Category: NBA

Despite entering the All-Star break injured, Luka Dončić seems to be heading towards a good place regarding his hamstring. The Laker superstar has missed the last four games due to the injury, and currently, his availability for the All-Star game is up in the air.

However, the Lakers have remained optimistic that he avoided a major injury to his right hamstring and that the ailment is mild, with the team considering him day-to-day.

Well, the days have been stacking up, but the internal concern has not. Lakers head coach JJ Redick gave another update prior to the team’s last game before the All-Star break and seems confident that he’ll be back once the Lakers return to the court on Feb. 20 against the Clippers.

“He’s progressed really good,” Redick said. “I think part of him wanted to push to get back prior to the break. But we got to be cautious with the soft tissue injuries. Obviously, we were very cautious with Austin and you just saw what happened with Jalen Williams coming back. We all feel comfortable with the decision to hold him out and should be good to go post All-Star.”

Anytime a team’s superstar misses extended time, it can cause worry, but JJ Redick calmed down most concerns with this update on Luka.

It might be overanalysis, but Redick saying “they feel comfortable with the decision to hold him out” makes it seem like they could’ve pushed him to play now. Which means that if he gets an additional week of rest when he can already play, he should be ready to go when the Clippers come to Crypto.com Arena.

Obviously, given Luka’s importance to the Lakers, the last thing he needs to do is rush back from a hamstring injury. So, if this move is LA being overly cautious, so when Luka comes back, he has no setbacks, then it’s the right decision.

Regarding his status for the All-Star Game, Redick kept things short. “It’s above my pay grade,” Redick said.

With the Lakers about to enter the most important stretch of the year, hopefully, Luka returns and never misses another game this season. LA will be fighting for playoff positioning and will need him healthy to reach their full potential.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

The 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contest is a far cry from the days of Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, and Steve Francis battling it out.

This year’s field is full of lesser-known, lightly used players, so finding betting value in tonight's Slam Dunk Contest predictions requires a closer look.

That’s exactly what I’ve done with my NBA picks for Saturday, February 14, featuring Miami Heat forward Keshad Johnson.

NBA Slam Dunk Contest odds

Player	Team
Carter Bryant	San Antonio Spurs	<<+180>>
Jaxson Hayes	Los Angeles Lakers	<<+250>>
Keshad Johnson	Miami Heat	<<+320>>
Jase Richardson	Orlando Magic	<<+350>>

NBA Slam Dunk Contest rules

Before wagering on the Slam Dunk Contest, be sure to familiarize yourself with the latest rules for the 2026 edition:

• Four players will compete in a two-round competition.
  
  
• Five judges will score each dunk based on a score ranging from 40 to 50. 
  
  
• The two dunkers with the highest combined scores from their first two dunks advance to the finals.
  
  
• The final round will consist of two dunks by each dunker, with the highest composite score being crowned the champion.
  
  
• In the event of a tie, there will be one additional round of dunks. If the event is still tied, then the judges will be empowered to declare a winner by majority vote.

NBA Slam Dunk Contest 

Carter Bryant (+180)

For what it’s worth, Carter Bryant is the favorite in this field of relative unknowns. The 6-foot-6 rookie wing was taken 14th overall by the San Antonio Spurs largely because of his explosive athleticism.

Bryant boasts a 39.5-inch vertical, but he hasn’t seen much playing time in San Antonio, and there isn’t much game footage of him dunking. As a result, it’s hard to see much value at his current price.

Jaxson Hayes (+250)

Jaxson Hayes is an intriguing entrant, but there are reasons for skepticism. Historically, taller players have struggled in this competition (Dwight Howard being a notable exception), and Hayes isn’t exactly positioned as a fan favorite.

The 7-footer plays for the Los Angeles Lakers and was recently suspended one game for pushing a mascot. He also dealt with a domestic violence case earlier in his career. All things considered, this is a pass for me.

Keshad Johnson (+320)

Keshad Johnson is another explosive wing who has seen limited minutes with the Miami Heat.

Still, the 6-foot-6 forward boasts a ridiculous 42-inch vertical, and some of his in-game dunks this season have been truly eye-popping...

My pick to win the NBA Dunk contest. 🏀🏆

Keshad Johnson +320pic.twitter.com/LrQWUVP7ST

— Andrew Caley (@Covers_Caley) February 13, 2026

Jase Richardson (+350)

Jase Richardson is the best storyline in the field. He carries the longest odds in this competition, even if there’s no true long shot. The 6-foot-1 rookie guard has seen limited minutes with the Orlando Magic this season.

The intrigue? He’s the son of two-time Slam Dunk champion Jason Richardson.

Richardson appears to have inherited his dad’s leaping ability, and don’t be surprised if he pays homage to some of his father’s iconic dunks. At this price, there’s legitimate value.

NBA Slam Dunk Contest pick

It was a close call between Richardson and Johnson for me, but there’s more evidence of Johnson throwing down explosive dunks in actual NBA games.

I’ve always believed that great in-game dunkers tend to translate well to this competition — think Vince Carter or, more recently, Derrick Jones Jr.

Boasting an insane vertical, I’m expecting some jaw-dropping slams from Johnson on Saturday night.

