INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 15: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Team USA Stripes and De’Aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs and Team USA Stripes celebrate after Fox's game winning 3-pointer against Team USA Stars the 75th NBA All-Star Game at Intuit Dome on February 15, 2026 in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Even All-Stars can be awe-struck by moments with all-time greats. That’s what happened with Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox on Sunday afternoon during the NBA All-Star Game in an event that, gimmicky or not, turned out to be much more exciting than past iterations and produced the best viewer ratings since 2011. The round-robin tournament, with two US teams and one World Team, brought out the competitive edge in players that had been lacking, in no small part thanks to Victor Wembanyama setting the tone right out of the gates.
The game(s?) produced many highlight-real moments, especially the wild ending to Game 2 between Team Stars (the “young” US stars) and Team Stripes (the “old guard”). After Anthony Edwards hit a three with 17 sec left to put the Stars up by the two, Fox, who was a late injury replacement, hit a buzzer-beater three to win the match for the OG, complete with his signature celebration of looking at his hand as if it’s some kind of alien extremity.
WILD ENDING OF USA STARS/STRIPES!
ANT LAY TO MAKE IT A 2-POINT GAME. ANT STEAL. ANT 3 FOR THE LEAD. FOX GAME-WINNER.
While Fox is certainly a top 25-ish player in the league today, he may have felt like a boy among men on Team Stripes, and as all the legends around him raised their hands in celebration, LeBron James was the nearest and first teammate to come over and celebrate with him. It’s a moment Fox says he’ll never forget, with plans to frame the picture and get it signed by The King himself.
– De'Aaron Fox on the moment after hitting the game winner in the All-Star game:
“I saw the picture with me and Bron… that's got to be one of the best pictures, I think that I have. That picture is for sure getting framed, might have to have him sign it.” 🥹❤️ pic.twitter.com/hM9cu01cA8
While it hopefully won’t be the biggest moment for Fox this season (ideally, that will come in May or even June), it’s definitely one that will stick with him for the rest of his life, and it will be fun to show that signed picture of him being celebrated by one of the GOATs to his children and grandchildren.
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Feb 19, 2026; Austin, Texas, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) drives to the basket against San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) during the first half at Moody Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
The “Sometime Soon Suns.” It kind of feels like a nickname is forming in real time, because sometime soon this team will be whole. Or at least that is the hope we keep circling back to.
Before the game against the San Antonio Spurs, the first one out of the All-Star break, there was genuine optimism tied to the injury report. It was clean as no names were on it outside of Haywood Highsmith, who the Suns recently acquired but has yet to play this season due to a meniscus injury. And of course, the suspended Dillon Brooks. For a brief moment, it felt like maybe this was the reset point.
Then, hours before tipoff, Grayson Allen popped up as questionable and ultimately did not play. We already knew Dillon Brooks would be suspended after picking up his 16th technical foul against Oklahoma City before the break. And then, with Jalen Green starting alongside Devin Booker, Booker exited in the first quarter. He returned in the second. Then he left again. A hip contusion was the explanation.
So yeah. The team will be healthy. Sometime soon.
As for the game itself, it is hard to compete when that much payroll is sitting on the bench. Against a team like the Spurs, who are starting to hit a real stride and look increasingly comfortable in what they are trying to be, it was always going to be an uphill climb. Even at full strength, that would have been true. This version of the Suns, stretched thin and scrambling, never really had a chance to flip the script.
Nothing about the outcome was shocking or appalling. It was simply Phoenix getting outlasted and overmatched against one of the better teams in the league right now. From an analysis standpoint, there is not a ton to mine. I appreciated Mark Williams for continuing to go at Victor Wembanyama instead of shrinking from the moment. I liked how bouncy and athletic Jalen Green looked, maybe the best he has all season. I remain frustrated with the minutes Ryan Dunn is getting. I continue to see the limitations in what Oso can ultimately provide. And I find myself wondering where the aggressive version of Collin Gillespie disappeared to.
Time will reveal more as the season plays itself out, but most of it feels secondary until the roster stabilizes. None of this really matters unless the Suns get healthy.
And they will.
Sometime soon.
The Phoenix Suns will be whole again…sometime soon. At this point, it feels less like a timeline and more like a nickname:
What’s one genuinely fun thing to come out of the game against Oklahoma City before the All-Star break? Rasheer Fleming landing the Bright Side Baller award. 8 points, 2-of-5 from beyond the arc, 3 rebounds, and a night where the box score almost felt secondary to the opportunity itself.
That game was a throwaway in the standings sense, but it mattered in a different way. We got an extended look at Rasheer Fleming and Khaman Maluach, and honestly, they didn’t look half bad. I don’t care that it came against Oklahoma City’s third unit. They moved well, they competed, and they looked like players who belonged on an NBA floor. Fleming especially looked comfortable letting it fly, finding space, and playing within the flow instead of shrinking from the moment.
So yeah, Rasheer Fleming is officially on the Bright Side Baller board now, and that makes me smile. In a week that was otherwise wacky and hard to evaluate, that was a clean little win worth holding onto.
Bright Side Baller Nominees
Game 56 against the Spurs. Here are your nominees:
Otega Oweh put together a very impressive first year as a Kentucky Wildcat and nearly turned pro last summer.
Instead, he decided to return to Lexington to work on his game and further improve his NBA draft stock.
That mission is going incredibly well as he’s increased his points per game, assists and steals averages over last year. He’s also one of the select players considered as frontrunners for Southeastern Conference Player of the Year.
Despite his Antonio Reeves-like season, head coach Mark Pope believes Oweh can deliver at an even higher level.
Now, Pope’s statement after the team’s loss to Georgia earlier in the week does contradict himself a bit. He is basically saying he wants more out of Oweh but also wants him to play less minutes.
Pope is going to have to face the reality of Kentucky being without three of their five best players and Oweh is going to have to carry the team on his shoulders if the Wildcats have any hope for the postseason.
How do you think Kentucky will do over the last few weeks of the season?
Ten months ago — almost to the day — Cade Cunningham changed the culture of the Detroit Pistons.
It was April 22, 2025. The Pistons were playing in Madison Square Garden in a first-round playoff game. At the time, they were facing a 15-game postseason losing streak, one that spanned 6,174 days, and were billed as steep underdogs.
And though the Pistons ultimately came up short 10 months ago in that hard-fought series, Cunningham is now the reason why Detroit could be poised for something far bigger.
