Group C game at Eden Gardens, 9.30am (GMT) start
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One brings two! Another lifter, another skyer, this time looping straight to deep square, where Phil Salt barely has to move.
Jofra strikes! He drops short and Munsey can only get a top edge, safely pouched by Banton running in from midwicket.
Continue reading...Dutchman joins Lewis Hamilton in criticism of new cars
Champion Lando Norris says changes are a ‘lot of fun’
Driver disquiet over the new Formula One regulations marked the second pre-season test which concluded in Bahrain this week, with world champions Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen delivering damning verdicts on driving the new cars, while in competitive terms leading contenders Mercedes and Red Bull were entertainingly vehement in each declaring the other as favourite.
Times in testing must be taken with a liberal amount of salt, more so this year as so much time is being put into understanding the new cars and how best to drive them, without yet really pushing toward real performance limits. Nonetheless, across the three days in Bahrain it was Mercedes who finished on top with Kimi Antonelli and George Russell setting the quickest times, from the two Ferraris of Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in fifth and sixth for McLaren and Verstappen in seventh for Red Bull.
Continue reading...INGLEWOOD, Calif. — If it takes the young upstarts of the NBA, the eventual stars-to-be, to reinvigorate the NBA All-Star break, then we owe them considerable gratitude.
The NBA’s Rising Stars set the tone Friday, Feb. 13 in an engaging and entertaining showcase that culminated with a stellar performance from Philadelphia 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe to carry Team Vince — as in Vince Carter — to the Rising Stars championship. And as the NBA All-Star Game has faced widespread criticism for its lack of competitive spirit, let’s hope that the league’s biggest stars draw inspiration from its “Rising” ones.
In the semifinal round, Edgecombe scored his team’s final 10 points to win and carried Team Vince with 23 combined points across both games, including a pair of clutch, game-winning free throws in the championship.
“I appreciate people tuning in, even to the Rising Stars game,” Edgecombe told reporters after the game. “We just tried to make it fun, make it competitive, where it’s worth your time.”
Edgecombe wasn’t alone. On the whole, the entire crop of 28 first- and second-year players who participated Friday in the Rising Stars Game established a baseline spirit of competition that has been painfully absent from the supposed gem of the weekend, the actual All-Star Game.
Did the Rising Stars unleash relentless, playoff-level competition? No, of course not. They didn’t need to. What matters here is that they didn’t do the bare minimum. They didn’t sleepwalk and loaf through the exhibition in a way that insults fans investing their time and capital in the experience.
This is what’s crucial for the survival of the NBA All-Star Game, and the All-Star games of all the major domestic sports leagues, if we’re being honest. There’s a way to strike a balance of elevated competition without compromising safety or risking injury.
This was what the four coaches of the Rising Stars — Carter, Carmelo Anthony, Tracy McGrady and Austin Rivers — preached to their players.
“(The message) was compete hard but be smart,” Rockets guard Reef Sheppard, who played for Team Melo, told reporters. “This All-Star Weekend is supposed to be fun. At the same time, don’t go out there and just run around. Compete and play, but be smart and have fun.”
Said second-year Bulls forward Matas Buzelis, another emerging NBA star and one who combined to score 10 points across the two mini-games for Team Vince: “We weren’t trying to just lay back and cruise.”
The only shame Friday night was that, understandably, NBC prioritized its Olympic coverage for its primetime national broadcast and was forced to relegate the Rising Stars showcase to streaming-only broadcast Peacock, meaning a chunk of fans missed the showcase.
Several players said they noticed the handful of NBA All-Stars who spent their Friday night in the cosmopolitan city of Los Angeles court-side at the Intuit Dome, taking in the Rising Stars competition.
Donovan Mitchell of the Cavaliers, Scottie Barnes of the Raptors, De’Aaron Fox of the Spurs and Tyrese Maxey of the 76ers were all in attendance. All were shown on the jumbotron to applause from the fans in attendance.
It was this last player who, in part, inspired Edgecombe.
“Tyrese is my dog, man,” Edgecombe said. “I was like, he ain’t coming to watch if I ain’t going to play hard. So I was like, I’m going to play hard so at least it’s not a waste of his time.
“I know he has a whole lot of stuff he could probably be doing right now, especially being an All-Star. Tyrese is my dog. I love him.”
Here’s to hoping Maxey and his fellow All-Stars take after these young players to give fans the showcase they deserve.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rising Stars set the tone for NBA All-Star Weekend with fun showcase
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Trent Middleton Jr. scored on a driving layup, got fouled and made a free throw with 4.5 seconds remaining, lifting North Carolina A&T over Hampton 71-70 in the HBCU Classic on Friday night as part of NBA All-Star weekend.
It was the Aggies' first lead since they scored the game's first basket.
Jalyke Gaines-Wyatt's potential tying floater just missed at the buzzer.
Middleton's defense was key over the final 57 seconds. He had consecutive steals that led to baskets by the Aggies (10-14, 3-10 Coastal Athletic) after they trailed by eight with nearly six minutes to go.
Lewis Walker led the Aggies with 18 points, including four straight free throws that tied the game at 68-all. Middleton finished with 15 points, including 6 of 7 free throws, and Will Felton added 12 points off the bench on 5-of-6 shooting.
Hampton (12-14, 6-7) was outscored 9-2 over the final 43 seconds, getting just two free throws by Gaines-Wyatt. He and Xzavier Long led the Pirates with 17 points each. Elijah Kennedy had 13 points off the bench. They had five players in foul trouble, including Long and Josh Ogundele who fouled out.
