Category: NBA

The Mavericks are trying to scrape together some rhythm amid a four-game slide, hosting a Celtics team that’s found theirs. Boston enters 26–11 over their last 37 games with a plus-nine net rating, even while navigating their own key absences. What they haven’t lost is identity — relentless three-point volume, layers of guard play, and enough length inside to clean up misses. Dallas, meanwhile, is working with a skeleton crew in the paint and leaning more on Cooper Flagg every week. Can he carry the Mavs to a win or cover?

Let’s scan the lines in search of value.

🏀 Fixture:
Boston Celtics (31–18, 14–10 Away)
@ Dallas Mavericks (19–30, 11–12 Home)
📍 American Airlines Center — Dallas, TX
🕢 7:00 PM CST, February 3
📺 NBC Sports, Peacock, KFAA

💰 DraftKings Odds (as of 6:35 AM CST):
Spread: BOS −7.5 (−105) | DAL +7.5 (−115)
Total: 221.5 (O −115 / U −105)
Moneyline: BOS −270 | DAL +220

🎲 Game Side Pick: Celtics −7.5

The Mavericks will need to win the math battle with rim pressure, transition, and a few hot hands from midrange. The problem? Boston shoots over 42 threes a game, ranks third in percentage, and won’t stop shooting even if they start cold.

Jaylen Brown has been cooking (29.4 PPG), but it’s the middle of Boston’s rotation — Payton Pritchard, Anfernee Simons, Neemias Queta—that keeps their machine rolling. If Dallas can’t generate turnovers or limit second chances, the game starts tilting early on and may not recover.

It’s enough for a lean.

📊 Player Prop: Cooper Flagg over 20.5 points (−122)

Flagg’s recent line against Charlotte wasn’t just 49 points — it was a message: he knows it’s his team now. Even more impressive? His 34 on the road in Houston against their defensive talent. Flagg will deploy a mix of post-ups, cuts, and self-created looks that Boston can’t fully erase, even with their elite wing defense.

With usage stable and minutes north of 36 in close games, Flagg has room to hit this without needing to shoot the lights out. Role meets rhythm—not flashy, but solid.

📊 Player Prop: Neemias Queta over 8.5 rebounds (−131)

Queta’s quietly become a reliable rebounder in extended minutes. The Celtics’ barrage from three-point range creates long rebound opportunities, and Dallas isn’t fielding much resistance on the interior right now.

He pulled 8 in 31 minutes vs. Milwaukee, and 15 the game before that vs the Kings. If he stays on the floor, he clears. It’s a volume spot, and the matchup says go.

The Philadelphia 76ers have a chance to notch their first five-game win streak of the 2025-26 season on Tuesday night when they face the Golden State Warriors.

The Sixers opened this back-to-back last night, defeating the Los Angeles Clippers (sans James Harden) thanks in no small part to a career-night from Dominick Barlow. The hero of the evening posted a career-high 26 points on 10-of-16 shooting along with 16 rebounds and two steals. Alright then, Dom.

🚨 new career-high for @Dominickbarlow_ 🚨

(he also proceeded to hit a 3 right after this so he's at 2️⃣6️⃣ points and counting !) pic.twitter.com/QdAyUnlc5s

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 3, 2026

The Sixers have now strung together four victories in a row for the first time since starting the season 4-0. Yes, tonight is unfortunately another 10 p.m. ET tipoff. It’s also another back-to-back for Philadelphia, their 10th of the season. For what it’s worth, the Sixers are 6-3 so far this year on zero days rest.

This game is going to offer a golden (pun intended) opportunity to keep momentum in Philadelphia’s favor, too, with the Warriors coming into Tuesday’s contest without their biggest stars. Steph Curry, who really needs no introduction at this point in his career, leads Golden State averaging 27.2 points (shooting 39.1% from long range on a 11.5 attempt per game clip in 39 games this season) but will be sidelined for this one due to knee soreness. Jimmy Butler, the team’s second-highest scorer posting 20.0 points per contest across 38 games, is out for the rest of the season after tearing his ACL back in mid-January.

Jonathan Kuminga, Seth Curry and LJ Cryer are also all out for the Warriors. Moses Moody is probable with left knee soreness.

This being the second leg of a back-to-back and a West Coast time zone game, the official injury report for Philadelphia will not be available until later today. The Sixers’ only absence on Monday was Paul George, out for another 23 games after being suspended for violating the league’s drug policy. Joel Embiid did play last night against the Clippers, posting 24 points. Embiid has not played a game on zero days rest all season, so one would expect him to be unavailable for Tuesday night’s contest.

We will bring you official availability information when it’s released.

Regardless, this is the perfect chance for the Sixers to keep momentum on their side, even on a West Coast road trip, a situation that can sometimes just be a matter of survival until you can get back home. The Warriors without Steph Curry are simply not the Warriors. The squad’s offensive rating goes from 119.3 with Steph down to 104.9 with him sidelined. He is responsible for 21.4% percent of the team’s total made triples the entire season despite having only played in 39 of 50 possible games. Curry has sunk 175 threes this campaign, with the next highest Warrior being Moses Moody with 112.

And, to be fair, even with Curry the Warriors have been a bit shaky this season to say the least. They currently sit in eighth in the Western Conference at 27-23 and have lost four of their last six games.

