We’ve reached the slow part of the offseason, where the remaining veterans are still hoping to land one of the 90 roster spots on one of the 32 NFL teams. One team that has undergone significant change after hiring a new head coach, the New York Giants, has been a popular destination for some.

We’ve seen past greats come out and say they would love to play for new coach John Harbaugh. It also stars Jason Pierre-Paul. But it turns out, he’s not the only former Giants franchise icon who wants to re-join Big Blue for the 2026 season.

Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has also been vocal about returning to the NFL after spending 2025 out of the game. But OBJ doesn’t want to join just any team; He wants to play for the Giants.

Still, like Sports IllustratedIn Albert Breer’s opinion, the idea of ​​adding Beckham to the team may actually be better than not actually adding him to the team.

“Do I think this could be a really good story about a guy who wants to play football again? I do. And I’m willing to be that. But let’s not turn it into something it’s not.”

Breyer reveals several truths about where the 33-year-old receiver is in his career. Not only did Beckham not play football last season, but he also hasn’t had a 1,000-yard season since 2019, the year before he was traded to the Giants.

it gets worse.

Beckham hasn’t played a game since 2023 where he topped 20 yards. In other words, it’s hard to imagine that a young player who may be more equipped to help on special teams wouldn’t be a more ideal long-term fit for a veteran team that already has its top four receivers on the roster.

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

Sophie Cunningham knows exactly how to pull up to scold-And yes, she’s doing it on and off the hardwood. The Indiana Fever guard is still getting buckets this offseason, just in a different area.

Making her rookie debut with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, Cunningham proved she has range far beyond the three-point line. After she officially announced last week that she was part of this year’s SI Swim lineup, she put up a joint post with the magazine that doubled the number of fans in no time.

But when you thought he was done cooking? got things feverish hot. Cunningham totally turned up the heat after re-signing with Indiana, and reminded everyone that he’s team-bound And Leveling up your offseason game.

Sophie Cunningham celebrates Indiana return with SI Swimsuit Heat Check

Sophie Cunningham has just resurfaced with the Indiana Fever — and let’s just say she celebrated like she knocked down the game-winner at the buzzer.

For her rookie run with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, Cunningham didn’t just step into the spotlight — she owned it. SI Swim completely turned up the heat, dropping a BTS clip of the one-off “Spicy Sophie,” doing whatever it took to improve the shot. Her caption was pure woman crush energy: “Is it hot here or is it hot?” [Sophie Cunningham] re-sign with the bus [Indiana Fever] 🌶️🔥,”

And Sophie? She was in her bag the whole time.
“I’m having a lot of fun,” she says while cycling between shoots. “Seriously, this is the best day of my life. I’m in swimsuit number 3; I’m about to change into number 4. Heat is a mindset. We’re OK. The water’s a little cold, but I’m literally having the best day. So, here we go – the last album.”

That’s exactly the mentality that put him on the map last season. The 6-foot-1 guard became a fan favorite after filling in for teammate Kaitlin Clark — a moment that showed she’s not just about buckets, but backbone, too. Since then, she’s been capitalizing on that spotlight with brand deals and now a major SI Swim debut.

And for Cunningham, it’s not just a photoshoot — it’s bigger than that. “It’s probably one of the most empowering things I’ve ever done,” Cunninghamshey said. “I really think, like, kick out on the court. And then kick out in the real world being a woman who is strong, who is powerful and who has the mentality that she can do anything.”

Oh, and he hasn’t expanded his game either. Cunningham is set to make her broadcast debut with studio coverage on USA Network during the 2026 WNBA season.

On the court, off the court, in front of the camera. Sophie is running a full-court press Everyone Lane now.

The LA Clippers have developed an interesting partnership over the last month of the season. Kawhi Leonard, currently the longest-tenured Clipper, joined forces with Darius Garland when the franchise traded for the two-time NBA All-Star.

Now, the pair are learning how to play with others as they fast forward to a do-or-die play-in tournament and potentially a postseason.

In just eight games played together so far, the Clippers are 6-2 – including a loss against the Sacramento Kings, where Leonard left the game early due to an ankle sprain. In the frankly incredibly small sample size of 120 minutes so far, the Clippers are outscoring opponents by 18.75 points per 100 possessions.

