KOLKATA, India (AP) — Italy’s 45-year wait ended in a disappointing 73-run defeat against Scotland at the T20 World Cup on Monday, with captain Wayne Madsen dislocating his shoulder inside the first six overs of Group C game.
Italy, where the sport’s national federation was formed in 1980, crashed to 137 all out in 16.4 overs as Madsen didn’t take further part in the historic game after damaging his left shoulder while attempting a catch at mid-wicket.
There was some silver lining in Italy’s maiden appearance in a major global tournament when Benjamin Manenti scored 52 off 31. Benjamin and his brother Harry (37) briefly threatened the tall target with a 73-run stand before both fell in successive overs and Italy lost the last six wickets for 21 runs.
Opening batter George Munsey’s blazing knock of 84 off 54 balls, which featured 13 fours and two sixes, had led Scotland to 207-4 — the highest-ever total by an associate nation in the tournament — after Madsen won the toss and elected to chase.
“I imagine everyone will be flat in the dressing room and disappointed,” vice-captain Harry Manenti said. “We wanted to show the world what we have. We get another chance in a few days’ time and hopefully we can bounce back.”
Munsey was the star for Scotland and also held four catches, including a brilliant low catch at point to dismiss opener Justin Mosca off the first ball before Italy succumbed to off-spinner Michael Leask, who finished with an impressive 4-17.
Under-prepared Scotland, which replaced Bangladesh, lost to the West Indies at the same venue in its first game, but came back strongly to get its first points in the tournament.
Scotland originally missed out after losing to Italy in the qualifiers, but was drafted in late as a replacement for Bangladesh in Group C. The ICC rejected the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s request to shift its games from India to Sri Lanka due to security concerns.
Munsey set the tempo of a strong total with the first century partnership of the tournament and added 126 runs with his opening partner Michael Jones (37).
Munsey missed out on a deserved century and threw his bat in the air in frustration when he holed out at long on in the 14th over to fast bowler Grant Stewart (1-44).
Brandon McMullen then hit a brisk 41 off 18 balls and Leask gave a perfect finish with 22 off just five balls, hitting two fours and two sixes in the final over.
“Really important for us to bounce back strong,” Scotland captain Richie Berrington said. “It was a comprehensive win but had to work hard for it … we will enjoy this win and then we will start preparing for the game against England.”
Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to field against Oman in Group B at Colombo, and later in the night game 2024 runner-up South Africa played Canada at Ahmedabad.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 8: Lebron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center on April 8, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Lakers (32-19) aim to extend their winning streak to four when they take on the Oklahoma City Thunder (40-13) on Monday. This is the second match-up between the two teams this season.
The Lakers have three more games to play before taking a well-deserved break during All-Star weekend. The catch is that two of the teams they’re facing are sitting in first and second place in the Western Conference, which should be a good test for the purple and gold.
Visiting the Lakers on Monday is a Thunder team that is currently on a two-game losing streak and has lost five of its last 10 games. This may sound surprising since OKC has pretty much been the best team in basketball for two straight seasons now but this year, they haven’t been as unstoppable. One reason is that they haven’t been healthy with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander now nursing an abdominal strain.
With SGA and Luka Dončić out, the dynamic of this matchup obviously changes. Jalen Williams — who missed the last 10 games — will be returning on Monday and he’s too good of a player not to make an impact right away. Expect him to get a ton of touches alongside Chet Holmgren, Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins and Jaylin Williams. The Thunder are still a really good offensive and defensive team even without their best player.
One of, perhaps, OKC’s strongest assets is their perimeter defense, which will be a huge test for the Austin Reaves and L.A.’s ball handlers. With Dončić out, there’s been an uptick of touches for the role players like Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, Maxi Kleber, Marcus Smart and even Luke Kennard in the last game. It’s important that they continue to make the most of those opportunities because that’s the best way to make up for Dončić‘s absence. This game will be about which role players show up and deliver for their corresponding teams.
Ultimately, it’s a game that the Lakers must take advantage of, especially since SGA isn’t going to suit up. It’ll be nice to not only keep the winning streak going but continue to further improve their record against teams above .500. It’ll also be ideal to head into the All-Star break on a strong note so they can build off that after. Let’s see if the Lakers can beat the Thunder on Monday.
Notes and Updates
For the Lakers’ injury report, Deandre Ayton (right knee soreness) is listed as probable.
