Category: NBA

Welcome to Week in Review: a Monday feature that looks back at the week that was for the San Antonio Spurs, takes a look at the week ahead, and more. Enjoy!

Week 17: The Spurs started off the Rodeo Road Trip by sweeping a couple of games against injured Lakers and Warriors teams to head into the All-Star break riding a six-game winning streak. They then had a big showing at All-Star weekend in Los Angeles, leaving their mark all over the state of California.

Week 18: 2-0 (40-16, 2nd in West)

121-94 win vs. Phoenix Suns (in Austin)

Already missing Dillon Brooks to suspension for receiving his 16th technical of the season, the Suns then lost Devin Booker to hip soreness at halftime, leaving a shorthanded Phoenix team reeling against a Spurs squad that picked up right where they left off after the All-Star break. The Spurs weren’t their most efficient selves in the first half but played well enough to build a sizeable lead, and by the third quarter the offense was back on a roll, turning the fourth quarter into extended garbage time at the Moody Center.

139-122 win vs. Sacramento Kings (in Austin)

Facing the team with the worst record in the NBA and on a 15-game losing streak, the Spurs’ good old friend Complacency gave them a visit. After a dominant start to the game, they took their foot off the gas for a while, allowing the depleted Kings to get as close three late in the third quarter quarter before once again flipping the switch and turning a close game against an inferior opponent into a fourth-quarter blowout.

Power Rankings

John Schuhmann, NBA.com — 2 (last week: 2)

OffRtg: 117.3 (6) DefRtg: 110.7 (3) NetRtg: +6.6 (4) Pace: 101.0 (13)

The Spurs remain undefeated (8-0) in February, having won their two games in Austin handily. All eight wins have been by nine points or more, with the last four coming by an average of 21.3.

Three takeaways

1. The first two games of this eight-game winning streak were somewhat ugly, but the Spurs have scored a remarkably efficient 127.2 points per 100 possessions over the last six. Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper still aren’t making a lot of 3s, but they’ve combined to shoot 63-for-91 (69%) inside the arc over these last six games.
2. The Spurs have won their last six games against teams that are currently over .500 and have the second-best record (19-11) within that group overall. They’re four games into a stretch where they’re playing eight of 10 against winning teams, and the team with the league’s best record (and the best record against other winning teams) is up next.
3. The game in Detroit on Monday will probably be won or lost inside. While the Pistons have outscored their opponents in the paint in 32 of their last 33 games, the Spurs have outscored their opponents by an average of 18.3 points in the paint over their eight-game winning streak. Victor Wembanyama has been playing bigger (offensively) of late, taking 57% of his shots in the paint over the last 10 games, up from just 33% over his previous eight.

Coming up: The Spurs have the league’s best record (14-3) in interconference games and now embark on their longest road trip of the season (five games over nine days), which includes visits to four of the top six teams in the East. Wembanyama has played just one career game (fewest against any opponent) against the first-place Pistons, who the Spurs will face twice in the next 11 days.

Law Murray, The Athletic — 2 (last week: 2)

Post All-Star break: We have a third 40 before 20 team! And it is the Spurs, a team that hasn’t made the playoffs since the pandemic. The Spurs defense was on point against the Phoenix Suns, and then Victor Wembanyama lit up the Kings.

Brett Siegel, Clutch Points — 1 (last week: 1)

With the Cavs losing on Sunday, the San Antonio Spurs are the only team with a win streak longer than six games, as they have now won eight straight and are undefeated in February.

Victor Wembanyama continues to impress, with six double-doubles this month and six games with three or more blocks. As long as Wemby, Stephon Castle, and De’Aaron Fox are healthy heading into the final stretch run of the season, the Spurs have a strong chance at potentially catching the Thunder for the 1-seed in the West.

Coming up: Mon. 2/23 at Detroit Pistons (42-13); Wed. 2/25 at Toronto Raptors (34-23); Thurs. 2/26 at Brooklyn Nets (15-41); Sun. 3/1 at New York Knicks (37-21)

Prediction: 3-1 — This is not your big brother’s Eastern Conference. Other than the Nets, the Spurs are playing three of the top 5 teams in the East this week, beginning with the a Pistons team that has the best record in the NBA in what should be a strength-on-strength match-up, followed by a better-than-expected Raptors team and a Knicks squad that has been hovering around .500 in 2026, but MSG tends to be one of those cursed places for the Spurs (although at this point, they’d say the same of San Antonio). That being said, if the Spurs win tonight, which I whole heartedly believe they can, amend this prediction to 4-0, the Spurs getting their first double-digit winning streak since the 2016-17 season (which would just require also beating the Raptors), and an undefeated February.

Perhaps the biggest, most anticipated weekend of one of the most thrilling men’s college basketball seasons in recent memory delivered.

The top four teams in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll faced off last Saturday, with No. 1 Michigan taking on No. 3 Duke in a neutral-site game in Washington, D.C. and No. 2 Houston hosting No. 4 Arizona.

