Category: NBA

MILAN (AP) — Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo set the record for the most golds by one athlete in a single Winter Olympics as the Norwegian star completed his historic gold medal sweep of the men’s cross-country skiing events on Saturday.

Klaebo’s triumph in the 50-kilometer mass start race was his sixth victory at the Milan Cortina Games and shattered the nearly 50-year record set by American speed skater Eric Heiden, who won five golds in the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics.

Klaebo’s teammates, Martin Loewstroem Nyenget, took silver, and Emil Iversen won bronze in a Norwegian sweep.

The win extends Klaebo’s record for most career Winter Olympic gold medals to 11 over three Games. The previous record had been eight, which Klaebo broke Feb. 15.

Klaebo has the second-most Olympic golds overall. U.S. swimming great Michael Phelps has 23.

No gold for Stolz

Jordan Stolz missed out on his chance to become the first man since 1994 to collect three gold medals in long track speedskating at one Olympics, with the American finishing fourth in the mass start behind 40-year-old champion Jorrit Bergsma of the Netherlands.

Bergsma is the oldest man to win a speedskating gold, finishing ahead of Viktor Hald Thorup of Denmark and Italy's Andrea Giovannini.

The gold in the women’s mass start also went to a Dutch skater: reigning world champion Marijke Groenewoud. Ivanie Blondin of Canada was the silver medalist for the second Games in a row, followed by Mia Manganello of the U.S. with the bronze.

Golden record for U.S.

The United States Olympic team won its record-breaking 11th gold medal of the Games when the trio of Kaila Kuhn, Connor Curran and Chris Lillis took the title in mixed aerials.

The 11th gold breaks the country’s record set at the last Olympics on U.S. soil — in Salt Lake City in 2002.

Finland crushes Slovakia for hockey bronze

Finland won the bronze medal in men’s hockey at the Olympics for a third consecutive time with NHL players participating, beating Slovakia 6-1.

Erik Haula scored two goals and Joel Armia had a goal and two assists for Finland, which also got bronze in Sochi in 2014 and in Vancouver in 2010, and left Turin in 2006 with silver.

The U.S. faces Canada for gold on Sunday.

Canada's curlers get gold and bronze

The Canadian men beat Britain for gold in curling while the women's team overcame its disappointment to beat the U.S, for the bronze.

Brad Jacobs’ team defeated Bruce Mouat’s all-Scottish squad 9-6 inside Cortina’s historic ice arena to give curling powerhouse Canada it’s only gold of the Olympics in the sport.

In the women’s event, top-ranked Canada won 10-7 to deny the American women their first medal in the event.

Rachel Homan’s team had been upset by Sweden in the semifinals.

Humphries Armbruster gets Olympic mark

Kaillie Humphries Armbruster won her sixth career Olympic bobsled medal, tying monobob gold medalist Elana Meyers Taylor for the most by any woman in the sport’s history.

The American claimed bronze in the two-woman race, behind Laura Nolte — who successfully defended her title — and Lisa Buckwitz.

Skimo’s debut continues

Emily Harrop finally got her hands on an Olympic gold medal, combining with Thibault Anselmet to win the mixed relay for France as part of ski mountaineering’s Olympic debut.

Harrop and Anselmet finished the Stelvio course in a time of 26 minutes, 57.44 seconds, holding off the Swiss team of Marianne Fatton and Jon Kistler by 11.86 seconds. Spanish racers Ana Alonso Rodriguez and Oriol Cardona Coll captured the bronze.

Harrop had been favored to win the individual sprint race on Thursday and the first-ever skimo Olympic medal but finished behind Fatton. Anselmet was third in his race, with Cardona Coll claiming gold.

Italian one-two

Freeskiers Simone Deromedis and Federico Tomasoni added to the Olympic host country’s medal haul with a 1-2 finish in the men’s skicross final.

Deromedis dominated the four-skier final to win gold while Tomasoni needed a photo-finish to claim silver after stretching to barely beat Alex Fiva. They both celebrated with Italian flags draped over their shoulders as snow fell.

Deromedis gave Italy its 10th gold medal of the Milan Cortina Olympics. Italy’s overall haul is 30 at the end of the penultimate day.

Italy's previous best Winter Olympics was the Lillehammer Games in 1994, when it picked up 20 medals.

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

CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Scotland was spared embarrassment when it came from 20-5 down and scraped past Wales 26-23 in Six Nations rugby on Saturday.

Wales looked set for its first Six Nations victory in two years.

But a riveting game turned on a schoolboy error by Wales, when it was caught napping by a quick Finn Russell restart and replacement winger Darcy Graham accepted a kind bounce to score. That cut Wales' lead to 23-19 in the 58th minute.

“That was a big moment in the game and credit goes to Finn for seeing that space and Darcy being alive to it,” Scotland coach Gregor Townsend told the BBC.

Scotland finally led for the first time in the 74th after replacement hooker George Turner scored their bonus-point fourth try from a lineout maul.

