Dallas Mavericks (20-36, 12th in the Western Conference) vs. Brooklyn Nets (15-41, 14th in the Eastern Conference)
New York; Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Brooklyn enters the matchup with Dallas after losing four in a row.
The Nets are 8-19 in home games. Brooklyn has a 1-2 record in one-possession games.
The Mavericks are 6-20 on the road. Dallas gives up 117.7 points to opponents while being outscored by 3.4 points per game.
The Nets average 106.8 points per game, 10.9 fewer points than the 117.7 the Mavericks give up. The Mavericks average 10.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.6 fewer made shots on average than the 12.4 per game the Nets allow.
The teams meet for the third time this season. In the last matchup on Jan. 13 the Mavericks won 113-105 led by 27 points from Cooper Flagg, while Michael Porter Jr. scored 28 points for the Nets.
TOP PERFORMERS: Nic Claxton is shooting 58.9% and averaging 12.6 points for the Nets. Nolan Traore is averaging 12.4 points over the last 10 games.
Naji Marshall is averaging 15.1 points for the Mavericks. Klay Thompson is averaging 2.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Nets: 3-7, averaging 102.7 points, 42.3 rebounds, 25.6 assists, 7.7 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 44.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.7 points per game.
Mavericks: 1-9, averaging 114.1 points, 43.9 rebounds, 23.6 assists, 7.4 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 46.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 123.1 points.
INJURIES: Nets: Ziaire Williams: out (personal).
Mavericks: Dereck Lively II: out for season (foot), Kyrie Irving: out for season (knee), Cooper Flagg: out (foot).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Golden State Warriors (30-27, eighth in the Western Conference) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (16-42, 14th in the Western Conference)
New Orleans; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Brandin Podziemski and the Golden State Warriors take on Trey Murphy III and the New Orleans Pelicans in Western Conference action.
The Pelicans are 9-26 against Western Conference opponents. New Orleans is 7-19 in games decided by 10 or more points.
The Warriors are 20-16 in Western Conference play. Golden State is second in the Western Conference with 29.1 assists per game led by Draymond Green averaging 5.1.
The Pelicans average 114.8 points per game, 0.9 more points than the 113.9 the Warriors allow. The Warriors average 16.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.9 more made shots on average than the 14.6 per game the Pelicans give up.
The teams meet for the third time this season. The Warriors won 104-96 in the last matchup on Nov. 30.
TOP PERFORMERS: Derik Queen is shooting 49.4% and averaging 12.3 points for the Pelicans. Zion Williamson is averaging 21.2 points over the last 10 games.
Podziemski is averaging 12.1 points and 3.7 assists for the Warriors. Moses Moody is averaging 3.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Pelicans: 4-6, averaging 114.9 points, 42.4 rebounds, 26.0 assists, 8.2 steals and 6.0 blocks per game while shooting 46.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.9 points per game.
Warriors: 4-6, averaging 110.6 points, 40.8 rebounds, 30.6 assists, 11.0 steals and 3.7 blocks per game while shooting 46.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.5 points.
INJURIES: Pelicans: Yves Missi: day to day (calf), Trey Murphy III: day to day (shoulder), Micah Peavy: day to day (toe), Dejounte Murray: day to day (achilles).
Warriors: Kristaps Porzingis: out (achilles), Jimmy Butler III: out for season (knee), Draymond Green: out (back), Stephen Curry: out (knee), Seth Curry: out (back).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Miami Heat (31-27, eighth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Milwaukee Bucks (24-31, 11th in the Eastern Conference)
Milwaukee; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Miami is looking to build upon its three-game win streak with a victory over Milwaukee.
The Bucks are 17-19 in Eastern Conference games. Milwaukee has a 13-18 record in games decided by at least 10 points.
The Heat are 16-16 in Eastern Conference play. Miami scores 120.0 points and has outscored opponents by 3.1 points per game.
The Bucks make 48.2% of their shots from the field this season, which is 2.5 percentage points higher than the Heat have allowed to their opponents (45.7%). The Heat average 120.0 points per game, 4.6 more than the 115.4 the Bucks allow.