Thursday, Feb. 19, in a 126-11 demolition over the Knicks, the Pistons completed their regular-season sweep over New York to improve to 41-13, the best record in the NBA. In fact, the average margin of victory Detroit posted against the Knicks this season was a staggering 28 points per win.
Like it was 10 months ago, it was Cunningham with a 42-point, 13-assist, 8-rebound masterclass Thursday that showed how dangerous Detroit can be in the East.
“I would hope so,” Cunningham told reporters when asked if he thought the game made a statement. “I thought it was a good game for us. I think we all made a statement. We coming to win every night. We want to impose ourselves and our identity every night.”
And it also showed that, as of right now, Cunningham should be atop every NBA Most Valuable Player ranking.
The Pistons lack a true second scoring option, and the player who fits that role most closely — All-Star center Jalen Duren —missed Thursday’s victory due to a suspension. It didn’t matter.
Cunningham shredded a pair of the league’s best wing defenders in OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges. He calmly orchestrated the offense, pushing the ball with pace. He surveyed the court, looking for spaces to attack. And when New York threw extra bodies at him, he made the right passes.
Cunningham was efficient, shooting 17-of-34 from the field, including 5-of-11 from 3-point range.
“The ball went through the rim, bro,” Cunningham said after the game with a smile. “It was just one of those days.”
He joined LeBron James (twice) and Allen Iverson to be the only opposing players in history to drop 40 or more points and 10 or more assists at Madison Square Garden.
“Great players have big games,” Knicks All-Star guard Jalen Brunson told reporters after the game. “We didn’t slow him down fast enough — or even at all.”
In 48 games, Cunningham is averaging 25.7 points, 9.7 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game. There are several players who score more than Cunningham — 15, in fact — but there is no player, right now, who is carrying his team more.
“He’s a superstar,” Pistons coach JB Bickerstaff told reporters after the game. “No doubt about it. It’s hard for me to think of five guys in this league that do more on both ends than he does.
“He guards the opposing team’s best perimeter player on any given night. Offensively, the ball is in his hands and his usage rate is through the roof. He never says no. He never complains and he goes out and gets the job done and it has impacted winning. I think that’s what superstars do. Superstars aren’t hollow numbers.”
Players like Lakers guard Luka Dončić, the NBA’s leading scorer at 32.8 points per game, are liabilities on defense. Opposing teams often scheme and attack so that they can end up with Dončić matched up on scorers. Nuggets center Nikola Jokić may be the most gifted offensive player in the NBA, but he’s not a defensive stopper.
And while Cunningham isn’t an elite stopper, his length, athleticism and effort make him a problem for opposing wings, further increasing his value.
Just two years ago, Detroit recorded the worst record in the NBA, at 14-68. This season, the Pistons had 40 wins by the All-Star break. Cunningham is just 24 and in his fifth season. He’s only getting better.
“He’s the guy that goes down in the Hall of Fame someday,” Bickerstaff said. “Cade is playing at that level.”
That may very well turn out to be the case, but a lot has to happen before we can entertain that conversation.
First things first: if the season ended today, Cade Cunningham is your 2025-26 NBA MVP.
Before the NCAA men’s basketball tournament bracket is carved in stone, attempts to anticipate what the final product will look like more closely resemble molten lava. That was made abundantly clear over the last three days, which featured numerous developments that in turn led to significant changes in our latest projection.
The quartet of No. 1 seeds was shaken up yet again, as Connecticut was a home upset victim against Creighton Wednesday night. Houston replaces the Huskies on the top line, as the Cougars’ most recent result was a less damaging loss at Iowa State. As fate would have it, the Cougars’ next opponent, Arizona, is also on the first line along with Michigan and Duke, who are set to square off themselves in a non-conference clash Saturday. In short, expect the bracket to once again look very different next week.
There is also much to be settled on the bubble, where both of the Big Ten’s Los Angeles members are on the precipice. As things stand heading into the weekend, UCLA is on the outside and Southern California is clinging to a First Four spot. San Diego State has also fallen to the wrong side of the cut-off point, as Santa Clara returns to the field for now.
March Madness bracketology: NCAA Tournament projection
March Madness last four in
Southern California, New Mexico, Santa Clara, TCU.
March Madness first four out
UCLA, San Diego State, California, Virginia Commonwealth.
NCAA tournament bids conference breakdown
Multi-bid leagues: Big Ten (10), SEC (10), ACC (8) Big 12 (8), Big East (3), West Coast (3), Mountain West (2).
Feb 19, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) is introduced before the game between the Cavaliers and the Brooklyn Nets during the first quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Head coach Kenny Atkinson is known for his motion-based offense. That free-flowing system is one of the things that made him so attractive in 2024 to a Cavaliers team that couldn’t figure out how to make it work on that end with their two big configuration. J.B. Bickerstaff’s stagnant offense, based mostly on high pick-and-rolls, didn’t work with that roster.
Hiring Atkinson transformed the offensive attack, but the James Harden trade has changed everything again. They won’t be reverting to what they were under Bickerstaff, but there’s going to be much more high pick-and-rolls than what we saw from the best regular-season offense in the league last year.
Right now, the Cavs are pick-and-roll merchants. They’ve spammed it over the past four games and have had great success doing so. Given their personnel, there’s no reason to see that changing anytime soon.
“It’s a lot of things,” Nets head coach Jordi Fernández said before the game when asked what makes a good pick-and-roll player. “It’s not just ball handling, but it’s also how you use your body. It’s how you set up the pick-and-roll, how you prepare the play. … Good pick-and-roll players can destroy every coverage.”
The Cavs guards did that, particularly their newest one.
Brooklyn decided to trap Harden on ball screens. He countered by accepting the double team and coolly making the right read time after time.
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“It’s almost like a quarterback leading a receiver,” Atkinson said about Harden’s playmaking. “You don’t have to wait for it. You catch it kind of in stride.”
Jarrett Allen has been the biggest beneficiary of this type of offense. He once again dominated inside. And unlike his previous strong showings, he did so with Evan Mobley on the court as well.
The immediate chemistry with Harden and Allen has stood out. They both seem to understand where the other is at all times, despite playing just four games together. This speaks to how good both are and how well their talent fits.
“Being on the outside, I can say he’s better than I thought he was in the sense he’s able to catch the ball, finish around the rim with both hands,” Harden said of Allen. “He has so much touch around the rim, and that’s probably one of the most underrated parts of his game.”
