LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Keaton Wagler scored 28 points and No. 9 Illinois won its 11th straight game, beating No. 5 Nebraska 78-69 on Sunday in the first matchup of top-10 teams the Cornhuskers have hosted.
The Fighting Illini (19-3, 10-1 Big Ten), who haven't lost since falling 83-80 at home to Nebraska on Dec. 13, held the Huskers to four field goals in the first 13 minutes of the second half.
Nebraska (20-2, 9-2) lost its second straight after a 20-0 start. The Huskers were beaten on the road Tuesday by another top-10 opponent, No. 3 Michigan.
Jake Davis finished with 13 points for Illinois, Tomislav Ivisic scored 12 and David Mirkovic had 10.
Braden Frager returned for Nebraska after missing the previous two games with an ankle injury and scored 20 points.
After missing the last 18 games due to a grade two right calf strain, head coach JJ Redick told reporters on Sunday that Reaves would go through his pregame warmup at Madison Square Garden and be a game-time decision for the Lakers' road game against the New York Knicks on Feb. 1.
Reaves' presence has been missed since going down on Christmas Day; the Lakers went on a cold streak in late December and early January. They've started to find their footing since then, winning six of their last 10 games as the trade deadline approaches this week.
Here is everything you need to know about Reaves' status ahead of tip-off vs. the Knicks:
Is Austin Reaves playing tonight vs. Pelicans?
No. Reaves went through pregame warmups and was listed as a game time decision, but was ultimately ruled out, Dan Woike of The Athletic reported. Still, it's the closest Reaves has gotten to playing since Dec. 25, so all signs point to Reaves' return being imminent.
Reaves has been listed as questionable before each of the Lakers' last three games.
Austin Reaves gets up some touch shots pregame at MSG. He’s a gametime decision tonight, per JJ Redick pic.twitter.com/Eqzb3luMPN
Reaves' injury halted his momentum on what could've been his first All-Star season. Through 23 games, the fourth-year guard is posting career-high averages in points (26.6), rebounds (5.2) and assists (6.3) per game. He's also averaging at least one steal per game for the second straight year.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - FEBRUARY 16: Donovan Mitchell #45 of Team Chuck warms up before the game during the 74th NBA All-Star Game as part of NBA All-Star Weekend on Sunday, February 16, 2025 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Donovan Mitchell has been selected to the 2026 NBA All-Star Game. This is Mitchell’s seventh consecutive selection and fourth with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Mitchell is the only Cavalier to make the game this season.
Other Eastern Conference reserves include Detroit’s Jalen Duren, Miami’s Norman Powell, Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson, New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns, Toronto’s Scottie Barnes, and Indiana’s Pascal Siakam. Jalen Brunson, Jaylen Brown, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Cade Cunningham, and Tyrese Maxey were previously named as starters for the Eastern Conference.
This has been a career-year for Mitchell. He’s averaging a personal-best 29.1 points per game in addition to 5.8 assists and 4.7 rebounds. He’s also just shy of shooting a career-best from the three-point line, currently at 38.6% (just 0.2% below his best).
The Cavs have struggled at times this season. But that’s no fault of Mitchell. He’s carried this team through adversity and given them a fighting chance in almost every game. Cleveland doesn’t want to think about where they would be this season without him.
Mitchell is in the league’s 94th percentile for on/off rating according to Cleaning the Glass. That’s pretty good.
It’s important to recognize when a player is making franchise history. Mitchell has now tied Mark Price and Kyrie Irving for the third most All-Star selections in Cavaliers history. He’s behind only Brad Duagherty (five) and LeBron James (10) for the most in the Land. That’s special.
As for the rest of the roster, it’s disappointing to see the Cavs with only one player in the All-Star Game after having three represent them last season. Darius Garland and Evan Mobley simply haven’t been healthy or good enough to earn the nod this year.
Mobley had hit his stride recently, getting back to his previous All-Star level and looking like a Defensive Player of the Year candidate before his latest calf injury. Garland had also taken steps towards looking like his old self before suffering another toe injury. It’s a bummer, but I can’t argue with the results.
