Feb 24, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton (33) looks to drive past Dallas Mavericks forward Marvin Bagley III (35) in the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
The Dallas Mavericks defeated (21-36) the Brooklyn Nets 123-114 at Barclays Center on Tuesday, nabbing just their seventh road win of the season.
In a game that came together a bit helter-skelter after both teams had to fly in on the day of because of the blizzard conditions along the East coast, Dallas built enough of a lead to weather a fourth quarter comeback attempt from Brooklyn.
Dallas had six players in double digits as the team shot 59% from the floor, and did enough in the end to overcome a 23-point night from Michael Porter Jr.
That it even got close enough to register as a clutch game speaks to the up-and-down nature of this Dallas team in its current state. After scoring a season-high 76 points in the first half, the Mavs did just enough to close it out down the stretch and secure a back-to-back win after their 10-game losing streak.
In his bag
With Khris Middleton, the team’s high-scorer from their win against the Pacers, leaving mid-game with a shoulder injury and big man Daniel Gafford playing only 17 minutes because of foul trouble, a perfect, Marvin Bagley-shaped hole opened up in Dallas’ rotation, and the big man stepped up.
Marvin Bagley scored 22 points off the bench in just 20 minutes to lead the Mavs in scoring. As the Mavs navigate the rest of this season with an eye firmly on the future, the idea of locking down Bagley is looking better and better. He’s on an expiring contract, so if Dallas likes what they see, it’s never too soon to add a little stability to a roster in flux.
Refusing to be replaced
Since the end of last season, when Brandon Williams was getting minutes on an injury-ravaged Mavericks team that was limping across the finish line, Dallas has cycled several potential replacements — none of whom have stuck quite like Williams has.
Dante Exum’s return never materialized, Jaden Hardy never stuck in the rotation, the D’Angelo Russell experiment never showed life, and the early momentum of rookie Ryan Nembhard has slowed dramatically. Through it all, the once and future “placeholder until Kyrie gets back” remains Brandon Williams.
Against the Nets (15-42), Williams notched his third career double-double with 19 points and 10 assists while shooting 9-for-11 from the floor. There’s something admirable about a guy who really takes the smallest of opportunities and makes hay.
3-pointers are a myth
On one hand, there’s something admirable about simply being who you are, and if you are the Mavericks, you are not good at shooting 3-pointers. On Tuesday, the team attempted only 23 — a far cry from the league average of 37 per game — and made a respectable eight, good for 35% on the night. It should be said, though, that five of those eight came courtesy of Klay Thompson, who went 5-for-10. Dallas’ only other true outside shooter, Max Christie, is in something of a slump. After opening the season as one of the best in the league from the corner, he’s shooting just 31% from deep in the month of February, and tonight’s 1-for-5 effort won’t help that math.
In Christie’s defense, his big two-handed dunk in the fourth was functionally the dagger that ended any comeback hopes Brooklyn may have been harboring. Still, so long as Christie remains in the starting lineup, and especially if Cooper Flagg remains out, there’s going to be plenty of shots to go around, and he shouldn’t let an off night like tonight (or an off month) prevent him from letting them fly.
A highly anticipated battle of Eastern Conference forces never took shape on Tuesday night, as the Knicks struggled to build momentum on both ends of the court in a 109-94 loss to the Cavaliers at Rocket Arena.
Here are the takeaways...
-- While both teams came out hot, nearly matching in efficiency and pace, an edge in first-quarter possessions and jumpers from beyond the arc helped the Cavs take a 35-26 lead through 12 minutes. The Knicks lacked ball control, committing six sloppy turnovers in the period that produced seven points in transition, and the Cavs shared the wealth much better, with four of their five starters making three shots apiece. Cleveland also attacked without any fear of New York's physicality, properly balancing movement around the perimeter and inside the paint behind Donovan Mitchell and James Harden.
