Category: NBA

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.

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.

	Offensive Rating	Defensive Rating	Net Rating
Cavs	118 (8th)	113.6 (9th)	+4.3 (8th)
Hornets	117.2 (11th)	115.5 (15th)	+1.8 (13th)

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.

For a little more context, the police came to shut down Jaylen Brown’s panel in Beverly Hills around 7 PM, claiming he didn’t file the proper permit.

“I know I play for the Celtics, and I know we’re in LA. But hey, I didn’t think y’all would do me like this.”

🎥 @FCHWPOhttps://t.co/FgcympP1Iypic.twitter.com/ShY3rrk7H2

— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) February 15, 2026

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.”

Jaylen Brown says the Beverly Hills statement was FALSE

“That was not true. 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.”

“It was hundreds of thousands of dollars wasted for an… https://t.co/0mjKVDWj21pic.twitter.com/In95kzdN7z

— Celtics on CLNS (@CelticsCLNS) February 16, 2026

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:

You targeted me and my @741Performance event based on biased information then you give a half ass apology after the damage is already done

— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) February 20, 2026

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.

My response to @BeverlyHillsPDpic.twitter.com/cFmIMRJuTu

— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) February 20, 2026

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.

JB dropped a triple-double on the road 🔥

23 PTS (10-18 FGM)
15 REB
13 AST pic.twitter.com/5mxPLDwavM

— NBA (@NBA) February 20, 2026

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.

The rook ends the quarter! 🚨

📺 @NBCSAuthenticpic.twitter.com/jw5bVMGEeW

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) February 20, 2026

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.

Now this, is beautiful basketball. pic.twitter.com/BCGWHCKHah

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 20, 2026

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.

TUFF 💪 pic.twitter.com/d5GFbyrab4

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 20, 2026

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.

Payton is on FIRE in the fourth 🔥 pic.twitter.com/DZXmcZBTeg

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 20, 2026

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.

This acrobatic finish from Gary Payton II 😲 #NBAonPrimepic.twitter.com/VfsaHjRbjp

— NBA on Prime (@NBAonPrime) February 20, 2026

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).

___

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).

___

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.

Miami Heat (29-27, eighth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Atlanta Hawks (27-30, ninth in the Eastern Conference)

Atlanta; Friday, 7:30 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Heat -3.5; over/under is 242.5

BOTTOM LINE: Eastern Conference foes Atlanta and Miami square off on Friday.

The Hawks are 14-20 against Eastern Conference opponents. Atlanta ranks second in the league with 18.1 fast break points per game led by Jalen Johnson averaging 4.3.

The Heat are 4-5 against opponents in the Southeast Division. Miami is fourth in the Eastern Conference with 17.8 fast break points per game led by Norman Powell averaging 3.6.

The Hawks are shooting 47.1% from the field this season, 1.3 percentage points higher than the 45.8% the Heat allow to opponents. The Heat average 119.6 points per game, 1.2 more than the 118.4 the Hawks allow to opponents.

The teams square off for the third time this season. The Hawks won 127-115 in the last matchup on Feb. 4. Johnson led the Hawks with 29 points, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. led the Heat with 21 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Johnson is scoring 23.5 points per game with 10.6 rebounds and 8.1 assists for the Hawks. CJ McCollum is averaging 20.1 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 47.4% over the past 10 games.

Jaquez is averaging 15.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.7 assists for the Heat. Bam Adebayo is averaging 20.8 points and 10.5 rebounds while shooting 42.1% over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Hawks: 5-5, averaging 116.6 points, 43.5 rebounds, 27.8 assists, 9.0 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 45.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.0 points per game.

Heat: 5-5, averaging 118.0 points, 51.1 rebounds, 27.8 assists, 9.6 steals and 3.9 blocks per game while shooting 44.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.6 points.

INJURIES: Hawks: Jonathan Kuminga: out (knee).

