Kawhi Leonard dribbles past Orlando guard Anthony Black in the second half. (Etienne Laurent / Associated Press)
Desmond Bane scored 36 points and Paolo Banchero added 16 points and eight assists as the Orlando Magic held on for a 111-109 victory over the Clippers on Sunday night at Intuit Dome.
Wendell Carter Jr. had 15 points and 14 rebounds and Tristan da Silva scored 13 for the Magic, who improved to 5-2 since Feb. 5.
Kawhi Leonard shrugged off an ankle injury to score 37 points and Bennedict Mathurin added 21 points and nine rebounds off the bench for the Clippers, who are 4-5 since Feb. 2. Mathurin missed a three-point attempt to win the game at the buzzer.
Jordan Miller had 14 points for the Clippers (27-30).
Leonard exited Friday’s loss against the Lakers with an ankle sprain. Mathurin was playing in his fifth game for the Clippers after he was acquired at the trade deadline from the Indiana Pacers.
Orlando won despite going eight of 23 from three-point range, two games after setting a franchise record with 27 three-pointers in a victory at Sacramento. Jalen Suggs missed his second consecutive game for the Magic with back spasms.
In a tight game throughout, Leonard gave the Clippers a 107-105 lead with 3:03 remaining on a jumper from the top of the key. The Magic took charge from there as Bane hit a jumper to tie the score and then made a layup with 1:28 left for a 109-107 advantage.
As the Clippers missed four consecutive shots, Orlando went up 111-107 on a fast-break dunk from Banchero with 40 seconds left.
Bane tried to pad the Magic’s lead with eight seconds remaining but had his shot blocked inside by rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser. Mathurin then raced down the floor only to miss a 25-footer as time expired.
SEATTLE (AP) — Paul Rothrock had a goal and an assist after replacing an injured Jordan Morris early in the first half and the Seattle Sounders beat the Colorado Rapids 2-0 in a rainy season opener on Sunday night.
Seattle lost Morris to a noncontact injury in the 8th minute and Rothrock had a hand in staking the Sounders to a 1-0 lead seven minutes later when he hustled to keep the ball in play, setting up a header by Albert Rusnák for a long nifty assist.
Hassani Dotson appeared to score three minutes later in his Sounders debut but had it waived off for a foul after a video review. Dotson signed as a free agent after seven seasons with Minnesota United.
The Rapids' Noah Cobb had a red card downgraded to yellow after another video review in the 30th minute to keep the match at even strength.
Dotson took a blow to the head and was replaced by 18-year-old Snyder Brunell in the 15th of 16 minutes of stoppage time as the 1-0 lead held at halftime. Brunell made three starts in six appearances last season, scoring two goals.
Colorado had four players tagged with yellow cards in the first half after new coach Matt Wells said that he wanted the Rapids be more aggressive. Wells replaced Chris Armas after two seasons when he failed to lead the club to the playoffs last year after a first-round exit in Armas' first season.
Rothrock used assists from Jesús Ferreira and Osaze De Rosario in the 62nd minute to score an insurance goal. It was his 11th goal in 65 career appearances.
Andrew Thomas finished with four saves and claimed his fourth clean sheet in his 26th career start for Seattle in league play. Sounders mainstay Stefan Frei moves to a backup role this season.
Zack Steffen saved three shots to begin his third season with Colorado.
The Sounders won't play another match at home until April 12 due to stadium updates ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 31: Walker Kessler #24 of the Utah Jazz handles the ball during the first half of the Emirates NBA Cup game against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center on October 31, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Jazz 118-96. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kelsey Grant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
According to Jake Fischer, the Utah Jazz are “determined to retain … Walker Kessler.”
This edition of the Sunday Best around-the-league NBA notes is also the @JakeLFischer Latest … direct from Jake via Tulane's Pro Basketball Negotiation Competition held every February.
From Fischer, who was talking about the Indiana Pacers and their recent deal to trade for Ivica Zubac:
Trading for Zubac likely cements the Pacers’ return to title contention in 2026-27 once Tyrese Haliburton is back from his crushing Achilles’ tear in Game 7 of last season’s NBA Finals. Numerous contacts with rival teams have suggested to me that the Pacers traded away too much for Zubac and could have waited until the summer to see what other options would have presented themselves, but I continue to hear that Utah is determined to retain restricted free agent-to-be Walker Kessler.
The Pacers have long coveted Kessler, sources say, but I would counter the skeptics and say that there is tangible wisdom to Indiana getting its frontcourt business done now if its other preferred target is not likely to be available.
Clearly, the Pacers traded for Zubac, knowing the Jazz would be re-signing Kessler. The signing of Jaren Jackson Jr. signaled that the Jazz are determined to be a competitive team next season. Knowing they have the restricted free agency rights to Kessler, there’s no reason for them to let him go or trade him.
We’ve also gotten this same message from Tony Jones, who recently spoke on the radio and said the Jazz would be willing to match any offer that comes in.
That’s what he said on the radio 🤷🏼♂️ said the Jazz aren’t pressured by it at all.
Also said that Jazz will match for Walker even if it’s $35 million, and turned down a trade for Walker this last draft that included a lottery pick
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - FEBRUARY 22: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives to the basket against Jaden McDaniels #3 of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the third quarter at Target Center on February 22, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The 76ers defeated the Timberwolves 135-108. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Minnesota Timberwolves have had a lot of rough nights at Target Center this season. Tonight was another one to add to the list, as the Wolves were routed 135-108 by the Philadelphia 76ers. The 27-point loss is the largest loss of the season for Minnesota.
Right from the opening minutes of the game, it was clear the Wolves were going to have to get creative with their rotations if they wanted to pull this one out. With Rudy Gobert suspended for accruing too many flagrant fouls and Naz Reid out with shoulder soreness, Minnesota turned to Joan Beringer for his first career start to fill out the starting lineup.
That plan went up in smoke quickly as Beringer picked up two quick fouls just four minutes into the game, necessitating him going to the bench for the remainder of the quarter. His second-quarter stint didn’t go much better, as after just a single minute on the court, the rookie bigman picked up his third foul, putting him on the bench the rest of the half.
With the lack of other front-court options on the active roster, Beringer’s foul trouble threw a wrench into the Wolves’ rotations for the rest of the game. The Wolves tried mixing and matching with different players to see what would stick, including Mike Conley, Jaylen Clark, and Terrence Shannor Jr., who were all out of the rotation in the last game, but none of the combinations worked.
The lineups that had any sort of success included Anthony Edwards. Minnesota only lost Ant’s minutes by three points, but were outscored by 22 points in the 11 minutes Ant was on the bench before garbage time. Edwards finished with 28 points, nine rebounds, and three assists, but turned the ball over seven times.
