Category: NBA

Weekly schedule analysis can be the difference between winning and losing tight fantasy basketball matchups, especially during busy stretches of the season. By identifying low-volume game days, managers can maximize streaming spots, while also prioritizing players from teams with four-game slates to squeeze out extra production. This breakdown highlights the most favorable schedules, teams to target, and potential matchup advantages to exploit. With several clubs playing four times and a few light days ideal for streaming, proactive roster management will be key to gaining an edge in points, categories, and overall lineup efficiency throughout the week.

Days with fewer than six games

These are dates to target players for streaming options from the following teams: 

Monday, February 23: SAS vs. DET, SAC vs. MEM, UTA vs. HOU

Friday, February 27: CLE vs. DET, BKN vs. BOS, NYK vs. MIL, MEM vs. DAL, DEN vs. OKC

Saturday, February 28: POR vs. CHA, HOU vs. MIA, TOR vs. WSH, LAL vs. GSW, NOP vs. UTA

Teams with more than three games this week

Make sure to activate players and target weekly pickups from the following teams:

Nets (4), Celtics (4), Cavaliers (4), Mavericks (4), Pistons (4), Rockets (4), Lakers (4), Grizzlies (4), Bucks (4), Pelicans (4), Thunder (4), Trail Blazers (4), Kings (4), Spurs (4) 

Teams with fewer than three games this week

Consider looking for streaming options if your roster includes players from these teams:

Clippers (2), Suns (2)

Top teams to target based on favorable matchups

Mavericks at Nets, vs. Kings, vs. Grizzlies, vs. Thunder

The Mavericks open with their only road game of the week, as they take on the Nets, who give up the league's second-highest field-goal percentage, including the second-highest three-point percentage, along with the sixth-most turnovers per game. This should be a great opportunity for the squad to establish a good rhythm heading into a couple more highly winnable matchups. Next, they clash with the Kings, who are missing a few of their top players due to injury trouble and are giving up the league's third-most points per game. Moving ahead, a meeting with the Grizzlies, who give up the league's ninth-most points per game, including the fourth-most three-pointers, along with the league's seventh-most turnovers per game. All three matchups provide ideal opportunities for Max Christie and Khris Middleton to maximize their impact from long range, while guys like Brandon Williams and P.J. Washington should be able to pad their stats across the board against the unimposing defenses. Finally, the Mavs face the Thunder, in what will most likely be the toughest game of the week. However, Cooper Flagg (foot) should be back in action by then and will help give his side a better chance to take advantage of the Thunder's few weak spots, as they give up the league's third-most three-pointers per game and the seventh-highest three-point shooting percentage. The Thunder also give up the fourth-most offensive rebounds per game. 

Rockets vs. Jazz, vs. Kings, at Magic, at Heat 

The Rockets start things off with a couple of very winnable home games. First, they take on the Jazz, who give up the league's most points per game, along with the fourth-highest three-point percentage, followed by an encounter with the Kings, who give up the league's highest field-goal percentage and third-most points in the paint per game. Both matchups should help the Rockets get their offense rolling, giving guys like Reed Sheppard, Tari Eason and Jabari Smith to get into a groove before a couple of more challenging games to follow. Up next, they meet with the Magic, who give up the league's fifth-most free throws per game, as well as the eighth-highest field-goal percentage, including the seventh-highest field-goal percentage to opposing power forwards. Amen Thompson should look to use his size advantage in the backcourt to put the pressure on the rim with drives to draw foul contact, as well as open up easy looks for his teammates. The Rockets then close the week against the Heat, who give up the league's ninth-most points in the paint and second-most rebounds per game. Kevin Durant will need to step up to help lead the charge in both matchups, while Alperen Sengun and Clint Capela will be instrumental in ensuring their squad's best chances by imposing their presence in the paint. 

Grizzlies vs. Kings, vs. Warriors, at Mavericks, at Pacers

The Grizzlies begin their week with back-to-back home games, providing a chance to improve on their 11-15 home record. They start off against the Kings, who give up the league's fifth-most free throws per game. The Kings also give up the fourth-most points per game to opposing shooting guards and second-most points per game to opposing small forwards, suggesting that Malik Monk and Precious Achiuwa could stand out as top streaming options for the day. Up next, an encounter with the Warriors, who give up the league's fifth-highest field-goal percentage to opposing point guards and the second-most rebounds per game to opposing centers, which should help guys like Scotty Pippen, Ty Jerome and Cam Spencer continue to provide notable impacts from the backcourt, while Olivier-Maxence Prosper may remain in line to step up in for his squad's injury-riddled frontcourt. The Grizzlies then clash with the Mavericks, who give up the league's most points in the paint, as well as the third-most rebounds per game, including the third-most offensive rebounds. Lastly, a meeting with the Pacers, who give up the league's sixth-most points per game, including the second-most points in the paint and the fifth-highest field-goal percentage. They also give up the third-most free throws and fourth-most rebounds per game. These final two matchups provide ideal grounds for Grizzlies' frontcourt players to thrive, making GG Jackson, Taylor Hendricks and Santi Aldama (who should be back from a knee injury by then) ideal streaming options for the couple of games. 