Behind 18 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists from Cameron Boozer, the Blue Devils knocked off the top-ranked Wolverines 68-63, snapping Michigan’s 11-game win streak. Even without star freshman Koa Peat, Arizona went on the road and beat Houston 74-66, handing the Cougars their first home loss this season.

REQUIRED READING: Who is rising, falling in latest March Madness bracket prediction?

The notable results weren’t limited to those matchups. Of the top 10 teams in the latest Coaches Poll, nine of them lost at least once last week.

How will those outcomes affect the next batch of rankings?

Here’s a look at the latest Coaches Poll and AP Top 25 for Feb. 23:

College basketball rankings

First-place votes in parentheses.

USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

1. Duke (27)
2. Arizona (4)
3. Michigan
4. Houston
5. Iowa State
6. UConn
7. Florida
8. Purdue
9. Gonzaga
10. Nebraska
11. Illinois
12. Virginia
13. Michigan State
14. Kansas
15. St. John's
16. Texas Tech
17. Arkansas
18. Alabama
19. North Carolina
20. Louisville
21. Vanderbilt
22. Tennessee
23. BYU
24. Saint Louis
25. Miami (Ohio)

Others receiving votes: Wisconsin 35; Villanova 25; Georgia 18; Utah State 7; Iowa 6; Saint Mary's 5; Miami 5; Clemson 1

AP Top 25

1. Duke (56)
2. Arizona (5)
3. Michigan
4. Iowa State
5. Houston
6. UConn
7. Florida
8. Purdue
9. Gonzaga
10. Illinois
11. Virginia
12. Nebraska
13. Michigan State
14. Kansas
15. St. John's
16. Texas Tech
17. Alabama
18. North Carolina
19. BYU
20. Arkansas
21. Miami (Ohio)
22. Tennessee
23. Saint Louis
24. Louisville
25. Vanderbilt

Others receiving votes: Wisconsin 47; Saint Mary's 30; Villanova 15; Miami 10; Utah State 8; NC State 7; SMU 4; Texas A&M 3; Iowa 3; UCF 3; High Point 2; Stephen F Austin 2; Navy 1

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Men's college basketball rankings: Updated Coaches Poll, AP Top 25

There’s a change at the top once again in the USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll following a busy week of high-profile matchups.

Duke is now the No. 1 team. The Blue Devils received 27 of 31 first-place votes this week after upending previous No. 1 Michigan in one of those marquee clashes. The Blue Devils received 27 of 31 first-place votes. The lofty perch is not new for the Duke program, though this is the first No. 1 ranking of the current season for the Blue Devils.

Arizona claimed the remaining four No. 1 votes and is back up to second overall after a defeat of Houston. Michigan slips to No. 3, and Houston also slides two spots to No. 4. Iowa State moves up a spot to No. 5 as the Cyclones swap positions with Connecticut.

TOP 25:Complete USA TODAY Sports men's basketball poll

Florida continues to climb the rankings after a rough non-conference start. The Gators move up four more places to check in at No. 7 this week, seemingly rounding into form in time to defend their NCAA title. Purdue, Gonzaga and Nebraska round out the top 10.

A pair of SEC contenders, No. 18 Alabama and No. 22 Tennessee, rejoin the poll this week. Clemson and Wisconsin drop out.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College basketball poll moves Duke to No. 1 in Top 25 rankings

How NBA world views Celtics star Jaylen Brown's MVP candidacy originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown has been a great player for a while. He has multiple All-Star appearances, a second-team All-NBA selection, an Eastern Conference Finals MVP and an NBA Finals MVP on his resume.

But this season has been different.

Brown has taken his performance to a much higher level, and it has helped the Celtics defy some of the most optimistic expectations entering the 2025-26 campaign — one that many people thought would be a gap year because of Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury.

But this has been no gap year. The Celtics entered Monday in second place in the Eastern Conference standings with a 37-19 record after dismantling the Los Angeles Lakers on the road Sunday night.

Brown scored 32 points with eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals. It was an MVP-caliber showing for Brown.

The last Celtics player to win league MVP was Larry Bird in the 1985-86 season. It was the third of his three straight MVPs.

Could Brown end that drought and win the award this season? Oddsmakers aren’t giving him much of a chance. Some sportsbooks have Brown at +3500 (35-1) odds to win MVP, well behind favorites Nikola Jokic (+270) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (-140).

Other people in the basketball world, including rival players and the media, feel differently about Brown’s candidacy.

Let’s look at what they’re saying about Brown’s MVP chances.

LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers

James is the most notable active player to comment on Brown’s MVP case.

“This whole MVP thing, I don’t understand why his name is not getting talked about some as well,” James told reporters after losing to the Celtics on Sunday. “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.”

James added: “I think he just used the motivation of a lot of people just saying that they’re going to have a down year. The whole championship team pretty much is kind of revamped, and he used it as motivation to keep them afloat. They’re playing great basketball, and it’s because of him and the rest of those guys. He’s taken that next step.”

