Magic use 3-point flurry to hand the Kings their franchise-record 15th straight loss

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Paolo Banchero scored 30 points and the Orlando Magic beat Sacramento 131-94 on Thursday night for the Kings’ franchise-record 15th straight loss.

Orlando made a team-record 27 3-pointers on 51 attempts. Banchero was 5 of 7 from 3-points range and had six assists and five rebounds in the opener of a four-game trip.

The Kings broke the futility record a day after star center Domantas Sabonis and guard Zach LaVine had season-ending surgeries. The franchise had 14-game losing streaks in 1959-60 and 1971-72 while playing as the Cincinnati Royals.

The NBA record for consecutive losses is 28, set by Philadelphia over the 2014–15 and 2015–16 seasons and matched by Detroit in 2023–24.

The NBA-worst Kings are 12-45, with a five-game trip up next. Sacramento is winless since beating Washington at home Jan 16 for its season-best fourth straight victory.

Orlando broke the team record for 3-pointers of 25 set Jan. 3, 2004, at Sacramento in a 138-135 loss in double overtime.

Anthony Black added 20 points for Orlando. Desmond Bane had 17, Jett Howard 16, and Jevon Carter 14. Seventh in the East, the Magic improved to 29-25.

Maxime Raynaud led Sacramento with 17 points. Keegan Murray added 15, and Precious Achiuwa and Malik Monk each had 14.

Banchero had 18 points in the first half to help the Magic take a 64-55 lead.

After Sacramento cut it to 83-81 with 4:25 left in the third, Orlando closed the quarter with a 19-3 run to take a 102-84 lead into the fourth.

Tristan da Silva hit three straight 3s early in the fourth to make it 111-88. The Magic outscored the Kings 48-13 in last 16:25.

Sabonis had a meniscus tear in November, and played just 19 games this season. LaVine had surgery to repair a tendon on his right pinky finger.

The Kings started out as the Rochester Royals and also were the Kansas City-Omaha Kings and Kansas City Kings. They moved to Sacramento for the 1985-86 season.

Up next

Magic: At Phoenix on Saturday.

Kings: Face San Antonio in Austin, Texas, on Saturday night.

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

Beverly Hills apologizes to Celtics star Jaylen Brown for claims about his event that was shut down

BOSTON (AP) — The City of Beverly Hills apologized to Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown on Thursday for initially stating that an event he hosted on the eve of the NBA All-Star Game was shut down because the city said it lacked a permit.

“Upon further internal review, the City has determined that its prior public communication contained inaccurate information,” the city said in a statement posted to Instagram. “Specifically, no permit application was submitted nor denied for the event and the residence does not have any prior related violations on record.”

But Brown posted a statement from Jaylen Brown Enterprises on the X platform Thursday night taking issue with another part of the city's statement that claimed the event was actually shut down because of a perceived code violation.

The event promoting Brown’s performance brand, 741, was held at Oakley founder Jim Jannard’s home. Brown has a sponsorship deal with Oakley.

“We acknowledge the City of Beverly Hill's recent clarification confirming that prior public statements made on their behalf were incorrect and false; specifically that no permit was ever applied for, denied, and that the residence had no prior violations on record, ” the statement said.

The statement from Brown's company added that while it appreciated the clarification, it still took issue with the city's insistence that the event was shut down because of a belief that a code violation had taken place.

“No alleged proof of any violation was ever produced to the homeowner, our team or legal counsel,” the statement said. “Without observation, documentation, or confirmed violations, enforcement action based on belief alone raises serious due-process concerns.”

On Sunday, Beverly Hills released a statement to The Boston Globe, saying it rejected a permit.

“An event permit had been applied for and denied by the City due to previous violations associated with events at the address,” the statement to the Globe said. “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.”

Brown countered to ESPN, saying: “That was not true. We didn’t need a permit because the owner of the house, that was his space. We were family friends. He opened up the festivities to us so we didn’t have to. We never applied for one.”

The statement from Brown’s company on Thursday said it remains “open to a constructive resolution with the City of Beverly Hills.”

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

Memphis coach Penny Hardaway emotional after loss to USF: 'I wanted that game'

The Penny Hardaway era of Memphis basketball has had more than its share of ups and downs.

Just ask Hardaway himself. After making the Men's NCAA Tournament in three of the past four years, the Tigers are enduring a difficult season in which they are 12-14 (7-6 AAC). After their most recent loss, an 87-66 loss to USF that saw Hardaway visibly upset on the sideline at multiple points in the game, he wore his emotions on his sleeve.

"I wanted that game bro," Hardaway said in response to Jason Munz of "The Commercial Appeal," part of the USA TODAY network, before taking a long moment to gather himself. "I just want the game," he added, punctuating with a light knuckle rap on the podium.

When asked how he keeps from entirely falling apart, Hardaway replied: "I'm just gonna keep riding with my guys and believing in God," he said. "That's what I'm gonna do. It's tough. Because we've never been here but... It's not impossible."

This will likely mark the first year Memphis doesn't hit 20 wins under Hardaway, and the second time in three years it won't make the Men's NCAA Tournament (barring, of course, a run in the AAC conference tournament).

Memphis has another game against a very good USF team on March 5 at home, where Hardaway and the Tigers will try to exact some revenge on the Bulls in the penultimate game of their regular season.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Penny Hardaway gives emotional answer after Memphis loses to USF

Cade Cunningham powers Pistons past Knicks 126-111

NEW YORK (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 42 points and 13 assists to lead the Detroit Pistons to a 126-111 win over the New York Knicks on Thursday night.

The Pistons have defeated the Knicks in the teams’ three meetings this season.

Paul Reed scored 18 points, Tobias Harris had 11 points and 10 rebounds, and Ausar Thompson added 10 points for Eastern Conference-leading Detroit.

Jalen Brunson led New York with 30 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds.

Landry Shamet scored 15 points and Josh Hart had 11 as the Knicks shot a miserable 23% (8 of 35) from 3-point range.

