Category: NBA

The Golden State Warriors return to action tonight, kicking off the 27-game second “half” with a home matchup against the Boston Celtics. The good news is that the Warriors should be quite well rested … they didn’t have a single player lace up their sneakers at the busy All-Star weekend. The bad news is that the rest doesn’t seem to have helped those in the infirmary. Steph Curry, who had been hoping to return before the break, has been ruled out for Thursday’s game, and it’s a little ominous — coach Steve Kerr has said that Curry might be headed for yet another MRI.

Despite all that, tonight’s game at the Chase Center is must-see TV for Dubs fans who are starved for hoops after a week without meaningful games … and for anyone invested in where the Warriors will end up in the standings. There’s no shortage of storylines to pay attention to as the Warriors get back on the court, but here are the eight biggest questions that will be answered over the next two months.

How does Kristaps Porziņģis fit?

The Warriors didn’t land Giannis Antetokounmpo, but they still made a significant addition at the NBA trade deadline. In two separate deals made to facilitate each other, the Warriors traded Jonathan Kuminga, Buddy Hield, and Trayce Jackson-Davis, while receiving Kristaps Porziņģis and a second-round draft pick.

Porziņģis, who was an All-Star in 2018, is on the final year of a two-year, $60 million deal that hasn’t aged particularly well … he’s only played in 59 games over the course of that contract, and has been traded twice. Yet it seems unlikely that the Warriors acquired him merely to be a rental who would reach free agency and seek out the next opportunity. Sure, there were some other long-term benefits of the trade for Golden State — they rid themselves of the final two years and nearly $20 million on Hield’s contract, and grabbed a late draft pick — but the primary goal of the trade was to acquire Porziņģis.

That’s not to say that the Warriors have already made up their mind that they’ll re-sign Porziņģis this summer (though they certainly can, as they acquired his Bird rights in the trade). But it does mean that they’re open to it and curious about it.

With the Warriors no longer harboring dreams of contention following Jimmy Butler III’s ACL tear, watching how Porziņģis fits with his new squad is the biggest storyline for the rest of the season. In theory, the 30-year old Latvian is a great fit with the team. He’s one of the tallest players in the NBA, at 7’2, and his wingspan is outrageous. Despite that daunting size, he’s a fluid player who moves well and has good athleticism, and is a career 36.6% shooter from deep … and 38.7% over the last four years. He’s a very strong defensive player, and can be a force on offense.

But there are always questions about how new players will fit in Kerr’s system, and alongside Curry, and that’s doubly true for big men. Can Porziņģis make the right reads and decisions, and can he make them quickly? Will he understand his role, set big screens, and fit the defensive scheme? An enormous, athletic, slick-shooting stretch five with strong defense feels like the perfect fit on offense next to Curry, and on defense next to Draymond Green, but you never know until you see it.

Perhaps more importantly is the question of whether or not Porziņģis, who has played just 17 games this year, can get healthy and stay healthy. He only played 42 games last year, and has hit the 60-game mark just once since the 2016-17 season. How he looks on the court — and how often he’s on it — may determine whether his 2026 stint with the Warriors is a blip on his Basketball-Reference page, or the start of a long journey.

How will Gui Santos, Will Richard, and Pat Spencer fare with larger roles?

Butler’s injury and the deadline trades opened up playing time for a lot of players, but specifically for three. With forwards Butler and Kuminga no longer suiting up, Gui Santos has slid into a large role, with Kerr saying that the Brazilian is likely to stay in the starting lineup going forward. With Hield gone, playing time has opened up for Richard to be one of the primary backcourt players off the bench. And with the team clearing some cap space and two roster spots, they were able to give Spencer a guaranteed contract, right as he exhausted his two-way contract playing time.

All three players have shown great things throughout the season, and all three have had moments where their inexperience is on full display. They now get nearly 30 games, with more leash than ever before, to prove that they can be not just intriguing players, but key rotation pieces on a good basketball team.

Richard is under contract for next season, but Spencer is not, and Santos has a team option. It seems certain that at least two of the trio will be on next year’s roster, and probable that all three will. But it’s audition time for each one: not just for a future roster spot, but for a more permanent role moving forward.

Is Steve Kerr enjoying himself?

After the shorthanded Warriors used a furious late rally to beat the Phoenix Suns two weeks ago, I commented on Bluesky that Kerr was “living his dream now.” It was mostly a joke, but not entirely. Kerr looked happy and rejuvenated. He admitted after the game that the win felt like a championship victory.

There’s no doubt that Kerr enjoys playing with a scrappy team of underdogs who hustle hard and buy into his philosophies, but that can only take you so far when you’re as competitive as he is. And while the Warriors can fill that role now, they can’t next year, when they’ll be anticipating the (eventual) return of Butler, while trying to push Curry’s championship window open once again.

The question becomes: is Kerr still enjoying this? It’s no secret that he is not under contract for next season. And while it’s also no secret that Kerr and Joe Lacob have not always seen eye to eye, Curry is the most powerful voice at 1 Warriors Way, and he has made his stance crystal clear: he doesn’t want to play for anyone else. That stance is strong enough that it will force Lacob to always have an offer on the table for Kerr; but no stance of Curry’s is strong enough to control Kerr’s desires. If he’s no longer enjoying himself, then this may be the final run. But if he looks as rejuvenated in the final months as he did in that win against Phoenix, you can bank on him returning to the Bay for a 13th season.

Can Seth Curry get healthy and prove himself?

The younger Curry’s season has quietly been one of the saddest parts of the year. At long last, the Curry brothers were united on the same team, and would get to share the court. But due to cap restrictions, the Warriors didn’t add Seth until December, and he played in just two games before suffering an injury that has sidelined him since. Worse yet, Steph was injured for the two games that Seth played in … so we still haven’t seen them on the court together.

While injuries are a persistent concern with Seth, he still looks the part of a player who could play a key role in the rotation. With Hield now in Atlanta, the Warriors are shockingly thin in terms of shooting depth, and Seth — a career 43.3% marksman from deep — can help with that. If he can get on the court and show that he fits in the system, he could play himself into a contract for next year, too.