Heat: Keshad Johnson: day to day (calf), Tyler Herro: day to day (ribs), Norman Powell: day to day (back).

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

Los Angeles Clippers (26-28, ninth in the Western Conference) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (33-21, fifth in the Western Conference)

Los Angeles; Friday, 10 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Lakers -6.5; over/under is 223.5

BOTTOM LINE: Los Angeles Clippers face the Los Angeles Lakers in Western Conference action Friday.

The Lakers are 22-14 in conference play. The Lakers are seventh in the Western Conference scoring 116.0 points while shooting 50.0% from the field.

The Clippers are 7-4 against the rest of the division. The Clippers are ninth in the league allowing just 112.3 points while holding opponents to 46.6% shooting.

The Lakers average 116.0 points per game, 3.7 more points than the 112.3 the Clippers give up. The Clippers average 12.7 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.7 fewer makes per game than the Lakers allow.

The teams square off for the fourth time this season. The Clippers won the last meeting 112-104 on Jan. 23. Kawhi Leonard scored 24 points to help lead the Clippers to the win.

TOP PERFORMERS: Luka Doncic is averaging 32.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.6 assists and 1.5 steals for the Lakers. LeBron James is averaging 18.9 points over the last 10 games.

Leonard is averaging 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.1 steals for the Clippers. John Collins is averaging 16.3 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Lakers: 6-4, averaging 116.1 points, 39.2 rebounds, 27.0 assists, 8.7 steals and 3.4 blocks per game while shooting 52.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.2 points per game.

Clippers: 6-4, averaging 110.0 points, 41.4 rebounds, 23.7 assists, 8.2 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 49.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.0 points.

INJURIES: Lakers: Deandre Ayton: day to day (knee).

Clippers: Bradley Beal: out for season (hip), Darius Garland: out (toe).

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

The Golden State Warriors got back into action on Thursday night and, well, it didn’t go great. The Dubs, who were playing without Steph Curry, spent the bulk of three quarters getting their butts handed to them by the Boston Celtics. Golden State recovered late with a furious rally in the fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late, as they lost 121-110.

Let’s grade the players who took the court for the Warriors. As always, grades are based on my expectations for each player, with a “B” grade representing the average performance for that player.

Note: True-shooting percentage (TS) is a scoring efficiency metric that accounts for threes and free throws. Entering Thursday’s games, league-average TS was 58.0%.

Draymond Green

19 minutes, 0 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 turnover, 0-for-7 shooting, 0-for-5 threes, 0.0% TS, -28

I look forward to watching Green and Porziņģis play defense together. It should be really, really fun. Unfortunately, the latter was on a minutes restriction on Thursday, and the former had a fairly atrocious performance.

Grade: D
Post-game bonus: Worst plus/minus on the team.

Gui Santos

32 minutes, 17 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 4 fouls, 6-for-14 shooting, 5-for-9 threes, 60.7% TS, +8

Santos has moved into a starting role, and I think we can firmly and confidently now say that his energy still translates when he plays a large amount of minutes. He’s still the same Gui, flying all over the court on offense and defense, and making the little plays. He doesn’t always make the best plays, but he makes the hustle plays and he just makes the team play better. Santos had a few clutch shots in this game, and kept countless plays alive. He made good things happen.

Grade: A

De’Anthony Melton

25 minutes, 18 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, 7-for-13 shooting, 2-for-6 threes, 2-for-4 free throws, 61.0% TS, -3

The worst thing about Melton’s game these days is that he just might be playing his way out of the Warriors price range. That’s a problem for another day. For now, it’s hard to imagine the Dubs being at all competitive with Curry sidelined if they didn’t have Melton. He’s playing so well.

Grade: A-
Post-game bonus: Led the team in points.

