Author: NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games

Jose Alvarado grew up playing the game in Brooklyn and starred at Christ the King HS in Queens.

So when he heard the ovation from the Madison Square Garden crowd when he checked in late in the first quarter in his home debut as a Knick, it hit him.

“It’s different,’’ Alvarado said. “Playing for the Knicks is a huge thing, but I’m literally a kid from the same streets the fans are, and to be part of everything here, it’s a blessing. It’s something I had to get used to and to get it out of the way, let’s get the ball rolling.”

As for the reaction itself, Alvarado said: “It was amazing. Being a kid from the city, for the city to show me love back, it’s one for the books. I really can’t explain it.”

Of course, the result was far from ideal, as the Knicks suffered their worst loss of the season, a 137-134 overtime dud against the awful Pacers. And Alvarado finished with just four points in 18:13, although he did have five assists.

“It’s not the outcome we wanted, but I’ll tell you this, it was a blessing to be out there,’’ Alvarado said. “I can’t wait to continue growing and getting better.”

He had a large section of fans on hand. When asked the number of people in his group, Alvarado said, “A lot.”

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“I was nervous today, for sure,” the point guard said. “There was a lot going on. I was glad I got it out the way. I can’t wait to come back and get better and win some games here.” 

And while the former Christ the King star had some good moments, he was far from his best, as the Knicks couldn’t pull away.

After sparking the Knicks to a convincing win in Boston on Sunday, Alvarado didn’t check in until there was 2:05 remaining in the first quarter.

Coming out of a Knicks timeout, Alvarado entered to a loud ovation with the team trailing by one point.

It didn’t take long for Alvarado to make an impact, first saving Jalen Brunson from a turnover and then assisting on Brunson’s 3-pointer later in the possession. He also dove into the stands to save another possession.

But there were ultimately too many mistakes by Alvarado and his teammates.

Still, there will undoubtedly be better moments in his hometown for Alvarado.

“It was always great for him to come home,’’ Joe Arbitello, Alvarado’s high school coach at Christ the King said before the game of his former player’s days with the New Orleans Pelicans. “For it to happen as a Knick brings it to another level.”

Arbitello was among those in the crowd supporting Alvarado and it’s an atmosphere the coach believes Alvarado will thrive in, even if that wasn’t the case Tuesday.

“I think he’ll be great here, just like he always is,’’ Arbitello said.

But unlike some other players who might play with added intensity in front of their home crowd, Arbitello said it might be different for the New York native.

“He’s going to be the same player he’s always been,’’ Arbitello said. “He’s going to play with the same toughness we saw from him every day in every game and every practice.”

So the spotlight of the Garden won’t change his former star?

“It doesn’t matter where he is,’’ Arbitello said. “He could be at the Garden or at a rec game. He’s going to be the same guy and play as hard as he possibly can.”

Which is why Arbitello is among the people who believe he’ll excel as a Knick and draw praise from the Garden faithful.

“If he plays like he did in New Orleans or anywhere else he’s been before now and he does it here, I think he’s gonna be a fan favorite,’’ Arbitello said. “He brings what New York fans love: toughness, hard-nosed, winning basketball. We’ve seen it for years and for it to come here, it’s gonna be electric.”

It’s not like the Golden State Warriors haven’t tried at all to build a competent team around Stephen Curry in the latter stages of his special career. Though they managed to squeeze another title out of their big 3 in 2022, the Warriors were unable to hit on ready-now draft picks that would both pave the way for the end of Curry’s career and for as new era once he left the arena for good.

Desperate to not entirely waste Curry’s final years, the franchise made a desperate move last year that brought 35-year old Jimmy Butler into the fold that actually paid some dividends before proving to be somewhat fool’s gold as this season has progressed. Things took a turn for the worst when the now 36-year old Butler, who has a long history of injuries, was lost for the rest of this year (and likely most of next) in mid January to a torn ACL, while Curry finds himself sidelined until at least after the All Star break with a runner’s knee diagnosis. Barely hanging above the .500 mark, the writing appears to be on the wall for what has been a generational run for this franchise and their superstar point guard. 

Looking to make a name for themselves as the next dominant team, the San Antonio Spurs meanwhile have wildly exceeded expectations in Victor Wembanyama’s third season. Though the Warriors aren’t playing with a full deck of cards, every night is a chance to get better for Mitch Johnson’s squad. A win tonight on a road SEGABABA heading into the All Star break would put a nice stamp on the first half of the year for San Antonio. It only gets tougher from here on out. 

San Antonio Spurs (37-16) at Golden State Warriors (29-25)

February 11, 2026 | 9:00 PM CT

Watch: ESPN, FanDuel Sports | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)

Spurs Injuries: Lindy Waters III, knee (OUT), David Jones-Garcia, OUT

Warriors Injuries: Jimmy Butler, ACL (OUT), Stephen Curry, knee (OUT), Seth Curry, back (OUT), L.J. Cryer, hamstring (OUT), Kriystaps Porzingis, OUT

What to watch for

• As has been the case the last few years, the Warriors are pretty devoid of talent and depth at center, a huge advantage for Victor Wembanyama. When looking at their roster, Golden State is actually pretty small way across the board, with just 5 players taller than 6’6” and just one healthy player that’s taller than 7’0”, second year center Quinten Post. As could be expected fielding such a small roster, the Warriors are also extremely vulnerable on the glass, ranking a meager 24th in the league in total rebounds per game. 