Luka Dončić (left hamstring strain) and Adou Thiero (right MCL sprain) are out.
Shai Gilgerous-Alexander (abdominal strain), Ajay Mitchell (abdominal strain), Thomas Sorber (right ACL surgery) and Nikola Topic (surgical recovery) are out.
You love NBA free agency and trades. I love NBA free agency and trades. We all do. Sickos like me love it so much that we delve into legal documents to figure out exactly what is permitted and what isn’t. But all of us want all the information about the team-building options available to our favorite franchises at our fingertips whenever we need them.
With that in mind, SB Nation has partnered with SalarySwish, and alongside their data we attempt to answer every single question you could possibly have about the Bucks’ financial situation. Questions about the first or second apron and the Bucks’ relationship to them? How few draft picks do they have available to trade? How much money is on the books after next summer? The answers are here, and it’s an updating, living, and breathing document with all relevant context as the Bucks move ahead. I recommend you bookmark this page to keep up with all the latest changes!
Bucks Roster, Salaries, Draft Picks, Cap Space & More
Here is a table with all of the Bucks’ salary information, courtesy of our friends at SalarySwish:
That’s a lot to swallow, so let’s dive into a few key pieces and what they mean, which could answer any questions that pop into your head while reading.
Do the Bucks have any cap room? If not, when will they?
No, though they did create some last July to accommodate the four-year, $108.9m contract for Myles Turner by waiving Damian Lillard, among other moves. If every Buck with a player option in the summer of 2026 declines them (unlikely), the team could potentially create cap room by renouncing these players’ rights (even more unlikely), but it wouldn’t be enough to sign a player for more than $3m. Barring that, they project to have room in the summer of 2027, when their only guaranteed contracts will be for Turner, AJ Green, Giannis, Ryan Rollins, and Bobby Portis—should the latter three exercise their player options—plus potentially the player they take in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft. But it would likely not be more than $20m in space.
Can the Bucks use the mid-level exception or bi-annual exception this year? Do they have any trade exceptions?
Since the Bucks conjured up some cap room to sign Turner, they lost the right to use the full $14.1m mid-level exception and the $5.1m bi-annual exception. Instead, they had access to a version of the MLE worth $8.8m, commonly known as the room exception. They used part of that exception to sign Kevin Porter Jr. to a new deal worth $5.1m, so they have about $3.6m remaining on it for the remainder of the league year, but the number begins prorating down in January. Milwaukee previously had four trade exceptions, all of which would have expired in February 2026, including one for $7.2m generated in February’s trade with Washington and New York. However, creating cap space also sacrificed those.
Are the Bucks over the first or second apron above the luxury tax?
For 2025–26, they are currently $11.8m beneath the first apron and $23.7m beneath the second apron, so they face none of the restrictions associated with being above either. The Bucks have $181.3m guaranteed for 15 players, including Lillard’s stretched salary at $22.5m (this will be reduced to $20.2m due to his new contract in Portland, but not until season’s end), Vasilije Micić’s stretched salary of $667k after he too was bought out, plus $6.3m in dead money due to waiving Chris Livingston, Tyler Smith, and Nigel Hayes-Davis. They are currently operating as an over-the-cap team, facing all the restrictions that come with having no remaining cap space. In 2024–25, they finished about $7.8m over the first apron but about $3m under the second apron, where they were hard-capped.
Are the Bucks paying the luxury tax? If so, how much is their bill?
In 2025–26, their $181.3m currently on the books has them $6.5m below the tax threshold of $187.9m. Reports indicate that ownership doesn’t want to pay the tax this season, but the bill isn’t calculated until the day the regular season ends next April. It is not possible for them to add enough salary this season to cross the tax line.
Will the Bucks be beneath the first or second apron next year?
Doing so would mean that Milwaukee would become a taxpayer again in 2026–27. If a team pays the tax in three of any four consecutive seasons, they are subject to more punitive repeater penalties. Should they remain below the tax threshold again in 2026–27, they would then reset that clock and could finish above it in 2027–28 without facing those penalties, since at that point, they would have only paid luxury tax in two of the prior four seasons (2024–25 included). So it seems likely that they will avoid being a taxpayer in 2026–27, and thus not contend with either apron.
Are the Bucks hard-capped?
