標籤: Addresses

It is safe to say that the Chicago Bears made the right decision last season in hiring Ben Johnson as head coach and former head coach Dennis Allen as their defensive coordinator. That coaching duo led a sharp turnaround, resulting in an 11–6 record and Chicago’s first playoff win since 2010.

Now the Bears’ brand-new coaching structure is moving into Year 2 together, and this time, they have an even better handle on things. Whether it’s covering up weaknesses or making short-term improvements, the Bears still have room for growth.

One of those areas involves the pass-rusher position, where Chicago ranked near the bottom with 35 total sacks last season. As the offseason progresses, some Bears rumors have led the team to sign free agent and potential future Hall of Famer Cameron Jordan, who remains unsigned after spending the first 15 years of his career with the New Orleans Saints.

It helps that Allen coached Jordan for the first 10 seasons of his career in New Orleans. Could their relationship set the wheels in motion for a reunion in the Windy City?

Coach Allen was recently asked about the possibility of the Bears signing Jordan as a free agent. But he made it seem like the Bears coaching staff hasn’t spent much time thinking about adding the 37-year-old to their roster any time soon.

“I don’t know that there’s been much discussion about it.” [signing him]. “We feel very good about where we are and what we have,” Allen said. “Yet you never know what opportunities may arise down the road.”

While Jordan is not someone who can make a long-term impact on the field of play, he still recorded 10.5 sacks as a member of the Saints last season. This suggests he will be able to help make an impact in Chicago this season, especially since he is already very familiar with the Bears’ defensive coordinator.

RELATED: 2026 NFL QB rankings: From the NFL’s worst starting QBs to the best

Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ

While things could certainly change, the Arizona Cardinals are set to enter training camp with low expectations. No one would have predicted they would reach the playoffs in a crowded NFC West divisional field in Mike LaFleur’s first season as head coach.

It also doesn’t help that the Cardinals don’t have a clear starting quarterback on the roster. For now, the expectation is that veteran journeyman Jacoby Brissett will take over the starting duties. But his relationship with the Cardinals has soured after leaving minicamp in search of a pay raise.

Behind Brissett, the Cardinals have free agent signee Gardner Minshew and third-round rookie Carson Beck. Still, recent rumors have linked the Cardinals to another free agent quarterback, albeit one that is much more accomplished. However, Cardinals fans shouldn’t get their hopes too high.

There is no truth, “at all,” to rumors of Aaron Rodgers eyeing a contract to play in Arizona, according to ESPN Cardinals insider Josh Weinfuss.

Thus, the Cardinals appear prepared with their QB room. Meanwhile, for Rodgers, the options appear to be either playing one more season with the Pittsburgh Steelers or enjoying retirement. Even though he is taking his sweet time, everyone expects him to play another season, but it won’t be with the Cardinals.

RELATED: Arizona Cardinals player recruiting future Hall of Famer to join team

Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ

Anders Lee spent 14 of his NHL seasons wearing a New York Islanders sweater. This may be about to change soon.

Lee spoke about his future on Islanders breakup day on Wednesday and why his exit interview with GM Matthew Darche was important.

The Islanders captain recently completed a seven-year, $49 million contract, which he signed on July 1, 2019, the first day he was eligible for a contract extension. The Isles’ sixth-round choice in the 2009 NHL Draft is coming off a 19-goal, 42-point season in which he played all 82 games.

Anders Lee wants to re-sign with the Islanders

Lee will turn 36 on July 3, two days after he can become an unrestricted free agent, and he is interested in returning to the Islanders for his 15th NHL season. New York’s captain is the team’s second-longest-tenured player behind fourth-line center Casey Cizikas.

He said before the team’s season finale on Tuesday that he was looking forward to accomplishing the Islanders’ goal of reaching the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1984.

“I’ve given this organization my all,” Lee said before the Islanders’ game against the Carolina Hurricanes. “This is where I’ve played my entire career. This is where I’ve played the best I can.”

He said Wednesday that he expects he doesn’t get free agency — and he plans to begin his potential talks with Darche during his exit interview.

“I think it’s very important,” Lee said of the conversation with Darche. “We can start figuring things out here and having conversations and seeing where he is at and similarly with me.

“We’re at the point where we can do that now.”