One of the most impressive records in NBA history lives on.
The NBA announced this year's All-Star Game reserves before the debut of NBC's "Sunday Night Basketball" and LeBron James – not voted a starter for the first time since his rookie season two weeks ago – kept his record streak going and was named an All-Star for the 22nd consecutive year.)
James, 41, saw his other record of 20 consecutive All-Star appearances end last season when he was a last-minute scratch from the game due to ankle and foot soreness. He's also the All-Star Game's scoring leader with 434 points.
There is a chance for James to be a "starter" in an unofficial sense in this year's game due to the new format – three teams of at least eight players will compete in a "USA vs. the World" round robin-style tournament.
Sebastian Aho scored early in overtime to lead the Carolina Hurricanes to a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday.
Brandon Bussi made 11 saves to continue his dominant rookie season, while Jordan Staal and Alexander Nikishin also scored for the Hurricanes, who have earned at least a point in eight straight games (6-0-2).
Samuel Helenius and Quinton Byfield scored for the Kings and Anton Forsberg made 31 saves. The Kings wrapped up their road trip with a 3-1-1 record with one game (last Monday at Columbus) postponed due to severe winter weather.
A winter storm dumped snow all around North Carolina but Raleigh was mostly spared, which made it easier for about 14,000 fans to make it to the arena for the afternoon start.
A day after squandering a three-goal lead in a 4-3 overtime loss at Washington, Aho made sure the Hurricanes didn't blow a 2-0 lead against the Kings. He beat Forsberg 1:25 into the overtime period after the Kings' goalie had made two tough saves on Seth Jarvis.
Bussi, a 27-year-old rookie claimed off waivers four days before the season started, continues to be a revelation. He has won 21 of his 25 starts (21-3-1) to help the Hurricanes to first place in the Metropolitan Division.
Nikishin put the Hurricanes up 2-0 with 7:03 to play in the third period. Helenius responded 24 seconds later to cut the lead to 2-1. Byfield finished a beautiful pass from Adrian Kempe with 3:11 left in regulation to tie the game at 2-2.
Staal tipped in Andrei Svechnikov's pass for his third power-play goal of the season at 6:25 of the first period. Staal has matched last year’s scoring output with 13 goals but in 23 fewer games.
Sunday, when the reserves are announced, is when the hard decisions are made and real snubs happen. The NBA All-Star Game reserves are selected by a vote of the coaches, and the results are usually fairly predictable — they name a few big stars who just missed out on starting, but they also reward some newcomers and some guys having unexpected standout seasons. The coaches did that, but there was no way to put together these teams without leaving off some deserving players.
Below, we have rolled out the coach's selections as they are announced on NBC and Peacock, and provide analysis and identify the biggest snubs. As a quick reminder, here are the starters (as voted in by the fans, players and media):
Eastern Conference: Jalen Brunson (Knicks), Tyrese Maxey (76ers), Jaylen Brown (Celtics), Cade Cunningham (Pistons), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks, but he is out with a calf strain and his replacement will be selected by Commissioner Adam Silver)
Western Conference: Luka Doncic (Lakers), Stephen Curry (Warriors), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder), Nikola Jokic (Nuggets), Victor Wembanyama (Spurs)
The reserves for each conference are:
EASTERN CONFERENCE All-STAR RESERVES
Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers) Jalen Johnson (Hawks) Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks) Pascal Siakam (Pacers) Norman Powell (Heat) Scottie Barnes (Raptors) Jalen Duran (Pistons)
BIGGEST SNUBS: Michael Porter Jr. (Nets), Josh Giddey (Bulls), Bam Adebayo (Heat), Brandon Ingram (Raptors), Evan Mobley (Cavaliers)
WESTERN CONFERENCE ALL-STAR RESERVES
Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves) Jamal Murray (Nuggets) Chet Holmgren (Thunder) Kevin Durant (Rockets) Devin Booker (Suns) Deni Avdija (Trail Blazers) LeBron James (Lakers)
BIGGEST SNUBS: Kawhi Leonard (Clippers), Alperen Sengun (Rockets), Julius Randle (Timberwolves), Lauri Markkanen (Jazz).
