Category: NBA

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The Utah Jazz hit the road tonight to take on the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum, with tip-off scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET. 

Lauri Markkanen already cooked Memphis earlier this season, and my Jazz vs. Grizzlies predictions are eyeing him to get started on the right foot in the second half. 

Read more in my NBA picks for Friday, February 20. 

Jazz vs Grizzlies prediction

Jazz vs Grizzlies best bet: Lauri Markkanen Over 23.5 points (-105)

Lauri Markkanen has been a solid player over the last few years, but he’s taken to a different level in 2025-26. The veteran is averaging a career-high 26.7 ppg, serving as the Utah Jazz’s best player. 

Markkanen has cashed the Over in points in three of his last six, and he’s averaging 25.5 points per contest on the road. In fact, those three games in which he scored exactly 27 points were all away from Salt Lake City. 

Most notably, he’s up against a weak Memphis Grizzlies team, whom he already dropped 26 points against on December 12. 

Jazz vs Grizzlies same-game parlay

Isaiah Collier has emerged as a nice piece for the Jazz, averaging 10.4 ppg. He’s hit the Over in points in five of his last seven, and Collier scored 15 in his last game before the break. 

Keyonte George won’t play tonight, which means Collier will get a bigger workload.

We’re looking at two teams who aren’t exactly elite defensively, and it’s shown in recent meetings. Five straight matchups have comfortably hit the Over, with the last two both surpassing 250 points. 

Jazz vs Grizzlies SGP

• Lauri Markkanen Over 23.5 points
• Isaiah Collier Over 14.5 points
• Over 238

Our "from downtown" SGP: Anderson's revenge

Kyle Anderson is facing his former team here, and the Grizzlies are without Ja Morant and Santi Aldama. The revenge game narrative and a bigger workload should allow Anderson to score at least 11 points here. 

Jazz vs Grizzlies SGP

• Lauri Markkanen Over 23.5 points
• Isaiah Collier Over 14.5 points
• Over 238
• Kyle Anderson Over 10.5 points

Jazz vs Grizzlies odds

• Spread: Jazz +1 | Grizzlies -1
• Moneyline: Jazz -110 | Grizzlies -110
• Over/Under: Over 238 | Under 238

Jazz vs Grizzlies betting trend to know

The Jazz have hit the Over in 28 of their last 45 games (+9.30 Units / 19% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Jazz vs. Grizzlies.

How to watch Jazz vs Grizzlies

Jazz vs Grizzlies latest injuries

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INDIANAPOLIS – NCAA President Charlie Baker reiterated Thursday his desire to see his men’s and women’s basketball tournaments expand, though he admitted the timeline for such a move remains unclear.

Speaking with reporters during a Q&A session ahead of the NCAA’s annual mock selection process, Baker again threw his support firmly behind the idea of expanding the tournament field, which has been at 68 teams on the men’s side since 2011 and on the women’s side since 2022.

“We’re still talking to the various players in this one,” Baker said. “I would like to see it expand.”

Baker did not commit to a targeted field size, though a number in the 70s — in particular, 76 — has long been mentioned.

Bracketology: NCAA Tournament field prediction has new No. 1 seed

There remain a number of potential hold-ups, including logistical and seeding issues. Baker did underscore he was not concerned about added costs to the NCAA, which pays not just for the tournament itself but also teams’ participation, including travel and accommodations.

More obstructive might be what Baker termed corporate conversations among the association’s partners.

Baker did not clarify said concerns, only raising them briefly, but the implication was straightforward enough.

CBS, for example, only six months ago saw its parent company, Paramount Global, complete an $8 billion merger with Skydance Media.

More fundamentally, Baker’s point was any potential tournament expansion would not happen in a vacuum, and is therefore not solely the concern of the NCAA. Its various corporate and broadcast partners would need to be heavily involved, to ensure new bracketing structures, host-site needs, TV demands and additional costs could all be managed.

Still, he reiterated an earnest ambition to see the tournament expand, citing his desire to in equal measure create more opportunities for bubble teams, and also protect automatic qualifiers from the long-term threat of revenue-driven expansion crowding them out. 

Baker could not — or perhaps more pointedly, would not — commit to a target date for such a move. But he kept the weight of his office firmly behind the possibility.

“I would like,” Baker reiterated, “to expand the tournament.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NCAA tournament expansion still on Charlie Becker's mind

By this time of the season, most NBA teams have a sense of their ceiling. 

That’s not the case for the Lakers (33-21), who are in fifth place in the Western Conference even though LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have only played 10 of the team’s 54 games together.

Everything considered, it’s impressive. 

James has missed 18 games, including the first 14 because of sciatica. Doncic has missed 12 games, including the last four because of a left hamstring strain. And Reaves was sidelined for 26 games, including missing over a month because of a left calf strain. 

In total, the Lakers’ three biggest stars have logged 152 minutes together this season. For perspective, Luke Kennard, whom the Lakers acquired at the trade deadline two weeks ago, has already played 96 minutes. And Bronny James, who averages only 7.3 minutes a game, has already surpassed the Big Three in time spent on the court with 211 minutes. 

This much is clear: We don’t know what the Lakers are capable of on offense, which is an exciting prospect for a team that ranks 11th in the league in that category. 

