CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Italy's Federica Brignone completes comeback, claims gold in women's Olympic super-G.
'It fills me': Lakers' Deandre Ayton makes it a special day for kids at camp
The kids lined up on the basketball court at the National Basketball Players Assn. facility last week, groups on two sides with smiles on their faces, all of them patiently extending their arms as they waited for their guest to arrive.
When Lakers center Deandre Ayton peered through the glass and saw those kids, he smiled and shook his head before entering the gym. He slowly walked down the line by each kid, doing his best to slap every hand or to at least make eye contact with them.
This was a basketball clinic Ayton and his Ayton Family Foundation had been inspired to do in partnership with the NBPA, an event that the Jamaican and Bahamian Consulates aided by sending about 50 kids to participate in on-court activities and a dinner on behalf of Ayton and his family.
“It fills me, for real, just seeing their smiles,” Ayton said. “And me being out there. You saw me going at it against one of them. He’s about 6-4 and he tried to get at me. I’m like, ‘Whoa … Whoa. Bro. I got to keep these legs strong.’ In about 10 years, they are going to be knocking me over. They are ready and I’m loving it and they're so hip to the game and they know the terminology so I just loved it, man.”
Some of those kids got to see Ayton playing center for the Lakers against the Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 3 at Barclays Center.
They saw Ayton at his efficient best, shooting three for five from the field for seven points to go along with eight rebounds and three assists.
On the Lakers recent eight-game trip, Ayton seemingly made every shot. He was six-for-six shooting with 13 points against the New York Knicks and 12-for-14 shooting with 28 points against the Washington Wizards.
Shooting a high percentage has been the essence of Ayton’s season — he is making 67.5% of his shots, the second-best mark in the NBA. He’s averaging 13.2 points and 8.5 rebounds.
So, sharing his wisdom with the kids about the game of basketball was cathartic for Ayton.
“Just having guys in my position visiting these camps, they don’t know how much they are doing for them, just to be in their presence and in their environment. Just giving a kid a high-five, you could feel the power and the energy of how excited they are,” Ayton said. “They are on you like white on rice, watching your every move, wanting to know what you say, and it’s just so inspiring because I was just like that.
“There were guys that came and visited the camps when I was growing up in the Bahamas and just being inspired by them and wanting to know who are they and why they are so good to make it look so easy. It’s nothing to me to come back here and do it. That’s just who I am. I want to let them know that they can do it as well and however they grew up, everybody can move on from that and be motivated, self-motivated as well.”
The Lakers spent four days in New York while playing the Knicks and Nets. Ayton could have been doing anything he wanted in the city during two days off.
Yet, he chose to use some of his free time to help run a camp for youths, some of whom probably can’t afford to attend one.
“I ain’t going to lie. It’s just I don’t have a reason why I’m doing it,” he said. “It’s just something that I wanted to do. I found that it was the time and the right time as well to be in New York City and just how the culture is out here as well. So, they know how the Jamaican, Caribbean people are. I don’t know. Just having the NBPA behind me and the headquarters being here. I think it was just the right spot, to be honest.”
Chris Jean, the NBPA associate vice president for Elite Youth & Basketball Activation, encourages all their members to give back to the community.
“It just highlights who he is as a player and as a person,” Jean said about Ayton. “He’s doing a lot of great things in Jamaica and the Bahamas and in his community like that. So, it just makes us all feel better and easier to support him.”
Ayton won the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award for November 2025, recognized for his philanthropic efforts in providing hurricane relief in Jamaica and supporting youth in L.A.
Ayton said his mom, Andrea Ayton, is the backbone of his family and that she was always doing community work and helping others in the Bahamas.
His efforts are an extension of his mother.
“Yeah, mom started all that, that giving stuff, that just feeding the village, being that leader by action,” Ayton said. “I would say her love language was caring and feeding tummies, whether you’re hungry or not, it didn’t matter. It’s just her basically showing her love and it got to this point to where we’re doing more than that. We’re on a platform and a position where we’re so blessed. We can help people financially as well.”
Before Ayton started the drills with the kids at the clinic, dignitaries from the Jamaican and Bahamian Consulates presented Ayton with a proclamation, thanking him for his generosity and kindness.
It made his day that more emotional.
“I was stretching in the hallway and stuff like that when I saw the executives and meeting them, I said, ‘Yo, this is bigger than I thought. This just not no camp,’‘’ Ayton said. “And then this speech and I was just like, ‘Yo, I feel so special.’
"It was a moment I’m not going to forget as well, everybody just thanking me. It was a lot. It was overwhelming. I’m not going to lie. That was an overwhelming moment that I’m going to truly embrace.”
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Open Thread: Victor Wembanyama has more 40-point games than Tim Duncan
On Tuesday night in Los Angeles, Victor Wembanyama had a 40-point game against a depleted Lakers.
25 of those points came in the first quarter giving Wemby the third highest scoring quarter in Spurs history behind George Gervin (33 points in 1978) and David Robinson (28 in 1994).
37 of Wemby’s 40 came in the first half. He wrapped up the 40 with a single three-pointer in the 3rd quarter. Overall he closed out his night in 26 minutes and 6 seconds.
This was Victor’s sixth 40-point game, pushing him past Tim Duncan. Let that resonate for a minute. Wemby has more 40-point games in just over 150 games than Big Fundamental had over his 19 year career.
The sky is the limit with Victor Wembnyama. And with a supporting cast consisting of the reigning Western Conference Player of the Week Stephon Castle (see 40-point triple-double) as well as NBA 6th Man hopeful Keldon Johnson, and the inaugural NBA Clutch Player of the Year De’Aaron Fox, the Spurs are having quite a season.
Brian Windhorst said it best, “We don’t put ceilings on Victor Wembanyama. If you say to me ‘Can Victor Wembanyama do X?’ my answer almost always is going to be ‘yes.’”
Go Wemby Go!