The neutral court matchup counted as a conference game for the schools that traveled over 2,500 miles to play in Kia Forum, the former home of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Both schools brought their bands, cheerleaders and mascots. The Pack Drumline that plays for Chicago Bulls and Chicago Sky games entertained before the game while Black fraternities and sororities showed off their dance moves. Chloe Bailey sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and the national anthem.
The HBCU Classic started five years ago during Black History Month to highlight historically Black colleges and universities as part of NBA All-Star weekend.
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Manager Craig Stammen has made it clear since his first media scrum on the opening of spring camp that he sees Luis Campusano as the San Diego Padres’ No. 2 catcher. More than once, Stammen has cited Campusano’s hard work and success in Triple-A last season. In his media scrum Friday morning, Stammen remarked on Campusano’s haircut while giving a big vote of confidence.
“He cut the dreads, got a new haircut, looks good and I know he’s excited about the opportunity and probably the first time in his career that he has had a little bit of a runway to take control of that job and win it in Spring Training and be the number two when we leave camp.”
The professional journey that Campusano has traveled has been rocky, to say the least. Coming up to the Padres in 2020 at 21, Campusano played the most in 2024, where he appeared in 91 games with a .227/.281/.361 line and a -0.7 fWAR reflecting below average defense. His eight home runs and 40 RBI did not offset the difficulties he had behind the plate. Then manager, Mike Shildt, appeared to have seen enough and never gave Campusano an opportunity to catch during his 10 game appearances in 2025. All of his 21 at-bats were as a DH and he had no hits and six walks with 11 strikeouts.
Stammen played with Campusano when he was a pitcher in the Padres bullpen. From his first comments after getting the manager job, Stammen has expressed support and belief in Campusano. He indicated from the beginning that the now 27-year-old would get every opportunity to prove he can be a major league player.
When president of baseball operations A.J. Preller acquired Freddy Fermin during the trade deadline last season, it became clear that he would be the front-line catcher going forward. He learned the staff on the fly after coming to the team and was far superior offensively to the aging Elias Diaz and Martin Maldonado.
Fermin has never been the number one guy for a team and has never played more than 89 games, which was last season. He started 39 of the Padres 52 games after coming over from the Kansas City Royals and before that his previous high was 72 games as a backup to Salvador Perez.
“I think to not burn Freddy out, Campy, if he’s the No. 2, he’s got to catch a lot,” Stammen stated. “To get those guys off to a good start in the season, maybe not exactly equal playing time, we’ll see how it shakes out, but Campy will play a lot.”
Stammen also brought up the other catchers working with the Padres pitchers in camp. Both Blake Hunt and Rodolfo Duran are sharing catching duties with Fermin and Campusano. All four, as well as top prospect Ethan Salas, will catch Padres pitchers in spring games. Either Hunt or Duran will likely be Campusano’s backup and if he doesn’t perform well, it is likely one of them will be the No. 2 to begin with.
Another interesting topic to be discussed in the scrum was Stammen’s dislike of dedicated catchers for specific pitchers. “I think every catcher needs to catch every pitcher, and every pitcher needs to throw to every catcher. Now, will there be, ‘Hey, these guys are just way better together?’ That could definitely happen, but you never know. You can’t pigeonhole them, because say one guy gets hurt and then all of a sudden, the backup has to catch those guys too.”
The subject of Matt Waldron was also brought up and Stammen said all catchers will work with him and Campusano has already brought a glove for Waldron. He acknowledged not everyone can catch a knuckleball pitcher so the best one will get the job.
Campusano caught Dylan Cease’s no-hitter, the second one thrown by a Padre, on July 25, 2024. But his inconsistency behind the plate apparently cost him the trust of his manger. With Stammen as the new leader and Kevin Plawecki as the new catching coach, Campusano is going to get a fresh opportunity to show if he is capable of being a major league catcher. There has been no discussion of giving him time at first base, despite Stammen acknowledging that he played some first base last season. His job is to catch and earn the backup job. If he is not able to do so, he is out of options and will either be traded or have to pass through waivers to be sent to the minor leagues.
To make his job more challenging, the ABS system will be part of the major league game this year and both catchers will probably be primarily responsible for judging balls and strikes in order to challenge pitches. Fortunately, the system has been in place in the minor leagues for years and Campusano has lots of experience. Stammen said they will develop a strategy as spring progresses and games begin.
If instilling confidence and expressing belief in a player can make a difference in if they perform well, Campusano should thrive this spring. Stammen has gone out of his way to publicly support and express faith in the still-young catcher. This is definitely his last and best chance. Let’s hope he takes the opportunity and runs with it.
This is exactly the offense Husker head coach Will Bolt envisioned when he dipped into the portal with the main focus of bringing in bats that can turn around a game in a hurry. Nebraska hit .471 on the game, but when you look at the other metrics where the team really struggled last year, they were ever better. Hitting .571 with 2 outs, and .636 with runners in scoring position.
Connecticut actually got the scoring started in the top of the first against Husker ace Ty Horn. Horn sandwiched a pair of strike outs around a hit batter to start the game off. Two ground ball singles brought in the lone run against Horn, who would fall just shy of the goal Coach Bolt put out earlier in the week of getting the starters through 5 inning on about 100 pitches. Horn struck out 6 batters, and only gave up 3 hits in his 4.2 innings, but the 4 walks and 1 hits batter offer something for him to focus on going into his next outing.
