Category: Basketball

Unrivaled, a league full of firsts, has announced the second trade—and first in-season trade—in league history.

On Monday morning, the league announced that Courtney Williams has been traded from Vinyl BC to Breeze BC, Saniya Rivers from Hive BC to Vinyl BC and Azurá Stevens from Rose BC to Hive BC. The trade comes in the wake of Aari McDonald’s season ending right leg injury; McDonald had only played one game for Breeze.

Trade Alert 🚨 pic.twitter.com/EuNt3eFknh

— Unrivaled Basketball (@Unrivaledwbb) February 9, 2026

The conditions of the four-club deal are definite yet confusing. Per Unrivaled’s announcement, Breeze doesn’t seem to be forfeiting anything for Williams. The league also didn’t announce anyone going to Rose in return for Stevens. However, it is worth noting that Clare Duwelius serves as the lone general manager of Unrivaled; clubs do not have individual GMs. Transactions, thus, do not abide by the typical protocol or processes of WNBA trades.

The first Unrivaled trade came prior to Season 1, when Courtney Williams, Jackie Young, Tiffany Hayes and Natasha Cloud were swapped in a similar multi-team deal. This Season 2 deal thus makes Williams the first veteran of the 3×3 trade market.

With Breeze, Rose, Vinyl, and Hive respectively occupying spots No. 4 through No. 7 in the league’s current standings, the four-team deal doesn’t project to shake up the top of the league. However, it gives the Breeze a notable boost at the guard spot behind Paige Bueckers. That extra backcourt depth could be enough to make up some ground on the league leaders, especially considering they didn’t give up anything for Williams.

Vinyl is adding a highlight defender in Saniya Rivers, improving an already solid team defense. Vinyl is also one of the league’s tallest teams, a trend that Rivers, a 6-foot-1 guard, will fit. Vinyl, however, will have to put a larger burden of playmaking on Rhyne Howard and Erica Wheeler in the absence of Williams.

Unrivaled’s Saniya Rivers already settling in with Vinyl BC after being traded from Hive BC. 💿🖤

(via vinylbc | threads) pic.twitter.com/ksZNlhJpAS

— haus hoops | wbb (@haushoops) February 9, 2026

Stevens, now en route to the Hive, had a hot start to Unrivaled Season 2, but her production had quickly withered in the past two weeks, in part due to injury issues. Coming off a one-possession win, Hive will hope that she can reprise her scoring as they try to make a push in the waning half of the season. Ezi Magbegor is also dealing with an injury, giving Stevens a chance to inherit big minutes for her new team. Sans Stevens, Rose will have to add a developmental player if any of their players miss a game. Their current roster sits at just five players, and the developmental pool can be triggered when a team drops below five.

VILLARREAL, Spain (AP) — Villarreal scored twice in each half to hammer Espanyol 4-1 in La Liga and hand the Catalan club its heaviest defeat of the season on Monday.

The result ended a poor run which had seen Villarreal take one point from its previous three games. The win lifted it to equal on points with third-placed Atletico Madrid and seven ahead of Real Betis, although Villareal has a game in hand on both.

Georges Mikautadze gave Villarreal the lead 10 minutes before halftime when he met Tajon Buchanan's perfectly cushioned header and fired home a spectacular scissor kick.

Jose Salinas’ own goal six minutes later doubled Villarreal’s lead. Nicolas Pepe added the third five minutes into the second half when he rifled a low shot from outside the box after some skilful footwork.

Alberto Moleiro made it 4-0 five minutes later when he finished off an incisive counterattack.

Leandro Cabrera’s glancing header from a Cyril Ngonge corner with two minutes remaining was Espanyol’s only response.

Barcelona-based Espanyol has not won since before Christmas and has gone six matches without a win in the league. Monday's result marked the first time this season it conceded four goals in a game. It remained in sixth place.

___

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

DETROIT (AP) — Daniss Jenkins has earned an NBA contract with the Detroit Pistons, who signed the guard on Monday after he played 42 games this season on a two-way deal.

Jenkins is averaging eight points and three assists as a key player for the Eastern Conference -leading Pistons. In seven starts, he has averaged 15.3 points, 6.7 assists and 3.1 rebounds.

The 6-foot-4 Jenkins, who is from Dallas, played in seven games last season as an undrafted free agent after playing for St. John's, Iona and Pacific.

___

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

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Clippers continue to await the results of the NBA's investigation of a business relationship between Kawhi Leonard and a California company he had an endorsement deal with.

Last September, a report by journalist Pablo Torre alleged the team violated the NBA’s salary cap rules involving a $28 million endorsement contract between Leonard and the now-bankrupt California-based sustainability services company called Aspiration Fund Adviser LLC.

Leonard has denied any wrongdoing, saying he didn't receive all of the money he was owed from the company.

The Clippers have strongly denied that any rules were broken and said it welcomed the league’s investigation, which is being run by an outside firm.

“We haven’t learned anything more than we have in September,” Lawrence Frank, president of basketball operations, said Monday. “We know it’s out there, we know at some point there’ll be a decision made. We very much feel the same thing that we told you back in September, that we’re on the right side of this. It really doesn’t impact anything we do on a daily basis.”

The Clippers are hosting this weekend’s NBA All-Star festivities at their year-old arena in Inglewood.

