Things have gone downhill for the Golden State Warriors ever since Jimmy Butler got hurt in January, and that’s been compounded by Steph Curry missing the last five games.
The Warriors are hoping the potential debut of Kristaps Porzingis will help, but either way, the Dubs are in for a tough night against the Boston Celtics.
My Celtics vs. Warriors predictions and NBA picks break down why buckets will be hard to come by for the home team, with tip-off set for 10:00 p.m. ET at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Thursday, February 19.
Celtics vs Warriors best bet: Warriors team total Under 103.5 (-115)
Thanks to injuries and roster movement, this Golden State Warriors team has plenty of issues.
None are more glaring than its ability to generate offense when Steph Curry isn’t on the floor. Golden State ranks 27th in offensive rating, scoring just 104.2 points per game in the five games without Steph.
Tonight, the Warriors host a Boston Celtics team that continues to thrive without Jayson Tatum. Boston ranks ninth in defensive rating and third in opponent effective field-goal percentage.
Bet on the Dubs to finish under their team total in this one.
Celtics vs Warriors same-game parlay
Steph being out means fewer buckets. Jimmy Butler being out means less defense.
The Warriors are suddenly struggling in all areas of the game, ranking 27th in rebounding rate and 25th in opponent assists per possession since Butler went down.
Golden State’s best interior presence right now is Draymond Green, which will open the door for Nikola Vucevic to control the paint.
Meanwhile, Payton Pritchard has been racking up the dimes, recording seven or more assists in five of his last seven contests.
Celtics vs Warriors SGP
Warriors team total Under 103.5
Nikola Vucevic Over 8.5 rebounds
Payton Pritchard Over 5.5 assists
Our "from downtown" SGP: Double trouble
Let’s take Vucevic to not only eclipse his rebounding prop but to record a double-double as well — something he’s done in two of his first three games as a member of the Celtics.
The Warriors are 3-8 ATS since Jimmy Butler tore his ACL. Find more NBA betting trends for Celtics vs. Warriors.
How to watch Celtics vs Warriors
Location
Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Date
Thursday, February 19, 2026
Tip-off
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
Celtics vs Warriors latest injuries
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INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 15: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Team USA Stripes drinks water at a press conference before the 75th NBA All-Star game at Intuit Dome on February 15, 2026 in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a very long hiatus, we’re going to bring back the mailbag for the second half of this season and heading into a very important and likely franchise-altering offseason.
We’re also going to change things up a bit. There won’t be a full week between the questions and the answers as it limited what types of questions you guys could ask. We’re going to send out the call for questions on Thursdays and follow up with the mailbag piece over the weekend.
There are surely plenty of questions you guys surely have with the All-Star break and trade deadline freshly in the rear view mirror as well. The Lakers are also shaking things up in the front office, another storyline to watch heading into the offseason.
So, fire those questions in. Whether that’s on the court, off the court, tactics, whatever it may be for the Lakers or Sparks or the NBA in general, let’s have them. As always, keep things friendly along the way!
The Lakers have hired Lon Rosen as the franchise’s president of business operations, the team announced Thursday.
Rosen replaces Tim Harris, longtime president of business operations, after Harris announced in an email to colleagues earlier in the week that he was stepping down from the role he had for over 30 years.
Dodgers president Stan Kasten (left) and executive VP Lon Rosen before a game against the Miami Marlins at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Rosen has been the Dodgers’ executive vice president and chief marketing officer since 2012.
Lakers owner Mark Walter, who acquired majority ownership of the franchise from the Buss family in October, is also the controlling owner of the Dodgers.
Rosen started his career with the Lakers as an intern while in college before becoming a front office executive in the 1980s, eventually becoming an agent and business executive.
“For many years, I have seen the impact that Lon has had in our industry,” Lakers governor Jeanie Buss said in a statement. “Over that time, I have learned that not only is Lon a great person, but he also has a deep understanding of both sports and entertainment and a true feel for where this business is headed.
Lon Rosen walks past Dodgers fans during day two of spring training at Camelback Ranch in Phoenix, Arizona. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Buss added: “Finding someone who could fill Tim’s shoes overseeing the business side of our organization would never be easy. The answer, we soon realized, was someone both Mark and I knew well — and who already understood the values, culture and commitment to excellence of both the Dodgers and the Lakers.”
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Dodgers executive Lon Rosen, shown at spring training in 2024, will become the Lakers' new president of business operations, the team announced Thursday. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
As the Lakers prepare to enter the stretch run of the NBA season, the team announced that Lon Rosen will replace Tim Harris as president of business operations.
Rosen, who has been an executive vice president and chief marketing officer with the Dodgers since 2012 when Mark Walters and Guggenheim Baseball Management purchased the club, worked for the Lakers as an intern while in college and eventually became an executive with the organization in the 1980s.
"For many years, I have seen the impact that Lon has had in our industry," Jeanie Buss, Lakers governor and minority owner, said in a statement released by the team. "Over that time, I have learned that not only is Lon a great person, but he also has a deep understanding of both sports and entertainment and a true feel for where this business is headed.”
Harris announced this week to colleagues that he would be stepping down at the end of this season, according to the team's statement. He was part of the management team that negotiated a $3-billion, 20-year deal with Charter Communications to create Spectrum SportsNet for the Lakers in 2012.
Rosen, who eventually became an agent and sports business leader, helped the Dodgers increase revenue during a period in which they won three World Series championships.
“I’m beyond grateful to Jeanie and Mark for trusting me with this incredible opportunity,” Rosen said in the statement released by the Lakers. “As everyone knows, the economics of the sports business are constantly changing — and they will continue to do so.
