Category: NBA

2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer season standings:
Tyrese Maxey – 22
Joel Embiid – 9
VJ Edgecombe – 8
Paul George – 6
Dominick Barlow – 2
Andre Drummond – 2
Jared McCain :’( – 2
Kelly Oubre Jr. – 2
MarJon Beauchamp – 1
Adem Bona – 1
Justin Edwards – 1
Quentin Grimes – 1
Trendon Watford – 1
15th roster spot – 1

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The Sixers came into Thursday night’s game riding the high of a two-game winning streak, that coincided with the return of Joel Embiid to the lineup. The Sixers welcomed Eastern Conference foe the Miami Heat to South Philly for a matchup of teams currently sitting at sixth and eighth in the conference standings, respectively. This game could potentially have postseason ramifications for both teams as far as avoiding the play-in or homecourt advantage in a potential play-in scenario.

The first quarter of this one was back and forth and high scoring as the two teams traded baskets for most of it. The Sixers were carried by Tyrese Maxey, who came out blistering knocking down five triples to set the franchise all-time career record, passing Allen Iverson. Maxey’s 20 points in the first quarter led all scorers as the Sixers took a 36-35 advantage one.

making his mark. pic.twitter.com/9inhwW7qaw

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 27, 2026

https://t.co/qVqN90vkUMpic.twitter.com/b0WhAFbUe5

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 27, 2026

The Sixers continued to scorch the nets in the second quarter, as they created some separation from the Heat. The Sixers were led by Joel Embiid who led all scorers at the half with 21 points. Sixers rookie sensation VJ Edgecombe poured in 12 of his own in the first half. The Sixers took a 73-57 lead to the intermission.

a solid first half. @cryptocompic.twitter.com/c4uEO9F3YG

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 27, 2026

this photo goes crazy. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/hZSUOFohOU

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 27, 2026

The Heat shrunk the gap in the third quarter behind a 34-point period. The Sixers’ offense tailed off from their scorching first half. Bam Adebayo had a monster quarter as part of a monster game. Adebayo headed to the fourth with 29 points and 14 rebounds. The Sixers took a 99-91 lead into the final frame.

final frame. @cryptocompic.twitter.com/XJOTD4vDkv

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 27, 2026

BONA‼️ pic.twitter.com/qk88Cg9P5u

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 27, 2026

The Sixers held on in the fourth in what was a much slower pace than the first three. Getting 20+ from Maxey, Oubre and Embiid was enough for the Sixers to strengthen their hold on the Eastern Conference sixth seed.

protected home court. ⚔️@cryptocompic.twitter.com/bo7V842c1M

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 27, 2026

JOEL! 🗣️🗣️🗣️ pic.twitter.com/umicwUcq9b

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 27, 2026

that’s three in a row! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/JvEpoo8g7Z

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 27, 2026

Time for Bell Ringer.

Joel Embiid: 26 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 8-for-20 from the field, 8-for-9 from the line

Embiid used a strong first half to help get the Sixers a sizeable lead in this one that they were able to hold onto down the stretch. Embiid continues his stellar play even in a below-average game for his standards from the field. His presence on both ends continues to show a clear difference in the Sixers’ overall play as opposed to when he is out and they struggle mightily. As always, the plan remains getting the big man to the postseason at full strength.

Tyrese Maxey: 28 points, 11 assist, 4 rebounds, 9-for-26 from the field, 5-for-12 from three

Tyrese Maxey etched his name atop Sixers franchise history tonight as he passed Allen Iverson on the all-time career made threes list to sit alone in the top spot. Maxey poured in 20 of his 28 points in the first quarter as he struggled to find the range and a rhythm offensively for the remainder of the game. Maxey’s work as a floor general was still felt throughout the game as he logged 11 assists on the night to just one giveaway.

Kelly Oubre: 21 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 8-for-14 from the field, 3-for-5 from three

Oubre was huge in this one for the Sixers on both ends as he put in an efficient 21 points. Oubre seemingly always hit a shot or made a key stop right when the Sixers needed it and the Heat were mounting a charge. Oubre with Embiid and Oubre without Embiid continue to look like very different players as the Sixers swingman is able to play more to his strengths when Joel is in the lineup. The Sixers are going to need Oubre down the stretch as they try to climb the Eastern Conference standings and as the postseason approaches.