Pelicans vs. Warriors, at Jazz, at Jazz, at Clippers

The Pelicans start things off against the Warriors, who are dealing with injury trouble to a few key players. Combined with the fact that they give up the league's fifth-most turnovers per game, that should result in a somewhat favorable matchup. Herbert Jones could be a stand-out contributor by using his defensive ability to convert the turnover-prone opponents' gaffes into easy baskets. Moving ahead, the Pelicans face back-to-back meetings with the Jazz, who own one of the league's most lackluster defenses and are shorthanded in the frontcourt. The Jazz give up the league's third-highest field-goal percentage and most three-pointers per game. They also give up the second-most free throws per game, which should allow Trey Murphy to get back into rhythm quickly upon his expected return from a brief injury absence. Additionally, rookies Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen should prosper in their respective areas of prowess. The Pelicans wrap their week with a more challenging matchup -- road game against the Clippers. However, there is still room for the squad to carry over momentum that was ideally built through the first part of the week and take advantage of the fact that the Clippers give up the league's fifth-highest three-point shooting percentage, including the sixth-highest field-goal percentage to opposing shooting guards, an area where Murphy can once again lead the way. 

Three seasons ago, the San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons faced off on January 6th. At the time, the winner of the game was actually considered the loser. Both teams were on a downward slide and playing to increase their lottery odds for the ultimate prize, the chance to draft Victor Wembanyama. Now, after two incredible turnarounds by these historic NBA franchises, they meet for the first time this season, looking to secure top seeding in their respective conferences.

Detroit holds the best record in the NBA, and San Antonio has the third. Both teams have a top-five defense and a top-ten offense. They are led by two of the best young players in the NBA, in Wembanyama and Cade Cunningham. In many ways, this is shaping up to be one of the best East vs. West rivalries for the foreseeable future. Monday will be the first of many battles between these two in the years to come.

San Antonio and Detroit are similar teams on the court, too. Both have dominant paint big men in Wembanyama and Jalen Duren, athletic wings like Stephon Castle and Ausar Thompson, and good lead guards like De’Aaron Fox and Cade Cunningham. They lock down the paint and use their athleticism on the perimeter to take chances and create turnovers.

San Antonio is on an eight-game winning streak and is nipping at the Oklahoma City Thunder’s heels for the top seed in the West. Beating Detroit on the road would be another statement victory for the up-and-coming Spurs.

San Antonio Spurs (40-16) vs. Detroit Pistons (42-13)

February 23rd, 2026 | 6 PM CT

Watch: Peacock| Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)

Spurs Injuries: Harrison Ingram – Out (G League), Stanley Umude – Out (G League), David Jones-Garcia – Out (G League), Mason Plumlee – Out (conditioning), Lindy Waters III – Questionable (knee)

Pistons Injuries: Isaiah Stewart – Out (suspension), Isaac Jones – Out (G League), Bobi Klintman – Out (G League), Chaz Lanier – Out (G League), Wendell Moore Jr. – Out (G League)

What to watch for:

Cade vs. Wemby

Surface-level analysis here: the Pistons and Spurs will go as far as Cunningham and Wembanyama take them. That will be true again on Monday night. Cunningham is Detroit’s offensive engine. He’s one of the best scorers and passers in the NBA. He has great floor vision and, at 6-foot-6, the size to make plays in the paint. His one weakness is that he isn’t an elite three-point shooter, hitting just 33.8% from deep this season. Expect Castle to get the Cunningham assignment and hound him on drives and in the pick-and-roll.

On the other end, Wembanyama will likely have to contend with Duren, a sturdy big body in the middle. Wembanyama has found a lot of success against opposing big men this season, and has sometimes struggled against smaller, more agile defenders. For that reason, we could see Thompson guarding San Antonio’s big man to keep him from establishing a rhythm.

