Category: NBA

In a battle between two shorthanded squads, the Golden State Warriors came back from a 17-point deficit to defeat the Memphis Grizzlies 114-113 and improve to 29-25 on the season. They were undeniably aided by the Grizzlies clear desires to tank, but nevertheless, without Steph Curry, the Dubs found a way to win.

The Grizzlies jumped out to an early 17-7 lead as Golden State’s starting lineup struggled to find a rhythm offensively. Brandin Podziemski and Al Horford provided a much needed spark to get the Dubs rolling. By the end of the first quarter, both teams had scored 32 points.

Memphis would slowly begin pulling away, largely aided by a spree of Warriors turnovers (they finished the game with 23). Draymond Green scored 14 points, largely thanks to some strong outside shooting, but arguably gave up even more offensively through 7 turnovers. His season-long struggles to avoid throwing posessions away continued. Without Steph Curry on the floor to help bail him out, the mistakes were only magnified.

Former Warriors two-way guard Ty Jerome was leading the way, seeming to be playing with an extra chip on his shoulder. Perhaps Jerome remembers that Golden State opted to convert a different two-way player (Anthony Lamb) to an NBA contract instead of him back in the 2022-23 season. Jerome led the Grizzlies to a 16-point lead through three quarters and finished with a team-high 19 points, 7 assists, and a +15 plus/minus.

Yet, the Grizzlies are trying to fall down the standings after trading Jaren Jackson Jr. at the deadline. While the commissioner’s office refuses to enforce anti-tanking rules, Memphis (emulating the Utah Jazz earlier in the day) sat their best players in the fourth quarter even as Golden State began stringing stops together.

The Warriors finally started getting consistent defensive stops in the fourth quarter, slowly cutting into Memphis’ lead. It’s worth noting that most of the comeback took place with Green on the bench.

Horford finished a layup to cut the deficit to 8 with less than five minutes remaining. Gui Santos nailed an open three on the following possession to cut it to five. Another stop turned into a layup by De’Anthony Melton in transition. Another stop was answered by a driving layup from Moses Moody. Podziemski immediately stole the Grizzlies’ in-bound pass after Moody’s make, but misse a layup that would’ve given Golden State a 114-113 lead.

Instead, both teams found themselves unable to score over the remaining two minutes until a final chaotic sequence.

Horford missed a shot in the post with 26 seconds left on the clock. After missing a tip-in attempt he managed to grab his own miss, but fell to the floor. As his upper body hovered above out of bounds he found Santos who was far enough behind the closest Grizzlies defenders to sneak to the hoop and make the go-ahead layup.

The Grizzlies had 19 seconds left to try and retake the lead, but ultimately missed a pair of shots.

Pat Spencer finished the game with 17 points and 7 assists. Moody quietly scored 15 points, doing most of his damage at the free-throw line. Santos continued his impressive run in the starting lineup, recording 16 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and a +11 plus/minus on 7-for-10 shooting from the field in 30 minutes of action. Podz added 16 points off the bench as well. However, the hero of the night was Horford.

With Green out of control, Horford was a stabilizing presence in the post. He filled the stat sheet with 16 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, and a game-high +24 plus/minus in 26 minutes. His final rebound and assist set up Santos for the game-winner.

What a game to showcase their depth after the trade deadline.

The shorthanded Sixers wrapped up their West Coast trip with a 135-118 blowout loss to the Portland Trail Blazers Monday night.

Tyrese Maxey carried as much of the load as he could, finishing with 30 and four assists shooting 10-of-21 from the floor. VJ Edgecombe struggled from the field and may have slightly banged up his hip, finishing with 11 points and six rebounds shooting 3-of-12 from the field.

Kelly Oubre Jr put up 19 going 6-of-13 from the floor and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. Toumani Camara had the shooting night of his life, knocking down 8-of-10 from three to go 10-of-12 from the field to tie Maxey as the game’s leading scorer with 30.

Joel Embiid was out with right knee injury management while Dominick Barlow and Quentin Grimes were both late scratches with an illness.

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

First Quarter

• Deni Avdija blew past his defender on the first possession of the game, and got the Sixers’ defense to completely collapse on him on his next three, all resulting in open kick-out threes. On the other end, the Sixers opened just as well, with Maxey and Trendon Watford both having early success off the dribble.
• Maxey has gotten open frequently cutting down the lane as of late, and his big man was able to hit him again in the first despite the absence of Embiid. There was one possession that the Blazers got a couple offensive rebounds, but Andre Drummond had four second-chance points early, even if a couple were putting back his own blocked shot.
• Now that the Sixers have gotten rid of their glut of guards, NBA on Prime Video analyst Kyle Lowry was the team’s eighth man in the rotation. The good thing is they were already being beaten off the dribble and were already flirting with zone looks. They rebounded though, ending the quarter on a 9-0 run that was started by an Adem Bona putback dunk and featured Oubre hitting the team’s first three of the night. Maxey also played the whole quarter and dropped 14 as the Sixers jumped out to two-point lead.

