Just as the Sixers seemed more normal and the vibes were good, Paul George got suspended… And then they went and gave up on Jared McCain at the trade deadline. It’s rightfully led to a bunch of harsh criticism being thrown their way.

But as I try to keep things positive and focused on basketball, while Josh Harris celebrates ducking the luxury tax yet again, the plus side is that the Sixers have still won six of their last seven games. There may have been a few close calls in there, but wins are wins. It’s allowed them to take a firmer hold of the sixth seed as the NBA All-Star break approaches, and they now have a chance to close out their current West Coast road trip with a very respectable 4-1 record.

On Monday, they’re up against the 25-28 Trail Blazers. Portland have been more competitive than last season and their defense has been just shy of middle of the pack at 18th, but they’re still stuck at 10th in the West and continue to struggle on offense, ranking only 23rd in offensive rating.

As for the injury report, the only addition for the Sixers is Joel Embiid, who’s questionable with right knee injury management. The Blazers, on the other hand, will definitely be shorthanded. Apart from Damian Lillard who remains out for the season with an achilles injury, Kris Murray (lumbar strain), Matisse Thybulle (right knee tendinopathy), and the team’s second-leading scorer Shaedon Sharpe (left calf soreness) are all out. Robert Williams III (left knee injury management) is questionable, as is Deni Avdija due to a low back strain, which would be a particularly big loss for the Blazers on Monday.

Avdija has been having an excellent season as the Blazers’ leader on offense. He’s putting up by far the best offensive numbers of his career with 25.5 points and 6.7 assist per game, all while maintaining better efficiency than ever with a 61.1 true shooting percentage. His lofty free throw rate has given him a nice boost there, with him taking 9.5 a game.

Scoot Henderson has also just returned for the first time in 51 games. He tallied 11 points and nine assists in 21 minutes on Friday against the Grizzlies. It’ll be interesting to see if he can find some consistency and improve his efficiency moving forward.

Sophomore center Donovan Clingan will be one to keep an eye on too. He’ll obviously have a hard time containing Embiid and keeping the big fella off the free throw line, but Clingan is building off what he did as a rookie. He’s also leading the NBA in offensive rebounds with a seriously impressive 4.7 per game, so the Sixers’ boxouts will have to be consistent in this game to avoid giving up easy second chances. The 7-foot-2 center has been on a roll over the last week too, averaging 13.8 points, 15.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks over his last four games.

Especially if Embiid is out, the huge physical presence of Clingan will be a good test for Adem Bona as well whenever they’re matched up. And if the offense is missing Embiid, then hopefully for the Sixers they’ll continue to get similar helpful contributions from their forwards. Kelly Oubre Jr. (who’s having a quality two-way season in general) and Trendon Watford both provided a spark to help beat the Suns on Saturday.

What a beautiful possession pic.twitter.com/yLBj47KUhc

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) February 8, 2026

Ultimately, Monday’s contest should be a solid opportunity for the Sixers to pick up another win as the All-Star break approaches. And before they have a far tougher matchup on Wednesday against the Knicks, this is one they should really be capitalizing on.

Game Details

When: Monday, February 9, 10 p.m. ET
Where: Moda Center, Portland, OR
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers

The Celtics lost early.

The Patriots lost late.

‘Twas a wonderful day.

‘Tis a time to celebrate.

"Tip off today was 12: 30…Celtics haven't played a game all season before 3: 30"

"All the Patriot fans sold their tickets so Knicks fans invaded"

–– Celtics broadcast on why Knicks won pic.twitter.com/EBv9DPjE94

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) February 8, 2026

Mike Brown

On beating Beantown after Friday’s loss:

“Our group is resilient. Sometimes things like that happen in Detroit. None of us like it. None of us want to go through it. Give Detroit a lot of credit, but we know it’s not who we are. We played a lot better than that. We will. But I do think this group is resilient because they’ve shown time and time again after tough losses or multiple losses playing the next game usually doing a pretty good job of playing again.”

On the team’s defensive effort:

“Our starter group did a nice job defensively, and I take my hat off to everybody in that locker room. Offensively, I thought we did a pretty good job of taking care of the basketball. It was big for us.”

On adjusting against Jaylen Brown:

“You get a guy like Jaylen Brown who is a heck of a player. In the first half he was having his way with us a little bit. He was 6-for-11, he was rolling. In the second half, we did a better job defensively as a team. I got to give Mo some credit. Mo was our defensive player of the game. We threw Mo on him for a little bit. We thought we’re going to try to make Jaylen work, be physical, get up into him, stuff like that, and he did it without fouling. He did a nice job with it. So to see that from a young guy at this point in his career was a lot of fun as a staff.”

On the Knicks getting back to the W column:

“Our team is so resilient. They’ve shown time and time again that after tough losses we can do a good job to come back and play again.”

On bounceback win in Boston after losing in Detroit:

“We know we’re better than we showed in Detroit.”

On Jose Alvarado’s impact:

“He brings a level of toughness to this team, his energy is unmatched. What he can do defensively in the full court and even in the front court with the ball especially on the pick-and-rolls and stuff, is at a pretty high level. He shoots it better than people think, too. We want to play fast and we believe he’s a guy who will come in and push the pace, get into our offense, and all of that because he’s quick and has a low center of gravity — excited to have him.”

