Category: Basketball

The Unrivaled excitement should be at an all-time high in Sephora Arena on Friday night.

Not only does the Week 6 action begin with a battle between Phantom and Laces (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV), the second and first place teams in the standings, but the second game will welcome the return of Angel Reese, when Rose takes on Hive (8:45 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV).

Reese’s Unrivaled arrival should thrill all fans, whether or not your allegiances lie with Rose.

Most simply, the more great players who suit up in Unrivaled, the better. And Reese is a great player. The 305 Barbie averaged an 11.6-point and 10.8-rebound double-double for Rose across 14 games last season. Those numbers earned her All-Unrivaled Second Team honors, while she also was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, an award she garnered largely due to her best-in-the-league defense against eventual MVP Napheesa Collier.

Reese will provide an needed injection of energy for Rose: running in transition, going all out on the glass and assuming tough defensive assignments.

The defending champs have experienced an up-and-down season, with wins often requiring clutch-time heroics from 1-on-1 Tournament champion Chelsea Gray.

However, even if Reese plays productive and positive ball, her presence might not have the immediate, winning impact envisioned. As Gray discussed when on the Unrivaled broadcast on Tuesday night, it’s going to take time to re-integrate Angel and re-establish a rhythm, even if she has experience playing with Gray, Kahleah Copper and Lexie Hull.

Critcally, Reese and Shakira Austin will have to learn to play together.

Not only has Austin been way too effective to see her minutes cut significantly for Reese, but, last season, Rose had success with two-big lineups featuring Reese and Azurá Stevens, whose departure to Hive opened the way for Reese’s return, as Rose sent out Stevens in the three-player swap without receiving a player in return. Yet, Austin is a different style of big, lacking the shooting touch of Stevens and preferring to flex her physicality around the basket. When on the court with Austin, Reese might need to play from the perimeter more often, tapping into her point forward skills and continuing to experiment with her outside shot.

On Friday night, the mere adrenaline rush of Reese’s return might be enough for Rose to get a needed win. At 5-6 and in fifth place, Rose’s postseason spot is far from secure. Plus, it was Hive that sent Rose to their first loss of the season, spoiling Rose’s 4-0 start with the unexpected 78-75 win.

At 3-8, thus needing every win to keep their playoff hopes alive, Hive will be angling for another upset.

And Hive is particularly well equipped to give Rose problems, and that’s not only due to any intel Stevens can provide or the extra motivation the former Rosebud might carry into the matchup. With Stevens, Monique Billings and Ezi Magbegor, Hive has a surfeit of size that can make Rose’s efforts to experiment with Reese-Austin lineups go awry. Billings will battle Reese for every board, Magbegor provides rim protection and Stevens can remind Rose of what they’re missing by stretching the floor and sinking a couple of 3s.

While no one will be surprised if the Point Gawd pulls another victory from the jaws of defeat for Rose, another Hive win also shouldn’t be a shock.

Don’t miss the battle between Unrivaled’s very best

Last time Phantom and Laces met, the Solemates squeaked by the Ghost Gang, winning 76-75 on a pull-up triple from Brittney Sykes.

Laces starting triumvirate of Sykes, Jackie Young and Alyssa Thomas powered them with 17, 17 and 19 points, respectively, while Phantom’s dynamic duo of Kelsey Plum and Aliyah Boston combined for almost 50 points, with KP scoring 25 and AB adding 23.

While that quintet of players all could assuming starring roles again on Friday night, both clubs sit at the top of the standings because of their reliable depth.

For Laces, Naz Hillmon has three double-doubles on the season, Maddy Siegrist has three games with multiple 3s and Jordin Canada swiped three steals in her first game back from an injury on Monday night. Phantom can turn to Kiki Iriafen, who has six double-digit scoring games from off the bench, while Natasha Cloud has been on fire from behind arc, shooting better than 40 percent from 3. Their third starter, Tiffany Hayes, has provided consistent across-the-board production.

However, the most interesting matchup is the 1-on-1 game we were denied: Thomas vs. Boston.

Will Boston’s combination of size and skill allow her to overpower Thomas on offense, as she also uses her defensive length and smarts to stall AT’s forays to the rim? Can Thomas apply of her veteran savvy to neutralize Boston’s offense, while also baiting AB into fouls that send her to the bench?

Tune in for a tilt that could determine which club finishes the season in first place.

Otega Oweh put together a very impressive first year as a Kentucky Wildcat and nearly turned pro last summer.

Instead, he decided to return to Lexington to work on his game and further improve his NBA draft stock.

That mission is going incredibly well as he’s increased his points per game, assists and steals averages over last year. He’s also one of the select players considered as frontrunners for Southeastern Conference Player of the Year.

And while that award will be tough to win considering who he is up against, Oweh is still having a historic season for a Wildcats team that desperately needs all he can give them.

Despite his Antonio Reeves-like season, head coach Mark Pope believes Oweh can deliver at an even higher level.