“But, at root, my job is a simple one: figuring out how to do right by our employees and our partners while ensuring that the Lakers continue to provide an unparalleled experience for our fans in Los Angeles and around the world. I look forward to working alongside Jeanie, Rob and the whole front-office team to make that happen.”
HOUSTON, TX - FEBRUARY 4: The sneakers worn by Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets during the game against the Boston Celtics on February 4, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. 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 Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 10: Kristaps Porzingis #7 of the Golden State Warriors poses for a portrait on February 10, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With the second half of the season set to begin Thursday night, the Golden State Warriors are expected to debut their newest addition, big man Kristaps Porzingis. The 7-foot-2 center was acquired ahead of the NBA trade deadline from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield. While he wasn’t healthy enough to suit up immediately after the trade, Porzingis said on Wednesday he is feeling good and is “ready to go” ahead of tonight’s matchup against the Boston Celtics.
Kristaps Porzingis said he’s “back at it” tomorrow vs Celtics. Team listing him as questionable so he didn’t want to say for certain, but it’s clear he plans to make his Warriors debut.
The All-Star Break gave Porzingis the opportunity to scrimmage with the team and get acclimated with his new teammates. As he begins adjusting to his new role, his early impressions of the Warriors’ system were positive, highlighting the offense’s freedom and simplicity.
"I like the offense. I like the simplicity and the freedom. That's the hardest to guard."
On paper, Porzingis fits right in with the Warriors as a floor-spacing big that can also be used as a lob threat. He’s averaging 17.1 points per game this season while shooting 45.7 percent from the field and 36 percent from the three-point line.
Although Stephen Curry has already been ruled out as he continues to manage runner’s knee, Porzingis’ debut gives Golden State a new focal point for the time being as they look to make a push in the second half of the season.
For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Thursday, February 19th:
Prior to the break, Warriors coach Steve Kerr expressed optimism that the swelling and pain in Curry’s right knee would calm and he’d perhaps get clearance for Thursday night. But Curry returned to the facility Wednesday night and told the training staff his “runner’s knee” didn’t feel quite ready to participate in a live scrimmage.
“Just wasn’t where he needed to be,” Kerr said. “It’s unfortunate. We’ll have an update tomorrow after he goes through his time with the training staff.”
The Warriors are a bit like the Heat in that a really positive rating for their front office relies quite a bit on history that’s getting further and further away. Complicating matters for Golden State: they’ve dealt with brain drain that Miami hasn’t. Bob Myers, Jerry West and Travis Schlenk, all important figures from Golden State’s rise, are gone. We’re now almost three seasons into Mike Dunleavy Jr.’s tenure, and not much has been accomplished. The signature move was the Jimmy Butler trade, and it by and large worked as intended. A torn ACL, though, all but ended any hopes they had of contending this season.
Otherwise? The past few years have mostly been disappointing.
“I just don't think that this is something that you can just allow people to decide what they wanna decide because it involves so many other people including people that you have to go to war with"
That last part about the timing of it all is worth unpacking, as there has been chatter among rival teams for months now that the league was delaying its announcement for the sake of salvaging All-Star Weekend. Yet until the ruling comes, the Clippers’ every move will continue to be analyzed by league folks and fans alike.
Did they give president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank a lucrative and lengthy extension months ago as a preemptive battening of the hatches? Was the Ivica Zubac deal with the Indiana Pacers perhaps motivated by the desire to secure first-round draft picks in case the Clippers have to forfeit draft picks? Did James Harden want to get out of Dodge, err, Inglewood (and off to the Cleveland Cavaliers) in part because of the chaos that might be coming around the bend? This is the sort of stuff that has been bandied about for some time now, and which will be interesting to revisit when clarity finally comes.
Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving will miss the season to allow himself additional time to fully heal from the torn ACL he suffered last March. Irving will make his return for the 2026–27 season. pic.twitter.com/hfqAiRTPP4
So how high can the Warriors rise, and how far can they fall? For me, the answer is boring: I think they’re stuck in the play-in tournament. I could see them rising one spot to have the top seed in the tourney, or falling to the last spot.
Follow@unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.
Doug Moe, Head Coach for the Denver Nuggets points his finger as a signal during the NBA Midwest Division basketball game against the Seattle SuperSonics on 6th April 1990 at the McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, Colorado, United States. The Denver Nuggets won the game 119 - 103. (Photo by Damian Strohmeyer/Allsport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Earlier this week, we got the sad news that former basketball player and coach Doug Moe passed away at the age of 87. Moe is probably best known as the coach of several NBA teams, most notably the Denver Nuggets in the 1980s. His Denver teams played a remarkably fast paced, motion offense, regularly scoring more than 120+ points per game. He was a fairly successful coach too, as his teams made the playoffs in nine of the 10 years he was in Denver, advancing to the conference finals in 1985.
Long before his coaching career, Moe was a player. In fact, he was a player at UNC who seemed to be on his way to great things before circumstances got in the way.
Moe came out of Brooklyn, he was part of the Frank McGuire/NYC pipeline, and began playing for the Tar Heels in the 1958-59 season. He fully broke out the following year, averaging a double double with 16.8 points and a team-leading 11.3 rebounds per game. Finally in 1960-61, he put up a remarkable 20.4 points and 14.0 rebounds a game, for which he was voted an All-American by several of the different voting bodies that hand out that honor.
However, later it was revealed that prior to the 1960-61 season, he had accepted $75 to take a meeting with some people who were looking to fix games. Unlike teammate Lou Brown, who set up the meeting, Moe was never implicated for anything beyond taking the meeting, never mind throwing games, but the damage was done. He was suspended from the university, and the resulting scandal led to McGuire losing his coaching gig at UNC. That, of course, led to Dean Smith getting the gig, so that worked out at least.
