標籤: loss

The Knicks are generally careful with basketball. They average 13.7 turnovers per game, eighth-fewest in the NBA. However, when they turn the ball over their performance obviously suffers.

Knicks must limit bad turnover game

In 25 losses this season, the Knicks are averaging 15.5 turnovers per game. When they commit 14 or fewer turnovers they are 30-12, and when they commit 15 or more turnovers they are 11-13. Granted, this is a problem for most teams, as turning the ball over has a zero-sum effect on a team’s ability to score relative to the chances given to their opponents. But the problem isn’t just that New York performs poorly when turning the ball over, which is essentially the case for most teams; This is how many times they exceed their average.

For context, the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder committed 15 or more turnovers only 17 times last season. And the 2024 NBA champion Boston Celtics did so only 18 times in 2023-24. By comparison, New York has done it 24 times this season with 15 games remaining.

Why does high turnover lead to poor performance?

The Knicks clearly thrive in a low-turnover, high-efficiency model. Under head coach Mike Brown, the Knicks maintain the fourth-lowest turnover rate in the league. They have an average turnover rate of 10.5% in wins this season; However, in losses this figure has increased to 13.1%.

especially, The points they give up from turnovers present a major problem. When New York turns the ball over, it often turns into scoring opportunities for their opponents. And when the Knicks defense is suffering, which was the case. 2-9 expansion in January 2026, their turnover problems become unsustainable, as they begin to bleed points.

Jose Alvarado could be the key to the Knicks taking care of the basketball

One reason for the Knicks’ inconsistent ball security may be their lack of a true backup point guard. The Knicks’ 2025-26 identity is built on being an offensive juggernaut who makes efficient shots, especially corner threes. When they turn the ball over above their season average, they lose possession games. And because they play on one Slow pace (ranked 21st according to ESPN)Every lost property is magnified.

Fortunately, the addition of Jose Alvarado may have solved this problem. Alvarado has helped New York get a more consistent rotation, taking over playmaking duties when Jalen Brunson needs a break. And it does so efficiently and productively. Alvarado has turned the ball over just 11 times in 14 games with the Knicks. And in those 14 games, New York is 10-4. And if you ignore the last two games – in which the Knicks have turned the ball over 39 times – they are averaging just 13 turnovers per game since adding the New York native.

Ultimately, it seems as if the Knicks’ path to a championship depends on maintaining elite ball protection. If they can take care of the basketball regularly, they will have very few problems in the 2026 NBA Playoffs. Conversely, if they fall victim to poor play – as they have recently on a two-game losing streak – it could be a challenging spring for everyone involved.

Some would argue that officials robbed fans of an even more exciting matchup between the Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs. In the second quarter, Celtics star Jaylen Brown was ejected from a 125–116 loss to the Spurs after being whistled for two quick technical fouls. Brown was angry at the no-call, where he felt he was fouled out of bounds by Stephen Cassel.

Brown confronted crew chief Tyler Ford and was even pointing his finger at him. Ford then drew a technical foul on the Celtics star, angering Brown even more. Even though his teammates were trying to calm him down, his rant could not be contained, and it reached the point where umpire Suyyash Mehta felt as if ejection was required, courtesy of his second technicality.

After the game, Ford explained the Crew’s decision to take the Celtics star out of the game early.

“(The first technical was) for aggressively gesturing and using profanity and outrage without a call,” Ford said in the pool report, via NBA insider Brett Siegel for ClutchPoints. “(The second technical was called because) he aggressively approached a game official, pointing and using profanity.”

Celtics’ Jaylen Brown can’t let emotions get the better of him

Many will debate whether Brown was correct on the play he blew the gasket. Still, as one of the Celtics’ stars and go-to options, Brown can’t afford to allow a no-call that literally takes him to the point of no return.

Superstars have responsibilities in the NBA, and Brown needs to know not to let his emotions get the better of him. Thankfully for the Celtics, this is a regular season game, but come playoff time, that may never happen.

Brown finished with eight points and seven assists in 15 minutes, before exiting the game.

On Sunday, the Chicago Bulls faced a tough challenge against the Sacramento Kings. After a stellar game with 28 points, Collin Sexton left the game with a lower leg injury. In the end, the Bulls lost to the weak Kings 126–110.

However, there was one bright spot. Josh Giddy finished with a triple-double of 15 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Not only this, according to Casey Johnson of Chicago Sports Network, he managed to surpass Scottie Pippen for second place on the Bulls’ all-time triple-double list with 16.

This leaves Giddy behind Michael Jordan, who has 28.

Giddy was doubtful to play after recovering from a recent ankle injury. He did not play in the Bulls’ game against the Phoenix Suns on March 5, which Chicago won 105–103. Overall, Giddy is averaging 17.6 points, 8.5 assists and 8.3 rebounds per game. Overall, he has played 42 games this season.

Meanwhile, the Bulls are now 28-38. Also, they have lost eight of their last ten matches. Currently, Chicago is in the middle of a five-game road trip. On Tuesday they will travel to Golden State to play the Warriors. Then, they play the LA Lakers on Thursday, followed by the Clippers on Friday.

The Bulls will return to Chicago on March 16 to play the Memphis Grizzlies.

Giddy is in the middle of his second season with the Bulls. Last summer, he signed a four-year, $100 million deal, indicating he is considered a franchise player.

Pippen played with the Bulls from 1987 to 1998 and 2003 to 2004. He was a major catalyst for the six championships won from 1991 to 1998.

On Sunday afternoon, the New York Knicks returned to the loss column with a tough loss at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers. It was a tough day for Jalen Brunson, who shot just 8-19 from the field and scored 24 points in the loss.

On Monday, ESPN sports media personality Stephen A. Smith took to “First Take” to express his thoughts on the difficult performance.

“I’m not happy at all… I’m very concerned about the Knicks,” said Smith, formerly of First Take on X, on Twitter.

“This is not a Tom Thibodeau-led team,” he said. “It’s not the same team. They’re soft.”

In fact, many believe the Knicks have lost some of the patience and toughness under Mike Brown that they once had under Thibodeau, who was fired after New York lost to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals last season.

However, some expected this to pay off in the playoffs, as New York’s stars would theoretically be refreshed at the end of the year, as Brown does not run his stars into the ground from a minutes perspective the way Thibodeau did.

What’s interesting is that the Knicks beat the Denver Nuggets by nearly 40 points earlier in the week, just a day after that same Nuggets team beat the Lakers in comfortable fashion.

However, it just goes to show how much NBA results are matchup and context-dependent, with the Lakers headed to a win over New York on Sunday despite not having LeBron James in the lineup due to injury.

Overall, the Knicks are still in good shape in the Eastern Conference, sitting at 41-24 on the year, and are essentially locked into homecourt advantage at least in the first round of the playoffs.

They will next take the court on Monday evening against the Los Angeles Clippers.

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.

The Denver Nuggets suffered a painful 129-126 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center on Monday, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivering the killer blow with his game-winning three-pointer.

The Nuggets have now dropped all three of their games against the Thunder this season.

Gilgeous-Alexander had another MVP-type performance with 35 points, nine rebounds, 15 assists, one steal and one block. He had no turnovers.

Christian Braun, who was tasked with protecting the SGA, admitted he didn’t do his job well, as The Denver Post’s Bennett Durando reports.

“He busted me tonight. That last game, I knew I played well and got a block in a big moment. Tonight, he made a shot in a big moment. He made a couple of them. I know I’m going to play him again. I’m going to play him in the playoffs,” Braun said.

Durando said the 24-year-old guard told his teammates he was to blame for their tough loss.

“When I do a good job on him (Gilgeous-Alexander), like I did (in the last game), we have a good chance to win those games. But tonight, I wasn’t that good. He’s 14 for 21. Whenever he’s that efficient, they’ll have a better chance to win,” Braun said.

The Thunder defeated the Nuggets 127-121 in overtime last month. SGA scored 36 points on 12-of-29 shooting, including 0-3 from beyond the arc. This was his first game after being sidelined for a long time due to an abdominal strain.

Bron played 38 minutes on Monday, the second-most on the Nuggets behind Nikola Jokic’s 40 minutes. Focusing mostly on defense, he scored only four points on six attempts. He added nine rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block.

The Nuggets will face the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.

Although he left the Alamo City on strained terms, Kawhi Leonard has largely been a supporter of the San Antonio Spurs since the 2018 trade that sent him to the Toronto Raptors. After a 116–112 loss, in which his Los Angeles Clippers blew a 25-point lead, Clough didn’t hesitate in praising the organization he helped win an NBA title in 2014.

After their first meeting of the season, ClutchPoints asked Leonard if he thought the young Spurs were ahead of schedule.

“Obviously, probably no one thought they’d be this good so quickly. But, they have great individual players, a great coaching staff. The organization has always known how to win basketball here. So, they’re putting everything together,” the seven-time NBA All-Star responded.

Los Angeles’ leading scorer then fouled out his Spurs counterpart.

“This team; the league is young. So it’s all about speed and run and if you have a shooter at the five, like Wembey or anybody who can shoot threes and block shots, your chances of winning are even greater.”

“…Probably no one thought they’d become so good so quickly… They have great individual players, great coaching staff. The organization always knows how to win…
They’re just putting it all together…”⬇️

-Talked to the poet about what he thinks #spurs are ahead of schedule#porvida pic.twitter.com/IYX2uDbPBa

– Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) 7 March 2026

Victor Wembanyama scored 27 in just 22 minutes, but the 2023 first overall draft pick wasn’t the only standout spurt to earn praise from the 34-year-old star.

“[Stephon] Cassel is playing very well, had a great rookie year and has taken a step forward this year and gotten better. I like what he’s doing on the court. He is getting better. “It’s fun to go out there and compete against younger guys, giving us some advantages here and there,” Leonard said of San Antonio’s star guard.

“When you’re trying to win a game, you’ve got to play on both ends of the floor,” the two-time NBA champion said.

Leonard finished with a game-high 30 points for a Clippers team that advanced from play-in contention in the Silver and Black.

“You never know. Nobody can say if they are ahead of schedule or not, you just have to see how it all plays out,” the former Spur concluded from ClutchPoints about the team finishing second in the Western Conference.

“We’ve been steady, but you’ve got to give the Spurs credit,” Leonard added. “They’re a great defensive team, they have some great individual defenders. Wembey is unbelievable and he made us miss shots.”

Kawhi Leonard downplays constant ridicule from Spurs fans

Leonard, once considered the next face of a proud franchise, was essentially forced out of San Antonio when he requested a trade following a lengthy controversy centered on an injury that led to a strained relationship. Since then, the 2011 first-round pick has often been criticized when he won Finals MVP in 2014.

Leonard said the boo birds don’t bother him.

“As soon as the game starts, you hear that. But after a while, you hear the cheers and I get a lot of love whenever I walk around town. So, like I said before, it’s a competitive fan base, so they’re not going to be on the court cheering for you to score. But after the game, it’s all love.”

Some, perhaps many, fans in San Antonio would not agree. However one thing is certain. Leonard doesn’t mind showing these Spurs love.