• Regardless of this height and size disadvantages, Steve Kerr’s group has still been able to field a top 10 defense. Golden State ranks 7th in defensive rating with a 113.2 mark. For comparison’s sake, the Spurs rank 3rd in defensive rating with a 111.9 mark. 

• Draymond Green found himself in trade rumors last week when the Warriors were attempting to position themselves to somehow land Giannis Antetokounmpo. Nothing came to fruition, but the Warriors essentially let it be known that anyone not named Stephen Curry on the team is moveable for the right deal. Green continues to be the anchor for Golden State’s defense, providing veteran leadership and toughness on that side of the ball, but his offensive limitations are probably more glaring now than at any point in his career. 

• No team in the NBA has attempted or made more 3s than Golden State this season, with both Steph and Moses Moody both having broke the 100-mark and Brandin Podziemski fast approaching it. One would think that their success from behind the arc would be in jeopardy with Curry sidelined, but that hasn’t stopped them from getting 3s up. They’re shooting 34% in the 4 games they’ve played without Curry. 

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If you’d like to, you may follow along with the game on our Twitter profile (@poundingtherock) or visit our Game Thread!

The Lakers’ home floor has long been a stage for stars. Tuesday night, it became Victor Wembanyama’s canvas.

With a performance that felt equal parts artistry and avalanche, the San Antonio Spurs rolled past a short-handed Los Angeles Lakers squad, 136–108, in a game that was effectively decided before halftime.

Wembanyama authored the kind of first half that turns heads across the league. The 7-foot-4 All-Star poured in 25 points in the opening quarter alone, scoring inside, outside and everywhere in between. Fadeaways over outstretched arms. Catch-and-shoot threes in rhythm. Swift drives that ended with soft finishes at the rim. By the time the teams walked into the locker room, Wembanyama had 37 points — finishing with 40 for the night — and the Spurs had posted 84 first-half points, the most ever surrendered by a Lakers team in a half.

The Lakers searched for answers and found none.

“I thought we started the game with the right amount of focus,” Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson said.

San Antonio’s offense moved with purpose from the opening tip. The ball zipped around the perimeter, extra passes led to open looks, and turnovers quickly turned into transition buckets. The Spurs shot better than 50 percent from the field and collected 13 steals, repeatedly turning Los Angeles mistakes into easy points the other way.

While Wembanyama delivered the headline performance, the supporting cast ensured it became a rout.

“I think the two areas where he is hard to get resistance is space and momentum,” Johnson said of the Spurs’ franchise player. “There’s things for him to learn and for us to learn with him. But I thought he did a good job tonight of playing clean offensive basketball.”

Rookie Carter Bryant knocked down shots with confidence, finishing with a career-high 16 points, while fellow rookie Dylan Harper added 15 points and six assists, attacking gaps in the defense and keeping the offense sailing with ease. San Antonio’s bench maintained the tempo, preventing any sustained Lakers push.

Los Angeles, playing without LeBron James, Luka Dončić, Marcus Smart, and Austin Reaves, struggled to generate offense. The depleted lineup showed effort but lacked the firepower to match the Spurs’ early surge. Each brief Lakers run was met with another San Antonio response, the lead swelling past 20 — and eventually past 40 — before settling at 28 by the final horn.

By the fourth quarter, the only suspense remaining was the final margin.

“Playing against ‘bad teams’ who are missing players has been a problem,” Wembanyama said. “Tonight we had to make a statement and show our progress.”

For the Spurs, the victory was more than a lopsided score line. It was a statement of growth and cohesion, a young roster blending generational talent with developing depth. When Wembanyama ignites the way he did in Los Angeles, San Antonio’s ceiling rises dramatically.

On a night when the spotlight often shines brightest on the purple and gold, it was the Spurs who owned the stage — and they left it with one of their most emphatic wins of the season.

Game Notes

• Stephon Castle went down with a pelvis contusion and did not return. While x-rays were negative, Mitch Johnson expects Castle to be “more than pretty sore” tomorrow. I think it’s a safe bet Castle will miss Wednesday’s matchup with Golden State.
• Carter Bryant posted a career-high 16 points and continues to show why Coach Johnson has faith in him. What’s funny is the fans who wanted to trade for a good 4 or better wing player may already have that in Carter. The second half of the season will be huge for him.
• Harrison Barnes had a good night off the bench, scoring 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting. He may not be able to start, but he is a solid player with the second unit.
• The lone sore spot for the Spurs offensively may have been Julian Champagnie, who shot 28 percent for the night.

The Knicks have not made any announcements regarding Miles McBride’s surgery, but a timetable has emerged. 

He had his surgery for a sports hernia Friday, The Post confirmed. His expected recovery timetable is 6-8 weeks, according to a league source. 

That is a bit quicker than two experts The Post spoke with believe, who said full recovery for that type of surgery is usually 10-12 weeks. 

McBride’s timetable would give him a chance to return for the end of the regular season. 

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OG Anunobymissed his third straight game in the Knicks’ 137-134 overtime loss to the Pacers on Tuesday night at the Garden.

