BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Isaiah Johnson scored 18 points, and Colorado scored the last six points to beat Kansas State 79-70 on Wednesday night.
P.J. Haggerty and Andrej Kostic each scored four points in an 8-0 surge to pull Kansas State to 73-70 with 2:13 to play, but Colorado shot 6 of 8 from the free-throw line to seal it. The Wildcats were down 22 points with about 13 minutes remaining.
Johnson shot 5 of 11 from the floor and had nine rebounds and seven assists for Colorado (16-12, 6-9 Big 12). Ian Inman made five 3-pointers and finished with 17 points for the Buffaloes. Barrington Hargress added 15 points, Sebastian Rancik scored 13 and Bangot Dak had 10.
Haggerty scored 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to go with four assists to lead K-State (11-17, 2-13). Kostic and Nate Johnson added 10 points apiece. The Wildcats have lost eight of their last nine games.
Colorado took the lead for good about eight minutes in and led 37-18 with 3:45 left before halftime. K-State closed on a 15-5 run to cut the deficit to 42-33 at the break. Hargress scored 10 points and Inman made three 3s for the Buffaloes in the half. Haggerty scored 11 first-half points and grabbed six rebounds to pace K-State.
The Wildcats pulled within five early in the second half, but the Buffaloes answered with a 17-0 run for a 59-37 lead.
Up next
Kansas State hosts TCU on Saturday.
Colorado is on the road Saturday against fifth-ranked Houston.
Feb 25, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) reacts after a turnover during the third quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
When the Houston Rockets took a 77-50 lead into the half against the Sacramento kings on Wednesday night, anyone who thought to themselves, “It’s over.” hasn’t watched Rockets basketball this season. Undoubtedly, you yourself may have has some reservations about switching over to your favorite Netflix show and calling it a night. Those reservations were briefly justified when the Kings started the second half on a 13-2 run, prompting Ime Udoka to call a time out, just few minutes into the quarter.
Udoka has seen what we have all seen before. A tale of two halves. To his credit, he pressed the right buttons and kept with the right combination of players that kept the offense from suddenly becoming stagnant. Alperen Sengun (26-point triple-double), Kevin Durant (21 points on 62 percent shooting), and Reed Sheppard (28 points on 43 percent from the three-point line) really powered the Rockets offensively, along with a much welcomed showing from Josh Okogie who shot an efficient 5-of-7 from the field, of which three of those shots were from behind the arc.
With Amen Thompson out with an apparent quad injury, Aaron Holiday got some run and not only shot well but gave the Rockets another ball handler that was able to help keep the ball movement crisp. Jabari Smith had 12 points on 6-of-12 from the field and even “Uncle Jeff” Green got some run in this game chipping in 5 points. It was a complete team victory over a bad Sacramento Kings team. However, given some of the issues the Rockets have had in these types of games, including against these very Kings, this win is not something to shake a stick at. In fact, Rockets fans hope it’s a sign that this team is on track to no longer struggle to win these types of games against lesser opponents.
If the Rockets are going to achieve what we all hope they are going to achieve, then these types of games need to be automatic. It’s especially helpful that the main rotation was able to rest in the fourth quarter headed into the second game of a back-to-back, this time on the road in Orlando. Getting a home win is also a welcome sight as the Rockets had lost four of the last 7 home games. In the end, a win is a win, and the Rockets need to start stacking as many of those as possible, so tonight Rockets fans can go home happy.
Feb 25, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (5) drives to the basket against San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) during the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Looking for their 10th straight win for the first time in ten years, the Spurs continued their tour of Eastern Conference playoff teams, this time across the border against the Toronto Raptors. It wasn’t a pretty game, but despite more offensive struggles from Victor Wembanyama and some terrible free throw shooting making life harder than it had to be, the Spurs found a way, rallying back from 15 down late in the third thanks to some hot three-point shooting and clutch defensive play.
The Spurs scored the first six points and got out to a 9-2 lead, but similar to two nights ago in Detroit, things suddenly slowed down while they struggled with 5 turnovers, and the Raptors kept chipping away at the lead, closing the quarter on a 12-6 run to get within a point, 30-29. The main reason the Spurs were still ahead was, fortunately for them, Devin Vassell was also still in Detroit form with 8 points on 2-2 from three, and Dylan Harper came in hot off the bench for 9 points in the first quarter.
The Spurs seemed to wake up to start the second, with a Wemby block leading to a Harper fast break dunk, followed by a De’Aaron Fox three to force a quick Raptors timeout, but it was short lived. Wemby continued to struggle on the offensive end, and Toronto responded with a 7-0 run to take their first lead at 36-35. It stretched to a 10-0 run after a Spurs timeout, after they gave up a three by turning it over in the backcourt. The Spurs again briefly regrouped, regaining the lead and stretching it to five thanks to more offensive heroics from Vassell and Harper, but Wemby just couldn’t get involved on offense, and the Raptors closed on an 8-2 run to take a 57-55 lead into halftime.