Darche said he had spoken to some members of the Islanders for their exit interviews, but had not done so at the time of their post-season media availability. But he reiterated Lee’s importance.

“I have the utmost respect for Anders Lee,” Darche said. “I told Anders I would love to see him play 1,000 games for the Islanders. What does that look like, and are we able to find something that is a good fit for us and him, we will discuss.”

According to Darche, Lee is just 77 games away from playing 1,000 games in the NHL. Given that he has missed just one game over the last four seasons, Lee is likely to reach that milestone sometime in April 2027.

Still, it remains to be seen if he does the same in an Islanders uniform.

“I know he’s not far away [1,000 games],” Darche said. “I would love to see it, but I’m always waiting to see what other options we have [and] What do we need to do to move this roster forward?

“But the way Anders played this year, I think he can still help us.”

Anders Lee’s teammates call him ‘the savior’

Lee’s expiring contract will create roster flexibility, and if he returns at a lower salary-cap fee, the Islanders may have a chance to make a financial decision that could ultimately make them better.

But Lee’s teammates also know what the Islanders would lose if he were allowed to leave in free agency.

“He’s been a team captain and leader for most of my career,” defenseman Ryan Pulock said. “He’s been a key guy here, a key part of our success, a leader, a protector for a lot of people here. He’s really done it all, and I’m proud to be his teammate.

“He’s given everything he’s got every night for what he’s done for this franchise, for the Island.”

Lee’s contributions included more than 308 goals and 549 points in 923 games. Amid a growing trend for captains to shy away from the media, Lee is one of the Islanders players most often speaking after wins and losses.

His teammates also find him approachable and easy to talk to about things going on in their lives.

“He stands up for everybody here, not only on the ice but off the ice,” center Jean-Gabriel Pageau said. “Sometimes when you need to talk to someone, he’s very easy to talk to. That’s why he’s a great captain and leader.”

So the uncertainty is going to weigh heavily on both players and fans, even if Lee and the Islanders are likely to reach a one- or two-year contract at a low salary-cap number. Despite Darche’s laudatory comments about his captain, the one thing he didn’t say when asked if Lee would return next season was “yes.”

Nor did Lee mention what kind of pay cut/hometown discount he would be willing to sign.

“They’re hard to talk about,” Pulock said. “You don’t know when your contract is up, you never know what can happen.”

Pat Pickens is an award-winning sports writer and author who has covered the NHL since 2013. He reveals more about Pat Pickens.

Triple H has broken his silence on one of the most talked-about moments from the early days of AEW, revealing he had no problem with Cody Rhodes breaking the throne at Double or Nothing in May 2019.

Speaking on Rhodes’ “What Do You Wanna Talk About” podcast, Levesque cleared the air on the entrance that generated significant conversation at the time by asking whether it was a direct attack on his former employer’s top creative person.

The entrance in question took place during AEW’s first event held in Las Vegas. When Rhodes came to the ring for his match against his brother Dustin Rhodes, his wife Brandi Rhodes handed him a sledgehammer.

Triple H told Rhodes that when the clip was brought to his attention, his reaction was entirely positive. Triple H said, “I remember when people brought it to me and were showing it to me, and I was like, ‘F—yeah, okay, good for him.’ “That’s the kind of s– that you do. You’re trying to make a name for yourself. You’re trying to get out there. You’re trying to do some good s– and trying to do some different things.”

Triple H said that he never understood the gesture from a place of genuine malice, and said that if he had felt otherwise, he would have reached out to Rhodes directly out of respect for his father, Dustin’s father, Dusty Rhodes.

“If I had thought there was any malice in it, and maybe there was indirectly at that time, I don’t know. But if I had thought there was any serious malice in this, I would have called you and said, ‘Hey, buddy, like, are we OK?’ Because I was very close to your dad, but then I always felt connected to you.

He described that moment as exactly the kind of decisive step an artist sometimes has to take when trying to break out of a rut and establish a new identity.

Triple H said, “Sometimes you have to get out of the rut that you’re in. You just have to break it and go in a different direction. Turn left, right? And it was very difficult, but during that time I remember I thought, OK, let’s get out there. Be bold and make a statement.”

Rhodes returned to WWE in 2022 and has since become the company’s top babyface and world champion. He has headlined the last three WrestleManias and will do so again at WrestleMania 42 on April 18 and 19 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, where he will defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against Randy Orton.