The Knicks have changed his injury description from a sore toe to toenail avulsion. 

Landry Shamet started in his place and recorded 17 points. 

Mitchell Robinson was also out, with it being the first leg of a back-to-back. 

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Josh Hart had a triple-double in Tuesday’s loss, recording 15 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. 

It was his 17th with the Knicks, moving him up past Richie Guerin — who had 16 — to third on the franchise’s all-time list. 

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Jayson Tatum’s potential availability could have major Knicks ramifications in the playoffs. 

When he tore his Achilles in the playoffs against the Knicks last year, it was hard to fathom him playing this season for the Celtics. But he practiced with the Celtics G-League team Tuesday, a major step forward in his rehab. 

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“It doesn’t mean that I’m coming back or I’m not, just following the plan,” said Tatum.

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Mike Breen, the lead Knicks play-by-play announcer, called his first Knicks game since Jan. 19.

He had been away for over three weeks due to his ESPN responsibilities.

The NBA announced in January that the league has expansion plans, in partnership with FIBA, to introduce a new league in Europe as early as 2027. It has already began to draw interest from investors who want in on the new league.

An investment group backed by Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic and basketball Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki have plans to buy an Italian basketball team with hopes of joining the NBA-European league, according to The Athletic.

Bronny James saw some game action as the Los Angeles Lakers were without five starters in a 136-108 loss against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday, Feb. 10.

James logged 25 minutes of playing time in the blowout loss, as the Lakers played without Luka Doncic (hamstring), Austin Reaves (left calf), LeBron James (foot), Marcus Smart (right ankle) and Deandre Ayton (knee).

He scored a season-high 12 points on 50% shooting from the field, including a perfect two-for-two from deep. James added three rebounds and a block on the evening.

James also dished out a team-high six assists including a showtime alley-oop toss to rookie Adou Thiero, who went up top to slam it down with two hands.

James was assigned to the G-League following Lakers' Feb. 7 win against the Golden State Warriors. However, he was recalled, along with Thiero and Dalton Knecht ahead of Monday's 119-110 loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

James is averaging 1.9 points, 1.1 assists, 0.4 rebounds and 0.4 steals in 6.8 minutes per game. He's appeared in 27 games for the Lakers in the 2025-26 regular-season.

WEMBY GOES OFF: Spurs star sets team record vs. Lakers

Bronny James stats:

Here is Bronny James' stat line vs the Spurs:

• Points: 12
• Rebounds: 3
• Assists: 6
• Field goal %: 5-for-10 (50%)
• 3-point field goal %: 2-for-2 (100%)
• Blocks: 1
• Steals: 0
• Turnovers: 2

Bronny James highlights:

This might be Bronny’s best End-to-End, continuous sequence of his NBA Career.

Gets the Block, then sizes up Olynyk for the PU 3. 😮‍💨
pic.twitter.com/F5QMEkLI91

— Lakers Legacy (@LakersLegacyPod) February 11, 2026

Bronny in his bag

Hand down, man down 🔥

pic.twitter.com/TlwjrmgYpz

— Mark Jackson’s Burner (@casualtakeking) February 11, 2026

Welcome Back, Adou Thiero.

Thiero Gravity a Breath of Fresh Air. ✈️ ☁️
pic.twitter.com/PmETIEEylw

— Lakers Legacy (@LakersLegacyPod) February 11, 2026

WEMBY VS. BRONNY 🍿

Wemby was called for an offensive foul 👀 pic.twitter.com/ZajeFSXwZI

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 11, 2026

Lakers vs. Spurs highlights

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bronny James scores season-high after rejoining Lakers

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Graham Ike had 20 points and seven rebounds, Davis Fogle scored 17 off the bench and No. 12 Gonzaga routed Washington State 83-53 on Tuesday night for its ninth straight victory over the Cougars.

Mario Saint-Supery and Adam Miller added 11 points apiece for the Bulldogs (24-2, 12-1 West Coast Conference), who tied Santa Clara atop the league standings. The teams meet Saturday with first place on the line.

Jerone Morton scored 15 points while Ace Glass and Rihards Vavers each had 12 for Washington State (11-16, 6-8), also blown out at home by Gonzaga in January.

The Cougars were hampered by 39% shooting from the field and 21 turnovers. Gonzaga shot 55% and committed 12 turnovers.

Washington State's last win over Gonzaga came in 2010, though the Cougars own a 98-56 advantage in a series that began in 1907. Gonzaga has dominated since the turn of the century.

The Zags took control early, going on a 12-2 run midway through the first half to grab a 29-13 lead as WSU committed five turnovers in a four-minute span.

The Cougars did not make a field goal for six minutes as Gonzaga pushed its lead to 33-15 on Fogle's dunk.

Gonzaga led 48-21 at halftime, thanks to 62% shooting from the field. Washington State shot just 26%, including 2 of 15 from 3-point range. The Cougars committed 11 turnovers that led to 17 points for Gonzaga.

The Zags had 21 field goals in the first half, while the Cougars sank only six.

Up next

Washington State hosts Pacific on Feb. 18.

Gonzaga plays at Santa Clara on Saturday night.

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Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

When the Lakers opened their homestand with back-to-back wins over the 76ers and Warriors, giving them a three-game winning streak for the first time in a month, it looked like they were primed to head into the All-Star break with momentum on their side.