Meanwhile, Moe himself got blackballed from the NBA for his part, leading to him spending his playing career in the ABA. He got his start in coaching there as well, eventually coming over to the NBA following the merger. After his Nuggets’ stint, his last head coaching gig came with the 76ers in 1992-93. He mostly walked away from coaching after that, but did later return to the Nuggets as a consultant and assistant coach.
The way his UNC tenure ended makes things a little awkward for the school itself to celebrate him too much. However, Doug Moe was a very good basketball player for the Tar Heels, and that shouldn’t be forgotten.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 30: Stephen Curry #30 and Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors embrace prior to the start of the game against the Detroit Pistons at Chase Center on January 30, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors return to action tonight, kicking off the 27-game second “half” with a home matchup against the Boston Celtics. The good news is that the Warriors should be quite well rested … they didn’t have a single player lace up their sneakers at the busy All-Star weekend. The bad news is that the rest doesn’t seem to have helped those in the infirmary. Steph Curry, who had been hoping to return before the break, has been ruled out for Thursday’s game, and it’s a little ominous — coach Steve Kerr has said that Curry might be headed for yet another MRI.
Despite all that, tonight’s game at the Chase Center is must-see TV for Dubs fans who are starved for hoops after a week without meaningful games … and for anyone invested in where the Warriors will end up in the standings. There’s no shortage of storylines to pay attention to as the Warriors get back on the court, but here are the eight biggest questions that will be answered over the next two months.
How does Kristaps Porziņģis fit?
The Warriors didn’t land Giannis Antetokounmpo, but they still made a significant addition at the NBA trade deadline. In two separate deals made to facilitate each other, the Warriors traded Jonathan Kuminga, Buddy Hield, and Trayce Jackson-Davis, while receiving Kristaps Porziņģis and a second-round draft pick.
Porziņģis, who was an All-Star in 2018, is on the final year of a two-year, $60 million deal that hasn’t aged particularly well … he’s only played in 59 games over the course of that contract, and has been traded twice. Yet it seems unlikely that the Warriors acquired him merely to be a rental who would reach free agency and seek out the next opportunity. Sure, there were some other long-term benefits of the trade for Golden State — they rid themselves of the final two years and nearly $20 million on Hield’s contract, and grabbed a late draft pick — but the primary goal of the trade was to acquire Porziņģis.
That’s not to say that the Warriors have already made up their mind that they’ll re-sign Porziņģis this summer (though they certainly can, as they acquired his Bird rights in the trade). But it does mean that they’re open to it and curious about it.
With the Warriors no longer harboring dreams of contention following Jimmy Butler III’s ACL tear, watching how Porziņģis fits with his new squad is the biggest storyline for the rest of the season. In theory, the 30-year old Latvian is a great fit with the team. He’s one of the tallest players in the NBA, at 7’2, and his wingspan is outrageous. Despite that daunting size, he’s a fluid player who moves well and has good athleticism, and is a career 36.6% shooter from deep … and 38.7% over the last four years. He’s a very strong defensive player, and can be a force on offense.
But there are always questions about how new players will fit in Kerr’s system, and alongside Curry, and that’s doubly true for big men. Can Porziņģis make the right reads and decisions, and can he make them quickly? Will he understand his role, set big screens, and fit the defensive scheme? An enormous, athletic, slick-shooting stretch five with strong defense feels like the perfect fit on offense next to Curry, and on defense next to Draymond Green, but you never know until you see it.
Perhaps more importantly is the question of whether or not Porziņģis, who has played just 17 games this year, can get healthy and stay healthy. He only played 42 games last year, and has hit the 60-game mark just once since the 2016-17 season. How he looks on the court — and how often he’s on it — may determine whether his 2026 stint with the Warriors is a blip on his Basketball-Reference page, or the start of a long journey.
How will Gui Santos, Will Richard, and Pat Spencer fare with larger roles?
Butler’s injury and the deadline trades opened up playing time for a lot of players, but specifically for three. With forwards Butler and Kuminga no longer suiting up, Gui Santos has slid into a large role, with Kerr saying that the Brazilian is likely to stay in the starting lineup going forward. With Hield gone, playing time has opened up for Richard to be one of the primary backcourt players off the bench. And with the team clearing some cap space and two roster spots, they were able to give Spencer a guaranteed contract, right as he exhausted his two-way contract playing time.
All three players have shown great things throughout the season, and all three have had moments where their inexperience is on full display. They now get nearly 30 games, with more leash than ever before, to prove that they can be not just intriguing players, but key rotation pieces on a good basketball team.
Richard is under contract for next season, but Spencer is not, and Santos has a team option. It seems certain that at least two of the trio will be on next year’s roster, and probable that all three will. But it’s audition time for each one: not just for a future roster spot, but for a more permanent role moving forward.
Is Steve Kerr enjoying himself?
After the shorthanded Warriors used a furious late rally to beat the Phoenix Suns two weeks ago, I commented on Bluesky that Kerr was “living his dream now.” It was mostly a joke, but not entirely. Kerr looked happy and rejuvenated. He admitted after the game that the win felt like a championship victory.
There’s no doubt that Kerr enjoys playing with a scrappy team of underdogs who hustle hard and buy into his philosophies, but that can only take you so far when you’re as competitive as he is. And while the Warriors can fill that role now, they can’t next year, when they’ll be anticipating the (eventual) return of Butler, while trying to push Curry’s championship window open once again.
The question becomes: is Kerr still enjoying this? It’s no secret that he is not under contract for next season. And while it’s also no secret that Kerr and Joe Lacob have not always seen eye to eye, Curry is the most powerful voice at 1 Warriors Way, and he has made his stance crystal clear: he doesn’t want to play for anyone else. That stance is strong enough that it will force Lacob to always have an offer on the table for Kerr; but no stance of Curry’s is strong enough to control Kerr’s desires. If he’s no longer enjoying himself, then this may be the final run. But if he looks as rejuvenated in the final months as he did in that win against Phoenix, you can bank on him returning to the Bay for a 13th season.