CHICAGO (AP) — Jerami Grant scored 27 points and the Portland Trail Blazers held on for a 121-112 victory over Chicago on Thursday night, sending the Bulls to their 11th straight loss.

Toumani Camara scored 16 points, Robert Williams III had 14 points and 14 rebounds and Vit Krejci also scored 14 points for the Trail Blazers, who were without All-Star Deni Avdija (back) for the second straight game.

Matas Buzelis scored 20 points to lead the Bulls, who matched the third-longest losing streak in franchise history. Chicago has dropped 11 straight games in February since last winning against Miami on Jan. 31.

Tre Jones had 19 points as the Bulls fell to 0-5 on their seven-game homestand. Josh Giddey scored 15 points and had nine assists and Nick Richards had 14 points and 10 rebounds.

In a game that featured 17 lead changes and 13 ties, Portland pulled away in the fourth quarter to take a 15-point advantage — its biggest of the game — at 105-90 on two free throws by Blake Wesley with 9:02 remaining.

But Chicago scored the next seven points before Camara broke the Bulls' run with two free throws that made it 107-97 with 5:16 left. The Bulls kept coming, though, and cut their deficit to three at 108-105 on a cutting dunk by Leonard Miller.

Grant made a 3-pointer to open a 13-7 closing run by the Trail Blazers, who got a pair of free throws from Camara, Jrue Holiday and Grant to seal the win.

Up next

Trail Blazers: Play at Charlotte on Saturday.

Bulls: Host Milwaukee on Sunday.

—

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

DALLAS (AP) — Precious Achiuwa had a career-high 29 points and added 12 rebounds, Maxime Raynaud scored 22 points and the Sacramento Kings beat the Dallas Mavericks 130-121 on Thursday night.

The Kings (14-47) have won two of their last three following a franchise-record 16-game losing streak. Averaging an NBA-low 110.1 points per game, they fell short of a season high by five points.

Naji Marshall scored a season-high 36 points, one short of his career best, and had 10 rebounds and six assists for the Mavericks (21-37), who have lost 11 of their last 13 games and six consecutive at home.

Dallas cut a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit to 123-121 with 1:56, but Sacramento scored the final seven points beginning with Achiuwa’s putback off his miss with the shot clock about to expire.

The four Mavericks who were acquired on Feb. 5 in the three-team trade that sent Anthony Davis to Washington made their Dallas debuts. They were led by Khris Middleton with 17 points.

With Sacramento completing a back-to-back and Dallas beginning one, the teams had lengthy unavailable lists. The Kings’ included Russell Westbrook and Keegan Murray, the latter having reinjured an ankle Wednesday in a loss at Houston. Dallas’ list included rookie Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 overall draft pick, who missed his fifth consecutive game with a left midfoot sprain.

Up next

Kings: At Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night.

Mavericks: Host Memphis on Friday night.

___

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

The Dallas Mavericks (21-37) were beaten early and late by the Sacramento Kings (14-47) at home on Thursday, falling 130-121 in their first home game in over a month. Precious Achiuwa scored a career high 29 points against Dallas, leading the Kings. He also chipped in 12 rebounds and four assists. Naji Marshall was the best Dallas player, scoring 36 to go along with 10 rebounds and six helpers.

The first quarter of Mavericks-Kings really proved that in the NBA, anything is possible. With a couple of wonky lineups, largely due to neither team having anything resembling their normal roster, there wasn’t much defense to be played on either side of the ball. And while Marshall had himself a quarter, scoring 13, every other Maverick was some variation of bad. The Kings, meanwhile, put up baskets with ease. Dallas left quarter one down 42-28.

The Kings stopped scoring at will in the second quarter, and the two teams settled into a bit of a slog. Sacramento did grow the lead to as many as 18 in the frame before Dallas found some dignity and made a push. But they weren’t able to make it a close game in one quarter. Sacramento finally committed a few turnovers in the latter minutes of the half to give Dallas a chance to cut it to single digits, only for a last-second turnover, which led to a Kings basket. Dallas trailed 68-56 at the half.