The Raptors immediately got a three-point play to open the third quarter before Wemby finally got his first field goal of the game on an alley-oop dunk from Champagnie, who then hit a three to ties things back up. Lots of whistles had both teams in the bonus early, although Wemby, who couldn’t buy a call against former Spur Jacob Poeltl, was getting agitated and subbed out earlier than usual, likely to cool off. With him out and Luke Kornet seemingly a step slow after suffering a leg contusion in Detroit, the offense opened up for the Raptors, who continued to stretch out the lead in transition and from three. On offense, the Spurs were settling for threes and mostly missing, but a big one from Stephon Castle cut into a 15-point Raptors lead, and the Spurs found themselves down 78-90 with 12 minutes to go.
Matt Bonner, who is now a studio analyst for the Raptors but joined the Spurs broadcast for this game, mentioned Toronto’s biggest weakness is something Spurs fans can relate to: forgetting what got them there and getting stagnant in the fourth quarter. He was proven prophetic, as the Spurs opened the quarter on a 15-2 run to regain the lead, including threes from Castle, Vassell and Harrison Barnes, and a calmed-down Wemby’s presence on defense had the Raptors reeling. What they did have was the whistle in their favor and were already in the bonus less than five minutes in, which they used to stay close. More huge threes from Champagnie and Wemby got the Spurs ahead 106-100 with under 4 minutes to go, but poor offensive decisions after a timeout let the Raptors get back within two.
Free throws were a problem all night, with the Spurs hitting just 13-23 compared to 23-27 for the Raptors, and it reared it’s ugly head in the waning seconds of the game. Harper had a chance to get them up by 4 with 16 seconds left but missed both free throws. Fortunately, he got his own rebound, and Fox hit 1-2 to get the Spurs up 109-106 with 10 seconds left. Immanuel Quickley then hit 1-2 FT’s, and after a timeout, Wemby hit 1-2 with 8.7 seconds left. That meant the Raptors still had a chance, but Brandon Ingram’s three-point attempt went off the side of the backboard, and the Spurs were able to get the rebound and heave it down court as time expired, securing their ugly (but beautiful) 10th straight win for the first time since 2016.
Game notes
Right after receiving a ton of praise on this site for the way he handled not being the center of attention on offense in Detroit, Wemby was back to trying to do too much when things weren’t going right in the first half. He forced what few bad shots he could find, going 0-4, plus he had a couple of turnovers when he tried to dribble into the Raptors defense. Then, he got subbed out earlier than usual in the second half after Poeltl got under his skin with holding, tripping and driving right into him. After some time to mentally cool off, Wemby was better (but not great) in the fourth quarter. His defense was there all night with 5 blocks and was why he was as team-high +19 on the court, but it was another bad night on offense with just 12 points on 3-12 shooting (although he had those four huge points in crunch time).
A big part of the team’s free throws woes were courtesy of Fox (2-8) and Harper (0-2). While the rest of the team combined to hit 10-12, including 3-4 from Castle, it continues to be an issue particularly for the guards. They survived tonight despite shooting just 2-6 in crunch time (including Wemby’s 1-2), but overall the team is going to have to be better at the line. Once the playoffs hit, free throws will become harder to come by, and they’ll have to take advantage of whatever free points they can get.
Despite a couple of blunders late, Harper was awesome on both ends tonight with 15 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals. His performance off the bench was especially important with Keldon Johnson only playing 14 minutes after suffering a shoulder stinger. One great moment of maturity came late when Ingram tried to pump fake him three times to draw a foul, but he didn’t bite. Overall, Harper and Vassell (21 points on 5-6 from three) were the only two players who were steady on offense all night, and the Spurs desperately needed that.
The win, combined with the skeleton Thunder losing in Detroit tonight, now has the Spurs just one game back in the loss column from the top seed in the West. They need to keep this tank rolling while OKC is injured and secure home court advantage.
Play of the Game
It may have been overshadowed by the missed free throws afterwards, but otherwise Fox was Mr. Clutch once again, including this huge bailout shot over the backboard with just over a minute to go.
MILWAUKEE, WI - FEBRUARY 25: Dennis Schroder #8 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots a free throw during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on February 25, 2026 at Fiserv Forum Center 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images). | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cavs have suffered their first loss when Jarrett Allen scores 20 or more points; they’re now 1-10. Allen was fantastic offensively, pouring in 27 points on 10-15 shooting.
This is also the first time the Cavs have lost when Allen takes 10 or more shots; they’re now 1-14 when he does so. Allen was understandably featured early and often. He made the most of his opportunities and nearly sent the game to overtime, but his would-be game-tying hook shot came a fraction of a second after the final buzzer.
The Bucks took 49% of their shots from three (92nd percentile). This translated to 45 outside attempts.
Milwaukee canned 42.2% of their triples (85th percentile). The Cavs, once again, dared their opponent to beat them from deep. The Bucks did so in a way the New York Knicks couldn’t the night before.
Unlike against the Knicks, the Bucks converted 89.5% of their shots at the rim (97th percentile). Cleveland did a good job of limiting the Bucks’ ability to get to the basket. Only 23% of their shots came there (17th percentile). However, you can’t build your entire defense around giving up three-point shots to protect the rim while also not protecting the rim. The Bucks were able to have their cake and eat it too.
Milwaukee did all of its damage in the half-court, with a 123.8 half-court offensive rating (97th percentile). The Cavs didn’t give them many opportunities in transition, but that doesn’t matter when the other team is executing that well in the half-court.