The Knicks scored the first five points of the game, taking their biggest lead at 9-2. The Pistons then went on a 21-8 run, taking the lead for good.

Detroit ended the second quarter on a 7-0 run and took its first double-digit lead of the game, 58-48, at halftime.

The Knicks pulled within 62-60 on Towns’ basket early in the third quarter. But, Duncan Robinson hit back-to-back 3s and the Pistons extended their lead to 13 points before settling for a 90-79 advantage heading into the final quarter.

Detroit went up by a game-high 19 points at 104-85 on Daniss Jenkins’ tip-in with 7:50 left in the game.

The Knicks closed within 11 at 120-109 on a 3-pointer by Brunson with 1:33 remaining, but got no closer.

CAVALIERS 112, NETS 84

CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 17 points, James Harden added 16 and Cleveland routed Brooklyn to extend its winning streak to a season-high six games.

The Cavaliers have also won five straight at home and 11 of their last 12 overall. It was the second straight game and sixth time this season they haven’t trailed in a game.

It was the start of five games in seven days for Cleveland. With a 102-67 lead at the end of the third quarter, coach Kenny Atkinson rested his starters for the final 12 minutes.

Michael Porter Jr. had 14 points and Ochai Agbaji 13 for Brooklyn, which is 5-20 since Dec. 29.

Harden and Mitchell were in sync early. Harden got a steal off a bad pass by Brooklyn’s Noah Clowney and started a fast break. He lobbed a pass to Mitchell for an alley-oop that gave the Cavaliers a 14-3 lead.

Harden made his first six from the field, including three 3-pointers. He also had nine assists and five rebounds. Mitchell was 7 of 12 from the field.

Cleveland was up by 18 points at the end of the first quarter. Jarrett Allen scored 10 of his 15 points in the first 12 minutes.

The Cavaliers shot a season-best 64.2% from the field in the first half (27 of 42) and had a 70-48 advantage at halftime.

ROCKETS 105, HORNETS 101

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Durant made two free throws with 3.2 seconds left for the last of his 35 points, and Houston held on to beat Charlotte.

Jabari Smith Jr. added 15 points, and Reed Sheppard and Alperen Sengun each had 13 for Houston. The Rockets overcame an 11-point first-half deficit.

Grant Williams led the Hornets with 20 points. Brandon Miller scored 17 points, but was 1 of 12 from 3-point range.

LaMelo Ball, playing a day after being involved in a two-car crash in downtown Charlotte, had 11 points, seven assists and seven rebounds.

The Hornets, who had won 11 of 12 going into the All-Star break with the only loss coming to Eastern Conference-leading Detroit, looked sharp early and bolted to an 11-point lead early in the second quarter.

But the Rockets would start to pull away in the fourth quarter with Sengun making a spinning reverse layup against rookie 7-foot- center Ryan Kalkbrenner and baby hook shot on back-to-back possessions to Houston its biggest lead at 95-84 with five minutes left.

WIZARDS 112, PACERS 105

WASHINGTON (AP) — Bub Carrington and Anthony Gill each scored 13 points and helped spark a decisive fourth-quarter run as Washington outlasted Indiana.

Kadary Richmond and Jaden Hardy also had 13 points each as Washington snapped a three-game slide on a day it announced Trae Young is still at least a week from his team debut.

Bilal Coulibaly and Tristan Vukcevic scored 12 points each in the opener of a back-to-back set against the same opponent.

Jarace Walker scored 19 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for the Pacers, who fell to 2-3 during a season-long, six-game road trip wrapped around the All-Star break.

Taelon Peter added 16 points as Indiana fell a game behind Washington at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. Jay Huff and Ben Sheppard scored 15 each.

Pacers guards Kam Jones (back soreness) and Aaron Nesmith (ankle sprain) both left by halftime.

The Wizards led by 17 early in the third quarter before the Pacers responded with a 14-3 run to take a 92-91 lead early in the fourth.

Washington answered later with its own 14-0 run to put it away.

HAWKS 117, 76ERS 107

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jalen Johnson had 32 points and 10 rebounds and CJ McCollum added 23 points as Atlanta beat Philadelphia in the teams’ first game after the All-Star break.

Dyson Daniels finished with 15 points, Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 14, and Zaccharie Risacher and Jock Landale each had 10 as the Hawks snapped a three-game losing streak with their third win over Philadelphia this season.

Tyrese Maxey scored 28 points and Rising Stars MVP VJ Edgecombe added 20 for the Sixers, who were without center Joel Embiid, who missed the game due to soreness in his right shin.

Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 17 points and Quentin Grimes scored 10 of his 14 points in the first half for Philly. Andre Drummond contributed 10 points and 14 rebounds as the Sixers lost their third in a row and for the fourth time in five games.

RAPTORS 110, BULLS 101

CHICAGO (AP) — Brandon Ingram scored 31 points and Toronto returned from the All-Star break to beat Chicago.

With Chicago coach Billy Donovan away following his father’s death Saturday, assistant coach Wes Unseld Jr. directed the Bulls. Chicago has lost seven straight, also falling to the Raptors two weeks ago in Toronto.

Fifth in East, Toronto won for the eighth time in 12 games to improve to 33-23. Ingram also had eight rebounds and six assists. Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley and Ja’Kobe Walter each had 14 points, and RJ Barrett added 13.

After Anfernee Simons hit a 3-pointer to cap a 7-0 run and pull Chicago to 103-101 with 2:12 left, Collin Murray-Boyles had a three-point play with 1:18 remaining and Ingram hit a 17-footer with 36 seconds to go to make it 108-101.

Simons led Chicago with 20 points in his fifth game since coming over from Boston in a trade. Isaac Okoro added 16.

SPURS 121, SUNS 94

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Stephon Castle scored 20 points, Victor Wembanyama added 17 and San Antonio beat short-handed Phoenix for its seventh straight victory.

San Antontio also will face Sacramento on Saturday in Austin, a city the Spurs covet as part of a mega-region that they’ve cultivated for years.