Andrew Luck shocked the National Football League nearly seven years ago when he abruptly retired at the age of 29, walking away from his NFL career just weeks before the 2019 season. Fast forward to 2026, and one of his former teammates commented claiming to know what was causing it behind the scenes.

Former Indianapolis Colts tight end Eric Ebron, who played for the team from 2018–19, said on my soul Podcast that then-Colts general manager Chris Ballard had pressured Luck into retirement after issuing a mandate that he play despite chronic pain.

RELATED: Colts GM says team could make surprise decision on Anthony Richardson

The comments resulted in Luck, who rarely speaks publicly, sending an email to FOX 59 Indianapolis’ Mike Chappell to correct the record. He shared that he still has a strong relationship with Ballard to this day and that what Ebron said on the podcast is a lie.

“Chris and I had a wonderful partnership, especially through my decision to retire, and we remain close. Any notion of internal pressures influencing my decision is unfounded.”

Former Indianapolis Colts QB Andrew Luck on rumors that pressure from then-GM Chris Ballard led him to retire

RELATED: Indianapolis Colts urged to trade for Pro Bowl edge rusher

It’s not entirely surprising that Ebron, who never even spent two full seasons as Luck’s teammate, might not have the most accurate information about what happened in Indianapolis. We’re also in an era where players are making podcast appearances more regularly or hosting their own, and viral clips bring attention and views to podcasts that they might not otherwise get.

Detailed reporting on Luck’s career in August 2025, primarily by Jack Keefer of The Athletic, revealed why he retired. The 6-foot-4 quarterback’s body had already begun to deteriorate rapidly, and the rigors of football and rehabilitation from all the injuries took a heavy toll on both him personally and his family. Now serving as general manager of his alma mater Stanford, Luck is happier and living the life he wants.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace had a chance to finish in the top 20 in Sunday’s Cook Out 400, which would have kept him at least in the top seven in the NASCAR standings entering the break. Instead, he got involved with Carson Hocevar in a decision that ruined his day and cost the No. 23 team.

Recaping the race on Monday’s episode of Action Detrimental, driver and 23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin noted Wallace’s costly action against Hocevar in the final stages.

RELATED: Cook Out 400 winners, losers, including Bubba Wallace

“I understand that Bubba wrecked himself trying to get Carson off the road. He didn’t give up, kept driving out there and ultimately wrecked himself and others because of it. That’s what I believe.”

Denny Hamlin on Bubba Wallace driving at Carson Hocevar at Martinsville

On a restart with 77 laps to go in the Cook Out 400, Hocevar made an aggressive move by going under Wallace in the corner to make it three-wide. The No. 23 driver, who felt his car was performing poorly after showing a lot of pace in practice, seemed to be upset by the move.

On the next lap, Wallace passed his car to the No. 77 and then passed him again into the corner. Hocevar’s car spun, taking out other cars along with it, while the No. 23 car suffered damage late in the race, resulting in a 36th-place finish.

Hamlin also addressed Hocevar’s actions leading up to the incident, which is not uncommon in NASCAR, but is generally viewed as a ‘d***’ move.

RELATED: Carson Hocevar Addresses Comparisons to NASCAR Legend

“It’s normally an ad*** move, if everybody is restarting in Turn 1 on the restart, everybody has to check for the corner, OK? If you’re in row 8, you’re normally checking for turn 1 as quickly as possible. It’s like going into Turn 1 at COTA where someone is just like, ‘Okay, I’m just going to the left and if you guys are going to check-up, I Going to jam it in there. Carson says I’m going to go three-wide again down the stretch in Martinsville. This is not illegal, it is just an ad*** move.”

Denny Hamlin on Carson Hocevar’s actions leading to contact with Bubba Wallace

That doesn’t mean Hamlin condoned Wallace’s actions, which cost the No. 23 team double-digit points and dropped to 11th in points. Instead, it is the future Hall of Famer who explains the specific move that further incensed Wallace and why Hocevar’s move was responded to with hostile action.

Hocevar has driven like this since coming to the Cup Series, and he has made it clear that he is willing to do anything to win. Wallace, at age 32, is an experienced driver whose emotions ultimately only hurt himself and harmed teammates who were not involved in the incident.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

The North Carolina Tar Heels turned to pro sports two years ago when they needed to find a new head coach for the football program. Now that they are in the market for a men’s basketball coach, the same approach can be used with someone acquired from the NBA.

