Ian is very excited to see a lot of people and see a lot of the coaches.”

Emphasizing that he is not surprised by their success this season. pic.twitter.com/LjdZPwIjmK

– Kenzo Fukuda (@kenzofuku) 19 February 2026

celtics reunion emotions

Reunions in the NBA aren’t always heartfelt. But for players like Horford and Porzingis, who did just as much for a team like Boston, this special reunion will be special for both parties. As he prepares for the many hugs and pats and high-fives and conversations with his old team tomorrow, Porzingis reflected on his short but productive time in Boston.

“I knew…going to Boston. It was going to be like championship expectations,” Porzingis said, explaining the pressure of playing for a historic franchise like Boston. “It’s something every player strives for [for]To be in that position…and we did it once. The second year didn’t go well, but yes, we enjoyed our time there and enjoyed every moment of it. And finally we accomplished the big objective.

“And you know how much I love playing there. Just everything. The organization, the front office, playing at TD Garden, the floor, the colors. It’s an iconic franchise, so it’ll always be a part of my memory as a special time.”

This is just the first part of the Celtics reunion, as the Warriors will still have to travel to Boston later this season, where they will get their due from rabid Celtics fans. Needless to mention, this matchup could be Porzingis’ debut in a Golden State uniform as he has been rehabbing his Achilles tendonitis throughout the break. Porzingis is listed as questionable, but he is optimistic about his chances of getting on the floor.

Either way, it’s an exciting moment for the two big guys.

“It’s exciting for me, just from the standpoint of seeing a lot of guys I care about compete on the court,” Horford said. “And it goes on. And then, kind of, being able to meet a lot of people. It’s very special to me.”

The topic of NBA teams tanking has been a constant topic of discussion for the past few weeks, but it was uncertain whether the league would do anything about it. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, it looks like NBA commissioner Adam Silver has stepped in, and he plans to set some new rules for next season regarding anti-tanking.

“Commissioner Adam Silver informed the league’s 30 general managers on Thursday that the NBA is planning to make changes to the anti-tanking rule for next season, sources told ESPN. Stakeholders have stepped up conversations about how to deal with tanking,” Charania, formerly of the X, wrote on Twitter.

During the meeting, several topics were discussed on ways to curb tanking, including first-round picks being protected only in the top-4 or top-14+, lottery chances being frozen at the trade deadline or at a later date, a team no longer being allowed to pick a top-4 pick in consecutive years and/or after consecutive bottom-3 finishes, teams not being able to pick a top-4 the following year after making the conference finals, two years The lottery has been expanded to include all play-in teams, and the odds have been leveled for everyone. All Lottery Teams.

Over the past few weeks, teams like the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers were fined. The Jazz were fined after sitting Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen in the fourth quarter of two games, and the Pacers were fined after sitting Pascal Siakam in their game against the Utah Jazz after the league learned he could play.

Benedict Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard and TJ McConnell were also fit to play in the game but sat out.

There have been other situations throughout the league where some people suspected some type of tanking was taking place. Anthony Davis will likely miss the remainder of the season for the Washington Wizards, and Trae Young will likely be on that list.

Meanwhile, for the Sacramento Kings, both Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis have been shut down for the remainder of the season.

The New Orleans Pelicans enter Friday’s matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks with more at stake. Zion Williamson’s contract incentives have been in focus because the game milestones he has played hold major financial implications for the franchise cornerstone.

Williamson has appeared in 40 games this season and is in the midst of a 30-game streak without losing a contest. If he plays against the Bucks, that run will reach 31 straight games. His continued availability has reframed the conversation around the salary guarantees built into his contract.

The Stein Line’s Marc Stein pointed to the sustainability achievement at X (formerly known as Twitter) on Thursday, emphasizing how different this season is from last year.

“If Zion Williamson plays against Milwaukee on Friday, it will be his 31st consecutive game without a miss for the Pelicans.

Williamson played a total of 30 games last season.

Stein said the sixth-year veteran has already surpassed last season’s total appearances. This consistency keeps him one game away from a significant contractual trigger.

Third Apron’s Yossi Gozlan expanded on Stein’s report later on stage, explaining how Friday’s Pelicans vs. Bucks contest could secure enough guaranteed money.