HE'S OUR PEST NOW 🦟 pic.twitter.com/hzFmnsjE83

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) February 8, 2026

Jose Alvarado

On joining the Knicks:

“To be honest, I can’t say I ever dreamed about this. If you know my story — I’m not saying I wasn’t gonna make it to the NBA — but there were big questions for me. So just to be part of the city, it’s such a surreal feeling. I can’t wait to put the jersey on and get a few stops in it.”

On returning home to NYC:

“Too many messages, but this is a blessing. I’m from here. My family never left the city. So just to be in the atmosphere—they’ve been Knicks fans probably since before me, and to be on a team that’s trying to contend for something and me be part of it is pretty special.”

On competing for a title with the Knicks:

“We’ve gotta contend. We wanna win games, and that’s what we’re trying to do. And I get to be a part of that. I’m excited for that. I’ve just gotta be myself. Let’s get this ball rolling.”

On responding to a missed shot pulling off a Grand Theft Alvarado:

“They basically said, ‘You’re going to miss.’ And I said, ‘That’s how you get it back.’ Who cares about the miss if you get it back on the back tip and layup and it worked out in my favor.”

On his Knicks debut feeling natural:

“It’s crazy. But I just feel like it was meant to be. It feels like I’ve been part of it for a while, even though it was the first game. It felt like nothing. It felt like home. It felt like it was supposed to happen this way. And I’m glad I did.”

On Puerto Rican pride:

“Hell yeah. Can’t wait. That’s a big opportunity for Puerto Ricans expanding. Especially me, being Boricua.”

On Bad Bunny’s performance:

“It was the best show I’ve ever been a part of. And he’s just doing a great job and I’m glad he’s able to show it at the highest level.”

José, José, José, José!

— Josh Hart (@joshhart) February 8, 2026

Josh Hart

On Mohamed Diawara’s development:

“I think the beginning of the year, training camp, everybody was like, ‘He’s gonna be good.’ And I think with him, it was just more about getting more comfortable, more experience, more minutes, those kinds of things. But he’s gonna be extremely good. He’s extremely talented, defensively he can be all over the place but offensively he’s knocking down shots.”

On Jose Alvarado’s style of play:

“That’s him. You know he’ll be a really good on-ball defender, take the challenge, a great secondary ballhandler for us, be able to playmaking, in the paint and pressure, so what you got from today is the player you’ll get.”

On the win over Boston:

“A good win.”

Thank you Benito

— Jalen Brunson (@jalenbrunson1) February 9, 2026

Jalen Brunson

On Jose Alvarado’s debut:

“He was great. The impact he had on the game right away was amazing, it’s what we needed and just happy to see him wearing the blue and orange.”

On the win in Boston on Sunday:

“We were connected on defense. We tried to make things as difficult as possible.

“We needed to get back to what we do, and we did that today.”

gta.5

— Jordan Clarkson (@JordanClarksons) February 8, 2026

Jordan Clarkson

On adjusting to a reduced role:

“For me, it’s just been fluctuation of play, really. In and out the lineups. DNPs. Sometimes you’re getting five minutes in the game, here and there. But it’s a whole new process for me, and a new role. Offensively and defensively. They’re asking me to do things defensively as well. And then offensively, I got to figure it out and make stuff out of what comes in the offense in terms of opportunities. It’s not like I’m featured in the offense or anything. I’m playing hard, I’m crashing the glass, figuring out different things — little things to be effective on that end. So it’s a whole new thing for me. But I’ll continue to be a pro and stay in the gym and working on my craft and keep it going.”

On defensive responsibilities:

“Sometimes I have to guard maybe the second or third option with a different unit. I’m usually guarding weaker guys on different teams. But yeah, being asked to do that at some times, on different plays, it’s all an adjustment.”

On embracing a new role:

“It’s not that big of an adjustment. But it takes some getting used to, for sure. I’m in a whole new role and try to play the best role I can on this team.”

It's skill. It's art. It's how the ice is prepared for Olympic curling! 🎨🥌#Olympics#WinterOlympicspic.twitter.com/ICRlPeQnLn

— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) February 9, 2026

The Milwaukee Bucks have just secured their first three-game win streak of the season, and have a shot to make it four tonight against the Orlando Magic. Now, although the Bucks are playing better, each of those three wins was against a poor team; the Magic, even without Franz Wagner, present a greater challenge. This will be a good indicator of where the Bucks are as they continue navigate life without Giannis. This will be the first time these teams have matched up this season, with the second game coming just two nights from now.

Where We’re At

As mentioned, the Bucks just went 3-0 on their homestand, beating the Bulls, Pelicans, and Pacers. During that span, they ranked second in offensive rating (17th on D, but let’s not talk about that). Ryan Rollins has looked back to his damaging self, highlighted by a 27-point performance in Milwaukee’s OT win over New Orleans. Kevin Porter Jr. has also been stuffing the stat sheet since returning from injury against Chicago, averaging 20.5 PPG, 8.5 APG, 6.5 RPG, and a whopping 4.0 SPG over his last two. Although he won’t play tonight, it will be interesting to see how the signing of Cam Thomas impacts the rhythm both Rollins and Porter have been in lately.

