Category: NBA

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Roman Siulepa scored 22 points, and Nojus Indrusaitis added a career-high 17 as Pittsburgh held off Notre Dame 73-68 on Saturday.

The Panthers (10-17, 3-11 ACC) shot 45% from the field and made 11 of 24 from 3-point range, leading 23-20 at halftime. Siulepa went 7 of 10 from the field and knocked down four 3-pointers while adding seven rebounds and three steals. Cameron Corhen finished with 13 points and eight rebounds as Pittsburgh ended a five-game skid.

Notre Dame (12-15, 3-11) struggled offensively early, going 2 of 18 from 3-point range in the first half with no player scoring more than four points. The Irish briefly grabbed their first lead since the 5:46 mark of the opening half when a layup made it 47-46 midway through the second.

Pittsburgh answered with a decisive stretch as Indrusaitis hit back-to-back 3-pointers to spark a run that turned a one-point deficit into a 55-49 lead with 4:46 remaining. The Panthers pushed the margin to 63-52 with 2:39 left and never trailed again.

Notre Dame made one final push as Cole Certa scored seven points in the final minute, cutting the deficit to three before Siulepa responded with a dunk, and Pittsburgh sealed the game at the free-throw line.

Certa led the Irish with 16 points, while Logan Imes added 12 points and eight rebounds. Ryder Frost scored 12 off the bench.

Up Next

Notre Dame: hosts No. 3 Duke on Tuesday.

Pittsburgh: travels to Stanford next Wednesday.

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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Gia Cooke scored 21 points, Kierra Wheeler added 18 and 10 rebounds for No. 19 West Virginia in a 72-40 win over Oklahoma State on Saturday.

Jordan Harrison added 12 for the Mountaineers (22-6, 12-4 Big 12). Cooke knocked down five 3-pointers and Wheeler earned her seventh double-double of the season. West Virginia shot 29 of 57 (51%) from the field as a team, compared to Oklahoma State's 23%.

The Cowgirls (21-8, 10-6) were led by Stailee Heard, who scored 13.

The Mountaineers started the game on an 8-0 run and were leading by double-digits before the first quarter ended. An 18-2 run in the second quarter that saw the Mountaineers drain the last 12 points of the half put them ahead 49-23. West Virginia scored the first six points of the third quarter, extending the run to 24-2.

Up next

West Virginia: Visits UCF on Wednesday.

Oklahoma State: Visits Iowa State on Wednesday.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers have found themselves staring down a long list of injuries throughout the season. On Sunday, they’ll be on the right side of one of these matchups for once. The Oklahoma City Thunder are unfortunately dealing with a wave of key injuries as the Cavaliers are in town.

The full injury report isn’t out yet. But we know that reigning MVP and Finals MVP Shai-Gilgeous Alexander will be out with an abdominal strain and won’t be re-evaluated until next week. One of SGA’s costars, Jalen Williams, will also miss this game with a hamstring injury.

SGA is averaging 31.8 points per game this season, while Williams is contributing 17.5 points per game.

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Meanwhile, the Cavs are looking at a relatively clean slate unless something unexpected pops up in the next 18 hours. Max Strus will be out with a foot injury. Other than that, the Cavs strategically rested Evan Mobley on the second night of their back-to-back, presumably with the intention of having him play in Sunday’s matchup.

Injuries favor Cleveland for this one. But that doesn’t mean this game will be easy. The Thunder are still a powerhouse even without two of their biggest stars. Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein can anchor an elite defense with players like Cason Wallace, Lu Dort, and Alex Caruso flanking them.

Dort, in particular, has had plenty of success defending Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell. Mitchell is shooting 11-49 in his last three games against the Thunder. Dort is built to withstand Mitchell’s unique combination of speed and strength. Perhaps James Harden’s presence will alleviate some of the pressure this matchup places on Mitchell.

The Thunder don’t have an elite scoring punch with both SGA and J-Dub on the sidelines. But keep an eye out for Jared McCain, whom OKC acquired at the deadline. McCain scored a season-high 21 points off the bench in the Thunder’s recent win against the Brooklyn Nets and is the type of speedy guard that could give the Cavs trouble.

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Our NBA player prop projections are back for Saturday’s primetime matchup, and the model has spotlighted a few plays that really pop.

We ran the numbers, lined our projections up against the market, and locked in on the spots with genuine value.

For these Rockets vs. Knicks predictions, it’s not guesswork — it’s all driven by the data.

If you’re building your betting card, these are the NBA picks the model likes most for February 21.