James is a four-time league MVP, and he probably should have won a few other times.

Brown appreciated the praise he received from James.

“It’s an honor for LeBron, who’s arguably the best player to ever play the game, giving me some high praise,” Brown said. “So, I’m just grateful.”

Tracy McGrady, Hall of Famer/NBC Sports analyst

NBA legend Tracy McGrady, who now works for the NBA on NBC, has said recently that Jaylen Brown is his MVP.

He was asked about Brown’s MVP case by CLNS Media at All-Star Media Day.

“Well, when I look around the NBA, and for me the criteria is how productive are you for your team, how impactful are you for your team, the leadership you provide, what are you when you play against the other MVP (candidates),” McGrady said.

“What he had to go through losing Jrue Holiday, losing Al Horford, (Kristaps) Porzingis, Jayson Tatum is out, and then you bring in a new cast of guys in and try to get them acclimated with everything you guys are doing. (He’s) playing both sides of the ball and averaging 29 points, (the team is) third in the Eastern Conference.

“When I look at that landscape, look at Shai, I look at Jokic, these guys have missed time but they have their respective teams, their core guys are coming back.”

Charles Barkley, Hall of Famer/ESPN analyst

Barkley won league MVP in the 1992-93 season when he led the Phoenix Suns to the best record in the league before losing to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Finals.

He views Brown and Detroit Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham as the top MVP candidates right now.

“First of all, we have this stupid argument every year,” Barkley said on Inside the NBA. “Who’s the best player? The MVP never goes to the best player. It’s a dog fight right now between Jaylen Brown and Cade Cunningham. If one of them two guys don’t win MVP, it would to me it’ll be like – and I don’t have a vote – but Cade Cunningham and Jaylen Brown, them boys, they are 1 and 1A for MVP.”

Kendrick Perkins, ex-Celtics center/ESPN analyst

Perkins, who spent eight-plus seasons with the Celtics and was the starting center on their 2007-08 championship team, would vote for Jaylen Brown if the MVP race ended today.

“If I had to pencil in an MVP, Jaylen Brown is getting my vote,” Perkins said Monday on ESPN show Get Up. “He is doing more with less. And I say that respectfully to guys like Payton Pritchard and Derrick White. What (Brown) is doing on both ends of the floor — no other person in the league is doing it at this level. He’s the best two-way player in the game. … Jaylen Brown is answering all the questions to the test. Can he lead a team? Can he be a franchise guy? He is showing you he is more than that.”

DeMarcus Cousins, Former NBA star

Cousins, who made four All-Star and two second-team All-NBA appearances in 11 seasons, recently put Cade Cunningham and Jaylen Brown at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in his MVP rankings. He sees those two players as a tier above the rest.

“First is Cade Cunningham, then it’s Jaylen Brown, then it’s everybody else,” Cousins said on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back show.

It’s been nearly two years since Jaylen Brown made some unflattering comments about Bronny James, but LeBron James made it clear Sunday he’s still not forgotten them.

Following the Los Angeles Lakers’ 111–89 loss to the Celtics at Crypto.com Arena, LeBron admitted to being irked by the way Brown spoke about his son during an NBA Summer League game back in 2024.

LeBron James told @RealBobManning he and Jaylen Brown have had a respectful relationship: “Besides the s*** he said about Bronny.” @CLNSMediapic.twitter.com/ZY3UeugRy2

— Celtics on CLNS (@CelticsCLNS) February 23, 2026

“Our relationship has been pretty respectful,” LeBron said when asked how he and the Boston superstar have gotten along over the years.

“You know, besides the s–t he said about Bronny in Summer League. But other than that, you know, we’ve been all right.”

While courtside at a July 2024 preseason matchup in Las Vegas, Brown was caught on camera appearing to tell WNBA players Kysre Gondrezick and Angel Reese that he didn’t “think Bronny is a pro.”

He later added that he believed Bronny would make the Lakers’ main roster and not be sent to the G-League during his rookie year “because of his name.”

Brown took to his X page shortly after his remarks went viral, and while he didn’t exactly apologize, he was very complimentary of LeBron James and his son.

It’s a flex to have your son alongside you in the nba it reflects greatness and longevity !Bronny has all the tools around him to be successful I look forward to watching his growth https://t.co/qO4muFSvrn

— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) July 16, 2024

“It’s a flex to have your son alongside you in the nba it reflects greatness and longevity,” Brown wrote. “Bronny has all the tools around him to be successful I look forward to watching his growth.”

LeBron James indicated the statement helped to repair the damage the video caused, but still, it wasn’t hard to tell mixed feelings still linger.

“We’ll be all right,” LeBron James said. “We’ll be all right. He went on social media and said something about it. It’s all good. But Bronny’s got a long way to go. But that’s another story.”

Bronny James was picked by the Lakers in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, and he went on to play 27 games for Los Angeles in his rookie season.