Best bet: Keshad Johnson to win (+320 at bet365)

Past Slam Dunk Contest winners

Year	Player
2025	Mac McClung
2024	Mac McClung
2023	Mac McClung
2022	Obi Toppin
2021	Anfernee Simons
2020	Derrick Jones Jr.
2019	Hamidou Diallo
2018	Donovan Mitchell
2017	Glen Robinson III
2016	Zach LaVine
2015	Zach LaVine

Players who have won multiple Dunk Contests

Player	Years
Mac McClung	2023, 2024, 2025
Zach LaVine	2015, 2016
Nate Robinson	2006, 2009, 2010
Jason Richardson	2002, 2003
Harold Miner	1993, 1995
Dominique Wilkins	1985, 1990
Michael Jordan	1987, 1988

Slam Dunk Contest trends

• Michael Jordan, Jason Richardson, Nate Robinson, Zach LaVine, and Mac McClung are the only players in history to win the Slam Dunk Contest in back-to-back years.
  
  
• At age 18, Kobe Bryant is the youngest player to win the Slam Dunk Contest (1997).
  
  
• John Wall is the last player to make an All-Star team and win the Slam Dunk Contest in the same year (2014).

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

It’s January 2, and I’m sitting in front of my computer with a Salad And Go coffee in hand. Yeah, I like their cold brew. I’m a price-for-value paid guy, and they win that race every time.

An idea has hit me that is ambitious. It is messy. It is absolutely going to take time. Probably the type of thing that belongs in the Suns’ offseason or tucked neatly into the All-Star break when the calendar finally exhales. So that’s the plan. Start it now. Let it breathe. Revisit it through the first few weeks of 2026. Poke at it. Argue with myself. Change my mind. Repeat.

The subject is the Phoenix Suns All-Time Pyramid.

So what is the Phoenix Suns All-Time Pyramid? Think Bill Simmons and the Book of Basketball. Think his Hall of Fame logic. Now drop that framework into the 58-year history of the Phoenix Suns. This is about identifying the 21 best players to ever wear a Phoenix uniform out of the 453 who have donned the purple and orange and arranging them into a six-level pyramid.

Why a pyramid? Because it forces clarity and allows movement. Players are not locked into a rigid ranking. They live in tiers. And if you know anything about SunsRank, you already know how I feel about tiers. And it makes for a nice-looking graphic.

Let’s start with the levels.

1. The Face of the Franchise
2. MVP Royalty
3. Franchise Pillars
4. Era-Defining Stars
5. All-Star Impact
6. Core Contributors

I think these work. As I’ve gone through my list over the past month and a half, building tiers and defining what it takes to be in each one, this is where I’ve landed. You might have a different version with different differentiators and different criteria. I look forward to hearing how you would have navigated this process. This is how I’ve navigated mine.

As I started digging into who the 21 best players actually were, I already knew I was going to run headfirst into some baseline rules. Think of them less as hard laws and more as gatekeepers. Each tier has its own bouncer. Some rules help you qualify. Others quietly escort you out the door.

It is not mandatory to have a clean statistical cutoff for every tier, but thresholds matter. Sometimes, they are the difference between getting in and being left out. Take Tier 3 of the Suns Pyramid, the ‘Franchise Pillars’. Every player in that tier lives in the Ring of Honor. More importantly, every one of them spent over a decade in Phoenix. 10+ years is the line if you want to make it into tier three. If you do not cross it, you do not get through.

But it’s not necessarily exclusive, because a player in my top two tiers (I bet you can guess who that is) wasn’t in Phoenix for 10+ years. So the tiers themselves might be gatekeepers, but it isn’t that clean. There can be exceptions to the rule if the braintrust determines it to be so. And since I am the braintrust, I’m granting a special exemption.

Another rule has to be crystal clear from the jump. This is not a lifetime achievement award for famous names passing through town. This is about impact in a Suns uniform. It’s about what you did here and how much you moved the needle while wearing purple and orange.

Gale Goodrich is a quality example. He was a five-time All-Star, NBA champion, and Hall of Famer. Quite the impressive resume for Mr. Goodrich. He also played just two seasons in Phoenix from 1968 to 1970. He made an All-Star team here, but his real imprint on the league was stamped in Los Angeles. Same conversation with Shaq. Fifteen-time All-Star. Four championships. Two scoring titles. Fourteen-time All-NBA. A walking monument to dominance. He also spent two seasons in Phoenix. One All-Star appearance. A memorable stretch, sure, but not a defining one.

And that is the point. This pyramid is not grading careers. It is grading Suns chapters. Time spent matters. Impact matters. The totality of what you did elsewhere does not.

So no, Gale Goodrich is not making the Phoenix Suns All-Time Pyramid. Neither is Shaq. Not because they were not great. Because this is about Phoenix. And only Phoenix.

To be in Tier 5 or above, you need to be an All-Star, and a multi-time All-Star at that. There have been some fun role players in Phoenix, and there’s plenty of room for them in Tier 6, but to be considered one of the greatest ever, you need to have represented Phoenix in an All-Star Game, thus serving as an ambassador of the city abroad.

You want another rule? Fine. Let’s make it a petty one. Kevin Durant played 145 games in a Suns uniform. So here it is, officially, unscientifically, and with a straight face. The KD Rule. To be eligible for the Suns Pyramid, you must have appeared in 146 or more games with the franchise. Why 146? Because that is one more than Kevin Durant. That is the line. That is the bar. Cross it and we can talk. Fall one game short and you are a footnote. Shaq played in 103 games, so he fell victim to the KD Rule as well.

Is it petty? Absolutely. Is it arbitrary? Without question. Is it also perfectly on brand for a project like this? 100%.

It’s harder than it sounds. I am not even sure why I landed on 21 players instead of 15, which would be clean and orderly and way easier to explain. But once you factor in that there are already 12 players sitting in the Ring of Honor, 15 does not leave much oxygen in the room. And honestly, I want oxygen. I want friction.