Can Seth Curry get healthy and prove himself?
The younger Curry’s season has quietly been one of the saddest parts of the year. At long last, the Curry brothers were united on the same team, and would get to share the court. But due to cap restrictions, the Warriors didn’t add Seth until December, and he played in just two games before suffering an injury that has sidelined him since. Worse yet, Steph was injured for the two games that Seth played in … so we still haven’t seen them on the court together.
While injuries are a persistent concern with Seth, he still looks the part of a player who could play a key role in the rotation. With Hield now in Atlanta, the Warriors are shockingly thin in terms of shooting depth, and Seth — a career 43.3% marksman from deep — can help with that. If he can get on the court and show that he fits in the system, he could play himself into a contract for next year, too.
Can they play well enough for next year?
Right now, the game plan for next season looks shockingly similar to what ended up being the course of last season: become a good enough team that adding Butler at the All-Star break can push them into contention.
It arguably did in 2024-25, when the Warriors beat the No. 2 seeded Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs, and were picked by many to topple the Minnesota Timberwolves in the semifinals before Curry suffered an injury that he never returned from.
Now they’ll try to do the same in 2026-27. Instead of getting Butler by trade, the Warriors can expect the six-time All-Star to return from his ACL injury sometime in January or February. In order for that to be as impactful as it was last year, the Dubs will need to be in a place where Butler’s presence can push them over the edge.
The next two months don’t count towards next year’s standings, but they will give the Warriors a sneak peek into next year. They simply need to be a team that can have a winning record without Butler if they want his return to nudge them into the realm of contention. If the Warriors look lost and hopeless over the rest of the regular season, then Mike Dunleavy Jr. will enter the offseason knowing he needs to make a sizable change before opening night. If they comfortably post a winning record between now and the end of the year, then they’ll have confidence that they only need to do a little tinkering, and then sit back and wait for Jimmy.
How consistent is Moses Moody?
It’s been a little bit of an up-and-down year for Moody. He’s spent most of the year looking like a solid rotation piece who should probably be coming off the bench on a good team. He’s spent some of the year looking like a high-quality starter who should get 30+ minutes every night. He’s spent some of the year looking like he belongs at the back of the bench.
Moody has two years and $26 million remaining on his contract after this season. Is he part of the next winning Warriors team? Or is that a contract they should be looking to move this offseason to facilitate more impactful moves? The Warriors have seen his talent on full display, but now they need to see if he can bring it consistently, in all phases of the game. It could shape the offseason.
Will Steph Curry’s injuries linger?
Injuries are nothing new to Curry, but lately they’ve become less severe and more varied. He’s been relegated to street clothes on a few different occasions this year, with various ailments. The latest issue, a case of runner’s knee, has been lingering. Curry had hoped to return before the All-Star break, but was then ruled out for the team’s final few games, and the All-Star Game as well. Worse yet, he won’t be on the court tonight, and may be headed for an MRI.
There’s only so much that we can learn about Curry’s 2026-27 health over the next two months. But needless to say, if he the current injury lingers — or if a few more pop up — it will be cause for concern as to whether or not he can stay healthy enough next year to lead the Dubs back into contention.
What rumors and reports pop up?
When the year began, no one expected the Warriors to trade for Antetokounmpo. But as the deadline approached, suddenly it started to feel like a distinct possibility. In the NBA, things are only off the table until they’re put on it; and they can be put on it very quickly.
There will be rumors about LeBron James having interest in joining forces with Curry and Green, two of the players he most respects in the league. Perhaps Kevin Durant, who already seems to be falling out of favor with the Rockets, will again be on the trading block and this time the Warriors won’t care about whether or not he wants to come back. Nikola Jokić is nearing free agency. The league can’t go more than a few months without a star surprisingly expressing that they’re no longer happy on their team. The Antetokounmpo rumors will certainly pop back up.
Nothing that big is even remotely likely to happen, but life moves fast in the NBA. Nobody thought James Harden was on the trading block a few weeks ago until a move was made. Heck, Luka Dončić was viewed as untouchable until a Shams Charania tweet was fired off one Saturday night last year.
The Warriors go big game hunting. If there’s actually any big game to hunt, it could control the shape of the summer.
MILAN (AP) — The U.S. women's hockey team delivered an Olympic comeback for the ages by beating Canada 2-1 in overtime to win the gold medal at the Milan Cortina Olympics on Thursday.
With her team trailing 1-0, American captain Hilary Knight forced overtime by tipping in Laila Edwards’ shot with 2:04 remaining in regulation.
Megan Keller then scored 4:07 into overtime to hand the U.S. its third Olympic gold medal in women’s hockey.
It was the seventh time the two powerhouses faced off for Olympic gold since women’s hockey debuted at the 1998 Nagano Games. In the 2022 Beijing final, Canada beat the Americans in the final.
With the sides playing 3-on-3 in overtime, Keller broke up the left wing and pushed past Claire Thompson. Driving to the net, Keller got off a backhander that beat Ann-Renee Desbiens.
Kristin O’Neill scored a short-handed goal for Canada in the second period.
Earlier Thursday, Alina Muller scored the bronze medal-winning goal in overtime in Switzerland’s 2-1 victory over Sweden. It came 12 years after Muller scored the clinching goal to deliver the Swiss their first Olympic medal in women’s hockey — a bronze at the 2014 Sochi Games.
Jordan Stolz stunned in 1,500 meters
U.S. speedskater Jordan Stolz’s late push wasn’t enough.