The Miami Heat delivered another explosive offensive performance Friday night, with Tyler Herro recording a dominant win that later drew praise from the opposing locker room. Herro’s performance showcased Miami’s offensive ability when clicking, and reinforced how difficult the Heat’s perimeter attack can be for opposing defenses to stop.

The Heat defeated the Charlotte Hornets 128-120 on Friday at the Spectrum Center. Herro led the way with 33 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. The guard also knocked down eight triples while controlling the pace throughout the game.

Herro’s offensive impact versus Charlotte’s defense proved decisive late in the game. Miami trailed briefly before closing out strongly in the fourth quarter, as Herro ignited a key run, hitting multiple shots from deep while consistently moving without the ball to create open looks.

After the game, Hornets head coach Charles Lee discussed the defensive challenges created by Herro. Hunter Bailey of the Charlotte Observer shared Lee’s comments after the loss, first on Twitter.

Charles Lee described how the game slipped away in the fourth quarter:

Lee looked at Miami’s zone, Tyler Herro’s ball security and more. pic.twitter.com/P0TZOU2flr

– Hunter Bailey (@Hunter_Bailey45) 7 March 2026

“Defensively, Herro’s off-ball stuff, I thought we could have been a little tougher by staying connected to his body,” Lee said, referencing Miami’s zone defense and Herro’s movement away from the ball.

The former Kentucky Wildcats standout was repeatedly moved into open space, leading to defensive failures and creating scoring opportunities that fueled Miami’s late offensive surge.

Hornets forward Brandon Miller also accepted the challenge of controlling the Heat guard in a video shared after the game r/CharlotteHornets Community on the platform too.

“I feel like Tyler Herro was doing whatever he wanted,” Miller said. “As long as we play with the mentality of not letting everyone come here and feel comfortable, we should win every home game across the spectrum.”

🎙️ Brandon Miller: “I feel like (Tyler Herro) was out there doing whatever he wanted. As long as we play with the mentality of not letting everybody come in here and being comfortable, we should win every home game at the Spectrum.” pic.twitter.com/CVj6yeFBZ5

– r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) 7 March 2026

The seven-year veteran’s performance snapped Charlotte’s six-game winning streak and led Miami to another impressive win.

Hours after the Phoenix Suns’ embarrassing loss to the Chicago Bulls, injured player Dillon Brooks was arrested for DUI on Friday, March 6, 2026.

TMZ Sports reported that Brooks was arrested in Scottsdale, Arizona around 2:00 p.m. After a while, around 3:20 pm, he was released.

According to a TMZ Sports report, Brooks was “respectful and cooperative” before his release. They also shared his mugshot after his arrest.

Dillon Brooks’ DUI arrest comes after Suns’ blowout loss to Bulls

Brooks’ arrest came after the Suns’ dramatic latest loss to the Bulls. It was a back-and-forth affair, but the Suns ultimately lost the game.

With the loss, the Suns dropped to 35–27. Meanwhile, the Bulls are still below .500 with a record of 26-37, making the loss even worse for Phoenix.

Unfortunately, Brooks had no impact in the game. He sat out due to his long-term injury. His left hand is broken, due to which he will have to remain out of the field for several weeks.

Before his injury, he was averaging 20.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. He has played 50 matches so far in the season.

Brooks is a former second round pick in the 2017 NBA draft from Oregon. He was selected by the Houston Rockets but was immediately traded to the Memphis Grizzlies.

He spent the first seven years of his NBA career with the Grizzlies before joining the Houston Rockets in 2023. After two seasons with the Rockets, he was traded to the Suns as part of the Kevin Durant trade.

The Suns’ leading scorer in their latest loss was Devin Booker, who scored 27 points. He also had six rebounds and two assists. Grayson Allen scored 21 points off the bench.

The Houston Rockets lost a crucial home game against the shorthanded Golden State Warriors. According to multiple posts by Red Nation and Roush on

The Rockets lost 115–113 despite being favored by 9.5 points. The loss dropped them to 38–23. Although they still finished fourth in the Western Conference, the loss was another game they let slip, a pattern Rockets fans have recognized from the beginning. Other Rockets influencers and fans felt the same way, especially when discussing some of the scenarios the team has faced.

I honestly don’t think the rest of the Ime Udoka era (no matter how long we have to endure this nightmare) will ever top Jabari Smith Jr. in dispatches. Out for a jump ball. Literally the lowest percentage in athleticism league.

– RedNinetyFour (@RedNinetyFour) 6 March 2026

The general consensus on this defeat is that Udoka made some decisions that could have changed the outcome. Namely, Rush, another Poe[उलररॉकेट्स’केप्रभावशालीव्यक्तिनेतीनचीजेंसूचीबद्धकींजोजीतकोपुख्ताकरसकतीथीं।रीडशेपर्डउनकेप्रतिस्पर्धियोंमेंसेएकथेक्योंकिउन्होंनेइससीज़नमेंरॉकेट्सकेलिएअच्छाखेलाहैलेकिनबेंचपरबनेहुएहैं।लेकिनइसखेलनेउनकेकुछअन्यप्रतिवादोंकोभीचित्रितकियाविशेषरूपसेअल्पेरेनसेनगुनऔरजबरीस्मिथजूनियरकेसंघर्षदोनोंशुरुआतीखिलाड़ीजिन्होंनेवॉरियर्सकीहारमेंबहुतकमयोगदानदिया।[ularRockets’influencerlistedthreethingsthatcouldhavecementedavictoryReedShepperdwasamonghiscounterpointsashehasplayedwellfortheRocketsthisseasonbutremainsonthebenchButthisgamealsoillustratedsomeofhisothercounterpointsnotablythestrugglesofAlperenSengunandJabariSmithJrbothstarterswhodidlittleinthelosstotheWarriors

एक और शर्मनाक हार:

1. यदि इमे उडोका रीड शेपर्ड शुरू करता है तो रॉकेट्स यह गेम जीत जाते हैं

2. जबरी स्मिथ 42 मिनट में 5 टर्नओवर के साथ 0-8 पर था। अकथनीय रूप से भयानक प्रदर्शन

3. सेनगुन को खेल बंद करने के लिए वापस नहीं आना चाहिए था। भयानक रक्षा, अकुशल, 5 टर्नओवर

– रूश (@RoshWilliams) 6 मार्च 2026

उडोका 25 अप्रैल, 2023 से टीम के मुख्य कोच हैं। जहां टीम में सुधार हुआ है, वहीं प्रशंसकों का धैर्य खोने लगा है। पिछले सीज़न में रॉकेट्स दूसरी वरीयता प्राप्त होने के बाद, अनुभवी वॉरियर्स से हारकर प्लेऑफ़ में लड़खड़ा गए। यदि वे प्लेऑफ़ में प्रदर्शन नहीं कर पाते हैं तो चौथी वरीयता प्राप्त उनकी वर्तमान स्थिति प्रशंसकों की चिंताओं को कम करने में कुछ नहीं करेगी।

फिलहाल, उडोका मुख्य कोच बने रहेंगे और रॉकेट्स का नेतृत्व करना जारी रखेंगे। रॉकेट्स ने व्यापार की समय सीमा पर कोई कदम नहीं उठाया, इसलिए उडोका को उनसे अधिकतम लाभ उठाने के लिए इस समूह के साथ काम करना होगा, अन्यथा उनकी नौकरी के लिए कॉल तेज़ हो सकती हैं।

The Sacramento Kings lost another tough game on Thursday night, falling to the New Orleans Pelicans 133-123. The defeat once again highlighted the frustrations of the struggling team. Kings guard Russell Westbrook didn’t hide that disappointment after the game and gave a blunt response during his media session. This moment became another chapter in a rapidly growing story as the Kings’ season continues to unfold.

Russell Westbrook decided to reach out to the media after the game tonight. pic.twitter.com/UOgmGhV5OH

– James Ham (@James_HamNBA) 6 March 2026

In this latest Kings matchup against the Pelicans, Sacramento fell to 14-50 on the year, the worst record in the league. The defeat also extended a sad situation which includes eight defeats in the last ten matches. Earlier this fall, the Kings suffered a brutal 16-game losing streak that began on January 18 and ultimately ended with a win over the Memphis Grizzlies on February 23.

On floor, Westbrook was still struggling. However, after the final buzzer, the focus shifted from the box score to the tension between the locker room and the media.

Russell Westbrook hits back at media criticism of Kings

The exchange occurred during Westbrook’s postgame availability, as captured by Kings insider James Ham. When asked about the final stretch of the season, Westbrook answered calmly at first.

“You know, go out and compete. It’s a game. You go in and play professionally. That’s all you can do,” Westbrook said.

The king’s guards then turned the conversation towards the journalists in the room.

“What do you all think, though? Because y’all got a lot of answers, and y’all always talk,” Westbrook said.

Westbrook then pressed the issue.

“You make a lot of statements and blanket statements that you have no context for,” Westbrook said.

Westbrook later explained why he felt compelled to speak out for the Kings.

“My job is to speak for the guys in the locker room,” he said. “Don’t make out-of-context comments about people as individuals… If you don’t know, don’t say anything you don’t know.”

It was a raw moment. Honest. emotional. The kind of stress that shows up when you lose piles up.

The Kings still have 18 games left this season. But with growing frustrations and a mounting deficit, a question looms over Sacramento. How loud will the noise get before this season ends?

PHOENIX- There have been a few instances this season where the Phoenix Suns have been outplayed. Another example came Thursday against the Chicago Bulls.

Although 105–103 indicated a close game, don’t let the score fool you. Even for a guy like Devin Booker, he knew his team didn’t bring the right energy.

Typically, they dive for 50/50 balls, pick up full court, and establish the pace of the game. Thursday’s game was a deviation from his norm, yet Booker sees a silver lining with the struggles in the energy department.

Booker said in the locker room postgame, “That’s been our MO all year. We look at what happens when we do that, and tonight is an example of what happens when we don’t do that. Hopefully, it’s a lesson learned from here.”

Devin Booker on the Suns’ lack of energy tonight.

“That’s been our MO all year. We see what happens when we do that, and tonight was an example of what happens when we don’t do that. Hopefully it’ll be a lesson learned from here.” pic.twitter.com/oBmstJqQl0

– Hayden Cilley (@HaydenCilley) 6 March 2026

The shorthanded Bulls did not get any wins in February, but they picked up some impressive wins in early March. They proceeded with the same momentum till Thursday and took full advantage.

His play speed and paint presence were difference makers. Guys like Collin Sexton and Guerschon Yabusele put tremendous pressure on the basket and worked hard for second chances.

Who else agreed with Devin Booker’s assessment of the Sun’s energy?

Head coach Jordan Ott has been someone who has never been afraid to hold his team accountable. After all, Ott had a challenge of accountability for the Suns before last Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Did he do the same after the loss to the Bulls? Not necessarily, but he mentioned a game strategy he used to stir up some energy. He mentions that he attacked because he needed energy, and it’s something he shouldn’t have asked for.