Maxey leads all scorers with 13 and the Sixers withstood a red-hot start for the Blazers to take a 31-29 lead after one. pic.twitter.com/qUr3h16GtO

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) February 10, 2026

Second Quarter

• Having one and a half other ball-handlers available was enough for Maxey to at least get a brief break. Watford opened it well with a push shot then Edgecombe got on the board with a trip to the line. Justin Edwards also got his first bucket knocking down a three, and got to the line on the ensuing fast break even if he got a little cute trying to do a reverse dunk.
• MarJon Beauchamp got his first minutes with the Sixers checking in early in the quarter. His first chance at action was cutting to the lane, connecting a Watford post-up to a Drummond three in the corner. A few possessions later he ripped the ball away from Vit Krejci but wasn’t able to come up with the steal. He picked up a second assist catching Maxey’s pass to beat a press and kick it up to Edwards, but missed his first shot attempt unable to connect with Maxey on a lob.

Sharpshooter Drum off the nice feed from MarJon Beauchamp in his first game as a Sixer. pic.twitter.com/FsWDrGwDrv

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) February 10, 2026

• Portland started the game hot from deep and continued to chuck ‘em up, shooting 42.9% from behind the arc in the first half. That allowed them to slowly eat into the lead and briefly retake it. After taking it back, Maxey nearly followed up an Oubre breakaway with one of his own, but got called for a cheap foul and the Sixers had to settle for a one-point lead at the break.

Third Quarter

• For as much as the Sixers held it off to finish the first half, the Blazers ripped off an 18-2 run to begin the second. It was a Maxey three that stopped the bleeding which was fitting, since the Blazers were nearing as many three-pointers made as the Sixers had attempted.
• There’s only so much a timeout could have done as Camara continued to shake free and bury threes coming out of it. When the Sixers were able to muster up some stops they didn’t look to have the firepower to make good on them. Maxey was the only Sixer to record a field goal for an eight-minute stretch, and he only put up six points himself in that time.
• The microphone screeching atop the basket the Blazers were shooting on was appropriate for this game. The Sixers turned the ball four times in a two-minute stretch as they fell completely off the rails. The best sign was Maxey checking out with two minutes left in the quarter just over 26 minutes played, no reason for him to return. Yes, the Sixers played poorly, but even Robert Williams III buried a couple threes on them as the Blazers extended their lead to 26.

Fourth Quarter

• The only thing more heinous than Maxey and Edgecombe still being in the game to start the fourth was Nick Nurse using a challenge to reverse a shooting fall called on Oubre. It did happen to be successful amidst a 12-2 run that would make Chris Paul proud.
• Maxey finally checked out just before the halfway point of the quarter, still somehow logging over 33 minutes on the night. Edgecombe stayed in a minute and half longer to also go over 33, despite favoring his hip after slipping and falling on it in the third quarter. It sure is a good thing they have a glut of guards to withstand a shorthanded night like this.
• Credit to Beauchamp for trying to absolutely posterize Yang Hansen, even if he had to settle for a trip to the line. It’s not a surprise that a guy fighting for his NBA career looked like he had the most legs out there, but he made some good hustle plays both when the Sixers were still in this game and when it was well out of hand.

SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors veteran superstar Stephen Curry missed the Monday, Feb. 9 game against the Memphis Grizzlies with right knee soreness as he felt pain in his right patellofemoral.

Curry's injury, a common overuse injury causing pain around or behind the kneecap, is expected to keep him out of action in the immediate future.

During a pregame press conference, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters that Curry would be out, missing upcoming games, including the 2026 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 15 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

"He will not play against San Antonio, he will not play in the All-Star Game," Kerr said about Curry's timeline for return from injury.

Curry is averaging 27.2 points, which is the eighth most in the NBA for the 2025-26 season. He is shooting 47% from the field, 40% from deep and 93% from the free throw line. He's appeared in 39 games for Golden State this season.

BASKET-BRAWL: Massive fight erupts in Pistons vs. Hornets. Four players ejected

Who will replace Curry in 2026 NBA All-Star Game?

The NBA has not announced who will replace Curry in the 2026 NBA All-Star Game.

However, that hasn't stopped NBA experts and fans from providing their two cents on who should take Curry's place.

I would 100% pick Stephon Castle as an All-Star replacement.

He’s definitely earned it. https://t.co/ae5M5rKcVe

— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) February 10, 2026

The Cleveland Cavaliers have completed their West Coast road trip with one more win over the Denver Nuggets. Let’s see who won and lost the night.

WINNER – Jarret Allen versus the Joker

Jarrett Allen is having an awesome 2026. It seems he’s fully recovered from the hand injuries that limited him earlier in the season and has recently taken flight as the Cavs find their wings.

And yet, we’re all familiar with one of the more common criticisms that Allen faces. He can play big against inferior opponents, but he folds when the lights are brightest.

Not tonight.

Allen accepted the challenge of going toe-to-toe with Nikola Jokic tonight in a starting lineup that featured him as the only Cavalier over the height of 6’6”. Not having Evan Mobley to aid him in this battle could have been a deal breaker. But Allen held his own, and arguably, outmatched Jokic when push came to shove.

Listen, no one is going to stop Jokic from getting his numbers. He put up a triple-double with 22 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists despite a phenomenal effort from Allen. But Jokic also turned it over 6 times and shot just 6-12 from the field. Believe it or not, that’s an underwhelming game from Joker.

Look at it this way. Allen matched Jokic with 22 points of his own and brought down 13 rebounds for his fourth straight double-double. He held his ground defensively and burned Jokic in the pick-and-roll offensively.

