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Eason scores 26 as Rockets beat Thunder 112-106

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Tari Eason scored a season-high 26 points, and the Houston Rockets beat the short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder 112-106 on Saturday.

Alperen Sengun had 17 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists for his second triple-double of the season and No. 10 for his career. Jabari Smith Jr. had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Rockets, and Kevin Durant added 20 points.

Cason Wallace scored 23 points for Oklahoma City, and Isaiah Joe added 21.

It was Oklahoma City’s second game without reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is recovering from an abdominal strain. He will be out until after the All-Star break. The Thunder already were missing 2025 All-Star Jalen Williams and second-year guard Ajay Mitchell, one of the Rising Stars for All-Star Weekend.

Second-year guard Jared McCain played his first game with the Thunder since coming over in a trade with Philadelphia. He entered late in the first quarter to loud cheers. He finished with five points in 14 minutes.

Oklahoma City fans, still angry with Durant 9 1/2 years after he left the Thunder to head to Golden State in free agency, booed him during pregame starter introductions. They cheered when the normally outstanding free-throw shooter missed two in the second quarter after being fouled on a shot.

McCain scored his first basket for the Thunder with about nine minutes left in the second quarter. An alley-oop lob from Joe to Wallace gave the Thunder a 46-32 lead. Oklahoma City led 52-46 at the break, with Chet Holmgren posting 10 points and 10 rebounds.

NETS 127, WIZARDS 113

NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Porter Jr. scored 23 points and Brooklyn used an 80-point first half to beat short-handed Washington.

With the Wizards having only eight players available, the Nets led by 34 points in the second quarter and went on to snap a three-game losing streak.

Day’Ron Sharpe added 19 points and Noah Clowney had 18 for the Nets, who won for just the second time in 12 games. Rookie Danny Wolf had 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists.

Will Riley scored a career-high 27 points for the Wizards. Justin Champagnie added 21 points and nine rebounds.

The teams are tied for 13th in the Eastern Conference at 14-37, playing plenty of young players as they angle for lottery position. But Brooklyn had its full roster on the court Saturday while Washington sat a few players on the first back-to-back games.

SPURS 138, MAVERICKS 125

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Guard Stephon Castle had a career-high 40 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists for his second career triple-double, leading San Antonio past Dallas.

Devin Vassell had 17 points and Victor Wembanyama added 16 points and 11 rebounds for San Antonio, which set a season high for points in a half with 81 before halftime.

The Spurs (36-16) won their fourth straight and ninth in 12 games to remain second in the Western Conference.

Dallas, which lost 135-123 at San Antonio on Thursday night, got 19 points from Klay Thompson, 18 from Brandon Williams and 17 from Max Christie. Cooper Flagg finished with 14 points.

Castle joins Hall of Famer David Robinson as the only Spurs in franchise history with a 40-point triple-double.

The second-year guard from Connecticut punctuated his triple-double by following up a miss with a windmill dunk that put San Antonio up 129-108 with 6:26 remaining.

MAGIC 120, JAZZ 117

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Paolo Banchero had 23 points and Orlando overcame a 17-point deficit to beat Utah.

Desmond Bane added 22 points, making two free throws with 28.3 seconds to go to give the Magic a 118-117 lead. Anthony Black scored 21 points, and Banchero also had eight assists and seven rebounds.

Lauri Markkanen led Utah with 27 points. Jaren Jackson Jr. had 17 of his 22 points in the first half in his Utah debut, and Isaiah Collier scored 20 points. Utah has lost two straight and 18 of 22.

Jackson came over from Memphis in a trade this week. John Konchar and Vince Williams Jr. also made their Jazz debuts after the deal.

Keyonte George returned to the Utah lineup after missing three games because of a sprained left ankle. He had five points.

HORNETS 126, HAWKS 119

ATLANTA (AP) — Miles Bridges scored 26 points, Kon Knueppel had 23 and Charlotte beat Atlanta for its ninth straight win.

LaMelo Ball added 19 points and nine assists as Charlotte improved to 12-3 in its last 15 games. Brandon Miller scored 16 points, and Moussa Diabate finished with 11 points and 15 rebounds.

The Hornets’ win streak is the longest active streak in the NBA and the best run for the franchise since it also won nine in a row during the 1998-99 season.

Jalen Johnson had 31 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for Atlanta, which had won six of eight. Zaccharie Risacher scored 18 points, and Onyeka Okongwu had 16.

NUGGETS 136, BULLS 120

CHICAGO (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 22 points, 17 assists and 14 rebounds for his second triple-double in as many games, Jamal Murray had 28 points and 11 assists and Denver ended a three-game skid with a victory over Chicago.

It was Jokic’s 19th triple-double of the season. Tim Hardaway Jr. added 23 points for the Nuggets, who capped a three-game road trip with a win after losing at Detroit and New York.

Matas Buzelis scored 21 points and Collin Sexton added 17 for the Bulls, who have lost four straight.

The Bulls led 104-97 after closing the third period on a 16-2 run, but Denver started the final quarter on a 20-2 spurt to take the lead for good. Jokic and Julian Strawther capped the run with consecutive 3-pointers.

Chicago went the first six minutes of the fourth before making its first field goal and finished the final period 5 for 17 from the floor.

Jokic had nine points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in 17 first-half minutes, but the Bulls led 65-59 at the intermission.

LAKERS 105, WARRIORS 99

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James had 20 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds to help Los Angeles beat the Golden State.

Los Angeles won its third straight game despite not have superstar guard Luka Doncic after he sustained a mild hamstring strain Thursday night, and center DeAndre Ayton was a late scratch because of a knee injury.

Luke Kennard had 10 points in his Lakers debut after being acquired in a trade from Atlanta on Thursday, including a key corner 3-pointer and finding Jarred Vanderbilt underneath the basket for a dunk as part of a late 11-0 run.

Rui Hachimura had 18 points, Austin Reaves added 16, and Marcus Smart had 15.

Moses Moody had 25 points to lead the Warriors, who have lost four of their past six games. Stephen Curry missed his third straight game because of a knee injury.

76ERS 109, SUNS 103

PHOENIX (AP) — Joel Embiid scored 33 points, Tyrese Maxey added 29 and Philadelphia beat cold-shooting Phoenix.

The 76ers have won six of their last seven games, bouncing back from a 119-115 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night. The Suns lost for the third time in four games, shooting just 11 of 46 (23.9%) from 3-point range.

Philadelphia led 81-71 going into the fourth quarter and pushed its advantage to 16 after holding Phoenix scoreless for the first three minutes of the fourth.

The Suns made things interesting in the final minutes, cutting it to 101-97 with 1:04 left on Devin Booker’s two free throws, but Maxey responded with a stepback 3-pointer to keep the 76ers ahead.

Embiid grabbed nine rebounds, made four 3-pointers and was 11 of 13 on free throws, all while jawing for much of the game with Suns forward Dillon Brooks. Formr Sun Kelly Oubre Jr. finished with 18 points.

CAVALIERS 132, KINGS 126

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — James Harden scored 23 points in his Cavaliers debut and Donovan Mitchell had 35 to lead Cleveland to a victory over Sacramento, sending the Kings to their 12th straight loss.

Harden was acquired by Cleveland from the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday for Darius Garland and a second-round draft pick.

Jarrett Allen had 29 points and 10 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who won for the eighth time in nine games.

Nique Clifford scored 30 points to lead Sacramento, which hasn’t won since beating Washington at home on Jan. 16. The Kings have lost six straight at home.

TRAIL BLAZERS 122, GRIZZLIES 115

PORTLAND. Ore. (AP) — Donovan Clingan had 20 points and 19 rebounds, Jerami Grant had 29 points, and Portland erased an 11-point second-half deficit to beat Memphis and split a two-game series in Portland.

