on sunday evening San Antonio Spurs lost the fourth game of their second round playoff series against minnesota timberwolvesLeaving things tied at 2-2 for Game 5, heading home.

However, the big story of the game was Victor Wembanyama, who was ejected in the second quarter after taking a serious elbow to the neck of Minnesota’s Naz Reed, resulting in two flagrant fouls.

Now, ESPN sports personality Stephen A. Smith reflected on the incident on his social media page amid the ongoing debate over whether Wambanyama should be suspended for Tuesday’s decisive Game 5.

Smith wrote on Sunday

But Stephen A. Smith also said that although he did not support Wembey’s conduct on the floor in Game 4, he did not want the centre-forward to be given a suspension as a result.

“But I’m praying he doesn’t get suspended for the game [5]Which is very possible. We don’t want a series of decisions. But we will see.”

Dirty elbow from Victor Vembanyama This was quite a shock to Reid, especially given the Spurs star’s usual gentle demeanor on the court.

There is also precedent for suspensions with previous such incidents in NBA history, with many fans pointing to Ron Artest’s elbow to James Harden’s head more than a decade ago. This resulted in the then-Los Angeles Lakers forward being suspended for seven games.

But the NBA would like nothing more than to have Victor Wembanyama, who they have touted as their future and possibly the current face of the league, on the court for the crucial Game 5 of this playoff series. However, it remains to be seen whether their desire to maintain the integrity of the game as an organization will ultimately prevail over them.

However, the league is expected to make an official decision on a possible Wembanyama suspension later in the day on Monday.

Since his first foray into online journalism in 2019, Peter Okereke has written widely on entertainment, politics and pop… More about Peter Okereke

The New York Jets know who will be their starting quarterback in 2026. Still, as he experienced last season, just because a starter is in place doesn’t mean he’ll retain that QB1 role all year.

After all, Geno Smith is 35 years old, and he’s coming off a season where he led the NFL with 17 interceptions. The results are not guaranteed to be better than last year, when the Jets finished tied with Smith’s former team for the worst record in football at 3–14.

For now, the Jets have Smith as the starter, fourth-round Clemson rookie Cade Klubnik as a developmental backup and a potential long-term solution. Brady Cook, an undrafted rookie free agent signee from 2025, is the third QB in New York. Bailey Jappe, a 27-year-old former fourth-round pick, is the other QB on the roster, but there is no guarantee that Cook and/or Jappe will still have a roster spot by the time of the camp break.

Also, after recently offering Russell Wilson a contract, it’s clear the Jets are still looking to add depth to their quarterback room. While Wilson is considering a contract offer with the Jets along with other career opportunities, the Jets may have to turn elsewhere. So, which quarterback should the Jets consider to support and/or push Smith?

Russell Wilson

The obvious connection, Wilson has already visited the Jets, and he presumably still has a place to live in New York after playing for the Giants last season. Additionally, it has long been rumored that he and his wife Ciara prefer the New York area. If Wilson wants to continue playing football, it doesn’t really matter how much the Jets are willing to offer. Plus, there’s a good chance he’ll get a chance to play at some point, as it’s not like the Jets are expected to be competitive. The question is, do the Jets want someone who has more long-term upside?

jimmy garoppolo

Also rumored to be considering retirement after spending the last two seasons as Matthew Stafford’s backup, Garoppolo will turn 35 in November. Still, if he still wants to cash some checks without too much risk, why not sign up with the Jets and make a few million more dollars? The two-time Super Bowl winner’s 12 years of experience will certainly be valuable to the younger players, including rookie Klubnik.

josh dobbs

Although Dobbs does not have long-term starting potential, he has proven that he is capable of playing even on short notice. The 31-year-old is as talented as they come, but he’s also a little light on experience, with only 15 NFL starts to his name. He only appeared in four games with the Patriots last season, but Dobbs has shown he can move chains with his legs and arm.

Anthony Richardson

The Jets probably don’t want to give up any draft compensation, knowing this is not a team that is ready to compete right away. However, with Aaron Glenn clearly on the hot seat after three win seasons, they may feel a strong sense of urgency in New York. In that case, why not take a chance on a 23-year-old QB with superstar potential? Richardson could be everything the Jets are looking for; He still needs more development.

Will Lewis

Since the Titans have Cam Ward, former second-round pick Will Lewis is also slated to play after missing last year with a shoulder injury. Now healthy, the soon-to-be 27-year-old is a prime buyout candidate. Attributed to a strong arm, Lewis can make all throws, which should play well in the high winds at MetLife Stadium.

RELATED: 2026 NFL QB Rankings

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

The New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks are tied 2-2 in the first round. If New York finds a way to advance, the Boston Celtics could wait in the second round, and the debate is already beginning on what the Knicks need to do.

On the First Take X account, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith made his position clear. The seven-game series loss to Boston in the semifinals should not be used as a reason to gut the roster or fire the coach.

“If the New York Knicks go, and they lose in the semi-finals in a 7-game series against the Boston Celtics, I don’t think there’s any reason to say, ‘The coach has to go. These players have to go.'”

But Stephen A didn’t stop at defending the Knicks. He emphasized why Boston deserves such an honor in the first place. Tatum is recovering from sports. Brown is playing like an MVP candidate. And the difference between this Celtics team and the team that beat New York last year is real.

“If we’re being honest, there’s no shame in losing to the Boston Celtics despite the fact that you beat Boston last year. If Jayson Tatum is healthy, which he looks better and better, and Jalen Brown is an MVP candidate, the Boston Celtics are no joke. The Boston Celtics are capable of winning the chip.”

Stephen A. Why Smith thinks the Celtics are still a championship threat in 2026

It’s not just Tatum and Brown. Stephen A went through the entire roster, coaching staff and front office and explained why Boston is built differently, and the first thing he pointed out was how many ways this team can hurt you.

“In a lot of people’s eyes they live and die with the three. But the thing that has to amaze us is that we have to run, and I don’t forget to mention the Peyton Pritchetts of the world and the Derek Whites of the world and what they bring to the table, and Joey Mazzola and Sam Cassell, and those brothers and how exceptionally well they coach.”

Then she gave her flowers to Brad Stevens.

“But the thing that amazes me about Boston, I can’t forget to mention Brad Stevens, who knows what he’s doing as an executive, who is inheritor of the work that the great Nanny Engel did in Boston. He deserves a lot of credit.”

Then came the part that redefines everything. Tatum and Brown are not veterans retiring. They are still climbing.

“Jalen Brown is on the verge of going to his seventh conference finals. Jayson Tatum is on the verge of going to his sixth conference finals. And did you know that neither of them are 30 years old yet? Think about it. Neither of them are 30 years old.”

“None of them are like, you know, it’s like we’ve forgotten that all these brothers are still young. They’re not some age. We look at them and we’re amazed when KD is healthy, KD is 37. We’re looking at Steph Curry, 37, 38. We’re looking at LeBron James, 41. Jalen Brown and Jayson Tatum are not 30 years old. “Actually, they’re not 29.”

This brought him back to where he started.

“So I’m looking at them. I feel like, if the New York Knicks go and they lose in the semi-finals to the Boston Celtics in a seven-game series, I don’t think there’s any reason to say the coach has to go. These players have to go, blah, blah, blah.”

The Knicks defeated Boston last year, but Tatum was lost in Game 4 with an Achilles injury. He is now back and healthy. Losing to this version of the Celtics in seven games would not be a failure for New York. This would mean that they would be playing on a team that is built to win championships.

Jayesh Pagar is currently pursuing Sports Journalism from London School of Journalism and has four years of experience… More about Jayesh Pagar

The New York Knicks are in serious trouble. It was their second one-possession collapse in three games following a 109-108 blowout loss in Game 3 to the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday night. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith completely dismantled the Knicks on the latest First Take episode, delivering one of the most powerful speeches of his career and putting every single person in that organization on notice.

Stephen A. Smith had a lot of New York Knicks

Stephen A. was of a calm nature. He arrived at the first take desk loaded with items and left nothing on the table. “Get out of the way,” he said. “I’m just one of many to apologize. I’m so upset by what I’m seeing right now. I’m losing my mind.”

The harshest words were directed at Mikal Bridges, and honestly, it was deserved. Bridges went scoreless in 21 minutes during Game 3, finishing a brutal minus-26, and committed four turnovers. He did not attempt a shot after five minutes of the second quarter, and coach Mike Brown benched him for most of the second half.

Stephen A said directly: “Mikael Bridges is scoreless. I’m seeing a bunch of zeros, a bunch of donuts everywhere. Four turnovers, three shot attempts, two assists, one rebound, no free throws, no points, no steals, no blocks. That’s why we gave up five picks in the first round.”

The context makes it even more damaging; Those five options were the cost of acquiring Bridges from Brooklyn, a trade that now leaves New York with no assets to pursue stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Knicks management and coaching staff in the crosshairs

Stephen A. Didn’t stop with the players. He took aim at the front office and coaching staff with equal intensity: “If the New York Knicks lose this series, head down. I’m telling you this right now. I’m sick and tired of that damn Leon Rose.” He said the decision to fire Tom Thibodeau now looks like a catastrophic mistake, especially after the Knicks were swept by a young Hawks team in the first round.

Coach Mike Brown is now on the hot seat. Brown benched Bridges for parts of Game 3, but CJ McCollum’s pull-up jumper with 12.5 seconds remaining sealed Atlanta’s victory and gave the Hawks a 2–1 series lead.

As Stephen A clearly stated: “It’s going to be another head coach in New York City. If they lose this series.” The Knicks can’t afford to go down 3-1. Game 4 is now a must win.