Amid reports that he is an option under consideration in the Tar Heels coaching search, Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan did not deny that he would be interested in the North Carolina coaching job. However, for now he is focused on his role in Chicago.

“My main focus is on these guys and this new team. I understand there’s a lot out there, and I understand there will be some speculation. But, I have to focus on this group, and really, my focus is on what we’re doing here in Chicago, having a game tonight, and traveling to play a back-to-back.”

Chicago Bulls HC Billy Donovan on potential interest in being considered as part of the North Carolina Tar Heels coaching search (h/t The Athletic)

RELATED: Latest on North Carolina Tar Heels coaching search

Donovan, who will turn 61 in May, was once one of the best coaches in college basketball. He won six regular season SEC titles and back-to-back national championships along with four Final Four appearances with the Florida Gators.

After posting a 467–186 record (.715 winning percentage) at Florida, Donovan made the jump to the NBA with the Oklahoma City Thunder prior to the 2015–16 NBA season. ^{He recorded a .608 winning percentage in five seasons with the franchise, but his record in the NBA playoffs was only 18–23.}

RELATED: North Carolina Tar Heels coaching candidates

One thing worth noting is that Chicago Sun-Times It was reported that there were rumors in the NBA that Donovan might leave the position of head coach of Chicago and then take a year off. Instead, he may decide to return to college basketball for the first time in more than a decade.

This would be a bit risky for both parties. Donovan was a men’s college basketball coach long before the NIL era and won national championships when future NBA stars like Joakim Noah and Al Horford coached him for multiple seasons.

Donovan wasn’t the only guy under consideration in the NBA. North Carolina reportedly had interest in Boston Celtics executive Brad Stevens, but he has opted to remain in his current role

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Although there will be no mandatory “Throwback Weekend” as part of the NASCAR schedule at Darlington Raceway this weekend, some drivers and teams will pay tribute to some legends and icons with their paint schemes. This also includes Carson Hocevar, with his team Spire Motorsports paying tribute to all-time great Dale Earnhardt – to whom the young driver has been constantly compared.

In an interview with NASCAR YouTuber Eric Estep, Hocevar talked about some others comparing him to legendary driver Dale Earnhardt.

RELATED: Carson Hocevar reveals approach to friendship with NASCAR drivers

“I’ll be honest here, I don’t like the comparisons. I appreciate it, obviously, but I don’t know… I think we probably should have won a race now… But, just because I meet people every now and again and now I’m racing a black car here and there, I don’t really see it… There’s no next Dale… I just want to be me, it’s that easy… I’d love to have 1 percent of Dale’s success. I’d love any comparisons. It is not.”

Carson Hocevar on comparisons to Dale Earnhardt

As Hocevar told Estep, he grew up as a die-hard racing fan, and watched the various documentaries that came out about Dale Earnhardt. He knows how much the iconic driver of the No. 3 car means to NASCAR history and how much he meant to millions of fans during that era. Ultimately, Hocevar feels the comparison is a disservice to Earnhardt and unfair to the legacy he wants to build on his own.

The 23-year-old recognized his irony just days after the release of photos showing him standing near the No. 77 Chiles-sponsored car. The blue and yellow paint scheme resembles the one used for the No. 2 car in 1981, a season where Earnhardt famously sported Wrangler colors before winning dozens of races with the brand as his primary sponsor. However, Hocevar admitted that the marketing team was largely behind all this.

RELATED: Denny Hamlin calls Carson Hocevar a superstar talent

It doesn’t help that Hocevar and Earnhardt have been compared to some of the all-time greats. earlier this year patty race recapVeteran Richard Petty said he noticed some similarities between the two drivers.

“The boy, that 77 (Hocevar). …Right now, a lot of the things he’s doing or is doing aren’t really that wrong. If I go back and watch him race and do stuff, he reminds me of Dale Earnhardt. Earnhardt has learned to work with that stuff. And the 77 boy, he just has to learn to work with the things he’s doing.”