That is the point of this whole thing. I want debate. I want the back and forth. I want this to be a community exercise where people can argue tiers, move guys up or down, and make the case for who belongs or who got snubbed entirely. I know my biases are going to show. I’m not a big Deandre Ayton guy. I love Stephon Marbury. Will they make the pyramid? You’ll have to read to find out.

This is subjective by design. It is also fluid, for these things evolve. Maybe one day a player like Collin Gillespie works his way up the list. That sounds wild now, and maybe it stays that way. Time is the real author here. All I am doing is putting the framework on the page.

So that is the plan. That is the goal. With the All-Star break as the runway, we have the time to let this breathe. To roll it out slowly, one layer at a time. No need to rush it, no dumping it all in one day.

I will start by laying out the six levels of the Phoenix Suns All-Time Pyramid. From there, you can probably guess where I am headed with certain players. That part is unavoidable. But there is real debate to be had, especially in the bottom three levels.

Starting tomorrow, we will begin unveiling each level. Let this journey begin.

LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) — Snowboarder Scotty James of Australia is nearing his chance to fill in the only missing piece over a spectacular career of halfpipe riding — the Olympic gold medal.

He'll have more than enough competition.

James, defending champion Ayumu Hirano and his Japanese teammates, including Yuto Totsuka, will be on the Olympic halfpipe Friday for what is widely hailed as the premier event in snowboarding.

Hirano won four years ago in Shaun White's going-away party in China (White finished fourth). But the Japanese champion is coming off a broken nose and other injuries after a scary fall in Switzerland last month. He says he's only at about 50%.

That could open a path for James, who finished second to Hirano at the 2022 Beijing Games and third to White and Hirano in their tense showdown four years before that at the Pyeongchang Olympics.

The two keys to this contest:

— Triple corks. This was the trick that put Hirano over the top at Secret Garden four years ago. But in a sign of how quickly things progress in this sport, it is now viewed as the price of admission for the podium.

Anyone who lands more than one — New Zealand's Cam Melville Ives and 17-year-old American Alessandro Barbieri have done that — will be at the top of the conversation.

Also, can anyone add another half rotation and throw a triple-cork 1620? The snowboard world went crazy when South Korea's Chaeun Lee did that at a training session in 2024, but can someone bring it to a contest?

— Style. This is what James is known for and, potentially, what's been holding him back. He can execute insanely difficult jumps involving riding backward, spinning a bunch, and often starting the spin looking up the halfpipe, which takes his landing spot out of his vision.

It's as hard as it sounds, and his throwing of back-to-back backside 1440s at the X Games last month was a first-of-its-kind combination. But if he doesn't have triples to go with it, the judges might give him another consolation prize.

___

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

The 2026 NBA All-Star Game Weekend is upon us starting today as fans around the country will converge on Los Angeles for the festivities and conclude at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

This year’s format for the NBA All-Star Game is new, with three separate teams broken up into USA Stars, USA Stripes and Team World, all facing off in a round-robin tournament as each one will comprise of a minimum of eight players on every squad. In all, 24 players were selected to the game, with Los Angeles Clippers’ forward Kawhi Leonard added by NBA commissioner Adam Silver to balance out the rosters.

Before these players take the court, where did each of them play hoops at in their prep/high school days in the United States and from around the world?

Rivals went through the rosters for all three teams, giving to you where each of the players starred on the prep hardwood before Sunday night’s 2026 NBA All-Star Game tips off in Inglewood.

USA Stars

SF Scottie Barnes, Montverde Academy (Fla.)
SG Devin Booker, Moss Point (MS)
PG Cade Cunningham, Bowie (TX)/Montverde Academy (Fla.)
C Jalen Duren, IMG Academy (Fla.)
SG Anthony Edwards, Holy Spirit Preparatory School (Ga.)
C Chet Holmgren, Minnehaha Academy (Minn.)
PG Jalen Johnson, IMG Academy (Fla.)
PG Tyrese Maxey, South Garland (TX)

USA Stripes

SF Jaylen Brown, Wheeler (Ga.)
PG Jalen Brunson, Adlai Stevenson (IL)
SF Kevin Durant, Montrose Christian School (Md.)
SF Brandon Ingram, Kinston (NC)
SF LeBron James, St. Vincent-St. Mary (OH)
SF Kawhi Leonard, Canyon Springs (Calif.)
PG Donovan Mitchell, Brewster Academy (NH)
SG Norman Powell, San Leandro (Calif.)
PG Stephen Curry, Charlotte Christian (NC)

Team World

PF Giannis Antetokounmpo, Filathlitikos (Greece)
SF Deni Avdija, Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel)
SG Luka Doncic, Real Madrid (Spain)
C Nikola Jokic, Mega Basket (Serbia)
SG Jamal Murray, Athlete Institute Basketball Academy (Canada)
C Alperen Sengun, Banvit (Turkey)
PF Pascal Siakam, St. Benedict’s Prep (NJ)/God’s Academy (TX)
PF Karl-Anthony Towns, Saint Joseph (NJ)/Pine Crest School (Fla.)
C Victor Wembanyama, Nanterre 92 (France)

How to Follow National High School Boys Basketball

For high school boys basketball fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the state, ensuring you never miss a moment of the high school hops action throughout the season. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the boys basketball excitement across the country.

We’re back! Welcome to the Celtics’ Top-5 Highest IQ Plays of the Week! 

Sure, we love the high-flying dunks and the deep, off-the-dribble step-back threes, but this is a place for the under-the-radar plays that might not get the credit they deserve. The plays that get the basketball sickos and nerds out of their chairs. The plays that even YOU could make in your weekly rec league game. 