Russell's third conversion capped Scotland's fourth straight win over Wales for the first time in 99 years.

“That was some game,” Townsend said. "We left it late but ... we're still in the championship. That's all that counts."

Scotland started as a 20-point favorite, albeit nervously. The Scots were coming off thrashing England at Murrayfield last weekend and they have not previously handled the emotional and physical toll of that well; they followed their eight previous England wins with six losses.

Wales was up for an ambush, masterminded by coach Steve Tandy, who was in charge of Scotland's defense for Townsend for six years until last September.

They felt a great opportunity was missed to end a Six Nations losing streak that has grown to 14 matches. After consecutive hidings from New Zealand, South Africa, England and France — the world's top four teams — Scotland was closer to their level and a rebuilding Wales responded to deserve a rare halftime lead of 17-5.

“We could have and should have won,” Tandy told the BBC. “The thing we've talked about is better performances. If you take the result it's bitterly disappointing but ultimately we feel like we are getting to where we need to be.”

Scotland prevailed with grit and, after two out of three wins, was the closest challenger to unbeaten France. They meet at Murrayfield in two weeks.

‘Coach killer’

Wales got its game going thanks to bossing the gain line through forwards Rhys Carre, captain Dewi Lake, Aaron Wainwright and center Eddie James who, with Joe Hawkins, shut down Scotland midfielders Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones.

Despite Hawkins leaving on a yellow card for head contact on Gregor Brown, Wales scored the first try through Carre from a tapped penalty.

But Hawkins' absence was exposed by Scotland when winger Kyle Steyn scored off Blair Kinghorn's pass.

With Hawkins back, Wales engineered a Josh Adams try followed by a Sam Costelow penalty for 17-5.

Wales was humming and Townsend reacted by pulling prop Nathan McBeth and lock Max Williamson.

In the second half, Wales replaced a tired Carre and Lake, and flyhalf Costelow, managing the game expertly in his first start under Tandy, limped off after his fourth straight goalkick.

Scotland desperation raised the intensity. After 27 phases, Russell scored and converted.

He also spotted a chance after Costelow's replacement, Jarrod Evans, nailed his first goalkick for 23-12.

The Welsh were casually resuming their restart positions, their backs to Russell, when he kicked off with Graham chasing. Wales debutant winger Gabe Hamer-Webb and flanker James Botham didn't move until the ball flew over them and bounced up for Graham to grab and score his all-time record-tying 35th try for Scotland.

“He (Tandy) knows that's something I look for and Darcy scoring is a coach killer,” Russell told the BBC. “There was pressure this week but it was more expectation. We got the win even though it wasn't our best performance. It's nice to have the break now and get ready for France."

___

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

The NCAA Tournament selection committee gave college basketball fans a first glimpse into what a March Madness bracket could look like.

The selection committee unveiled the first in-season top 16 NCAA Tournament seeds on Saturday, Feb. 21. The official NCAA Tournament bracket reveal ― aka Selection Sunday ― is scheduled for March 15.

Here's a look at what we learned from the first NCAA selection committee in-season top 16 seeds reveal for the 2025-26 season:

REQUIRED READING: March Madness bracketology prediction for NCAA Tournament has new No. 1 seed

NCAA Tournament selection committee's top 16 seeds

Not surprisingly, Michigan is the No. 1 overall seed. However, a matchup with No. 2 Duke on Saturday, Feb. 21, could help change that outlook for the next reveal.

1. Michigan
2. Duke
3. Arizona
4. Iowa State
5. UConn
6. Houston
7. Illinois
8. Purdue
9. Florida
10. Kansas
11. Nebraska
12. Gonzaga
13. Texas Tech
14. Michigan State
15. Vanderbilt
16. Virginia

The Top 16 seeds in bracket form 👀

Tickets to the Big Dance are on sale RIGHT NOW: https://t.co/Wl68xCeFav#BracketPreviewpic.twitter.com/3SjTo4kEAb

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) February 21, 2026

NCAA selection committee's top 16 teams by seeding

• No. 1 seeds: Michigan, Duke, Iowa State, Arizona
• No. 2 seeds: UConn, Houston, Illinois, Purdue
• No. 3 seeds: Florida, Kansas, Nebraska, Gonzaga
• No. 4 seeds: Texas Tech, Michigan State, Vanderbilt, Virginia

NCAA Tournament top 16 seeded teams by region

• Midwest Region: 1. Michigan; 2. Houston; 3. Florida; 4. Virginia
• South Region: 1. Iowa State; 2. UConn; 3. Nebraska; 4. Texas Tech
• East Region: 1. Duke; 2. Illinois; 3. Kansas; 4. Vanderbilt
• West Region: 1. Arizona; 2. Purdue; 3. Gonzaga; 4. Michigan State

NCAA Tournament top 16 seeded teams by conference

After getting a record-setting 14 teams in the NCAA Tournament in 2025, no SEC programs are projected in the top eight seeds, and only two are projected in the top 16 seeds. The Big 12 and the Big Ten lead the way with five teams each.

