CHARLOTTE, NC - JANUARY 31: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs dribbles the ball during the game against the Charlotte Hornets on January 31, 2026 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Darren Carroll/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Stephon Castle has been named Western Conference Player of the Week for the first time in his career, the league announced.
The reigning Rookie of the Year got the recognition he deserved for a very productive week that concluded with a 40-point triple-double, a feat that only David Robinson had previously accomplished in Spurs’ franchise history. He was the third-youngest player to post such a stat line behind LeBron James and Luka Doncic, per Spurs PR.
His other two games were good, but not as eye-popping, and Castle came off the bench for one of them. In the aggregate, however, Castle averaged 24.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and three steals in 26.7 minutes per game, while shooting 63.0% from the field and 36.4% from three to help lead San Antonio to a 3-0 record on the week.
Castle is the first Spur to get the honor since Victor Wembanyama in the opening week of the season. The only two other players in the roster who have ever been named Player of the Week are Harrison Barnes, once in 2024/25, and De’Aaron Fox, who accomplished it multiple times when he played for the Kings.
The Hawks’ Jalen Johnson was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week.
Castle is averaging 17.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, and seven assists for the season on 30.8 minutes a game.
BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 1: Cole Anthony #50 of the Milwaukee Bucks dribbles the ball during the game against the Boston Celtics during the 2026 NBA Pioneers Classic on February 1, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With the trade deadline now in the rearview, the Suns are turning the page. Nick Richards is off to Chicago. Nigel Hayes-Davis landed in Milwaukee. In return, Phoenix brought in Amir Coffey and Cole Anthony.
At least on paper.
As of now, Cole Anthony has still not reported to the team, according to Duane Rankin. There has been no welcome graphic. No photo. No announcement. Nothing. Coffey is here. Anthony, for the moment, exists in theory.
If they don't get a welcome graphic, they don't have a long runway with the team.
It might not seem like much, but a welcome graphic is usually the tell. If a player is with the team, you see it. Simple as that. We already got one for Amir Coffey, posted Saturday, loud and clear.
This is speculation, but it is educated speculation. Reading the tea leaves, looking at the timing, the silence, and the roster math, it feels like the Suns are preparing to waive Cole Anthony.
Right now, Phoenix is sitting at 14 players with one open roster spot. Waiving Anthony would open flexibility. It creates room to add two players instead of one, which matters with the buyout market coming into view.
One path is obvious. Convert both Jamaree Bouyea and Isaiah Livers to standard contracts. Do that, and the Suns still stay under the luxury tax. That feels like the cleanest route. They do not have to rush it either. Teams have until the end of the season to convert two-way players for playoff eligibility. Still, moving earlier would help, especially with the March 4 deadline to sign waived players. If you want optionality later, getting those conversions done sooner helps. It keeps doors open. Names like CJ Huntley live in that space.
The other path is, following the waiving of Anthony, converting one player (most likely Bouyea) and signing a buyout player. Chris Boucher, anyone?
So why hold onto Cole Anthony at all?
Because insurance matters. Guard depth has been a recurring issue all season. Bodies go down. Rotations stretch thin. Anthony becomes a break-glass option if things get sideways again. And honestly, I do not hate that idea. He was a lottery pick back in 2020, going 15th overall to the Orlando Magic. The production has dipped in the past couple of seasons, but the edge is still there. He plays with some bite. Some stubbornness. That part fits.
The problem is everything else. He is a career 34.3% shooter from deep. He does not generate many steals. He does not tilt possessions. And this team is built on volume, pressure, and connectivity.
So while nothing is official yet, all signs point in the same direction. The welcome graphic never came. The reporting is quiet. The roster math makes sense. Cole Anthony feels like a placeholder, not a plan. And sooner rather than later, the Suns are probably going to move on.
Now well into retirement, Spurrier still has no qualms about giving advice to coaches in today's era. On Monday, Feb. 9, the former Gators and South Carolina coach had some advice for Clemson coach Dabo Swinney after Swinney accused Ole Miss and coach Pete Golding of tampering in the recruitment of linebacker Luke Ferrelli.
"I thought by now, somebody would've told Dabo, 'Dabo, there ain't no rules anymore,'" Spurrier said while laughing in a social media clip from The Post and Courier's Jon Blau, from a Zoom call with media about Spurrier's upcoming induction into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame.
Steve Spurrier talked to reporters today on a Zoom ahead of his induction into the SC Athletic Hall of Fame.
He was asked by @MarcWYFFNews4 about Dabo Swinney’s calling out of Ole Miss for tampering.
Spurrier's comments allude to a Jan. 23 press conference where Swinney levied allegations of tampering against Golding and the Rebels, claiming that Golding reached out to Ferrelli after he had already signed with Clemson after transferring from California.
Ferrelli had already enrolled in spring semester classes and signed paperwork with the Tigers. In the past, that would have led to potential sanctions, as it was illegal under NCAA rules.
"They're still on the books, I guess, back there (at Clemson) about you can't do it after this date or that date," Spurrier said. "... I don't know if they're going to ever enforce any rules now or not, but I think Dabo has learned now, he's got to start paying his players just like everybody else is, or you'll get left behind. ... You can complain but I don't know how good it's going to do."
Spurrier, 80, coached Florida from 1990 to 2001, winning six SEC championships and the 1996 national championship. He then coached the Gamecocks from 2005 to 2015, winning 86 games with the program.
In the Palmetto Bowl rivalry between Clemson and South Carolina, Spurrier owned a 5-2 record against Swinney, which included a five-game winning streak for Spurrier from 2009 to 2013.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 16: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors and Shaq's OGs poses with the 2025 KIA Kobe Bryant MVP trophy during the 74th NBA All-Star Game at Chase Center on February 16, 2025 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 Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to February Daily Topics at Golden State of Mind. A question (almost) every day this month to give the community a prompt to talk about!