The Bucks have not yet engaged in any moves that would hard cap them at either apron level in 2025–26. An example of such a move occurred in February 2025, when the Bucks sent cash to New York for Delon Wright, triggering a hard cap at the second apron. That meant their apron salary (which includes all unlikely benefits in contracts) couldn’t cross $188.9m under any circumstances. You can read more here about what causes teams to become hard-capped, such as taking back more than 100% of their outgoing salary in a trade or aggregating salaries.
What draft picks can the Bucks currently trade?
The Bucks may trade their own first-round picks in the 2031 and 2032 NBA Drafts, but no others. If one of those two is traded, the other could only be dealt as a pick swap, since the NBA’s Stepien rule prevents teams from going without a first in consecutive drafts. While they control firsts in the 2026, 2028, and 2030 drafts, meaning they will be able to draft a player in those years, the selections themselves are encumbered by swaps. They therefore cannot be traded, only re-swapped, as occurred in last February’s Khris Middleton-Kyle Kuzma deal. The only second-round pick the Bucks currently possess and can trade is Utah’s top-55 protected 2026 second.
If you found this page useful, please bookmark and/or share it, and if you have any questions or information you’d like to see included, let us know in the comments below!
He scored 12 points on 5-of-12 shooting, including a 2-for-6 clip from deep, over 25 minutes off the bench in Sunday's 111-89 win over the Celtics in Boston.
"He was great," New York captain and star guard Jalen Brunson said. "The impact he had on the game right away was amazing, it's what we needed and just happy to see him wearing the blue and orange."
Alvarado added two steals and a block as the Knicks (34-19) made a statement against the Celtics (34-19) on the road.
"That's him," New York wing Josh Hart said of Alvarado, whom he played alongside during his time with the New Orleans Pelicans from 2021-22 when Alvarado was a rookie. "You know he'll be a really good on-ball defender, take the challenge, a great secondary ballhandler for us, be able to play-make, in the paint and pressure, so what you got from today is the player you'll get."
The Knicks landed Alvarado from New Orleans in a trade before this past Thursday's deadline.
"He brings a level of toughness to this team, his energy is unmatched," New York head coach Mike Brownsaid before Sunday's game. "What he can do defensively in the full court and even in the front court with the ball especially on the pick-and-rolls and stuff, is at a pretty high level.
"He shoots it better than people think, too. We want to play fast and we believe he's a guy who will come in and push the pace, get into our offense, and all of that because he’s quick and has a low center of gravity -- excited to have him."
DENVER, COLORADO - DECEMBER 27: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives against Christian Braun #0 of the Denver Nuggets in the third quarter at Ball Arena on December 27, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers finish off their five-game Western Conference road trip as they take on Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.
This will be a fun test for the new look Cavs. It’ll be interesting to see how James Harden attacks Jokic — who is a better rim defender than he gets credit for — in the pick-and-roll. Jokic usually doesn’t want to guard in space. We’ll see if the Cavs can exploit that.
On the other end, Jarrett Allen will have his hands full against the best player in the league and won’t have a lot of help. Evan Mobley (calf) has been ruled out for this game, and both Dean Wade (ankle) and Jaylon Tyson (ankle) are questionable to participate.
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports Network App, NBA League Pass
Point spread: Cavs -1.5
Cavs injury report: Dean Wade – QUESTIONABLE (ankle), Evan Mobley – OUT (calf), Jaylon Tyson – QUESTIONABLE (ankle), Max Strus – OUT (foot), Emanuel Miller – OUT (G League)
Nuggets injury report: Jamal Murray – QUESTIONABLE (hip), Peyton Watson – OUT (hamstring), Tamar Bates – OUT (foot), Christian Bruan – PROBABLE (ankle), Aaron Gordon – OUT (hamstring), Nikola Jokic – PROBABLE (ankle), Curtis Jones – OUT (G League), Spencer Jones – OUT (concussion)
Cavs expectedstarting lineup: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Sam Merrill, Nae’Qwan Tomllin, Jarrett Allen
Nuggets expected starting lineup: Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, Julian Strawther, Cameron Johnson, Nikola Jokic
Mohamed Diawara guards Jaylen Brown during the Knicks-Celtics game on Feb. 8, 2026.
BOSTON — Mohamed Diawara picked up the slack for an absent OG Anunoby.
With Anunoby sidelined for a second straight game because of a sore toe, Diawara became the Jaylen Brown stopper in the second half of Sunday’s 111-89 Knicks victory over the Celtics.