“It’s always good to have help,” Leonard said. “Darius is getting back in the lineup and being the star he has been in years past and coming in and still great for us, with 40 the other night, he’s getting the crowd going with his threes and passing and just his overall energy and, yes, looking forward to Ben coming back. But I think it’s a new challenge for everybody. Every year is different. And, yes, just try to come in and be competitive and just positive energy for everybody. Release.”

Kawhi Leonard hasn’t played before with a fast, agile guard like Darius Garland who can also shoot the three-ball at an elite level, so while the Clippers have been winning games with those two, it’s also been a learning experience for everyone involved.

“It’s amazing,” Leonard said of his experience with Garland so far. “He got going at that time, especially in Dallas, he was hitting those threes and, like I said, with his passing and his ability to just get down and see the floor, it makes the game easier for me. I got a lot of catch and shoot threes in Dallas and I probably haven’t had that many for the last month or so. Once he got back in the lineup, he was able to create, draw two or three guys, get kicks to me and some Got open eyes. And like me, it’s a different game and challenge, so just try to get better at it.

In his first 10 games with the Clippers, Darius Garland has averaged 20.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.1 steals per game, while shooting 50 percent from the field and 50.7 percent from three. Kawhi Leonard has averaged 30.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.0 steals per game so far with Garland.

“It’s simple,” Leonard explained. “We’re still working through it, obviously. I don’t know what game it is for him, but it’s a steady progression, especially without someone who went through the first part of the season and training camp. But it’s been great to have all the positivity. I want him to do his best on the field. If he’s going, I’m going to stay out of his way. If I’m going, he’s going to stay out of my way or just try to find each other. So. Just keep working and we’ll see what each other likes. It’s been positive.”

The LA Clippers only have 10 games left this season, and they are currently 36-36 on the season. They will be trying to win their 15th consecutive winning season, the longest active streak in the NBA. To do that, LA would have to go 6-4 over its last 10.

For only the third time in his illustrious NBA career, LeBron James was held scoreless in the first half of a basketball game. The Los Angeles Lakers star missed all five of his attempts from the field and struggled overall, with the Detroit Pistons outscoring his team by 14 points during his 18 minutes of playing time.

Considering how high a scorer James is (he is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, after all), seeing him go scoreless can be a disturbing sight. But the Lakers star has saw his role changing Largely relative to his heyday, as Luka Doncic is now the undisputed number one scoring option for the purple and gold.

“This is the role I’m playing for the ball club. To win ball games, this is the role I’m playing. And that’s the way the game was going,” James told reporters after the Lakers’ 113–110 loss to the Pistons, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

“This is the role I’m playing for the ball club. To win ball games, this is the role I’m playing. And that’s the way the game was going” – LeBron James on going scoreless in the first half for only the third time in his career and the first time since 2010 pic.twitter.com/W5HK2ThdPH

-Dave McMenamin (@mcten) 24 March 2026

James is actually playing more of a supporting role, which suits him better than ever, considering he’s already 41 years old. And it’s safe to say that this change is working for the Lakers, as they entered the night having won nine consecutive games. What this simply means is that James is fully on board with what the team is doing, although he needs to be better than he was on Monday to recover from this situation.

The Lakers have hit their stride

The Lakers have now managed to get the most out of Doncic after he faced some difficulties sharing ballhandling and playmaking duties to start his life in LA after the blowout trade last year.

Doncic being so impressive (he shot 32-6-7 in the loss to the Pistons) bodes well for their chances of making some noise in the playoffs, but James getting up and running will be key to their title hopes.

After the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder were unable to visit the White House due to a “timing issue”, a fight broke out between Ajay Mitchell and Justin Champagne in the first half of the match against the Washington Wizards. Words were exchanged between the Thunder’s Jaylin Williams and Champagnie before Mitchell advanced and the two began brawling on the baseline and in the stands.

Teammates from both the Thunder and Wizards rush to separate your peopleAt the center of it all are Champagne and Michel. The Thunder’s Cason Wallace was also included.

Justin Champagnie and Ajay Mitchell join in 😳pic.twitter.com/ecjEvMay2R

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 21 March 2026

Wallace, earning a double-technical foul, as Williams, Mitchell and Champagnie, joined the trio as all four were ejected from the game.

Washington DC – Steve Kerr wants to clarify that he is listed as executive producer for the Oscar-winning mini-documentary. all empty roomsHe had little to do with the actual production of the film.