The only other meeting the Sixers have had with the Warriors this season, back on Dec. 4, 2025, ended in dramatic fashion with rookie VJ Edgecombe hitting the go-ahead shot down one end and Tyrese Maxey coming up with a huge block on De’Anthony Melton down the other end as time expired. The Sixers won 99-98. Curry was absent for that contest as well.

VJ EDGECOMBE. THE ROOKIE. A HERO. pic.twitter.com/6qWZ4Gfk0E

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) December 5, 2025

Back to tonight. Even if it is the second leg of a back-to-back for the Sixers, anything other than a victory on Tuesday night would mean a wasted opportunity.

The Sixers and Warriors tip off at 10 p.m. ET (sorry).

Game Details

When: Tuesday, February 3, 10:00 p.m. ET
Where: Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia Plus
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers

The Los Angeles Lakers aim to end an eight-game road trip on a high note, but the Brooklyn Nets, and more specifically, Michael Porter Jr., stand in their way.

Brooklyn’s standout forward is the lone threat on this roster, averaging almost 26 points in his first season in NYC. 

My Lakers vs. Nets predictions call for L.A. to put the clamps on MPJ and force the rest of Brooklyn’s role players to step up.

Here are my best NBA picks for Tuesday, February 3.

Lakers vs Nets prediction

Lakers vs Nets best bet: Michael Porter Jr. Under 24.5 Points (-110)

Michael Porter Jr. closed out January with a red-hot run, scoring 30 or more points in three of his past four appearances. 

However, the versatile forward was forced to leave the team due to a death in the family, missing the past two games. Porter hasn’t played since facing the Nuggets on January 29, when he dropped 38 points on his former team. 

Porter has battled inconsistency throughout his career, as showcased by an up-and-down January. He’s followed big offensive efforts with poor shooting displays in the next game, and he’ll quickly need to shift gears after being off the court for five days.

The Brooklyn Nets struggle to score without him in the lineup (missing 12.3 points per 100 possessions), so expect the Los Angeles Lakers defense to focus on frustrating MPJ. 

The Lakers have some longer athletic forwards to throw at him on the perimeter and are among the best teams in the NBA at defending screens, which is a vital play set for Porter’s success. Los Angeles also does a solid job keeping foes from the offensive glass, where MPJ does damage, and limits second-chance looks at the hoop.

Porter’s projections vary, with some calling for 27 points. But most models top out below his scoring prop, with my number just flirting with 23 points. That should have the Under 24.5 priced around -150.

Lakers vs Nets same-game parlay

The Lakers can’t seem to get over the hump against good teams, so they need to win big against bums like Brooklyn.

Porter has been away for five days, and projections call for around 22 points tonight.

LeBron James has dished out six assists in each of his past two games and averages 6.6 dimes on the season.

Lakers vs Nets SGP

• Los Angeles Lakers -8.5
• Michael Porter Jr. Under 24.5 points
• LeBron James Over 5.5 assists

Our "from downtown" SGP: End of the Road

The last thing the Lakers want for this road trip finale is for this to turn into a track meet. Brooklyn plays one of the slower paces in the NBA, which will limit Luka Doncic's output, with projections for him landing south of his scoring prop.

Lakers vs Nets SGP

• Los Angeles Lakers -8.5
• Michael Porter Jr. Under 24.5 points
• LeBron James Over 5.5 assists
• Luka Doncic Under 32.5 points

Lakers vs Nets odds

• Spread: Lakers -8.5 | Nets +8.5
• Moneyline: Lakers -360 | Nets +280
• Over/Under: Over 223 | Under 223

Lakers vs Nets betting trend to know

The Nets are 4-15 SU and 8-10-1 ATS versus Western Conference competition, including 2-6 SU and 3-5 ATS in non-conference home games this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Lakers vs. Nets.

How to watch Lakers vs Nets

Lakers vs Nets latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

The Atlanta Hawks take a trip down to South Beach tonight for a matchup with the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker continues to thrive, and my Hawks vs. Heat predictions and NBA picks will focus on his ability to score the rock. 

Hawks vs Heat prediction

Hawks vs Heat best bet: Nickeil Alexander-Walker Over 20.5 points (-110)

Nickeil Alexander-Walker is having a career year for the Atlanta Hawks. The guard is averaging 20.3 points per game while shooting 38% from downtown. To put his numbers into perspective, the Canadian averaged just 9.4 ppg for the Timberwolves last season. 

A bigger role as a starter has allowed NAW to flourish. He’s cashed the Over in points in three of his last four games, scoring 21 points in each. Two of those contests were on the road, and as previously mentioned, the Hawks visit Miami this evening. 

In fact, Alexander-Walker is averaging 20.9 ppg on the road compared to 19.6 at home. The Virginia Tech product is playing with boatloads of confidence, and he’ll make his presence felt once again tonight.

Hawks vs Heat same-game parlay

Andrew Wiggins is averaging 15.6 ppg this season. He’s cashed the Over in two of his last three home games. He scored 18 against the Hawks earlier this season, and he’s averaging 16.1 ppg at home compared to 15.1 on the road. 

Jalen Johnson is having a monster year for Atlanta, and he’s doing it all. While he’s not a high-volume shooter, Johnson is averaging 1.7 makes on 4.7 attempts for a 36% clip. Very respectable. 

He's cashed the Over in five of his last seven appearances, and he’s drained three triples in back-to-back contests. Johnson is also shooting it even better on the road, averaging 1.8 makes for a 39.2% clip from deep. 