Somehow, Ott knows that the root of all these conversations about lack of effort is the same.

“We do it honestly,” Ott explained. “We took the first out, again, we had zero (forced) turnovers. The reason I know we had zero (forced) turnovers is because I said it to the group. Then at halftime we just talked about wasting possessions.

“We can’t waste possessions, we’re not that type of team, and we have to somehow increase our activity and energy. So we’re looking. We’re looking for different lineups, different guys.”

Luckily for the Suns, their next game will be on Friday as the second leg of a back-to-back. That will give them minimal time to reflect on Thursday’s surprising loss and hopefully use it as a learning lesson, as Booker said.

There are not many certain things in life. As the old saying goes, the only inevitables during one’s existence are death and taxes. But someone may have to add the Golden State Warriors, owner of the Houston Rockets, to the list of certainties in this lifetime.

Even with the Warriors battling injuries, Stephen Curry dealing with knee issues, Kristaps Porzingis battling his never-ending battle with illness, and Jimmy Butler being out for the season, they are still finding ways to overcome the Rockets.

On Thursday night, the Warriors assembled a ragtag crew and pulled out an impressive 115-113 victory in overtime, thanks in large part to Kevin Durant’s shortcomings at the free-throw line.

Durant made 33 consecutive free throws on the night. And as bad luck would have it As is the case for the Rockets every time they face the Warriors, they missed twice in a row at the most inopportune time.

With the Rockets trailing by three, 113–110, D’Anthony Melton inexplicably fouled Durant on a three-point attempt. Melton would then thank his lucky stars that Durant missed his third free throw, putting the Warriors ahead by one, 113–112.

And then on the ensuing possession, with Houston trailing by three due to Melton’s putback layup, Durant, who was supposed to make the first free throw and miss the second to give Houston a chance to tie the game, proceeded to do the exact opposite.

What KD did in times of crisis is a bit suspicious

Thanks for the missed free throws and dub though 😭pic.twitter.com/UA8Es98DMh

– WarriorsCulture (@GSWCulture) 6 March 2026

The Rockets lost 115-113, another disappointing effort against a team that looks weak on paper in comparison.

Fans criticize ‘choker’ Kevin Durant for missed FT in Rockets loss

Durant was always going to try his best against his former team the Warriors and former rival Draymond Green. These late free-throw mistakes hurt even more, especially when fans called him “choker” on social media.

X user @JohanMM_ wrote, “Kevin Durant is the greatest choker alive. He missed two free throws in the clutch during overtime.”

@BronsClone said, “Durant was such a choker-worthy snake.”

@WillWentGlobal added, “F**k the Rockets… F**k Kevin Durant. Professional choke artist.”

The Milwaukee Bucks faltered again, falling to 26-35 after losing 131-113 to the Atlanta Hawks at Fiserv Forum. Giannis Antetokounmpo played well but could not help his team. Following the Bucks’ loss, according to Eurohoops’ Johnny Askonis recap, Antetokounmpo lamented the loss and challenged his team afterward.

“I was a little disappointed. I feel like when you’re down 11 or 12, you just have to play smart, try to take the best shots possible, be in the right spots. At the end of the day, we all have to be on the same page,” Antetokounmpo told Askonis.

Antetokounmpo scored 24 points while making 10 of 15 shots from the floor. However, the rest of the players of his team could not do anything special. The offense still shot 50% on the night, but allowed the Hawks to shoot 54.3%, including 44.4% from triples.

The Bucks led 38-25 after the first quarter. Eventually, things fell apart later. While the Bucks led 71–66 at halftime, a poor third quarter performance doomed them, giving the Hawks the lead for good.

The team sits at 26-35, there is still time to make a run and at least clinch one of the play-in spots. Yet the Bucks are five games behind the Hawks for the final play-in spot, leading many to believe the team will miss the playoffs. Antetokounmpo acknowledged the situation and questioned what the plan was.

“We have to decide, do we wave the white flag, or do we come together and try to play hard and push for the last 21 games?” Antetokounmpo asked.

The Bucks will have a few days to prepare for their next game, which will be at home against the Utah Jazz on Saturday.

The New York Knicks did not have enough effort to overcome the Oklahoma City Thunder, as they lost 103–100. In close games like this, sometimes one or two things happen that change the trajectory of the game, and for the Knicks, they believe it was the referees that had a lot to do with the outcome.

After the game, head coach Mike Brown talked about Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his ability to manipulate the referees into thinking he was being fouled.

“SGA, that’s a tough cover,” Brown said. “He does a very good job of convincing the refs, probably better than anyone in the league, that he’s getting hit.”

The one thing people have always criticized about Gilgeous-Alexander is his game and how he gets to the free-throw line. Against the Knicks, he only attempted seven free throws, as that number has been higher at times.

Jalen Brunson took it further when talking about the refs, but they had physical evidence of a foul that probably should have been called. Brunson had a black eye and after the game a reporter asked him about it.

“Probably no call,” Brunson said.

Jalen Brunson has a scratch under his eye after playing with the Thunder

“Maybe no-call”

(via @sny_knicks)pic.twitter.com/we3pIYRiKF

– FullCourtPass (@FullCourtPass) 5 March 2026

There may be a possibility that Brown may receive a letter in his mailbox, but Brunson may be safe. Either way, it’s clear that both of them were not fans of how the game was being run against them.

It seems like the way the Thunder play, especially on defense, has made a lot of people fall for them and made them difficult to stop. When teams try to copy what he does, it usually results in foul play, which has been frustrating for some throughout the season.

The Knicks didn’t let them bother them much during the game and they still managed to give themselves a chance in the end.

In what has become a familiar result, the Vancouver Canucks lost again. This time, it was a 6–4 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes at Rogers Arena.

The Canucks held the first-period lead for a while. Nevertheless, Nikolaj Ehlers scored a hat trick for Carolina, including an empty-netter with 14 seconds remaining, concluding the victory.

The Hurricanes came out flying and put the pressure on Vancouver almost immediately, with Carolina outscoring the Canucks 12-1 in the first nine minutes. Still, the Canucks answered, at least early on, and for any fans looking for a glimmer of hope, that part matters.

Andrei Svechnikov opened the scoring on a Carolina power play 1:17 into the game, but Marco Rossi tied it on the man advantage at 16:31, and Filip Hronek later scored to put the Canucks up 2–1 before intermission.

Hronek finished with a goal and two assists, while Elias Pettersson added two assists in one of Vancouver’s better offensive nights in weeks.

when things went wrong

It broke in the second period. again.

Sean Walker made it 2-2 at 2:30, Ehlers made it 3-2 at 4:19, and Sebastian Aho pushed it to 4-2 on another quick chance at 11:53.

NHL.com noted that Kevin Lankinen was pulled after allowing four goals on 22 shots, and the switch did not settle things as Ehlers scored on the first shot faced by Nikita Tolopilo for a 5–2 lead less than a minute later.

That explosive sequence was fatal. The Canucks pushed back, but the hole was already deep.

Brock Boeser scored on a 5-on-3 late in the second, then Nils Hoglander made it 5-4 on Pettersson’s one-timer at 6:45 of the third.

For a moment, it looked like the Canucks might steal some of the chaos back. Brandon Bussey made a late save for Carolina, and Ehlers completed a hat trick with an empty-net goal.

A slim bright spot for Canucks fans

The one real positive was the power play. The Canucks scored twice with the man advantage, the first time the Canucks have done so since January 2 against Seattle.

Foote said the group is working on it, and with so many bad nights, an increase in confidence is at least something to point to.

It’s also the second 10-goal Canucks game this season, following a wild 8-5 loss at Florida in November. It’s not exactly the kind of category Canucks fans want to revisit, but it does underline how loose the game has become.

nhl draft lottery update

The Canucks sit at 43 points, and the NHL Draft Lottery conversation is no longer a background topic. It’s front and center now.

The standings changed Wednesday night and St. Louis beat Seattle 3-2, moving the Rangers to 31st with 54 points, while the Canucks remained buried in the high-pick mix.

With the March 7 trade deadline approaching, this matters. Advancing in the playoffs no longer seems realistic, and the conversation has clearly shifted toward what can be built from here.

NEW YORK – The New York Knicks lost 103-100 to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, facing a tough challenge from the reigning NBA champions. This was the Knicks’ first success over a top-seeded Western Conference club, having already failed to defeat the East’s number Q seed, the Detroit Pistons, three times.

Despite some notable losses, the Knicks have performed better than last season against top teams under new head coach Mike Brown. The coach did not describe the game as important, but stressed the importance of learning from the match post-match.

“Seeing what they did, how they did it, why we shot 28% from three. Why this happened, why that happened. It’s a great learning experience,” Brown told reporters at Madison Square Garden. “It doesn’t matter if you – you want to win. But it doesn’t matter if you win or lose. And seeing the competitiveness from our guys was something I love, as well as the physicality.”

The process-to-results mentality fits the coach, who uses the regular season as an information-gathering period to get the most out of his personnel in the postseason. He has often said that the Knicks’ regular season losses are treated as learning opportunities, not failed opportunities to compete.

No matter how one spins it, the Knicks’ margin of error in the playoffs continues to shrink. Will these regular season losses become a topic of discussion if the team fails to deliver in the postseason?

The pressure to outperform last season’s Eastern Conference Finals appearance was already intense prior to the season. And with six weeks left in the NBA playoffs, it looks like it’s only going to keep on going.

Final preview? Brown, Daigneault both play it cool

Brown downplayed the significance of the matchup after the game, telling reporters that he believed the regular season “statement games” were contradictory.

The coach said, “I don’t believe in statement games just because in the playoffs, it’s a different season, you know? … They’re one of the elite teams defensively. You can probably get more from that film than a team that might be 29th defensively.”

Mark Daigneault shared a similar sentiment before the game, telling reporters that the Knicks are a “great test” for his Thunder and crediting New York with being one of the best groups in the league. Asked by the coach if he thought of games like Wednesday as a potential Finals preview, he quickly replied that it was still too early in March to have any thoughts about playoff matchups.

Brown clearly values ​​the opportunity for teams like the Thunder to test his Knicks’ ability. However, his zoomed-out approach to these games, viewing them as data points that span a long season as opposed to the confrontation of individual battles, is representative of the exact philosophical shift the Knicks’ front office wanted from their coaching change.

New York will travel to Oklahoma City in late March for the teams’ second and final regular season matchup. After this, one thing is clear whether Daigneault wants to accept it or not. If these teams meet again, it will be in the 2026 NBA Finals.

The Chicago Bulls got some bad news on Tuesday after losing 116-108 to the Oklahoma City Thunder. After the completion Removed in third quarter Matas Bouzelis received more bad news due to a foot injury.

After the game, head coach Billy Donovan officially confirmed According to Casey Johnson of Chicago Sports Network, Bouzelis suffered a sprained ankle. It came on the Thunder’s end of the floor late in the third quarter. Buzzelis stepped on a player’s foot and fell down. Shortly thereafter, he was seen limping and was taken back to the locker room.

