Giannis Antetokounmpo attempts a shot during the Bucks' March 2 game.
Giannis Antetokounmpo addressed the nearly six full weeks it took for him to return from a right calf strain Monday night after the Bucks lost to the Celtics, 108-81.
The Bucks star finished the game with 19 points, 11 rebounds and two assists in his first game since Jan. 23 against the Nuggets.
Antetokounmpo told reporters after the game that he’d been used to returning to the court sooner than anticipated in the past, but he understands now that age is catching up to him a bit.
“I’m 31 years old, just gotta be able to be more smarter moving forward because things that I was able to do in the past, maybe I’m not able to do now,” he said. “And I’ve just gotta be more methodical with my rehab, the way I take care of my body, the way that I play, but yeah, that’s pretty much it. Moving forward, I just gotta be smarter.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo attempts a shot during the Bucks’ March 2 game. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The calf issue has been a recurring one this season and has forced him to miss 29 games.
He’s averaged 28.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game in the 30 contests he’s played in.
Antetokounmpo played 25 minutes Monday night in the loss and said he felt “a little bit rusty.”
“But obviously something new in my career being out for such a long time and not just one time, multiple times into a season,” he continued. “Definitely disrupt my rhythm, but at the end of the day, I just try to take it day-by-day, game-by-game, I’m happy that I’m back. I’m just happy that I’m on the court. It doesn’t matter if I play 18 minutes, 20 minutes, 22, whatever, I’m just happy that I’m out there.
“I’m just in a mindset where I try not to take anything for granted. Obviously, did not play well tonight, but at the end of the day, I’m just happy that I’m out there being able to help my teammates in any way that I can and just do what I love, which is play basketball.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo tries to attempt a shot during the Bucks’ March 2 game. Imagn Images
The game was Antetokounmpo’s first contest since the NBA trade deadline, when all eyes had been on the Bucks and their superstar as the two sides explored their options going forward.
Rumors swirled about Antetokounmpo potentially wanting out of Milwaukee, though he has denied that was the case.
The Bucks have continued to push to make the playoffs and are 3 ½ games back of the Hornets for the last play-in spot in the Eastern Conference.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Prophet Johnson and Arman Madi posted double-doubles to propel Sacramento State to an 83-65 victory over Idaho State on Monday night to close out the Big Sky Conference regular season.
Johnson finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Madi scored 13, grabbed 11 rebounds and added seven assists for the Hornets (10-20, 6-12). Mark Lavrenov had 19 points and Jahni Summers scored 12.
Louis Bond totaled 15 points and five rebounds off the bench to lead the Bengals (12-19, 5-13). Connor Hollenbeck scored 12.
Sac State took a 46-29 advantage into halftime and was never threatened after the break.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Jaylin Henderson finished with 20 points and 10 assists and Portland State beat Weber State 84-60 on Monday night to clinch the Big Sky Conference regular-season title.
Henderson added seven rebounds and four assists to his double-double for the Vikings (19-10, 13-5), who finished a game in front of second-place Montana State. Portland State won the conference for the first time since 2008 to earn the top seed in the Big Sky tournament.
Terri Miller Jr. filled up the stat sheet for Portland State with 18 points, six assists, five rebounds, three steals and three blocks. Keyon Kensie Jr. scored 13 and Tre-Vaughn Minott pitched in with 10 points and nine rebounds.
Tijan Saine Jr. had 16 points and four assists to lead the Wildcats (16-15, 10-8), who trailed 43-26 at halftime and never recovered. Nigel Burris and Viljami Vartiainen both scored 11.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - MARCH 2: Keyonte George #3 of the Utah Jazz handles the ball during the game against the Denver Nuggets on March 2, 2026 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It’s down to the nitty gritty here in Jazz Nation. The playoffs are out-of-sight, the injuries are stacking, and the league is zeroed-in and hoping to make a don’t-tank example out of us. Do we continue losing naturally (which I still believe we have been doing) or do we put all of our chips in and be awful-awful. In a draft that features historic freshmen depth across the board, this team would be stupid to not do everything in their power to be as high up on the lottery odds as possible.
And yes, we definitely are still losing. Against one of the top teams in the Western Conference and the entire league, the Jazz trotted out a hodge-podge team of youth and G-leaguers (plus Keyonte George) and lost in a surprisingly competitive game 128-125 to the Denver Nuggets.