The Golden State Warriors are limping towards the All-Star break. They have two games remaining, and then they’ll get some much-needed rest and recuperation time, as they gear up for the final months of the season. When they return from their respective vacations, they’ll be expected to welcome Kristaps Porziņģis into the fold, and that will make for some basketball worth watching, for better or for worse.
There is one player who won’t be on vacation this weekend, though, and that’s the face of the franchise: Steph Curry, who has been named an All-Star starter. It’s the 12th time in his illustrious career that he’s been named one of the best players in the world for the midseason game.
It’s been a while since he’s had a running mate. Curry is Golden State’s lone All-Star representative this year, as he was last year … and the year before … and the year before. You have to go all the way back to 2022, when he was joined by both Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins to find a time when the Warriors had a non-Curry representative. That, of course, capped off a brilliant string of All-Star appearances, as Green, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant were all staples of the game (and Durant still is, just in a different jersey).
So who will be the next non-Curry player to represent the Warriors at the All-Star Game? it certainly feels like Green’s All-Star nods are well behind him. Jimmy Butler III would have had a shot next year, but now he’ll be sidelined until about the All-Star break anyway.
Jonathan Kuminga perhaps had the highest ceiling of any of the young players on the roster, but he’s in Atlanta now. Porziņģis was an All-Star once upon a time, so if the Dubs re-sign him, he could pop off for another selection, if he’s able to stay on the court.
Certainly we can all hope that a young player — Brandin Podziemski, anyone? — takes a leap and earns a nod in the coming years but, to my eye, it seems likely that the next non-Curry player to make the All-Star Game for the Warriors is not currently under contract with the team.
Maybe it’s a free agent. Maybe it’s a trade piece. Maybe it’s a player they haven’t drafted yet.
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 7: General Manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. of the Golden State Warriors talks to the media before the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on February 7, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, 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 Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The NBA trade deadline has come and gone, but the emotions and fallout from it are still lingering.
Speaking to reporters prior to Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. pushed back on the idea that Draymond Green was ever seriously involved in trade discussions. Dunleavy called the speculation leading up to last week’s deadline “misleading” and made it clear the organization never came close to moving the veteran forward.
Mike Dunleavy denied Draymond Green was in active trade conversations. He was then asked if that meant Jimmy Butler would’ve been traded since one had to go out to get Giannis.
“No, no, no. We’re not doing that. I’m not going down the roster talking about who was in trades.” pic.twitter.com/rcXHRmVKep
“I’d walk that back a little bit,” Dunleavy said during Saturday’s press conference. “His name was not in conversations. Other than the ones where teams call me and ask about him, which they do every year. So, there’s nothing new there. The idea that he stayed with the Warriors past the deadline was greatly exaggerated. It was never a possibility of him not being here, or remotely close, to be honest. And I’ve conveyed that to him, he knows that, but when stuff comes up in the media I think it feels different for the players. I think that’s the first time it happened with Draymond, so he’s dealing with it in a certain way, but the reality is nothing was close. And nothing was considered. Draymond was not being shopped or talked about in deals. So, it’s a little misleading, we’re kind of picking up the pieces here, but I think he’s in a great spot, and so are we moving forward.”
Despite the noise surrounding a chaotic deadline period, Green was always viewed as part of the team’s foundation moving forward, according to Dunleavy.
However, Green’s own account suggests the situation may not have felt quite so certain internally.
On a recent episode of The Draymond Green Show, Green said a conversation with Dunleavy touched on the Warriors’ pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo and the salary mechanics that would have required either Green or Jimmy Butler to be part of a potential deal.
Draymond discusses how crazy things got in the days leading up to the NBA Trade Deadline and his conversation with Mike Dunleavy
“He said "We've spoke about Giannis, we spoke about what picks we'd send them, we haven't really talked about the players that would go back yet…… pic.twitter.com/y8mN6nNJgB
For now, the speculation is behind them. Green remains in place, and the Warriors reshaped their roster with the acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis. The focus now shifts to getting healthy after the All-Star break and making a playoff push with this new-look team.
For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Monday, February 9th:
“I think keeping the books clean is a factor,” Dunleavy said. “But at the same time, if a really good player came about, extended out contract wise that we really liked, we would have done that. So, I don’t want to cap it off and say we wouldn’t have.”
There were some fresh rumbles over the weekend that the Warriors might opt not to sign Lonzo Ball in the end after converting Pat Spencer from a two-way deal to a standard NBA contract.
Haynes reported that multiple teams are reviewing Ball’s medicals to determine whether to sign the veteran guard, who became a free agent after Cleveland dealt him to Utah to lower its luxury tax bill. And our Jake Fischer reported that Denver is one of those teams after the Jazz waived Ball.
Steve Kerr on Pat Spencer earning a standard NBA contract with the Warriors for the rest of the season:
“Thrilled to have Pat. The impact he has on our team, whether he’s play or not is pretty profound… you see what happens when we give him real opportunities.” pic.twitter.com/TgkIya5aSv
Lillard — who has not played this season while recovering from a torn Achilles tendon — will participate in the 3-point contest on All-Star Saturday, the NBA announced.
Free agent guard Cam Thomas has agreed to a deal with the Milwaukee Bucks, his agent Tony Ronzone of Wasserman tells ESPN. Thomas, 24, averaged 21.4 points per game over the last three seasons with the Nets. pic.twitter.com/ki1SIWBG6G
That’s a weird element of this year’s contest: These guys don’t actually dunk in games. Richardson has four dunks. Bryant has dunked six times. Johnson has nine dunks, and 15 in 37 career games. Hayes dunks a lot, throwing it down 69 times this season before Saturday’s game and 67 times before Tuesday’s contest, and which of those numbers you find funniest says a lot about your age.