Now, Pope’s statement after the team’s loss to Georgia earlier in the week does contradict himself a bit. He is basically saying he wants more out of Oweh but also wants him to play less minutes.

Pope is going to have to face the reality of Kentucky being without three of their five best players and Oweh is going to have to carry the team on his shoulders if the Wildcats have any hope for the postseason.

How do you think Kentucky will do over the last few weeks of the season?

Tweet of the Day

These guys have had a big week.

Headlines

Is This What UK Basketball Will Be in the Mark Pope era? – Vaught’s Views

Let’s hope not.

NBA plans to enact anti-tanking rules next season, sources say – ESPN

Good luck.

Freshman Gabby Van Frayen Loves Being Part of UK Team – Vaught’s Views

Incredible culture.

Indiana unanimously passes bill to lure Bears away from Chicago – ESPN

Will it really happen?

An aggressive Jasper Johnson is the best version – KSR

Couldn’t agree more.

Cade Cunningham adds to MVP ‘case’ with 42-point game vs. Knicks – ESPN

He’s having a special season.

The Selection Committee is Higher on UK Than You Might Think – KSR

We can only pray.

Four Trade offers for Eagles’ A.J. Brown – ESPN

Will they really trade him?

Ten months ago — almost to the day — Cade Cunningham changed the culture of the Detroit Pistons.

It was April 22, 2025. The Pistons were playing in Madison Square Garden in a first-round playoff game. At the time, they were facing a 15-game postseason losing streak, one that spanned 6,174 days, and were billed as steep underdogs.

Cunningham was the reason Detroit won that game.

REQUIRED READING: How many points did Cade Cunningham score? Pistons vs. Knicks stats

And though the Pistons ultimately came up short 10 months ago in that hard-fought series, Cunningham is now the reason why Detroit could be poised for something far bigger.

Thursday, Feb. 19, in a 126-11 demolition over the Knicks, the Pistons completed their regular-season sweep over New York to improve to 41-13, the best record in the NBA. In fact, the average margin of victory Detroit posted against the Knicks this season was a staggering 28 points per win.

Before the NCAA men’s basketball tournament bracket is carved in stone, attempts to anticipate what the final product will look like more closely resemble molten lava. That was made abundantly clear over the last three days, which featured numerous developments that in turn led to significant changes in our latest projection.

The quartet of No. 1 seeds was shaken up yet again, as Connecticut was a home upset victim against Creighton Wednesday night. Houston replaces the Huskies on the top line, as the Cougars’ most recent result was a less damaging loss at Iowa State. As fate would have it, the Cougars’ next opponent, Arizona, is also on the first line along with Michigan and Duke, who are set to square off themselves in a non-conference clash Saturday. In short, expect the bracket to once again look very different next week.

STARTING FIVE:Top matchups in top five highlight weekend schedule

There is also much to be settled on the bubble, where both of the Big Ten’s Los Angeles members are on the precipice. As things stand heading into the weekend, UCLA is on the outside and Southern California is clinging to a First Four spot. San Diego State has also fallen to the wrong side of the cut-off point, as Santa Clara returns to the field for now.

March Madness bracketology: NCAA Tournament projection

March Madness last four in

Southern California, New Mexico, Santa Clara, TCU.

March Madness first four out

UCLA, San Diego State, California, Virginia Commonwealth.

NCAA tournament bids conference breakdown

Multi-bid leagues: Big Ten (10), SEC (10), ACC (8) Big 12 (8), Big East (3), West Coast (3), Mountain West (2).

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness predictions: Latest men's NCAA tournament bracketology

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers ran away with a stress-free 112-84 win over a bad Brooklyn Nets team. Let’s get into what that means for the Cavs moving forward.

Head coach Kenny Atkinson is known for his motion-based offense. That free-flowing system is one of the things that made him so attractive in 2024 to a Cavaliers team that couldn’t figure out how to make it work on that end with their two big configuration. J.B. Bickerstaff’s stagnant offense, based mostly on high pick-and-rolls, didn’t work with that roster.

Hiring Atkinson transformed the offensive attack, but the James Harden trade has changed everything again. They won’t be reverting to what they were under Bickerstaff, but there’s going to be much more high pick-and-rolls than what we saw from the best regular-season offense in the league last year.

Right now, the Cavs are pick-and-roll merchants. They’ve spammed it over the past four games and have had great success doing so. Given their personnel, there’s no reason to see that changing anytime soon.

“It’s a lot of things,” Nets head coach Jordi Fernández said before the game when asked what makes a good pick-and-roll player. “It’s not just ball handling, but it’s also how you use your body. It’s how you set up the pick-and-roll, how you prepare the play. … Good pick-and-roll players can destroy every coverage.”

The Cavs guards did that, particularly their newest one.

Brooklyn decided to trap Harden on ball screens. He countered by accepting the double team and coolly making the right read time after time.

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“It’s almost like a quarterback leading a receiver,” Atkinson said about Harden’s playmaking. “You don’t have to wait for it. You catch it kind of in stride.”