Analysis of reserve picks
• This is LeBron James' 22nd year as an All-Star and it wouldn't be the same without him. That said, did his play this season earn it? He has missed 17 games, but is averaging 21.9 points, 6.6 assists and 5.8 rebounds a game this season.
All-Star Game format
While the idea of a USA vs. international players All-Star Game format has been talked about for years, 2026 felt like the right time.
That's because the NBA All-Star Game returns to NBC and debuts on Peacock in the middle of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. That was a perfect setup for the first-of-its-kind All-Star Game format.
The 24 All-Star players will be divided into three teams — two USA teams and one world team — that will compete in a round-robin tournament of four 12-minute games. Each of the three teams will have a minimum of eight players (if the USA or World teams are short on players, the league office will select one or more players to reach the required number).
At the end of the round-robin, the two top teams will play a championship game (the fourth 12-minute game of the day) for the title.
All-Star weekend tips off on Feb. 13 with the Rising Stars at the Intuit Dome at 6 p.m. PT, featuring the league's top first- and second-year players. Also on the 13th is the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, featuring stars from media, sports and entertainment at the Kia Forum. The Forum also hosts the fifth annual NBA HBCU Classic at 8 p.m. that night. On Saturday, Feb. 14, All-Star Saturday night — featuring the Skills Challenge, 3-point Contest and the Dunk Contest — will take place at the Intuit Dome.
The 75th NBA All-Star Game will take place on Sunday, Feb. 15, at 5 p.m. Eastern, earlier than in previous years, leading into more coverage of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Portland Trail Blazers acquired forward Vit Krejci from the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday in exchange for injured center Duop Reath and a pair of draft picks.
Krejci has averaged 9.0 points and 2.1 rebounds and 22.3 minutes this season. In his fifth NBA season, Krejci has made 42.3% of his 3-pointers this season, averaging 2.2 per game.
Reath, who hasn’t played since Jan. 18, underwent surgery to repair a stress fracture in his right foot Thursday and is expected to miss the rest of the season.
Reath, in his third year, has averaged 2.9 points and 1.2 rebounds in 8.1 minutes a game. He won a bronze medal with Australia at the Tokyo Olympics.
Portland also sent the Hawks a second-round pick (via Atlanta) in 2027, and a second-round pick (via New York) in 2030, as part of the trade.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Clara Strack had 33 points and 15 rebounds, Teonni Key also had a double-double, and No. 18 Kentucky defeated Arkansas 93-73 on Sunday to snap a three-game losing streak.
Kentucky led by only six points at halftime and it was 60-49 heading to the fourth quarter. The Wildcats outscored the Razorbacks 33-24 in the fourth.
The Wildcats' lead was 66-53 early in the fourth before they went on a 13-0 run in less than 2 1/2 minutes, extending their lead to 79-53. Kentucky led by at least 19 points the rest of the way.
Strack had 15 points and nine rebounds as the Wildcats built a modest 34-28 halftime lead.
Strack, a junior center, did not block a shot. Her 63 blocks are second in the nation and she remains 10 blocks away from tying her own single-season school record.
Key had 15 points and 10 rebounds for Kentucky (18-5, 4-4 SEC), which also got 16 points from Amelia Hassett, 14 from Tonie Morgan and 11 off the bench from Asia Boone.
Emily Robinson scored 20, Taleyah Jones 19 and Bonnie Deas 18 for Arkansas (11-11, 0-8). The rest of the team scored 16 points.
Kentucky had lost three straight for the first time under coach Kenny Brooks, who is in his second season with the program.
Up next
Kentucky: No. 5 Vanderbilt visits Historic Memorial Coliseum on Thursday.
This week's Peacock NBA Monday action features two fascinating games. First is a Western Conference showdown with Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves visiting the Memphis Grizzlies. That is followed by Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers visiting one of the hottest teams in the NBA, Kawhi Leonard's Los Angeles Clippers.