Nebraska wasted little time in the bottom of the first, taking advantage of freshman catcher and leadoff hitter Jeter Worthley being hit by a pitch, and Josh Overbeek taking a 4 pitch walk with 2 outs. Dylan Carey drove in the first run, depositing a curve ball into left field to bring in Worthley. Max Buettenback worked a walk off a 3-2 count to load the bases, and the Bolt watched one of his new toys, DH Cole Kitchens, clear the bases by smashing a fastball into the right field corner for a 3 RBI double, and a 4-1 Husker lead.
Worthley reached again in the second, this time on a walk. He would eventually come around to score on a bases loaded fielders choice off the bat of Overbeek.
The teams would trade zeros through the next few innings, despite putting the pressure on the pitchers with numerous base runners. It looked like UConn might jump right back in the game in the 4th with 2 runners on and 2 outs as leadoff batter Rob Rispoli drove a ball deep seemingly to the gap, but Husker left fielder Will Jesske ran it down and made a sliding basket catch to preserve the 5-1 lead.
Nebraska opened it up in the 6th. After second baseman Jett Buck walked and first baseman Case Sanderson singled into right, Overbeek collected RBIs number 2 and 3 on the day with an opposite field shot to the right field corner for a stand up double. He would advance to 3rd on a wild throw home, and pound his chest, much to the delight of the third base dugout. He didn’t get to stay long, as Carey singled to left on the very next pitch, and made it 8-1 Big Red.
Nebraska reliever Caleb Clark had come in to finish the 5th inning with a strikeout, and struck out 2 more in the 6th, but had three straight long battles to start the 7th in which he gave up 2 walks. Tucker Timmerman, the man who took a 106 mph comebacker to his face the last time he was on the mound in Arizona, came in the get the Huskers out of the jam with the preseason Big East player of the year in Tyler Minick striding to the plate. Minick did get the best of “Tuck”, plating a run on an RBI single, but Timmerman responded by inducing a double play by the next batter and limiting the damage.
Just as they did previously, the Husker offense responded to the run by putting up 4 more of their own. Worthley doubled to lead off, his 4th time reaching base. (Not a bad debut for a freshman leadoff hitter.) Buck traded places with him on an RBI double of his own. Rhett Stokes came in to pinch run for Buck, and just as quick as he came out of the dugout, he ran right back in off a Sanderson RBI single. Josh Ovebeek stayed hot and singled on his first pitch, setting up Carey again, and again DC delivered. Carey who came back to NU because the pro scouts told him he needed more power, burned the center fielder hitting a ball to the wall, and getting a stand up, walk off, 2 RBI mercy rule triple. (I think thats enough adjectives to describe it.) Huskers win big, 12-2.
Carey led the way on offense with 4 RBIs and had three hits. (And see below for an outstanding play by the Husky third baseman that kept those numbers as low as they were.) Sanderson and Kitchens had 3 hits of their own, with Kitchens adding the 3 RBIS.
The Huskers will be back at it again Saturday night at 7:30pm CST in Arizona against another team of Huskies, this time of the Northeastern variety.
Not many people would have guessed that the Boston Celtics would be buyers at this year’s trade deadline, especially after shedding Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis’s contracts to get under the second apron. Some timely breakouts put the Celtics in a position to compete, however, even while the team significantly reduced their payroll.
Brad Stevens and the rest of the front office worked some of the finest financial magic I’ve ever seen. As of June 15, 2025, Boston’s projected salary and tax bill was $540 million. As of today? $186.5 million. They have ducked the second apron, the first apron, and even the luxury tax entirely, all while being holding the second-best record in the Eastern Conference at 35-19.
They might have even managed to somehow improve the roster at the deadline in the process. By trading Anfernee Simons for Nikola Vucevic, they do lose a big scoring punch, but they fill a need and add a new dimension to their offense by bringing in a low-post presence who can also stretch the floor. The guard depth may have taken a hit, but with Payton Pritchard catching fire back in his sixth-man position, and the hopeful impending return of Jayson Tatum, they found a creative way to balance the roster out.
Boston wasn’t the only team to make a big move this year, though. The East was active at the deadline, so, who do the Celtics have to keep an eye?
(Standings, records, and transactions as of Feb 13, 2026)
Risers:
Each of these teams made moves to improve their current roster to varying degrees. Time will tell if the impact reflects the ambition, but on paper these teams got better.
Cleveland Cavaliers, 4th (34-21) – Cleveland was the only Eastern Conference team that made a drastic win-now move at the deadline. Seemingly dissatisfied with the fit of Darius Garland next to Donovan Mitchell, as well as his inconsistent availability, the Cavs found themselves looking for a change. Luckily for them, James Harden continued his tradition of requesting a trade shortly after joining a new team, stating that he wanted to be in situation where he could contend. Garland and Harden had nearly identical contracts, which worked out perfectly for both teams, neither of which could take in more salary due to their cap restrictions. Cleveland sent out a second-round pick with Garland to sweeten the deal, likely due to Garland’s injury history.
The Cavs made a couple more minor moves as well, dumping Lonzo Ball’s contract on the Utah Jazz for some cap relief, tossing in two second-rounders to incentivize Utah. They also sent De’Andre Hunter to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroeder, saving themselves a bit more money. Cleveland downsized quite a bit, and still find themselves above the second apron, but they did bring in several impactful players in the process. They’ve won both of their games after the deadline with all of their new additions making contributions, especially Harden. Things are trending up for the Cavs, though we’ll have to see how things play out when we have a larger sample size.