Forty-eight hours can change a lot.

Because once it became clear they’d be without most of their main players on Tuesday night against the San Antonio Spurs, with Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves among the players who were in street clothes on the team’s bench, it was all but certain that the Lakers were going to drop back-to-back games after losing to the first-place Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night.

And Spurs star Victor Wembanyama ensured that would be the case, recording a game-best 40 points (13-of-20 shooting) to go with 12 rebounds en route to handing the Lakers a 136-108 defeat at Crypto.com Arena. 

Dendre Ayton and Marcus Smart were also sidelined for the Lakers.

With the Lakers short-handed, Luke Kennard and Drew Timme led the under-manned team with 14 points apiece.

But the Spurs carved up their defense with ease, shooting 56.5% from the field. 

What it means

The Lakers dropped to 32-21 on the season, but maintained their No. 5 spot in the Western Conference standings because they own the tiebreaker over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

They’re looking to avoid their third three-game losing streak since mid-December. 

Turning point

At 1:06 p.m. on Tuesday.

That’s when the Lakers announced they’d be without Doncic, James, Reaves and Smart.

And an hour before tipoff, Ayton was ruled out, sidelined with what could potentially be their starting lineup when fully healthy. 

MVP: Victor Wembanyama

If there were any doubts about what the result of Tuesday’s game would be after it became clear who the Lakers would be without, Wembanyama quickly erased them.

The 7-foot-4 French phenom scored 23 of the Spurs’ first 28 points, and exactly half of the first 46 points of the game between the Lakers and Spurs. 

He had 25 first-quarter points through the game’s first eight minutes before being subbed out.

Wembanyama’s first-quarter scoring total was tied for the 10th-most in the play-by-play era (1996-97 season), with his eight minutes in the opening frame being the fewest among those 16 players who’ve scored at least 25 points in a first quarter.

Stat of the game: 26

That’s how many minutes Wembanyama needed to match his season-high scoring total. 

He became the third player in league history to score at least 40 points in fewer than 27 minutes, joining Patrick Ewing (1988) and “Sleepy” Floyd (1991).

It was the second-fewest minutes in a 40-point, 10-rebound game behind Ewing. 

Up next

The Lakers will continue their homestand, and play their final game before the All-Star break, when they host the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday.

The Mavericks have lost eight straight games, with their losing streak starting when they fell to the Lakers on Jan. 24 in Dallas.

The significantly undermanned Lakers were overwhelmed by the Spurs in a 136-108 loss on Tuesday night. It’s the second loss in a row with one more game left until the All-Star break. 

The game started as we all expected, with Victor Wembanyama dominating. After a 3-pointer from Julian Champagnie to open the scoring for San Antonio, Wemby scored 17 straight points.

Kobe Bufkin had five points, while another welcome sight for LA was Jake LaRavia draining two 3-pointers.

Wemby was unstoppable, though, and finished the quarter with a ridiculous 25 points. The Spurs were shooting 66% from the field, while the Lakers shot 50%.

Despite being down big, LA had a balanced scoring effort with everyone except Maxi Kleber and Jarred Vanderbilt putting some points on the board. 

Going into the second period, Los Angeles was down by 17. 

San Antonio started the second quarter, continuing their offensive onslaught with an instant 6-0 scoring run.

LaRavia was the first Laker in double figures with 10 points. However, he also had four fouls. The rest of the quarter was cardio, with a few spots here and there of decent offense from the Lakers that didn’t do a single thing to cut into the deficit. 

At halftime, the purple and gold were down by 29 while Wemby had 37 points.

WEMBY ALLEY-OOP FOR 35 PTS ‼️

He finished the first half with 37 PTS… The most by a player in the opening half this season! pic.twitter.com/Drxms1J2oa

— NBA (@NBA) February 11, 2026

Rui Hachimura started the third period with a jumper for LA. The Spurs converted on three 3-pointers, two of which were from Harrison Barnes. LaRavia’s night was over quickly as he fouled out with 10 points. 

Wemby had been scoreless for the first half of the quarter, but ended up draining a 3-pointer to hit 40 points for the night shortly before checking out.

Los Angeles did go on a nice 8-2 scoring run as the quarter ended. Kennard led LA with 14 points, while Hayes was close behind with 13 points. Going into the final frame, the Spurs were up by 34.

The fourth quarter saw both teams bringing in the depths of their benches to close out the final 12 minutes. Adou Thiero was back from injury and threw down an impressive dunk off an assist from Bronny James.

LA’s youngins put on a fun show, going on a 15-2 scoring run, until San Antonio’s bench responded with a 9-0 run to restore their dominant order. 

Key Player Stats

Kennard had 14 points with five assists. Hayes ended with 13 points, four rebounds and three assists. LaRavia finished with 10 points and two rebounds before fouling out.

Bufkin pitched in with seven points and two rebounds. Drew Timme notched 14 points, going 5-8 from the field. Bronny James put up 12 points with six assists. 

The Lakers’ next matchup will be against the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday at 7:00 PM PT.

You can follow Karin on Twitter at @KarinAbcarians.