“Just unexpected coverages,” Edwards said of the turnovers following the loss. “Sometimes they would be in a drop, sometimes they would be in a high wall, and then when I go to pass it, they might hit the ball out of my hand. I lost the ball a couple times on the dribble. Just bad turnovers.”
The Wolves desperately missed Gobert’s defense near the rim, but his absence was not the only issue that caused the poor defensive output this game. They had poor closeouts on shooters most of the game and gave up 17 second-chance points.
“Just a lot of short close outs,” Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch explained after the game. “We talked about the guys we needed to get up to take away their airspace, and then once they had seen enough go in, then they made tough ones, but just a lot of short close outs. We probably short-closed them out at least a half a dozen times, if not more, in the first half alone.”
Edwards took accountability for a lot of those defensive lapses, saying, “Most of them was me. A couple of them, they were three, four steps behind the line. I’m not thinking they even gonna shoot it. And they still shot it and they made it. That’s on me. I’ll take it.”
Tyrese Maxey was superb the entire game, scoring 39 points to go along with eight assists, outdueling his fellow All-Star Edwards.
It was another tough night for Julius Randle as he scored 18 points while finishing with just three rebounds and three assists. Finch did mention that Randle was “under the weather pretty severely,” despite Randle not showing up on the team’s injury report leading up to the game.
While the Wolves desperately missed Gobert and Reid in this game, it’s hard to use that as a reason for the poor performance when the 76ers, who played in New Orleans the night prior, were without Paul George, who, like Gobert, is suspended, and Joel Embiid, who is injured.
The Wolves have also been one of the healthier teams in the NBA this season, making their 35-23 record to this point feel underwhelming for a team with championship aspirations.
The loss by itself doesn’t signal that the sky is falling. The Wolves proved last season that they can make a playoff run with whatever seed they get. They also remained just one game back of the three-seed in the Western Conference, as each team currently seeded three through seven lost either today or yesterday.
While the Timberwolves still have the opportunity to achieve their loftiest of goals, at a certain point, the excuses have to fade away, and a sustained stretch of winning needs to occur. They now have just 27 games left in the season to make that happen.
Up Next
The Timberwolves now head out west for a three-game road trip starting on Tuesday against the Portland Trail Blazers. With their last six games taking place at Target Center, and the All-Star break in the middle, this will be the first road game for the Wolves in almost three weeks. Fans can watch the game starting at 9:00 PM CT on Peacock.
LOS ANGELES — The stars were shining bright in Los Angeles. On the night that legendary Lakers coach Pat Riley got his statue outside the Crypto.com Arena, inside the arena was filled with hoops royalty: Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dwayne Wade and James Worthy (not to mention the NBC crew of Carmelo Anthony, Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter and Reggie Miller).
On the court, there were plenty of stars, too: LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Jaylen Brown were playing in the All-Star Game just last weekend.
However, it was the Celtics' role players who were the difference in a comfortable 111-89 Boston win, particularly Payton Pritchard, who scored 30 off the bench and was a force down the stretch. "I think we have a lot of underrated players that people didn't know that were this good, and were ready for that moment," Pritchard said of the bench play. "And so I think they're just seeing it."
Boston Defense
Where Boston's depth really started to show up was on defense — Baylor Scheierman got the start for the Celtics, Hugo Gonzalez came off the bench, and both were ball hawks all night, pressuring Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves, making them really work for their points. Boston wanted to pressure the ball, get out and run and wear the Lakers down. It worked as the Lakers shot less than 40% as a team.
What really stood out — and a key difference in this game — was Boston's game-plan discipline. Celtics' defenders pressured LeBron (20 points on 21 true shot attempts) and Doncic (25 points on 25 true shot attempts) but dared the Lakers' role players to beat them, often with good looks. Lakers not born in Slovenia shot 21.7% from 3-point range (5-of-23).
"I mean, sometimes you just have to make shots," LeBron said. "They made timely shots when we didn't. We didn't give ourselves a good chance on the offensive end. Defensively, we held firm for as long as we could, but offensively we didn't give ourselves a good chance."
That lack of shooting has been an issue for the Lakers all season, which is why they traded for Luke Kennard at the deadline (nine points on Sunday, taking only two 3-point attempts in 22 minutes). Boston's pressure defense was the story of the night, exacerbating Los Angeles' shooting issues.
"Offensively, we're starting to find our footing, but defensively, we got to make sure that we keep that same mentality. We saw it carried out through tonight. Hugo made some big plays for us. Baylor was amazing tonight."
The first half was largely close, but Boston created some space late in the second quarter because it was generating better looks and, with that, shooting a higher percentage. It was 60-50 Boston at the half despite 18 from Doncic.
It was during the second half that the depth issues really started to catch up with Los Angeles, as they had opportunities but could not close the gap on Boston. For the night, Pritchard alone outscored the Lakers' bench, and by the end was hitting 3-pointers and barking at NBC's Reggie Miller as he ran back up court.
Then there was Jaylen Brown. Boston's All-Star and MVP candidate led all scorers with 32 points, and he was the aggressor all night, getting downhill and drawing fouls in the paint (he was 9-of-12 from the free throw line).
Jaylen Brown gets the circus shot to go as the Celtics continue to dominate!
Lakers coach JJ Redick thought his team played well enough on defense to be in the game, but 89 points isn't going to win in the NBA, especially against a top-two team in the East like Boston.
Boston got a dozen points and eight assists from Derrick White, while Neemias Queta had 10 points and 12 boards. Austin Reaves added 15 for the Lakers.
"We did enough defensively, we're just awful offensively tonight," Redick said.
The Lakers stars can help with that, but Redick is going to need a lot more from his role players if the Lakers are going to be any kind of threat in the West.
Last night in NYC, the Knicks (37*-21) found another gear to steal one from Houston, while the Bulls (24-34) dropped their eighth straight against Detroit. With both teams on the second night of a back-to-back, we expected fatigue to be a factor. What we didn’t expect was Karl-Anthony Towns (28 PTS, 11 RBS, 5-9 3PT) borrowing the Captain Clutch cape and fending off a late Chicago push. Knicks win, 105–99.