So, next time you see someone twee that Allen never has big games in important matchups, remind them of this one.

WINNER – James Harden’s Inauguration

What a way to start your Cavalier career, huh?

Harden hasn’t lit up an opponent for 40 points or anything yet. But he has put together two quality performances where he plays hero in the closing minutes. He combined with Donovan Mitchell to score 32 points in the fourth quarter of their comeback victory against the Kings on Saturday. And tonight, Harden buried the game-tying jumper before Mitchell won it at the free-throw line a possession later.

This has been as seamless an inauguration as you can ask for. Details can always be polished. But Harden’s made an immediate impact and delivered on back-to-back wins for his squad. In addition to his clutch scoring, Harden chipped in 10 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 blocks tonight.

Every Cavs fan should be feeling a surge of excitement that this guy is on our side now.

LOSER – Too Many Guards

If there’s one thing to nitpick from this game, it’s some of Kenny Aktinson’s lineups.

Now, let’s be fair. The Cavs are thin at the wing and have been for years. De’Andre Hunter is gone, and Dean Wade is injured. Without Evan Mobley to at least play the four, you quickly run out of options taller than 6’5” on this roster.

That doesn’t mean I have to be happy with some of the results.

Lineups featuring Craig Porter Jr, Dennis Schroder, and Keon Ellis aren’t a recipe for success. Adding Harden or Mitchell to that mix doesn’t make it much better. The Cavs have too many cooks in the kitchen, and their lack of size was a huge issue in this game.

Even in the starting lineup, Tyson and Merrill are being asked to fight above their weight class.

I can’t pretend that Larry Nance Jr. has given us a great sample size this season. But, I would be surprised if he doesn’t get some opportunities soon if the Cavs continue to have no playable wings other than Nae’Qwan Tomlin.

WINNER – The Road Trip

The Cavs started this road trip with a bummer. They lost Evan Mobley to another calf strain just days before it began — and then they officially started the trip by getting run off the floor by the Phoenix Suns. With a couple of difficult opponents ahead, it felt like this was the type of stretch you simply hope to survive.

Instead, this team dominated.

They beat the Trail Blazers behind a career night from Allen. Then they decimated the Clippers a day after making a seismic trade for Harden. Cleveland won a thriller in Sacramento in Harden’s first game, and then finally, took down a bona fide contender in the Nuggets.

This 4-1 stretch is the defining moment of the season so far. This team has turned a corner, posting the league’s best win percentage since December 29th and finding another gear with Harden now on the roster. Things can change quickly in the NBA, so this is the appropriate time to stop and reflect on the success the Cavs just had.

Michael Porter Jr. was sidelined Monday with tendinitis in the same right knee in which he suffered an MCL sprain earlier this season.

Coach Jordi Fernández downplayed any concerns before the Nets defeated the Bulls, 123-115.

“It’s the same knee, but it’s unrelated. Tendonitis is something athletes deal with in different parts of the body,” said Fernández. “It’s good for him to take this game, see how he feels and get him back feeling great. That’s the most important thing. Nothing to be concerned about. A lot of guys deal with it, but it’s good that Mike can focus on his body right now.”

Brooklyn came into the Bulls tilt 13-28 with Porter in the lineup, but just 1-9 when he didn’t suit up.

“You guys know what he brings, shot-making and points and all that,” Fernández said. “But it is what it is. We won in Utah without him. There have been other games where we competed at a high level — Utah at home we were up nine in the fourth on the second night of a back-to-back and the game was well played, we just couldn’t close. Memphis, we were up eight with three minutes to go without Mike too.

“Do we miss him? Yes. But the team can still do its job, play the right way, get the right shots, defend and all those things. The standards stay the same with or without Michael. Obviously we love having him, but it doesn’t change the intentions.”

Egor Dëmin was also out against Chicago, but the rookie was simply being rested.

All three two-ways were with G-League Long Island.

Nets newcomers Ochai Agbaji and Josh Minott, both acquired at the trade deadline, were available vs. the Bulls.

Meanwhile, big man Zach Collins, rookie forward Noa Essengue, point guard Josh Giddey, Tre Jones and Jalen Smith were all out for Chicago.

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Cam Thomas — waived by Brooklyn at the trade deadline — cleared waivers Sunday and signed with the Bucks.

“Happy that everybody is embracing me. Everybody’s happy that I’m here, everybody wanted me,” Thomas said in his first availability in Milwaukee on Monday. “Front office told me that they always wanted me, always called about me, been trying to get me here for years.”

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma City Thunder prospect Nikola Topic has made his NBA G League debut after recovering from a major knee injury and undergoing cancer treatment.

Topic had seven points and seven assists in 16 minutes for the Oklahoma City Blue in their 137-135 overtime victory over the Sioux Falls Skyforce on Monday night.

Thunder coach Mark Daigneault praised Topic in Los Angeles before defending NBA champion Oklahoma City faced the Lakers.

“We’re all just collectively thrilled that he’s back playing basketball,” Daigneault said. “I know he’s missed it a great deal, and this is just so good for him mentally to get his feet back underneath him.”

The G League game was another remarkable step forward for Topic, who has barely played basketball since the Thunder made him the 12th overall pick in the 2024 draft.

Oklahoma City chose the Serbian guard even though he had torn a ligament in his knee two months earlier, and the injury sidelined him for his entire first season in North America.