Follow@unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 7: Luke Kennard #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket while being defended by Will Richard #3 of the Golden State Warriors during the first half of an NBA game at Crypto.com Arena on February 7, 2026 in Los Angeles, 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 Kevin Terrell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
No matter how many different variations the league goes through, shooting will always be at premium value. The Lakers, who sat 21st in the league in 3-point shooting and 23rd in overall makes on the morning of the trade deadline, went and targeted sharpshooter Luke Kennard. They moved veteran guard Gabe Vincent and their final tradeable second round pick to the Hawks to complete the trade.
The Duke product doesn’t fix any defensive issues, but does bring a level of elite shooting, gravity and underrated handle with a playmaking punch the team has sorely missed in the absence of their complete big three.
Kennard came to LA averaging eight points and two assists on a league-leading 49.7% shooting from 3-point range. He adds in 91.4% shooting from the line, immediately leading the team.
There are levels to everything, with shooting no different. Kennard has an argument for the best pure shooter to ever put on the purple and gold. He’s knocked down 44% of his shots behind the arc in his nine-year career, ranking second all-time.
It’s an archetype head coach J.J. Redick has been searching for and has been unable to fill with Dalton Knecht attempting to fill those shoes this season.
It took no time for Kennard to show the Laker crowd what he can do in his debut. Within about two minutes after checking in, he caught a floating cross-court pass on the move from Austin Reaves at the wing and flung in a triple.
“I was definitely hunting a shot trying to get one up,” Kennard said postgame. “I mean, I looked at my first shot and it was crazy high but it felt good when it left my hands. Again, for me, it’s no matter where I’m at. Obviously I’m here, and they want me to be aggressive and shoot the ball, but whenever I’m checking in the game I’m looking to hunt threes and get them up.”
Kennard finished the game with 10 points on 2-4 shooting from three, but his impact was felt far beyond the box score.
In the third quarter, LA ran a popularized “Hammer” action for Kennard to get a look in the corner. Watch below as Austin Reaves drives and kicks it out while Maxi Kleber sets the Hammer screen.
Kennard scored 1.25 points per possession off of screen actions this season, putting him in the 81st percentile, per NBA stats.
Gravity is a term thrown around for the best shooters, and Kennard comes in with as respectable an amount as anyone league-wide. Opponents not only close out at him, but completely sell themselves out to take him off the 3-point line.
Watch below as, in transition, two Warrior defenders run to chase him off the corner in transition, completely ignoring Jared Vanderbilt all by himself underneath the basket for the dunk.
Without the services of Luka Dončić, who is dealing with a left hamstring strain, LA put Kennard on the ball. He comes in with the label as just a shooter, but showed off why he has an underrated handle, playmaking and an understanding of the game.
Watch in the clip below as he runs a pick and roll with LeBron James, reads the overplay to attack a closeout, and hits an on-the-money skip pass to Jake LaRaria wide open in the corner
“He’s not a guy you’re gonna like give the ball to an ISO and then he’s gonna bend the defense,” Redick said. “But he’s a smart basketball player and he knows how to play and he knows how to make reads. The way his 0.5 [second] mentality works is, he doesn’t always get the assists, but generally speaking, he’s going to attack a closeout, he’s going to get a shot fake and then swing the ball and that leads to something good”
The Lakers hope that something good continues for the rest of the season. LA has acquired shooters in the past who have seen their percentages drop precipitously under the bright lights of Crypto.com Arena.
A familiar question that has followed Kennard around is his shot volume, as he’s taking the fewest shots per game of his career since his rookie season.
But he doesn’t see it that way.
“I think for me, not saying it’s not playing the right way, but I like to try and make the right play all the time,” Kennard said. “I feel like I know the game of basketball very well. I will shoot it. I will be aggressive. I know that’s what they want me to do.
“Just having conversations with the guys, I’m excited to do that, but at the same time, just being a basketball player. Having high IQ. Going out there if I have a shot I’ll take it. When a pass is available, just making the right play.”
The NBA trading deadline has come and gone and a handful of teams improved their positioning for the back half of the 2025-26 NBA season.
And with the NBA All-Star break coming up at the end of the week, it will offer teams a bit of a respite and chance to recharge before the grind continues.
The most fascinating teams to watch are the ones who bought before the deadline — the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics and Charlotte Hornets, for example — to see whether their moves can lead to tangible gains in the future.
Here are USA TODAY Sports’ NBA power rankings after Week 15 of the 2025-26 regular season:
USA TODAY Sports NBA power rankings
Note: Records and stats through Feb. 8. Parentheses show movement from last week’s rankings.
The Thunder continue to show vulnerabilities, especially now that reigning Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is set to miss time. Oklahoma City has lost five of its last eight games, including the last two without Gilgeous-Alexander. The Knicks have posted massive victories against the Raptors, Lakers, Nuggets and Celtics over the last week, so they move up, but a loss against Detroit shows why the Pistons remain at the top.
And the Cavaliers, with their fascinating trade for James Harden, now have to back up their decision to go all-in on this build; the Cavs have won eight of their last nine, though the competition hasn’t necessarily been that impressive.
The Timberwolves have lost three of their last four, but they move up a spot mostly because the teams below them haven’t necessarily capitalized. Still, defense is a massive concern, as Minnesota ranks 29th in defensive rating (125.5) over its last four games.
The middle of the Eastern Conference is seemingly a group of teams — the Magic, Heat and Hawks — rotating in and out. But it’s the hottest team in the NBA, the Charlotte Hornets, who have won nine consecutive games, who are big risers. Charlotte ranks first in offensive rating (120.8) and second in net rating (13.2) over the last nine games.
The Mavericks have gotten excellent performances from Cooper Flagg, but the trade of Anthony Davis signals that rebuild is fully in action. The Bucks got a big win by staying patient in the trading deadline, and the addition of Cam Thomas should bolster scoring. But can the Bucks make a tangible push for the playoffs once Giannis Antetokounmpo returns?