Moses Moody

23 minutes, 11 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 4-for-9 shooting, 3-for-7 threes, 0-for-2 free throws, 55.7% TS, -27

Moody started this game very well. He made a three on the first possession of the game, and played strong defense on Jaylen Brown in the opening minutes. From there, though, things went downhill. He couldn’t stay in front of Brown for the rest of the game, and really didn’t provide anything on the glass — he only had three rebounds, one of which came when he grabbed his own missed layup. He couldn’t create any offense, either. I kind of wonder if there’s a small ailment he’s working through, because he just looks sluggish and unathletic right now.

Grade: C

Pat Spencer

27 minutes, 5 points, 2 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 2-for-7 shooting, 1-for-3 threes, 35.7% TS, -4

There were times in the game where the ball moved beautifully for Golden State, and Spencer was right in the middle of that. His offense helped keep them in the contest in the first half, though his defense really hurt them in the second half.

Grade: B
Post-game bonus: Led the team in assists.

Al Horford

28 minutes, 5 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, 2-for-10 shooting, 1-for-6 threes, 25.0% TS, +1

Despite coming off the bench, Horford was second on the team in minutes. And while he really struggled to score, he did everything else really, really well. The Warriors got absolutely obliterated on the glass and in the paint, but Horford was the one player who was fighting against that. He had his elbows out all game, and protected the rim while gobbling up rebounds. His screens and passing were very strong.

Grade: B+
Post-game bonus: Led the team in rebounds.

Kristaps Porziņģis

17 minutes, 12 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 5-for-9 shooting, 2-for-5 threes, 66.7% TS, -4

Porziņģis made his Warriors debut at the start of the second quarter, and it went quite poorly. The Dubs got crushed in his minutes, which wasn’t his fault, but he wasn’t exactly playing well. But when he returned later in the quarter, it seemed that the nerves and rust had been removed, and suddenly things were starting to click. He had a few really nice plays in this game, including impressive hands to catch a speedy pass, gather himself, and dunk in traffic; a shot-clock beating contested three; and a blocked shot. And he spent a lot of time sharing the court with Horford, in a two-big lineup that we’ll likely see a bit of over the rest of the season.

It wasn’t all pretty. He looked a step slow, which was understandable given that he’d been sidelined for over a month. He rarely seemed to venture inside the arc on defense, which may have been partially a schematic decision, but certainly stood out. He had a pair of turnovers.

Those are usual bumps and bruises. Overall, the expectations were low given how long he’d been out, and the fact that he was in a new system, and he exceeded those expectations.

Grade: A

Gary Payton II

18 minutes, 14 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 6-for-8 shooting, 2-for-4 threes, 87.5% TS, +15

Payton was one of the biggest — perhaps the biggest reason why the Warriors made such a strong attempt at a second-half comeback. His defense was all over the place, forcing multiple turnovers, even if he was only credited with one steal. His offense was electric, both getting out in transition for buckets that brought life to the arena, and draining threes to make the deficit manageable. Just a fantastic game for GPII.

Grade: A+
Post-game bonus: Best plus/minus on the team.

Brandin Podziemski

27 minutes, 11 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 5-for-8 shooting, 1-for-3 threes, 68.8% TS, 0 +/-

Green did not have his usual stat line, so Podziemski had it for him, instead. An exceptionally well-balanced game for Podz which, critically, didn’t include a turnover or a foul. It wasn’t his best defensive performance, but that’s picking nits in a really great game. Good to see him play so well.

Grade: A

Will Richard

24 minutes, 17 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 3 fouls, 6-for-11 shooting, 3-for-7 threes, 2-for-2 free throws, 71.5% TS, -13

Richard had a huge sequence in the first quarter. After Boston had pushed the lead to 10 points, Richard drained threes on both ends of the two-for-one to end the frame, getting the Dubs right back into it. The team couldn’t maintain that performance, but Richard did. He was one of their biggest offensive weapons, and his defense was swarming. I’m looking forward to seeing how he finishes out his highly successful rookie campaign.