San Antonio started its Rodeo Road Trip by displacing the Boston Celtics with the highest scoring half (84 to 83) by an opponent in Lakers’ franchise history on the way to a blowout win. Los Angeles, missing Luka Doncic, Lebron James, and Austin Reaves, could not stop Wembanyama from putting up a Gervin-like 25 point first quarter and 37 for the half in 18 total minutes. The Spurs surpassed 30+ points over the first three quarters, while keeping their field goal percentage well above 50% and nabbing 13 steals. The only down moment of the night came late in the first half, when Stephon Castle impressively turned away a Laker transition dunk at the rim, but fell awkwardly on his backside and didn’t return.

Victor Wembanyama (40 points and 12 rebounds) had a comically easy time generating his numbers tonight in comparison to some of his recent physical battles to push San Antonio to 17-10 on the road. Rookie Carter Bryant (16 points and 4 rebounds) continued his recent string of solid games, while fellow rookie Dylan Harper (15 points and 6 assists) shined just as brightly. Harrison Barnes (11 points and 3 steals) had a solid night off the bench.

Luke Kennard (14 points and 5 assists) and Jaxson Hayes (13 points and 4 rebounds) paced the Lakers in defeat. With a boxscore resembling an 80s backup center, Jake LaRavia finished with 10 points and 6 fouls.

Wembanyama scored 17 of San Antonio’s first 20 points with extraordinary creativity and accuracy, while Los Angeles struggled to find any movement and space. The Lakers looked like they were figuring out pre-season assignments during that initial Wemby-lanche. The impressive thing was that the Spurs drew Los Angeles into the foul bonus within minutes to expand out the offensive repertoire. Los Angeles started seeing its shots fall – enabling them to stay within 10-14 points. While Wembanyama sat, Keldon Johnson muscled home two lay-ups, Harper dribbled circles around his defenders, and a Kornet reverse tip-in made it 47-30.

San Antonio made sure to not play with its food and continued to add to its cushion through much of the second quarter. Wembanyama continued to feast from the interior while the standout guards – Fox, Harper, and Bryant – helped get the lead to as much as 30. Bryant, in particular, played the role of confident lead guard (especially after Castle went to the locker room after a tough fall) and the Spurs went to the half up 84-55.

San Antonio started the second half with consecutive threes from Harrison Barnes and Devin Vassell, but wasted several of possessions after. Kennard’s corner three did bring Los Angeles square with the Spurs for the period. Wembanyama continued his dominant offense over several minutes before the teams emptied their benches as the San Antonio lead stretched to 40.

Observations

• What the h*** just happened Sequence: Midway through the second period and off a Spur steal, Fox kept it for himself on a 4-on-1 lay-up. On the ensuing steal, Fox made like he was going to take it in himself again, but threw a off-the-backboard lob for a Wembanyama slam.
• It was nice to see Wembanyama start in the baseline / dunker spot in the first minute – he received a nice pass from Champagnie to draw two fouls at the rim. (This was before all of the following awesomeness happened).
• Barnes, upon entering the action late in the first, sought out his offense – hitting a fadeaway in the lane. Could he be fill the role of series-changing bench contributor?
• Right after Bronny James airballed a stepback by several feet, my wife quips “they should put him in the G-League.”
• The LA broadcast was advertising a ‘2 free tacos if the Lakers win’ offer well into the first half.
• Drew Timme (14 points), future Spurs assistant coach.
• I was really happy to see Marcus Smart on the injury report. He is always good for 2-3 excessive fouls per game.
• Carter Bryant is doing things: Late in the first half, Bryant, who could have given up on a drive, instead ripped the ball away from an unsuspecting Laker, drove into traffic, and whipped a pass out to Barnes for a three.
• Carter Bryant is doing things: As an exclamation to an 84 point first half, Wembanyama – from the left block – found a cutting Bryant for a monstrous two-hand jam.
• Bryant has the most flamboyant Spur rebounding form since Kevin Willis.
• Sequence of the Game #1: Between the 11 and the 8 minute mark of the opening stanza, Wembanyama put up the quickest 17 points of his career.
• Sequence of the Game #2:. San Antonio’s first two points of the second period came in transition on a perfectly exsecuted 2-man fastbreak between Fox (lobber) and Harper (dunker).
• Sequence of the Game #3: Vassell knocked down a Kobe-like turnaround on Kennard late in the third; then stole an intended pass for Kennard and glided down the court for a dunk.

Game Rundown

After a Champagnie baseline three on the first possession, Wembanyama scored the next 17 in rapid and dominant succession for San Antonio. The Lakers were hesitant and tentative – missing often from distance. Outside of Bufkin’s two baskets, the Lakers fell behind by double-digits. Fox was the first Spur other than the previous two to get into the boxscore. LaRavia hit his shots to keep things interesting over the remainder of the quarter. In the final four Wemby-less minutes, San Antonio increased its advantage and exited the first up 17.

At the start of the second, Fox and Harper formed a solid battery – Fox fed for a Harper lob, then Fox fed for a Harper reverse. Bryant got in on the action with a power dunk to make it 53-30 with Stu Lantz lamenting “the Lakers looking at a TERRIBLE scoreboard.” LaRavia, picked up his fourth foul with over 9+ minutes left. Bryant bricked an open corner three, but confidently knocked down his next one seconds later. A baseline floater by Wembanyama made it 70-40. Castle had a spectacular chasedown block of a Hachimura dunk but had a difficult fall in the process. Wembanyama walked Kennard in for a Nerf dunk; then fed Bryant in the corner for a Danny Green three. LaRavia picked up his FIFTH FOUL with six seconds in the half, and the Spurs went to the break up 28.