Winning a mud fight

The Pistons are one of the most physical teams in the NBA, living up to the franchise’s identity. The Spurs have dealt with their fair share of big, tough teams. Wins against the Houston Rockets prove what San Antonio can do when they make the other team feel their presence. This game could very well come down to which team can assert its physical will. San Antonio has a shot, even against a tough team like Detroit, but they’ll have to stay locked in for 48 minutes to make it happen.

Managing the possession battle

Detroit is great at securing extra possessions. They are first in the NBA in steals (10.6 per game), opponent turnovers (17.4 per game), and fourth in offensive rebounds (13.1 per game). The Spurs have gotten much better at securing the boards (3rd in the NBA in rebounding) and taking care of the ball (5th in the league in turnovers per game), but like we saw on Saturday night against the Sacramento Kings, they can have stretches of mental lapses. So can the Pistons, who are 23rd in the NBA in turnovers (15.2 a game). The Spurs will need to take care of the ball, win the battle on the glass, and take advantage of Detroit’s mistakes to give themselves an edge.

Boston Celtics (37-19, second in the Eastern Conference) vs. Phoenix Suns (33-25, seventh in the Western Conference)

Phoenix; Tuesday, 9 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Celtics -6.5; over/under is 209.5

BOTTOM LINE: Boston will try to continue its three-game win streak with a victory over Phoenix.

The Suns are 19-11 on their home court. Phoenix ranks third in the NBA with 13.1 offensive rebounds per game led by Mark Williams averaging 3.1 offensive boards.

The Celtics have gone 19-10 away from home. Boston is eighth in the league with 45.6 rebounds per game led by Nikola Vucevic averaging 8.9.

The Suns are shooting 45.4% from the field this season, 1.1 percentage points higher than the 44.3% the Celtics allow to opponents. The Celtics are shooting 46.8% from the field, 0.2% lower than the 47.0% the Suns' opponents have shot this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Williams is shooting 64.2% and averaging 11.9 points for the Suns. Collin Gillespie is averaging 13.1 points over the last 10 games.

Jaylen Brown is averaging 29.2 points, seven rebounds and 4.9 assists for the Celtics. Payton Pritchard is averaging 21.3 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Suns: 4-6, averaging 106.2 points, 44.4 rebounds, 23.8 assists, 9.7 steals and 3.2 blocks per game while shooting 42.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.5 points per game.

Celtics: 8-2, averaging 109.2 points, 49.7 rebounds, 25.6 assists, 6.0 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 46.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 99.3 points.

INJURIES: Suns: Grayson Allen: out (knee), Cole Anthony: out (not injury related), Jordan Goodwin: out (calf), Devin Booker: out (hip), Dillon Brooks: out (hand), Haywood Highsmith: out (knee).

Celtics: Jayson Tatum: out (achilles).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Philadelphia 76ers (31-26, sixth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Indiana Pacers (15-43, 15th in the Eastern Conference)

Indianapolis; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Indiana looks to end its three-game slide when the Pacers play Philadelphia.

The Pacers are 11-28 against Eastern Conference opponents. Indiana is 6-5 in one-possession games.

The 76ers are 19-19 in conference games. Philadelphia has a 6-8 record in games decided by 3 points or fewer.

The Pacers are shooting 45.0% from the field this season, 2.1 percentage points lower than the 47.1% the 76ers allow to opponents. The 76ers average 12.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.4 more made shots on average than the 11.4 per game the Pacers give up.

The teams meet for the third time this season. The 76ers won 113-104 in the last matchup on Jan. 20. Joel Embiid led the 76ers with 30 points, and Andrew Nembhard led the Pacers with 25 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Pascal Siakam is averaging 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists for the Pacers. Jarace Walker is averaging 14.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists over the last 10 games.

VJ Edgecombe is averaging 15.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, four assists and 1.5 steals for the 76ers. Tyrese Maxey is averaging 27.2 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 44.1% over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Pacers: 3-7, averaging 117.3 points, 41.3 rebounds, 29.7 assists, 8.1 steals and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 48.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 122.1 points per game.

76ers: 5-5, averaging 114.9 points, 43.0 rebounds, 23.5 assists, 9.6 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 45.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.7 points.

INJURIES: Pacers: Aaron Nesmith: out (ankle), Obi Toppin: out (foot), Johnny Furphy: out for season (knee), Ivica Zubac: out (ankle), Tyrese Haliburton: out for season (achilles), T.J. McConnell: out (hamstring).

76ers: Johni Broome: out (knee), Joel Embiid: out (knee).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Washington Wizards (16-40, 13th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Atlanta Hawks (28-31, ninth in the Eastern Conference)

Atlanta; Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Atlanta faces Washington in a matchup of Eastern Conference teams.