-- There were signs of the Cavs taking greater command, as their lead reached 12 within a minute of the second quarter due to poor three-point shooting and further turnovers from the Knicks. But the Knicks clawed back, cutting their deficit down to one with a 10-2 run by the 3:00 mark. The catalysts were their bigs down low, as Karl-Anthony Towns scored 11 points by halftime while Mitchell Robinson logged a team-high six rebounds with seven points off the bench. The Cavs responded with an 8-0 run minutes before the break, ultimately entering the locker room with a 60-54 lead. Jalen Brunson had one more point (13) than the Knicks had first-half turnovers (12, a season-worst mark), and they shot an uninspiring 27 percent (4 of 15) from deep.
-- The third quarter started slowly for the Knicks, so much so that they were issued a delay of game violation before the Cavs even inbounded. There was an absence of rhythm and tenacity, and the combination of rushed possessions and poor shot choices kept them from generating any momentum. By the 4:05 mark, a three from Harden pushed the Cavs' lead to 13, forcing the Knicks to burn a timeout. To make matters worse, they couldn't contain Jarrett Allen, who actually led the Cavs in points (18) and rebounds (10) after three quarters. A ghastly 5 of 27 mark from three placed the Knicks in an 18-point hole, and their measly 11 points was their worst third-quarter output since 2022. Towns and Brunson also combined for just two more shot attempts (17) than Mikal Bridges (15).
-- A pair of made threes from Jose Alvarado and Josh Hart early in the fourth quarter were ironic and still too little, too late. The Cavs kept pace with ease, holding a comfortable 20-point lead around the halfway mark. Abysmal three-point shooting and costly turnovers placed the Knicks in a deep hole, and they simply ran out of time to recover or adjust their plan. The body language was ugly too, and a quiet 20-point effort from Brunson wasn't close to sufficient. Towns only scored three points in the second half, and was responsible for nearly one-third (5) of the team's 17 turnovers.
-- Hart, who scored seven points in the first quarter, finished with only 10 across 26 minutes. OG Anunoby was a ghost, as he scored five points on a weak 2 of 9 shooting in 34 minutes. Robinson racked up a team-high 15 boards (eight on offense), but added just two buckets in the second half. It was a dormant night for the Knicks' bench, which delivered 27 points (11 were from Robinson). Mitchell scored a game-high 23 points for the Cavs, while Harden (20) and Allen (19) combined for 39. Overall, the Knicks shot 27 percent from deep (10 of 37).
Game MVP: Jarrett Allen
Most of the attention was directed toward Mitchell and Harden -- and rightfully so -- but it was Allen who gave the Knicks fits in the paint and on the glass. The veteran big finished with 19 points on 7 of 8 shooting with 10 rebounds across 29 minutes.
BROOKLYN, NY - FEBRUARY 24: Nic Claxton #33 of the Brooklyn Nets drives to the basket during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on February 24, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Brooklyn Nets and Dallas Mavericks each faced a far more daunting opponent than each other before tonight. For those unaware, Mother Nature dumped over a foot of snow on New York City Sunday afternoon through Monday morning. Unable to fly in ahead of time, neither team arrived in the Big Apple before this morning.
Pregame, Jason Kidd couldn’t remember a time where he had to travel and play in the same day since his days running point for the team he’d coach against this evening.
“I think with the Nets, we flew from here to Phoenix and played Phoenix the same day,” Kidd recalled. “It was a snowstorm — we sat on a plane, couldn’t get out, stayed at a hotel and then left in the morning. I think we were in that game for the first quarter and then fatigue set in. So yes, I’ve been in something like this.”
Outside of that anecdote, Kidd downplayed the whole ordeal, mentioning that they had a good practice yesterday and the team spirit remained positive. Brooklyn also seemed to make the best of the situation.
“T-Mann [Terance Mann] put together an outing to aquarium, and that was pretty awesome,” Jordi Fernández said. “Pretty much all the guys went there. I asked them questions about their favorite things that they saw. It was pretty good.”
Atlanta marine life seemed to rub off on Brooklyn. In the tank race, the Nets were swimming upstream tonight. Brooklyn came into the contest vs Dallas with a clean injury report while teams like the Indiana Pacers and Washington Wizards hid half their rotations on their benches tonight. The Mavericks, meanwhile, benefitted from injuries to Cooper Flagg, Kyrie Irving, and Derick Lively.
That said, Brooklyn’s advantage (strictly on the floor…not in long term team-building) never really took form. The Nets fell behind early after starting the game 5-13 from the field, even with Michael Porter Jr. opening it 3-3.