The teams play for the second time this season. The Heat won the last matchup 106-103 on Nov. 27. Tyler Herro scored 29 points to help lead the Heat to the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Ryan Rollins is averaging 17.1 points, 5.4 assists and 1.5 steals for the Bucks. Kevin Porter Jr. is averaging 14.5 points over the last 10 games.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. is scoring 15.1 points per game and averaging 5.4 rebounds for the Heat. Andrew Wiggins is averaging 2.4 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Bucks: 6-4, averaging 111.3 points, 44.1 rebounds, 24.7 assists, 6.0 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 48.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.6 points per game.
Heat: 6-4, averaging 120.9 points, 51.9 rebounds, 29.7 assists, 10.0 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 46.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.8 points.
INJURIES: Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo: out (calf), Taurean Prince: out (neck).
Heat: Nikola Jovic: day to day (back), Davion Mitchell: day to day (head).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: The Orlando Magic visit the Los Angeles Lakers in non-conference action.
The Lakers are 16-11 in home games. Los Angeles is ninth in the Western Conference with 14.6 fast break points per game led by LeBron James averaging 5.6.
The Magic are 12-16 on the road. Orlando is 9-3 in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Lakers average 115.7 points per game, 1.0 more point than the 114.7 the Magic give up. The Magic average 115.2 points per game, 0.9 fewer than the 116.1 the Lakers allow.
TOP PERFORMERS: Luka Doncic is averaging 32.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 1.5 steals for the Lakers. Rui Hachimura is averaging 1.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Desmond Bane is averaging 20.1 points and 4.1 assists for the Magic. Paolo Banchero is averaging 20.1 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Lakers: 6-4, averaging 114.7 points, 39.2 rebounds, 27.2 assists, 8.8 steals and 3.7 blocks per game while shooting 51.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.8 points per game.
Magic: 6-4, averaging 114.1 points, 39.8 rebounds, 26.6 assists, 10.4 steals and 5.8 blocks per game while shooting 45.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.6 points.
INJURIES: Lakers: Jaxson Hayes: day to day (ankle).
Magic: Franz Wagner: out (ankle), Jalen Suggs: out (back), Colin Castleton: out (thumb).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Minnesota Timberwolves (35-23, sixth in the Western Conference) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (28-30, ninth in the Western Conference)
Portland, Oregon; Tuesday, 10 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Minnesota plays Portland in Western Conference action Tuesday.
The Trail Blazers are 22-17 in Western Conference games. Portland gives up 118.2 points to opponents and has been outscored by 2.5 points per game.
The Timberwolves are 20-17 in Western Conference play. Minnesota has a 4-4 record in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Trail Blazers average 14.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.7 more made shots on average than the 12.7 per game the Timberwolves give up. The Timberwolves are shooting 48.3% from the field, 0.8% higher than the 47.5% the Trail Blazers' opponents have shot this season.
The teams square off for the third time this season. In the last meeting on Feb. 12 the Timberwolves won 133-109 led by 41 points from Julius Randle, while Jrue Holiday scored 23 points for the Trail Blazers.
TOP PERFORMERS: Deni Avdija is scoring 24.4 points per game with 7.0 rebounds and 6.6 assists for the Trail Blazers. Jerami Grant is averaging 17.7 points and 2.8 rebounds while shooting 49.6% over the last 10 games.
Randle is averaging 22.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.3 assists for the Timberwolves. Anthony Edwards is averaging 3.1 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Trail Blazers: 5-5, averaging 116.4 points, 46.1 rebounds, 27.2 assists, 7.3 steals and 5.9 blocks per game while shooting 47.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 122.1 points per game.
Timberwolves: 6-4, averaging 122.2 points, 44.2 rebounds, 25.5 assists, 8.9 steals and 6.4 blocks per game while shooting 49.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.3 points.
INJURIES: Trail Blazers: Shaedon Sharpe: out (calf), Damian Lillard: out for season (achilles).
Timberwolves: Naz Reid: out (shoulder).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Trent Grisham used up an early challenge on the ABS, unsuccessfully trying to get a strike turned into a ball in the bottom of the first.
Caught my eye
Bucky Dent arrived at Yankees camp Sunday as a guest instructor and spent time talking with both Jazz Chisholm Jr. and, in an even longer conversation, Anthony Volpe.
Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) singles in the 3rd inning. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“There’s wisdom to impart there,” manager Aaron Boone said. “For these guys to come back and offer some of that is always valuable.”
Today’s schedule
The Yankees travel to Bradenton, Fla., for a 1 p.m. game against the Pirates.
Lefty Ryan Yarbrough is set to make his first start of the spring, with Ben Rice among the regulars in the lineup.
The latest installment of the NBA’s most historic rivalry was staged Sunday, Feb. 22, with Jaylen Brown leading the Boston Celtics to a 111-89 victory over LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on the road.
Brown nearly produced a triple-double, compiling 32 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in 36 minutes of play.
Brown was named the NBA Finals MVP after the Celtics won the championship in 2024, but James believes there’s a case to be made for Brown to be mentioned in this season's MVP race.
"This whole MVP thing, I don't understand why his name is not getting talked about as well," James said of Brown after Sunday's game. "Like, nobody gave them a shot to start the season. And he's averaging what, 30? Just under 30? It's a popularity contest sometimes, I tell you."
Brown is averaging 29.2 points, seven rebounds and 4.8 assists per game this season. He's fourth among NBA players in points per game this season.
The MVP conversation has largely been dominated by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder) and Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets), the winners of the prior two MVP awards.
"It's an honor to play the Celtics-Lakers rivalry. It's an honor for LeBron, who's arguably the best player to ever play the game, to give me some high praise," Brown told reporters after the game. "So, I'm just grateful."
James and Brown were teammates during the NBA All-Star Game mini-tournament earlier this month at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
Feb 20, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick at a press conference at the Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
NBA: Los Angeles Clippers at Los Angeles Lakers
The franchise’s past and present had collided, with the 41-year-old hot shot hoping to one day mirror the accomplishments of the 80-year-old legend.
Ever since Redick was hired to take over the Lakers’ helm in June 2024, he has drawn comparisons to Riley.
Luka Doncic talks to JJ Redick against the New Orleans Pelicans. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
They’re both former players. After they retired, they both became broadcasters. Riley hardly had any coaching experience (two years as a Lakers assistant from 1979-81) before being handed one of the most prestigious jobs in the league in 1981. Redick had no coaching experience. They both have strikingly slick personas.
And they both were tasked with leading the team through major transitions. Riley helped the Lakers pass the baton from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Magic Johnson, while Redick is overseeing the Lakers’ passing of the guard from LeBron James to Luka Doncic.
When Redick was hired, he knew the franchise was hoping he’d fill the Armani shoes of the legendary coach. The question on everyone’s mind was obvious: Could he be the next Pat Riley?
“Pat, to me, sort of set the standard for modern NBA coaches,” Redick said.
For Riley, the respect is reciprocated.
“He’s a fiery guy,” Riley said of Redick. “He could shoot the hell out of the ball. He was tough as nails, you know. I don’t know. Sometimes I look back and I remember myself at that time and I looked at JJ and I think they picked the right person. There’s just a quality about him I think that goes above and beyond.”
Redick is still evolving into who he is as a coach. He’s still finding his style. His voice. But this much is for sure: He’s an incredibly hard worker. His basketball IQ is respected by everyone in the locker room. After games, Redick locks himself in a dark basement and pores over film. He’s a basketball sicko.
He undoubtedly can be described as intense, a quality for which Riley was infamous.
Magic Johnson gave a handful of reporters a glimpse into how Riley ran his teams after the 8-foot, 510-pound statue of his former coach was unveiled in a star-studded ceremony Sunday.
“He didn’t let us take a day off or a play off or a moment off,” Johnson said.
Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick speaks with the team during the first quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers. Getty Images
Johnson praised Riley for his masterful in-game adjustments, calling him “a visionary.” He also pointed out how much courage it took for Riley to make Johnson the team’s No. 1 offensive option while he was still sharing a uniform with Abdul-Jabbar, who turned 35 in Riley’s first season as Lakers head coach.
“Hold on, wait a minute, huh?” Johnson recalled his reaction being at the time. “A dude who was the greatest player at that time that ever played the game and you’re going to go to him and say somebody else is going to take the bulk of the offense now?”
Johnson called Riley fearless and extremely tough.