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The Suns chose the long view against Oklahoma City
Wednesday night in Phoenix felt like the Suns walked into the game with a fourth-and-13 mindset. No debate about going for it. No drawing anything crazy up on the board. Special teams trots out, hike the ball, punt, move on.
And honestly, I cannot say I blame them.
As I wrote yesterday, this team has reached the part of the season where the priority is getting to the All-Star break. Is that the correct mentality? That is debatable. When you are hovering on the fringe between the Play-in and the postseason, every game carries weight, especially when you have dropped a few recently. This felt like a chance, at least in theory, to make something up in the standings.
But theory runs into reality pretty fast.
You were still playing the best team in the Western Conference. Even without their (and the league’s) MVP, Oklahoma City showed exactly why they are one of the toughest outs in the league. They are deep. They do a lot of what the Suns want to do, but they do it better. They are more aggressive. More disruptive. More relentless.
I have used this analogy before, and it still works. If the Suns are Mario, Oklahoma City is Mario after he gets the mushroom.
Now layer that on top of another reality. Your two highest-paid players are coming off lower-body injuries. Why risk it here? If there is a team that can absolutely put you back in harm’s way, it is OKC. The pressure they apply. The constant movement. The physical strain they force on every possession. And yes, Lu Dort is part of that equation, and yes, I still cannot stand him. Former Sun Devil or not, I want to root for those guys, and somehow I never do. Harden included.
So let them sit in street clothes. Let them bank another day of rest. You do not play again until next Thursday. I am not upset about the result at all.
There are still things to take from the game and some coachable moments. Oklahoma City’s back cutting was an issue. That shows up on film. But that film is also for the guys who do not usually get heavy minutes. You use it to reinforce habits. You use it to clarify roles. You use it to fortify who you are.
Then you get to the break. You focus on health. And you lock in on the final 26 games. That is where the season actually gets decided.
Bright Side Baller Season Standings
Booker and Oso led the way relative to voting, but ultimately, it was the calming effect Booker had in Q4 against the Mavs that garnered him his 13th Bright Side Baller of the season.
Bright Side Baller Nominees
Game 55 against the Thunder. Here are your nominees:
Dillon Brooks
23 points (9-of-19, 1-of-5 3PT), 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 3 turnovers, -27 +/-
Jordan Goodwin
12 points (5-of-10, 2-of-5 3PT), 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, -32 +/-
Royce O’Neale
12 points (4-of-11, 4-of-11 3PT), 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 turnover, -24 +/-
Jamaree Bouyea
11 points (4-of-12, 1-of-2 3PT), 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 turnover, -12 +/-
Rasheer Fleming
8 points (3-of-7, 2-of-5 3PT), 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 turnovers, +12 +/-
Oso Ighodaro
8 points (4-of-4), 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, -14 +/-
…and the vote goes to…
Nikola Vucevic’s transition to Celtics is made easier by one old friend
BOSTON — Last Thursday, when the Celtics returned from Houston after a two-game road trip, the Celtics’ coaching staff didn’t go home from the airport.
Instead, they headed straight to the Auerbach Center, where Nikola Vucevic, the team’s newest addition, awaited them.
Vucevic had been traded to Boston two days earlier, and immediately dove into watching film and acclimating to a brand-new team.
It was a lot of new faces and concepts to take in, but the 35-year-old’s transition was made easier by the presence of one assistant coach: Amile Jefferson.
In 2018, Jefferson and Vucevic were teammates on the Orlando Magic for two seasons. During that span, Jefferson was a young two-way player fresh out of Duke, and Vucevic was an All-Star. The two became good friends.
Eight years later, Jefferson is in his third year as an assistant coach on the Celtics, and Vucevic is the latest acquisition on a Celtics team that hopes to contend for a championship.
So, after a lengthy walk-through with all of the Celtics coaches on Thursday, Vucevic and Jefferson spent the evening together.
The next day, Vucevic was introduced as a Celtic for the very first time, and made his debut just hours later.
“When they came back, he and I went to dinner so I could ask him more questions, just about Celtics in general, how they like to do things, the expectations, things like that, the players, the coaching staff,” Vucevic said. “So I got a little better feel for everything. That helped me a lot.”
Vucevic appreciated that the coaches immediately prioritized getting him up to speed, not wasting a moment after they got back from Texas, and meeting with him right at the practice facility.
“As a player, that means a lot,” Vucevic said. “It shows they really care. They really want you to get involved. Because it’s not easy after a couple-day trip, everybody wants to go home, be with their families, but they came to make sure I can get up to speed as quick as possible. Everybody’s really trying to make my life much easier with the transition.”
Joe Mazzulla has already praised Vucevic for his on-court acclimation, and the progress is undeniable. The Celtics’ big man tallied 19 points and 11 rebounds in 26 minutes in a blowout win against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night
But, the off-court acclimation matters too. And, Jefferson has played a critical role in that process.
“It was really helpful to have a familiar face and somebody I can talk to about other things, not just the X’s and O’s of the game and the coverages and all that,” Vucevic said.
“The relationship we had before as friends just kind of translated. It’s pretty easy: we have respect for each other.”
Now, Vucevic will enjoy a nearly week-long break that he hopes aids his transition to Boston. As he gets to know everyone else, he’s grateful to have a familiar face in his corner.
“That helped a lot, made me a little more comfortable,” Vucevic said. “But they’ve all been really helpful.”
Twitter Gold: Jared McCain Settling In With the Thunder
After a terrific rookie season with the Philadelphia 76ers which was unfortunately cut short by a knee injury, former Blue Devil Jared McCain had another issue this season with a hand injury. And since Philly’s backcourt is pretty solid, they decided to trade the promising second-year player to Oklahoma City…and that might have been shortsighted.
In his first two games, McCain got 7 points and 3 rebounds against the L.A. Clippers and in his second, against Phoenix, he got 12 points and 4 boards. Here are some highlights from the outing against the Suns.