The third quarter was something special. The Mavericks cut the Kings lead down to three very quickly to start the half, only to get walloped on a huge Kings run. The game then teetered back and forth between single and double digits. Marvin Bagley went down with a head injury, which slowed the Dallas momentum. The Mavericks found themselves down 12 as the quarter ended, which was the same amount they were down when the second half began. Dallas trailed 100-88 with 12 minutes to go.

The Dallas Mavericks made things interesting, you have to give them that. The fourth quarter was a slow collapse by the Kings, a theme we’ve seen all season as Dallas shocks people simply by playing hard. The 12 point lead whittled down to 2 points with two minutes remaining, only for the Kings to wake up and close out the contest. Dallas falls, somehow, 130-121. A masterful tank.

That was a genuinely shocking game

Perhaps it’s me. Maybe I’m the problem. Maybe I don’t believe enough, in Jason Kidd, in this Dallas Mavericks team.

When I noticed this four game slate in mid-December, when the Dallas season was already over and no one knew it, I marked it down as a stretch which would cause the fandom to go NUTS. Four straight wins, even against the Grizzlies, who weren’t yet tanking either. The Kings were bad. They should be beatable every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

But no, not for our Dallas Mavericks. With PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford out, with Cooper Flagg out, this was a game Dallas wanted to lose institutionally. Don’t let the players hear that, of course. Kidd played Marshall 42 freaking minutes, and the dude battled his butt off. But Caleb Martin exists, and he’s one of the players on this team who probably shouldn’t be in the NBA at this point. He played a mere 20 minutes but was outscored 25 points while he was on the floor. That’s so hard to do!

But Dallas did it. And they lost.

Now, they’ll win some games they shouldn’t. They have too much veteran talent to actually TANK, like the Kings, Jazz, and other moribund franchies. But for now, enjoy how ridiculous a loss this was. Go Mavs.

The Spurs extended their winning streak to 11 and secured a perfect record in February. They dominated from start to finish on their visit to Brooklyn, often playing amazing team ball, with seven players reaching double digits on their way to a 126-110 victory.

After a disaster of a game at times in terms of execution against the Raptors the prior night, the Spurs looked like a completely different team in the early minutes against the Nets. The ball was moving crisply and finding the open men, who connected on three pointers. The Silver and Black guarded with intensity and pushed the pace off turnovers for easy looks. Brooklyn constantly tried to touch the paint, with Nolan Traore leading the way, but they were running into Wembanyama and failing to score. The home team found more success when Wemby rested and Day’Ron Sharpe attacked Luke Kornet, but the perimeter defense remained active even with some starters getting extra rest on the second game of a back-to-back.

Understandably, considering the opponent and the quick double-digit lead after one, San Antonio relaxed a little on both ends in the second. The ball movement stalled out at times, especially when there were three non-shooters on the floor. Wembanyama started to get more involved on offense, but wasn’t the force he can be. When they could push the pace, the opportunities for easy buckets were there, but the half-court execution wasn’t as sharp for the Spurs. The Nets, meanwhile, hit a couple of threes, dominated the offensive glass to create second chances, and continued to drive whenever possible. Brooklyn didn’t shine on either end, but managed to just trade buckets and keep the Spurs’ lead from getting insurmountable. At the break, the Silver and Black were up 15.

The Spurs have played with their food in the past, and it looked like they would again on Thursday to start the second half. The ball movement completely stopped as ball handlers dribbled and made passes without much purpose that didn’t create an advantage. By itself, the issues on offense wouldn’t have been too worrisome, but the Nets continued to dominate the offensive glass, San Antonio’s ball pressure and intensity disappeared, and Michael Porter Jr. started to heat up. The Silver and Black looked tired and complacent for a while. Fortunately, they snapped out of it in time to regain a double-digit lead, and the second unit closed the third frame strong. A lead that Brooklyn fought hard to cut to six ballooned back to 20 heading into the final period.

There wasn’t much to the game after that. The Spurs kept growing their lead early, which allowed Mitch Johnson to rest some of his starters and then empty his bench with over six minutes to go. The Nets’ deep bench had some interesting moments, but the win was never in question. After prevailing in back-to-back games and finishing February with a perfect record, San Antonio will get some rest and try to extend the longest winning streak in the league to 12.