And the poor Kings are in absolute free fall, losers of 12 consecutive games. They struggle to defend, made a head-scratching move before the deadline and simply don’t have a tangible direction for their future.
You’d think the Memphis Grizzlies would be the NBA’s version of a doormat with the combination of injuries and players leaving via trades, but these Grizz have a little fight in them.
Tonight, they’ll face another depleted roster in the Golden State Warriors, who are somehow 9.5-point favorites.
My Grizzlies vs. Warriors predictions and NBA picks explain why that’s too many points for this Western Conference clash set to tip-off at 10:00 p.m. ET at the Chase Center on Monday, February 9.
Grizzlies vs Warriors prediction
Grizzlies vs Warriors best bet: Grizzlies +9.5 (-115)
No Steph, no Jimmy Buckets, and no Kristaps Porzingis means the Golden State Warriors have been struggling.
The no-Steph Curry thing has been the biggest problem, as the Warriors have averaged just 94.3 points in the four recent games their franchise player has missed.
The Memphis Grizzlies also have a roster that’s hard for even the biggest fan to recognize, but they're putting up some good fights. The Grizz have averaged 122 points per game over their last five and are 3-1 ATS in their last four.
This is too many points to cover for a team that can’t score.
Grizzlies vs Warriors same-game parlay
The Grizz have been surprisingly efficient recently, ranking sixth in offensive rating over the last five games.
The return of Ty Jerome has helped. After missing the entire season, he’s averaged 20 points in his first four games back, topping this 13.5 line three times.
Sophomore Jaylen Wells has also seen an uptick in production with added opportunities lately. Wells has topped 12.5 points in four straight games.
Grizzlies vs Warriors SGP
Grizzlies +9.5
Ty Jerome Over 13.5 points
Jaylen Wells Over 13.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: The Replacements
This is how the Grizzlies have played in recent weeks. Team basketball, with everyone doing their part. Even if you don't know everyone's name.
Grizzlies vs Warriors SGP
Ty Jerome Over 13.5 points
Jaylen Wells Over 13.5 points
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Over 11.5 points
Cam Spencer Over 11.5 points
Grizzlies vs Warriors odds
Spread: Grizzlies +9.5 | Warriors -9.5
Moneyline: Grizzlies +320 | Warriors -400
Over/Under: Over 220.5 | Under 220.5
Grizzlies vs Warriors betting trend to know
The Warriors have covered the first-half spread in only 12 of their last 35 home games, resulting in -14.30 units and a -36% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Grizzlies vs. Warriors.
How to watch Grizzlies vs Warriors
Location
Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Date
Monday, February 9, 2026
Tip-off
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN Southeast-Memphis, NBC Sports Bay Area
Grizzlies vs Warriors latest injuries
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SAN ANTONIO, TX -FEBRUARY 7: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs surrounded by teammates after he lead his team against the Dallas Mavericks at Frost Bank Center on February 7, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to Week in Review: a Monday feature that looks back at the week that was for the San Antonio Spurs, takes a look at the week ahead, and more. Enjoy!
Week 15: The Spurs got revenge from the week prior by returning to Houston and beating the Rockets the exact way they had been beaten: by flipping the switch in the second half and turning a double-digit deficit into a blowout win. They then went to Charlotte, enduring a time change to a noon tipoff in an attempt to beat the winter storm out before falling in a close game to the rapidly rising Hornets. Finally, after getting stranded there overnight, they had perhaps their most admirable victory of the season, overcoming two more tipoff time changes after having to change planes in Atlanta to beat the Orlando Magic at home.
With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams out with injury, the Thunder chose to also sit their next top four rotation players on the second night of a back-to-back, resulting in the ultimate trap game for the Spurs (just ask the 2012-13 Miami Heat). While the Spurs were guilty of being a bit complacent and never truly putting a depleted Thunder team away, they kept them at arm’s length most of the time before making a timely run to close the game and leave no doubt. With the season series already secured for the Spurs and the Thunder struggling of late, there could now be a legitimate race for the top seed in the West. Stay tuned…
Facing another shorthanded team (in this case, the Mavs were waiting for newly acquired trade pieces to become available), it was a tight game thanks to a sensational showing from top overall pick Cooper Flagg and plenty of help from players like Naji Marshall and Max Christie. Similar to the Thunder game, the Spurs failed to ever truly put them away but kept them at arm’s length most of the time, riding a big first half from Victor Wembanyama and full team effort in the fourth quarter for their third straight win.
With the Mavs’ main rotation now available, the second game of the miniseries again started tight, but the Spurs went on a game-changing run to close the first half before turning the game into a blowout by the fourth quarter, and it wasn’t nearly as close as the final score indicated. This time, Flagg was held in check, and the Spurs rode a historical 40-point, 12-rebound, 12-assist triple-double from Stephon Castle to victory. (It’s amazing how two consecutive games against the same team with only a one-point difference in the outcome can feel so different.)
The Spurs matched their win total from last season with a wire-to-wire victory over the shorthanded Thunder on Wednesday, finishing 4-1 against the champs. Then they swept a home-and-home set with the Mavs to climb within three games in the loss column of Oklahoma City.
Three takeaways
1. The Spurs have outscored their opponents by 16.8 points per 100 possessions with Champagnie and Victor Wembanyama on the floor together, the third-best non-Thunder two-man mark among combinations that have played at least 500 total minutes. So, even with Devin Vassell back in the starting lineup for the last five games, Champagnie has remained there. Harrison Barnes has come off the bench in three of the last five, and Stephon Castle was a reserve for the first time this season in Dallas on Thursday. 2. Castle was back in the starting lineup and had the best game of his career two nights later, recording a 40-point triple-double as the Spurs blew out the Mavs. Castle is still shooting 28.9% from 3-point range, but he’s seen jumps from his rookie season in field goal percentage in the paint, the percentage of his shots that have come in the paint and free throw rate. He’s also seen the fifth biggest jump in assists per 36 minutes (from 5.5 to 8.2) among 310 players who’ve played at least 300 minutes in each of the last two seasons. 3. The Spurs have outscored their opponents by 76 points in the restricted area over their four-game winning streak, and now rank fourth in restricted-area differential (plus-6.0 per game) for the season.