Cleveland shot poorly from three, going 12-40 (30%, 23rd percentile). There were guys out of the lineup, but this team is still built around outscoring its opponent. Shooting this poorly from deep isn’t going to cut it most nights, especially when your best three-point shooters — Sam Merrill (2-8) and Jaylon Tyson (1-6) — aren’t able to get anything to fall.
Overall, the Bucks had 21 more points from beyond the arc. It’s a make-or-miss league.
The Cavs outscored Milwaukee 25-6 in second-chance points. Winning this handily allowed the Cleveland to stay in this game despite not executing to the level Milwaukee did offensively.
Dean Wade led the Cavs in plus/minus (+9) for the second game in a row. That said, he struggled offensively, going 0-4 from the field to finish with no points. He was a non-factor on that end.
Dennis Schroder provided 26 points on 8-14 shooting. He did a great job of stepping into the starting point guard role. His scoring and playmaking kept the offense on schedule, which is all you want on a night you’re down this much firepower.
The Cavs went 20-27 from the free-throw line, while the Bucks went 3-5. It once again felt like the Cavaliers were on the wrong end of some crucial calls, but the free-throw disparity paints a much different picture.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Bennett Stirtz had 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting, Alvaro Folgueiras made 8 of 10 from the field and had a season-high 20 points and five assists, and Iowa beat Ohio State 74-57 on Wednesday night.
Cam Manyawu had 12 points and seven rebounds for Iowa (20-8, 10-7 Big Ten) and Tavion Banks scored 10 points.
The Hawkeyes shot 57% (27 of 47) from the field, 5 of 18 (28%) from 3-point range, and made 15 of 17 from the free-throw line.
Amare Bynum made back-to-back 3-pointers to give Ohio State a 14-2 lead, but Folgueiras answered with a three-point play and, after Devin Royal made a free throw, the Hawkeyes scored 18 consecutive points — eight by Stirtz — to start a 28-3 run. The Buckeyes missed nine consecutive field-goal attempts and committed five turnovers during their scoring drought of eight-plus minutes.
Devin Royal led Ohio State (17-11, 9-8) with 16 points and John Mobley Jr. scored 15. Bruce Thornton added 10 points.
Ohio State scores seven of the first 10 second-half points to trim its deficit to 10 points, but the Buckeyes got no closer.
Iowa was plus-11 (15-4) in points off turnovers and outscored the Buckeyes 44-18 in the paint.
The Knicks have struggled with one of coach Mike Brown’s core principles coming out of the All-Star break.
He has spent all season urging the Knicks to play with pace. They remain in the bottom half of the league in that regard, but they have played faster than last year under Tom Thibodeau.
In four games since the break, though, the Knicks are averaging 97.25 possessions per game — down from their season-long mark of 98.57 per game.
Josh Hart the Knicks talks with Jalen Brunson during the third quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena on February 24, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. Getty Images
“One of the things we have to try and do better, especially offensively, is play with pace,” Brown said after the Knicks’ blowout loss in Cleveland on Tuesday night. “Our pace is not good. We have to do a better job of getting to the corners. We have to do a better job of playing with pace in the frontcourt.”
In Tuesday’s loss, the Knicks had just 95 possessions.
“We were running through mud tonight,” Brown said, “no matter what happened.”
Knicks head coach Mike Brown directs his team against the Chicago Bulls during the first half at United Center. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
With that loss to the Cavaliers, the Knicks are now tied with Cleveland in the standings. And the Cavaliers are red-hot since acquiring James Harden ahead of the trade deadline — they are 6-1 with Harden.
Harden suffered a fracture in his right thumb in that game, the team announced on Wednesday. The outlook is positive, however — he was listed as questionable for the team’s game against the Bucks on Wednesday night.
Donovan Mitchell also suffered a groin strain in Tuesday’s game and was out Wednesday.
If the Knicks and Cavaliers meet in the playoffs, Cleveland has established its best option to guard Jalen Brunson.
Across the three matchups this year, Dean Wade has primarily guarded Brunson for the Cavaliers. According to NBA.com’s tracking stats, Brunson has just six points and has shot 1-for-16 from the field and 0-for-6 from 3-point range when Wade was matched up with him.
On Tuesday, Brunson went 1-for-4 from the field and 0-for-2 from deep with Wade on him.
Al Horford alone was apparently an upgrade over Draymond Green and De’Anthony Melton.
After a lineup change, the Warriors pulled a 180 from their performance the previous night to cruise to a 133-112 win over the Grizzlies in the second half of a road back-to-back.
“Just a really good night for everybody who stepped on the floor, missing so many guys,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.
Golden State Warriors center Al Horford handles the ball against Memphis Grizzlies. AP
Green (back) was listed as questionable and ruled out shortly before tipoff with the same issue that kept him out of Sunday’s win over the Nuggets. Melton (knee) has yet to be cleared to play on consecutive days.
The 39-year-old Horford returned and led a rejuvenated effort from an undermanned Warriors squad, which had only nine players in uniform — including two-way player Malevy Leons — but had no problem dispatching a team that dismantled its roster at the NBA trade deadline.
Eight of them — all but Leons — scored in double figures, led by 21 from rookie Will Richard. Brandin Podziemski celebrated his 23rd birthday by stepping into the starting lineup and followed up his double-double effort Tuesday with 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
Playing against his younger brother, Pat Spencer was a game-best plus-23 while dishing out a team-high nine assists in 32 minutes off the bench. In some kind of law of brotherly inverse, Cam Spencer was a game-worst minus-29 for the Grizzlies.
Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski drives against the Grizzlies. AP
All nine Warriors also hit at least one 3-pointer as Golden State rebounded from a dismal shooting effort the previous night, knocking down 49 of 91 shots from the field (53.8%) — 19 of 46 (41.3%) from 3.
It was nearly a teamwide 50-40-90 shooting performance — until Leons missed two free throws late in the fourth quarter, which also prevented him from becoming the ninth and final Warrior to reach double figures.
What it means
After their 113-109 loss to the host Pelicans on Tuesday, the Warriors avoided the disaster of being swept on back-to-back nights by teams almost trying to lose.
Turning point
Richard responded to a statline of zeroes in 17 minutes in Tuesday’s loss to score eight of his eventual 21 points in the first quarter as Golden State jumped to a 34-31 edge.
The Warriors widened that advantage to 74-53 by halftime, using a 27-8 run that lasted most of the second quarter to take control until Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo finally called timeout with 4:46 left.
In a rare matchup having a size advantage, the Warriors pounded the paint for 18 points in the opening quarter, which they used to create the looks that resulted in 8-of-16 shooting from beyond the perimeter in their dominant second quarter.
Illustrating it all was none other than Horford.
The veteran backed down a mismatched Javon Small for an easy bucket on the game’s opening possession and then delivered one of the most dynamic sequences of their second-quarter run, draining a 3 from the top of the key and swatting Small on the other end.
Players scramble to get their hands on a loose ball. AP
MVP: Al Horford
The Warriors haven’t won any of their three games without Horford since Jan. 3. During that span, they are 12-8 with him in the lineup after their win in Memphis. Golden State improved to 6-5 without Green this season.
“Al was fantastic,” Kerr said. “(We) went to him early to establish the post, and he created a lot of advantages for us.”
Stat of the game: 33-14 points off turnovers
The Warriors played a cleaner game than Tuesday night, decreasing their turnovers from 21 to 16 (many in garbage time). The Grizzlies also turned it over 16 times.
Golden State was simply much, much better at turning them into points.
Up next
The Warriors head home to host the Lakers at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, when they should be closer to full strength. They should have Melton and Green back, and Kerr said he is optimistic about Kristaps Porzingis returning, too.
Golden State (31-28) is four games behind the Lakers (34-23) for the No. 6 spot in the Western Conference — the cutoff to avoid the play-in tournament. The teams have split their season series so far and will square off one more time April 9.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - FEBRUARY 25: Dennis Schröder #8 of the Cleveland Cavaliers dribbles the ball against A.J. Green #20 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the second quarter at Fiserv Forum on February 25, 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 Cleveland Cavaliers came up short on the road against the Milwaukee Bucks. Let’s see who won and lost the night.
WINNER – Dennis Schroder and the Bench
We’re lumping all of the winners into one category tonight.
It’s pretty difficult to lose three starters and still compete on the road. The Cavs were without Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, and Evan Mobley tonight. But those losses are easier to overcome when you have a roster full of guys ready to step up and seize the moment.
We can talk about some of the individual performances soon. But the intensity that this second unit can bring to the floor is worth commemorating on its own. This isn’t a B-Squad that hangs its head or feels discouraged whenever they lose minutes. This is a group that’s hungry and foaming at the mouth to take the floor.
Schroder earned his first start as a Cavalier, putting up 26 points and 5 assists. His constant attacks both as a ball-handler and point-of-attack deterrent eventually helped break the dam and put the Cavs in front. Even after rolling his ankle, Schroder continued to lay it all on the line and get into Milwaukee’s defense to convert the game-tying floater with under 40 seconds to play.
Before that, Keon Ellis and Craig Porter Jr. joined Schroder to create a beautifully chaotic trio.
Porter’s downhill drives got Cleveland back into a groove during the third quarter. They had previously struggled to break Milwaukee’s shell. But Porter attacked open space and dished the rock to Jarrett Allen to re-establish their presence in the paint.
As for Ellis, he’s quickly becoming a fan favorite. It’s one thing to go after every loose ball and come up with steals while diving to the floor. But to combine that frenetic defensive energy with a 4-of-8 three-point shooting night is going to win you a ton of good favor in Cleveland.
And then there’s Thomas Bryant, who has given the Cavs a reliable option in their frontcourt whenever they’ve needed him.
It’s rare for a roster to have one of these plug-and-play guys. Let alone a whole rotation full of them. The Cavs ultimately weren’t able to get over the hump tonight, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. This was as hard fought of a loss as you can have.
LOSER – Three-Point Defense
Milwaukee clearly had one plan for this game. Launch three-pointers and pray for the best.
Jokes aside, the Bucks were deliberately hunting for three-point shots. Or, at the start, settling for them. But once the Cavs showed they werene’t going to rotate and recover with proficiency — those shots stop feeling like last resorts. Milwaukee quickly found a rhythm and took off with a lead as the Cavs couldn’t keep up.
It started with poor defense at the point of attack. Turning past one defender put the rest of Cleveland’s defense in a bind. The Bucks were then able to drive and kick far too easily. Sure, they went bombs away from downtown, but that’s in large part because the Cavs couldn’t stop them.