Hawks vs Heat SGP

• Nickeil Alexander-Walker Over 20.5 points
• Andrew Wiggins Over 15.5 points
• Jalen Johnson Over 1.5 threes

Our "from downtown" SGP: Dimes for Dyson!

Dyson Daniels is on fire as a facilitator, cashing his assist Over in four straight games. 

Hawks vs Heat SGP

• Nickeil Alexander-Walker Over 20.5 points
• Andrew Wiggins Over 15.5 points
• Jalen Johnson Over 1.5 threes
• Dyson Daniels Over 6.5 assists

Hawks vs Heat odds

• Spread: Hawks +3 | Heat -3
• Moneyline: Hawks +135 | Heat -155
• Over/Under: Over 240.5 | Under 240.5

Hawks vs Heat betting trend to know

The Hawks have covered the spread in 28 of their last 45 road games for +9.3 units and a 19% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Hawks vs. Heat.

How to watch Hawks vs Heat

Hawks vs Heat latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) — Get ready for another celebration — a big one — if U.S. snowboarder Red Gerard wins another gold medal.

After missing the last go-round, Gerard’s family will return to the Winter Olympics to cheer him on. This year, he will have around 40 people on hand at the snow park in Livigno, doubling the number who traveled to PyeongChang and triggered an epic celebration when he took the gold in slopestyle eight years ago.

Gerard, 25, is making his third Olympic appearance. He is part of a close-knit family that includes sister, Tieghan, a food blogger who is hosting a big, family dinner in Milan halfway through the Games. Gerard will compete in big air, starting Thursday, then return to the mountains for slopestyle on Feb. 18.

Gerard’s family missed the 2022 Games in China due to COVID restrictions. Gerard finished fourth that year.

“They were bummed to miss Beijing,” Gerard said Monday during a news conference with the American snowboarders.

His teammates joked that you are more likely to see a Gerard than a local, given the number of family members coming.

Gerard said he doesn’t expect as rowdy party as in 2018. His brothers have had kids and mellowed out, he explained.

“Everyone’s kind of tamed out a little bit,” Gerard said. “Maybe a mellower crew but you kind of never know what you are getting with them.”

___

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

Right after I wrote my previous Giannis piece predicting that this saga will drag out into the summer, Shams reported that the Bucks are now listening to offers on their franchise player. I’m still not convinced that he’ll be moved before the deadline, but this might just be the jinx that’ll result in a trade.

So far, the Warriors, Wolves, Knicks, and Heat have been the teams most aggressively pursuing Giannis. Importantly, every team in the league can offer most assets in the summer given that more picks will be eligible to be dealt, which is why Milwaukee should be in no hurry to deal their star. That includes the Bucks themselves, who only have one tradable first (2026) currently but will have three to offer in the offseason. If Milwaukee attempts a last-second hail mary to entice Giannis to stay, they could deal their two future firsts for a star while adding a lottery talent with their pick this year, which could end up as high as the #2 selection. That might be the unlikeliest scenario given where we stand today, but it’s worth noting given that Milwaukee has never signaled any desire to deal their star and Giannis himself has never turned down a max contract offer either.

Speaking of an extension, the timing of a potential trade would affect when the Greek Freak can sign his next contract too. If he’s dealt before the deadline, his new team could present a max offer in October (which is also when Milwaukee can), but if he’s traded in the summer, they would need to wait another six months before being able to extend him. I doubt this could affect the max contract coming his way, but Giannis would naturally feel a lot more comfortable putting pen to paper as soon as possible, especially considering his recent injury history. He has enough power in the organization to demand a trade before the deadline, although it’s unlikely given how non-commital he’s been throughout this saga — stranger things have happened in the NBA, though (see: one year ago).

Enough preamble, let’s get to the fun part: trades! We’ll go through the teams that have already shown interest and dark horse candidates lurking to make a surprise offer out of nowhere.

Golden State Warriors

Tradable firsts: 4

Intriguing players: Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski

Golden State has the most firsts they can offer out of the quintet of teams who’ve shown the most interest in Giannis and can put together the most enticing package without having to make additional moves. They don’t have a blue-chip young player, but the Warriors will be forced to use one of Jimmy or Draymond to salary match — both of whom could be flipped for even more picks. Crucially, those firsts also extend to the latter part of this decade and into the 2030s, when Steph will likely be retired and Giannis will either be past his prime or on another team entirely. If there’s one team whose picks could become lottery tickets, it would be Golden State’s.

Miami Heat

Tradable firsts: 2

Intriguing players: Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr.

The Heat don’t have as firsts as Golden State but the players they can offer are much more intriguing. Tyler Herro was an All-Star as recently as last season and can be used to salary match, and Kel’el Ware is one of the best prospects who could realistically be included in any package for Giannis. Interestingly, the Hornets have Miami’s 2027 protected first that could convey to a 2028 unprotected pick, and due to the Stepian rule, this prevents the Heat from dealing any of their 2027, 2028, or 2029 firsts. However, if they add a sweetener to Charlotte and convince them to change that pick to just a 2028 unprotected first, that would give Miami a third pick to throw in a Giannis deal. Given the Heat’s infrastructure, those picks won’t be as juicy as Golden State’s, but their young players are much more intriguing.