He’d make the Lakers run for 40 minutes straight at practices. He’d make them do three-man weaves without letting the ball touch the ground. Over the summer, he’d send each player a letter telling them how much he wanted them to weigh. Then he’d weigh them publicly when they reported to training camp.
Riley especially knew how to get under Johnson’s skin. He’d show him highlights of Larry Bird and Michael Jordan and say, “What are you gonna do?”
“Soon as he did that, the button was going to go off on me and I’m going to have a triple-double,” Johnson said. “That’s all he had to do, just put those two dudes up there and he knew I was going to go to another level.”
Riley led the Lakers to four championships from 1982-1988, and he ushered in the Showtime era. Under him, Johnson became a three-time MVP. Johnson called him “one of the greatest coaches who ever lived,” as well as “the coolest man that’s ever put on an Armani suit.”
Former Los Angeles Lakers head coach Pat Riley poses after the unveiling of his statue at Crypto.com Arena on February 22, 2026. Getty Images
Redick, meanwhile, is just in his second season as coach of the Lakers.
He’s still getting his feet wet. Last season, he vowed to evaluate himself by growth instead of metrics. He led the Lakers to third place in the Western Conference at 50-32 before they were eliminated by the Timberwolves in the first round.
Afterward, Redick was far from patting himself on the back.
“I know I can be better,” he said. “And I know I will get better. I don’t necessarily take any satisfaction from how the year went. That’s not to say I’m not proud of what the group was able to do and how we were able to figure out things on the fly and put ourselves in a position to have homecourt in the first round. But there’s always ways to get better. And I can get a lot better.”
This season, Redick has led the Lakers to fifth place in the West despite James, Doncic and Reaves only playing 12 games together because of injuries.
Redick is still becoming Redick.
But his potential is unquestionably through the roof. His analysis of the game is incredibly sharp. When he was still hosting the “Mind the Game” podcast with James before he was hired by the Lakers, he’d dissect players and their moves with surgeon-like precision.
Players respond to him. They respect him.
And he has navigated the tricky line of helping the 26-year-old Doncic become the face of the team while the 41-year-old James is still the face of the league and one of the greatest players of all time.
Whether Redick can become a Riley-esque figure is still unknown.
Perhaps it’s an unfair comparison, one that would set up any fledgling coach for disappointment.
But for now, Redick is going to have a reminder of who he aspires to be every time he shows up for work.
It stands tall in between bronzed figures of Johnson and Abdul-Jabbar. It has slicked-back hair, a tailored designer suit and is the ultimate example of greatness.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - DECEMBER 1: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets and Kevin Love #42 of the Utah Jazz looks on during the game on December 1, 2025 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Houston Rockets wrapped up a tough seven-game stretch across the All-Star break at 3-4. It started poorly with two bad losses, but after a bit of recovery, Rockets fans should feel like there was meat left on the bone in losses to the Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks.
On paper, tonight’s game against the Utah Jazz should be a welcome reprieve from the difficult games of the past few weeks. However, these Rockets have played up and down to their competition all year. In fact, Houston already has a loss to these Jazz, who have played Houston tougher than they have against anyone else over the past two years. Seriously, watch the Jazz against another playoff team and you’ll see a team that can’t wait to roll over and tank. Against Houston? For some reason, it’s personal for this iteration of Utah.
Maybe the Rockets will play hard in the fourth quarter tonight, since that’s been Ime Udoka’s solution to all of Houston’s poor fourth quarters. Not, you know, his poor rotation choices and lack of any offensive game plan beyond “Give the ball to Kevin and hope.”
A sewage leak, caused by a clogged drain in a pipe outside of the footprint of Steinbrenner Field, forced the Yankees to hold their breath and move over to their player development complex for morning workouts while crews finished the cleanup before the team returned for a game against the Mets.
The leak sprung up Saturday afternoon and spilled into areas around the home clubhouse.
It did not do any real damage in the main area where players dress and house their equipment, though.
“In spots, it was really bad,” manager Aaron Boone said Sunday after returning for a 6-4 loss to the Mets. “Fortunately, it didn’t get into the clubhouse where it could have seeped in and we would have had to pull up carpet and lockers and equipment in the clubhouse. So that part of it was good.