After making something of an all-in trade for Desmond Bane in the offseason, the Magic have been relatively disappointing this year, sitting just above .500. They have beaten the Nets and Jazz in their last two, both of which don’t plan on winning another game this year (and I mean they really don’t plan on it; I’m looking at YOU, Utah). Hilariously, The Magic’s streak of ending the year in the bottom third in offensive efficiency, even with Bane in tow this season, is still alive—they currently sit 21st. Relatedly, they rank 26th in effective field goal percentage. Suffice to say, the Magic are beatable if the Bucks can shoot the ball well (as they often do, ranking third in EFG% this season). But the biggest reason for the Magic’s sluggish season has been their defence, which is meant to be their superpower. Last year, they finished second for the season; this year, they currently sit at a middling 15th.

Injury Report

For the Bucks, Giannis (calf) and Taurean Prince (neck) are both out. For the Magic, Franz Wagner (ankle) is out.

Player To Watch

After an iffy first few years in the league, Anthony Black has taken a giant leap this season, validating his selection at sixth in the 2023 draft. His stats across the board have gone up (some even skyrocketed, such as his PPG and minutes). Black plays a crucial role for the Magic as a connector and two-way player. He’ll likely toggle between Rollins and Porter, with Jalen Suggs taking the other guy. Milwaukee’s ability to neutralise AB will go a long way to them winning this one.

How To Watch

Peacock at 6:30 p.m. CST.

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The Mavericks were 0-3 this past week and remain in 12th place in the West. They lost to Boston (110-100) and San Antonio twice (135-123, 138-125). Cooper Flagg led the team in scoring with 27.3 points per game. P.J. Washington returned from a concussion, while Kyrie Irving (knee) remained out, and Khris Middleton has yet to make his debut as a Maverick.   

Grade: C

The Mavericks have lost seven in a row. Now that Anthony Davis has officially been traded, I think it is okay to say that improving their draft position is what is best for the organization. In fact, the way Dallas has lost these games has been ideal. They play hard every night, they’re running the offense through Cooper Flagg, and they play fun games. It is not blatant tanking; they truly are just worse than the teams they play.

That being said, their defense was putrid this week. They had a defensive rating of 123.5 in the three games they played, which would be last in the NBA this season. The Celtics and Spurs play fast and shoot a lot of threes, which does not bode well for the Mavericks’ two-point-heavy offense. The bookend games of this stretch were not as close as the score said, and the middle contest didn’t give me enough to not dock the Mavericks a couple of grades for their porous defense. Dallas has just two games, one in Phoenix and one in Los Angeles, left before the All-Star break. 

Straight A’s: The Mavericks’ front office

The Mavericks, for the fifth-consecutive February, have made a significant trade. They dealt Anthony Davis to Washington, along with Dante Exum, D’Angelo Russell, and Jaden Hardy, for three expiring contracts, second-year player AJ Johnson, two late first-round picks, and three second-round picks. Make no mistake about it: this trade was a grand slam. 

If you don’t pay attention to the economics of basketball (first of all, good for you. It is miserable to think about), this trade may seem strange on the surface. Davis was voted onto the NBA’s 75th anniversary team, cementing him as one of the 75 best players to ever play. And now he gets traded as a salary dump with lower-tier picks coming back? Unfortunately, the trade is more nuanced than that.

Dallas needed to do three things at the trade deadline Thursday: create flexibility to build around Cooper Flagg, recoup draft capital, and most importantly, turn the page on the disastrous Luka Doncic trade. They did all three in one fell swoop. The draft compensation is nothing crazy, as the first round picks are Oklahoma City’s this year and Golden State’s in 2030, which will stay with the Warriors if they get a top 20 pick. It effectively rubs out to five second-rounders. But the cap implications of the trade are incredibly important, even though they aren’t sexy. 

The second apron, a salary number with a very high tax rate, makes it incredibly hard for teams that exceed it to build. Trades are restricted, free agent signings are hard-capped, and, if you stay over the second apron for three seasons, your first-round pick automatically goes to the end of the round. When the Celtics exceed the second apron in salary while they’re winning a championship, it makes sense. But when the Mavericks are doing it while jockeying for a top-five draft pick, it becomes lethal. Now that Dallas is not only under the second apron but under the tax line altogether, the flexibility this off-season increases tenfold, making a rebuild much easier.

Additionally, Hardy, Russell, and Davis were all bad or injured. They were not pieces of the future, and keeping them around would have been delaying the inevitable. The Mavericks have a clean slate now. There are no lingering questions; it is all about Cooper Flagg going forward.

Currently Failing: Nico Harrison’s vision

This week ended the local nightmare that was the Anthony Davis experience. As history will show, Davis appeared in 29 games for the Mavericks, leaving with an injury in the first and last of those, averaging 20.2 points and 10.8 rebounds. The highest high was the 30 minutes he played against Houston in his first appearance, and the lowest low was just two months later when he scored a measly 13 points on 5-of-13 from the field in a loss to the Lakers. It was not a good look while his counterpart, Luka Doncic, returned to score 45 points on Dallas’s home floor. 