Allen is a good vertical spacer. He can sky up for alley-oops and finish those as good as any rim-running center. That can sometimes obscure how technically sound Allen is as a scorer inside. The combination of both skills has led to him converting 77% of his looks in the restricted area this season (87th percentile) and 82%since the new year (95th percentile).
It’d be wrong to credit Harden entirely for Allen’s good play. His passing just allows Allen to showcase those skills more consistently.
“James and [Allen] have a great connection, and everybody is really feeding off that,” Mitchell said.
It’s also worth pointing out that Allen is playing more aggressively. The Cavs have made a better effort of getting him involved earlier and are reaping the reward for doing so.
The best version of Allen is one that is actively hunting for ways to be involved offensively. He’s been doing so recently.
“He’s been a beast, just super aggressive,” Mobley said of Allen. “Every single time he sees a mismatch or anything, he’s going down to the paint and getting two points every single time. We need that from him.”
Mitchell’s scoring continues to benefit from playing alongside Harden. Harden was able to set Mitchell up for one of the best alley-oops of the season with a pass that even Mitchell said he didn’t think he was going to finish. But more importantly, the space that Mitchell has when the defense is keying in on another dynamic guard has given him much more room to attack.
As we’ve seen with Mitchell, he really doesn’t need too much room to make defenses pay.
The Cavs are still figuring things out offensively. They have only had one practice since the Harden trade, and most of the work they’ve done is in film sessions so far. That will presumably limit what they can implement.
That said, they are working on building a system that best fits their offensive pieces. Atkinson is using these next few weeks as an “observation period” to see what works and what doesn’t. At this point, it doesn’t seem like he’s rigidly clinging to any one system, but would seemingly prefer a blend of both a heavy pick-and-roll and movement-based offense.
“You got to lean on your best player’s strengths,” Atkinson said. “That’s part of this observation period. [We need to find out] how much moving and cutting we want. We’re still doing a fair amount. But you know, you just got to be careful against a blitz, because if you start running guys away and into the lane, you know, James has no outlet. So it’s almost like you have to have a blitz package and read that. And then when you’re in a normal coverage, we can do our cutting.”
It’d be unwise to make too grand a proclamation after four games, especially considering the defenses they’ve gone up against. At the same time, it’d be difficult not to be optimistic about where this could go.
“This little winning streak has been nice, but you definitely see the level we’re at now,” Dean Wade said. “It’s a little higher than it has been.”
A blockbuster Saturday in men’s college basketball features not one but two top-five showdowns on a loaded schedule. One is a key clash for first place in the ultra-competitive Big 12. The other is a made-for-TV neutral site affair, a rarity for this late juncture of the season.
The fifth- and sixth-ranked teams in the latest USA TODAY Sports coaches poll also face road tests in the;ir respective conferences. But before we get to those, we’ll begin with an in-state showdown in the SEC.
Here’s this week’s Starting Five, your viewers’ guide to help you plan your day as March draws ever closer.
Tennessee at No. 18 Vanderbilt
Time/TV: 2 p.m. ET, ESPN
Both teams are comfortably in the upper quadrant of the SEC and the NCAA field, and the winner here will gain a leg up in top-16 seed consideration. The Volunteers have won their last seven games against opponents not named Kentucky, but the Commodores could use a good result on their home court to offset a couple recent losses. Nate Ament has been on a scoring tear of late for Tennessee, while Vandy’s Tyler Tanner has had to take on even more of the load with Duke Miles still working his way back from a knee injury.
No. 4 Arizona at No. 2 Houston
Time/TV: 3 p.m. ET, ABC.
The Wildcats got back in the win column following a rare two-game skid, but life in the Big 12 gets no easier with this road challenge. The Cougars, upended themselves at Iowa State earlier in the week, are happy to be back at home. Houston will try to get clean looks early on for long-range marksmen Kingston Flemings and Emanuel Sharp, not an easy task against Arizona’s deep perimeter lineup. The Wildcats will still be without Koa Peat, sidelined with a leg muscle strain, but Ivan Kharchenkov’s increased production near the rim has helped the team compensate.
No. 5 Connecticut at Villanova
Time/TV: 5:30 p.m. ET, TNT
UConn’s quest for a No. 1 seed isn’t over by any means, but Wednesday night’s loss to a down Creighton squad significantly reduced the Huskies’ margin for error. That is of little concern for the Wildcats, who look to avenge their overtime loss at UConn and nudge themselves further into safe territory in the at-large pool. Villanova’s three-point shooting can be streaky, but Tyler Perkins and Co. must make the most of their limited openings against the Huskies’ tenacious defense. Any of UConn’s starters can put up big point totals, with Solo Ball usually leading the way, but the Huskies’ bench isn’t as deep as its recent national title squads.
No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 3 Duke
Time/TV: 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
For what it’s worth, this prime-time tilt at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., will likely determine the No. 1 team in the polls for at least the coming week. Of perhaps greater import, it will also likely serve as a strong datapoint for the committee when the top overall seed is determined. The Blue Devils might have the edge in star power thanks to the presence of Cameron Boozer, but beyond him and guard Isaiah Evans the Duke offense can struggle for reliable options at times. The Wolverines have more balance, but generating from the inside through Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson is the key to unlocking all their weapons.
No. 6 Iowa State at No. 22 Brigham Young
Time/TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.
With another high-profile home triumph under their collective belt, the Cyclones must now demonstrate they can beat good teams in hostile environs. BYU, which was already trending in the wrong direction even before Richie Saunders was lost to a season-ending knee injury, now desperately needs something good to happen. Having a next-level talent like AJ Dybantsa on the floor always gives the Cougars a chance, of course, but Iowa State has more options and an experienced hand at the point in the person of Tamin Lipsey.
Jan 21, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Jaylon Tyson (20) drives in as he is defended by Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) during the second half at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images | Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers are on the second night of a back-to-back against the Charlotte Hornets. Cleveland returned from the All-Star break last night with a big win over the Brooklyn Nets.
It’s been a good two months for the Cavs. They’ve turned the corner in 2026 and are back to being an elite team. Cleveland is 13-2 over their last 15 games and have worked back into the top 10 for both offensive and defensive ratings.
The Cavs began trending in the right direction even before the James Harden trade, but his arrival has only made them more dangerous. This is a team that’s playing with a newfound confidence. They could carry that into a big run in the playoffs, if all goes as planned.
Meanwhile, Charlotte has been a pleasant surprise. Kon Knueppel is right in the mix for Rookie of the Year, while LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller have helped lead one of the league’s best offenses in February.