But aside from the misses, Brooklyn’s offense did look a tad more fluid, and at the very least, just entertaining to watch tonight. They assisted on four of those first five makes and tallied 29 for the game. Brooklyn doubled up on their bigs in the pick-and-roll early, with Noah Clowney and Nic Claxton screening for each other before Day’Ron Sharpe and Danny Wolf did took turns later in the first.
Despite Brooklyn’s early investment in size, it was Dallas who initially saw greater returns on the interior. Fueled by Daniel Gafford and Marvin Bagley, who combined to for 13 on 5-8 shooting, the Mavericks scored 20 points in the paint during the first quarter. Dallas also maintained a rebounding advantage the whole game. As a result, the Nets finished the first down 36-29.
When the teams swapped baskets, Dallas’ approach switched as well. Klay Thompson made three triples less than three minutes into the second to give his team a double digit lead. Bagley also continued to have his way with Claxton, adding seven more points in the frame to lead his team with 14 at halftime. He finished with a team-high 22 for the game.
Claxton’s front court mate did his best to keep Brooklyn within striking distance. Clowney banged three triples in the second, one of which Clax even assisted on…
Nic Claxton with the one-hand catch and toss to Clowney.
Clax doing his best overcome a rough night defending the paint so far. He's up to six dimes already. pic.twitter.com/usWfyiVXeU
However, Brooklyn remained behind even as Claxton and Clowney looked to make up for their team’s paint passivity. Claxton had a game-high seven dimes by halftime and Brooklyn even managed to shoot 60.5% from the field in the first two periods. Regardless, Dallas maintained a 76-64 lead, shooting even better from the field (64.4%) and a full touchdown ahead on the glass (21-14).
Even after the Mavs scored the first four points of the second half, putting a daunting 80-64 score on the board at one point, Brooklyn kept the deficit in the 8-10 point range for much of the third. Brooklyn’s veteran though not exactly “old” group did the bulk work.
Through three, Porter Jr., Claxton, and Clowney had 57 points, shooting 21-29 from the field and 6-8 on threes. The seven other Nets combined for just 34 points, shooting 13-32 from the field and 4-15 from deep. Egor Dëmin looked in danger of going scoreless for the the second time this season, having zero points to his name at the start of the fourth after missing all five of his shots thus far.
Of course, the first Net to reach double figures outside those three was the oldest guy on the team. Terance Mann did so with a buttery mid-range finish early in the fourth. After leading his teammates to an eventful layover day in the ATL, he took charge again in the fourth, putting in 10 quick points in the period’s first five minutes and even made it a basket difference at one point.
But despite Mann’s productivity, Fernández opted to close with his original staring five, which included Traoré and Dëmin, who were a collective 4-17 by that point.
And while Dëmin finally broke the seal with a little over three to go in the game, the Nets couldn’t do the same with Dallas’ offense. The Mavs continued to switch Claxton and Traoré on defense, putting the latter in the paint and the Nets at a size disadvantage. Whether it was a Dallas big finished over Nolan, or the team working the ball around to find an open man after the Nets sent help, the Mavs slowly but surely rebuilt their lead down the stretch.
In the end, the issues the plagued Brooklyn from the start came back to bite them. They lost 44-28 on the glass and were -16 in the paint. The rookies combined for just 20 points while shooting 7-24 from the field and with seven turnovers.
Well, at least everyone is home safe.
Final: Dallas Mavericks 123, Brooklyn Nets 114
Milestone Watch
Nic Claxton scored 16 points with nine assists tonight against Dallas, which tied the fourth-most assists in a game in his career. It was his 10th career game with at least seven dimes, nine of which have come this season.
Noah Clowney has recorded his eighth 20-point game of the season tonight against Dallas, which is now twice as many 20-point outings as his first two seasons combined (four). He has made four 3-pointers (4-of-5), tied as his third-most of the season (13th game with 4+ 3PM).
Terance Mann’s 17 points off the bench tonight vs. Dallas are tied as his second most in a game this season. He is shooting 6-9 FG, 2-3 3PT and 3-4 FT.