Rockets vs Knicks computer picks for February 21

Rockets	Knicks
Durant u24.5 points  -115	Brunson u26.5 points  -125
Thompson o4.5 assists -150	Anunoby o1.5 3-pointers made  -180
Sengun o9.5 rebounds +110	Robinson u7.5 rebounds  -115

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Rockets computer picks

Kevin Durant Under 24.5 points (-115)

Projection: 24.4 points

Offensively, the Houston Rockets just haven’t had much juice lately — their 107.0 points per game over the last 20 outings ranks as the second-lowest mark in the league.

They’ve also been playing at the slowest pace in the NBA on the road this season, which really drags games into the mud.

On top of that, the New York Knicks have played at the third-slowest pace at home over their last 10 games. Fewer possessions overall isn’t great news for Kevin Durant, and that tempo setup works against his points prop.

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Amen Thompson Over 4.5 assists (-150)

Projection: 5.0 assists

Amen Thompson has been doing a solid job setting the table lately, clearing this 4.5 assists line in six of his last 10 games. He’s been more comfortable running the offense, pushing the pace when he can, and creating easy looks for teammates rather than forcing his own shot.

With the ball in his hands more and his playmaking confidence growing, he’s consistently putting himself in position to rack up helpers — so this line feels pretty attainable if that trend continues.

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Alperen Şengün Over 9.5 rebounds (+110)

Projection: 8.8 rebounds

Offensive rebounds are basically bonus possessions and more chances to score creates more opportunities for assists. The Rockets have been elite there, leading the league with 15.7 offensive boards per game this season.

That setup should give Alperen Şengün plenty of chances to cash in on the glass.

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Knicks computer picks

Jalen Brunson Under 26.5 points (-125)

Projection: 25.3 points

The New York Knicks have been playing at a crawl offensively at home lately — over their last 10 games, they’ve had the third-slowest pace in the league.

Now they’re facing the Houston Rockets, who play at the slowest pace on the road this season.

Fewer possessions on both sides should mean fewer scoring chances overall, which isn’t exactly the ideal setup for Jalen Brunson to put up one of his usual big offensive nights.

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OG Anunoby Over 1.5 3-pointers made (-180)

Projection: 2 3-pointers made

OG Anunoby has been quietly reliable from deep, clearing this 1.5 made threes line in seven of his last 10 games. He’s getting clean catch-and-shoot looks within the flow of the offense, and he hasn’t needed high volume to cash this number.

With his minutes steady and defenses often focused elsewhere, he keeps finding space on the perimeter. If he knocks down one early, he’s usually in great shape to get that second triple and push this prop Over again.

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Mitchell Robinson Under 7.5 rebounds (-115)

Projection: 7.1 rebounds

Mitchell Robinson has gone Under this 7.5 line in six of his last 10 games, and the trend makes sense when you look at his role. His production tends to come in bursts — mostly off putbacks, lobs, and defensive activity — rather than steady offensive volume.

He’s also not a high-usage option, so if the pace slows down or the offense flows through other scorers, his opportunities can be limited. Unless he piles up extra chances on the glass or gets extended run, this number can be a tough one for him to clear consistently.

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How to watch Rockets vs Knicks tonight

Location	Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Date	Saturday, February 21, 2026
Tip-off	8:30 p.m. ET
TV	ABC

Not intended for use in MA.
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CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Canada wins gold in men’s curling at the Milan Cortina Olympics.

The Detroit Pistons have a commanding 5.5 game lead in the East (as of Saturday afternoon). Behind them are the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and Cleveland Cavaliers, all bunched up within a game and a half of each other. It is worth noting that the Raptors are 3.5 games out of 2nd place as well.

The Celtics have the slight edge at the moment, and they could potentially be getting back Jayson Tatum any day now. But clearly this race is far from over.

Looking to the strength of remaining schedule (via Tankathon), the Celtics have the 6th most difficult schedule remaining. They play the Thunder twice, as well as the Spurs, Nuggets, Cavs, and Knicks.

In contrast, the Cavs have the 26th hardest remaining schedule (5th easiest) and the Knicks have the 20th. The Cavs are also 9-1 in their last 10 have have gotten a big boost from adding James Harden to their lineup. Sure, he hasn’t exactly delivered in the playoffs, but he’s a regular season stats machine that helps teams stack wins.

The last few months are also always kind of fluky when you factor in tanking teams, lame duck players and coaches, load management, and teams that have nothing left to play for after their seed is locked in.

With all that said, the next couple of weeks could be critical to the seedings. So where do you see the Celtics finishing and who do you think ends up with the 2 seed?

COLOMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Meechie Johnson scored 21 points and racked up a career-high nine assists, and Kobe Knox added 17 points for South Carolina in a 97-89 win over Mississippi State on Saturday afternoon, snapping a seven-game losing streak.

Elijah Strong put up 16 points for the Gamecocks (12-15, 3-11 Southeastern Conference) and Mike Sharavjamts added 15. Eli Ellis had 11 off the bench to help South Carolina score a season-high 97 points.