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports Network App, NBA League Pass
Point spread: Cavs -5.5
Cavs injury report from last game vs. Nets: Max Strus – OUT (foot), Nae’Qwan Tomlin – OUT (calf soreness), Emanuel Miller – OUT (G League), Tristan Enaruna – OUT (G League), Riley Minix – OUT (G League)
Hornets injury report: Not Yet Submitted
Cavs expectedstarting lineup: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen
Hornets expected starting lineup: Kon Knueppel, Grant Williams, Ryan Kalkbrenner, LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - FEBRUARY 19:Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics dribbles the ball during the game against the Golden State Warriors on February 19, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
SAN FRANCISCO — Last Saturday, Jaylen Brown hosted an event at a Beverly Hills mansion that was unexpectedly shut down by police amid NBA All-Star Weekend festivities.
As one of a handful of Celtics reporters covering All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, I attended the event, which was an activation for Brown’s 741 Performance line.
Almost a week later — and several released statements later — the Celtics star is continuing to speak out about what he’s described as biases against him and 741 Performance, his shoe and apparell company, by the Beverly Hills cops.
The day after Brown’s event was shuttered, police released a statement asserting that he and his team had applied for a permit that had been denied — and shared that the property where the event was held had multiple previous violations.
On Thursday morning, four days after that, the police retracted that statement and apologized to Brown for the misinformation.
But the Celtics star is still “pissed” — as he said numerous times after the Celtics 121-110 win over the Golden State Warriors — and he’s not sure what his next steps will be.
“I feel like they kind of embarrassed me and my brand a little bit,” Brown said on Thursday.
“They put out a half ass apology that I’m not accepting.”
Let’s back up and take a look at what this saga is all about.
What was the Jaylen Brown event that Beverly Hills police shut down?
Brown’s event, hosted in collaboration with 741 Performance, was a watch party for Saturday’s All-Star festivities that was meant to culminate in a panel session that featured Andre Iguodala, cultural influencer Ben Williams, independent artist, Loretto, among others.
Brown said the intention was to create positive conversation centered around using one’s platform.
“I have different industries coming together — all just talking about what the future culture is,” Brown said. “Change doesn’t come from one entity in itself. It comes from multiple entities working together and seeing how we can be disruptive, but also be positive and push things forward — that’s what was taking place. Outside of that, it was like a watch party. People were watching the dunk contest, three-point contest. Some of you guys were there. We weren’t doing anything that was out of the norm for what goes on during All-Star Weekend. I think it’s evidence that we were being targeted.”
Around 7pm, police arrived at the scene and ordered tha the party be shut down.
For a little more context, the police came to shut down Jaylen Brown’s panel in Beverly Hills around 7 PM, claiming he didn’t file the proper permit.
“I know I play for the Celtics, and I know we’re in LA. But hey, I didn’t think y’all would do me like this.”
I was at the event from about 2pm to 6pm and my firsthand observation was that it was not rowdy, crowded, or anything you’d ever expect to attract police presence. The place wasn’t overly crowded, people weren’t drinking a lot and the main activity was spectacting All-Star activites on a big projector screen, and chitchatting. Some people ate hamburgers, others played video games.
There weren’t really random people at the venue — just people that in one way or another were connected to Brown or 741 Performance. I left right as the panel was set to begin, and there were a bunch of cop cars outside — and I was truthfully very confused as to why, mostly because there was no crowd outside the home, lines, or loud music.
What exactly are the Beverly Hills police apologizing for?
On Sunday morning, shortly after the panel was shut down, Beverly Hills police gave the Boston Globe the following statement:
“An event permit had been applied for and denied by the City due to previous violations associated with events at the address. Despite the fact that the permit was denied, organizers still chose to proceed with inviting hundreds of guests, knowing that it was not allowed to occur. BHPD responded and shut down the unpermitted event.”
Speaking to the media after Sunday’s All-Star game, Brown strongly rejected that statement:
“That was not true,” he said. “There was no permit ever applied for. Jim Jannard, he’s the the creator of Oakley. I’m a brand partner in Oakley. They opened up the house to me.”
Jaylen Brown says the Beverly Hills statement was FALSE
“That was not true. There was no permit ever applied for. Jim Jannard, he's the the creator of Oakley. I'm a brand partner in Oakley. They opened up the house to me.”
Brown also stressed that the event that was shut down was centered around education, culture, and learning — not something that ever should have become an issue.
“We’re doing a panel,” Brown said. “We’re doing stuff that’s positive. There was nobody that was inconvenienced. It was not, it wasn’t blocking traffic… It’s All-Star Weekend, it’s Saturday night, and it’s 7 p.m. Like, what are we talking about?”
Multiple times in his Sunday media availability, Brown fimly repudiated the statement that police gave to the Globe: “The statement they put out is completely false. I stand by that. My team operated with the utmost respect to the neighbors and everybody, and they were harassed to some degree. People can make of it what they want.”
For a few days, it looked like the story might just end there. But then, on Thursday, the police retracted their previous statement, confirming Brown’s sentiments. Beverly Hills city manager Nancy Hunt-Coffey put out the following statement:
“The City of Beverly Hills would like to correct information related to an event that occurred in the City last Saturday night, February 14, at the residence located at 410 Trousdale Place involving NBA All-Star Jaylen Brown and the Jannard family. Upon further internal review, the City has determined that its prior public communication contained inaccurate information. Specifically, no permit application was submitted nor denied for the event, and the residence does not have any prior related violations on record. The City takes full accountability for the internal error that resulted in the inaccurate statement being distributed and is working to ensure it does not happen again. The City’s previous statement about the weekend event at the Trousdale home was inaccurate, and on behalf of the City, I would like to apologize to Jaylen Brown and the Jannard family.
“The City has a responsibility to its residents and neighborhoods to ensure adherence to established regulations for events held at private residences. These are designed to support the safety and welfare of neighbors and attendees. City staff observed circumstances that are believed to be City Code violations and for that reason alone, the event was ended. The City of Beverly Hills commits to explore opportunities for collaboration with the Jannard family and Jaylen Brown on future community-focused events.”
Shortly after that statement, Brown turned to social media after the event to express his frustration with the turn-of-events:
You targeted me and my @741Performance event based on biased information then you give a half ass apology after the damage is already done
He also shared an entire statement, acknowledging the police department’s correction — while also stressing that the event was private, invitation-only — and not a commercial event requiring a permit.
Just a few hours after releasing that statement, Brown went on to tally 23 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists in a win against the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night, his first game since the incident.