It earned Diawara, the second-round rookie, his first defensive player of the game award, which is given by the Knicks coaching staff after victories.
Mohamed Diawara guards Jaylen Brown during the Knicks-Celtics game on Feb. 8, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
“You get a guy like Jaylen Brown who is a heck of a player. In the first half he was having his way with us a little bit. He was 6-for-11, he was rolling,” coach Mike Brown said. “In the second half, we did a better job defensively as a team. I got to give Mo some credit. Mo was our defensive player of the game. We threw Mo on him for a little bit. We thought we’re going to try to make Jaylen work, be physical, get up into him, stuff like that, and he did it without fouling. He did a nice job with it. So to see that from a young guy at this point in his career was a lot of fun as a staff.”
In addition to his defensive prowess, Diawara was perfect from the field — 4-for-4 overall, 2-for-2 from deep — while scoring 10 points.
The Knicks outscored Boston by 22 points in Diawara’s 27 minutes.
“I think the beginning of the year, training camp, everybody was like, ‘He’s gonna be good,’ ” Josh Hart said. “And I think with him, it was just more about getting more comfortable, more experience, more minutes, those kinds of things.
“But he’s gonna be extremely good. He’s extremely talented, defensively he can be all over the place but offensively he’s knocking down shots.”
Karl-Anthony Towns returned from a one-game absence for a laceration above his eye.
Karl-Anthony Towns wore goggles for the first time in his career. Getty Images
The Knicks center said the cut — which occurred in last week’s double-overtime victory over the Nuggets — required 16 stitches.
Towns also wore goggles for the first time in his career, revealing the black-rimmed set is the same model used by Amar’e Stoudemire — and still stored by the Knicks.
But they didn’t last long.
Towns removed the goggles in the second half. He also struggled with just 11 points on 3-for-9 shooting, including no 3-pointers and three turnovers.
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 14: Jaylon Tyson #20 and Dean Wade #32 of the Cleveland Cavaliers high five during the game against the Detroit Pistons during Preseason on October 14, 2025 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers will conclude their five-game, Western Conference road trip against the Denver Nuggets on Monday evening at less than 100%. If you’re going against a team with Nikola Jokic, you would ideally like to have your entire front court available for that matchup. Unfortunately for the Cavs, that won’t be possible.
Cleveland will be without the services of Evan Mobley. He’ll be missing his sixth game in a row with a calf strain he sustained in the team’s Jan. 26 win over the Orlando Magic.
The Cavs might also be without Dean Wade and Jaylon Tyson. Both are questionable for Monday’s game.
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Wade missed Friday’s win against the Sacramento Kings with a left ankle sprain. He last played on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Clippers.
On the season, Wade is averaging 5.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game on .417/.340/.750 shooting splits.
Tyson is the new addition to the injury report. He’s also questionable with a left ankle sprain.
Tyson struggled as the de facto starting power forward against the Kings. He seemed hesitant at times playing alongside James Harden, and wasn’t able to get his shot to fall. He finished that game with 10 points on 3-8 shooting with six rebounds and no assists.
The Cavs will likely turn to Nae’Qwan Tomlin as the starting four if neither can go. Their absence would also open the door for increased minutes for Thomas Bryant and Keon Ellis.
Denver could also be down several key pieces.
The Nuggets will be without the services of Aaron Gordon (hamstring) and Peyton Watson (hamstring). Jamal Murray (hip) is questionable for the game. Jokic (ankle) and Christian Bruan (ankle) are probable to play.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Ny'Ceara Pryor scored 20 points with two clutch free throws late, Fatmata Janneh added a double-double and Texas A&M upset No. 21 Alabama 72-69 on Sunday to snap a six-game losing streak.
Jessica Timmons had a three-point play to give Alabama a 57-53 lead with 9:34 remaining. Lemyah Hylton hit a 3-pointer and Lauren Ware added a layup to cap a 10-0 run as Texas A&M moved in front 63-57. Timmons did all the scoring in a 7-0 spurt and the Crimson Tide moved ahead 64-63 at 4:11.
Alabama’s Essence Cody was called for a flagrant-1 technical, fouling out with 3:03 left. Ace Austin, who was fouled by Ware prior to the technical, made 1 of 2 free throws before Salese Blow sank two for the technical and the Aggies led 67-65. Pryor and Naomi Jones traded baskets before Janneh made 1 of 2 foul shots for a three-point lead with 21 seconds remaining.