Eventually, Bouzelis returned to the bench, but quickly withdrew and did not play in the fourth quarter. A few minutes earlier, Josh Giddy had rolled his ankle and was seen limping. He was taken out of the game, but remained on the bench. Ultimately, Giddy went back on the floor and finished with a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds. Additionally, he was one rebound shy of a triple-double with nine rebounds.

On the way, giddy officially tied Derrick Rose is fifth on the Bulls’ all-time list of double-doubles by guards with 51.

Donovan said Bouzelis is day-to-day. Additionally, Donovan said Giddy also has a sprained ankle. Both will be evaluated on Wednesday.

Overall, Bouzelis played 20 minutes and finished with 11 points and five rebounds. The Bulls are now 25-37 and have lost 15 of their last 17 games. Now, the Bulls are set to embark on a five-game road trip. already in chicago Many players in the injured list, Which includes Jalen Smith, Patrick Williams, Anfernee Simmons and Jaden Ivey.

Bouzelis has played 61 games this year and is averaging 15.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.

There is no such thing as a rivalry between the Toronto Raptors and the New York Knicks, as the New York Knicks always beats the former. On Tuesday night, the Knicks used an excellent two-way effort late in the game to complete a season series sweep of the Raptors and win 111-95 on the road.

This is the Raptors’ fourth loss of the season to the Knicks, and none of those losses have been particularly close. New York has outscored Toronto by a total of 81 points in those games this season, and it’s become clear that the Raptors are not in the same league as the Knicks.

The Raptors’ latest loss is yet another loss against a team with a top-10 record, and it’s such a troubling sign and a foreboding sign that they won’t be able to do much in the postseason. Nonetheless, head coach Darko Rajakovic believes his team can get it right, although he admitted they could not do so on Tuesday.

“When the time is right, it wasn’t tonight,” Rajakovic said in response to a question from Sportsnet’s Michael Grange. When will they be able to get another win against a top-10 team?

Raptors are showing signs of being exhibitionists

The Raptors looked good early in the season, and it helped that they were dominant against the current number one team in the Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers. But their troubles against good teams remain and to become the best they have to beat the best. And Toronto has failed on this front.

The good news is that the Raptors are still fifth in the Eastern Conference and if the season ended today, they would face the Cavs in the first round of the playoffs – a team they have dispatched of three times already this season.

Victor Wembanyama sent a clear message on the unique situation of the San Antonio Spurs after Tuesday night’s emphatic 131-91 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Vembanayama did not need much time to strengthen Philadelphia’s defense. In 24 minutes of action, he finished with a stat line of 10 points, eight rebounds, six blocks, four assists and three steals. He shot 3 of 5 from the field, including 1 of 5 from beyond the arc, and 3 of 5 from the free-throw line.

Vembanyama reflected on the victory after the game. Enjoying a strong campaign for San Antonio, the young superstar center sent a bold message about the team’s quality compared to the rest of the league.

“When we play like this as a team, I think we’re the best team in the world,” Wembanyama said.

“When we play like this as a team, I think we’re the best team in the world.”

Victor Wembanyama after Spurs’ 40-point win over the Sixers 🗣️

(via @NBAonNBC)

pic.twitter.com/JPtz4DzV37

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 4 March 2026

Victor Wembanyama, how the Spurs played against the 76ers

Victor Wembanyama continues to stake his claim as one of the best superstars in the league. Furthermore, the Spurs have made serious progress as playoff contenders, their blowout win over the 76ers being another example.

The game started out close as San Antonio led only 32–25 after the first quarter. Despite this, the Spurs took a dominant lead in the second and third periods with an 81–39 performance and never looked back.

Eight players scored in double figures for San Antonio in the win, including Wembanyama. Devin Vassell led the team with 22 points, five rebounds, two steals, one assist and one block. He made 7 of 10 shots overall, including 6 of 8 from downtown. Dylan Harper came next with 22 points and two assists, Stephon Cassel had 15 points and 10 assists, Keldon Johnson added 12 points and nine rebounds, while De’Aaron Fox and Carter Bryant each provided 11 points apiece.

San Antonio improved to a 44–17 record on the season and finished second in the Western Conference standings. They are 5.5 games above the Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves while three games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Spurs will remain at home awaiting their next matchup. They will host the Detroit Pistons as tip-off takes place on March 5 at 8 pm ET.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault watched All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dominate for four quarters before sitting out the extra period of Friday’s 127-121 overtime win against the Denver Nuggets. In the Western Conference Semifinal rematch, the physical relationship between the two teams began with a flourish, as Gilgeous-Alexander earned a technical foul against Nikola Jokic in the first quarter.

However, Daigneault and Gilgeous-Alexander, returning after missing the previous nine games due to an abdominal injury, scored a set Unannounced minutes restriction He continued doing his work. Gilgeous-Alexander played just under 34 minutes (33:46) in regulation, which Daigneault pointed to as the end of SGA’s night regardless of game status.

“He’s coming off a 24-day injury. He’s coming back to play. One of the conditions to get him on the court tonight is to hold him to a certain point in terms of minutes,” Daigneault said. “We actually discussed that situation with both him and [Hartenstein] Before the game. Just so we can all be clear, in a non-emotional moment, that if we were in that situation, this is what we would do.

“We obviously did that. I understand it’s a little unconventional, but, at the end of the day, we’re trying to prioritize the health of our players as they come back from injury.”

While starting center Isaiah Hartenstein was under the same restriction due to a calf strain, Jaylin Williams finished the game, as Jared McCann started the extra period in place of the Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

“Incredible effort by the people who were there. The rest of the team had no idea we had that conversation,” Daigneault said. “We took over the MVP and our starter at the beginning of overtime, and they attacked that game. They deserve a lot of credit for that.”

Mark Daigneault on SGA sitting out in OT: “He’s coming off a 24-day injury. Getting back to playing. One of the conditions to get him on the court tonight is to keep him at a certain point in terms of minutes.

“We actually discussed that situation with both him and [Hartenstein]” pic.twitter.com/WjoOQwiwO9

-Joshua Peacock (@Joe_Sway) 28 February 2026

Gilgeous-Alexander had 36 points, nine assists, three rebounds, two blocks and two steals as the Thunder rebounded by 16 points in the second half. Chet Holmgren finished with a career-high 21 rebounds, 15 points and three blocks. Jared McCann led the bench with 14 points on 6-for-8 shooting, including a pair of threes.

Lu Dort’s flagrant -2 leads to scuffle between Nikola Jokic vs. Thunder

Thunder veteran Lou Dort earned a crucial 2-0 with 8:03 remaining in the fourth quarter by outplaying Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic, which led to a physical altercation between the MVP candidate and Thunder center Jaylin Williams.

After review, officials deemed Lu Dort’s foul against Nikola Jokic “unnecessary and excessive”, upgrading his simple foul to a serious foul penalty two and ejecting him from the game. Williams and Jokic received double technical fouls, ending Dort’s night.

Jokic finished with an impressive triple-double (23 points, 17 rebounds, 14 assists) as the Nuggets lost to the Thunder by six points in overtime.

There is no way around it. This is the worst possible time for the Chicago Bulls. On Thursday, they finished February without a win, losing to the Portland Trail Blazers 121–112.

The Bulls’ losing streak stands at 11, and they are five games shy of the franchise record of 16 set in 2001.

On Friday, former Bulls player turned analyst Stacey King made a bold request to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on his Gimme the Hot Sauce podcast. He is asking the Bulls to acquire the No. 1 draft pick before the lottery.

“It’s time to make Chicago basketball relevant again,” he said.

Stacey urges Adam Silver to bless the Chicago Bulls with the #1 pick in the draft😉⬆️

“It’s time to make Chicago basketball relevant again”

🎙️:https://t.co/LPxfvRzPIG pic.twitter.com/0Oxik6VAi6

– Gimme the Hot Sauce Podcast (@gimmehotsauce21) 27 February 2026

Chicago is now 24-36 after the loss to the Trail Blazers. On Sunday, they’ll kick off March by taking on the Milwaukee Bucks at home. Then, next Tuesday they will play at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Recently, there has been speculation that Chicago is focusing on sports in order to be in a position to secure higher draft picks. However, Matas Buzelis completely rejected those claims and said that the Bulls are playing to win.

Recently, the NBA has been taking steps to combat tanking. Chicago is adjusting to a new roster dynamic after making seven trades that sent out Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, Nikola Vucevic and Kevin Huerter.

King is best known for playing for Chicago during the teams first three-peat from 1991 to 1993. Overall, he played in Chicago from 1989 to 1994.

Since 2007, he has become a popular analyst for the franchise. He is currently working for Chicago Sports Network. Additionally, King is the co-host of the popular Gimme the Hot Sauce podcast.

Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton tempted the basketball gods and karma when he reportedly complained that the team is trying to turn him into a version of lob threat/rim-runner Clint Capela. Less than 48 hours later, he had to pay a heavy price for those alleged locker-room comments. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft scored two points on 1-3 shooting with four rebounds and a steal. He was -24 on the court against the Phoenix Suns, as LA lost 113-110 at the Mortgage Matchup Center.

Royce O’Neal deserves the spotlight after hitting the game-winning 3-pointer with less than a second left on the clock, but the public is focusing most of its attention on Ayton. In the Lakers’ second consecutive disastrous loss, he disappeared against his former team and was force-fed a bigger slice of the modest pie. His performance tells the story effectively, but fans are expressing their opinions on the matter.

NBA fans flock to the Lakers’ Deandre Ayton

Chris Walder of Odds Shark posted on X, “Deandre Ayton said the Los Angeles Lakers were trying to make him Clint Capela, and in his first game after those comments, he started playing like Kwame Brown.”

For those wondering, Capela recorded four points, six rebounds, three assists and four blocks in just 17 minutes of action as the Houston Rockets defeated the Orlando Magic on the same night as Ayton’s loss.

@BeenHim16 declared, “On everything I love, if Deandre Ayton wasn’t 7 feet tall, he would literally be my DoorDash.” @jeff_on_sports commented, “The Deandre Ayton signing is going exactly like the haters said it would.” “Finally earned the #1 pick for the Suns,” @The_MilesFiles quipped. “Their best player tonight.”

Ouch. Ayton has experienced some good moments while wearing the purple and gold – totaling 21 points and 13 boards on Tuesday vs. the Magic – but his first season in L.A. has not gone as fans expected. The 27-year-old entered the Suns clash averaging 13.2 points and 8.5 rebounds in 49 games. Fans criticize him, but when at his best he can be a real difference maker.

Ayton has averaged a double-double for his career, so he should have the ability to make a consistent impact. However, Lakers and NBA fans aren’t seeing it. After this difficult run in Phoenix, the Bahamian has reached a crucial point in his Los Angeles tenure. He could allow himself to be filled with conflict and subsequent ridicule, or he could use this low point as motivation for the remainder of the campaign.

Which path will he take?

The Los Angeles Lakers suffered their third straight loss after a 113-110 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Thursday. The game ended much like the team’s loss to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday due to poor execution late in the game. When asked after the game where the Lakers’ frustration lay, Austin Reaves summed it up in just two words, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

“Very high,” Reeves said during his postgame media session.