Portland beat the Grizzlies 135-115 on Friday.

Jrue Holiday had 21 points and Caleb Love scored 17 points, 10 in the second half, off the bench.

Olivier Maxence-Prosper (25 points) and Javon Small (22 points) each had career nights for Memphis in the loss.

Portland’s All-Star forward Deni Avdija missed his fourth straight game with a lower back strain. Scoot Henderson also missed Saturday’s game after making his return from a torn hamstring on Friday.

Jahmai Mayshack’s 3-pointer pushed the Memphis advantage to 104-97 before Portland made its final push.

Vit Krejci, Toumani Camara and Love each hit a 3-pointer before Love stole the ball and made a layup to give Portland a 108-107 lead with 5:59 left in the game.

Javon Small’s 3-pointer cut Portland’s lead to a point about three minutes later but Holiday answered with a layup before Grant made back-to-back 3s to give the Trail Blazers a 120-113 lead with 1:51 left.

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Avery Hayes Nets Hat Trick In First Game Back With Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

Pittsburgh Penguins forward prospect Avery Hayes has had quite the week.

He made his NHL debut for the Penguins on Thursday and notched two goals in the Penguins' 5-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. His first goal was his first shot on net in the first period after he beat two Sabres defenders to the puck and fired it past Alex Lyon. 

His second goal came later in the first period when he took a brilliant feed from Anthony Mantha and went top-shelf to make it a 2-1 game heading into the first intermission. Hayes was called up earlier that afternoon since Noel Acciari was battling an illness. 

Hayes is the 12th undrafted player to score multiple goals in his NHL debut in NHL history. He's also only the seventh player in NHL history to score multiple goals in the first period of his debut. 

He was re-assigned to WBS on Friday before returning to the lineup against the Hershey Bears on Saturday. He had another game to remember, scoring a hat trick in Wilkes-Barre's 4-3 overtime win over Hershey. 

Hayes opened the scoring on the power play after a really pretty feed from Rutger McGroarty. Hayes was at the side of the net and tucked the puck past Hershey goaltender Garin Bjorklund. He then made it 2-0 just a few minutes later, showcasing his wicked release while WBS was shorthanded.

The game eventually went to overtime, and Hayes was the hero, scoring the game-winning goal on a one-timer on the power play. His stick broke as he fired the puck, but he scored anyway.

It won't be long until Hayes is a full-time NHL player. 

WBS is now 32-12-2-2 and has won five in a row heading into the AHL All-Star Break.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!  

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Game Recap: Booker and Green return, but the shots never follow in 109-103 loss

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 07: Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns drives to the basket against Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center on February 07, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Suns welcomed Devin Booker and Jalen Green back on Saturday night, but the return came with a thud. The shooting never showed up. Phoenix finished 11-of-46 from beyond the arc, good for 23.9%, and that hole proved too deep to fully climb out of, losing 109-103. To their credit, they kept pushing. The Suns made a late run and trimmed it to a four point game with under a minute to play after trailing by as many as 19. The effort was there. The shot making was not.

Nights like this leave a messy box score. Collin Gillespie went 2-of-10 from deep. Dillon Brooks matched that. In his first game back, Booker looked rusty, finishing 1-of-7 from three. The rhythm never fully arrived.

On the other end, Joel Embiid dictated everything. He poured in 33 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and even stepped out to go 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. There was no slowing him down.

The loss makes it two straight for Phoenix. They remain planted in seventh in the Western Conference, even with teams above them dropping games. The record now sits at 1-3 in February and 0-3 at home this month. Getting bodies back helps. Making shots still matters more.

Game Flow

First Half

It was a cold start for Devin Booker in his return. He missed his first three shots, all from beyond the arc. His first points in two weeks came at the free throw line, as Jalen Green checked in with 6:29 left in the first. Booker went 1-of-2, and the Suns found themselves down 14-10.

Joel Embiid, a game-time decision himself, came out firing. He knocked down a pair of early threes, which stood out considering he is a 30% shooter from deep this season.

Collin Gillespie opened the Suns’ scoring with a three. After that, it was rough. Phoenix missed its next 12 attempts from beyond the arc and finished the quarter 1-of-13 from three. Still, Green’s entry with the second unit brought life. He looked healthy. He looked aggressive. He led the team with six points in the quarter and gave the offense some needed juice.

Philadelphia struggled too. The 76ers shot 8-of-23 in the quarter, with five of those makes coming from three. So despite the Suns’ shooting woes, they stayed within striking distance and trailed only 24-22 after one.

The second unit of Gillespie, Goodwin, Bouyea, Dunn, and Ighodaro opened the second quarter by giving up a 9-4 run. Missed shots piled up. Turnovers followed. And Philadelphia cashed those mistakes into easy points at the rim.

The deficit quickly stretched to 14 as the Suns continued to come up empty on every three-pointer they took. Long misses turned into long rebounds. Long rebounds turned into transition chances. Same sequence. Over and over.

The brutal three point shooting clearly got into Phoenix’s head. You could see it. Open looks were there, and instead of letting it fly, they hesitated. Pump fakes. Extra dribbles. Possessions stretched longer than they needed to. And the shots that followed were worse than the ones they passed up.

With 5:19 left in the second quarter, and down 16, Dillon Brooks hit the Suns second made three-pointer of the game, making the deficit 44–31. So Phoenix started 1-of-19 (5.2%) from deep to start the game.

The patented Embiid-foul baiting then began as he generated contact on everyone who defended him and hit the whistle every time. Turned his body into Brooks? Foul. Jumped into Devin Booker? Foul. Embiid ended the half with 17 points, going 3-of-5 from deep and 6-of-8 from the line. His 8 free throw attempts in the second was 6 more than Phoenix attempted.

The Suns ended the half having made just 4 of their 25 three-point attempts, and that was primarily the story. Both teams had 20 points in the paint, and although the rebounding edge favored Philly 29-21, both teams had 7 second-chance points. The 76ers were +9 in points generated from deep and +2 at the line. And that’s what the Suns trailed by at the half. 11 points, 58-47.

Second Half

So how did the Suns respond coming out of halftime. Not well. They immediately surrendered an 8-0 run and the deficit jumped to 19. Joel Embiid stayed in control, scoring 7 quick points as the team was running everything through him.

Midway through the third, Phoenix finally found a pulse. They ripped off a 10-2 run, leaning into their usual aggressive style. Pressure picked up. Bodies flew around. The game started to feel uncomfortable again.

Things got chippy fast. Dillon Brooks took the Joel Embiid assignment despite already sitting on three fouls, and he did not back down. The physicality escalated. Former Sun Kelly Oubre Jr. got involved as well, jawing with Brooks as the temperature of the game rose.

You do not see this often, but the defensive pressure from Phoenix forced a pair of over and back violations in the third. That intensity showed up in other areas too. The Suns did a solid job crashing the glass and creating extra chances. The problem was finishing them.

In the third quarter, Phoenix grabbed five offensive rebounds and turned those into two second chance points. The effort was there. The payoff was not.

By the end of the quarter, the Suns had outscored Philadelphia 24-23. The defensive edge had clearly ramped up. Still, the shooting lagged behind. They went 2-of-10 from deep in the frame, and that continued to weigh everything down.

After three, Phoenix trailed 81-71.

Philly popped another run to start the fourth because, surprise surprise, the Suns shooting was nowhere to be found. Even with Embiid getting a rest, the 76ers expanded their lead as the Suns were chucking bricks.

Once again, however, midway through the quarter, the Suns put together a run to get it to a 9-point deficit. But the moment they did that, Embiid banked in a timely three-pointer. 