“I want to make it clear that executive producer is a great way of saying I have nothing to do with it. Just to be very, very clear,” Kerr joked pregame before the Golden State Warriors’ Monday matchup with the Washington Wizards. “But I feel incredibly honored to be associated with it.”

all the empty rooms, Winner of the Oscar for Best Documentary Short, the film is a film that covers issues close to Kerr’s heart. The 35-minute mini-doc follows broadcast journalist Steve Hartman and photographer Lou Bopp as they travel across the United States, capturing the untouched, empty bedrooms of children killed in school shootings.

As an outspoken advocate against gun violence and supporter of gun safety laws, Kerr was very happy to have his name attached to the film.

“About a year ago they asked me if I wanted to be an executive producer, and when I read about this project I was immediately ready, because it’s such an important film. Once I saw it, I was overwhelmed by the beauty, the sadness, the humanity, done so poignantly.”

Steve Kerr’s role in the film

For Kerr, the artistry of the film is an important catalyst in tackling this issue.

“I think that’s important, especially, you know, given my advocacy for gun violence prevention. It’s – you look for ways to touch everybody and avoid political discourse that boils the issue down. And I thought the film threaded that needle perfectly.”

While Kerr was not involved in the production of the film, he played a major role in its public relations campaign in the lead-up to the Oscars.

This included writing an opinion article in the Los Angeles Times in which he highlighted the gun-violence epidemic in America and how the issue has had a personal impact on his life. Kerr’s father Malcolm was shot dead in Lebanon in 1984. Kerr also hosted some screenings in San Francisco and Los Angeles, conducting a Q&A with director Joshua Seftel.

“My involvement was really putting my name on it and trying to help promote it,” Kerr explained. “But it was so beautifully done. “It was so touching. And how sympathetic and kind Steve and Lou were in the movie when they were visiting houses. It was very powerful.”

Steve Kerr wants people to skip the movie

Kerr said he hasn’t had the chance to add an Oscar trophy to his NBA championship cabinet. But in Kerr’s eyes the achievement is the least important part of the film. Kerr thinks this film can help start a change in the movement. Not only at the political, legislative level, but also at the grassroots level, from power to people.

“I’m trying to recommend everyone to see it,” Kerr said. “It’s 35 minutes, but you should watch it. It’s hard to watch, but it’s also unforgettable. And I think this issue…it’s the kind of movement that we need to move. Our country, our citizenry, we need to move this issue forward, because it’s obviously not happening at a political level. But we know the power of protests and movements, and I’m very hopeful that this film will help that cause.”

Kerr said, “This is not a political issue. This is a public health crisis. When you watch the movie, and you see the damage, and you see these innocent people’s lives being taken. And then [when] You start to focus on the issue, you realize there are a lot of things we can do to save lives.”

“And that can be challenging. A lot of people say to me, it’s frustrating. It’s not frustrating. We have legislation that has been passed over and over again that is already saving lives. We know that statistically, but it’s really the movement that’s most important to me. The consensus: We have to do something.”

all empty rooms Currently available to stream on Netflix.

Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis is still learning the game within the game in his second year in the NBA. They got a tough lesson in their loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.

In the second quarter, Buzelis started talking to Lakers guard Luka Doncic, hoping to get him off his game. However, it had the opposite effect. Doncic became excited and counterattacked Buzelis and scored 12 consecutive points.

From there it was all disappointment for the Bulls, as the Lakers won 142–130. Doncic finished with season highs of 51 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.

After the game, the 21-year-old Bouzelis admitted that his biggest takeaway was to never talk trash about Doncic again, though he also displayed his mentality.

“Obviously, when I started talking to him he started hitting. But I don’t back down from anybody. It doesn’t matter who you are. I accepted the challenge, but it didn’t work out,” Bouzelis said in a video posted by Chicago Sports Network.

“I don’t back down from anyone. No matter who you are.”

Matas Buzelis reflects on his back-and-forth with Luka Doncic tonight pic.twitter.com/lbwNkrSQXj

– Bulls on CHSN (@CHSN_Bulls) 13 March 2026

Despite the tough lessons, Bouzelis played well, scoring 22 points, including four three-pointers, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks.

The Bulls fell to 27–39, while the Lakers improved to 41–25.

Doncic said that Bouzelis “woke me up”, adding that he was surprised that the young forward was chirping at him.

His mask may look innocent, but the six-time All-Star is notorious for running his mouth. Doncic has stunned several players, including Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green and Los Angeles Clippers guard Kris Dunn.

