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The next few weeks will be a joy. Can the San Antonio Spurs catch the Thunder atop the West? Can the Phoenix Suns escape the Play-In Tournament?

My Suns vs. Spurs predictions expect San Antonio to start the season’s homestretch with aggression, one of many NBA picks for Thursday, February 19.

Suns vs Spurs prediction

Suns vs Spurs best bet: Spurs -7.5 (-110)

Predicting results immediately after the All-Star Break can be an exercise in educated guessing. But looking at the NBA standings, it should be clear that the San Antonio Spurs have an opportunity in front of them, sitting only three games behind the Thunder for the No. 1 seed in the West.

The Phoenix Suns were already stumbling heading into the break, losing three of four both outright and against the spread. It would be bold to assume those mistakes turned into focus during the weeklong break.

Suns vs Spurs same-game parlay

Devin Booker has played only two games in three weeks. He is not in rhythm, and that will become an issue against the Spurs’ length. Those misses should lead to transition opportunities for Victor Wembanyama to capitalize on.

Suns vs Spurs SGP

• Spurs -7.5
• Devin Booker Under 25.5 points
• Victor Wembanyama Over 22.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Spurring on the offense

San Antonio’s last five games before the All-Star Break all went Over their totals.

Suns vs Spurs SGP

• Spurs -7.5
• Devin Booker Under 25.5 points
• Victor Wembanyama Over 22.5 points
• Over 229.5

Suns vs Spurs odds

• Spread: Suns +7.5 (-110) | Spurs -7.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Suns +235 | Spurs -290
• Over/Under: Over 229.5 (-110) | Under 229.5 (-110)

Suns vs Spurs betting trend to know

The Spurs not only cashed five straight Overs before the All-Star Break, but did so by an average of 18.9 points per game. Find more NBA betting trends for Suns vs. Spurs.

How to watch Suns vs Spurs

Suns vs Spurs latest injuries

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Our NBA player prop projections are back for Wednesday’s showdown, and the model has circled a few player props worth your attention.

We ran the numbers, compared projections to the posted lines, and found the spots where there’s actual breathing room.

In these Celtics vs. Warriors predictions, we’re not guessing — we’re leaning on data.

If you’re building out your card, these are the NBA picks the system says have value on February 19.

Celtics vs Warriors computer picks for February 19

Celtics	Warriors
Queta o6.5 points -105	Green o8.5 points  -105
Pritchard o3.5 rebounds -125	Porzingis o12.5 points -105
Brown o4.5 assists  +122	Santos u4.5 rebounds  -112

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Celtics computer picks

Neemias Queta Over 6.5 points (-105)

Projection: 8.5 points

Neemias Queta doesn’t need plays drawn up for him; he scores off effort. Dump-offs, put-backs, and rim runs add up fast if he sees mid-20s minutes. The projection has him comfortably clearing this, and 6.5 is still a role-player number, not a featured-minutes number.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Queta Now at bet365!/span

Payton Pritchard Over 3.5 rebounds (-125)

Projection: 4.5 rebounds

Payton Pritchard crashes hard for a guard and benefits from long rebounds off perimeter-heavy games. He plays enough minutes and stays active enough to clear four more often than not. The projection gives him a full-board cushion over this line.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Pritchard Now at bet365!/span

Jaylen Brown Over 4.5 assists (+122)

Projection: 4.7 assists

Jaylen Brown is averaging 4.7 assists per game, which already clears this number. You’re getting plus money on a line that sits below his season average. With the ball in his hands consistently and his usage steady, this is asking him to simply be himself — not have a spike game.

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---

Warriors computer picks

Draymond Green Over 8.5 points (-105)

Projection: 9.5 points

Draymond Green doesn’t need volume to clear this number. Between transition buckets, short-roll finishes, and the occasional open three, he usually stumbles into double digits when the minutes are there. This line is modest, and the projection gives him a full point of cushion.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Green Now at bet365!/span

Kristaps Porzingis Over 12.5 points (-105)

Projection: 14.0 points

When Kristaps Porzingis is healthy and involved, 13 points is a low bar. He can get there with a few post touches, pick-and-pop looks, and trips to the line. The projection leans comfortably Over, and this number hasn’t fully adjusted to his scoring role.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Porzingis Now at bet365!/span

Gui Santos Under 5.5 rebounds (-112)

Projection: 4.8 rebounds

Gui Santos would need above-average minutes or an outlier rebounding game to get to six. His role fluctuates, and he’s not a primary glass-crasher when the regular rotation is intact. The projection keeps him safely below this number.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Santos Now at bet365!/span

How to watch Celtics vs Warriors tonight

Location	Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Date	Thursday, February 19, 2026
Tip-off	10:00 p.m. ET
TV	Prime Video

Not intended for use in MA.
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Cooper Flagg has set yet another record.

A jersey the Dallas Mavericks phenom wore in his NBA debut earlier this season sold privately this month for $1 million, auction house Sotheby’s announced Thursday.