So, as the Lakers enter the stretch run with 28 games remaining, the biggest question surrounding them is bigger than they’d like. 

Who are they? 

If their Big Three is healthy, could they make some noise in the playoffs?

James, who has been to the Finals 10 times and won four championships with three different teams over his 23-season career, doesn’t even know the answer to that question. 

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“I know that when we’ve played some of our best basketball of the season, we’ve looked very good,” James said Sunday ahead of the All-Star Game. “On the other side, when we’ve been terrible, we’ve looked disgusting.

“So, I think the most important (thing) is if we can get healthy. How many minutes we can be on the floor. How much chemistry we can build with this sprint starting.”

So far, when Doncic, James and Reaves have shared the court, they’ve had a net-negative rating (-7.8), according to Cleaning the Glass. 

It’s unclear whether their skills are too overlapping and their combined defense is too weak or if they just haven’t had enough time to develop a rhythm. 

Doncic believes the latter is true, saying they have “big potential.”

Individually, they’re each shining. 

Doncic is leading the league in points (32.8) and is third in assists (8.6). Reaves is averaging career bests in points (25.4), rebounds (five) and assists (six). And James is doing unprecedented things at age 41, averaging 22 points, 5.8 rebounds and 7.1 assists. 

When the Lakers host the Clippers on Friday, the team’s Big Three is expected to play in its 11th game together. Doncic said at Lakers practice Thursday that he’ll “probably” be on the court. Reaves will no longer have a minutes restriction. And James was able to squeeze in a bit of rest around his 22nd All-Star Game.

So, with just over one-third of the Lakers’ season remaining, the pressure is on for them to figure out a way to jell.

The Lakers had a quiet trade deadline. They added Kennard, who is leading the league in 3-point percentage at 49.4. But they didn’t do anything to bolster their 23rd-ranked defense.

So, their success will be tied to whether James, Reaves and Doncic can find a way to thrive.

There are debates over whether the Lakers should prioritize trying to finish as a top-four seed to secure home-court advantage or whether they should focus on health and rest, even if it means slipping a bit in the standings. 

They must gamble on the latter. It’s the only way they have a chance of unlocking their Big Three.

A lineup featuring Doncic, James and Reaves could be scary come playoff time, especially if they each commit to pouring themselves into the defensive end, alongside some combination of Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt or Deandre Ayton.

James obviously knows what it takes to win during that time of year. Doncic led the Mavs to the Finals in 2024. And Reaves is hungry to shine in the playoffs after struggling last postseason while dealing with a left toe sprain. 

In the very stacked Western Conference with the Thunder, the Spurs and the Nuggets, the Lakers’ only chance of competing is if their roster is healthy. 

And even then, they’re a question mark. 

It’s clear that the Big Three has incredible potential, but it’s equally unclear whether it’ll be realized. 

The Lakers’ record and high-end talent, led by Luka Dončić, LeBron James and Austin Reaves, suggests they’re NBA title contenders. A deeper dive into their season-long numbers suggests they’re pretenders.

The truth, for now, lies somewhere in the middle, with the Lakers having 28 regular-season games before the postseason to determine which side of the fence they’ll end up on.

With the trade deadline and NBA All-Star Weekend firmly behind them, the Lakers’ attention has turned back toward the “sprint” that is the final two months of the regular season.

Their 33–21 record before the break, putting them at No. 5 in the Western Conference standings and 1 ½ games behind the Nuggets at No. 3, is made more impressive by the fact that Dončić (12), James (18) and Reaves (26) have missed a combined 56 games. 

But they have a net rating (dead even) — which is typically a strong indicator of the quality of a group — of a team that’s expected to have a .500 record, not be 12 games over the mark. 

What are the factors that’ll determine the Lakers’ success to close the season? 

1. Elite offense

With Dončić, James and Reaves at the helm for over the last year, the Lakers have been expected to be an elite offensive team.

But that hasn’t consistently been the case, especially this season. 

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The Lakers’ 116.3 offensive rating (points per 100 possessions) coming out of the All-Star break ranks No. 11. Not bad — but not good enough for a team with as clear defensive shortcomings as the Lakers.

NBA contenders are usually very good to elite on at least one end of the floor, if not both. So far, they’ve been neither despite Dončić, James and Reaves all performing at All-NBA or All-Star levels offensively. 

One of the Lakers’ biggest eyebrow-raising offensive stats: They have an abysmal ​​107.9 offensive rating in the minutes their Big 3 have been on the floor together this season. 

For context, the Nuggets have a 127.5 offensive rating when Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon have shared the floor this season. The Thunder have scored 121.5 points per 100 possessions when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren have played together. The Spurs with Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle? A 116.5 offensive rating, 

Injuries have led to Dončić, James and Reaves only playing 152 minutes together so far through 10 combined games. 

But they don’t have a strong track record of offensive success together going back to last season.

Yes, the Lakers were elite offensively in the minutes their Big 3 was on the floor last season, scoring 121.6 points per 100 possessions, according to Cleaning The Glass. But so much of that playing time came with Dorian Finney-Smith, the 3-and-D connector who’s now on the Rockets, also being on the floor. 

The Lakers’ offensive rating dropped to 115.8 when Dončić, James and Reaves shared the floor without Finney-Smith last season. 