Down 12, Royce O’Neale was whistled for an and one that Jordan Ott immediately challenged. He won it. Instead of the deficit growing with a free throw coming, the Suns stayed down 10. A small win. A needed one.

And then, almost on cue, Philadelphia buried a three on an inbounds play with one second left on the shot clock. But after review, it was determined Watford didn’t get it off in time.

With 1:31, the Suns got it down to a 6 point game, and after a missed shot by Embiid, Devin Booker was sent to the line with 1:04 left. He knocked them both down, and the Suns trailed by 4. 

Tyrese Maxey hit a dagger three in the face of Oso, but Booker was fouled on a three-pointer headed the other way with 41 seconds left. He canned those as well. 

The Suns had an impressive defensive possession the next time down, but with 0.7 seconds left in the shot clock, Devin Booker fouled Tyrese Maxey on a three. Maxey hit them all. Booker was quickly fouled by Oubre on another three, and Booker hit all of those. So once again, a 4 point game. A Gillespie foul, two made free throws by Maxey, a turnover on the in bounds pass and it was over.

Up Next

Phoenix hosts the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, before hosting the Thunder the next night (seriously, what is up with the level of opponent the Suns have to face on the second night of back-to-backs this season?!), which is their final game prior to the All-Star break.

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Sixers win a chippy one vs. Suns, improve to 3-1 on West Coast swing

PHOENIX, AZ - FEBRUARY 7: Kelly Oubre Jr. #9 of the Philadelphia 76ers dunks the ball during the game against the Phoenix Suns on February 7, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

That’s a pretty important lead to hold on to and bounce back.

The Sixers hung on this time, defeating the Phoenix Suns 109-103 Saturday night.

Joel Embiid led the way again with 33 points and nine rebounds going 9-of-19 from the floor. Tyrese Maxey, off a couple scoring bursts, put up 29 points and six assists shooting 8-of-21 from the field. 

Kelly Oubre Jr. put up a much-needed 18 points on 6-of-14 shooting and got away with some shaky fouls late.VJ Edgecombe had a quiet scoring night putting up five points on four shots along with six rebounds and two assists while Dillon Brooks led the Suns with 28.

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

First Quarter

  • At some point we’ll have to figure out Embiid’s stats over his career in games he’s sported a headband. Both he and Maxey joined Edgecombe in donning one for this night. Embiid knocked down his first three jumpers — two from behind the arc as he’s slowly resurrecting his three-point percentage on the season.
  • He was the only one on the court in a rhythm early with both teams dropping below 40% from the field. The rest of the Sixers opened the game 4-of-13 from the floor. Maxey missed his first three attempts, some quite badly, before burying a wide open corner three with a lot of time to spare.
  • Their only points after that came from another Maxey three, this time of the stepback variety. It was still enough to keep the Sixers ahead by two after the first, despite the Suns getting some clean looks from deep. They made only one of their 13 attempts.

Second Quarter

  • It’s funny that as of late Quentin Grimes’ two finishing packages have been absolutely yamming on people or finger-rolling every layup, but both have been working for him well as of late. A few minutes into the quarter it was Oubre who slammed over somebody, timing the bounce perfectly from a long Maxey pass.
  • The second unit, led by Maxey, continued to play good ball as a unit, going on an extended 17-2 run. They moved the ball well in the half court offense, but the way they continued to try to turn misses into fast breaks helped them control the pace of the game. With the Suns still not able to buy anything from the floor it gave them plenty of chances to do so.
  • After a couple of Sixers’ turnovers, Royce O’Neale and Jordan Goodwin seemed to finally open the lid for Phoenix from beyond the arc. Embiid settled things down with frequent trips to the line on the other end, getting the Suns quite frustrated when he put them in the bonus with three minutes left in the half. The Sixers couldn’t quite take full advantage — Embiid, Grimes and Dominick Barlow all missed one late in the half, keeping the lead at 11 at the break.

Third Quarter

  • It was one of those quiet nights for Edgecombe with the other two going and the rookie being in foul trouble, but he opened a very good start to the half with a three off the catch. Oubre piled on with a couple baskets off the catch while Embiid finished another layup through contact.
  • Embiid had another brief heater from the midrange, keeping the Suns at arms’ length as Brooks and Devin Booker both began to shake off slow starts. It was Booker who was more irritated to start the quarter, but Brooks got increasingly irritated as the Sixers got him in foul trouble. That plus taking a hard shove from Oubre on a screen had him chirping nonstop with Oubre and Embiid.
  • Around him there were things to clean up — two backcourt violations and three offensive rebounds gave Phoenix plenty of cracks at it, but they still couldn’t get above 40% from the field. A Maxey layup kept the Sixers lead at 10 after three.

Fourth Quarter

  • Fittingly, it was two minutes before either team made a field goal to start the fourth, but the midrange jumper from the baseline was proving to be Maxey’s reliable shot for the night. Trendon Watford showed the makings of a solid offensive night, getting himself to the line before helping Adem Bona get wide open in the dunker spot for an easy bucket.
  • It was truly a rollercoaster — not only did Watford turn it over a couple of times, but they were offensive fouls, making him the third Sixer of the night to pick up at least four fouls. He had an and-1 taken away by a challenge. A few possession later he appeared to drill a three from the parking lot, but replay review showed that it did not actually beat the shot clock. He was at least able to come out of the timeout and hit a floater.
  • Embiid again took the reins and got himself some baskets from the nail, but the Suns kept coming up with a three-point answer to stay alive. After O’Neale buried one from deep, Booker hit his first of the night. An and-1 from Brooks quickly sped up the Sixers’ math problem.
  • Another stepback three from Maxey is just what the Sixers needed. In a comedy of errors, Booker and Maxey proceeded to get fouled shooting threes on three straight possessions, keeping the lead just four with 17 seconds remaining. Oubre was the offender both times for the Sixers. The Suns had to put Maxey on the line again, and throwing the ensuing inbounds pass out of bounds was enough to put an ugly win to bed.
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Lakers fend off fiesty Warriors for third straight win

Feb 7, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt (2) moves to the basket ahead of Golden State Warriors guard Pat Spencer (61) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

With both teams missing stars, the Lakers controlled much of the second half of Saturday’s game against the Warriors, earning a 105-99 win.

Luka Dončić and Steph Curry each missed the game due to injury while Austin Reaves remained under a minutes restriction. As a result, a host of unlikely suspects stepped up for both teams.

After a back-and-forth first half saw both teams lead, the Lakers surged out of the gate in the second half and built up multiple double-digit leads. A feisty Golden State team kept making runs but LA had a response each time.

Turnovers were an issue once again for the purple and gold as they finished with 22, but the Warriors went 14-51 from the 3-point line, which offset things.

LA started hot from behind the arc, knocking down two 3-pointers early. They built a four-point lead until the Warriors surged ahead by scoring six straight. LeBron tied the game on a layup. Golden State retook the lead in response.

Newest Laker Luke Kennard checked in for his first minutes and drained his first attempt from behind the arc. 

At the 2:23 mark, the Warriors were up by two. Gary Payton II was playing well for Golden State with seven points. Rui Hachimura led Los Angeles with five points. At the end of the first, the purple and gold were down by one.

The second period started with Jake LaRavia converting on a layup, putting the Lakers back in the lead. Both teams were struggling to find consistent offense. LA was shooting 41% from the field, while the Warriors were shooting 35%. Neither team had a player in double figures, with Payton II being the closest with nine points. 

At the 6:46 mark, Los Angeles was ahead by two.

Turnovers were becoming a big issue for the Lakers as they had 12. Hachimura entered double figures with 10 points after scoring five points. The Warriors started to heat up from behind the arc to find some offense. 