Whenever a player is being mentioned in the same sentence as Wilt Chamberlain, he has done something extremely rare and historic. That’s what Shai Gilgeous-Alexander accomplished, as the reigning MVP of the Oklahoma City Thunder broke a record that no one has come close to since 1963.

With another 20-plus-point scoring night, this time against the Boston Celtics on Thursday, Gilgeous-Alexander recorded his 127th consecutive game with 20-plus points, surpassing Chamberlain’s record of 126 straight games between 1961 and 1963.

This unfathomable record now belongs to the Thunder superstar, and SGA can extend his streak even further to keep it within striking distance, as Wilt did before.

Shai passes longest 20+ point streak ever 🚨

Wilt: 126 (October 19, 1961-January 19, 1963)
Shai: 127 (November 1, 2024-) pic.twitter.com/aNOYWzh5LI

– NBA (@NBA) 13 March 2026

Oddly enough, Chamberlain holds the record for most consecutive 20-point games (126), and also had the second-longest streak, ahead of Gilgeous-Alexander, at 92 games between 1963 and 1964. The only reason Wilt’s streak ended in 1963 and he had to restart was due to him being ejected just four minutes into the game for “abusive language” towards the officials.

It’s why Chamberlain’s streak of scoring at least 20 points in 126 consecutive games ended, and it’s why Gilgeous-Alexander’s name now tops the list in NBA lore.

This is a remarkable feat for Gilgeous-Alexander, and it puts him in the same great position as Chamberlain, who has all of his nearly-untouchable records, as well as LeBron James and his streak of 1,297 straight games scoring more than 10 points. Perhaps this is the next record on Gilgeous-Alexander’s to-do list, but he still has a long way to go to catch LeBron, as anyone would.

Passing Chamberlain is the latest major accomplishment for Gilgeous-Alexander, just eight years into his career.

The 27-year-old superstar won his first championship with the Thunder last season and was crowned the 2025 NBA Finals MVP. He also led the league in scoring until being named the 2024–25 NBA MVP. With approximately four weeks remaining in the 2025–26 season, Gilgeous-Alexander is considered the favorite to once again win the MVP award.

After tying Wilt’s record with a 35-point performance on Sunday, which included a game-winning 3-pointer against the Denver Nuggets, Gilgeous-Alexander took a moment to reflect on the history he made, and gave a humble response to what the accomplishment means to him.

“It’s still a lot to wrap my head around,” SGA said. “To be honest, I don’t even try to think about it, especially during the season. There’s a lot going on. A lot of things have to go right to get what you ultimately want. I’m 100 percent focused on that.

“Obviously, it’s special to interact with a guy like that.”

Not many players ever come close to recording similar numbers or breaking the record held by Wilt Chamberlain. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has done so in his eighth season, as he is the new record holder for most consecutive games with over 20 points with 127 games and counting.

PHOENIX – Before his usual pregame press conference, Phoenix Suns head coach Jordan Ott addressed the Dillon Brooks DUI situation as part of his opening statement.

“I know you’ll have questions about the Dylan program last night. That’s why we sent the statement. We will continue, I will continue to reference the statement,” Ott explained.

“My focus here is on the back-to-back. We obviously didn’t play well last night. All our energy and focus is on moving forward and trying to win tonight.”

On Thursday, the Suns suffered an embarrassing loss to the Chicago Bulls. Although the 105–103 score suggested otherwise, it was one of the worst scores of the season.

Meanwhile, Brooks missed playing time with the Suns due to a fractured left hand. His presence on the field is missed. His scoring, assertiveness and willingness to generate energy at any cost have been overlooked.

Jordan Ott believes Suns not focusing on Dillon Brooks DUI

As Ott said, he would refer to the team’s statement regarding the incident.

“We are aware of the situation involving Dillon Brooks and are gathering more information. We have no further comment at this time,” the statement, courtesy of AZCentral’s Duane Rankin, read.

While it may be a topic of discussion at least for Friday’s game, Ott isn’t letting it become a distraction.

“This is the NBA. There are a lot of nights like this,” he said.

He further explained that this almost matches the completely healthy New Orleans Pelicans roster. No matter how the game script or anything in the game unfolds, in the short term all the conversation may center on Brooks’ DUI.