So where do we find ourselves in the Tankathon rankings? Better than ever! The Nets are within two games of the No. 2 spot and within three games of the top spot.
Next Up
The Nets will get their second and final shot of the season at the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night. Brooklyn visited and lost to the Spurs in their third game, way back in late October. San Antonio will play this one as the latter half of a back-to-back sequence, but they’ve also won nine in a row. This one tips off at 7:30 p.m. EST at the Barclays Center.
NEW YORK (AP) — Marvin Bagley III scored 22 points, Naji Marshall had 21 and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Brooklyn Nets 123-114 on Tuesday night after both teams arrived in New York earlier in the day.
Both clubs played road games on Sunday and neither was able to fly into the New York area because of a blizzard. The Mavericks stayed in Indiana and the Nets remained in Atlanta. Both flew Tuesday and arrived in the early afternoon.
The change in schedule didn’t affect the Mavericks, who scored a season-high 76 points in the first half and won their second straight after a 10-game skid.
Brandon Williams had 19 points and 10 assists, while Klay Thompson added 17 points for the Mavericks, who shot 58.5% from the field while playing their fourth consecutive game without No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg because of a sprained left foot.
Michael Porter Jr. scored 26 points and Noah Clowney had 22 for the Nets, who lost their fifth straight. Terance Mann had 17 points off the bench and Nic Claxton finished with 16 points and nine rebounds.
Mann hit back-to-back 3-pointers to bring Brooklyn within two with 7:42 to play, but the Mavericks recovered and pushed the margin back into double digits in the final minute.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - FEBRUARY 24: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers passes around Og Anunoby #8 of the New York Knicks during the second quarter at Rocket Arena on February 24, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers made drastic trades at the deadline because they believed they could compete in a wide-open Eastern Conference. A regular-season win doesn’t validate those moves, but it does provide good proof of concept. The Cavs came away with a 109-94 victory over the New York Knicks.
As has been the case in much of James Harden’s initial tenure with the team, the Cavs won on the strength of their two guards and Jarrett Allen.
The Cavs failed to get Allen involved in their loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday and paid the price. They rectified that issue by ensuring Allen was a part of the offense early and often. He was continually able to get downhill to attack the basket and held up better than he has in a matchup with Mitchell Robinson in recent memory.
Getting Allen touches opened up things for the rest of the offense. The guards had lanes to attack off-the-dribble and from beyond the arc. And they made sure to take advantage of that.
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Donovan Mitchell and Harden continue to complement each other well on the court, even though they didn’t put up gaudy stat lines.
Harden orchestrated the offense all night while finding opportunities to score from the outside.
Mitchell relentlessly attacked the defense off the dribble. Even though he didn’t have his usual efficiency from the floor, he made up for it with his ability to get to the free-throw line.
The Cavs took control of this game in the third quarter after not being able to create much separation in the first half.
They continually forced New York to beat them with their outside shot by cheating off guys like Josh Hart and OG Anunoby, daring them to beat them from deep. This cut off lanes to the basket, which resulted in the Knicks only attempting three shots at the rim in the third quarter. And the Knicks weren’t able to make up for it with their outside shooting as they went 1-12 from beyond the arc in that frame.
This all led to Cleveland winning the quarter 23-11 and jumping out to an 18-point lead that they never gave up.
This was a great game from the Cavs, but they struggled to get Evan Mobley involved offensively. He felt like the odd man out when playing with the starters and wasn’t able to take advantage of the additional spacing in the bench lineups.
It will be an adjustment period for Mobley, who is still on a minutes limit. This was just his third game with the team since they made their drastic moves at the deadline, but this is something to keep an eye on. He finished this one with 12 points on 4-7 shooting with seven rebounds.
Mithell provided 23 points on 5-18 shooting to go along with five rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Harden had 20 points on 8-18 shooting with four assists.
Allen supplied 19 points and 10 rebounds on 7-8 shooting.
The Knicks were led by 20 points from Jalen Brunson. Mikal Bridges provided 18 points on 6-17 shooting with five rebounds.
With the win, the Cavs are now tied with the Knicks for third in the conference and are a game and a half behind the Boston Celtics for the second spot.