• Big 12: 5
• Big Ten: 5
• SEC: 2
• ACC: 2
• Big East: 1
• WAC: 1

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NCAA Tournament top 16 seeds revealed: Who are No. 1 seeds?

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Both the Orlando Magic and the Phoenix Suns are looking to claw their way out of the Play-In Tournament.

Only one can make progress toward that goal today.

My Magic vs. Suns predictions do not worry about the standings; instead, they focus on the value provided by injury, always a consideration in NBA picks, including in this afternoon's tip on Saturday, February 21.

Magic vs Suns prediction

Magic vs Suns best bet: Dillon Brooks Over 22.5 points (-120)

With Phoenix Suns’ cornerstone Devin Booker again sidelined, all focus goes to Dillon Brooks. He has excelled this season, in particular when Booker is out.

Brooks has cleared this prop in his last two games without Booker and in six of his last eight, averaging two points more per game without his backcourt partner.

Magic vs Suns same-game parlay

Brooks actually takes fewer 3-pointers without Booker in the lineup, averaging only 5.4 attempts from deep in 12 games without Booker compared to 7.4 shots per game in 37 games with Booker.

Magic vs Suns SGP

• Dillon Brooks Over 22.5 points
• Dillon Brooks Under 2.5 threes
• Magic +1.5

Our "from downtown" SGP: Magic in The Desert

While Phoenix has surprised this season and thus found its way well into the Western Conference postseason conversation, the Suns have lost four of their last five games.

Magic vs Suns SGP

• Dillon Brooks Over 22.5 points
• Dillon Brooks Under 2.5 threes
• Magic moneyline

Magic vs Suns odds

• Spread: Magic +1.5 | Suns -1.5
• Moneyline: Magic +105 | Suns -125
• Over/Under: Over 218 | Under 218

Magic vs Suns betting trend to know

Phoenix is 1-4 against the spread in its last five games, falling short of bookmakers’ expectations by an average of 11.1 points per game, even including the sole ATS victory. Find more NBA betting trends for Magic vs. Suns.

How to watch Magic vs Suns

Magic vs Suns latest injuries

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Before the latest NBA season began, I wrote a piece entitled End of Summer Disjointed Basketball Thoughts. Now that we are past the All-Star break, and teams have played about two-thirds of their schedules, I thought it was a good time for a follow-up, especially with all the knowledge we have gained since last August. But with that knowledge, “disjointed” doesn’t sound like the right term. What is the opposite of disjointed? Jointed? Or is disjointed one of those works without an opposite? You will hear about disgruntled employees, but you don’t fix that problem by making them “gruntled”. Yeah, that sounds worse. And if a team’s season unravels (see, for instance, the Sacramento Kings), they don’t hope to “ravel” or “re-ravel” in the following season.

Perhaps this is one of those unsolvable issues with the English language. I could go Bad Bunny and write this in Spanish, but unfortunately, no hablo Español. So I will proceed with my post-All-Star game jointed thoughts in English.

My first disjointed thought in my post from last August addressed the three-guard conundrum the Spurs had purportedly created by drafting Dylan Harper when they already had DeAron Fox and Stephon Castle. I think I nailed this one:

“The basketball universe unanimously approved the Spurs’ selection on Dylan Harper as the clear second best player in the 2025 NBA draft. The only concern I have heard is that Harper’s skills overlap with those of the anticipated starting backcourt of De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle.

“Having coached a bit, I know that having three good guards for the two backcourt spots is a good thing, not a bad one. The reason is simple — players don’t play all 48 minutes. Indeed, the Spurs’ best player last year (you know his name) averaged just 33 minutes per game. In 17 games with the Spurs, Fox averaged 34 minutes while Castle averaged 27. If Fox and Castle play the same amount this season, they will play a total of 61 minutes out of the 96 minutes available. That leaves 35 minutes for Harper or others — for instance. if Devin Vassell splits his time between the 2 and the 3. Harper will be not be 20 years old until March 2026 — and 20 is probably about the right number of minutes for such a young player in his rookie season.”

Coming out of the All-Star break, Fox was averaging 32 minutes per game, Castle was at 30, and Harper was at 22 minutes per game. A total of 84 minutes out of the 96 available. And to quote Teri Hatcher — those minutes have been real and spectacular. As predicted, Vassell surely soaked up about 12 minutes per game playing the 2-spot on the rare occasions the Spurs play only one of their spectacular guards.

I also addressed the log-jam at the forward spots:

“The three man rotation may not work as well for the Spurs frontcourt because the Spurs have five players competing for those minutes: Vassell, Harrison Barnes, Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan and Julian Champagnie.”