The Milwaukee Bucks have had an up and down season and sit at 26-35. The biggest story for the Bucks is what’s happening with Giannis Antetokounmpo. He was almost traded by the NBA trade deadline, but remained with Milwaukee for at least the remainder of the season. Now, the biggest story is that Doc Rivers decided to keep Kyle Kuzma on the bench as a coaching decision.

The Bucks were playing the Celtics, and Kuzma did not play due to a coaching decision. Doc Rivers said the goal for the overall lineup is to try different things to find a rhythm, but he did not directly address benching Kyle Kuzma.

Kuzma addressed The Athletic’s Eric Nehm and said that he did not know in advance that it was happening, but he took it seriously and trusted the coaching staff, especially Rivers, given their past success.

“You have to take it seriously,” Kuzma said. “At the end of the day, we trust our coaching staff to make the right decisions on this team or whatever they think can win us games, especially for a guy like Doc. You know, he’s in the top 5 all-time in wins, so he knows basketball.”

Kuzma’s benching did not affect the outcome of the game, as the Celtics defeated the Bucks 108–81, despite Giannis Antetokounmpo returning from injury.

The former Laker was traded from the Washington Wizards to the Bucks midway through the 2024–25 season. In his first full year with the Bucks, the 2020 NBA champion averaged 12.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists per contest, while shooting 48.3% from the field and 34.2% from three-point range in 56 games.

The Bucks are currently the 11th seed in the Eastern Conference and face an uphill battle to make the postseason, even a play-in game. They have also lost four games in a row and don’t look like they are a playoff-caliber team.

It’s been a tough journey for Kuzma, and if he’s still part of the Bucks’ plans moving forward, he still has another season left on his current contract beyond 2025-26. The $20.3 million Kuzma is owed in 2026-27 is also nearly fully guaranteed.

LeBron James is the new king of all-time list.

Already the all-time leader in points in the NBA, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar forward broke another record previously held by L.A. legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar when he made a comeback victory late in the first quarter of Thursday night’s showdown in the Mile High City against the Denver Nuggets.

“LeBron passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for making the most FGs in NBA history with a fadeaway jumper from the baseline (15,838). LeBron has held the scoring title for several years, having more FTs than Kareem, and certainly by a larger margin than 3s (Kareem made a career 3),” as noted by Spectrum Sportsnet’s Mike Trudell.

Stop for a moment to watch this moment where LeBron James finally surpasses the great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar again.

With his passing, LeBron James has passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most FGM cases in NBA history.pic.twitter.com/4Hj8z0vkaya https://t.co/7XAXtJ1OV8

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 6 March 2026

It wasn’t an easy shot for the 41-year-old James, as Nuggets forward Zeke Nnaji was on top of him during that game, but the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player was not going to be denied that historic basket.

James, playing in his 23rd season in the NBA, entered the Nuggets game needing only two more buckets to tie Abdul-Jabbar and three more to break the record. He previously held the No. 2 spot, surpassing Utah Jazz legend Karl Malone, who had 13,525 field goals.

Every James basket should be cherished by true basketball fans, because he will not play forever, no matter how he wins his battle against Father Time.

Lou Dort has made a name for himself by being the heart and soul of the Oklahoma City Thunder. He is the one who sets the level of physicality on defense, and his strong play helped make the Thunder a championship organization.

However, his intensity and physical play sometimes cross the line, as he did on Friday against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.

Given the success of both organizations in the Western Conference, the Thunder and Nuggets have become intense rivals over the years, leading to some heated and emotional battles on the court. On Friday, tensions between these two teams reached a new level when he appeared to intentionally foul Jokic, sending the three-time MVP to the ground and leading to a scuffle between the two sides.

Nikola Jokic faces Lu Dort and Jaylin Williams

pic.twitter.com/GvHKxeJM28

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 28 February 2026

After a scuffle separated the two sides, the play was reviewed and Dort was ejected from the game after receiving two serious fouls. Dort has since been under heavy scrutiny from fans for his actions against the Nuggets, leading to him breaking his silence on the matter.

“It was a physical game the whole game,” Dort told Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic in Chicago on Tuesday night. “Obviously, there was unnecessary contact that I shouldn’t have made. Getting kicked out of the game hurt me the worst. But yes, it was a high-level game. I’m a competitor, so I compete.”

The 26-year-old wing claimed that the game against Denver was a physical battle with “his limits,” but he also said he “crossed the line” in regards to his play with Jokic.