The Hawks are 5-6 against division opponents. Atlanta allows 118.3 points and has been outscored by 1.4 points per game.

The Wizards are 11-24 in conference play. Washington allows 122.8 points to opponents and has been outscored by 10.3 points per game.

The Hawks average 116.9 points per game, 5.9 fewer points than the 122.8 the Wizards give up. The Wizards are shooting 45.9% from the field, 1.6% lower than the 47.5% the Hawks' opponents have shot this season.

The teams meet for the third time this season. The Hawks won 131-116 in the last matchup on Dec. 7. Jalen Johnson led the Hawks with 30 points, and Tristan Vukcevic led the Wizards with 18 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Johnson is averaging 23.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 8.1 assists for the Hawks. CJ McCollum is averaging 20.1 points over the last 10 games.

Kyshawn George is averaging 14.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists for the Wizards. Will Riley is averaging 13.7 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Hawks: 4-6, averaging 112.9 points, 44.9 rebounds, 26.8 assists, 8.2 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 44.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.0 points per game.

Wizards: 4-6, averaging 113.6 points, 40.5 rebounds, 26.5 assists, 9.5 steals and 5.4 blocks per game while shooting 47.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 125.2 points.

INJURIES: Hawks: Jonathan Kuminga: out (knee).

Wizards: Anthony Davis: out for season (finger), Justin Champagnie: out (knee), Tristan Vukcevic: out (hand), Cam Whitmore: out for season (shoulder), D'Angelo Russell: out (not injury related), Alex Sarr: out (hamstring), Trae Young: out (knee).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Dallas Mavericks (20-36, 12th in the Western Conference) vs. Brooklyn Nets (15-41, 14th in the Eastern Conference)

New York; Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Brooklyn enters the matchup with Dallas after losing four in a row.

The Nets are 8-19 in home games. Brooklyn has a 1-2 record in one-possession games.

The Mavericks are 6-20 on the road. Dallas gives up 117.7 points to opponents while being outscored by 3.4 points per game.

The Nets average 106.8 points per game, 10.9 fewer points than the 117.7 the Mavericks give up. The Mavericks average 10.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.6 fewer made shots on average than the 12.4 per game the Nets allow.

The teams meet for the third time this season. In the last matchup on Jan. 13 the Mavericks won 113-105 led by 27 points from Cooper Flagg, while Michael Porter Jr. scored 28 points for the Nets.

TOP PERFORMERS: Nic Claxton is shooting 58.9% and averaging 12.6 points for the Nets. Nolan Traore is averaging 12.4 points over the last 10 games.

Naji Marshall is averaging 15.1 points for the Mavericks. Klay Thompson is averaging 2.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Nets: 3-7, averaging 102.7 points, 42.3 rebounds, 25.6 assists, 7.7 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 44.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.7 points per game.

Mavericks: 1-9, averaging 114.1 points, 43.9 rebounds, 23.6 assists, 7.4 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 46.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 123.1 points.

INJURIES: Nets: Ziaire Williams: out (personal).

Mavericks: Dereck Lively II: out for season (foot), Kyrie Irving: out for season (knee), Cooper Flagg: out (foot).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Miami Heat (31-27, eighth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Milwaukee Bucks (24-31, 11th in the Eastern Conference)

Milwaukee; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Miami is looking to build upon its three-game win streak with a victory over Milwaukee.

The Bucks are 17-19 in Eastern Conference games. Milwaukee has a 13-18 record in games decided by at least 10 points.

The Heat are 16-16 in Eastern Conference play. Miami scores 120.0 points and has outscored opponents by 3.1 points per game.

The Bucks make 48.2% of their shots from the field this season, which is 2.5 percentage points higher than the Heat have allowed to their opponents (45.7%). The Heat average 120.0 points per game, 4.6 more than the 115.4 the Bucks allow.

The teams play for the second time this season. The Heat won the last matchup 106-103 on Nov. 27. Tyler Herro scored 29 points to help lead the Heat to the win.

TOP PERFORMERS: Ryan Rollins is averaging 17.1 points, 5.4 assists and 1.5 steals for the Bucks. Kevin Porter Jr. is averaging 14.5 points over the last 10 games.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. is scoring 15.1 points per game and averaging 5.4 rebounds for the Heat. Andrew Wiggins is averaging 2.4 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Bucks: 6-4, averaging 111.3 points, 44.1 rebounds, 24.7 assists, 6.0 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 48.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.6 points per game.

Heat: 6-4, averaging 120.9 points, 51.9 rebounds, 29.7 assists, 10.0 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 46.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.8 points.