New York Knicks 3rd, (35-20) – New York had a fairly simple trade deadline, sending out Guerschon Yabusele to the Bulls, and forwarding their return of Dalen Terry to the Pelicans in exchange for Jose Alvarado. New York also attached two second-round picks to send out along with Terry in that deal. Alvarado is a dog who adds in some extra intensity and defense to the Knicks backcourt. The move likely came in response to the news that Deuce McBride will likely miss the remainder of the regular season, thinning their guard depth. Alvarado may not be a star, but he’s the type of player who can make one or two plays that turn the tide in a playoff game. It was ultimately a subtle, low-cost way for New York to get better.
Toronto Raptors, 5th (32-23) – Speaking of subtle, low-cost ways to get better, Toronto made two minor moves. First, they traded away Ochai Agbaji and a second-round pick for Chris Paul in a three-team deal. Agbaji was seeing his role diminish as Toronto is loaded with talent on the wings, so it was more of a dump than anything. Paul was told that he doesn’t have to report to the team, and will likely be sent to the buyout market in the future.
Following this deal, Toronto picked up Trayce Jackson-Davis from the Warriors in exchange for another second-round pick. Davis provides some much-needed size for size for Toronto given Jakob Poeltl’s inconsistent availability. Davis, still on his rookie deal, is a valuable addition with his defensive instincts, and his above-average vision and playmaking at his position. This move doesn’t turn Toronto into an instant contender, but it does push them in the right direction.
Charlotte Hornets, 9th (26-29) – Charlotte made a lot of small moves at the deadline, but either waived, or passed along several of the players they acquired in separate deals. In the end, they managed to bring in Coby White from Chicago, Xavier Tillman from Boston, and three second-round picks for the cost of Collin Sexton, Mason Plumlee, and cash considerations.
White is a player that a lot of teams had their eye on, but not many were willing to spend for. That allowed Charlotte to get him for a bargain, adding another offensive punch to a team that’s found their first solid stretch in years, going on a 9-game win streak. Charlotte is trending in the right direction, and White helps them move things along, opening the door for them to compete in the play-in tournament, and potentially even secure their first playoff-berth in quite some time.
Negligible:
These are teams that didn’t make any significant moves at the deadline, if at all. It’s hard to assess if that was the right decision at this point, but time will tell.
Detroit Pistons 1st, (40-13) – Detroit hasn’t had many struggles this year, but if there’s one thing they needed, it was more shooting. They did manage to pick up someone they hope will boost their offense in Kevin Huerter, though he’s seeing a career-low in efficiency from beyond the arc this season, shooting 30.6% from three on about 5 attempts per game. The move netted them a first-round pick, but it also cost them Jaden Ivey, who has a high upside, but never found his role in Detroit. If Huerter manages to pick his shooting back up, this could be a great win-now way to round out the roster for the Pistons, but otherwise, they could very well have just sold low on a promising guard.
Miami Heat, 8th (29-27) – For Miami, it was another year where Pat Riley fell asleep on the couch. The Heat didn’t make a single transaction, though it was rumored that they were pursuing Giannis Antetokounmpo and Ja Morant. Rumors don’t mean a thing if they don’t come true, though. The Heat will certainly go back to their pursuit of a star in the offseason, but they won’t be getting any reinforcements this season. While they have been slightly above expectations, they seem to be doomed to another play-in tournament appearance this year.
Milwaukee Bucks, 12th (23-30) – Speaking of rumors not amounting to anything, Milwaukee only made one deal at the deadline, and it didn’t involve any Antetokounmpos. It seems as though the Bucks weren’t serious about making any significant deals, and wanted to stir up drama to gauge interest. They flipped Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey, two guys who weren’t important to the team, for Ousmane Dieng and Nigel Hayes-Davis, two more guys who probably won’t be important to the team.
Giannis, Bobby Portis, and Kyle Kuzma all survived the deadline, likely to be shopped again when teams have more assets in the offseason. It’s hard to see the Bucks being competitive this year, especially if Giannis continues to miss time. The team seems to have communicated that their goal is to put a competitive roster around him in hopes of retaining him, though. The Bucks did have the chance to add Cam Thomas from the buyout market, and will be relying on his scoring punch to turn their season around.
Orlando Magic, 7th (28-25) – Orlando has been hitting a rough patch this year. Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs have both been in and out of the lineup due to various injuries, disrupting any opportunities for the team to find a rhythm. Anthony Black has been stepping up nicely to fill in for Suggs, but Paolo Banchero has really struggled to find any consistency with his scoring.
Tyus Jones was having an underwhelming season himself after being brought in to help control the offense, so the only move Orlando made at the deadline was to dump Jones for cash. This created the path for them to sign Jevon Carter from the buyout market. Carter likely won’t turn things around for the Magic, but his arrival, along with Franz Wagner’s return, Orlando could start to gain some momentum. They certainly have a lot of problems to work through first, though.
Philadelphia 76ers, 6th (30-24) – The Sixers had a mostly quiet deadline, opting to shed salary and free up a couple of roster spots so they could convert Dominick Barlow’s two-way contract into a standard deal. They did, however, decide to dump Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder, as if those guys needed any more cheap, young prospects. In return, Philadelphia did net a decent number of picks, one first and three second rounders.
Daryl Morey, President of Basketball Operations in Philly, decided to take some shots once the deadline passed, aiming at two of his team’s former players. He stated that the team “definitely sold high” on McCain, implying that he wouldn’t amount to much in the league. He also said that he wasn’t worried about what other teams in the East did at the deadline, saying that there were no “needle-movers,” likely a shot at James Harden, who just joined the Cavaliers at the deadline. Harden and Morey used to be the best of friends, but things turned sour when the two rejoined, and then ultimately split up again in Philly just a couple seasons ago.