This was essentially a duel of two hot shooting guards in Jamal Murray (45 points with 8 threes) and Keyonte (36 points, 14-22 and 4-9 from three). The Jazz quite nearly stole this one straight out from under Murray and an undermanned Denver Nuggets team, but Nikola Jokic called the fix in and flopped his way to the victory. Seriously, though, there were some egregious calls down the stretch and in the final seconds involving the Joker.
But, what an incredible game to showcase this young Jazz team and some of the lesser-known gems currently being crafted by the development staff. Elijah Harkless is a menace on the defensive end and truly had some game-breaking steals. He could prove to be a keeper on a contending team.
There were also some great Kyle Filipowski moments, some hot-shooting from Svi, and a beautiful late three pointer from Ace Bailey. It was good to see the team clicking and especially great to see how excited the bench was getting, specifically Jaren Jackson Jr. This team could really be something next year.
But the true star was our budding superstar Keyonte George, showcasing toughness, insane shot-making, and a lot of heart late in that 4th quarter. The refs took it away in the end, but this team has nothing to be ashamed of with that effort against one of the best teams in the entire NBA.
Jazz are back at it again on Wednesday against the 76ers in Philly. After this loss, they drop to 18-43 on the season and currently have the 5th best odds in the lottery against Washington, Brooklyn, Indiana, and Sacramento.
SYDNEY (AP) — Myong Yu Jong completed a first-half hat-trick to set North Korea on course for a 3-0 win over Uzbekistan on Tuesday in its return to the Women’s Asian Cup for the first time since 2010.
Head coach Ri Song Ho has a North Korea squad featuring players he guided to the Under-20 Women's World Cup title in 2024.
North Korea won continental titles in 2001, 2003 and 2008 but hasn't played at the Women's Asian Cup since losing the final to Australia 16 years ago.
A ban following doping infringements at the 2011 Women's World Cup resulted in North Korea missing the 2014 Asian Cup. It failed to qualify for 2018 and missed the 2022 tournament because of travel restrictions imposed in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recent strong results at the youth level — including back-to-back Under-17 World Cup titles in 2024 and last year and the Under-20 title — have increased the confidence within North Korea's young squad.
Myong's opening strike in the sixth minute followed a well-worked combination on the right.
Kim Kyong Yong passed wide for Chae Un Yong and then angled back into the box to meet a cross with a diving goalbound header that deflected off an Uzbek defender and bounced perfectly for Myong to fire over the goalkeeper.
Within minutes, Uzbek goalkeeper Maftuna Jonimqulova collided heavily with a teammate and needed treatment on her head and neck as she hunched down on the field. She was carried from the field on a stretcher with a protective neck brace on.
After a delay of about six minutes, the game restarted and Myong added penalties in the 24th and 41st minutes to make it 3-0 at halftime.
After a penalty was awarded for hand ball in the 40th, the 22-year-old Myong scored from the spot with a shot to the left that beat the diving goalkeeper in an almost repeat of her earlier attempt.
The Uzbek defense tightened up in the second half and held the North Koreans scoreless.
Defending champion China was playing Bangladesh in the later Group B match.
Jafari said the match against the 2022 runners-up was a tough opener. It won't get any easier, with Iran getting two days off before facing host Australia at the same venue.
“All in all, it was a good game. (South) Korea played very well and I ultimately congratulate them,” she said. "But I hope that going forward we can recover in the next match.”
Australia playmaker Amy Sayer said the Iranian squad deserves sympathy and respect for continuing to play the tournament.
“Our heart goes out to them and their families, it’s a difficult situation and it’s really brave of them to be able to be here and to perform,” Sayer said Tuesday. "They put on a really strong performance (against South Korea), even with the political climate that’s going on and the struggles that they might be going through.
“I think we’re excited and looking forward to the game on Thursday ... the best we can do to contribute is to just give them the best game of football that we’re able and to show them the respect on the field."
Trae Young was ejected from the Wizards' game Monday.
Trae Young gave Wizards fans a taste of his “energy” and “competitiveness” when he got ejected from a game he wasn’t even playing in Monday night.
Young was thrown out of the Wizards’ 123-118 home loss to the Rockets after the newly acquired guard stormed onto the court to complain to an official.
It all started when the Rockets’ Tari Eason gave a hard push to the Wizards’ Jamir Watkins in the third quarter, which sent him to the ground, but the refs didn’t blow the whistle.
It led to a brief scrum before order was restored, but Young came off the bench in street clothes to yell at the ref under the nearest basket and earned himself an automatic ejection.
He didn’t seem to be too bothered by the situation after the game when he took to social media to make light of it.