At halftime, LA was down by one after Pat Spencer drained a shot at the buzzer. 

The second half started with Austin Reaves knocking down a free throw after Draymond Green received a technical foul at the end of the first half. LeBron then scored six straight, putting Los Angeles ahead. LeBron continued his early third-period dominance, converting on his second three-point play of the quarter. 

LA built a nine-point advantage, its biggest lead of the night. 

Golden State responded with five straight, making it a close affair again. The Lakers regained control, pushing their lead to 11. Jarred Vanderbilt was having a strong game off the bench with 10 points and two steals. 

The Lakers had built a 12-point lead before the Warriors scored seven straight. LA struggled to defend Moses Moody, who was up to 20 points and was shooting 40% from behind the arc. 

Going into the fourth period, the purple and gold were up by eight. Los Angeles only had two turnovers in the quarter. 

Jaxson Hayes started the final frame with a layup. Hachimura helped provide the Lakers with some cushion as the Warriors heated up, but five straight points from Golden State cut it to three. A triple from Gui Santos made it a one-point affair. 

LA responded with a 7-0 run, which included Kennard draining another 3-pointer to restore the double-digit lead. Kleber added to the run with a layup, making it a 12-point game.

Moody once again drained a 3-pointer to take it back to single digits with 3:28 left in the game. Things got chippy, with hard fouls and players chirping back and forth. 

A pair of late free throws from Reaves sealed the game as the Lakers iced the game away at the line, earning a third-straight win.

Key Player Stats

LeBron finished with 20 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists. Reaves ended with 16 points, five rebounds, eight assists and two steals. Hachimura scored 18 points, shooting 70% from the field. 

Kennard’s first game as a Laker ended with 10 points on 4-7 shooting. Smart notched 15 points with four assists. Jarred Vanderbilt had 13 points with eight rebounds. Kleber had another impactful game off the bench with five points and seven rebounds while finishing with a team-best plus-minus of +12.

The Lakers’ next matchup will be against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday at 7:00 PM PT.You can follow Karin on Twitter at @KarinAbcarians.

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Seth Trimble's buzzer-beater lifts No. 14 North Carolina past No. 4 Duke 71-68

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Seth Trimble made a corner 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left to lift No. 14 North Carolina past No. 4 Duke 71-68 in a stunning finish Saturday night, which included fans storming the court prematurely before having to clear out for the Blue Devils to get one desperate final play.

Trimble’s shot on the catch off a feed from Derek Dixon swished cleanly through the net with apparently no time left, sending the Tar Heels rushing onto the court to celebrate followed closely by the fans at a frantic, ear-ringing roar. But a review determined there was still 0.4 seconds left, prompting the Smith Center’s public-address announcer to repeatedly tell fans to clear the court.

Once they did, Duke had a final chance, but Isaiah Evans couldn’t get a clean handle on the long inbound pass to near halfcourt to get off a tying shot to end it — prompting another court-storming that stuck this time.

It capped a night in which UNC trailed by 13 in the second half and never led until Trimble’s final shot.

Caleb Wilson scored 23 points to lead the Tar Heels (19-4, 7-3 Atlantic Coast Conference), while big man Henri Veesaar had all 13 of his points after halftime — including a tying 3-pointer with 1:40 left. Trimble had 16 points.

Cameron Boozer had 24 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Blue Devils (21-2, 10-1), but missed a drive against Veesaar in the final 20 seconds of a tie game to set up Trimble’s winner.

Trimble’s shot ended Duke’s 10-game winning streak. It also gave the rivalry another memorable buzzer-beater on par with Austin Rivers’ winning 3 here in 2012.

NO. 1 ARIZONA 84, OKLAHOMA STATE 47

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Brayden Burries scored 15 points and Arizona stifled Oklahoma State’s high-scoring offense to remain unbeaten.

The Wildcats (23-0, 10-0) extended the best start in school history by holding the Cowboys to 24.6% shooting. Arizona’s start also is the best in Big 12 history, passing Kansas’ 22-0 opening run in 1996-97.

Oklahoma State (16-7, 4-6) was averaging 86.5 points and scored 99 points Wednesday night in a victory over No. 16 BYU.

Burries was 7 of 11 from the field and added eight rebounds. Arizona had a 55-35 edge in rebounds and 54-14 advantage on points in the paint.

Arizona’s 37-point margin of victory was its largest in a Big 12 game since joining the league last season and largest in a conference game since beating rival Arizona State by 45 in 2024.

Oklahoma State got 10 points from Anthony Roy while no other player scored more than eight. The Cowboys’ shooting percentage was their worst since 2014 and their point total the lowest since scoring 47 at Houston in 2024.

NO. 10 MICHIGAN STATE 85, ILLINOIS 82, OT

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Jeremy Fears scored 26 points, including a tiebreaking three-point play with 1:47 left in overtime, and had 15 assists to help Michigan State hold on for a win over Illinois.

With a chance to send the game to a second overtime, Illinois center Zvonimir Ivisic missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

The Spartans (20-4, 10-3 Big Ten) knocked the Fighting Illini (20-4, 11-2) out of first place in the Big Ten and ended their 12-game winning streak.

Illinois’ David Mirkovic scored 18 points, Andrej Stojakovic had 17 points and Tomislav Ivisic fouled out with 2:22 left in overtime after scoring 12 points.

Illini freshman Keaton Wagler, who averaged 27-plus points the previous four games, missed 14 of 16 shots and scored 16.

Fears started and played more than 40 minutes after coach Tom Izzo debated whether to discipline the standout point guard with restricted playing time after his sportsmanship was called into question in two straight games.

NO. 6 GONZAGA 81, OREGON STATE 61

CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) — Graham Ike matched his career high with 35 points and Gonzaga rebounded from a midweek loss to Portland with a victory over Oregon State.

Tyon Grant-Foster added 15 points for Gonzaga (23-2, 11-1 WCC), which was coming off an 87-80 loss to unranked Portland on Wednesday night that snapped a 15-game winning streak for the Bulldogs. It also ended a 20-game winning streak over the Pilots.

Isaiah Sy had 13 points for Oregon State (13-13, 6-7), which came into the game riding a three-game winning streak.

The loss to Portland will no doubt drop the Bulldogs in the AP Top 25 rankings. Gonzaga and St. Mary’s sit atop the WCC standings with just one conference loss apiece.

Ike, who played in his third game since returning from an ankle sprain, had seven rebounds. His 35 points matched his career high set against Denver in December 2021.

Oregon State held a narrow lead though the first 10 minutes, but Ike’s 3-pointer gave Gonzaga a 22-20 lead and the Bulldogs led until White’s 2-pointer pulled the Beavers even at 34.

Oregon State couldn’t pull ahead and Gonzaga led 38-34 at the break.

NO. 7 IOWA ST. 72, BAYLOR 69

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Milan Momcilovic scored 21 points, Joshua Jefferson added 15 and Iowa State held off a late rally by Baylor for a victory.

It was the fifth consecutive win for the Cyclones (21-2, 8-2 Big 12). Iowa State, heading into a stretch where four of its next six games are against AP Top 25 teams, had won its last four games by an average of 26.8 points.

This game was looking like another double-digit win for the Cyclones — they led by 14 points with 2:12 to play — before the Bears (13-10, 3-8) scored the final 11 points, the last coming on a 3-pointer from Tounde Yessoufou with one second left.

Momcilovic had his 11th game of 20 or more points this season, going 6 of 11 from the field. Momcilovic, who leads the nation in 3-pointers and 3-point percentage, was just 2 of 6 from behind the arc.

NO. 9 NEBRASKA 80, RUTGERS 68

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Rienk Mast scored 26 points to lead four players in double figures as Nebraska rolled to a win over Rutgers.