And so, we can officially grade the Luka Doncic trade, only a year after it was completed. I give it a big, fat F, in as bold a font as you can find. Harrison said last April: “I believe winning will help repair the relationship with the fans—and that’s what we plan to do next year”. The Mavericks are currently 19-33, firmly outside the playoffs. He maintained that he thought he was doing “a really good job” before he lost that job just seven months later. His “defense wins championships” assertion looks questionable as the Lakers own the 22nd-ranked defense, but the seventh-most wins. The entire experiment crashed and burned as quickly and poetically as possible. If not for Cooper Flagg, Harrison’s vision would have Dallas in a place no team ever wants to be: purgatory.

Extra Credit: Marvin Bagley

Bagley was a part of the return for Anthony Davis, and he did not disappoint in his first game as a Maverick. He tallied a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds, while blocking four shots. Eight of those 12 rebounds were offensive, setting the record for a Mavericks debut. He looked energized to play in a new city and, given that he is up for a new contract in the off-season, looked motivated to cement himself as a piece on this team going forward. Bagley, of course, was picked one spot higher than Luka Doncic in 2018 and was a highly touted prospect out of Duke. His career has not quite been what many expected, but with plenty of opportunity the last two months and low expectations, he could be the latest former lottery pick to rejuvenate his career in Dallas.

The Cleveland Cavaliers hope to extend a three-game winning streak when they visit Ball Arena and the Denver Nuggets.

With both groups missing their best defenders, my Cavaliers vs. Nuggets predictions and NBA picks expect a high-scoring affair in the Mile High City tonight. 

Cavaliers vs Nuggets prediction

Cavaliers vs Nuggets best bet: Over 237.5 (-110)

The Denver Nuggets have been a reliable Over machine this season, cashing at a 64% rate. That trend gets stronger at Ball Arena, especially with Aaron Gordon sidelined.

His absence removes Denver’s best defensive stopper and often turns games into faster, offense-first matchups. Denver is 15-9 to the Over at home, mostly without him.

On the other side, the Cleveland Cavaliers are missing Evan Mobley, the backbone of their defense. Since adding James Harden, their offense has leaned more aggressively.

The Cavs pushed the pace in Harden’s debut and scored 130 points. With Mobley out, expect more scoring responsibility for Donovan Mitchell and Harden, which makes the Over the preferred side.

Cavaliers vs Nuggets same-game parlay

Jarrett Allen has scored 17+ points in three of his last five games and meets a Nuggets defense allowing over 42 ppg in the paint.

Allen’s big scoring night should lead to a Cavs victory. Harden’s versatility will hurt the Nuggets, and I’ll back Cleveland to win straight up. 

Cavaliers vs Nuggets SGP

• Over 237.5
• Jarrett Allen Over 15.5 points
• Cavaliers moneyline

Our "from downtown" SGP: Jarrett, Jaylon, and Jamal!

Jaylon Tyson has scored 13+ points in four of his last five games, while Jamal Murray has scored at least 26 points in three straight contests. 

Cavaliers vs Nuggets SGP

• Over 237.5
• Jarrett Allen Over 15.5 points
• Jaylon Tyson Over 12.5 points
• Jamal Murray Over 25.5 points
• Cavaliers moneyline

Cavaliers vs Nuggets odds

• Spread: Cavaliers -1 | Nuggets +1
• Moneyline: Cavaliers -115 | Nuggets -105
• Over/Under: Over 237.5 | Under 237.5

Cavaliers vs Nuggets betting trend to know

The Nuggets have only cashed the Under in 13 of their last 40 games for -16.70 units and a -38% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Nuggets.

How to watch Cavaliers vs Nuggets

Cavaliers vs Nuggets latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

MILAN (AP) — Host nation Italy secured a place in the quarterfinals of the Olympic women's hockey tournament for the first time by beating Japan 3-2 on Monday.

Italy improved to 2-1, with one game left against Germany, and is guaranteed one of the three quarterfinal spots in Group B, where the five lower-ranked teams play.

“I think this is everybody’s dream coming true,” Italy's Canada-born goalie Gabriella Durante said. “Hopefully this just grows hockey in Italia that much more for little girls all over the country.”

Matilde Fantin scored the first two goals, giving Italy a 2-0 lead after the first period.

After Rui Ukita scored for Japan in the second period, Italy responded with Kristin Della Rovere scoring in the third. Akane Shiga's goal in the third period, confirmed after a lengthy video review to check the puck had crossed the line, kept the pressure on Italy.

Italy’s players poured off the bench at the buzzer to hug Durante, who made 27 saves.

“We had so many people blocking shots and dumping pucks in, just hard work that hurts the body,” she said. “Everybody’s willing to sacrifice for the family and it’s really an amazing feeling to win like that.”

Italy is making just its second Olympic appearance — both as the host team — and lost all four outings at the 2006 Turin Games, finishing last among the eight-team field.

Later Monday, the United States seeks its third win against Switzerland and Canada aims to improve to 2-0 against Czechia. Germany plays France.

___

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

The Minnesota Timberwolves enter tonight’s NBA matchup with the Atlanta Hawks on a miserable stretch, and they haven’t looked like a title contender at all.

As a result, my Hawks vs. Timberwolves predictions and NBA picks back Jalen Johnson and the Hawks to cover the spread tonight at Target Center. 

Hawks vs Timberwolves prediction

Hawks vs Timberwolves best bet: Hawks +6.5 (-110)

The Minnesota Timberwolves looked terrible after getting blown out by the Clippers, and their defense is currently a sieve, allowing over 124 points per game during the last four games. 