The price tag makes it not only the most expensive Flagg memorabilia to date, but also the costliest jersey ever sold through NBA Auctions, besting the $762,000 figure Victor Wembanyama’s rookie-debut threads netted in 2023, Sotheby’s added.

Flagg donned the white-and-blue uni on Oct. 22, when the Mavericks faced the Spurs at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

The former Duke star, who was just 18 years old at the time, played 32 minutes and scored 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting. He added 10 rebounds and one steal. The Mavericks got blown out, 125–92.

Flagg went on to have a stellar first half of the season, averaging 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists per contest in 49 games before the NBA’s All-Star break.

“The $1 million result for Cooper Flagg’s rookie debut jersey is a powerful testament to the
significance collectors place on true ‘first moments’ in sport,” said Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of modern collectables.

“This jersey captures the very beginning of a special career, one carrying huge expectations and excitement.”

Several other rookie debut jerseys, including ones worn by 76ers guard V.J. Edgecombe, Hornets guard Kon Knueppel and Spurs guard Dylan Harper, will go up for sale in an “NBA Rookie Debut Auction” next month, Sotheby’s said.

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Heading into the season, the Philadelphia 76ers had a gargantuan-sized hole at the power forward position.

With limited avenues available in offseason free agency based on the team’s salary cap situation, Daryl Morey sought to spackle over the hole by signing Trendon Watford to a minimum contract and bringing in a couple of two-way contract signings, Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker. Watford has been productive at times after being slow out of the gate due to injury, while Walker has exceeded expectations in his own right, recently signing a standard NBA contract.

However, Barlow, who also has since been awarded a standard deal with the Sixers, proved to be the true diamond in the rough.

The 6-foot-9 forward has made 36 starts across 43 appearances for Philadelphia this season. His averages of 8.5 points and 5.0 rebounds don’t jump off the page, but as a “doing the little things All-Star,” Dominick was integral to the Sixers exceeding expectations heading into the All-Star break.

Barlow fits as the perfect glue guy alongside the team’s high-usage stars. While he does have some off-the-dribble game, he does most of his damage without the ball in his hands, whether setting screens, spotting up in the corner, or lurking in the dunker spot. Barlow’s 10 offensive rebounds against the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this month were a perfect encapsulation of how he causes damage when the opposing defense takes their eyes off him to focus on his higher-profile teammates.

Defensively, Barlow is a Swiss-army knife, with great length and the ability to fluidly switch on the perimeter. While he’s not a prodigious shot blocker, Nick Nurse has still occasionally turned to small-ball lineups with Barlow at the five. There’s a lot of value in someone able to competently defend across multiple positions, particularly within Nurse’s defensive scheme.

If you had to rank reasons for the Sixers’ success thus far, it’s probably Tyrese Maxey jumping from All-Star to All-NBA, Joel Embiid and (pre-suspension) Paul George having better than expected health, VJ Edgecombe being an absolute stud the minute he stepped on an NBA court, and then Barlow. Barlow went from a two-way player to someone who they needed to sign to a standard NBA contract so badly that they just had to trade away a second-year former lottery pick in Jared McCain (that’s not true at all, but it’s crazy from the Barlow perspective that the team used that spin for it).

Is Barlow a perfect player? No, you’d like to have him shoot better than 28.6 percent from three, for starters. But after having genuine stars, having legitimate starters on minimum-salary contracts is probably the most beneficial contribution to a roster build. He may not get mentioned much by media outside the Delaware Valley when discussing the Sixers as a fun story this season, but Barlow should be right alongside the better names when singing this team’s praises.

Knicks basketball is back as New York takes on Detroit for a third and final time this season.

The Pistons won the first two meetings easily, but they have their two brutes—Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart—suspended for Thursday.

Knicks, please.

Mike Brown

On the losses to the Pistons ahead of Thursday’s matchup:

“Yeah it should. They didn’t just win the game. They beat us pretty bad. So for us, I don’t want to say this game is more important than the next game. Every game is extremely important, but there comes a certain point when you’re in competition. If wins and losses are as lopsided as those two losses, that should shake you up a little bit. At the end of the day, we win tomorrow or win the next two games or however many games we play them, that doesn’t necessarily guarantee come playoff time or vice-versa. I’m a firm believer that I’ve been around this thing too long enough to see some teams go 0-4 and still win the series and some teams go 3-4 and still win the series. So that part doesn’t matter, it’s just about how the first two games turned out for us.”

On the need for evaluating Sochan before the playoffs:

“[Sochan] knows the league. The league knows him. He knows the officials and vice-versa, so they’re gonna get an opportunity, but at the end of the day, I’m gonna play who I think is best for us and right now, Jeremy, he hadn’t played for us, so I’ve gotta see — rather quickly — what we have in him before getting to the playoffs.”