Trae Young argues with an official during the Wizards’ March 2 game. Screengrab via X/@NBARewinds
“Don’t expect me to get ejected too many more times D.C.,” Young wrote on X, along with a crying laughing emoji. “.. but I’m definitely bringing that energy & competitiveness when I’m back for my brothers!”
He has not made his debut for his new squad while dealing with knee and quadriceps injuries that have kept him sidelined since Dec. 27.
Young has played in just 10 games this season, averaging 19.3 points and 8.9 assists per game.
Trae Young walks off the court after getting ejected during the Wizards’ March 2 game. Screengrab via X/@NBARewinds
Young will finally take the court for the Wizards on Thursday when they host the Jazz at Capital One Arena.
He posted a video of himself working out in Wizards gear on Instagram earlier on Monday and wrote in the caption, “March 5th.”
“He’s trending in that direction,” Wizards coach Brian Keefe told reporters before Monday’s loss. “Obviously, we have a couple of days here of practice, but he’s done some 5-on-5 stuff with our group. But, yeah, he’s trending for Thursday. The expectations for him to start with [are] he’ll be on a [minutes] restriction, 17 to 20 minutes. He’s only played 10 games this year. The bulk of those will come in the first half with the normal rotation.”
CHENEY, Wash. (AP) — Jackson Rasmussen had 14 points, Biko Johnson scored 13 and Idaho beat Eastern Washington 85-81 on Monday night, ending the Eagles' eight-game winning streak in a Big Sky Conference regular-season finale.
Rasmussen added eight rebounds and four assists for the Vandals (17-14, 9-9), who swept the season series. Johnson scored 11 of Idaho's final 18 points. Jack Payne scored 12 and fellow reserve Trevon Blassingame added 11 as the pair combined to make seven of Idaho's 14 3-pointers. Isaiah Brickner hit three 3s and also scored 11, while Aidan Sevilla scored 10 off the bench.
Isaiah Moses finished with 28 points for the Eagles (13-18, 11-7), who jumped out to an 8-0 lead before things fell apart. Alton Hamilton IV totaled 29 points, five rebounds and two blocks. JoJo Anderson pitched in with 15 points, five assists and three steals off the bench.
Idaho lead 34-30 at halftime and took the lead for good at 70-67 on Johnson's 3-pointer with 3:43 remaining.
NBC's Coast 2 Coast Tuesday is going to have a distinct 1990s-vintage vibe this week.
That's because for the San Antonio Spurs at Philadelphia 76ers, NBC is getting the band back together: Bob Costas will do the play-by-play, Doug Collins and Mike Fratello will be the analysts, and the courtside reporter will be Jim Gray. It's the same crew that was part of the vintage NBA on NBC broadcasts during the 1990s, like the 95-96 season when it felt like Jordan's Bulls were inevitable (winning 72 games), while on the other coast Gary Payton was locking everyone down with the Seattle SuperSonics.
Tuesday night's game has the chance to be legendary in its own right, featuring the must-watch San Antonio team led by Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, De'Aaron Fox and a deep roster of young, athletic talent. Philadelphia knows how to put on a show, too, but unfortunately, it will be without Joel Embiid (oblique strain) and Paul George (suspension). What the 76ers have is a dynamic backcourt led by All-Star Tyrese Maxey — who has been carrying Philadelphia's offense this season, leading the team in scoring (29.1 points per game) and assists (6.8) — and impressive rookie VJ Edgecombe.
It's a throwback style of game, so it's perfect that Costas, Collins and Fratello will be making the call. Both Coast 2 Coast Tuesday broadcasts — Spurs-76ers at 8 p.m. ET and Suns-Kings at 11 p.m. ET — will incorporate reminiscent and familiar components from the 1995-96 NBA on NBC season, including feature graphics package (score bar, stats, full pages, replay wipes, etc.) and tape elements.
How to watch Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics:
While the broadcast may have a 1996 feel, in 2026 both Philadelphia and San Antonio are fighting for playoff seeding and dreaming of a deep postseason run.
San Antonio is coming off a perfect 11-0 February, although they fell to the Knicks on Sunday (March 1). That perfect month all starts with Victor Wembanyama, who, during that winning streak, dominated the defensive paint, blocking 3.5 shots per game. In his third season, he is a heavy favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year (-600, per DraftKings). Wemby also is averaging 23.7 points and a career-best 11.2 rebounds per game. His dominant play is why he has the fourth-best odds to win MVP (+2500, per DraftKings).