Meanwhile, the Atlanta Hawks are playing inspired basketball, winning six of their last 10. Jalen Johnson is a mismatch nightmare, he's fresh off a 31-point performance and has already dropped 34 on Minnesota earlier this season.. 

With Minnesota on no rest and playing its third game in four nights, I’ll back the Hawks to cover the spread. 

Hawks vs Timberwolves same-game parlay

Anthony Edwards is coming off a 1-for-8 stinker from long range against the Clippers. He’s a 40% shooter and is bouncing back tonight.

Minnesota typically plays good defense, and I expect that end of the floor to be where its focus lies. Four of their last five meetings have gone Under, and so should tonight’s contest. 

Hawks vs Timberwolves SGP

• Hawks +6.5
• Anthony Edwards Over 3.5 threes
• Under 238.5

Our "from downtown" SGP: Johnson leads the Hawks

Jalen Johnson is on a tear. He’s cleared his scoring prop total in three of his previous four. The Timberwolves will struggle to contain him, which should give us a solid payday if the entire card hits. 

Hawks vs Timberwolves SGP

• Hawks +6.5
• Anthony Edwards Over 3.5 threes
• Jalen Johnson Over 23.5 points
• Under 238.5

Hawks vs Timberwolves odds

• Spread: Hawks +6.5 | Timberwolves -6.5
• Moneyline: Hawks +200 | Timberwolves -250
• Over/Under: Over 238.5 | Under 238.5

Hawks vs Timberwolves betting trend to know

The Timberwolves are just 4-6 ATS in their last 10 games. Find more NBA betting trends for Hawks vs. Timberwolves.

How to watch Hawks vs Timberwolves

Hawks vs Timberwolves latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

The Charlotte Hornets will be looking to extend their win streak to 10 games tonight as they welcome the Detroit Pistons to the Spectrum Center.

LaMelo Ball is scoring the basketball at an impressive level lately. I’m eyeing him to keep it up in my Pistons vs. Hornetspredictions and NBA picks below.

Pistons vs Hornets prediction

Pistons vs Hornets best bet: LaMelo Ball Over 18.5 points (-120)

LaMelo Ball’s numbers are definitely down from last season, averaging just 19.1 points per game compared to 25.2, but he’s still making his presence felt, and LaMelo has done his part during this win streak. 

The guard has cleared his scoring total in three straight contests and also in four of his previous five. He poured in 19 points over the weekend, and he also scored 20 and 24, respectively, in the two games before that. 

He's averaging 18.8 ppg at home this season. While the Detroit Pistons are a very solid team, I’ll take him to find a scoring rhythm again this evening. 

Pistons vs Hornets same-game parlay

Duncan Robinson has been a great piece for Detroit this season, averaging 12.1 ppg in the starting lineup. The guard has hit the Over in three of his last five appearances, scoring 20+ points in two of those games. 

We shift over to Miles Bridges, who's averaging 18.4 ppg this season for the Charlotte Hornets. The 27-year-old is coming off a 26-point performance against the Hawks, and he’s cashed the Over in points in back-to-back outings. 

Bridges has scored 17+ points in four of his previous six appearances, and he’s averaging 18.9 ppg at home. Bridges dropped 19 points against Detroit earlier this season, too. 

Pistons vs Hornets SGP

• LaMelo Ball Over 18.5 points
• Duncan Robinson Over 10.5 points
• Miles Bridges Over 16.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Cade in spades

Cade Cunningham has gone Over his assist line in two of his last four, and he dished out 10 dimes against the Hornets already this season. 

Pistons vs Hornets SGP

• LaMelo Ball Over 18.5 points
• Duncan Robinson Over 10.5 points
• Miles Bridges Over 16.5 points
• Cade Cunningham Over 9.5 assists

Pistons vs Hornets odds

• Spread: Pistons -3 | Hornets +3
• Moneyline: Pistons -155 | Hornets +130
• Over/Under: Over 223 | Under 223

Pistons vs Hornets betting trend to know

The Hornets have cashed the moneyline in 21 of their last 35 games for +21 units and a 45% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Pistons vs. Hornets.

How to watch Pistons vs Hornets

Pistons vs Hornets latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Atlanta Hawks
Date: February 8th, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM CST
Location: Target Center
Television Coverage: FanDuel Sports Network – North
Radio Coverage: KFAN FM, Wolves App, iHeart Radio

February was supposed to be the month where the Timberwolves looked at the Western Conference standings, rubbed their hands together, and said, “Okay, let’s do this.” The schedule softened. The door cracked open just enough to imagine a world where Minnesota grabbed home court in the first round and avoided the most miserable playoff paths.

Instead, the Wolves took that door, doused it in gasoline, and lit a match.

The path to the three seed was sitting there like an unattended briefcase in a spy movie, and rather than quietly picking it up and walking away, the Timberwolves opted to blow it up in public. Four games against Memphis, Toronto, New Orleans, and a depleted Clippers team, four games where Minnesota had the clear talent edge, and they somehow managed to turn it into a case study in apathy. If not for a frantic fourth-quarter comeback in Toronto, we’d be talking about an 0–4 stretch.