Game notes:

• Victor Wembanyama has mentioned that he’s tired after All-Star weekend and that he’s had trouble sleeping. He played like someone who had to manage his effort level. He was still dominant on defense for long stretches and finished with a decent stat line, but he definitely needs rest, which he should be able to get now that the SEGABABA is over.
• Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie once again provided scorching hot shooting. The duo combined for 10 three-pointers in 16 attempts. The equal-opportunity, ball-movement-oriented style San Antonio has adopted recently plays to their strenghts. They didn’t just shoot, though. Champagnie finished with three steals and two blocks, and Vassell had seven rebounds and four assists.
• The three-headed monster of De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper was a nightmare for the Nets for the entire game. They pressured ball handlers to create turnovers and pushed the pace to get easy buckets. All three scored in double digits, with Castle leading the way with 18, and they combined for 18 assists to four turnovers.
• Whenever the Spurs were starting to play with less energy, Keldon Johnson provided a jolt. He attacked the paint as usual, but also defended well and talked to his teammates to wake them up. After some rocky years, KJ has found his place in the league, and it’s been great to watch.
• Luke Kornet has such a thankless job. Because Wembanyama is so dominant, whoever backs him up is going to look bad in comparison. Teams attack more when Kornet is out there, and he’s forced to be a part of some shooting-challenged lineups that don’t do him any favors. It’s easy to take him for granted or just wonder when Wemby will check back in whenever he’s resting, but the truth is having Kornet, limitations and all, is a luxury for the Spurs, even if his stat lines are rarely impressive.
• Carter Bryant had a horrendous game, a throwback to the early-season ones in which he looked lost and too green to be on the floor. It’s nothing to worry about, long term, but a matchup against a young, tanking team seemed like a good chance for him to get some big minutes. Instead, he had a bad first stint, got called out by Mitch Johnson after going under on Egor Demin and allowing an open three, and finished the game 0-for-6. A missed opportunity to overtake Harrison Barnes in the rotation, as Barnes struggled with his shot but looked like the more reliable option by far.

Play of the game

Dylan Harper is known for being a smooth player more than an explosive one, but he will occasionally showcase his impressive hops.

DYLAN HARPER ARE YOU KIDDING?!? 🤯

📺 @FanDuelSN_SWpic.twitter.com/rIycXjlsS4

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) February 27, 2026

Next game: at New York Knicks on Sunday

The Spurs will have two days off to rest before facing one of the best teams in the East in the second-to-last Rodeo Road Trip game.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Ryan O'Reilly scored with 3:16 remaining and the Nashville Predators scored three times in the third period in a 4-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night in the teams’ first game following the Olympic break.

Filip Forsberg and Matthew Wood also scored for Nashville. Steven Stamkos scored his 29th of the season into an empty net in the final minute for the Predators, who had lost two in a row and five of their last seven games heading into the break. Justus Annunen stopped 21 of 23 shots.

Connor Bedard and Tyler Bertuzzi scored for the Blackhawks, who have one victory in their last eight games. Spencer Knight made 22 saves.

Forsberg scored unassisted with just over six minutes remaining in the first period. Forsberg, who played for fourth-place finisher Sweden at the Olympics, scored his 25th of the season.

Bedard scored his career-best 25th goal just over four minutes into the second period to tie the game at 1. Ryan Greene had his 14th assist. Bedard had 22 goals in 68 games in 2023-24 and 24 goals in 82 games last season.

Bertuzzi scored his team-leading 26th goal of the season on a power play at 3:16 of the third to give the Blackhawks the lead. San Rinzel and Teuvo Teravainen, won a bronze medal with Finland at the Milan Cortina Olympics, assisted.

The Blackhawks' lead was short-lived as Wood tied it at 2, also with a power-play goal, just under four minutes later. The assists went to Erik Haula and Luke Evangelista.

Haula and Juuse Saros were considered game-time decisions after they returned to Nashville on Wednesday after playing for bronze medal-winning Finland at the Olympics.

Up next

Blackhawks: At the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday.

Predators: At the Dallas Stars on Saturday.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Toby Fournier scored 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and 12th-ranked Duke broke it open after halftime to beat Florida State 80-52 on Thursday night for at least a share of the ACC regular-season title.