Live coverage begins at 6:30 PM ET on NBCSN and Peacock. See below for additional information on how to watch each game and follow all of the NBA action on NBCSN and Peacock. Peacock will feature 100 regular-season games throughout the course of the 2025-2026 season.
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Los Angeles Clippers Preview:
This is the 76ers and Clippers second meeting this season, but neither team will look anything like the sides that took the court back on Nov. 17. The Clippers did not have Kawhi Leonard on the roster, and he has driven their 16-4 run since just before Christmas. The 76ers did have Paul George but did not have Joel Embiid for that game, it will be flipped on Monday night.
George has been suspended for 25 games for "violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program," the league announced Saturday. George said in the process of seeking treatment for a mental health issue, "I made the mistake of taking an improper medication. I take full responsibility for my actions." He will not be able to return until March 25. The 76ers are going to miss his 16 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, but the play of Kelly Oubre will help make up for his absence.
Philadelphia will still roll out plenty of star power on Monday night in Southern California. Tyrese Maxey was voted an All-Star Game starter — in this same Intuit Dome building on Feb. 15 — and he continues to play at a potential First Team All-NBA level, including scoring the game-winner against the Kings last week.
Joel Embiid has looked as close to his MVP self in recent weeks as he has in years — he has scored 29+ points in seven consecutive games. Over his last six games, Embiid has averaged 33.2 points, 9 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game while shooting 50% from 3-point range.
When the Clippers were 6-21 and their season looked lost, coach Tyronn Lue challenged his players to get back to .500 by the end of the season. Since then, the team has gone 16-4 and already pushed its way into the top 10 in the West and the play-in mix. Leonard has been the driving force of this run. In his last 15 games, he's averaged 29.7 points, 6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists while shooting 41.9% from 3-point range and playing elite defense. The Clippers have a +4.9 net rating when Leonard and James Harden share the court, the veterans have found a real rhythm together.
How to watch Philadelphia 76ers vs. Los Angeles Clippers:
The first game of the night is a Western Conference showdown, a rematch of Saturday night's game, in which Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves went into Memphis and beat the Grizzlies comfortably, 131-114. Minnesota is one of the hottest teams in the NBA of late, with a top-10 offense and defense, but the Grizzlies are looking for some revenge. The showdown is on Peacock and starts at 7:30 Eastern.
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.
Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
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NBA on NBC 2025-26 Schedule:
Click here to see the full list of NBA games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (AP) — Freddie Dilione V had 25 points and Kayden Mingo scored with one second left as Penn State snapped an eight-game losing streak by extending Minnesota's skid to seven with a 77-75 victory on Sunday.
Mingo buried a 3-pointer and Dilione had the final two baskets in a 9-0 spurt to give Penn State a 69-58 lead with 6:31 left.
Cade Tyson made four free throws, Langston Reynolds sank a pair, and Grayson Grove tipped in a miss as the Golden Gophers used an 8-0 run to cut it to 71-70 with 2:31 remaining. Dilione and Reynolds traded baskets before Mingo turned a steal into a layup for a three-point lead with 49 seconds to go.
Jaylen Crocker-Johnson had a layup and Reynolds made the first of two free throws with 31 seconds left to tie it 75-all. Mingo ran the clock down to eight seconds before beginning his game-winning drive to the basket.
Dilione made 11 of 17 shots with a 3-pointer in the first winning effort in Big Ten Conference play this season for the Nittany Lions (10-12, 1-10).
Josh Reed sank four 3-pointers — all in the first half — and scored 18 for Penn State. Mingo scored 14 on 6-for-17 shooting, while Dominick Stewart pitched in with 12 points.
Langston Reynolds had 18 points and seven assists to lead the Golden Gophers (10-12, 3-8). Cade Tyson added 17 points, Bobby Durkin hit four 3-pointers and scored 16 and Isaac Asuma added 12 points.