What made it worse wasn’t just the losses, it was how they happened. Long stretches of lifeless basketball. Porous defense that felt optional. An offense that oscillated between stagnant isolation and desperate late-clock heaves. And then, right on cue, a brief surge of effort when the deficit became uncomfortable, like someone finally remembering they left the stove on. The Wolves would claw back, tease you into believing, and then promptly step on a rake.

Sunday’s matinee against the Clippers felt like the breaking point. Los Angeles came in stripped down after the trade deadline, no Harden, no Zubac, figuring things out on the fly, and Minnesota responded with one of its flattest efforts of the season. Low energy. Soft defense. No rhythm. No urgency. It was the kind of performance that makes you wonder whether this team believes the regular season is just something to be endured until April.

And now, because the NBA enjoys irony, the Wolves get to run it back on the second night of a back-to-back against the Atlanta Hawks, a team that, like the Clippers, has been actively selling pieces and repositioning itself for the future. On paper, this should be straightforward. Atlanta doesn’t have the personnel to hang with Minnesota if the Wolves play with any sense of purpose. But that’s the catch, isn’t it? If.

The truly maddening part is that this team already knows what winning basketball looks like. We saw it against Oklahoma City. We’ve seen it in flashes all season. The Wolves don’t lack talent. They don’t lack continuity. What they lack, far too often, is consistent effort and focus. And in the Western Conference, that’s how you end up teetering on the play-in line instead of jockeying for position near the top.

If Minnesota had simply handled business against Memphis, New Orleans, and the Clippers, we’d be talking about them sitting comfortably in the three seed, peeking up at San Antonio, and mapping out potential playoff paths. Instead, they’re staring into the mirror and realizing they might be their own worst matchup.

So with that, here are the keys, not because the Wolves need a complicated game plan, but because they need to remember who they’re supposed to be.

#1: Show up and act like you care.
Against the Clippers, the Wolves played like a team assuming it could flip a switch whenever it felt like it. That’s a dangerous habit born from last season’s playoff run, where Minnesota survived without home court and convinced itself that seeding doesn’t matter. It does. It matters a lot. The Wolves were fortunate to draw the undersized and roster-thin Lakers as the six seed last season. As things currently stand, a six seed would place them in the uneviable position of climbing Mt. Jokic. If the Wolves sleepwalk through games like this, they’re not just risking a loss, they’re volunteering for the hardest possible playoff road.

#2: Defense, defense, defense.
Everything good about this team starts on that end of the floor. When Minnesota defends with aggression, when the perimeter guys stay attached, when rotations are sharp, when Rudy Gobert is allowed to be a deterrent instead of an emergency responder, the Wolves look like a contender. When they come out flat, late on closeouts, and hoping Rudy can clean everything up, the entire structure collapses. Atlanta doesn’t have the firepower to keep up if Minnesota is locked in defensively. But if the Wolves let guards turn corners at will and allow easy kick-out threes, they’ll make another bad team look competent.

#3: Offensive discipline and shot quality.
Against the Clippers, the offense devolved into isolation basketball far too often, with Anthony Edwards trying to manufacture something out of thin air. That’s not a criticism of Ant, it’s a sign the system broke down. This roster has shooters. It has capable bigs. It has enough skill to generate good looks without resorting to hero ball. But that only happens when the ball moves, when spacing is respected, and when players trust that the extra pass will be rewarded. High-efficiency offense isn’t complicated, it’s unselfish.

And honestly, that’s it. We don’t need five keys. We don’t need a chalkboard full of Xs and Os. This comes down to pride, effort, and professionalism.

Minnesota has a talent advantage over Atlanta. Even on the second night of a back-to-back, this should be an open-and-shut case if the Wolves take it seriously. If they don’t. if they coast, defend lazily, and assume they can flip the switch late, then we’re staring at a February that turns into a five-alarm fire instead of a course correction.

The opportunity is still there. The February schedule isn’t brutal. The standings are still fluid. Nothing has been lost yet, except time. The question isn’t whether the Wolves can stack wins. It’s whether they actually want to. Because at some point, the league stops giving you chances to figure it out.

The fire is smoldering. Either Minnesota puts it out now, or they let it spread and deal with the consequences in April.

The Dallas Mavericks are currently in the throes of a season-long seven game losing streak after their 138-125 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night. Although that game was certainly an ugly one, Dallas has otherwise been competitive during the skid, giving fans something to enjoy while the wins remain elusive.

Cooper Flagg is surpassing the hype

In the four losses prior to Saturday night, Cooper Flagg put on an offensive show to etch his name in the record books yet again. From January 29^th through February 5^th, across four losses to the Hornets, Rockets, Celtics and Spurs, Flagg was unstoppable. He dropped a career-high 49 points, followed by 34, 36 and 32-point outings, respectively. The 151 combined points over a four-game span is the first time a rookie has had such a spurt in almost 30 years (Allen Iverson; 1997)!

Flagg’s rebounding totals of 10, 12, 9 and 6, respectively across those four games also put him in the company of Michael Jordan. Flagg is now the first rookie since 1985 to have four-straight games of 30 points and five rebounds.

For the trifecta, Flagg’s four-game stretch gives him a record all his own as well. He is now the youngest player in NBA history to score 30 or more in four-straight games.

With his 32-point performance tonight, Cooper Flagg is now:

▪️ The youngest player in NBA history to record 4 straight 30-pt games.