The collective high-level shot-making when Dončić, James and Reaves are on the court together provides optimism for what the Lakers’ offense can be. With their star trio coming out of the break healthy and available, the Lakers have time to work on the other kinks in their offense over the next two months before a potential playoff run.  

2. Zone stability 

The Lakers’ defensive struggles weren’t a surprise considering their roster construction. But they were even worse on that end of the floor than most expected to start the season. 

Their 117.9 defensive rating through Jan. 17 ranked No. 26 and didn’t show many signs of improvement.

But in the Jan. 18 win over the Raptors, they implemented zone defense more than they had up to that point, leading to defensive stability over the last month.

The Lakers’ 112.7 defensive rating since Jan. 18 ranks No. 13 — a respectable figure and in line with where they need to be to have a shot at competing among the league’s best teams. 

They’ve also been the most zone defense-reliant team during that stretch, which has been a catalyst for their defensive success.

Will their zone be a legitimate weapon during the season’s stretch run?

3. Deandre Ayton’s involvement 

Deandre Ayton’s impact on the Lakers’ ceiling — and floor — have been evident. 

The Lakers are 15-2 in the games Ayton has finished with at least 10 field-goal attempts, compared with 13-16 when he takes nine or fewer shots. 

They’re 22-7 when he grabs at least eight rebounds and 6-11 when he records seven or fewer boards. 

Ayton and his on-court involvement is one of the biggest swing factors for the Lakers’ success. 

The Unrivaled excitement should be at an all-time high in Sephora Arena on Friday night.

Not only does the Week 6 action begin with a battle between Phantom and Laces (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV), the second and first place teams in the standings, but the second game will welcome the return of Angel Reese, when Rose takes on Hive (8:45 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV).

Reese’s Unrivaled arrival should thrill all fans, whether or not your allegiances lie with Rose.

Most simply, the more great players who suit up in Unrivaled, the better. And Reese is a great player. The 305 Barbie averaged an 11.6-point and 10.8-rebound double-double for Rose across 14 games last season. Those numbers earned her All-Unrivaled Second Team honors, while she also was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, an award she garnered largely due to her best-in-the-league defense against eventual MVP Napheesa Collier.

Reese will provide an needed injection of energy for Rose: running in transition, going all out on the glass and assuming tough defensive assignments.

The defending champs have experienced an up-and-down season, with wins often requiring clutch-time heroics from 1-on-1 Tournament champion Chelsea Gray.

However, even if Reese plays productive and positive ball, her presence might not have the immediate, winning impact envisioned. As Gray discussed when on the Unrivaled broadcast on Tuesday night, it’s going to take time to re-integrate Angel and re-establish a rhythm, even if she has experience playing with Gray, Kahleah Copper and Lexie Hull.

Critcally, Reese and Shakira Austin will have to learn to play together.

Not only has Austin been way too effective to see her minutes cut significantly for Reese, but, last season, Rose had success with two-big lineups featuring Reese and Azurá Stevens, whose departure to Hive opened the way for Reese’s return, as Rose sent out Stevens in the three-player swap without receiving a player in return. Yet, Austin is a different style of big, lacking the shooting touch of Stevens and preferring to flex her physicality around the basket. When on the court with Austin, Reese might need to play from the perimeter more often, tapping into her point forward skills and continuing to experiment with her outside shot.

On Friday night, the mere adrenaline rush of Reese’s return might be enough for Rose to get a needed win. At 5-6 and in fifth place, Rose’s postseason spot is far from secure. Plus, it was Hive that sent Rose to their first loss of the season, spoiling Rose’s 4-0 start with the unexpected 78-75 win.

At 3-8, thus needing every win to keep their playoff hopes alive, Hive will be angling for another upset.

And Hive is particularly well equipped to give Rose problems, and that’s not only due to any intel Stevens can provide or the extra motivation the former Rosebud might carry into the matchup. With Stevens, Monique Billings and Ezi Magbegor, Hive has a surfeit of size that can make Rose’s efforts to experiment with Reese-Austin lineups go awry. Billings will battle Reese for every board, Magbegor provides rim protection and Stevens can remind Rose of what they’re missing by stretching the floor and sinking a couple of 3s.

While no one will be surprised if the Point Gawd pulls another victory from the jaws of defeat for Rose, another Hive win also shouldn’t be a shock.

Don’t miss the battle between Unrivaled’s very best

Last time Phantom and Laces met, the Solemates squeaked by the Ghost Gang, winning 76-75 on a pull-up triple from Brittney Sykes.

Laces starting triumvirate of Sykes, Jackie Young and Alyssa Thomas powered them with 17, 17 and 19 points, respectively, while Phantom’s dynamic duo of Kelsey Plum and Aliyah Boston combined for almost 50 points, with KP scoring 25 and AB adding 23.

While that quintet of players all could assuming starring roles again on Friday night, both clubs sit at the top of the standings because of their reliable depth.

For Laces, Naz Hillmon has three double-doubles on the season, Maddy Siegrist has three games with multiple 3s and Jordin Canada swiped three steals in her first game back from an injury on Monday night. Phantom can turn to Kiki Iriafen, who has six double-digit scoring games from off the bench, while Natasha Cloud has been on fire from behind arc, shooting better than 40 percent from 3. Their third starter, Tiffany Hayes, has provided consistent across-the-board production.