INJURIES: Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo: out (calf), Taurean Prince: out (neck).

Heat: Nikola Jovic: day to day (back), Davion Mitchell: day to day (head).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Golden State Warriors (30-27, eighth in the Western Conference) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (16-42, 14th in the Western Conference)

New Orleans; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Brandin Podziemski and the Golden State Warriors take on Trey Murphy III and the New Orleans Pelicans in Western Conference action.

The Pelicans are 9-26 against Western Conference opponents. New Orleans is 7-19 in games decided by 10 or more points.

The Warriors are 20-16 in Western Conference play. Golden State is second in the Western Conference with 29.1 assists per game led by Draymond Green averaging 5.1.

The Pelicans average 114.8 points per game, 0.9 more points than the 113.9 the Warriors allow. The Warriors average 16.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.9 more made shots on average than the 14.6 per game the Pelicans give up.

The teams meet for the third time this season. The Warriors won 104-96 in the last matchup on Nov. 30.

TOP PERFORMERS: Derik Queen is shooting 49.4% and averaging 12.3 points for the Pelicans. Zion Williamson is averaging 21.2 points over the last 10 games.

Podziemski is averaging 12.1 points and 3.7 assists for the Warriors. Moses Moody is averaging 3.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Pelicans: 4-6, averaging 114.9 points, 42.4 rebounds, 26.0 assists, 8.2 steals and 6.0 blocks per game while shooting 46.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.9 points per game.

Warriors: 4-6, averaging 110.6 points, 40.8 rebounds, 30.6 assists, 11.0 steals and 3.7 blocks per game while shooting 46.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.5 points.

INJURIES: Pelicans: Yves Missi: day to day (calf), Trey Murphy III: day to day (shoulder), Micah Peavy: day to day (toe), Dejounte Murray: day to day (achilles).

Warriors: Kristaps Porzingis: out (achilles), Jimmy Butler III: out for season (knee), Draymond Green: out (back), Stephen Curry: out (knee), Seth Curry: out (back).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Minnesota Timberwolves (35-23, sixth in the Western Conference) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (28-30, ninth in the Western Conference)

Portland, Oregon; Tuesday, 10 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Minnesota plays Portland in Western Conference action Tuesday.

The Trail Blazers are 22-17 in Western Conference games. Portland gives up 118.2 points to opponents and has been outscored by 2.5 points per game.

The Timberwolves are 20-17 in Western Conference play. Minnesota has a 4-4 record in games decided by less than 4 points.

The Trail Blazers average 14.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.7 more made shots on average than the 12.7 per game the Timberwolves give up. The Timberwolves are shooting 48.3% from the field, 0.8% higher than the 47.5% the Trail Blazers' opponents have shot this season.

The teams square off for the third time this season. In the last meeting on Feb. 12 the Timberwolves won 133-109 led by 41 points from Julius Randle, while Jrue Holiday scored 23 points for the Trail Blazers.

TOP PERFORMERS: Deni Avdija is scoring 24.4 points per game with 7.0 rebounds and 6.6 assists for the Trail Blazers. Jerami Grant is averaging 17.7 points and 2.8 rebounds while shooting 49.6% over the last 10 games.

Randle is averaging 22.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.3 assists for the Timberwolves. Anthony Edwards is averaging 3.1 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Trail Blazers: 5-5, averaging 116.4 points, 46.1 rebounds, 27.2 assists, 7.3 steals and 5.9 blocks per game while shooting 47.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 122.1 points per game.

Timberwolves: 6-4, averaging 122.2 points, 44.2 rebounds, 25.5 assists, 8.9 steals and 6.4 blocks per game while shooting 49.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.3 points.

INJURIES: Trail Blazers: Shaedon Sharpe: out (calf), Damian Lillard: out for season (achilles).

Timberwolves: Naz Reid: out (shoulder).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Orlando Magic (30-26, seventh in the Eastern Conference) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (34-22, fifth in the Western Conference)

Los Angeles; Tuesday, 10:30 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Lakers -6.5; over/under is 227.5

BOTTOM LINE: The Orlando Magic visit the Los Angeles Lakers in non-conference action.

The Lakers are 16-11 in home games. Los Angeles is ninth in the Western Conference with 14.6 fast break points per game led by LeBron James averaging 5.6.

The Magic are 12-16 on the road. Orlando is 9-3 in games decided by less than 4 points.

The Lakers average 115.7 points per game, 1.0 more point than the 114.7 the Magic give up. The Magic average 115.2 points per game, 0.9 fewer than the 116.1 the Lakers allow.