The difference between the Magic game and Thursday night was that the Lakers took the shot they wanted late in the game. Against the Magic, Luka Doncic was freed by a Deandre Ayton screen to take the potential game-winner. In a shocking moment, he passed the ball to LeBron James, who was hurried off the field.

Trailing by three against the Suns and trying to send the game into overtime, Austin Reaves ran through a series of screens to free himself in the corner for an open three. Marcus Smart found it, but his shot was a little poor.

Like the Magic game, the Lakers blew a double-digit lead in the second half, only to see the Suns come back and take the lead. When the game gets closer, all the little things add up. According to Khobi Price of the California Post, for Reaves, there were too many mistakes for the Lakers on the margin that could have changed the outcome if they had been better.

“Control the controllable things. There were some plays tonight where I thought if we were better, it could swing the game,” Reeves said. “Every possession matters. It sounds like a cliché because there are so many of them, but it can swing the game in any direction throughout the game. One little play, one little mistake can fire up a crowd, fire up a team, whatever it is. Control those possessions.”

Against the Suns, Reeves finished with 14 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals. It was only his third game in the starting lineup since being put on a minutes restriction following his return from a calf injury.

The Lakers’ mini road trip concludes with a visit to the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. The team will then return home on Sunday evening for a second consecutive night in town with the Sacramento Kings.

The Los Angeles Lakers are in a slump. They have not been in good form of late, losing their last three games and five of their last seven.

The latest was another painful incident that went down to the wire, as Los Angeles suffered a clutch 3-pointer from Royce O’Neal in a 113-110 road loss to the Phoenix Suns.

The losses are really piling up for JJ Redick’s team, making the Lakers ever-more intense spotlight.

Redick also raised the same issue after the failure in Phoenix.

“Our losses stand out more than other teams. Because we’re the Lakers — and that’s how we lose,” Redick said, via Benjamin Royer of the Orange County Register.

To refresh, the Lakers were shut out by the Boston Celtics in a 111-109 loss on Sunday at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, before losing 110-109 at home to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday.

That magical game ending made it difficult for Lakers fans to accept the loss. Then, against the Suns, Los Angeles was defeated by a perfectly executed game by Phoenix, which also featured Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks.

Luka Doncic had 41 points in the loss to the Suns, while LeBron James and Austin Reaves combined for 29 points.

However, the Lakers were repeatedly hurt by Phoenix’s outside shooting, with the Suns making 22 3-pointers at an absurd success rate of 44 percent. It’s always tough to beat teams that shoot so well, but the Lakers could have gotten an even better performance from Doncic’s supporting cast, including Deandre Ayton, who scored just two points and four rebounds in 23 minutes.

The Miami Heat put forth a great effort in the second half, but ultimately failed to get the job done and lost 124-117 to the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Thursday.

The Heat came back from a 16-point deficit at halftime to take an 81–80 lead midway through the third quarter. The 76ers took control of the game before the Heat once again took the driver’s seat 117–116 with only 2:44 left in the final frame.

But that was the last time he scored, as Philadelphia escaped with a hard-fought victory.

As for Bam Adebayo, it was clear that he doomed himself with his poor performance in the first half.

“We didn’t play hard enough,” Adebayo said, as quoted by Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald.

“We didn’t work hard enough, brother. I mean, I don’t know how to explain effort.”

It was not clear whether Adebayo, 28, was upset or frustrated, but it seemed as if he wanted to sound the alarm. He has always been vocal and accountable after a loss, knowing that he is the leader of the team.

The Heat, who lost 31–29, lost Norman Powell in the first half with a groin injury.

They allowed the 76ers to score 73 points in the first half, as Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and Kelly Oubre Jr. were on the offensive end.

Overall, Philadelphia shot 48% from the field and scored 50 points in the paint.

Adebayo had 29 points on 10 of 20 shooting, 14 rebounds and three assists. Tyler Herro added 25 points, four rebounds and seven assists off the bench.

A new report shows that despite Wednesday’s disappointing loss to rival Iowa at home, Ohio State head coach Jake Diebler is in no danger of being fired after this season.

Former associate head coach Jake Diebler has done a solid job during his two and a half seasons leading the Buckeyes. He was thrust into the lead role during the 2023–24 season after his predecessor Chris Holtmann was fired. However, he led Ohio State basketball to eight wins and the final 11 and created new hope.

Last season, a first-time head coach was given considerable leeway to learn on the job and oversee a good 17-15 team in 2024-25. However, this meant that he would not play in the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season. Heading into this season, there were more expectations that Deibler could end that streak and get the program back into the tournament and, hopefully, win a game or two.

Unfortunately, over the past month, Ohio State has struggled. The Buckeyes are 4-6 since a loss to Michigan on Jan. 23. The latest blow came on Wednesday when OSU was defeated by Iowa on its home court by a score of 74-57. The loss dropped their record to 17–11 and put them in a position where they would have to win their final three games to have any chance of reaching the tournament.

Jake Diebler’s job at Ohio State is safe

The loss also reignited speculation that perhaps Deibler isn’t the guy to end his streak coming out of March Madness, and perhaps that could change in the spring. Well, according to Adam Jarry, the coach is in no danger of losing his job at the moment.

During an appearance on 97.1 The Fan t-bone and tyvisThe Columbus Dispatch OSU reporter claimed that basketball decision makers “understand the resources available and understand the playbook the program has been given to work with.” And they know they haven’t given Diebler enough opportunities to be competitive.

“There’s frustration there. Everyone would like things to get better, but if you get my drift, I don’t get the sense that this is setting up something big,” Jardi said.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green is listed as questionable for Wednesday night’s road matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies due to management of a lower back injury, the team has announced in its latest injury report.

The Warriors (30-28) are set to conclude their two-game road trip against Memphis (21-35) with tipoff at 4:30 pm PT. Golden State enters the contest looking to bounce back after a 113-109 loss to the 17-win New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday.

Green played 32 minutes in the loss, finishing with 11 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two blocks. He made 5 of 11 shots from the field and connected on one 3-pointer while serving as the primary facilitator in the half court.

The 35-year-old has appeared in 48 games this season, averaging 8.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 26.6 minutes per contest. He is shooting 41% from the field and 32% from beyond the arc. Green’s availability continues to be a key factor for a Warriors team that is nearing .500 as it strives for a playoff position in the Western Conference.

Draymond Green’s status headlines Warriors’ injury report vs. Grizzlies

Golden State also ruled out De’Anthony Melton for Wednesday’s game with a left knee injury. Melton scored a season-high 28 points in Tuesday’s loss, leading all scorers. He recorded four rebounds, three assists and one steal while shooting 8 for 20 from the field, 3 for 9 from 3-point range and 9 for 11 from the free-throw line in 28 minutes.

The 27-year-old guard is averaging 12.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.6 steals per game in 31 games, including seven starts. He is shooting 42.4% from the field and 29.1% from 3-point distance.

The Warriors’ full injury report includes:

• Jimmy Butler III – Outside (right ACL; surgery)
• LJ Cryer – Outside (G League – Two-Way)
• Seth Curry – Outside (left sciatic nerve irritation)
• Stephen Curry – Outside (right patellofemoral pain syndrome)
• Draymond Green – Suspicious (Management of left lower back injury)
• D’Anthony Melton – Outside (left knee injury management)
• Kristaps Porzingis – Outside (Disease)
• Nate Williams – Outside (G League – Two-Way)

Following Wednesday’s contest, Golden State will return to San Francisco to host the Los Angeles Lakers (34-23) in a nationally televised game on ABC on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

The Los Angeles Lakers haven’t been very inspiring in terms of being legitimate title contenders this season, as their defense has been so bad for so long that it’s hard to believe they can field a defense that’s good enough to compete, especially in the loaded West. But they have been excellent in clutch games and they have been good at maintaining leads, which is why they remain in the top six in the West standings despite concerns about the underlying numbers.

However, on Tuesday night, the Lakers failed at the things they should have been good at. They were ahead after three quarters in their contest against the Orlando Magic (80–79 after three), and they were in the midst of a clutch game against a Mideastern Conference team. They somehow lost, as a combination of late-game hesitation and late-game defensive issues doomed the Lakers.

According to X user @dmai21, the Purple and Gold have now lost their first game this season after the Magic broke the Lakers’ hearts 110-109 courtesy of Wendell Carter Jr.’s game-winner after leading after three quarters. They won their first 25 such games this season, but now, the Magic have dealt them a devastating blow.

Lakers’ defensive issues come to the fore in tough times

Luka Doncic suffered a tough shooting night, but began to bounce back toward the end of the game. It looked like he was going to take over the game, but instead, he hesitated to take the last shot, which put LeBron James in such a difficult situation with the clock running out – leading to the Lakers’ loss.

But it is LA’s defense that is to blame for their latest defeat. They allowed the Magic to score 58 points in the paint, with Paolo Banchero repeatedly driving to the basket. The game-winner he allowed came due to his inability to control the defensive boards.

The Lakers are going to have to do some soul-searching if they want to figure it out this season.

The battle between the Los Angeles Lakers and Orlando Magic at Crypto.com Arena has a tendency to go straight down to the wire, and their contest on Tuesday night was no different. However, the Magic prevailed in the end – Wendell Carter Jr.’s putback layup proved to be the difference in a 110–109 defeat.

It looked like the Lakers had the momentum in the fourth, but their defense failed to stop them when they needed to. They took a 109–108 lead after a lazy defensive possession by the Magic that gave LeBron James room for the go-ahead wide-open dunk, but they could not complete the defensive stop as Orlando regained possession after a midrange miss from Paolo Banchero, leading to Carter’s game-winner.

The Lakers still had a chance to win, but Luka Doncic missed open three-point attempts twice to win the game, causing James to take a difficult turnaround shot for the game-winning attempt, which he missed.

After the game, head coach JJ Redick summed up The Lakers fell to 34–23 on the season.

“We’re a work in progress,” Redick said in his postgame presser via @ohnohedidnt24 on X (formerly Twitter).

JJ Redick: “We’re a work in progress” pic.twitter.com/Vjd9KZoIIq

– Oh no, he didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) 25 February 2026

The Lakers’ defense needs a lot of work

The Lakers’ defense was very good in the final few months of the 2024-25 season, but it hasn’t quite clicked in this current campaign. DeAndre Ayton suffers from letdowns, Doncic and Austin Reaves have their shortcomings on that end of the field, James is aging, and the team doesn’t yet have the personnel to build a strong defensive infrastructure.

They currently rank 24th in the NBA in defensive rating, allowing 116.6 points per 100 possessions. It may take the Lakers another year or two before they can maximize the roster around Doncic.

If there was any hope that the understaffed, dysfunctional Golden State Warriors could regain some momentum after their disappointing win over the Denver Nuggets, it came crashing down in the bayou.