This was the last meeting between the Cavs and Knicks this season. This was the Cavs’ lone win in the series.
The Cavaliers are back in action tomorrow night as they hit the road to take on the Milwaukee Bucks. Tip-off is at 8 PM.
ATLANTA, GA - FEBRUARY 24: Jonathan Kuminga #0 of the Atlanta Hawks smiles during the game against the Washington Wizards on February 24, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Joe Boatman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In his first NBA game without a Golden State Warriors jersey, Jonathan Kuminga delivered an impressive all-around performance in the Atlanta Hawks 119-98 blowout win over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night. In 24 minutes off the bench, Kuminga scored a game-high 27 points alongside 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and just 2 turnovers on 9-for-12 shooting from the field (3-for-4 from three and 6-for-7 from the free-throw line). He unsurprisingly had an excellent +16 plus/minus as well.
Kuminga’s tumultuous Warriors tenure finally came to a close at the trade deadline, when Golden State sent him to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis and his expiring contract. While a healthy Porzgingis would be the perfect center for the Warriors, his injury history and prolonged bout with chronic illness (POTS) make it difficult to envision him becoming a core member of the team. With Porzingis’ contract slated to expire at the end of the season, Golden State was largely moving Kuminga in a salary dump that netted them a potential lottery ticket.
Kuminga has had plenty of impressive flashes throughout his pro career. His tantalizing athleticism after all is what led the Warriors to select him with the seventh-overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Kuminga had many promising stretches with Golden State, where he flashed future All-Star potential. Even this season, after an ugly prolonged restricted free agency, Kuminga started the season in the starting lineup and got off to a great start. However, head coach Steve Kerr quickly pulled Kuminga from the starting lineup after a slump and he soon was out of the rotation entirely.
Kuminga is confident he can be a legitimate NBA star. Kerr was clearly skeptical. If Kuminga keeps playing like he did in his first game with the Hawks, he’ll surely have the last laugh.
NEW YORK (AP) — Marvin Bagley III scored 22 points, Naji Marshall had 21 and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Brooklyn Nets 123-114 on Tuesday night after both teams arrived in New York earlier in the day.
Both clubs played road games on Sunday and neither was able to fly into the New York area because of a blizzard. The Mavericks stayed in Indiana and the Nets remained in Atlanta. Both flew Tuesday and arrived in the early afternoon.
The change in schedule didn't affect the Mavericks, who scored a season-high 76 points in the first half and won their second straight after a 10-game skid.
Brandon Williams had 19 points and 10 assists, while Klay Thompson added 17 points for the Mavericks, who shot 58.5% from the field while playing their fourth consecutive game without No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg because of a sprained left foot.
Michael Porter Jr. scored 26 points and Noah Clowney had 22 for the Nets, who lost their fifth straight. Terance Mann had 17 points off the bench and Nic Claxton finished with 16 points and nine rebounds.
Mann hit back-to-back 3-pointers to bring Brooklyn within two with 7:42 to play, but the Mavericks recovered and pushed the margin back into double digits in the final minute.
Feb 24, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jonathon Kuminga (0) reacts with center Jock Landale (31) after scoring against the Washington Wizards during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Hawks were back in action on Wednesday evening to take on the Washington Wizards. Though it’s not considered a big game, the major story coming in was the return of Trae Young. He didn’t play, but he did speak to the media before the game, and also came out to put some shots up.
The other big storyline was Jonathan Kuminga being available for the first time being traded to the Hawks, and many were wondering what he would look like on the floor with hs new teammates.
The Hawks started the game off strong, turning defense into offense.
The Hawks did suffer some injury news in the quarter, as Jalen Johnson went to the locker room with a hip flexor and was listed as questionable to return. Going into the second, the Hawks led 35-20.
The Hawks maintained their lead to start the second, as they continued to get most of their points in transition. Midway through the quarter, it was announced that Johnson was ruled out for the rest of the game, which meant the rest of the team would have to step up.
Also during the quarter, Young was given his tribute video.
The Hawks didn’t shoot the ball well in the quarter, but luckily for them, the Wizards weren’t shooting any better. Going into halftime, the Hawks did have a 60-43 lead.