Topic played for Oklahoma City in summer league games last year and appeared again in the Thunder's preseason, but was subsequently diagnosed with testicular cancer. He underwent chemotherapy before working his way back into playing shape again.

“Great accomplishment,” Daigneault said. “Just can’t say enough about him as a guy, his mental toughness, maturity, resilience. ... He hasn’t played a lot of basketball over the last two years, and he comes off a one-year rehab and immediately has a surprising diagnosis and goes through chemotherapy, three rounds of it. So for him to work himself back onto the court is just an unbelievable accomplishment, and we’re incredibly happy for him.”

___

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

The Cleveland Cavaliers pulled off one of their most encouraging wins of the season, downing the Denver Nuggets 119-117.

All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Donovan Mitchell

32 points, 10 assists, 1 rebound, 2 steals, 2 blocks

Mitchell came out guns blazing in this game. He scored 13 points in the first quarter and entered halftime with 18 overall. Mitchell converted some absurd and-one’s along the way.

Denver adjusted in the second half, blitzing Mitchell and forcing the ball out of his hands. That helped him rack up 10 assists. And, Mitchell was still able to finish the game with 32 points, including the game-winning free throws with less than a second on the clock.

Grade: A+

James Harden

22 points, 7 assists, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks

This was a slightly more aggressive version of Harden than the one we saw in his debut. He made more of an effort to get into the paint, going to his floater to account for his three-point struggles (2-7 shooting).

Those struggles went away when it mattered most.

Harden buried the 9-1-1 triple to tie the game with under a minute to play. His patented step-back jumper is something we’ve seen countless times in other jerseys. But, if you ask me, it looks so much sweeter in a Cavalier uniform.

Additional credit for his 10 rebounds. The Cavs had a difficult time cleaning the glass tonight, so Harden’s efforts made a difference. And no — that’s not a typo. Harden actually had 3 blocks tonight.

Grade: A+

Jarrett Allen

22 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist

Allen was the hero of this road trip. He put in the work each night, scoring a career-high 40 points earlier in the trip and then capping it off by battling Nikola Jokic for a win. Allen defended Jokic as well as you can reasonably expect, and punished him for being too slow on the other end. This was a monster stretch of games from Allen.

Grade: A+++

Jaylon Tyson

16 points, 1 assist, 3 rebounds

Tyson looked better than he did in Sacramento. His off-ball movement earned Tyson some quality shot attempts, and he shot efficiently from downtown, going 4-9 from the three-point line.

It’s been said before, but Tyson’s confidence is something to rave about. He has zero fear of the moment, and canned a catch-and-shoot three-pointer off a Harden kickout late in the fourth quarter. That type of stuff will earn a Hall of Famer’s trust very quickly.

Grade: B+

Keon Ellis

2 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block

Ellis converted a wild layup in transition that probably should have been an and-one. He was also fine enough on defense despite some of Cleveland’s blown coverages. Other than that, it was a hectic game that Ellis never really found his place in.

Grade: C-

Nae’Qwan Tomlin

6 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists

Tomlin’s inexperience can hold him back at times. The Cavs could have used tighter rotations and better positional awareness from him tonight. A few rebounds would have gone a long way.

I’ll give Qwan credit for nailing two three-pointers, though.

Grade: D+

Dennis Schroder

5 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals

I like what Schroder provides for this team. Pesky defense and on-ball creation. But those skills will look better when he isn’t playing in three-guard lineups. This game wasn’t built for Schroder’s strengths.

Grade: C-

Sam Merrill

9 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist

The Cavs’ lack of size is putting a heavy strain on Merrill right now. He’s too small to defend opposing forwards, and he doesn’t have enough backline help to support him when he’s defending the perimeter.

Thankfully, Merrill was able to get going from downtown. His three triples made a difference and gave Cleveland enough fuel to get to the finish line.

Grade: C

Craig Porter Jr.

0 points, 1 rebound, 9 minutes

Porter just isn’t in a position for success right now. He’s in lineups featuring one, two, or sometimes three other ball-handling guards. The results haven’t been surprising. Porter isn’t a good enough floor spacer or defender to thrive in that type of lineup.

Grade: D-

Thomas Bryant

5 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist

Bryant offered crucial support for Allen in this one. Defending Jokic is no easy task. Bryant’s physicality was important for limiting Jokic as much as humanly possible tonight.

Grade: B+

Less than two minutes into the first quarter of the Minnesota Timberwolves second leg of their home back-to-back against the Atlanta Hawks, Donte DiVincenzo sank his first field goal – a wing three off of an assist from Jaden McDaniels.

On most nights, a pretty routine start for the Wolves guard and an ordinary thing that happens within the flow of the offense.

But coming off of Sunday’s embarrassing blowout loss at the hands of the Los Angeles Clippers, a game in which DiVincenzo didn’t record a field goal, it was an omen for a team that badly needed a positive one.

One assist shy of their season-high 37 on Monday night, it was a concerted effort to come out of the gate and move the ball. Especially in the first quarter, there was an extremely low amount of one-and-no-pass possessions.

Jaden McDaniels cutting dunk, assisted by Rudy Gobert pic.twitter.com/GjlkAvlLap

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) February 10, 2026

“Quick decision making and a lot of mixed-action basketball,” coach Chris Finch attributed to an intentional start to the game. “Julius and Ant were really great in that…they led the way.”