Richard Petty on the similarities between Carson Hocevar and Dale Earnhardt

For Hocevar, the focus is still on scoring his first Cup Series win after coming close on a few occasions. He has made it clear that he is not changing his driving style, nor does he want to make friends with other NASCAR drivers. If winning makes him a favorite among fans and less so among his teammates, he’s more than happy to take that result.

Read More: NASCAR Stage Winners, 2026, NASCAR Cup Series Stage Stats Tracker

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

While Rudy Gobert is undoubtedly one of the league’s most complete centers, certain aspects of his offensive game have come under closer scrutiny recently. Among them is his pass-catching ability, with many critics noting how he struggles to catch passes in traffic or during sharp dives, which inadvertently causes turnovers for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

According to a post on X by Dan Moore, that aspect of his game was brought up during Chris Finch’s press conference after his team’s 147-111 win over the Utah Jazz.

When Chris Finch was asked about the possessions where Rudy Gobert drops catchable passes and how his players handle those possessions, thought it was an informative answer.

“They know that if Rudy drops one of their passes, not to look to me for sympathy, because sometimes he… pic.twitter.com/uQmwd7lHHx

– Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) 19 March 2026

“They know if Rudy drops one of his passes, don’t look to me for sympathy, because sometimes he’s going to do that. I tell them to keep throwing them. We have to. It’s more worth it… I’ll take some of those turnovers if we’re trying to make the right play,” Finch said, effectively claiming that he wants his team to continue passing it to Gobert despite the turnovers.

Of course, it paid off in Minnesota’s latest outing, where Gobert was once again dominant defensively, but he had a few incidents with his pass-catching. The French international still finished with his second consecutive double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds.

He went 9-12 from the field and also had a steal and two blocks. Gobert continues to be a great interior threat offensively, despite currently averaging 10.8 points and 11.4 rebounds per game, which is his lowest scoring since the 2015–16 campaign.

Regardless, against the Jazz, the Timberwolves saw Ayo Dosunmu top scoring with 23 points in the absence of Anthony Edwards, with Julius Randle also finishing with 21 points. The latter also recorded eight assists and four steals against Utah.

Additionally, Bones Highland scored 18 points off the bench, going 3-7 from three-point field. For the Jazz, Bryce Sensabaugh top-scored with 41 points, while Ace Bailey and Isaiah Collier added 17 and 14 points, respectively. Minnesota will now host the Portland Trail Blazers while the Jazz will take on the Milwaukee Bucks in the next match.

The Atlanta Hawks are arguably one of the hottest teams in the league as they are on a nine-game winning streak, and they are trying to make it 10 games against the Orlando Magic. This trend began when C.J. McCollum was inserted into the starting lineup for Zachary Rishachar, as statistics showed that the Hawks were a better team when he played with the other four starters of Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu.

Those stats are still proving true, and it doesn’t look like McCollum will be going back to the bench any time soon. After his win against the Milwaukee Bucks, McCollum was asked if he would like to be the starter.

“For me, this is what the team needs,” McCullum told reporters. “I think the money comes on time every two weeks, regardless. That’s always helpful, but historically, I’ve been a starter, but I’m comfortable filling whatever role is necessary for us as long as we’re competing for something. That’s what’s really important to me: winning basketball and competing for something right now. That’s what they want me to do, and when your boss tells you something, you’ve got to do that.”

McCallum’s move into the starting lineup hasn’t affected the way the Hawks play, and if anything, it’s made them better. Jalen Johnson has been able to continue producing at a high level with McCollum in the lineup.

“Some of the lineups may look different, but CJ has been a great vet and he understands the game at a high level,” Johnson said. “So having him on the court with us, he just shows us little signs and things where we can be effective, and I think he’s done a great job leading our group.”

The Hawks needed a vet like McCallum on their team, as they were one of the younger teams in the league when the season began. McCollum has made big shots in postseason basketball and played with some of the game’s stars. His presence will only make the Hawks better, especially at this point in the season.

The Hawks are currently trying to climb the Eastern Conference standings, but despite their winning streak they haven’t made much of a splash. At this point, all they can do is control what they can and hope that the teams above them start falling away.

Doc Rivers addressed the injury scare that Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered in the Milwaukee Bucks’ win over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday evening.

Antetokounmpo destroyed the Pacers’ defense in 23 minutes of action. He finished with a stat line of 31 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists. He shot 11 of 22 from the field and 9 of 13 from the free-throw line.