Duke secured the top seed in next week's ACC Tournament with the win.

Delaney Thomas added 13 points and a career-high 20 rebounds and Taina Mair also had a double-double for the Blue Devils (21-7, 16-1) with 11 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Ashlon Jackson scored 15 points and Riley Nelson had 11.

Jasmine Shavers scored 21 points and Sole Williams 12 for Florida State (9-19, 4-12), which was outrebounded 54-30.

Duke, which led 33-29 at halftime, used a 13-2 run to start the third quarter to take control and the Blue Devils outscored the Seminoles 47-23 in the second half.

Duke was coming off its first loss since Dec. 4, falling at Clemson 53-51 on Sunday.

The Blue Devil’s 16 ACC victories are the most in a season under head coach Kara Lawson.

Up next

Florida State: Ends the regular season on Sunday playing at Wake Forest.

Duke: Travels to Chapel Hill to face 21st-ranked North Carolina on Sunday to also conclude the regular season.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Dylan Holloway had a hat trick and added an assist in his return from a sprained ankle, Joel Hofer made 23 saves and the St. Louis Blues came off the Olympic break to beat the Seattle Kraken 5-1 on Thursday night.

Jordan Kyrou and Holloway — activated from injured reserve before the game — scored in a 23-second span early in the second period to give St. Louis a 3-1 lead.

Pius Suter added a goal and two assists to help the Blues end a three-game losing streak.

Holloway completed St. Louis’ first hat trick of the season with 3:01 left, scoring into an empty net for his 11th of the season.

Kaapo Kakko tied it at 1 for Seattle in the first period, and Philipp Grubauer stopped 26 shots. The Kraken were coming off a 4-1 loss in Dallas on Wednesday night.

Kyrou made it 2-1 at 1:12 of the second off a feed from Pavel Buchnevich on a break. Holloway poked the puck past Grubauer off a scramble at 1:35. Suter scored at 1:56 of the third.

St. Louis' Cam Fowler appeared in his 1,100th game, becoming the 10th active defenseman in the NHL to reach the mark.

Up next

Kraken: Host Vancouver on Saturday night.

Blues: Host New Jersey on Saturday. ___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhla

MONTREAL (AP) — Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored 3:14 into overtime, rookie Matthew Schaefer had two goals in a 55-second span in the second period and the New York Islanders rallied to beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 on Thursday night.

Schaefer has 18 goals to surpass Denis Potvin for the most by a rookie defenseman in team history. Schaefer, selected first overall in last year’s draft, also moved past Phil Housley for the most goals in NHL history by an 18-year-old defenseman.

Islanders captain Anders Lee, skating in his 900th game, also scored and Ilya Sorokin made 21 saves to help New York win its third straight. Sorokin improved to 7-0-2 in his career against Montreal.

The Canadiens' Noah Dobson scored two goals in his first game against his former team. Cole Caufield scored his team-leading 33rd goal for Montreal in the third period and Samuel Montembeault made 23 saves.

Dobson, who scored at even strength and on the power play, spent his first six NHL seasons with the Islanders before being traded last June to Montreal for Emil Heineman and two 2025 first-round draft picks.

It was the first game back for both teams following the NHL’s 19-day pause for the Milan Cortina Olympic Games.

Dobson took advantage of a poor line change by the Islanders to open the scoring for Montreal in the first period. The Canadiens defenseman took a stretch pass from Lane Hutson before firing a wrist shot from the left circle that beat Sorokin to the glove side.

Dobson has 12 goals, one shy of his single-season high set with the Islanders in both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.

Up next

Islanders: At the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.

Canadiens: Host the Washington Capitals on Saturday.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Victor Wembanyama steps out of the visitors’ locker room, hunches through the tunnel, and Barclays Center greets him with a shriek. A mass circles the east end of the court as the Alien starts to warm up. Rarely is a nickname — bland it may be — this fitting. Wemby clutches a basketball, balancing on one leg while the physiotherapist pokes and prods him; they then begin a series of strange-looking stretches targeting muscles you haven’t heard of. Hushed fascination overtakes the crowd. It really does feel like a ticketed exhibition at Area 51; I snap the best photo I can get, proof that my work is occasionally as cool as my friends think it is.