Julius Randle and Anthony Edwards recognition feels notable. A Hawks team missing two key pieces descended upon Target Center on Monday night, and on the tail end of a back-to-back, has embodied what the Wolves have struggled to come up with the energy for as of late.

An @emoryhealthcare injury report for tonight's game at Minnesota:

Dyson Daniels (right ankle inflammation): Questionable
Jalen Johnson (left knee inflammation): Questionable

Jonathan Kuminga (left knee bone bruise): Out pic.twitter.com/gxMV6JCYLE

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) February 9, 2026

It’s been a lackluster effort from the Wolves’ top two over the last few games, specifically, and Monday felt like a return to normalcy and a simultaneous pull out of a hole.

“It felt great…the ball was moving,” said Rudy Gobert after the game. “I thought our focus was there.”

The reflection of the ball movement was in the box score. A 45 percent 3-point mark at the half, towering over the 33 percent halftime mark on Sunday; a much more iso-heavy game in which one-and-no-pass possessions were the norm.

The fruits of the labor were apparent. 70 points in the paint for Minnesota ballooned to Atlanta’s 42, and seven of the nine players who checked in scored in double digits.

“It was a return to our concepts and our free-flowing stuff,” Finch said. “We just have to commit to it.”

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A Familiar Face Returns

Monday night marked the first time Nickeil Alexander-Walker was back at Target Center in another uniform.

A fan favorite and cheered for by everyone, he returned as the leader of a team he’s been on for less than a season. The hallmark of player development, Alexander-Walker’s tenure in Minnesota went from DNP to major contributor to back-to-back Western Conference Finals teams. His welcome from fans reflected his contributions.

Nickeil received a standing ovation in his return to Minnesota ❤️ pic.twitter.com/HQpZYQWPnV

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) February 10, 2026

While the game wasn’t close, I think it also served as a reflection of just how much this team has missed Nickeil this season. His willing on-ball defense, spot up shooting, and ability to seamlessly fill gaps is something has sorely missed, and fair to wager that it has cost them some of the games that have so many fans pulling their hair out.

“He deserves all of the love that he is getting…I’m really proud of him,” Rudy Gobert said, who was both in Utah with Alexander-Walker and Minnesota. “He got his opportunity, and I was there to witness it. I think he is still getting better every day, and I am happy that he got this opportunity.”

So who fills that role moving forward? While he’s not the same player, Tim Connelly’s latest acquisition in Ayo Dosunmu has to be the answer.

A willing defender and the main source of offensive pace in his second game in the trees, Dosunmu finished his night with 21 points off the bench. He spent a lot of his time attacking the paint and showing off his switchability on the perimeter.

Ayo Dosunmu explosive transition driving layup pic.twitter.com/ObliQTUIIx

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) February 10, 2026

While Nickeil may have brought other things to the game that Dosunmu does not, it’s clear that his downhill nature is an important element to this team that is only brought consistently by Anthony Edwards. Pair that with his fellow bench mob member Bones Hyland’s ability to push pace alongside him, and an identity seems to be forming with the second unit.

“I think [running in transition] is one of my strengths, and I’m excited about that,” Dosunmu said afterwards. “The city has embraced me, and my teammates have done a great job of putting me in positions to succeed.”

While he admitted that he still has a ways to go to get fully up to speed, the transition has been seamless. Another game and a full All-Star break should be a nice remedy to that moving forward.

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Up Next

The Timberwolves will keep the homestand rolling and welcome the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night in their last game before the All-Star break.

The Blazers have played well over their last three games, and their All-Star Deni Avdija presents a foul-drawing challenge for a Wolves defense that can get their physicality impacted by a heavy whistle.

Tipoff is set for 7:00 PM CT

Highlights

This is the third “home and stay home” series for the Houston Rockets this season. They’re 1-3 so far, with each of those games coming on the road (at Utah and at Portland). Tonight and tomorrow, they take on the new-look Los Angeles Clippers.

The Clippers traded James Harden for Darius Garland and decided to start tear things down when they traded Ivica Zubac to the Pacers (Indy is going to be really fun next season).

LA still has Kawhi Leonard and John Collins, both of whom lit up Houston when the teams played back in December. Since then, the Clips have the best record in the NBA. Ty Lue is a good coach and LA is just a few games back of being in 8th place in the West and having the inside track on making the playoffs.

Tip-off

7pm CT

How To Watch

Space City Home Network, NBA TV

Injury Report

Rockets

Steven Adams: OUT

Fred VanVleet: OUT

Clippers

Darius Garland: OUT

Bradley Beal: OUT

The Line (as of this post)

HOU -7.5

Check here for updates

Looking ahead because we can

Wednesday night at home against the Los Angeles Clippers

The No. 1 men's college basketball team in the country has fallen.

The Arizona Wildcats, ranked No. 1 in USA TODAY's coaches poll, were toppled, 82-78, by the No. 9 Kansas Jayhawks after they mounted a second-half comeback to give the Wildcats their first loss of the season 24 games in.

Kansas — without potential top NBA draft pick Darryn Peterson for the 11th time this season — trailed by three at halftime and found themselves down by as many as 11 at the 17-minute mark. They responded with a 9-2 run over the next two minutes to come within three points of Arizona before taking the lead on a Flory Bidunga layup with nine minutes to go.