Like bricks? You would’ve loved the start of this one. The Bulls shot 2-0f-11 from the field, while the Knicks missed five of their first six long-range attempts but took a brief 9-3 lead. From there, the Bulls owned the glass, rebounding at nearly a 2:1 clip. New Bull Guerschon Yabusele (11 PTS, 13 RBS!) crashed the glass and connected from deep, playing like someone eager to impress a team he should have worked harder to impress when he was cashing their checks. Another new Bull, Nick Richards (9 PTS, 14 RBS), scored seven points and grabbed three boards in his first seven minutes. For the visitors, Towns scored twice from deep and on an aggressive drive, but then fouled Isaac Okoro (12 PTS) after the Bull had already released his layup. So it goes. The Knicks were losing 27–25 after one.
During the game, I monitor the NBA app for any noteworthy updates to share with you. I’d be derelict in my duties not to pass on this nugget:
Chicago opened the second period with more fire and desire, extending the lead on buckets from Tre Jones and Okoro and steady work inside from Jalen Smith (12 PTS). The Knicks, meanwhile, drifted through one-and-dones and sleepy turnovers. For some reason, Coach Brown—watching the same fatigued team we saw—chose not to play a fresh Tyler Kolek or Mohamed Diawara in the first half. Brown gave time to Ariel Hukporti (4 PTS, 5 RBS) and Jeremy Sochan (2 PTs, 3 RBS, 11 MIN) in the frontcourt, but the backcourt sure looked like they’d appreciate a respite, too.
Towns kept our heroes close with a tip-in, free throws, and a pair of threes to lead all scorers with 17 points by halftime. Great stuff—but there’s always some peccadillo. When KAT committed another offensive foul, the generally even-keeled Mike Breen sounded annoyed to see one . . . more . . . bonehead . . . foul. Later in the period, Breen groused about Karl complaining about another non-call, positing that the big man might fare better with the refs if he didn’t protest every . . . single . . . time. The sentiment is mutual, Mike.
With New York flailing in Q2, Jalen Brunson (19 PTS, 9 AST, 1-6 3PT) returned and settled the offense with a couple of midrange jumpers. Josh Hart (11 PTS, 9 RBS, 5 ASTS) began to turn up his effort, and Landry Shamet’s (16 PTS) two late threes briefly drew New York even, but free throws gave Chicago a 53-52 lead at the break.
By intermission, both teams had shot 43%, yet Chicago was winning from deep (39% to 36%) and in the paint (18–14). The Knicks held a narrow rebounding edge, 27–25, and turnovers were even at six apiece.
After a rest, New York came out with more energy, going on a 13-6 run to start the half. They got threes from Hart, Mikal Bridges, Brunson, and Shamet and built a 13-point lead. Chicago clawed back behind second chances from Yabusele and outside shooting from Smith and Okoro. Late in the quarter, sophomore Matas Buzelis scored on a drive, drained a three, and converted at the line to tighten the differential. The Knicks were up 83–78 heading into the fourth.
Through three quarters, Josh Giddey was mostly a non-factor, with a few assists, rebounds, and a steal. Early in the final frame, things got sloppy, and Chicago got a jolt from a different guard. Collin Sexton, quiet in limited minutes thus far, hit a couple of threes to cut the gap to two points with 4:30 to go, and Richards was a problem inside. Coach Brown sent in Brunson, Bridges, Hart, OG Anunoby, and Huk, but two one-and-done possessions resulted in Chicago taking a one-point lead with three minutes left. Their coach, Billy Donovan, relied heavily on the Giddy-Buzelis tandem and, for a brief moment, it seemed like it might work.
On a Bulls inbounds, KAT committed another maddening foul, but redeemed himself with a big clutch performance. After that mistake, he scored on a go-ahead triple and a charging layup, plus grabbed a timely rebound. Thanks to his efforts, the good guys had a four-point lead when he stepped to the charity stripe with a minute left. To the delight of viewers back in the snowy Empire State, the United Center shook with “Let’s Go Knicks!” chants. That must rankle the ghosts of the 90’s Bulls, no?
On Chicago’s next possession. Giddey quickly drove into Anunoby (9 PTS, 9 RBS, 2 STL, 1 BLK) for his second field goal of the night, plus a free-throw. Following his miss, the Knicks got the ball over midcourt and found Bridges (11 PTS, 5 ASTS, 2 STL, 1 BLK) in the corner for a game-sealing triple.
After the game, Breen interviewed KAT, the player of the game (Brown also named Towns DPOG). Nothing awkward about the interview at all! Mike’s a consummate pro, and Karl deserved the spotlight for preserving this win. And who knows—maybe this is a sign of Towns turning a corner after a rocky season. Better hope so. If the Knicks want to reach the Finals, they’re gonna need him.
Up Next
New York heads to Cleveland for a Tuesday night tilt with a hot Cavaliers club. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.
In between the third and fourth quarters of the NBA All-Star Game, NBC announced that they will be showing “The Quiet Work,” a five-part documentary on Jayson Tatum’s return from the torn Achilles injury that he suffered in Game 4 of the second round playoff series against the New York Knicks.
During the pregame show of the Celtics matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers, NBC ran Episode 1 of the first part titled “Starting at Zero.” Tatum also posted the episode on his YouTube channel for everyone to see.
The episode starts out before Game 4 and shows Tatum’s thought process which is optimistic despite losing Games 1 and 2 at home. After winning Game 3, Tatum said he felt “excited” and thought he was going to have a big game. He would be correct.
The focus then shifts to Tatum’s mom, Brandy Cole, and her thoughts ahead of the game, saying, “as long as we have JT on the floor, we have a chance.”
Tatum would have 42 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, and 2 blocks on 16-28 shooting from the field and 7-16 shooting from three. He said, “It felt like one of those nights” where he was just in the zone. He continued, “I was playing that well that I thought we were going to figure this out and we were going to win.”
Then comes the 3:05 mark of the fourth quarter where the Celtics are behind 111-104 and Tatum goes down. Tatum said when he lunged for the ball, “it felt like someone kicked me.” Cole said she looked at the scoreboard and saw Jayson down and thought he just needed to get up and shake it off and it didn’t cross her mind that it was that serious sitting three or four rows away from the court.
When Nick Sang, the Celtics physical therapist and athletic trainer, saw Tatum down, he had a feeling something was different. Sang then asked Tatum if he “heard a pop” and Tatum said he could hear it and it sounded like “one of those guns that go off at a track meet.”
He remembered grabbing his leg and begging that it wasn’t something serious. As he is shown being carried off the floor, Tatum said he was in shock, scared, and everything in his life flashed before his eyes. He said, “in that moment, it felt like everything came to an end” in his NBA career. The episode then ends with a shot in a hospital with the sign reading “Surgical Check In.”
PHOENIX, AZ - FEBRUARY 22: Royce O'Neale #00 of the Phoenix Suns handles the ball during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on February 22, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Phoenix Suns played the second night of a back-to-back on Sunday, hosting the Portland Trail Blazers, and the result was an abysmal performance. Phoenix scored just 77 points.