However, the most interesting matchup is the 1-on-1 game we were denied: Thomas vs. Boston.

Will Boston’s combination of size and skill allow her to overpower Thomas on offense, as she also uses her defensive length and smarts to stall AT’s forays to the rim? Can Thomas apply of her veteran savvy to neutralize Boston’s offense, while also baiting AB into fouls that send her to the bench?

Tune in for a tilt that could determine which club finishes the season in first place.

Jaylen Brown's all-around impact with Celtics is reaching new heights originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Jaylen Brown continues to compile evidence for his case as the best two-way player in the NBA.

Brown generated season highs in rebounds (15) and assists (13) to go along with 23 points Thursday night as the Celtics built a big early cushion then skidded to the finish line of a 121-110 triumph over the Golden State Warriors.

Brown’s points + rebounds + assists (PRA) total of 51 was tied for his third-highest output of the season. He’s now averaging 41 PRA for the 2025-26 season, the seventh-highest mark in the NBA. 

With the Celtics facing off against two core members of the 2024 title team in Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford, Brown showcased why the Celtics sit 17 games above .500 despite last offseason’s roster overhaul. Brown set an unselfish tone early as the Celtics blitzed the Warriors for 74 first-half points.

Brown generated a season-high 33 assist points, with more than half of his helpers leading to 3-pointers for teammates. No one benefited from Brown’s passing more than Payton Pritchard, who turned 12 passes from Brown into 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting.

With Jayson Tatum rehabbing from Achilles surgery to start the 2025-26 season, it was obvious that Brown’s PRA was going to climb this year. But he has firmly positioned himself among the MVP frontrunners with his spike in PRA output this season. 

Brown posted his third triple-double of the season. No one is expecting him to be Nikola Jokic on a nightly basis, but combine his PRA output with his willingness to routinely defend the best offensive player on the opposing team, and it further accentuates Brown’s case to be regarded as the best two-way player in the league. 

With his all-around impact, Brown is steamrolling toward a return to the All-NBA roster.

The Celtics are now 9-1 when Brown has 10-plus rebounds this season. His 48.1 assist percentage on Thursday night against the Warriors was double his season average. 

If not for a 34-point lead in the third quarter on Thursday night, Brown might have challenged some of the biggest all-around outputs of his career. His 51 PRA was tied for his third-highest output of the season but was highest for any game in which he’s scored less than 40 points.

If the season ended today, Brown’s 29.2 points per game would rank third in Celtics franchise history, trailing only Tatum (30.1, 2022-23 season) and Larry Bird (29.9, 1987-88). 

Cracking the team’s top 20 in single-season PRA is no easy feat, considering Bill Russell owns eight of the top 16 slots while averaging 20+ rebounds in those eight seasons. If you set aside Russell’s lofty numbers, Brown is entering some elite company among non-centers in Celtics history in PRA generated.

The Washington Wizards are raising season ticket prices for the 2026-27 season, according to documents obtained by Bullets Forever.

Wizards season ticket prices will reportedly increase by an average of 6.31%, with certain sections receiving price hikes of nearly 15%. The price increases, which will affect 43 of the arena’s 45 member tiers, come as Capital One Arena undergoes an $800 million renovation.

One season ticket holder, whose seats are located in section 432, told Bullets Forever the cost of his tickets increased by nearly 10% for the 26-27 campaign. This comes one year after those same seats saw a 5.6% increase amid another tanking season in Washington.

That source, who wished to remain anonymous, said he purchased his season tickets for $1,312 in 2013. His upper-level seat now costs $4,368, which marks a 233% price increase over a 13-year period in which the Wizards have just four winning seasons.

“It’s disappointing to see the team continue to push large increases to ticket prices year over year, while the team’s performance has been historically poor and demand for most games is low,” the season ticket holder told Bullets Forever. “It feels like ownership is passing along the cost of the stadium renovation to fans and doesn’t really care about fan loyalty.”

The price increases coincide with the organization’s recent shift toward premium seating. The list of premium sections at Capital One Arena includes the Michelob Ultra Courtside Lounge and Hennessy Lofts, located under each basket, and the United Globe Club & Lounge, which was introduced before the 2025-26 season.

Large clusters of seats in sections 110, 111 and 112 are reserved for members of “The Vaults,” according to the Wizards’ 2026-27 season ticket pricing chart. The Vault Suites allow fans to travel between their lower-level seats (in sections 110-112) and their own private suite, which seats up to 20 people and features a private bar, an exclusive tasting room and more.

The issue with this particular section of premium seating, as one source outlined, is that the guests spend most of their time in their suites, which leaves hundreds of lower-level seats empty for most of the game.

Monumental Sports and Entertainment, which is owned by Wizards owner Ted Leonsis, recently announced another luxury space at Capital One Arena called “The Halo.” Expected to debut in 2027, The Halo is a multi-level hospitality space that features VIP entrances, tasting rooms, plush lounge seating and more.

In a video posted to X, Monumental Sports and Entertainment said the goal is to invite premium seat holders to leave their seats and explore.