But afterwards, he said the situation with the Beverly Hills police weighed on him throughout the game.
“I wasn’t even think about the game,” Brown said. “I was pissed — I was still pissed… but we came out, and just was aggressive, and played great basketball. I like the way our team is looking right now.
Brown was asked about what made me him choose to be so vocal regarding this incident, and said the concept of others having similar experiences in Beverly Hills was motivating.
“If it’s happened to me, it’s probably happened to numerous other people,” he said. “And from the looks of it, it has — a lot of people have gotten behind it, it’s gone viral. Beverly Hills, whatever they do there, they’ve done such things on multiple occasions.”
Brown said he’s not sure where things go from here, but he was disappointed in the city’s apology.
“I wasn’t trying to stir the pot. People may seem like I’m complaining, or like I’m just trying to make this into an issue. And it’s not — like I was just trying to enjoy my All-Star Weekend. I don’t think it’s fair to me or my brand that we were being targeted.”
“We prepared for this. We had a bunch of people fly from different parts of the world come in. We had people who had prepared thoughts, and were going to speak, partners who came in that collaborated. So it was just unfortunate, but then for them to come back and be like, ‘Oh, we messed it up, like we assumed, based off of biased assumptions, and whatever the case may be, we were wrong, but we would have shut y’all down anyway, because of’ — it’s some bullshit. It is some complete bullshit, and I got to speak for those who’ve had to deal with that bullshit, probably in the past.”
“I’m extremely offended — my team didn’t do nothing wrong,” Brown said. “We just was trying to have a good All-Star break. My first time being a starter, and it just leaves a bad taste in your mouth, for sure.“
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 19: Kristaps Porzingis #7 of the Golden State Warriors slaps hands with teammate Al Horford #20 as Porzingis walks off the court against the Boston Celtics in the first half at Chase Center on February 19, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For a brief moment in the 4th quarter of Thursday’s battle between the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors, it looked like Golden State’s desperate full-court-pressing defense might lead the team to an improbable comeback. Then Payton Pritchard sank back-to-back three-pointers to put the game out of reach.
The Warriors rewarded the home fans who didn’t leave with their team down 29 points after three quarters with an exciting too-little, too-late surge in the final quarter that included a 15-0 run. Unfortunately, the run only cut the lead to 15 points in a game where the Warriors made 20 threes without either Curry brother, but mostly struggled to score.
Jaylen Brown delighted the fans who supported him since his college days at Cal by putting up 23 points, 15 rebounds, and 13 assists and only two turnovers. Pritchard scored 26 points and shot 6-for-11 from three-point range, while delivering seven assists. Sam Hauser went 4-for-5 from behind the arc and Ron Harper, Jr.’s six points had to sting against a Warriors team that started the season with five sons of NBA players on their roster.
The first quarter was relatively even thanks to seven points from De’Anthony Melton and an 11-point effort from Will Richard that culminated in his nailing a stepback three-pointer to beat the buzzer.
Two things happened early in the second quarter. Kristaps Porzingis made his Warriors debut, and the Celtics ripped off a 17-2 run to start the quarter. That’s not to single out Porzingis, who was playing his first game in six weeks under less than ideal circumstances: No Steph Curry, plenty of rust, and anchoring a lineup of Pat Spencer-Richard-Moses Moody-Draymond Green against his old team.
The Celtics doubled Porzingis whenever he touched the ball, the other Warriors couldn’t make them pay, and Boston scored on their first six possessions of the quarter. Steve Kerr was so frustrated that he made a hockey substitution four minutes, replacing all five players on the court after a timeout. He probably did that because 35-year-old Nikola Vucevic ran past the defense for a layup.
It helped, but not enough. Richard got a few more buckets, scoring 15 of his 17 points before halftime. At one point, Gui Santos and Porzingis scored 10 points in five possessions on three-pointers, layups and dunks — and the Celtics made four three-pointers in that stretch to extend their lead. After a signature buzzer-beating basket from Pritchard, Boston had a 22-point halftime lead.
There were three big problems for the Warriors. One, they couldn’t stop Brown’s penetration, as he got into the lane with ease, often not even seeming to be moving at full speed. He got a season-high 13 assists partly because the Warriors defense had to over-commit to him, often failing to slow him down even with multiple defenders.
If that wasn’t enough, he helped the Celtics crush the Dubs on the boards, 54-40, by grabbing 15 defensive rebounds.
The second problem was that the Celtics are a poor matchup for the Warriors defense. The Warriors defense relies on forcing turnovers, ranking third in steals and fourth in opponent’s turnovers. The Celtics commit the NBA’s fewest turnovers. The Warriors give up a lot of three-pointers — 12.5 per game. The Celtics make a lot of threes, 15.4 per game, third in the NBA. Thursday, Boston shot 43% from downtown, even with Brown and Derrick White missing all eight of their attempts.
The third issue is that the Warriors weren’t able to drive to the hoop. Brown and Derrick White are elite defenders, but the Dubs struggled to get part Pritchard and Baylor Scheierman as well. They don’t have a single player in the top 75 in drives per game (Steph Curry is 76th) and it really limits the offense.
As a side effect of the game being a blowout and the teams combining to shoot 95 threes, there was a remarkably small number of free throws, just seven for the Celtics and eight for the Warriors. Boston committed just six fouls in total, three by Brown.
Gary Payton II had a nice performance, scoring 14 points in 18 minutes and ending up +15 for the game.
Gui Santos continued to embrace his high-usage role, leading the team with 14 field-goal attempts (he was 6-for-14, and 5-for-9 from deep). He also managed a positive plus/minus while scoring 17 points and grabbing six boards. Draymond Green had a rough one, missing all seven of his shots, getting two rebounds and three assists, and sitting for most of the second half — not his most competitive effort.
When the highlight of your game is a 15-0 run while down 30 points, it’s not a great sign. But the Warriors are still showing a lot of fight as they wait for Steph Curry to come back. There just not showing a lot of talent.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 19: Kristaps Porzingis #7 of the Golden State Warriors shoots a three-point shot over Sam Hauser #30 and Baylor Scheierman #55 of the Boston Celtics in the second half at Chase Center on February 19, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors got back into action on Thursday night and, well, it didn’t go great. The Dubs, who were playing without Steph Curry, spent the bulk of three quarters getting their butts handed to them by the Boston Celtics. Golden State recovered late with a furious rally in the fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late, as they lost 121-110.