Jarrett Allen has been the biggest beneficiary of this type of offense. He once again dominated inside. And unlike his previous strong showings, he did so with Evan Mobley on the court as well.

The immediate chemistry with Harden and Allen has stood out. They both seem to understand where the other is at all times, despite playing just four games together. This speaks to how good both are and how well their talent fits.

“Being on the outside, I can say he’s better than I thought he was in the sense he’s able to catch the ball, finish around the rim with both hands,” Harden said of Allen. “He has so much touch around the rim, and that’s probably one of the most underrated parts of his game.”

Allen is a good vertical spacer. He can sky up for alley-oops and finish those as good as any rim-running center. That can sometimes obscure how technically sound Allen is as a scorer inside. The combination of both skills has led to him converting 77% of his looks in the restricted area this season (87th percentile) and 82% since the new year (95th percentile).

It’d be wrong to credit Harden entirely for Allen’s good play. His passing just allows Allen to showcase those skills more consistently.

“James and [Allen] have a great connection, and everybody is really feeding off that,” Mitchell said.

It’s also worth pointing out that Allen is playing more aggressively. The Cavs have made a better effort of getting him involved earlier and are reaping the reward for doing so.

The best version of Allen is one that is actively hunting for ways to be involved offensively. He’s been doing so recently.

“He’s been a beast, just super aggressive,” Mobley said of Allen. “Every single time he sees a mismatch or anything, he’s going down to the paint and getting two points every single time. We need that from him.”

Mitchell’s scoring continues to benefit from playing alongside Harden. Harden was able to set Mitchell up for one of the best alley-oops of the season with a pass that even Mitchell said he didn’t think he was going to finish. But more importantly, the space that Mitchell has when the defense is keying in on another dynamic guard has given him much more room to attack.

As we’ve seen with Mitchell, he really doesn’t need too much room to make defenses pay.

The Cavs are still figuring things out offensively. They have only had one practice since the Harden trade, and most of the work they’ve done is in film sessions so far. That will presumably limit what they can implement.

That said, they are working on building a system that best fits their offensive pieces. Atkinson is using these next few weeks as an “observation period” to see what works and what doesn’t. At this point, it doesn’t seem like he’s rigidly clinging to any one system, but would seemingly prefer a blend of both a heavy pick-and-roll and movement-based offense.

“You got to lean on your best player’s strengths,” Atkinson said. “That’s part of this observation period. [We need to find out] how much moving and cutting we want. We’re still doing a fair amount. But you know, you just got to be careful against a blitz, because if you start running guys away and into the lane, you know, James has no outlet. So it’s almost like you have to have a blitz package and read that. And then when you’re in a normal coverage, we can do our cutting.”

Things couldn’t have gotten off to a better start in the James Harden Era. The team is clicking on all cylinders. I’ve mostly talked about the offense, but the defense was superb as well, as they registered their best defensive rating in a single game this season.

It’d be unwise to make too grand a proclamation after four games, especially considering the defenses they’ve gone up against. At the same time, it’d be difficult not to be optimistic about where this could go.

“This little winning streak has been nice, but you definitely see the level we’re at now,” Dean Wade said. “It’s a little higher than it has been.”

It most certainly is.

A blockbuster Saturday in men’s college basketball features not one but two top-five showdowns on a loaded schedule. One is a key clash for first place in the ultra-competitive Big 12. The other is a made-for-TV neutral site affair, a rarity for this late juncture of the season.

The fifth- and sixth-ranked teams in the latest USA TODAY Sports coaches poll also face road tests in the;ir respective conferences. But before we get to those, we’ll begin with an in-state showdown in the SEC.

BRACKETOLOGY:A new No. 1 seed emerges after upsets of week

Here’s this week’s Starting Five, your viewers’ guide to help you plan your day as March draws ever closer.

Tennessee at No. 18 Vanderbilt

Time/TV: 2 p.m. ET, ESPN

Both teams are comfortably in the upper quadrant of the SEC and the NCAA field, and the winner here will gain a leg up in top-16 seed consideration. The Volunteers have won their last seven games against opponents not named Kentucky, but the Commodores could use a good result on their home court to offset a couple recent losses. Nate Ament has been on a scoring tear of late for Tennessee, while Vandy’s Tyler Tanner has had to take on even more of the load with Duke Miles still working his way back from a knee injury.

No. 4 Arizona at No. 2 Houston

Time/TV: 3 p.m. ET, ABC.

The Wildcats got back in the win column following a rare two-game skid, but life in the Big 12 gets no easier with this road challenge. The Cougars, upended themselves at Iowa State earlier in the week, are happy to be back at home. Houston will try to get clean looks early on for long-range marksmen Kingston Flemings and Emanuel Sharp, not an easy task against Arizona’s deep perimeter lineup. The Wildcats will still be without Koa Peat, sidelined with a leg muscle strain, but Ivan Kharchenkov’s increased production near the rim has helped the team compensate.