The American star settled for silver in the 1,500 meters, missing a chance to secure a third gold medal at the Milan Cortina Games.
China’s Ning Zhongyan won Thursday’s race in an Olympic-record time of 1 minute, 41.98 seconds. The 21-year-old Stolz, who won gold medals in the 500 and 1,000 at these Games, crossed 0.77 seconds later.
As Stolz glided by, hands on his knees, Ning raised his country’s flag aloft with both hands and started a victory lap.
Stolz, a Wisconsin native, will participate in the mass start on Saturday.
Dutch skater Kjeld Nuis, who won the 1,500 at the past two Olympics, took bronze.
Eileen Gu advances to halfpipe final despite fall
Defending Olympic champion Eileen Gu shook off a fall during her opening run to advance to Saturday's final in freeski halfpipe. The 22-year-old Gu was born in the United States and competes for China.
She clipped the lip of the halfpipe on the third trick of her first run, knocking her left ski off and sending her skittering to the bottom of the course.
That set up a pressure-packed second attempt that run earned 86.50 points, good enough to place fifth among the 12 skiers who advanced to the final.
The Americans, skipped by Tabitha Peterson, beat Switzerland 7-6 in a match that went to an extra end. The teams will square off again in Friday’s semifinals.
Peterson threw the decisive rock and her teammates swept it into position, just a hair closer to the button than the Swiss’ nearest stone.
Canada beat South Korea 10-7 and will play Sweden on Friday.
Brook Lopez is not the defensive stalwart he once was, and even at his peak, he was not necessarily quick enough to keep up with Jokic. Asking Kawhi Leonard to slow the Serbian would deplete the Clippers’ best offensive threat.
Jokic’s physicality should abuse Los Angeles. He is simply too much of a mismatch against this version of the Clippers’ roster.
Nuggets vs Clippers same-game parlay
With Jokic dominating the Clippers inside and on the glass, he should set a tone that leads to a cover of this modest spread.
Nuggets vs Clippers SGP
Nikola Jokic Over 26.5 points
Nikola Jokic Over 12.5 rebounds
Nuggets -4.5
Our "from downtown" SGP: Turn it up, Kawhi
Kawhi Leonard is playing the best basketball of his Clippers tenure, as seen for a moment in the All-Star Game.
Nuggets vs Clippers SGP
Nikola Jokic Over 26.5 points
Nikola Jokic Over 12.5 rebounds
Kawhi Leonard Over 27.5 points
Nuggets -4.5
Nuggets vs Clippers odds
Spread: Nuggets -4.5 | Clippers +4.5
Moneyline: Nuggets -190 | Clippers +160
Over/Under: Over 226 | Under 226
Nuggets vs Clippers betting trend to know
The Nuggets are 2-0 both outright and against the spread against the Clippers this season, exceeding bookmakers’ expectations by a combined 25 points in those two games. Find more NBA betting trends for Nuggets vs. Clippers.
How to watch Nuggets vs Clippers
Location
Intuit Dome, Inglewood, CA
Date
Thursday, February 19, 2026
Tip-off
10:30 p.m. ET
TV
ALT, FDSN SC
Nuggets vs Clippers latest injuries
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TEL AVIV, ISRAEL - FEBRUARY 03: Cameron Payne, #15 of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade in action during the EuroLeague Regular Season Round 26 match between Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv and Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade at Menora Mivtachim Arena on February 03, 2026 in Tel Aviv, Israel. (Photo by Seffi Magriso/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images)
It’s no surprise the Sixers were targeting a guard on the open market after the trade deadline.
The team sent Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Eric Gordon to the Memphis Grizzlies with no NBA players coming back to Philly. With Quentin Grimes missing two games with an illness before the All-Star break, the Sixers’ lack of depth at guard was exposed.
While names like Lonzo Ball and D’Angelo Russell were thrown out there, the Sixers ultimately decided to bring back a familiar face in Cameron Payne. The 31-year-old was playing in Serbia for Partizan when he got word of the Sixers’ interest a few days ago.
His agent warned him things could move quickly from there.
“It actually happened really fast,” Payne said at the Sixers practice facility Wednesday. “[My agent] told me, ‘It’s going to happen pretty fast, so you might want to pack.‘”
Payne is no stranger to these types of twists and turns. He was the 14th overall pick in 2015 out of Murray State by the Oklahoma City Thunder. He struggled with injuries and inconsistency early in his career. He was traded to the Chicago Bulls, spent time with the Cleveland Cavaliers and even played two games in China in 2019.
He was able to resurrect his career with the Phoenix Suns, helping that team reach the Finals in 2020-21. He signed with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2023-24 and was traded (along with a second-round pick) to the Sixers for Patrick Beverley. He gave the Sixers some solid minutes down the stretch and into the playoffs, parlaying that into a contract with the New York Knicks in 2024-25.
The Knicks moved on and Payne was in camp with the Indiana Pacers ahead of the 2025-26 season. He didn’t make the opening night roster and was waived. Instead of sitting around waiting for his next opportunity, Payne made the decision to go overseas.
As Payne learned, if you’re playing basketball somewhere in the world, the NBA will still have eyes on you.
“I told my agent this morning, I was like, ‘I don’t know how I keep finding a way to get back [the the NBA],‘” Payne said. “But I guess the NBA is still watching. If you still take your game seriously and do the right things, play the right way, they’re still looking.”
Payne enjoyed the experience with Partizan. He said the environment is a little wild — almost college-like. “It was lit, man,” he said. The other thing he got to do there was be the focal point of an offense, something he hadn’t been able to do since college. It was an opportunity and responsibility he didn’t take lightly.