Clippers owner Steve Ballmer made a $50 million investment in Aspiration, and the company and the team announced a $300 million partnership in September 2021. That was about a month after Leonard signed a four-year, $176 million extension with the Clippers.

The team ended its relationship with Aspiration after two years, saying the contract was in default. Aspiration’s co-founder, Joseph Sanberg, agreed to plead guilty in August after facing federal charges of wire fraud. Prosecutors said he defrauded investors and lenders out of $248 million, adding that “Aspiration’s financial statements were inaccurate and reflected much higher revenue than the company in fact received.”

Aspiration owed Leonard about $7 million of the $28 million deal it had with him when the company filed for bankruptcy.

“I got to look back at the books,” Leonard said last September, “but it was more than that, for sure.”

Asked if he received the money he was owed, Leonard replied, “Uh, no, but the company went belly up. It was fraud as everyone knows.”

As for the allegation that he did nothing in exchange for being paid by Aspiration, Leonard said, “I don’t think it’s accurate.”

___

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

ROME (AP) — Donyell Malen scored in each half as Roma beat Cagliari 2-0 and stayed in touch with the chasing pack at the top of Serie A on Monday.

Leader Inter Milan was eight points clear of city rival AC Milan and nine ahead of reigning champion Napoli. Roma was three points further back along with Juventus.

Dutch center forward Malen had scored only once in four appearances since joining on loan from Aston Villa in January and he proved his worth on Monday with two excellent finishes.

He ran on to a clever through ball from Gianluca Mancini and his deft chip over the goalkeeper was equal to the set-up pass.

His second was more of a poacher’s effort as he got on the right side of a packed defense to turn in a low cross 20 minutes after the break.

The result served as a confidence booster ahead of next weekend’s crunch tie at Napoli.

Cagliari, which was seeking a fourth consecutive Serie A win for the first time in more than a decade, remained 12th.

Atalanta beats Cremonese

Atalanta moved to within two points of the European places after beating Cremonese 2-1.

Atalanta was unbeaten in its last seven league matches and in seventh spot, two points behind Como and seven behind Roma and Juventus.

Nikola Krstovic put Atalanta ahead after 13 minutes when he got on the end of a nice cross from Giacomo Raspadori. Davide Zappacosta made it 2-0 minutes later with a neat individual goal.

Atalanta's Lazar Samardžić and Berat Djimsiti also came close as they bossed the first 45 minutes.

Krstovic missed the best chance of the second half and Berat Djimsiti had a goal disallowed in stoppage time as Atalanta continued to dominate.

Morten Thorsby’s last-minute consolation for Cremonese gave the scoreline a more respectable sheen than the action suggested.

Cremonese was without a win in 10 games and sat 16th, just five points above the relegation zone.

___

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

The Milwaukee Bucks will try to extend their winning streak to four games as they visit the Orlando Magic tonight. Coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on Peacock.

Milwaukee has shown it can compete with much better teams even without its biggest star, which is why my Bucks vs. Magic predictions are siding with the underdog.

Read on for my free NBA picks for Monday, February 9.

Bucks vs Magic prediction

Bucks vs Magic best bet: Bucks +11 (-110)

Nobody thinks the Milwaukee Bucks are about to start thriving without Giannis Antetokounmpo, but Milwaukee’s fans have to be happy to see the team getting a few wins even as the superstar is recovering from his calf injury.

After starting 3-14 without Giannis this season, the Bucks have won three in a row, covering as underdogs in all three contests.

With or without Antetokounmpo, the Bucks have shown enough not to be a double-digit underdog to the Orlando Magic, even on the road.

The Magic are dealing with their own injury issues, with leading scorer Franz Wagner sitting out with an ankle injury. They’ve lost six of their last 10 overall.

Milwaukee has a -3.7 point differential, but Orlando is a mediocre -0.4 itself. Both teams are essentially equal in their offensive efficiency, with the Magic being marginally better on the defensive end.

While Orlando has a significantly better record and has more talent to cover them without Wagner — having Paolo Banchero on your roster helps a ton — the gap between these teams simply isn’t that big.

Bucks vs Magic same-game parlay

Along with taking Milwaukee to cover, I’m also throwing in a bet on the Over, as this total looks too low given the high-scoring games both teams have been playing lately.

Each of the last four head-to-heads has gone Over.

I’ll also back Myles Turner to pick up Over 6.5 rebounds, something he’s easily done in his last two games, picking up at least nine boards in each.

Bucks vs Magic SGP

• Bucks +11
• Over 220
• Myles Turner Over 6.5 rebounds

Our "from downtown" SGP: Rollins keeps it rolling

Ryan Rollins has been firing away from deep lately, hitting at least three shots from beyond the arc in each of his last five games.

Bucks vs Magic SGP

• Bucks +11
• Over 220
• Myles Turner Over 6.5 rebounds
• Ryan Rollins Over 2.5 made threes

Bucks vs Magic odds

• Spread: Bucks +10.5 | Magic -10.5
• Moneyline: Bucks +375 | Magic -500
• Over/Under: Over 220.5 | Under 220.5

Bucks vs Magic betting trend to know

The Bucks are 3-0 ATS in their last three games overall. Find more NBA betting trends for Bucks vs. Magic.