It is easy to understand why when you zoom out. Phoenix was without three of its four highest-paid players, and the absence showed from the opening tip.
$94.3 million in payroll out tonight. May the odds be ever in our favor https://t.co/eIDgXQmaGe
What it felt like was the final five minutes of the Orlando game, followed by two overtimes, stretched across an entire night. There was no offensive rhythm, no flow, and no sense of continuity. The shooting issues that have lingered all February stayed right on schedule, and the game never found a pulse.
You can call it expected, even understandable. Still, with so much youth on the floor, you hope someone grabs the moment and makes it theirs. That never really happened. No one stepped forward, no one bent the game in their direction, and the opportunity passed without resistance.
The team shot 36.9% from the field, 25.7% from three, committed 23 turnovers, and didn’t score more than 20 points in any single quarter. Collin Gillespie scored 18 points to lead all Suns’ scorers, and 14 of those came in the fourth. Meanwhile, both Donovan Clingan and Jerami Grant had 23 points for the Blazers, with Clingan adding 12 rebounds.
The loss marked the fewest points scored by the Suns since October of 2017. Phoenix now finds themselves further away from the sixth seed as the loss drops them to 33-25.
Before a single point was scored, the night started going sideways. Portland All-Star Deni Avdija exited with back tightness. He was questionable on the report, gave it a go, but was unavailable once his back locked up. On the next trip down, Collin Gillespie got tangled up in a foul with Donovan Clingan, braced himself as he hit the floor, and appeared to tweak his right wrist. One possession later, Clingan looked to injure his left thumb.
Three sequences, three issues. The Mortgage Matchup Center, which I have lovingly renamed “The Morg”, kept doing what it has done all week: quietly claiming bodies before the game ever had a chance to breathe.
The Morg is living up to its name. Claiming guys left and right to injury…
It was a brutal offensive start for both teams. When the seven-minute mark rolled around, the scoreboard read 4-2 Suns, and it felt every bit as rough as it looked. Phoenix opened 2-of-13. Portland countered with 1-of-8.
The first real jolt came when Jalen Green ripped down the floor and finished a transition dunk, his first in a Suns uniform.
With the roster thinned out, the first look off the bench went to rookie Rasheer Fleming, with Jamaree Bouyea right behind him. The youth got real minutes, real responsibility, and a real chance to shape the night.
Bouyea paced Phoenix with 6 in the first quarter, while the Suns shot 34.8% from the field and 0-of-7 from deep. Portland lived in the same neighborhood, shooting 32% and finishing 2-of-14 from beyond the arc.
After one, it was an ugly 20-20 game.
The second quarter opened, and Khaman Maluach was on the floor.
And wouldn’t you know it? He hit his first three-pointer in his career, a corner ball, scoring the first three-pointer for the team at the same time.
The second quarter continued the same trend as the first quarter in that both teams were having a hard time scoring. Halfway through the quarter, the Suns had the edge 7–6 in scoring.
Portland was the first team to string together a real run, ripping off nine straight points by pushing the pace and attacking the interior. Phoenix responded by circling the perimeter, hesitant to challenge Clingan, and taking turns missing threes. Ryan Dunn struggled mightily through the stretch. On one possession, he grabbed an offensive rebound, retreated to the three-point line, and missed. The next trip down in transition, he pulled up and airballed another three.
Ryan Dunn had Williams on a little man & decided to airball a 3 instead….
Amir Coffey added some juice off the bench as the Suns were looking anywhere. He made three straight buckets, getting Phoenix to within 2. Portland responded, however, closing the quarter on a 5-0 run, extending their lead to 47-40 at the break.
The Suns were 2-of-19 from three-point range in the first half, with the rookies, Maluach and Fleming, accounting for those makes. The box score wasn’t good, it wasn’t bad. It was ugly. Royce O’Neale was 0-of-5 from the field. Ryan Dunn was 1-of-7. Jalen Green was 2-of-9. 24 of the Suns’ 40 points were scored by the bench, with Bouyea leading the Suns with 8 points.
The best shot of the night? A fan won $10,000 for hitting half court shot.
The Suns opened the second half with a shot clock violation on their first possession. If you have a hand, feel free to place the palm of it directly on your face and leave it there for a moment.
Another 9-0 run by the Blazers pushed the lead to 15. The shooting fell apart, the defense followed, and the whole thing felt disjointed. Jalen Green was the lone steady presence. By the midpoint of the quarter, he had scored all 9 of the Suns points.
Ryan Dunn is the pigeon. Getting posterized by Grant one possession, taken off the dribble by Holiday the next. Portland is targeting him and he is failing the test
Soon Phoenix was down by 20 points. Short-handed or not, the team was struggling and failing the test. That test? Seize the moment. Take advantage of the opportunity before you.
Khaman Maluach looked good, for what it’s worth. He was playing with some give-a-shit.
The Suns shot a putrid 30.4% in the third quarter and were 1-of-8 from three. They were outrebounded 15-8. They scored just 17 points, and entered the fourth down 71-57.
The fourth quarter opened with the Suns finally knocking down a pair of threes, one from Rasheer Fleming in the corner and another from Collin Gillespie. Gillespie followed by drilling two more threes, trimming the deficit to 11 with 7:48 left and briefly giving the building something to lean into.
Phoenix entered the fourth with just three made threes. Gillespie alone matched that total in the first 4 minutes in the 4th
Things got a little spicy with five minutes left. Ryan Dunn and Donovan Clingan got into a mild shoving match that triggered a review for a hostile act. After a long look, it was ruled that nothing met the criteria. Still, it counted as the most visible life Dunn showed all night.
A moment later, Clingan missed two straight free throws. Somewhere, Chick-fil-A trays were being mentally claimed.
The game strolled on, and the sun had no offense outside of calling Gillespie in the final quarter. Eventually, the inevitable occurred as the Suns lost 92-77.
Up Next
The Suns welcome the surprising Boston Celtics to the Morg on Tuesday night. We shall see you then!
Feb 22, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
On paper, no one game is more important than another across 82 games in the regular season. A result in October will matter as much as a result in March.
But we know that’s not true.
For the Lakers, there are two games that always matter more than the rest. There have been many rivalries that have come and gone but the Celtics games have always carried more weight.
After getting blown out in Boston under not-so-great circumstances, Sunday was supposed to be the chance for the Lakers to get some sweet revenge. They were at full strength, at home and haven’t left the state for a game since the very beginning of the month. Everything was set up nicely for, at the very least, a competitive game.