Karly Weathers scored nine seconds later, but Pryor hit two foul shots and Ware blocked a 3-pointer at the other end to preserve the upset.
Pryor added seven assists, six rebounds and four steals for the Aggies (9-10, 2-8 Southeastern Conference). Janneh had 12 points and 15 rebounds, while Ware scored 13.
Timmons totaled 19 points and eight rebounds to pace the Crimson Tide (20-5, 7-5). Ta'Mia Scott added 18 points and Cody scored 13 with seven rebounds.
Ware scored six to help Texas A&M take a 14-12 lead after one quarter.
Ware, who had 10 points by halftime, scored on a layup in the final minute and Janneh had a three-point play with two seconds left to give Texas A&M a 34-29 lead at the break.
Scott hit her fourth 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded in the third quarter to give the Tide a one-point lead.
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Cam Thomas has signed with Milwaukee after getting waived by the Brooklyn Nets, the Bucks announced on Sunday.
The 24-year-old guard had spent his entire career with the Nets, who selected him out of LSU with the 27th overall pick in the 2021 draft.
Thomas averaged 15.6 points, 3.1 assists, 1.8 rebounds and 24.3 minutes in 24 games with Brooklyn this season. He had missed about seven weeks with a left hamstring strain but returned on Dec. 27.
Hamstring issues also limited Thomas to 25 games last season, though he scored 24 points per game when available. Thomas, who is 6-foot-3, averaged 22.5 points and played 66 games in 2023-24.
Thomas is shooting a career-low 39.9% overall this season, and he’s made 32.5% of his 3-point attempts. He has shot 43.5% overall and 34.3% from 3-point range in 239 career games, including 88 starts.
Jan 19, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis (9) celebrates a three point shot against the Atlanta Hawks during the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images
Looks like Giannis isn’t the only Milwaukee Bucks player who will take part in All-Star Weekend. Bobby Portis was announced as one of the eight players who will take part in this season’s three-point contest. This is the first time in his 11-year career that Portis will participate in an All-Star event. It’s the third straight year the Bucks have had at least one player in the three-point shootout, with Damian Lillard (2024, 2025) and Malik Beasley (2024) also participating for Milwaukee. The remaining competitors include Donovan Mitchell, Tyrese Maxey, Jamal Murray, Norman Powell, Devin Booker, and Kon Knueppel.
Portis is having one of his best seasons shooting from behind the arc, hitting 45.1% on 4.3 attempts per game. That mark puts him in a virtual three-way tie for fifth place in 3P% with Sam Merrill and Ayo Dosunmu. He’s also tied for seventh for three-point shooting in a single season in Bucks franchise history. It ranks as his second-highest career percentage, as he shot 47.1% in his first season with the Bucks.
Speaking of Lillard, he’s set to make his return to the court in the competition as well. Despite not playing at all this season due to a torn Achilles, Lillard is looking to add another three-point title to his extensive resume. Dame won back-to-back competitions in 2023 and 2024, the latter of which he won while in Milwaukee.
For those who don’t remember how the event goes, the NBA explained it in their press release about this year’s participants:
In the two-round contest, players attempt to score as many points as possible from multiple 3-point locations within 70 seconds. The top three scorers from the first round advance to the championship round, where the highest score determines the winner.
You can watch BP light it up from Los Angeles next Saturday at 4:00 p.m. Central time on NBC and Peacock.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 07: Collin Gillespie #12 of the Phoenix Suns pressures Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at Mortgage Matchup Center on February 07, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
You know this by now: I love discovering and learning new things related to basketball or related to the Suns. I’ve already talked about it here, but once again, it’s a video from the Dreamcast Show that inspired me in the production of this article about maximizing possessions (a domain that is important in Jordan Ott’s playing philosophy).
This season, the Suns don’t win because they shoot better, but because they shoot more. Phoenix is not elite in shooting (15th in shooting efficiency this season), but Phoenix — and some of its players — is a team that manipulates the volume of play.
You know this: a possession is gained and preserved in three different ways.
First, by securing an offensive rebound. Phoenix grabs almost 13 offensive rebounds per game, with an Offensive Rebound% of 31%, which places them near the top of the league in that area. A possession is also gained by forcing a turnover, and Phoenix is also very well positioned in that category, ranking top 3 in steals per game (10.4), but also top 3 in Opponent Turnovers% with 17.1%. The quality of this team in these two areas is no longer in question, but what often hurts them is converting those opportunities (because of major shooting inconsistency).