Reed had 16 points and Dilione scored 13 to guide the Nittany Lions to a 41-31 lead at halftime.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 26: Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks drives to the basket around center Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first quarter at Rocket Arena on October 26, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The second apron restricts teams from aggregating salaries in a trade. That means the Cavs can’t send out multiple players in a deal unless they’re able to get under the second apron in the process. This made it nearly impossible for the Cavs to enter the trade talks for someone like Giannis Antetokounmpo until now.
The Hunter trade makes that a possibility.
Whether or not the Cavs would want to trade for someone like Antetokounmpo is unknown. What we do know is that the Cavs are very active in trade discussions and could be willing to make a “home run swing.”
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can buy the Mark Price shirt HERE. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE.
Whether or not the Cavs or the Bucks would have any interest in that type of deal is unknown.
If I were Milwaukee, I’d prefer the above Cavs options over any of the other underwhelming trade packages that have been theorized, even if Jimmy Haslam wouldn’t want to help one of the two functional Cleveland professional sports teams. I mean, what are you realistically supposed to do with deals centered around Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby or RJ Barrett and Brandon Ingram if you’re the Bucks?
This theoretically also brings other bigger-named players into the trade discussions, but it’s harder to justify a move for a $40 million per year guy if it isn’t someone worth giving up Garland for.
As an example, the Cavs could trade Garland and Strus to the Utah Jazz for Lauri Markkanen, but that would leave a crater-sized hole at point guard, which you’d have to fill in a subsequent trade. The same is true if you wanted to target Domantas Sabonis. A $40 million per-year player doesn’t feasibly work with just Allen and rotation filler, even if Ball is out of the picture.
Similarly, the move also doesn’t make it easier to trade for LeBron James this season. The Cavs would need to give up Garland in a deal like that, given the trade restrictions around moving Schroder or Ellis before the deadline.
That said, the Hunter trade does give the Cavs more room to make deals this offseason. Additionally, certain players that aren’t available to them now with Allen will be more attainable once Allen’s deal switches over to the approximately $30 million value it will be next season.
The Hunter for Ellis and Schroder swap makes sense on its own, but it could also be the opening salvo in what could be a busy trade season. We’ll see if the Cavs make any more major moves before the Feb. 5 deadline.
SACRAMENTO, CA - JANUARY 16: Justin Champagnie #9 of the Washington Wizards goes up for the dunk during the game against the Sacramento Kings on January 16, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Washington Wizards play the Sacramento Kings at 6:00 p.m. today at Capital One Arena. Watch the game on Monumental Sports Network.
LONDON (AP) — Caitlin Foord scored on a breakaway in extra time and Arsenal won the inaugural Women's Champions Cup with a 3-2 victory over Brazil's Corinthians on Sunday.
Corinthians leveled the match at 2-2 in second-half stoppage time when Victoria converted a penalty in the pouring rain at Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal, which qualified for the tournament as winners of the UEFA Champions League, earned a spot in the final with a 6-0 defeat of Morocco's ASFAR in Wednesday's semifinals.
Smith, who also scored in the semifinal, opened scoring in the 15th minute when Corinthians goalkeeper Leticia punched a shot from Stina Blackstenius into Smith's path.
Six minutes later, Corinthians evened the score with Gabriela Zanotti's goal that crossed the line before Arsenal goalkeeper Anneke Borbe could get to it. The 40-year-old Zanotti also scored in Corinthians' 1-0 semifinal victory over Gotham FC.
Lotte Wubben-Moy scored the go-ahead goal in the 58th with a header off a cross by Emily Fox as FIFA President Gianni Infantino looked on.
It appeared that Arsenal had the trophy in hand, but video review awarded a penalty to Corinthians after Katie McCabe's foul in the box in stoppage time, sending the vocal group of Corinthians fans at the match into a frenzy.
Foord put Arsenal back in front with the winning goal in the 104th minute. Arsenal's Borbe was involved in a collision in front of her goal in the waning moments of the match and had to be stretchered off with an injury.