Each week, the plays will be ranked from five to one—one being the smartest—and will only be taken from games that occurred within the past week. For this week, games from February 6th to February 13th are considered. The Celtics went 2-1 this week, with wins over the Heat and Bulls but a tough loss to the Knicks. Onto the All-Star break!

5. Getting the All-Star break started a bit early

Pritchard is all about efficiency, even when it comes to saving a few seconds. Let’s be honest—he’s just trying to get him and his teammates to the All-Star break as quickly as possible. Here, he’s being a good sport and not taking a shot to extend the lead, so he just gives the ball to Sexton instead of getting a shot-clock violation, which would require the ref stopping the game and initiating an inbound for Chicago. PP’s going to be given a turnover anyway, so he might as well just give the ball to the opponent rather than dribble out the clock. And who knows, perhaps those extra 10 seconds of sleep will allow Payton and the rest of the squad to be extra rested post-break.

4. Dominoes

Basketball is like dominoes. Once you get the defense to commit two defenders to one offensive player, that advantage needs to be KEPT by way of quick decisions that don’t allow the defense to get back into the play. The first advantage should lead to a second advantage, which should lead to a third, and so on. Here, Walsh notices that two defenders lunge at Vucevic, so he immediately cuts to the rim, creating an advantage. When he gets the ball, he swings it quickly to Gonzalez, who swings it quickly to White, who swings it quickly back to Vuc. Everybody already knows what they’re going to do with the ball before it comes to them, because they’re watching the defense rotate while they’re spotting up. Beautiful, decisive basketball.

3. Know your personnel (welcome to the highest IQ plays, Nikola!)

The best basketball players hide their weaknesses and showcase their strengths, and they also bring out their opponents’ weaknesses’ and eliminate their strengths (you have to study them to know what they are, by the way). Vucevic demonstrates on this play that he knows both his weakness (a lack of vertical pop) and KAT’s weakness (uncoordinated, flailing limbs). So, instead of meeting him in the air, Nikola stays grounded and takes the contact from a bulldozing Towns. Way to know yourself, and your opponent, Vuc.

2. Being in two places at once

The situation that Gonzalez finds himself in here is one of the most common defensive predicaments in the NBA. After briefly collapsing into the paint for help, Hugo is forced to guard two players on the perimeter at once, until a teammate (usually, although not in this case) flies out to eliminate the advantage. In real time, Gonzalez stunts at Pelle Larson while positioning his body in a good place to also guard the extra pass to Davion Mitchell, the better three-point shooter. But because his stunt is so aggressive, he throws off Larson’s timing and ends up forcing him into a turnover. Oh, and then he makes an awesome pass to Brown in transition. What a two-way play by the rookie.

1. No-look steal

Could anything be more Derrick White than a no-look steal? It’s so ridiculous that he even has the wherewithal to throw his arms up at all, let alone the IQ and instincts necessary to raise them at the exact time the outlet pass is coming. White crashes hard for the rebound—like he always does—and then he doesn’t even look at Larson before perfectly timing up his hands for the steal. Special stuff from Derrick, but I have to admit I’m not remotely surprised he would make a play like this.

Last season, the Knicks were a pretty shallow team.

Outside of their overly used starting five and key reserves Deuce McBride and Mitchell Robinson, they didn’t have any reliable pieces that would be ticketed for regular roles in Tom Thibodeau’s rotation.

Sure, they had Cam Payne, Landry Shamet, Delon Wright, and Precious Achiuwa, who would see time sporadically, but none of them stuck due to inherent flaws. Payne was frozen out due to his lack of defense and erratic shotmaking, Shamet never got in the circle of trust after a serious shoulder injury, Wright was a defensive ace who was only inserted out of need in the Eastern Conference Final, and Achiuwa messed with the spacing and was an awkward fit with Robinson or Josh Hart.

As a result, the young, deep, and talented Indiana Pacers overwhelmed the Knicks en route to the NBA Finals, costing Thibodeau his job in the summer. Mike Brown was brought in to lengthen the rotation by using the regular season to experiment with lineups, and for the most part, he’s done that (aside from continuing to start Hart).

The rotation has been extremely fluid. When the team was healthy early, they leaned on Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele off the bench, but it’s evolved to include Shamet, Tyler Kolek, Mo Diawara, and the team’s newest hometown hero, Jose Alvarado.

But, unlike before, when the team is suffering injuries, the rotation is being expanded, not contracted. Those are where guys like Kolek, Kevin McCullar Jr., and Ariel Hukporti get their most opportunities. Even Clarkson, who briefly was Evan Fournier’d, re-joined the rotation.

But here’s the problem. When the Knicks are whole, they’re nearly unstoppable. They’re 13-3 when Brunson-Bridges-Hart-Anunoby-Towns are the first five. But when there’s one piece missing in the team’s core nucleus, whether it’s the captain and head of the snake or a guy like Deuce or Robinson, the house of cards starts to shake, and some nights, it comes crashing down.

When the top-seven is all healthy, they’re 8-4, something that isn’t overtly impressive, but the individual splits of the six (Mikal Bridges is indestructible) tell the story:

Without McBride: 13-7
Without Robinson: 10-6
Without Anunoby: 8-6
Without Hart: 6-6
Without Brunson: 1-4
Without Towns: 2-2

The Knicks are more able to stomach the losses of McBride and Robinson, as they’ve at least had enough games without them to hash out a plan. The team, however, plays dramatically worse when the other five miss time, even if the on-off stats say the team is fine without these players off the court.