No. 5 Connecticut at Villanova

Time/TV: 5:30 p.m. ET, TNT

UConn’s quest for a No. 1 seed isn’t over by any means, but Wednesday night’s loss to a down Creighton squad significantly reduced the Huskies’ margin for error. That is of little concern for the Wildcats, who look to avenge their overtime loss at UConn and nudge themselves further into safe territory in the at-large pool. Villanova’s three-point shooting can be streaky, but Tyler Perkins and Co. must make the most of their limited openings against the Huskies’ tenacious defense. Any of UConn’s starters can put up big point totals, with Solo Ball usually leading the way, but the Huskies’ bench isn’t as deep as its recent national title squads.

No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 3 Duke

Time/TV: 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

For what it’s worth, this prime-time tilt at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., will likely determine the No. 1 team in the polls for at least the coming week. Of perhaps greater import, it will also likely serve as a strong datapoint for the committee when the top overall seed is determined. The Blue Devils might have the edge in star power thanks to the presence of Cameron Boozer, but beyond him and guard Isaiah Evans the Duke offense can struggle for reliable options at times. The Wolverines have more balance, but generating from the inside through Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson is the key to unlocking all their weapons.

No. 6 Iowa State at No. 22 Brigham Young

Time/TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.

With another high-profile home triumph under their collective belt, the Cyclones must now demonstrate they can beat good teams in hostile environs. BYU, which was already trending in the wrong direction even before Richie Saunders was lost to a season-ending knee injury, now desperately needs something good to happen. Having a next-level talent like AJ Dybantsa on the floor always gives the Cougars a chance, of course, but Iowa State has more options and an experienced hand at the point in the person of Tamin Lipsey.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College basketball games of weekend include Duke-Michigan showdown

The Cleveland Cavaliers are on the second night of a back-to-back against the Charlotte Hornets. Cleveland returned from the All-Star break last night with a big win over the Brooklyn Nets.

It’s been a good two months for the Cavs. They’ve turned the corner in 2026 and are back to being an elite team. Cleveland is 13-2 over their last 15 games and have worked back into the top 10 for both offensive and defensive ratings.

The Cavs began trending in the right direction even before the James Harden trade, but his arrival has only made them more dangerous. This is a team that’s playing with a newfound confidence. They could carry that into a big run in the playoffs, if all goes as planned.

Meanwhile, Charlotte has been a pleasant surprise. Kon Knueppel is right in the mix for Rookie of the Year, while LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller have helped lead one of the league’s best offenses in February.

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Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (35-21) vs. Charlotte Hornets (26-30)

Where: Spectrum Center – Charlotte, NC

When: Fri., Feb. 20 at 7 PM

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports Network App, NBA League Pass

Point spread: Cavs -5.5

Cavs injury report from last game vs. Nets: Max Strus – OUT (foot), Nae’Qwan Tomlin – OUT (calf soreness), Emanuel Miller – OUT (G League), Tristan Enaruna – OUT (G League), Riley Minix – OUT (G League)

Hornets injury report: Not Yet Submitted

Cavs expectedstarting lineup: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

Hornets expected starting lineup: Kon Knueppel, Grant Williams, Ryan Kalkbrenner, LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller

Previous matchup: Player Grades: Cavs vs Hornets – Cleveland outlasts Charlotte in shaky offensive performance

Here’s a look at both teams’ impact stats via Cleaning the Glass.

SAN FRANCISCO — Last Saturday, Jaylen Brown hosted an event at a Beverly Hills mansion that was unexpectedly shut down by police amid NBA All-Star Weekend festivities.

As one of a handful of Celtics reporters covering All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, I attended the event, which was an activation for Brown’s 741 Performance line.

Almost a week later — and several released statements later — the Celtics star is continuing to speak out about what he’s described as biases against him and 741 Performance, his shoe and apparell company, by the Beverly Hills cops.

The day after Brown’s event was shuttered, police released a statement asserting that he and his team had applied for a permit that had been denied — and shared that the property where the event was held had multiple previous violations.

On Thursday morning, four days after that, the police retracted that statement and apologized to Brown for the misinformation.

But the Celtics star is still “pissed” — as he said numerous times after the Celtics 121-110 win over the Golden State Warriors — and he’s not sure what his next steps will be.

“I feel like they kind of embarrassed me and my brand a little bit,” Brown said on Thursday.

“They put out a half ass apology that I’m not accepting.”

Let’s back up and take a look at what this saga is all about.

What was the Jaylen Brown event that Beverly Hills police shut down?

Brown’s event, hosted in collaboration with 741 Performance, was a watch party for Saturday’s All-Star festivities that was meant to culminate in a panel session that featured Andre Iguodala, cultural influencer Ben Williams, independent artist, Loretto, among others.

Brown said the intention was to create positive conversation centered around using one’s platform.

“I have different industries coming together — all just talking about what the future culture is,” Brown said. “Change doesn’t come from one entity in itself. It comes from multiple entities working together and seeing how we can be disruptive, but also be positive and push things forward — that’s what was taking place. Outside of that, it was like a watch party. People were watching the dunk contest, three-point contest. Some of you guys were there. We weren’t doing anything that was out of the norm for what goes on during All-Star Weekend. I think it’s evidence that we were being targeted.”