Can they play well enough for next year?

Right now, the game plan for next season looks shockingly similar to what ended up being the course of last season: become a good enough team that adding Butler at the All-Star break can push them into contention.

It arguably did in 2024-25, when the Warriors beat the No. 2 seeded Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs, and were picked by many to topple the Minnesota Timberwolves in the semifinals before Curry suffered an injury that he never returned from.

Now they’ll try to do the same in 2026-27. Instead of getting Butler by trade, the Warriors can expect the six-time All-Star to return from his ACL injury sometime in January or February. In order for that to be as impactful as it was last year, the Dubs will need to be in a place where Butler’s presence can push them over the edge.

The next two months don’t count towards next year’s standings, but they will give the Warriors a sneak peek into next year. They simply need to be a team that can have a winning record without Butler if they want his return to nudge them into the realm of contention. If the Warriors look lost and hopeless over the rest of the regular season, then Mike Dunleavy Jr. will enter the offseason knowing he needs to make a sizable change before opening night. If they comfortably post a winning record between now and the end of the year, then they’ll have confidence that they only need to do a little tinkering, and then sit back and wait for Jimmy.

How consistent is Moses Moody?

It’s been a little bit of an up-and-down year for Moody. He’s spent most of the year looking like a solid rotation piece who should probably be coming off the bench on a good team. He’s spent some of the year looking like a high-quality starter who should get 30+ minutes every night. He’s spent some of the year looking like he belongs at the back of the bench.

Moody has two years and $26 million remaining on his contract after this season. Is he part of the next winning Warriors team? Or is that a contract they should be looking to move this offseason to facilitate more impactful moves? The Warriors have seen his talent on full display, but now they need to see if he can bring it consistently, in all phases of the game. It could shape the offseason.

Will Steph Curry’s injuries linger?

Injuries are nothing new to Curry, but lately they’ve become less severe and more varied. He’s been relegated to street clothes on a few different occasions this year, with various ailments. The latest issue, a case of runner’s knee, has been lingering. Curry had hoped to return before the All-Star break, but was then ruled out for the team’s final few games, and the All-Star Game as well. Worse yet, he won’t be on the court tonight, and may be headed for an MRI.

There’s only so much that we can learn about Curry’s 2026-27 health over the next two months. But needless to say, if he the current injury lingers — or if a few more pop up — it will be cause for concern as to whether or not he can stay healthy enough next year to lead the Dubs back into contention.

What rumors and reports pop up?

When the year began, no one expected the Warriors to trade for Antetokounmpo. But as the deadline approached, suddenly it started to feel like a distinct possibility. In the NBA, things are only off the table until they’re put on it; and they can be put on it very quickly.

There will be rumors about LeBron James having interest in joining forces with Curry and Green, two of the players he most respects in the league. Perhaps Kevin Durant, who already seems to be falling out of favor with the Rockets, will again be on the trading block and this time the Warriors won’t care about whether or not he wants to come back. Nikola Jokić is nearing free agency. The league can’t go more than a few months without a star surprisingly expressing that they’re no longer happy on their team. The Antetokounmpo rumors will certainly pop back up.

Nothing that big is even remotely likely to happen, but life moves fast in the NBA. Nobody thought James Harden was on the trading block a few weeks ago until a move was made. Heck, Luka Dončić was viewed as untouchable until a Shams Charania tweet was fired off one Saturday night last year.

The Warriors go big game hunting. If there’s actually any big game to hunt, it could control the shape of the summer.

MILAN (AP) — The U.S. women's hockey team delivered an Olympic comeback for the ages by beating Canada 2-1 in overtime to win the gold medal at the Milan Cortina Olympics on Thursday.

With her team trailing 1-0, American captain Hilary Knight forced overtime by tipping in Laila Edwards’ shot with 2:04 remaining in regulation.

Megan Keller then scored 4:07 into overtime to hand the U.S. its third Olympic gold medal in women’s hockey.

It was the seventh time the two powerhouses faced off for Olympic gold since women’s hockey debuted at the 1998 Nagano Games. In the 2022 Beijing final, Canada beat the Americans in the final.

With the sides playing 3-on-3 in overtime, Keller broke up the left wing and pushed past Claire Thompson. Driving to the net, Keller got off a backhander that beat Ann-Renee Desbiens.

Kristin O’Neill scored a short-handed goal for Canada in the second period.

Earlier Thursday, Alina Muller scored the bronze medal-winning goal in overtime in Switzerland’s 2-1 victory over Sweden. It came 12 years after Muller scored the clinching goal to deliver the Swiss their first Olympic medal in women’s hockey — a bronze at the 2014 Sochi Games.

Jordan Stolz stunned in 1,500 meters

U.S. speedskater Jordan Stolz’s late push wasn’t enough.

The American star settled for silver in the 1,500 meters, missing a chance to secure a third gold medal at the Milan Cortina Games.

China’s Ning Zhongyan won Thursday’s race in an Olympic-record time of 1 minute, 41.98 seconds. The 21-year-old Stolz, who won gold medals in the 500 and 1,000 at these Games, crossed 0.77 seconds later.

As Stolz glided by, hands on his knees, Ning raised his country’s flag aloft with both hands and started a victory lap.

Stolz, a Wisconsin native, will participate in the mass start on Saturday.

Dutch skater Kjeld Nuis, who won the 1,500 at the past two Olympics, took bronze.

Eileen Gu advances to halfpipe final despite fall

Defending Olympic champion Eileen Gu shook off a fall during her opening run to advance to Saturday's final in freeski halfpipe. The 22-year-old Gu was born in the United States and competes for China.

She clipped the lip of the halfpipe on the third trick of her first run, knocking her left ski off and sending her skittering to the bottom of the course.

That set up a pressure-packed second attempt that run earned 86.50 points, good enough to place fifth among the 12 skiers who advanced to the final.

US and Canada reach women’s curling semifinals

The United States and Canada advanced to the women’s curling semifinals.

The Americans, skipped by Tabitha Peterson, beat Switzerland 7-6 in a match that went to an extra end. The teams will square off again in Friday’s semifinals.