He’s always been a smart player with a beautiful jumper and with teammates like Chet Holmgren, Jalyn Williams and Shea Gilgeous-Alexander, and he could have a long, prosperous run in OKC.
Incidentally, Phoenix now has three former Blue Devils: Grayson Allen, Mark Williams and Khaman Malauch.
Allen didn’t play as he has an apparent knee injury. Fortunately, it doesn’t look too serious.
Williams and Maluach both got 6 points while Williams got a single board and Maluach got 6.
Go to the DBR Boards to find Blue Healer Auctions | Drop us a line10 Takeaways from the Celtics bludgeoning of the Bulls
1. Vucevic Revenge Game
Nikola Vucevic did not have to wait long for a Revenge Game against the Chicago Bulls. In his third game with the Celtics, Vucevic dropped his second double-double of his Boston career finishing with 19 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks on 7-12 shooting from the field and 4-5 from three.
On offense, Vucevic was able to show off his range in this game, primarily on the catch and shoot. Chicago would send two defenders to Payton Pritchard when Boston would run the pick and roll. This led Vucevic wide open from three and he was able to knock them down from both the top of the three point line and even from the corner. This makes me excited for the future of the Celtics offense when Jayson Tatum comes back and with lineups that can space the floor from every position.
2. 6MOTY Payton Pritchard
The best version of Payton Pritchard in my mind is when he is coming off the bench and playing freely. This is what he was able to do against the Bulls, finishing with 26 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals on 11-18 shooting from the field and 3-8 from three. There’s no chance he qualifies, but Pritchard is the best 6th Man in the league and the lineups they run with him and Vucevic coming in the game first have looked good.
The first half is primarily where we saw Pritchard have the biggest impact on this game. In the first quarter, Pritchard had 10 points on 4-5 shooting. When he checked into the game, he made an immediate impact on the Celtics offense with his ability to get into the paint and shoot it from deep. Pritchard was able to make some highlight reel plays in this quarter, including his patented buzzer beater on a tough midrange jumper.
The second quarter saw more aggression in the midrange game when it came to his offense. He was able to get inside and attack Nick Richards on defense, finishing with some impressive touch.
3. Jaylen Brown Made It Look Easy
It’s getting hard to come up with new ways to talk about how great Jaylen Brown has been this season. In this game he made light work of the Chicago Bulls, finishing with 24 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists on 9-20 shooting. With the Bulls lack of real defenders, Brown was able to bully them all night long on the offensive end and he didn’t even have to be the number one scoring option.
A lot of Brown’s scoring came in the first half where he finished with 18 of his 24 points. The best part about his performance tonight is the way he was able to beat Chicago’s defense. Patrick Williams was his primary defender to begin the game and Brown shot over him like it was an open gym. Jaden Ivey tried his best the rest of the first half but Brown was able to use his physicality to any spot he wanted on the court and finish with relative ease.
4. Sam Hauser Return
It is so nice to have Sam Hauser back on this Celtics team. Coming into this game Boston was 29th in scoring offense (103.6 PPG) and shot 29% from three point range in their last 4 games. Hauser being out for 3 out of the 4 games was a huge loss and it showed tonight when he finished with 12 points on 4-7 shooting from three.
Hauser’s ability to catch and shoot wide open threes is just another level to any other player on this team. When he is hitting his shots like tonight, Boston can blow out teams in a hurry. All of his threes in this game came on the catch and shoot whether it was in the motion of the offense or on the fast break. He single handedly made the Celtics offense more dynamic and I would credit his return to being a contributor to the Celtics shooting 40% from three in this game.
5. Jordan Walsh Energy on Both Ends
The most surprising performance of the night for me had to be the incredible game that Jordan Walsh had. Walsh finished with 16 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks on 7-12 shooting. This game showed flashes to his play earlier in the season where he was in the Celtics starting lineup.
Walsh’s defense was huge in this game as the Bulls were already struggling to defend the Celtics on the other end, then they had to deal with Jordan hounding them. Walsh was disrupting the passing lanes and even got old friend Anfernee Simons on a steal. The blocks showed his quick instincts on defense and his ability to recover when he is a step behind on a drive or second chance opportunity.
On the offensive end, Walsh was putting on a dunk contest of his own this close to All-Star Weekend. Outside of one three, Walsh did a lot of his work in this paint when it came to getting his buckets. He was able to finish some nice layups at the rim but he showed aggression with his dunking ability. Walsh had 4 dunks in this game where he was able to finish on put-backs or create plays on his own.
6. Derrick White Passing
Since becoming the primary point guard for the Celtics, Derrick White’s playmaking ability has been on full display. In his last five games since Payton Pritchard moved to the bench, White is averaging 6.8 assists a night including 9 assists in this matchup. This has been huge for the Celtics because White can still be a contributor on offense even without scoring the ball. This chart shows the assist network of who got all of White’s assists. He was able to spread the wealth around to everyone and created 23 points with his passing alone.
Almost all of Derrick White’s assists came on catch and shoot threes outside of a fey ball handw passes to Neemias Queta under the basket and a cross court heave to Baylor Scheierman for a layup. I really think White being the primary ball handler for this team is huge. It takes pressure off of him as a scorer and it allows Pritchard to cook with the second unit.
7. First Half Dominance
The Boston Celtics absolutely dominated the Chicago Bulls in this game and game was basically over at halftime. This was due to the Celtics red hot shooting in the first half that got them out to some huge runs. In the first quarter, the Celtics shot 14-26 (54%) from the field and 6-11 (55%) from three, outscoring Chicago 36-17. They got out to an 11-2 run midway through the quarter but it got even better once the second quarter came.