Castle converted 8 of 11 shots from the field and had four assists and three steals in 21 minutes. Wembanyama had 11 rebounds and five blocks while playing 25 minutes. De’Aaron Fox added 15 points and eight assists in 22 minutes.

The Spurs received big contributions from backups Dylan Harper (17 points) and Luke Kornet (10 points, nine rebounds).

Jalen Green, playing in just his eighth game of an injury-plagued season, led Phoenix with 26 points. Mark Williams had 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Suns star Devin Booker played only nine minutes, all early in the game, before leaving with right hip soreness.

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

Cade Cunningham led the Detroit Pistons in a 126-111 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Thursday, Feb. 19.

Cunningham produced 24 of the team’s 58 points in the first half, entering the locker room with a 10-point lead. The Detroit star finished the game with 42 points and continues to build himself into an MVP candidate.

He is currently third in the MVP race at +700 on BetMGM, trailing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (-150) of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Nikola Jokic (+275) of the Denver Nuggets.

The Pistons are currently the top seed in the Eastern Conference with a 41-13 record.

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) is guarded by New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges (25) during the second half at Madison Square Garden in New York on Feb. 19, 2026.

Detroit Pistons vs. New York Knicks highlights

Cade Cunningham stats vs. Knicks

  • Points: 42
  • FG: 17-for-34 (5-for-11 from 3-point line)
  • Free Throws: 3-for-3
  • Rebounds: 8
  • Assists: 13
  • Steals: 1
  • Blocks: 2
  • Turnovers: 5
  • Fouls: 0
  • Minutes: 38

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cade Cunningham stats, points tonight, Pistons vs Knicks highlights

Devin Booker injury updates: Latest on Suns star's hip injury vs Spurs

Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker left Thursday night's 121-94 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in the second quarter with right hip soreness and was ruled out for the rest of the game.

Suns head coach Jordan Ott told reporters that Booker "wasn't moving great" and the decision to sit him was made to "save himself from himself," per the Arizona Republic's Duane Rankin.

Booker initially subbed out and went into the locker room with 5:24 left in the first quarter. He checked back in with 4:46 left in the second but then exited again two minutes later and returned to the locker room. His final stat-line for the night was five points and a rebound, shooting two-for-six from the floor in just nine minutes played.

An All-Star for the fifth time this season, Booker has caught the injury bug recently. He missed seven straight games with a sprained ankle that he originally suffered on Jan. 23 against the Atlanta Hawks. He returned to the Suns lineup on Feb. 7 and played in their next game on Feb. 11 before sitting out the team's final game before the All-Star break against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

At All-Star Weekend, Booker participated in the three-point contest and was part of the USA Stars team, winning the first edition of the new USA vs. the World format All-Star Game.

The Suns are currently the seventh seed in the West, two games behind the Minnesota Timberwolves for sixth.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Devin Booker ruled out with hip injury after exiting Suns game in second quarter

11 Stats to explain Cavs 112-84 win over Nets

CLEVELAND, OHIO - FEBRUARY 19: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers warms up prior to the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Rocket Arena on February 19, 2026 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 Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers did what they were supposed to do against the struggling Brooklyn Nets. Cleveland controlled this game wire-to-wire, which led to a one-sided 112-84 victory.

The stats in the table below are taken from Cleaning the Glass.

Effective Field Goal PercentageOffensive Rebounding PercentageOffensive Turnover PercentageFree Throw Rate
Cavs58.1%, 72nd percentile26.7%, 40th percentile14.4%, 50th percentile14, 17th percentile
Nets42.5%, 4th percentile18.6%, 10th percentile12.5%, 69th percentile11.5, 9th percentile

Now, let’s dive into the numbers.

  • The Cavs are 17-2 when Jarrett Allen scores 15 or more points. Allen finished with exactly 15 in his 24 minutes of action. The Cleveland guards did a good job of getting him involved early and often.
  • Allen’s 10 free-throw attempts tie the second most he’s had for a game this season. Allen didn’t do a great job of converting these opportunities (5-10), but getting to the line is more important. He continually went up strong whenever he was coming off a screen and roll with James Harden. That’s what led to most of these looks. And as we know, Allen is at his best when he’s playing with this level of aggression.
  • The offense took 43% of their shots at the rim (92nd percentile). The most efficient shot in basketball is still at the rim. The offense was able to continually get there due to the guard’s ability to get to the rim and find the bigs in the pick-and-roll. This led to a great offensive output even though the Cavs only converted 65.7% of their looks at the rim (44th percentile).
  • Cleveland added 10.9 points in transition per 100 plays (96th percentile)against Brooklyn. The offense has been elite since the Harden addition, but a majority of their damage came in the half-court. In their previous three games, they were under the 25th percentile in points added in transition. That changed on Thursday as they were able to attack off steals and defensive rebounds.
  • The Cavs pulled their starters after the third quarter and scored just 10 total points in the fourth. The reserves really struggled as they went 5-22 from the field and 0-12 from three in the final quarter. Their poor showing really skews most of the Cavs’ offensive stats. For example, the halfcourt offensive rating was great through the first three quarters, but the poor showing in the fourth made me erase an entire paragraph about what has made them so good there. So, thank you, Cavs reserves, for that.
  • Donovan Mitchell led the starters with a plus/minus of +37. He made the most of his 21 minutes, scoring 17 points on 7-12 shooting with five assists. The Cavs were at their best with him on the court. As good as Harden has been, this is still Mitchell’s team. The pairing couldn’t have gotten off to a better start together.
  • Mitchell went 7-12 from the floor (58.3%). He’s been able to attack as a scorer against rotating and unstable defenses in a way he hasn’t before at any point in his career, largely due to Harden’s presence. As a result, Mitchell has shot over 54% from the floor in three of the four games he’s played with Harden.
  • Harden finished with nine assists. He’s now finished with seven assists or more in each of his games as a Cavalier.
  • Harden provided three steals. Playing alongside Dean Wade and Evan Mobley in the starting lineup gave him more leeway to jump passing lanes. Being able to create turnovers is a good way to offset the defensive limitations we know that Harden has.
  • Cleveland’s defense was phenomenal as the Nets finished with an 86.5 offensive rating (2nd percentile). This was Cleveland’s best defensive rating of any game this season. The Cavs kept the Nets from finishing at the rim, contested three-point shots, prevented them from getting out in transition, and cleaned the defensive glass. As a result, Brooklyn was held to under 20 points in three of the four quarters.
  • Keon Ellis has three blocks and a steal. He’s been everywhere on the court for the Cavs and is a legitimate difference maker on that end. The Cavs getting Ellis in the De’Andre Hunter trade was an absolute steal. I’m not sure why the Sacramento Kings weren’t giving him consistent playing time earlier this season.