AJ Green shot 5-10 from deep. Kyle Kuzma, who is shooting 32.5% from downtown this season, also converted on 5-10 of his attempts tonight. Each one felt like a haymaker.
This game shouldn’t have been a shootout. A shorthanded squad like Cleveland’s needed to make sure of that. The fact that Milwaukee was able to nail 19 of 45 (42.2%) three-point attempts should have been a dealbreaker.
Somehow, the Cavs still did enough to nearly steal this one. But a better defensive showing would have guaranteed them the win.
MILWAUKEE, WI - FEBRUARY 25: Kevin Porter Jr. #7 of the Milwaukee Bucks handles the ball during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on February 25, 2026 at Fiserv Forum Center 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images). | NBAE via Getty Images
The Milwaukee Bucks pulled off a dramatic victory in the final seconds over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Kevin Porter Jr. once again led the Bucks’ offense with 20 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and five steals. Jarrett Allen finished with a 27-point and 11-rebound double-double for Cleveland, while Dennis Schröder had 26 points and five assists.
Despite both teams coming off a SEGABABA, the Cavs looked fresher early. Cleveland built a seven-point lead after old friend Sam Merrill drilled a three, prompting a timeout from Doc Rivers. Milwaukee steadied the ship after that pause, as they battled back to move ahead after Bobby Portis converted from beyond the arc with 3:47 left. Cam Thomas turned it on, putting up seven straight points for Milwaukee to keep them ahead in a tight game. Cleveland countered with Craig Porter Jr., who completed a three-point play with four seconds left to tie it up after one, 33-33.
Merrill continued to punish the Bucks in the opening minutes of the frame, as he scored six of the first nine for the Cavs. Down six, the Bucks responded to pull even with a dunk fest, as Jericho Sims, KPJ, and Myles Turner each threw one down. Fresh off an impressive 32-point performance last night for Milwaukee, Porter started to cook. He went on a personal 6-0 run and, with his second dunk of the quarter, put the Bucks back in front. Bucks irritant Dennis Schröder found his groove late, scoring five in a row to shift the advantage back to the Cavaliers by three. Milwaukee had a chance to take the lead at the buzzer after a Ryan Rollins layup, but Kuzma’s three ball missed, so the Bucks entered halftime down 63-62.
Milwaukee began the second half on a heater, going on an 11-0 run. Kuzma, who came into the game shooting 32.5% from three-point range, drilled back-to-back from the corner. KPJ continued to add to his highlight reel with a poster dunk over Jarrett Allen. A Rollins three-pointer put the Bucks up by 12, but the Cavs responded right away with a 10-0 run with 3:19 on the clock. Milwaukee clung onto the advantage for as long as possible, but a Schröder layup with 4.7 left put Cleveland in the driver’s seat entering the fourth, 94-93.
The Bucks’ offense remained in neutral, as they failed to score a field goal from the 2:21 mark of the third to the 8:31 mark in the fourth, when KPJ scored a layup. Thankfully for Milwaukee’s sake, Cleveland had a hard time finding the bottom of the basket, as they were only able to go ahead by two. After BP knotted things back up, Green put the Bucks back in front with a three, which was followed by an alley-oop dunk from Sims. Schorder tied it with a pair of free throws with 2:40 left. Rollins came up clutch with two straight layups, giving Milwaukee a four-point lead with 1:45 to go. The Bucks couldn’t find that next basket to go up by three possessions, as Jaylon Tyson converted two from the charity stripe and Schröder drew the game even once again. KPJ once again played hero late, as he buried a mid-range jumper with 20 seconds left. The Cavs thought Allen tied the game after putting a Schröder miss back up, but after review, the basket was waived off, and the Bucks escaped.
Stat That Stood Out
The Cavaliers shot 20/27 from the free-throw line and missed three in the fourth quarter. In a game decided by two points, Cleveland would love to have some of those shots at the charity stripe back.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 24: Luka Doncic #77 and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers react to a play during the third quarter of an NBA game against the Orlando Magic at Crypto.com Arena on February 24, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Lakers (34-23) are back on the road for the next two games, starting on Thursday when they play against the Phoenix Suns (33-26). This is the final match between the two teams this season, as the purple and gold look to tie the season series.
Just when you think the Lakers would bounce back after an embarrassing loss to the Celtics, they took it a step further. They lost to an Orlando Magic team without arguably it’s best player in Franz Wagner and their top perimeter defender in Jalen Suggs. Yes, the same Magic team that — with all due respect — doesn’t even rank top five in the mediocre Eastern Conference.
Given how competitive and tight the Western Conference standings are right now, especially in the middle of the pack, that was a horrible loss for the Lakers.
Now they’re sitting in sixth place and just three games above the play-in category, specifically where their next opponent, the Suns, are currently slotted.
That’s why Thursday’s match becomes significantly more important for the Lakers.
Not only do they need to tie the season series against their fellow Pacific Division opponent, but they also need to create some distance from them to stay afloat in the standings. It will help that the Suns’ best players, namely Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks — who, yes, have given the Lakers some trouble and a lot of annoyance this season, are ruled out for this one.
The Suns will most likely run their offense through Jalen Green, Collin Gillespie, Grayson Allen and Mark Williams. As long as the Lakers don’t allow them to play extraordinarily well, then LA should be able to handle them.