Grade: A

Thursday’s DNP-CDs:Malevy Leons, Quinten Post, Nate Williams

Thursday’s inactives: Jimmy Butler III, LJ Cryer, Seth Curry, Steph Curry

Bennedict Mathurin scored 38 points in his home debut for the Clippers, and they held off the Denver Nuggets 115-114 on Thursday night.

Denver’s Jamal Murray had a chance to tie it on three free throws with 0.9 seconds remaining after a foul from Derrick Jones Jr. Murray made the first two before missing the third, with time expiring on the rebound.

Kawhi Leonard added 23 points, and Jones had 22 to help the Clippers (27-28) improve to 21-7 since Dec. 20. Both teams were coming off the All-Star break.

Mathurin, acquired from Indiana at the trade deadline, was 12 for 22 from the field, while Leonard went eight for 18 and scored at least 20 points for the 34th consecutive game.

Nikloa Jokic had 22 points and 17 rebounds for Denver (35-21). Murray scored 20 points, Bruce Brown had 19, and Cam Johnson and Julian Strawther added 18 each.

Denver was without Aaron Gordon (hamstring) for the 10th consecutive game, while Peyton Watson (hamstring) has missed the last four.

Tempers flared with 10:27 remaining when the Clippers’ Yanic Konan Niederhauser, Kris Dunn and Mathurin tangled with the Nuggets’ Jonas Valanciunas under the Denver basket after a free throw.

Dunn, Mathurin and Valanciunas all received technical fouls, with Denver making one free throw for an 83-83 tie.

The Nuggets tied it 107-107 with 46 seconds remaining on a shot inside from Jokic. The Clippers went ahead by four on free throws from Mathurin and Jones, but Murray drove for a dunk and hit a three before drawing the foul by Jones on a last-ditch attempt from beyond the arc.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Broadway. CBGBs (RIP). The Apollo. Yankee Stadium (RIP).

Ain’t a patch of terra firma anywhere else on the whole damn terra can rival the platforms NYC does. Madison Square Garden’s on that list, where last night Cade Cunningham was Sinatra, the Beatles, James Brown and Michael Jordan in a 126-111 Detroit Pistons win.

The Knicks went into the All-Star break winners of 10 of 12, but this was the first leg of their most brutal stretch of the season, the first leg of a two-week gauntlet featuring home dates with Houston, San Antonio and Oklahoma City, while visiting Cleveland, Toronto, Denver and the Lakers; three of those road games games are one end of a back-to-back.

Every win is a good win, but with only three games separating the East’s second- and fifth-seeds, every win is one the Knicks need, not only for their confidence (now 16-15 against winning teams) but for their playoff positioning. One slip in form — one injury — and instead of hosting the Magic in the opening round and the Celtics in the semis, they might need to win as the lower seed against Cavs only to open the next round in Michigan.

Dunno know if you heard, but this season the Pistons have whupped the Knicks not once, not twice, but thrice. You can tell they and their fans are awfully excited, and who can blame them? Knick fans know better than most what it’s like to suffer a long dry spell, then awaken back to life. Yet Detroit was without their top two bigs, Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, both suspended after the latter sprang to the defense of the former after he’d been sucker-punched by someone who’s twice beat up his children’s mother (twice that we know of). It seemed the Knicks caught a break. All they caught was a whupping.

Last year the Pistons beat them five times in the regular season and playoffs by a total of 32 points. Detroit took the first two meetings this season by 31, then 38; while this game was closer (the Knicks were still in it midway through the third), Mars is closer than Jupiter, yet very far indeed. Last night was easily the most competitive game between the teams this season and Detroit still led the final 40 minutes. Counting last year and this year’s regular-season and playoffs, they’re 8-5 against New York.