“Zion Williamson is guaranteed to make $16.9 million (40 percent) of his 2026-27 salary when he suits up for his 41st game of the season tomorrow.

If he plays 51 games he will get an additional $8.4 million (20 percent) and if he plays 61 games he will get an additional $8.4 million (20 percent).

Gozlan’s breakdown details the structure of Williamson’s contract, which ties parts of his 2026-27 salary to specific games-played caps. Upon reaching 41 games, the former No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft will secure approximately 40 percent of that season’s base salary.

If he stays healthy, reaching games 51 and 61 would guarantee additional millions. For the Pelicans, who are ranked 14th in the Western Conference, sustainability provides stability and long-term clarity while increasing their future financial commitment.

Therefore, the importance of Friday’s match is more than the standings. It represents an important checkpoint in Williamson’s season, blending performance, health and long-term salary security in one appearance.

MIAMI – The Miami Heat are coming off the All-Star break looking for another shot and a turnaround in the season, the team is going to get some big help in the return of Tyler Herro. As rumors swirled about Herro’s Heat return, he spoke for the first time about his recovery after missing the last 15 games due to a rib injury.

It has been a disappointing season for Herro, as he has missed 45 games due to myriad injuries, coming off an All-Star and career year in 2024-25, playing in only 11 contests. He missed the first 17 games of this season due to offseason ankle surgery, then missed 13 more games due to a toe injury, with the most recent issue being what Miami listed as “Right costochondral; rib injury.”

Herro returned to practice on Thursday and was fully engaged in the session, which undoubtedly opens the door to a return on Friday against the Atlanta Hawks or Saturday vs. the Memphis Grizzlies. Although he wouldn’t commit to a return on Friday, he told ClutchPoints, “I’m feeling really good, just like last year.”

The 26-year-old also talked about how “unique” the injury was, noting how he had three ribs broken, and while he played three games with Torodol shots, which manage the pain, it wasn’t a season-long plan.

“It was unique,” ​​Herro told ClutchPoints. “Once I found out what it was, it was just a matter of resting and letting my body heal. There wasn’t anything I could magically do to heal my ribs; I had three, broken ribs. So my ribs were hurting a lot, just doing normal lifestyle, things I couldn’t do, so there was no way I could play basketball. I played the first three games of Torodol shots, and it was good, but I was like that for the rest. Couldn’t. Season, so it was just a matter of letting this thing cool down.

Tyler Herro speaks after returning to practice (fully) after missing the last 15 games due to a rib injury. Will travel with the team, but not sure whether he will play tomorrow or not.

Talked about recovery, their disappointing season, Norman Powell being an All-Star, etc. #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/FX13kYtkCE

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 19 February 2026

The Heat’s Tyler Herro on his injury-filled season

While there were concerns between Herro and the Heat regarding injuries, Starr is hopeful that the final 26 games will end well and healthy, expressing that there is not much discomfort now. It was bad enough that he was having trouble getting out of his bed, as Herro put it, but it has progressed to the point where he can walk “perfectly” in the way necessary to play basketball.

“Yeah, it’s been real, really frustrating,” Herro said on his injury-filled season. “Obviously, as a competitor, somebody who loves playing the game more than anything, that’s what I do. Obviously, this is what I do for a living, but I love the game of basketball, so it’s hard for me to just sit out and not be able to play. It’s never easy for me. So happy to be back here, it’s been a tough year for me… so I’ll just try to stay healthy and play some good basketball the last time I’ve been here.” I will try.” Months.”

It remains to be seen what Herro’s role looks like upon returning, after recovering from a toe injury, he played the first game off the bench to recover from that injury, then came into the starting lineup. Either way, it’s “exciting” to have Herro back with the team, as head coach Erik Spoelstra expressed the same sentiment.

“See how he reacts when we get to Atlanta,” Spoelstra said. “But it was very exciting to have Tyler out here in practice. You know, he’s done everything he’s needed to do over the last few weeks to prepare for this. And it’s exciting to have him back in the mix. We’re all excited about it.”

Erik Spoelstra talks about Tyler Herro’s return to practice and how “exciting” it was to see him socializing with the team.

As Herro said earlier, I’m not committed to him playing tomorrow. #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/3f1kwQ37we

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 19 February 2026

At any rate, Miami is 29-27, which puts them in eighth place in the Eastern Conference as they travel to take on the Atlanta Hawks on Friday.