There’s really no excuse for the Lakers to lose. They’re not playing their best basketball right now, but they have to at least attempt to be better. The good news is that they play well on the road, so hopefully we see a better performance from them in the next two games.
Without Booker and Brooks at the perimeter, the Lakers should be able to feast.
It would be ideal to see a bounce back game from top to bottom. Can we get another good game from Deandre Ayton against his former team? Can Austin Reaves be more impactful? And most importantly, can the team as a whole just show more pride and play with more determination to win games?
With 25 games left, the worst-case scenario for them is to fall into the play-in range after playing well enough for most of the season to be out of it.
Notes and Updates
For the Lakers’ injury report, Rui Hachimura is listed as questionable due to illness.
Jaxson Hayes (right ankle sprain) has been upgraded to probable, while Adou Thiero (G-League) and Bronny James Jr., (G-League) are with the South Bay Lakers.
As for the Suns, Cole Anthony (not with the team), Devin Booker (right hip strain), Dillon Brooks (left hand fracture), Jordan Goodwin (left calf strain) and Haywood Highsmith (right knee injury) are out.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Olivia Olson scored a career-high 31 points, including a driving jumper with 3.2 seconds remaining in overtime, to give No. 8 Michigan an 88-86 victory over 13th-ranked Ohio State on Wednesday night.
Ohio State's Chance Gray hit a 30-footer on the ensuing trip down the floor, but the senior did not get her shot off until after the buzzer.
Olson also had nine rebounds and four assists for Michigan (23-5, 14-3 Big Ten), which set a program record for conference wins.
The Wolverines scored the final 10 points after trailing 86-78 with 1:40 remaining. Michigan had three starters foul out but Macy Brown, who came in averaging 2.1 points, scored eight straight points, including a pair of 3-pointers, to tie it at 86.
Syla Swords scored 22, including four 3-pointers.
Ohio State's Jaloni Cambridge scored 22 points, including three free throws with 0.6 seconds remaining to send it into overtime,
Michigan had a 74-71 advantage with 2.2 seconds left when Brooke Quarles Daniels tried to inbound the ball. Ohio State’s Elsa Lemmila deflected the pass. Cambridge got the loose ball and was fouled by Daniels as she attempted a 3-pointer from the right corner.
Gray had 19 points and Lemmila scored 11 with 15 rebounds. The Buckeyes (23-6, 12-5) have dropped three of their last four.
Ohio State hit four 3-pointers in the first quarter as it ran out to a 28-14 lead. The Wolverines rallied back with an 18-4 run to tie it at 32 with 4:13 remaining in the first half.
Michigan trailed 40-39 at halftime, but opened the second half with an 11-3 run. A 3-pointer by Swords gave the Wolverines a 67-58 advantage early in the fourth quarter.
Feb 25, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett (9) and forward Collin Murray-Boyles (12) block out San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) during the first half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
There are certain players who draw a crowd wherever they go. LeBron James, of course. Steph Curry, Luka Doncic, SGA all come to mind. Victor Wembenyama, though, warmed up ahead of the Spurs’ sole game in Toronto this season to a level of fanfare most of those aforementioned guys rarely see. People were going wild for him, the security in Toronto was hauling people off the sidelines, and kids were screaming for his attention. That’s just the kind of attention the 7-foot-3 French superstar gets on a nightly basis.
It’s only the second time Wemby has played in Toronto, given he was out last year by the time San Antonio made their East Coast road trip. Especially for these West Coast guys who only come here once per season, the fans show up.
Toronto, luckily, had its roster intact to try to deal with the size and strength Wemby brings. Scottie Barnes was cleared to play after tweaking his quad last night, and Jakob Poeltl was available after missing last night due to injury management.
One of the most intriguing decisions, though, was matching Wemby with their rookie, Collin Murray-Boyles. It makes sense, but the trust in their rookie is really fun to see. We know CMB is a beast — his strength for his level of experience is wild, and it makes sense they used him against someone like Wemby. He did really well, despite the obvious height mismatch. He also tweaked his thumb again, causing an early exit from the game in the fourth quarter. Overall though, solid performance from CMB on a juggernaut like Wemby.
Jakob Poeltl also played excellently for Toronto, and looked better than he has in a long time. He was active under the rim, doing his best to defend when he was on that low matchup, Wemby or no Wemby. He was moving well, running back on offence, and making a huge difference. His activity on the glass kept Toronto in a lot of possessions.
Things were looking good for Toronto heading into the fourth quarter; they were up by double-digits against a top team in the league, and were playing well. Despite all of that, the Raptors lost 110-107 to the Spurs.
What happened? Well, first, the Raptors started the fourth quarter without Ingram or Barnes on the court. That resulted in a 9-0 run by San Antonio, evaporating the Raptors’ lead. Despite holding Wembenyama to 12 points in the game, both Fox and Vassell scored 20+, and Dylan Harper scored 15 points off the bench. In the end, the Raptors couldn’t capitalize on some clutch opportunities to tie or win the game in the end.
Darko Rajakovic explained after the game that the Raptors’ Ingram never starts the fourth quarter, since he plays the entire third quarter. Barnes was playing on a sore quad and communicated with the coaching staff that he wanted to play fewer minutes if possible, leading to him being on the bench to start the fourth quarter. It was also the second night of a back-to-back, but if it hadn’t been, I’d probably want Ingram in there for Scottie regardless of whether he played the entire third or not. C’est la vie.