How to watch Bucks vs Magic

Bucks vs Magic latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

Steve Spurrier was never shy about talking during his prolific career as the Florida football coach.

Now well into retirement, Spurrier still has no qualms about giving advice to coaches in today's era. On Monday, Feb. 9, the former Gators and South Carolina coach had some advice for Clemson coach Dabo Swinney after Swinney accused Ole Miss and coach Pete Golding of tampering in the recruitment of linebacker Luke Ferrelli.

REQUIRED READING: Time for SEC to force Big Ten to join CFP party, or go it alone

"I thought by now, somebody would've told Dabo, 'Dabo, there ain't no rules anymore,'" Spurrier said while laughing in a social media clip from The Post and Courier's Jon Blau, from a Zoom call with media about Spurrier's upcoming induction into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame.

Steve Spurrier talked to reporters today on a Zoom ahead of his induction into the SC Athletic Hall of Fame.

He was asked by ⁦@MarcWYFFNews4⁩ about Dabo Swinney’s calling out of Ole Miss for tampering.

Spurrier says “Someone has to tell Dabo there are no rules now.” pic.twitter.com/qLifbBNcqe

— Jon Blau (@Jon_Blau) February 9, 2026

Spurrier's comments allude to a Jan. 23 press conference where Swinney levied allegations of tampering against Golding and the Rebels, claiming that Golding reached out to Ferrelli after he had already signed with Clemson after transferring from California.

Ferrelli had already enrolled in spring semester classes and signed paperwork with the Tigers. In the past, that would have led to potential sanctions, as it was illegal under NCAA rules.

"They're still on the books, I guess, back there (at Clemson) about you can't do it after this date or that date," Spurrier said. "... I don't know if they're going to ever enforce any rules now or not, but I think Dabo has learned now, he's got to start paying his players just like everybody else is, or you'll get left behind. ... You can complain but I don't know how good it's going to do."

Spurrier, 80, coached Florida from 1990 to 2001, winning six SEC championships and the 1996 national championship. He then coached the Gamecocks from 2005 to 2015, winning 86 games with the program.

In the Palmetto Bowl rivalry between Clemson and South Carolina, Spurrier owned a 5-2 record against Swinney, which included a five-game winning streak for Spurrier from 2009 to 2013.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Steve Spurrier tells Dabo Swinney college football has 'no rules anymore'

Welcome to February Daily Topics at Golden State of Mind. A question (almost) every day this month to give the community a prompt to talk about!

---

The Golden State Warriors are limping towards the All-Star break. They have two games remaining, and then they’ll get some much-needed rest and recuperation time, as they gear up for the final months of the season. When they return from their respective vacations, they’ll be expected to welcome Kristaps Porziņģis into the fold, and that will make for some basketball worth watching, for better or for worse.

There is one player who won’t be on vacation this weekend, though, and that’s the face of the franchise: Steph Curry, who has been named an All-Star starter. It’s the 12th time in his illustrious career that he’s been named one of the best players in the world for the midseason game.

It’s been a while since he’s had a running mate. Curry is Golden State’s lone All-Star representative this year, as he was last year … and the year before … and the year before. You have to go all the way back to 2022, when he was joined by both Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins to find a time when the Warriors had a non-Curry representative. That, of course, capped off a brilliant string of All-Star appearances, as Green, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant were all staples of the game (and Durant still is, just in a different jersey).

So who will be the next non-Curry player to represent the Warriors at the All-Star Game? it certainly feels like Green’s All-Star nods are well behind him. Jimmy Butler III would have had a shot next year, but now he’ll be sidelined until about the All-Star break anyway.

Jonathan Kuminga perhaps had the highest ceiling of any of the young players on the roster, but he’s in Atlanta now. Porziņģis was an All-Star once upon a time, so if the Dubs re-sign him, he could pop off for another selection, if he’s able to stay on the court.

Certainly we can all hope that a young player — Brandin Podziemski, anyone? — takes a leap and earns a nod in the coming years but, to my eye, it seems likely that the next non-Curry player to make the All-Star Game for the Warriors is not currently under contract with the team.

Maybe it’s a free agent. Maybe it’s a trade piece. Maybe it’s a player they haven’t drafted yet.

What the hell. I’ll say Giannis Antetokounmpo.

In today’s Dub Hub:

• Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. says Draymond Green was never part of Warriors’ trade conversations.
• Steve Kerr was “thrilled” to see Pat Spencer sign a standard NBA contract with the team.
• Blazers’ Damian Lillard to participate in this year’s three-point competition despite recovering from a torn achilles.

The NBA trade deadline has come and gone, but the emotions and fallout from it are still lingering.

Speaking to reporters prior to Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. pushed back on the idea that Draymond Green was ever seriously involved in trade discussions. Dunleavy called the speculation leading up to last week’s deadline “misleading” and made it clear the organization never came close to moving the veteran forward.

Mike Dunleavy denied Draymond Green was in active trade conversations. He was then asked if that meant Jimmy Butler would’ve been traded since one had to go out to get Giannis.