Let’s grade the players who took the court for the Warriors. As always, grades are based on my expectations for each player, with a “B” grade representing the average performance for that player.
Note: True-shooting percentage (TS) is a scoring efficiency metric that accounts for threes and free throws. Entering Thursday’s games, league-average TS was 58.0%.
I look forward to watching Green and Porziņģis play defense together. It should be really, really fun. Unfortunately, the latter was on a minutes restriction on Thursday, and the former had a fairly atrocious performance.
Grade: D Post-game bonus: Worst plus/minus on the team.
Santos has moved into a starting role, and I think we can firmly and confidently now say that his energy still translates when he plays a large amount of minutes. He’s still the same Gui, flying all over the court on offense and defense, and making the little plays. He doesn’t always make the best plays, but he makes the hustle plays and he just makes the team play better. Santos had a few clutch shots in this game, and kept countless plays alive. He made good things happen.
The worst thing about Melton’s game these days is that he just might be playing his way out of the Warriors price range. That’s a problem for another day. For now, it’s hard to imagine the Dubs being at all competitive with Curry sidelined if they didn’t have Melton. He’s playing so well.
Grade: A- Post-game bonus: Led the team in points.
Moody started this game very well. He made a three on the first possession of the game, and played strong defense on Jaylen Brown in the opening minutes. From there, though, things went downhill. He couldn’t stay in front of Brown for the rest of the game, and really didn’t provide anything on the glass — he only had three rebounds, one of which came when he grabbed his own missed layup. He couldn’t create any offense, either. I kind of wonder if there’s a small ailment he’s working through, because he just looks sluggish and unathletic right now.
There were times in the game where the ball moved beautifully for Golden State, and Spencer was right in the middle of that. His offense helped keep them in the contest in the first half, though his defense really hurt them in the second half.
Grade: B Post-game bonus: Led the team in assists.
Despite coming off the bench, Horford was second on the team in minutes. And while he really struggled to score, he did everything else really, really well. The Warriors got absolutely obliterated on the glass and in the paint, but Horford was the one player who was fighting against that. He had his elbows out all game, and protected the rim while gobbling up rebounds. His screens and passing were very strong.
Grade: B+ Post-game bonus: Led the team in rebounds.
Porziņģis made his Warriors debut at the start of the second quarter, and it went quite poorly. The Dubs got crushed in his minutes, which wasn’t his fault, but he wasn’t exactly playing well. But when he returned later in the quarter, it seemed that the nerves and rust had been removed, and suddenly things were starting to click. He had a few really nice plays in this game, including impressive hands to catch a speedy pass, gather himself, and dunk in traffic; a shot-clock beating contested three; and a blocked shot. And he spent a lot of time sharing the court with Horford, in a two-big lineup that we’ll likely see a bit of over the rest of the season.
It wasn’t all pretty. He looked a step slow, which was understandable given that he’d been sidelined for over a month. He rarely seemed to venture inside the arc on defense, which may have been partially a schematic decision, but certainly stood out. He had a pair of turnovers.
Those are usual bumps and bruises. Overall, the expectations were low given how long he’d been out, and the fact that he was in a new system, and he exceeded those expectations.
Payton was one of the biggest — perhaps the biggest reason why the Warriors made such a strong attempt at a second-half comeback. His defense was all over the place, forcing multiple turnovers, even if he was only credited with one steal. His offense was electric, both getting out in transition for buckets that brought life to the arena, and draining threes to make the deficit manageable. Just a fantastic game for GPII.
Grade: A+ Post-game bonus: Best plus/minus on the team.
Green did not have his usual stat line, so Podziemski had it for him, instead. An exceptionally well-balanced game for Podz which, critically, didn’t include a turnover or a foul. It wasn’t his best defensive performance, but that’s picking nits in a really great game. Good to see him play so well.
Richard had a huge sequence in the first quarter. After Boston had pushed the lead to 10 points, Richard drained threes on both ends of the two-for-one to end the frame, getting the Dubs right back into it. The team couldn’t maintain that performance, but Richard did. He was one of their biggest offensive weapons, and his defense was swarming. I’m looking forward to seeing how he finishes out his highly successful rookie campaign.
Grade: A
Thursday’s DNP-CDs:Malevy Leons, Quinten Post, Nate Williams
Thursday’s inactives: Jimmy Butler III, LJ Cryer, Seth Curry, Steph Curry
Bennedict Mathurin, acquired from Indiana at the trade deadline, had 38 points off the bench against Spencer Jones and the Nuggets in just his third game as a Clipper. (Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)
Bennedict Mathurin scored 38 points in his home debut for the Clippers, and they held off the Denver Nuggets 115-114 on Thursday night.
Denver’s Jamal Murray had a chance to tie it on three free throws with 0.9 seconds remaining after a foul from Derrick Jones Jr. Murray made the first two before missing the third, with time expiring on the rebound.
Kawhi Leonard added 23 points, and Jones had 22 to help the Clippers (27-28) improve to 21-7 since Dec. 20. Both teams were coming off the All-Star break.
Mathurin, acquired from Indiana at the trade deadline, was 12 for 22 from the field, while Leonard went eight for 18 and scored at least 20 points for the 34th consecutive game.
Nikloa Jokic had 22 points and 17 rebounds for Denver (35-21). Murray scored 20 points, Bruce Brown had 19, and Cam Johnson and Julian Strawther added 18 each.
Denver was without Aaron Gordon (hamstring) for the 10th consecutive game, while Peyton Watson (hamstring) has missed the last four.
Tempers flared with 10:27 remaining when the Clippers’ Yanic Konan Niederhauser, Kris Dunn and Mathurin tangled with the Nuggets’ Jonas Valanciunas under the Denver basket after a free throw.
Dunn, Mathurin and Valanciunas all received technical fouls, with Denver making one free throw for an 83-83 tie.
The Nuggets tied it 107-107 with 46 seconds remaining on a shot inside from Jokic. The Clippers went ahead by four on free throws from Mathurin and Jones, but Murray drove for a dunk and hit a three before drawing the foul by Jones on a last-ditch attempt from beyond the arc.
NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 19: Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons drives to the basket during the game against the New York Knicks on February 19, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Broadway. CBGBs (RIP). The Apollo. Yankee Stadium (RIP).
Ain’t a patch of terra firma anywhere else on the whole damn terra can rival the platforms NYC does. Madison Square Garden’s on that list, where last night Cade Cunningham was Sinatra, the Beatles, James Brown and Michael Jordan in a 126-111 Detroit Pistons win.