Teams try to load up on Wembanyama, but the Spurs can win in a lot of different ways. The guard trio of De'Aaron Fox (18.8 points per game), Stephon Castle (16.5) and rookie Dylan Harper (11, mostly off the bench) can overwhelm teams. Then there is Devin Vassell, who is averaging 14.4 points a game for the season but has had some big nights lately, including 28 against Detroit in a San Antonio win.
Wembanyama is going to get a lot of attention on the night – it's hard to take your eyes off him – but this game is a showdown of two of the best young backcourts in the NBA.
For the 76ers and coach Nick Nurse, that starts with Tyrese Maxey, an All-Star this season who has played in 58 of the Sixers' 60 games and is averaging a league-high 38.5 minutes per game. Maxey has played 40+ minutes 21 times this season and the 76ers are 14-7 when he does (19-20 when he doesn't, including 1-1 in the two games he missed).
Maxey is on pace for career highs in scoring (29.1 points per game, fourth in NBA), assists (6.8) and rebounds (4.1). He also is shooting 37.6% from 3-point
Fans noticed, which is why they voted Maxey an All-Star Game starter this year.
Maxey and the rookie Edgecombe make up the backcourt of the future in Philly. Edgecombe — the No. 3 pick out of Baylor and the Rising Stars game MVP during All-Star Weekend — is averaging 15.5 points per game (third among rookies behind Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel) and 3.9 assists a game (also third among rookies).
"You could tell early on that he was extremely mature for his age, and that's what kind of surprised me the most..." Maxey said recently of Edgecombe. "He just wants to be better every single day, and you can see it. He's been growing every single night out there on the court, and we're blessed to have him. I was telling Joel [Embiid] the other day, we're just thankful that he fell into our arms. And this organization should be very, very thankful for that." This game is all about playoff seeding.
San Antonio is going to shatter its six-season playoff drought — it is the No. 2 seed in the West at 43-17 and is chasing Oklahoma City for the No. 1 seed in the conference (the Spurs are three games back with 22 to play).
Philadelphia is looking to hang on to the No. 6 seed in the East and avoid the play-in, and it's going to have to lean into its youth to do it. That's because the 76ers will be without Joel Embiid, who is out with an oblique strain, as well as Paul George (suspension).
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.
Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
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Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC and Bravo hits for whatever suits your mood.
NBA on NBC 2025-26 schedule:
Click here to see the full list of NBA games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.
When Giannis Antetokounmpo went down with a right calf strain on Jan. 23, he told reporters that he would likely miss 4-6 weeks.
Turns out, he was right on schedule as Antetokounmpo made his return to the Milwaukee Bucks' lineup in Monday's 108-81 loss to a Jaylen Brown-less Boston Celtics team.
At one point, it was uncertain if Antetokounmpo would ever play in a Bucks uniform again after suffering his injury just over two weeks ahead of the trade deadline. His name has been surrounded by trade rumors for the past few years, but they especially heated up this season when it was reported that he was "open" to a trade.
But the Bucks didn't deal the two-time NBA MVP — at least for now — and re-tooled his supporting cast by taking low-risk fliers on Cam Thomas and Ousmane Dieng. The team hasn't exactly taken off though, the Bucks have just a 6-5 record since Feb. 5 and currently sit in 11th place in the Eastern Conference, 3.5 games behind the red-hot Charlotte Hornets for the final play-in spot.
And while Milwaukee hasn't been a good team in almost any facet this season, they still at least have a shot when they have their superstar. With Giannis, the Bucks are 15-16 and average 113.6 points per night. Without him, they drop to 11-18 and 109.1 points.
Here's how Giannis did in his return to the court on Monday vs. the Celtics:
WASHINGTON (AP) — Alperen Sengun had 32 points and 13 rebounds, Kevin Durant scored 30 and the Houston Rockets beat the Washington Wizards 123-118 on Monday night.
Trae Young was ejected from the game after leaving the bench to come on the court to complain to a referee, days before he is expected to make his Wizards debut.
Durant made all 11 free throws and added seven assists and six rebounds in his only game close to his Maryland home this season. Amen Thompson had 22 points and 12 rebounds, while Reed Sheppard finished with 19 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds and six steals in his first career double-double.
Bilal Coulibaly scored 23 points and Sharife Cooper had 21 for the Wizards.
Washington coach Brian Keefe said before the game that Young was trending toward being ready to play Thursday against Utah. The All-Star point guard was limited to just 10 games this season with Atlanta and was sidelined by knee and quadriceps injuries when the Wizards acquired him in January.