“No, no, no. We’re not doing that. I’m not going down the roster talking about who was in trades.” pic.twitter.com/rcXHRmVKep

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) February 8, 2026

“I’d walk that back a little bit,” Dunleavy said during Saturday’s press conference. “His name was not in conversations. Other than the ones where teams call me and ask about him, which they do every year. So, there’s nothing new there. The idea that he stayed with the Warriors past the deadline was greatly exaggerated. It was never a possibility of him not being here, or remotely close, to be honest. And I’ve conveyed that to him, he knows that, but when stuff comes up in the media I think it feels different for the players. I think that’s the first time it happened with Draymond, so he’s dealing with it in a certain way, but the reality is nothing was close. And nothing was considered. Draymond was not being shopped or talked about in deals. So, it’s a little misleading, we’re kind of picking up the pieces here, but I think he’s in a great spot, and so are we moving forward.”

Despite the noise surrounding a chaotic deadline period, Green was always viewed as part of the team’s foundation moving forward, according to Dunleavy.

However, Green’s own account suggests the situation may not have felt quite so certain internally.

On a recent episode of The Draymond Green Show, Green said a conversation with Dunleavy touched on the Warriors’ pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo and the salary mechanics that would have required either Green or Jimmy Butler to be part of a potential deal.

Draymond discusses how crazy things got in the days leading up to the NBA Trade Deadline and his conversation with Mike Dunleavy

“He said "We've spoke about Giannis, we spoke about what picks we'd send them, we haven't really talked about the players that would go back yet…… pic.twitter.com/y8mN6nNJgB

— The Draymond Green Show (@DraymondShow) February 7, 2026

For now, the speculation is behind them. Green remains in place, and the Warriors reshaped their roster with the acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis. The focus now shifts to getting healthy after the All-Star break and making a playoff push with this new-look team.

For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Monday, February 9th:

Warriors News:

Mike Dunleavy on Draymond Green trade rumors: ‘His name was not in conversations’ | The Athletic

“I think keeping the books clean is a factor,” Dunleavy said. “But at the same time, if a really good player came about, extended out contract wise that we really liked, we would have done that. So, I don’t want to cap it off and say we wouldn’t have.”

The NBA’s Tanking Trouble | The Stein Line

There were some fresh rumbles over the weekend that the Warriors might opt not to sign Lonzo Ball in the end after converting Pat Spencer from a two-way deal to a standard NBA contract.

Haynes reported that multiple teams are reviewing Ball’s medicals to determine whether to sign the veteran guard, who became a free agent after Cleveland dealt him to Utah to lower its luxury tax bill. And our Jake Fischer reported that Denver is one of those teams after the Jazz waived Ball.

Steve Kerr ‘thrilled’ to see Pat Spencer sign a standard NBA contract with the Warriors

Steve Kerr on Pat Spencer earning a standard NBA contract with the Warriors for the rest of the season:

“Thrilled to have Pat. The impact he has on our team, whether he’s play or not is pretty profound… you see what happens when we give him real opportunities.” pic.twitter.com/TgkIya5aSv

— Kenzo Fukuda (@kenzofuku) February 8, 2026

NBA News:

Two-time champ Damian Lillard headlines NBA’s 3-point contest | ESPN

Lillard — who has not played this season while recovering from a torn Achilles tendon — will participate in the 3-point contest on All-Star Saturday, the NBA announced.

Lillard is joining 2018 3-point contest champion Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns in the field, along with Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel, Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey, Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell, Denver’s Jamal Murray, Milwaukee’s Bobby Portis Jr. and Miami’s Norman Powell.

Former Nets’ guard Cam Thomas signs with the Bucks

Free agent guard Cam Thomas has agreed to a deal with the Milwaukee Bucks, his agent Tony Ronzone of Wasserman tells ESPN. Thomas, 24, averaged 21.4 points per game over the last three seasons with the Nets. pic.twitter.com/ki1SIWBG6G

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 8, 2026

In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:

Son of Warriors legend tapped for Slam Dunk Contest

That’s a weird element of this year’s contest: These guys don’t actually dunk in games. Richardson has four dunks. Bryant has dunked six times. Johnson has nine dunks, and 15 in 37 career games. Hayes dunks a lot, throwing it down 69 times this season before Saturday’s game and 67 times before Tuesday’s contest, and which of those numbers you find funniest says a lot about your age.

Follow @unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.

No matter how many different variations the league goes through, shooting will always be at premium value. The Lakers, who sat 21st in the league in 3-point shooting and 23rd in overall makes on the morning of the trade deadline, went and targeted sharpshooter Luke Kennard. They moved veteran guard Gabe Vincent and their final tradeable second round pick to the Hawks to complete the trade.

The Duke product doesn’t fix any defensive issues, but does bring a level of elite shooting, gravity and underrated handle with a playmaking punch the team has sorely missed in the absence of their complete big three. 

Kennard came to LA averaging eight points and two assists on a league-leading 49.7% shooting from 3-point range. He adds in 91.4% shooting from the line, immediately leading the team. 

There are levels to everything, with shooting no different. Kennard has an argument for the best pure shooter to ever put on the purple and gold. He’s knocked down 44% of his shots behind the arc in his nine-year career, ranking second all-time. 

It’s an archetype head coach J.J. Redick has been searching for and has been unable to fill with Dalton Knecht attempting to fill those shoes this season. 