Aaron Boone is pictured before the Yankees’ Feb. 22 Grapefruit League game against the Mets. Charles Wenzelberg
“There’s some sensitive areas that need to be addressed; I’m sure they will be in the coming days. But for the most part, we should be good. We should be normal postgame, with everyone showering and doing what they need to do to end the day.”
The coaches room appeared to have the carpet pulled up, and other areas were more affected, in addition to a brutal stench wafting through the area Saturday, though it had mostly dissipated by Sunday morning as workers finished off an around-the-clock cleanup.
“I was surprised at how much they were able to get things cleaned up and sanitized,” Boone said. “Credit to a lot of people that put in a lot of hours overnight and this morning. Hopefully, we’re in a good position moving forward. We got probably some longer-term things that got to get fixed but should be in a good spot.”
Luis Gil made his spring debut, striking out four across 2 ²/₃ innings while giving up a solo home run to Jared Young.
His fastball averaged 94.5 mph and topped out at 96.6, but the right-hander said he still believes he can get back to his 2024 form — both in velocity (averaging 96.6 mph) and in overall performance — after he averaged 95.3 mph in 2025.
“I feel like I’m on the right track,” Gil said through an interpreter. “I think the work we’ve done together has been very, very good and has put me in the right lane. I feel like I’m where I need to be right now. I don’t have any doubt in my mind that I can get back to that level, where I was in 2024. God willing, I’ll be.”
With Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger in Sunday’s lineup, Ben Rice and Giancarlo Stanton are now the last two regulars who have yet to play in a Grapefruit League game.
Stanton, meanwhile, is being slow-played into games in an attempt to keep him fresh in the long run.
Boone is targeting either side of the March 2 off day to get Stanton into his first game, with the 36-year-old DH being limited to workouts and live batting practice in the meantime.
On Sunday morning, he was shagging fly balls in right field as his teammates took batting practice.
Guerschon Yabusele reacts after hitting a 3-pointer during the Bulls' Feb. 22 loss to the Knicks.
CHICAGO — In terms of position and style, Guerschon Yabusele wasn’t a good fit on the Knicks, according to Mike Brown, who faced his former player for the first time in Sunday’s game against the Bulls.
“The position he’s shown he’s best in in the NBA — the small-ball center spot — we just didn’t have the minutes consistently for him to be there,” Brown said before the Knicks’ 105-99 win over the Bulls. “And then when he was at the 4. For us, because of our centers, the matchups weren’t always there. So we had to pick and choose when he was on the floor and how we were going to play him.”
Yabusele, who finished with 11 points and 13 rebounds, didn’t play much with the Knicks, averaging just 8.9 minutes in 41 appearances before being traded to the Bulls before the deadline.
It was a disappointment after Yabusele signed a two-year, $11 million deal as a free agent in the summer.
Team president Leon Rose effectively flipped the Frenchman for Jose Alvarado, a move that wouldn’t have been possible if Yabusele hadn’t waived the second year of his contract.
So Yabusele did the Knicks a solid on his way out.
Guerschon Yabusele reacts after hitting a 3-pointer during the Bulls’ Feb. 22 loss to the Knicks. AP
The rumor, though unconfirmed by Yabusele, is that he’s secured a lucrative deal overseas next season to make up for the lost money.
He has been playing much heavier minutes with the Bulls, who are playing for better odds in the draft lottery, and started Sunday against the Knicks.
Yabusele entered the game shooting 42 percent from deep over six appearances — way above his 29.4 percent with the Knicks.
He was also averaging 10.5 points and 5.2 rebounds in over 24 minutes with Chicago.
Bulls coach Billy Donovan lauded Yabusele’s leadership.
“He’s always using his voice in a positive way, trying to uplift guys,” Donovan said. “Gives you some flexibility. Can play him at the center spot, at the power forward spot. But just his overall spirit has been good.”
Guerschon Yabusele (l.) defends during the Bulls’ loss to the Knicks on Feb. 22. Imagn Images
There were no complaints about Yabusele’s attitude with the Knicks.
He just didn’t fit in Brown’s plans for a system predicated on movement off the ball.