The Cornhuskers (21-2, 10-2 Big Ten) were coming off their first losses of the season, falling to No. 2 Michigan 75-72 and No. 5 Illinois 78-69.

Rutgers (9-15, 2-11) has lost seven straight.

Mast was 11 of 20 from the floor and grabbed eight rebounds.

Pryce Sandfort scored 15 points, Sam Hoiberg added 13 and Jamarques Lawrence had 12 for the Cornhuskers, who scored 15 points off 15 Rutgers turnovers.

NO. 11 KANSAS 71, UTAH 59

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Flory Bidunga had 17 points, 10 rebounds and seven blocks and Kansas beat Utah to take a seven-game winning streak into its Monday night home showdown with top-ranked Arizona.

Trey White added 16 points for Kansas (18-5, 8-2 Big 12). Darryn Peterson had 14. and Melvin Council 11.

Keanu Dawes led Utah (9-14, 1-9) with 20 points. Terrence Brown added 16. and Don McHenry had 12. The Utes have list five straight.

The Jayhawks led 38-31 at halftime and didn’t take a double-digit lead until Council hit a short jumper midway through the second half. That was part of a 10-0 run, capped by a thunderous dunk by Peterson that made it 60-44.

NO. 12 PURDUE 68, OREGON 64

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Fletcher Loyer scored 18 points and made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 51 seconds left Saturday to lead Purdue past pesky Oregon. He closed it out by making three of four free throws in the waning seconds.

Braden Smith finished with 13 points, four rebounds and four assists as the Boilermakers (19-4, 9-3 Big Ten) won their second straight since breaking a three-game losing streak. Purdue has played only two home games since Jan. 14 and in this one, Smith reached yet another milestone by becoming the first Big Ten player with 1,000 points and 500 assists in conference games only.

Trey Kaufman-Renn added 12 points for the Boilermakers.

Nate Bittle had 23 points to lead the Ducks (8-15, 1-11), who took a 59-56 lead with 5:15 to go. Takai Simpkins added 14, but Oregon came up just short of snapping a losing streak that has now reached nine. The Ducks also have lost four straight road games and are just 1-9 since Jan. 2.

OKLAHOMA 92, NO. 15 VANDERBILT 91

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Xzayvier Brown scored 14 of his 20 points in the second half and Oklahoma held off Vanderbilt to end a nine-game losing streak.

Nijel Pack added 17 points for the Sooners (12-12, 2-9 Southeastern Conference) who had a 21-point lead with 12:03 left. Oklahoma shot 53.4% from the field.

Tyler Tanner led Vanderbilt (19-4, 6-4) with 37 points. Tyler Nickel added 18.

Nickel hit a 3-pointer with 1 1/2 minutes left to cut Oklahoma’s lead to 10. AK Okereke had a 4-point play to make it a two-possession game with 49 seconds remaining.

NO. 17 FLORIDA 86, TEXAS A&M 67

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Thomas Haugh scored 22 points and Florida beat Texas A&M in a showdown for the Southeastern Conference lead.

The Gators (17-6, 8-2) started three players 6-foot-9 or taller against the Aggies’ four-guard lineup. Texas A&M’s tallest starter was Rashaun Agee at 6-8.

Florida outscored Texas A&M 48-24 in the paint, blocked seven shots and limited the Aggies (17-6, 7-3) to making just nine makes on 25 layups.

Texas A&M held its own on the boards against the Gators, the nation’s top rebounding team, but Florida still had a 50-43 advantage. The Aggies could only turn 19 offensive rebounds into 11 second-chance points.

Marcus Hill and Pop Isaacs each had 17 points for Texas A&M.

Isaiah Brown added 12 points for Florida, Urban Klavzar had 11, and Rueben Chinyelu and Xavian Lee each had 10.

NO. 18 VIRGINIA 72, SYRACUSE 59

CHARLOTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Sam Lewis had 16 points as Virginia held Syracuse to its lowest point total of the season in a 72-59 win.

Lewis started the game hot, making his first four 3-point attempts. He finished 4 of 8 beyond the arc and 5 of 10 overall. Ugonna Onyenso had 10 points and eight rebounds off the bench for the Cavaliers (20-3, 9-2 Atlantic Coast).

Naithan George led Syracuse (13-11, 4-7) with 19 points. He made 8 of 9 shots. Nate Kingz and J.J. Starling each scored 13 for the Orange. Donnie Freeman had nine rebounds.

Virginia scored 29 bench points. Syracuse’s bench scored seven.

The Cavaliers have won four straight since a loss to now-No. 14 North Carolina on Jan. 24.

NO. 19 SAINT LOUIS 82, LA SALLE 58

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Ishan Sharma came off the bench to score 15 points on five 3-pointers and Saint Louis beat La Salle for a 17th straight win.

Quentin Jones had 13 points and six rebounds, Amari McCottry also scored 13 and Robbie Avila had nine points and eight assists for the Billikens (23-1, 11-0 Atlantic 10).

This was Saint Louis’ 19th consecutive win at home dating back to last season. The Billikens’ start in conference play is their best since going 12-0 in the 2013-2014 season.

The 23-1 start is the best in school history.

NO. 20 CLEMSON 77, CALIFORNIA 55

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — Ace Buckner and RJ Godfrey each scored 13 points as Clemson overwhelmed California and moved into a first-place tie with No. 4 Duke in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The Tigers (20-4, 10-1) and Blue Devils meet in Durham, North Carolina, next Saturday. Duke (21-2, 10-1) lost 71-68 at No. 14 North Carolina on Saturday.

Clemson has won 14 consecutive ACC road games, tied for the second-longest road win streak in conference history. Duke won 24 in a row from 1998 through 2001. The Blue Devils also had a 14-game road ACC win streak (1962-64).

Jake Wahlin and Carter Welling each had 11 points for the Tigers, who went 27 for 59 (55.1%) from the floor, including 12 for 26 (46.2%) from beyond the arc.

Justin Pippen led Cal (17-7, 5-6) with a game-high 19 points.

NO. 21 ARKANSAS 88, MISSISSIPPI ST. 68

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Darius Acuff scored 24 points and Trevon Brazile added 19 to lead Arkansas to a victory over Mississippi State.

The Razorbacks (17-6, 7-3 Southeastern Conference) shot 52% from the field and made-eight 3 pointers while securing their largest margin of victory in an SEC road game this year. Meleek Thomas added 17 points for Aransas while Billy Richmond had 14.

Josh Hubbard led Mississippi State (11-12, 3-7) with 16 points but failed to make a 3 pointer. Hubbard entered Saturday having made at least one 3 in 69 consecutive games, an SEC record. Hubbard was 7 of 15 from the field but 0 of 4 from 3-point range.

Achor Achor had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Bulldogs and freshman Jamarion Davis-Fleming added 12 points. After a 2-0 start in SEC play, Mississippi State has lost seven of its last eight conference games.

The Bulldogs went just 3 of 15 from 3-point territory and had 11 turnovers. Arkansas outscored Mississippi State 19-4 in points off turnovers.

NO. 23 MIAMI (OHIO), 90, MARSHALL 74

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — Eian Elmer scored 18 points, Peter Suder had 17 and Miami (Ohio) kept its perfect season going with a victory over Marshall in the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge.

Antwone Woolfolk added 15 points and Luke Skaljac had 12 points and seven assists for the RedHawks (24-0), who extended the longest winning streak in Mid-American Conference history. Miami and Arizona are the only remaining unbeaten teams in Division I.

Three of Miami’s previous five games were one-possession wins, including a 73-71 win at Buffalo on Tuesday night. But the RedHawks had little trouble in this one.