On new lineup combinations and Sochan’s fit:

“When we put our rotation together, I try to think of how the group on the floor fits for a lot of different reasons, not just because this guy is a high-level shooter and this guy is not a high level shooter, but can this center play with this power forward? Can this guard play with this guard in terms of being able to bring the ball and handle against pressure? So there are a lot of different–does this group have enough guys that can go defensive rebound? So I try to look at a lot of different combinations when it comes to putting them together or the pros and cons of the individuals when it comes to putting the individuals together, and it’ll be no different with Jeremy or Jose at the end of the day.”

On Sochan’s size and versatility:

“When you look at Jeremy, you like his size right off the bat, especially for a four. OG is of that size but nobody else really is of that size. And you look at the versatility, over the years, he’s been able to guard one through five, and so to have that versatility on that end of the floor is huge, especially if OG’s out. We’re a lot smaller if OG or Josh or they both are out. And then [Jeremy’s] energy, his physicality, all those things that don’t necessarily show up in a stat sheet in my opinion are welcomed by any team.”

On missing OG Anunoby’s presence:

“At that size and skill set, you always miss that when he’s out. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter who’s in uniform. You’ve gotta go try and play the right way to win but it’s good to see him back on the floor for sure.”

On Sochan’s expected role:

“I’m not sure how many minutes I’m going to play him, but I plan on trying to use him. And hopefully we get to a point where he’s versatile enough to play one through five for us.”

On Mo Diawara’s future with Sochan in tow:

“Mo’s had a good season so far. As a young guy… and, as you guys know, I’ll play young guys. I have played young guys in front of vets before. But I’m going to give Jeremy an opportunity.”

On Landry Shamet as a true professional:

“When you think of a (true professional), you think on time. When you tell him something, he always looks you in the eye, always trying to correct things. Always playing hard. Never making excuses. Sacrificing for his teammates. Always thinking team first. He can play two minutes, come out and be OK. Or he can play 30 minutes in a row, come out and be OK. The maintenance aspect isn’t there. He’s always connected to the group, trying to help others be connected and his competitive spirit is off the charts. He believes in his teammates and the process. He wants to be held accountable. All those things bode well for having someone like (Shamet) on your team.”

Jeremy Sochan

On struggling with his diminishing role in San Antonio:

“Yeah, it’s tough. In my whole career, I’ve never been sitting on the bench and getting DNPs [did not play, coach’s decision]. You go through a process of questioning why or what’s happening. It can get stressful. But at the end of the day, I came from England, where basketball’s not big. I know my worth. I know what I can bring to the team, and I’m blessed that the organization here has seen that.”

On a fresh start in New York:

“I’m super excited to get a fresh slate and show what I can do.”

On what he brings to the Knicks:

“[I bring] energy, the kind of mold that coach has been doing and what the Knicks have been doing and what he wants from me, I feel I can really excel in. I bring versatility, defense, energy, a little bit of that nasty, so I can’t wait.”

On the lack of opportunity in San Antonio:

“Just no real opportunity, in my opinion. And it is what it is. It’s a very deep team. And maybe I didn’t see eye to eye with Coach, and Coach didn’t see anything I could do for the team. And it is what it is. And I’m just blessed to be in an opportunity where I can grow and blossom.”

On choosing New York as a free agent:

“We’ve talked a lot and it’s just seizing whatever opportunity I can get. And I think one of the reasons I picked New York is it’s a really deep roster, a lot of really talented players. I think it’s a pretty cool opportunity to watch and grow from that too. I think I’m still young, too. So just being around players who have established themselves and have done a lot of stuff in this league is a crazy opportunity for me. … I do believe in myself and I do believe I can do well on the court, too. But I do look at it in the bigger picture. And what’s happening here, I think I can be a part of it.”

On the NYC culture:

“Very excited. The culture here, at the Knicks and New York in general, is crazy and very global. And I feel like I’m global, too. So I’m just super excited to be here and just grow with this city and the club.”

On his versatility and level of effort:

“I’m versatile. I can do a little bit of everything, so whatever coach wants me to do, you know, whatever gets me on the court, I’m gonna do it and I’m gonna do it 100 percent.”

On always being himself on court amid comparisons to Draymond Green:

“At the end of the day, I wanna be Jeremy. I wanna be myself. … I bring versatility, defense, energy, a little bit of tenacity, so I can’t wait.”

On fitting Mike Brown’s plans:

“I think I embody what Mike Brown is asking from his players. I’m a quick learner, so I think I’ve been doing pretty well… The way I view everything is team-first. I’m always gonna be there for my teammates on and off the court. I’m bringing energy, positive vibes and I think that’s the most important thing – consistency. Whether that’s on the court, off the court, I’m gonna be myself every time.”

Jalen Brunson

On Knicks lacking intangibles compared to last season:

“We’re very gifted. We’re very talented. But we need the little things that help us be better, the intangibles. We got to that point last year where we had it. We don’t have it right now.”