However, Antetokounmpo suffered an injury midway through the third quarter. He highlighted an incredible dunk, but landed awkwardly as he needed time to recover himself before getting up from the floor. According to reporter Eric Nehm, Rivers gave an update on the star forward’s health after the game, revealing hyperextension in his left knee.

“Doctor Rivers says he’s speculating that Giannis Antetokounmpo hyperextended his left knee on this dunk in the third quarter, but there was no official diagnosis from the team. Rivers also said he didn’t know if any imaging would be done on the injury yet,” Nehm wrote.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, how the Bucks played against the Pacers

The Bucks were fortunate to see that Giannis Antetokounmpo did not suffer any serious injuries. Despite this, the team kept it intact and defeated the Pacers with a score of 134-123.

Six players scored in double figures for Milwaukee in the win, including Antetokounmpo. Bobby Portis gave a strong performance with 29 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals off the bench. He made 11 of 21 shots overall, including 6 of 11 from downtown. Ryan Rollins came next with 20 points and seven assists, Myles Turner and Taurean Prince each scored 13 points, while AJ Green provided 12 points and two rebounds.

Milwaukee improved to a 28–39 record on the season and 11th place in the Eastern Conference standings. They are above the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets while trailing the Charlotte Hornets and Atlanta Hawks.

The Bucks will stay at home and await their next matchup. They will host the Cleveland Cavaliers as tip-off takes place on March 17 at 8 PM ET.

There was another tense moment between Nikola Jokic and Luguentz Dort following the Denver Nuggets’ heartbreaking 129-126 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night, courtesy of a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander game-winner.

Dort accidentally slapped the Nuggets star in the face while trying to steal a screen from Jokic. Jokic then fell to the ground and remained there for a long time and officials eventually called a flagrant foul on the Thunder wing.

What made this conversation so interesting was the fact that Dort had also blatantly fouled Jokic in their previous matchup. No Nuggets fan will soon forget how Dort intentionally headed back in Jokic’s direction in an attempt to knock him down, sparking a near-all-out brawl between the Northwest Division rivals.

But after the game, Jokic did not believe that unlike in the past, Dort had crossed the line that time.

“No, (he didn’t cross the line),” Jokic said after the game, via ESPN’s Anthony Slater. “It was over from last time.”

Jokic is not a player to hold grudges and he certainly did not do so against Dort. Considering how heated the games between the Thunder and Nuggets are, it’s all part of competing against the best.

Nuggets star Nikola Jokic holds no grudge against Lu Dort

Dort drew a lot of criticism after his flagrant foul on Jokic in the Thunder’s win over the Nuggets on February 27. But he apologized for hitting Jokic in the face this time, and unlike last time, it was very unintentional and an unfortunate consequence of his attempt to get on the big screen.

The Nuggets star is letting bygones be bygones be the way to move forward, especially if they are to lock in and really focus on getting over the Thunder’s hump.

On Sunday night, the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Houston Rockets, winning 145-120 thanks to a stellar offensive performance from the entire team. They shot over 50 percent overall on the night, and were so unstoppable, making 21 of their 40 three-point attempts that kept the Rockets away for most of the night.

A moment during the game caught the attention of many people. Fans caught Amen Thompson confronting Stephen Castle, while the Spurs sophomore turned to his head coach Mitch Johnson for some advice.

Others will protect their privacy when speaking to their head coach. There was no castle. After all, the Spurs guard believes that even if the Rockets know what their strategies are, they will still won’t be able to do anything To compete with them somehow.

“I went out there and talked to (the coaches) about what I needed to talk about. It didn’t really matter if the other team knew what we were going to do or if they knew our game. I didn’t think they were going to stop it, so it didn’t really matter,” Cassel said, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic.

Steph Cassel: “I went out there and talked to (Johnson) about what I needed to talk about. It doesn’t really matter if the other team knows what we’re going to do or they know our game. I don’t think they were going to stop it, so it doesn’t really matter.” https://t.co/j1SVupuhzl

– Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) 9 March 2026

Now that’s a cool response that shows just how confident the Spurs are – and why they showed on Sunday they are ahead of the Rockets as a competitive team.