But Young didn't wait to get into the action, getting ejected in the third quarter during a confrontation between Houston's Tari Eason and Washington's Jamir Watkins. Eason was also thrown out.
Washington was 12 for 19 from 3-point range in the first half but just 6 for 28 inside the arc as Houston led 60-51. Thompson had 12 points and Durant 11 in the third quarter as the Rockets pushed the lead to 18, and they led by 19 in the fourth before Washington made the score close with a 38-point period.
Washington center Julian Reese fouled out with two points in his NBA debut. The brother of WNBA player Angel Reese started and played 28 minutes.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 02: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks dribbles the ball against Luka Garza #52 of the Boston Celtics during the second quarter at Fiserv Forum on March 02, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The return of Giannis wasn’t enough to propel the Milwaukee Bucks over the Boston Celtics (who were missing All-Star wing Jaylen Brown and starting center Neemias Queta), losing 108-91. It’s the third straight loss by 20 or more for the Bucks. Payton Pritchard led the Celtics with 25 points on 5/10 shooting from beyond the arc. Giannis carried a sluggish Bucks offense with 19 points and 11 rebounds on 7/18 shooting.
Ousmane Dieng was tapped to join the starting five in Giannis’ return, with Ryan Rollins heading to the bench. The Ous got loose early, scoring five of Milwaukee’s first seven. Following Giannis’ first bucket in 38 days, the Bucks went up seven on the Celtics. Boston responded with a 10-0 run, with Hugo González converting two baskets inside, followed by threes from Sam Hauser and Derrick White. After Dieng’s second three of the quarter with 5:36 to go, Milwaukee’s offense went into a nearly three-minute dry spell; Boston took advantage, going up six before Bobby Portis finally got the Bucks back on the board. The Celtics scored the last three buckets of the opening frame, with Hauser capping it off with a mid-range buzzer-beater, putting the visitors ahead 30-20.
Boston kept the pedal to the metal to open the second quarter, going on an 8-0 run to put them up 18. Giannis returned and finally ended the run with a dunk, but that didn’t slow down the Celtics one bit, as they drilled four straight threes to take a 22-point lead with about six minutes left. The Bucks were able to chip into that lead slightly in the final three minutes, though, responding with a 10-3 run, with Giannis, Dieng, and Myles Turner all converting on much-needed buckets. Turner found the bottom of the net once again to close the half on a three-pointer, as the Bucks went into the locker room down 57-43.
Giannis stepped on the gas to open the third, scoring seven straight and cutting Boston’s lead to single digits in just over two minutes! González and Hauser responded, however, torturing the Bucks from three-point range; the pair combined for three triples as part of a 15-0 run for the visitors, growing their lead to 24. It was an unlikely hero that brought Milwaukee life, though, with Pete Nance—who had gotten two DNP-CDs and garbage time minutes in the last four games—helping spark a 9-3 run with a pair of corner threes. But of course, White and Payton Pritchard scored the final six points of the period, with the latter draining a high-arching mid-range shot in the dying seconds. The bucket put Boston ahead 83-65 after three.
The Celtics made sure there was no chance of a Bucks comeback early in the fourth quarter. Pritchard continued to make triples, converting two more as part of a 13-4 opening run, ballooning Boston’s lead to 27, before the Bucks called a timeout. Pritchard splashed home another, making it an even 30-point lead with 4:47 left as Doc called another timeout to empty his bench. Another tough L for the Bucks.
Stat That Stood Out
Despite being relatively the same in size down low, the Bucks were dominated on the inside. The Celtics outscored them 34-22 in the paint and outrebounded them 63-47.
Mar 2, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Cam Thomas (24) shoots against Boston Celtics guard Hugo Gonzalez (28) in the first half at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
The Celtics didn’t have their usual stars on hand Monday night against the Milwaukee Bucks, but like many nights this season, it didn’t matter. The Prove-It Unit made a statement. Behind a relentless bench performance and a breakout night from Hugo Gonzalez, Boston turned a competitive game into a runaway road win.
First Quarter
Milwaukee struck first, with Giannis Antetokounmpo scoring the game’s opening basket at the 10:53 mark. The Celtics responded quickly. Hugo Gonzalez got Boston on the board with a driving finish just under a minute later, then followed it up with a dunk in transition to settle things early.
Sam Hauser connected from behind the arc at 9:04, his first of the night, to keep Boston within striking distance as both teams traded possessions in the opening minutes.
Coming out of the first TV timeout, the Celtics’ bench group shifted the tone.