Finally, it’s good to gain a possession, but it’s even better if it is preserved so you can attempt a shot. Here, the Suns are less good: 19th in offensive TOV% and 15.4 turnovers per game, which is huge for a team that creates so many “easy” situations.
To better visualize this possession gain, I imagined a small formula: (OREB/g + STL/g) – TOV/g — it’s not perfect science nor an absolute truth, but a trend indicator with a margin of error. And with this formula, the Suns gain on average +7.8 possessions per game.
For comparison, the best defensive team in the league, OKC, is at +6.3. Houston, who are the best offensive rebounders, are at +9.8. The Celtics, who are the team that loses the ball the least this season, are at +8.2. And finally, the Pistons, who are the most balanced team in this area, are at +7.8.
Phoenix doesn’t need to be perfect to win; they have a structural engine that gives them 6–10 extra possessions per game. But unfortunately, a big lack of shooting success on some nights places them in the Play‑in zone even though they generate as many extra possessions as the top‑3 teams.
But how is the team organized to generate so many extra possessions? Well, they rely on a clearly defined system and style of play: a constant physical presence in the dunker spot, combined with a sort of all‑in approach to maximize the chances of grabbing the offensive rebound. We can see it clearly in the action below: it starts with a pick and roll between Mark and Devin to swing the ball to Dillon in the corner, Booker positions himself in the dunker spot while the rest of the team comes to support him in that task. As a result, Embiid is focused on Devin Booker, which leaves Mark Williams free to do his job.
Then the team also relies on a super aggressive and oppressive defense that is not afraid to jump passing lanes or closeouts. The system is disruptive, which allows Phoenix to force many turnovers, like here against the Blazers: they try as much as possible to poke the ball loose (on passes or on-ball) while staying close to their matchup, Jordan Goodwin succeeds, and can go straight into transition.
Speaking of Jordan Goodwin, the wing ranks among the best in the league in this possession‑maximization profile. If we take the raw formula from earlier and standardize it per 100 possessions to make it more representative, Goodwin alone generates +5.2 extra possessions per 100 possessions. And that’s not all: among all players with +250 minutes this season (yes, that’s a lot of players…), Jordan Goodwin is the only one combining +7% OREB% and +2% TOV%. If there is one player whose value is underestimated, it’s him. At the end of the season, he should be one of the priorities when salary negotiations begin.
Phoenix doesn’t dominate through pure talent, but through volume. And it’s clear that the day efficiency matches intention, this team will move into another category.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - FEBRUARY 08: Kris Dunn #8 of the Los Angeles Clippers and Julius Randle #30 of the Minnesota Timberwolves get into a scrum in the fourth quarter at Target Center on February 08, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Dunn was ejected from the game. The Clippers defeated the Timberwolves 115-96. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With 8:25 left in the fourth quarter, Los Angeles Clippers rookie Yanic Niederhauser rose up in a crowd of three Minnesota Timberwolves. Off a miss, the young big man grabbed the ball, dunked it with authority, and picked up an and one in the process.
Stretching the lead to 24 for the Clippers at that point in the game, it was an indictment and moment to look in the mirror for a Wolves team that continued to write the same story it has all season. The problem is, the circumstances on this one weighed much more heavily.
After an inexcusable loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night that showed all of the usual porous defensive efforts, Rudy Gobert had enough and went just short of nuclear in his postgame comments.
Asked Rudy Gobert what he meant by accountability and where that accountability needs to come from.
"It starts with ourselves, but it seems like we don't have that. So I think at some point, from the coaches, yeah, from the coaches. It's not an easy position for a coach to take… pic.twitter.com/2HxFe5Wm2y
With new trade acquisition Ayo Dosunmu making his debut on Sunday, it was a ball on a tee for the Timberwolves to respond to a pointed callout against a Clippers team overwhelmed from a talent perspective on national TV.
Instead, what followed was a bored and tired performance with a level of energy that often plagues this team.
Specifically, from the Wolves’ top two options in Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle, who would be fair to assume were the majority of the targets of Gobert’s postgame comments, a failure to set the tone on Sunday came from the top.
At the end of the first half, Edwards had eight points on 3-11 shooting, no rebounds, just one assist, and sandwiched an 0-5 start from three in as well. Randle added six first-half points on 37% shooting and rounded things off with two second-half rebounds.