It took no time for Kennard to show the Laker crowd what he can do in his debut. Within about two minutes after checking in, he caught a floating cross-court pass on the move from Austin Reaves at the wing and flung in a triple. 

“I was definitely hunting a shot trying to get one up,” Kennard said postgame. “I mean, I looked at my first shot and it was crazy high but it felt good when it left my hands. Again, for me, it’s no matter where I’m at. Obviously I’m here, and they want me to be aggressive and shoot the ball, but whenever I’m checking in the game I’m looking to hunt threes and get them up.”

Kennard finished the game with 10 points on 2-4 shooting from three, but his impact was felt far beyond the box score. 

In the third quarter, LA ran a popularized “Hammer” action for Kennard to get a look in the corner. Watch below as Austin Reaves drives and kicks it out while Maxi Kleber sets the Hammer screen.

Kennard scored 1.25 points per possession off of screen actions this season, putting him in the 81st percentile, per NBA stats. 

Gravity is a term thrown around for the best shooters, and Kennard comes in with as respectable an amount as anyone league-wide. Opponents not only close out at him, but completely sell themselves out to take him off the 3-point line. 

Watch below as, in transition, two Warrior defenders run to chase him off the corner in transition, completely ignoring Jared Vanderbilt all by himself underneath the basket for the dunk. 

Without the services of Luka Dončić, who is dealing with a left hamstring strain, LA put Kennard on the ball. He comes in with the label as just a shooter, but showed off why he has an underrated handle, playmaking and an understanding of the game. 

Watch in the clip below as he runs a pick and roll with LeBron James, reads the overplay to attack a closeout, and hits an on-the-money skip pass to Jake LaRaria wide open in the corner

“He’s not a guy you’re gonna like give the ball to an ISO and then he’s gonna bend the defense,” Redick said. “But he’s a smart basketball player and he knows how to play and he knows how to make reads. The way his 0.5 [second] mentality works is, he doesn’t always get the assists, but generally speaking, he’s going to attack a closeout, he’s going to get a shot fake and then swing the ball and that leads to something good” 

The Lakers hope that something good continues for the rest of the season. LA has acquired shooters in the past who have seen their percentages drop precipitously under the bright lights of Crypto.com Arena.

A familiar question that has followed Kennard around is his shot volume, as he’s taking the fewest shots per game of his career since his rookie season.

But he doesn’t see it that way. 

“I think for me, not saying it’s not playing the right way, but I like to try and make the right play all the time,” Kennard said. “I feel like I know the game of basketball very well. I will shoot it. I will be aggressive. I know that’s what they want me to do.

“Just having conversations with the guys, I’m excited to do that, but at the same time, just being a basketball player. Having high IQ. Going out there if I have a shot I’ll take it. When a pass is available, just making the right play.”

You can follow Raj on Twitter at @RajChipalu

The NBA trading deadline has come and gone and a handful of teams improved their positioning for the back half of the 2025-26 NBA season.

And with the NBA All-Star break coming up at the end of the week, it will offer teams a bit of a respite and chance to recharge before the grind continues.

The most fascinating teams to watch are the ones who bought before the deadline — the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics and Charlotte Hornets, for example — to see whether their moves can lead to tangible gains in the future.

Here are USA TODAY Sports’ NBA power rankings after Week 15 of the 2025-26 regular season:

USA TODAY Sports NBA power rankings

Note: Records and stats through Feb. 8. Parentheses show movement from last week’s rankings.

NBA Week 16 power rankings: Top 10

1. Detroit Pistons, 38-13 (—)

2. Oklahoma City Thunder, 40-13 (—)

3. San Antonio Spurs, 36-16 (+1)

4. New York Knicks, 34-19 (+5)

5. Boston Celtics, 34-19 (—)

6. Denver Nuggets, 34-19 (-3)

7. Houston Rockets, 32-19 (—)

8. Los Angeles Lakers, 32-19 (—)

9. Cleveland Cavaliers, 32-21 (+1)

10. Toronto Raptors, 32-22 (-4)

The Thunder continue to show vulnerabilities, especially now that reigning Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is set to miss time. Oklahoma City has lost five of its last eight games, including the last two without Gilgeous-Alexander. The Knicks have posted massive victories against the Raptors, Lakers, Nuggets and Celtics over the last week, so they move up, but a loss against Detroit shows why the Pistons remain at the top.

And the Cavaliers, with their fascinating trade for James Harden, now have to back up their decision to go all-in on this build; the Cavs have won eight of their last nine, though the competition hasn’t necessarily been that impressive.

NBA Week 16 power rankings: Nos. 11-20

11. Minnesota Timberwolves, 32-22 (+1)

12. Phoenix Suns, 31-22 (+1)

13. Philadelphia 76ers, 30-22 (+1)

14. Golden State Warriors, 28-25 (-3)

15. Orlando Magic, 27-24 (+4)

16. Los Angeles Clippers, 25-27 (+2)

17. Miami Heat, 28-26 (-2)

18. Charlotte Hornets, 25-28 (+4)

19. Atlanta Hawks, 26-28 (+1)

20. Portland Trail Blazers, 25-28 (-3)

The Timberwolves have lost three of their last four, but they move up a spot mostly because the teams below them haven’t necessarily capitalized. Still, defense is a massive concern, as Minnesota ranks 29^th in defensive rating (125.5) over its last four games.