The Warriors lost badly to the New Orleans Pelicans, 113–109. Although the close score indicated a highly contested, competitive affair, it spoke more about the Dubs’ weak offensive performance in the first quarter, in which they made only 8 of 25 shots, which they ultimately could not overcome.

And while Moses Moody continued his consistent play with 24 points and five rebounds, and De’Anthony Melton exploded for 28 points in just 28 minutes, Pelicans star Zion Williamson proved unstoppable in the end with a team-high 26 points on 11 of 21 shooting. After the game, Steve Kerr evaluated the Dubs’ tremendous performance.

Kerr said, “I don’t know what ‘Down the Stretch’ got us. It was all 48 minutes.” “21 turnovers. We didn’t execute very well offensively. The spacing was bad. Transition, we had three potential layups in the first half. We didn’t run, we didn’t cut to the rim, we didn’t get to the corners. We just looked disjointed.”

The Warriors felt frustrated all night as bad basketball troubled them up and down the hardwood. Midway through the third quarter, the broadcast showed a heated exchange between Quinton Post and Brandin Podziemski as the two walked toward the bench, with Draymond Green having to step in between the two to stop things from escalating.

And while the Warriors had a chance to steal this game from the jaws of their poor play, unsurprisingly the aggression died down, and they couldn’t dig themselves out of the hole they dug for themselves.

Offense remains a problem without their stars

It’s no surprise that the Warriors’ offense has struggled with consistency lately. With Stephen Curry in a day-to-day funk due to his swollen runner’s knee, Jimmy Butler out for the season, and Kristaps Porzingis suffering from a nasty, undisclosed illness, Golden State lacks an on-ball creator or engine to center the offense.

Kerr has talked about the need for a “trigger” for the defense to struggle in the post, i.e., Curry’s snapping or Butler drawing double teams. But without him, they don’t have what it takes to lead a drought like the one they suffered against the Pelicans.

And sure, Melton can get penetration, and Moody can run around a screen off-ball, but in 48 minutes of play, they need more. What they did against Denver is certainly at the extreme end of what’s possible when everything is humming. But ultimately, an outing of sorts is required to keep everything running smoothly. That means no messy transitions, no missed opportunities.

For this, good movement of the ball and hitting open shots is required. And the Warriors didn’t do it in New Orleans.

“The game was perfect for us, we just couldn’t perform well enough,” Kerr said. “With the injuries we’ve had, we have to play well to win. And I don’t think we played well tonight.”

Resting Al Horford on the front end of the back-to-back certainly didn’t help, and they’ll bring him back against the Memphis Grizzlies. But help will not come soon. Curry’s re-evaluation won’t come until the end of the week, and knowing his tendency to lean conservative upon returns from injury, there will likely be a ramp-up process before he returns. Meanwhile, Porzingis may have the Warriors’ worst fear confirmed with this latest health scare.

The Dubs will look to bounce back with a game at Memphis in less than 24 hours.

Other notables

• To add insult to injury for the Dubs, Jonathan Kuminga looked quite comfortable in his Atlanta Hawks debut. 25 points, 7 rebounds on 9/12 FGs against the tanking Washington Wizards. It’s only one game, and against a bad team at that, but the Kuminga era in Atlanta is off to a good start.
• Porzingis did not make the trip south, ruling him out for Memphis. It is unknown what specifically caused his illness. He has a history of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), which the Warriors were aware of when they traded for him, but the Warriors have not confirmed if this ongoing illness has anything to do with it. Kerr said the condition was so severe Sunday that Porzingis was unable to leave his hotel room.
• NBC Sports Bay Area has begun adding live graphics to its broadcasts. There are things like a gray circle hovering below who has the ball, names popping up whenever someone gets the ball, and a distance counter whenever someone shoots from deep. Looks like NBA 2K and it’s driving many viewers (including me) forward.

The Toronto Raptors suffered a disappointing 116-107 loss at home to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night. What made this loss even more disappointing for the Raptors was that the Thunder were shorthanded; The defending champions were without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, but Toronto allowed Cason Wallace to score 27 points on 11-16 shooting from the field and 4-5 from beyond the arc.

Taken in isolation, this harm is not as worrisome. The Thunder have a deep team that remains dangerous despite the absence of SGA and J-Dub, and losing to the best team in the NBA is no shame. But a deeper look at the Raptors’ results reveals a very worrying trend that doesn’t bode well for their chances of making a deep playoff run.

As TSN’s Josh Levenberg reported, the Raptors are now 4-14 against NBA top-10 teams (in terms of win-loss record). Three of those wins came against the Cleveland Cavaliers before James Harden was brought in and rejuvenated the team, while the other win came against OKC in late January.

The Raptors have regularly struggled against the best teams in the NBA, but the old saying goes that to be the best, one has to beat the best. So far, Toronto isn’t passing that test.

The Raptors may just be a little short of being a legitimate contender

The Raptors may be struggling with the problem that their best shot-maker can get stuck against teams with elite defenses. Brandon Ingram has shown in the past that he can struggle when faced with defensive pressure, and Toronto’s other key players aren’t at a level where they can help compensate for each other’s weaknesses.

This doesn’t mean Toronto is a bad team; For some reason their record is a good 34-24. But the front office looking for stars on the trade market is making it known how they view this current squad.

same day chicago bulls welcomed back Coby White, they lost again. In front of the home crowd, the Bulls lost their 1st consecutive game to the Charlotte Hornets by 32 points, 131–99.

As a result, the bulls have Became the only winless team In the N.B.A., according to ESPN Insights. Additionally, Chicago has now lost seven consecutive home games. The Bulls are now 24-35.

This is the longest losing streak in franchise history at seven years. Matas Buzelis came in with a career-high 32 points, also hitting six 3-pointers. Additionally, he led the Bulls with six rebounds. Patrick Williams and Guershon Yabusele tied each other with 11 points. Meanwhile, Collin Sexton scored 10 points playing against his former team.

Josh Giddy finished with eight points of his own. Recently coming back from a hamstring injury. Isaac Okoro showed his consistency by scoring 7 points. Rob Dillingham led the team with five assists. White finished the game with 10 points in the Chicago comeback. During the first quarter, the bulls played a video tribute White is celebrating his time in Chicago.

The Bulls will face the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday in late February. If they had lost, they would have spent an entire month without winning a game. The last time Chicago won a game was on January 31 against the Miami Heat, 125–118. This was one of the last games in which White, Ayo Dosunmu, Nikola Vucevic and Kevin Huerter were present before being traded.

On Sunday, Chicago remains at home and begins March by playing against the Milwaukee Bucks.

On Sunday evening, the Los Angeles Clippers suffered their second consecutive loss with a close home loss to the Orlando Magic. It was a tightly contested game throughout, but ultimately, the Clippers fell when Benedict Mathurin’s last-second shot to win the game hit the back of the iron and fell out.

After the game, Kawhi Leonard, who passed out to Mathurin for an open look, had a supportive message for the Clippers’ recent trade acquisition from the Indiana Pacers.

According to Joe Lynn of Sports Illustrated on Twitter, “Ben got wide open. Unfortunately, he couldn’t do it. But that’s basketball. Things happen. We took a good look and he’ll be ready next time.”

Mathurin also got 100% real insight into the missed shots, as well as what it means to have someone like Leonard in his corner.

“It was great to have that experience. Obviously I wish I had made that shot, but there’s nothing I can do except work on it more… It means a lot. In my opinion, [Kawhi] He is one of the greatest players to ever play the game. So for them to come out to show love and support and show that there’s a lot more ahead of me – for a guy who’s made a lot of shots, it was great to see,” he said.

The Clippers have now lost two straight games following their recent win over the Denver Nuggets, but they are still comfortably in postseason position in the Western Conference, sitting five games above the Memphis Grizzlies for the final play-in spot.

Mathurin was acquired from the Pacers in exchange for big man Ivica Zubac as part of the Clippers’ trade deadline fire sale, in which they sent James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Darius Garland.

The Clippers next play on Thursday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Orlando Magic responded to Saturday’s devastating double-overtime loss to the Phoenix Suns with a 111-109 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night, relying on Desmond Benn’s leadership and scoring to steady the group. What Bane described as a “backbreaker” stretch during his time with the Memphis Grizzlies ensured Orlando avoided a similar decline.

Ben finished with 36 points, five rebounds, two steals and one assist while shooting 13-for-19 from the field, 4-for-6 from 3-point range and 6-for-10 from the free-throw line in 32 minutes. He posted a team-high plus-12 rating as the Magic improved to 30–26 on the season.

After the game, Ben reflected on the emotional impact of last night’s 113-110 loss in Phoenix, which ended on a buzzer-beater.

“I think it’s huge. Last night was emotional. The double overtime game, losing at the buzzer. I was telling some guys, as I remember last year in Memphis, we lost three games in a row. It felt like it was like the backbreaker of our season, just because you’re so emotional and you’re right there, but you came with us. So I’m really proud of our group. We did it the way we wanted to do it. We’re posing sitting down.” And safety, so that was good to see.

On Desmond Bain #magicalBounce-back victory #shear: :

“Last night was emotional…it felt like a back-breaking event…I’m really proud of our group that we did it the way we wanted to do it.” pic.twitter.com/Zj1MYkG4PO

– Julian Ojeda (@jowepafm) 23 February 2026

Grizzlies shape Desmond Benn’s impact with text magic

Benn’s comments referenced the tension with Memphis last season in which consecutive close losses stunted the Grizzlies’ momentum. Rather than allow history to repeat itself, he emphasized poise and defensive discipline against Los Angeles, helping the Magic avoid a potential emotional fallout.

The 27-year-old guard also addressed his development during his first season with the Orlando Magic, noting the adjustment period following his arrival.

“Yeah, I think it’s chemistry. I mean, I was like, a new member was being added to the team. We got Anthony Black, who came up and is playing a different kind of role this year. So I think everything takes time. I feel like I’m in a good place and confident in my work. [and] Just working hard.”

Bane has averaged 20.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and one steal per game in 56 appearances, while shooting 48.3% from the field, 38.8% from beyond the arc and a career-high 91.3% from the free-throw line in 34 minutes per contest.

Wendell Carter Jr. says ban is ‘exactly what we need’

Teammate Wendell Carter Jr., who recorded 15 points, 14 rebounds and three assists in 33 minutes against the Clippers, praised Benn’s consistency and approach.

“He reminds me of a lot of other guys in this league, guys who have established themselves and have the mentality that he’s going to play his game no matter what, his process is the same. Early on, he was struggling a little bit but one thing about it is he stuck to what he knows he’s good at. And now we’re seeing the benefits of trading for a guy like that. So it’s his continued advancement. It shows where he’s been in his league in terms of his performance.” One of the best conditions, shooting. [the] Three balls are out here to facilitate playmaking. Like, he’s exactly what we need. So he’s one of those guys, since the Portland game, it’s kind of like that time when the needle has started to trend up and he’s been climbing steadily.

#magicalWendell Carter Jr. on the influence of Desmond Bain:

“We’re looking at what it would be like to make a trade for a guy like that…he’s exactly what we need.”