“The modern guest is the most sophisticated we’ve ever seen,” Jackie Keller, the Founder and CEO of Èlan/Arc Hospitality group, said in a video posted to X by MSE. “Their next experience, they have this high expectation of what it’s going to deliver. And the concierge service inside the Halo is how we’ll bring that feeling to life.”

Amid the large rise in ticket prices, the organization has also changed the rewards in its ticket renewal program, which includes milestone benefits for every five years of ticket renewal.

One source, who’s in his 13th season as a Wizards season ticket holder, told Bullets Forever that the old 15-year renewal reward, which was a free Lexus Level suite for a Wizards game, was changed to a round-trip Uber service to a game and a complimentary pregame dinner.

“I’m coming up on 15 years [as a season ticket holder], which is supposed to be a Lexus suite to a game. And [the suite] got replaced by an Uber ride and dinner. Greedy fucks,” the season ticket holder told BF.

The Wizards are 15-39 in their third rebuilding season. Since the start of the 2023-24 campaign, they own the NBA’s worst record at 48-170, which is 18 fewer wins than the next closest team.

After acquiring Trae Young and Anthony Davis, Washington hopes to compete next season. But its season ticket holders haven’t seen an above-.500 team since 2018, which explains their frustration amid another price hike.

One longtime season ticket holder told BF he understands the organization’s decision to increase prices. But he refused to back the team’s tanking methods because “they don’t guarantee success.”

“I fully understand that the team raises ticket prices almost every year. It’s a business,” the season ticket holder told BF. “I’m more upset that they purposefully and willingly lost games for the last three years, with no guarantee that this actually works. Until they find that elite franchise player, we are all still stuck in the ‘hope’ cycle.”

Monumental provided the following statement to Bullets Forever:

“Our goal is to keep tickets accessible while ensuring we’re putting the resources in place to provide a best-in-class experience for our fans, and these modest adjustments support our long-term goals. 
 
We remain committed to offering a range of pricing options so that all our fans have the opportunity to be part of what we’re building for decades to come.”

Even All-Stars can be awe-struck by moments with all-time greats. That’s what happened with Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox on Sunday afternoon during the NBA All-Star Game in an event that, gimmicky or not, turned out to be much more exciting than past iterations and produced the best viewer ratings since 2011. The round-robin tournament, with two US teams and one World Team, brought out the competitive edge in players that had been lacking, in no small part thanks to Victor Wembanyama setting the tone right out of the gates.

The game(s?) produced many highlight-real moments, especially the wild ending to Game 2 between Team Stars (the “young” US stars) and Team Stripes (the “old guard”). After Anthony Edwards hit a three with 17 sec left to put the Stars up by the two, Fox, who was a late injury replacement, hit a buzzer-beater three to win the match for the OG, complete with his signature celebration of looking at his hand as if it’s some kind of alien extremity.

While Fox is certainly a top 25-ish player in the league today, he may have felt like a boy among men on Team Stripes, and as all the legends around him raised their hands in celebration, LeBron James was the nearest and first teammate to come over and celebrate with him. It’s a moment Fox says he’ll never forget, with plans to frame the picture and get it signed by The King himself.

While it hopefully won’t be the biggest moment for Fox this season (ideally, that will come in May or even June), it’s definitely one that will stick with him for the rest of his life, and it will be fun to show that signed picture of him being celebrated by one of the GOATs to his children and grandchildren.

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The “Sometime Soon Suns.” It kind of feels like a nickname is forming in real time, because sometime soon this team will be whole. Or at least that is the hope we keep circling back to.

Before the game against the San Antonio Spurs, the first one out of the All-Star break, there was genuine optimism tied to the injury report. It was clean as no names were on it outside of Haywood Highsmith, who the Suns recently acquired but has yet to play this season due to a meniscus injury. And of course, the suspended Dillon Brooks. For a brief moment, it felt like maybe this was the reset point.

Then, hours before tipoff, Grayson Allen popped up as questionable and ultimately did not play. We already knew Dillon Brooks would be suspended after picking up his 16th technical foul against Oklahoma City before the break. And then, with Jalen Green starting alongside Devin Booker, Booker exited in the first quarter. He returned in the second. Then he left again. A hip contusion was the explanation.

So yeah. The team will be healthy. Sometime soon.

As for the game itself, it is hard to compete when that much payroll is sitting on the bench. Against a team like the Spurs, who are starting to hit a real stride and look increasingly comfortable in what they are trying to be, it was always going to be an uphill climb. Even at full strength, that would have been true. This version of the Suns, stretched thin and scrambling, never really had a chance to flip the script.

Nothing about the outcome was shocking or appalling. It was simply Phoenix getting outlasted and overmatched against one of the better teams in the league right now. From an analysis standpoint, there is not a ton to mine. I appreciated Mark Williams for continuing to go at Victor Wembanyama instead of shrinking from the moment. I liked how bouncy and athletic Jalen Green looked, maybe the best he has all season. I remain frustrated with the minutes Ryan Dunn is getting. I continue to see the limitations in what Oso can ultimately provide. And I find myself wondering where the aggressive version of Collin Gillespie disappeared to.

Time will reveal more as the season plays itself out, but most of it feels secondary until the roster stabilizes. None of this really matters unless the Suns get healthy.