What Morey didn’t seem to account for, is the fact that they themselves did not move the needle. With Joel Embiid still load-managing, and Paul George being suspended for 25-games for violating the league’s drug policy, the Sixers could find themselves slipping into the play-in, or lower. Embiid is quietly having a great season, Tyrese Maxey certainly earned his All-Star selection, and VJ Edgecombe is having an outstanding rookie year, but if Embiid’s health takes a turn again, it may end up being another wasted year for Philly.
Brooklyn Nets, 13th (15-38) – Brooklyn served more as a facilitator to help other teams meet their cap goals, but they managed to pick up a couple of second round picks and interesting players in the process. They took on Ochai Agbaji from Toronto, Hunter Tyson from Denver, and even worked with the Celtics by taking on Josh Minott’s minimum contract to help Boston duck the tax.
Brooklyn also waived Cam Thomas, likely an indicator that he didn’t have enough trade interest, but potentially still an addition by subtraction for the Nets. Overall, they didn’t add on any significant assets, and their future depends on what they can accomplish in the offseason. This year, they’ll be focusing on their draft position.
Long Game:
These are teams who aren’t going to see any positive impact this year, but weren’t in the running anyways, and have set themselves up nicely either financially, from a talent perspective, or even both.
Atlanta Hawks, 10th (26-30) – Atlanta has had one of the most significant mid-season roster turnarounds that I’ve seen, and they seemingly improved in the process. The first move, one that came well before the deadline, was swapping Trae Young for C.J. McCollum and Corey Kispert from the Wizards. It seemed like it was in both party’s interests for Atlanta and Trae to part ways, and while on paper it may seem like a big loss of talent, Kispert and McCollum have meshed very well in Atlanta, and are much more available. Additionally, McCollum’s expiring contract provides some more future flexibility to improve the roster.
Atlanta also dumped two contracts in separate deals, Vit Krejci and Luke Kennard being shipped out for Gabe Vincent, Duop Reath, and three second-round picks. Krejci and Kennard were both legit contributors for the Hawks, but it seemed Atlanta valued the picks higher, as Reath and Vincent are both on expiring deals, Reath being waived to open up a roster spot as he was already injured and sidelined for the remainder of the season.
The Hawks made a couple more consequential moves, though. They picked up Jock Landale from the Jazz (originally in Memphis,) to add to their frontcourt depth, while sending Kristaps Porzingis’s expiring contract to Golden State in return for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield. Hield’s contract is guaranteed through 2027, with a player option in 2028, a slightly cheaper and more secure way to replace Kennard.
Kuminga, however is the real wildcard here. We haven’t gotten the chance to see much of him in Golden State due to the coaching decisions of Steve Kerr. Kuminga also picked up a knee injury the last time he suited up, so he has yet to make his Atlanta debut. It’s hard to tell how he fits into their puzzle at this point, but he’s a young prospect with a seemingly high upside at a low-risk cost, given that the second year of his deal is a team option. It’s too early to tell how Atlanta’s moves will pay off for this season, but they have given themselves a fresher look at the future, with some added flexibility.
Chicago Bulls, 11th (24-31) – Bulls fans, rejoice. Chicago’s front office may have held on to their assets for far too long, but the team finally committed to a well overdue reset. They got some interesting prospects back in the process too, including Rob Dillingham, Jaden Ivey, and Nick Richards, along with vets such as Anfernee Simons, Collin Sexton, and Guerschon Yabusele. They’re not going to be competitive this year, and for their sake, that’s a good thing. They didn’t pick up any firsts, but they did bring in a number of second-round picks to help them with the impending rebuild.
Washington Wizards, 14th (14-39) – Washington may have seen the most drastic turnaround of any team this season, though the impact won’t be felt until next year. They somehow managed to pick up Trae Young and Anthony Davis for pennies on the dollar. What did it cost them? The expiring contracts of CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton, Marvin Bagley, Corey Kispert, two first-round picks (neither of which was theirs to begin with), and a few second-rounders.
However you feel about Young and Davis at this point in their careers, Washington seized an opportunity that could completely change the course of their franchise. If it doesn’t work out, they remain at the bottom of the barrel for a few more years, nothing new. But if it works? They could instantly become contenders next year, especially with the addition of a top pick in this year’s draft. Yes, Davis’s health will forever be a concern, but IF you get a good year out of him, the ceiling gets raised astronomically. Big if, I know, but a gamble worth taking for a franchise who previously had little direction.
Indiana Pacers, 15th (15-40) – Indy took a big swing by bringing in Ivica Zubac from the Los Angeles Clippers. Zubac will make an immediate impact for them, but they don’t want that just yet, especially since they leveraged their first-round pick from this year as part of the trade. It’s a big gamble, especially with the protections they put on the pick: 1-4 protected, and 10-30 protected. That means the Pacers are either going to have to greatly improve their winning pace, or tank like you’ve never seen before, as landing the 5th through 9th pick would have it convey to LA instead.
There’s no doubt that a trio of Haliburton – Siakam – Zubac will be tough to contend with next year, especially if they add in a lottery pick from this stacked upcoming draft. Losing that pick could be devastating, though. Expect Indy to make their best effort to remain at the bottom standings, but watch out for them next year.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — As Vince Carter said, let's just hope everyone on Sunday plays as hard as the rookies and sophomores did on Friday.
Carter was in a celebratory mood because he had the foresight to draft VJ Edgecombe for Team Vince, and the 76ers' rookie was the difference — he scored 10-straight points in his first game of the night, and went on to hit the game-winners in both of his games on the night. Edgecombe was named Rising Stars MVP for his efforts.