Gotham won the third-place match 4-0 over ASFAR earlier in the day. Khyah Harper, who started after coming in as a substitute in the semifinal, opened scoring with a goal in the 27th minute.
Gotham doubled the lead with a goal from Savannah McCaskill and Jaedyn Shaw converted a penalty to make it 3-0 before halftime. Midge Purce added the final goal in the 48th.
Gotham qualified by winning the first CONCACAF Champions Cup with a 1-0 victory over Mexico’s Tigres last May. Corinthians won the CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores Femenina to earn a spot and ASFAR won the CAF Champions League.
Two continental champions were eliminated in earlier rounds: Auckland United from Oceania and Wuhan Chegu Jiangda representing Asia.
The six-team women’s Champions Cup was created as an intercontinental championship for women’s club teams. It builds on a growing number of regional club competitions, led by the success of the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
FIFA also is introducing a 16-team Women’s Club World Cup, which will launch in 2028 and be played every four years. The new Champions Cup will be held every year, except years when the Club World Cup takes place.
CHARLOTTE, NC - JANUARY 31: Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket during the game against the Charlotte Hornets on January 31, 2026 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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 Darren Carroll/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
There’s a moment in every parent’s life when, from a place of experience, you advise your child not to do something, and they proceed to disregard you.
It is, so far as I can tell, a universal experience, bypassing borders and languages, regions and classes, prejudices and ethnicities, and religions and political affiliations. In certain ways, youth is simply incorrigible.
And the thing is, most of the time, it’s not even outright defiance.
One of my most treasured photos of my daughter is on the lockscreen of my phone. She’s in the middle of scaling one of the low fences at the edge of a Hat Creek playground, and just to the right of her is a metal sign bearing the words: PLEASE DO NOT CLIMB ON THE FENCE.
She was two years old, unable to read the sign, and unable to see any danger in the empty parking lot beyond the fence. It’s not that the rules and danger didn’t exist; they simply were not apparent to her at the time.
She had no conception of how the parking lot would fill, or how cars might incautiously cruise through the empty lot on the way to another destination. Her perception of reality was not so much wrong as it was limited by her childish understanding of cause and effect, the exterior world, and the flow of time.
Empty parking lots stayed empty. The inattentive would surely be attentive to her. Fences were barriers to access rather than barriers of protection.
Though adults are frequently guilty of it, no one is more self-assured of their import to the world than a toddler who has spent their life at the center of adoration.
You can find another form of this self-assurance in that of a young team exceeding expectations and timelines, positioned to be darlings in the media narrative, already so in the eyes of their fans, and that can lead to a certain kind of complacency.
It’s a different sort of complacency from that of a perpetual lottery team (or the perpetually middling) in that it comes from a place of competency, of skill, of the sentiment that talent outweighs effort. Or, at the very least, that it allows for effort to wax and wane without consequence.
Ever since San Antonio’s repeated defeats of the Oklahoma City Thunder, we’ve seen that very specific brand of complacency creeping in, and it reared its head in the 1st half against the Hornets in the same way that it did a week ago against the Pelicans, and earlier in January against the depleted Grizzlies and banged-up Trailblazers.
For all the complaints about their third-quarter woes, the Spurs also allow the 4th most points scored in the NBA in the 1st quarter, and the 8th most in the 2nd quarter. They limp out of January with an 8-7 record and the 19th-ranked offense for the month.
They’re not taking the opposition seriously unless the opposition sits high in the standings.
And to their credit, they’ve performed well against those teams, knowing that there’s no margin for error against the likes of the Knicks, and the Lakers, and the Celtics, and the Timberwolves.
There have been some seriously impressive wins during this stretch. Maybe too impressive for a group of youngsters who believe all too strongly that they can simply flip the switch against lesser opponents — who see no real danger until it’s almost already too late (and often is).
The thing is, though, they’re not toddlers anymore. They’re more like teenagers who can feel the edge of adulthood on the horizon and have convinced themselves that they’re ready for all of the adult decisions and the inherent challenges of independence.