Barnes and Vassell led off San Antonio’s scoring in the third with triples. LaRavia hilariously picked up his sixth foul with 7:43 in the third! Wembanyama’s wing three got the Spurs to 100 and himself to 40 – effectively ending the night for him. Harper’s transition and-1 pushed the Spur lead to 40 and San Antonio accomplished its goals of avoiding any more injuries while maintaining sufficient cushion to rest its starters for Wednesday’s tilt with Golden State, .

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For the Lakers fan’s perspective, please visit Silver Screen and Roll.

San Antonio has a road SEGABABA with Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors Wednesday night at 9:00 PM CDT.

San Antonio Spurs All-Star center Victor Wembanyama went off against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, Feb. 10 at Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles.

Wembanyama dropped a Spurs-record 37 points in the first half of a 136-108 blowout against the Lakers, who were without five starters — Luka Doncic (hamstring), Austin Reaves (left calf), LeBron James (foot), Marcus Smart (right ankle) and Deandre Ayton (knee).

During the first half, Wembanyama shot an efficient 12-of-17 from the field, including three made 3-pointers. In addition, he pulled down eight rebounds.

Wembanyama's 37 points are the most in any half of a regular-season game by a Spurs player in the play-by-play era (since the 1997-98 season). Wemby got off to a hot start, scoring 25 points in the first quarter, missing just one shot on 8-of-9 shooting.

Victor Wembanyama sits out most of second half

Wembanyama added a 3-pointer in the third quarter with 4:34 remaining to give himself 40 points. Shortly thereafter, he was subbed out of the game with the Spurs holding a commanding 100-68 lead.

It's his sixth career 40-point game and his second of the 2025-26 regular season. Wembanyama scored 40 during the Spurs' season-opener against the Dallas Mavericks.

Wembanyama's career-high is 50 points, which he eclipsed on Nov. 13, 2024 against the Washington Wizards.

Highlights: Victor Wembanyama nets Spurs' record

Victor Wembanyama stats vs. Lakers

• Points: 40
• FG: 13-for-20 (4-for-6 from 3-point line)
• Free Throws: 10-for-12
• Rebounds: 12
• Assists: 2
• Steals: 2
• Blocks: 1
• Turnovers: 4
• Fouls: 0
• Minutes: 26

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Wemby points, highlights: Spurs star hits stats milestone vs. Lakers

Luka Dončić has always dreamt big. He left his home country of Slovenia as a boy to chase greatness at Real Madrid. He became an NBA prodigy at the age of 19 with the Dallas Mavericks. A global superstar when he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers last winter. And now, he wants to be the owner of a professional basketball team.

In an exclusive report from The New York Times, Dončić is reportedly part of an investor group, spearheaded by former Dallas Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson, seeking to bring a franchise to Rome as part of the NBA’s bold new venture, NBA Europe.

Yes, Rome.

The Eternal City. The Colosseum. A market dripping in history and starving for top-tier professional basketball.

Nelson, 63, is the son of former NBA coach and executive Don Nelson, and was the architect of the 2018 draft-night trade to acquire Dončić from the Atlanta Hawks. According to The New York Times report, Nelson’s investment group has a preliminary agreement to purchase Vanoli Basket Cremona, a northern Italian club that holds a coveted Serie A license.

That license is the golden key. Any team in the new NBA Europe League must also compete domestically, and Cremona’s spot in Italy’s top league provides the legal and structural foothold.

From there, the real play begins.

Sources told The New York Times, that the group would establish a new franchise roughly 330 miles south in Rome, a city NBA commissioner Adam Silver has identified as a cornerstone market for the league’s projected 2027 launch. Rome currently has no top-division basketball team — a sleeping giant in a sports economy that understands spectacle and legacy better than most capitals on Earth.

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Silver’s NBA Europe project is not a side hustle. With projected buy-ins reportedly exceeding $1 billion in markets like London, this is high finance meets hardwood ambition. Investment heavyweights — Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, RedBird Capital, Sixth Street, Blackstone, Arctos — have circled. JP Morgan and the Raine Group are helping structure the gold rush.

Dončić, born in Ljubljana and raised in Madrid’s basketball cathedral, is no stranger to the European basketball market. He is the perfect spokesperson and embodiment of the global model Silver is trying to institutionalize. He isn’t just investing in a team. He’s investing in infrastructure, access and the next generation of European phenoms who won’t need to detour through someone else’s system.

And Dončić is not alone, former San Antonio Spurs point guard, and French native, Tony Parker, owns ASVEL, a team near the city of Lyon that is expected to join NBA Europe as well. Even former Lakers champion Pau Gasol is interested in a leadership role in the new league.

However, ownership rules for active NBA players remain unsettled. Conflicts of interest must be ironed out. Serie A mandates a two-year waiting period before a relocated franchise can change its name. But none of that feels insurmountable for Nelson and Dončić. 

If this Rome franchise materializes, it won’t just be another expansion team. It will be a declaration that the European basketball ecosystem is no longer a feeder system.

It’s a marketplace.