The nation’s top scoring team, Miami was held just under its 92.8-point average for the fourth straight game but came out hot Saturday against the Thundering Herd. The RedHawks shot 56% from the floor in the first half, including a dozen layups, and built a 49-31 halftime lead.

Marshall (15-9) went 10 minutes between baskets in the first half and was limited to 40% shooting for the game, its first at home against a ranked opponent in 11 years. Marshall’s Erich Harding was called three times for first-half lane violations while he attempted free throws.

NO. 24 LOUISVILLE 88, WAKE FOREST 80

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Sananda Fru had 17 points while Louisville survived at the foul line late after blowing a 15-point second-half lead to beat Wake Forest.

J’Vonne Hadley added 15 points for the Cardinals (17-6, 7-4 Atlantic Coast Conference), who shot 52.9% but had to finish this one out while going the last 6:38 without a field goal. Louisville made 19 of 22 (86.4%) free throws after halftime, repeatedly cashing in at the line after the Demon Deacons made their push.

Louisville had six players score in double figures, while freshman guard Mikel Brown Jr. had eight assists.

The Cardinals led 54-39 early in the second half, yet they had fits trying to hold off Juke Harris and the Demon Deacons for much of the second half. With Harris repeatedly on the attack, Wake Forest gradually inched closer until twice tying it — the last coming on Sebastian Akins’ free throws that made it 80-all with 4:44 left.

But the Demon Deacons never could push ahead. And when an upset win appeared within reach, they instead missed their last 11 shots — along with two free throws by Tre’Von Spillers that would’ve put Wake Forest ahead with 4:14 left.

_____

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Jokic's triple-double powers Nuggets past Bulls 136-120 as Denver ends 3-game skid

CHICAGO (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 22 points, 17 assists and 14 rebounds for his second triple-double in as many games, Jamal Murray had 28 points and 11 assists and the Denver Nuggets ended a three-game skid with a 136-120 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night.

It was Jokic's 19th triple-double of the season. Tim Hardaway Jr. added 23 points for the Nuggets, who capped a three-game road trip with a win after losing at Detroit and New York.

Matas Buzelis scored 21 points and Collin Sexton added 17 for the Bulls, who have lost four straight.

The Bulls led 104-97 after closing the third period on a 16-2 run, but Denver started the final quarter on a 20-2 spurt to take the lead for good. Jokic and Julian Strawther capped the run with consecutive 3-pointers.

Chicago went the first six minutes of the fourth before making its first field goal and finished the final period 5 for 17 from the floor.

Jokic had nine points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in 17 first-half minutes, but the Bulls led 65-59 at the intermission.

Up next

Nuggets: Host Cleveland on Monday night.

Bulls: Visit Brooklyn on Monday night.

—

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

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From The Archives: Fans Want NHLers at the Olympics

The Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features.

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Fans Want NHLers at the Olympics - March 19, 1999 - Volume 52, Issue 27 - Jason Kay

The ayes have it, even if the IOC doesn’t.

Despite the International Olympic Committee corruption scandal and the mixed reviews to which the hockey event at the 1998 Nagano Games played, readers of THN largely support NHL participation at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City.

THN asked readers whether the league should again interrupt a season and send players to the Olympics. The ’Yes’ vote (67.5 per cent) outpolled the ’No’ (32.5 per cent) vote by a 2-1 margin.

Many of those who favor an Olympic sequel say the event would lose luster if the game’s greatest stars don’t participate.

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“The Olympics are supposed to showcase the best athletes,” writes Chris Schultz of Green Bay, Wise., “and I think the best talent in the world should be there, regardless of what happened in the 1998 Games.”

“Each sport brings the best,” writes Fernand Welschbillig of Mersch, Luxembourg. “Why should hockey be the exception?”

Among those who cast ’No’ ballots, some felt Nagano didn’t Eve up to its hype. Others were turned off by Team USA’s room trashing. Others are appalled by the IOC bribery scandal. And there are many who believe the Olympics should be for amateurs.

“I don’t support NHL participation,” writes Dan Black of Regina, Sask., “especially for an American team after the disgrace they brought upon the NHL and the USA in the last Olympics.”

“Keep the Olympics for amateurs,” writes Thomas V. Papaccio of Cherry Hill, N.J. “Remember 1980? That was exciting.”

“My reason (for voting ’no’) has been in the news for the past few months,” writes Bob McConnell of Kamloops, B.C., in reference to IOC problems. “That says it all.”

For the record, the NHL is expected to halt its season in 2002 and send players to Salt Lake, but no official announcement has been made.

PUCK POLL

In light of the NHL’s experience at the 1998 Olympics in Nagano and the recent corruption scandal involving members of the International Olympic Committee, do you support NHL participation, such as Czech Republic gold-medal goalie Dominik Hasek of the Buffalo Sabres, at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City?

Yes, I support participation 67.5%

No, I don’t support participation 32.5%

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LeBron James leads Lakers to win, Luke Kennard makes his debut and Luka Doncic watches

New Lakers guard Luke Kennard hits three pointer under pressure from Warriors forward Gui Santos on Saturday.
New Lakers guard Luke Kennard hits three pointer under pressure from Warriors forward Gui Santos on Saturday at Crypto.com Arena. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

LeBron James had a near triple-double with 20 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds during the Lakers’ 105-99 win over the Golden State Warriors Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena.

During a game stars Luka Doncic (mild left hamstring strain) and Golden State’s Stephen Curry (knee injury) missed, the Lakers pulled off the win with six players scoring in double figures.

Austin Reaves had 16 points, eight assists and five rebounds and Rui Hachimura had 18 points on seven-for-10 shots.

Luke Kennard, who was acquired Thursday from the Atlanta Hawks for Gabe Vincent, played his role well. He had 10 points in his first game as a Laker, coming off the bench to go four-for-seven from the field and two-for-four from the three-point line. He also had two assists and two rebounds.

Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt battles Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski for a loose ball at Crypto.com Saturday.
Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt battles Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski for a loose ball at Crypto.com Saturday. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

Kennard drilled a three-pointer off a pass from Reaves to give the Lakers a 92-88 lead in the fourth quarter.

After Reaves scored, Kennard showed off his passing skills, finding Jared Vanderbilt under the basket for a dunk. Maxi Kleber scored and Reaves made two free throws to help seal the Lakers' win.

Lakers call Doncic's injury mild

The Lakers said Doncic was diagnosed with a mild left hamstring strain and will be listed as day-to-day.

The Lakers play Oklahoma Monday night and San Antonio Tuesday night before playing the Dallas Mavericks Thursday night. The NBA All-Star game follows on Feb. 15 and the Lakers don’t play again until Feb. 20 against the Clippers at home.

So, Lakers coach JJ Redick and president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka both were asked Saturday night if Doncic would be able to play in the all-star game or if it would be best for him to rest.

Read more:Lakers acquire Luke Kennard, prepared to pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer

"I've been around him as a teammate and as a coach and I know he [loves to] plays. If he's able to play, he plays. I think he wants to be in the all-star game,” Redick said. “I know he wants to play against Dallas, the game before the all-star game. He has his team working on him day and night. So again, it's day to day and when he's ready to play, we'll get him out there."

Doncic, who leads the NBA in scoring (32.8) and is second in assists (8.6), earned the most all-star game votes. In the new all-star game format of “U.S. vs. the World,” Doncic would play for the world team because he’s from Slovenia.

“Luka, one of his greatest qualities is when he has an injury or he's unavailable for a game, he is deeply upset,” Pelinka, who spoke to the media for the first time since September. “He just can't stand not playing basketball. He loves the game so much and wants to play every night. And that's an incredible quality. Just a player who's like fighting and clawing to play versus looking for a reason maybe not to. So we commend Luka for that. In terms of this injury, the good news is it doesn't appear to be anything serious. It was a mild hamstring strain and he is truly day to day."