He has been called “one of the best in the league at his position”. pic.twitter.com/mjICKCa7US

– Julian Ojeda (@jowepafm) 23 February 2026

Since the Magic’s 110–106 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on December 23, Ben has increased his production to 21.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.2 steals per game, while shooting 51.8% from the field, 41.9% from 3-point range and 90.4% from the line in 34.4 minutes. Those numbers put him in the 50-40-90 range in that segment.

Orlando concludes its four-game road trip against the Los Angeles Lakers (34-22) on Tuesday night at 10:30 PM ET. With momentum regaining momentum after a narrow loss, Benn’s experience and recent surge is helping the Magic advance in the second half of the season.

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ seven-game winning streak ended on Sunday, as the shorthanded Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the NBA’s hottest team with a 121-113 victory on their home floor. It’s the Cavs’ first loss since Jan. 30, before they acquired James Harden, Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder to join Donovan Mitchell, Kenny Atkinson and company at the trade deadline. After falling into a 28–5 hole in the opening seven minutes due to a 10-turnover start, Cleveland battled back.

“The recovery was great,” Harden said after the game. “Don’t turn the ball over, get shots at the rim, and then defensively, step back, stay in front of your man, contest shots. We’re pretty good. It’s just us doing that every night. It’s a different team. Even without Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander]without j-dub [Jalen Williams]They’re still obviously a very good defensive team.

Sam Merrill said, “Probably the best defense this league has seen in a while.” “Even with some of their leading scorers out, they still have a lot of good defensive players. You just get avalanches to start the game; that’s what happened last year. Obviously, we responded a lot better this time. Gotta figure out the turnovers. But that’s just not the way they defend. Even without SGA and Jalen Williams, they really move the ball. They cut, they pass. Obviously, they Shot the ball really well today.”

Led by Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe and Jaylin Williams, the Thunder made 14 of 22 three-ball attempts in the first half. The Cavs got into a better rhythm in the second quarter and hung on well enough to wreak havoc with the defensive pressure led by Ellis and Schroder, and the halftime margin was only nine. Merrill felt the Cavs made simple plays to counter the home team’s early punches.

“I think we got a little rushed to start. The margin probably wasn’t good to start with,” Merrill said. “You still want to play with speed, obviously, but doing that by getting into the right spots and not playing too fast, I think, has helped.”

Cleveland struggled to take the lead at times midway through the third quarter, yet OKC could not hold on.

Donovan Mitchell said, “Missed some easy looks, had some key defensive rebounds that we didn’t get. I’m not really worried about that start.” “The biggest thing is that once we got to the point where it was 67-67, for me it was, ‘Okay, how do we fix it from there?'”

“I felt like we had some bad offensive possessions that allowed them to get transition buckets,” Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “The quality of our shot wasn’t very good. I probably blame the offense more than the defense for that. With this team, you can’t give them possession, whether it’s turnovers or bad shots. They’re No. 1 in the league in transition efficiency. They cause turnovers, which is the equivalent of layups. And if you take bad shots, they go down, and they score.”

Although Atkinson didn’t like some of those possessions in the latter half of the game, Cleveland still shot 48.3% from the field and outrebounded the Thunder in the paint 56-40 overall. The problem is that OKC scored a total of 31 points on 17 possessions in the opener. The Cavs had 20 points each from Mitchell, Merrill and Harden, but the big players were not involved against the Thunder frontcourt, possibly due to the threat of their passing-lane defense.

The Cavs’ recurring problem comes at the wrong time.

Very often, especially in the final period, a familiar issue rears its head.

“I felt like they got some important offensive rebounds when we got stops,” Atkinson said. “We’ve got to clean it up. For me, that’s our Achilles heel right now, defensive rebounding. They got some big ones at the end. Best team in the league, extra possessions. It really hurts you.”

“I think we just have to work on rebounding,” Mitchell said. “That’s been an ongoing theme. We’ve got to bounce back and give ourselves a chance to get out there and get there. Once we get back [from the deficit]We were just giving them extra opportunities. Some people took shots, credit goes to them, it is not necessary that they always take shots. But at the same time, it’s easier to make threes when you don’t get the rebound. These are the things I focus on. We’ll see it on film and get better.”

If you look at the stat sheet, the battle of the boards was also at 44 copies. However, the difference between Chet Holmgren’s 15 and Evan Mobley’s 2 sticks like a sore thumb compared to the Jarrett Allen-Isaiah Hartenstein matchup that was in favor of the wine and gold (13-7).

These were the times OKC kept it alive or the key points in the game where the Cavs needed to come up with the basketball that hurt them. Gang rebounding needed to improve in those situations, especially when Mobley and Allen were switching near the perimeter.

“We missed some open looks, which happens, but we couldn’t get the boards,” Mitchell said. “Hertenstein, I think we were up one or the game was tied, and he scored six straight points, two of them off Hartenstein’s floaters. Little things like that. Or, we make a great possession play, the ball is on the floor, JA gets in the back door because we’re trying to scramble.

“It’s little things like that on top of rebounding. When you’re against a team like that, every little thing matters a lot. We’re not sitting here with our heads down. We’ve got things we can clean up, and we’ll figure it out and get better.”

After all, there’s no need to point any fingers after the new-look version of Cleveland loses its first game.

“We did a lot of positive things,” Mitchell said. “We’re still figuring things out as a group. Even in that fourth quarter, figuring out, ‘Okay, is it me or is Eve coming to set the screen? Is it JA? Is it Sam? Sam is Roller, what are you doing?’ There are a lot of things to figure out. At the end of the day, we won’t turn our heads over this. This is a part of it. “We weren’t going to go 29-0, but we still have stuff to clean up and fix.”

“Listen, it’s no excuse, but it’s a tough schedule: 3-in-4, afternoon games,” Atkinson said. “On the road, it makes it a little different. It is what it is, and we have to overcome those tough schedule games. I’m proud of the way the guys battled and gave us a chance.”

Although it may be lacking now, it could eventually pay off if Cleveland uses it correctly.

“This is our sixth game together,” Harden said. “I think it’s bigger than them. I think it’s on us every night, no matter who we’re playing. It’s a lot of things we’re still figuring out — rotations, lineups, all that stuff. Once we get to that and figure out how we’re playing and the lineups and all that, we’ll be a lot better. But give them credit, they played a great game today and we still have some work to do.”

“The games and the reps. You look at this team. They’ve had postseason failures a few years and they’re finally over the hump. It all takes time, so these games are very valuable. We’ve got to cherish them like practice in games because it’s our sixth game. Lesson learned. Watch film, get better, and be ready for the next game.”

The honeymoon phase is officially over for Daryl Morey in the City of Brotherly Love. After Saturday night’s crushing 126-111 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, the Philadelphia 76ers faithful have been reached breaking point, and the target of their anger isn’t the players; This is the front office.

With Joel Embiid sidelined, the Sixers’ glaring lack of depth was exposed on national television. The Pelicans outscored Philadelphia 60–35 in the second half, turning a competitive game into a farce.

Tyrese Maxey did his best to keep the ship afloat with 27 points and six assists, but he got little help. Outside of Kelly Oubre Jr.’s 18 points, the Roosters looked hollow, especially on the glass, where they were out-rebounded 52-38.

Daryl Morey on Deadline pic.twitter.com/wTOIx01khz

– Alvin Yakitori (@AlvinYakit52962) 22 February 2026

Daryl Morey and Nick Nurse will soon be fired. pic.twitter.com/dZGVnmKV0H

– Sixers Scope (@SixersScope) 22 February 2026

Daryl Morey passes Jared McCann for a late first-rounder pic.twitter.com/ulFLYeTihA

– Kevin Rice (@TheKevinRice) 6 February 2026

Sellout teammates Josh Harris and Daryl Morey have destroyed this city’s basketball spirit pic.twitter.com/LGxxW9rzPG

– Rodney (@lukatroncic23) 22 February 2026

The lack of activity at the trade deadline has become a lightning rod for criticism. Fans took to social media and the Wells Fargo Center stand to voice their disappointment.

“Trill was chanting ‘Fire More’ like he was the Navy,” one fan said on X.

Sixers fans see Jared McCann flourish after Daryl Morey says “I bet we got traded” during trade https://t.co/DtGWXMbame pic.twitter.com/4LqotjmEEb

– Underdog (@underdog) 21 February 2026

Daryl Morey should be tied up in public and beaten until his buttocks are red https://t.co/kWZl7S9wpq

– Adam (@JMurrayWrld) 21 February 2026

Daryl Morey is actually the devil https://t.co/yf4d5VQg1T

– MastaMunsta (@MunstaMasta) 21 February 2026

Trill was doing the “Fire More” chant like it was the Navy https://t.co/H3hclXONhA

– Uncle Cost Fallacy (@NBABAbySecret) 22 February 2026

fire daryl morey

– Josephine (@china3rdbaseman) 22 February 2026

This sentiment was echoed across the board, with fans questioning the job security of both Morey and owner Josh Harris. One viral post said, “It’s really weird how bad Daryl Morey is at his job,” while another frustrated fan asked, “Why isn’t Josh Harris in jail? And why is Daryl Morey still employed?”

The 76ers have now lost four consecutive games, slipping even further down in the Eastern Conference standings. The overall construction of the roster around the aging and frequently injured Embiid is being questioned. If Moray doesn’t find a way to fix the holes in this ship soon, the “Fire Moray” chants will become louder.

Tyrese Maxey had a clear message for his Philadelphia 76ers team after their disappointing loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night.

Maxi is halfway through his sixth season in the NBA with the 76ers. He worked his way up the ranks to become one of the best guards in the league, helping the 76ers remain steadfast as a playoff contender. However, they are vulnerable to the unexpected loss they suffered against the Pelicans.

Maxey reflected on the loss after the game, via NBC Sports Philadelphia. He commented on how he and the team needed to control the pace from start to finish while dealing with the ups and downs of the competition.

“It’s going to take a lot. You know what I mean. As soon as you dig yourself a hole, only America can get out of it. You know what I mean? Like we’re in this thing together? You know what I mean, through the highs, through the lows, through the peaks, through the valleys. You know what I mean? We’ve said that since day one, and it’s that way. We really Played a good half, then we got off to a good start in the third, honestly. And you know, it’s hard to get that momentum back, but it’s too late.

“It’s going to take a lot.”

Maxi expressed that only the team can dig themselves out of this hole. | @fultonbank pic.twitter.com/vHzTQ45xSt

– NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) 22 February 2026

Tyrese Maxey, how the 76ers played against the Pelicans

Tyrese Maxey and the 76ers will be active in the playoff picture this season. However, their latest loss to the Pelicans leaves questions to answer for them moving forward.

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.

The Orlando Magic suffered a 113-110 double-overtime loss to the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night when Jalen Green knocked down a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to end a back-and-forth contest. After the loss, Paolo Banchero identified three key issues that proved decisive: foul trouble, turnovers and second-chance opportunities.

Banchero finished with 26 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists and four blocks in 47 minutes. He shot 11 of 28 from the field and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line, while helping Orlando push the game into two extra periods.