Jayesh Pagar is currently pursuing Sports Journalism from London School of Journalism and has four years of experience… More about Jayesh Pagar

WrestleMania 42 kicked off at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday night, and for a few moments, the entire WWE Universe decided to treat ESPN’s loudest mouth like it was the biggest heel in a bad-guy battle.

Stephen A. Smith, at ring side and living his best celebrity life, came to the big screen and was completely ridiculed. Not the polite golf clap. Not scattered sneers. Full-throated, “you suck” level heat that made the pyrotechnics look cool by comparison.

In classic Stephen A. fashion, the man didn’t hesitate. Instead, he leaned back, closed his eyes, spread his arms and soaked it up with a big smile. Brother, if that’s not a heel turn I don’t know what is.

Wild: Stephen A. Wilde by WWE fans at WrestleMania Smith was highly criticized.

We have never seen anything like this.

💀💀💀 pic.twitter.com/k3sjghNbxf

– Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) 19 April 2026

Just a few weeks ago, Smith was claiming that a group of alleged enemies were out to get him. Maybe he should have kept his eye on one person in particular.

The real villain’s origin story started a day earlier take firstWhen the one and only Danhausen came forward to curse Stephan A for… well, being rude and perhaps being too loud on television. In fact this is complete nonsense from Smith.

Danhausen has just cursed Stephen A. Smith pic.twitter.com/eFJgitu5Bh

– Inside the Dome (@inside_the_dome) 17 April 2026

Denhausen’s Curse Come True: Stephen A. Smith goes full heel at WrestleMania 42

It seems the curse worked. One day you’re screaming about LeBron on national TV, the next you’re being heckled by 50,000 wrestling fans who probably feel like your hot shots hit louder than a steel chair.

However, it is to Smith’s credit – he did not hide from criticism. He took it on like a pro, proving that even when the crowd attacks you, the amount of reaction counts as a W in the attention game.

Stephen A. is a natural heel. While other celebs got polite golf applause, the SAS got the nuclear treatment – ​​and walked away smiling as if he’d just won the Universal Championship.

Dannhausen is probably very happy, shouting in the third person: “Danhausen is too good, too bad.”

Smith recently claimed that WWE had approached him for the role of on-air personality. But he refuses because he is not as brave as Pat McAfee. He was addressing McAfee’s involvement in the Cody Rhodes/Randy Orton affair.

“I love it. I love it, and I want to commend Pat McAfee for it, because let me tell you something. They were talking about — I go back to the old days of Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan and guys like that,” Smith said. “I really wanted to do that.”

“Your man Nick Khan talked to me about it. See, the difference is, I’m not as adventurous as Pat McAfee. I’m not at all trying to bump into one of them big boys!” He added. “I don’t want any part of it, but I like that stuff because I think the game needs it.”

The closest SAS came to running into a big man was when he had a fight with LeBron. Given his documented boxing training, it probably wouldn’t have been good for him either.

LeBron just posted this on IG pic.twitter.com/IJUwJFXVsg

– NBCCentral (@TheDunkCentral) 27 March 2025

Rusty Weis is a lifelong fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Dallas Cowboys and Xavier Musketeers. He has been writing professionally… More about Rusty Weiss

摔角狂热 42 于周六晚上在忠诚体育场举行，有那么一会儿，整个 WWE 宇宙都决定对待 ESPN 最大声的嘴巴，就像对待坏人大逃杀中最大的脚跟一样。

斯蒂芬·A·史密斯（Stephen A. Smith）在场边过着他最好的名人生活，突然出现在大屏幕上，却遭到了一片嘘声。不是礼貌的高尔夫击掌。不散乱的嘲笑声。相比之下，烟火般的“你吸”级别的热量让烟火听起来很安静。

在经典的史蒂芬·A·时尚中，这个男人并没有退缩。相反，他靠在椅背上，闭上眼睛，伸出双臂，咧嘴一笑。兄弟，如果这不是拥抱脚跟转动，我不知道什么才是。

狂野：史蒂芬·A·史密斯在摔跤狂热大赛上遭到 WWE 粉丝的疯狂嘘声。

我们从未见过这样的事情。

💀💀💀 pic.twitter.com/k3sjghNbxf

— 多夫·克莱曼 (@NFL_DovKleiman) 2026 年 4 月 19 日

就在几周前，史密斯还声称有一群被视为敌人的人想要抓他。也许他应该特别关注一个人。

真正的反派起源故事是在前一天开始的 第一次拍摄，当时唯一的丹豪森卷起身来咒骂斯蒂芬·A.，因为他……嗯，很粗鲁，而且可能在电视上声音太大了。这确实是史密斯的全部伎俩。

丹豪森刚刚咒骂了史蒂芬·A·史密斯😬 pic.twitter.com/eFJgitu5Bh

— 圆顶内部 (@inside_the_dome) 2026 年 4 月 17 日

丹豪森的诅咒成真：史蒂芬·A·史密斯在摔跤狂热大赛 42 上全力以赴

看来诅咒起了作用。有一天你在全国电视上大喊勒布朗，第二天你就会受到 50,000 名摔跤迷的嘲笑，他们可能会觉得你的热门动作比钢椅还重。

不过，值得赞扬的是史密斯——他没有躲避嘘声。他像专业人士一样拥有它，证明即使当人群转向你时，反应的音量仍然可以在注意力游戏中算作“W”。

Stephen A. 是天生的高跟鞋。当其他名人在高尔夫比赛中得到礼貌的掌声时，SAS 却受到了核待遇，并微笑着走开，就好像他刚刚赢得了环球冠军一样。

丹豪森可能很高兴，以第三人称咯咯笑道：“丹豪森非常好，非常邪恶。”

史密斯最近声称，WWE 曾与他接洽，希望他能担任一名直播人物。但他拒绝了，因为他不像帕特·麦卡菲那么勇敢。他正在谈论迈克菲参与科迪·罗兹/兰迪·奥顿角的问题。

“我喜欢它。我喜欢它，我想为此向帕特·麦卡菲鼓掌，因为让我告诉你一件事。他们正在与我交谈——我回到了鲍比·希南和类似的人的旧时代，”史密斯说。 “我其实也想这么做。”

“你的男人尼克·汗跟我谈过这件事。看，区别在于，我不像帕特·麦卡菲那么勇敢。我根本不想被他们中的一个大男孩击中！”他补充道。 “我不想参与其中，但我喜欢这些东西，因为我认为这项运动需要它。”

SAS 最接近被大个子击中的一次是他与勒布朗的争吵。考虑到他有记录的拳击训练，这对他来说可能也不会有好结果。

勒布朗刚刚在 IG 上发布了这个😂😂😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/IJUwJFXVsg

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) 2025 年 3 月 27 日

Rusty Weiss 是洛杉矶道奇队、达拉斯牛仔队和泽维尔火枪手队的终身粉丝。他一直在专业写作……有关 Rusty Weiss 的更多信息

The Vegas Golden Knights return to the ice tonight to face the Winnipeg Jets in the second to last game of the regular season. With the postseason approaching, we’re really starting to get down to the wire.

The Golden Knights will close out the regular season with a two-game homestand starting tonight against the Jets before hosting the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday.

Here’s the latest from practice.

Reilly Smith in, Saad out

According to Danny Webster, the Golden Knights will start with Reilly Smith instead of Brandon Saad. The two have been bouncing back and forth between lineups.

“Smith will go tonight and Saad will be out,” head coach John Tortorella said. “I’ll have to figure it out, I like where the other lines are. I’m going to change them tonight and we’ll see how it all works out.”

Smith has 13 goals and 22 points in 67 games, while Saad has three goals and nine points in 49 games.

Hart got the nod in the net

Carter Hart got the nod in net tonight against the Jets and considering his play, it’s no surprise. He is 4-0-0 with a 1.93 average and .918 save percentage in his last four games.

Why won’t he start? He is 9-5-0 in 14 games in the playoffs, including a goals-against average of 2.23 and a save percentage of .926 in his career playoffs.

“Carter is on track to be in really good shape as we get to the playoffs.” Tortorella said.

As the regular season winds down, we’ll see if the Golden Knights lean toward Hart or if they give Adin Hill a chance to steal the crease back.

High Stakes vs Jets

Unlike last season, the Golden Knights still have a lot at stake. Vegas has won four of the last seven Pacific Division titles, but has yet to reach the postseason.

The Golden Knights currently lead the division with 91 points, with the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks close behind with 90 points each.

A win against the Jets would give Vegas 93 points. A win would clinch the division and potentially set up a first-round matchup against the top wild-card team, which is trending toward the Utah Mammoth.

Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM PST tonight.