Peterson threw the decisive rock and her teammates swept it into position, just a hair closer to the button than the Swiss’ nearest stone.

Canada beat South Korea 10-7 and will play Sweden on Friday.

___

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

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The Denver Nuggets are still a long way from healthy, but they should nonetheless be deeper than the Los Angeles Clippers after the trade deadline.

My Nuggets vs. Clippers predictions trust Denver’s best player in part because of his conditioning, one of many NBA picks on Thursday, February 19.

Nuggets vs Clippers prediction

Nuggets vs Clippers best bet: Nikola Jokic Over 26.5 points (-120)

Since the Los Angeles Clippers traded Ivica Zubac, who do they expect to defend Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic?

Brook Lopez is not the defensive stalwart he once was, and even at his peak, he was not necessarily quick enough to keep up with Jokic. Asking Kawhi Leonard to slow the Serbian would deplete the Clippers’ best offensive threat.

Jokic’s physicality should abuse Los Angeles. He is simply too much of a mismatch against this version of the Clippers’ roster.

Nuggets vs Clippers same-game parlay

With Jokic dominating the Clippers inside and on the glass, he should set a tone that leads to a cover of this modest spread.

Nuggets vs Clippers SGP

• Nikola Jokic Over 26.5 points
• Nikola Jokic Over 12.5 rebounds
• Nuggets -4.5

Our "from downtown" SGP: Turn it up, Kawhi

Kawhi Leonard is playing the best basketball of his Clippers tenure, as seen for a moment in the All-Star Game.

Nuggets vs Clippers SGP

• Nikola Jokic Over 26.5 points
• Nikola Jokic Over 12.5 rebounds
• Kawhi Leonard Over 27.5 points
• Nuggets -4.5

Nuggets vs Clippers odds

• Spread: Nuggets -4.5 | Clippers +4.5
• Moneyline: Nuggets -190 | Clippers +160
• Over/Under: Over 226 | Under 226

Nuggets vs Clippers betting trend to know

The Nuggets are 2-0 both outright and against the spread against the Clippers this season, exceeding bookmakers’ expectations by a combined 25 points in those two games. Find more NBA betting trends for Nuggets vs. Clippers.

How to watch Nuggets vs Clippers

Nuggets vs Clippers latest injuries

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

It’s no surprise the Sixers were targeting a guard on the open market after the trade deadline.

The team sent Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Eric Gordon to the Memphis Grizzlies with no NBA players coming back to Philly. With Quentin Grimes missing two games with an illness before the All-Star break, the Sixers’ lack of depth at guard was exposed.

While names like Lonzo Ball and D’Angelo Russell were thrown out there, the Sixers ultimately decided to bring back a familiar face in Cameron Payne. The 31-year-old was playing in Serbia for Partizan when he got word of the Sixers’ interest a few days ago.

His agent warned him things could move quickly from there.

“It actually happened really fast,” Payne said at the Sixers practice facility Wednesday. “[My agent] told me, ‘It’s going to happen pretty fast, so you might want to pack.‘”

Payne is no stranger to these types of twists and turns. He was the 14th overall pick in 2015 out of Murray State by the Oklahoma City Thunder. He struggled with injuries and inconsistency early in his career. He was traded to the Chicago Bulls, spent time with the Cleveland Cavaliers and even played two games in China in 2019.

He was able to resurrect his career with the Phoenix Suns, helping that team reach the Finals in 2020-21. He signed with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2023-24 and was traded (along with a second-round pick) to the Sixers for Patrick Beverley. He gave the Sixers some solid minutes down the stretch and into the playoffs, parlaying that into a contract with the New York Knicks in 2024-25.

The Knicks moved on and Payne was in camp with the Indiana Pacers ahead of the 2025-26 season. He didn’t make the opening night roster and was waived. Instead of sitting around waiting for his next opportunity, Payne made the decision to go overseas.

As Payne learned, if you’re playing basketball somewhere in the world, the NBA will still have eyes on you.

“I told my agent this morning, I was like, ‘I don’t know how I keep finding a way to get back [the the NBA],‘” Payne said. “But I guess the NBA is still watching. If you still take your game seriously and do the right things, play the right way, they’re still looking.”

Payne enjoyed the experience with Partizan. He said the environment is a little wild — almost college-like. “It was lit, man,” he said. The other thing he got to do there was be the focal point of an offense, something he hadn’t been able to do since college. It was an opportunity and responsibility he didn’t take lightly.

While nobody will be asking that of him with the Sixers, they could certainly use a guard off the bench. Tyrese Maxey leads the NBA in minutes per game by a healthy margin. VJ Edgecombe leads all rookies in minutes — also by a healthy margin. Payne can play alongside either guy while giving the duo some rest during the final 28 games of the season.

Nick Nurse made it known that Payne will get minutes — in part to help his electric backcourt get to the postseason as fresh as possible.

“He can eat into some of those minutes to get those guys off the floor, for sure,” Nurse said. “And I would imagine down the stretch there’ll be games where he’ll play super huge minutes, too, when those two guys …. the workload gets [high] we can throw him in there in certain games, and he’s capable of doing that.”

If nothing else, Payne provides stability. The team knows what he is and what he brings to the table every night, something you couldn’t say about the Sixers’ guards off the bench this season.

“We know him,” Nurse said. “Veteran ball-handler. Guy who’s played in some big games. I think we’ve seen Cam provide some speed, energy, three-point shooting, run some pick-and-roll, get some layups here and there. … He looked like he’s in a really good rhythm. He’s been playing at a pretty high level over there.”

Payne has been in these spots. He knows what it takes to succeed, whether he’s playing big minutes or barely leaving the bench.

“I just always say ‘be you,’” Payne said. “Don’t ever change for anybody. Just be yourself.”

In 31 games for the Sixers back in 2023-24, Payne shot 38.2% from three and averaged 9.3 points and 3.1 assists in 19.4 minutes per game. If that’s what the team gets now — on top of the energy he brings to the table — it’ll be a shrewd signing.