Boston shot an insane 14-22 (64%) from the field and 4-8 (50%) from three. This was a part of a bigger run for the Celtics, as from the 2:26 mark of the first quarter to the 5:50 mark of the second quarter, Boston rattled off a 35-10 scoring run. This blew the game wide open and Boston was able to rattle off another small 12-3 run at the end of the second quarter. Boston outscored Chicago 36-17 in the quarter and went into the half up 72-44.
8. Incredible Ball Movement
The Celtics finished with 29 assists on the night and Boston was able to show off a ton of impressive team basketball. My favorite assist of the night came on a play at the 3:41 mark of the second quarter. It started with Vucevic finding Jordan Walsh cutting to the basket. Walsh then found Hugo Gonzalez in the corner who swung it to Derrick White, who threw it back to Vucevic for three.
The Celtics showed more of their ball movement in the third quarter when they were able to use their ball movement around the perimeter to get Baylor Scheierman a wide open three in the corner.
Finally, I wanted to highlight Vucevic’s passing because its something that I am still surprised about. With time running low on the shot clock, Ron Harper Jr threw a grenade to Vucevic to try and make something happen. Luckily, he found Walsh cutting to the basket and he was able to finish it with a slam.
9. Future of the double big lineups
With Sam Hauser out of the lineup, Joe Mazzulla was running a double big lineup with Luka Garza and Neemias Queta. On Sunday, the Celtics replaced Garza with Baylor Scheierman while tonight with Hauser returning, the Celtics had him and Scheierman in the starting lineup against the Bulls. With the addition of Vucevic, it made me wonder if Mazzulla would think about running it in the future. I asked him in the postgame press conference and he started out by saying “The only thing we know is that we don’t know anything.” He went on to say “we just have to be ready to adjust to our opponents and what gives us the best chance to win…we have versatility and the ability to play a bunch of different ways and whatever gives us the best chance to win.”
The double big lineup of Garza and Queta looked a little clunky when it was out there but it could look different with Vucevic replacing Garza. It would depend on the matchup for sure, but in these instances having the spacing of Vucevic on offense with Queta on defense, could be a deadly combination.
10. I Feel Bad For Anfernee Simons
Watching the Celtics dominate the Bulls in this game made me feel really bad for the situation Anfernee Simons has found himself in. For years, he was on a tanking Portland Trail Blazers team that had no direction and was just otld to go out there and hoop. Then at the start of this season he gets traded to the Celtics and gets to experience a winning organization for the first time. He is in a smaller role, but he is thriving as a sixth man and looks to be finding comfort on Boston. All is well until he is traded to the Chicago Bulls for Nikola Vucevic and he has found himself on another tanking team in the same situation that he was in when he was on the Trail Blazers.
I hope as a free agent this year Simons can find his way on to a good organization. He is a guy with structure around him, can be a solid contributor to a good team. His defense might not be the best but he He played okay in his first game back in Boston but Chicago was getting destroyed. There is a chance he could sign back with the Celtics in the offseason. He said in an interview at shoot around that he enjoyed his time in Boston could see himself returning here “for sure down the line.” I would not be opposed to that. Either way, I’m wishing nothing but the best for Simons moving forward in his NBA career.
11 Takeaways from James Harden’s home debut in Cavs win over Wizards
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t play with their food. They quickly asserted control of Wednesday’s game against the Washington Wizards and led wire-to-wire before settling for a 138-113 victory.
Cavs fans embraced James Harden in his debut. Some of the loudest cheers of the night were reserved for his pregame introduction and anytime he did something on the court. The giveaway stick-beards helped add to the atmosphere as well.
“[There was a] different buzz tonight,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “I felt it when I walked into the arena. This is a superstar league. … It’s great for Cleveland. It’s great for this market, these fans. They had LeBron over here for a long time. This is another, in that category of superstar, which is really cool for everybody.”
Harden also enjoyed his first home game in Cleveland.
“The crowd is always crazy,” Harden said about playing in front of the home fans for the first time as a Cavalier.
“I come here as a visitor, they’re crazy. They’re about the Cavs, and the land, and very loyal. They show up every single night. It’s one of the things that I was most excited about. So tonight was no different.”
Harden is here to win a championship. At this point in his career, competing for a title and being in a good financial position are what matter most.
“We all know why I’m here,” Harden said. “It’s one goal, and we all have that in common. So whether I score, take four shots, or take 20 shots. If we win the game, who cares?”
It’s difficult to draw too many conclusions from a game against an awful, tanking Wizards team, but the Cavs are considerably closer to that goal now than they were a little over a week ago.
Harden’s fit on the court remains seamless. Any team with Harden is naturally going to play more deliberately in the half-court. He plays at his own pace, but often to the benefit of his teammates.
This led to 11 assists while providing 13 points on just four shot attempts. Harden’s ability to put stuff on the table without taking anything off it is exactly what you want when you add a superstar to an already established contender.
Donovan Mitchell has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of this. The playmaking burden isn’t on him anymore. This allows his focus to return to what he does best: scoring.
For the third game in a row, Mitchell reached the 30-point plateau with Harden on the floor. He’s also taking more shot attempts in games with Harden than he has compared to his season-long average. Right now, there isn’t any struggle with who should be the primary scorer.
As we’ve seen in the two previous games, Harden’s presence makes life considerably easier for Mitchell.
“He’s manipulating the game,” Mitchell said of Harden. “He’s being able to put guys in positions. And then for me, to just be who I am. Attack, get downhill, still create, still playmake, but still be myself.”
The biggest fear when adding another high-usage player is that it might take away from what the other does best. Even guys who turned out to be phenomenal teammates, like LeBron James and Dwyane Wade with the Miami Heat, needed nearly a year together to figure out how to coexist. Even more natural partnerships like James and Kyrie Irving’s needed time to develop.
This duo has been the exception to the general rule so far.
The gravity Harden creates just makes everyone better.
“There’s a play in Denver where he’s isoing and Sam is in the right wing, and he just throws it to him because everyone’s pulled over,” Mitchell said.