Cooper Krigbaum is a beat reporter covering the Vegas Golden Knights for Vegas Hockey Now on SportsNut. He also told about Cooper Krigbaum

ESPN 名人史蒂芬·A·史密斯 (Stephen A. Smith) 本周早些时候在一次奇怪的咆哮中指责一群被视为敌人的人积极努力将他从 ESPN 和 SiriusXM 的高调职位上除掉。

在他的 SiriusXM 最近的一集中 疯狗体育电台 在节目中，史密斯声称，包括一些运动员和前同事在内的许多人在过去的一年里密谋反对他，试图压制他的声音。

他将这种情况描述为一场协调一致的运动，涉及那些曾经对他微笑的人。

“过去一年左右，我的生活中发生了一些事情，你们有权知道。外面有很多人希望我结束，”史密斯告诉听众。 “他们希望我被解雇。他们希望我从 SiriusXM 的广播中消失。他们希望我从 ESPN 的广播中消失。”

史蒂芬·A·史密斯 (Stephen A. Smith) 声称背后中伤他的人正在努力让他被 ESPN 解雇

谈到史密斯，肯定会有一些批评者。毫无疑问，有些人嫉妒他与 ESPN 的巨额合同，而另一些人则不认可他的政治曲折。

然而，这个所谓的让他停播的阴谋到底是真实的还是只是被认为是任何人的猜测。

尽管如此，斯蒂芬·A. 明确表示，他仍然对所谓的情节不感兴趣，并坚称他的影响力使他在目前的角色中无法动摇。他指出，批评者试图利用舆论来反对他，以削弱他的影响力。

他坚决否认他们有机会对抗他。

“祝你好运，”他说。 “因为，女士们先生们，如果我有一丝疲劳，如果我对任何事情感到忧郁，如果我缺乏或失去了灵感、热情和反抗，哦，他们治愈了我。”

“没有什么比那些有勇气认为自己可以对抗我的对手更让我振奋的了。我喜欢它。它激励我，给我动力。”

“在过去的一年里，有很多敌人。而且我不容易受伤，”他补充道。 “但我会告诉你是什么伤害了我；当我的脸上有一些人多年来一直对我微笑，让我相信我们是朋友，然后又在背后捅我一刀。”

史密斯接着声称，如果万一他们 是 能够接近他，只会让他更加强大。多么勇敢的战士啊！

“无论是在 ESPN 还是在 SiriusXM，你知道为什么我不担心这些运动员吗？因为他们碰不到我，”史密斯说。 “有人希望我取消。”

我想让你想象一下，我的日常工作不再为老鼠工作。不再有 ESPN，不再有华特迪士尼，只剩下 SiriusXM 以及我在 YouTube 平流层中想做的任何其他事情。你知道不会有路障吗？不会有任何障碍。你明白吗？这会让我更加释放……小心你的愿望。

也许这里唯一真正的阴谋是斯蒂芬·A.不可动摇的信念，即整个体育界都挤在秘密会议中，疯狂地策划着他的垮台。抓紧一点，伙计。

Rusty Weiss 是洛杉矶道奇队、达拉斯牛仔队和泽维尔火枪手队的终身粉丝。他一直在专业写作……有关 Rusty Weiss 的更多信息

ESPN 名人 Stephen A. Smith 本週早些時候在一次奇怪的咆哮中指責一群被視為敵人的人積極努力將他從 ESPN 和 SiriusXM 的高調職位上除掉。

在他的 SiriusXM 最近的一集中 瘋狗體育電台 在節目中，史密斯聲稱，包括一些運動員和前同事在內的許多人在過去的一年裡密謀反對他，試圖壓制他的聲音。

他將這種情況描述為一場協調一致的運動，涉及那些曾經對他微笑的人。

「過去一年左右，我的生活中發生了一些事情，你們有權知道。外面有很多人希望我結束，」史密斯告訴聽眾。 「他們希望我被解僱。他們希望我從 SiriusXM 的廣播中消失。他們希望我從 ESPN 的廣播中消失。”

史蒂芬·A·史密斯 (Stephen A. Smith) 聲稱背後中傷他的人正在努力讓他被 ESPN 解僱

談到史密斯，肯定會有一些批評者。毫無疑問，有些人嫉妒他與 ESPN 的巨額合同，而另一些人則不認可他的政治曲折。

然而，這個所謂的讓他停播的陰謀到底是真實的還是只是被認為是任何人的猜測。

儘管如此，史蒂芬·A. 明確表示，他仍然對所謂的情節不感興趣，並堅稱他的影響力使他在目前的角色中無法動搖。他指出，批評者試圖利用輿論來反對他，以削弱他的影響力。

他堅決否認他們有機會對抗他。

「祝你好運，」他說。 “因為，女士們先生們，如果我有一絲疲勞，如果我對任何事情感到憂鬱，如果我缺乏或失去了靈感、熱情和反抗，哦，他們治癒了我。”

“沒有什麼比那些有勇氣認為自己可以對抗我的對手更讓我振奮的了。我喜歡它。它激勵我，給我動力。”

「在過去的一年裡，有很多敵人。而且我不容易受傷，」他補充道。 「但我會告訴你是什麼傷害了我；當我的臉上有一些人多年來一直對我微笑，讓我相信我們是朋友，然後又在背後捅我一刀。”

史密斯接著聲稱，如果萬一他們 是 能夠接近他，只會讓他更強大。多麼勇敢的戰士！

「無論是在 ESPN 還是 SiriusXM，你知道為什麼我不擔心這些運動員嗎？因為他們碰不到我，」史密斯說。 “有人希望我取消。”

我想讓你想像一下，我的日常工作不再為老鼠工作。不再有 ESPN，不再有華特迪士尼，只剩下 SiriusXM 以及我在 YouTube 平流層中想做的任何其他事情。你知道不會有路障嗎？不會有任何障礙。你明白嗎？這會讓我更加釋放……小心你的願望。

也許這裡唯一真正的陰謀是史蒂芬·A.不可動搖的信念，即整個體育界都擠在秘密會議中，瘋狂地策劃著他的垮台。抓緊一點，夥計。

Rusty Weiss 是洛杉磯道奇隊、達拉斯牛仔隊和澤維爾火槍手隊的終身粉絲。他一直在專業寫作……有關 Rusty Weiss 的更多信息

New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn wants Geno Smith to have a big season in 2026 and he’s trying to force it into existence with public praise of the quarterback.

In his first season as head coach, Glenn convinced NY Jets fans that free agent addition Justin Fields could finally reach his potential and become a star for Gang Green. Ultimately, the former Chicago Bears first-round pick had the worst season of his career and was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs this month to serve as their new QB2.

In 2026, the coaches will go with another new QB1. This time, it will be former Las Vegas Raiders starter Geno Smith. Unlike Fields, Smith has had success in the league and is a two-time Pro Bowler. However, he is still coming off a season where he went 2-13 and threw a league-leading 17 interceptions. Still, Glenn really wants NY Jets fans to believe that Smith can be a big difference maker next season.

“There’s something about a quarterback with a chip on his shoulder,” Glenn told SNY at an NFL meeting this week. “And he’s proven a lot with what he’s done in this league. Especially when you factor in his time in Seattle. He fits the bill perfectly with what we’re trying to do. We’ve created an identity. The foundation of our offense is great now.”

“… I just feel like he’s the guy that’s going to lead us to the promised land. The guy that’s going to touch the ball more than anybody else. I know he’s had his struggles. A lot of quarterbacks have their struggles.”

Aaron Glenn is entrusting his NY Jets future to Geno Smith

Could 2026 be a comeback season for Smith? It is definitely possible. He was playing behind, arguably, the NFL’s worst offensive line last season, and also has a Comeback Player of the Year award on his resume. However, this would also be an opinion that ignores the obvious.

Before turning his career around with the Seattle Seahawks, Smith was viewed as a draft bust who developed into a journeyman QB in the league. When he won CPOTY honors in 2022, he threw for 30 touchdowns. Since then he has not come even close to that number and last year his number was 19. Additionally, his interceptions have increased from 11 in 2022 to 17 last year.

If the NY Jets were to get Smith a year or two after his big season in 2022, perhaps he could fix the weaknesses of their offense and lead them back to relevance and a playoff run. However, he is four years away from having that career year and will turn 36 in October. An age point when even consistently good QBs start to decline in numbers.

There is far more evidence that Smith will be slightly better than the bad situation he was in 2025, rather than being back to being the player he was in 2022. Glenn is choosing to ignore the obvious, and it’s confusing him. This will likely cost him his job over the next eight months because he is creating expectations that the QB will not make it next season.

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

The New York Knicks have been playing some better basketball lately, dominating the Boston Celtics for the number two seed in the Eastern Conference. However, what no one might know is that they got the news from ESPN’s “First Take,” where Stephen A. Smith routinely lambasts the Knicks, the team he claims to be a fan of, in a dramatic attempt to drum up an audience.

One person who is not involved in the gimmick is none other than Knicks forward Josh Hart.

“For me, I think as a part-time Knicks fan, Stephen A. needs to shut up. He barely knows the people that are on the team,” Hart said, according to Steve Popper of Newsday Sports, formerly of Newsday Sports, on Twitter.

In fact, there have been several occasions in which Smith falsely claimed that certain players were on the Knicks who moved on to different teams, and there were other situations where fans had ample reason to question how much of a fan he really was.

Over the past few weeks, the target of Smith’s criticism on ESPN has primarily been Mikal Bridges, who, to be fair, has had a disappointing season at times for New York, especially considering the hefty price the Knicks paid the Brooklyn Nets to land him last offseason.

Still, at the current juncture, New York has as good a chance as any to make it out of the Eastern Conference this year and make its first NBA Finals in two decades.

In any case, the Knicks will have a chance to silence some of their haters when they next take the field on Thursday evening for a tough road game against the aggressive Charlotte Hornets.

On Monday evening, the San Antonio Spurs continued their winning ways with a blowout win over the Miami Heat. It was another strong game for superstar Victor Vembanyama, who scored 26 points with 15 rebounds and five blocks on an efficient shooting night from the field.

Many have predicted that Wembanyama will be the front-runner to win this year’s NBA MVP award, and most recently, ESPN NBA insider Stephen A. Smith explains why he now sees the Spurs star as the favourite.

“He changed my mind. I’d put him in the lead… He’s right when he says (defense) doesn’t get mentioned enough when we talk about league MVPs. It’s a very smart thing on his part. But it doesn’t do it for me either… The second-place team, which hasn’t been relegated in years, has a star in Victor Wambayama before the playoffs even started… And he looked into the microphone and said, ‘We dominate. They’ve been defending champions since we’ve seen them this year,” Smith said, according to First Take on X, formerly Twitter.