The Lakers were relatively quiet at the trade deadline aside from swapping Gabe Vincent for Luke Kennard. That’s in part because their proximity to their first-apron hard cap (less than $1.5 million away) limited what they could do.

That shouldn’t be the case this offseason.

The Lakers have long been projected to boast max or near-max cap room and the trade deadline did not change that. Because both Vincent and Kennard are on expiring contracts, that trade had no bearing on the Lakers’ outlook beyond this year.

That was undoubtedly intentional. With LeBron James’ future still very much up in the air, the Lakers are keeping their options open.

That isn’t the case for every team that was initially projected to be a factor in the 2026 free-agent market. The Washington Wizards were initially projected to have $80-plus million in cap space this offseason, but they spent it all in “pre-agency” by acquiring Trae Young and Anthony Davis ahead of the trade deadline. The Utah Jazz blew through theirs as well by acquiring Jaren Jackson Jr. while the L.A. Clippers made a pair of trades that suggests Kawhi Leonard could be next to go this offseason.

Keith Smith of Spotrac now projects only three teams to have significant cap space this offseason, plus/minus the Atlanta Hawks and Detroit Pistons. The Lakers are leading the way.

Longtime salary-cap analyst Yossi Gozlan took it one step further.

That seems good. Is that good? (Just don’t spend it all on a 34-year-old Paul George. Take it from a Sixers fan.)

The Lakers’ 2026-27 cap sheet

The Lakers have two major variables to confront this offseason: LeBron’s future and Austin Reaves’ free agency. The good news is that until they re-sign Reaves, their cap sheet is relatively clean at the moment.

Luka Dončić will begin the three-year max extension he signed this past August, which will start at 30% of whatever next year’s salary cap ends up being. Based on the current $166 million cap projection, Dončić’s new deal would start at $49.8 million.

For now, Dončić is the only Lakers player under contract for next season who’s earning more than $15 million. Jarred Vanderbilt ($12.4 million), Jake LaRavia ($6.0 million), Dalton Knecht ($4.2 million) and Adou Thiero ($2.2 million) are the only four other players on guaranteed contracts, while nearly $1.26 million of Bronny James’ $2.3 million salary is guaranteed.

The Lakers will also enter the offseason with a $20.9 million cap hold on their books for Reaves. As we’ve covered before, the Lakers will presumably try to follow the same blueprint the Philadelphia 76ers used with Tyrese Maxey to take advantage of his below-market cap hold. They’ll spend the rest of their cap space first, then re-sign him via Bird rights even though that will push them over the salary cap.

Between Dončić, Vanderbilt, LaRavia, Knecht, Thiero, the guaranteed portion of Bronny’s contract and Reaves’ cap hold, the Lakers will be entering the offseason with $96.7 million in guaranteed salary on their books.

That doesn’t mean they’ll have nearly $70 million of cap space to spend, though.

For one, they’ll have an incomplete roster charge of roughly $1.36 million for every open roster spot below 12. Even if they fully guarantee Bronny’s contract, they’d have $6.8 million of incomplete roster charges on their books until they filled those spots.

The bigger swing factors are Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton, who have $5.4 million and $8.1 million player options for next season, respectively. They also have a $2.5 million team option on Kobe Bufkin, which they figure to decline to maximize their financial flexibility.

Assuming the Lakers do decline their team option on Bufkin, here’s how much cap space they’re projected to have depending on what Ayton and Smart do with their respective player options.

• Both decline: $61.4 million
• Smart picks up, Ayton declines: $57.1 million
• Ayton picks up, Smart declines: $54.7 million
• Both pick up: $50.3 million

All of those figures would require the Lakers to renounce the rights to all of their free agents other than Reaves, including LeBron and Rui Hachimura. They also don’t factor in whichever first-round pick the Lakers land this summer.

The Lakers’ free-agency outlook

Based on the current $166 million cap projection for 2026-27, a max contract for someone with 0-6 years of NBA experience would start at $41.5 million, someone with 7-9 years of NBA experience (like Luka) would start at $49.8 million and someone with 10 or more years of NBA experience would start at $58.1 million.

That makes James the first domino that must fall for the Lakers. Until they either re-sign him or renounce his free-agent rights, they won’t have any cap space whatsoever.

If the Lakers do clear $50-plus million in space, they’ve already discussed going after Andrew Wiggins, Tari Eason and Peyton Watson, among others, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. He mentioned Tobias Harris, Quentin Grimes and Dean Wade as other possible candidates who fit the Lakers’ need for more long-range shooters and defenders.

After the trade deadline, general manager Rob Pelinka told reporters that the Lakers had been “aggressive” in conversations, but they decided to prioritize their long-term future.

“I would say we were aggressive,” Pelinka said. “And one form of being aggressive is saying no to moves that come your way that might not be best for the short- and long-term future, that’s like being aggressive even though you end up doing nothing. Because it’s hard to say no sometimes to getting a good player that could be a quick short-term fix but could have implications for the long-term where it doesn’t fit into the overall vision you have for the team.”

If the Lakers look to maximize their financial flexibility, there’s a wide range of possible outcomes this offseason. The NBA has become even more unpredictable in the second-apron era, as teams are more desperate than ever to dump overpaid stars (or former stars) on massive contracts.

The Wizards acquired both Young and Davis for pennies on the dollar ahead of this year’s trade deadline. The Memphis Grizzlies were reportedly eager to offload Ja Morant as well, but they couldn’t find a taker even after trading Jackson to Utah.

Pelinka believes the Lakers might be able to take advantage of other teams this offseason that are looking to dump contracts for whatever reason.

“Knowing that there’s an unintended consequence when a new system comes into place — teams kind of learn their way through it — we felt like creating optionality or having optionality now is really a positive thing for us this coming offseason,” Pelinka told reporters. “Because there’s some teams that maybe have gotten too deep into the aprons. And I think players, we see around the league, that become available when teams get in that position.”

“Whether it’s through free agency, whether it’s keeping our own players, whether it’s looking around the league for players that are really good that maybe teams are trying to get off salary, we feel like there’ll be so many different ways to complete our roster in the offseason.”