The X-Factor: Portland Trailblazers

Tradable firsts: Milwaukee’s own unprotected 2029 first, and unprotected swaps in 2028 and 2030

Intriguing players: Jrue Holiday, Jerami Grant, Scoot Henderson

Before diving into the Wolves’ and Knicks’ potential offers, we need to discuss the Blazers first, and that’s because Portland owns Milwaukee’s unprotected 2028 and 2030 swaps, and an unprotected first in 2029. I doubt the Blazers would want to trade for Giannis outright, but they could act as a crucial broker between Milwaukee and another team who would send assets to Portland in exchange for them sending Milwaukee their picks back. This would be especially likely if the Wolves and Knicks want to enter the bidding war, and it’s worth noting that Giannis is rumored to want to play with Jrue again.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Tradable firsts: 0(only one swap in 2028)

Intriguing players: Julius Randle, Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, Donte DiVincenzo

The Wolves will need to involve a third team in order to make a Giannis trade work due to the lack of draft compensation they can offer. Randle and Gobert are both having All-Star-level seasons, but McDaniels should have the most value out of the three: he’s averaging 14.9 points on 51.2/44.5/84.9 splits, and I could see him breaking out with a bigger role like what Mikal Bridges did in Brooklyn. The likeliest path to Minnesota getting in on Giannis would be trading one or both of Randle/Gobert for a boatload of picks to re-route to Milwaukee, along with McDaniels. Portland would be the most obvious third team to facilitate such a deal since they could give back the Bucks’ own picks, but they’d likely only be interested in McDaniels too. This is why three-team trades are so difficult to execute, and the Wolves will need to make a number of side deals to even get into Milwaukee’s attention.

New York Knicks

Tradable firsts: 1

Intriguing players: Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Deuce McBride

Similar to Minnesota, New York is devoid of draft capital currently, but will have three firsts to offer in the summer. If we focus on the present, though, the only way the Knicks could get Giannis is by trading at least one of KAT/Bridges/OG for picks and offering those to Milwaukee along with McBride, their only intriguing young player. If they choose to involve Portland, the Blazers would likely have interest in one of New York’s wings, but I’m not sure if they’re worth giving up Milwaukee’s picks for. Again, an almost impossible deal to execute, and the Knicks will have a much higher chance of landing Giannis if he either demands to go to NY, or this drags into the summer.

Dark horse teams

Orlando Magic: The Magic have had a turbulent season, with Paolo being a significant reason for that. Would they ever consider putting their so-called franchise cornerstone on the table for Giannis? Such a trade would need to happen in the offseason given that Paolo is poison-pilled currently, but if it happens, the Bucks would be hard-pressed to find a more intriguing young player to acquire.

Cleveland Cavaliers: The exact same can be said for the Cavs if you swap Mobley in for Paolo. A DPOY winner and All-NBA player as recently as last season, Mobley hasn’t taken the offensive jump many envisioned, and the Cavs could be in for some big changes if they flame out in the playoffs again. Another wrinkle in this is Donovan Mitchell’s future, with 2026-27 being the last guaranteed year remaining in his deal. With that in mind, would Cleveland be more hesitant to go all-in, or would they go in the opposite direction and trade everything for potentially their last hurrah next season?

San Antonio Spurs: Let’s make one thing clear: San Antonio has given no indications that they’re interested in Giannis and has always said that they’re building on Wemby’s timeline.  I’m listing them here purely because they have the exact package Milwaukee is after: blue chip prospects like Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, and a boatload of firsts to offer (4+). Given the amount of draft capital they have, there’s a better chance that the Spurs would use their picks as a facilitator for another team to acquire Giannis, with San Antonio getting a young player who fits with their core in return.

Houston Rockets: Like San Antonio, Houston hasn’t expressed any interest in Giannis but has young players like Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun to include in a theoretical package, along with a plethora of picks. However, they said the same before trading for KD last summer, and given that he’ll turn 38 in September, the Rockets might be more inclined to make an all-in move in the summer if they flame out in the playoffs. 

Other players and teams to monitor before the deadline

Michael Podcast Jr.: Possibly the hottest name on the market outside of Giannis, no one is sure if MPJ will even get moved, but his trade value will never be higher. The Nets could feasibly fetch two firsts for him if they drum up a bidding war, which essentially means that they’d have fetched 3 firsts from the original Cam Johnson trade. Given MPJ’s seamless fit into any team and his all-star level production this year, he may very well swing the title race — if he’s moved. 

Ayo Dosunmu & Coby White: The Bulls will likely keep one, if not both of White and Dosunmu to aid their quest for the 100th consecutive 39-43 season, but any semi-competent franchise would have put them on the market already — especially given how cheap Reinsdorf is. Both guards will become UFAs this summer and are due for big raises, but it wouldn’t be shocking if they fetched first-rounders each. White is an offensive dynamo who can bomb from deep while Dosunmu provides more two-way value, and they’re capable of being a 4th/5th starter or an elite sixth man on any contender.

Boston Celtics: No one predicted that Boston would be on pace for over 50 wins without Jayson Tatum, whose potential return is still in question. Given their success, would management be willing to buy at the deadline, even if it means going deeper into the luxury tax and potentially back into the second apron? With the Celtics only $12 million above the tax line, they could even go the opposite direction and shed salary by trading depth pieces like Simons ($27.7 million) and Hauser ($10 million) for cheaper but comparable players. It all depends on how far the organization believes they can go this year, and whether or not Tatum will actually return.

Cleveland Cavaliers and… James Harden(???): The Cavs’ trade with Chicago and Sacramento wasn’t just to dump a struggling DeAndre Hunter for two useful players — they also saved roughly $40 million in luxury tax simply by making this deal. That’s a crucial thing to keep in mind when looking at other deals they could make, which might include… James Harden??? Late Monday night, Shams reported that the Beard is looking for a new home, and shortly after, Chris Mannix followed up by saying that the Clippers and Cavs have engaged in talks surrounding a Garland/Harden swap.