Coming up: The Spurs are 0-2 against the Warriors, having lost the two games (both at home) by a total of six points. They’ll be at a rest disadvantage when they close out their pre-break schedule at Golden State on Wednesday.
The Spurs are trying to be like the New England Patriots. That is, a team that dominated most of the 21st century and hit a rough patch in the 2020s but is back right before our eyes. The Spurs did absolutely nothing to their 15-man standard contract roster, and that’s been the case since the regular season began. San Antonio has started bringing Barnes off the bench, his first games as a reserve since leaving Golden State a decade ago. The Spurs didn’t need a move, though. Stephon Castle just had a 40-point triple-double, and the Spurs have beaten the Thunder four times this season. They even avoided a post-Thunder letdown this time.
With the Thunder struggling and losing for the fourth time this season to them, the San Antonio Spurs have jumped back into the pole position in the NBA power rankings. Between their physicality on defense and steady play on offense, the Spurs have cemented themselves as true title contenders in the Western Conference.
As good as Victor Wembanyama is, especially when he steals the show with his dazzling dunks or monstrous blocks, Stephon Castle has been the biggest difference for the Spurs this season. Recently, the second-year guard recorded a 40-12-12 game, becoming the youngest player to produce such a game in NBA history.*
(* Note: To be clear, Castle was the youngest player to record specifically a 40-12-12 triple-double, but not the youngest to record a 40-point triple-double. Both LeBron James and Luka Doncic had 40-10-10 games at younger ages. Just throwing that at there since there has been a lot of confusion when this is not specified. Castle is also only the second Spur to have a 40-point triple-double along with David Robinson, and he’s only the second player to have one while shooting over 75% from the field. The other was Wilt Chamberlain. Insane company regardless of any semantics.)
Coming up: Tues. 2/10 at Los Angeles Lakers (32-19); Wed. 2/11 at Golden State Warriors; All-Star Weekend
Prediction: 2-0 — The Spurs have me believing again. They kick off their annual Rodeo Road Trip against a Lakers team whom they’ve owned in their last two matchups. (Side note: this is a scheduling fluke game, with the Cup Quarterfinals making this their third game in LA this season.) Then, even though they’ll be at a rest disadvantage the next night, the Warriors are depleted with no Jimmy Butler, and Steph Curry has missed their last four games. (Also, the Spurs two losses to them early in the season feel more and more like a fluke. Curry went vintage and combined for 95 points in those two games, and both teams have gone in drastically different directions since then.)
Feb 7, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) walks onto the court before the game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | Dennis Lee-Imagn Images
The Fear the Sword staff has had some time to digest the James Harden for Darius Garland trade, as well as see what Harden looks like in wine and gold. That makes it a perfect time to answer five questions about the trade and what it means for the Cleveland Cavaliers this season.
What are your first impressions of Harden as a Cavalier?
Mike Anguilano: Adding one of the best pick-and-roll passers ever will immediately make Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley (less so, but still) even more valuable on offense. Harden’s clutch shot-making was on full display against the Sacramento Kings, but the fact that he was so open because defenses had to scramble after Donovan Mitchell is even more encouraging. That is a true pick-your-poison backcourt pairing in a way that Darius Garland was not quite at the level of.
Corey Walsh: Harden on the Cavaliers is something I do not think I will ever be able to comprehend. Against the Kings, it felt like one could see Harden’s mindset and comfort level increase as the game went along. In the first quarter, he avoided stepping on toes, opting to facilitate. By the end of the game, he was comfortable shooting from his spots. It’ll be fascinating to see the role evolve in the final games of the regular season.
Jackson Flickinger: The gravity that Harden has as an offensive player is more than I anticipated. It’s incredible to see someone command so much attention from a defense while also sharing the floor with Mitchell. This is the most offensively skilled backcourt in franchise history.
What are you most excited about with the Harden addition?
MA: It was a shock to see the Cavs have to throw in a pick for the Clippers to take Garland, but that is how it sometimes goes with injured, expensive players. The addition of Harden immediately puts the Cavs into even more of a win-now territory, but this doesn’t feel as much of a risk compared to some other “all-in” type moves. Harden and Mitchell is a lethal backcourt pairing in a way that Garland was not able to fully level up to. Or at least not consistently enough.
CW: His ability to get the bigs, specifically Jarrett Allen, involved after what has been a disappointing campaign, is intriguing. It was apparent from the get-go that Harden’s passing was going to add another layer to the Cavaliers’ offensive play, something that Mitchell at the point guard was never going to bring.
JF: I’m interested to see how the chemistry grows between Mitchell and Harden. It’s clear after one game that they can be the most dynamic backcourt in the league. How does that develop? Can they become better than the sum of their parts?
This offense will still be good if they just reverted to playing, your turn, my turn basketball. If they truly bought into playing off each other, this could be really special.
What will you miss most about Darius Garland?
MA: Garland was the first player I truly got to interview and ask questions to. During All-Star Weekend in Cleveland, back in 2022, he was donating band uniforms to a local high school with a high percentage of disadvantaged students. I asked Darius about being named an All-Star for the first time, what it means to him, and his growth as a player, and what his favorite local restaurants are that he would be recommending to the other All-Stars. He was great to talk to, very genuine, and had some great answers. In addition to his status as a young, All-Star caliber player, I’ll miss the Cavs losing an all-around good person.