The Lakers have a megastar in Dončić and a unique amount of potential cap space for a title hopeful this offseason. This summer will go a long way toward determining how well they can build a championship contender around Luka over the next few years.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Spotrac and salary-cap information via RealGM.

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The Mountain West men’s basketball season is in full swing, but it’s never a bad time to discuss past Mountain West stars and their journeys after being in the conference. It’s time for our annual “Mountain West in the NBA” update, so let’s not waste any more time and dive into it!

Colorado State:

Isaiah Stevens, G/F, Sacramento Kings

After parlaying a strong summer into a two-way contract with the Miami Heat last season, Stevens found a new home in Sacramento. Though he’s spent most of the season in Stockton with the Kings’ G-League affiliate, averaging 14.1 points and 8.3 assists in 27 combined games. Stevens has played six career NBA games up to this point, totaling 10 points with five rebounds, 10 assists and six steals in 49 minutes.

Fresno State:

Orlando Robinson, C, UFA

Robinson was recently released by the Orlando Magic, who he held a two-way contract with. Robinson has been apart of four organizations (Heat, Kings, Raptors, Magic) the last three seasons, averaging 4.9 points and 3.7 rebounds across 13.1 minutes per game over that span (84 games; 16 starts).

Nevada:

Cody Martin, F, Indiana Pacers

Martin’s career has largely been affected by injury, playing roughly 37 percent of available games over the last four seasons. He signed a 10-day hardship contract with the beleagured Indiana Pacers in November, and has since played 10 games with the Noblesville Boom (Pacers G-League affiliate), averaging 13.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.4 steals on 54.9 percent true shooting.

Caleb Martin, F, Dallas Mavericks

Martin was dealt to Dallas in February of 2025 as part of the Quentin Grimes 1-for-1 swap with Philadelphia. Martin, 30, has appeared in 46 games (10 starts) with the Mavericks this season, averaging 3.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists on 44.5 percent shooting, including 36.8 percent from 3-point range and 62.9 percent from the charity stripe.

Kobe Sanders, G, Los Angeles Clippers

Drafted No. 50 overall in last summer’s draft, Sanders’ emergence with Los Angeles has been one of their brighest spots this season. The Clippers recently converted Sanders into a standard contract, where he’s averaging 6.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists on 43.6/37.0/80.0 shooting splits.

San Diego State:

Kawhi Leonard, F, Los Angeles Clippers

Leonard has been one of the NBA’s best players for the last 2-3 months. The Aztec alum is leading the NBA in steals (2.1), tallying 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game on 49.1 percent shooting and 61.9 percent true shooting. Notably, Leonard took All-Star weekend by storm, scoring 37 points in three 12-minute games on 13-of-24 shooting and 7-of-12 from distance. The 14-year vet has, once again, reinforced the belief that he’s arguably the league’s best two-way player — when he’s on the court, which has occassionally been a struggle.

UNLV:

Derrick Jones Jr., F, Los Angeles Clippers

Our third Clipper! Jones has been one of their best point-of-attack defenders and 3-point shooters the last two seasons. In 99 games with the Clips, Jones is averaging 10.1 points and 3.2 rebounds on 36.7 percent shooting from 3-point range, where he’s taken nearly 40 percent of his attempts.

Utah State:

Sam Merrill, G, Cleveland Cavaliers

Merrill has carved a niche as an elite 3-point shooter. Over the last three seasons, the Aggie alum is shooting 40.8 percent from beyond the arc on 5.8 3-point attempts per game (86.5 3PAr!), including a remarkable 47.2 percent on 7.5 triple tries in 31 games (22 starts) this year. He’s been in-and-out of the team’s lineup due to injury, but he’s been the best shooter on a middle-of-the-pack 3-point shooting team through 55 games.

Neemias Queta, C, Boston Celtics

Amid the departures of Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Luke Kornet, Queta, a five-year veteran, has been thrust into a much larger role with the Celtics this year. And he’s played up to expectation, tallying 9.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks on 65.5 percent true shooting in 51 games (50 starts) this year. Most importantly, he’s shown he can be a starting-level center in the right context, even though he still has plenty of room to grow as a defender.

Wyoming:

Larry Nance Jr., F, Cleveland Cavaliers

Nance, now in his age-33 season, has sparingly played with Cleveland in his second stint there. He’s essentially been an end-of-bench rotation player this time around, averaging 3.6 points and 2.6 rebounds in 12.9 minutes per game across 25 appearances. We are toward the end of the hill with Nance, who has largely battled injuries over his 11-year journey.

Tonight, the post-All-Star break gauntlet begins. And if it feels like you have heard me use that word before when talking about the Phoenix Suns, you are not imagining things. It always feels this way. For whatever reason, the Suns routinely land in the top ten in remaining strength of schedule, and yes, I went to Tankathon to double-check myself before saying it out loud again.

Checks Tankathon…

Ummm…why aren’t the Suns on anyone’s ‘toughest opponent’ list? What are we? Chopped liver here?!

What’s left is no joke. The final 27 games are stacked with teams that have something at stake. These are not drifting opponents. These are teams fighting for playoff positioning, teams clawing to avoid the Play-In, teams scrapping to get into it. And that is exactly where Phoenix lives right now, right in the middle of the mess, where every night feels like it carries a little extra weight.

The difference now is perception. The Suns are no longer sneaking up on anyone. That part of the season is gone. They have exceeded expectations, changed the tone around the league, and earned a reputation. Teams know what’s coming. They know about the pressure, the physicality, the disruption Phoenix brings possession after possession. Whether opponents can actually execute through that chaos is a different conversation, and one we are going to track in real time as this thing winds down. But the margin is thinner now. The urgency is louder. And this final stretch is going to tell us exactly who the Suns are, even though everyone knows the test is coming.

When you dig into the numbers and look at what remains, a few things jump out that feel worth paying attention to. Of the 27 games left, 14 are against teams currently above the .500 mark. To this point in the season, the Suns are 13–17 against teams over .500. That tells you that they have been good, not great, in those environments. Competitive but not dominant.