The Hawks found a better rhythm to start the third, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker popped it off.
With how well the Hawks played in the third quarter, they led by as much as 36 points, and went into the fourth with a 100-64 lead.
It was much of the same for the Hawks in the fourth, as they continued to maintain their large lead. Corey Kispert got on the board with a three-pointer.
The Wizards hit a few shots in the fourth, but it wasn’t enough to overcome their large deficit. It was an ugly quarter for the Hawks, as they were barely to get much offense going, but luckilu they had a big enough lead to work with.
In the end, the Hawks were able to walk away with their second straight home win.
Kuminga finished the game with 27 points and seven rebounds, Alexander-Walker finished with 16 points, and Okongwu finished with 10 points and 10 rebouds.
The Hawks will be back in action on Thursday for a rematch against the Wizards.
ATLANTA, GA - FEBRUARY 24: Will Riley #27 of the Washington Wizards handles the ball during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on February 24, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Joe Boatman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Washington Wizards lost to the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday, 119-98.
Again, like most games this season, the Wizards were the underdogs and it showed right away. Though neither team shot well in the first half, the Hawks were leading 60-43 thanks to better ball control and team assists. By the time the third quarter ended, Jonathan Kuminga scored 18 of his 27 points in the third quarter for the Hawks, which ended any hopes of Washington making this game competitive. The fourth quarter was garbage time.
I’m not happy watching another blowout, especially when the Wizards — even if Trae Young didn’t play tonight — just came out flat minus the fourth quarter. Will Riley scored 18 points to lead Washington.
The Wizards still play the Hawks on Thursday. Tip off is at 7:30 p.m. ET. See you then.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Nick Martinelli scored 28 points, Jake West added 16 points and Northwestern rallied to beat Indiana 72-68 on Tuesday night for its first six-game winning streak in series history.
The Wildcats have also won four consecutive road games against Indiana for the first time in program history.
Arrinten Page had 10 points off the bench for Northwestern (12-16, 4-13 Big Ten).
Lamar Wilkerson scored 18 points, reserve Tayton Conerway added 14, Sam Alexis had 13 and Tucker Devries 11 for Indiana (17-11, 8-9).
Northwestern clinched the win making 6 of 8 foul shots down the stretch.
Down 69-66, Conerway drove to the basket on the right and threw down a two-handed dunk and crashed to the floor claiming to be fouled with eight seconds to go. Conerway then intentionally fouled Jake West, who made two foul shots to push the Wildcats' lead to 71-68.
On Indiana's ensuing possession, Devries took a dribble hand-off on the right, gave a head fake and when elevating for the shot attempt, appeared to be grabbed on the left wrist by Angelo Ciaravino. The errant attempt was nowhere near the rim with 1.1 seconds left and Northwestern secured the rebound.
Indiana fouled Page, who made 1 of 2 shots to end it.
The Hoosiers missed 11 straight shots starting near the midway point of the second half until Conerway's dunk.
Indiana reached its largest lead at 38-25 with 4:48 left before halftime and went to intermission up 42-33.
Up next
Northwestern: Hosts Oregon on Saturday.
Indiana: Hosts 13th-ranked Michigan State on Sunday.
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Kanye Clary scored 17 points and Oklahoma State scored the first seven points of overtime to help beat West Virginia 91-84 on Tuesday night and end the Cowboys' five-game losing streak.
Anthony Roy converted a three-point play, Parsa Fallah added a free throw and Jaylen Curry capped the extra-period surge with a 3-pointer to give Oklahoma State an 84-77 lead with 1:55 remaining. West Virginia pulled within five points twice inside the final 33 seconds but no closer.
The Mountaineers trailed by 14 points early in the second half.
Fallah and Clary each made a 3 to give Oklahoma State a 77-72 lead with 3:06 left in regulation. Chance Moore made 1 of 2 free throws, tipped in a shot and added a layup to knot it at 77. Clary missed a 3 at the buzzer to force overtime.
Fallah scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds for Oklahoma State (17-11, 5-10 Big 12). Curry added 15 points and Andrija Vukovic scored 12. Roy and Christian Coleman scored 10 apiece.