CW: Truthfully, Garland was the emotional core of the Cavaliers since roughly 2021. To lose Darius removes a lot of the culture the Cavaliers have cultivated over the years. While that hasn’t translated into playoff success, this team oozed vibes. I feel like they are shifting from one that seemed like a family to a team that feels more corporate.
JF: Just watching the infectious joy Garland plays with. There was something so satisfying about watching the way he would pick apart a defense, and then skip down the court like he was playing pick up with his friends.
On top of that, his style of play was incredibly entertaining. The way Garland would probe the defense, keep his dribble alive, and find passing angles that you didn’t even know were there was so much fun to watch.
What is your biggest concern about the trade?
MA: Another fade out in the playoffs is the biggest fear, and it’s not close. The narrative around Harden and his inability to perform consistently in the playoffs aligns eerily close to the Cavs’ story. The fit on the court between him and Mitchell is not nearly as concerning as I think there is enough time to figure it out. Harden has played with other high-usage players and things have worked out fine…in the regular season.
CW: Outside of postseason success, which I believe is the most obvious and discussed flaw. I think about how this team handles the on and off-floor chemistry between Harden and Mitchell.
Harden’s currently expressed willingness to be the second banana in Cleveland and seems willing to go with the flow. What happens when the Cavaliers begin to flounder, or if they exit in the second round again? How will Harden’s stance about the team warp? He has a track record of not handling middling results well.
JF: The perimeter defense is a problem. While Garland wasn’t a defensive specialist, he could stay in front of his man better than Harden. That has me worried in a playoff series against a team like the Boston Celtics that can space the floor and attack you off-the-dribble with playmakers at every position.
Which Eastern Conference team is the biggest threat to the Cavs?
MA: The New York Knicks, but it is close. Boston is not fully healthy, which limits their offense. The Detroit Pistons make a very strong case, but they have some holes that could become chasms in the playoffs if exposed properly. But the Knicks are a more cohesive unit, boast one of the league’s best offenses behind Jalen Brunson, and have enough on the defensive side to string stops together.
CW: Barring a Tatum return for Boston, it has to be the Knicks, right? The Knicks have the same makeup of a team that can turn on the physical dial, and adding Harden doesn’t change the calculus. As long as players like Mitchell Robinson, Josh Hart, and Brunson are on this roster, they will have the Cavaliers’ number until something changes.
JF: The Celtics, even without Tatum, are a problem. They have the talent and versatile playmakers to hurt the Cavs in a lot of the ways the Indiana Pacers did last season. Even though this is a very different Cavs team, this group still has a lot of the same strengths and weaknesses.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - FEBRUARY 7: Kevin Durant #7 and Jabari Smith Jr. #10 of the Houston Rockets high five during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on February 7, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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
Spacing.
So much discussion around spacing. It’s rudimentary. It’s intuitively easy to understand. More shooters = more shots. More shots = more points. Three is, by now, infamously more than two.
The Houston Rockets have bad spacing by modern NBA standards. It’s undeniably true. Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson are both poor shooters. They’re also the two best non-Kevin Durant players on the Rockets’ roster. It’s a conundrum.
I’m veering dangerously close to the “Can Sengun and Thompson co-exist?” piece I recently did. That’s fine. Think of me as Virginia Woolf writing another stream-of-consciousness novel, only a man in 2026 writing about the Houston Rockets with about one millionth the talent.
That piece was making the case that Sengun is close enough to being a shooter that he’s likely to reach the level he’d need to reach for the duo to co-exist. This one is more about what happens if he doesn’t reach that level.
Do the Rockets need four-out spacing?
The Rockets will need four-out spacing
Yes. Case closed.
Although the statistical analysis is somewhat complicated here. The Rockets hung 112 points on the Thunder with Amen Thompson on the sidelines. That’s the impetus for this article. It’s a huge number – in 1999. In 2026, it’s fine.
Factoring in that the Thunder are the best defensive team in the NBA, it looks pretty impressive. Factoring in that they were missing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams (two positive defenders), it gets downright aggravating. Was this game evidence of a revamped Rockets offense or not?
I say yes. The Rockets attempted 43 threes in this contest. The Warriors lead the league in attempts per game at 45.1, and the Celtics are second at 42.4. The Rockets?
Well, they’re not dead last – but they’re just 0.1 away. Houston’s 30.2 threes per game rank 29th in the NBA. That puts them in company with the Kings, Pistons, Mavericks, and Pelicans.
It seems that there’s room for one homecourt advantage seed that doesn’t shoot enough threes in each conference. Yet, three-point volume alone does not spacing make. Some Rockets fans will cringe reading this, but Jalen Duren is a – wait for it – vertical spacer. His pick-and-rollability (new word) with Cade Cunningham mitigates the non-shooting of the other Thompson. Not for nothing, Ausar also plays largely off-ball, similarly to how his brother played last season.
The Rockets’ spacing is worse. Sengun is best optimized when he’s camped in the paint. Thompson, if he has the ball, needs to get there. So, we’re back where we started:
Can they co-exist?
Rockets may face tough decisions
Not if neither of them can reliably shoot!
It’s a bitter pill – oh wait, we already did the pill metaphor. Am I, as the kids say, washed?
As constructed, the Rockets are too easy to plan for. Put the opposing center on Thompson. Have him sag off and pack the paint. Now, he can effectively guard Sengun and Thompson at the same time. The paint is closed off, so unless Durant can make lemonade, the offense looks like a firm, yellow, bitter fruit that nobody eats without sugar unless they’ve just done a tequila shot.
Yes, some actions can mitigate the problem. Put Sengun in the high post, have Thompson cut. That’s a good action. You can’t run it for every play. This is a fundamental problem that can’t be fundamentally solved unless one of these guys is a shooter.