MVP V.J. EDGECOMBE!
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) February 14, 2026
V.J. hit both game winners for the Team Vince, leading them to the Rising Stars win! pic.twitter.com/ljjBAJ1k6v
In the championship game, Team Vince edged out Team Melo 25-24 (these games were to target scores), with Edgecombe leading the way with six points. He had 17 in the first game.
"My teammates were swinging the rock," Edgecombe said. "My teammates were passing the ball, and I was open. You know, I had some open shots. My teammates find me. I just made them.
Did he feel the pressure, having to sink two free throws to win the championship game?
"No, it was no pressure. I'll be honest, there's no pressure," Edgecombe said. "Free throws, man, you know, I just try to be dogged and try to be focused at the line."
V.J. Edgecombe's free throw gives Team Vince the win! pic.twitter.com/MGrIKp9BVE
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) February 14, 2026
It wasn't just Edgecombe putting up points and highlights in an entertaining night of games. Matas Buzelis showed off some impressive footwork and moves.
Matas Buzelis with the NASTY footwork on this finish.
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) February 14, 2026
Peacock pic.twitter.com/CL92L7iu6w
The opening game of the night ended on a cold note: Dylan Harper went right at his brother Ron Harper Jr. like it was 1-on-1 in the driveway and hit the game-winner over him for Team Melo's 40-34 victory over Team Austin.
Dylan Harper takes big brother Ron Harper Jr. 1v1 to give Team Melo the win in Game 1!
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) February 14, 2026
Peacock pic.twitter.com/eD19tQZ7Zj
Donovan Clingan and Reed Sheppard had nine points each to lead Team Melo, with Sheppard going 3-of-3 from beyond the arc. Clippers' rookie Yanic Konan Niederhäuser had the fans on the Wall behind him and scored 11 to lead Team Austin, made up of G-League players.
"The Wall was amazing, man. It was so great," Niederhäuser said. "Felt so good playing in here, having that energy."
The second game of the night was a reminder that Edgecombe is very athletic, very good at basketball, and if you throw him in a glorified pick-up game, good luck stopping him. Edgecombe scored 17, including the last 10 for Team Vince, which won 41-36.
Cleveland's Jaylon Tyson had a strong outing for Team T-Mac, scoring 10 and showing why he is starting for a surging Cavaliers team.
However, ultimately what stood out is that guys on every team played hard — the NBA's young guns brought energy, played some defense and made this a night worth watching.
Hopefully, the NBA's biggest names were paying attention for when they take the court on Sunday for the 75th annual NBA All-Star Game.
Shelby Miller is joining the Chicago Cubs, according to a person familiar with the situation, after the pitcher had major elbow surgery in October.
Miller has agreed to a two-year, $2.5 million contract with Chicago, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement was pending a physical. The 35-year-old right-hander is expected to miss the 2026 season.
Miller played for Arizona and Milwaukee last year, going 4-3 with a 2.74 ERA and 10 saves in 48 appearances. He was traded from the Diamondbacks to the Brewers on July 31.
He made his last appearance of the season on Sept. 1. He was placed on the 60-day injured list on Sept. 3 with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow.
Miller pitched in three games for Chicago in 2021, allowing seven runs and seven hits in two innings. He is 51-69 with a 4.04 ERA in 133 starts and 169 relief appearances in 13 years in the majors with 10 teams.
Also Friday, the Cubs announced that they had agreed to minor league contracts with right-handers Kyle Wright and Vince Velasquez. Each pitcher received an invitation to big league camp for spring training.
Wright and Velasquez haven’t pitched in the majors since 2023.
Wright helped Atlanta win the 2021 World Series, and he went 21-5 with a 3.19 ERA in 30 starts for the Braves in 2022. Velasquez is 38-51 with a 4.88 ERA in 191 career big league games.
After three exciting games, Vince Carter’s team rose to the top in the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday night at Intuit Dome, defeating Carmelo Anthony’s team 25-24 in the championship game of the four-team competition during NBA All-Star weekend.
Philadelphia 76ers rookie shooting guard VJ Edgecombe was named most valuable player after making the tying and winning free throws. He scored six points in the final and netted the deciding points in both of his team’s games.
“No pressure,” Edgecombe said after he was fouled on a drive to the basket with Team Carter trailing 24-23. He swished the first of two attempts at the foul line, then calmly hit the second to end the first-to-25 points finale. “Free throws are precious and we needed them to win the game. We all wanted to compete. I hate losing. My teammates found me, I had open shots and I made them.”
One of the most thrilling moments for Edgecombe came before the tournament even started when he met Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
“I got to sit with him and shook his hand,” Edecombe said. “We didn’t have a conversation but he’s one of the greats of all time and just him showing love even though he retired a long time ago means a lot.”
In the first semifinal, Team Melo took an early 12-4 lead but found itself trailing 30-26 to the G League squad coached by former NBA player Austin Rivers. Houston’s Reed Sheppard made a corner three-pointer that gave his team a 34-32 lead before San Antonio’s Dylan Harper ended the sprint to 40 points with a 15-foot jumper to seal Team Melo’s 40-34 triumph. Portland’s Donovan Clingan led the way with nine points for the victors.
The game pitted Ron Harper Jr. (Main Celtics) matched up against San Antonio rookie and younger brother Dylan Harper of Team Melo, who was drafted No. 2 by San Antonio. They are the sons of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper Sr.
Yanic Konan Niederhäuser of San Diego, the Clippers’ G League affiliate, had 10 for the G Leaguers.