And Luka Dončić intends to own a piece of it.

The Knicks were riding high the last few weeks to the tune of nine wins in 10 games, thanks to crisp offense and improved defense. However, the Knicks have now lost two of their last three games, including an OT loss on Tuesday night at home against the 13-win Pacers.

New York's defensive turnaround was key to the Knicks' recent winning ways and the lack thereof was the reason they lost to Indiana.

“Tonight it wasn’t there, at least not at the level that it has been," head coach Mike Brown said of the team's defense after the loss.

And he's not wrong. The Pacers shot 51.5 percent from the field, including 40 percent from three, in the 137-34 victory. The Knicks could not defend the three-point line or stay in front of any ball-handler for the majority of the four-plus quarters.

While the Knicks kept up offensively, allowing the lowly Pacers to hang with them allowed their Eastern Conference rival to build confidence. That confidence was mentioned a few times by multiple players after the loss. 

"Defensively, they had a rhythm early and they kept their confidence," Jalen Brunson said. "Kept the rhythm throughout the entire game."

"We started off the first couple of minutes, we started playing well, but then we let them get a little comfortable," Josh Hart added. 

“We didn’t do a great job of getting into their airspace," Brown punctuated. "We did do a little better job in the second half, but by then they were confident.”

The Knicks took a 33-32 lead after the first frame, but red flags were all over the opening quarter. The Pacers shot 50 percent from the field and were 7 of 16 from three (44 percent). That continued in the second quarter as Indiana shot 52 percent and 44 percent from long distance to go into halftime only down 69-63. 

"They had tough shots and they made threes and on the other side, we didn't make enough threes to combat the amount of shots they were hitting from the three," Karl-Anthony Towns said. "We didn't reach that standard of defense that we have shown in recent and it came back to bite us today."

That defensive standard has been present for the Knicks of late. 

On Sunday, the Knicks held the Celtics to just 37 percent shooting and a minuscule 17 percent from three in the win. In the previous seven games, New York held their opponents to 101 points or less five times (all wins). The Knicks were without OG Anunoby (toe) and Mitchell Robinson (injury management) on Tuesday, but Brunson didn't see their absence as an excuse for the lack of defense. Instead, the All-Star guard pointed to what he and his teammates lacked. 

"[We need to] just be a little bit more physical. They were in the rhythm," he said. "Pick up our intensity on the ball with our physicality and stuff like that, and off-ball, they're moving really freely tonight, and they were in the rhythm all night."

But despite the lack of defense, the Knicks had their opportunities to claim victory. 

In regulation, the Knicks had chances to take the lead, especially Brunson -- who had a game-high 40 points -- shot poorly in crunch time, going 2 of 7 from the field in the fourth quarter, including missing shots he usually makes in the final few minutes. And even on the final possession, Landry Shamet had an open three-point attempt for the win in the waning seconds, but missed.

"Down the stretch, lack of execution. We gotta make sure at the end of the game, fourth quarter overtime is a little bit different," Hart said. "You can't just run fast, but you got to be able to slow it down and execute, and call plays and get guys in good situations, and areas to be successful. I feel like that's what we're kind of lacking."

"[The Pacers] did a great job offensively. We tried to, you know, tighten up as the game went along, which we did, but it just wasn't quite enough to get it done," Brown said. "We had plenty of opportunity down the stretch to get it done, but when you give a team life from the beginning like we did, it's gonna be hard."

New York doesn't have much time to dwell on the loss as they'll travel to Philadelphia to take on the 76ers on the second of a back-to-back on Wednesday.

The Phoenix Suns’ fast start was too much for the Dallas Mavericks to overcome in the Suns’ 120-111 win. It was a game of extended runs; the Suns led by as many as 31, 61-30, but the Mavericks showed competitive fire and spirit and still made it a game in the fourth quarter. Dillon Brooks led the Suns in scoring with 23 points; he scored 15 in the first quarter. It was a night where everyone on the Suns impacted winning in different ways.

Seven different Suns players scored in double figures. Oso Ighodaro continues to improve on a game-by-game basis and finished his night with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Jalen Green scored 12 points and pushed the Suns ahead early in the first quarter. Ryan Dunn had his best night in months; he scored 12 points and knocked in two of his three 3-point shots. Booker finished with 19 points, O’Neale finished with 12 points, and Williams finished with 13 points and eight rebounds. 

It was a quiet 5-point night for Collin Gillespie; instead of scoring, he did everything else. He had nine rebounds, eight assists, and made crucial winning plays. He did all the little things the Suns needed at the end of the game when the Mavericks were making their run.

After a Brooks missed pull-up jumper with 3:50 to play and the Suns up nine points, it looked like the Mavericks would have the opportunity to continue their run. The ball bounced directly into a crowd of three Mavericks players, and Gillespie was the only Sun amongst the three. But Gillespie stripped the rebound away, and it bounced off a Dallas player’s leg, and the Suns retained possession. The Suns scored on the next play as Brooks kept his head down and drove to the rim to put the Suns up 11 and force a Mavericks timeout. 

The other winning play from Gillespie occurred with under a minute, with the Suns up 120-111. Booker airballed a three-pointer, Williams saved it in, and Gillespie sprinted and dived for the loose ball. Jordan Ott immediately called a timeout, and the Suns sealed the game because of Gillespie’s hustle.