The Knicks went into the All-Star break winners of 10 of 12, but this was the first leg of their most brutal stretch of the season, the first leg of a two-week gauntlet featuring home dates with Houston, San Antonio and Oklahoma City, while visiting Cleveland, Toronto, Denver and the Lakers; three of those road games games are one end of a back-to-back.
Every win is a good win, but with only three games separating the East’s second- and fifth-seeds, every win is one the Knicks need, not only for their confidence (now 16-15 against winning teams) but for their playoff positioning. One slip in form — one injury — and instead of hosting the Magic in the opening round and the Celtics in the semis, they might need to win as the lower seed against Cavs only to open the next round in Michigan.
Dunno know if you heard, but this season the Pistons have whupped the Knicks not once, not twice, but thrice. You can tell they and their fans are awfully excited, and who can blame them? Knick fans know better than most what it’s like to suffer a long dry spell, then awaken back to life. Yet Detroit was without their top two bigs, Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, both suspended after the latter sprang to the defense of the former after he’d been sucker-punched by someone who’s twice beat up his children’s mother (twice that we know of). It seemed the Knicks caught a break. All they caught was a whupping.
Last year the Pistons beat them five times in the regular season and playoffs by a total of 32 points. Detroit took the first two meetings this season by 31, then 38; while this game was closer (the Knicks were still in it midway through the third), Mars is closer than Jupiter, yet very far indeed. Last night was easily the most competitive game between the teams this season and Detroit still led the final 40 minutes. Counting last year and this year’s regular-season and playoffs, they’re 8-5 against New York.
I haven’t believed these Pistons can beat the Knicks in this year’s playoffs, mostly because of things that have little to nothing to do with these Pistons. They haven’t won a postseason series since George W. Bush was the inept war criminal Nepo Baby-in-Chief, as opposed to the metastasized malignancy in place today. NBA teams don’t go from “haven’t won a series in 17 years” to the Finals. It just doesn’t happen. Then again, jump-shooting teams never won till Golden State did in 2015. Of course, they were never “just” a jump-shooting team.
Maybe what these Pistons are matters more than whatever they’re not. What they are is physical, big and long, and dead certain they’re better than the Knicks. What they’re not is a great shooting team, nor is Cade considered a great shooter, and yet this year against the Knicks the Pistons are shooting 56/46/80 AS A TEAM, outscoring their more accomplished elders by 40 points on 2s and 51 on 3s.
This is a rivalry now, or what passes for one after decades of owners with dildos for brains devolving until it’s nearly impossible to keep a team together more than 2-3 years or find where to watch half their games. The Knicks and Pistons can both taste it. “The old East is dying,” Gramsci might’ve said, “and the new East struggles to be born. Now is the time of monsters.” Such a time to be a monster!
The Pacers are on sabbatical for a year. The Celtics are under new management. The Cavs, the league’s most disappointing playoff team the past few years, are risking it all on James Harden, the league’s most disappointing playoff performer for over a decade. The Banchero/Bane Magic have yet to make any. Despite getting the best run of play Joel Embiid’s shown in nearly two years, the 76ers have made it clear they’re no longer about the present and are looking to the future. The Heat haven’t been the Heat for a while.
The East’s two best teams met last night, as did its two best players. Jalen Brunson scored an efficient 33 to go with eight assists (33rd and 8th!). But he also had half his team’s dozen turnovers. Cunningham’s no debutante, but his performance felt like a coming-out party, a degree of leveling up you maybe weren’t expecting. Mozart’s last two symphonies. Beethoven’s last. Radiohead going from The Bends to OK Computer. Cade going from “that man is niiiice” to “that man is nassssty.”
There’s all kinds of fans and all kinds of fandoms. Me, personally, I was first drawn to the Knicks and the NBA because of my love of the game. So while I def wouldn’t react the same way in May, best believe I enjoyed Cade’s effort immensely. The East has stunk for a while. Cunningham joining the Tatum/Haliburton/Giannis-when-he’s-healthy stratosphere is a treat for those who love stargazing.
Also, Cade is dangerous. Legitimately. Trae Young had a good two weeks against the Knicks in 2021, but they’ve pretty much always had his number in the regular season; there wasn’t ever a second act to develop real drama. To varying extents, Tatum and Haliburton’s teams have punted on this season, if only to better position themselves to relaunch. Jeremy Sochan had some very nice defensive moments, but Cunningham roasted every Knick that tested the flames. Too big, too quick and too good.
When’s the last time (some of you may be too young to have an answer for this) the Knicks mattered and were up against legit dangers like Cunningham and Haliburton, players you know ached to beat them? I’d think after last year Tatum and Jaylen Brown would love nothing more than a second-round rematch. The Knicks are (despite last night’s L) a great team! And a lot of great teams in the East have a target on the Knicks’ backs. If this doesn’t quicken you as a fan, we’re not the same species.
Quoth Jaybugkit: “Kinda contentious.” These Pistons are. They oughta be; nobody values wealth like someone who grew up poor. Two years ago Detroit had the league’s worst record; now they have the best. Two to three months from now, they could meet the Knicks with a lot more than bragging rights at stake.
I hope by then both teams are healthy (OG Anunoby returned to the lineup after two weeks out and looked like someone returning after two weeks out). I hope Cade and Brunson bring their A-games. I hope the Knicks remember Karl-Anthony Towns being a great shooter and scorer for a 7-footer also means he’s a 7-footer, so get his butt down on the block for once instead of everything being a 3 or a drive 25 feet from the hoop. These Knicks/Pistons games have all almost been over before they began. Hopefully the rivalry is just getting started.
The Pistons didn’t have Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart on Thursday. With those two sidelined, it was logical to think Karl-Anthony Towns would have a big game.
After the game, Towns was asked if there was an emphasis to get the ball inside against the short-handed Pistons.
“I mean, our offense is our offense. It’s been that way all year,” Towns said. “So we have our system and we’re gonna — regardless of who’s in the game or not in the game — we run the system that we have implemented for our team to the best of our abilities.”
So, no, the Knicks did not look to go to Towns more often against Detroit’s depleted front court. Towns did have eight points in the first two minutes of the second half, but none of it mattered in the end.
The Knicks lost to the Pistons for the third straight time this season; the past two losses were by a combined 69 points.
Towns’ offense wasn’t the only issue this time. The Knicks couldn’t stop Cade Cunningham. They couldn’t make outside shots and they couldn’t keep Detroit off of the offensive glass.