After the final shot, Banchero described his advantage in the decisive game.

“I wasn’t on the ball so my focus was on protecting the inbounder. I didn’t really see much, just turned my head and the ball was in the air.”

While the game ended on Green’s shot, Banchero pointed to circumstances that developed long before the final possession. Orlando lost Desmond Benn and Wendell Carter Jr. to foul trouble, while Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs were unavailable due to injury. Suggs was ejected shortly before Saturday’s contest.

“I don’t mean ideal, but [I] Thought we played hard, I didn’t think we made enough plays down the stretch they did – a little more than we did and yes, definitely a little bit of a loss. Now! [a] Tough game.”

Turnovers, offensive rebounds tilt game toward Suns

Ben had one of his strongest performances of the season, finishing with 34 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block, before fouling out. He shot 12 of 18 from the field, 5 of 9 from 3-point range and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line in 40 minutes. Carter added seven points, 11 rebounds and one assist while shooting 2-for-4 from the field and 3-for-3 from the line in 34 minutes.

Beyond the foul trouble, Banchero emphasized Orlando’s ball security and inability to control the glass.

“Obviously we got hurt. We knew they were a big second-chance points team and they crashed the glass very hard. They did a great job of, you know, getting themselves a lot of extra possessions, getting a lot of dagger threes off offensive rebounds, so [it] “We are definitely hurt.”

The Magic committed 16 turnovers, including six from Banchero, leading to 22 Phoenix points. Orlando also surrendered 22 offensive rebounds and allowed 23 second-chance points, with the Suns scoring 8 of 23 on those extended possessions.

Jamahl Mosley says little things add up in big ways in Magic defeat

Coach Jamahl Mosley reiterated Banchero’s evaluation, noting the cumulative impact of lost possessions.

“We gave ourselves a chance. It happens within a game – guys are going to foul out, foul trouble is going to happen. There are going to be injuries throughout the season. You have to give Phoenix a lot of credit, but it was a back-and-forth battle. But in a game like this, it’s about the little things and the little details. We can’t do it more than 16 times for 22 points and also have 22 offensive rebounds. Can’t give up. Can’t come back. But our guys fought till the end, obviously, despite the situation. The best thing about the league is you have to turn around and do it again.”

Mosley also credited Green for the decisive shot.

“He had a helluva shot. I think there was some separation on that baseline, maybe he got thrown off his route, he did a helluva job of coming back and countering it, but Jalen Green hit a helluva shot. You’ve got to give him credit for that.”

Paolo Banchero turns his focus to Clippers after 2OT loss

The Orlando Magic now focus on the second night of their four-game road trip, visiting the Los Angeles Clippers (27-29) on Sunday at 9:00 p.m. on NBA TV. Banchero said many of the lessons from Saturday’s loss will carry over into the match.

“Yeah, Clippers [are] A good team, they made some trades. They look a little different, but I think it puts a lot of emphasis on the same thing that killed us tonight, hitting the glass, crashing very hard as they defend. Yes, just have to be ready for the challenge, they are a good team, good guys there so yes, it will have to change quickly.

Los Angeles has bounced back from a 6-21 start to the season despite a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night. The Clippers reshaped their roster at the trade deadline, trading James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland and sending Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Benedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, two first-round picks and a second-round selection.

For Orlando, the margin for error is small. As Banchero underlined, foul trouble, turnovers and second-chance points proved decisive in a game decided by a single possession.

New York – The New York Knicks have a complicated relationship with the Detroit Pistons. The young Pistons group completed their 2026 regular season sweep of the Knicks on Thursday night, bringing both teams back to similar circumstances from last season, which culminated in a first-round playoff win for New York. However, team captain Jalen Brunson no longer wants to rely on last year’s results.

“It’s a new year,” Brunson told reporters at Madison Square Garden after the Knicks’ 126-111 loss.

The young Detroit group, led by a jumbo playmaker and consisting mostly of serious specialists in defined roles, is reminiscent of the New York squad led by Julius Randle. But, to borrow Jay-Z’s paradox in his early 2010 rap masterpiece, Brunson has helped transform these nicks from “underpaid” to “overrated” in recent years.

It is believed that New York is closer than ever to the championship. But Cade Cunningham’s Pistons are lovable underdogs who upset the NBA hierarchy with surprising road wins. And on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks contenders were caught at the beach.

The Pistons were missing Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, both of whom were suspended after a fight with the Charlotte Hornets. It didn’t make much difference to Cunningham. His 42-point, eight-rebound, 13-assist performance overshadowed Brunson’s 33 points, six rebounds and eight assists on 60% field goal shooting.

Detroit’s regular season success did not help them in last year’s playoffs against the Knicks. But these pistons seem to work with larger cylinders. The proverbial engine of their offense, Cunningham, has leveled off. With this he can take his teammates to even greater heights.

The Knicks have work to do before the end of the season if they want to repeat last year’s playoff results against teams like the Pistons. They have reached the required heights many times, but often step back after reminding themselves that they can do the same.

Bridges ends another close game on the Knicks bench

Thursday’s loss to the Pistons was another close game that Mikal Bridges watched from the bench. The Knicks made only eight of their 35 attempts from behind the 3-point arc, with only four different players getting shots to fall. Brunson and Landry Shamet were the only two Knicks to score more than one, each knocking down three times during the 15-point loss.

Two of the 3-pointers made by Shamet came in the last eight minutes of the fourth quarter, when he was on the court in place of starter Mikal Bridges. It’s important for the versatility of the Knicks’ scheme that starters like Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns don’t mind being benched in favor of red-hot role players. But head coach Mike Brown said Shamet closed out on Bridges because the team needed to score. It wasn’t a strong endorsement of the two-way wing who signed a four-year, $150 million extension with a player option for the 2029-30 season.

“Landry hit some shots. We needed to score. They’re both really good guards. And so I stayed with Landry. But it wasn’t like, ‘Oh, I’ll sit Mikal because he’s not doing that, or he’s not doing that.’ We were looking to score points. And Landry was the only guy to make a shot from behind the arc, the coach said through some nervous laughter.

A key part of the Knicks’ journey this upcoming postseason will be striking a balance with respect to the participation of their star players — and what they bring to the table in games where shots aren’t being funneled their way. While the Browns made it clear that the late-game benching was not Bridges’ fault but a situational adjustment, it is on Bridges to give the coaching staff no choice.

Bridges did not ask to be traded for five first-round picks. He didn’t force the Knicks to offer him $150 million and a player option. But the ball is in the 29-year-old’s court as to how he chooses to respond to this adversity. His confession after the game in Toronto was a great start. New York can’t afford to be this outlier.

The Los Angeles Clippers showed plenty of promise during their 125-122 loss against the Los Angeles Lakers, despite being on the wrong side of the result. And while Tyronn Lue was completely happy with his team’s efforts, he had clear issues with how the Lakers did it.

Lue accused his opponents of the night of committing fouls throughout the game and claimed that it was something his team went through in every game.

According to a post on the

Undoubtedly, the turning point of the game proved to be Leonard’s exit with an ankle injury, which came with about five minutes left in regulation. The Clippers stayed in the game despite the Lakers getting an explosive start to the game.

While Luka Doncic led from the front with 38 points and 11 assists, Austin Reeves contributed 29 points on 9-15 shooting, LeBron James also came up with a double-double with 13 points and 11 assists.

This was only the 11th time in 55 games that the Lakers’ three superstars played together, something fans will hope will become the norm from now on. The Clippers’ response was mainly driven by Kawhi Leonard’s 31-point performance.

Whenever the Lakers threatened to take over the game, he seemed to inspire his team’s response. Benedict Mathurin scored 26 points off the bench on the night, while Brook Lopez returned with a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds.

The Clippers even came back from a 15-point deficit at one point in the third quarter and things might have changed if Leonard had been able to log minutes toward the end.

The Los Angeles Clippers suffered a 125–122 loss against the city rival Los Angeles Lakers, with Kawhi Leonard having to leave early with an ankle injury. Led by Luka Doncic’s 38 points and 11 assists, the Lakers fielded a trio of Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James, who had one of their best offensive performances of the season.

After the game, Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue praised his team, claiming that they fought to the end despite great adversity.

Tyronn Lue Postgame

“Don’t feel like any team is trying to beat me.” pic.twitter.com/0Pdv8KLZiU

– Law Murray 🏴‍☠️ (@LawMurrayTheNU) 21 February 2026

“You see, that’s who we are. This group, we’re gonna compete, we’re gonna fight every night. This doesn’t look like a bullshit team that’s trying to lose to me. We’ll scrape by every night. We’ll fight every night. That’s who we are. Teams that are gonna play against us know we’re gonna fight every night,” he said, according to a post by The Athletic’s Law Murray on X.

The Lakers started with an early offensive burst, led by Doncic’s 17-point quarter, as the Clippers returned from a 12-point deficit in the first quarter. However, the reaction was just as dramatic.

Leonard shot clinically throughout, finishing 11 of 19 shooting, including an impressive 19-point second quarter that kept the game from slipping away. The Clippers’ physical ability and comeback provided another encouraging sign.

They had a significant early advantage in second-chance production, outscoring the Lakers 14–2 on offensive rebounds in the first half. This helped them flip the script as they overcame a 15-point deficit to take a 17-0 lead.

However, Leonard’s ejection with a little more than five minutes remaining proved to be the turning point. Despite bringing the score to 123–120 with only 46 seconds remaining, the Clippers struggled to stay in the game and ultimately lost.

However, as he pointed out, Tyronn Lue’s team fought until the end and will have plenty of positives to take from the defeat.

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

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

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

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

Having Jalen Green at 100% does wonders for the Suns

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

– The Beam (@SacBeam) 20 February 2026

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

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

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

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

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

The 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 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.

In 2026, LeBron James made the All-Star team for the 22nd time in his career, with coaches recognizing how impactful he is as a star, even though he hasn’t really been that great in the past for the Los Angeles Lakers. James has the most All-Star nominations in NBA history with 22, but as a wise imaginary man once said, “With great power comes great responsibility”.

Since James has made the All-Star Game 22 times, losses are bound to happen, even for a great guy like him. In 2026, his team, Team Stripes, fell short in the latest edition of the famous exhibition competition, giving them their 11th loss in All-Star Game history.

As HoopsHype reported on

Of course, this isn’t a statistic that was just posted in jest. The All-Star Game doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things, and outside of a few years (from 2020 to 2022), not many players even take the game seriously.

And as a result of making the All-Star Game every season, James has more opportunities to lose than everyone else. Not that losing 11 times in ASG is a big deal for someone who has made it 22 times.

Has Lakers star LeBron James played his final All-Star Game?

At age 41, it’s also an anomaly that James is still playing at such a high level that his All-Star Game participation can be argued on merit, unlike Dwyane Wade and Dirk Nowitzki in 2019, when they were the only participation nods.

It’s not at all clear if this is the Lakers star’s final season in the NBA. But if that’s the case, he may have just played his final All-Star Game, because there’s no way he’s going to miss the ASG next year if he’s active and healthy.