That’s the Raptors’ second loss in a row. They only have one game in the next seven days, against the Washington Wizards on Saturday, before they play the New York Knicks on Wednesday back at home.
Feb 25, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) shoots during the first quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers nearly stole one from the Milwaukee Bucks. This one ended on a Jarrett Allen hook that nearly sent the game into overtime if he had just released it 0.2 seconds earlier.
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Allen continues the best stretch of his career. This time, elevating the Cavaliers’ B-Team with his interior presence. Allen dominated the glass and put the ball in the hoop anytime his teammates passed to him. He nearly saved this game and sent it into overtime with a putback opportunity that came just a tad too late. Otherwise, it was a stellar game from JA.
Grade: A+
Jaylon Tyson
14 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals
This was a brutal shooting game from Tyson. He finished 5-16 from the floor and ended as a team worst minus-19. His efforts on the glass are commendable, but the Cavs simply needed a more efficient shooting performance and better defensive integrity from Tyson tonight.
Grade: C-
Dennis Schroder
26 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal
Schroder’s a competitor. His feisty playstyle helped turn the tide of this game in the third quarter. When the Bucks rattled off an 11-0 run, Schroder helped lead a 10-0 response for the Cavs. His dashes into the lane caused Milwaukee’s defense to scramble, and Schroder either made the correct pass or put two points on the board himself.
His final stretch in the fourth quarter was the definition of grit-and-grind. Even on a rolled ankle, Schroder kept the Cavs in stride and almost carried them to a win.
Grade: A+
Sam Merrill
14 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 turnovers
Something tells me Sam is going to feel this one in the morning. He hit the floor every other possession as the Cavs leaned on him to create more than usual. Merrill impressed me with some of his mid-range shot-making, and it’s always nice to see him turn the corner on an unsuspecting defender and finish at the rim.
That said, Merrill airballed a three-pointer and sailed a lob pass out of bounds moments later in the fourth quarter. I have to knock him for that. This was a hard-fought game that wasn’t particularly pretty.
This was the best game Ellis has played in a Cavalier uniform (so far). We’ve seen him make an impact with his defense. Tonight, he poured in four three-pointers in addition to his elite defensive instincts. Some of the steals and deflections he comes up with are absurd. And when he has it rolling from behind the line as he did tonight, it’s a special sight to see.
This is everything you want in a role player.
Grade: A+
Nae’Qwan Tomlin
2 points, 2 rebounds, 2 turnovers
The recent Qwan minutes haven’t been great. He threw some truly bad turnovers tonight and didn’t play in the second half.
Grade: F
Craig Porter Jr.
8 points, 9 assists, 2 rebounds
Porter finally returned to the rotation tonight as injuries cleared the way for him. He made the most of it, aiding Schroder in the Cavaliers’ huge third-quarter run. Porter’s downhill drives helped pull the offense out of the mud — and he threw some of the best passes to Allen all game.
Grade: A-
Dean Wade
0 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists
Wade wasn’t great tonight. He shot 0-4 from the floor, and his defense wasn’t as impactful as the Bucks’ spammed three-pointers, putting him into space and away from his size.
Grade: F
Thomas Bryant
11 points, 2 rebounds
Reliable. Bryant has stepped up and provided the Cavs with quality minutes whenever they need him.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - FEBRUARY 25: Jalen Duren #0 Pistons high fives Ausar Thompson #9 of the Detroit Pistons during the second quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Little Caesars Arena on February 25, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Nic Antaya/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Despite the Thunder missing majority of their rotation with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Willians, Isaiah Hartenstein, Chet Holmgren, Alex Caruso, and Ajay Mitchell all reported as out, they were able to hold with Detroit early as they held a 17-16 lead halfway through the first quarter. Their second and third-stringers showed up ready to play as seven different Thunder players would score in the first as they ended the quarter with a 15-2 run to lead 34-22.
Detroit’s defense was missing, but they found offense through Jalen Duren. Without both of the OKC big men, Jaylin Williams was the lone man left to handle JD. Duren’s size would prove to be a problem early as he led the team in field goal attempts along with eight points and three rebounds.
The Pistons needed a spark in the second and they found it from their 9-to-5 crew.
We saw the typical Ron Holland on defense, but it was his offensive rebounding with Paul Reed that provided extra possessions for Detroit to start clawing back against OKC. There was one sequence where the two of them had three straight boards over the Thunder team and RoHo was able to get the layup to go. It hasn’t looked pretty from three recently for Ron, but you can never doubt his effort.
I thought Ausar had a great second quarter – he came in for Caris LeVert after LeVert picked up his third foul and instantly made an impact on both ends of the floor. He had a sequence of a block pinned against the backboard into a transition alley-oop to Jalen Duren, and it was one of those moments where I was convinced no one else on the team could replicate that.
Most importantly, he did a great job of operating with the ball despite the Thunder not respecting his jumper from deep. They guarded him from the block or the free throw line at times, but he was able to attack and kick to find teammates for an open three. He was able to be patient and get to the right elbow for a jumper, a spot we know he’s much more comfortable shooting from.