Excuse me??

Yes, Harden is a decade older than Garland, but he’s also been much better this year and has a partially guaranteed deal next season, whereas Garland is signed through the 27-28 campaign. Given that Cleveland has already shed salary in the Hunter deal, a potential Garland/Harden swap is further proof that they’d like to clear up their books for this summer and next season. Could that be related to a Giannis trade? Only time will tell, but there’s no doubt that the Cavs have suddenly become arguably the most interesting team to monitor at the deadline.

The Los Angeles Clippers have been the hottest team in the Western Conference coming into the NBA trade deadline. After a horrible 6-21 start, the Clippers rallied to win 17 of their next 22 games to give them a legit shot at making the Western Conference playoffs. Just when it seemed like the Clippers were headed in the right direction, star point guard James Harden decided to throw their season off course.

The Clippers are now working to trade Harden at his request after the franchise reportedly declined to give him the two-year, $80 million extension he’s seeking. Harden is 36 years old and is still playing well enough to be considered an All-Star snub, but the Clippers are determined to maintain max cap space in the summer of 2027, and that means they can’t pay Harden.

There’s already a clubhouse leader to land Harden at the deadline, but no deal is done yet. With the trade deadline looming on Thursday, Feb. 5, here’s three potential fake trades for Harden.

Cleveland Cavaliers’ James Harden trade idea

Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland is the biggest rumor out there right now. This deal gets it done. The Cavs reportedly want a pick swap included, but LA is rightfully resisting. It’s hard to figure out who should be getting draft compensation in this deal, and in this offer I threw Cleveland a future second-round pick for their trouble. Garland is only 26 years old, making him 10 years younger than Harden, but he’s dealt with constant injury issues over the last few years. His big toe injury doomed Cleveland’s playoff run last season after a 64-win regular season, and he hasn’t been able to get healthy this year. You never trade young for old in the NBA, but if Garland can’t stay healthy, does that guideline really need to be followed? This trade would infringe on the Clippers’ 2027 cap space as Garland is locked up through 2028, but he’s good enough and young enough when healthy to make it worth it for LA.

Houston Rockets’ James Harden trade idea

This is my favorite fake Harden trade, one that returns him to Houston where he spent the best years of his career. The Rockets need a lead guard at the deadline, and there still aren’t many better than Harden. Fred VanVleet is out for the season, and Dorian Finney-Smith has barely played after signing in Houston this summer as a free agent. The Clippers include a 2028 first-round pick — they can haggle about the protections — which would be great for such a pick-deprived organization. Harden and Kevin Durant would put the Rockets into immediate win-now mode, but that pairing looked electric last time we saw it in Brooklyn. Add in Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, and Reed Sheppard, and this team looks legit for a playoff run this year.

Atlanta Hawks’ James Harden trade idea

This deal sending Harden to the Atlanta Hawks would essentially be a salary dump for the Clippers, which is disappointing given how well they’ve been playing lately. Kristaps Porzingis has been awesome when he’s healthy for the Hawks, but he’s never healthy, and he’s currently sidelined with an Achilles strain in addition to the illness he’s been battling for more than a year. This trade would keep the Clippers’ 2027 cap space clean, and give Atlanta a new lead guard after they traded Trae Young earlier in the year.

What’s your favorite fake James Harden trade?

I tried to get him to the Minnesota Timberwolves, but the salaries don’t work out. Would you even want Harden as a GM given his legendary playoff failures? Is anyone giving him an $80 million contract at his age? Leave your suggests in the comments.

Heading into the 2025-26 NBA season, there was chatter that the Houston Rockets could have a trio of All-Stars, comprised of Amen Thompson, the newly-acquired Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun.

The first half of the season is over and the All-Star rosters are set.

It’s official.

Unless a player declines, due to injury, which we see all the time.

The Rockets have one All-Star. Just Durant.

His placement isn’t a debate.

Sengun not making the team has prompted a bit of buzz. To many, he was snubbed.

Particularly when comparing Sengun to Oklahoma City Thunder big man Chet Holmgren.

Statistically speaking, there’s a pretty viable argument in Sengun’s favor. (Especially if you throw out efficiency).

He’s averaging 21 points, 9.2 rebounds, 6.4 assists, while Holmgren is averaging 17.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 2.1 blocks.

Holgren is shooting 56.6 percent from the field, 36.6 percent from three and 77.8 percent from the foul line, while Sengun is shooting 50 percent from the field, 30 percent from deep and 68.4 percent from the foul line.

The Thunder big man is shooting 62.3 percent effective shooting, while Sengun is posting 51.8 percent chops.

Holmgren is also shooting 65.7 percent true shooting, whereas Sengun is shooting 55.4 percent true shooting.

Again, it’s close, in totality.

The real snubs belong to the LA Clippers, as Kawhi Leonard is having a career season and didn’t make the cut, while James Harden is averaging 25.4 points and 8.1 assists.

They certainly are more belonging than Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, based on this season.

The reality is that this benefits Sengun, for a multitude of reasons. Let’s hone in on two.

For one, he’ll have a chip on his shoulder for the rest of the way, as he’ll be out to prove that he is indeed one of the stars of today’s league.