In fact, the Spurs have dominated the Oklahoma City Thunder in their encounters this season, winning four out of the five matches played between the two teams. Many speculate that this could be the Western Conference Finals matchup in a few months, as the two teams are one and two in the conference, and it is highly likely to end as the season ends.

Meanwhile, Wembanyama remains the best defensive player in the NBA by a wide margin while continuing to expand his offensive game, which could earn him some votes in the MVP discussion.

The Spurs next take the field on Wednesday evening for a road game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

After a year of searching for a new starting quarterback, the New York Jets had to find another starter this offseason. This time, they agreed to trade for Geno Smith, which cost New York only a sixth-round selection (they also received a seventh-round selection from Las Vegas).

Although the Jets were likely thrilled to trade for the former Pro Bowl QB at such a low rate, he reportedly was not New York’s first choice. He wasn’t even the first QB Jets general manager Darren Maugy tried to trade for this offseason.

According to ESPN’s Jets insider Rich Cimini, New York previously attempted to trade for QB Tanner McKee from the Eagles. However, when Philadelphia informed them they were asking for a second-round pick in exchange for the previous sixth-round selection, the Jets hung up the phone.

Rumors have indicated that several teams have expressed interest in McKee in the past. However, the Eagles have always set a high price for a 25-year-old QB with only 88 career pass attempts.

McKee is in the final year of his rookie contract, so teams believe he could be available via trade. Still, he didn’t expect Philadelphia to ask for so much from a player with only two NFL starts to his name.

Thus, it was likely an easy decision for the Jets to look elsewhere, allowing them to retain their two prized second-round selections (Nos. 33 and 44). Plus, maybe now the Jets could turn around and use one of them on another potential future franchise QB.

RELATED: The New York Jets are closely evaluating several top QB prospects

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

随着洛杉矶湖人队在赛季末继续保持强劲势头，ESPN 分析师斯蒂芬·A·史密斯 (Stephen A. Smith) 概述了卢卡·东契奇 (Luka Doncic) 作为 MVP 合法竞争者的令人信服的理由。

史密斯在斯蒂芬·A·史密斯秀上发表讲话时指出了东契奇在湖人队目前八连胜期间的历史性表现，强调了他的得分稳定性和整体影响力。

“你知道卢卡·东契奇场均40.9分和7.4次助攻吗？你知道他在这八场比赛中所做的事情是湖人队历史上从未做过的吗？沙奎尔·奥尼尔、科比·布莱恩特、魔术师约翰逊都没有。没有人……卢卡在过去两场比赛中得到了100分。在这八连胜的每场比赛中，他都得到了至少30分。这不像他一天拿下 50 分，另一天拿下 20 分，不，他每场比赛都得分超过 30 分。”

东契奇最近的表现是本赛季最具统治力的表现之一。在战胜迈阿密热火队的比赛中，他爆发了 60 分、7 个篮板、5 次抢断和 3 次助攻，同时在场上和三分线外投篮高效。这次出战突显了他在保持效率的同时接管比赛的能力。

在湖人队的八连胜中，东契奇场均出战37.5分钟，得到40.9分、8.9个篮板、7.4次助攻和2.4次抢断，投篮命中率为50.2%，三分命中率为42.2%，罚球命中率为78%。

史密斯还强调了东契奇整个赛季的表现以及他在联盟中表现最好的球员之一。

“与此同时，自交易截止日以来，洛杉矶湖人队的三分球命中率为38.5%。卢卡以33.4分领先联盟，助攻排名第三。女士们先生们，他是联盟MVP候选人。我再说一遍，卢卡东契奇是联盟MVP候选人。谢伊·吉尔吉斯-亚历山大、杰伦·布朗、维克托·温班亚马和卢卡·东契奇位列前四。联盟 MVP 的候选人。”

“卢卡·东契奇场均贡献 40.9 分和 7.4 次助攻……他在这 8 场比赛中所做的一切，是湖人历史上从未做过的。沙奎尔·奥尼尔、科比·布莱恩特、魔术师约翰逊都没有。没有人……他是联盟 MVP 候选人。”

— 斯蒂芬·A·史密斯🙌pic.twitter.com/CH6gldgfBJ

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 2026 年 3 月 21 日

尽管湖人队早期表现不稳定，但斯蒂芬·A·史密斯仍力挺卢卡·东契奇获得 MVP

在本赛季的58场比赛中，这位27岁的球员场均得到33.4分、8.4次助攻、7.9个篮板和1.6次抢断，投篮命中率为47.7%，三分命中率为37%，罚球命中率为77.2%。

史密斯承认东契奇获得 MVP 的机会可能会受到湖人队早期不稳定的影响，但他坚持认为他目前的表现水平很难被忽视。

“他很可能不会赢得比赛，因为湖人队今年连续 40 场比赛打出 0.500 的篮球，我明白了。但我们从他身上看到的是闻所未闻的。而且他的兄弟看起来像蜗牛一样慢。这就是让我烦恼的事情。尼古拉·约基奇无法跳到丹佛的路边，没有人可以阻止他。卢卡·东契奇大多数时候看起来都在慢动作，没有人可以阻止他当三人打的时候……他在三人面前毫无防备，到底是什么让他被三人击中呢？”

他最后阐述了东契奇的表现对西部联盟前景的更广泛影响。

“这是我们看到的一些特殊的东西。因此，我们必须以稍微不同的方式看待西部联盟并扪心自问，湖人队是否可以被视为西部联盟中真正的威胁？俄克拉荷马城可能会说是。圣安东尼奥和维克多·温巴纳亚马可能会说是。我不知道我们是否能做到这一点……在卢卡这样的情况下不行。”

湖人队 (45-25) 将在太平洋时间周六下午 4:00 在 NBA TV 上客场挑战奥兰多魔术队 (38-31) 时将连胜扩大到九场。

As the Los Angeles Lakers continue their lead late in the season, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith has outlined a compelling case for Luka Doncic as a legitimate MVP contender.

The Stephen A. Speaking on The Smith Show, Smith pointed to Doncic’s historic production during the Lakers’ current eight-game winning streak, highlighting both his scoring consistency and overall impact.

“Do you know that Luka Doncic is averaging 40.9 points and 7.4 assists? Do you know what he has done in this eight-game span, which no Lakers player in history has ever done? Not Shaquille O’Neal, not Kobe Bryant, not Magic Johnson. No one… Luka has 100 points in his last two games. In each game of this eight-game winning streak, he has scored at least 30. Not so Whether he scores 50 one day and 20 the next day, no, he is consistently scoring 30-plus in every single game.”

Doncic’s recent performances include one of his most impressive performances of the season. In the win over the Miami Heat, he scored 60 points while adding seven rebounds, five steals and three assists while shooting efficiently from the field and beyond the arc. The outing underlined his ability to take over games while maintaining efficiency.

On the Lakers’ eight-game winning streak, Doncic is averaging 40.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 2.4 steals per game, while shooting 50.2 percent from the field, 42.2 percent from three-point range and 78 percent from the free-throw line in 37.5 minutes per contest.

Smith also emphasized Doncic’s season-long production and where he ranks among the league’s top performers.

“Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers are hitting 38.5% of their three-pointers since the trade deadline. Luka leads the league in scoring with 33.4, he’s third in assists. Ladies and gentlemen, he’s a league MVP candidate. I’ll say it again, Luka Doncic is a league MVP candidate. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jaylen Brown, Victor Wembayama and Luka “Doncic tops four candidates for league MVP.”

“Luka Doncic averaged 40.9 points and 7.4 assists… What he’s done in this 8-game span is something no Laker in history has ever done. Not Shaquille O’Neal, not Kobe Bryant, not Magic Johnson. No one… He’s a league MVP candidate.”

-Stephen A. Smith 🙌pic.twitter.com/CH6gldgfBJ

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 21 March 2026

Stephen A. Smith pushes Luka Doncic’s MVP case despite Lakers’ early inconsistency

Through 58 games this season, the 27-year-old has averaged 33.4 points, 8.4 assists, 7.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game, while shooting 47.7 percent from the field, 37 percent from three-point range and 77.2 percent from the free-throw line.

Smith acknowledged that Doncic’s MVP chances may be affected by the Lakers’ past inconsistency, but said his current level of play is difficult to ignore.

“The possibility that he won’t win it because the Lakers have played .500 basketball for 40 games this year, I get that. But what we’re seeing from them is unheard of. And the guy looks slow as a snail out there. That’s the thing that bothers me. Nikola Jokic can’t jump over a curb for Denver and no one can stop him. Luka Doncic looks like he’s moving in slow motion most of the time and No one can stop him. And when all three of them were clicking… he was insecure in front of all three of them, what are all three of them making of him?

He concluded by outlining the widespread impact of Doncic’s play on the Western Conference’s outlook.

“It’s some special things we’re looking at. And as a result, we have to look at the Western Conference a little differently and ask ourselves, can the Lakers be written off as a real threat in the Western Conference? Oklahoma City would probably say yes. San Antonio with Victor Vembanayama would probably say yes. I don’t know if we can do that … not with Luka on a roll like this.”

The Lakers (45-25) will try to extend their winning streak to nine games when they visit the Orlando Magic (38-31) on Saturday at 4:00 pm PT on NBA TV.

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith offered to gift Los Angeles Lakers All-Star Luka Doncic a mile after noting the veteran guard as one of the few NBA players worthy of winning this year’s MVP award. The Lakers extended their winning streak to eight with a 134-126 win against the Miami Heat. Doncic scored a season-high 60 points on Thursday, which could be the deciding factor for the veteran media personality’s list of Most Valuable Players this year.