Instead, the fourth quarter featured Jaylen Brown getting MVP chants, Payton Pritchard talking trash after an endless barrage of threes and Neemias Queta slamming home lobs without a hint of resistance.
Utter embarrassment.
With a chance to not only get some revenge but match up with one of the top teams in the league, the Lakers chose the path they are all too willing to head down this year as they let go of the rope entirely. The Celtics bullied them from the very start to win the mental game and then hustled all over the court to win the actual game, too.
If the Lakers didn’t have enough to beat the Celtics, that’d be one thing. But putting forth that effort against that team on your home floor? Absolutely inexcusable.
It matters not how poor the officiating was in the first half. When the rubber met the road, the Lakers completely folded on Sunday, a trait that is starting to become commonplace for them.
So, let’s dive into the loss. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
None of those qualifiers will matter, though, because everyone is getting the same grade after that performance.
This is the worst case scenario for Smart. No team is more familiar with his shortcomings than the Celtics, who chose to completely disregard him offensively. He punished them by careening shots off the rim in their direction.
Reaves probably wasn’t far off from being an All-Star with the injury replacements earlier this month. He definitely strengthened his case tonight by being the fifth or sixth best player on the floor.
Fans who criticize Luka for complaining to the officials too much will be feasting after this game. Valid or not, it’s a miracle he didn’t get a technical.
Grade: F
Jaxson Hayes
The only thing saving him from the same grade as his teammates is that he only played five minutes before exiting the game and not returning with an ankle injury.
LaRavia had maybe the highlight of the game for the Lakers with a big dunk after driving the lane. If you can name one other thing he did in this game other than turn the ball over in the backcourt, that’d be impressive.
The fourth quarter starting with Vando driving the lane, failing to eurostep around his defender and putting up a contested layup with his right hand should have been the point when everyone turned the game off.
Grade: F
Dalton Knecht, Maxi Kleber, Kobe Bufkin
Thirteen months ago, Dalton Knecht scored 13 points with three threes in 14 minutes in a 21-point win over the Celtics, in case you were wondering how dramatically he’s fallen off.
JJ Redick
With the game on the brink of getting away from the Lakers just past the midway point of the fourth, the Lakers had Luka on the floor alone with Reaves and LeBron on the bench. Don’t worry, though, because Redick brought them back in the game after a Brown and-one made it an 18-point game with right around five minutes to go.
Michael Smith, Pat Fraher, Curtis Blair
What was your favorite missed call of the game from this officiating crew? Was it the first missed goaltending? The second? Personally, I think it’s the sequence where Michael Smith missed Brown elbowing Smart in the face, then called technicals on both Reaves and Smart in the aftermath.
Grade: F
Sunday’s inactives: Chris Mañon, Drew Timme, Nick Smith Jr., Bronny James, Adou Thiero
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 22: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers dunks the ball during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on February 22, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer standings: Tyrese Maxey – 20 Joel Embiid – 9 VJ Edgecombe – 8 Paul George – 6 Dominick Barlow – 2 Andre Drummond – 2 Jared McCain :’( – 2 Kelly Oubre Jr. – 2 MarJon Beauchamp – 1 Adem Bona – 1 Justin Edwards – 1 Quentin Grimes – 1 Trendon Watford – 1 15th roster spot – 1
The Philadelphia 76ers have snagged their first win in over two weeks, taking down Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves 135-108 on Sunday night.
The Sixers had a decent first half of basketball, seemingly getting more in rhythm as the break approached. They entered the second half with a 10-point lead over the hosting Timberwolves. By then, four Sixers were already into double-digit scoring (Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Quentin Grimes and Kelly Oubre Jr.). The consistent scoring and even effort from the Sixers continued throughout the second half and Philadelphia amassed a lead of more than 20 points.
Tyrese Maxey put up his best performance in what feels like a long time with a game-high 39 points on 18-for-28 field goal shooting. Rookie VJ Edgecombe added a new career-high six triples for 24 points and Quentin Grimes added 19 points with five threes of his own. It was the best widespread effort we’ve seen from this team by a fair margin in weeks.
The Sixers get Monday off before continuing their road trip with a visit to the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday.
Feb 22, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) works around Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3) during the first half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Tyrese Maxey got off to a sloppy start in this one with two quick turnovers on bad passes in the first two minutes, and it was looking like it might be another tough night for the guard. After that though, he seemed to settle in, especially toward the end of the second frame. Maxey scored 11 of the Sixers’ last 17 points to close the first half after starting to have success getting downhill and weaving into the paint against a Timberwolves team without a real center available (Rudy Gobert, suspension, and Naz Reid, shoulder soreness, were both out). Maxey shot 8-for-15 from the floor and 2-for-5 from long range in the first half, tying with fellow NBA All-Star Anthony Edwards in leading the floor with 19 points at halftime.
From then on, Maxey seemed locked in, playing with a bit of fire we haven’t seen from him in a little bit. He added 13 more points in the third including two from an absolute poster on Anthony Edwards.
Exactly the kind of sequence the Sixers needed! The absolute poster from Tyrese Maxey, a quick turnover, and another bucket from Andre Drummond 🔥 pic.twitter.com/oTYY14byda
This was one of the best overall Maxey performances we have seen in a bit, with great energy level and body language coming with it. He was aggressive without forcing opportunities that weren’t there. He seemed not to succumb to frustration as much, even if he wasn’t getting the foul calls he wanted. He just stuck to his game and kept doing what worked, taking advantage of the Wolves lack of rim protection on Sunday.
After a really tough few weeks, Maxey might have needed this kind of night personally, mentally, even more than the Sixers needed it.
Maxey finished this one with 39 points on 16-for-28 (57.1%) field goal shooting and 5-for-7 (51.7%) shooting from long range. He also had eight assists, three rebounds, two steals and one block.
What a game for Tyrese Maxey. The guard has been seemingly struggling as of late with inconsistency and frustration on the court… Not tonight.
<p>Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images
VJ Edgecombe got the night off to a hot start, taking advantage of some open looks to put up 10 points (two triples) in the first frame. The three-point shooting of the rookie would become the cornerstone of his night, with Edgecombe sinking 3-of-4 in the first half. Following halftime, he was completely locked in, looking confident and smooth pulling up from distance whenever he could find or create an open look. It paid off.
Edgecombe ended up with a new career-high six triples on seven attempts. That’s 85.7% shooting from beyond the arc. Not only that, but he was also active on the boards throughout, trailing only Andre Drummond for the Sixers in the category with seven. The rookie also put up a solid defensive performance and committed just one turnover the entire contest, with that single error not occurring until the final minutes of the game with the Sixers up over 20 points.