But more importantly, Sengun can use the break to get healthy. It’s clear that he’s still trying to grind through a fairly recent ankle injury.

Credit to him for trying to push through it, but the playoffs are around the corner.

That’s what’s most important. Then, he’ll really be able to prove his star status.

I don’t know if you’ve heard, but there’s a possibility that Giannis Antetokounmpo could be traded from the Milwaukee Bucks. Of course you’ve heard about it because it is all anyone has talked about for the last 3 months and off and on for the last several years. Insert your own dating/breakup analogy here because I don’t have the patience to come up with anything original.

Still, you have to admit it is a topic that is interesting and pretty relevant to the Celtics in both the near and long term future. So let’s talk about it.

Where do you think he’ll end up? When do you think he’ll get traded? Who has the best trade package to offer? What are those impacts to the Celtics? Could the Celtics get (indirectly) involved? Will the trade (if/when it finally happens or completely falls through) open things up for the Celtics to make other moves?

In case you haven’t been following along closely, at the moment it seems like a few teams are discussed most often (and they tend to read as a Usual Suspects lineup).

Golden State Warriors – Offering up picks, Jonathan Kuminga, and salary filler to help extend Steph Curry’s window. Do you think they’ll include Draymond?

Minnesota Timberwolves – Apparently Giannis wants to play with Anthony Edwards. Who wouldn’t? They have a number of moveable contracts.

Miami Heat – Tyler Herro (perhaps to a 3rd team), young players, and picks? Everyone wants to play in South Beach but can they offer the best trade package?

New York Knicks – They were the rumored desired location for Giannis in the offseason. But I would imagine they’ll need a 3rd team to take KAT. They might have more picks available to trade in the offseason as well.

Are there any other team’s I’m forgetting? Sixers? Magic? Any dark horse candidates you could see getting in the bidding?

There are a lot of different directions this could go. So let’s talk about it.

The Dallas Mavericks aim to end a three-game home losing streak when the Boston Celtics come to the American Airlines Center tonight.

With Jaylen Brown consistently dominating the boards, our Celtics vs. Mavericks predictions anticipate another strong rebounding performance from the star forward.

Here are my best free NBA picks for this cross-conference tilt on Tuesday, February 3.

Celtics vs Mavericks prediction

Celtics vs Mavericks best bet: Jaylen Brown Over 7.5 rebounds (-105)

Jaylen Brown’s 6.9 rebounds per game tie a career-high mark, and he’s the Boston Celtics' second-leading rebounder. His work on the glass has been even more prolific over the last two weeks.

Boston’s superstar has pulled down 9.6 boards across his last seven games, reaching 8+ six times in that span, including three straight on the road.

The Dallas Mavericks have allowed the fourth-most rebounds per game this season at 46.9 and the second-most offensive rebounds at 12.4. Leading rebounder Anthony Davis (11.1) remains out, and second-leading rebounder P.J. Washington (7.3) will be sidelined tonight.

An already-favorable matchup gets a boost with Washington out, and I expect Brown to crash the glass with authority.

Celtics vs Mavericks same-game parlay

The Mavs have lost three straight at home, but have covered the spread in seven of 10, and are 12-5 ATS as the home underdog. The Celtics are 9-7 ATS as the road favorite, but Boston has failed to cover in two straight road games.

The Mavs are 5-5 to the Under across their last 10, and the Celtics are 2-8 in that span. Dallas is 13-15 to the Under at home, and Boston is 10-15 on the road. Boston has hit the Under in five straight, and Dallas has done so in three of its last four.

Celtics vs Mavericks SGP

• Jaylen Brown Over 7.5 rebounds
• Mavericks +7.5
• Under 222

Our "from downtown" SGP: Plant Your Flagg

Cooper Flagg is averaging just below 20 points per game, scoring 22+ in 17 of 45 appearances. He's on a major heater, however, having scored 34 and a historic 49 across his last two games. Since December 23, he's averaged 21.8 points and hit the Over on this scoring line in seven of 16 outings.

Celtics vs Mavericks SGP

• Jaylen Brown Over 7.5 rebounds
• Mavericks +7.5
• Under 222
• Cooper Flagg Over 21.5 points

Celtics vs Mavericks odds

• Spread: Celtics -7 (-110) | Mavericks +7 (-110)
• Moneyline: Celtics -270 | Mavericks +220
• Over/Under: Over 222 (-110) | Under 222 (-110)

Celtics vs Mavericks betting trend to know

The Dallas Mavericks have covered the 2H Spread in 32 of their last 50 games (+11.43 Units / 20% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Celtics vs. Mavericks.

How to watch Celtics vs Mavericks

Celtics vs Mavericks latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

Need a break from the Timberwolves rollercoaster? You got it! We’re bringing you our newest edition of Eyes on Iowa Wolves, where you get all the Iowa Wolves updates. You can show off to your coworkers, friends, or nieces/nephews that you know what Rocco Zikarsky’s true shooting percentage is.

Trust me. You’ll sound so cool.

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January Overview

Overall Month Record: 8-5

Current Regular Season Record: 11-7
Current Standing: 4th in Western Conference

OFFRTG: 125.1 (3rd)
DEFRTG: 119.4 (18th)
NETRTG: 5.7 (6th)

Just when it looked like the sails were adjusting back in the right direction, the Iowa roster was hit with another gut punch. On January 3rd, the Houston Rockets waived the 33rd pick of the 2024 NBA draft, Tyler Smith, and replaced his two-way spot by snagging Tristen Newton from the Wolves. In case you forgot, Newton was on a two-way contract with the Timberwolves last season and heading into the start of the 2025-2026 season, but Johnny Juzang won the preseason battle for that slot.