While nobody will be asking that of him with the Sixers, they could certainly use a guard off the bench. Tyrese Maxey leads the NBA in minutes per game by a healthy margin. VJ Edgecombe leads all rookies in minutes — also by a healthy margin. Payne can play alongside either guy while giving the duo some rest during the final 28 games of the season.
Nick Nurse made it known that Payne will get minutes — in part to help his electric backcourt get to the postseason as fresh as possible.
“He can eat into some of those minutes to get those guys off the floor, for sure,” Nurse said. “And I would imagine down the stretch there’ll be games where he’ll play super huge minutes, too, when those two guys …. the workload gets [high] we can throw him in there in certain games, and he’s capable of doing that.”
If nothing else, Payne provides stability. The team knows what he is and what he brings to the table every night, something you couldn’t say about the Sixers’ guards off the bench this season.
“We know him,” Nurse said. “Veteran ball-handler. Guy who’s played in some big games. I think we’ve seen Cam provide some speed, energy, three-point shooting, run some pick-and-roll, get some layups here and there. … He looked like he’s in a really good rhythm. He’s been playing at a pretty high level over there.”
Payne has been in these spots. He knows what it takes to succeed, whether he’s playing big minutes or barely leaving the bench.
“I just always say ‘be you,’” Payne said. “Don’t ever change for anybody. Just be yourself.”
In 31 games for the Sixers back in 2023-24, Payne shot 38.2% from three and averaged 9.3 points and 3.1 assists in 19.4 minutes per game. If that’s what the team gets now — on top of the energy he brings to the table — it’ll be a shrewd signing.
The Lakers were relatively quiet at the trade deadline aside from swapping Gabe Vincent for Luke Kennard. That’s in part because their proximity to their first-apron hard cap (less than $1.5 million away) limited what they could do.
That shouldn’t be the case this offseason.
The Lakers have long been projected to boast max or near-max cap room and the trade deadline did not change that. Because both Vincent and Kennard are on expiring contracts, that trade had no bearing on the Lakers’ outlook beyond this year.
That was undoubtedly intentional. With LeBron James’ future still very much up in the air, the Lakers are keeping their options open.
That isn’t the case for every team that was initially projected to be a factor in the 2026 free-agent market. The Washington Wizards were initially projected to have $80-plus million in cap space this offseason, but they spent it all in “pre-agency” by acquiring Trae Young and Anthony Davis ahead of the trade deadline. The Utah Jazz blew through theirs as well by acquiring Jaren Jackson Jr. while the L.A. Clippers made a pair of trades that suggests Kawhi Leonard could be next to go this offseason.
Keith Smith of Spotrac now projects only three teams to have significant cap space this offseason, plus/minus the Atlanta Hawks and Detroit Pistons. The Lakers are leading the way.
Moves made at the NBA trade deadline vaporized a lot of 2026 potential cap space. Here are the teams I now project to have cap space this offseason:
That seems good. Is that good? (Just don’t spend it all on a 34-year-old Paul George. Take it from a Sixers fan.)
The Lakers’ 2026-27 cap sheet
The Lakers have two major variables to confront this offseason: LeBron’s future and Austin Reaves’ free agency. The good news is that until they re-sign Reaves, their cap sheet is relatively clean at the moment.
Luka Dončić will begin the three-year max extension he signed this past August, which will start at 30% of whatever next year’s salary cap ends up being. Based on the current $166 million cap projection, Dončić’s new deal would start at $49.8 million.
For now, Dončić is the only Lakers player under contract for next season who’s earning more than $15 million. Jarred Vanderbilt ($12.4 million), Jake LaRavia ($6.0 million), Dalton Knecht ($4.2 million) and Adou Thiero ($2.2 million) are the only four other players on guaranteed contracts, while nearly $1.26 million of Bronny James’ $2.3 million salary is guaranteed.
The Lakers will also enter the offseason with a $20.9 million cap hold on their books for Reaves. As we’ve covered before, the Lakers will presumably try to follow the same blueprint the Philadelphia 76ers used with Tyrese Maxey to take advantage of his below-market cap hold. They’ll spend the rest of their cap space first, then re-sign him via Bird rights even though that will push them over the salary cap.
Between Dončić, Vanderbilt, LaRavia, Knecht, Thiero, the guaranteed portion of Bronny’s contract and Reaves’ cap hold, the Lakers will be entering the offseason with $96.7 million in guaranteed salary on their books.
Player
2026-27 Salary
Luka Dončić
$49,800,000
Austin Reaves (cap hold)
$20,906,361
Jarred Vanderbilt
$12,428,571
Jake LaRavia
$6,000,000
Dalton Knecht
$4,201,080
Bronny James
$2,296,271 ($1,258,873 guaranteed)
Adou Thiero
$2,150,917
TOTAL (GUARANTEED)
$96,745,802
That doesn’t mean they’ll have nearly $70 million of cap space to spend, though.
For one, they’ll have an incomplete roster charge of roughly $1.36 million for every open roster spot below 12. Even if they fully guarantee Bronny’s contract, they’d have $6.8 million of incomplete roster charges on their books until they filled those spots.
The bigger swing factors are Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton, who have $5.4 million and $8.1 million player options for next season, respectively. They also have a $2.5 million team option on Kobe Bufkin, which they figure to decline to maximize their financial flexibility.
Assuming the Lakers do decline their team option on Bufkin, here’s how much cap space they’re projected to have depending on what Ayton and Smart do with their respective player options.
Both decline: $61.4 million
Smart picks up, Ayton declines: $57.1 million
Ayton picks up, Smart declines: $54.7 million
Both pick up: $50.3 million
All of those figures would require the Lakers to renounce the rights to all of their free agents other than Reaves, including LeBron and Rui Hachimura. They also don’t factor in whichever first-round pick the Lakers land this summer.