It’s obvious that the team struggles without Brunson, with how much he does for this team, but they also play choppy basketball when Towns is sidelined. After a 10-game stretch where the Knicks had the best defense in basketball, the process got tremendously worse when Anunoby went down with a toe injury, as the team yielded miserable performances against the Detroit Pistons and lowly Indiana Pacers. When Hart’s been sidelined this season, the Knicks struggle to generate the hustle he brings.

But it goes deeper than not having them on the court. When these players are available, and just on the bench, they’re being replaced by the team’s very formidable bench. But when the starter is in street clothes, and Coach Brown is forced to go deeper into the bench, the minutes drop off.

With Anunoby, Robinson, and McBride out against the lowly Pacers, the Knicks couldn’t defend. They had nobody who could even put a body on Pascal Siakam, despite the best efforts of a small Josh Hart and inexperienced Mo Diawara. The lack of McBride, who would stick with Andrew Nembhard, didn’t help either, nor did the absence of Robinson with Ariel Hukporti struggling to make an impact.

Against the Pistons last week, the Knicks were never competitive, which is inexcusable regardless of personnel. That said, with Anunoby, McBride, and Towns sidelined, the lineups that the team ran were not ones that could survive against any playoff team.

Brunson was reduced to leading lineups that had one or two other players who could score. Bridges had a strong game, but he isn’t a ballhandler. Clarkson also saw an increased role, but lineups with him and Brunson have been catastrophic defensively all season. Kolek has the same problem on the defensive end.

But if the Knicks leaned on defense around Brunson, they would be incapable of putting the ball in the basket, especially considering the captain’s struggles that night. Putting guys like Diawara, Hukporti, Hart, and McCullar around Brunson leads to lineups that see JB trying to navigate a maze to break down the defense, only to not have any reliable knockdown shooters to pass to.

When the Knicks are whole, they’re a formidable group that can hang with anyone in the association, and that’s because they mask each other’s flaws.

Brunson’s creation on offense, both for himself and others, allows the players around him to play an efficient, off-ball role. Towns’ rebounding and gravity, both inside and outside, generate extra possessions and free up space. Anunoby and Bridges’ defense help keep lineups that contain both Brunson and Towns afloat. Hart’s hustle and intensity can carry the team through low-energy slogs and rough shooting stretches.

The Knicks aren’t the only team that is one or two injuries away from everything falling apart, but it makes what they do to manage the workloads of their key players down the stretch crucial. If any player has a nagging ailment and they miss a few extra games, this will be why. They need to be whole to have a chance at ending the team’s 53-year title drought.

C's second-half to-do list: Reintegrating Tatum, roster moves, and more originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The first 54 games of the Boston Celtics’ 2025-26 season were an overwhelming success. Boston arrived at the All-Star break sitting 16 games over .500 while owning the second-best record in the Eastern Conference and the third-best net rating in the league.

So many of the questions that hovered around an overhauled roster entering the season have already been answered. Jaylen Brown hasn’t just thrived in the 1A role, he’s muscled his way into the MVP conversation. Big man Neemias Queta has the seventh-best net rating in the league (+11.6) after elevating to a starting role with a new-look center depth chart. Joe Mazzulla scoffed at all the gap year suggestions and deserves Coach of the Year consideration for the way he’s pushed all the right buttons, particularly in how he’s dispatched role players on a team that’s far deeper than most anticipated after some painful summer alterations. 

All of this while the Celtics prep for the potential in-season return of All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum.

Which, of course, headlines Boston’s potential post-All-Star to-do list. Despite all the success, there are a bunch of checklist items for the Celtics to navigate over the final 28 games of the season and before the playoffs arrive. That list includes:

1. The reintegration of Jayson Tatum

The Celtics could (very) soon have the very best sort of problem. Tatum is now nine months removed from Achilles surgery and seems to be ticking the final boxes on his own rehab checklist. His potential return would force the Celtics to shuffle their rotation a bit, particularly as he ramps himself back up at the start of his return. 

But even Tatum at, say, 75 percent of his peak powers will be an impact presence. His rebounding and defensive versatility will further shore up areas in which the Celtics have already made tremendous strides in since the start of the season. The No. 2-ranked offense in the NBA will add one of the game’s elite scorers, as well as a player that’s been top six in MVP voting in each of the past four seasons.

In much the same way that the Celtics had to figure out how to thrive in Tatum’s absence, they must now figure out how morph when he returns. There will be obvious rust for Tatum. Things could occasionally look clunky for the Celtics as usage rates are redefined. There are a handful of new faces that Tatum has never played with. And yet the core of this team remains largely intact, and that group has thrived on the biggest stages. We don’t suspect it’ll take long for the Celtics to figure out how this collection works best with Tatum again. 

Tatum’s presence alone ought to improve the shot qualities for players like Derrick White and Payton Pritchard, who have encountered more attention in his absence. Imagine what Brown will be capable of when teams can’t load up on him to the level he’s seen without Tatum. 

Despite Tatum’s very self-aware trepidation about not wanting to rock the boat upon his return, the best and most championship-worthy version of the Celtics features him on the court. His return gives an already thriving Celtics team a legitimate chance to contend for a title.

2. Filling out the roster

After working diligently to get out of the luxury tax at the trade deadline, president of basketball operations Brad Stevens will (slowly) fill out the end of the roster before the end of the regular season.

The Celtics, lingering just south of the tax line, must navigate a delicate series of roster moves that is likely to start with elevating rookie two-way players and, eventually, culminate with rostering at least one player of longer service. Each day matters given Boston’s financial constraints, but the Celtics will (slowly) get back to the league-mandated 14 roster players.