This season, the 21-year-old has seen minutes in 29 contests, averaging 2.2 points per game.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

There’s never a bad time to snap a four-game losing streak, but the Sixers 27-point win over the Minnesota Timberwolves felt like one of their most needed of the season. 

Not only were they reeling, but with Joel Embiid suddenly missing five straight games with various sore body parts, Paul George suspended, and no additions made at the trade deadline all emphasized the fact that there was no help on the way either. 

On top of all that, the All-Star break coming in the midst of this losing streak made it linger longer than a typical four-game skid would, with the Sixers going over two calendar weeks in between wins. 

They looked rather helpless going into that game against Minnesota as well. Not only was it the second night of a back-to-back, but they were coming off what head coach Nick Nurse called the worst loss of the season, a second half collapse to the lowly New Orleans Pelicans. 

With their backs against the wall they turned in one of their best offensive performances of the season, with their reeling backcourt leading the way. Both Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe had been showing signs of wear and tear due to their heavy workloads. They looked recharged in Minnesota, with Maxey dropping an efficient 39 points while Edgecombe put up 24 thanks to a new career-high six made three-pointers. 

In the walk-off interview for NBC Sports Philadelphia, Maxey pointed out a return of positive energy. As watching the previous four games wasn’t enough, there were plenty of signs off the court that the vibes were off, from Embiid’s trade deadline plea being thoroughly rejected to Maxey voicing confusion of his role. It felt like the lowest point of the season spirit-wise as well, and its departure was noticed in the win over the Wolves.

“We got back to playing with a little bit of spirit, you seen guys smiling a bit,” he told Kate and Alaa before praising the individual performance of Quentin Grimes. 

If anything this win may have showed just how tall of an order it is for the Sixers to keep themselves afloat with Embiid out of the lineup just as much as the losing streak did. They need both Maxey and Edgecombe to be unconscious to give themselves a chance. 

What’s made this stretch even tougher is that they’ve had to go through that a really demoralizing trade deadline as well. Despite the best player on the team begging for a serious deadline, all they did was dump a fan favorite player and add one guard who was playing Europe on the buyout market. 

The reality that there were no reinforcements on the way was intensified during the losing streak. They weren’t just losing games, but they looked hopeless in doing so. Their only way through is to power through but in Minnesota, they were able to channel that in a positive direction.

“We didn’t have a choice, we don’t got an option man,” Maxey told the broadcast when asked how the team flushed the New Orleans loss so quickly.

Embiid’s return is the only tangible on-court change this team has left up its sleeve. The losing streak has shown the flaws in this roster and the deadline to try to improve them has come and gone. They have one intangible up their sleeves though and that is a positive spirit.

They’ll certainly need to sustain for more than one game and of course nothing is as good for the spirit as winning ball games. The only other change the Sixers can make though finding good vibes again and blowing out the Timberwolves was a step in the right direction.

Like teams across the NBA, the Phoenix Suns entered Week 18 ready to navigate life after the All-Star break. A team in need of rest got it, and the hope was that they would come out of the pause with some momentum and start pushing toward the finish line. Instead, they sprinted straight into chaos, stepped on a few Legos, banged a shin on the coffee table, and somehow stubbed the same toe twice.

Injuries have hovered over this season from the start, but Week 18 felt like the moment the dam finally broke.

Devin Booker exited the Spurs game with a hip strain. Jordan Goodwin and Dillon Brooks both went down against Orlando. Goodwin is dealing with a calf strain, an injury that always requires caution, and Brooks fractured his left hand, leaving his return timeline uncertain. Grayson Allen missed the Spurs game, played against the Magic, then sat again versus Portland as his ankle continues to linger in the background.

The Suns are not dealing with anything unique around the league. Wear and tear has become part of the daily conversation as more players across the NBA show up on the injury report with that familiar red cross next to their name. It is another issue the league office continues to wrestle with, and one they will never fully solve without accepting that fewer games might mean fewer tickets sold. That debate can wait.

The reality is simpler and heavier. Phoenix is hurting, and a season that once felt special now feels fragile. Without Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, Grayson Allen, and Jordan Goodwin, the foundation starts to wobble. A team built on hustle and defense is missing two of its best tone setters. A team that thrives on ball movement and finding the open shooter struggles to move the ball without Booker and Allen.

The Suns limp out of Week 18 hoping survival is enough until health returns, because health is the one thing money cannot buy.

Week 18 Record: 1-2

@ San Antonio Spurs, L, 121-94

• Possession Differential: +3.8
• Turnover Differential: 0
• Offensive Rebounding Differential: +8

Against a Spurs team finding its stride, Phoenix was overmatched and undermanned. There were flashes. Jalen Green’s bounce, Mark Williams battled Wembanyama, but none of it really mattered. The Spurs handled the Suns with ease.

vs. Orlando Magic, W, 113-110 2OT

• Possession Differential: +1.2
• Turnover Differential: -8
• Offensive Rebounding Differential: +12

Phoenix survived an absolute rock fight against Orlando. It was the kind of game that makes your eyes hurt and your soul tired, before Jalen Green detonated one moment of pure audacity to end the misery. Nothing flowed. Everything was earned.