Between these two and Jalen Duren continuing to feast inside, Detroit was able to reclaim the lead late in the second. They ended the half on a 10-2 run and took a 58-52 lead. Duren led the way with 18 points and seven rebounds as OKC didn’t have an answer for him down low.
The Pistons were able to extend that lead into the third quarter. They forced an Oklahoma City timeout after Cade did his best Tayshaun Prince impression with a chase-down block followed by a transition bucket from Duncan Robinson gave Detroit a double-digit lead. Newly acquired Kevin Huerter even got some minutes before the end of the quarter.
With a 94-80 lead heading into the final frame, things were looking good for Detroit in the Battle of the #1 Seeds. OKC was playing a lot of zone defense, though, Cade did a good job of picking it apart. While the Pistons relied on scoring from inside, the Thunder looked to score from deep. They were consistently shooting threes, with 10 attempts coming from Jaylin Williams who finished with a career-high 30 points. The entire team would shoot 18-for-49 from deep – Detroit’s season-high in attempts is 43.
Those OKC threes landed in the fourth quarter and they made it a five-point game with 5:30 left behind a 11-2 Thunder run. Guards Aaron Wiggins, Cason Wallace, and Jarden McCain contributed with at least 20 points each. Every time they made it close, Cade would carve up the Oklahoma City defense to keep the game just out of reach. It wasn’t the performance you’d hope to see after hearing more than half of their rotation was out, but Detroit now owns a 1-0 record over OKC this season after a 124-116 victory tonight.
It was the Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren show for Detroit as they were the focal point of the offense and were able to capitalize with the lack of interior presence for the Thunder. Both players had 29 points while Cade added 13 assists and JD had 15 rebounds. The two combined to shoot 23-for-33 (69.7%) for an incredibly efficient night. Cunningham also added in multiple highlight reel blocks as he continues to show he’s a complete, two-way hooper.
Duncan Robinson had 16 points including three threes and five free throws, three of which came in the clutch after getting fouled on an attempted three-pointer with less than two minutes left. Ausar did Ausar things tonight and finished with a stat line of 11 points, four rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and two blocks. Thompson had a great bounce back game after being benched in the second half against San Antonio.
The gauntlet of potential playoff previews continues with another primetime matchup, this time on Friday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Feb 25, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) shoots against Milwaukee Bucks center Myles Turner (3) during the first quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
The shorthanded Cleveland Cavaliers fought hard, but they ran out of steam in the fourth quarter. Cleveland had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds. Jarrett Allen grabbed a Dennis Schroder miss, but his putback hookshot came just after time expired, leading to the 118-116 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks
This game was defined by who wasn’t playing, as opposed to who was. The Cavs were without Donovan Mitchell (groin), James Harden (thumb), and Evan Mobley (calf). Meanwhile, Milwaukee didn’t have Giannis Antetokounmpo (neck) and Taurean Prince (neck). Having this much firepower in street clothes isn’t ideal, but that’s become an increasingly common reality in the NBA this season.
Unsurprisingly, this led to what was a somewhat disjointed game that had wild swings back and forth, but not necessarily because of great play, but due to having players out of their ideal roles.
Allen wasn’t one of those players. He once again showed why getting him involved should be the priority of any team he’s on, no matter who’s in or out of the lineup.
The Cavs needed a big game from Allen, and he delivered. He outplayed his counterpart, Myles Turner, as he was able to consistently push Turner off his spots. Allen controlled the glass on both ends and was the focal point of the offense, putting up 27 points on 10-15 shooting to go along with 11 boards.
Despite the strong play from Allen, it wasn’t enough to get Cleveland the victory.
The Cavs took the lead early on, and it seemed like they were going to run away with it. But Milwaukee roared back due to their hot three-point shooting. They pushed their advantage to 12 midway through the third quarter, before the Cavs closed the frame on a run to capture a one-point lead heading into the fourth.
The final quarter was a slog. Neither team could create separation.
Milwaukee took a two-point lead late thanks to a midrange jumper from Kevin Porter Jr. with 20 seconds left. The Cavs weren’t able to respond. Dennis Schroder’s game-tying runner bounced out, and Allen couldn’t put it back in before the game clock expired.
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Opponent three-point shooting once again had an outsized impact on the outcome of the game. The Oklahoma City Thunder’s hot shooting helped lead them to victory on Sunday, the New York Knicks poor shooting did them yesterday, and the Bucks’ 42.2% shooting from three helped secure them the victory. The Cavs have prioritized taking away lanes to the basket, but they may need to find a better balance as the Bucks were able to generate too many easy outside looks despite not having much on-ball juice.
The Bucks were led by 20 points from Porter Jr., Ryan Rollins contributed 18, and Kyle Kuzma chipped in 17 on 5-10 shooting from deep.
Schroder did a superb job stepping into the starting role. He provided 26 points on 8-14 shooting and made several crucial baskets late despite seemingly turning his ankle in the final minutes. Schroder also had five assists and a steal.
Keon Ellis, Sam Merrill, and Jaylon Tyson each finished with 14 points.
The Cavs have now lost two of their last three, even though it’s difficult to be too upset about this one. Three of their key players didn’t participate, and this was the tail end of a back-to-back and their fifth game in seven nights.
Cleveland will head on the road to take on the conference-leading Detroit Pistons on Friday. Tip-off is at 7 PM.