As for buyout pursuits, especially those players waived before the March 1 playoff-eligibility deadline, the Celtics can only window shop for now. But keep in mind that the Celtics already have too many bodies for available minutes, and that’s before Tatum even hits the floor. 

3. Figuring out the playoff rotation

When the playoffs arrive, it seems fair to suggest that Tatum, Brown, White, Pritchard, Queta, Sam Hauser, and newcomer Nikola Vucevic are going to see the majority of minutes. Mazzulla must determine how to deploy that talent, and that includes continuing to integrate Vucevic after his acquisition. The team got immediate returns in shuffling Pritchard back to the bench, and we’re intrigued to see what becomes of the team’s end-of-game lineups. 

The real question might simply be which of Boston’s young wings will emerge as consistent postseason presences. Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, and Hugo Gonzalez have each gotten long auditions (and departed Josh Minott did as well earlier in the year, while two-way wing Ron Harper Jr. has provided strong minutes in recent opportunities). 

Scheierman has clearly won Mazzulla’s trust, as emphasized by starting four of the five games before the All-Star break. His blend of defensive versatility and 3-point shot-making has been accentuated in bigger minutes. Jordan Walsh had a stretch earlier this season where his defense and energy had opponents raving about his potential, and he tapped into that energy in the first-half finale against the Bulls on Wednesday. Gonzalez has the best net rating (+17.0) among all players with 40+ appearances this season and brings a positive chaos each time he touches the floor.

Players have thrived in Mazzulla’s “ready when called upon” strategy, and maybe that’s how it will remain into the postseason. But that each of those young wings can make a strong case for minutes emphasizes again just how good and how deep this group has been.

4. Planting seeds

The Celtics figuring out the best version of themselves ought to be the priority over the final 28 games, but despite all the laments about the state of the East, seeding could be important to how the postseason plays out. 

The Celtics enter the break with a half-game lead on the Knicks, while the James Harden addition has helped Cleveland surge to within 1.5 games of Boston. The jockeying for the No. 2 seed could be a featured storyline down the stretch. 

Securing the No. 2 seed ensures a play-in opponent in Round 1, delivers home court in Round 2, and helps avoid the top seed until the conference finals. What’s more, having home court in, say, a 2-3 matchup versus either New York or Cleveland, could be very beneficial given the challenges those teams pose. 

The Celtics play the Cavaliers and Knicks — both on the road — one more time over the final two months of the regular season. Those games could very well impact the final seedings in the East, or at least provide playoff-like environments in the ramp to the second season.

5. Heavy lifting over the final 28

The Celtics have the fifth-hardest remaining schedule, and the second-most challenging in the East behind only the Bulls (who have seemingly traded in their yearly play-in fast pass for a much-needed lottery pursuit). 

What’s more, Boston’s final 28 games … 

• Starts with a daunting four-game road trip out West, including a potentially emotional start while going up against an Al Horford/Kristaps Porzingis combo in Golden State. That trip ends with a back-to-back against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets.
• Features two matchups with the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
• Includes a trek to play Wemby and the Spurs in a gauntlet trip in mid-March that takes Boston from Cleveland to San Antonio to Oklahoma City. 
• Features the potential Horford/Porzingis homecoming when Golden State visits TD Garden on March 18. 

Needless to say, March, with only one two-day break in the entire month, could be filled with storylines and quality games. 

Rest up at the All-Star break. The Celtics have enjoyed a lot of success to this point, but the final 34 percent of the regular season ought to bring a whole bunch of intrigue as well.

Men's college basketball's last unbeaten team puts its unblemished record on the line as Miami (Ohio) hosts rival Ohio at 9 p.m., Friday night.

The RedHawks (24-0) have had plenty of close calls, including two overtime wins and two 2-point wins in their past six games.

Ohio (13-12, 7-5) beat Miami 75-66 last season and leads the overall Battle of the Bricks series 120-96 all-time.

More: How Miami Ohio became college basketball's most unlikely undefeated team

Mid-major power rankings: VCU enters top 10, Gonzaga remains on top

Miami's 24-0 start is the best in MAC history and the longest win streak in conference history (surpassing Kent State's 21-0 run in 2001-02).

The last men's team to finish a season undefeated was the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers.

A key to the RedHawks' success is their scoring balance. Seven players average double figures and an eighth (Luke Skajlac) averages 9.7 ppg.

Here's what you need to know for Friday's game:

What channel is Miami Ohio vs Ohio basketball on today?

• TV channel: ESPN
• Streaming: ESPN app | Fubo (free trial)

Miami (Ohio) vs. Ohio men’s basketball will face off in a nationally televised matchup on ESPN. 

Streaming options for the game include the ESPN app, which requires a valid cable login to access, and Fubo, which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

STARTING FIVE: Duke-Clemson, Kansas-Iowa State lead this weekend's games

What time is Miami Ohio vs Ohio basketball today?

Tonight's intra-state MAC showdown is at 9 p.m. ET, Friday, Feb. 13

Where is Miami Ohio basketball in bracketology?

In USA TODAY Sports' latest bracketology released Feb. 13, Miami is projected as a No. 11 seed facing Arkansas in St. Louis.

Miami Ohio basketball rankings: Where are RedHawks in polls?

Miami is ranked No. 24 in the USA TODAY Coaches poll and No. 23 in the AP poll.

Ohio vs Miami Ohio basketball odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:44 a.m. ET.