The Spurs “solved” that log-jam by essentially not playing Sochan, and then electing to not play him right out of town. We all hope he does well with the Knicks — he just didn’t get significant time this year with the Spurs. The rest of the group are all part of the regular rotation, with Vassell averaging 30 minutes per game (which includes his time at the 2), Champagnie starting with 28 minutes per game, Johnson thriving in the Sixth Man role at 24 minutes, and Barnes (who has forgotten how to shoot) now coming off the bench – still averaging 28 minutes but with a downward arrow.

For the post guys, I said this:

“After Harper, the Spurs’ second most important addition was Luke Kornet, signed away from the Celtics. Although I have not watched very much Celtic basketball, my Celtics’ fan friends (easier to have those friends once I abandoned the Lakers) all really like him. Sticking with the minutes theme, Kornet averaged just over 18 minutes per game, which fits nicely into the minutes that Victor is not on the floor. If you double Kornet’s counting stats, over 36 minutes Kornet averaged 12 points, 10 boards and 2 blocks — much more productive than anyone who filled the back-up 5 role for the Spurs last season.”

Because of some minutes restrictions and missed games by the Spurs main post guy (you know who that is), Kornet has averaged 23 minutes per game, more than the 18 minutes I projected. But the predicted productivity has been there – over 36 minutes, Kornet is at 11, 10 and 2 – and some very effective and bone-crushing screens to free shooters.

All in all, I think my pre-season disjointed thoughts about the Spurs were actually pretty jointed. Other jointed thoughts:

1. The Spurs are now closer to the first place Thunder than they are to third place. Raise your hand if you predicted that before the season started. All of you with your hands up, I don’t believe you, but yes, you can use the restroom. I could ask the same question about whether you predicted the Spurs’ 4-1 record against the defending champion Thunder, but people probably don’t need to use the restroom twice. (If you do, think about going to Urgent Care.)
2. Speaking of second and third place, if the Spurs don’t overtake OKC, they really need to stay in that second slot in the West. With their almost total lack of play-off experience, the Spurs would greatly benefit from a fairly easy first-round series to get their feet wet. Coming in second allows such a series. The teams presently in those slots are likely to remain there because (1) they aren’t good enough or healthy enough to move up and out of the 7-10 slots and (2) the teams below those four teams both stink and are trying to stink even more, also known as “tanking”. (Portland, in 10th place, has six more wins than 11th place Memphis.) Coming in third would mean a first round series against a playoff-tested team like the Timberwolves or the Lakers — or even a Denver team with championship experience. No thank you. The second simple reason to prefer the second slot is obvious. If the Spurs get through the first round, they would much rather have home court advantage against who ever they play next— likely the Nuggets or Rockets.
3. Rooting for the Spurs to come in second puts me in the unusual position of rooting against a team I generally like – the Nuggets. Thursday night was especially tough, because that meant rooting for the LA Clippers in their stunning one-point win over the Nuggets. And that win came playing a bunch of guys I have never heard of and one I have — Kawhi Leonard. To avoid the whiplash, I decided to just turn off the TV and go read a book.
4. Is it too soon to start looking at Eastern Conference records? I earlier pointed out that the Celtics have been the one team even more surprisingly successful this season than the Spurs. And it looks like Jason Tatum will be joining the team in March, with enough time to ramp up before the playoffs. As of Saturday, the Celtics are three games back of the Spurs. If that holds up, the Spurs would have home-court advantage in a Finals match-up with the Celtics. Am I predicting that? No. But if that happens, I will certainly come back to this post and make some small adjustments to make the answer: “Yes, and you saw it here first!!”.

PARIS (AP) — Paris Saint Germain returned to the top of the French league on Saturday thanks to a favor from Champions League playoff opponent Monaco.

Désiré Doue, Bradley Barcola and Goncalo Ramos scored for PSG to defeat last-place Metz 3-0 and capitalize on Monaco’s earlier 3-2 win over previous leader Lens.

PSG moved two points clear of Lens with 11 rounds to play.

Lens had moved top the previous weekend with a 5-0 rout of promoted Paris FC while PSG lost 3-1 at Rennes.

But Lens’ hopes of a prolonged stay at the summit were dealt a bitter blow Saturday after it squandered a comfortable two-goal lead and conceded three goals to Metz after the hour-mark.

Lens stunned

Odsonne Édouard scored early with a volley for Lens and Florian Thauvin converted the rebound after Monaco goalkeeper Philipp Köhn could only parry a deflected shot early in the second half.

That was as good as it got for the home team.

United States forward Folarin Balogun scored against the run of play in the 62nd, Denis Zakaria equalized in the 70th and Ansu Fati pounced on another defensive blunder to make it 3-2 two minutes after that.

It was quite the reversal for Monaco, which led PSG 2-0 in the first leg of their Champions League playoff on Tuesday after two goals from Balogun, only to lose 3-2.

Lens’ evening was summed up when Saud Abdulhamid was booked for diving instead of getting a penalty that he felt he deserved.