And they will.

Sometime soon.

Bright Side Baller Season Standings

What’s one genuinely fun thing to come out of the game against Oklahoma City before the All-Star break? Rasheer Fleming landing the Bright Side Baller award. 8 points, 2-of-5 from beyond the arc, 3 rebounds, and a night where the box score almost felt secondary to the opportunity itself.

That game was a throwaway in the standings sense, but it mattered in a different way. We got an extended look at Rasheer Fleming and Khaman Maluach, and honestly, they didn’t look half bad. I don’t care that it came against Oklahoma City’s third unit. They moved well, they competed, and they looked like players who belonged on an NBA floor. Fleming especially looked comfortable letting it fly, finding space, and playing within the flow instead of shrinking from the moment.

So yeah, Rasheer Fleming is officially on the Bright Side Baller board now, and that makes me smile. In a week that was otherwise wacky and hard to evaluate, that was a clean little win worth holding onto.

Bright Side Baller Nominees

Game 56 against the Spurs. Here are your nominees:

Jalen Green
26 points (11-of-23, 4-of-9 3PT), 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 3 turnovers, -20 +/-

Mark Williams
11 points (4-of-12), 10 rebounds, 1 block, 1 personal foul, -19 +/-

Oso Ighodaro
10 points (5-of-8), 1 rebound, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover, -7 +/-

Jordan Goodwin
10 points (4-of-12, 2-of-7 3PT), 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 personal foul, -27 +/-

Royce O’Neale
8 points (3-of-8, 2-of-5 3PT), 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, -18 +/-

Collin Gillespie
8 points (3-of-13, 2-of-8 3PT), 2 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, -11 +/-

First Bright Side Baller on this side of the All-Star Break. Who gets it?

Otega Oweh put together a very impressive first year as a Kentucky Wildcat and nearly turned pro last summer.

Instead, he decided to return to Lexington to work on his game and further improve his NBA draft stock.

That mission is going incredibly well as he’s increased his points per game, assists and steals averages over last year. He’s also one of the select players considered as frontrunners for Southeastern Conference Player of the Year.

And while that award will be tough to win considering who he is up against, Oweh is still having a historic season for a Wildcats team that desperately needs all he can give them.

Despite his Antonio Reeves-like season, head coach Mark Pope believes Oweh can deliver at an even higher level.

Now, Pope’s statement after the team’s loss to Georgia earlier in the week does contradict himself a bit. He is basically saying he wants more out of Oweh but also wants him to play less minutes.

Pope is going to have to face the reality of Kentucky being without three of their five best players and Oweh is going to have to carry the team on his shoulders if the Wildcats have any hope for the postseason.

How do you think Kentucky will do over the last few weeks of the season?

Tweet of the Day

These guys have had a big week.

Headlines

Is This What UK Basketball Will Be in the Mark Pope era? – Vaught’s Views

Let’s hope not.

NBA plans to enact anti-tanking rules next season, sources say – ESPN

Good luck.

Freshman Gabby Van Frayen Loves Being Part of UK Team – Vaught’s Views

Incredible culture.

Indiana unanimously passes bill to lure Bears away from Chicago – ESPN

Will it really happen?

An aggressive Jasper Johnson is the best version – KSR

Couldn’t agree more.

Cade Cunningham adds to MVP ‘case’ with 42-point game vs. Knicks – ESPN

He’s having a special season.

The Selection Committee is Higher on UK Than You Might Think – KSR

We can only pray.

Four Trade offers for Eagles’ A.J. Brown – ESPN

Will they really trade him?

Ten months ago — almost to the day — Cade Cunningham changed the culture of the Detroit Pistons.

It was April 22, 2025. The Pistons were playing in Madison Square Garden in a first-round playoff game. At the time, they were facing a 15-game postseason losing streak, one that spanned 6,174 days, and were billed as steep underdogs.

Cunningham was the reason Detroit won that game.

REQUIRED READING: How many points did Cade Cunningham score? Pistons vs. Knicks stats

And though the Pistons ultimately came up short 10 months ago in that hard-fought series, Cunningham is now the reason why Detroit could be poised for something far bigger.

Thursday, Feb. 19, in a 126-11 demolition over the Knicks, the Pistons completed their regular-season sweep over New York to improve to 41-13, the best record in the NBA. In fact, the average margin of victory Detroit posted against the Knicks this season was a staggering 28 points per win.

Before the NCAA men’s basketball tournament bracket is carved in stone, attempts to anticipate what the final product will look like more closely resemble molten lava. That was made abundantly clear over the last three days, which featured numerous developments that in turn led to significant changes in our latest projection.

The quartet of No. 1 seeds was shaken up yet again, as Connecticut was a home upset victim against Creighton Wednesday night. Houston replaces the Huskies on the top line, as the Cougars’ most recent result was a less damaging loss at Iowa State. As fate would have it, the Cougars’ next opponent, Arizona, is also on the first line along with Michigan and Duke, who are set to square off themselves in a non-conference clash Saturday. In short, expect the bracket to once again look very different next week.