On his contract sacrifice and future expectations:

“If I’m thinking about playing well to make sure I get paid, that could mess with me. I play best when I have a free mind, and that did that for me. A lot of people say I sacrificed for the team. One hundred percent, I sacrificed for the team. But most importantly, I made sure my family and I are taken care of. … Obviously, we’d love for them to do right by me. I think anyone would. I feel like I sacrificed.”

On regular season vs. playoffs:

“I don’t look at regular-season games as a barometer because, come playoffs, it’s a different basketball game. Especially when you talk about a seven-game series. I’ve been with different teams that went to the Finals or played deep in the playoffs that lost the season series to teams and still won in the playoffs.”

On the meaning of true professionalism:

“It should be. It’s not as common (as you would think). It’s more than showing up every day. If you’re doing the bare minimum, you’re not a true professional.”

On Shamet’s value around the league:

“He’s also a big asset. He does a lot for the teams he’s on, and other teams see that. It’s who he has been. I’ve seen that from afar playing against him, and it’s even better when you’re playing with him.”

OG Anunoby

On his toenail injury and recovering from it:

“I’m not for sure exactly how or what led up to it, but I had it removed. It’s getting better each day. It’s not even 2 weeks yet. But it’s healing and each day, it’s getting better and better. I have no toenail. I don’t know when it’ll grow back.”

Josh Hart

On Shamet as an example in today’s NBA:

“People come in and they have to learn to be professionals. Depending on where you get drafted to, it can take two, three or four years, especially if you don’t have a good vet. With how things are shaking out now, there’s a lot less vets on teams to hold guys accountable. It’s (rarer) now, and (Shamet) is a great example of that.”

Currently, the Washington Wizards are one of the worst teams in the NBA standings. It is no secret that they are trying to get a high pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Meanwhile, the NBA itself is looking to deter teams from tanking for long periods of time. One possible idea of it is by creating a tournament among lottery teams where the winner of the tournament gets the top pick in the draft.

TrillBroDude, SB Nation’s NBA “Feed” administrator, originally wrote a post last week which had some good feedback. In particular, Gaboshyn had a solid comment which I will quote an excerpt below.

As far as I can tell, the NBA is discussing these three actions:

• Limiting Draft Pick Protections: The league is looking to limit protections on traded first-round picks to only top-four or top-14 (and higher), eliminating the “middle” protections that encourage teams to lose just enough to land in a specific, protected spot.
• Prohibiting Back-to-Back Top-Four Picks: A proposal to stop teams from drafting in the top four in consecutive years, which would reduce the incentive for multi-year “tank-athons”.
• Locking Lottery Positions Early: The NBA is considering locking in lottery positions based on the standings as of March 1. This would prevent teams from dropping in the standings—and increasing their lottery odds—by sitting players in the final month of the season. 

It’s clear that the NBA wants to curb tanking to the extent possible. And here’s my take on a tournament, draft protections, etc.

• On a tournament: The worst team in the NBA will be among the least talented as well. I don’t see a tournament being fair to those teams who will likely have a lower pick and get punished for being bad AND not have the talented enough to win either.
• Draft pick protections on trades: This is a fair move to make.
• Prohibiting back-to-back Top 4 picks: I think Top 4 may be a bit too restrictive. But I can see teams being prohibited from a Top 2 pick for consecutive years.
• Locking lottery positions early: Locking the positions by a certain date sounds good in theory, but then teams that are looking to tank will tank even harder in the first several months of the season. Not sure the records of such teams will improve very much after Mar. 1 or whatever arbitrary date they settle on.

I liked the responses from the Feed post and provided some more thoughts. Anyway, do you have more opinions on this? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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Thankfully, the NBA returns to action following the All-Star break with a big 10 games on the schedule for hungry basketball bettors to dig into, and I’m double-dipping on some big swings in tonight’s action.

I’m backing a pair of big men who have played limited minutes lately but who should be primed for big performances coming out of the break.

Those and more NBA picks for Thursday, February 26 below.

Best NBA player props today

Player	Pick
Kelly Oubre Jr.	Over 5.5 rebounds	+110
Jakob Poeltl	Double-double	+625
Nikola Vucevic	Double-double	+195

Prop #1: Kelly Oubre Jr. Over 5.5 Rebounds

+110 at bet365

The Atlanta Hawks have a great rebounder in All-Star Jalen Johnson. However, the Hawks are not a particularly strong rebounding team. They aren’t even a mediocre one. 

The Hawks own the fourth-worst rebounding rate and surrender the fifth-highest opponent rebounds per game. That means I’m fading them with a Philadelphia 76ers rebounding prop.

My favorite on the board is Kelly Oubre Jr. The Sixers’ wing pulled down 5.7 rebounds per game over his last seven games heading into the break. His number is at 5.5, a number he’s topped four times in that seven-game stretch.

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: FanDuel Sports Network Southeast-Atlanta, NBCSP

Prop #2: Jakob Poeltl Double-Double

+625 at bet365

If Jakob Poeltl isn’t a full go for the Toronto Raptors by now, he might never be. 