What’s the solution?
There’s no reason to rush. There’s still enough reason to hope that one or the other can get their shooting up to snuff. If Rafael Stone wants to see how it looks with VanVleet and Adams back, that’s justifiable, even if it won’t appease the dopamine-chasing masses in need of instant results.
If the need to choose arises, it won’t be easy. Some will disagree. Sengun is the better player, so you choose him. Right?
Arguably. Sengun’s abilities were on full display against the Thunder. He finished with 17 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. Surrounded by four shooters, Sengun reminded the world why he’s evoked Jokic comparisons. He’s a dynamic passer when it isn’t far too easy for rival defenses to crowd him.
Yet, from the point of view of market scarcity, there’s a case for Thompson. As talented as Sengun is, Thompson is arguably the best wing defender in the NBA. Simply put, it would be easier to trade Sengun and picks for a better Sengun than it would be to trade Thompson and picks for a better Thompson. There is no better Thompson (besides, possibly, Thompson).
Ultimately, it may depend on who’s available. If the Rockets want to go the Antetokounmpo route, I think Thompson is the better fit. Antetokounmpo approximates Sengun’s offensive role more closely. Thompson can move off the ball full-time, feast on cuts, and the Rockets can overwhelm opponents with dunk and layup efficiency to offset the low three-point volume. The 81.1% Antetokounmpo is shooting between 0-3 feet would revolutionize this offense if it replaced the 69.1% Sengun is shooting from the same range.
Alternatively, suppose Ant Edwards requested a trade (I loathe the homophobia, but let’s otherwise talk basketball). You keep Sengun. The inside/outside combination would stretch the floor as far as it can be stretched. The Rockets would put opponents in an impossible bind. Edwards (again, minus personal foibles) is the dream target, but this applies to any potential star acquisition who’s an elite three-point shooter.
By now, some readers are sick. Listen – preferably, you can keep both. Ideally, one or the other (again, likely Sengun) develops a reliable enough three to make this viable. If, in a couple of years or so, that hasn’t happened, this could get messy. The Rockets may need to move one or the other.
The texts from NBA agents came in almost immediately.
“Did he really do that?”
“ What??!?”
“Wooow”
They were reacting to the news that ex-Knicks forward Guerschon Yabusele removed the 2026-27 player option from his contract. Yabusele was slated to earn $5.8 million in guaranteed money next season. He essentially removed that money from his deal to facilitate last week’s trade to Chicago.
It’s rare for a player in Yabusele’s situation to forgo guaranteed money. But if you ask Yabusele about it, he’ll tell you it was an easy decision.
“We can always see the side of the money and talk about it, but at the end of the day the passion is more than just the money. It’s being out there, missing the feeling of being out there, offense, defense. Just competing at a high level because I’m a competitor first,” Yabusele said in an interview with SNY. “… The situation with New York was a little bit different for me because I wasn’t really playing, so being able to be on another team and try to bring value on the court was really important. I was just missing being out there on the court, making mistakes, learning from it and trying to get better.”
Yabusele signed a two-year, $12 million deal with the Knicks in the offseason – New York’s biggest signing of the summer. Once the season started, Yabusele was rarely on the floor. His strengths as a player did not seem to fit under new head coach Mike Brown (who was hired after Yabusele signed).
As the trade deadline approached, the Knicks were trying to find a new home for Yabusele. But it became clear that no team wanted to take on his $5.8 million player option for next season. The lack of interest was not a reflection of Yabusele’s ability; it’s mostly due to the ‘second apron’ era of the collective bargaining agreement, where every dollar in player salary is crucial for contending teams.
As such, the Knicks would have had to send draft capital to the team that traded for Yabusele.
But that all changed when Yabusele decided to change his contract. He and his agent, Richie Felder of CAA, worked with the Knicks to amend the deal and remove the player option.
Soon after, Chicago pounced and sent Dalen Terry to New York in a trade for Yabusele.
Sure, the amended contract was part of Chicago’s attraction to The Dancing Bear. But the Bulls also know Yabusele can help them on the court, something he wasn’t able to do in New York.
Yabusele so far has proven the Bulls right, averaging 12.5 points in 30 minutes over his first two games.
“I love it out there with the team, the guys. The coaches, they did a great job of welcoming me the best way they can,” Yabusele said. “Everybody’s telling me how happy they are for me to be out there on the team with them. It just makes it easy for me to have confidence and just feel good on the court.”
The trade also made it easy for New York to obtain Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado.
The Knicks didn’t have to use any of their *seven second-round picks in the Yabusele trade. In Terry, they acquired a player with no guaranteed money in 2026-27 (Terry is a restricted free agent this offseason).
New York flipped Terry and two second-round picks to New Orleans for Alvarado. The former Christ The King star made an immediate impact in his Knick debut, scoring 12 points while adding two steals on Sunday against Boston.
He will be greeted with a hero’s welcome at the Garden on Tuesday, his first home game as a Knick.
But he doesn’t make it to the Garden without Yabusele’s contract amendment.
“I mean the decision was, I wanna say pretty quick and easy,” Yabusele, a former first round pick of the Celtics who spent a few seasons overseas before returning to the NBA, said. “For me to be able to have that second chance at the NBA and come back here, I had to take [a] risk. So I would say it was nothing new to me… I was thinking about [amending my contract] and I thought that this was the best thing to do.”
With no player option for 2026-27, Yabusele will now be an unrestricted free agent this summer. He received interest from some overseas teams ahead of the trade deadline. He will probably get plenty of overseas interest this summer. A cynic would wonder if Yabusele already has a deal in place for next season.
Yabusele’s agent, Felder of CAA, declined comment when asked about an overseas deal for 2026-27.
Regardless of how things play out for Yabusele, his decision earlier this month opened the door for the Knicks to get Alvarado.