• Moneyline (ML): Ohio +425 (bet $100 to win $425) | Miami -600 (bet $600 to win $100)
• Against the spread (ATS): Ohio +10.5 (-115) | Miami -10.5 (-105)
• Over/Under (O/U): 163.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)

Miami basketball stats, leaders

• Scoring:
  • Guard Brant Byers: 14.7 ppg
  • Guard Peter Suder: 14.2 ppg
  • Guard Evan Ipsaro: 13.9 ppg
  • Guard Eian Elmer: 11.8 ppg
• Rebounding:
  • Guard Eian Elmer: 6.0 rpg
  • Forward Antwone Woolfolk: 5.5 rpg
  • Guard Peter Suder: 4.6 rpg
• Assists:
  • Guard Luke Skaljac: 4.6 apg
  • Peter Suder: 4.3 apg

Miami Ohio basketball schedule

Here's who the RedHawks have left on their schedule:

• Feb. 13: vs. Ohio, 8 p.m. (ESPNU)
• Feb. 17: at UMass, 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
• Feb. 21: vs. Bowling Green, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
• Feb. 24: at Eastern Michigan, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
• Feb. 28: at Western Michigan, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
• March 3: vs. Toledo, 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
• March 6: at Ohio, 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
• March 12-14: MAC Tournament, at Cleveland

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Miami Ohio basketball vs Ohio how to watch, time, odds, rankings

Draymond Green doesn’t save all his complaining for on the court.

After the Warriors’ 126-113 loss to the Spurs on Wednesday night, Green vented that Burke had unfairly characterized his matchup with San Antonio star Victor Wembanyama.

While Green credited Wembanyama for his physical he thinks the French star is being given preferential treatment.

“She will always ignore things happening to me and only half mention the good,” Green replied to a post on the social media site Threads. “And take shots when they are available. Been that way for a while…”

Draymond vs. Wemby pic.twitter.com/39z9PXuX6F

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 12, 2026

A fan had alleged that Wembanyama, who is roughly a foot taller than Green, was fouling him.

“Doris Burke, completely ignoring the fact that Wemby has his arm completely wrapped around Green,” @fs.kid said in a post on Threads.

“I can’t believe I’m wishing that I was hearing (Warriors play-by-play man) Bob Fitzgerald call this game.”

Green had a strong performance with Stephen Curry out due to injury, putting up 17 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists.

The 29-26 Warriors blew a 16-point lead in the game as they remain stuck in the play-in portion of the Western Conference standings.

Burke has been critical of Green in the past, including during last year’s playoffs. She suggested that referees gave Green more leeway than other players when it came to assessing technicals.

“How many guys get this kind of leash?” Burke said in May of 2025. “Over the history of Draymond’s career, it feels like there’s been a double standard.”

Burke was moved from ESPN’s top broadcast team to its second one before the season, working alongside Dave Pash. She signed an extension with the network at the same time.

NBA All-Star Weekend, during the past several years, has faced sharp criticism, even from the highest levels of NBA management.

"I thought this was a little better, but it was a miss," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in March 2025 of last year’s event. "We’re not there in terms of creating an All-Star experience that we can be proud of and that our players can be proud of."

The 2025 NBA All-Star Game leaned far too much toward spectacle, creating a disjointed viewing experience. Last year marked the final time TNT would broadcast the event, ending a streak of 23 consecutive seasons. To commemorate that, the NBA halted play during the middle of the All-Star Game for a series of skits with comedian Kevin Hart and the "Inside the NBA" crew.

This year, the NBA is turning to a "U.S. vs. World" format, but it's a structure one four-time All-Star thinks might be a case of too little, too late.

"The lackluster response to the news really just showed me, like, man, All-Star may really be dead," Draymond Green said in a podcast episode that published Nov. 17. "I think people have just moved on from the whole entire idea."

Fan patience may also be wearing thin, as the All-Star Game and its satellite events have lacked organic competitive spirit, coming at a time when overt attempts to tank are marring the regular season.

Here’s a preview of the three marquee events of the 2026 NBA All-Star break, with a glimpse of what fans can expect.

Slam Dunk Contest

This, arguably, is the event most under pressure, and that’s saying something.

The days of having stars compete in the Slam Dunk Contest are gone. The last player to participate in a Dunk Contest the same year he was an All-Star was Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics, in 2024. Brown is an exceptionally gifted player, though he’s not a high-flying dunker.

Before Brown, the last All-Star to compete in the Dunk Contest was Victor Oladipo in 2018.

Instead of stars, the NBA has deployed uber-athletic, young players, often G Leaguers, who aren’t household names or rotational players. And while that has led to flashes of brilliance – Mac McClung dazzled during his three-year stretch of dominance in the event – increased incentives to lure stars would go a long way.

Out of this year’s participants, two average fewer than 10 minutes per game and three of four are below 13 minutes per game.

The field is set for AT&T Slam Dunk ⬇️

A new champion will be crowned, with all four players making their event debuts.

Saturday, Feb. 14 | 5 PM ET
NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/QZ3TN9LrzA

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) February 7, 2026

The general apathy has even reached participants.

In theory, Magic rookie guard Jase Richardson is a nod to nostalgia; his father, Jason Richardson, is a two-time champion (2002, 2003) of the contest and was one of the premier dunkers of his generation.

Yet, the younger Richardson’s highlights from this season show a player whose dunks lack the sizzle fans want to see.

In a social media message responding to Orlando’s congratulatory message that encouraged Richardson to "get it," his reply was regrettably symbolic of where the Dunk Contest is.

"i guess," he wrote, followed by an emoji of a face crying with laughter and another of a man shrugging.

Predicted winner: Keshad Johnson, Miami Heat

3-Point Contest

Of the three events, the 3-Point Contest is the most secure. For one, the game’s best shooters tend to compete. For another, it’s a low-level lift for players – young stars and vets alike – which encourages their full engagement.