“Now if that’s me over there, like what do you do?” Mitchell asked. “[Harden’s gravity] gives me time to go sit in the corner and watch him operate, and then defenses have to respect me. Now, everything is open to everybody else.”
Mitchell has played with great teammates before, but nobody else demands as much attention as Harden. This is a completely new dynamic for Mitchell, and he’s taking advantage of it so far.
These two plays are examples of that. Mitchell is going to get easy baskets like this when the defense either has to consistently stay with Harden or has to come to him when he has the ball.
Mitchell has also given Harden the space to do what he does best. Even though Harden only had four field-goal attempts against Washington, he was able to completely play his game, his way. He acted as the play initiator for most of the evening and had the second-highest usage on the team.
“Don is unselfish,” Harden said. “Even last game in Denver, the last couple minutes of the game, he just gave me the ball, let me facilitate, and do what I do. So, you don’t really get that from superstars in this league. And so that right there gave me the open welcome. … We both have the same freedom.”
There will undoubtedly be friction at some point, but so far, the fit couldn’t be better. Both have been able to play their game, and the team has benefited from that.
Finding the balance between Kenny Atkinson’s movement offense and Harden’s stagnant, isolation system is a work in progress. Atkinson has repeatedly insisted that he’s going to fit the attack around what Harden does best, but many of the Cavaliers are best used in a motion-based offense. Sam Merrill is one of those players.
Harden assisted on six of Merrill’s 11 field goals. Some of those were simply from Harden drawing two to the ball and hitting the wide-open Merrill. Others were from incorporating some movement offense around a stagnant Harden. The latter is what’s interesting.
The Cavs got clean looks for a moving Merrill twice with Harden posted up on the elbow. The first was for a three when Merrill came around an Allen screen. The second was from using a screen to dive back inside for a layup.
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Atkinson’s offense will need to evolve to fit around Harden, but there’s ways to do that without disrupting what Harden does best. These are examples of how you can try to create a hybrid of both.
Not the burry the lede, but Merrill put up a career-high 32 points. He was on fire and couldn’t miss for long stretches of the game. He finished 9-10 from three and 11-12 from the field overall.
There’s nothing opponents can do to stop Merrill when he gets it going like he did on Wednesday. And playing with an additional star in Harden, who requires the defense to keep track of, is going to give Merrill more room to operate.
Jarrett Allen continued his run of good play. He went 8-8 from the field en route to a 21-point performance.
The addition of Harden has made life easier for Allen. He’s getting many more clean looks per game because of it. However, this impressive run goes back to before the trade. Allen has leveled up his game since Evan Mobley’s injury.
Now, we come back to this question: How do you get this version of Allen when Mobley returns?
If the Cavs had an easy answer, we would’ve likely seen it years ago. But there is one thing that they can do better.
“From my perspective, we have to get him involved more,” Atkinson said. “[I’m] just thinking maybe [we] didn’t focus enough on how important it is for him to touch the ball, to be involved. We ran an ATO (after timeout play) for him. I think it was the first one of the year today, first play of the game. I got to do that more. That seems like the formula. And of course, we’ll separate him and Evan (their minutes), but he’s got to be more involved. Touch the ball more.
There’s also concerns about how Harden — who has traditionally played with optimal spacing — would adjust to playing with two bigs.
But no matter how that looks, one thing is clear: Allen needs to be more involved. This version of Allen is playing at an All-Star level and elevates the entire team. He’s too skilled to be relegated to the glorified role player he’s been for the majority of this season.
Nikola Vučević “felt more comfortable” in Celtics-Bulls reunion
BOSTON — Nikola Vučević’s acclimation with the Celtics picked up Wednesday night.
Since acquiring him ahead of last week’s NBA trade deadline, Boston has largely operated as usual. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla has continued to start Neemias Queta at center, bringing Vučević off the bench in each of his first three games with the team. There has been no indication that the approach will change, but when the moment called for an unexpected adjustment against his old team, Vučević was ready.
“I think tonight was a good step forward of where we can get to,” Vučević said after Boston’s 124-105 blowout win over the Bulls. “I felt more comfortable out there, and I think the guys felt more comfortable around me, and we were able to build some good chemistry, so it’s a good step forward. I’m glad we got the win, so we’ll just continue to work on it.”
Vučević picked up the slack for Queta in the first quarter after an ankle injury sent Boston’s go-to five hobbling up and down the floor and briefly into the player’s tunnel. Although Queta quickly returned, he logged just 15 minutes, giving Vučević his first major chance to make a significant impact.
Both the Celtics and Vučević used their matchup against his former team as a stepping stone. With Queta recovering on the bench using a resistance band, Boston adjusted on the fly, putting a greater emphasis on Vučević’s aggressiveness. He responded by knocking down four 3-pointers — his most in a Celtics uniform — and finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds, notching his second double-double in a comfortable, kick-your-feet-up pouncing of Anfernee Simons and the Bulls.
Upon arriving from Chicago after his trade was finalized, the 35-year-old Vučević quickly got to work — studying film and meeting with coaches and staff at the team’s practice facility to get up to speed. Still, nothing compares to on-the-job training, and for Vučević, that’s where the real growth and comfort come from.
Playing 26 minutes while filling a critical void allowed for that comfort to kick in.
“Before that, I had gone through shootaround with the coaches, and there were a lot of one-on-ones,” he said. “Even in the day in between, when I took some time off and watched tape — trying to learn the plays a little bit more — I felt like I’ve settled in a bit better.”
For the first time, Vučević thrived on the perimeter. The Celtics toyed with Chicago’s fragile defense and imposed their will. Teammates found Vučević in the paint and beyond the arc, turning their finale before the All-Star break into an opportunity to showcase his offensive versatility to the TD Garden crowd while also giving Queta a breather.
When asked how different Vučević looked Wednesday night compared to his first two games with the Celtics, Mazzulla echoed Vučević’s sentiment — nearly word-for-word.