Around 7pm, police arrived at the scene and ordered tha the party be shut down.

I was at the event from about 2pm to 6pm and my firsthand observation was that it was not rowdy, crowded, or anything you’d ever expect to attract police presence. The place wasn’t overly crowded, people weren’t drinking a lot and the main activity was spectacting All-Star activites on a big projector screen, and chitchatting. Some people ate hamburgers, others played video games.

There weren’t really random people at the venue — just people that in one way or another were connected to Brown or 741 Performance. I left right as the panel was set to begin, and there were a bunch of cop cars outside — and I was truthfully very confused as to why, mostly because there was no crowd outside the home, lines, or loud music.

What exactly are the Beverly Hills police apologizing for?

On Sunday morning, shortly after the panel was shut down, Beverly Hills police gave the Boston Globe the following statement:

“An event permit had been applied for and denied by the City due to previous violations associated with events at the address. Despite the fact that the permit was denied, organizers still chose to proceed with inviting hundreds of guests, knowing that it was not allowed to occur. BHPD responded and shut down the unpermitted event.”

Speaking to the media after Sunday’s All-Star game, Brown strongly rejected that statement:

“That was not true,” he said. “There was no permit ever applied for. Jim Jannard, he’s the the creator of Oakley. I’m a brand partner in Oakley. They opened up the house to me.”

Brown also stressed that the event that was shut down was centered around education, culture, and learning — not something that ever should have become an issue.

“We’re doing a panel,” Brown said. “We’re doing stuff that’s positive. There was nobody that was inconvenienced. It was not, it wasn’t blocking traffic… It’s All-Star Weekend, it’s Saturday night, and it’s 7 p.m. Like, what are we talking about?”

Multiple times in his Sunday media availability, Brown fimly repudiated the statement that police gave to the Globe: “The statement they put out is completely false. I stand by that. My team operated with the utmost respect to the neighbors and everybody, and they were harassed to some degree. People can make of it what they want.”

For a few days, it looked like the story might just end there. But then, on Thursday, the police retracted their previous statement, confirming Brown’s sentiments. Beverly Hills city manager Nancy Hunt-Coffey put out the following statement:

“The City of Beverly Hills would like to correct information related to an event that occurred in the City last Saturday night, February 14, at the residence located at 410 Trousdale Place involving NBA All-Star Jaylen Brown and the Jannard family. Upon further internal review, the City has determined that its prior public communication contained inaccurate information. Specifically, no permit application was submitted nor denied for the event, and the residence does not have any prior related violations on record. The City takes full accountability for the internal error that resulted in the inaccurate statement being distributed and is working to ensure it does not happen again. The City’s previous statement about the weekend event at the Trousdale home was inaccurate, and on behalf of the City, I would like to apologize to Jaylen Brown and the Jannard family.

“The City has a responsibility to its residents and neighborhoods to ensure adherence to established regulations for events held at private residences. These are designed to support the safety and welfare of neighbors and attendees. City staff observed circumstances that are believed to be City Code violations and for that reason alone, the event was ended. The City of Beverly Hills commits to explore opportunities for collaboration with the Jannard family and Jaylen Brown on future community-focused events.”

Shortly after that statement, Brown turned to social media after the event to express his frustration with the turn-of-events:

He also shared an entire statement, acknowledging the police department’s correction — while also stressing that the event was private, invitation-only — and not a commercial event requiring a permit.

Where do things go from here?

Just a few hours after releasing that statement, Brown went on to tally 23 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists in a win against the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night, his first game since the incident.

But afterwards, he said the situation with the Beverly Hills police weighed on him throughout the game.

“I wasn’t even think about the game,” Brown said. “I was pissed — I was still pissed… but we came out, and just was aggressive, and played great basketball. I like the way our team is looking right now.

Brown was asked about what made me him choose to be so vocal regarding this incident, and said the concept of others having similar experiences in Beverly Hills was motivating.

“If it’s happened to me, it’s probably happened to numerous other people,” he said. “And from the looks of it, it has — a lot of people have gotten behind it, it’s gone viral. Beverly Hills, whatever they do there, they’ve done such things on multiple occasions.”

Brown said he’s not sure where things go from here, but he was disappointed in the city’s apology.

“I wasn’t trying to stir the pot. People may seem like I’m complaining, or like I’m just trying to make this into an issue. And it’s not — like I was just trying to enjoy my All-Star Weekend. I don’t think it’s fair to me or my brand that we were being targeted.”

“We prepared for this. We had a bunch of people fly from different parts of the world come in. We had people who had prepared thoughts, and were going to speak, partners who came in that collaborated. So it was just unfortunate, but then for them to come back and be like, ‘Oh, we messed it up, like we assumed, based off of biased assumptions, and whatever the case may be, we were wrong, but we would have shut y’all down anyway, because of’ — it’s some bullshit. It is some complete bullshit, and I got to speak for those who’ve had to deal with that bullshit, probably in the past.”