“His skill set is obviously as a small-ball center. And it’s picking and popping. And then it’s spacing the floor. And the way we try to play, we try to move a lot. Cut a lot,” Brown said. “And then it’s tough because we have [Karl-Anthony Towns] playing heavy minutes, and we have [Mitchell Robinson] playing heavy minutes. This is a situation in Chicago — and even in Philadelphia [where Yabusele was last season], it was a situation where they were able to find consistent minutes for him. Because he’s a good player. Started for the French national team. We all know what they did. The style of play is a little bit different.”
Mitchell Robinson sat again Sunday after playing a night earlier in a victory over the Rockets, but Brown didn’t want to declare his backup center would never play both games of a back-to-back.
“I’m not 100 percent for sure,” Brown said. “Obviously he hasn’t played a back-to-back yet.But I’m not talking to our medical staff asking, ‘Is this going to be like this the rest of the year?’ ”
Brown said the medical staff informs him that Robinson, who is load-managing his surgically repaired ankle, won’t play both games.
Then the coach decides which of the two games Robinson will suit up.
The Knicks only have three more back-to-back sets.
Kawhi Leonard dribbles past Orlando guard Anthony Black in the second half. (Etienne Laurent / Associated Press)
Desmond Bane scored 36 points and Paolo Banchero added 16 points and eight assists as the Orlando Magic held on for a 111-109 victory over the Clippers on Sunday night at Intuit Dome.
Wendell Carter Jr. had 15 points and 14 rebounds and Tristan da Silva scored 13 for the Magic, who improved to 5-2 since Feb. 5.
Kawhi Leonard shrugged off an ankle injury to score 37 points and Bennedict Mathurin added 21 points and nine rebounds off the bench for the Clippers, who are 4-5 since Feb. 2. Mathurin missed a three-point attempt to win the game at the buzzer.
Jordan Miller had 14 points for the Clippers (27-30).
Leonard exited Friday’s loss against the Lakers with an ankle sprain. Mathurin was playing in his fifth game for the Clippers after he was acquired at the trade deadline from the Indiana Pacers.
Orlando won despite going eight of 23 from three-point range, two games after setting a franchise record with 27 three-pointers in a victory at Sacramento. Jalen Suggs missed his second consecutive game for the Magic with back spasms.
In a tight game throughout, Leonard gave the Clippers a 107-105 lead with 3:03 remaining on a jumper from the top of the key. The Magic took charge from there as Bane hit a jumper to tie the score and then made a layup with 1:28 left for a 109-107 advantage.
As the Clippers missed four consecutive shots, Orlando went up 111-107 on a fast-break dunk from Banchero with 40 seconds left.
Bane tried to pad the Magic’s lead with eight seconds remaining but had his shot blocked inside by rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser. Mathurin then raced down the floor only to miss a 25-footer as time expired.
MEMPHIS, TN - FEBRUARY 20: Ace Bailey #19 of the Utah Jazz smiles during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on February 20, 2026 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Grant Burke/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Utah Jazz are going to be in a very tight tanking race to end this season. Right now, they’re competing with the Kings, Pacers, Nets, Pelicans, and Wizards to jump into the top-5 come lottery night.
A team to watch is the New Orleans Pelicans, who are not incentivized to tank at all this season. I think it’s a safe bet that the Jazz get to the #5 spot come lottery night, but can they jump higher? The Wizards are also just two games up on the Jazz, and it’s possible the Jazz jump them as well. So that leads us to today’s question.
In what lottery position do the Utah Jazz finish at the end of this season?
My personal guess? I think the Jazz will do what it takes to get to the #4 spot, ensuring themselves that they have zero chance to give their pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Adam Silver will do anything to hurt the Jazz, as evidenced by his latest fines, which focused on the Jazz even though other teams have done the same things the Jazz have done this season. And maybe this is all just hopefull thinking than logic, but I want to stick it to Silver and the NBA as much as possible as the season progresses and into the future. Let’s get into that top-4, Jazz!
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 22: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers plays the ball against Baylor Scheirman #55 of the Boston Celtics during the second half of their game at Crypto.com Arena on February 22, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Luiza Moraes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
LOS ANGELES — Sunday was a day of celebration for the Lakers as they honored Pat Riley with a statue before, fittingly, a game against the Celtics.
Even though Riley is with the Heat organization now, he made sure everyone knew the task at hand.
“The time has come to kick some a–,” Riley said. “To kick some Boston a–.”