On a night when Dallas got to the free-throw line 44 times, and the Suns got there just nine times, the Suns made just enough threes and got just enough rebounds to overcome a historical free throw desparity and win.

DILLON BROOKS IS ON AN ABSOLUTE HEATER.

15 POINTS TO START THE GAME IN Q1.

🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/OQkrNZ3BAu

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) February 11, 2026

For Dallas, Cooper Flagg scored 27, and Naji Marshall scored 31 on a ridiculous 12-of-17 night from the field in the losing effort.

Game Flow

First Half 

The Suns jumped the Mavericks early with a quick 9-to-1 run. Mark Williams had an open dunk followed up by an early Devin Booker three. But the story of the first quarter was Dillon Brooks, who scored 15 points on 7-for-9 shooting from the field. When Brooks has it going like that, offense is pretty simple: get him the ball and get out of the way. He has been a midrange killer this season, and his intensity to start the game was too much for a Mavericks team that had lost seven straight games coming into Mortgage Matchup Center. Jalen Green also played well in the first quarter; he scored 9 points and had an assist, and it all was in the flow of the Suns’ offense. The Suns finished the quarter up 36-16 after a dominant first quarter. 

DILLON BROOKS IS ON AN ABSOLUTE HEATER.

15 POINTS TO START THE GAME IN Q1.

🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/OQkrNZ3BAu

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) February 11, 2026

The second quarter was more of the same for the Suns. The bench unit took complete control of the game for the first six minutes of the quarter with its effort and movement. The lead ballooned up to 31 at 61-30, led by Oso Ighodaro. Ighodaro has gone from a fringe rotation player coming into this season to one of the most important players on this roster. He continues to grow within Jordan Ott’s system every game. The Suns’ newcomer, Amir Coffey, got some run in the second quarter and contributed positively; he scored 5 points and had an assist. points, the Suns had the rare opportunity to take full control of the game to close the half, but the Mavericks duo of Naji Marshall and Cooper Flagg engineered an 18-3 run to get Dallas back to a 14-point deficit before a Royce O’Neale corner pocket 3-point shot gave the Suns a little momentum going into halftime ahead 65-48.

Second Half

The Suns kept the status quo in the third quarter as Booker got more involved, scoring 10 points. Williams made his presence felt by finishing off dump-off passes and post-ups. The Mavericks hung around with Flagg getting to the free throw line and Marshall attacking the basket. The Mavericks’ recent deadline acquisition, Khris Middleton, got in on the action as well, hitting multiple midrange pull-ups to round out the Mavericks scoring. It was a back and forth quarter that the Suns led 96-75 after three quarters of play.

Unlike the second quarter, the Suns’ bench struggled in the fourth quarter. The Mavericks got every whistle in the fourth quarter, and Flagg and Marshall continued to score. They were attacking the rim relentlessly, and even Mark Williams’ long arms could not stop the dynamic duo that Flagg and Marshall were this evening. The Suns also were slipping on their fundamentals as well, giving up multiple second-chance baskets to Marvin Bagley III, causing Ott to call multiple timeouts to stop the bleeding. 

With a 115-109 lead, the Suns were in control, but it was uncomfortable watching another lead slip away. In this game, the Suns got the ball to their two best players, Booker and Brooks, and let them close it out. The Suns spread the floor and let Booker hunt for mismatches on back-to-back possessions. The first possession, a patented midrange pullup going to his right around the elbow, and on the next possession, he drew a foul on Middleton to get to the free-throw line. Refusing to let Booker beat them again, Dallas threw traps at Booker, but he found the right outlets, and the ball swung to Brooks, who made the biggest shot of the night to give the Suns a commanding 120-111 lead. 

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Up Next

Quick turnaround for the Phoenix Suns, who welcome the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander-less Oklahoma City Thunder into the Mortgage Matchup Center Wednesday at 7 pm Arizona time, the last game before the All-Star break. 

AHMEDABAD, India (AP) — Afghanistan won the toss and sent 2024 runner-up South Africa in to bat Wednesday in the crunch Group D game at cricket’s Twenty20 World Cup.

South Africa won its opening game over Canada. Afghanistan lost its opener to New Zealand and needs a win to maintain its chances of progressing to the Super Eights from a group containing three highly-ranked teams. Only the top two teams in each of the four groups will advance.

New Zealand is 2-0 and leads the group.

Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan said it was his IPL home ground is a good pitch to bowl first on and he prefers to chase a target. Afghanistan was the surprising semifinalist at the 2024 World Cup before losing to South Africa in that tournament in the Caribbean and United States.

South Africa made one lineup change, with left-arm orthodox spinner George Linde replacing fast bowling allrounder Corbin Bosch.

For Afghanistan, left-arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmad was called in to replace medium pace bowler Ziaur Rahman.

In later games Wednesday, Australia is due to play its tournament-opening game against Ireland in Group B and England is against West Indies in Group C.

The tournament's biggest group-stage rivalry is back on after unbeaten Pakistan reversed its decision to boycott and will go ahead with the Group A game against India on Sunday.

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Lineups:

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan (captain), Fazalhaq Farooqi, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

South Africa: Aiden Markram (captain), Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, George Linde, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi.

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