“I’m extremely offended — my team didn’t do nothing wrong,” Brown said. “We just was trying to have a good All-Star break. My first time being a starter, and it just leaves a bad taste in your mouth, for sure.“

For a brief moment in the 4th quarter of Thursday’s battle between the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors, it looked like Golden State’s desperate full-court-pressing defense might lead the team to an improbable comeback. Then Payton Pritchard sank back-to-back three-pointers to put the game out of reach.

The Warriors rewarded the home fans who didn’t leave with their team down 29 points after three quarters with an exciting too-little, too-late surge in the final quarter that included a 15-0 run. Unfortunately, the run only cut the lead to 15 points in a game where the Warriors made 20 threes without either Curry brother, but mostly struggled to score.

Jaylen Brown delighted the fans who supported him since his college days at Cal by putting up 23 points, 15 rebounds, and 13 assists and only two turnovers. Pritchard scored 26 points and shot 6-for-11 from three-point range, while delivering seven assists. Sam Hauser went 4-for-5 from behind the arc and Ron Harper, Jr.’s six points had to sting against a Warriors team that started the season with five sons of NBA players on their roster.

The first quarter was relatively even thanks to seven points from De’Anthony Melton and an 11-point effort from Will Richard that culminated in his nailing a stepback three-pointer to beat the buzzer.

Two things happened early in the second quarter. Kristaps Porzingis made his Warriors debut, and the Celtics ripped off a 17-2 run to start the quarter. That’s not to single out Porzingis, who was playing his first game in six weeks under less than ideal circumstances: No Steph Curry, plenty of rust, and anchoring a lineup of Pat Spencer-Richard-Moses Moody-Draymond Green against his old team.

The Celtics doubled Porzingis whenever he touched the ball, the other Warriors couldn’t make them pay, and Boston scored on their first six possessions of the quarter. Steve Kerr was so frustrated that he made a hockey substitution four minutes, replacing all five players on the court after a timeout. He probably did that because 35-year-old Nikola Vucevic ran past the defense for a layup.

It helped, but not enough. Richard got a few more buckets, scoring 15 of his 17 points before halftime. At one point, Gui Santos and Porzingis scored 10 points in five possessions on three-pointers, layups and dunks — and the Celtics made four three-pointers in that stretch to extend their lead. After a signature buzzer-beating basket from Pritchard, Boston had a 22-point halftime lead.

There were three big problems for the Warriors. One, they couldn’t stop Brown’s penetration, as he got into the lane with ease, often not even seeming to be moving at full speed. He got a season-high 13 assists partly because the Warriors defense had to over-commit to him, often failing to slow him down even with multiple defenders.

If that wasn’t enough, he helped the Celtics crush the Dubs on the boards, 54-40, by grabbing 15 defensive rebounds.

The second problem was that the Celtics are a poor matchup for the Warriors defense. The Warriors defense relies on forcing turnovers, ranking third in steals and fourth in opponent’s turnovers. The Celtics commit the NBA’s fewest turnovers. The Warriors give up a lot of three-pointers — 12.5 per game. The Celtics make a lot of threes, 15.4 per game, third in the NBA. Thursday, Boston shot 43% from downtown, even with Brown and Derrick White missing all eight of their attempts.

The third issue is that the Warriors weren’t able to drive to the hoop. Brown and Derrick White are elite defenders, but the Dubs struggled to get part Pritchard and Baylor Scheierman as well. They don’t have a single player in the top 75 in drives per game (Steph Curry is 76th) and it really limits the offense.

As a side effect of the game being a blowout and the teams combining to shoot 95 threes, there was a remarkably small number of free throws, just seven for the Celtics and eight for the Warriors. Boston committed just six fouls in total, three by Brown.

Gary Payton II had a nice performance, scoring 14 points in 18 minutes and ending up +15 for the game.

Gui Santos continued to embrace his high-usage role, leading the team with 14 field-goal attempts (he was 6-for-14, and 5-for-9 from deep). He also managed a positive plus/minus while scoring 17 points and grabbing six boards. Draymond Green had a rough one, missing all seven of his shots, getting two rebounds and three assists, and sitting for most of the second half — not his most competitive effort.

When the highlight of your game is a 15-0 run while down 30 points, it’s not a great sign. But the Warriors are still showing a lot of fight as they wait for Steph Curry to come back. There just not showing a lot of talent.

Brooklyn Nets (15-39, 13th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (42-14, first in the Western Conference)

Oklahoma City; Friday, 8 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Thunder -16.5; over/under is 211.5

BOTTOM LINE: Brooklyn will attempt to stop its three-game road slide when the Nets face Oklahoma City.

The Thunder have gone 22-7 at home. Oklahoma City is seventh in the Western Conference with 25.5 assists per game led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averaging 6.4.