On the west end of the court, Josh Minott and Ochai Agbaji warm up in front of empty seats. In pregame, Jordi Fernández gives his longest answer of the season, promising a bright future for the Brooklyn Nets as directly as he can: “We really like where we are. You know, we have a process and a plan in place … and everybody should feel the excitement of the next step. It’s a big 25 games for everybody, and a big, big, big summer.”

The media room is packed with national reporters, braving the slush to observe the Alien up close. Some of them ask me how I feel about Brooklyn’s rookie class. But before getting nerdy, I express my gratitude: The rookies have made this season interesting at the very least, even exciting at times.

Danny Wolf made a couple threes on Thursday night, finishing with 14/5/2, but Nolan Traore was once again the most impressive of the pack. He put up 13/2/3, only turned it over once, and consistently put pressure on the paint…

Nolan rejects, then uses the screen, then uses the re-screen and engages the big.

Nolan is 3-of-8 from two tonight, but three of his misses have been tipped in, in this exact manner vs. drop. More positive plays: pic.twitter.com/8JBffyk4Ae

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) February 27, 2026

Brooklyn did not wilt against Wemby. They scored 54 points in the paint, their highest total since a February 9 victory over the Chicago Bulls. San Antonio threatened to break the game open in the first quarter, but Day’Ron Sharpe, who reached a double-double, came off the bench and scored a quick seven points. Nic Claxton subbed back in and followed his lead, reaching double-figures before the half.

Jordi Fernández knew they would drown if not for the adjustment: “We go out there and shoot three threes and seven mid-range shots in the first quarter. So that’s just lack of intention and concentration … but then after that, you know, the second quarter we did better and coming out in the third, we did good.”

Michael Porter Jr. single-handedly kept Brooklyn within striking distance in that third quarter, maneuvering around Wemby for three quick layups…

three straight buckets from MPJ to start the 3Q 🔥

he's got 16 PTS along with 13 boards! pic.twitter.com/KpMSLb1e4i

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) February 27, 2026

Then, at long last, he found the 3-point stroke that’s been AWOL in February, hitting three straight. Porter Jr. scored 17 points in the period, finishing with 25/14/1 and six turnovers on just 9-of-22 shooting. Still, an improvement.

Alas, the Spurs put their foot down after Porter Jr.’s little outburst. The Nets were trailing by six. Blink. The Nets were trailing by 26. Brooklyn native Julian Champagnie led the way with 26 points, but it was a total team effort, as the West’s #2 seed showed no signs of fatigue having flown in from Toronto the night before.

Unperturbed by every run the Nets made, San Antonio whipped the ball around the court, posting an incredible 36:9 turnover:assist ratio and shooting 39.5% from three. It was the exact basketball Brooklyn hopes to play, right down to the franchise-changing superstar in the middle of it, though Wemby scored just 12 points himself.

“I thought we fought in that third quarter, cut it under ten, made it a game,” said Jordi Fernández. “We did a lot of things better, you know, fighting for long, longer rebounds, took the challenge, but then couldn’t close it. So, you have to play very well against a team like this, one of the best teams in the NBA.”

Egor Dëmin, perhaps unsurprisingly, was not one of the Nets who barreled toward the rim on Thursday. He shot just 2-of-3 from the floor, and was pulled early in the first quarter after being “involved in a few defensive mistakes,” per Fernández. But it wasn’t all bad for the young Russian, just a little odd: He did post a career-high nine assists with just one turnover.

Brooklyn’s head coach had a succinct message postgame: “Be more aggressive, and find those shots early, pushing. Obviously the unselfishness. I really like it … So, gotta watch the film again. In a perfect world, probably, I need him to take more than two threes and more than three shots.”

Jordi Fernández knows that we’re waiting for the summer. As opponents keep rolling through Barclays Center with ease, he might be counting down the days too. But until then, the Nets are not quite a basketball team trying to win games, but a collection of kids trying to — hold on, Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson came up with the perfect metaphor in his pregame.

“It’s hard to ask a 19-year-old to help another 19-year-old. It’s like asking a bunch of kids learning how to swim to make sure the other one doesn’t drown.”