But Towns’ comfort and production in the Knicks' offense have been a question mark for most of the season.
“He’s comfortable,” Mike Brown said after the game. “We’re continuing to try to do different things to help free him up. And we’ll continue to search to try to do different things to free him up throughout the course of the year.”
Maybe the Knicks should take a page out of the Pistons’ playbook on this one. It seems to me that there is a clear hierarchy in Detroit. It’s Cunningham first and foremost; all the Pistons players know it and they know their roles. They excel in their roles, defend well and get the ball from Cunningham regularly (13 assists on Thursday).
Jalen Brunson is unquestionably the face of this Knicks team. But it seems to me that the hierarchy in New York isn’t defined well. At least, it’s not defined as well as it is in Detroit.
As Brown and the Knicks search to free Towns up, maybe they should take a look at what’s going on in Detroit.
The offense would be much simpler if Brunson led and everyone filled in roles around him. Maybe that’s not realistic for this Knicks team. But it’s working in Detroit.
Jose Alvarado: "Playoffs is a whole different ballgame. We're not going to sit here and say, 'oh, they beat us in the regular season...' We're not thinking like that." pic.twitter.com/Dm1QB2oxbZ
The Pistons are 3-0 against the Knicks this season. They’ve swept the season series, winning by a combined 84 points. This obviously doesn’t bode well for the Knicks in the playoffs. But the Knicks last season showed you that the regular season doesn’t always matter. They lost all four games against the Celtics last season but beat them in the second round of the playoffs.
"Playoffs is a whole different ballgame,” Jose Alvarado said after Thursday’s game. “We're not going to sit here and say, 'oh, they beat us in the regular season...' We're not thinking like that."
MIKAL OUT MOST OF FOURTH
Mikal Bridges went to the bench with9:30 to go in the fourth quarter on Thursday and never returned. Brown went with Landry Shamet over Bridges in an effort to cut the Pistons’ lead.
“Landry had hit a couple shots. We needed to score. They’re both really good defenders. And so I just stayed with Landry,” Brown said. “But it wasn’t anything where, ‘Oh, I’m going to sit Mikal because he’s not doing this, or he’s not doing that.’ We were looking to score points and Landry was the only one to make a shot from behind the arc.”
Shamet went 3 for 8 from beyond the arc against the Pistons. The rest of the Knicks went 5 for 27. Bridges, Towns and OG Anunoby hit two of their combined 15 attempts.
QUITE A MOMENT
Zevi Samet, the leading scorer in Yeshiva University program history, took some time in the heart of his season to help uplift a young boy in need. Samet brought Kobe, a young teen, to Knicks-Pistons on Thursday. It was Kobe’s first NBA game. The two connected through the Moments to Memories Fund, which is dedicated to providing meaningful experiences to people/families in need. This week will mark 12 years since Kobe’s mom passed away. It is an emotional time for the young teen and his family. Attending Thursday’s game gave uplifted Kobe during a difficult time of year. Samet is averaging 22.7 points per game this season and set the program record for career points last month. Samet and Yeshiva begin the Skyline Conference championship tournament on Tuesday.
Feb 19, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Dickerson (7) takes a jump shot against Charlotte Hornets forward Tidjane Salaun (31) during the second half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
This is a kind of glass half full win. The glass isn’t entirely full, but nor is it entirely empty. It’s definitely better than a close loss by a reverse of this score. Tonight the Rockets tied their season series with Charlotte. That’s pretty good, considering how well the Horncats have played lately and that they’ve seen this very hot Hornets team twice in their past few games. Tonight’s loss brought the Hornets down to 8-2 over their last 10 games. The Rockets remain a solid B at 6-4.
The Hornets average over 115 points per game. The Rockets held them to 101, with defense we have not really seen since early in the season. Half full!
I wonder if we haven’t seen as much of that defense in the past month or six weeks because it’s an exhausting way to do things in the NBA, hoping you can hold opponents to around 100 points, when NBA average scoring is 114. With the All Star Break the Rockets returned re-energized perhaps, because they totaled 23 “stocks” with 15 steals and eight blocks. Half full, right? Also, half empty, as it’s difficult to believe the Rockets will get so many stocks every night.
The Rockets won despite shooting 28% from three point range, on a goodly number of open shots. Half full! But they started the game on pace to shoot about 40 3pt shots after the first half, but reverted to form and ended up shooting 32. Which is above their second lowest in the NBA season average, at least.
The Hornets shot 10 more 3pt shots, and they didn’t make they at a much better rate than the Rockets. But those 10 extra three pointers more or less kept the Hornets in the game late, when they really should have returned to their papery nest for the night.
Kevin Durant, or perhaps “Mr. Dickerson”, had a splendid night. He played a relatively low 36 minutes. He scored 35pts on 14-20 shooting, with 8rbs, 4ast, 1stl, and 3blk. He was 2-4 from three. Also everything else was a high degree of difficulty two point shot. He didn’t get the ball as often at the top of the 3pt arc, which reduced turnovers and sped up the offense slightly, so glass half full, overall.
KD didn’t end up hurting the Rockets, as he has some of his nights with a truly godawful number of live ball turnovers. In fact, this might have been one of his best games as a Rocket. Half full!
Half empty, this is good, because the Rockets definitely needed every tough, contested, mid range jumper he could provide. The next highest Rockets scorer was Jabari Smith Jr, who had a nice night, at 15pts on 6-9. Sengun had 13, and continues to struggle somewhat on offense, only going 6-16, but totaling a team high 7 assists. Reed Sheppard also had 13, but on 5-12 shooting. Reed seems to be able to either make threes, or twos, but not both at the same time. Still, his 24 minutes were the highest +/- of any bench player, and his impact, despite the half emptiness of his 3pt shot tonight, was positive.
I do have a “glass actually full” player tonight. Perhaps you weren’t expecting it to be Dorian Finney-Smith, but it was, overall. He didn’t post a huge statline, but a useful one, and he was a useful player. For the first time DFS looked like a veteran NBA player. Hopefully that’s what the Rockets will get going forward, as Josh Okogie seems to be the latest player banished to Imeberia. He might be hurt, but if not, playing him would have meant playing 10 players, and that’s straight insane.
Let’s be happy with this win, over a team that’s been one of the best in NBA over the past eight weeks. The Rockets are in third place, but also in a virtual with Denver in the Western Conference after Jamal Murray missed a game tying, and hard grifted, free throw with less than a second left in regulation.