South Carolina jumped ahead with an 8-0 run in the first half that included two points from Johnson and three from Knox, and headed into halftime up 46-39. The Gamecocks took their biggest lead of the game — 89-76 — off a 6-0 run with 2:17 to play.

Mississippi State (13-14, 5-9) was led by Quincy Ballard with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Jaden Epps scored 13 in the first half before leaving the game with an injury, and didn't return. SEC leading scorer Josh Hubbard finished with 13, after only putting up two in the first half. Ja'Borri McGhee had 12 and Sergei Macura 10.

The Gamecocks shot 85% from the free throw line (23 of 27).

Up next

Mississippi State: Visits No. 25 Alabama on Wednesday.

South Carolina: Hosts Kentucky on Tuesday.

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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge hit two homers in his spring debut as he prepares for the World Baseball Classic next month.

The three-time Most Valuable Player hit a pair of two-run shots, one in the third inning and another in the fourth against the Detroit Tigers. He finished 2-for-3 with four RBIs.

The 33-year-old has won the MVP in three of the past four seasons, including last year when he hit .331 with 53 homers and 114 RBIs.

“We've got the WBC coming up, which I'm excited about, and an exciting Yankees season,” Judge said after his performance. “We've got a lot of unfinished business from last season, especially the way it ended for us. I'm just trying to put myself in the best position to help this team win a lot of ballgames.”

Judge will be part of what looks like a loaded Team USA lineup in the WBC. The position player group also includes Bryce Harper, Gunnar Henderson, Bobby Witt Jr., Cal Raleigh and Kyle Schwarber.

The WBC's pool play round runs from March 5-11 at four sites in Tokyo, Houston, Miami and San Juan, Puerto Rico. The championship game will be on March 17 in Miami.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

Devin Booker is out for the rest of the month, the Phoenix Suns announced on Saturday. Booker suffered a right hip strain early on against the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday and did not return in the team’s 121-94 loss.

Already having missed 12 games this year, if Booker misses six more, he will be ineligible to make All-NBA. With the earliest he could return being March 3rd, he can only miss one more game the rest of the season to stay eligible.

Additionally, the Suns announced that recent signing Haywood Highsmith is still recovering from the right knee surgery he had this past offseason, and will be re-evaluated in 14-21 days. He hasn’t played all year. Phoenix signed him last week during the All-Star break.

Phoenix is 5-7 on the year when Booker doesn’t play. Leading the team in points, assists and shots per game, the team is going to need to find someone or multiple people to pick up the playmaking load in his absence, especially in their Thursday show down against the Los Angeles Lakers, which could prove to be a huge game in the final Western Conference standings.

PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix Suns All-Star guard Devin Booker will miss at least one week because of a right hip strain that happened against the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday.

The team made the announcement on Saturday before the team's game against the Orlando Magic.

Booker is averaging 24.7 points, 6.1 assists and 3.9 rebounds over 44 games this season. The 29-year-old recently missed seven straight games with a sprained right ankle.

The Suns also said that recently signed guard Haywood Highsmith is continuing to recover from right knee surgery last offseason. The team said Highsmith is making “good progress” and will be evaluated in 2 to 3 weeks.

The Suns have been one of the NBA's surprise teams this season with a 32-24 record, but injuries have taken a toll and they've lost four of their past five games.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Robert McCray V matched his season-high with 29 points, including Florida State's final 10, and the streaking Seminoles defeated Clemson 70-65 on Saturday.

Florida State held the lead for 11 minutes in the first half despite nine lead changes. Ace Buckner nailed three 3-pointers in the final four minutes, and two of them were during an 8-0 run that helped Clemson take a 36-33 halftime lead.

The lead continued back and forth in the second half until the Seminoles' 7-0 run gave them a 48-42 lead with 13 1/2 minutes remaining. Florida State went ahead by eight before Clemson rallied again, taking a 56-55 lead with eight minutes left.

There were five more lead changes, the last when McRay hit a 3-pointer for a 66-65 lead. The Tigers did not score thereafter, missing their last six shots, five of them from 3-point range. McRay closed it out with a layup and a couple of free throws.

In all, there were 22 lead changes and the game was tied five times.

Lajae Jones scored 13 points for the Seminoles (14-13, 7-7 ACC), who have won seven of their last nine games.

Buckner scored 15 points, Dillon Hunter 13 and RJ Godfrey 12 for Clemson (20-8, 10-5), which has lost four in a row since a 10-1 start to the conference season.

Up next

Florida State: Miami visits on Tuesday.

Clemson: No. 21 Louisville visits on Saturday.

___

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Spanish league leader Real Madrid was stunned by Osasuna in a 2-1 loss on Saturday.