PSG responds

Metz must have feared a rout when Doue scored after just two minutes of play after Warren Zaïre-Emery played a long ball in behind the high line of Metz defenders.

Ramos played the ball across goal for Barcola to head the second before the break.

The home team played it safe after it, when it failed to register a shot on target until Ramos got the third in the 77th.

PSG could arguably have scored more but seemed more intent on conserving energy for Wednesday’s rendezvous with Monaco for the second leg of their Champions League playoff in Paris. The winner will go on to face Barcelona or Chelsea in the round of 16.

Also Saturday, Argentine teenager Julián Vignolo scored late as a substitute for mid-table Toulouse to draw 1-1 with promoted Paris FC.

___

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

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The Memphis Grizzlies welcome the Miami Heat to town, who are playing on the tail end of a back-to-back after a loss in a big win in Atlanta on Friday night.

Tyler Herro was solid in his return, and I’m targeting him to find a roll offensively in my Grizzlies vs. Heat predictions.

Read more in my NBA picks for Saturday, February 21.

Grizzlies vs Heat prediction

Grizzlies vs Heat best bet: Tyler Herro Over 17.5 points (-110)

It’s been an injury-riddled campaign for Tyler Herro, who has only made 12 appearances. However, he’s still playing well when available.

The guard returned from a month-long absence on Friday evening and showed out off the bench, leading the Miami Heat with 24 points. Dating back to January 10, before he suffered an injury, Herro has cashed the Over in five straight appearances.

Herro has averaged 20.2 PPG on the road across six outings, and he averaged 21.5 points last season against the Memphis Grizzlies across two meetings.

Grizzlies vs Heat same-game parlay

Bam Adebayo is averaging just 2.8 assists this season, but he’s cashed the Over in dimes in four straight appearances. The big man had five assists on Friday against Atlanta, and he’s hit the Over in three of his previous four games on the road.

Davion Mitchell is arguably the Heat’s top playmaker. In 47 games, he’s averaging 7.0 assists, and the Baylor product just dished out seven dimes against the Hawks.

He’s facilitating the ball at a very high level on the road, averaging 7.4 assists compared to 6.6 at home.

Grizzlies vs Heat SGP

• Tyler Herro Over 17.5 points
• Bam Adebayo Over 2.5 assists
• Davion Mitchell Over 6.5 assists

Our "from downtown" SGP: Larsson cashing in

Pelle Larsson has cashed the Over in points in three of his previous four games.

Grizzlies vs Heat SGP

• Tyler Herro Over 17.5 points
• Bam Adebayo Over 2.5 assists
• Davion Mitchell Over 6.5 assists
• Pelle Larsson Over 10.5 points

Grizzlies vs Heat odds

• Spread: Memphis +10.5 (-110) | Miami -10.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Memphis +375 | Miami -500
• Over/Under: Over 235 (-110) | Under 235 (-110)

Grizzlies vs Heat betting trend to know

The Miami Heat have covered the 1H Spread in 34 of their last 50 games (+16.65 Units / 29% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Grizzlies vs. Heat.

How to watch Grizzlies vs Heat

Grizzlies vs Heat latest injuries

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The All-Star break did nothing to slow down the relentless Detroit Pistons, who’ll look to extend their lead at the top of the East tonight against the rebuilding Chicago Bulls.

Detroit brings a 19-7 road record to the United Center, and my Pistons vs. Bulls predictions signal one-way traffic for Cade Cunningham & Co. as Chicago aims for better draft lottery positioning.

Get my free NBA picks for Saturday, February 21.

Pistons vs Bulls prediction

Pistons vs Bulls best bet: Pistons -10.5 (-115)

The Detroit Pistons’ intensity has been grinding opponents down all year, and there’s every reason to expect a similar script tonight against a Chicago Bulls team that’s 1-9 ATS in its last 10 games.

In contrast, Detroit has covered the spread in six of its past seven victories. After the visitors’ double-digit wins over the New York Knicks (twice) and Toronto Raptors this month, I’ll happily lay the points here.

Chicago turned its roster upside down at the trade deadline, and the hosts are on a seven-game losing skid. Tonight’s mismatch doesn’t feel like a chance to turn things around.

Pistons vs Bulls same-game parlay

With MVP-eligibility question marks surrounding SGA and Nikola Jokic, Cade Cunningham is still in the mix. I’m riding with a do n’t-forget-about-me SGP here after Cade downed the Knicks on Thursday with a 42-8-13 masterpiece.

Cunningham has scored 28+ points in five of his last six outings, and he’s hauled in 5+ rebounds in five straight games. As the cherry on top, he’s knocked down a combined 11 3-pointers in his past two contests.

Pistons vs Bulls SGP

• Cade Cunningham Over 25.5 points
• Cade Cunningham Over 1.5 threes
• Cade Cunningham Over 4.5 rebounds

Our "from downtown" SGP: Three's a Crowd!