“Much more comfortable today,” Mazzulla said. “His pick-and-roll positioning defensively was good — really good. Then offensively, the reads were good — spacing, understanding where he is, the early offense reads, offensive execution. He just felt much more comfortable out there, so it’s always good to get out and practice. He values the details and wants to get it right, so he’s put a lot of preparation into it.”
Finding his place in Boston’s offense isn’t immediate. It takes time to develop, as was the case when Simons first joined Mazzulla’s locker room in the offseason. After debuting with the Celtics last Friday, Vučević called his first game a “work in progress,” a process that will continue as the team pushes to secure a strong position in the Eastern Conference standings ahead of the playoffs.
The next seven days won’t just serve as a break for everyone in the locker room except Jaylen Brown — they’ll give Vučević valuable time to continue learning the ways of Celtics basketball without juggling the hectic pace of flights, meet-and-greets, and limited hours before hitting the court. Even with 15 years of NBA experience, Vučević knows that joining a contender like Boston requires work on and off the floor to bring the organization’s vision to life, so he plans on using the off-time wisely.
“I think the (break) could help a little bit,” Vučević said. “There’s a lot that comes with a trade — you come to a whole new city, a whole new situation — so I think the (break) will do some good. It gives me more time to study, watch film and see some things, then refresh for the end of the year. All of us players look forward to the break at this point of the season, but I do think it was good to finish on a positive note and go into it feeling pretty good.”
In photos: Ukraine’s Vladyslav Heraskevych out of Winter Olympics over banned helmet tribute
CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych is out of the Milan Cortina Games after he refused to stop wearing a banned tribute helmet.
This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
Knicks’ Jose Alvarado already filling much-needed enforcer role
PHILADELPHIA — The little man stood up for the big man. And it had a big impact.
It’s not a sight that has been common around these Knicks this year — someone actually getting in an opponent’s face to stick up for a teammate.
Mitchell Robinson, while going up for a dunk, was brought down hard by Trendon Watford at the end of the first quarter of the Knicks’ 138-89 win over the 76ers on Wednesday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Immediately, with Robinson still on the ground, Alvarado tried to push Watford away.
When Watford didn’t budge, Alvarado exchanged a few words with him, and the two had to be separated.
Alvarado and 76ers coach Nick Nurse were both given technical fouls.
“He did a hard foul, but I think he did a little extra with the staring,” Alvarado said. “I’m just not gonna go for none of that. It was just in the moment. That’s when I’m at my best, I guess, getting a little active. It worked out in my favor.”
And it sparked the Knicks run that blew the game open and put them firmly in control.
After the incident, the Knicks outscored the 76ers by 15 points before Alvarado checked out in the second quarter to increase their lead from nine to 24 points.
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Alvarado scored nine of those 15 points with a trio of 3-pointers.
“He ignited us,” coach Mike Brown said, “in a lot of different ways.
It wasn’t a major fracas, but it was a bit of snarl that the Knicks were missing this year, one of the reasons they acquired Alvarado just ahead of the deadline.
It was a major contrast to their lack of response when Draymond Green grabbed Karl-Anthony Towns’ leg and dragged him down during the loss to the Warriors on Jan 15.
Now, though, the Knicks have an enforcer. Even if he’s generously listed at 6 feet.
Brown gives out a defensive player of the game afterward, and the recipient poses with a pair of Timberland boots, among other accessories, to represent a hard-nosed mentality.
It was fitting that Alvarado, who got the recognition Wednesday, was already wearing his own pair.
“That’s what we need,” Josh Hart said. “That’s what we want from him. Obviously that toughness, ability to help us get organized, ability to knock down shots. And defensively bring energy, bring physicality, get in the passing lanes, those kinds of things. That’s why he’s here.”
Alvarado’s dogged on-ball defending and toughness are what he’s known for. His offensive game is usually much more of a question mark.
But he was their unlikely leading scorer Wednesday, finishing with 26 points, almost all via 3-pointers.
Garbage time became Alvarado time, as he began toying with the 76ers during the fourth quarter, using his patented sneak attack to come up with steals while jacking up 3s on the other end. He hit four more 3s in that fourth quarter.
His 26 points and five steals were both season highs. He was a team-high plus-35 in just 19 minutes. His eight 3s tied a career high.
“I had it rolling,” Alvarado said. “I didn’t know I had eight [3s] — I should’ve made one more so I could break my tie.”
By the fourth quarter, the plethora of Knicks fans in attendance were chanting “Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose” and getting on their feet for every shot. A potentially key Knicks energizer has firmly arrived.
Spurs flip the switch, rally past Warriors 126-113 behind second half surge
For a half, it looked like the San Antonio Spurs might limp into the All-Star break. Instead, they stormed into it.
Behind a ferocious second-half turnaround and another poised performance from their young stars, the Spurs erased a 16-point 3rd quarter deficit and powered past the Golden State Warriors 126-113 on Wednesday night at Chase Center. The win extended San Antonio’s streak to six games and reinforced a growing belief around the league: this team is maturing fast.
The Spurs didn’t just win. They imposed themselves.
Golden State came out sharp, moving the ball and knocking down perimeter shots to seize early control. The Warriors dictated pace in the first quarter and maintained separation through much of the second, capitalizing on defensive lapses and pushing their lead into double digits.
San Antonio looked a step slow defensively and out of rhythm offensively. But there was no panic on the bench. No visible frustration. Just a steady pace.
The shift began midway through the third quarter. The Spurs ramped up their defensive intensity, cut off driving lanes and forced Golden State into tougher, contested looks. What had been comfortable Warriors possessions suddenly became rushed ones.
At the other end, San Antonio simplified its approach. The ball found the paint. Cuts became sharper. Screens hit harder. The Spurs began bullying their way inside — and the Warriors had no answer.