Honor Huff made six 3s and scored 20 points to lead West Virginia (16-12, 7-8). Treysen Eaglestaff added 18 points and Moore finished with 14 to go with 10 rebounds.
Oklahoma State scored the last nine points of the first half to take a 46-33 advantage. Two minutes into the second half, Vukovic made a pair of free throws to give the Cowboys their largest lead, 49-35.
West Virginia used a 10-0 run to take its first lead, 56-55, with 10:48 left.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 24: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers passes the ball to teammate Tyrese Maxey #0 as he is defended by Quenton Jackson #29 of the Indiana Pacers during the second quarter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on February 24, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome back, big fella — boy, were you missed.
The Sixers rolled the Indiana Pacers 135-114 Tuesday night.
After missing the last five games, Joel Embiid put up 27 points, six rebounds and five assists on 11-of-17 shooting. Tyrese Maxey looked happy to have his running mate back, leading all scorers with 32 along with nine rebounds and eight assists while getting the fourth quarter off.
VJ Edgecombe had an extremely efficient 23 points shooting 9-of-13 from the field. Andrew Nembhard and Micah Potter led Indiana with 23 as well.
With Embiid back, the Sixers were only down Paul George due to his suspension while the Pacers were without six players but most notably, Pascal Siakam.
Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.
First Quarter
A quick start for both offenses, with Kam Jones, a 23% three-point shooter on the season, making his first two threes as well as his first two looks from inside the arc (in fairness, he was a 36% three-point shooter in college). On the other end, Kelly Oubre Jr. led the way with his first three shots of the night, knocking down a three and getting to the basket a couple of times as well.
Embiid’s first shift was as long as usual, but he only took three shots. He missed a long midrange jumper, but got a couple easy layups after sealing his defenders. Maxey was quite aggressive, attempting a poster for the second game in a row, but started the night 2-of-6.
The Sixers took much worse care of the ball in the quarter. They turned it over five times, three of which were steals that led directly to fast break layups. Defensively they were slow getting out to contest threes, and the Pacers shot 6-of-11 from deep in the quarter, putting the Sixers in an early eight-point hole.
Second Quarter
The second unit minutes sure do look different with Embiid back in the lineup. The Sixers ripped off a 17-0 run to open the quarter fueled by the starting backcourt. Edgecombe had a few successful drives and finished off a fast break started by an Adem Bona steal. They rewarded the big man for hustle coming out of a Pacers timeout, letting him go to work in the post for a floater.
Taking nearly five minutes to make their first field goal of the quarter, the Pacers gave the Sixers plenty of time to extend their lead. Embiid and Maxey both hit impressive circus layups before the former found a groove with a jumper. Trendon Watford returned to the rotation after being out the last two games and immediately was found by Embiid for a cutting layup.
Watford’s shift was rather up-and-down defensively, as he was getting shredded by Jarace Walker and Potter in the pick-and-roll. Just as the Pacers were putting together a run, he rotated over to block a Jones’ layup attempt. He picked Nembhard’s pocket on the next possession and that eventually led to points as well. Edgecombe looked to cap off a 7-0 run heading into the half, but Watford committed a really silly foul on the inbound with 0.5 left, and the ensuing free throws cut the Sixers’ lead to 10 at the break.
Third Quarter
Edgecombe was having a lot of success off the dribble in the first half and picked that right back up, barreling into Ben Sheppard for a layup to start the second. He and Oubre chipped in a couple more transition buckets as both teams started the half rather slow.
With Embiid, Edgecombe and Maxey all able to get to their spots with relative ease they were able to stay in front on cruise control. That did let the Pacers keep themselves within striking distance, with Nembhard being the latest to go on a flurry.
Credit to Bona, because it felt like the Sixers’ intensity on defense went up a notch every time he checked in. Both he and Maxey were both able to get their hands on the ball to create more fast breaks, helping to create a 9-0 Sixers run. That was a much needed spurt to end the quarter to put the Sixers up by 21.
Fourth Quarter
The only question remaining was whether the Sixers could keep the lead big enough to give their stars an early night. They probably wanted Embiid to get some extra minutes for conditioning as he did return a couple minutes into the fourth. He picked up a couple more easy baskets in the post, able to seal off Jay Huff nearly every time down the floor.