The middle of the Eastern Conference is seemingly a group of teams — the Magic, Heat and Hawks — rotating in and out. But it’s the hottest team in the NBA, the Charlotte Hornets, who have won nine consecutive games, who are big risers. Charlotte ranks first in offensive rating (120.8) and second in net rating (13.2) over the last nine games.

NBA Week 16 power rankings: Nos. 21-30

21. Chicago Bulls, 24-29 (-5)

22. Milwaukee Bucks, 21-29 (+2)

23. Memphis Grizzlies, 20-31 (—)

24. Dallas Mavericks, 19-33 (-3)

25. Utah Jazz, 16-37 (—)

26. New Orleans Pelicans, 14-40 (—)

27. Brooklyn Nets, 14-37 (—)

28.  Washington Wizards, 14-38 (+2)

29. Indiana Pacers, 13-40 (-1)

30. Sacramento Kings, 12-42 (-1)

The Mavericks have gotten excellent performances from Cooper Flagg, but the trade of Anthony Davis signals that rebuild is fully in action. The Bucks got a big win by staying patient in the trading deadline, and the addition of Cam Thomas should bolster scoring. But can the Bucks make a tangible push for the playoffs once Giannis Antetokounmpo returns?

And the poor Kings are in absolute free fall, losers of 12 consecutive games. They struggle to defend, made a head-scratching move before the deadline and simply don’t have a tangible direction for their future.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA power rankings: Pistons remain in top spot as Knicks make jump

You’d think the Memphis Grizzlies would be the NBA’s version of a doormat with the combination of injuries and players leaving via trades, but these Grizz have a little fight in them.

Tonight, they’ll face another depleted roster in the Golden State Warriors, who are somehow 9.5-point favorites.

My Grizzlies vs. Warriors predictions and NBA picks explain why that’s too many points for this Western Conference clash set to tip-off at 10:00 p.m. ET at the Chase Center on Monday, February 9.

Grizzlies vs Warriors prediction

Grizzlies vs Warriors best bet: Grizzlies +9.5 (-115)

No Steph, no Jimmy Buckets, and no Kristaps Porzingis means the Golden State Warriors have been struggling.

The no-Steph Curry thing has been the biggest problem, as the Warriors have averaged just 94.3 points in the four recent games their franchise player has missed.

The Memphis Grizzlies also have a roster that’s hard for even the biggest fan to recognize, but they're putting up some good fights. The Grizz have averaged 122 points per game over their last five and are 3-1 ATS in their last four. 

This is too many points to cover for a team that can’t score.

Grizzlies vs Warriors same-game parlay

The Grizz have been surprisingly efficient recently, ranking sixth in offensive rating over the last five games.

The return of Ty Jerome has helped. After missing the entire season, he’s averaged 20 points in his first four games back, topping this 13.5 line three times.

Sophomore Jaylen Wells has also seen an uptick in production with added opportunities lately. Wells has topped 12.5 points in four straight games.

Grizzlies vs Warriors SGP

• Grizzlies +9.5
• Ty Jerome Over 13.5 points
• Jaylen Wells Over 13.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: The Replacements

This is how the Grizzlies have played in recent weeks. Team basketball, with everyone doing their part. Even if you don't know everyone's name.

Grizzlies vs Warriors SGP

• Ty Jerome Over 13.5 points
• Jaylen Wells Over 13.5 points
• Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Over 11.5 points
• Cam Spencer Over 11.5 points

Grizzlies vs Warriors odds

• Spread: Grizzlies +9.5 | Warriors -9.5
• Moneyline: Grizzlies +320 | Warriors -400
• Over/Under: Over 220.5 | Under 220.5

Grizzlies vs Warriors betting trend to know

The Warriors have covered the first-half spread in only 12 of their last 35 home games, resulting in -14.30 units and a -36% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Grizzlies vs. Warriors.

How to watch Grizzlies vs Warriors

Grizzlies vs Warriors latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

Welcome to Week in Review: a Monday feature that looks back at the week that was for the San Antonio Spurs, takes a look at the week ahead, and more. Enjoy!

---

Week 15: The Spurs got revenge from the week prior by returning to Houston and beating the Rockets the exact way they had been beaten: by flipping the switch in the second half and turning a double-digit deficit into a blowout win. They then went to Charlotte, enduring a time change to a noon tipoff in an attempt to beat the winter storm out before falling in a close game to the rapidly rising Hornets. Finally, after getting stranded there overnight, they had perhaps their most admirable victory of the season, overcoming two more tipoff time changes after having to change planes in Atlanta to beat the Orlando Magic at home.

Week 16: 3-0 (36-16, 2nd in West)

116-106 win vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams out with injury, the Thunder chose to also sit their next top four rotation players on the second night of a back-to-back, resulting in the ultimate trap game for the Spurs (just ask the 2012-13 Miami Heat). While the Spurs were guilty of being a bit complacent and never truly putting a depleted Thunder team away, they kept them at arm’s length most of the time before making a timely run to close the game and leave no doubt. With the season series already secured for the Spurs and the Thunder struggling of late, there could now be a legitimate race for the top seed in the West. Stay tuned…

135-123 win at Dallas Mavericks

Facing another shorthanded team (in this case, the Mavs were waiting for newly acquired trade pieces to become available), it was a tight game thanks to a sensational showing from top overall pick Cooper Flagg and plenty of help from players like Naji Marshall and Max Christie. Similar to the Thunder game, the Spurs failed to ever truly put them away but kept them at arm’s length most of the time, riding a big first half from Victor Wembanyama and full team effort in the fourth quarter for their third straight win.