Phoenix shot 29% from deep, coughed through 117 attempts, blew a late lead, lost bodies, and still dragged itself out of double overtime with a win. It wasn’t pretty, sustainable, or clean. It was survival. And this week, that counts.

vs. Portland Trail Blazers, L, 92-77

• Possession Differential: -1.2
• Turnover Differential: -2
• Offensive Rebounding Differential: 0

Phoenix couldn’t find any rhythm, and their poor shooting continues to be of concern. What else is concerning? When the door of opportunity opened, no one stepped through it.

Inside the Possession Game

• Weekly Possession Differential: +3.8
• Weekly Turnover Differential: -10
• Offensive Rebounding Differential: +20
• Year-to-Date Over/Under .500: +8

Graphic time.

The Phoenix Suns won the possession battle this week. They took better care of the ball. They competed on the glass. And still, they walked away with two losses. Injuries sit at the center of everything right now, and every stat has to be read through that lens. That part is understood.

What lingers is the depth question. It is being tested, and it is not holding up. Players are operating outside their normal roles, so expectations need to be reasonable, but the drop-off has been real. Since February 1, the Suns are averaging 104 points per game, second-worst in the league. They are shooting 33.5% from three, which is sixth-worst. They average 9.1 steals, which puts them in the middle of the pack. And they are 3-6.

The traits that made this team enjoyable early in the season are slipping. That tells you the system is designed for high-level basketball IQ players, not built to elevate depth on its own. Strong organizations preach next man up because the structure remains functional even when talent thins. Phoenix has kept running the system, but the results have cratered. It is expected. It is part of the season-long evaluation. So far, the Suns are failing that test.

Week 19 Preview

Breathe. That is what the Suns have an opportunity to do over the next week. Only two games on the schedule, both against opponents who know how to make things uncomfortable.

First up is Tuesday, when Phoenix welcomes the Boston Celtics to town. Boston was penciled in by some as a team that might tread water this season, regroup, then reattack later. But that script never materialized. They sit second in the Eastern Conference, driven largely by Jalen Brown, and that matchup will demand real focus.

Two nights later, the Lakers come to Phoenix for the fourth of five meetings this season. That one matters. The standings say so. This is a chance to take a real bite out of them.

After that? Some rest. The Suns don’t play again until the following Tuesday.

Indiana Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton was already missing the 2025-26 NBA season as he continues his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon, but he will be away from the team for a separate issue.

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said Sunday, Feb. 22, that Haliburton has come down with shingles and will spend two to three weeks away from the team to recover.

“It's a very painful thing,” Carlisle told reporters. “... He will make a full recovery, but this happened over the last few days. He was meeting us in D.C. and had some odd symptoms and he came back (to Indianapolis). That's what's happening with him. We certainly wish him a speedy recovery. It's a unique case and a unique situation, but I talked to him a few times and he's always in a good mood, so he'll get through it.”

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The new week of NBA action starts with just a trio of games, but we open with a great one, as Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons host Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.

I’ve found my favorite NBA player prop for that exciting matchup, it’s in a place you may not expect. That and NBA picks for the other two games, on Monday, February 23, below.

Best NBA player props today

Player	Pick
Duncan Robinson	Over 10.5 Points	-120
Ty Jerome	Over 17.5 Points	-120
Reed Sheppard	Over 3.5 Assists	+102

Prop #1: Duncan Robinson Over 10.5 Points

-120 at bet365

The Detroit Pistons host the San Antonio Spurs in a matchup between two of the NBA’s best teams, and while this game is full of star power, I’m backing a role player to have a big impact.

Duncan Robinson has been a great secondary scorer for Detroit, averaging 12.3 points per game, and the Pistons' sharpshooter is on fire. Robinson is putting up 15.3 points per game while shooting 47.3% from 3-point range over his last seven.

And while the Spurs are a strong defensive team, they could be better on the perimeter, ranking 16th in opponent 3-point shooting percentage.

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Peacock

Prop #2: Ty Jerome Over 17.5 Points

-120 at bet365

Reliable bucket getters are few and far between for the Memphis Grizzlies.

That is, until Ty Jerome returned. The journeyman shooting guard is averaging 19.3 points while shooting 39.5% from beyond the arc.

Sportsbooks have caught on, but it’s not enough for this matchup against the Sacramento Kings. 

The Kings are bad, and it’s only gotten worse. They rank dead last in defensive rating and are next-to-last in opponent points allowed per game in February. 

Jerome has topped this number in five of seven games, including going for 28 against the Kings just back on February 4.

• Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBCSCA, FanDuel Sports Network Southeast-Memphis

Prop #3: Reed Sheppard Over 3.5 Assists

+102 at bet365

While we start the night with a great matchup, the nightcap is the opposite, as the Houston Rockets are massive home favorites against the Utah Jazz.

The Rockets obviously have edges all over the court, but my best bet is Reed Sheppard to go Over 3.5 assists.