After Nikola Vucevic scored inside with a hook, Payton Pritchard checked in around the six-minute mark. Ron Harper Jr. then entered shortly after and made an immediate impact, drilling a no-hesitation corner three at 4:39 and recording multiple blocks on the defensive end. Boston’s energy picked up during that stretch, particularly on the glass.
Luka Garza contributed on the offensive boards, extending possessions and finishing around the rim. Jordan Walsh didn’t score in the quarter but tied for the early rebounding lead with four boards. Nine Celtics appeared in the opening period and eight of them scored.
Milwaukee stalled a bit when Giannis Antetokounmpo went to the bench, and Boston capitalized. Sam Hauser closed the quarter with a missed three, grabbed his own rebound, and, à la Larry Bird, converted a circus midrange shot just before the buzzer. The Celtics led 30–20 after one.
Second Quarter
Boston continued to build the lead early in the second.
A Bucks travel led to a quick transition opportunity for the Celtics, where Hauser hit a no-dip wing three off a pass from Vucevic — the catch-high, release-high shot that he and Baylor Scheierman frequently practice, as CelticsBlog’s Noa Dalzell noted.
Gonzalez recorded a chasedown block from behind and later finished in transition after Pritchard pushed the pace, converting the and-one at the line. Through the middle of the quarter, the Celtics’ Prove-It Unit kept the game tilted in Boston’s favor with activity on both ends.
Antetokounmpo returned around the 9:20 mark and immediately impacted the game, dunking in transition over Derrick White and later beating Gonzalez off the dribble for another finish at the rim. Milwaukee briefly gained momentum, but Boston responded.
Gonzalez hit a corner three at 7:57 to make it 43–24. Pritchard and White both connected from deep as the Celtics’ lead grew to 52–30 with 6:20 remaining in the quarter. Milwaukee answered with threes from Bobby Portis, Kevin Porter Jr., and Dieng to stay within reach.
Defensively, Boston was active in help situations and forced multiple turnovers. Gonzalez stripped Antetokounmpo on one possession, and Garzilla continued to clean up on the offensive glass on the other side.
Luka Garza hasn't played much since Boston got Nikola Vucevic. But tonight is a good example of the "stay ready" role and making the most of things when you get minutes. 7 points and 4 rebounds (3 offensive) in the first half. Great energy and hustle, as we've come to expect too.
The Celtics’ lead reached 22 before a late stretch of sloppy play allowed Milwaukee to chip away. A few turnovers and missed shots in the final two minutes helped the Bucks cut the deficit to 14 at halftime. Mazzulla appeared frustrated with the final possession after Boston turned the ball over rather than getting a clean look.
Still, the Celtics controlled most of the half and went into the break up 54–40.
Third Quarter
Milwaukee opened the half aggressively.
Hauser hustled out to block an AJ Green three on the first possession, but Vucevic airballed his third attempt from deep on the other end. Giannis Antetokounmpo began to impose himself, finishing through contact and converting an and-one at the 10:49 mark to cut the lead to single digits.
Vucevic steadied things briefly with a soft finish inside off a White feed, but Antetokounmpo continued to pressure the rim, bullying his way to another layup as the deficit dipped to nine.
Boston answered.
Hauser drilled a contested three from the wing, and Gonzalez recorded his second career double-double at the 9:30 mark. Fifteen seconds later, he buried a corner three to push the lead back to 15.
White and Vucevic re-established their two-man rhythm, connecting inside to make it 67–50 with 8:33 remaining. That capped a 10–0 Boston run in under two minutes.
From there, the Celtics’ Prove-It Unit swung momentum again.
Gonzalez blocked a perimeter attempt, sprinted the floor and finished on a cut to reach 15 points. Hauser connected on another contested three at 7:28. Gonzalez later absorbed contact in the post to draw an offensive foul on Antetokounmpo.
By the six-minute mark, Boston’s lead was back to 23.
Milwaukee responded with threes from Portis and Dieng, trimming the deficit during a 15–5 stretch. A successful Bucks challenge overturned a Ron Harper Jr. finish at the rim, and tensions rose briefly after a jump ball sequence involving Luka Garza and Porter Jr.
Boston closed the quarter cleanly. White converted a tough reverse layup to halt the run, and after another Milwaukee turnover, the Celtics secured the final possession for the third straight quarter. Pritchard delivered, stepping back for a high-arching midrange jumper that fell just before the buzzer.
Boston left little doubt early in the final frame.