TOP PERFORMERS: Luka Doncic is averaging 32.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 1.5 steals for the Lakers. Rui Hachimura is averaging 1.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Desmond Bane is averaging 20.1 points and 4.1 assists for the Magic. Paolo Banchero is averaging 20.1 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Lakers: 6-4, averaging 114.7 points, 39.2 rebounds, 27.2 assists, 8.8 steals and 3.7 blocks per game while shooting 51.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.8 points per game.

Magic: 6-4, averaging 114.1 points, 39.8 rebounds, 26.6 assists, 10.4 steals and 5.8 blocks per game while shooting 45.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.6 points.

INJURIES: Lakers: Jaxson Hayes: day to day (ankle).

Magic: Franz Wagner: out (ankle), Jalen Suggs: out (back), Colin Castleton: out (thumb).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

The latest installment of the NBA’s most historic rivalry was staged Sunday, Feb. 22, with Jaylen Brown leading the Boston Celtics to a 111-89 victory over LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on the road.

Brown nearly produced a triple-double, compiling 32 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in 36 minutes of play.

He has taken over as the primary option for Boston since Jayson Tatum tore his right Achilles tendon during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on May 12, 2025.

Brown was named the NBA Finals MVP after the Celtics won the championship in 2024, but James believes there’s a case to be made for Brown to be mentioned in this season's MVP race.

"This whole MVP thing, I don't understand why his name is not getting talked about as well," James said of Brown after Sunday's game. "Like, nobody gave them a shot to start the season. And he's averaging what, 30? Just under 30? It's a popularity contest sometimes, I tell you."

Brown is averaging 29.2 points, seven rebounds and 4.8 assists per game this season. He's fourth among NBA players in points per game this season.

The MVP conversation has largely been dominated by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder) and Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets), the winners of the prior two MVP awards.

"It's an honor to play the Celtics-Lakers rivalry. It's an honor for LeBron, who's arguably the best player to ever play the game, to give me some high praise," Brown told reporters after the game. "So, I'm just grateful."

James and Brown were teammates during the NBA All-Star Game mini-tournament earlier this month at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

Who is considered the NBA MVP favorite?

Odds via BetMGM, as of 1 a.m. ET Monday morning:

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (-140)

Nikola Jokic (+310)

Cade Cunningham (+500)

Victor Wembanyama (+2500)

Luka Doncic (+4000)

Jaylen Brown (+5000)

Donovan Mitchell (+10000)

Anthony Edwards (+15000)

Jalen Brunson (+20000)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LeBron James praises Jaylen Brown after Celtics-Lakers game

As JJ Redick prepared to coach the Lakers against the Celtics on Sunday, Pat Riley was being honored outside of Crypto.com Arena with the team’s first statue of a coach. 

The franchise’s past and present had collided, with the 41-year-old hot shot hoping to one day mirror the accomplishments of the 80-year-old legend. 

Ever since Redick was hired to take over the Lakers’ helm in June 2024, he has drawn comparisons to Riley. 

They’re both former players. After they retired, they both became broadcasters. Riley hardly had any coaching experience (two years as a Lakers assistant from 1979-81) before being handed one of the most prestigious jobs in the league in 1981. Redick had no coaching experience. They both have strikingly slick personas. 

And they both were tasked with leading the team through major transitions. Riley helped the Lakers pass the baton from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Magic Johnson, while Redick is overseeing the Lakers’ passing of the guard from LeBron James to Luka Doncic. 

When Redick was hired, he knew the franchise was hoping he’d fill the Armani shoes of the legendary coach. The question on everyone’s mind was obvious: Could he be the next Pat Riley? 

“Pat, to me, sort of set the standard for modern NBA coaches,” Redick said.

For Riley, the respect is reciprocated.

“He’s a fiery guy,” Riley said of Redick. “He could shoot the hell out of the ball. He was tough as nails, you know. I don’t know. Sometimes I look back and I remember myself at that time and I looked at JJ and I think they picked the right person. There’s just a quality about him I think that goes above and beyond.”

Redick is still evolving into who he is as a coach. He’s still finding his style. His voice. But this much is for sure: He’s an incredibly hard worker. His basketball IQ is respected by everyone in the locker room. After games, Redick locks himself in a dark basement and pores over film. He’s a basketball sicko.

He undoubtedly can be described as intense, a quality for which Riley was infamous.

Magic Johnson gave a handful of reporters a glimpse into how Riley ran his teams after the 8-foot, 510-pound statue of his former coach was unveiled in a star-studded ceremony Sunday.

“He didn’t let us take a day off or a play off or a moment off,” Johnson said. 