The sophomore guard is averaging 4.0 assists per game over his last five, topping this number three times during that stretch.

The Jazz rank dead last in defensive rating and opponent assists per possession, and in a mismatch like this, Sheppard should get a longer run.

• Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Peacock

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

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The end of February means the start of a college sports favorite: the 2026 NCAA March Madness basketball tournament.

With March Madness comes the infamous bracket that people fill out to try and guess which teams will make the run through the tournament to the championship. Filling out brackets has become synonymous with March Madness, and this year, ESPN is poking fun at the intensity the tournament can spark in people.

A new ESPN ad released Feb. 23 marries the idea of March Madness bracket obsession, or what they call "Bracketbrain," with the pharmaceutical ads people often see on television that have long warnings of potential side effects. The satirical ad claims there's only one alleviation for people suffering from Bracketbrain: ESPN's Tournament Challenge, a way to fill out and manage your bracket through March Madness's run.

Watch the new ad below.

Watch ESPN's latest March Madness commercial

In the ad, the "patients" seem to see the outline of brackets in their day-to-day lives, including in their food, the route they take while hiking, and the way they filled out a Scantron sheet while taking a test. These are all clear symptoms of Bracketbrain to ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi, who appears in the ad as the head of ESPN's Department of Bracketology.

“When the calendar hits March, filling out brackets is all anyone can think about,” Seth Ader, ESPN's vice president of brand marketing said in a news release. “With the Bracketbrain campaign, we’re shining a light on this great time of year, diagnosing the behavior, and reminding fans that ESPN Tournament Challenge is the place to celebrate their obsession.”

Entering Sunday’s game in Minnesota, Philadelphia had lost nine of its last 10 games without Joel Embiid in the lineup. His absence was clearly felt by rookie VJ Edgecombe who said, “We miss Joel. It’s that simple. He’s a walking 30 points,” after a bad loss at home against Atlanta on Thursday night coming out of the All-Star break.

It’s particularly relevant that Edgecombe was the one to make those comments. Edgecombe is a rookie who wasn’t in Philadelphia for Embiid’s MVP season and some of his other high-end seasons that were statistically better than the one he’s having right now, which has still been very good. This is not to contest that Embiid is the same player now that he was before the knee injury two years ago that plagued him for all of last season. But it is to say that he’s playing at a much higher level than many anticipated in 2025-26.

Perhaps that’s the primary source of disappointment this season for Philly. There are still two months left in the regular season, but it’s becoming clear that the Sixers are probably a tier below the East’s top group of contenders. On a good night, they’re right there with the upper echelon of the conference. But there just aren’t enough good nights it feels like and a lot of the good nights that do exist are courtesy of a big game from Embiid.

Embiid has given the franchise more than any other player has since Allen Iverson wore the uniform. Time and time again, the organization has failed to empower him, and this month’s trade deadline was just the latest example. Embiid returning from his knee injury and being this good, say 75-85% of the player he used to be, should be considered an overwhelming success. It wasn’t long ago that medical retirement was being discussed as a potential option for Embiid in his early 30s. If there was ever a season in which the Sixers could find a way to be good enough in the games Embiid isn’t on the floor and give the big man at least one more crack at a deep playoff run, it would be this one.

Embiid’s injury history is obviously long, and unfortunately, the bigger problem is that he’s suffered several fluke injuries that have impacted his postseason availability. Yes, there have been bigger injuries that have called into question the viability of building a contender around Embiid. Early in his career particularly it was fair to question his commitment to rehabbing those injuries. But how many times have we seen Embiid wearing a mask in the playoffs? How many times does it feel like he has taken a fall or been fallen on by another player that resulted in a minor injury that would flare up and force him to miss a playoff game here or there or perform at less than 100%?

Hopefully this season is a sign of good things to come for Embiid and he can play at this level for at least a few more seasons. Maybe there’s a longer runway for him to win a championship with the Sixers than we all thought. But at this time one year ago, it felt like there was no runway at all. That’s what makes it so disappointing that losing in the second round again feels like the ceiling for this year’s team. Whatever happens in the next couple months, be sure to appreciate the fact that Joel Embiid is having the season he’s having.

On today’s episode, Ryan Eichten and Leo Sun talk about the Minnesota Timberwolves’ two post-All-Star Break games, including a blowout loss to the Philadelphia 76ers by a season-high 27 points and an 11-point win over the Dallas Mavericks:

— On Sunday night, the Wolves suffered their largest loss of the season at home to the 76ers. While the Wolves were without Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid, the 76ers themselves were without Joel Embiid and Paul George, and had also played the night prior in New Orleans.

— In place of Gobert and Reid, Joan Beringer got his first career start, but picked up three quick fouls in the first half, limiting his impact on the game. The Wolves are still super high on Beringer, but with three bigs ahead of the 19-year-old Frenchman on the depth chart, his impact the rest of this season is still likely to be limited.