Sixers Bell Ringer: Sixers simply not good enough in third loss of season to Hawks

PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 19: Jalen Johnson #1 of the Atlanta Hawks drives to the basket during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on February 19, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer standings:
Tyrese Maxey – 20
Joel Embiid – 9
VJ Edgecombe – 7
Paul George – 6
Dominick Barlow – 2
Andre Drummond – 2
Jared McCain :’( – 2
MarJon Beauchamp – 1
Adem Bona – 1
Justin Edwards – 1
Quentin Grimes – 1
Kelly Oubre Jr. – 1
Trendon Watford – 1
15th roster spot – 1


The Philadelphia 76ers fell 117-107 to the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday in their first game back from the All-Star break.

Joel Embiid was out for this one after reporting shin soreness over the hiatus. The Sixers said at practice on Wednesday that the big fella will be re-evaluated before the team’s weekend back-to-back after missing the Sixers’ first game back from the All-Star break.

And boy did this look like the first game after some time off. Just ugly all-around, honestly, with the feeling of a random pick-up game more so than an NBA contest. The Hawks never got too far ahead but the Sixers just couldn’t seem to make up much ground at any point until it was too late — it probably didn’t help that they shot 38.4% from the floor (33-for-86). Atlanta wasn’t much better, but clearly they were better enough.

This is the Sixers’ third loss this season to a now 27-30 Hawks squad.

The Sixers will now hit the road for a weekend back-to-back, visiting the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.

Until then, let’s get to the Bell Ringer.

VJ Edgecombe: 20 points, 9 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block

<p>(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images

The rookie looked fresh and energetic coming off the All-Star weekend where he was the MVP of the Rising Stars game last Friday evening. Edgecombe led the Sixers in the first period with 11 points on 4-for-7 field goal shooting (2-for-4 from long range) and was really the only offensive juice Philadelphia had in an ugly 26-point first.

Speaking of long range, he hit this triple to beat the buzzer at the end of the opening frame.

Edgecombe cooled off a bit after that hot start, but the rookie didn’t stop contributing. Per usual, he was the best when the Sixers’ backs were against the wall. He had seven points and a few great defensive plays in the fourth as the Sixers were trying to pry a victory from the jaws of defeat.

The rookie finished this one with 20 points (7-for-15 field goal shooting, 3-for-8 from long range) with nine rebounds, a steal and a block.

Adem Bona: 9 points, 7 rebounds, 4 blocks in 19:40

<p>(Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)</p><br> | Getty Images

I don’t think you could possibly ask for more hustle from a guy. Adem Bona came out with a fire for this contest and was absolutely all over the court. By halftime, he had already racked up four blocks and four rebounds (three on the offensive end) in under 10 minutes on the floor. That doesn’t happen by coincidence. It happens from making sure you’re at the right place at the exact right times (with precise execution on the blocks) to make the plays.

In addition to putting up five points of his own in that first half, there’s one play I specifically want to highlight on the offensive end that turned what would have been Atlanta ball into three points for the Sixers.

That’s an Adem Bona play. The hustle, the awareness and the execution.

And it’s a play that won’t show at all on a stat sheet. That’s what Bona does, the energy and hustle plays that don’t always show in the form of eye-popping stat lines — but if you’re watching, you know exactly what he’s bringing for the Sixers, especially in games like Thursday’s.

Bona finished this one with nine points, seven rebounds and four blocks in 19:40 on the floor.

Tyrese Maxey: 28 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

<p>(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images

Tyrese Maxey is far from perfect right now. His shot selection has been leaving a lot to be desired and is leading to some really inefficient shooting lines, but he is undeniably still able to string together bursts of scoring for this Sixers’ squad and leads the offensive production when Embiid is sidelined. Tonight was another one of those nights. He shot just 34.8% from the floor (8-for-23) — but he also led the Sixers with 28 points.

Maxey had an especially strong third period — the period where it typically all gets worse somehow for the Sixers — with 11 points on 4-for-7 field goal shooting with a few timely triples to keep Philadelphia within striking distance of Atlanta. However, he then put up just three points (all free throws) in the entirety of the fourth.

I’m conflicted personally putting Maxey here. I feel like I have to, because he did lead the Sixers scoring and had a number of good defensive plays… but his game continues to be off in a concerning way. From the shot selection and poor shooting to his demeanor and emotional reactions throughout games, it just feels like Maxey is far from at his best right now.

But here we are. Maxey finished the night with 28 points, three rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. He played nearly 39 minutes.

Quentin Grimes: 14 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block

<p>(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images

Someone is feeling good after some time in the sun! Quentin Grimes has not been having a ton of success as of late making much impact for the Sixers, especially struggling shooting, so seeing him start tonight going 3-for-3 from the floor (2-for-3 from three) for nine points was an encouraging sight.

It didn’t feel like Grimes was forcing things on Thursday and he was actually one of the more efficient shooters for the Sixers, ending up 5-for-9 (55.6%) on field goals (2-for-4, 50% from long range). It wasn’t anything that’s going to break records or majorly turn heads, but getting 14 points off the bench from Grimes feels like a step in the right direction — hopefully a direction he can keep moving in.

He finished Thursday with 14 points, two rebounds, one assists and a block.