Final Score: San Antonio Spurs 126, Brooklyn Nets 110

Milestone Watch

• Dëmin joins Reece Beekman (4/8/25) as the only Nets rookies with at least nine dimes and under two giveaways since Marcus Williams(!) (3/9/07).
• With 14/11/4 Day’Ron Sharpe logged his 19th career double-double, and his fifth this season. (Had a career-high six in 2023-24.)

After a couple of later games — the Pelicans win over the Jazz and the Kings over the Mavericks — the Tankathon rankings are looking up for the Nets. They are now one game out of second and two games out of first.

Next Up

It’s a quick turnaround, as the Brooklyn Nets ship up to Boston for the second night of a back-to-back. Tip-off against the Celtics is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.

• Boxscore: San Antonio Spurs 126, Brooklyn Nets 110 – NBA
• Game Highlights: San Antonio Spurs 126, Brooklyn Nets 110 (Video) – NBA
• Jordi Fernandez PostGame Interview (Video) – YES Network
• Day’Ron Sharpe PostGame Interview (Video) – YES Network
• Egor Demin PostGame Interview (Video) – YES Network
• Julian Champagnie scores 26 and Spurs cruise to 11th straight win, 126-110 over Nets – Denis P. Gorman – AP
• Nets blown out by red-hot Spurs to take latest step in tank – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Spurs’ balance overwhelms Nets 126-110 as skid reaches 6 ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Nets ride out growing pains as Jordi Fernández sticks to the plan: ‘We have to be competitive and understand this is a process’ ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Nets’ Michael Porter Jr. drops 25 points in 126-110 loss to Spurs – Sharif Phillips-Keaton – USA TODAY

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Dylan Larkin scored in his second goal of game at 1:50 of overtime, John Gibson made 26 saves and the Detroit Red Wings beat the Ottawa Senators 2-1 on Thursday night.

Larkin beat Linus Ullmark with a backhander in the tiebreaker.

Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk opened the scoring in the first period. Ullmark stopped 18 shots.

Detroit tied it at 1 on a power play early in the second when Lucas Raymond fed Larkin at the side of the net for a one-timer past Ullmark.

Just over two minutes later, Simon Edvinsson stepped into Tkachuk, with the Senators forward’s stick bouncing up and hitting him in the face. Tkachuk dropped to the ice, and Dylan Cozens jumped to his captain’s defense. Edvinsson and Cozens were both sent to the box.

Tkachuk returned to the ice before play resumed and skated to the penalty box to confront Edvinsson, drawing a 10-minute misconduct. Once in the box, Tkachuk continued to voice his displeasure.

Up next

Red Wings: At Carolina on Saturday night.

Senators: At Toronto on Saturday night.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

The Washington Wizards lost to the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday, 126-96.

The first half of this game was tough to watch. Washington allowed Atlanta to head into halftime with a 76-56 lead. I get that the Wizards aren’t going to be very good this season. But that margin and the total number of points the Hawks scored is embarrassing.

Now, there’s something else I wanted to point out today. The Hawks wore their black and gold City Edition uniforms which were coincidentally the same colors as the Wizards’ black and gold City Edition uniforms. Unless you are someone who digs deep into each team’s alternate uniforms, some viewers may have very well had a tougher time figuring out who the Wizards and Hawks were.

Anyway, Washington was able to keep things relatively even in the third quarter, but the Hawks went back on another rampage in the fourth.

Corey Kispert, now with the Hawks, scored 33 points to show some revenge on his old team. He also made 6-of-11 of his three point shots. For the Wizards, Will Riley, Jaden Hardy and Justin Champagnie all scored 14 each to co-lead the team.

The Wizards now head back home to face off against the Toronto Raptors for their next game on Saturday. Tip off is at 7 p.m. ET. See you then.

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Lina Ljungblom notched her first two points of the season and Ann-Renée Desbiens saved 34 shots to lead the Montréal Victoire over the New York Sirens 4-1 on Thursday night in the first PWHL game since the Olympic break.

Dara Greig opened the scoring five minutes into the game for the Victoire (8-3-0-5), with Ljungblom and Natálie Mlýnková assisting. J ade Downie-Landry doubled the Victoire's tally just 47 seconds later.