Johnson praised Riley for his masterful in-game adjustments, calling him “a visionary.” He also pointed out how much courage it took for Riley to make Johnson the team’s No. 1 offensive option while he was still sharing a uniform with Abdul-Jabbar, who turned 35 in Riley’s first season as Lakers head coach. 

“Hold on, wait a minute, huh?” Johnson recalled his reaction being at the time. “A dude who was the greatest player at that time that ever played the game and you’re going to go to him and say somebody else is going to take the bulk of the offense now?”

Johnson called Riley fearless and extremely tough. 

He’d make the Lakers run for 40 minutes straight at practices. He’d make them do three-man weaves without letting the ball touch the ground. Over the summer, he’d send each player a letter telling them how much he wanted them to weigh. Then he’d weigh them publicly when they reported to training camp. 

Riley especially knew how to get under Johnson’s skin. He’d show him highlights of Larry Bird and Michael Jordan and say, “What are you gonna do?”

“Soon as he did that, the button was going to go off on me and I’m going to have a triple-double,” Johnson said. “That’s all he had to do, just put those two dudes up there and he knew I was going to go to another level.”

Riley led the Lakers to four championships from 1982-1988, and he ushered in the Showtime era. Under him, Johnson became a three-time MVP. Johnson called him “one of the greatest coaches who ever lived,” as well as “the coolest man that’s ever put on an Armani suit.”

Redick, meanwhile, is just in his second season as coach of the Lakers. 

He’s still getting his feet wet. Last season, he vowed to evaluate himself by growth instead of metrics. He led the Lakers to third place in the Western Conference at 50-32 before they were eliminated by the Timberwolves in the first round. 

Afterward, Redick was far from patting himself on the back. 

“I know I can be better,” he said. “And I know I will get better. I don’t necessarily take any satisfaction from how the year went. That’s not to say I’m not proud of what the group was able to do and how we were able to figure out things on the fly and put ourselves in a position to have homecourt in the first round. But there’s always ways to get better. And I can get a lot better.”

This season, Redick has led the Lakers to fifth place in the West despite James, Doncic and Reaves only playing 12 games together because of injuries.

Redick is still becoming Redick.

But his potential is unquestionably through the roof. His analysis of the game is incredibly sharp. When he was still hosting the “Mind the Game” podcast with James before he was hired by the Lakers, he’d dissect players and their moves with surgeon-like precision.

Players respond to him. They respect him.

And he has navigated the tricky line of helping the 26-year-old Doncic become the face of the team while the 41-year-old James is still the face of the league and one of the greatest players of all time.

Whether Redick can become a Riley-esque figure is still unknown.

Perhaps it’s an unfair comparison, one that would set up any fledgling coach for disappointment. 

But for now, Redick is going to have a reminder of who he aspires to be every time he shows up for work.

It stands tall in between bronzed figures of Johnson and Abdul-Jabbar. It has slicked-back hair, a tailored designer suit and is the ultimate example of greatness. 

“It’s a good-looking statue,” Redick said.

The Houston Rockets wrapped up a tough seven-game stretch across the All-Star break at 3-4. It started poorly with two bad losses, but after a bit of recovery, Rockets fans should feel like there was meat left on the bone in losses to the Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks.

On paper, tonight’s game against the Utah Jazz should be a welcome reprieve from the difficult games of the past few weeks. However, these Rockets have played up and down to their competition all year. In fact, Houston already has a loss to these Jazz, who have played Houston tougher than they have against anyone else over the past two years. Seriously, watch the Jazz against another playoff team and you’ll see a team that can’t wait to roll over and tank. Against Houston? For some reason, it’s personal for this iteration of Utah.

Maybe the Rockets will play hard in the fourth quarter tonight, since that’s been Ime Udoka’s solution to all of Houston’s poor fourth quarters. Not, you know, his poor rotation choices and lack of any offensive game plan beyond “Give the ball to Kevin and hope.”

Tip-off

8:30pm CT

How To Watch

Space City Home Network and Peacock

Injury Report

Rockets

Steven Adams: OUT

Fred VanVleet: OUT

Jazz

Jaren Jackson Jr.: OUT

Lauri Markkanen: GTD

Keyonte George: GTD

Jusuf Nurkic: OUT

Walker Kessler: OUT

The Line (as of this post)

HOU -14.5

Check here for updates

Looking ahead because we can

Wednesday night at home against the Sacramento Kings

Desmond Bane scored 36 points and Paolo Banchero added 16 points and eight assists as the Orlando Magic held on for a 111-109 victory over the Clippers on Sunday night at Intuit Dome.