"KANSAS HAS KNOCKED OFF UNBEATEN ARIZONA! NO. 1 GOES DOWN INSIDE ALLEN FIELDHOUSE! NO DARRYN PETERSON, NO PROBLEM FOR THE KANSAS JAYHAWKS!"

Boog Sciambi with the call for ESPN. 🏀🚨🎙️ pic.twitter.com/rPIHrxToxw

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 10, 2026

Bidunga led the Jayhawks in both scoring (23 points) and rebounds (11). The sophomore big man also had a critical block with 17 seconds left in the game on Koa Peat's layup attempt to protect a three-point lead. Tre White sealed the win by draining a pair of free throws in the final five seconds.

The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports' newsletter.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: No. 1 Arizona Wildcats fall to Kansas Jayhawks in upset

The Cleveland Cavaliers ended their five-game Western Conference roadtrip with a bang. They overcame a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit to beat a strong Denver Nuggets team 119-117 thanks to their dynamic backcourt.

The Donovan Mitchell and James Harden pairing couldn’t have gotten off to a better start.

The Cavs were kept at arm’s length for most of the game. They never let the Nuggets get out in front by more than 11, but it also never felt like they really had a chance of getting into the game.

That changed down the stretch.

Cleveland’s half-court offense feels inevitable. There’s only so much you can do when you have two guards who require that much attention. There’s just too many holes to plug, and eventually, the defense is going to break.

That’s what happened late. Jarrett Allen found himself wide open for back-to-back crucial baskets to make it a one-point game with just over a minute left.

Harden then hit an impossible step-back three with 32 seconds left to tie the game for the first time in the fourth.

JAMES HARDEN TIES THE GAME AT 117!!!

HE'S GOT 22 ON THE NIGHT.

Tap to watch the finish: https://t.co/lLROH7VIoHpic.twitter.com/LzFlm0gXxl

— NBA (@NBA) February 10, 2026

And finally, Mitchell forced a shooting foul in the final second and hit both free throws to give the Cavs their two-point victory margin.

Mitchell has been the primary scoring engine in their first two games. He poured in 32 points on 11-23 shooting to go along with 10 assists.

Harden, on the other hand, has been the orchestrator of the offense. He’s continually found ways to generate open looks for his teammates, which includes feeding Allen early and often.

This group hasn’t had someone with the playmaking capabilities of Harden. His ability to draw as many defenders into him and then deliver on-time and on-target passes is truly unbelievable.

Harden’s facilitating doesn’t come at the expense of generating good looks for himself. He provided 22 points on 7-16 shooting to go along with 10 huge rebounds and seven assists.

Even though the offense was impressive, Harden’s defense was just as important. He did an excellent job of double-teaming Nikola Jokic and providing help defense when needed. This led to a crucial Jokic turnover on Denver’s third-to-last possession.

Allen continues to be the biggest beneficiary of Harden’s playmaking. He provided 22 points on 10-16 shooting to go along with 13 rebounds.

Allen did a good job of staying in front of Nikola Jokic and containing him the best he could. Unfortunately for Cleveland, containing Jokic still meant he finished with a triple-double with 22 points, 14 rebounds, 11 assists. He also committed seven costly turnovers.

Julian Strawther and Christian Bruan provided 20 points each.

The Cavs return home to take on the Washington Wizards on Wednesday. It will be their last game before the All-Star break. Tip-off is at 7 PM.

The Lakers are finally going to start acting like the financial powerhouse they are.

New owner Mark Walter is already one of the wealthiest owners in the NBA, a far cry from the Buss family. That wealth can be spent in only a few ways in the NBA, unlike the Dodgers, which Walter also owns.

One of those ways is the front office where there is no limit on what the Lakers can spend on the staff off the court. Last week, Dan Woike of The Athleticreported that the Lakers planned to make wholesale hires to the front office.

Prior to the Lakers’ win over the Warriors on Saturday, President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka confirmed the report, noting that he and Governor Jeanie Buss would oversee the hires.

Referencing Mark Walter and the Lakers' new majority ownership group, Rob Pelinka said, "there is no expense they'll spare in being the best sort of front office in the world…I think now we'll have an opportunity just with extra resources that Mark brings to build it out and… pic.twitter.com/d91onBvEe4

— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) February 8, 2026

Rob Pelinka on collaborating with the Dodgers: “Being able to tap into a person like Andrew Friedman for best practices. He's so incredibly smart and has done such an amazing job bringing championships to the Dodgers” pic.twitter.com/4KCi9N0c6b

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 8, 2026

It would be fair to have some concerns about Pelinka overseeing the hires of the front office considering how hot his seat could be if things go awry this offseason, but given his title, it would be his job to oversee the hirings of the front office.

The question now will be how quickly and how aggressively the team moves to make these hires. It’s unlikely personnel will leave teams midseason, though front office hires and movement aren’t often reported, so it’s possible.

Considering how important this summer will be for the Lakers, assembling a front office and, specifically, a scouting department, should be a high priority.

This is an area where the Lakers should have an advantage over most teams. They are the face of the NBA. They now have the spending power to go along with that.

It’s time they start acting like the premier franchise they are.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid did not play against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night to rest his right knee after an off day.