The Raps' big man played 20 minutes in his return from injury, going for nine points and six rebounds against the Detroit Pistons.

Now, he’s even more rested and gets a great matchup against the Chicago Bulls. Chicago plays really small these days, thanks to injuries and trading away Nikola Vucevic. 

The Bulls surrender the fourth-most points in the paint per game this season and are 28th in rebounding rate over the last five games.

This sets up well for a classic Jak attack.

• Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: SportsNet, CHSN

Prop #3: Nikola Vucevic Double-Double

+195 at bet365

Speaking of Vucevic, while he isn’t starting for the Boston Celtics, he’s still having the same impact if he were, and is as efficient as he’s ever been. 

Vucevic is averaging 13.7 points and 9.7 rebounds playing 26 minutes per game as a member of the Celtics. He’s also recorded two double-doubles in three games with his new team, and I’m betting he gets another tonight.

He faces the Golden State Warriors, whose best interior presence is still Draymond Green. The Dubs now rank 23rd in rebounding rate. Vuc should clean the glass while hitting double digits in the scoring column.

• Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Prime Video

These props are available now at bet365, one of our best betting sites.

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TheCeltics are signing Dalano Banton and John Tonje to Ten-Day contracts, upping their total number of rostered players to 14. 

And, if both of those names sound familiar, it’s because they are. 

John Tonje was recently added to the Celtics’ roster on a two-way contract with Boston after being acquired ahead of the trade deadline (in the cost-cutting move that sent Chris Boucher to the Utah Jazz).

Dalanto Banton, meanwhile, returns to Boston after spending most of the past two years with the Portland Trail Blazers. Banton was initially on the Celtics team that won the NBA title in 2024, but he was traded to Portland ahead of the trade deadline and finished out the year with the Trail Blazers. 

Let’s take a look at each player, what they could bring to Boston – and why the Celtics made these moves. 

First – why did the Celtics sign two players to Ten-Day contracts?

As most readers probably know, the Celtics got below the luxury tax line ahead of the trade deadline, after trading Anfernee Simons to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Nikola Vucevic, and salary-dumping Chris Boucher (to the Utah Jazz), Xavier Tillman (to the Charlotte Hornets), and Josh Minott (to the Brooklyn Nets). 

But, they also only had 12 players on the roster, and teams can only carry fewer than 14 players for up to 14 days at a time – and fewer than 28 total days. 

So, on February 19th, the Celtics had no choice but to add two players. In March, they can go back to 12 players in order to stay below the tax line, but eventually they’ll have to carry a full, 14-player roster again. 

Utilizing ten-day contracts allows the Celtics remain below the tax – something that multiple people around the team have stressed is not a mandate from ownership. 

What Dalano Banton brings to the Celtics 

Banton has played for six different NBA teams since being drafted 46th overall in 2021. He’s a 6’8 guard who can score in a variety of ways, but has never been particularly efficient (for his career, Banton has shot 40.3% from the field and 30.4% from three-point range). 

But his shooting has trended upwards of late, and he’s had several pretty successful stints in recent years. 

Banton spent the first two years of his career with the Toronto Raptors, who drafted him, before joining the Celtics. That season, he appeared in 24 games for the Celtics, averaging 7 minutes a night as a member of the Stay Ready crew. 

He was traded to Portland at the midseason trade deadline, where he almost immediately began playing the best basketball of his professional career, averaging 16.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in Portland for the remainder of that season. 

Amid that hot stretch in 2024, Derrick White praised Banton’s play.

“He’s always been talented,” White said. “A guy who can score the ball in many different ways. He’s getting a chance to show that for everybody else. It’s good to see him going out there, being aggressive, and showing the world what he can do. The NBA is kind of tough, where you’re at, your role, and your opportunity. He was always working hard – and he was ready for it.”

Banton returned to the Trail Blazers last season and was once again in the rotation, but with a more reduced role, averaging 8.3 points and 2.4 assists in 16.7 minutes per game. 

This year, he is having a standout season in the G League, averaging 23.7 points, 5.9 assists, and 3.4 rebounds for the Texas Legends, the Dallas Mavericks’ G League affiliate. He signed one ten-day contract with the Los Angeles Clippers on February 8th, and appeared in two games (totalling 10 minutes) ahead of the All-Star break. 

Now, Banton returns to Boston, where he still has fans almost two years later. The former Nebraska star will reunite with Joe Mazzulla and the rest of the Celtics coaching staff – as well as several old teammates from the Celtics’ championship team: Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, Neemias Queta, and Jordan Walsh. 

With Anfernee Simons no longer on the roster, Banton could serve as an emergency ball-handler for the Celtics in the wake of injury. He’s also someone the Celtics know and trust won’t be a negative in the locker room, something that Brad Stevens has routinely stressed is critical. 