The 3-ball hasn’t been a big part of Detroit’s success this year, but tonight is a rare opportunity to let it fly against a Chicago team that’s allowing the highest opponent 3-point percentage in the league at 38%.

This sharpshooting SGP leans into a Pistons offense that shot 43% from downtown earlier this week at MSG, as well as steady sniping from Tre Jones, who’s had a 3-pointer in four of his last five outings.

Pistons vs Bulls SGP

• Cade Cunningham Over 1.5 threes
• Tobias Harris Over 1.5 threes
• Duncan Robinson Over 2.5 threes
• Tre Jones Over 0.5 threes

Pistons vs Bulls odds

• Spread: Pistons -10.5 (-115) | Bulls +10.5 (-105)
• Moneyline: Pistons -550 | Bulls +415
• Over/Under: Over 230.5 (-110) | Under 230.5 (-110)

Pistons vs Bulls betting trend to know

The Pistons are 5-1 ATS in their last six meetings with the Bulls. Find more NBA betting trends for Pistons vs. Bulls.

How to watch Pistons vs Bulls

Pistons vs Bulls latest injuries

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The Washington Wizards are signing Tristan Vukcevic to a three-year, $9 million standard NBA contract, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.

The Washington Wizards are signing two-way center Tristan Vukcevic to a new three-year, $9 million deal, sources tell ESPN. Team option in third season. The Wizards and the 7-footer's agent, Jason Ranne of Wasserman, reached the new contract Saturday. pic.twitter.com/hMnsnEctCB

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 21, 2026

The third year will be a team option, per ESPN.

The 7-foot forward was on an expiring two-way contract that had just 15 NBA games remaining before reaching the 50-game limit.

Vukcevic has averaged 7.9 points and 2.7 rebounds on 47.8% FG in 35 appearances with the Wizards this season.

After Washington dealt Marvin Bagley III to the Dallas Mavericks at the trade deadline, Vukcevic stepped into a backup role behind Alex Sarr and has started the last two games in Sarr’s absence.

When Sarr and Anthony Davis are healthy and form Washington’s starting frontcourt, Vukcevic projects as the team’s backup center entering the 2026-27 campaign.

The Wizards are signing F Leaky Black to fill their open two-way spot. Black, 26, has spent the last two seasons with the Capital City Go-Go. He’s averaged 10.9 points and 6.3 rebounds in 14 appearances this season.

Washington’s two-way spots are as follows:

1. Jamir Watkins
2. Sharife Cooper
3. Leaky Black.

Who: Orlando Magic (29-25) vs. Phoenix Suns (32-24)

When: 3:00pm Arizona Time

Where: Mortgage Matchup Center— Phoenix, Arizona

Watch: Arizona’s Family 3TV, Arizona’s Family Sports

Listen: KMVP 98.7

---

The Phoenix Suns look to dust the rust off heading back home after a disappointing loss to the San Antonio Spurs the other day. Both teams coming into this contest have injuries to consider: in the previous contest, Devin Booker exited the game and did not return due to hip soreness.

Devin Booker is out due to right hip soreness, per Suns

— Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) February 20, 2026

For the Magic, they have seen an abundance of injuries this year, similarly to Phoenix, and this time, Franz Wagner is out.

Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner will be sidelined indefinitely after recent tests showed that he requires additional time and rehabilitation for soreness in his left high ankle sprain, sources tell ESPN. The Magic will evaluate Wagner's progress in three weeks. pic.twitter.com/ATPfPQQm1O

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 18, 2026

This leaves both teams fighting for a must-win, one for the Suns to start this nice home stretch, and for the Magic, a win would aid their efforts to climb out of the play-in race out east. With them both meeting for the first time and being physical defensive teams, expect a fun afternoon game that you certainly do not want to miss. Dillon Brooks is also back from serving his one-game suspension, benefiting this team on the defensive end.

Probable Starters

Injury Report

Suns

• Grayson Allen — QUESTIONABLE (Right Ankle Sprain)
• Devin Booker — OUT (Right Hip Strain)
• Haywood Highsmith — OUT ( Right Knee Injury)
• Cole Anthony — OUT (Not With Team)

Magic

• Jalen Suggs — QUESTIONABLE (Back Spasms)
• Franz Wagner — OUT (Left High Ankle Sprain)
• Alex Morales — OUT (G-League Assignment)
• Colin Castleton — OUT (G-League Assignment)

What to Watch For

I mentioned this earlier, but the physicality and defense will be worth keeping an eye on. Both teams are very physical on that end and love to get under their opponents’ skin, playing with toughness and aggression on every play. With recent games in Phoenix leading to lengthy reviews of physical play, altercations, and ridiculous foul calls, I expect this to happen again this afternoon.

If the Suns get blessed with a subpar officiating crew (a hard ask in Adam Silver’s NBA), then we could see a classic. With Brooks also coming back, he will have some juice he wants to expend early on both ends. Therefore, I do expect him to be that relentless pest on defense and to take a big load offensively with no Booker.