Fox ignited the comeback, finishing with 27 points and eight assists. He controlled tempo during a pivotal stretch late in the third quarter, slicing into the lane and knocking down pull-up jumpers that erased the deficit piece by piece. A deep jumper just before the buzzer capped a furious run and tied the game heading into the fourth.
That’s when Victor Wembanyama took over.
The 7-foot-4 franchise cornerstone delivered 26 points and nine rebounds, but his impact went beyond the stat sheet. Early in the fourth quarter, he altered two shots at the rim on consecutive possessions, then sprinted the floor for a alley-oop slam that sent the Spurs bench into a frenzy.
Moments later, he stepped out and buried a three-pointer. The sequence turned a tight contest into a Spurs advantage — and drained the building of its energy.
San Antonio outscored Golden State 32–19 in the final quarter, suffocating the Warriors with length and physicality. The Spurs dominated the glass down the stretch and repeatedly punished mismatches inside.
Keldon Johnson provided a crucial lift off the bench, scoring 21 points with aggressive drives and perimeter shots. His energy stabilized the rotation when the starters briefly rested and ensured the momentum never shifted back.
Golden State fought to stay within striking distance. Draymond Green flirted with a triple-double and battled relentlessly in the paint, while Moses Moody and De’Anthony Melton supplied scoring on the perimeter. But without sustained rhythm — and without Stephen Curry in uniform — the Warriors could not match San Antonio’s late-game execution.
The most impressive part of the Spurs’ performance wasn’t the scoring burst. It was the composure.
Early in the season, falling behind by 16 on the road might have unraveled this young group. On Wednesday, it sharpened them.
Defensive rotations tightened. Communication improved. Shot selection matured. The Spurs looked less like an upstart and more like a team learning how to win difficult games in hostile environments.
As the final minutes ticked away, the Spurs were hugging and clapping as Golden State dribbled out the clock. Another comeback. Another statement.
Now 38-16, San Antonio heads into the All-Star break with momentum and growing confidence. The offense is fluid. The defense is evolving. And the chemistry between Fox and Wembanyama is becoming one of the league’s most dangerous combinations.
For a team that once leaned heavily on potential, the Spurs are now leaning on results.
Wednesday night was proof: this group doesn’t fold when punched. It responds.
And increasingly, it finishes.
Portland plays Utah on 4-game road skid
Portland Trail Blazers (26-29, 10th in the Western Conference) vs. Utah Jazz (18-37, 13th in the Western Conference)
Salt Lake City; Thursday, 9 p.m. EST
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Trail Blazers -7.5; over/under is 237.5
BOTTOM LINE: Portland will try to break its four-game road losing streak when the Trail Blazers face Utah.
The Jazz have gone 10-24 against Western Conference teams. Utah ranks fifth in the Western Conference with 15.1 fast break points per game led by Lauri Markkanen averaging 3.2.
The Trail Blazers are 20-16 against conference opponents. Portland is 10-7 when it wins the turnover battle and averages 16.5 turnovers per game.
The Jazz average 118.3 points per game, equal to what the Trail Blazers allow. The Trail Blazers average 14.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.1 fewer made shots on average than the 15.5 per game the Jazz give up.
The teams square off for the third time this season. The Trail Blazers won the last meeting 137-117 on Jan. 6. Deni Avdija scored 33 points to help lead the Trail Blazers to the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Markkanen is averaging 26.7 points and seven rebounds for the Jazz. Isaiah Collier is averaging 15.6 points over the last 10 games.
Donovan Clingan is scoring 11.4 points per game and averaging 11.4 rebounds for the Trail Blazers. Toumani Camara is averaging 3.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Jazz: 3-7, averaging 114.5 points, 45.1 rebounds, 29.8 assists, 9.5 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 47.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.5 points per game.
Trail Blazers: 3-7, averaging 113.7 points, 48.6 rebounds, 25.6 assists, 7.6 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 45.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.5 points.
INJURIES: Jazz: Keyonte George: day to day (ankle), Walker Kessler: out for season (shoulder).
Trail Blazers: Matisse Thybulle: out (knee), Shaedon Sharpe: day to day (calf), Kris Murray: day to day (back), Damian Lillard: out for season (achilles).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Warriors vs. Spurs player grades: De’Anthony Melton, Draymond Green star in shorthanded loss
The Golden State Warriors played their final game before the All-Star break on Wednesday, and it went quite well. Unfortunately, we’re living what feels like uncharted territory for many Warriors fans after the dynasty, where a game can go “quite well” and still be a loss. A double-digit loss, even!
But that was the case on Wednesday. The Warriors were hosting one of the NBA’s best teams, the San Antonio Spurs, and they were doing so without Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler III, or Kristaps Porziņģis. But they entertained, and they led for much of the game, often by double-digits. About halfway through the third quarter, they ran out of steam against a significantly more-talented squad, and the Spurs quickly flipped things around, winning 126-113.
Let’s grade the players who took the court for Golden State, for the final time until the unofficial second half of the season. As always, grades are based on my expectations for each player, with a “B” grade representing the average performance for that player.
Note: True-shooting percentage (TS) is a scoring efficiency metric that accounts for threes and free throws. Entering Wednesday’s games, league-average TS was 58.0%.
Draymond Green
30 minutes, 17 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 turnovers, 4 fouls, 6-for-14 shooting, 2-for-8 threes, 3-for-4 free throws, 53.9% TS, -5
An absolutely throwback game from Draymond. We don’t see him play like this all that often anymore, especially when his career running-mate in Curry is sidelined. Green did it all in this game. He ran the offense masterfully, setting up his teammates with passes that were both technical and artistic. He contributed plenty of his own scoring, and was comfortably the leading rebounder for either team. And while Victor Wembanyama still got his, Dray played some beautiful defense on him, and made his life incredible hard. For a while it looked like the Dubs would pull off the upset, and Green was the biggest reason why.
Grade: A+
Post-game bonus: Led the team in rebounds and assists, tied for the team lead in points.