▪️ The first rookie since Michael Jordan in 1985 to record 4 straight games with 30+ PTS and 5+ REB.

▪️ The first rookie since Allen Iverson in… pic.twitter.com/unhZglmHpJ

— NBA (@NBA) February 6, 2026

There isn’t much argument at this point that Flagg has exceeded the lofty expectations he entered the league with. His growth is happening in real time before our eyes and any talk about his offensive game being under-developed feels like a very distant memory at this point.  

Marvin Bagley enters the Mavs’ record books in his first game

Marvin Bagley joined his fellow Duke University alum in the record-setting action. In his first game as a Maverick following his arrival as part of the Anthony Davis trade, Bagley put on a show. He poured in 16 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, one steal and four blocks off the bench. The box score alone would have been impressive had he been with the team all season, but is more impressive still just days after joining the Mavs roster.

Within his performance Saturday night is a Mavericks franchise record. Eight of Bagley’s 12 rebounds came on the offensive end, breaking Chris Gattling’s nearly 30-year old franchise record of six.

Marvin Bagley III set the Mavericks record for most offensive rebounds in a Dallas debut after garnering 8 offensive boards tonight, per @EliasSports (prev. 6 o-reb, Chris Gatling vs. DEN, 11/1/96)

He finished the game against the Spurs with 16 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks. pic.twitter.com/oqO1d6ve0g

— Mavs PR (@MavsPR) February 8, 2026

Much of Dallas’ trade deadline attention centered around cap relief and avoiding the second apron, and rightfully so. However, the players coming to Dallas still hold plenty of intrigue of their own when it comes to how they may fit going forward. Bagley, a former number 2 pick in the 2018 draft gives the Mavs another capable big. Depending on Daniel Gafford’s status with the team after this season, as well as Dereck Lively’s health going into next year, Bagley may yet have a future in Dallas. He will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and likely relatively cheap should the Mavs want to keep him around. Somewhat undersized as a center, he can at least play small there and is a capable power forward as demonstrated Saturday. Dallas has the remainder of the season to try out the fit, and perhaps he will want to stick around on a roster that currently features four other former Dukies (Kyrie Irving, Tyus Jones, Flagg and Lively).

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) — Mathilde Gremaud defends her Olympic gold medal in freeski slopestyle, while Eileen Gu again takes silver.

After OKC’s Shai-Gilegous Alexander sustained an abdominal strain, which will sideline him till after the All-Star break, it was said that there would need to be a replacement. Early Sunday, it was revealed that NBA commissioner Adam Silver selected Rockets center Alperen Sengun to be SGA’s replacement. It is important to note that this year the NBA is using a new format. This season, there will be three teams competing in the 75th NBA All-Star Game, in a novel round-robin format: two teams of American players (USA Stars and USA Stripes) and one international team, Team World. Four 12-minute games will be played between the teams. The event will take place at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, on Sunday, February 15, so it was crucial that SGA’s replacement would be an international player since SGA is from Canada.

Last week, Silver also named Kawhi Leonard of the Clippers to the All-Star team as an injury replacement because in order to guarantee that each side would have the necessary minimum of eight players, Leonard was required to bring the overall number of U.S. All-Stars for the new U.S. vs. World format to the required 16.

Şengün is making his second consecutive appearance on the All-Star team. Throughout the season, the 23-year-old has averaged 20.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 6.3 assists. Along with Nikola Jokić of the Nuggets and Jalen Johnson of the Hawks, Sengun is one of three players who have averaged at least 20.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists this season. Additionally, both players were chosen to play in the All-Star Game.

Şengün will play alongside Kevin Durant, a forward for the Rockets. The Rockets are one of the clubs with several All-Stars, along with the Pistons, Lakers, Knicks, and Nuggets. Durant will be a member of the USA Stripes. In his debut season with the Rockets, Durant has averaged 25.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.4 assists. 32-19 is the Rockets’ record.

Houston will play its second-to-last game before the All-Star break at home on Tuesday at 7:00 versus the Clippers. As always, be sure to check out The DreamShake for pre- and post-game coverage.

Per a Spurs press release:

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Ledger is teaming up with the Spurs to bring you the chance to win a one-of-a-kind Game night at home experience. The winner will receive Ledger surprises, premium Spurs gear, and all the essentials to host an unforgettable watch party.

I’m not personally a gamer, unless you count Frogger. I was a street-hopping guru. But Spurs gear and a watch party is enough to have me click HERE for my chance to win.

Will you take yours?

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Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.

Jalen Johnson has ascended in meteoric fashion during his five-year basketball career.

Johnson has gone from G Leaguer, to rotation player, to franchise cornerstone in that short span. And now, he’s been named to his first All-Star Game in his career. The weekend festivities will take place in southern California, primarily in the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, the home of the Clippers.

But that won’t be his only involvement next weekend. It was recently announced that he will join fellow Duke Blue Devils Kon Knueppel, a rookie phenom, and Corey Maggette, a retired 14-year NBA veteran, in the NBA All-Star Weekend Shooting Stars Challenge.

In that competition, he’ll take on these three other trios:

• Team All-Star: Scottie Barnes, Chet Holmgren, Richard “Rip” Hamilton
• Team Harper: Derek Harper, Ron Harper Jr., Ron Harper Sr.
• Team Knicks: Jalen Brunson, Karl Anthony-Towns, Allan Houston

The contest makes its first appearance since the 2015 All-Star weekend. In it, there are seven spots on the floor with which the players can shoot from and earn various amounts of points with 70 seconds. Please see the attached PDF for a full set of rules and regulations.