Oh, I also cannot forget that the Magic just signed former Phoenix Sun Jevon Carter after the Bulls bought him out. This will be cool for him to return to the Valley (in an actual role) and for all his old fans to show out for him too!

Key to a Suns Win

The Suns are making their threes and taking command in that regard. The Magic are in the bottom third of the league for shooting threes as a team. Even with the addition of Desmond Bane, it was not enough to help them completely change their biggest weakness from last year, which still lingers.

Yes, the Suns have struggled from beyond the arc as of late, but I do think that the shooting will eventually even out, hopefully, with a necessary avalanche of threes in this game. With some three-point scorers out, big games from Gillespie and Brooks will be needed, but also Jalen Green, who looked comfortable in his latest contest.

Prediction Time

The Suns shake off the rust from Texas and come home to represent the home crowd the right way, with a hard-fought win.

Suns 112, Magic 104

It was a mixed day Friday, as it often is, in the development game as the Long Island Nets lost at the buzzer to the Squadron in Birmingham, 104-102. With 0.6 seconds remaining Trey Alexander’s game-winner sent the Nets back to Long Island.

Neither of the two Brooklyn players assigned to the G League affiliate played that much of a role, particularly after they had looked so good Thursday. The three two-ways played solid ball as they often do and Grant Nelson, on a G League contract, registered his first double-double of the season adding to the intrigue around his future.

Beyond his 14 points and 12 rebounds in 25 minutes, there was another milestone. This was also his 14th straight start, matching the number of games he missed to a knee injury since resolved. The 25 minutes was most he’s played on a minutes restriction since his return. In those 14, he’s played 288 minutes or 20.6 per game. On a per-36 basis, he’s averaged 24.2 points and 11.6 rebounds while shooting better than 60% from the floor.

How long will the restrictions last? Nelson said recently that he doesn’t know, but there has been progress from 16 to 18 minutes early on to 22 to 25 now. Also unresolved is who, if anyone, will fill the 15th and final roster spot in Brooklyn. That will likely have after-effects on Long Island.

His 14 points were tied for second on the team. While he only connected on three of his seven shots from the field, he was perfect from the foul stripe, going five-for-five. He missed on his only try from 3-point land. This is something that he’s been trying to integrate more into his game. He’s shot 2-of-13 from three this season.

Perhaps Nelson’s best trait was his ability to rebound the ball. Nelson hauled in 12, which led the team and was tied for the game-best. It also marked a career-high. Nelson brought in seven boards offensively. On top of his rebounds, Nelson also had three assists and one block. Nelson’s one Achilles heel in this one was his turnovers, in which he had four.

As for the Brooklyn rookie, Ben Saraf, he was one of the stars in Thursday’s Long Island win. His performance looked to be one he could build on and get back on the right path. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Saraf finished the game with just seven points. To make matters worse, he shot an abysmal 25%, connecting on just three of his 12 tries, only making one of his five tries from deep.

As for Josh Minott, he too shone Thursday in Long Island’s win, making a statement debut with Long Island. Sadly, in this one, Minott also proved to be a non-factor. Minott also connected on just three of his 12 shot attempts, including going two-for-seven from deep. He finished this one with nine points.

Minott also had four rebounds and two assists. One aspect of the game where Minott continued to do very well is shot blocking. The 6’8” finished Friday’s game with three blocks. His three blocks not only led the team, but were the most in the game.

EJ Liddell flirted with a double-double, connecting on five of his 12 tries, for 14 points, and brought in eight rebounds. Liddell also had one assist, one steal, and two blocks.

As for Tyson Etienne,he tallied 10 points in this one, connecting on just three of his seven tries. He went two-for-four from deep and also went two-for-three from the foul stripe. From the onset of this game, Etienne’s shots just weren’t looking as sharp as normal, which caused him to take substantially less than normal. Etienne also had four rebounds and three assists.

The Long Island bench looked better than the starters for almost the whole game. The third and final two-way player on hand for Long Island in this one, Chaney Johnson, scored 10 points off the bench. Johnson also hauled in 10 rebounds, giving him him a double-double. Malachi Smith led the team in scoring, tallying 17 points in his 30 minutes, as Hunter Cattoor came alive in the fourth quarter, finishing with 12 points.

Next Up

The Long Island Nets (14-10) return to the court on Monday, February 23rd, for a showdown with their former friend, Kendall Brown, and the Maine Celtics. This marks Long Island’s first of four straight home games as they make their return to the Nassau Coliseum. The game tips off at 7:00 p.m. EST and can be watched on the NBA G League website, as well as on the Gotham Sports app.

• Boxscore: Birmingham Squadron 104, Long Island Nets 102 – G League
• Game Highlights: Birmingham Squadron 104, Long Island Nets 102 (Video) – G League

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Polar opposites take the court Saturday as the 12-win Sacramento Kings travel to Texas to face the No. 2 seed San Antonio Spurs.