The Lakers missed that memo.
Los Angeles didn’t come out like a home team looking to prove that they could go toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in the NBA. And they certainly didn’t play with the intensity you want to see for a rivalry that’s often considered the best in sports.
The offense was inept, with Luka Dončić missing long two after long two and failing, hitting just one of his six attempts. Luka, though, was at least chucking shots at the basket as opposed to his backcourt mate, who disappeared. Austin Reaves took just 10 shots and was a complete non-factor in the second half.
In the second quarter, when Boston began to put the game out of reach, no Laker stepped up to counter. For every goaltend not called in LeBron’s favor, he missed two bunnies at the rim.
The energy wasn’t going to come from the Lakers’ role players either as they were too busy missing shots, turning the ball over or being targeted defensively. The result of it all was a lot of heads hanging, dejected looked and a team that, once again, was all too willing to fold under pressure.
For most of the contest, the Lakers had the urgency of a lethargic cat on a windowsill. They were going to be aggressive only when they wanted to be and no amount of buckets from Jaylen Brown or Payton Pritchard was going to motivate them to be better.
In the fourth quarter, when LA went on a short run to get the game back in single digits, Boston called a timeout and responded with aggression. Pritchard and Brown had their fingerprints all over the game offensively while the Lakers looked like helpless passersby, unwilling and unable to stop them.
With the Lakers playing at a laissez-faire level, the home crowd matched their energy.
Inside the packed stadium, the Celtics fans roared in approval of every Boston play. Celtics green was sprinkled throughout the crowd, and after a Neemias Queta dunk, fans cheered so loudly that it felt more like theTD Garden,not Crypto.com Arena.
The Celtics dominated in virtually every statistical category. They won the battle of the boards 50-39. Boston held LA to just 89 points, their second-fewest points in any game this season.
Lakers fans can blame this team’s results on its roster construction. Or take it out on the front office. Heck, on Sunday night, they can even blame the officials, who had a handful of questionable calls.
But ultimately, there is no justification for coming out and laying an egg against your biggest rival. Where is the passion? The anger? Did anyone notice any extra communication between the players on the court? A sense of urgency when the result was getting out of hand?
Let’s also not forget that LA is in the middle of a log jam in the West and needs every win possible.
Given how aggressively Boston played compared to Los Angeles, you’d think they were the team that had something to prove.
That the Celtics were the ones trying to demonstrate they could beat the best teams in the NBA. But that’s the thing about excellence, it’s always present, and it’s clear 56 games into the season that the 2025-26 Lakers aren’t that type of team.
Usually, we say pencils down, but with the clock striking midnight, it’s time for all general managers to grab their pencils and start going to work, with the NHL’s Olympic Roster Freeze officially over.
Over the break, teams were unable to make any trades. Players could be waived, but they didn’t have to report immediately, while contract negotiations could also be officially signed and submitted.
There’s been some rumors — when have there not been? — that general managers may have some trades lined up, as teams were allowed to talk with other teams throughout the break.
Jordan Kyrou’s name has been swirling — the St. Louis Blues love to test the market on their players but not actually do anything with them, so we’ll see what the fate is for Kyrou and Robert Thomas.
As for the New York Islanders, they have $6.02 million in available cap space, and despite making two depth moves already, they have the assets — two first-round picks in 2026 and a strong prospect pool — to really do what they want at this deadline, as long as they find a suitable dance partner.
I’m sure that general manager Mathieu Darche has been hearing from other general managers about a few of his players. The guess is that pending unrestricted free agent Jean-Gabriel Pageau has been the No. 1 name he’s been asked about.
But with the Islanders in a playoff spot, even if No. 44 is without a contract extension, I doubt he’s moved unless Darche is blown out of the water.
Other pending UFAs: F Anders Lee, D Tony DeAngelo, D Carson Soucy, G David Rittich
Here are the pending RFAs: F Maxim Shabanov, F Marc Gatcomb, D Adam Boqvist
Could we see players like an Anthony Duclair, who has two more seasons left on his deal at $3.5 million and a full no-trade clause, being dealt, given that he's on the outside looking in of the starting lineup?
The 2026 NHL Trade Deadline comes your way on March 6 at 3 PM ET.