STARTING FIVE:Top matchups in top five highlight weekend schedule

There is also much to be settled on the bubble, where both of the Big Ten’s Los Angeles members are on the precipice. As things stand heading into the weekend, UCLA is on the outside and Southern California is clinging to a First Four spot. San Diego State has also fallen to the wrong side of the cut-off point, as Santa Clara returns to the field for now.

March Madness bracketology: NCAA Tournament projection

March Madness last four in

Southern California, New Mexico, Santa Clara, TCU.

March Madness first four out

UCLA, San Diego State, California, Virginia Commonwealth.

NCAA tournament bids conference breakdown

Multi-bid leagues: Big Ten (10), SEC (10), ACC (8) Big 12 (8), Big East (3), West Coast (3), Mountain West (2).

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness predictions: Latest men's NCAA tournament bracketology

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers ran away with a stress-free 112-84 win over a bad Brooklyn Nets team. Let’s get into what that means for the Cavs moving forward.

Head coach Kenny Atkinson is known for his motion-based offense. That free-flowing system is one of the things that made him so attractive in 2024 to a Cavaliers team that couldn’t figure out how to make it work on that end with their two big configuration. J.B. Bickerstaff’s stagnant offense, based mostly on high pick-and-rolls, didn’t work with that roster.

Hiring Atkinson transformed the offensive attack, but the James Harden trade has changed everything again. They won’t be reverting to what they were under Bickerstaff, but there’s going to be much more high pick-and-rolls than what we saw from the best regular-season offense in the league last year.

Right now, the Cavs are pick-and-roll merchants. They’ve spammed it over the past four games and have had great success doing so. Given their personnel, there’s no reason to see that changing anytime soon.

“It’s a lot of things,” Nets head coach Jordi Fernández said before the game when asked what makes a good pick-and-roll player. “It’s not just ball handling, but it’s also how you use your body. It’s how you set up the pick-and-roll, how you prepare the play. … Good pick-and-roll players can destroy every coverage.”

The Cavs guards did that, particularly their newest one.

Brooklyn decided to trap Harden on ball screens. He countered by accepting the double team and coolly making the right read time after time.

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“It’s almost like a quarterback leading a receiver,” Atkinson said about Harden’s playmaking. “You don’t have to wait for it. You catch it kind of in stride.”

Jarrett Allen has been the biggest beneficiary of this type of offense. He once again dominated inside. And unlike his previous strong showings, he did so with Evan Mobley on the court as well.

The immediate chemistry with Harden and Allen has stood out. They both seem to understand where the other is at all times, despite playing just four games together. This speaks to how good both are and how well their talent fits.

“Being on the outside, I can say he’s better than I thought he was in the sense he’s able to catch the ball, finish around the rim with both hands,” Harden said of Allen. “He has so much touch around the rim, and that’s probably one of the most underrated parts of his game.”

Allen is a good vertical spacer. He can sky up for alley-oops and finish those as good as any rim-running center. That can sometimes obscure how technically sound Allen is as a scorer inside. The combination of both skills has led to him converting 77% of his looks in the restricted area this season (87th percentile) and 82% since the new year (95th percentile).

It’d be wrong to credit Harden entirely for Allen’s good play. His passing just allows Allen to showcase those skills more consistently.

“James and [Allen] have a great connection, and everybody is really feeding off that,” Mitchell said.

It’s also worth pointing out that Allen is playing more aggressively. The Cavs have made a better effort of getting him involved earlier and are reaping the reward for doing so.

The best version of Allen is one that is actively hunting for ways to be involved offensively. He’s been doing so recently.

“He’s been a beast, just super aggressive,” Mobley said of Allen. “Every single time he sees a mismatch or anything, he’s going down to the paint and getting two points every single time. We need that from him.”

Mitchell’s scoring continues to benefit from playing alongside Harden. Harden was able to set Mitchell up for one of the best alley-oops of the season with a pass that even Mitchell said he didn’t think he was going to finish. But more importantly, the space that Mitchell has when the defense is keying in on another dynamic guard has given him much more room to attack.

As we’ve seen with Mitchell, he really doesn’t need too much room to make defenses pay.

The Cavs are still figuring things out offensively. They have only had one practice since the Harden trade, and most of the work they’ve done is in film sessions so far. That will presumably limit what they can implement.

That said, they are working on building a system that best fits their offensive pieces. Atkinson is using these next few weeks as an “observation period” to see what works and what doesn’t. At this point, it doesn’t seem like he’s rigidly clinging to any one system, but would seemingly prefer a blend of both a heavy pick-and-roll and movement-based offense.

“You got to lean on your best player’s strengths,” Atkinson said. “That’s part of this observation period. [We need to find out] how much moving and cutting we want. We’re still doing a fair amount. But you know, you just got to be careful against a blitz, because if you start running guys away and into the lane, you know, James has no outlet. So it’s almost like you have to have a blitz package and read that. And then when you’re in a normal coverage, we can do our cutting.”

Things couldn’t have gotten off to a better start in the James Harden Era. The team is clicking on all cylinders. I’ve mostly talked about the offense, but the defense was superb as well, as they registered their best defensive rating in a single game this season.

It’d be unwise to make too grand a proclamation after four games, especially considering the defenses they’ve gone up against. At the same time, it’d be difficult not to be optimistic about where this could go.

“This little winning streak has been nice, but you definitely see the level we’re at now,” Dean Wade said. “It’s a little higher than it has been.”