Wendell Carter Jr. had 15 points and 14 rebounds and Tristan da Silva scored 13 for the Magic, who improved to 5-2 since Feb. 5.

Kawhi Leonard shrugged off an ankle injury to score 37 points and Bennedict Mathurin added 21 points and nine rebounds off the bench for the Clippers, who are 4-5 since Feb. 2. Mathurin missed a three-point attempt to win the game at the buzzer.

Jordan Miller had 14 points for the Clippers (27-30).

Leonard exited Friday’s loss against the Lakers with an ankle sprain. Mathurin was playing in his fifth game for the Clippers after he was acquired at the trade deadline from the Indiana Pacers.

Orlando won despite going eight of 23 from three-point range, two games after setting a franchise record with 27 three-pointers in a victory at Sacramento. Jalen Suggs missed his second consecutive game for the Magic with back spasms.

In a tight game throughout, Leonard gave the Clippers a 107-105 lead with 3:03 remaining on a jumper from the top of the key. The Magic took charge from there as Bane hit a jumper to tie the score and then made a layup with 1:28 left for a 109-107 advantage.

As the Clippers missed four consecutive shots, Orlando went up 111-107 on a fast-break dunk from Banchero with 40 seconds left.

Bane tried to pad the Magic’s lead with eight seconds remaining but had his shot blocked inside by rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser. Mathurin then raced down the floor only to miss a 25-footer as time expired.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

CHICAGO — In terms of position and style, Guerschon Yabusele wasn’t a good fit on the Knicks, according to Mike Brown, who faced his former player for the first time in Sunday’s game against the Bulls.

“The position he’s shown he’s best in in the NBA — the small-ball center spot — we just didn’t have the minutes consistently for him to be there,” Brown said before the Knicks’ 105-99 win over the Bulls. “And then when he was at the 4. For us, because of our centers, the matchups weren’t always there. So we had to pick and choose when he was on the floor and how we were going to play him.”

Yabusele, who finished with 11 points and 13 rebounds, didn’t play much with the Knicks, averaging just 8.9 minutes in 41 appearances before being traded to the Bulls before the deadline.

It was a disappointment after Yabusele signed a two-year, $11 million deal as a free agent in the summer.

Team president Leon Rose effectively flipped the Frenchman for Jose Alvarado, a move that wouldn’t have been possible if Yabusele hadn’t waived the second year of his contract.

So Yabusele did the Knicks a solid on his way out.

The rumor, though unconfirmed by Yabusele, is that he’s secured a lucrative deal overseas next season to make up for the lost money.

He has been playing much heavier minutes with the Bulls, who are playing for better odds in the draft lottery, and started Sunday against the Knicks.

Yabusele entered the game shooting 42 percent from deep over six appearances — way above his 29.4 percent with the Knicks.

He was also averaging 10.5 points and 5.2 rebounds in over 24 minutes with Chicago.

Bulls coach Billy Donovan lauded Yabusele’s leadership.

“He’s always using his voice in a positive way, trying to uplift guys,” Donovan said. “Gives you some flexibility. Can play him at the center spot, at the power forward spot. But just his overall spirit has been good.”

There were no complaints about Yabusele’s attitude with the Knicks.

He just didn’t fit in Brown’s plans for a system predicated on movement off the ball.

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“His skill set is obviously as a small-ball center. And it’s picking and popping. And then it’s spacing the floor. And the way we try to play, we try to move a lot. Cut a lot,” Brown said. “And then it’s tough because we have [Karl-Anthony Towns] playing heavy minutes, and we have [Mitchell Robinson] playing heavy minutes. This is a situation in Chicago — and even in Philadelphia [where Yabusele was last season], it was a situation where they were able to find consistent minutes for him. Because he’s a good player. Started for the French national team. We all know what they did. The style of play is a little bit different.”

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Mitchell Robinson sat again Sunday after playing a night earlier in a victory over the Rockets, but Brown didn’t want to declare his backup center would never play both games of a back-to-back.

“I’m not 100 percent for sure,” Brown said. “Obviously he hasn’t played a back-to-back yet.But I’m not talking to our medical staff asking, ‘Is this going to be like this the rest of the year?’ ”

Brown said the medical staff informs him that Robinson, who is load-managing his surgically repaired ankle, won’t play both games.

Then the coach decides which of the two games Robinson will suit up.

The Knicks only have three more back-to-back sets.

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There’s a Knicks connection to the U.S. Olympic hockey glory.

The Hughes brothers — including toothless Golden Goal hero Jack Hughes — are the nephews through marriage of longtime Knicks executive Jamie Mathews.