Vucevic opened the quarter with a finish inside to push the lead back to 20. Milwaukee struggled to generate clean offense, including an airballed three and a sloppy sideline turnover as Giannis Antetokounmpo checked back in at the 10:27 mark.
Pritchard stretched the margin further at 10:10, drilling a deep three to give him 16 points and seven assists at that point. On the other end, Antetokounmpo missed at the rim but drew a late whistle on Gonzalez. Cam Thomas later earned free throws after strong help defense from White was wiped away by a foul call on Vucevic.
Boston stayed composed.
White continued orchestrating, finding Vucevic for another interior finish to make it a 21-point game again. After Antetokounmpo missed a wide-open three that rattled out, the Celtics delivered what felt like the decisive sequence.
Walsh grabbed an offensive rebound to extend the possession, and Pritchard — after missing a step-back — relocated beyond the arc. Walsh found him again. This time it dropped. Bucks timeout. Boston up 24 with 7:45 remaining.
From there, the gap only widened.
Gonzalez secured his 14th and 15th rebounds of the night as Milwaukee continued to miss at the rim against Boston’s layered help defense. White knocked down a contested three to reach 18 points and nine assists before checking out for the night. Pritchard followed with another deep three as the lead touched 30, drawing another timeout from Doc Rivers.
Hugo Gonzalez is only the 2nd Celtic rookie to have at least 18 points, 16 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks in a game.
The other? Larry Bird against Detroit (23-19-3-2 on 11/14/79)
Scheierman added a late three and flashed a thumbs-up toward the bench. Tonje checked in with 2:30 remaining for just his second appearance as a Celtic, joined by Amari Williams and Max Shulga in the final minutes.
Gonzalez put the finishing touch on his 18-point, 16-rebound performance with a late three in the closing minute, sealing a dominant road win that pushed the Celtics to 41–20 on the season.
Boston will return home Wednesday to face the Charlotte Hornets.
Magic City is famous throughout Atlanta. Photograph: Prince Williams/WireImage
San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet has called on the Atlanta Hawks to abandon their collaboration with a famous strip club.
Magic City is an Atlanta institution and been mentioned in a string of hip-hop records, as well as hosting rappers such as Drake, Lil Yachty, Migos, Jack Harlow and Future. It is also popular with athletes: past visitors have included Michael Jordan, while MLS’s Atlanta United celebrated their title at the club in 2018. The club gained widespread attention in 2020 when the Los Angeles Clippers’ Lou Williams visited the club after leaving the NBA’s quarantine bubble during the Covid pandemic.
The Hawks recently announced a theme night with Magic City for their game against Orlando Magic on 16 March. The night will feature a performance from Atlanta native TI, while fans will be able to buy Magic City’s famous wings and branded hoodies.
However Kornet, a devout Catholic, said he disapproves of the night, writing in a Medium post that it “would reflect poorly on us as an NBA community, specifically in being complicit in the potential objectification and mistreatment of women in our society.”
In a press release, the Hawks said Magic City is an “iconic cultural institution,” and praised “its pivotal role in hip-hop and Black culture.”
However, Kornet noted that the press release made no mention of the fact that Magic City “is, as the business itself boasts, ‘Atlanta’s premier strip club.’”
Kornet added that he believed the night was inappropriate for many NBA fans.
“We desire to provide an environment where fans of all ages can safely come and enjoy the game of basketball and where we can celebrate the history and culture of communities in good conscience,” he wrote. “The celebration of a strip club is not conduct aligned with that vision.”
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 05: Stephen Curry #30 talks with Will Richard #3 of the Golden State Warriors during the first half against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center on February 05, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Warriors defeated the Suns 101-97. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors failed to beat a Southern California team on Saturday. They’ll try again tonight. Two days after a blowout loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Warriors are hosting the LA Clippers tonight at the Chase Center. The good news is that the Clippers aren’t playing very good basketball these days. The bad news is that the Warriors are, once again, the walking dead.
Here’s the full injury report.
Warriors
Out — Kristaps Porziņģis(illness)
Yep, unfortunately, Porziņģis is still out. Steve Kerr unfortunately created some unnecessary drama by speaking about whether or not Porziņģis has POTS, but regardless of the answer to that, the one-time All-Star will miss his fifth straight game. He’s only played once since the Warriors acquired him nearly a month ago.
Out — Will Richard (right ankle sprain)
This is a big loss for the Dubs. Richard has been playing wonderfully lately, and is so important to everything they do on defense. Speaking of defense…
Out — Gary Payton II (left ankle impingement)
No Richard and no GPII spells bad news for Golden State’s perimeter defense. Some people will have to step up.