Many will remember franchise icon Dominique Wilkins not only taking part in three straight competitions but winning the three most recent editions of the competition — a veritable dynasty as part of Team Bosh with NBA star Chris Bosh and WNBA star Swin Cash.

The event will take place on Saturday, February 14 after 5 PM EST on NBC and streaming on Peacock.

When you zoom out on Week 16 for the Suns, it reads like a week of missed opportunity. The West does not wait for anyone. It chews teams up nightly and dares you to keep pace. You have to handle your own business and hope a few breaks fall your way.

Phoenix started the week as the seventh seed and ended it the same way, but the math is shifting. Houston and the Lakers now sit two games ahead at 32-19. That gap did not have to be there. The door was open. The Suns never fully walked through it.

Coming off that long road trip where they split six games and lost both Devin Booker and Jalen Green along the way, the schedule finally softened. Nine of ten at home. Prime real estate. This team is supposed to feast there. Instead, seven games into that stretch, they are 3-4. Even the lone road game this week turned into an early mess, down 19 before waking up and clawing back to win. Credit for the fight, sure. But it keeps feeling harder than it needs to be.

That is the rhythm of an NBA season. You steal some you should not. You drop some you cannot afford. Eventually, it evens out. The bad from this week is loud. A 14-point fourth-quarter lead evaporated against Golden State. The good matters too. Booker is back. Green is back. Health changes everything.

The season keeps breathing. Up and down. In and out. Same as it ever was. Look at it, learn from it, and carry on.

Week 16 Record: 1-2

@ Portland Trail Blazers, W, 130-125

• Possession Differential: -5.7
• Turnover Differential: -6
• Offensive Rebounding Differential: 0

Tuesday night in Portland started like a trap game and played like one, at least early.

The Suns sleepwalked through a brutal opening quarter and watched the league’s worst three-point shooting team go 13-of-30 from deep. Down 19, things looked cooked. Then Phoenix woke up. They clawed back before halftime, detonated a 34-22 third quarter, and flipped the night on effort and poise.

Ugly start, strong spine, familiar finish.

vs. Golden State Warriors, L, 101-97

• Possession Differential: +0.8
• Turnover Differential: -3
• Offensive Rebounding Differential: -4

It’s three days later, and I’m still pissed about this game.

vs. Philadelphia 76ers, L, 109-103

• Possession Differential: +1.7
• Turnover Differential: -5
• Offensive Rebounding Differential: +1

The Suns got their cavalry back Saturday night. Devin Booker returned. Jalen Green returned. The vibes were there. The shooting was not. Phoenix opened 1-of-13 from deep, finished 11-of-46 overall, and spent the night pump-faking themselves into worse decisions. The offense moved. The looks were clean. The threes refused to fall.

Inside the Possession Game

• Weekly Possession Differential: -2.8
• Weekly Turnover Differential: -14
• Offensive Rebounding Differential: -3
• Year-to-Date Over/Under .500: +9

Who doesn’t love trying to figure out this graph, eh?

There’s not a lot to unpack in the possession battle from this past week. On the surface, the Suns did some things well. They won the turnover differential. They were not crushed on the glass the way the noise might suggest. And yet, they still lost the possession game overall.

When I dig into the numbers, nothing really screams at me. Even with that ugly shooting night against Philadelphia baked in, the Suns finished the week at 36.2% from beyond the arc, which sits 14th in the league. That is fine. They were sixth in the NBA with 10.3 steals per game, which tracks with the effort and activity we have come to expect.

The problem shows up in the assists. 23.3 per game. That ranks 25th. And that tells you everything you need to know. The ball did not move with any real pop. Too much standing. Too much dribbling. Too many possessions ending in isolation that never quite got where they needed to go. And on the occasions when the ball did move, the shots did not fall.

Week 16 ended up being strange like that. A week that easily could have been 2-1. Instead, it turned into something messier. Sometimes it is not one stat that betrays you. Sometimes it is the way all of them quietly point in the same direction.

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Week 17 Preview

Only two games on the slate this week, both at home. And because the NBA never misses a chance to trip over its own scheduling genius, they come as a back-to-back. This could have been clean. Saturday. Monday. Wednesday. Instead, the league jams Dallas and Oklahoma City together and calls it a plan. So that is what it is, and that is when it is happening.

Dallas is fascinating in a chaotic way. Cooper Flagg has arrived and changed the temperature of the franchise. Everything Nico Harrison built has been stripped down to the studs, outside of keeping Max Christie around. Anthony Davis is gone. Flagg is already a problem. And yet, the wins have not followed. The talent is there. The results are not.

Then comes Oklahoma City. A Thunder team playing without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and wobbling a bit because of it. This feels like an opportunity. A real one. The Suns can make it two wins in four games against this group this season, with one more meeting waiting at the very end. Back to back or not, the opening is there. The question is whether Phoenix takes it.

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63% of voters believed Week 16 would be a 2-1 week for Phoenix. The 3% who chose 1-2 were correct. How does it shake out in this short week that has only two games…but they’re back-to-back?