138-125 win vs. Dallas Mavericks

With the Mavs’ main rotation now available, the second game of the miniseries again started tight, but the Spurs went on a game-changing run to close the first half before turning the game into a blowout by the fourth quarter, and it wasn’t nearly as close as the final score indicated. This time, Flagg was held in check, and the Spurs rode a historical 40-point, 12-rebound, 12-assist triple-double from Stephon Castle to victory. (It’s amazing how two consecutive games against the same team with only a one-point difference in the outcome can feel so different.)

---

Power Rankings

John Schuhmann, NBA.com — 2 (last week: 3)

OffRtg: 116.5 (10) DefRtg: 111.1 (3) NetRtg: +5.4 (5) Pace: 100.8 (14)

The Spurs matched their win total from last season with a wire-to-wire victory over the shorthanded Thunder on Wednesday, finishing 4-1 against the champs. Then they swept a home-and-home set with the Mavs to climb within three games in the loss column of Oklahoma City.

Three takeaways

1. The Spurs have outscored their opponents by 16.8 points per 100 possessions with Champagnie and Victor Wembanyama on the floor together, the third-best non-Thunder two-man mark among combinations that have played at least 500 total minutes. So, even with Devin Vassell back in the starting lineup for the last five games, Champagnie has remained there. Harrison Barnes has come off the bench in three of the last five, and Stephon Castle was a reserve for the first time this season in Dallas on Thursday.
2. Castle was back in the starting lineup and had the best game of his career two nights later, recording a 40-point triple-double as the Spurs blew out the Mavs. Castle is still shooting 28.9% from 3-point range, but he’s seen jumps from his rookie season in field goal percentage in the paint, the percentage of his shots that have come in the paint and free throw rate. He’s also seen the fifth biggest jump in assists per 36 minutes (from 5.5 to 8.2) among 310 players who’ve played at least 300 minutes in each of the last two seasons.
3. The Spurs have outscored their opponents by 76 points in the restricted area over their four-game winning streak, and now rank fourth in restricted-area differential (plus-6.0 per game) for the season.

Coming up: The Spurs are 0-2 against the Warriors, having lost the two games (both at home) by a total of six points. They’ll be at a rest disadvantage when they close out their pre-break schedule at Golden State on Wednesday.

Law Murray, The Athletic — 3 (last week: 3)

Roster reset: PF Harrison Barnes

The Spurs are trying to be like the New England Patriots. That is, a team that dominated most of the 21st century and hit a rough patch in the 2020s but is back right before our eyes. The Spurs did absolutely nothing to their 15-man standard contract roster, and that’s been the case since the regular season began. San Antonio has started bringing Barnes off the bench, his first games as a reserve since leaving Golden State a decade ago. The Spurs didn’t need a move, though. Stephon Castle just had a 40-point triple-double, and the Spurs have beaten the Thunder four times this season. They even avoided a post-Thunder letdown this time.

Brett Siegel, Clutch Points — 1 (last week: 3)

With the Thunder struggling and losing for the fourth time this season to them, the San Antonio Spurs have jumped back into the pole position in the NBA power rankings. Between their physicality on defense and steady play on offense, the Spurs have cemented themselves as true title contenders in the Western Conference.

As good as Victor Wembanyama is, especially when he steals the show with his dazzling dunks or monstrous blocks, Stephon Castle has been the biggest difference for the Spurs this season. Recently, the second-year guard recorded a 40-12-12 game, becoming the youngest player to produce such a game in NBA history.*

(* Note: To be clear, Castle was the youngest player to record specifically a 40-12-12 triple-double, but not the youngest to record a 40-point triple-double. Both LeBron James and Luka Doncic had 40-10-10 games at younger ages. Just throwing that at there since there has been a lot of confusion when this is not specified. Castle is also only the second Spur to have a 40-point triple-double along with David Robinson, and he’s only the second player to have one while shooting over 75% from the field. The other was Wilt Chamberlain. Insane company regardless of any semantics.)

---

Coming up: Tues. 2/10 at Los Angeles Lakers (32-19); Wed. 2/11 at Golden State Warriors; All-Star Weekend

Prediction: 2-0 — The Spurs have me believing again. They kick off their annual Rodeo Road Trip against a Lakers team whom they’ve owned in their last two matchups. (Side note: this is a scheduling fluke game, with the Cup Quarterfinals making this their third game in LA this season.) Then, even though they’ll be at a rest disadvantage the next night, the Warriors are depleted with no Jimmy Butler, and Steph Curry has missed their last four games. (Also, the Spurs two losses to them early in the season feel more and more like a fluke. Curry went vintage and combined for 95 points in those two games, and both teams have gone in drastically different directions since then.)

The Fear the Sword staff has had some time to digest the James Harden for Darius Garland trade, as well as see what Harden looks like in wine and gold. That makes it a perfect time to answer five questions about the trade and what it means for the Cleveland Cavaliers this season.