Where they have made their money is against lesser competition. Phoenix is 19–6 against teams under .500, and there are still 13 games left on the schedule against that tier of opponent. It reinforces what we already know. This team takes care of business when it should, and that has been a defining characteristic of the season.

So if you take those pre-All-Star break trends, apply the same winning percentages to what lies ahead, and do a little honest math (.433 winning percentage against over .500 teams, .760 winning percentage against sub-.500 teams, divided into the respective remaining totals against teams currently classified as such), the projection lands in a very reasonable place. A 17-12 finish over the final 27 games. That puts the Suns at 49–33. The question is now can that do that?

The feel-good story of the Suns is about to be tested over the remainder of the season, and a big part of that is because the expectations have quietly shifted, at least in the eyes of the fan base. This was a team that most people penciled in for around 31 wins, maybe fewer if things broke the wrong way. They hit 32 before the All-Star break.

When you start there, the natural question becomes how much the organization adjusts its priorities, its internal expectations, and its timelines. If the trade deadline told us anything about how Mat Ishbia and Brian Gregory view this season, it is that they are committed to staying the course. The focus remains on long-term viability and organizational health rather than chasing short-term fixes in a season where a championship run still feels out of reach. There was no panic. No swing for the fences. No attempt to paper over cracks with temporary solutions.

Now the roster is set. This is the team. And the interesting thing is that Phoenix is not alone in that reality. Every team they are chasing, or being chased by, has issues of its own. Oklahoma City does not look like the same juggernaut it was a year ago, and it is dealing with health concerns. Houston is staring down a Kevin Durant-sized cloud, something Suns fans know all too well. Minnesota has struggled to consistently beat quality opponents. The Lakers lack depth. The Warriors are showing the very real effects of age and injuries.

There are no clean paths in this part of the standings. No perfect teams waiting at the top. The Suns are flawed, but so is everyone else, and that is what makes the final stretch of this season so fascinating.

So the question becomes: as we march toward March, how many of the Suns’ deficiencies will actually show themselves and be exploited by opposing teams over the remainder of the schedule? How many wins? How many losses? Where does this ultimately land them in the standings? There are 27 games left, and every one of them feels like a data point in a larger experiment. How much of what we have seen so far is sustainable? How much of it was momentum, surprise, and timing lining up just right?

And maybe the most important question of all: how do you feel about the very real possibility that this team stumbles down the stretch? Because that possibility exists. The reasons are clear. The margin is thin. The league adjusts. The legs get heavy. The film piles up.

But if this team has taught us anything this season, it is to expect the unexpected. To acknowledge all the reasons it should not work, then sit back and enjoy it when it does. This is not a team built through traditional roster construction, clean archetypes, or tidy measurables. They are winning through things you cannot easily chart. Heart. Connectivity. Trust. Talent that keeps outperforming expectations.

So here we go. The final 27. No safety net. No mystery left. It starts tonight against the San Antonio Spurs.

Kansas' Darryn Peterson has been one of the best players in college basketball season — when he has been on the court.

Unfortunately for the Jayhawks, that hasn't happened nearly as much as the NCAA Tournament champion hopefuls might have envisioned.

Peterson's inconsistent availability has been head-scratching at times, as he has played in 15 of Kansas' 26 games this season due to a nagging hamstring injury. He also missed a game against top-ranked Arizona with flu-like symptoms. He most recently subbed himself out early in the second half of Kansas' 81-69 win over Oklahoma State on Feb. 18, and didn't sub back in after playing 18 minutes.

REQUIRED READING: 'Learned to play without him': Kansas' Bill Self addresses Darryn Peterson saga

Peterson's participation in games has become a national story in recent weeks, and ESPN's Stephen A. Smith said on Thursday, Feb. 19, that he wouldn't take Peterson No. 1 overall due to the questions surrounding the talented guard.

"There is no team in (expletive) that should grab Darryn Peterson No. 1," he said on ESPN's "First Take." "You cannot do it. The first ability is availability. And my brother, Darryn Peterson, I hope you're watching because I'm talking directly to him, and whoever — his family members, his inner circle, whatever. What the (expletive) is going on? ... This is business. I can't trust him. You cannot be trusted."

The projected No. 1 overall pick of the 2026 NBA Draft is averaging 20 points per game this season on 48.5% shooting and a 43.1% mark from 3-point range. Kansas coach Bill Self said after the game Peterson left due to "cramping," adding he was disappointed because he thought Peterson was "good to go" pregame.

Former Duke star Jay Williams, the No. 2 overall pick of the 2002 NBA Draft to the Chicago Bulls, also questioned drafting Peterson at No. 1.

"If I were a general manager, I would be extremely concerned about Darryn Peterson," Williams said on ESPN's "Get Up" on Feb. 19. "I don't question his talent at all. His talent is the No. 1 pick in the draft. But I would take (BYU forward) AJ Dybantsa because I'm not sure about the availability of Darryn Peterson."

ESPN's Scott Van Pelt also questioned Peterson's intangibles on Feb. 18 after Peterson checked himself out of the Oklahoma State game.

“When the presumed No. 1 player sits out a home game against unbeaten, No. 1 Arizona with the flu after having all these questions and managing minutes throughout the season with other issues, it makes people wonder," Van Pelt said, "Not about his talent, but about those intangibles that can’t really be measured."

In a year with multiple high-end NBA draft prospects such as Dybantsa, Duke's Cameron Boozer, Houston's Kingston Flemings and North Carolina's Caleb Wilson, an NBA organization may have second guesses when it comes to Peterson as a prospect given his recent availability. At least, according to some NBA experts around the league.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stephen A. Smith, others weigh in on Darryn Peterson's NBA draft prospects

After an anomalous hot December produced a 7-4 record and—briefly—the NBA’s best defense, the Nets have settled back into their intended losing ways. Going into the final two months of a long season, they have the
fifth-worst offense in the league, the fifth-worst defense, and the fifth-worst record. (Note to lottery dreamers: the fifth-worst record earns the sixth pick, on average.)

Unsurprisingly, the Nets haven’t been good at much. Their effective field goal percentage is 27th in the league (52.6%), and their effective field goal defense is 28th (56.5%). If you can’t make shots and can’t prevent the other guys from making shots, you’re not going to win. But let’s be a little more specific. What have the Nets done (relatively) well? And what are their most urgent problem areas?