Embiid is averaging 26.6 points, 7.5 rebound and 3.9 assists this season. He has played in 31 games after being limited to 19 games last year and 39 games the previous season. The 7-foot center scored 33 points in a win at Phoenix on Saturday night.

In Portland, the Sixers also ruled out Quentin Grimes and Quentin Dominick because both had an illness.

Philadelphia was also missing Paul George, who was recently suspended 25 games for violating the terms of the NBA’s anti-drug program.

The Sixers host the New York Knicks on Wednesday.

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

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Lamar Wilkerson had 41 points and Indiana beat Oregon 92-74 on Monday night, handing the Ducks a 10th straight loss.

Wilkerson missed his first five shots and then made 13 of 15 for the Hoosiers (17-8, 8-6 Big Ten Conference), who have won two straight and five of six. He made 6 of 12 from 3-point range and 9 of 11 free throws. The senior guard hit 10 3-pointers and scored an Assembly Hall record 44 in a 113-72 victory over Penn State in December. He is the fifth Hoosier to have multiple 40-point games in one season.

Sam Alexis had 16 points for Indiana and Tucker DeVries totaled 15 points and seven assists. Nick Dorn scored 11.

Nate Bittle and reserve Wei Lin scored 15 apiece to pace the Ducks (8-16, 1-11), who are in the midst of the longest losing streak in head coach Dana Altman's 16 seasons. Bittle added eight rebounds and five assists. Sean Stewart scored 12, Takai Simpkins 11 and Drew Carter 10.

Wilkerson scored 16 in a first half that saw nine lead changes and two ties to help Indiana take a 36-30 lead into the break. Lin had nine points as the Ducks bench outscored Indiana's 13-0.

Wilkerson and DeVries hit 3-pointers, and Alexis scored six and had the final two baskets in a 16-6 run for a 52-36 advantage in the first four minutes of the second half. The lead never slipped below 10.

Indiana shot 81.8% in the second half — 18 for 22.

Up next

Oregon: Hosts Penn State on Saturday.

Indiana: At No. 8 Illinois on Sunday.

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Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketba spurtll: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Cade Cunningham had 33 points and nine rebounds, and the Detroit Pistons hung on to beat Charlotte 110-104 on Monday night, snapping the Hornets’ nine-game winning streak in a wild game that included a fight and four player ejections.

Charlotte coach Charles Lee was also ejected after having to be restrained from going after an official while arguing a no-call in the fourth quarter.

Duncan Robinson scored 18 points for the Pistons and Jalen Duren added 15 before being ejected when he ignited the brawl by hitting Moussa Diabate with an open right hand in the third quarter.

Brandon Miller scored 24 points for the Hornets, while LaMelo Ball and Kon Knueppel each had 20.

Midway through the third quarter Duren was driving toward the basket when he was fouled by Diabate. Duren got face-to-face with Diabate and the two appeared to butt heads. Duren then hit Diabate in the face with his open right hand, igniting a confrontation that lasted more than 30 seconds.

While Pistons forward Tobias Harris was holding Diabate back, Diabate threw a punch at Duren. Duren walked away and Bridges charged at him, throwing a left-handed punch. Duren retaliated with a punch. Diabate attempted to charge again at Duren and had to be held back. Isaiah Stewart left the bench to confront Bridges, who responded with a punch, and the players tussled.

Diabate, Bridges, Duren and Stewart were ejected.

NETS 123, BULLS 115

NEW YORK (AP) — Nic Claxton scored 28 points and had 10 rebounds to lead Brooklyn to a win over Chicago.

Noah Clowney added 20 points for Brooklyn, which won its second in a row. Drake Powell had 14 points off the bench, rookies Danny Wolf and Nolan Traore each had 13 and Ziaire Williams added 11.

The Nets won three of the four meetings between the Eastern Conference teams that are rebuilding.

Anfernee Simons scored 23 points for Chicago, which lost its fifth straight. Collin Sexton scored 19 off the bench and Matas Buzelis had 18.

JAZZ 115, HEAT 111

MIAMI (AP) — Brice Sensabaugh made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 47 seconds remaining to lift Utah to a victory over Miami.

Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 22 points, Lauri Markkanen added 17, Kyle Filipowski had 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Ace Bailey also scored 16 for the Jazz, who won for only the fifth time in their last 23 games.

The Jazz erased a 108-103 deficit with 3:32 left and got within one at 111-110 on Isaiah Collier’s jumper with 1:23 remaining. Sensabaugh, who finished with 14 points, then connected with his shot from behind the arc.

Miami twice had opportunities at a tying or go-ahead score. Andrew Wiggins missed a short jumper with 36 seconds left and Kasparas Jakucionis’ corner 3-point attempt bounced off the rim with 4 seconds left.

Sensabaugh’s two free throws with 3 seconds remaining clinched the win for Utah.

Wiggins scored 26 points, Bam Adebayo had 23 points and 11 rebounds and Jakucionis finished with 20 points for the Heat.

MAGIC 118, BUCKS 99

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Anthony Black scored 26 points, Desmond Bane added 25 and Orlando beat Milwaukee to snap the Bucks’ season-long three-game win streak.

Magic forward Franz Wagner played 17 minutes after missing 23 of the last 25 games due to a high ankle sprain. Wagner came off the bench for the first time in his career and finished with 14 points and five rebounds.