Behind both stat lines were poor off-ball defense for most of the game, and a lot of reliance on drawing fouls for production.
“I feel like we had good energy today, but the offense just wasn’t going for us…especially for me,” Edwards said after the game.
Except it wasn’t. The energy wasn’t there. Perhaps postgame quotes were a little more tempered this time around with what Gobert said on Friday, but “good” would not be an adjective many would use to describe what came out on Sunday.
Instead, it was perhaps another case study of letting one side of the ball impact the other.
A place where the energy was indeed “good”? The opposite bench. Kawhi Leonard finished the game with 41 points and four steals. The rest of his team?
They followed suit.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – FEBRUARY 08: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Los Angeles Clippers goes to the basket against Donte DiVincenzo #0 and Jaden McDaniels #3 of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the third quarter at Target Center on February 08, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Clippers defeated the Timberwolves 115-96. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
“Not Included Enough”
Donte DiVincenzo and Jaden McDaniels combined for three points.
Frankly, that’s not surprising considering their combined seven shots.
“I’ve gotta get them [each] to ten shots at least,” coach Chris Finch said after the game. “We’ve got to be able to find the next play for those guys.”
McDaneils, specifically in years past, has been tabbed a “barometer for ball movement” by Finch. Someone who may not get as many plays called or work to assert his will on the game offensively, McDaniels’ reflexive position seemed to be a thing of the past this season with his continued improvement and clear next step taken offensively.
Averaging 15 points and a 44% three point shooter, it’s impossible to imagine a game in which the two-way wing finishes things with just four shots. The Kawhi assignment that McDaniels drew certainly didn’t help, a seemingly impossible task for a game in which Leonard was unrelenting in his offense.
Kawhi Leonard, hounded by Jaden McDaniels, adjusts and get it to fall for his 30th point pic.twitter.com/KRq6JGD1ft
Facing multiple screens on most possessions, I question if more volume for Jaden on offense was the answer out of this one.
For DiVincenzo, I raise a few more questions.
The Wolves are 21-10 this season when he scores 12 or more points, and indicator that he’s getting the ball and pairing that with solid looks from three.
“Once you get stops and run, then everyone is touching the ball,” he said in the locker room after the game, noting more of a reluctance in the half-court when the Wolves don’t get stops on the defensive end.
When games tend to get into a track meet, the ball finds the hands of Edwards and Randle more often, and they feel the need to keep the pace themselves. When the ball doesn’t find the cylinder, the avalanche tends to begin.
“I think the energy right now feels like we lost five in a row,” DiVincenzo added. “But this team responds, and whatever the coaches bring to us tomorrow, we have to address.”
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – FEBRUARY 08: Ayo Dosunmu #13 of the Minnesota Timberwolves handles the ball against Jordan Miller #22 of the Los Angeles Clippers in the first quarter at Target Center on February 08, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Quickly On Dosunmu
Ayo Dosunmu made his Wolves debut, and it had all of the makings of a team debut.
Clearly not comfortable with the offense yet, the former Illinois guard showed hesitancy within the offense, and finished the game with a team-low -33.
But the plus minus doesn’t tell the full story. The argument can be made that the former Bull was the only member of the Wolves who decided to play hard on Sunday, and flashed in spots, specifically in the first half.
Ayo Dosunmu on-ball steal + hustle play + driving layup, great introductory two-way sequence pic.twitter.com/nqaO81h3A6
For the near term, it may look a little bumpy for someone who will be on the ball as much as Dosunmu. But the defensive chops are there, and the energy he brings was clear right away. He stood up multiple drives, and showed effort around the basket, which will certainly be welcomed on the Wolves bench.
If the pyramid of energy can flip, moving forward with the top two players bringing a little more to the table, the newly-acquired Dosunmu’s addition will look more like a puzzle piece that fits moving forward, as opposed to the team-wide awkwardness felt in his debut.
Up Next
A familiar face, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, is in town to face his former team head-on with his current one in the Atlanta Hawks.
Atlanta has won two of their last three, with the loss coming to a red-hot Charlotte Hornets team.
Another performance with poor energy would be shocking and raise further alarms with this team. Alexander-Walker is particularly close with many members of this team, which is something that raises the competitive level. Piling onto that is the last time the Wolves played the Hawks, a notorious 24-point blowout that temporarily woke the Wolves up for a few games and was a hard look in the mirror of how things were going at that time.