Out — Steph Curry (right patellofemoral pain syndrome)
It’s an 11th straight missed game for Curry. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like we’re going to see him anytime soon.
Out — Jimmy Butler III (right ACL surgery)
It’s been more than a month since Butler tore his ACL. I still feel bummed writing this segment of the injury report.
Out — Seth Curry (left sciatic nerve irritation)
Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear as though we’ll see either Curry brother anytime soon.
Clippers
Out — John Collins (neck soreness)
Collins is have a strong first year with the Clippers, and he’s been fairly healthy. This will be just his sixth absence of the season.
Out — Bradley Beal (left hip fracture)
No new news here, as Beal suffered a season-ending injury right at the start of his Clippers tenure. A bummer to see.
Enjoy the game, everyone! It tips off at 7:00 p.m. PT on Peacock and NBC Sports Bay Area.
Danny Wolf attempts a shot during the Nets' March 1 loss to the Cavaliers.
Danny Wolf was instructed to miss a free throw intentionally in the closing seconds of Sunday’s loss to the Cavaliers, but the rookie’s admittedly “too hard” attempt missed the rim entirely for a violation that essentially ended the Nets’ last chance to come back and win.
Coaches and teammates jokingly gave him a hard time afterward, but they agreed that the mistake should not detract from what was likely the strongest performance of Wolf’s initial NBA campaign.
The 6-foot-11 forward put up a career-best 23 points with three made 3-pointers, nine rebounds, five assists and two steals in 27 minutes off the bench.
“Obviously, you see the points, but it’s nine rebounds, five assists, one turnover; that’s elite,” coach Jordi Fernández said after the game. “Very happy for him. Well deserved. He was confident from the beginning, all the shots looked really good.
“He can handle, get to the rim. He did everything, and you cannot control all the time if you’re going to be able to score at that level, but the good things and the good intentions were there.
“So huge growth in this game for him, and happy to see it because he deserves it.”
The 21-year-old Wolf was the final of an NBA-record five first-round picks by the Nets in 2025, selected at No. 27 overall out of Michigan.
Danny Wolf attempts a shot during the Nets’ March 1 loss to the Cavaliers. Robert Sabo for the NY Post
Each has started at least five games, led by lottery pick Egor Dëmin’s 45.
Wolf has started eight times but ranks second to Dëmin among the quintet with averages of 8.9 points in 20.5 minutes over 46 appearances entering consecutive games Tuesday and Thursday’s against the Heat in Miami.
The lottery-bound Nets have dropped eight straight games to sink within a half-game of the Pacers for the worst record in the Eastern Conference.
“I have another [22] games left to improve on this year to finish my rookie year, but I gotta go game by game and hopefully we can string together some wins,” Wolf said. “I think you have a bunch of guys in the NBA, and most guys come from winning teams, whatever level that is. However long I can think of my basketball career, I’ve been a part of winning teams, and you know the feeling.
Danny Wolf dribbles the ball during the Nets’ March 1 loss to the Cavaliers. NBAE via Getty Images
“This is the first time I’ve been a part of — I don’t want to say we’re a losing team, obviously our record is 15-45 — but we’re the youngest team in the NBA, and there’s a lot of valuable lessons.”
One of those for Wolf will be to not repeat his mistake on the intentionally missed free throw if that situation arises again.
“It’s harder to miss the way I missed it than it is to make a free throw,” Wolf said. “After I made the first one, my thought process was to hit the front of the rim, but I threw it definitely a little bit too hard.
“You live, and you learn; it’s something new that I needed to know that I need to work on that I didn’t know before. So, that’s definitely on me.”
Assistant coach Juwan Howard was seen talking and laughing with the rookie right after the play, “understandably so,” Wolf added.
Teammate Michael Porter Jr. said he also joked with Wolf that “maybe he’s been in the weight room too much,” but the team’s scoring leader also stressed that shouldn’t be the focus after the rookie’s overall performance Sunday.
“His all-around game — outside game, 3s, getting to the lane, layups, throwing dimes, post-ups — I thought that he was spectacular and played with a high motor and was all over the floor,” Porter said. “So he’s just got to be able to replicate that, and through misses and makes, be able to play like that.
“I thought he didn’t start the game off making his first couple of shots, but I could still see in his energy and his aggression that he was going to have a good game, regardless.”
Dëmin (plantar fascia management) remains out for Tuesday’s game, while Nic Claxton (thumb) is probable.