This performance was another example of Edgecombe seemingly playing beyond his years when it comes to rising up to the moment, too. He got the fourth off to a hot start with a high-flying alley-oop and yet another triple to extend the Sixers’ lead early in the final frame — the beginning of putting the game out of reach for the Timberwolves and finally snapping the losing streak for the Sixers.
Edgecombe finished the night with 24 points, seven rebounds, one assist and two steals.
Next up, we have the rookie VJ Edgecombe, who shot the lights out from long range for a new career-high six triples 🔥
24 PTS (6-7 3PT), 7 REB, 1 AST, 2 STL
Here's some Edgecombe highlights from the Sixers' win over the Timberwolves! ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/SvtXJ4kdVM
<p>Matt Krohn-Imagn Images</p><br> | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Quentin Grimes made a quick impact off the bench for the Sixers early in this one, hitting two threes and grabbing a steal not long after checking in for the first time in the opening frame. Grimes not only was scoring well in the first half, putting up 10 points on 4-for-8 field goal, 2-for-4 three-point shooting, but was contributing well as a playmaker. He had five assists by halftime, with three coming off similar plays ending in finding Adem Bona under the net for open dunks.
This performance was the perfect example of what the Sixers need from Grimes coming off the bench. It doesn’t have to be massive scoring bursts or all highlight reel level plays. He simply provided a consistent offensive boost for the Sixers on Sunday, whether scoring himself or just keeping his head up and making the right passes for some absolute dimes for his teammates. For a team that has been struggling with assists as of late, that playmaking alone is worth its weight in gold… but the five triples certainly didn’t hurt either.
Grimes finished Sunday with 19 points on 7-for-12 field goal shooting and 5-for-8 shooting from three-point range. He also had three rebounds, seven assists and one steal.
Last but not least, we have Quentin Grimes. This was one of Q's best performances for Philly as of late, providing a boost off the bench the Sixers needed from scoring to some beautiful assists.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Tyrese Maxey had 39 points and eight assists, VJ Edgecombe made a career-high six 3-pointers and finished with 24 points, and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 135-108 on Sunday night to snap a four-game losing streak — all by double figures.
Maxey made 16 of 28 shots from the field and hit four of Philadelphia's 21 3-pointers. Quentin Grimes had 19 points, which included five 3s, and seven assists. Kelly Oubre Jr. added 18 points and four steals.
Coming off a 126-111 defeat Saturday night at New Orleans, the Sixers were again without center Joel Embiid, who missed his third straight game since the All-Star break due to right shin soreness. Embiid also sat out three of the last five games going into the break with soreness in his right knee.
Minnesota had its three-game win streak snapped. Anthony Edwards scored 19 of his 28 points in the first half for the Timberwolves. Jaden McDaniels added 19 and Julius Randle scored 18.
Naz Ried (shoulder soreness) did not play for Minnesota, and Rudy Gobert served a one-game suspension for accumulating too many flagrant fouls. Gobert, the four-time NBA defensive player of the year, will be suspended two games for each additional flagrant foul this season.
Joan Beringer, a 6-foot-11 center, made his first career start for the Timberwolves. Picked No. 17 overall in the 2025 draft, Beringer had two points and three fouls in five first-half minutes. Ayo Dosunmu started the third quarter in Beringer’s place and finished with 12 points.
Grimes hit a 3-pointer and then found a cutting Adem Bona for a dunk before Maxey drained a fadeaway jumper and a 3 to cap a 10-2 run that made it 35-26 at the end of the first quarter. Philadelphia led the rest of the way.
Up next
76ers: Wrap up a three-game trip Tuesday at Indiana.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 22: Khris Middleton #20 of the Dallas Mavericks drives to the basket during the game against the Indiana Pacers on February 22, 2026 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Marshall was back to his old ways, hitting 7-for-10 from the floor in a highly efficient outing despite limited minutes. Two turnovers wasn’t terrible, but relative to only two assists, it stands out. Also, Marshall’s rebounding totals of late have been on the lower end, though playing out of the point guard spot in this one probably didn’t help that cause.
Max Christie: B
16 PTS / 2 REB / 4 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 31 MIN
Christie joined Marshall with some hot shooting of his own (6-for-11; 2-for-4 from deep). His assist total helped his grade, but three turnovers and three fouls did not. Nice solid game overall.
P.J. Washington: A-
23 PTS / 9 REB / 2 AST / 1 STL / 1 BLK – 37 MIN
Washington must have had whatever Marshall had for breakfast, because he too looked like his best self after a sting of “meh” games. Hitting 8-for-14 from the floor was good enough to make him the second highest scorer for the Mavs. He took care of the ball and played solid defense.
Khris Middleton: A+
25 PTS / 7 REB / 7 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 33 MIN
Aside from foul personal fouls, Middleton was across-the-board fantastic. He shot a ridiculous 11-for-15, including 3-for-5 from downtown, for a season-high in points. He led the team in scoring and led the team in assists (tied with Brandon Williams). He also took a clutch charge late in the fourth quarter, and if you’ve been reading long enough you know how positively that single act impacts a grade. Somewhat more seriously though, it was at a pivotal moment in the fourth quarter. Middleton really played a complete game and it’s doubtful Dallas wins without his performance.
Daniel Gafford: B-
8 PTS / 6 REB / 2 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 22 MIN
Gafford was solid, but one can’t help but wonder if he couldn’t provide similar production off the bench at this point. As the starting center, you would think he could be racking up double-doubles, or at least close. Had it not been for 3-for-7 shooting, he easily could have been in double-figure scoring at least. He had the best plus/minus of all the starters with a plus-10, to help boost his grade.
Brandon Williams: B+
15 PTS / 1 REB / 7 AST / 2 STL / 1 BLK – 22 MIN
Williams has been doing work lately. He is staying within himself and putting together solid games again and again. His two turnovers can be forgiven next to his team-leading seven assists (tied with Middleton). He led the team in plus-minus with a plus-15.
Marvin Bagley: A+
12 PTS / 11 REB / 1 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 26 MIN
It’s safe to say I am firmly on the Bagley bandwagon. I debated this grade a bit, however landed with top marks similar to his last outing, as he all but replicated that performance. It’s still a small sample size, but Bagley has obviously outplayed Gafford over the last few games, making the center position a thing of interest.