Newly-acquired two-way player John Tonje also gets a Ten-Day 

John Tonje, who was drafted 53rd overall in June, has been a standout for the Salt Lake City Stars this season, averaging 18 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game. 

That came on the heels of a big-time NCAA Tournament run with the Wisconsin Badgers, in which he averaged 19.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Before Wisconsin, he spent four seasons at Colorado State and one year in Missouri.

And before that? Tonje was teammates with Baylor Scheierman, playing for the since-shuttered Omaha Sports Academy. 

In two games since arriving in Maine, Tonje is averaging 25 points and 5.5 rebounds, shooting 42.5% from the field. 

What Banton and Tonje’s futures hold in Boston remains to be seen, but both guards have the opportunity to play on the second-best team in the Eastern Conference.

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Georgia linebackers Chris Cole and Darren Ikinnagbon were arrested on misdemeanor charges of speeding and reckless driving by Athens-Clarke County Police on Wednesday night.

According to jail records, Cole was booked at 9:59 p.m. and released on $26 bail at 10:39 p.m. Ikinnagbon, also charged with following too closely, was booked at 10:27 p.m. and released on $39 bail at 11:08 p.m.

Georgia told The Associated Press on Thursday the school is aware of the charges and gathering information.

“As this is an ongoing legal matter, we will not be providing further comment at this time," the school's statement reads.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart addressed his frustration last season in trying to put an end to driving offenses by players. Georgia had three players leave the program following arrests on driving offenses last season.

The issue took on heightened importance when a crash killed a player and a recruiting staffer in January 2023, shortly after the team celebrated its second straight national championship. Offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy were killed in the crash.

Wide receiver Nitro Tuggle and offensive lineman Marques Easley were suspended from the team on March 20, 2025, atter Tuggle’s arrest for speeding and reckless driving. They eventually left the program.

Also, offensive lineman Nyier Daniels was dismissed from the team on Nov. 24, 2025, following his arrest on multiple charges resulting from a high-speed police chase in the city of Commerce, near Athens.

Cole ranked fourth on the team with 59 tackles and second with seven tackles for losses, including 4.5 sacks, as a sophomore last season. Ikinnagbon appeared in five games and had two tackles as a freshman.

___

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Connecticut men's basketball held a moment of silence for the late mother of Creighton's Josh Dix ahead of the teams' Big East game on Wednesday, Feb. 18.

Dix paid the No. 5-ranked Huskies back by scoring 13 of his 21 points in the second half to lead the Bluejays to a 91-84 upset victory in Storrs, Connecticut. The massive performance from Dix came two weeks after his mother died from colon cancer.

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"I really respect this university for doing that and thinking of my mom," Dix said, via ESPN. "I know she would greatly appreciate it. I know she saw that."

Creighton had lost to UConn by 27 points (85-58) on Jan. 31, the game before Dix's mother died. The Bluejays were heavy underdogs on the road on Feb. 18, but were able to find a way to hand the Huskies their first conference home loss of the season.

"That locker room is still healing, and they needed a shot in the arm," Creighton coach Greg McDermott said after the game. "We have been through a lot as a group; we've shed a lot of tears, and they needed something like this. It's a great win for us. I'm not sure I've ever been prouder of a group."

Dix, a transfer from Iowa, has averaged 12.3 points per game for Creighton this season. He did not score and went 0-for-6 from the field in the previous game against the Huskies. Along with the 21 points — which came on 6-of-10 shooting, including 3-of-4 from 3 — Dix also added eight rebounds on Feb. 18.

"I couldn't do it alone," Dix said. "My family, my teammates, my coaches, they all stick by my side. I try not to be alone; I try to be around people who want to see you do well.

"Basketball brings a lot of joy to a lot of people, so that kind of takes your mind of a lot of stuff. They have meant a lot, something like this can either separate you or get you closer to your teammates. They have all been by my side. The last couple of weeks haven't been easy, but they stuck by my side."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Josh Dix, Creighton upset UConn, 2 weeks after star's mother's death

Why Celtics signed two players to 10-day deals, and what comes next originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

As the Boston Celtics emerge from the NBA All-Star break, all eyes will be on Jayson Tatum as he gears up for a (potential) return.

But the Celtics also did some end-of-the-roster shuffling Thursday that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Boston officially signed two players to 10-day contracts: free agent Dalano Banton and recently-acquired two-way player John Tonje. With those moves, the Celtics now have 14 players on their active roster and two players on two-way deals (Ron Harper Jr. and Max Shulga), with one open NBA roster spot and one open two-way spot.

Why are Brad Stevens and Co. handing out 10-day contracts instead of pursuing bigger names on the buyout market? The likely explanation boils down to one word: money.

Let’s break it down:

Why Celtics made these moves now

By rule, NBA teams can’t have fewer than 14 players on their roster for more than two weeks at a time. The Celtics were at 12 players exactly two weeks ago — the day of the NBA trade deadline — after a flurry of moves that sent out Anfernee Simons, Josh Minott, Xavier Tillman and Chris Boucher and helped them dip under the luxury tax. (More on that shortly.)