Raul Garcia's 90th-minute winner means Barcelona can overtake Madrid at the top of the standings by beating Levante on Sunday.

Madrid is two points clear of second-place Barca, having played a game more.

Vinicius Junior looked to have at least salvaged a point for Alvaro Arbeloa's team with his goal in the 73rd, which leveled the game after Ante Budimir's first-half penalty had given Osasuna the lead.

Madrid fans were likely expecting it to be a launchpad to take all three points - but Garcia's goal from close range provided a twist in the race for the title.

A wild finish in six-goal thriller in Sociedad

Real Sociedad drew 3-3 with last-place Real Oviedo after a wild finish at Estadio Municipal de Anoeta.

Oviedo took control of the match with two quick goals after halftime from Federico Vinas, who scored with headers in the 50th and 52nd minutes.

Orri Oskarsson started the fightback for Sociedad with a powerful header in the 64th and Duje Caleta-Car headed in another to level in the 87th.

Oskarsson scored his second of the match with a clinical finish to give the home side the lead in the 90th — but the drama wasn't done.

In the second minute of added time Eric Bailly leveled the game again to rescue a point for Oviedo.

Even then there was still time for Goncalo Guedes to hit the post in 99th.

Fifth-place Real Betis could lose ground in the race for Champions League qualification after a 1-1 draw with Rayo Vallecano.

Isi Palazon's goal in the 42nd cancelled out Cedric Bakambu's opener for Betis.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Cade Tyson had 27 points and 10 rebounds, making seven 3-pointers, and short-handed Minnesota defeated Rutgers 80-61 on Saturday.

Minnesota won its second straight game with a lineup of six players. All five Minnesota starters scored in double figures and all five played at least 36 minutes. Backup Kai Shinholster played 13 minutes.

Tyson made 10 of 18 shots and was 7 for 9 from 3-point range.

Langston Reynolds had 19 points and nine assists, Bobby Durkin scored 12 points, and Isaac Asuma and Grayson Grove scored 11 each for the Golden Gophers (13-14, 6-10 Big Ten). Shinholster did not score.

Minnesota shot 60% overall and made 15 of 26 3-pointers.

Lino Mark scored 16 points, Dylan Grant 15 and Tariq Francis 10 for Rutgers (11-16, 4-12). The Scarlet Knights had won their last two, including their only Big Ten road win, 85-72 against Penn State on Wednesday.

The Gophers shot 57% in the first half and their stifling defense that allowed only 44 points in a win at Oregon earlier in the week held Rutgers to 36% shooting. Reynolds scored 13 points, Tyson added 11 and Minnesota led 36-23 at halftime.

Durkin's fourth 3-pointer of the second half followed a 3 by Tyson, gave the Golden Gophers a 63-43 lead with nine minutes left. Minnesota led by at least 16 the rest of the way.

Minnesota junior forward Jaylen Crocker-Johnson, the team’s second-leading scorer, will be sidelined indefinitely with a foot injury, coach Niko Medved said on Friday. Minnesota lost starters Robert Vaihola and Chansey Willis to season-ending injuries in November. Backups B.J. Omot and Chance Stephens have been unavailable all season.

Up next

Rutgers: Washington visits on Tuesday.

Minnesota: at No. 1 Michigan on Tuesday.

___

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BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Neoklis Avdalas and Tobi Lawal each scored 17 points and Virginia Tech pulled away in the second half for an 82-63 win over Wake Forest on Saturday.

The Hokies (18-10, 7-8 ACC) shot 51% from the field and led 43-33 at halftime, snapping a two-game skid while handing the Demon Deacons their first loss in four games. Lawal finished 7 of 11 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds, while Amani Hansberry added 13 points and Ben Hammond finished with 12 points and five assists. Avaldas had seven assists.

Wake Forest (14-13, 5-9) trimmed the deficit to eight early in the second half, but Virginia Tech answered with a decisive run. A 3-pointer by Avdalas sparked a stretch that included back-to-back 3s from Hansberry and Jailen Bedford, pushing the lead to 61-45 with 11:25 remaining. The margin never dropped below 16 the rest of the way.

Christian Gurdak provided a key lift off the bench, scoring 10 points on 5 of 5 shooting. The Hokies had six players finish in double-digits.

Juke Harris led Wake Forest with 16 points, Tre’Von Spillers added 12 points and seven rebounds and Cooper Schwieger scored 10. The Demon Deacons shot 38% from the field and 6 of 30 from 3-point range after opening the game 4-for-4 from distance.

The 19-point margin marked Virginia Tech’s largest ACC victory since February 2024.

Up Next

Wake Forest: at Boston College on Tuesday.

Virginia Tech: at No. 16 North Carolina next Saturday.

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