The end of the season can’t come fast enough for the visitors, and my Kings vs. Spurs predictions expect a blowout of epic proportions in favor of San Antonio.

Here are my best free NBA picks for this one-sided matchup on Saturday, February 21.

Kings vs Spurs prediction

Kings vs Spurs best bet: Spurs -18.5 (-110)

The 18.5-point spread is one of the highest I’ve seen for any game all season, but the lopsided lean is warranted.

The Sacramento Kings have struggled to play competitively with a healthy roster, but the losses of Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and De’Andre Hunter will make it even tougher for the Kings to compete.

The San Antonio Spurshave won seven straight and covered in six of them, while Sacramento has lost three straight by an average margin of 30.3 points while scoring no more than 94 points. The Spurs are 15-10-1 ATS at home, and the Kings are 9-19 on the road.

Kings vs Spurs same-game parlay

San Antonio’s defense is one of the best in the Association, and Sacramento’s offense is bereft of quality scoring options due to recent trades and season-ending injuries. Sacramento ranks 29th in scoring offense (109.9), while San Antonio ranks fifth in scoring defense (111.8).

Maxime Raynaud can hold his own, but the rookie will have very little support while trying to nab rebounds from Victor Wembanyama. Domantas Sabonis and Dylan Cardwell are out, and Wemby should have his way with the shorthanded Kings’ frontcourt.

Kings vs Spurs SGP

• Spurs -18.5
• Under 228.5
• Victor Wembanyama Over 11.5 rebounds

Our "from downtown" SGP: Harper Heats Up

Dylan Harper has scored 12+ in six of his last eight while averaging 14.6 points.

San Antonio should cruise to victory in this one, allowing Harper to see some extra run off the bench and easily clear this scoring line.

Kings vs Spurs SGP

• Spurs -18.5
• Under 228.5
• Victor Wembanyama Over 11.5 rebounds
• Dylan Harper Over 11.5 points

Kings vs Spurs odds

• Spread: Kings +18.5 (-110) | Spurs -18.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Kings +1000 | Spurs -2000
• Over/Under: Over 228.5 (-115) | Under 228.5 (-105)

Kings vs Spurs betting trend to know

The Sacramento Kings have hit the team total Under in 32 of their last 50 games (+11.50 Units / 20% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Kings vs. Spurs.

How to watch Kings vs Spurs

Kings vs Spurs latest injuries

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Tyrese Maxey and the Philadelphia 76ers head to The Big Easy tonight to take on the struggling New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center.

My 76ers vs. Pelicans predictions are eyeing Maxey to get hot from deep against a poor NOLA perimeter defense.

Read more in my NBA picks for Saturday, February 21.

76ers vs Pelicans prediction

76ers vs Pelicans best bet: Tyrese Maxey Over 3.5 threes (+110)

Tyrese Maxey is knocking down 3.4 three-pointers per game on 8.9 attempts, and he returned from the All-Star break by hitting 4 of 11 from beyond the arc. Although that marked his first Over in five games, there are signs he’s poised to heat up again.

The Philadelphia 76ers face the struggling New Orleans Pelicans, a team surrendering 3.55 made threes per game to opposing point guards.

Maxey has also been far more efficient on the road, shooting 40.2 percent from deep while averaging 3.5 makes per contest, making this matchup a favorable spot for another strong perimeter performance.

76ers vs Pelicans same-game parlay

Quentin Grimes is shooting 34.4% from three-point range this season, averaging 1.8 makes on 5.3 attempts per contest.

He’s cashed the Over in three of his last five games, going 2-for-4 on Thursday against Atlanta. Each of those appearances where he hit the Over was on the road.

While the Sixers lost their first game after the ASG break, they did beat the Pelicans by 10 points on January 31. New Orleans is also a horrendous 6-21 at home this season, while Philly has actually played well on the road, compiling a 15-10 record.

76ers vs Pelicans SGP

• Tyrese Maxey Over 3.5 threes
• Quentin Grimes Over 1.5 threes
• 76ers moneyline

Our "from downtown" SGP: Drummond in rhythm

Andre Drummond has cashed the Over in points in three of his last four appearances, finishing in double digits in each game.

76ers vs Pelicans SGP

• Tyrese Maxey Over 3.5 threes
• Quentin Grimes Over 1.5 threes
• 76ers moneyline
• Andre Drummond Over 8.5 points

76ers vs Pelicans odds

• Spread: Philadelphia -3.5 (-115) | New Orleans +3.5 (-105)
• Moneyline: Philadelphia -165 | New Orleans +140
• Over/Under: Over 232 (-110) | Under 232 (-110)

76ers vs Pelicans betting trend to know

The Philadelphia 76ers have covered the Spread in 17 of their last 25 away games (+9.30 Units / 34% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for 76ers vs. Pelicans.

How to watch 76ers vs Pelicans

76ers vs Pelicans latest injuries

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