Victor Wembanyama effect is on full display for Spurs

In recent years it has become even more clear that teams prioritize identifying their best players. For the Spurs, Victor Wembanyama is bringing unstoppable confidence every night, and there isn’t a single person in the NBA that Wembanyama is afraid of.

This young Spurs team, who owns the second-best record in the NBA at 47-17, carries itself with so much swag that it shouldn’t be a surprise if they win it all this year.

Golden State Warriors forward and podcaster Draymond Green chimed in on the conversation about shutting down Steph Curry for the remainder of the season so the Warriors can tank. On January 30, Curry suffered a right knee injury in a game against the red-hot Detroit Pistons; It did not appear to be serious, and as the All-Star break approached, the Warriors listed him day-to-day.

But Curry has been out for more than a month, as the Warriors said they are ready to reevaluate him soon. Now, the Warriors face a tough challenge without Curry and Jimmy Butler, who were sidelined midway through the season with ACL injuries. With the eighth-seeded Warriors having lost seven of their last 11 games, there is speculation that the season is over.

In an interview with Tim Kawakami tk showMike Dunleavy Jr. did not completely rule out Curry sitting out the remainder of the season, but said it would be surprising if that happened.

“It would be very, very surprising. But, you know, I’m not ruling anything out; I’m not a doctor, and things could go a certain way. So, I don’t want the headline to be that Steph could be done for the year because I’m not ruling it out, but just because he’s not playing right now, I just have to admit that I’m sure there’s a chance, but we don’t expect it.”

Following the conversation, Green discussed the possibility of the Warriors making this decision on his eponymous podcast.

“I’ve seen a lot of people say, ‘Hey man, they should just tank and not bring Steph back the rest of the year’ and all this stuff. One thing I will tell you is this: Shutting Steph down for the rest of the year is not something that’s just going to happen, except so he can play. I can also assure you, Joe Lacob is not going to tank. I saw Matt Ishbia say it, tanking is in my DNA. Never will. You get better and if we end up being bad and get a good draft pick, we get a good draft pick, but we’re definitely not going to tank Joe Lacob.”

Of note, senior NBA insider Brett Sigel of ClutchPoints reported that sources indicate Curry will receive around-the-clock treatment to put himself in position to compete in the playoffs. The Warriors are getting a break of sorts, with no games on Tuesday and Wednesday as they prepare for Thursday’s game against Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets that will air nationally on Prime Video.

With the Warriors having interesting games against tough teams like the Thunder on Saturday, the Timberwolves on March 13 and the Knicks on March 15, a decision will certainly have to be made regarding Steph’s immediate playing future in order to keep the Warriors at least in the play-in picture.

Jaylen Brown delivered another outstanding performance to lead the Boston Celtics past the Los Angeles Lakers, 111-89, on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena.

Brown finished with a game-high 32 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and four steals as the Celtics improved to 37–19. The Lakers fell to 34–22.

LeBron James has praised Brown’s performance this season, taking over for Boston amid Jayson Tatum’s continued absence due to an Achilles injury.

“He’s using the motivation of a lot of people who are saying they’re going to have a bad year because obviously, with JT being out, they’re losing Jrue (Holliday), Al (Horford) gone, (Kristaps) Porzingis gone, their entire championship team is pretty much new. He’s using that as motivation to keep them afloat. They’re playing great basketball because of him and all the other guys. He’s taking the next step,” James said in a video posted. C.L.N.S.

James said he and Brown did it stay civilizedEven if the latter criticized the former’s son Bronny James last year.

“We’ve had a very respectful relationship, other than what he said about Bronny in Summer League. But other than that, we’re OK,” the four-time MVP said with a smile.

“It’s all good. Bronny still has a long way to go, but that’s a different story.”

LeBron James on his relationship with Jaylen Brown:

“Our relationship has been very respectful. Other than that crap he said about Bronny in Summer League. But other than that, we’re okay.”

🤣🤣🤣

(via @celticsclns)

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– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 23 February 2026

While watching Summer League at courtside, Brown was caught on video saying, “I don’t think Bronny James is a professional.” It quickly went viral and, of course, James took notice.

The young James has been widely criticized, with many fans sharing Brown’s views. However, he has shown improvement in his second season.

Meanwhile, the elder James said Brown is playing “great basketball,” adding that the Celtics star is not being talked about enough for the MVP award.