The Lakers’ free-agency outlook
Based on the current $166 million cap projection for 2026-27, a max contract for someone with 0-6 years of NBA experience would start at $41.5 million, someone with 7-9 years of NBA experience (like Luka) would start at $49.8 million and someone with 10 or more years of NBA experience would start at $58.1 million.
That makes James the first domino that must fall for the Lakers. Until they either re-sign him or renounce his free-agent rights, they won’t have any cap space whatsoever.
If the Lakers do clear $50-plus million in space, they’ve already discussed going after Andrew Wiggins, Tari Eason and Peyton Watson, among others, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. He mentioned Tobias Harris, Quentin Grimes and Dean Wade as other possible candidates who fit the Lakers’ need for more long-range shooters and defenders.
After the trade deadline, general manager Rob Pelinka told reporters that the Lakers had been “aggressive” in conversations, but they decided to prioritize their long-term future.
“I would say we were aggressive,” Pelinka said. “And one form of being aggressive is saying no to moves that come your way that might not be best for the short- and long-term future, that’s like being aggressive even though you end up doing nothing. Because it’s hard to say no sometimes to getting a good player that could be a quick short-term fix but could have implications for the long-term where it doesn’t fit into the overall vision you have for the team.”
If the Lakers look to maximize their financial flexibility, there’s a wide range of possible outcomes this offseason. The NBA has become even more unpredictable in the second-apron era, as teams are more desperate than ever to dump overpaid stars (or former stars) on massive contracts.
The Wizards acquired both Young and Davis for pennies on the dollar ahead of this year’s trade deadline. The Memphis Grizzlies were reportedly eager to offload Ja Morant as well, but they couldn’t find a taker even after trading Jackson to Utah.
Pelinka believes the Lakers might be able to take advantage of other teams this offseason that are looking to dump contracts for whatever reason.
“Knowing that there’s an unintended consequence when a new system comes into place — teams kind of learn their way through it — we felt like creating optionality or having optionality now is really a positive thing for us this coming offseason,” Pelinka told reporters. “Because there’s some teams that maybe have gotten too deep into the aprons. And I think players, we see around the league, that become available when teams get in that position.”
“Whether it’s through free agency, whether it’s keeping our own players, whether it’s looking around the league for players that are really good that maybe teams are trying to get off salary, we feel like there’ll be so many different ways to complete our roster in the offseason.”
The Lakers have a megastar in Dončić and a unique amount of potential cap space for a title hopeful this offseason. This summer will go a long way toward determining how well they can build a championship contender around Luka over the next few years.
The Mountain West men’s basketball season is in full swing, but it’s never a bad time to discuss past Mountain West stars and their journeys after being in the conference. It’s time for our annual “Mountain West in the NBA” update, so let’s not waste any more time and dive into it!
Colorado State:
Isaiah Stevens, G/F, Sacramento Kings
After parlaying a strong summer into a two-way contract with the Miami Heat last season, Stevens found a new home in Sacramento. Though he’s spent most of the season in Stockton with the Kings’ G-League affiliate, averaging 14.1 points and 8.3 assists in 27 combined games. Stevens has played six career NBA games up to this point, totaling 10 points with five rebounds, 10 assists and six steals in 49 minutes.
Fresno State:
Orlando Robinson, C, UFA
Robinson was recently released by the Orlando Magic, who he held a two-way contract with. Robinson has been apart of four organizations (Heat, Kings, Raptors, Magic) the last three seasons, averaging 4.9 points and 3.7 rebounds across 13.1 minutes per game over that span (84 games; 16 starts).
Nevada:
Cody Martin, F, Indiana Pacers
Martin’s career has largely been affected by injury, playing roughly 37 percent of available games over the last four seasons. He signed a 10-day hardship contract with the beleagured Indiana Pacers in November, and has since played 10 games with the Noblesville Boom (Pacers G-League affiliate), averaging 13.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.4 steals on 54.9 percent true shooting.
Caleb Martin, F, Dallas Mavericks
Martin was dealt to Dallas in February of 2025 as part of the Quentin Grimes 1-for-1 swap with Philadelphia. Martin, 30, has appeared in 46 games (10 starts) with the Mavericks this season, averaging 3.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists on 44.5 percent shooting, including 36.8 percent from 3-point range and 62.9 percent from the charity stripe.
Kobe Sanders, G, Los Angeles Clippers
Drafted No. 50 overall in last summer’s draft, Sanders’ emergence with Los Angeles has been one of their brighest spots this season. The Clippers recently converted Sanders into a standard contract, where he’s averaging 6.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists on 43.6/37.0/80.0 shooting splits.
San Diego State:
Kawhi Leonard, F, Los Angeles Clippers
Leonard has been one of the NBA’s best players for the last 2-3 months. The Aztec alum is leading the NBA in steals (2.1), tallying 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game on 49.1 percent shooting and 61.9 percent true shooting. Notably, Leonard took All-Star weekend by storm, scoring 37 points in three 12-minute games on 13-of-24 shooting and 7-of-12 from distance. The 14-year vet has, once again, reinforced the belief that he’s arguably the league’s best two-way player — when he’s on the court, which has occassionally been a struggle.
UNLV:
Derrick Jones Jr., F, Los Angeles Clippers
Our third Clipper! Jones has been one of their best point-of-attack defenders and 3-point shooters the last two seasons. In 99 games with the Clips, Jones is averaging 10.1 points and 3.2 rebounds on 36.7 percent shooting from 3-point range, where he’s taken nearly 40 percent of his attempts.