The Nets are 7-20 in road games. Brooklyn is the worst team in the Eastern Conference scoring 43.2 points per game in the paint.

The Thunder average 13.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.1 more made shots on average than the 12.4 per game the Nets give up. The Nets average 107.2 points per game, 0.8 fewer than the 108.0 the Thunder give up.

TOP PERFORMERS: Cason Wallace is averaging 8.1 points and two steals for the Thunder. Isaiah Joe is averaging 14.4 points over the last 10 games.

Noah Clowney is scoring 12.9 points per game and averaging 4.2 rebounds for the Nets. Michael Porter Jr. is averaging 14.1 points and 3.8 rebounds over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Thunder: 5-5, averaging 112.5 points, 43.4 rebounds, 25.3 assists, 8.5 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 46.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.1 points per game.

Nets: 3-7, averaging 104.2 points, 43.3 rebounds, 26.0 assists, 7.0 steals and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 45.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.0 points.

INJURIES: Thunder: Ajay Mitchell: out (abdomen), Branden Carlson: day to day (back), Jalen Williams: out (hamstring), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: out (abdomen), Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee), Isaiah Hartenstein: day to day (rest).

Nets: Nic Claxton: out (ankle).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Sacramento Kings (12-45, 15th in the Western Conference) vs. San Antonio Spurs (38-16, second in the Western Conference)

Austin, Texas; Saturday, 8 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: San Antonio is looking to prolong its six-game win streak with a victory over Sacramento.

The Spurs are 25-13 against Western Conference opponents. San Antonio ranks seventh in the league with 16.5 fast break points per game led by Stephon Castle averaging 2.9.

The Kings are 8-29 in Western Conference play. Sacramento is the worst team in the Western Conference scoring averaging 109.9 points per game while shooting 46.1%.

The Spurs are shooting 47.8% from the field this season, 1.6 percentage points lower than the 49.4% the Kings allow to opponents. The Kings average 109.9 points per game, 1.9 fewer than the 111.8 the Spurs give up to opponents.

The teams meet for the second time this season. The Spurs won 123-110 in the last matchup on Nov. 16.

TOP PERFORMERS: Victor Wembanyama is averaging 24.4 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2.7 blocks for the Spurs. De'Aaron Fox is averaging 13.7 points and 6.8 assists over the last 10 games.

Maxime Raynaud is shooting 55.5% and averaging 10.0 points for the Kings. Nique Clifford is averaging 1.5 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Spurs: 7-2, averaging 119.6 points, 48.0 rebounds, 29.6 assists, 7.1 steals and 6.9 blocks per game while shooting 50.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.6 points per game.

Kings: 0-10, averaging 104.6 points, 44.4 rebounds, 22.5 assists, 7.7 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 43.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.1 points.

INJURIES: Spurs: David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle), Lindy Waters III: out (knee), Mason Plumlee: out (not injury related).

Kings: Domantas Sabonis: out for season (back), Dylan Cardwell: out (ankle), De'Andre Hunter: out (eye), Zach LaVine: out for season (finger).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Cleveland Cavaliers (35-21, fourth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Charlotte Hornets (26-30, 10th in the Eastern Conference)

Charlotte, North Carolina; Friday, 7 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Cavaliers -5.5; over/under is 233.5

BOTTOM LINE: Cleveland will attempt to prolong its six-game win streak with a victory over Charlotte.

The Hornets are 16-20 against Eastern Conference opponents. Charlotte has a 16-14 record in games decided by at least 10 points.

The Cavaliers are 21-13 against conference opponents. Cleveland is 2-3 in games decided by 3 points or fewer.

The Hornets average 15.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.5 more made shots on average than the 13.9 per game the Cavaliers give up. The Cavaliers average 6.2 more points per game (119.8) than the Hornets allow (113.6).

The teams play for the fourth time this season. The Cavaliers won the last meeting 94-87 on Jan. 22, with Donovan Mitchell scoring 24 points in the victory.

TOP PERFORMERS: LaMelo Ball is shooting 40.0% and averaging 19.1 points for the Hornets. Brandon Miller is averaging 22.0 points over the last 10 games.

Mitchell is averaging 28.8 points, 5.9 assists and 1.5 steals for the Cavaliers. Sam Merrill is averaging 2.5 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Hornets: 8-2, averaging 112.8 points, 48.1 rebounds, 25.3 assists, 6.5 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 44.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.2 points per game.

Cavaliers: 9-1, averaging 123.0 points, 43.9 rebounds, 29.9 assists, 10.5 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 51.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.0 points.

INJURIES: Hornets: Coby White: out (calf), Liam McNeeley: out (ankle).

Cavaliers: Nae'Qwan Tomlin: out (calf), Max Strus: out (foot).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Houston Rockets (34-20, third in the Western Conference) vs. New York Knicks (35-21, third in the Eastern Conference)

New York; Saturday, 8:30 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Houston visits New York looking to continue its five-game road winning streak.

The Knicks have gone 21-8 at home. New York is seventh in the NBA allowing only 112.1 points per game while holding opponents to 46.0% shooting.