Then, Team Vince clinched a berth to the final with a 41-36 triumph over Team T-Mac, with Edgecombe scoring 17 points, including a long fallaway jumper that put Carter’s squad over the threshold.
Cavaliers guard-forward Jaylon Tyson led Tracy McGrady’s group with 10.
“I’m glad we got the win for him,” Edgecombe said of Carter, an eight-time All-Star who played 22 seasons in the NBA. “He told us ‘why not play hard?’ He had a lot of energy, he told us to go, go, go… and we fed off that, especially late in the first game.”
Having three Hall of Fame coaches this year added prestige to what was established as the Rookie Challenge in 1994 that featured two teams of first-year players. The name was changed to Rising Stars Challenge in 2012 to include second-year players, and the current tournament-style format was adopted four years ago. Since 2023 it has featured 28 players — seven G League players along with 21 rookies and sophomores.
Read more:Complete coverage: NBA All-Star Weekend 2026
Rounding out Team Carter were Derik Queen (New Orleans), Kyshawn George (Washington), Matas Buzelis (Chicago), Egor Dёmin (Brooklyn), Jaylen Wells (Memphis) and Carter Bryant (San Antonio).
“It was a “cool experience,” Team T-Mac guard Jaylon Tyson of the Cavaliers said. “I wish we could’ve played a full game.”
Team Melo entered as the favorite despite the absence of Dallas forward Cooper Flagg, who Anthony had drafted No. 1 for the mini-tournament, but was ruled out Wednesday due to a left foot sprain and replaced by Utah’s Ace Bailey, who was chosen fifth overall in the 2025 NBA Draft and was the only player in the top nine not drafted to one of the Rising Stars teams.
Edgecombe hopes he gets to play in the Sunday game someday.
“It would be a true blessing to be an All-Star one day,” he said. “I won’t take it for granted.”
As the Rising Stars Challenge was tipping off at the Clippers’ home arena, the Celebrity Game was ending two miles up the road at Kia Forum, former home of the Lakers.
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama tossed the jump ball, with rapper GloRilla winning the opening tip against reality TV star Taylor Frankie Paul.
The score was tied 55-55 with four minutes left before “double-time” scoring helped Team Giannis, coached by Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts, beat Team Anthony, coached by comedian Anthony Anderson, 65-58.
Emmy-winning actor and comedian Rome Flynn scored 17 points and had four assists to win his second straight MVP.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo! Sports | The Associated Press: All aboard the Cole Train! Yankees ace Gerrit Cole took the mound yesterday for his first bullpen of the spring, marking the next major milestone in his return from last March’s Tommy John surgery. Speaking to reporters, Cole reiterated that his elbow feels better than it has in two seasons – remember, he missed the first half of 2024 with an elbow injury – and remains on track for a late spring/early summer return.
SNY | John Flanigan: Yankees general manager Brian Cashman addressed a number of topics yesterday, including the roster status of Jasson Domínguez. Despite the team’s decision to re-sign Cody Bellinger this spring, the Yankees still have high hopes for the former top prospect. This means, of course, that the team will have a decision to make: do they roster the Martian in the hopes that his athleticism and strong bat from the left side can be a weapon off the bench with the big league club, or do they send him down to Triple-A Scranton so that he plays every day and continues to develop? Time will tell — because let’s be honest, the baseball gods, not the manager and front office, are always the ones to make these decisions anyway.
The Athletic | Brendan Kuty: (subscription required) One of my favorite parts of spring training is getting to hear a bit about the dynamics between players, especially between former stars like Paul Goldschmidt and up-and-coming youngsters like Ben Rice. If you have access to The Athletic, I encourage you to take a look at this piece about the Rice/Goldy relationship from Brendan Kuty, especially if you’re a little unsure about the Yankees’ decision to re-sign Goldschmidt. While it’s clear the 2022 NL MVP’s best days are behind him, it’s clear that the organization — and Rice — are eager for their young first baseman to learn everything they can from him.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Nick Boyd scored 29 points and shot 5 of 7 from 3-point range as Wisconsin trounced No. 10 Michigan State 92-71 on Friday night, marking the second time in four nights that the Badgers have beaten a top-10 team.
Wisconsin (18-7, 10-4 Big Ten) is the first team to post three wins over top-10 squads this season. The Badgers won 91-88 at No. 2 Michigan on Jan. 10 and pulled out a 92-90 overtime victory at No. 8 Illinois on Tuesday.
The Badgers made their first five 3-point attempts in the opening 5 1/2 minutes and never looked back on their way to a surprisingly easy victory that ended with a court storming.
Wisconsin never trailed and led by as many as 24. The Badgers shot 15 of 35 from 3-point range, including 10 of 17 in the first half.
Boyd scored 20 of his 29 points in the first half, while John Blackwell had 19 of his 24 in the second half. Nolan Winter added 10 points and 11 rebounds for Wisconsin.
Coen Carr had 19 points to lead Michigan State (20-5, 10-4). Jeremy Fears Jr. had 14 points and 12 assists, but he shot just 3 of 12 from the floor.
NO. 18 SAINT LOUIS 86, LOYOLA OF CHICAGO 59
CHICAGO (AP) — Trey Green and Ishan Sharma each scored 14 points and Saint Louis won its 18th straight game, beating Loyola of Chicago.
Quentin Jones added 12 points, and Amari McCottry had 11 for the Billikens (24-1, 12-0 Atlantic 10). They matched the 2013-14 team for the best A10 start in school history.
Saint Louis made 10 of 12 shots to pull away midway through the second half.