Not only are NBA fans picking sides on what happened in last week’s game between the Thunder and Nuggets, but Denver head coach David Edelman also shared his thoughts on what happened, calling Dort’s actions “ridiculous.”

“For Dort to take that shot — and then I think from his perspective it was no big deal, how he saw it — is ridiculous,” Edelman said. “That was malicious. It was a cheap shot. Lou Dort is a great player, and I haven’t seen him do that before.”

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault responded to the criticism surrounding Dort’s ejection from Friday’s game, saying the incident was the result of a “chippy game” and “things escalate like that sometimes.” Daigneault did not comment on whether he felt Dort’s actions were unnecessary or excessive, leading officials to eject him from the game.

Speaking with Lorenzi in Chicago on Tuesday, Dort responded to the perception many people have of him calling him a dirty player.

“It’s a tough job for me to guard the best players every night,” Dort said. “I don’t think I’m dirty. I can’t control the media. The media always wants some kind of attention or something. They want that buzz. I can’t control it…

“I’m not dirty.”

No further action was taken by the NBA for what happened between the Thunder and Nuggets, as Dort played against the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night, recording four points and five rebounds in a 116-108 Oklahoma City victory.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Doc Rivers, how the Bucks performed against the Bulls

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

🔹 7 points
🔹 15 assists
🔹4 theft

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

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 2 March 2026

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

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

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

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

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

The NBA world saw one of the greatest players in history hang up his sneakers last weekend when Chris Paul officially announced his retirement from professional basketball. From his stellar debut with the New Orleans Hornets to his final full season with the San Antonio Spurs, the guard who quickly became known as “CP3” finished his NBA career as arguably the greatest point guard of all time.

Chris Paul spent six full seasons with the LA Clippers franchise, from when he was traded to Los Angeles in 2011 until he was traded to the Houston Rockets in the 2017 offseason.

Of the 249 teammates Chris Paul shared the floor with during his 20-year NBA career, no one played more games with Paul than former Clippers All-Star center DeAndre Jordan. The two played 406 regular season games together in addition to 53 playoff games. The two had a .658 winning percentage, going 302–157 together in those 459 games.

Paul announcing his retirement in the middle of All-Star weekend was somewhat of a surprise, given that the guard was looking for a team to play for and was ending his NBA career. But no team formed and Paul decided to call it quits.

Just weeks after his former teammate announced his official retirement, DeAndre Jordan shared a touching message on Instagram on Friday.

“Can’t believe I’m making a retirement post for your old man! I still remember when we found out we were getting CP3 and the “Lob City” run was born. It still feels like yesterday. Some of the greatest years of my life.

Let me be the first to congratulate you on your amazing basketball career! You have won countless accolades and done a lot for the game. However, the greatest achievement that I have seen in you is your love and dedication towards your family.

Thank you for always encouraging me, even when I wasn’t trying to hear it. ??? You were teammates then and have become brothers forever and I’m grateful.

Enjoy this next chapter of life and the journey. Here’s to more pars and birdies! to encourage

– 6″

DeAndre Jordan was the full-time starter for the Clippers when Chris Paul arrived, but under head coach Doc Rivers, became a 34-minute-per-night player for the Clippers starting in the 2013–14 season. From the 2023–14 season where he played with CP3, Jordan averaged 11.8 points, 14 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game while being named to his first NBA All-Star team in the 2016–17 season. Jordan was also a two-time rebounding champion, a three-time All-NBA selection and a two-time All-Defensive Team selection.

Chris Paul finished his NBA career playing 1,370 career games in the regular season, averaging 16.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 9.2 assists and 2.0 steals per game, while shooting 46.9 percent from the field and 37 percent from three. Paul finished his illustrious, 20-year NBA career as a 12-time NBA All-Star, 11-time All-NBA member, nine-time All-Defensive Team member, six-time steals champion, and five-time assists champion.

As part of a three-team trade back at the deadline, the Phoenix Suns acquired Amir Coffey and Cole Anthony from the Milwaukee Bucks. While Coffey has been a part of the Suns’ rotation since his arrival, that is not the case for Anthony. According to NBA insider Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, a move toward removing Cole Anthony from the roster was always under discussion for the Suns, and according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the team finally did it on Friday.