So, the C’s had to add two players to their roster Thursday no matter what, which explains the timing of these moves.

Financial implications of Celtics’ moves

Boston was barely under the luxury tax coming out the All-Star break — roughly $1 million below the $187.9 million threshold. So, if the team’s goal is to remain under that threshold for the rest of the season, even signing a player on the buyout market for the veteran minimum wouldn’t be feasible.

Enter the 10-day contract. Per NBA salary cap analyst Yossi Gozlan, Banton’s deal will cost the Celtics less than $132,000, while Tonje’s deal is for just $73,000, since he was converted from a two-way deal.

In theory, the C’s could continue this pattern — let the 10-day contracts of Banton and Tonje expire, spend a full two weeks with fewer than 14 players, sign two more players to 10-day contracts, go another two weeks with fewer than 14 players, etc. — for the rest of the season to spend as little as possible and stay under the tax.

The Celtics also can promote one of their two-way players (likely Harper) to an NBA deal, which would be prorated for the rest of the season.

The upshot? These moves could be the first step in Boston playing musical chairs with the back end of its roster to stay under the luxury tax.

What are the benefits of staying under the luxury tax?

So, why are the Celtics seemingly jumping through so many hoops to duck under the tax?

As Stevens insisted after the deadline, there’s no mandate from ownership to be below the luxury tax; the C’s were simply taking advantage of an opportunity they “didn’t think would be there” after trading Simons to Chicago in return for Nikola Vucevic.

The benefits of getting below the tax line involve resetting the NBA’s repeater tax, which forces teams to pay multiples on the dollar (starting at $2.50 for every $1) for player contracts. The Celtics have been in the repeater tax for the last several seasons, resulting in massive payrolls that will become even more prohibitive the longer they stay in the luxury tax.

Teams can “reset” those repeater taxes by finishing under the luxury tax in at least two of the next four seasons. So, if Boston stays under the luxury tax this season and next season, it can return to paying normal salary rates as soon as the 2027 offseason.

This may not sound particularly exciting. But that financial flexibility could allow the Celtics to spend big in 2027 free agency to build the latest version of a contender around Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown — all while remaining a legitimate contender in the interim.

After a few days off, NBA basketball is back. The Brooklyn Nets were off for NBA festivities last weekend and return to action hoping to speed through the rest of the regular season. When we last saw them, they blew an 18 point lead and lost to the Indiana Pacers on February 12.

The opponent tonight is trying to break into the top tier. The Cleveland Cavaliers are trying to get back to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2018. They’re within striking distance of the No. 2 seed and helped the cause after beating up the Washington Wizards on February 11. They’re on a five game winning streak.

Where to follow the game

YES Network on TV. Gotham Sports on streaming. WFAN on radio. Tip after 7 PM.

🤕 Injuries

Nic Claxton sprained his ankle at practice on February 18. He’s out tonight. Josh Minott, newly acquired from the Celtics at the deadline, is with Long Island as is Ben Saraf and the three two-ways. They’re playing at noon today in Birmingham vs. the Pelicans’ G Leaguers, the Squadron. Game can be seen on the G League website.

No Max Strus or Nae’Quan Tomlin.

🏀 The game

Cleveland won the first meeting in October.

Without Claxton, the Nets will turn to Day’ron Sharpe in the starting five. Sharpe has shown himself to be a more than capable big in the NBA and will start for as long as Clax is out. He’ll be matched up on the inside with our old friend Jarrett Allen. Like many of the Cavs, Allen is going to need to exceed expectations in the postseason if they want to get to their first Conference Finals without LeBron James on the team since 1992. Allen and Evan Mobley are tasked with owning the boards and finishing at the rim.

Nolan Traore will get a workout tonight. He’ll be matched up with the amazing Donovan Mitchell and will do what he can to slow him down. Mitchell is one of the leaders in drives to the rim per game and is still one of the game’s best finishers at the rim. Put it all together and it equals a career best 29 points per game on the season. For Traore, games like this will serve as a great measure of his growth and push him to be even better going forward.

This is the first leg of a back-to-back for the Nets. When they’re done, they immediately head out for a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night. The schedule makers certainly aren’t making it easy on the Nets, that’s for sure.

And with this being the first leg of the b2b, Michael Porter Jr will play tonight. MPJ has been out since February 7 with right knee tendinitis. The rest should do him plenty of good and the Nets will turn to him to make things happen against this Cavs defense. In all likelihood he’ll sit in Oklahoma City so there shouldn’t be too many restrictions on him tonight. MPJ scored 31 points in the first meeting between these teams way back in October, and Jordi Fernandez will look to

👀 Player to watch: James Harden

Hey, we know him! James Harden was doing well with the LA Clippers as they surged back up the standings. However, they weren’t going to give him a contract extension, so he left and is here. Somebody got to asking James about loyalty, and here’s what he had to say:

There’s that.