Gui Santos
30 minutes, 9 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals, 2 turnovers, 5 fouls, 4-for-11 shooting, 0-for-3 threes, 1-for-2 free throws, 37.9% TS, -1
It looks like Santos is going to get a chance to start for the rest of the year, and in doing so, he’ll get a chance to prove that he should be a key part of next year’s rotation. He certainly appears to be trending in that direction. There are still some young player lumps, as evidenced by this game: against an ultra-athletic, high-action team, Santos struggled both to score efficiently and to defend without fouling.
But the good far outweighs the bad. He is so active, and just always making things happen. His six assists were great, but he did just as much playmaking with his hockey assists and his screens. His defense, notwithstanding the fouls, was fantastic, as evidenced by the four steals … against one of the league’s best teams at taking care of the ball.
I have to give players a pass for not scoring well when Curry isn’t on the court. Turns out it’s very hard. Who knew! But Santos played very well.
Grade: A-
De’Anthony Melton
25 minutes, 17 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, 6-for-7 shooting, 5-for-6 free throws, 121.4% TS, +12
I don’t know much, but I do know this: Mike Dunleavy Jr. devotes a significant portion of each day to thinking about how he can ensure that Melton is on the team next season. At times the offense ran so well that you almost forgot Curry wasn’t out there, and that’s without even taking into account his Curry-esque shooting performance. He’s been the total package lately, and if he’s on the team next year, Steve Kerr will need to give some serious thought to the idea of having him be a full-time starter alongside Curry.
Grade: A+
Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in points, best plus/minus on the team.
Moses Moody
35 minutes, 17 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 fouls, 6-for-12 shooting, 3-for-8 threes, 2-for-2 free throws, 66.0% TS, -3
Moody’s performance mirrored the Warriors in this game. It started strong. It looked elite for a good while. And then it ran out of steam late in the game. Moody was an offensive force to be reckoned with early in the game, and played some strong defense as well. He seemed to run out of legs in the second half. He still played well overall, but he looks like he’s ready for the All-Star break.
Grade: B+
Post-game bonus: Tied for the team lead in points.
Pat Spencer
31 minutes, 9 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, 4-for-11 shooting, 0-for-2 threes, 1-for-2 free throws, 37.9% TS, -14
A fairly nondescript game from Spencer. He did some really good things with the ball in his hands, but at times looked overmatched, which isn’t abnormal when going up against super athletic squads.
Grade: B-
Al Horford
26 minutes, 6 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 3-for-7 shooting, 0-for-4 threes, 42.9% TS, -16
Horford has been on a tear lately, but this game was a little bit more pedestrian for him. Things probably would have looked a bit different if his three-point shot had fallen but, as it was, he didn’t have the all-around impact that we’re used to. Not his best work as a scorer, playmaker, or defensive player. But, not to sound ageist, that shouldn’t be too surprising with one of the league’s oldest players against one of the youngest and most athletic teams. Not a great matchup for him, especially without Curry.
Grade: C
Quinten Post
13 minutes, 12 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 fouls, 4-for-6 shooting, 3-for-5 threes, 1-for-2 free throws, 87.2% TS, +1
While Horford struggled, Golden State’s other center thrived. Things always look rosier when you make your threes, but it was a strong all-around game for Post, who made things happen all over the court.
Grade: A
Gary Payton II
14 minutes, 10 points, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, 4-for-11 shooting, 2-for-7 threes, 45.5% TS, -12
Payton was one of many player’s whose efficiency took a big hit by not having Curry around. But it’s hard to find much else to fault in his game. He was moving the ball all over the court, getting out in transition, and playing exceedingly annoying defense.
Grade: A-
Brandin Podziemski
36 minutes, 16 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 5-for-12 shooting, 1-for-4 threes, 5-for-5 free throws, 56.3% TS, -27
Podz got hit with a truly brutal plus/minus, which really is just a reflection of when he was on the court. He played very in control in this game, having just one turnover and one foul despite leading the team in minutes played. His offense was huge when he first came off the bench, and helped give Golden State control early. He couldn’t stop the bleeding when he was on the court in the second half, but he wasn’t really the problem, either.
Grade: B+
Post-game bonus: Worst plus/minus on the team
Wednesday’s inactives: Jimmy Butler III, LJ Cryer, Seth Curry, Steph Curry, Malevy Leons, Kristaps Porziņģis, Will Richard
Freddie Dilione V scores 16, Penn State beats Washington 63-60
SEATTLE (AP) — Freddie Dilione V scored 16 points, Josh Reed added 14, and Penn State beat Washington 63-60 on Wednesday night.
Kayden Mingo had 13 points and Eli Rice scored 13 for Penn State.
The Nittany Lions (11-14, 2-12 Big Ten) had lost back-to-back games and 10 of their last 11.
Franck Kepnang was called for goaltending on a layup by Mingo to give the Nittany Lions a 61-59 lead with 1:22 left in the game. Zoom Diallo’s short jumper rolled on the rim before falling out, Mingo missed the front end of a 1-and-1 and Hannes Steinbach split a pair of free throws before Rice hit two foul shots to cap the scoring with 20.1 remaining.
Wesley Yates III missed a potential tying 3-point shot at the buzzer.
Steinbach had 19 points and 14 rebounds and extended his program record for double-doubles by a freshman to 16, the second most in the Big Ten since the 1996-97 season. Isaiah Stewart set the previous Huskies' record of 14 in 2019-20 and Ohio State's Jared Sulliger had 18 double-doubles in 2010-11.
Yates added 11 points on 5-of-15 shooting for Washington (12-13, 4-10), which has lost three games in a row and seven of nine.
Kepnang threw down a dunk that gave the Huskies a two-point lead with 2:44 to play, but the went 0 for 3 from the field and committed two turnovers from there.
Up next
Penn State: Plays Saturday at Oregon.
Washington: Hosts Minnesota on Saturday.
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