Skylar Irving made it a 3-0 lead on an unassisted goal with 9:53 left in the first period, making it three goals on four shots for the Victoire (8-3-0-5), which moved into a 30-point tie for first place with the Boston Fleet.

The Victoire had another goal taken off the board due to goaltender interference. The fourth-place Sirens (7-0-3-7) quickly made a goalie change, switching out Kayle Osborne for Callie Shanahan early in the second period.

The lone Sirens goal came on a power play a few minutes later on a shot by Casey O'Brien assisted by Maja Nylen Persson and Sarah Fillier, who picked up her 10th assist of the year (second in the PWHL).

The Victoire extended their lead to 4-1 with a power-play goal early in the third on a puck that deflected awkwardly off the stick of Ljungblom — her first goal of the season — over the head of Shanahan.

Desbiens, who entered with the second-lowest goals-against average (1.16 per game) finished with a .971 save percentage, saving all but one of the 35 shots she faced. Erin Ambrose and Marie-Philip Poulin were out due to injuries.

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AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey

You know the Spurs have reached a new level from even a month ago when they can look tired and a step slow, and still blow out a bad team (remember, playing down to opponents used to be a thing of theirs). After a hard-fought, exhausting win in Toronto the night before, the Spurs avoided a letdown game against the Brooklyn Nets by beginning the game strong and overcoming some rough stretches by spreading the wealth and riding the hot hand of the moment on their way to a 126-110 victory.

Seven Spurs scored in double figures, led by 26 from the hometown kid Julian Champagnie on 10-14 shooting, 6-9 from three. Michael Porter, Jr. was cold in the first half but exploded in the second for the Nets, finishing with 25 points and 14 rebounds.

Observations

• Ed Malloy has always been one of my least favorite refs in the league (egotistical, heavy with the technicals, etc.), and he reminded me why at tip-off. Nic Claxton was grabbing Victor Wembanyama and crossing into his territory, so there were lots stops to reset him. Then, when Malloy finally threw the jump ball, Claxton was draped all over Wemby, who still won it. However, instead of either letting it go and allowing the game to start or calling a foul on Claxton, Malloy decided to redo the throw. Wemby again won it, but come on, Ed! (I think I’m running out of basketball brain cells to want to type this all out.)
• The first quarter was a snooze fest, but in a good way because the Spurs were doing what they’re supposed to do: methodically (if unexcitedly) work down an inferior opponent. It lacked the excitement of recent games and opponents, but Devin Vassell remained hot, hitting is two three-point attempts, and Stephon Castle carved up the Nets’ putrid defense for 13 points in the quarter on the way to a 36-22 lead.
• The Spurs hit four straight threes to open the second quarter each from their two NY/NJ-area players in Champagnie and Dylan Harper, but things got for sloppy as the Spurs seemed to lose focus, and the Nets managed to cut what had been a 22-point lead down to 12. But, they again did what good teams do and got their act back together to regain control by halftime, behind 19 first-half points from Champagnie.
• The Spurs were again asleep at the wheel to start the third quarter as the Nets got within six while Porter Jr. got hot with 17 points in the quarter. This time, it was De’Aaron Fox’s turn to be the stabilizer with 10 points and initiating ball movement. That helped spark everyone else back into form, and five more made threes helped the Spurs get the lead back out to 20, and that was essentially the ball game with the fourth quarter being extended garbage time.
• Victor Wembanyama had his third straight off game on offense, although he wasn’t forcing things tonight. He finally got his first field goal late in the second quarter and finished with 12 points on 3-9 shooting, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 blocks. He mentioned after last night’s win in Toronto that he was tired from the lack of rest during All-Star weekend and he hadn’t slept well the night before. The back-to-back tonight probably didn’t help much in that regard, but they have two days off before they play the Knicks, followed by a quick train ride to Philadelphia, so hopefully the rest and lack of travel over the next several days helps him regain his rhythm.
• The win gives the Spurs their third undefeated month in franchise history (with a minimum of 10 games played). Their entire 11-game win streak has been within the month of February, with their last loss being the infamous snow game in Charlotte. Also, if they win the next two, they will sweep the Rodeo Road Trip. Who saw this happening coming into the season?