Just like that, Iowa lost it’s two leading (and most efficient) scorers who were also their primary ballhandlers (Pullin still out with injury). Not great. It was evident to start 2026, as they dropped two of their first three games in January.

Head Coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah was eventually going to get through the choppy waters though. Jules Bernard and Alize Johnson would adapt to their increased usage, helping Iowa win seven of their next ten games to end the month. Iowa also had a number of other players help fill the void in the backcourt. Nate Santos, a 3&D wing, and newly acquired guards Jalen Crutcher, a veteran G League point, and Dajuan Harris Jr, a defensive-minded guard, have all stepped up as well.

Iowa’s strong finish to January was important for their playoff chances. They rocketed back up to fourth in the Western Conference standings (Top eight make the postseason). The Wolves have failed to reach the playoffs in the past 11 seasons.

The drought could end soon if they keep riding this momentum.

The NBA recently announced the participants of the Castrol Rising Starstournament which included G League players for the fifth time. Former Timberwolves legend, Austin Rivers, was announced as the coach of Team G League, a collection of seven players that have played significant games in the G. Unfortunately, no Wolves made that team, unless you count Tristen Newton.

That said, January did not come and pass without any accolades for Iowa. Alize Johnson was named Player of the Week after averaging a whopping 33 points on 64% shooting from the field. Potential good news also soon followed, as it appears Zyon Pullin could be nearing a return. The Iowa broadcast mentioned during a January 27th game that Pullin’s wrist cast has come off so hopefully he’ll resume basketball activities soon.

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Two-Way Wolves (And Joan) Update

Joan Beringer
Regular season:
7 GP | 27.5 MP | 11.6 PTS | 8.1 REB | 0.9 AST | 0.3 STL | 2.7 BLK | 1.3 TOV | 1.9 PF
57.6 FG% | 00.0 3P% | 58.3 FT%

The rookie played just the first two games of the month before being reassigned back with the Timberwolves. He made sure to get to work in those games though. In his last game with Iowa, his fellow rookie, Rocco Zikarsky, was unavailable due to an illness.

Beringer went on to have his best professional game of the season.

Going a perfect seven for seven from the field with loads of defensive highlights wasn’t too shabby. As Timberwolves fans have seen during recent stint with the main club, the game is certainly slowing down for the Frenchman. Minnesota Head Coach Chris Finch recently likened Beringer’s tendency to go after things like “a dog chasing a car” which is pretty apt, for better or worse.

Perhaps the most impressive development that Beringer has shown, other than increased game sense, is his touch around the rim. He’s been finishing more plays without needing to dunk the ball, hitting a few soft hooks and dinkers off the glass.

The ceiling remains the sky for Young Joan.

Rocco Zikarsky
Regular season:
30 GP | 23.1 MP | 13.9 PTS | 8.3 REB | 1.0 AST | 0.7 STL | 2.0 BLK | 2.0 TOV | 2.1 PF
53.0 FG% | 37.1 3P% | 79.2 FT%

Coming into January, the other 19-year-old rookie was shooting a ridiculous 48.4% mark from beyond the arc. That number caught the eye of numerous observers. Unfortunately, Zikarsky’s three-point percentage has since dropped down to 38.5% after shooting 29.7% from perimeter in January.

There is still reason for optimism for the seven-footer’s shooting development though.

His three-point volume has increased from 1.6 attempts per game in November, to 2.0 in December, to 3.1 in January. His free throw percentage has increased from 64.3%, to 76.9%, to 88.5% on increasing volume each month as well. The Australian’s true shooting percentage (63.9%) is well above league average. In fact, Zikarsky’s 37.1% three-point percentage would rank eighth among all active NBA centers, above the likes of Karl-Anthony Towns, Lauri Markkanen, or Victor Wembanyama.

Zikarsky played in 12 of 14 games in January, averaging a double-double in just 26 minutes per game. If he was on the floor as much as the leaders on his team, his per 36 minutes numbers would include 21.2 points, 13.3 rebounds, 3.1 blocks.

There are still several areas of improvement that remain for the big man. He still gets pushed out of position far too often on both ends of the court. There are times he struggles to get up and down the court at an acceptable pace. Most importantly, he is far too careless with his high and loose handle. Zikarsky’s turnover issues also take shape in his tendency for throwing way too ambitious of passes on plays that just aren’t there.

Enrique Freeman
Regular season:
24 GP | 33.1 MP | 15.4 PTS | 8.3 REB | 1.9 AST | 0.6 STL | 0.7 BLK | 1.8 TOV | 2.8 PF
53.8 FG% | 28.6 3P% | 71.1 FT%

Similar to Zikarsky, Enrique Freeman had a promising month shooting the ball in December. A crucial part of his development was going to be his ability to space the floor. Unlike Zikarsky, the promise has been dissipating. His three-point percentage has plummeted down to well under 30%. It seems that Freeman is falling further into the category of dirty work, garbage bucket getter, and less as a potential versatile stretch big.

It wasn’t all negative for Freeman in January though. His two-point percentage is up, notching his best scoring month of the season. He’s still rebounding at a strong rate and been a consistent force in the frontcourt for Iowa. At 25 years old, it’s reasonable to consider what his ceiling may be and if the use of a two-way contract on him will be wise for the rest of the season.