Utah State:
Sam Merrill, G, Cleveland Cavaliers
Merrill has carved a niche as an elite 3-point shooter. Over the last three seasons, the Aggie alum is shooting 40.8 percent from beyond the arc on 5.8 3-point attempts per game (86.5 3PAr!), including a remarkable 47.2 percent on 7.5 triple tries in 31 games (22 starts) this year. He’s been in-and-out of the team’s lineup due to injury, but he’s been the best shooter on a middle-of-the-pack 3-point shooting team through 55 games.
Neemias Queta, C, Boston Celtics
Amid the departures of Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Luke Kornet, Queta, a five-year veteran, has been thrust into a much larger role with the Celtics this year. And he’s played up to expectation, tallying 9.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks on 65.5 percent true shooting in 51 games (50 starts) this year. Most importantly, he’s shown he can be a starting-level center in the right context, even though he still has plenty of room to grow as a defender.
Wyoming:
Larry Nance Jr., F, Cleveland Cavaliers
Nance, now in his age-33 season, has sparingly played with Cleveland in his second stint there. He’s essentially been an end-of-bench rotation player this time around, averaging 3.6 points and 2.6 rebounds in 12.9 minutes per game across 25 appearances. We are toward the end of the hill with Nance, who has largely battled injuries over his 11-year journey.
PHOENIX, AZ - FEBRUARY 10: Jalen Green #4 of the Phoenix Suns handles the ball during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on February 10, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Tonight, the post-All-Star break gauntlet begins. And if it feels like you have heard me use that word before when talking about the Phoenix Suns, you are not imagining things. It always feels this way. For whatever reason, the Suns routinely land in the top ten in remaining strength of schedule, and yes, I went to Tankathon to double-check myself before saying it out loud again.
Checks Tankathon…
Ummm…why aren’t the Suns on anyone’s ‘toughest opponent’ list? What are we? Chopped liver here?!
What’s left is no joke. The final 27 games are stacked with teams that have something at stake. These are not drifting opponents. These are teams fighting for playoff positioning, teams clawing to avoid the Play-In, teams scrapping to get into it. And that is exactly where Phoenix lives right now, right in the middle of the mess, where every night feels like it carries a little extra weight.
The difference now is perception. The Suns are no longer sneaking up on anyone. That part of the season is gone. They have exceeded expectations, changed the tone around the league, and earned a reputation. Teams know what’s coming. They know about the pressure, the physicality, the disruption Phoenix brings possession after possession. Whether opponents can actually execute through that chaos is a different conversation, and one we are going to track in real time as this thing winds down. But the margin is thinner now. The urgency is louder. And this final stretch is going to tell us exactly who the Suns are, even though everyone knows the test is coming.
When you dig into the numbers and look at what remains, a few things jump out that feel worth paying attention to. Of the 27 games left, 14 are against teams currently above the .500 mark. To this point in the season, the Suns are 13–17 against teams over .500. That tells you that they have been good, not great, in those environments. Competitive but not dominant.
Where they have made their money is against lesser competition. Phoenix is 19–6 against teams under .500, and there are still 13 games left on the schedule against that tier of opponent. It reinforces what we already know. This team takes care of business when it should, and that has been a defining characteristic of the season.
So if you take those pre-All-Star break trends, apply the same winning percentages to what lies ahead, and do a little honest math (.433 winning percentage against over .500 teams, .760 winning percentage against sub-.500 teams, divided into the respective remaining totals against teams currently classified as such), the projection lands in a very reasonable place. A 17-12 finish over the final 27 games. That puts the Suns at 49–33. The question is now can that do that?
The feel-good story of the Suns is about to be tested over the remainder of the season, and a big part of that is because the expectations have quietly shifted, at least in the eyes of the fan base. This was a team that most people penciled in for around 31 wins, maybe fewer if things broke the wrong way. They hit 32 before the All-Star break.
When you start there, the natural question becomes how much the organization adjusts its priorities, its internal expectations, and its timelines. If the trade deadline told us anything about how Mat Ishbia and Brian Gregory view this season, it is that they are committed to staying the course. The focus remains on long-term viability and organizational health rather than chasing short-term fixes in a season where a championship run still feels out of reach. There was no panic. No swing for the fences. No attempt to paper over cracks with temporary solutions.
Now the roster is set. This is the team. And the interesting thing is that Phoenix is not alone in that reality. Every team they are chasing, or being chased by, has issues of its own. Oklahoma City does not look like the same juggernaut it was a year ago, and it is dealing with health concerns. Houston is staring down a Kevin Durant-sized cloud, something Suns fans know all too well. Minnesota has struggled to consistently beat quality opponents. The Lakers lack depth. The Warriors are showing the very real effects of age and injuries.
There are no clean paths in this part of the standings. No perfect teams waiting at the top. The Suns are flawed, but so is everyone else, and that is what makes the final stretch of this season so fascinating.
So the question becomes: as we march toward March, how many of the Suns’ deficiencies will actually show themselves and be exploited by opposing teams over the remainder of the schedule? How many wins? How many losses? Where does this ultimately land them in the standings? There are 27 games left, and every one of them feels like a data point in a larger experiment. How much of what we have seen so far is sustainable? How much of it was momentum, surprise, and timing lining up just right?
And maybe the most important question of all: how do you feel about the very real possibility that this team stumbles down the stretch? Because that possibility exists. The reasons are clear. The margin is thin. The league adjusts. The legs get heavy. The film piles up.
But if this team has taught us anything this season, it is to expect the unexpected. To acknowledge all the reasons it should not work, then sit back and enjoy it when it does. This is not a team built through traditional roster construction, clean archetypes, or tidy measurables. They are winning through things you cannot easily chart. Heart. Connectivity. Trust. Talent that keeps outperforming expectations.
So here we go. The final 27. No safety net. No mystery left. It starts tonight against the San Antonio Spurs.