On the court, Harden hopes to be the last piece to a championship puzzle for Kenny Atkinson and friends. A big midseason move like this causes everyone to make some changes so the team is comfortable with the new reality. How have the Cavs been doing on that front? Pretty well, so far. From Brendon Ulen of Fear the Sword:

“We have already seen him play faster with the Cavs. But will he move more off-ball? Will he keep the defense in rotation, or will he let it reset and probe it himself when the ball returns to him? If he allows defensive resets, will this mute the impact of the motion-related leaps Jaylon Tyson and Merrill have made? These are all open questions.

The Cavs could attempt to exclusively play their motion-heavy style and fit James in. The man can do it if he chooses. They could also embrace Harden-ball and effectively run two systems, switching between them based on personnel and situation, especially when Harden is on the floor without Mitchell. One system or two? The correct answer to this question is unknown. Having a clear approach is critical though. The Cavs have the rest of the regular season to figure out what they believe is best.“

This is a make-or-break season for a lot of the Cavaliers, and Harden’s play will determine a lot about what Cleveland’s future will look like.

Egor Dёmin is back from Los Angeles and an appearance in the Rising Stars game. Being in the game was a great opportunity for Dёmin to rub shoulders with some of the game’s brightest young stars and show that he belongs. With the Nets looking to the future, Egor has show that he will be a big part of it. The Cavs allow teams to shoot 37.2% from three point range, third worst in the NBA (the Nets are second worst so prepare to see a bushel of three point attempts tonight!). Finding easy looks for Dёmin will help determine this one and if he can heat up early, it will keep the Nets in it against one of the better teams in the league.

📺 From the Vault

Ones in the air for Jesse Jackson

More reading: Fear the Sword, SB Nation NBA, New York Post, New York Daily News, Clutch Points, Nets Wire, Steve’s Newsletter

• Brooklyn Nets Game Notes – Brooklyn Nets
• Cleveland Cavaliers Game Notes – Cleveland Cavaliers
• Cleveland plays Brooklyn, looks for 6th straight win – AP
• Nets’ Nic Claxton will miss Cavaliers game after spraining ankle in practice – Jared Schwartz – New York Post
• Nets continuing rookies’ development in second half comes with important Jordi Fernandez question – Jared Schwartz – New York Post
• The Nets are on notice for their tanking ways, but they can’t let the NBA’s threats stop them ($) – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• With 29 Games left, here’s what matters most for the Nets ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Nets’ Nic Claxton sidelined after spraining ankle during practice – Erik Slater – Clutch Points

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The Cleveland Cavaliers will look to continue the five-game winning streak they took into the All-Star break as they host the Brooklyn Nets tonight.

Donovan Mitchell was red hot going into the festivities, and I’m looking for him to continue that run in my Nets vs. Cavaliers predictions.

Read on to see all my thoughts on tonight’s game and get my free NBA picks for Thursday, February 19.

Nets vs Cavaliers prediction

Nets vs Cavaliers best bet: Donovan Mitchell Over 26.5 points (-120)

Donovan Mitchell has been the Cleveland Cavaliers' leading scorer for all year, and was especially productive right before the break. He has averaged 30.8 points per game over his last four contests, scoring 29+ points in each.

Tonight, Mitchell gets to play at home against a Brooklyn Nets defense that ranks 26th in defensive efficiency (115.4) and allows opponents to shoot 49.3% from the field.

With James Harden distributing, Mitchell will find it easier than ever to score.

Nets vs Cavaliers same-game parlay

A strong performance from Mitchell will help Cleveland score a big win against the Nets. The Cavs covered as a 17.5-point favorite in their last game, and I like them to do the same against Brooklyn. I’ll also take the Over, which has hit in each of Brooklyn’s last five games.

Nets vs Cavaliers SGP

• Donovan Mitchell Over 26.5 points
• Cavaliers -16.5
• Over 229.5

Our "from downtown" SGP: Beard with me

Harden has made a strong impression in his first three games with the Cavs, and I’m backing him to fill up the stat sheet again tonight.

I’ll also take Evan Mobley (8.8 rebounds per game) to hit the Over on his rebounding total, while Jarrett Allen is a good bet to record a double-double, something he’s done in four of his last five games.

Nets vs Cavaliers SGP

• James Harden Over 20.5 points
• James Harden Over 8.5 assists
• Evan Mobley Over 7.5 rebounds
• Jarrett Allen double-double

Nets vs Cavaliers odds

• Spread: Nets +16.5 (-115) | Cavaliers 16.5 (-105)
• Moneyline: Nets +700 | Cavaliers -1100
• Over/Under: Over 229.5 (-110) | Under 229.5 (-110)

Nets vs Cavaliers betting trend to know

Donovan Mitchell has scored 29+ points in each of his last four games. Find more NBA betting trends for Nets vs. Cavaliers.

How to watch Nets vs Cavaliers

Nets vs Cavaliers latest injuries

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