And there’s a kind of beauty in that. The Spurs have beaten teams better than them because they don’t know what they don’t know. They’ve walked out wild and fearless into the world of contention, and they haven’t been really and truly crushed yet.
Cormac McCarthy once wrote that it was good that God kept the truths of life from the young as they were starting out, or else they’d have no heart to start at all.
I’m beginning to suspect that it’s going to take their first real jaunt into the postseason for these young Spurs to grasp the reality of what it takes to win — the vigilance required of champions. The focus. The wariness. The paranoia. The notion of no nights off.
For now, we’re just going to have to endure the incredible highs and lows of youth. The stumbling that often feels momentous. The lessons that somehow fail to translate to everything else and somehow fail to stick.
The Spurs can read the signs now. They remain skeptical of the empty parking lot.
I’m not sure that Mitch Johnson will be able to knock that out of them. I’m not sure Pop would have been able to either.
I’m sure he had to endure nights where even the great Tim Duncan miscalculated against the opposition. I’m sure it happened more than we care to remember, lost in the irrepressible mythos of Duncan’s focus and reliability.
It’s something these Spurs are going to have to figure out on their own. It’s probably going to take more than a few hard lessons and unexpected losses. As a fan, I have faith that they’re going to get there. It’s the same kind of hope you hold as a parent. There’s really no other choice.
In the meantime, however, I wouldn’t let these youngsters borrow your car.
Buy them a clunker. They’re not done crashing yet.
Takeaways
Though Harrison Barnes continues to slowly climb his way out of one of the worst three-point slumps I can recall since the days of Danny ‘Icy Hot’ Green, Mitch Johnson made the decision to move him to the bench squad and give Julian Champagnie the starting role. Though Champagnie has been getting time in the starting unit this season, this marks the first time that’s happened with both Barnes and Vassell healthy, and it’s a much-deserved sign of the progress that Champagnie has made over the years. Specifically, he’s been red hot over the last 10 games, averaging a career-high 13 points per game, while leading the team in Effective Field Goal Percentage, True Shooting Percentage, and Player Impact Estimate in that span to boot. Barnes responded by going 3-5 from three, and without ego, and if that keeps up, I’d wager the change will be permanent outside of specific match-ups and/or trade scenarios.
I’m not sure how to say this, but Wemby’s defense has been pretty subpar over the last 10 games, and his defensive rating ranks 8th on the team over that stretch for players getting non-garbage-time minutes (all hail defensive rating leader Jordan McLaughlin!). Consequently, the Spurs have ranked 12th in defensive rating during that span, which is a real problem when you’re also 19th in offensive rating for the month. The Spurs are going to have to improve defensively or offensively if they want to hold onto a top 4 spot in the West. I’d prefer that it to be both, but like John Lennon, I’m a dreamer who writes cloying (and somewhat contradictory) lyrics. ♫ Imagine there’s no flopping. It’s easy if you try…♫
Look, I love Stephon Castle. He’s got grit. He’s got desire. He’s got that ineffable thing that never lets him quit. Watching him defensively punk the Houston Rockets in the 4th quarter this week, I felt closer to him than some of my own family members. But until he finds his shot consistently and is able to slide over to shooting guard, we’re just not going to see the best of De’Aaron Fox and San Antonio’s offense. While Fox is a better shooter, it’s clear that he is most comfortable (and useful) with the ball in his hands to create the driving threat that gives him space for his jumper. Fox has yet to match the stretch he had when Castle (and Wemby) were out, and the offense really needs that version of him back. Unfortunately, Castle is 9th in True Shooting on the team over the last 10 games (and 13th for the season), so that dream may have to wait another year.
Also, this is a super fun little stat, but you’ll never guess who’s been leading the Spurs in defensive rating over the last 10 games. If you guessed Luke Kornet, you were close, but it’s actually rookie Dylan Harper! And while a lot of his defense is coming against opposing team’s benches, it’s yet another feather in the cap of what’s sure to be the scary other half of San Antonio’s lottery guard tandem. In the words of Timbuk 3, the future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades.