Kevin Porter Jr. led Milwaukee with 28 points and seven assists, but the Bucks committed 20 turnovers and gave up 67 points in the second half. that ended their season-long three-game win streak.

TIMBERWOLVES 138, HAWKS 116

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Anthony Edwards scored 21 of his 30 points in the first half as Minnesota used a dominant second quarter to cruise to a win against the short-handed Atlanta.

Edwards led seven Minnesota players scoring in double figures, pushing the Timberwolves to a commanding win after a pair of disappointing losses to New Orleans and the Los Angeles Clippers. Julius Randle has 18 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for Minnesota, which had lost three of four.

A game without much intensity changed early in the fourth when Atlanta’s Mouhamed Gueye appeared to trip up Wolves center Naz Reid. The two came together in an altercation that included a crowd of people trying to break up the two players. Both players were ejected.

Newcomer Ayo Dosunmu, playing his second game after being acquired in a trade from Chicago, had 21 points off the bench as Minnesota led by as many as 31.

CJ McCollum had 38 points for the Hawks, who have lost four of five and were playing without Jalen Johnson (left knee inflammation), Antonio Daniels (right ankle inflammation) and newly acquired Jonathan Kumiga (left knee bone bruise).

PELICANS 120, KINGS 94

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Trey Murphy III made five 3-pointers and finished with 21 points, Jeremiah Fears scored 14 of his 20 in the second half and New Orleans sent Sacramento to their 13th straight loss.

The Kings have their most consecutive losses since the franchise moved from Kansas City to Sacramento ahead of the 1985-86 season.

Murphy has made 23 3-pointers on 40 attempts (72.5%) in the last three games. Zion Williamson scored 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting and had six assists for New Orleans.

Maxime Raynaud had 21 points and career-high 20 rebounds — the 7-foot-1 rookie’s eighth double-double this season — for Sacramento. Russell Westbrook added 17 points, Devin Carter scored 12 and Nique Clifford 10.

CAVALIERS 119, NUGGETS 117

DENVER (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points, including two free throws with 0.9 seconds left after James Harden’s tying 3-pointer, and Cleveland rallied to beat Denver.

Harden finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds in his second game with Cleveland. Harden, acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers on Feb. 4, scored 23 points in his Cavaliers debut three nights later.

Nikola Jokic had 22 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists but missed a potential winning 3-point shot at the buzzer. Two nights after Jokic passed Oscar Robertson for second place in career triple-doubles, he notched his 183rd.

WARRIORS 114, GRIZZLIES 113

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Gui Santos made a go-ahead layup with 19 seconds left and Al Horford stole the ball from Cam Spencer moments later after he rebounded a Memphis miss, and Golden State rallied late to beat the Grizzlies.

Pat Spencer had 17 points and seven assists, leading seven players in double figures for a Warriors team missing Stephen Curry for the fourth straight game because of a lingering right knee injury that coach Steve Kerr said would keep him out of the All-Star Game next week.

De’Anthony Melton’s layup with 2:46 left pulled the Warriors within 113-110 and Moses Moody made it a one-point game with 2 minutes remaining. Brandin Podziemski, Santos and Horford each scored 16 points, and Moody 15.

Earlier in the day, Curry’s backcourt mate, Jimmy Butler, underwent surgery in Los Angeles for a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee that ended his season last month.

Ty Jerome scored 14 of his 19 points in the first half and also dished out seven assists.

Jahmai Mashack scored 17 points off the bench, Taylor Hendricks had 15 points and 10 rebounds and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope contributed 15 points — and the Grizzlies reserves scored 68 points, most Golden State has given up to an opponent’s backups this season.

TRAIL BLAZERS 135, 76ERS 118

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Toumani Camara scored a career-high 30 points and shot 8 of 10 from 3-point range, Deni Avdija had 26 points and 10 rebounds and Portland used a huge third quarter to cruise to a victory Philadelphia.

Jerami Grant and Donovan Clingan each added 15 points for the Trail Blazers, who trailed 65-64 at halftime before outscoring the 76ers 49-22 in the third to take control.

Embiid, who scored 33 points in a win at Phoenix on Saturday night, sat out against Portland to rest his right knee after an off day. Tyrese Maxey had 30 points and Kelly Oubre Jr. 19 for the 76ers, who wrapped up a 3-2 Western road trip and lost for just the second time in eight games overall.

THUNDER 119, LAKERS 110

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jalen Williams scored 15 of his 23 points in the second half of his return from a 10-game injury absence, and Oklahoma City snapped their two-game skid with a victory over Los Angeles.

Reigning league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and current NBA scoring leader Luka Doncic both sat out due to injuries, leaving their supporting casts to play a Thunder-style physical game featuring 52 combined free throws.

LeBron James scored 14 of his 22 points in the second half for the Lakers, whose three-game winning streak ended with another ineffective defensive performance.

Jalen Williams, who had been out with a hamstring strain, and Jaylin Williams both hit big jumpers while the Thunder broke open a close game down the stretch. Chet Holmgren added a key put-back dunk with 1:17 to play for the NBA-leading Thunder, who had lost three of five.

Isaiah Joe scored 19 points and Alex Caruso added 17 from Oklahoma City’s bench. Holmgren had 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Marcus Smart scored 19 points and Austin Reaves had 16 on a minutes restriction for Los Angeles, which dropped to a pedestrian 14-9 at home.