Kelly Oubre Jr.: 17 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 1 block

<p>(Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)</p><br> | Getty Images

Felt like this was a quietly decent game from Kelly Oubre Jr. This certainly wasn’t his best game shooting, going just 4-for-13 on field goals, but it wasn’t really anyone on the floor’s best game shooting. Even with that inefficiency, Oubre was able to score 17 points tonight, including five in the final frame as the Sixers attempted to mount a comeback.

In that same late stint, he also came up with a number of massive defensive plays, including a block and a steal, to give Philadelphia even the suggestion of a chance.

Oubre finished the contest with 17 points, three rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block.

Shorted-handed Phoenix Suns lose big to San Antonio Spurs, 121-94

The Phoenix Suns’ start to the final 27-game stretch of the season went as poorly as you could have imagined it in a 121-94 loss to the Spurs. The game is just one of a long 82-game season, but it was a reminder that the Suns, and by extension the Suns fanbase, are cursed.

Most of us Suns fans know the history: The Suns lost the coin flip for the first pick in the NBA Draft the year Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was coming out of UCLA, Stoudemire was suspended for stepping onto the court in Game Four of the Western Conference Semifinals in 2007, the Kardashian curse, etc. There is always something that happens to us that zaps our happiness.

This season, it has been the seesaw of health for Devin Booker and Jalen Green. With Jalen Green starting his first game as a Phoenix Suns player, it took all but six minutes for Booker to exit the game due to right hip soreness in a game the Suns were completely outplayed the moment he left the game. Maybe it is time to accept that Booker and Green just will not play together this season. The talented guard duo has started and finished a handful of games this entire season.

The only good news from this game was that Green finished the game healthy and looked the healthiest he has all season. He led the Suns with 26 points on 11-of-23 from the field in a season-high 26 minutes. At times, Green was the only Suns player who did not appear bothered by the Spurs’ relentless pressure and elite shot-blocking presence at the rim. The Suns need a big game from someone else to have a chance in this one, and no one stepped up with Allen and Brooks out.

Top Performers

Suns

  • Jalen Green: 26 points, 11-of-23 shooting, 2 assists, 3 steals
  • Mark Williams: 11 points, 4-of-12 shooting, 10 rebounds, 1 block
  • Oso Ighodaro: 10 points, 5-of-8 shooting, 5 assists
  • Collin Gillespie: 8 points, 3-for-13 shooting, 8 assists

Spurs

  • Stephon Caste: 20 points, 8-for-11 shooting, 4 assists
  • Victor Wembanyama: 17 points, 8-for-15 shooting, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 blocks
  • De’Aaron Fox: 15 points, 4-of-9 shooting, 8 assists
  • Dylan Harper: 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting

Game Flow

First Half 

Jalen Green’s first start for the Suns got off to a strong start. He scored 7 points in the first six minutes of the game and knocked down his first three. He also had multiple dump-off passes to Mark Williams who had varying success trying to finish against Wembenyama. There were growing pains as well. Green threw the ball carelessly multiple times, resulting in a couple of turnovers, but most importantly, he looked fully healthy and confident moving on the court.

Then the bad news, Devin Booker exited the game and went back to the locker room with five minutes left in the first quarter.

Without Booker, Dillon Brooks, and Grayson Allen playing, the Suns survived offensively for a quarter. The Suns were moving the ball and getting good shots against one of the top defenses in the NBA. Defensively, is where the Suns specifically missed Brooks and Allen. The Spurs guards De’Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper all attacked the Suns and were effective in getting to the rim and generating easy baskets. Spurs led 30-25 after an Oso Ighodaro bricked floater fell to end the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Suns’ bench struggled to keep pace. The Spurs started the quarter on a 13-0 run with the Suns’ offense unable to create quality shots with Wembanyama on the floor. With the Suns’ offense sputtering, the Spurs took advantage, getting the ball up the court quickly. Castle led the Spurs charge, scoring 14 points on 5-of-6 from the field and 4 assists. The Suns’ first points in the quarter came on a Royce O’Neale three with 7:30 left in the quarter, followed by a Green 3-point shot to force a Spurs timeout down 45-31.

The only semi-good news from an abysmal second quarter was that Booker checked back into the game with 4:46 left, but he quickly returned to the locker room minutes later.

The Spurs ballooned out to 19 points thanks to a 16-4 advantage in points off turnovers. The Suns committed just seven turnovers, but they were cataclysmic. The Suns, who are second in the NBA in steals per game, got a taste of their own medicine from the Spurs. The ball pressure from the Spurs guards frustrated and disrupted the Suns, who could not get into any rhythm. After multiple defensive breakdowns and Luke Kornet dunks, it was all San Antonio until a late flurry of triples from Jordan Goodwin and O’Neale got Phoenix within shouting distance, down 61-49 at halftime.

Second Half

The second half was all San Antonio. The Spurs turned stops into easy fastbreak layups for the entire third quarter, which the Spurs led by as much as 32. The Spurs outscored the Suns 25-7 in fastbreak points and 18-7 in points off turnovers after three quarters, when this game was unofficially over at 98-71. After a mediocre first half by his standards, Wembanyama made his typical jaw-dropping plays as he easily blocked a circus Green layup and had a monster dunk on the other end. Williams competed hard against Wembanyama, but struggled to finish over the top, and defensively, he was targeted and taken advantage of by the quick San Antonio guards. The usually reliable Gillespie struggled to get his shot off against the superior athleticism of the Spurs guards at times and looked to be second-guessing many of the opportunities he created.

The Suns threw in the towel in the fourth quarter and started playing the young guys. The first four-minute stretch for Phoenix was Green, Gillespie, Ighodaro, Ryan Dunn, and Rasheer Fleming. Then Khaman Maluach checked in for the rest of the quarter. The Suns’ lottery pick scored 4 points, grabbed 5 rebounds and turned it over twice in his eight minutes. Fleming scored 3 points on 1-for-4 shooting and snagged 3 boards.


Up Next

The Suns head back home to face the Orlando Magic on Saturday at 3 pm Arizona time on NBATV.

Player Grades: Cavs vs Nets – Jarrett Allen continues to crush opponents

Feb 11, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) drives to the basket beside Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (7) in the third quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers are on a roll. They’ve won six straight and are 13-2 since January 14th. Jarrett Allen has been dominant throughout.