The Rockets are 16-13 on the road. Houston is 14-5 when it has fewer turnovers than its opponents and averages 14.3 turnovers per game.

The Knicks are shooting 47.2% from the field this season, 1.5 percentage points higher than the 45.7% the Rockets allow to opponents. The Rockets are shooting 47.2% from the field, 1.2% higher than the 46.0% the Knicks' opponents have shot this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jalen Brunson is averaging 27.1 points and 6.1 assists for the Knicks. Mikal Bridges is averaging 16.3 points over the last 10 games.

Alperen Sengun is averaging 20.5 points, 9.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists for the Rockets. Kevin Durant is averaging 21.6 points and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 49.0% over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Knicks: 7-3, averaging 119.8 points, 45.7 rebounds, 29.6 assists, 7.5 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 48.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.6 points per game.

Rockets: 6-4, averaging 104.5 points, 46.1 rebounds, 22.8 assists, 10.1 steals and 7.1 blocks per game while shooting 44.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 104.8 points.

INJURIES: Knicks: Miles McBride: out (ankle).

Rockets: Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Steven Adams: out for season (ankle).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Detroit Pistons (41-13, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Chicago Bulls (24-32, 12th in the Eastern Conference)

Chicago; Saturday, 8 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Detroit plays the Chicago Bulls after Cade Cunningham scored 42 points in the Pistons' 126-111 victory against the New York Knicks.

The Bulls have gone 3-9 against division opponents. Chicago ranks third in the Eastern Conference with 29.1 assists per game led by Collin Sexton averaging 3.6.

The Pistons are 8-3 in division play. Detroit leads the Eastern Conference with 56.9 points per game in the paint led by Jalen Duren averaging 13.3.

The Bulls average 14.6 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.1 more made shots on average than the 12.5 per game the Pistons give up. The Pistons average 117.4 points per game, 3.0 fewer than the 120.4 the Bulls allow.

The teams square off for the fourth time this season. In the last meeting on Jan. 8 the Pistons won 108-93 led by 31 points from Isaiah Stewart, while Matas Buzelis scored 20 points for the Bulls.

TOP PERFORMERS: Josh Giddey is averaging 18.2 points, 8.5 rebounds and 8.7 assists for the Bulls. Buzelis is averaging 15.7 points over the last 10 games.

Duncan Robinson is scoring 12.2 points per game and averaging 2.7 rebounds for the Pistons. Cunningham is averaging 26.8 points and 5.3 rebounds over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Bulls: 1-9, averaging 110.2 points, 42.6 rebounds, 25.0 assists, 7.6 steals and 5.4 blocks per game while shooting 43.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 122.8 points per game.

Pistons: 8-2, averaging 117.4 points, 44.0 rebounds, 26.8 assists, 10.9 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 48.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.9 points.

INJURIES: Bulls: Noa Essengue: out for season (shoulder), Zach Collins: out (toe).

Pistons: Isaac Jones: out (coach decision).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Indiana Pacers (15-41, 15th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Washington Wizards (15-39, 14th in the Eastern Conference)

Washington; Friday, 7 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Pacers -2; over/under is 231.5

BOTTOM LINE: Washington faces Indiana in a matchup of Eastern Conference teams.

The Wizards are 10-23 in Eastern Conference games. Washington has a 2-2 record in one-possession games.

The Pacers are 11-27 in conference games. Indiana is seventh in the Eastern Conference with 32.5 defensive rebounds per game led by Ivica Zubac averaging 7.6.

The Wizards average 112.1 points per game, 6.4 fewer points than the 118.5 the Pacers allow. The Pacers average 12.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.1 fewer made shots on average than the 13.9 per game the Wizards give up.

The teams meet for the fourth time this season. The Wizards won 112-105 in the last matchup on Feb. 20.

TOP PERFORMERS: Kyshawn George is averaging 14.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.7 assists for the Wizards. Will Riley is averaging 12.6 points over the last 10 games.

Andrew Nembhard is averaging 17.1 points and 7.4 assists for the Pacers. Ben Sheppard is averaging 1.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Wizards: 5-5, averaging 111.7 points, 42.7 rebounds, 25.3 assists, 9.9 steals and 5.9 blocks per game while shooting 44.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 121.5 points per game.

Pacers: 4-6, averaging 115.4 points, 41.9 rebounds, 28.9 assists, 7.9 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.8 points.

INJURIES: Wizards: Anthony Davis: out for season (finger), Cam Whitmore: out for season (shoulder), D'Angelo Russell: out (not injury related), Alex Sarr: out (hamstring), Trae Young: out (knee).

Pacers: Aaron Nesmith: day to day (ankle), Obi Toppin: out (foot), Johnny Furphy: out for season (knee), T.J. McConnell: out (hamstring), Kam Jones: day to day (back), Ivica Zubac: out (ankle), Pascal Siakam: out (personal), Tyrese Haliburton: out for season (achilles).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.