“In Atlanta, we got our asses kicked,” Donte DiVincenzo said after the game, reflecting back and answering a question on how this team handles lulls in the season, with the New Year’s Eve game in A-Town being one of them.
It’s well known in the locker room, and the hope is that it can radiate in the wake of a bad matinee on Sunday.
Tipoff at Target Center is slated for 7:00 PM CST.
Free agent Cam Thomas has agreed to a deal with the Milwaukee Bucks, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. The terms for the deal were not initially disclosed.
Thomas averaged 21.4 points per game over the past three seasons with the Brooklyn Nets.
The 24-year-old guard was waived by the Nets on Thursday, Feb. 5, after the trade deadline.
He had signed a one-year, $5.9 million qualifying offer in September and was set to become a free agent after the season.
TORONTO, CANADA - FEBRUARY 8: Scottie Barnes #4 of the Toronto Raptors reacts on the floor during the first half of their NBA game against the Indiana Pacers at Scotiabank Arena on February 8, 2026 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Super Bowl Sunday in Toronto means an early Raptors game, and showing up at the arena for 1pm media almost feels like being here before the sun is up. It was a quiet one at Scotiabank Arena today, with a lot of the usual suspects around instead taking the day off to watch some guys play football before and after a Bad Bunny concert.
Pascal Siakam and the Indiana Pacers were in town, and it immediately seemed like coach Rick Carlisle also had another sport on his mind… but it wasn’t football. He came into the Raptors’ media room and immediately launched into some thoughts about Olympic curling, saying he was watching this morning and couldn’t help but “live or die for the Canadian Curling team.” Unfortunately, Canada’s mixed pairs curlers were eliminated later in the afternoon. Sorry, Rick.
As for the actual basketball, Coach Rajakovic says that while Jakob Poeltl was still being held out of today’s game, he was progressing well. After missing over 20 games with a sore back, the team is working to recondition him for a return to the lineup. Unfortunately, Collin Murray-Boyles also ended up leaving the game early due to a lingering thumb injury. The Raptors prepared for this, though! This is why they went out and traded for Trayce Jackson-Davis! He was able to make his Raptors debut in light of CMB leaving the game.
He did well, too, scoring 10 points and 10 rebounds in 15 minutes. After the game, Darko Rajakovic said that while it was the plan all along to give him some minutes today, losing CMB gave them a little bit more freedom to do so. There was no pressure from the coach on his newest player, as TJD himself said that Darko texted him after yesterday’s practice and told him to just “play free.” As for CMB, he was hit on the hand, reaggravating an existing injury, and is considered day to day.
After a slower start and a close halftime score, the Raptors found themselves again in the third quarter. Of course, the scars from Wednesday night’s crumble were fresh, and no one was about to prematurely call this a dub before it was official. They seemed to have learned their lessons from last week, though, and were able to keep their 20-point lead throughout the rest of the game. In the end, Toronto took it 122-104 over Indiana.
It was a fantastic game for Scottie Barnes, who scored 25 points on 12-20 shooting from the field, adding 12 rebounds and 6 assists. RJ Barrett scored 20 of his own, and Mamukelashvili scored 17 points off the bench.
Rajakovic had the same words of praise for his All-Star player that he usually does, emphatically saying that “Scottie Barnes is the Defensive Player of the Year” and will one day win the NBA’s MVP award.
“That’s Darko for you,” Scottie said of his reaction to Darko continuing to sing his praises this season (and always). He went on to talk about how much he appreciates Darko as a coach, saying that having a coach that you can consider a friend, someone you can get deep with in conversations, someone who rides for you — it makes a huge difference.
“Scottie is defensive player of the year. He’s an All-Star. He’s gonna be a Finals MVP. He’s going to be an MVP one day. Write down the date I said that” – Darko
Darko has been saying stuff like this for years, of course. He has always had faith in his star, knowinf his potential and talking him up to the max. Now that Scottie is starting to reach that potential, Darko’s faith in his super star is only getting stronger.
Overall, it was a good win, and one that was expected of this team. The Pacers are 13-40 on the season and headed for the lottery — similar to the Raptors from one year ago. Having back to back wins going into their first meeting with the No. 1 seeded Detroit Pistons on Wednesday (the last game before the All-Star break) will hopefully give them a boost as they take on a tough opponent.