Final thoughts
This was a fun game and a much needed win. Without Cooper Flagg, Middleton took on the starring role, with plenty of help from Washington, Marshall and Bagley. Dallas inexplicably has one of (if not the) best three point defenses based on percentage allowed, yet to the naked eye they consistently appear to be either disinterested or incapable of stopping the long ball. Indiana hit nine more threes than Dallas, yet Dallas persisted and found a way.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
Feb 22, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Cam Thomas (24) drives for the basket against Toronto Raptors guard Ja'Kobe Walter (14) in the fourth quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Bucks couldn’t stay perfect for long out of the All-Star break, losing to the Toronto Raptors, 122-94. Despite trailing by three points midway through the third quarter, the Raptors ended the game on a 60-35 run. The Bucks remain in the 11th seed in the East with the loss. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast, Bucks In Six Minutes, below.
KPJ was one of two players who finished with more than one assist, and he was an efficient scorer tonight. He also held up well against Brandon Ingram on defense, especially considering the size difference.
Green has fallen back into a rut. The constant pressure from Toronto made it difficult to get open, and in the rare moments he did, he couldn’t convert.
Kuzma rebounded the ball well in the first half and played solid defense on the numerous wings the Raptors employ. He couldn’t get anything going on the offensive end, much like the rest of his teammates.
Thank goodness for Turner in the first half. He scored 11 of his 14 points and helped keep the Bucks afloat. Credit to Toronto’s defense for limiting him to three shot attempts in the second half.
Grade: B+
Bobby Portis
18 minutes, 6 points, 7 rebounds, 3/8 FG, -15
BP never found his rhythm. He stayed engaged on the boards, even with his shot not dropping, but it’s never good to pick up a flagrant foul.
Thomas excited the fans when he was first introduced at Fiserv Forum. He was limited after his initial eight-point burst, but it was a solid enough home debut for Thomas.
The Jericho hype train might be pulling back into the station. He did a decent job on the glass, but so many passes or deflected balls just hit him in the hands, and he couldn’t secure them.
I’m sure it wasn’t the way that Dieng hoped his home debut would go. He never got into a rhythm, sitting out the entire third quarter after playing eight minutes in the first half.
Grade: D+
Doc Rivers
Another game, another presser where Doc says the Bucks couldn’t do what they were supposed to do. It’s become maddening at this point. Doc said they talked about the bigs screening more to alleviate the pressure on the ball handlers, but said Green probably set the most screens. The Raptors are a good defensive team, but when the game plan isn’t working, how can you not correct it in-game?
Grade: D
Limited Minutes: Pete Nance
Garbage Time: Gary Harris, Gary Trent Jr., Andre Jackson Jr., Thanasis Antetokounmpo
Inactive: Alex Antetokounmpo, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Taurean Prince
Bonus Bucks Bits
Before the game, Doc Rivers offered up some new NBA overtime rules based on watching the United States men’s hockey team beat Canada in overtime 2-1:
“It was really cool to watch, it really was. The way I look at hockey is the three-on-twos and the two-on-ones; it’s just like basketball. I wish we passed like them, it’s really beautiful. But over time, I was sitting there thinking, ‘huh,’ we should start with three-minute overtime four-on-four, then go to double overtime, three-on-three, then to the next one, two-on-two, and the next one, one-on-one. The minute police would have a problem with the one-on-one, because they’d still be playing.”
The Bucks turned the ball over 17 times, tied for the fourth most they’ve had this season. Doc Rivers said post-game that they got “man-handled”:
“We got man-handled, bottom line. I’ve probably only said that one other time this year. I thought their physicality completely took us out of the game and turned us into one-on-one players. We stopped moving the ball, playing the way we’ve been. When you look at our assist column, and you see all those ones, it tells you all you need to know.”
AJ Green has his jersey retired at the University of Northern Iowa during the All-Star Break. Green told the assembled media the story of how he learned his no. 4 was going to be put in the rafters:
“My best friend was like, ‘hey man, can I call you later or sometime this week?’ He told me it was going to be over Zoom, and I was like ‘why would we ever Zoom, bro?’ He works at UNI, so as it went along, I’m like, something fishy is going on here, but it was cool. He had organized it, my parents were on the call, [and] all the staff at UNI were on the call to let me know. It was special.”
Myles Turner sits just two blocks away from 1,500 in his career, with 1,498 after today’s game. He would become the 41st player in NBA history to accomplish that feat.
Up Next
The Bucks will continue their four-game home stand on Tuesday, hosting the Miami Heat. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Central time and will be televised on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin.
Feb 22, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) shoots over Minnesota Timberwolves guard Terrence Shannon Jr. (1) during the first half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Man, oh, man, not only did they need this win, but this performance from Tyrese Maxey as well.
The Sixers snapped their four-game losing streak, blowing out the Minnesota Timberwolves 135-108 Sunday night.
Maxey, in his best game of the month, put up a game-high 39 points going 16-of-28 from the field along with eight assists. VJ Edgecombe was feeling his three-point shot, putting up 24 points with seven boards shooting 8-of-18 from the floor and a career-high six three-pointers made on seven attempts.
Quentin Grimes and Kelly Oubre Jr. dropped 19 and 18, respectively, while Anthony Edwards led the Wolves with 28.
Joel Embiid (shin soreness) missed his fifth straight game while the Timberwolves were down Rudy Gobert (flagrant foul limit suspension) and Naz Reid (shoulder soreness.)
Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.
First Quarter
This one started even uglier, with both teams combining to miss the first three free-throw attempts of the night. It took the Sixers nearly three minutes to record their first field goal, throwing two lazy passes that were easily intercepted.
Oubre’ three did seem get the ball rolling a little bit. Edgecombe had a couple successful drives, getting the Wolves’ depleted bigs in foul trouble in the process. Dominick Barlow made some hustle plays early with a transition and-1 along with an offensive board that led to Maxey’s first field goal of the night.
Edwards was truly a one-man wrecking crew to start the night, scoring or assisting 13 of Minnesota’s first 19 points of the game. The Sixers’ shooting got hot enough to keep pace though. Grimes had a hot start for the second straight game, making two of his first threes. Maxey and Edgecombe each got another to fall as well as they got out to a nine-point lead after the first.
Back-to-back-to-back triples from the Sixers courtesy of Quentin Grimes with two and one from VJ Edgecombe! pic.twitter.com/zVoTSSLlZt
Strong play from Grimes kept the Sixers in a rhythm across quarters. He found Adem Bona wide open at the rim two more times after doing so once late in the first, and got a couple buckets on cuts himself. After Cam Payne set him up for the second, he got a backcourt steal and buried a three, forcing a Minnesota timeout amidst a 13-3 run.