Still, Smith was embarrassed to admit that Doncic was not among his favorites to win MVP, but that changed after Luka’s 60-point game, according to ESPN’s First Take.

“I’m ashamed that I didn’t bring Luka up for MVP consideration before this morning. That ends now,” Smith said. “It’s been fixed right now. Luka Doncic has been sensational. The Los Angeles Lakers have been incredibly impressive on an eight-game winning streak. He’s scored over 30 in each of those games. He’s scored 100 in the last two games.”

Given Doncic’s recent offensive performance, combining for 100 points in his last two contests, he is strengthening his case for MVP in the final hour of the regular season, as reported by Stephen A. Smith.

“Who deserves it more than Luka, given what he’s doing? He’s leading the league in scoring. The Los Angeles Lakers are winning as a top 3 seed in the Western Conference,” Smith said. They’re winning basketball games. He’s leading, and he has a guy in LeBron James, who is on the Mount Rushmore of basketball — still playing like an All-Star caliber player.

“And that has to be different because Luka is so great — he’s so unstoppable. At some point, you just have to announce it, and right now, we have to announce it right here on First Take that Luka Doncic — the guy that the Dallas Mavericks traded away for Anthony Davis, another player, Christie and a pick. The same Luka Doncic in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform is a top candidate for league MVP honors,” Smith concluded.

The Lakers have won 12 of their last 13 games.

Draymond Green’s opinion on Luka Doncic, LeBron James pairing

Warriors veteran Draymond Green weighed in on Luka Doncic, LeBron James and the Lakers’ chances of winning a championship this season. Given the Lakers’ recent surge, which has led them to the third-best record in the Western Conference (45-25), momentum is undoubtedly on their side heading into the playoffs.

For Green, the Lakers are led by Doncic and James good handsAs he mentioned on The Draymond Green Show.

“Luka is playing absolutely incredible,” Green said. “The irony is that the Lakers are playing absolutely incredible. The irony is that DeAndre Ayton is playing better; the irony is that Marcus Smart is playing better. Because that’s the magic of Luka Doncic. Luka makes everybody around him better at the top of their game. So, you ask yourself, how dangerous can they be in the playoffs?

“And part of me wants to say that’s not dangerous at all, but the other side of me knows better. You’ve got Luka Doncic and LeBron James on the court at the same time. You always have a chance against anybody.”

Draymond Green likely to be a real contender on the Lakers:

“You ask yourself how dangerous they can be during the playoffs, besides me I want to say not dangerous at all but the other side of me knows better. You put Luka Doncic and LeBron James on the court at the same time… pic.twitter.com/kYEsPPMj43

– NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) 20 March 2026

Amidst the competitive Western Conference led by the defending champion Thunder, the Lakers are slowly joining the picture of championship contenders.

The Los Angeles Lakers have an NBA playoff berth to chase at the end of the season. Perennial wonder LeBron James ignited postseason expectations in a big way on Monday. This all happened after the Houston Rockets put up a poster of Jabari Smith Jr.

Smith attempted to time his jump and execute a block near the rim. Except James blew this jam early in the first quarter.

41-year-old LeBron James played Jabari Smith Jr. 🤯pic.twitter.com/5hu3t1Ovaf

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 17 March 2026

Los Angeles took a 13-11 lead during that transition sequence. Then there was a back-and-forth with other aspiring Western Conference playoff contenders.

LA went ahead 41–38 after a James Poster dunk about seven minutes into the second quarter. But Kevin Durant was able to make two free throws with less than four minutes remaining to give Houston a 46–45 lead.

How LeBron James, Lakers performed in the first half

Monday’s matchup inside Toyota Center offered a potential playoff preview.

Los Angeles is the third-best team in the West behind the San Antonio Spurs (49-18) and the Oklahoma City Thunder (53-15). But the Lakers entered the week of St. Patrick’s Day and March Madness on a five-game winning streak.

Houston and Durant, meanwhile, are the fourth-place team in the Western Conference, trailing the Lakers. The Rockets enter with an overall record of 41-25 and defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 107-105 on Friday.

However, despite the strong dunks, James was limited in scoring. He scored only four points in 13 minutes. The four-time NBA champion dished out two assists and grabbed one rebound.

Luka Doncic handled the scoring load for the Lakers and scored 23 points in the first half with less than 2:40 remaining in the second half. Houston took a 57–51 lead at halftime.

On Sunday evening, the New York Knicks picked up a narrow home win over the Golden State Warriors at Madison Square Garden. It was the first game at home for the Knicks after a recent long trip to the West Coast, and at one point the team found itself trailing by 21 points against a Warriors team playing without Stephen Curry and several others, before eventually rallying to win.

Still, it wasn’t exactly an encouraging performance for a Knicks team that has been slipping as of late, and recently, ESPN sports media personality and renowned New York fan Stephen A. Smith expressed his concern with the team.

“I’m sick. … I had the New York Knicks to go to the Finals. I sure don’t have that now,” Smith said, according to First Take on X, formerly Twitter.

In fact, many analysts projected the Knicks to be a Finals-level team this season. However, the emergence of the Detroit Pistons, who have swept New York in their contests so far this year, as well as the surprising play of the Boston Celtics, who are second in the East and recently brought Jayson Tatum back from his Achilles injury, have undermined those plans, and now, the Knicks are as low as fourth in the East in terms of chances to make the Finals.

New York struggled during their recent road trip, losing badly to both the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers, and had to struggle mightily to defeat the weak Utah Jazz.

The Knicks will be looking to turn things around in the final month of the regular season to reach the playoffs while playing their best basketball and not the slump they are currently facing.

While there is a lot of disappointment in New York Jets country over whether Geno Smith will be their starting quarterback next season, their former head coach Gang Green is trying to give fans hope about his potential in 2026.

“We should have prepared him better for things that happened, and that wouldn’t have happened,” Pete Carroll told ESPN’s Rich Cimini about Smith’s disappointing performance with the Las Vegas Raiders last season. “I take a lot of responsibility for that. We didn’t prepare him well in the offseason, even though he looked great and we thought we had everything ready. It was very, very disappointing for both of us.”

Carroll has seen the best of the 12-year veteran and was the head coach during Smith’s two Pro Bowl seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. That’s why, when he took over as the Raiders head coach last season, they asked the front office to make the 35-year-old their QB1 in 2025.

Pete Carroll blames terrible line play for Geno Smith’s performance in 2025

However, Smith had a difficult season as he threw for 19 touchdowns to 17 interceptions and was sacked a league-worst 55 times. Carroll claims that the lack of improvement on the offensive line played a huge role in Smith’s performance last year.

“Our aggressors have been killing us for the last few years,” Carroll said. ‘We needed to upgrade much more than that. It didn’t happen in the draft, and it didn’t happen in the offseason. We needed to buy a new line to at least give people a chance to be more competitive.

“The only reason you get sacked so many times is because you try to throw it too much. The whole thing didn’t work out right, and that’s why you saw the changeup and all that.”

There are definitely doubts about how much better the NY Jets O-line is than the Raiders. But if they give Smith better blocking in 2026, the former Jets head coach believes Gang Green has a very good player at the QB1 spot next season.

“He’s a phenomenal quarterback, he really is,” Carroll said.

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

Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo delivered one of the most historic scoring performances in NBA history on Monday night, but ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith directed most of the post-game discussion toward the Washington Wizards’ defense following Miami’s 150-129 win.

Adebayo scored 83 points – the second-highest scoring total in NBA history – leading the Heat to their sixth consecutive win, drawing widespread reaction throughout the league. During Tuesday’s broadcast of ESPN’s First Take, Smith criticized the Wizards’ defensive effort, arguing that Washington offered little resistance as Adebayo put up points all night.

Smith made his comments while discussing the game with co-host Chris Russo.

“It’s not Bam Adebayo’s fault. Brother had 31 points in the first quarter, he had 43 points at halftime, he had 62 points in three quarters, he had 70 points with nine minutes left. It’s not his fault the Washington Wizards suck. It’s not his fault you really got him a career night because he hasn’t put up much resistance in a while.”

Adebayo’s scoring progression reflects the dominance referenced by Smith. The 28-year-old started the game with 31 points in the first quarter and reached 43 points at halftime. He had 62 points entering the fourth quarter and crossed the 70-point mark with nine minutes remaining.

“It’s not like that [Bam’s] The blame is that the Washington Wizards suck. …I’m not blaming Bam Adebayo for this. Congratulations to him. This is his moment.”

—@stephensmith On 43 free throw attempts in Bam Adebayo’s 83-point performance 🏀 pic.twitter.com/vEEFAxwHKh

– First Tech (@FirstTech) 11 March 2026

Stephen A. Smith says Wizards defense ‘tainted’ Bam Adebayo’s historic 83-point game

Smith also suggested that the circumstances surrounding the conclusion of the game contributed to the historic score.

“Then you’re talking about the Cats that are deliberately hitting people with fouls to get more possessions to give Bam Adebayo a chance at the record and things like that. Obviously he’s tarnished it, it’s not his fault. He went out there and did what he was supposed to do. And even though he didn’t shoot 50% from the field – last time I checked, shooting 48% from the field. 47% shots aren’t bad either. He shot 20 out of 43, right? It wasn’t like he shot 13 for 43.

Adebayo finished the night with 83 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks in 42 minutes. He shot 20 of 43 from the field, 7 of 22 from three-point range, and 36 of 43 from the free-throw line, while posting a team-best plus-20 rating.

Smith compared the performance to Kobe Bryant’s famous 81-point game in 2006, noting the difference in reaction from opposing defenses.