At some point on Tuesday night, Alvarado will stand up and walk to the scorer’s table. The Garden crowd will erupt. Alvarado, raised in Brooklyn, should get a long, loud ovation when he steps on the floor.
If you are one of the people screaming for Alvarado on Tuesday, don’t forget to thank Yabusele.
*The Knicks have two additional second-round picks if you include the 2026 first-round pick from Washington. That pick is top-8 protected and will almost surely turn into two second-round picks (2026, 2027). If you count the Washington picks, they have seven second-round picks left after the Alvarado trade.
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan reversed its decision to boycott the T20 World Cup game against India and was directed to “take the field” in Colombo next Sunday.
A weeklong impasse ended on Monday, a day after International Cricket Council director Imran Khawaja and Bangladesh Cricket Board president Aminul Islam arrived in Lahore to talk with the Pakistan Cricket Board about reinstating the biggest and richest game in cricket.
Back-channel talks reached the highest level, and the Pakistan government announced on X, “In view of the outcomes achieved in multilateral discussions, as well as the request of friendly countries, the Government of Pakistan hereby directs the Pakistan National Cricket Team to take the field on February 15, 2026, for its scheduled fixture in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
“Moreover, this decision has been taken with the aim of protecting the spirit of cricket, and to support the continuity of this global sport in all participating nations.”
The ICC said: “It was agreed that all members will respect their commitments as per the terms of participation for ICC events and do all that is necessary to ensure that the ongoing edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is a success.”
After Bangladesh was booted from the World Cup two weeks ago when the ICC dismissed its security concerns about playing in India, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi decried the ICC's “double standards” and “injustice.” The Pakistan government told its cricket board to boycott the India group game in solidarity with Bangladesh.
But the consequences of no Pakistan-India game threatened current and future TV rights deals and ICC funding of the global game.
The Pakistan government noted in its statement that the PCB was formally asked by ICC members including Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates to end the boycott. On Monday, Bangladesh's Islam requested the match go ahead “for the benefit of the entire cricket ecosystem."
“We are deeply moved by Pakistan's efforts to go above and beyond in supporting Bangladesh during this period,” Islam said. “Long may our brotherhood flourish.”
The ICC eased its stance on Monday when it said it would not penalize Bangladesh for missing the T20 World Cup for the first time. The ICC added Bangladesh had the right to approach the dispute resolution committee “should it choose to do so.”
Naqvi then announced a decision by Pakistan within 48 hours, but the final clincher appeared to come from a phone call on Monday evening between Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
World Cup co-host Sri Lanka is hosting Pakistan for all of its matches.
The Pakistan government said Dissanayake asked Sharif “to accord serious consideration to amicably resolve the current impasse.”
Sharif green-lit the India matchup again and gave his best wishes to the “Men in Green,” who have already started the World Cup with a win over the Netherlands.
Bangladesh will be awarded a global tournament before the men's World Cup in 2031, the ICC said.
ICC chief executive Sanjog Gupta said in a statement that Bangladesh's absence from the T20 World Cup “is regrettable but it does not alter the ICC’s enduring commitment to Bangladesh as a core cricketing nation.”
CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — German teammates Julia Taubitz and Merle Fraebel have pulled away after the first two runs of the women’s singles luge event at the Milan Cortina Olympics, opening up a sizable lead over the rest of the field going into Tuesday’s medal-deciding heats.
Taubitz is the leader, finishing her two runs Monday in 1 minute, 45.188 seconds. Fraebel is in second with a time of 1:45.249, and it’s a sizable gap from there to Latvia’s Elina Bota — third in 1:45.683.
There are five sliders within two-tenths of a second of Bota’s time, meaning the race for the bronze medal could get wild on Tuesday. Verena Hofer of Italy is fourth in 1:45.743, followed by Ashley Farquharson of the U.S. (1:45.796), Sandra Robatscher of Italy (1:45.801), Lisa Schulte of Austria (1:45.866) and Emily Fischnaller of the U.S. (1.45.872).
Anna Berreiter of Germany, the lone Olympic medalist in this field — she won silver at the 2022 Beijing Games — is ninth going into Tuesday. And Summer Britcher of the U.S., a two-time World Cup winner this season, is 12th after the opening two runs.
Taubitz is the reigning world champion. She's a six-time medalist in women's singles at the worlds — twice a winner, four times the runner-up.
Dec 16, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks during press conference at the Emirates NBA Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
One topic that has been the talk of the NBA recently has been the persistent (and perhaps increasing) efforts that “rebuilding” teams are making to actively fall down the standings. Commonly known as “tanking.”
The idea behind determining draft order starting with the worst teams getting the best picks is common among sports leagues. It promotes parity and at least attempts to give the impression that any team can get better over time if they are managed properly.
The draft lottery was put into place in order to stop teams from blatantly losing on purpose. A few pretty good teams won the lottery when the odds were flat across all non-playoff teams, so they tweaked the odds. The NBA has continued to tinker with rules changes, incentives, and penalties over the years and they are threatening to do so again.
Based on this season and what everyone expects to see down the stretch, I don’t think their efforts have done much to fix things.
So we get to my daily topic discussion: Is there anything the NBA can do to adjust the rules to at least make this tanking problem, …less of a problem?
Here are some of the suggestions the league is considering.
In recent years, multiple teams have either shut down players early or sat players for games to try to improve their draft positioning, often tied to a protected pick. Sources said multiple ideas were proposed as a brainstorming measure to combat tanking, including:
Limiting pick protections to either top four or 14 and higher, which would eliminate the problematic mid-lottery protections
No longer allowing a team to draft in the top four two years in a row
Locking lottery positions after March 1
Which of these options do you like the best? Are there other ideas not mentioned above that the league should consider? Or will each of these cures end up being worse than the disease in the long run?
What do you think? Leave your suggestions and reactions in the comments below.