Cole Anthony did not join the Suns’ roster after the deadline, and the move allows him to clear waivers by the March 1 buyout deadline and potentially be picked up by another team. Siegel suggests another team could bring Anthony in via a 10-day contract or for the remainder of the season, but there are also some foreign teams that have expressed interest in him. However, at this time, it is likely that he will continue to pursue another NBA opportunity.

With the Suns now having an open roster spot, two-way contract guard Jamari Bouya is a candidate to be converted to a standard deal. The Suns also signed Haywood Highsmith to a contract after acquiring him from the Brooklyn Nets earlier this month.

Anthony was selected 15th overall in the 2020 NBA draft by the Orlando Magic. He played for the Magic for five seasons before being included in the team’s offseason trade with the Memphis Grizzlies for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The Grizzlies waived Anthony before the start of the season, and he signed with the Bucks.

Anthony appeared in 35 games for the Bucks at a rate of just over 15 minutes per game. He averaged 6.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists with splits of 42.4 percent shooting from the field, 30.6 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 61.5 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

The Atlanta Hawks are in the midst of an important homestand that could help them clinch a spot in the Eastern Conference. That means they have to play some of their best ball, and that comes with making changes to the lineup to put them in the best position to win.

Head coach Quin Snyder did just that recently, inserting C.J. McCollum into the starting lineup and moving Zachary Reisacher off the bench. This is not new territory for McCullum, as he has been a consistent starter for most of his career. He was asked about the lineup change at the recent Hawks shootaround.

“It’s part of the game. I’ve played 840 matches in my career,” McCullum told reporters. “I’ve obviously started 10 years in a row, and I’m comfortable with that. When I came here I told them, whatever you need me to do, I’ll do. I’ve played a lot of different roles in my career. I’ve been a DNP guy to start. I’ve been to the 7th, 8th and 9th man. I’ve been a starter. So whatever’s needed to help the team, I’ll do.”

With what McCollum has brought to the Hawks since being traded, they may be looking to keep him in the starting lineup instead of coming off the bench. Meanwhile, Riescher has not performed particularly well in his second season and it is time for a change.

“That group of guys that finished the game, their Nets rating is 10 points higher than any other combination,” Snyder said after their game against the Brooklyn Nets. “This is our best lineup. Not starting CJ gives us ball handling and some scoring punch off the bench. But we don’t get that lineup as much.”

Not only would this move help the Hawks get off to a strong start to games, but it could also give Resacher a chance to regain his confidence in a new role.

“I think the biggest thing is that this in no way reflects our and my personal confidence in Zack,” Snyder said. “I thought being in a different phase of the game against different matchups with different guys could be really positive for him. And I was glad to see that I think that was the case. He looked relaxed, and he competed. Jack has all the right things. His development is something that will continue, whether he’s starting or coming off the bench.”

The Boston Celtics are back from the All-Star break on a mission. They beat the Golden State Warriors in their first game after the break and had a solid start against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night.

The Celtics have the second-best record in the Eastern Conference, behind the Detroit Pistons. And they have won 10 of their last 13. The Celtics are hoping to continue their winning ways against the Lakers on a night when the franchise will honor legendary head coach Pat Riley.

The Celtics weren’t fazed in the first half. They took a 60–50 lead into the locker room at halftime, and they had stellar performances from starters Jaylen Brown (13 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists) and Derrick White (10 points, 5 assists) and Payton Pritchard (11 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists) off the bench.

Pritchard made an incredible move when he hit a Step-back 3-point shot In the middle of the second quarter. During the game, he pretended as if he was going inside and Laker defender Jared Vanderbilt drove towards the paint. Instead, Pritchard took a step back and hit a 3-pointer. As the shot hit the net, Vanderbilt lost his balance and fell to the floor, 20 feet away from Pritchard.

If that wasn’t enough, Pritchard had the ball as the clock ran out in the final moments of the second quarter. As soon as the horn sounded, he hit a long 3-pointer over Luka Doncic, giving the Celtics a 10-point lead midway through the game.

It’s been a tough season for the Sacramento Kings, even by their standards.

Coming off a 139-122 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, the Kings have been winless in their last 16 games spanning more than a month. And Charles Barkley, of course, for always speaking his mind. there was no going back When criticizing Sacramento’s terrible play, whether it was 15 or 16 in a row.

“You can’t play 15 good teams in a row… Come on, man,” Barkley said on ‘Inside the NBA’ via Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. “These teams are doing things like the Harlem Globetrotters here (against them). Come on, man. These guys are doing things like the Globetrotters here.”