It most certainly is.

A blockbuster Saturday in men’s college basketball features not one but two top-five showdowns on a loaded schedule. One is a key clash for first place in the ultra-competitive Big 12. The other is a made-for-TV neutral site affair, a rarity for this late juncture of the season.

The fifth- and sixth-ranked teams in the latest USA TODAY Sports coaches poll also face road tests in the;ir respective conferences. But before we get to those, we’ll begin with an in-state showdown in the SEC.

BRACKETOLOGY:A new No. 1 seed emerges after upsets of week

Here’s this week’s Starting Five, your viewers’ guide to help you plan your day as March draws ever closer.

Tennessee at No. 18 Vanderbilt

Time/TV: 2 p.m. ET, ESPN

Both teams are comfortably in the upper quadrant of the SEC and the NCAA field, and the winner here will gain a leg up in top-16 seed consideration. The Volunteers have won their last seven games against opponents not named Kentucky, but the Commodores could use a good result on their home court to offset a couple recent losses. Nate Ament has been on a scoring tear of late for Tennessee, while Vandy’s Tyler Tanner has had to take on even more of the load with Duke Miles still working his way back from a knee injury.

No. 4 Arizona at No. 2 Houston

Time/TV: 3 p.m. ET, ABC.

The Wildcats got back in the win column following a rare two-game skid, but life in the Big 12 gets no easier with this road challenge. The Cougars, upended themselves at Iowa State earlier in the week, are happy to be back at home. Houston will try to get clean looks early on for long-range marksmen Kingston Flemings and Emanuel Sharp, not an easy task against Arizona’s deep perimeter lineup. The Wildcats will still be without Koa Peat, sidelined with a leg muscle strain, but Ivan Kharchenkov’s increased production near the rim has helped the team compensate.

No. 5 Connecticut at Villanova

Time/TV: 5:30 p.m. ET, TNT

UConn’s quest for a No. 1 seed isn’t over by any means, but Wednesday night’s loss to a down Creighton squad significantly reduced the Huskies’ margin for error. That is of little concern for the Wildcats, who look to avenge their overtime loss at UConn and nudge themselves further into safe territory in the at-large pool. Villanova’s three-point shooting can be streaky, but Tyler Perkins and Co. must make the most of their limited openings against the Huskies’ tenacious defense. Any of UConn’s starters can put up big point totals, with Solo Ball usually leading the way, but the Huskies’ bench isn’t as deep as its recent national title squads.

No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 3 Duke

Time/TV: 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

For what it’s worth, this prime-time tilt at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., will likely determine the No. 1 team in the polls for at least the coming week. Of perhaps greater import, it will also likely serve as a strong datapoint for the committee when the top overall seed is determined. The Blue Devils might have the edge in star power thanks to the presence of Cameron Boozer, but beyond him and guard Isaiah Evans the Duke offense can struggle for reliable options at times. The Wolverines have more balance, but generating from the inside through Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson is the key to unlocking all their weapons.

No. 6 Iowa State at No. 22 Brigham Young

Time/TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.

With another high-profile home triumph under their collective belt, the Cyclones must now demonstrate they can beat good teams in hostile environs. BYU, which was already trending in the wrong direction even before Richie Saunders was lost to a season-ending knee injury, now desperately needs something good to happen. Having a next-level talent like AJ Dybantsa on the floor always gives the Cougars a chance, of course, but Iowa State has more options and an experienced hand at the point in the person of Tamin Lipsey.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College basketball games of weekend include Duke-Michigan showdown

The Cleveland Cavaliers are on the second night of a back-to-back against the Charlotte Hornets. Cleveland returned from the All-Star break last night with a big win over the Brooklyn Nets.

It’s been a good two months for the Cavs. They’ve turned the corner in 2026 and are back to being an elite team. Cleveland is 13-2 over their last 15 games and have worked back into the top 10 for both offensive and defensive ratings.

The Cavs began trending in the right direction even before the James Harden trade, but his arrival has only made them more dangerous. This is a team that’s playing with a newfound confidence. They could carry that into a big run in the playoffs, if all goes as planned.

Meanwhile, Charlotte has been a pleasant surprise. Kon Knueppel is right in the mix for Rookie of the Year, while LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller have helped lead one of the league’s best offenses in February.

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Who: Cleveland Cavaliers (35-21) vs. Charlotte Hornets (26-30)

Where: Spectrum Center – Charlotte, NC

When: Fri., Feb. 20 at 7 PM

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports Network App, NBA League Pass

Point spread: Cavs -5.5

Cavs injury report from last game vs. Nets: Max Strus – OUT (foot), Nae’Qwan Tomlin – OUT (calf soreness), Emanuel Miller – OUT (G League), Tristan Enaruna – OUT (G League), Riley Minix – OUT (G League)

Hornets injury report: Not Yet Submitted

Cavs expectedstarting lineup: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

Hornets expected starting lineup: Kon Knueppel, Grant Williams, Ryan Kalkbrenner, LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller

Previous matchup: Player Grades: Cavs vs Hornets – Cleveland outlasts Charlotte in shaky offensive performance

Here’s a look at both teams’ impact stats via Cleaning the Glass.