The NBA tracks offensive and defensive performance for a variety of distinct play types. The most common types—spot-up shots, pick-and-roll plays, and transition plays—each account for roughly one-fifth of a typical NBA offense. The Nets are below league average in efficiency (points scored per possession) in all three of those categories. (The size of each circle in the figure reflects the frequency of those plays, and the position above or below the dotted line indicates the Nets’ efficiency relative to other teams.)

The most distinctive aspect of the Nets’ offensive profile is their reliance on spot-up shooting. More than 28% of their offense consists of stationary spot-up shots, about 5% more than the league average. However, they average a bit less than one point per possession on those shots, well below the league average.

Noah Clowney is 8th in the NBA in spot-up shots per game (5.7), but 253rd in efficiency (.96 points per). Michael Porter Jr. is 18th in volume (5.0 per game), but 245th in efficiency. Jalen Wilson and Ziaire Williams take fewer shots, but they are among the league’s top 20 in their reliance on spot-up shots, and they rank 193rd and 200th in spot-up scoring efficiency. If spot-up shooting is going to be the team’s offensive calling card, these are probably not the guys you want taking the shots. (Egor Dëmin is 46th in the league in spot-up scoring efficiency, but he takes just 3.5 per game.)

Handoff plays are another notable offensive weakness. They are among the least efficient offensive options, even for average teams—only slightly more efficient than isolation plays. As a result, most teams limit their use of handoffs to less than 5% of offensive possessions. The Nets rely on them much more heavily, for 9% of their offensive possessions, despite being well below the low league average in efficiency. Nic Claxton and Day’Ron Sharpe are both posting the best assist numbers of their careers, so hurray?

The Nets are even further below average in transition scoring. Typical NBA teams score 1.14 points per transition play, making them the most efficient common play type. But the Nets get out in transition less often than most other teams do—and when they do, they manage just 1.07 points per possession. As a result, they are dead last in the league in transition points per game and in fast break points per possession. They need more defensive rebounds (currently 28th), more steals (currently 22nd), and more emphasis on pushing the ball all the way up the court, not just far enough to get into offensive sets.

Play type weaknesses are arguably even worse for a team’s defense. If the Nets’ offense does poorly with, say, post-up plays, they can simply choose to run fewer post-up plays. But on defense, they need to defend whatever comes at them, and well-prepared opponents will aim to exploit weak links. While offensive versatility is a virtue, defensive versatility is a matter of survival.

The Nets’ problems in transition are mirrored at the defensive end. Their opponents get out in transition on 20% of their plays, and they score a league-high 1.20 points per possession on those plays. The result: No team gives up more fast break points. Both the frequency and the efficiency of opponents’ transition plays owe something to the Nets’ numerous live-ball turnovers; they average 9 opponents’ steals and almost 22 transition possessions per game. Still, it is striking that a team well above average in defending putbacks is so far below average in transition defense.

The Nets have been even more inefficient defending screen plays. These aren’t a big part of most teams’ offensive repertoires, nor are they generally all that potent; but Nets’ opponents have averaged a remarkable 1.29 points per possession on screen plays. The next worst team in the league, Sacramento, gives up just 1.13, and average NBA defenses give up just .98. With 135 screen plays defended so far this season, this is hardly the Nets’ most important defensive failing—but it should be a point of embarrassment.

The Nets are a young team heavily invested in “development.” But development mostly means focusing on what is hard. As a wise young man put it even before the season got underway, “I’m not only trying to do what I’m good at and be happy with whatever I have. I’m trying to be a versatile player and to be able to execute whatever I’m being asked.” That’s a good philosophy for teams as well as individuals. In the Nets’ remaining 29 games, even fans who are not looking for wins should be looking for collective improvement in the areas where they are weakest.

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The next few weeks will be a joy. Can the San Antonio Spurs catch the Thunder atop the West? Can the Phoenix Suns escape the Play-In Tournament?

My Suns vs. Spurs predictions expect San Antonio to start the season’s homestretch with aggression, one of many NBA picks for Thursday, February 19.

Suns vs Spurs prediction

Suns vs Spurs best bet: Spurs -7.5 (-110)

Predicting results immediately after the All-Star Break can be an exercise in educated guessing. But looking at the NBA standings, it should be clear that the San Antonio Spurs have an opportunity in front of them, sitting only three games behind the Thunder for the No. 1 seed in the West.

The Phoenix Suns were already stumbling heading into the break, losing three of four both outright and against the spread. It would be bold to assume those mistakes turned into focus during the weeklong break.

Suns vs Spurs same-game parlay

Devin Booker has played only two games in three weeks. He is not in rhythm, and that will become an issue against the Spurs’ length. Those misses should lead to transition opportunities for Victor Wembanyama to capitalize on.

Suns vs Spurs SGP

• Spurs -7.5
• Devin Booker Under 25.5 points
• Victor Wembanyama Over 22.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Spurring on the offense

San Antonio’s last five games before the All-Star Break all went Over their totals.

Suns vs Spurs SGP

• Spurs -7.5
• Devin Booker Under 25.5 points
• Victor Wembanyama Over 22.5 points
• Over 229.5

Suns vs Spurs odds

• Spread: Suns +7.5 (-110) | Spurs -7.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Suns +235 | Spurs -290
• Over/Under: Over 229.5 (-110) | Under 229.5 (-110)

Suns vs Spurs betting trend to know

The Spurs not only cashed five straight Overs before the All-Star Break, but did so by an average of 18.9 points per game. Find more NBA betting trends for Suns vs. Spurs.

How to watch Suns vs Spurs

Suns vs Spurs latest injuries

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Our NBA player prop projections are back for Wednesday’s showdown, and the model has circled a few player props worth your attention.

We ran the numbers, compared projections to the posted lines, and found the spots where there’s actual breathing room.

In these Celtics vs. Warriors predictions, we’re not guessing — we’re leaning on data.

If you’re building out your card, these are the NBA picks the system says have value on February 19.