It’s certainly true that the Kings haven’t played 15 — or now 16 — good teams in a row. In fact, before losing to the Spurs and Orlando Magic, Sacramento played the New Orleans Pelicans and Utah Jazz, both of whom are much closer to competing for the first overall pick than a playoff spot. Despite Utah and New Orleans having the third and second worst records, respectively, in the Western Conference, the result was a pair of blowouts.

On February 9, the Pelicans defeated the Kings 120–94. Two days later, Sacramento also lost to the Jazz, 121–93. During this losing streak, the Kings have not played any team more than once, meaning they have lost to more than half the NBA in a little over a month.

Of course, that’s acceptable for Sacramento, which has its first-round draft pick this year. If that doesn’t happen, losing three players – Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis and De’Andre Hunter – to season-ending surgeries in the last few weeks would be the worst news. But for the Kings, it only solidifies that they will have the best chances in the NBA Draft Lottery.

The Kings, who recently set a new record for the longest losing streak in franchise history, can add to that tally on Monday evening when they play the Memphis Grizzlies as part of a five-game road trip.

Nick Nurse explains why the Philadelphia 76ers faltered in their disappointing loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night.

Nurse is in the eighth year of his head coaching career, his third year with the 76ers. He has kept the franchise stable while developing a young and emerging backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, keeping them in the playoff picture this season. However, the team performs poorly in some of its contests, most notably its latest loss to the Pelicans.

Nurse reflected on the loss after the game, via NBC Sports Philadelphia. He pointed to the shooting struggles from beyond the arc, noting how New Orleans took advantage of Philadelphia’s woes.

“We went 3-of-24 from three; Was quite difficult, wasn’t it?” The nurse said.

The Sixers faltered offensively and defensively in the matchup with the Pelicans, where Nick Nurse broke down. | @kia pic.twitter.com/4fw89F9u27

– NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) 22 February 2026

Nick Nurse, how the 76ers performed against the Pelicans

Nick Nurse and the 76ers have the talent to make a splash in the playoffs. However, their loss to the Pelicans shows they still have work to do to reach the next stage.

Four players, including Maxey, scored in double figures for Philadelphia in the loss. He finished with a stat line of 27 points, seven assists, five steals and three rebounds. He shot 9 of 23 from the field, including 2 of 11 from beyond the arc and 7 of 8 from the free-throw line. Kelly Oubre Jr. was next with 25 points and five rebounds, VJ Edgecombe had 14 points and five rebounds, while Quentin Grimes added 11 points and three assists.

Philadelphia improved to a 30–26 record on the season and finished sixth in the Eastern Conference standings. They are above the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic, while trailing the Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers.

After four consecutive losses, the 76ers will look to get back into the win column in their next match. They remain on the road when they face the Minnesota Timberwolves on February 22nd at 7pm ET.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has been a topic of discussion in the NBA for the past few weeks due to the possibility that he could be traded. Once reports surfaced that he was staying put, Antetokounmpo expressed his joy on social media and said he did not want to be traded. After that, Antetokounmpo shared with the world that he had invested in Kalashi, a site that allows people to buy and trade predictions.

This raised eyebrows, especially since the NBA has come down hard on players who place bets.

During All-Star Weekend, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver talked about Antetokounmpo’s involvement in the foul and basically said it was no big deal.

“As far as I know, it’s a modest investment, much smaller than 1%,” Silver said. “It does not violate the rules that govern how we bargain collectively with the players’ union. Obviously, it’s an issue I’m paying a lot of attention to. It’s rapidly evolving. We’re currently looking at prediction markets essentially the same way we’re looking at sports betting.”

Adam Silver discusses Giannis’ investment and the state of sports betting in the NBA with Kalshi. pic.twitter.com/chX3NPjsro

– Sportico (@Sportico) 14 February 2026

If Silver and the NBA prediction markets are looking alike, there should be cause for concern that Antetokounmpo is invested in Kalushi, regardless of how much he has invested in the company.

Although Kalshi is not considered a betting site, as more people start using it, it could become a much bigger site than expected. With a name like Antetokounmpo co-signing, there’s no question that sports fans will start using this platform, and that’s all it will take to promote it.

This might be a good time for the NBA to step up, but so far it doesn’t look like they’re planning on doing anything. Due to this, other players can also invest in the company, and then you will face a big problem.