— Against the Mavericks on Friday, they rolled out a primarily eight-man rotation, along with a short stint for Beringer in the first half. The move seemed like a signal of what the rotation will look like the rest of the way for the Wolves, with the usual starters plus Reid, Ayo Dosunmu, and Bones Hyland coming off the bench.

— Anthony Edwards was again outstanding in the clutch in the win over the Mavericks, scoring a total of 40 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter. Ant’s improved play late in close games bodes well for the Wolves in the playoffs, where they may have a higher ceiling than their team a season ago that made the Western Conference Finals.

— Naz Reid has been playing great of late, putting up 21 points, four 3-pointers, seven rebounds, four assists, and three stocks against the Mavericks, including a nasty dunk over Daniel Gafford.

— With just 27 games left in the season, the stretch run is now upon us. The Wolves are just one game back of the three seed and will need to start winning games in bunches if they want to climb that high in the standings.

VAIL, Colo. (AP) — American skier Lindsey Vonn says she nearly lost her left leg following a frightening crash in the women’s downhill at the Milan Cortina Olympics.

Vonn shared in an Instagram post on Monday that her injuries went far beyond the complex tibia fracture in the leg she initially revealed after clipping a gate and sailing off course just 13 seconds into her run on Feb. 8.

The 41-year-old Vonn said the trauma from the crash led to compartment syndrome in the leg. Compartment syndrome involves excessive pressure building up inside a muscle, either from bleeding or swelling. High pressure restricts blood flow and can lead to permanent injury if not treated quickly.

“When you have so much trauma to one area of your body so that there’s too much blood and it gets stuck and it basically crushes everything,” Vonn said.

Vonn credited Dr. Tom Hackett, an orthopedic surgeon who works for Vonn and Team USA, for conducting a fasciotomy to salvage her leg.

“He filleted it open (and) let it breathe, and he saved me,” she said.

Vonn noted that Hackett was only in Cortina because she was competing after tearing the ACL in her left knee shortly before the Olympics.

“If I hadn’t had done that, Tom wouldn’t have been there (and he) wouldn’t have been able to save my leg,” she said.

Vonn, who said she has been discharged from the hospital, also broke her right ankle in the crash.

“It has been quite the journey and by far the most extreme and painful and challenging injury I’ve ever faced in my entire life times 100,” she said.

Vonn underwent multiple surgeries during a week-long stay at a hospital in Treviso, Italy, following the accident. She credited both Hackett and Italian doctors for their efforts to repair her leg, which she said was “in pieces" following the accident.

She says she struggled with pain and blood loss in the immediate aftermath and had to receive a transfusion to help raise her hemoglobin levels.

Vonn, who said she is “very much immobile," is confined to a wheelchair at the moment, but has turned her attention to her rehab and is working her way toward being able to use crutches. She estimated it will take about a year for the bones in her left leg to heal. Only after that will doctors be able to go in and repair the torn ACL, which played no role in the crash.

“It's going to be a long road,” she said. “I always fight and we keep going.”

Vonn stressed she had “no regrets” about her comeback following a six-year retirement or her decision to ski at the Olympics despite the knee injury.

“I wish it had ended differently, but I’d rather go down swinging than not try at all,” said Vonn, who was atop the World Cup series rankings in the downhill when she arrived in Cortina. “I think what I was able to achieve was more than anyone expected to begin with. ... This year was incredible and so worth everything.”

She likened her injuries to “one blip on the radar." She did not go into any sort of detail about her competitive career, though her father, Alan Kildow, told The Associated Press shortly after the accident he would like her to retire.

“Life is life and we have to take the punches that come,” Vonn said. “Going to do the best I can with this one. It really knocked me down. But I’m like Rocky. I’ll just keep getting back up.”

___

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

#1 – 60 seconds that says it all

Sometimes, 48 minutes can be sum up in just 60 seconds – and last night’s game against LA was the case. In this sequence, the Celtics are able to take four shots while the Lakers only have one attempt, which is blocked from behind.

The willingness to fight for offensive rebounds and to put pressure from the other side of the court was a big difference-maker for the Celtics against a team that can be elite offensively when they are able to run their usual offense.

The Celtics didn’t let that happen and limited the Lakers to an 89-point game.

#2 – Payton Pritchard’s magic

The level of efficiency Payton is showing since moving back to a 6th-man role is just out of this world. Last night, again, the former Oregon star showed why the Celtics believe so much in him to get the offense going, especially in late-clock situations.

Besides the incredible shooting touch, his ability to create space is what stands out the most this season. At the rim or on the perimeter, his frame, handle, speed, and footwork are working together to create space, even when he seems to be stuck.

As he said, he likes the ball and wants to dance with it — and the ball loves him back.

It’s not just a gimmick, and the shots he is making aren’t just fun highlights for TikTok. He is becoming an offensive threat that the Celtics can rely on to close games because, against the matchup he wants, Pritchard is able to get to his spots and carry the team on his large shoulders.