Kennard makes immediate impact

Kennard didn’t waste any time making an impact for the Lakers during their game against the Warriors.

He drilled his first shot as a Laker, a high arching 25-foot three pointer with 2:23 left in the first quarter.

The shot was set up by Reaves, giving Kennard a glimpse of what life will be like playing with the Lakers’ big three of James, Doncic and Reaves.

“Those guys attract so much attention to other teams on the offensive end and for me, it’s just spacing the floor, making the right plays at all times and just being aggressive out there,” Kennard said before the game about his role. “Coming off the bench and just looking to hunt my shot at all times. I know that’s what they want me to do as a team and the coaches and I’m looking forward to doing that.”

Etc.

Pelinka said the Lakers have a roster spot available and will look at the buy-out market to potentially find a player to add to the team. But, according to people with knowledge of the matter not authorized to discuss it publicly, the Lakers don’t have interest in Cam Thomas, a 6-foot-3 guard who was waived by the Brooklyn Nets.

"Yeah, so we have an open roster spot and we are in sort of active conversations with some players that are available now, doing our due diligence,” Pelinka said. “And then of course, to your point, players down the road could come in through the buyout market. So, we are evaluating that 15th roster spot and at some point probably will likely fill it."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Player Grades: Mavericks vs Spurs, again

Feb 7, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Marvin Bagley III blocks a shot by San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes (40) in the first half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks took on the San Antonio Spurs for the second time in three nights. With their season-long losing streak at six games, Dallas was unable to stop the skid, losing 138-125.

Let’s get to the grades!

Naji Marshall: C

6 PTS / 3 REB / 5 AST / 3 STL / 0 BLK – 25 MIN

Marshall couldn’t replicate his performance from Thursday, missing just about every shot he took and impacting the game very little. His assists, rebounds and steals keep him out of the basement, but not by much.

Max Christie: C+

17 PTS / 3 REB / 3 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 27 MIN

Christie did not have a good game anyway you slice it, but some of the intangible things put the highlights on the mess. He had his shot blocked multiple times, got burned on defense multiple times and just generally looked out of sorts. His plus/minus was a minus-23, only outdone by Cooper Flagg.

Cooper Flagg: C

14 PTS / 4 REB / 4 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 26 MIN

Flagg was solid, but ultimately not assertive enough. He had relatively few touches and couldn’t impact the game all that much on the defensive side of the ball. He actually managed to outdo Christie’s plus-minus with a mind bending minus-31.

Caleb Martin: B-

11 PTS / 5 REB / 2 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 24 MIN

Martin was fine in somewhat limited minutes, but like just about everyone else on the team, had little to speak of on the defensive end. The positive about Martin is that he looks like a capable NBA player again, after his early tenure in Dallas legitimately looked like it could be the end of his time in the league. He knocked in a few shots and it probably would have been a solid contribution if anything else went right for the team overall.

Daniel Gafford: C

9 PTS / 4 REB / 2 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 18 MIN

Gafford wasn’t in the flow of the game much of the time he was on the floor. He had plenty more rebounding opportunities than he capitalized on and his fouls-per-minute ratio was egregious. With the number of fouls, you would think he was physical, but that wasn’t the case and that’s ultimately the real problem — Gafford is too big and athletic to not bully better than he did tonight.

Klay Thompson: B+

19 PTS / 1 REB / 2 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK – 19 MIN

Thompson is one of the trickier grades night-to-night. Saturday was not the first time he had an A-plus game going for a quarter or two, but then came back down to earth. His overall performance was arguably more than you could expect most nights, nearly scoring a point per minute played, but I confess some generosity on his grade, as he was in some ways just the best of a bad Mavs’ game.

Marvin Bagley III: A+

16 PTS / 12 REB / 2 AST / 1 STL / 4 BLK – 24 MIN

What a debut for Bagley! No, it wasn’t a career best game, but if you told me he’d score six points to go along with three boards, two assists, a steal and two blocks for the game, I would have been impressed. He did that in his first nine minutes. Bagley looked thrilled to be in a new environment and he fit in much better than could be expected for a guy who just got here. He showed quick hands, high energy and good rotations. Free throws were the only particularly ugly thing. It’s difficult to grade a player in his first outing, but benefit of the doubt given for playing like he did immediately after being traded.

Brandon Williams: A

18 PTS / 3 REB / 4 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 23 MIN

Some of it came in garbage time, but Williams had a nice game from start to finish. He hit 8-for-12 from the floor, only turned it over once and chipped in little bits everywhere. This was a nice game that got lost in a bad game, much like Bagley’s.

Final thoughts

Dallas got rolled, and it happened quickly after a game that was competitive and entertaining for nearly the entire first half. In hindsight, this one was over a few minutes into the third quarter. A feel good post-trade win would have been nice to stem the tide on a lengthy losing streak, but take solace in the ever-improving draft status at least. I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

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No. 20 Clemson routs California 77-55, ties Duke for first place in ACC

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — Ace Buckner and RJ Godfrey each scored 13 points as No. 20 Clemson overwhelmed California 77-55 and moved into a first-place tie with No. 4 Duke in the Atlantic Coast Conference on Saturday.

The Tigers (20-4, 10-1) and Blue Devils meet in Durham, North Carolina, next Saturday. Duke (21-2, 10-1) lost 71-68 at No. 14 North Carolina on Saturday.

Clemson has won 14 consecutive ACC road games, tied for the second-longest road win streak in conference history. Duke won 24 in a row from 1998 through 2001. The Blue Devils also had a 14-game road ACC win streak (1962-64).

Jake Wahlin and Carter Welling each had 11 points for the Tigers, who went 27 for 59 (55.1%) from the floor, including 12 for 26 (46.2%) from beyond the arc.

Justin Pippen led Cal (17-7, 5-6) with a game-high 19 points.

Pippen's 3-pointer less than five minutes into the game gave the Bears a 13-9 lead. The Tigers then put together a 23-1 spurt capped by Wahlin's 3 that put Clemson up 32-14 with three minutes left in the half.

Dai Dai Ames scored for California on the ensuing possession, ending the Bears’ field-goal drought at nearly 13 minutes.

Clemson entered Saturday second in the ACC in fewest points allowed per game at 64.5. The Tigers led 39-20 at halftime as they held the Bears to 6 for 25 shooting in the opening half. California also committed nine turnovers in the first 20 minutes.

Cal played without center Lee Dort. He missed his fourth straight game because of a leg injury he suffered in the Bears’ 78-66 win at Stanford on Jan. 24.

Up next

Clemson: Hosts Virginia Tech on Wednesday.

Cal: Plays at Syracuse on Wednesday.

—

This story has been corrected to show Wahlin and Welling each scored 11 points instead of 13.

—

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Okorie scores career-high 40 points, leads Stanford over Georgia Tech 95-72 to end 5-game skid

STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Ebuka Okorie scored a career-high 40 points to lead Stanford to a 95-72 victory over Georgia Tech on Saturday night to end a five-game losing streak.

Okorie shot 12 of 21 from the floor, made three 3-pointers and all 13 of his free-throw attempts. He surpassed his previous high of 36 points scored in the Cardinal's 95-90 win against then-No. 14 North Carolina on Jan. 14.

Jeremy Dent-Smith added 16 points for Stanford (15-9, 4-7 Atlantic Coast Conference), which shot 54% overall (33 of 61) and 17 of 19 from the foul line.

Stanford opened the second half on a 13-4 run to stretch its lead to 56-43. Georgia Tech pulled to 62-55 with 11:26 left but didn’t get closer.