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Intriguing Prospects

Jules Bernard
Regular season:
31 GP | 33.8 MP | 22.3 PTS | 6.2 REB | 4.9 AST | 1.0 STL | 0.5 BLK | 2.9 TOV | 1.8 PF
43.9 FG% | 33.6 3P% | 76.8 FT%

One of the primary reasons for the Wolves hanging around in the playoff picture has been the improved play of Jules Bernard. The aforementioned losses of Pullin and Newton have thrust a ton of opportunity onto Bernard’s shoulders.

The numbers paint the picture clearly:

• November-December: 32 mins, 19.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists — Splits .415/.285/.754
• January: 35 mins, 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists — Splits .473/.394/.812

The most noticeable changes have been his huge scoring uptick and increased efficiency at all three levels. I was skeptical of his ability to be the lead guard due to his tendency to force up tough shots. However, he’s proven to be more than capable. His new found stroke from deep hasn’t stopped him from continuing to punish the paint with his physicality.

When looking at just the regular season, Bernard is second in the G League in total points scored behind just Tristen Newton (Fourth in points per game). The freshly turned 26-year-old has had a couple brief stints in the NBA before, but it looks like he is making quite the case for another shot if he keeps this play up.

Alize Johnson
Regular season:
32 GP | 34.6 MP | 19.2 PTS | 11.1 REB | 4.7 AST | 1.0 STL | 0.1 BLK | 1.9 TOV | 3.0 PF
55.3 FG% | 38.9 3P% | 70.4 FT%

Alize Johnson has continued to be a rock for this Iowa Wolves team. You would expect nothing less from the soon-to-be 30-year-old veteran. Often times when things bog down for Iowa, they turn to Johnson to get things going.

The results are usually good.

At this point, we know what Johnson excels at. He’s an aggressive rebounder. A plus passer playing in a point-forward role. An effective paint scorer despite lacking positional size. However, the one thing that should raise the eyebrows of scouts is his developing three-point shot. Johnson’s career history is littered with low to sub 30% seasons on low volume from perimeter.

This season?

• November: 0.6 3PM / 2.4 3PA (26.3%)
• December: 1.4 3PM / 3.6 3PA (37.5%)
• January: 1.8 3PM / 4.3 3PA (42.3%)

Is someone developing a three-point shot like this at age 30 believable and sustainable? Maybe. Was his January numbers boosted by an anomalous eight for eight display? Sure. But this is certainly something to keep track of as Johnson looks to make one final run at landing a NBA contract.

Nate Santos
Regular season:
32 GP | 21.6 MP | 10.2 PTS | 2.9 REB | 0.8 AST | 0.6 STL | 0.1 BLK | 1.1 TOV | 2.2 PF
43.1 FG% | 39.0 3P% | 78.0 FT%

If the Wolves had a “little fish gets eaten by a big fish, eaten by a bigger fish” graphic, it would look something like Nate Santos gets eaten by Jules Bernard, who gets eaten by Zyon Pullin.

They’re all stout, bulky guards who aren’t necessarily elite at any one skill, but can do a little of everything at a mediocre level.

There’s some different shades of skills they possess. On one end, you have Pullin who’s elite in the paint and not as much of a perimeter threat, then you have Santos who’s more of a perimeter threat and not as effective inside the arc.

The 24-year-old stands at six foot, seven inches (Don’t do it) so he has a bit of size to him. Santos was a four year college player for Pittsburgh and Dayton before going undrafted in 2025. He played for the Orlando Magic summer league squad before getting picked up by Iowa. The losses in the backcourt have thrust Santos into a larger role in 2026, and he’s responded.

The Puerto Rican native has been a much needed floor spacer for a Wolves team that is bottom five in the league in both three-point makes and attempts. He’s been in a little bit of a drought in the last three games, but prior to that, he was ripping nets at a crisp 45.6% mark from distance, on volume, in January.

He has potential to be a 3&D prospect to keep an eye on.

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Tune in at the end of February for our next Eyes on Iowa update! If you don’t want to truly commit as a sicko by watching full Iowa Wolves games live, you can just follow me on BlueSky for occasional videos and updates.

NEW YORK (AP) — Speedskater Erin Jackson and bobsledder Frank Del Duca have been chosen as the U.S. flagbearers for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics opening ceremony on Friday.

Jackson, 33, is the first Black woman to win an individual gold medal at a Winter Games. Del Duca, a 34-year-old Army sergeant, is the first bobsledder in 70 years to carry the flag into an opening ceremony.

The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee announced the names on Tuesday. It's the third Olympics for Jackson, the second for Del Duca.

“Being chosen to represent the United States on the world stage is a tremendous honor,” Jackson said. “It’s a moment that reflects far more than one individual — it represents my family, my teammates, my hometown, and everyone across the country who believes in the power of sport. The Olympics remind us of the power of sport to connect and inspire, and I’m proud to carry that forward on the Olympic stage.”

Del Duca, with deep Italian roots, finds the opportunity especially meaningful as the games are in Italy. The opening ceremony will be unique, with events spread across several Italian cities.

U.S. bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor was picked to carry the American flag into the opening ceremony at the 2022 Beijing Olympics but tested positive for COVID-19 — forcing the postponement of her flag-carrying chance until the closing ceremony of those Winter Games. She was replaced at the Beijing opening by speedskater Brittany Bowe, and this time, it’s Jackson’s turn to have that moment.