What are your first impressions of Harden as a Cavalier?

Mike Anguilano: Adding one of the best pick-and-roll passers ever will immediately make Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley (less so, but still) even more valuable on offense. Harden’s clutch shot-making was on full display against the Sacramento Kings, but the fact that he was so open because defenses had to scramble after Donovan Mitchell is even more encouraging. That is a true pick-your-poison backcourt pairing in a way that Darius Garland was not quite at the level of.

Corey Walsh: Harden on the Cavaliers is something I do not think I will ever be able to comprehend. Against the Kings, it felt like one could see Harden’s mindset and comfort level increase as the game went along. In the first quarter, he avoided stepping on toes, opting to facilitate. By the end of the game, he was comfortable shooting from his spots. It’ll be fascinating to see the role evolve in the final games of the regular season.

Jackson Flickinger: The gravity that Harden has as an offensive player is more than I anticipated. It’s incredible to see someone command so much attention from a defense while also sharing the floor with Mitchell. This is the most offensively skilled backcourt in franchise history.

What are you most excited about with the Harden addition?

MA: It was a shock to see the Cavs have to throw in a pick for the Clippers to take Garland, but that is how it sometimes goes with injured, expensive players. The addition of Harden immediately puts the Cavs into even more of a win-now territory, but this doesn’t feel as much of a risk compared to some other “all-in” type moves. Harden and Mitchell is a lethal backcourt pairing in a way that Garland was not able to fully level up to. Or at least not consistently enough.

CW: His ability to get the bigs, specifically Jarrett Allen, involved after what has been a disappointing campaign, is intriguing. It was apparent from the get-go that Harden’s passing was going to add another layer to the Cavaliers’ offensive play, something that Mitchell at the point guard was never going to bring.

JF: I’m interested to see how the chemistry grows between Mitchell and Harden. It’s clear after one game that they can be the most dynamic backcourt in the league. How does that develop? Can they become better than the sum of their parts?

This offense will still be good if they just reverted to playing, your turn, my turn basketball. If they truly bought into playing off each other, this could be really special.

What will you miss most about Darius Garland?

MA: Garland was the first player I truly got to interview and ask questions to. During All-Star Weekend in Cleveland, back in 2022, he was donating band uniforms to a local high school with a high percentage of disadvantaged students. I asked Darius about being named an All-Star for the first time, what it means to him, and his growth as a player, and what his favorite local restaurants are that he would be recommending to the other All-Stars. He was great to talk to, very genuine, and had some great answers. In addition to his status as a young, All-Star caliber player, I’ll miss the Cavs losing an all-around good person.

CW: Truthfully, Garland was the emotional core of the Cavaliers since roughly 2021. To lose Darius removes a lot of the culture the Cavaliers have cultivated over the years. While that hasn’t translated into playoff success, this team oozed vibes. I feel like they are shifting from one that seemed like a family to a team that feels more corporate.

JF: Just watching the infectious joy Garland plays with. There was something so satisfying about watching the way he would pick apart a defense, and then skip down the court like he was playing pick up with his friends.

On top of that, his style of play was incredibly entertaining. The way Garland would probe the defense, keep his dribble alive, and find passing angles that you didn’t even know were there was so much fun to watch.

What is your biggest concern about the trade?

MA: Another fade out in the playoffs is the biggest fear, and it’s not close. The narrative around Harden and his inability to perform consistently in the playoffs aligns eerily close to the Cavs’ story. The fit on the court between him and Mitchell is not nearly as concerning as I think there is enough time to figure it out. Harden has played with other high-usage players and things have worked out fine…in the regular season.

CW: Outside of postseason success, which I believe is the most obvious and discussed flaw. I think about how this team handles the on and off-floor chemistry between Harden and Mitchell.

Harden’s currently expressed willingness to be the second banana in Cleveland and seems willing to go with the flow. What happens when the Cavaliers begin to flounder, or if they exit in the second round again? How will Harden’s stance about the team warp? He has a track record of not handling middling results well.

JF: The perimeter defense is a problem. While Garland wasn’t a defensive specialist, he could stay in front of his man better than Harden. That has me worried in a playoff series against a team like the Boston Celtics that can space the floor and attack you off-the-dribble with playmakers at every position.

Which Eastern Conference team is the biggest threat to the Cavs?

MA: The New York Knicks, but it is close. Boston is not fully healthy, which limits their offense. The Detroit Pistons make a very strong case, but they have some holes that could become chasms in the playoffs if exposed properly. But the Knicks are a more cohesive unit, boast one of the league’s best offenses behind Jalen Brunson, and have enough on the defensive side to string stops together.

CW: Barring a Tatum return for Boston, it has to be the Knicks, right? The Knicks have the same makeup of a team that can turn on the physical dial, and adding Harden doesn’t change the calculus. As long as players like Mitchell Robinson, Josh Hart, and Brunson are on this roster, they will have the Cavaliers’ number until something changes.

JF: The Celtics, even without Tatum, are a problem. They have the talent and versatile playmakers to hurt the Cavs in a lot of the ways the Indiana Pacers did last season. Even though this is a very different Cavs team, this group still has a lot of the same strengths and weaknesses.