Justin Moore scored 12 points for Loyola (6-20, 2-11), and Daniil Glazkov had a career-high 11. The Ramblers lost by 20 or more points for the seventh time this season.
Loyola was within three points late in the first half before Saint Louis had a 13-3 run that carried into the second half.
The Billikens then had a 10-2 run, keyed by two 3-pointers, an assist and a block by Sharma, followed by runs of 8-0 and 11-0.
NO. 23 MIAMI (OHIO) 90, OHIO 74
OXFORD, Ohio (AP) — Brant Byers scored 21 points, Peter Suder had 20 and Miami University beat Ohio to remain the lone unbeaten team in Division I.
Eian Elmer added 15 points for the RedHawks (25-0, 11-0 Mid-American Conference), who tied the single-season school record for victories set last season.
Jackson Paveletzke led Ohio (13-13, 7-6) with 22 points and Javan Simmons scored 12. The Bobcats struggled on 3-pointers, making only 5 of 21 while the RedHawks were 9 of 18 from beyond the arc and 21 of 28 on free throws.
Byers, Suder and Almar Atlason had six rebounds apiece as the RedHawks had a 38-29 advantage on the boards.
Miami had a 43-35 lead at halftime before steadily pulling away. It opened the second half on a 7-2 run, including five points by Byers, who finished 13 of 16 from the foul line.
OXFORD, Ohio (AP) — Brant Byers scored 21 points, Peter Suder had 20 and 23rd-ranked Miami University beat Ohio 90-74 on Friday night to remain the lone unbeaten team in Division I.
Eian Elmer added 15 points for the RedHawks (25-0, 11-0 Mid-American Conference), who tied the single-season school record for victories set last season.
Jackson Paveletzke led Ohio (13-13, 7-6) with 22 points and Javan Simmons scored 12. The Bobcats struggled on 3-pointers, making only 5 of 21 while the RedHawks were 9 of 18 from beyond the arc and 21 of 28 on free throws.
Byers, Suder and Almar Atlason had six rebounds apiece as the RedHawks had a 38-29 advantage on the boards.
Miami had a 43-35 lead at halftime before steadily pulling away. It opened the second half on a 7-2 run, including five points by Byers, who finished 13 of 16 from the foul line.
The largest lead was 83-63 with four minutes remaining.
The game was close for the first 15 minutes. The RedHawks were up 30-26 before getting some breathing room with an 11-4 run to extend their lead to 41-30 with 1:58 remaining in the first half.
Miami tied a school record for single-game home attendance with a sellout crowd of 10,640 at Millett Hall. It was the same crowd figure for the Jan. 31 game against Northern Illinois.
Ohio: Hosts Ball State on Tuesday night.
Miami: At UMass on Tuesday night.
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Team Vince won the 2026 NBA Rising Stars championship on Friday night with Washington Wizards guard Kyshawn George contributing in both contests.
In the semifinals, Team Vince played Team T-Mac which also featured Wizards guard Bub Carrington and forward Tre Johnson. In that contest, Team Vince won 41-36 with George scoring 4 points and VJ Edgecombe leading the way with 17 points for the victors. For Team T-Mac, Johnson scored 8 points while Carrington also scored 2 more.
In the other semifinal, Team Melo beat Team Austin, 40-34.
The final had Team Vince facing off against Team Melo and won 25-24. George scored 2 points while Edgecombe led again with 6 points. Edgecombe also won the Rising Stars MVP award.
It’s good to see one of the Wizards’ younger players come away with some hardware leaving the Rising Stars challenge. From hereon, Washington won’t really be part of All-Star Weekend. So I hope you enjoy Valentine’s Day tomorrow and the long weekend which includes President’s Day on Monday.
The rationale for the Cleveland Cavaliers’ decision to trade Darius Garland to the Los Angeles Clippers for James Harden has been dissected ad nauseam. The team believes that they have a small window to win this season. Harden makes them a better team during that time.
Garland last played an NBA game on Jan. 14 in the Cavs win over the Philadelphia 76ers. He left that game with a right great toe injury. The team announced on the following day that the injury would be re-evaluated in seven to 10 days.
That latest injury was to the opposite toe as the one that Garland injured at the end of last season. The injury to the left great toe is what required him to miss multiple playoff games and led to surgery over the summer.
Garland returned to the court early this season, but never quite looked right. The speed and ability to move side-to-side simply weren’t at the level we saw last season, and he admitted as much at times.
Apparently, the initial injury to the left great toe is going to keep him out “indefinitely” with the Clippers, according to The Athletic’s Law Murray.
He (Garland) mentioned in his Clippers introduction that he is “back on the court, working out, doing all the things I love to do. Just waiting on the green light — I’m ready to hoop.” (Lawrence) Frank (Clippers President of Basketball Operations) said that the Clippers will change Garland’s injury designation to reflect that the right foot toe sprain that has kept him out for nearly four weeks has healed, while Garland’s still-sore, surgically repaired left foot toe will keep him out indefinitely.
“We are going to manage this correctly, OK?” Frank said. “We are not gonna skip any steps. Because we think the short-term investment will lead to long-term rewards. … We’re gonna get it right and take as long as it takes. But we’re very confident that by taking the time now, it’s gonna give him a long runway. He’s only 26, and we want to see him playing at a high level for a long time.”
As more news comes out, it becomes clear that Garland’s toe was a major factor in why the trade was executed and why the Cavs had to add a second-round pick to make it all work.
So far, the deal has gone well for the Cavs. Harden has played phenomenally, but it is disappointing that the Cavaliers weren’t able to have Garland healthy when they needed him during the last postseason, and that he still isn’t quite 100%.