All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player. We also won’t be grading garbage time. Sorry, Tristan Enaruna. You were fun to watch.

Donovan Mitchell

17 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds

Mitchell must feel like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders. He’s able to freely attack defenses without having to do everything for Cleveland. He’s no longer their leading scorer and best playmaker. He can instead fall back into his comfort zone as a volume shooter who can dish the ball in the right spaces. That should lead to an even more efficient Mitchell as we move into the playoffs.

Grade: A+

James Harden

16 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals

Harden put on a clinic tonight. He was in full control of the offense, throwing dimes left and right while getting to the rim whenever he wanted. His playmaking is bringing out the best in everyone, and he’s a big reason for the crowd being lively in Cleveland once again. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed the Harden experience thus far.

Grade: A+

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Jarrett Allen

15 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks

Rolling hard to the basket. Burying mismatches and drawing free throws. Blocking opponents at the rim. Catching lobs from the dunker’s spot. Allen is doing it all, and the Cavs are surging because of it.

Grade: A+

Jaylon Tyson

11 points, 2 assists, 5 rebounds

Tyson’s development has been fascinating to watch. He’s filled whatever role is asked of him. And, as he grows more comfortable creating in the short-roll, his pairing with either Mitchell or Harden should only get more fun to watch. He’s an underrated screener, and he’s playing next to two of the best manipulators in the game.

Grade: A-

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Keon Ellis

7 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 3 blocks

I can get used to watching Ellis play for the Cavs. He’s an electric defender who makes all of the highlight plays while bringing enough offensive juice to be on the floor in any lineup. Consider me a fan.

Grade: A+

Evan Mobley

10 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block

Mobley returned from his calf injury tonight. He was limited by a minutes restriction (and the Cavs ended this game early), but the early results of Mobley running the pick-and-roll next to Harden have been positive. And, he’s still a menace defensively.

Grade: A-

Dennis Schroder

12 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds

Schroder started this game with an ugly airball from the short corner. You don’t see those very often in the NBA. Outside of that, he was a helpful contributor in a huge win.

Grade: B+

Sam Merrill

3 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists

Merrill couldn’t miss a shot in his previous game against the Wizards. He crashed back to Earth with a 1-4 shooting performance tonight. It happens.

Grade: B-

Dean Wade

11 points, 5 rebounds

Wade returned from injury and nailed his first two shot attempts. He finished the game a perfect 4-4 from the floor, hitting three triples and providing elite defense. AWOOOOOOO.

Grade: A+++

Raptors return from the All-Star break to beat the Bulls 110-101

CHICAGO (AP) — Brandon Ingram scored 31 points and the Toronto Raptors returned from the All-Star break to beat the Chicago Bulls 110-101 on Thursday night.

With Chicago coach Billy Donovan away following his father’s death Saturday, assistant coach Wes Unseld Jr. directed the Bulls. Chicago has lost seven straight, also falling to the Raptors two weeks ago in Toronto.

Fifth in East, Toronto won for the eighth time in 12 games to improve to 33-23. Ingram also had eight rebounds and six assists. Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley and Ja’Kobe Walter each had 14 points, and RJ Barrett added 13.

After Anfernee Simons hit a 3-pointer to cap a 7-0 run and pull Chicago to 103-101 with 2:12 left, Collin Murray-Boyles had a three-point play with 1:18 remaining and Ingram hit a 17-footer with 36 seconds to go to make it 108-101.

Simons led Chicago with 20 points in his fifth game since coming over from Boston in a trade. Isaac Okoro added 16.

Bulls guards Josh Giddey and Tre Jones returned from hamstring injuries, with each playing about 21 1/2 minutes. Giddey had five points and five assists, and Jones finished with 12 points and six assists.

Chicago opened a seven-game homestand. The Bulls are 11th in the East at 24-32.

Up next

Raptors: At Milwaukee on Sunday.

Bulls: Host Detroit on Saturday night.

___

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

San Antonio vs Phoenix, Final Score: Spurs keep Austin weird with 121-94 blowout win over Suns

Feb 19, 2026; Austin, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) drives to the basket ahead of Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams (15) during the first half at Moody Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

The Suns were missing their emotional leader in Dillon Brooks, who was suspended for tonight’s game after committing 16 technical fouls before the All Star Break. When Devin Booker couldn’t come out of the locker room after halftime with hip soreness, the Suns were wounded, and the Spurs took advantage. The Spurs fought their way through an inefficient first half with Victor settling for three point shots and finesse plays, but still led by 12, thanks to some solid play from Luke Kornet and company. Victor moved his game inside the paint in the second half, and that combined with his ability to erase the opponents’ shots on defense let the Spurs put the game out of reach in the second half with a 37-22 third quarter. When the Spurs extended the lead to 30+ early in the final frame, it was Biyombo time as the Spurs put in a lineup of all third stringers to finish out the game. The Austin was treated to some nice shots from Carter Bryant and the rest of the garbage time crew as they held most of the lead and won 121-94. Victor came out after the game and banged the drum, and the crowd went wild!