“When Kobe did that, he did it in the flow of his game and in the game itself. It got to the point where they were giving him the rock because they knew Kobe was going for it. He made 28 of 46 shots, 7 of 13 threes, he was in attack mode. I know Toronto Raptors coach Sam Mitchell… what did he say? We did everything, we doubled him. We did everything we could. We changed the guards on that.

Smith says Heat star should be celebrated

Smith followed up his criticism of the Wizards by defending Adebayo’s performance.

“Obviously that was not the case with Bam Adebayo last night. But you can point the finger [Erik] Spoelstra, you can point the finger at his teammates, you can point the finger at how brutal the Washington Wizards were last night and it will be a stain on their franchise for years to come. But you can’t blame Bam Adebayo because obviously he was doing it and knew it from the first quarter because he had never seen a game like this in his life.

Despite Smith’s criticism of Washington, he stressed that Adebayo’s accomplishment deserves recognition.

“But this is a day where he should be celebrated because he’s one of those good guys who grabs his lunch bill and comes to work every day and does his best… Congratulations to him. This is his moment.”

The performance added another milestone to Adebayo’s season. Through 58 games, the Heat center is averaging 20 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.1 steals, while shooting 44.8% from the field and 32.9% from three-point range.

Miami improved to 37-29 with Monday’s win, extending its winning streak to six games and moving into the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference standings.

Draymond Green is often viewed as one of the dirtiest players in the NBA, and his actions came to light again recently during the Golden State Warriors’ 115-113 win over the Houston Rockets. During the third quarter, Green caught Jabari Smith Jr.’s ankle during a dead-ball sequence, resulting in a technical foul.

The incident occurred with 9:49 minutes remaining in the third quarter when Smith was called for an offensive foul on a moving screen that sent Green to the floor. Now, the Warriors veteran has addressed the incident, claiming it was Smith Jr.’s trash talk that prompted him to commit the foul.

“So Jabari fouled, he just stood there going, ‘Oh yeah, get more physical. Yeah, I pushed him down.’ Well being who I am, I don’t think anyone should let that happen, but I’m definitely not letting that happen. At that moment I can only do what I did. I think one thing that people don’t understand about this game is that you can’t give people an edge in the NBA. You give somebody the lead and lose, and I wasn’t going to give him the lead and we won,” Green told the Draymond Green Show.

Although Green did not reveal what the Rockets player said, the Warriors veteran could be seen pulling his ankle while walking back to the court.

“In a situation where Jabari was struggling strongly, you would not be able to find your edge in that game, and I would not be the guy that you would foul, and I would fall down and you would stand over me and walk over me and talk,” he concluded.

Smith had missed the past two games with a right ankle sprain and entered the matchup listed as questionable before ultimately being cleared following pregame warmups. Since the incident, many have called for the NBA to impose harsher punishment, especially given Green’s problematic history.

However, the player himself appeared to have no regrets and played his part in a surprise win with 10 points, eight assists and five rebounds on the night.

In the minds of many NBA fans and prognosticators, Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shut down the MVP conversation with a 129-126 win over the Denver Nuggets last night. Alexander rose up and hit a three-pointer that sealed the hard-fought victory, and broke Wilt Chamberlain’s record for consecutive 20-point games on the night. But, according to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith believes the race is not over yet, as Celtics star Jaylen Brown still has a shot at a title.

He explained his theory on Tuesday Morning Edition take first.

“Jaylen Brown is one of the top two candidates for league MVP. We’ve got two road games this week in San Antonio and then against Shea Butters and Oklahoma City. Now, Jaylen Brown, that’s going to go a long way for us to see…You see, we don’t need to see Shea Butters. Because when you look at Shea Butters, he’s already the league MVP. He’s already an NBA Finals MVP. He’s already an NBA champion. Jaylen Brown is too, but Jaylen Brown was the number two option.

Smith continued, “Now you’ve got to understand, even though you’ve got Tatum back, he’s still feeling his way back. It’s still you, Jaylen Brown. Where are you going to get to San Antonio, when you get to Oklahoma City, what are you going to do?”

While Alexander has been the steady hand guiding the defending NBA Champions to another unprecedented regular season, Brown definitely has a claim to a shot at MVP after the season he had for the Celtics. Both Alexander and Brown are featured in ClutchPoints senior NBA reporter Brett Siegel’s latest “MVP Monday.” Alexander sits comfortably at the top of Seagull’s rankings while Brown sits at number five behind Cade Cunningham, Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic.

In 57 games played, Brown is averaging 28.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game with one steal. He is shooting 48% from the field and 34.8% from three-point range. He has been the catalyst for the Celtics’ success as they have remained in the conversation without Jayson Tatum for most of the season.

But it’s certainly hard to top the MVP moments provided by Alexander, especially when the Thunder have also dealt with injuries to key contributors. Still, the Thunder and Celtics are meeting on Thursday, and a lot of questions will be answered in a head-to-head matchup that could be an NBA Finals preview.

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.

The Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets face off for only the second of three matches in this 2025-26 regular season. Golden State entered this contest without Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Kristaps Porzingis, Moses Moody, Seth Curry, Will Richard or Gary Payton II.

However, the Warriors maintained an 11-point lead throughout the first half. Houston mounted a comeback in the third quarter, starting with a strange play by Draymond Green and Jabari Smith Jr.

With 9:49 left in the third quarter, Smith Jr. was whistled for an offensive foul for a moving screen, which knocked Green to the floor. As he got to his feet to return to the offensive end of the field, the Warriors forward made a surprising decision pull right leg Ahead of the Rockets.

Jabari Smith Jr.’s right ankle that Draymond Green grabbed was actually the same ankle that caused Smith Jr. to miss just two games before Thursday night’s game. Smith Jr. was questionable coming into the contest due to a sprained right ankle, but was cleared to play after warm-ups.

After missing two games with an ankle injury, Drummond makes a dirty play and tries to throw a Rockets player by the ankle#dubnation pic.twitter.com/JlLzG18Aqf

– Bay Area Super Fans (@Baysuperfans) 6 March 2026

Thursday night’s match is important for both the teams. A win for the Rockets would give them a season series victory while moving them one step closer to clinching the third seed in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, the Warriors are fighting to hold on to the eighth seed, but only have a one-game lead over the LA Clippers for that spot.

Jabari Smith Jr. is averaging 15.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 34.8 minutes per night. In 50 appearances for the Warriors this season, Draymond Green is averaging 8.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 26.7 minutes per night.

The Houston Rockets host the Golden State Warriors, who have lost their last three games, at Toyota Center on Thursday night. Still, Houston heads into the game at 38-22 and in third place in the West, while Golden State is 31-30 and in eighth place.

The Warriors need to recover from their losses in the last two they have faced. The injury report lists the hosts as three key contributors in Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr.

All of them are listed as doubtful on the official injury list. Sengun is battling an illness, while Thompson and Smith are both dealing with ankle injuries.

The Rockets are already dealing with some major injuries. Fred VanVleet is out for the season after an ACL repair, Steven Adams is out after left ankle surgery, and Ja’Sean Tate is out with a right knee sprain. Tristan Newton is unavailable during a G League two-way assignment.

The warriors are also in a similar boat. Jimmy Butler III is out after right ACL surgery, while Stephen Curry is out with right patellofemoral pain syndrome. Seth Curry (left sciatic nerve irritation), Moses Moody (right wrist sprain), Kristaps Porzingis (illness) and Will Richard (right ankle sprain) have also been ruled out. Gary Payton II is questionable with a left ankle injury.

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

Injury status of Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr. vs. Warriors

With all three players listed as questionable, their availability will be a decision on game day. Thompson and Sengun both started in the last game, both achieved double-doubles
Sengun had 32 points and eight rebounds while Thompson returned with 22 points and 12 rebounds.

However, Smith Jr. sat out the Rockets’ last game and last played in a win over the Orlando Magic. Regardless, despite the injury concerns, the Rockets (38-22) remain formidable, especially at home where they have a 20-7 record. They currently sit comfortably in third place in the Western Conference.

Houston has already proven they can handle Golden State this season by earning a 104-100 win in November. With the Warriors having lost three of their last four games and a weak road record of 12-17, the Rockets will be the favorites as hosts this time.

rocket injury report

Alperen Sengun: Doubtful (disease)

Amen Thompson: Questionable (sprained right ankle)

Jabari Smith Jr.: Questionable (sprained right ankle)

Ja’Sean Tate: Out (right knee sprain)

Steven Adams: Out (left ankle surgery)

Fred VanVleet: Out (right knee ACL repair)

Tristan Newton: Out (G League Two-Way)

warriors injury report

Stephen Curry: Out (right patellofemoral pain syndrome)

Seth Curry: Out (left sciatic nerve irritation)

Jimmy Butler III: Out (right ACL surgery)

Moses Moody: Out (right wrist sprain)

Kristaps Porzingis: out (illness)

Will Richard: Out (sprained right ankle)

Gary Payton II: Questionable (left ankle injury)

Boston Celtics All-Star Jaylen Brown has led his team to one of the best records in the NBA this season without Jayson Tatum, which for JR Smith means this is no longer Tatum’s team. With Tatum’s potential return to the Celtics, many wonder how Boston will adjust to Jason Tatum’s midseason debut.

while brown have been leaders For the Celtics this season, that’s been their title for Jaylen for years, Smith said, according to To The Baha.

“It’s always been his team. Jaylen Brown. He’s the leader. Isn’t he? First of all, he protects everybody. It’s always been his team. It’s his team,” Smith said. “To the players, I’m sure it’s their team; to everyone else in the media on the outside, it’s Jayson Tatum’s team. That’s the way they want to show it. Internally, it’s Jaylen Brown’s team.

“Jaylen Brown is the leader of that team. 100 percent on and off the court. Fact. I guarantee you he commands more film sessions, practices than JT. He’s the leader of that team.”