#3 – Deep touches for Vooch

The other big change in the last few weeks was the addition of Nikola Vucevic, who is also coming off the bench. The former Bull is bringing some post-up gravity, but it is quite different from what we are used to seeing from the Celtics. He gets the ball far deeper than Kristaps Porzingis would.

His post-up positions are deeper in the paint, not at the top of the key. With his low center of gravity (for his size), he can push back players with ease and find deeper positions on offense. This gives the Celtics coaching staff new options for play-calling, like here where, after a timeout, they draw a play to get the ball inside for Nikola.

Derrick White cuts from the right corner to the left as the center sets a screen for him, and then Hugo Gonzalez screens to give Vucevic more space to catch the ball near the rim. Exquisite play call to beat the Lakers’ zone defense.

#4 – Ghost to beat the switch

When the Lakers weren’t in a zone defense, they tended to switch a lot, and the Celtics took advantage of that. Recently, we saw a lot of teams that would rather hedge on the pick-and-roll, leaving the short roll open, but this wasn’t possible against that Lakers defense. So, instead of setting ball screens with their big men, the Celtics went for ghost screens with shooters.

Ghost screens, or slip screens, are very tough to defend for switch defenses because often one of the two players involved forgets to switch, as it doesn’t feel like a “real screen.” However, even if that isn’t a real screen, the confusion between the defenders is enough to create the required space.

On this second example, Queta’s screen creates confusion off the ball, as Luka Doncic expects Deandre Ayton to switch onto Hauser, but the big man follows Neemias Queta and that’s an open shot for Boston.

Here again, this time for White, the Celtics trick the Lakers. Derrick gets close to Luka Doncic as if he were setting the screen, so Luke Kennard gets ready to switch. But Luka doesn’t feel White, so he stays on Pritchard, as there was no “real screen.” The consequence? Yet another 3-pointer for the Boston Celtics.

#5 – Jaylen Brown’s reads

With a bigger volume, the opportunity for Jaylen Brown to learn how to become elite at reading space has been obvious — and he is getting there. There were a couple of actions last night where he looked like one of the great playmakers in this league.

On this first drive of the game, he attracts three defenders and doesn’t have a lot of time to think or space to move. He stops, pivots, finds an open man, and swings the ball to the corner for Baylor Scheierman.

On the pick-and-roll below, he reads the defensive mistake really well. Ayton switches, but Rui Hachimura doesn’t, leaving the roll man alone for a second. Brown sees it and finds a passing lane above the Lakers center, right where Queta needs the ball. Great read again to punish the defensive mistake.

Yet, his passing wasn’t the most impressive part of his game last night.

#6 – Brown’s defense and transition motor

The Celtics’ #7 was the transition motor the Celtics needed to get over that Lakers defense. The All-Star put a lot of pressure on the ball and in the passing lanes, leading to three steals and one out-of-bounds turnover.

In transition, he was able to draw a lot of free throws, which were more than welcome to compensate for his 18 missed field goals. His speed, aggressiveness, and willingness in these fast-break situations really made the Lakers defense collapse and were perfect to punish the turnovers he often created.

#7 – The drop effect

Defensively, the Celtics dared the Lakers to make their pull-ups — and they didn’t. Straight from the jump, Queta was deep in the paint after the Ayton screen, showing LA that if they wanted to win, they had better be ready to make it rain.

Unfortunately for Pat Riley and the Lakers, it didn’t happen. The Lakers shot 37% from mid-range. And, because the Celtics were protecting the paint at all costs, the rim efficiency from the Lakers was very poor compared to their standards.

Indeed, the Lakers are the most efficient team at the rim this season, with 74% on shots within four feet of the basket. Last night, the Celtics limited them to only 55%, and all that without fouling, as the Lakers only took 18 free throws.

#8 – Gonzalez vs. Doncic

It’s hard not to be romantic about basketball. Hugo Gonzalez was a child when Luka Doncic was still playing at Real Madrid, and last night, they faced each other on the biggest stage, in the NBA’s most historical matchup.

The Lakers superstar tried to go after the Spaniard, but most of the time, the young wing was able to hold his ground and not fall into the guard’s fakes.

Even better, he tricked him later in the game with a nice baseline cut while the defense’s attention was on Payton Pritchard and Jaylen Brown.

Safe to say I’m looking forward to their next matchup. In the meantime, Luka Doncic wished him the best of luck.

#9 – Spacing duel

One image means a thousand words, and this one speaks loudly. These possessions came one after another, and it is obvious how much better the Celtics’ spacing is compared to the Lakers’.

With this great defensive presence, thanks to the Lakers’ lack of spacing, the Celtics can concede a mismatch because they can protect it, shrink the space, and cut the passing lanes.

#10 – Mazzulla remaining quiet about JT

CelticsBlog’s Bobby Manning tried to get some input from Joe Mazzulla about Jayson Tatum’s participation in practice, but all he got was a long silence and Joe Mazzulla staring at him.

Even if we don’t have strong insights, it feels like Jayson Tatum’s return could be in the coming weeks.