I haven’t believed these Pistons can beat the Knicks in this year’s playoffs, mostly because of things that have little to nothing to do with these Pistons. They haven’t won a postseason series since George W. Bush was the inept war criminal Nepo Baby-in-Chief, as opposed to the metastasized malignancy in place today. NBA teams don’t go from “haven’t won a series in 17 years” to the Finals. It just doesn’t happen. Then again, jump-shooting teams never won till Golden State did in 2015. Of course, they were never “just” a jump-shooting team.

Maybe what these Pistons are matters more than whatever they’re not. What they are is physical, big and long, and dead certain they’re better than the Knicks. What they’re not is a great shooting team, nor is Cade considered a great shooter, and yet this year against the Knicks the Pistons are shooting 56/46/80 AS A TEAM, outscoring their more accomplished elders by 40 points on 2s and 51 on 3s.

This is a rivalry now, or what passes for one after decades of owners with dildos for brains devolving until it’s nearly impossible to keep a team together more than 2-3 years or find where to watch half their games. The Knicks and Pistons can both taste it. “The old East is dying,” Gramsci might’ve said, “and the new East struggles to be born. Now is the time of monsters.” Such a time to be a monster!

The Pacers are on sabbatical for a year. The Celtics are under new management. The Cavs, the league’s most disappointing playoff team the past few years, are risking it all on James Harden, the league’s most disappointing playoff performer for over a decade. The Banchero/Bane Magic have yet to make any. Despite getting the best run of play Joel Embiid’s shown in nearly two years, the 76ers have made it clear they’re no longer about the present and are looking to the future. The Heat haven’t been the Heat for a while.

The East’s two best teams met last night, as did its two best players. Jalen Brunson scored an efficient 33 to go with eight assists (33rd and 8th!). But he also had half his team’s dozen turnovers. Cunningham’s no debutante, but his performance felt like a coming-out party, a degree of leveling up you maybe weren’t expecting. Mozart’s last two symphonies. Beethoven’s last. Radiohead going from The Bends to OK Computer. Cade going from “that man is niiiice” to “that man is nassssty.”

There’s all kinds of fans and all kinds of fandoms. Me, personally, I was first drawn to the Knicks and the NBA because of my love of the game. So while I def wouldn’t react the same way in May, best believe I enjoyed Cade’s effort immensely. The East has stunk for a while. Cunningham joining the Tatum/Haliburton/Giannis-when-he’s-healthy stratosphere is a treat for those who love stargazing.

Also, Cade is dangerous. Legitimately. Trae Young had a good two weeks against the Knicks in 2021, but they’ve pretty much always had his number in the regular season; there wasn’t ever a second act to develop real drama. To varying extents, Tatum and Haliburton’s teams have punted on this season, if only to better position themselves to relaunch. Jeremy Sochan had some very nice defensive moments, but Cunningham roasted every Knick that tested the flames. Too big, too quick and too good.

When’s the last time (some of you may be too young to have an answer for this) the Knicks mattered and were up against legit dangers like Cunningham and Haliburton, players you know ached to beat them? I’d think after last year Tatum and Jaylen Brown would love nothing more than a second-round rematch. The Knicks are (despite last night’s L) a great team! And a lot of great teams in the East have a target on the Knicks’ backs. If this doesn’t quicken you as a fan, we’re not the same species.

Quoth Jaybugkit: “Kinda contentious.” These Pistons are. They oughta be; nobody values wealth like someone who grew up poor. Two years ago Detroit had the league’s worst record; now they have the best. Two to three months from now, they could meet the Knicks with a lot more than bragging rights at stake.

I hope by then both teams are healthy (OG Anunoby returned to the lineup after two weeks out and looked like someone returning after two weeks out). I hope Cade and Brunson bring their A-games. I hope the Knicks remember Karl-Anthony Towns being a great shooter and scorer for a 7-footer also means he’s a 7-footer, so get his butt down on the block for once instead of everything being a 3 or a drive 25 feet from the hoop. These Knicks/Pistons games have all almost been over before they began. Hopefully the rivalry is just getting started.