The benches started to empty a little less than halfway through the quarter with Justin Edwards and Andre Drummond checking in for the first time, and Dalen Terry shortly followed. Watford took advantage of the extra touches, his post-ups keeping the Sixers on the board and not allowing the Pacers any chance of a miraculous comeback.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Denzel Aberdeen scored 19 points, Mouhamed Dioubate had 12 points and a key block down the stretch, and Kentucky beat South Carolina 72-63 on Tuesday night to end a three-game skid.
Kentucky (18-10, 9-6 SEC) secured its first win at South Carolina since the 2021-22 season.
The Wildcats had their lead trimmed to 59-57 with 2:43 left when Mike Sharavjamts made a wide open 3-pointer, off a nice drive and pass from Meechie Johnson. But Kentucky scored the next 10 points to pull away.
Malachi Moreno made a driving layup to give Kentucky a 61-57 lead and a block by Dioubate led to a Collin Chandler 3-pointer for a seven-point lead. South Carolina was off on a 3-pointer and Aberdeen added two free throws with 1:29 left for a nine-point advantage.
Andrija Jelavic added 11 points, Chandler finished with 10 points and Moreno had 11 rebounds for Kentucky. The Wildcats outrebounded South Carolina 48-28, including an 18-5 edge on the offensive end.
Johnson led South Carolina (12-16, 3-12) with 18 points. Sharavjamts added 12 points and Elijah Strong scored 11.
South Carolina was just 7-of-28 shooting in the first half (25%) to trail 28-21. But the Gamecocks made 10 of their first 16 shots of the second half to tie it at 48-all with eight minutes left.
Up next
Kentucky: Returns home to play No. 25 Vanderbilt on Saturday.
Earlier this month, the NBA fined the Indiana Pacers $100,000 for "violating the Player Participation Policy in connection with the team's game against the Utah Jazz on Feb. 3." On the second night of a back-to-back, Indiana sat All-Star Pascal Siakam as well as Bennedict Mathurin (who was traded within days), T.J. McConnell, Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith for the game (a loss to the Jazz). The league said that, in consultation with an independent physician, it determined that Siakam and two others could have played, although possibly in reduced roles.
"I didn't agree with it. There was a league lawyer that was doing the interview that kind of unilaterally decided that Aaron Nesmith, who had been injured the night before and couldn't hold the ball, should have played in the game, which just seems ridiculous.
"During the interview process – I was not on it, but I heard details – we asked them if they wanted to talk to the doctors, our doctors, about it because it was something that was documented by our doctors and trainers. They said no, they didn't need to. They talked to their doctors, who did not examine Aaron Nesmith. And we asked them if they wanted to talk to (Nesmith), and they said, no, they didn't need to.
"This was shocking to me. And during the interview, they also asked if we considered medicating him to play in a game when we were 30 games under .500. So I was very surprised. Obviously didn't agree with it."
"Coach Carlisle's description of the process that went into the decision to fine the Indiana Pacers is inaccurate. An independent physician led the medical review. In addition, the Pacers' general manager and the team's senior vice president (of) sports medicine and performance were interviewed as part of the process. The Pacers confirmed that it had provided all of the information requested by the league and the team reported that an interview with Coach Carlisle or a team physician wasn't necessary."
Two thoughts on this.
First, what Carlise accurately sums up is the vibe around the NBA — the league's approach to limiting tanking is random. Scattershot. Utah and Indiana (and likely a couple of teams in the future) will be hit with fines, while other teams sit out stars — with what seems, from the outside, to be very slow-healing injuries (to be generous) — and go unpunished. I have no doubt that the league feels there is an internal logic and they are following the CBA, but outside the New York NBA HQ, the feeling is Utah in particular (because they played stars but sat them in the fourth quarter), but Indiana as well, were singled out for things a whole bunch of other teams are doing. Utah basically said, "Okay, we'll play your game," and came up with surgeries for Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jusuf Nurkic that will sit two key rotation players for the remainder of the year.
Second, if the price for Indiana of a top-four pick is a $100,000 fine, they will pay it with a smile. That is the price of doing business. Utah will feel the same way about a $500,000 fine.