“It’s always been his team. Jaylen Brown. He’s the leader. Isn’t he? … To the players, I’m pretty sure it’s his team; to everybody else in the media on the outside, it’s Jayson Tatum’s team.”

– JR Smith 🤔

(via @ToTheBaha)pic.twitter.com/mnELzcwFk9

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 4 March 2026

In Brown and Tatum’s second NBA Finals appearance in two years, Brown won the 2024 Finals MVP award after capturing his first title.

NBA insider says Jayson Tatum will need to adjust to new Celtics

NBA insider Chris Mannix believes the Celtics are Jaylen Brown’s team who will have to accommodate Jayson Tatum if he returns from his nearly season-long Achilles injury. Tatum has to do it slowly work your way back Mannix said, according to FanDuel TV’s Run It Back, linking up with the Browns and the Celtics.

“I think [Jayson] Tatum knows that by coming back he is stepping into Jaylen Brown’s team. “Brown is a top-five, top-six MVP candidate this year,” Mannix said. “He’s put this team on his back offensively.” And Tatum will have to find a way to fit in.

This is Jaylen Brown’s team now 👀

With the pending return of Jayson Tatum, @SIChrisMannix I don’t think there is a chemistry problem.

Tatum knows this is Brown’s team. pic.twitter.com/wgMkvmJHDF

– Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) 4 March 2026

In 54 games played, Brown is averaging 29 points per game, 7.1 rebounds and 5 assists per game with one steal. He is shooting 48% from the field and 34.9% from three-point range. He has been the catalyst for the Celtics’ success as they have kept themselves in the news as NBA title contenders.

even after Stephen A. Smith’s monologue take firstNew Orleans Pelicans Social Media Team is still. Following his comments about Zion Williamson, Stephen A. Smith fired back at the Pelicans after they posted a video of Smith’s athletic shortcomings.

Smith reiterated rumors that Williamson was “addicted to food” and had weight problems during his time with the Pelicans, which led to the back-and-forth.

“There was nothing fabricated. The information that came out about Zion Williamson, yes, it came from inside the organization. It came from people even closer to Zion Williamson. I’ll leave it at that,” Smith said Tuesday. “People who called and encouraged us to capture him because of his actions. You got people who are alcoholics, you got people who are drug addicts, and things like that. What was Zion’s problem? Food! Addicted to food!”

Wednesday morning edition take firstSmith was furious, even claiming he was more relevant than the Pelicans organization.

“My popularity is higher than anyone on your team outside of Zion… 65 games played and you’re still looking for your 20th win. You’re all terrible! You’re all wasted! That’s the reality…. You’re worth about $3.55B right now. That’s 29th out of 30 teams in the NBA. This is your 24th year in the NBA. You used to be the Hornets, now you’re the Pelicans, that is. Nickname 2. You have so many playoff wins… you have time to clap at me, at least tell America that’s the only thing that can make you relevant.

A 5 minute monologue from a former NBA player on how to shoot https://t.co/SD4gBMwMrY pic.twitter.com/QWdFMgGN4i

– New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) 4 March 2026

But even after a heated exchange, the Pelicans decided to go after Smith again. The NBA chimed in on ESPN analyst Richard Jefferson and Stephen A. Asked Smith to stop trolling. Pelican then posted a video of a man mimicking boxing moves and captioned the video, “Unk trippin’ again.”

The tweet’s caption read, “5 minute monologue from a former NBA player on how to shoot,” Jefferson sarcastically responded to what he said in the post. The feud may be about to stop soon, but it’s clear the Pelicans aren’t ready to give up.

Stephen A. Smith has never been one to shy away from confrontation, and he recently got into a fight with the New Orleans Pelicans. Following a segment where he was critical of Zion Williamson’s weight, the Pelicans social media team retaliated by reposting a video in which Stephen A. Smith was missing jump shots that he was attempting on the basketball court, as well as being a poor athlete in boxing.

The audio of the video was also an earlier example of him giving his assessment of Kwame Brown’s involvement in the Pau Gasol trade in February 2008, where he called Brown a “true man”. Smith fired back on Wednesday’s edition of ESPN take firstEven touting his HBCU credentials.

“You left something out and you know what? You left out the fact that I was in the fourth grade and I was left back out because I had a first-grade readership. And here I am on national television after graduating from an HBCU, going up against Hall of Famers who have played professional sports all the time… the elite journalist in this business, and I’m coming from an HBCU and still doing what I’m doing.”

Smith is a graduate of Winston-Salem State University and has done significant HBCU philanthropy work throughout her career. He has also used the platform of take first to highlight HBCUs and HBCU athletics, but Smith has been involved in numerous feuds and wars of words, often citing his HBCU connections.

Still, the Pelicans are undaunted, as they posted a response tweet to Smith’s criticism with the caption, “A five-minute monologue from a former NBA player on how to shoot.” The feud will eventually settle down, but Stephen A. is determined to show that he is not to be messed with.

史蒂芬·史密斯从来不会在对抗中退缩，他最近选择了与新奥尔良鹈鹕队的一场战斗。在他批评锡安·威廉姆森体重的一段视频后，鹈鹕队的社交媒体团队进行了反击，转发了一段视频，显示斯蒂芬·A·史密斯在篮球场上尝试跳投和拳击时失误，以展示他是一名低于标准的运动员。

视频中的音频也让人回想起他在 2008 年 2 月对夸梅·布朗参与保罗·加索尔交易的评价，当时他称布朗是“真正的磨砂膏”。史密斯在周三的 ESPN 节目中进行了反击 第一次拍摄，甚至吹捧他的 HBCU 资历。

“你漏掉了一些东西，你知道吗？你漏掉了我在四年级的事实，而我被留了下来，因为我的阅读水平是一年级。从 HBCU 毕业后，我出现在国家电视台上，一直与从事职业体育运动的名人堂成员……这个行业的精英记者对抗，而来自 HBCU 的我仍在做我正在做的事情。”

史密斯毕业于温斯顿塞勒姆州立大学，在其职业生涯中为 HBCU 做出了重要的慈善事业。他还使用过以下平台 第一次拍摄 为了突出 HBCU 和 HBCU 体育运动，但史密斯经常在他参与的许多争执和口水战中引用他与 HBCU 的联系。

尽管如此，鹈鹕队并没有被吓倒，他们在推特上回应了史密斯的咆哮，并配文说：“前 NBA 球员关于如何投篮的五分钟独白。”争执最终会平息，但史蒂芬·A. (Stephen A.) 坚决要让大家知道他是不值得玩弄的。

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has opened up about the challenges of his career, specifically his numerous injuries and criticism regarding his weight.

While he is one of the best players in the NBA, Williamson has struggled to stay on the court due to health issues. In an interview with ESPN, he admitted that he was disappointed when he missed his third season due to a broken foot and that people blamed his weight.

Instead of expressing sympathy for the 25-year-old star who is struggling with an ankle injury, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith called him a “food addict.” He also claimed that the Pelicans “encouraged” him to talk to Williamson about his weight.

In response, Pelican posted a video of Smith’s popular bloopers on X, adding the caption, “Stick to solitaire, Stephen.” Bonus points for effortless alliteration.

Of course, Smith did not hide his anger and threatened the Pelicans.

“Removing stuff from a decade, two decades, three decades ago? No problem. See you all tomorrow at @FirstTech. Remember one thing: you asked for it!” the 58-year-old analyst wrote.

Pulling out stuff from a decade, two decades, three decades ago, ???? No problem. see you all tomorrow @FirstTech. Remember one thing: YOU ASKED FOR THIS!!!!

-Stephen A. Smith (@stephenasmith) 3 March 2026

The moment Smith doesn’t return a blow is the moment the world’s most distinguished historians will write about.

However, Pelican’s work was not complete, Posting a GIF Of Smith’s former partner, Max Zellerman.

https://t.co/Rgq8Y1zJv5 pic.twitter.com/ShVwloRERf

– New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) 3 March 2026

Smith has repeatedly been involved in well-publicized controversies, including an altercation with Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James last season. James also tackled Smith during a game, with Smith later describing the move as “weak”.

Smith has often defended his role as a member of the media, and it seems he will pull the same card with the Pelicans. No, he can’t use it on solitaire.

The Houston Rockets defeated the Orlando Magic in a hard-fought game, 113-108, at the Kia Center on Thursday. However, the victory may have been costly, as Jabari Smith Jr. left the game in the final minutes with an ankle injury.

Smith finished with 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting in 29 minutes.

In a video posted on X, the 22-year-old forward remained on the floor for a few seconds before getting up and limping on the bench.

It didn’t look good as Jabari Smith Jr. fell to the ground and they immediately grabbed his right ankle. #rockets #sarge @TheRocketsWire pic.twitter.com/lc5oOCtLRO

– Big Sarge Media LLC (@BigSargeSportz) 27 February 2026

Although it was a good sign that Smith was able to walk on his own, it was still likely that he suffered a serious injury.

The Rockets cannot afford to lose him long-term, as he has been a vital part of the machine. Smith, who is on a contract year, has proven to be a reliable two-way player with his length, agility and athleticism. Despite his flexible physique, Smith is not afraid to get physical. He has also improved his outside shooting.

His frontcourt trio with Kevin Durant and Alpern Sengun is one of the most lethal in the NBA, with Smith serving as the ideal complement to his All-Star teammates.

With the win, the Rockets improved to 37–21. Durant led the way with 40 points and eight rebounds in the game. Sengun added 16 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Reed Shepard also performed with 20 points, including five three-pointers, three rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks off the bench.

The Rockets won their third consecutive game and will look to follow it up on Saturday against the Miami Heat.