Observations

  • It was a balmy 75 degrees in Austin at tip-off. It’s a nice day to be in Central Texas.
  • The Spurs wore Fiesta colors, and it looks like they transported the Fiesta court from San Antonio to the Moody Center. The logistics of holding a home game an hour and a half up I-35 (on a good day) from the Frost Bank Center must be pretty involved.
  • The beginning of the game was a back-and-forth affair as both teams played the first 6 minutes at a breakneck pace, with the Spurs leading 17-16 halfway through the first. The Suns called the timeout to challenge an out of bounds call, and the challenge was successful, but they immediately turned over the ball to the Spurs, causing Jordan Ott to call another time out just 30 seconds later. It was a pretty inefficient quarter for both teams as the Spurs led 30-25 at the end of the first 12 minutes.
  • Remember when it was a big deal when Carter Bryant got into the game? He’s just part of the regular rotation now.
  • The Spurs are so lucky to have Luke Kornet. When Wembanyama has to sit, he’s always so solid, and he knows how to get the crowd involved when he make a play. When Wemby has a bit of an off night, Luke is always there to keep the Spurs going strong.
  • The Silver and Black had some nice work in the second quarter but weren’t able to keep Jalen Green and Collin Gillespie in check as they led by as much as 19 later in the quarter, but the Suns ended on a 6-0 run to trail by a dozen points at the half, 61-49. It was kind of an ugly half, as both teams looked like they were coming off of an All Star hangover.
  • Devin Booker did not come out of the locker room to start the second half with hip soreness, and Phoenix was without their top score as the Spurs started the third on a 12-2 run to take a 22 point lead.
  • Steph Castle committed his fifth foul early in the third quarter, and had to sit out for a while, but with the Spurs stretching their lead as Dylan Harper filled in, it was not too much of a problem for the Silver and Black.
  • Jamaree Bouyea is pretty impressive, he’s worked really hard to make a career in the NBA and worked his way into being in the Suns rotation after bouncing around the league for a couple of years. It’s just great to see guys like him succeed in the association.
  • The Spurs outscored the Suns 37-22 in the third quarter with Victor Wembanyama dominating the paint on both ends of the court.
  • Mitch Johnson decided he had seen enough with about 10 minutes left in the game, and put in a lineup of Bismack Biyombo, Jordan McLaughlin, Carter Bryant, Dylan Harper, and Kelly Olynyk to finish out the game.


The Spurs will remain in Austin for a couple more days, facing the Sacramento Kings on Saturday at the Moody Center. Then they’ll go on the road for five games, starting with the Pistons on February 23, including a key matchup against the Knicks on March 1, and finally returning home to San Antonio with a March 5 rematch against the Pistons. After the RRT concludes, the Spurs will be home for 13 of the remaining 21 games, which could be helpful for the Spurs as they attempt to rise in the playoff standings.

Pistons 126, Knicks 111: Scenes from miss after miss after miss. . . .

Tonight at Madison Square Garden, the Detroit Pistons (41-13) completed a three-game sweep of the Knicks (35*-21), 126-111.

The first half was physical and fast. New York gave away an early edge by missing 15 straight threes and failing to engage Karl-Anthony Towns. Meanwhile, Cade Cunningham powered Detroit to a 58-48 halftime lead. Towns opened the third with a nifty four-point play, but Detroit’s paint pressure and rebounding extended the margin to 90-79. In the fourth, the Knicks cut it to 11 late after trailing by 19, but by then, the outcome was never in doubt.

New York shot 8-of-35 from deep (23%) and lost the rebounding battle 44-38. Jalen Brunson led them with 33 points and six assists; Towns recovered from a two-point first half to post a 21-11 double-double; OG Anunoby scored eight on 3-of-13 but tied a career high with four blocks; Mikal Bridges had eight points on nine shots, and Josh Hart added 11 points in 28 minutes.

Landry Shamet supplied 15 off the bench and Mitchell Robinson chipped in seven points, six boards, two steals, and a block, but the second unit delivered no offense otherwise. Jose Alvarado and Jeremy Sochan defended well but combined for eight points.

For the victors, Cunningham finished with 42 points, 14 assists, and eight rebounds on 17-of-34 shooting; third-string center Paul Reed scored 18 points and seven boards; and Tobias Harris recorded 11 points and 10 boards.

Happy Lunar New Year, folks.

First Half

Even though Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart are serving suspensions, the remaining Pistons still brought pipes and hammers into MSG. Josh Hart took exception when hit from behind on a dunk, and the refs checked their shoelaces. He wasn’t the only complainer. Both sides bemoaned the excessive contact, but New York received more penalties by midway through the frame.

Early on, OG Anunoby missed two wide-open triples, but Detroit shot worse. The visitors made 1-of-10 as New York went up by seven points in a game that was not only chippy but speedy. The sneakers were slappin’, the perspiration was flyin’, and the dude with the sweat mop earned his paycheck. Landry Shamet came off the bench to spell Mikal Bridges. Soon after, Mitchell Robinson and Mohamed Diawara replaced Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby. No Jeremy Sochan yet. . . .

After Motown’s cold start, they made seven of their next eight to leapfrog New York on the scoreboard. Shooting 1-of-8 from deep in the quarter didn’t help New York. Around the three-minute mark, Jose Alvarado clocked in and received a cheer. Jose repaid the affection with a tasty fast-break layup. And the newest Knick, Sochan—possessor of the best diastema in New York sports since Michael Strahan—made his MSG debut for the final defensive possession of the period. When the bell finally rang, Detroit held a 28-26 lead.

Boatloads of contact continued in Q2. Meanwhile, Karl-Anthony Towns had taken just two shots total by the midway point of the period. With Duren and Stewart out, we were convinced Towns would explode tonight. It’s strange stuff when Mitch outscores KAT (7-2) in a half.

New York wasted opportunities and fell behind by six. Alvarado had another of his famous back-court steals, but Hart blew the layup; on the subsequent possession, Brunson botched a contested layup, and Mitch couldn’t corral the board. Alvarado contributed four misses to New York’s awful three-point shooting—they converted just 1-of-16 in the half. Give credit to Detroit for keeping the Knicks out of the corners, where they’re most dangerous.

Defensive intensity kept New York alive for most of the half, but it wasn’t enough. E.g., Brunson tried his best, but Cunningham was just too much to handle, scoring 24 in his first 19 minutes. The Pistons went on a 7-0 run over the final 1:20 of the half to take a 58-48 score into halftime. Brunson topped the Knicks box score with 13.

Second Half

Spotting Detroit 10 points? Not the best strategy. The second half started on a promising note, though, with a four-point play by Towns (plus three more buckets) in the first three minutes.

Every time the Knicks drove the lane—whether it was Towns, Anunoby, Brunson, or whoever—the Pistons collapsed and stuffed them. Consequently, the breakneck speed of the first half slowed due to an increase in foul calls, and New York began to get a more favorable whistle.