Akai Fleming scored 19 points to lead Georgia Tech (11-13, 2-9), which has lost five straight. Baye Ndongo added 14 points and Jaeden Mustaf scored 13.

Georgia Tech closed the first half on a 12-5 run to pull to 43-39 at the break. The Yellow Jackets shot 52% overall in the first half but the Cardinal hit four more buckets from beyond the arc (7 of 16).

Up next

Georgia Tech hosts Wake Forest on Wednesday.

Stanford plays at Boston College on Wednesday.

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Baltimore Orioles beat Keegan Akin in arbitration, giving clubs their first win this year

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Baltimore Orioles won their salary arbitration case Saturday against pitcher Keegan Akin, the first victory for teams this year after five decisions in favor of players.

Akin was awarded $2,975,000 rather than his $3,375,000 request by John Stout, Jeanne Charles and Samantha Tower, who heard arguments Friday.

A 30-year-old left-hander, Akin was 5-4 with a 3.41 ERA and eight saves in 64 relief appearances last season, striking out 59 and walking 33 in 63 1/3 innings. He had a $1,475,000 salary.

Akin has a 16-22 record with a 4.48 ERA and 11 saves in six major league seasons, all with the Orioles. He can become a free agent after this year’s World Series.

Players lead 5-1 with up to seven decisions remaining.

Two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal won his case Thursday when he was awarded an arbitration-record $32 million rather than the Detroit Tigers’ $19 million offer.

In other decisions, catcher Yainer Diaz received $4.5 million instead of the Houston Astros’ $3 million proposal, right-hander Kyle Bradish was awarded $3.55 million instead of the Orioles’ offer of $2,875,000, right-hander Graham Ashcraft was awarded $1.75 million rather than the Cincinnati Reds’ $1.25 million offer and right-hander Edwin Uceta will be paid $1,525,000 rather than the Tampa Bay Rays’ $1.2 million proposal.

Two cases have been argued with decisions withheld until next week: Toronto left-hander Eric Lauer ($5.75 million vs. $4.4 million) and Atlanta left-hander Dylan Lee ($2.2 million vs. $2 million).

Five players remain scheduled for hearings next week: Kansas City left-hander Kris Bubic ($6.15 million vs. $5.15 million), Milwaukee catcher Willson Contreras ($9.9 million vs. $8.55 million), Los Angeles Angels left-hander Reid Detmers ($2,925,000 vs. $2,625,000), Miami right-hander Calvin Faucher ($2.05 million vs. $1.8 million) and Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson ($6.8 million vs $6.55 million).

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Terrance Gore, a speedy outfielder who played for three World Series champions, has died

MLB: New York Mets at Oakland Athletics

Sep 25, 2022; Oakland, California, USA; New York Mets designated hitter Terrance Gore (4) during the ninth inning against the Oakland Athletics at RingCentral Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Darren Yamashita/Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Terrance Gore, a speedy outfielder who played for three World Series champions while spending parts of eight seasons in the major leagues, has died. He was 34.

Chad Funderburk, a family friend who also worked with Gore through his baseball academy, confirmed Gore died Friday night. He deferred to Gore’s family in terms of providing any further details.

While Gore was known for his athleticism, Funderburk said he was “a much kinder human.”

“Just a giving, giving man to so many youth. ... That’s just who Terrance was,” Funderburk said.

Gore, a Georgia native, was selected by Kansas City in the 20th round of the 2011 amateur draft. He batted .216, scored 33 runs and swiped 43 bags in 52 attempts over 112 regular-season games with the Royals, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets.

“Terrance was an unforgettable part of our organization with a unique talent that catapulted him to some of the biggest moments in Royals history,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said in a team statement. “While his speed and athleticism were what most people immediately noticed, those of us who had the opportunity to know him also remember his energy, his humility, and the impact he made in big moments on the game’s biggest stage.”

Gore was mostly used as a pinch runner and defensive replacement. He made his debut with the Royals in 2014 and stole 23 bases before he got his first hit, a single to center for the Cubs against Max Scherzer in the ninth inning of a 10-3 loss at Washington on Sept. 8, 2018.

Gore appeared in two postseason games during Kansas City’s championship run in 2015. He played in two regular-season games when the Dodgers won the World Series in 2020. He appeared in one NL playoff game with Atlanta in 2021, and the Braves went on to win the World Series.

“Terrance brought a high level of excitement and anticipation to the game,” former Royals executive Dayton Moore said. “He was unstoppable as a base stealer, and he inspired athletes throughout our country to pursue baseball. He was loved and respected by his very special teammates, who will continue to love his family during this time of sadness.”

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Hawks fall short late against Hornets, lose 126-119

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - FEBRUARY 7: Jalen Johnson #1 of the Atlanta Hawks against Sion James #4 of the Charlotte Hornets during the second quarter at State Farm Arena on February 7, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Atlanta Hawks were in action on Saturday evening to face the Charlotte Hornets. The Hawks were coming off a clutch win against the Utah Jazz a couple of days ago, with big help from Jock Landale, who made his debut with the team. The Hawks also will have some new players this time around, with Buddy Hield and Gabe Vincent being active.

As for the Hornets, they’re probably the hottest teams in the league, and they came in on a eight-game winning streak.

The Hawks were also able to get Onyeka Okongwu back in the lineup.

The Hawks started the game hot from the three-point line, and Okongwu knocked down two of them early.

Zaccharie Risacher got in on the fun as well.

The Hawks kept the lead throughout the quarter, getting good shots on offense and stops on the defense.

Corey Kispert hit from deep later in the quarter, extending the Hawks’ lead.

The Hornets made a few plays late to cut their deficit, but the Hawks managed to counter with a few makes and went into the second quarter with a 35-32 lead.

Both teams went back and forth in the second quarter, and the Hawks kept getting good looks. Nickeil Alexander-Walker found Asa Newell for a lob.

Risacher continued his strong play through the second and made a play in the paint.

Alexander-Walker knocked down a three-pointer later in the quarter.

Things got a little physical late, with less than two minutes between Okongwu and Mousa Diabate, and they both received technical fouls.

Going into halftime, the Hawks and Hornets were tied at 60.

The Hornets took the lead to start the third, and were up by as much as seven points. That didn’t bother the Hawks, and they started a run that led them to taking the lead.

After a slow start to the game, Alexander-Walker found a groove in the third.

Johnson got a head full of steam on the fast break and got the and-one.

Risacher continued his hot shooting.

Though the Hawks fought back, the Hornets went on a run late in the quarter to take a 98-90 lead going into the fourth.

The Hawks went on a run to start the quarter, and Jock Landale knocked down a three-pointer to get it started.

Johnson continued to make play after play going downhill and nobody on the Hornets could stop him.

Risacher couldn’t miss from the three-point line.

The Hawks took the lead for a moment, but the Hornets got it back after getting several shots in the paint. The Hornets kept the lead late into the quarter, and the Hawks were able to get some stops to keep it a three-point deficit with 32.1 seconds remaining in the game.

Johnson was able to go to the free throw after getting fouled, and knocked down both to cut their deficit down to one point. The Hawks played the foul game from there, and LaMelo Ball knocked down both to give the Hornets a three-point led again.

The Hawks decided not to call a timeout after the free throws, and though Alexander-Walker was able to get a clean shot to tie the game, he missed. Brandon Miller went to the line and made both of his free throws, and the Hornets found themselves up 124-119 with 12 seconds left.

That ultimately led the Hawks to a loss and extended the Hornets’ win streak to nine games.

Johnson finished with 31 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists, Risacher finished with 18 points, and Okongwu finished with 16 points.

The Hawks will be back in action on Monday to face the Minnesota Timberwolves.