This year should be no different, though the absence of Warriors icon Stephen Curry, largely considered the greatest shooter of all-time, is a blow. Still, the field has plenty of talent across the board to make this event compelling.

The 2026 State Farm 3-Point Contest field ⬇️

Saturday, Feb. 14 | 5 p.m. ET | NBC & Peacock

Former champ Devin Booker among five 2026 All-Stars.

Two-time winner Damian Lillard can match the record with a third title.

Kon Knueppel can become the first rookie to win the event. pic.twitter.com/W6cI4LdctJ

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) February 8, 2026

The trickiest element for the future of the 3-Point Contest is what happens when the generation of shooters that have dominated (think Curry, Damian Lillard and Klay Thompson) retire.  

This year, the 3-Point Contest has some juice with the return of Lillard, the two-time champion (2023, 2024) who is competing despite his missing the entire regular season with a torn Achilles tendon. If Lillard wins, he’ll tie the record for most titles all-time.

Predicted winner: Kon Knueppel, Charlotte Hornets

NBA All-Star Game

Perhaps looking to seize on momentum the NHL and pro hockey has generated with its 4 Nations Face-Off, the NBA is turning to a "U.S. vs. World" format. It will pit two eight-man teams of domestic players – one of younger stars and the other of established veterans – against a third eight-man team of international players in a round-robin tournament.

It’s an idea that has some promise, but only if players fully buy in. During the past decade, players have loafed through the game, treating defense as a suggestion, not a mandate. That needs to change.

"I want to push the great players of this sport to also play hard like I will," Victor Wembanyama said recently in French of effort in All-Star games. "We’ll see how it goes. But if they don’t want to go hard, we’ll have to do it without them."

This is a positive sentiment, and one that should see a small spike in competitiveness, but it’s insufficient.

The NBA needs to incentivize participants further so that they can organically intensify their levels of competition. And while league executives might find these optics unsavory, there’s a very simple solution here: They can increase the purse for the winning team and sweeten the kicker further for the player who wins MVP.

This would create added expenses for the NBA, but if increased payouts reinvigorate the event, it’s an investment that will pay off over the long run.

Last year, the payout structure for the All-Star Game stipulated that each player on the third- and fourth-place teams netted $25,000. Players on the runner-up squad earned $50,000. For winning players, it was not much better, as they pocketed $125,000.

If there’s one thing that’s incongruous with this highly-commodified stage of capitalism we find ourselves in, one thing that squashes motivation, it’s unpaid labor.

Being an All-Star is an honor, yes, but these players are giving their time to the event, and that may be the most precious commodity of all.

Predicted winner: Team World

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA All-Star Weekend predictions and outlook as questions mount

There’s never a good time to get blown out two games in a row.

The Sixers are heading into the 2026 All-Star break coming off two of their worst losses of the season. They lost by 17 to the Portland Trail Blazers and followed it up with a 49-point embarrassment against the New York Knicks at home.

Those losses may highlight some pretty serious depth issues that suspensions, injuries and trade deadline transactions have exacerbated, and if that’s the case there’s nothing that will help this team more than a week off. Players that have had to carry an extra load in those shorthanded games are especially ready for a chance to recharge.

“I think the break will be good for this team,” Tyrese Maxey said after the Knicks’ loss. “Guys got to reset, guys are tired, you know? And the guys have played a lot of minutes. We fought a lot in these 54 games.”

Maxey has talked more about fatigue and tiredness in press conferences in the last month and a half than he has over his entire career. Not only does he continue to lead the league in minutes by a wide margin, but he’s playing the most minutes per game of any NBA player since the 2012-13 season.

Fittingly, Maxey is the Sixer with the least amount of free time over the break. When reporters brought this up to him, he reassured them that he would still be able to relax.

“I don’t have do much ‘till Saturday,” said Maxey, a participant in this year’s three-point contest. “I just want to get out there and just chill. You know, sit in the hotel and relax, get some good weather in.”

His starting backcourt mate is only playing 35 minutes a game, but the team is still aware that VJ Edgecombe’s workload has brought him close to the dreaded rookie wall.

“He’s never played these type of minutes in his life, like even playing a 40-minute basketball game in college is way different than this,” Maxey said. “We’ve played 54 games, I don’t know how many he’s actually played but he’s played in at least played 50 of them. That’s a whole season, and we’re asking him to do a lot.”

Head coach Nick Nurse was asked if he’s noticed any signs of fatigue showing given Edgecombe’s driving numbers declining as of late.

“I wouldn’t say [it’s] super noticeable, but I think there’s probably some there,” Nurse said. “I think you’re gonna see that in a rookie, almost all the time.”

The break is well-timed for Sixers who haven’t been as available as well. After going over a month only missing planned back-to-back legs, Joel Embiid missed those last two games against the Blazers and Knicks. Nurse did say there wasn’t a ton of concern level that this latest issue is anything more than knee soreness, but also said this extended time off could be a good thing.

“I think that anybody that’s sore and dinged up has a chance here to get some treatment for a week and off their feet for a week,” Nurse said of Embiid, “and he wouldn’t certainly be included in that.”

If there’s one Sixer the break may be poorly timed for, it’s Dominick Barlow, who’s still playing great ball off the heels of being converted to a standard NBA contract. He’s reached double-digit scoring figures in four of his last five games. For as much as he’s had to prove himself this season though, Barlow won’t be using this week to rest on any individual laurels.

“One less thing I got to worry about,” he said, when asked about getting a standard deal. “I just got to worry about how we’re going to keep trying to win games and make a push in the playoffs.”