Anunoby did a good job guarding Cunningham, but when OG rested, the gates swung open.

Once again, the Knicks gave up too much ground at the end of a period. They fell behind by 13 down the stretch and went into the fourth quarter behind, 90-79. It would have been worse if Sochan—again playing the final minute—swatting back a driving Cunningham.

Brunson and Cunningham opened the quarter on the bench. The Knicks turned to Towns, Bridges, Hart, Alvarado, and Sochan, but early sloppiness stalled any push. Bridges threw it away, then missed a three-pointer, and Towns lost the ball after grabbing a defensive board. Meanwhile, the Pistons took a 19-point lead, capped by two Caris LeVert triples and a Daniss Jenkins’ bunny.

Midway through the frame, Brunson was back. He and Cunningham were dueling buckets. Coach Brown deployed Sochan again, gluing him to Cade. The newcomer had two steals and a block in five minutes. A line-up of Brunson, Shamet, Sochan, Anunoby, and Robinson was heavy on the defense, but Detroit’s was tougher. Brunson spun with a dribble right into Ausar Thompson’s arms. A potential Mitch dunk was blocked from behind by Paul Reed. And on one sequence, Harris and Cunningham both missed from deep, but Detroit’s relentless offensive rebounding brought the ball back to Cade for another attempt that finally found the net. With shenanigans like that, New York fell behind by 19.

With a minute-and-a-half left, Brunson hit a three to make the deficit 11, then stole the ball from Cunningham—but he bricked from deep, KAT blew the putback, Detroit scored at the other end, and all the air left the building. Ballgame.

Up Next

Matt Miranda’s comin’ at ya with a recap. Then the Houston Rockets come into MSG on Saturday. Rest up, Knickerbockers.

Box Score

* Should be one more, but Adam Silver robbed us.

Friday's Time Schedule

All Times EST

Friday, Feb. 20

MLB - Spring Training

N.Y. Yankees vs. Baltimore at Sarasota, Fla., 1:05 p.m.

Chicago White Sox vs. Chicago Cubs at Mesa, Ariz., 3:05 p.m.

Kansas City vs. Texas at Surprise, Ariz., 3:05 p.m.

Arizona vs. Colorado at Scottsdale, Ariz., 3:10 p.m.

San Diego vs. Seattle at Peoria, Ariz., 3:10 p.m.

NBA

Cleveland at Charlotte, 7 p.m.

Indiana at Washington, 7 p.m.

Utah at Memphis, 7 p.m.

Dallas at Minnesota, 7:30 p.m.

Miami at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m.

Brooklyn at Oklahoma City, 8 p.m.

Milwaukee at New Orleans, 8 p.m.

Denver at Portland, 10 p.m.

L.A. Clippers at L.A. Lakers, 10 p.m.

T25 MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

No. 18 Saint Louis vs. VCU, 7 p.m.

No. 7 Purdue vs. Indiana, 8 p.m.

No. 22 Miami (Ohio) vs. Bowling Green, 8:30 p.m.

_____

Pistons at Knicks final score: Cade Cunningham owns New York

Feb 19, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) reacts after a dunk during the second half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Pistons basketball is back – and Cade Cunningham is here to make an MVP run.

With Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart serving their suspensions from last week’s Charlotte game, Paul Reed and Tolu Smith were responsible for the 48 minutes at center.

Detroit started this one off looking they hadn’t played in more than a week while New York got out to a quick 9-2 run before the first JB Bickerstaff timeout. However, it didn’t take long until the owner of Madison Square Garden, James Dolan Cade Cunningham, decided it was time to put on a show. He had 14 of Detroit’s first 23 points and his only mishap was throwing a lob to Tolu Smith that only Jalen Duren could catch. The Pistons would take a 28-26 lead at the end of the first.

The second quarter featured two pretty assists early (and a dunk wedgie!) – one from Cade Cunningham through traffic to find Paul Reed for a dunk and the other from Ausar Thompson who put a two-handed rope into Tobias Harris’ chest for a knockdown corner three. Cade continued to get to his spots, finishing with eight more points in the final three minutes of the half. Detroit took a 58-48 lead at halftime behind 24 points from Cunningham.

New York clawed back and made it a 62-60 game until back-to-back Duncan Robinson threes made it 68-60. That’s when Cade turned his MVP mode on.

He had a sequence of eight straight points – bodied OG Anunoby for a layup, a midrange over OG, a poster on the entire Knicks team, and ended it with a heat check midrange. The only reason it didn’t continue was because he found Ron Holland for a wide open three. By the time it was the end of the quarter, Cade had 35 points and Detroit held a 90-79 lead.

Cunningham returned in the fourth and instantly found Javonte Green on the fastbreak with a two-handed bounce pass to give Woo an and-one dunk – it would give Cade his 10th assist of the night. Nobody on New York could guard Cunningham. At one point, they even tried recently acquired Jeremy Sochan and Cade absolutely cooked him with a stepback three for his 40th point.

To add to his MVP performance, he had three more assists before the final buzzer, including a lob to Daniss Jenkins and a needle-threader to Paul Reed on the roll. Detroit would finish with a 126-111 dominant victory over the New York Knicks.

I’m not exaggerating – this might’ve been the best basketball I’ve ever seen Cade Cunningham play. He finished with 42 points, eight rebounds, and 13 assists. He shot 17-for-34 from the field and 5-for-11 from deep. He always shows up when Detroit plays the Knicks, and with missing both key big men, Cade knew he had to put the team on his back and he delivered. It was a complete two-way performance as he scored at all three levels while also adding three stocks.

As good as Cade was, Paul Reed also deserves to be recognized tonight. He started in place of Jalen Duren and played 30 minutes. He finished with 18 points, seven rebounds, two assists, one steal, and three blocks while shooting 7-for-9 from the field. Thank goodness for Bball Paul and his ability to be steadily consistent with inconsistent minutes.

I cannot recommend enough that you watch this beautiful performance on YouTube.

Give Cade the MVP trophy – tonight.

Go Stones.