Five quick ones for the Sixers! Quentin Grimes scores again, and Cam Payne adds the steal and triple 🔥 pic.twitter.com/YpsBqPMimZ
That timeout did stop the Sixers’ flow. It took the Timberwolves a couple minutes and Edwards returning to the game, but they strung enough baskets together to have Nick Nurse call a timeout of his own. That also seemed to work as Maxey hit a gorgeous layup before Barlow got to the line.
Minnesota was able to get someone else going as Donte DiVencenzio hit four of his first five shots. While he caught fire from behind the arc, Edwards and Julius Randle had a lot of success driving to the basket. On the other end, Maxey began to have success off the dribble as well, though he smoked both free throws as well after one of his drives was overturned from a charge to a block. Another Edgecombe three proceeded a Maxey and-1, this time converted to keep the Sixers up by 10 at the break.
Third Quarter
Just like the night before, the Sixers showed some pretty concerning signs coming out of the half. They only scored three points for the first four and a half minutes — just one make from Edgecombe from behind the arc. That was loudly interrupted though when Maxey had his second ferocious dunk of the week, throwing one down with Edwards and Jayden McDaniels in the area.
Exactly the kind of sequence the Sixers needed! The absolute poster from Tyrese Maxey, a quick turnover, and another bucket from Andre Drummond 🔥 pic.twitter.com/oTYY14byda
That dunk started with a steal Maxey turned into a fast break, and the Sixers followed that up with two more steals, both leading to baskets as well. Maxey in particular seemed to run with that shot in the arm, finding Andre Drummond on an open roll off of one of those steals before a couple more baskets off the dribble.
He felt less aggressive than his six attempts would suggest, but Edgecombe was deadly from beyond the arc in this one. He sunk five of those, his first game making at least five threes since early January. Maxey wasn’t at that pace but was still putting together a solid night from deep as well, knocking down a pull-up a few possessions later. Maxey put the bow on the third, sinking a floater before the buzzer sounded to put the Sixers up by 16.
Fourth Quarter
After starting the quarter by finishing off an alley-oop, Edgecombe notched his career-high in three-pointers made in exciting fashion. He drilled a grenade to beat the shotclock despite being unable to shake Ayo Dosunmu.
What a way to set a new career-high for triples! VJ Edgecombe now with SIX from long range 🔥 pic.twitter.com/9CFYcP9kpE
A quick 6-0 run made it very clear that there was still plenty of time for the Timberwolves to get back into this. As he had all night, Maxey responded out of the timeout, getting to the rim for a basket before stealing the inbound for another layup T.J. McConnell style. Both he and Oubre kept the Sixers lead in comfortable territory knocking down more threes. Oubre and Edgecombe both tried to posterize poor Joan Beringer. Neither were successful but Oubre’s attempt not only drew a foul, but it was Beringer’s sixth.
As has become a recurring theme as of late, the last few minutes of these game didn’t matter, but this time it was a positive for the Sixers. This game was absolutely a must-win and credit it to the Sixers, they gave one of their best efforts all season.
Jaylen Brown drives past Jake LaRavia of the Lakers en route to a game-high 32 points. (Katie Chin / Associated Press)
All of the current Lakers realized that playing against the Boston Celtics on national television really was more than just one of 82 games on the schedule.
It was crystallized even more because iconic former Lakers coach Pat Riley sat courtside after a celebration for the unveiling of his statue on the Star Plaza outside Crypto.com Arena. He was the first Lakers coach to beat the hated Celtics for an NBA championship after eight failed attempts.
So, yes, on this Sunday afternoon, this game meant more if only because it was another game in the long rivalry, a game the Lakers lost, 111-89.
Luka Doncic had 25 points for the Lakers but he was just nine for 22 from the field. LeBron James had 20 points but was just nine for 21 from the field.
It was the second time this season the Lakers scored in the 80s, and that also was a loss.
For a team that entered the game shooting a league-best 50% from the field, it was not a good sign for the Lakers’ offense when their shooting slipped to 36.8% in the second quarter. They shot 39.1% for the game and 30% (nine for 30) from three-point range.
“We had some really good looks,” James said. “I think they had a good game plan defensively, forcing us to take some shots … I mean listen, sometimes you got to make shots. And they made timely shots and we didn't. We didn’t give ourselves a good chance on the offensive end. I think defensively, we held serve as long as we could. But offensively, we didn't give ourselves a good chance.”
It was obvious the Lakers felt the intensity of the rivalry when Austin Reaves and Marcus Smart received technical fouls in the second quarter and coach JJ Redick got one in the third.
They were unhappy with the officiating that didn’t go their way against an aggressive Celtics defense.
Perhaps, it was posed to Doncic, the Lakers lost some focus on offense because of the complaints that led to the T's.
"Maybe. ...You’re surprised it wasn’t me, huh?" he said. "Then you know it’s bad.”
Doncic laughed.
But what was of real concern for the Lakers was trying to deal with the Celtics and their three-point shooters.
The Celtics (37-19) entered the game tossing up 42.4 threes per game, the third-highest output in the NBA, and making 15.4 of them, also the third-highest.
On cue, the Celtics shot 14 for 36 from three-point range.
The Lakers (34-22) fell behind by 18 points with 4:46 left in the fourth quarter after Jaylen Brown was fouled while scoring. He made the free throw and then followed that with a three-pointer to put the Lakers in a 21-point hole.
Brown finished with 32 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
But the real problem for the Lakers was not being able to slow down Payton Pritchard. He had 30 points off the bench, making 10 of 14 shots and six of nine three-pointers.
His three-pointer gave the Celtics a 22-point lead and forced Redick to call a timeout with 3:22 left. Redick pulled his starters, knowing it was over.
“You talk about the personnel and how good Jaylen Brown has been and how good Payton Pritchard has been,” Redick said. “Really where this team kills you is when they can get you in the blender and take catch-and-shoot threes. They can shoot 51 of them and they're going to make 20. They're that good. Trying to limit that is the biggest thing when you play these guys. And you have to be willing to live with contested off-the-dribble jumpers. Pritchard made a lot of them tonight. He played a great game."
James said he watched some of the Riley ceremony that took place at halftime.
James played for the Miami Heat for four years under the watchful eye of Riley. The Heat went to four NBA Finals and won two championships.
Riley left an indelible impression on James.
“I got out there for a little bit, sat on the bench during halftime before our meeting,” James said. “Listen, he’s one of the all-time greats to ever have been a part of this league. Not only player — coach, executive, front office, everything. Obviously what he did here for the Lakers organization in the ‘80s goes without saying and rightfully so, him having a statue outside his building. Obviously I spent four years with him. I have the utmost respect for him, for his family and everything. So, it's pretty cool.”