Celtics vs Warriors computer picks for February 19

Celtics	Warriors
Queta o6.5 points -105	Green o8.5 points  -105
Pritchard o3.5 rebounds -125	Porzingis o12.5 points -105
Brown o4.5 assists  +122	Santos u4.5 rebounds  -112

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Celtics computer picks

Neemias Queta Over 6.5 points (-105)

Projection: 8.5 points

Neemias Queta doesn’t need plays drawn up for him; he scores off effort. Dump-offs, put-backs, and rim runs add up fast if he sees mid-20s minutes. The projection has him comfortably clearing this, and 6.5 is still a role-player number, not a featured-minutes number.

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Payton Pritchard Over 3.5 rebounds (-125)

Projection: 4.5 rebounds

Payton Pritchard crashes hard for a guard and benefits from long rebounds off perimeter-heavy games. He plays enough minutes and stays active enough to clear four more often than not. The projection gives him a full-board cushion over this line.

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Jaylen Brown Over 4.5 assists (+122)

Projection: 4.7 assists

Jaylen Brown is averaging 4.7 assists per game, which already clears this number. You’re getting plus money on a line that sits below his season average. With the ball in his hands consistently and his usage steady, this is asking him to simply be himself — not have a spike game.

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Warriors computer picks

Draymond Green Over 8.5 points (-105)

Projection: 9.5 points

Draymond Green doesn’t need volume to clear this number. Between transition buckets, short-roll finishes, and the occasional open three, he usually stumbles into double digits when the minutes are there. This line is modest, and the projection gives him a full point of cushion.

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Kristaps Porzingis Over 12.5 points (-105)

Projection: 14.0 points

When Kristaps Porzingis is healthy and involved, 13 points is a low bar. He can get there with a few post touches, pick-and-pop looks, and trips to the line. The projection leans comfortably Over, and this number hasn’t fully adjusted to his scoring role.

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Gui Santos Under 5.5 rebounds (-112)

Projection: 4.8 rebounds

Gui Santos would need above-average minutes or an outlier rebounding game to get to six. His role fluctuates, and he’s not a primary glass-crasher when the regular rotation is intact. The projection keeps him safely below this number.

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How to watch Celtics vs Warriors tonight

Location	Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Date	Thursday, February 19, 2026
Tip-off	10:00 p.m. ET
TV	Prime Video

Not intended for use in MA.
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Cooper Flagg has set yet another record.

A jersey the Dallas Mavericks phenom wore in his NBA debut earlier this season sold privately this month for $1 million, auction house Sotheby’s announced Thursday.

The price tag makes it not only the most expensive Flagg memorabilia to date, but also the costliest jersey ever sold through NBA Auctions, besting the $762,000 figure Victor Wembanyama’s rookie-debut threads netted in 2023, Sotheby’s added.

Flagg donned the white-and-blue uni on Oct. 22, when the Mavericks faced the Spurs at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

The former Duke star, who was just 18 years old at the time, played 32 minutes and scored 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting. He added 10 rebounds and one steal. The Mavericks got blown out, 125–92.

Flagg went on to have a stellar first half of the season, averaging 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists per contest in 49 games before the NBA’s All-Star break.

“The $1 million result for Cooper Flagg’s rookie debut jersey is a powerful testament to the
significance collectors place on true ‘first moments’ in sport,” said Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of modern collectables.

“This jersey captures the very beginning of a special career, one carrying huge expectations and excitement.”

Several other rookie debut jerseys, including ones worn by 76ers guard V.J. Edgecombe, Hornets guard Kon Knueppel and Spurs guard Dylan Harper, will go up for sale in an “NBA Rookie Debut Auction” next month, Sotheby’s said.

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Heading into the season, the Philadelphia 76ers had a gargantuan-sized hole at the power forward position.

With limited avenues available in offseason free agency based on the team’s salary cap situation, Daryl Morey sought to spackle over the hole by signing Trendon Watford to a minimum contract and bringing in a couple of two-way contract signings, Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker. Watford has been productive at times after being slow out of the gate due to injury, while Walker has exceeded expectations in his own right, recently signing a standard NBA contract.

However, Barlow, who also has since been awarded a standard deal with the Sixers, proved to be the true diamond in the rough.

The 6-foot-9 forward has made 36 starts across 43 appearances for Philadelphia this season. His averages of 8.5 points and 5.0 rebounds don’t jump off the page, but as a “doing the little things All-Star,” Dominick was integral to the Sixers exceeding expectations heading into the All-Star break.

Barlow fits as the perfect glue guy alongside the team’s high-usage stars. While he does have some off-the-dribble game, he does most of his damage without the ball in his hands, whether setting screens, spotting up in the corner, or lurking in the dunker spot. Barlow’s 10 offensive rebounds against the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this month were a perfect encapsulation of how he causes damage when the opposing defense takes their eyes off him to focus on his higher-profile teammates.

Defensively, Barlow is a Swiss-army knife, with great length and the ability to fluidly switch on the perimeter. While he’s not a prodigious shot blocker, Nick Nurse has still occasionally turned to small-ball lineups with Barlow at the five. There’s a lot of value in someone able to competently defend across multiple positions, particularly within Nurse’s defensive scheme.

If you had to rank reasons for the Sixers’ success thus far, it’s probably Tyrese Maxey jumping from All-Star to All-NBA, Joel Embiid and (pre-suspension) Paul George having better than expected health, VJ Edgecombe being an absolute stud the minute he stepped on an NBA court, and then Barlow. Barlow went from a two-way player to someone who they needed to sign to a standard NBA contract so badly that they just had to trade away a second-year former lottery pick in Jared McCain (that’s not true at all, but it’s crazy from the Barlow perspective that the team used that spin for it).

Is Barlow a perfect player? No, you’d like to have him shoot better than 28.6 percent from three, for starters. But after having genuine stars, having legitimate starters on minimum-salary contracts is probably the most beneficial contribution to a roster build. He may not get mentioned much by media outside the Delaware Valley when discussing the Sixers as a fun story this season, but Barlow should be right alongside the better names when singing this team’s praises.