The Los Angeles Lakers have hired longtime Los Angeles Dodgers executive Lon Rosen as president of business operations, the organization announced Thursday, continuing a comprehensive restructuring under new majority owner Mark Walter.

ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel reported the move to Rosen began his career as a Lakers intern during college.

Rosen’s appointment follows Tim Harris’ decision to step down after the 2025-26 season. Harris spent more than 35 years with the franchise and The Forum and played a central role in securing the team’s lucrative local television rights agreement with Spectrum SportsNet. His departure marks the end of one of the longest executive tenures in franchise history.

The leadership change comes amid broader organizational changes. Earlier this season, Joey and Jesse Buss were dismissed from their executive positions, along with most of the Lakers’ scouting department, as part of a revised front office structure.

The overhaul follows the historic $10 billion sale approved in late October, when the Busch family sold a majority stake in the team to Walter. Walter, who also leads the Dodgers’ ownership group, has overseen a period of sustained success in Major League Baseball. Under his leadership, the Dodgers have captured three World Series titles, including back-to-back championships in 2024 and 2025.

The Lakers return to action against the Los Angeles Clippers (26-28) on Friday night at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN. Los Angeles enters the matchup 33-21, seeded fifth in the Western Conference as it begins the final stretch of the regular season.

The Orlando Magic will return from All-Star weekend facing new adversity.

With a road matchup against the Sacramento Kings (12-44) scheduled for Thursday at 10:00 PM ET, Orlando (28-25) will move on without star forward Franz Wagner, who has been ruled out indefinitely as he recovers from left ankle sprain-related soreness.

Speaking at Thursday’s practice, Paolo Banchero stressed patience as Wagner works toward a full recovery.

“I mean he’s one of the key members of our team and you know we need him, but at the same time we don’t want him to come back before he’s ready and so it’s unfortunate,” Banchero said.

“You know, he came back in and out twice and then he had to be out again, so I want him to take his time – however long it takes – and get completely healthy because we don’t want him to go out there if he’s not feeling like himself. So, I think the biggest thing is to let him take his time to get healthy.”

Paolo Banchero, Jamahl Mosley highlight Franz Wagner’s value beyond the box score

The 24-year-old Wagner is in his fifth NBA season and remains a central figure in Orlando’s offense. In 28 games, he has averaged 21.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.1 steals per contest, while shooting 47.9% from the field and 36.5% from 3-point range in 31.8 minutes per game.

Head coach Jamahl Mosley underlined Wagner’s value beyond the box score, pointing to his work ethic and leadership within the locker room.

“I mean, there aren’t words that can explain what Franz means to this team, his toughness, his resiliency, his desire and desire to get back on the court,” Mosley said.

“Every guy on this team knows his work ethic and his care factor for this group. There aren’t many words that can describe it for this group, but also for him. I talked to him last night and talked about his ability and said he just wants to be on the field and that’s what’s been hardest, but also understanding how capable this group is of achieving the things that we say we want to do, even with him being out for this amount of time.”

Magic’s Moritz Wagner opens up about brother Franz’s emotional battle

Wagner’s absence also holds a personal dimension for teammate and brother Moritz Wagner.

“I mean, first of all, it sucks because he’s my brother and you have a pretty high-level relationship and he’s obviously not happy with it and he’s struggling emotionally and all that stuff,” Moritz said.

“You don’t like to see that happen for a family member. Obviously for us as players, big as well because he has such a big impact on the game but mainly I care more about the guy and I feel really bad for him.”

Moritz said recovery extends beyond physical rehabilitation.

“I think my biggest advice is and what I’ve learned is that it only works out well when you’re emotionally free, peaceful and relaxed,” she said.

“You can’t fight it every day, so having a time frame in which you’re doing your rehabilitation rather than a day-to-day structure is more peaceful for the mind and more efficient for the body to recover, and I think he’s been adapting to that over the last few days and we’ll see in three weeks. But it’s so nice to have that time to rest.” [the] Let the mind and body do their work and be ready when you are ready.

As Orlando begins the final stretch of the regular season, the organization has made clear that its priority is to ensure Wagner returns to full strength rather than sending him back before he is ready.