After starting the season in historic fashion, the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder have been hit with injuries. After starting the year without All-Star forward Jalen Williams, reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has missed the last few games.

Although the team has been able to “maintain service” in the Western Conference playoff race – maintaining its top spot in the conference – Stephen A. Smith believes the team is in trouble if SGA doesn’t bounce back soon. On the latest edition of ESPN’s First Take, the panel discussed the resurgence of the San Antonio Spurs under Victor Wembanyama after a 114-103 win over the Pistons. While praising the Spurs, Smith expressed doubt about the Thunder without Alexander.

“Without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, I wouldn’t have Oklahoma City [Thunder] As a top 8 team,” Smith said boldly.

Currently, the Thunder have a 6-3 record without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander this season, which includes wins over playoff contenders in the Lakers, Phoenix Suns, and Cleveland Cavaliers. But before the All-Star break, they suffered two consecutive losses to the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Alexander has another season worthy of an MVP finish. He is averaging 31.8 points per game and 6.4 assists per game, shooting 55% from the field and 39% from three. He has emerged as a steady hand for the Thunder offense when it needs the basket. With Alexander out of the rotation, the Thunder have had to rely on their trademark effective defense, team basketball and three-point shooting to maintain their edge over their recent opponents.

The Thunder are in for an interesting run of games as they face the playoff contenders Toronto Raptors on the first night of a back-to-back, before they play a nationally televised game against the Detroit Pistons, the top seed in the Eastern Conference, on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

Most recently, Kansas basketball guard Darrin Peterson raised eyebrows by ruling himself out of the team’s road win over Oklahoma State on Wednesday evening. The move comes just days after Peterson was removed from the second game during warmups due to illness, raising big questions about what his availability might look like at the NBA level.

Peterson is widely considered one of the most talented players in the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft class, but recently, sports media personality Stephen A. Smith took to the ESPN airwaves to share why he wouldn’t draft Peterson if he had the number one overall pick.

“There’s no team that can take Darrin Peterson No. 1. You can’t do that. The number one ability is availability…and these games he’s missing, cramps? Flu…I can’t trust him. You can’t be trusted,” Smith said on X, formerly of First Take on Twitter, per Awful Announcing.

In fact, availability concerns are starting to become a bigger concern for Peterson, who is widely viewed as the best point guard prospect in the upcoming draft. There’s no denying Peterson’s ability to produce when he’s on the floor, as the Kansas guard boasts an elite combination of outside shooting, explosive athleticism and defensive instincts that make him an ideal floor general for the modern NBA.

However, he has plenty of competition for the number one spot in the upcoming draft, primarily in the form of Duke forward Cameron Boozer, the son of former NBA player Carlos Boozer, as well as BYU wing AJ DiBuntsa.

In a league where load management is increasingly becoming an issue, it’s certainly possible that any team that would have selected Peterson at No. 1 overall might view his availability issues as too big a problem to ignore.

In any case, the NBA Draft is scheduled for the end of June.

史密斯身高 6 英尺 3 英寸，體重 225 磅，是一位罕見的擁有精英擊球速度和頂級身體素質的運動員。 22 歲時，他的最大出口速度為 113.9 英里/小時，凸顯了他個人資料中的潛在力量。隨著他獲得識別和適應大聯盟次要投球（尤其是滑球）的經驗，他的功率輸出應該開始與他的基本指標相匹配。

最近的發展路徑——比如扎克·內託的——表明，在小聯盟經歷過的球員一旦適應了大聯盟的投球，就能在進攻方面取得重大進步。史密斯將運動能力、球棒速度和防守價值結合在一起，讓他在球棒完全擊中之前就有多種途徑影響比賽。

突破對太空人隊意味著什麼

休士頓正在最大限度地利用何塞·阿爾圖維領導的球隊的最後巔峰歲月，同時為下一個進攻核心架起一座橋樑。約丹·阿爾瓦雷斯仍然是比賽中的精英擊球手之一，而傑里米·佩納的突破讓我們看到了下一波浪潮。史密斯的發展可能決定這種轉變的無縫程度。

如果史密斯成為高於平均的常規球員，他將鞏固右外野並延長已經擁有高端人才的陣容。如果他達到了自己的上限，他就不僅僅是一個補充球員——他被定位為基石球員和潛在的仲裁前續約候選人，休斯頓歷來優先考慮這種類型，以維持長期競爭力。

對於一個有季後賽期望的太空人隊來說，史密斯的軌跡可能不僅決定了 2026 年，還決定了他們下一個競爭窗口的形狀。

新秀賽季

進入 2025 年，馬特·肖 (Matt Shaw) 作為國聯年度熱門新秀的表現沒有達到預期。他的接觸技巧正如廣告中所宣傳的那樣，但他很難持續影響棒球，而且廣泛的方法削弱了存在的力量。

在擔任大學遊擊手後，肖向三壘的過渡暴露了手臂力量的限制，他的排名僅位於第 33 個百分點。

小熊隊短暫地將他送到了愛荷華州三甲聯賽，在那裡他緩和了誇張的踢腿動作，以改善時機。雖然這項調整幫助他更穩定地擊球，但整體表現對於進入前 40 名的前景來說仍然平淡無奇。蕭的新秀年最終反映出的是一名陷入角色和調整之間的球員，而不是缺乏能力的球員。

According to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, after the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards won the All-Star Game MVP award, it’s fitting to appoint him the face of the NBA. Talking about Edwards’ all-round game, Smith says that Edwards’ unique skill set sets him apart from players like San Antonio Spurs youngster Victor Wambayama.

Edwards is eligible for Smith informal title he said of the face of the NBA, according to ESPN’s First Take.

“[Victor] Vembanyama, brother, is special. But that damn Ant-Man, he’s worth watching. That’s Jordan-esque. He hasn’t won yet. So we can’t say that,” Smith said. “But his game – the pureness of it – the handle, the shot, the athleticism, the swag. She doesn’t believe it, but her boy Stephen A. is going to tell her. You got it all.”

Smith says the average fan may relate more to Edwards than Vishal Wembanyama.

“A lot of people can’t relate to someone who’s 7-feet-5 inches tall. We can never do that. We can’t be that. It’s just an anomaly. Ant-Man is just like Steph [Curry]The baby face is killer. Damn, look at his size, and he’s doing what he’s doing,” Smith said. “Look at Ant-Man what he’s doing… [He] Is going to be the face of the NBA. Mark it. Vembanyama is there with him. He may win sooner than we know, but Ant-Man will be there.

“[Victor] Vembanyama, brother, is special. But that damn Ant-Man… he’s worth watching… you got everything… it’s just like Steph [Curry]The baby’s face is a killer… [He] He’s going to be the face of the NBA.”

Anthony Edwards on Stephen A. Smith 🙌pic.twitter.com/ulFmpksuqs

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 16 February 2026

Edwards totaled 32 points in 26 minutes over three games. He helped lead the USA Stars to a 47–21 victory in the All-Star Game final.

Brian Windhorst praises Anthony Edwards’ ASG performance

Stephen A. Smith wasn’t the only NBA analyst to praise the Timberwolves’ All-Star forward on the four-letter network, as ESPN’s Brian Windhorst gave Anthony Edwards his due following the 2026 NBA All-Star Game.

windhorst kept it 100 About Edwards, according to ESPN’s Get Up.

“This guy does everything you want from a superstar,” Windhorst said. “He plays on both ends of the court, he has great dunks, he’s a great 3-point shooter, he has a great personality, he’s been a winner. He hasn’t won a championship, but he’s led the Wolves to their best two years in franchise history, and he has incredible competitive juice, which he’s shown in this game.”

“He’s so attractive that the NBA needs huge investment going forward.”

Brian Windhorst on Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards, whom he described as “the most underappreciated superstar in all of American sports.”

(via @GetUpESPN)pic.twitter.com/njdOIqzam7

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 16 February 2026

Edwards earned his first All-Star Game MVP award.

史蒂芬·迪格斯終於要進軍超級碗了。

這位經驗豐富的外接手不得不等待時機，但在 NFL 為四支不同球隊效力 11 年後，這位 32 歲的球員獲得文斯·隆巴迪獎杯的機會終於來了。

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而且，它還擁有 NFL 歷史上最成功的球隊之一——新英格蘭愛國者隊。

在一英里高城的一場雪天比賽中，德雷克·梅耶、迪格斯和他的搭檔以 10-7 的比分戰勝了頭號种子丹佛野馬隊，並獲得了至關重要的亞足聯冠軍頭銜，從而獲得了進入 LX 超級碗的門票。

格萊美獎得主說唱歌手女友卡迪·B (Cardi B) 出席了現場，觀看迪格斯實現贏得戒指夢想的下一步，並於 11 月與迪格斯一起迎來了孩子的誕生。

在愛國者隊獲勝後，卡迪·B 透露她將參加在加利福尼亞州聖克拉拉舉行的超級碗比賽，並接受了 NFL Network 的卡梅倫·沃爾夫的採訪，談論了她的搭檔所取得的巨大成就。

“我感到非常興奮。我為他感到非常高興，為他感到驕傲，”卡迪·B 告訴沃爾夫。

“他剛從 [torn] ACL我們也看到了他的進步和過程——他第一次開始的時候 跑步 回來了，現在加入了愛國者隊，並且實際上進入了超級碗。

“我為他感到非常興奮，為整個團隊感到非常興奮。他們一直在努力工作。

2024 年效力休斯敦德州人隊時，迪格斯在第 8 周遭遇了前交叉韌帶撕裂，但經過休賽期的一些嚴重康復治療，包括一次不尋常的私人訓練後，這位外接手可以開始 2026 年的賽季。