Category: Basketball

Editor's note: This story has been updated to include postgame comments from Alabama coach Nate Oats.

Last month, Charles Bediako returned to Alabama basketball after spending most of the previous three seasons in the G League, a move that has become one of the most contentious and hotly debated subjects in the sport over the past two weeks.

In his first road game since rejoining the No. 23 Crimson Tide, the opposing fans offered constant reminders about his unusual situation.

During Alabama's 100-77 loss on Sunday, Feb. 1 at No. 21 Florida, Bediako was showered for much of the afternoon with chants of "G League Dropout" from the crowd at the O'Connell Center in Gainesville, Florida.

Bruce Pearl: NCAA should consider banning Alabama basketball from postseason

The 7-foot center turned in his worst performance since returning to Alabama, where he previously played from 2021-23 before embarking on a professional career. After scoring 27 points in his first two games with the Crimson Tide, Bediako was held to six points against the Gators, though he also had a season-high seven rebounds and four blocks. He fouled out with 2:10 remaining and his team trailing by 20. As he walked to the bench, he was once against serenaded with the chant.

The “G-League dropout” chants have yet to stop. #Gatorspic.twitter.com/ZPefujHrOJ

— Andrew Abadie (@AndrewAbadie) February 1, 2026

Bediako declared for the NBA draft after the 2022-23 season and, after going undrafted, played 82 games in the G League across three seasons, most recently with the Motor City Cruise.

After playing for the Cruise as recently as Jan. 17, Bediako was granted a temporary restraining order against the NCAA by a Tuscaloosa County (Alabama) Circuit Court judge on Jan. 21, allowing him to suit up for the Crimson Tide the past three games.

His preliminary injunction hearing has been rescheduled for Feb. 6 and will be with a new judge after James Roberts Jr., who granted him the restraining order, has recused himself from the case after a motion from the NCAA. Roberts is an active "circle" donor to Crimson Tide Foundation, meaning he gives anywhere between $100,000 to $249,999 to the university.

Among those who had taken aim at Bediako's return to college basketball was Florida head coach Todd Golden.

“They were able to finagle the situation where they got a judge in Alabama that is actually a donor at Alabama to write a temporary restraining order to allow this guy to play games at Alabama. I think there’s a lot of people that aren’t necessarily happy about it and don’t necessarily agree with it,” Golden said on the local 'Gator Talk.' “But with all this intervention from judges, there’s only so much the league can do, there’s only so much other member schools in the league can do. We just need some people to stand up and start taking a stand.”

The 23-point loss Sunday was Alabama's most lopsided of the season. After an 11-3 start, the Crimson Tide are 3-4 in their past seven games.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Alabama coach Nate Oats seemed unfazed at the chants the Crimson Tide faced in an SEC road game:

Here is what Alabama HC Nate Oates said when asked about Charles Bianko’s reception to the O’Dome. #Gatorspic.twitter.com/Ncsywtbw7W

— Andrew Abadie (@AndrewAbadie) February 1, 2026

Bediako and Alabama return to action on Feb. 4 with a game against Texas A&M. It's the last game on the Crimson Tide's schedule before Bediako's hearing.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Florida vs Alabama: Fans chant 'G League dropout' to Charles Bediako

The Detroit Pistons will not get an up-close and personal look at Brooklyn Nets sharpshooter Michael Porter Jr. as the two teams square off today at Little Caesars Arena. Brooklyn’s Porter, who is the best 3-point shooter on the trade block this season, is missing his second consecutive game for personal reasons.

Detroit isn’t expected to make a big move before this week’s NBA Trade Deadline, but there are reports that it is at least exploring the potential of acquiring the extremely available Porter. The wing is exactly the kind of player the Pistons need — a big wing who can shoot at value and can perform in the playoffs. The cost to obtain him, however, doesn’t seem to be the kind Detroit is looking to swing. Still, the team needs to do something.

As far as the actual game tonight, it feels like it will come down to 3-point shooting and how seriously Detroit takes the 13-34 Nets. Brooklyn’s most famous shooter is Porter, but don’t dismiss rookie Ego Demin, who can get raging hot from 3. Denim hoists more than six attempts per game and converts at 40%. If there is one truism for the Pistons this year, it is that an 18-point lead can turn into a two-possession game very quickly because of how few threes Detroit makes and how much they own the paint, which motivates opponents to bomb it away from deep.

If the Pistons lock in, don’t get cute, and don’t leave Brooklyn’s shooters, they should win this game handily. If they don’t take it seriously, they could easily lose.

Game Vitals

When: 6 p.m. ET
Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Watch: Fan Duel Sports Network Detroit
Odds: Pistons -13

Projected Lineups

Detroit Pistons (35-12)

Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Brooklyn Nets (13-34)

Egor Demin, Nolan Traore, Terance Mann, Danny Wolf, Nic Claxton

With 11 wins in the month of January, posting an 11-5 record (their most wins in a month thus far this season, one better than 10-win November), the Phoenix Suns go into February tied for the most wins to start 2026. In January, the team had three different three-game win streaks and dropped just five games out of the 16 they played. Phoenix is firmly in the mix for a top-six seed, switching positions in the standings with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles at varying times over the last month.

Here’s a look at the team’s schedule for the next month:

Staying Home Before the Break

• Sunday, February 1st vs Los Angeles Clippers
• Tuesday, February 3rd @ Portland Trailblazers (On NBC/Peacock)
• Thursday, February 5th vs Golden State Warriors (On Amazon Prime)
• Saturday, February 7th vs Philadelphia 76ers
• Tuesday, February 10th vs Dallas Mavericks
• Wednesday, February 11th vs Oklahoma City Thunder

After finishing January with four straight games at home, the Suns will play five of their six games before the All-Star Break at home, with the only game on the road being against their Western Conference foe in Portland.

All six of the teams that the Suns will play, the Suns have already beaten, and the Warriors are the only one that the team did not beat in the most recent matchup. Due to a torn ACL and a 25-game suspension, the Warriors will not face Jimmy Butler and Paul George in their outings against Golden State and Philadelphia, respectively, and Anthony Davis and Jalen Williams’ statuses are in peril when they face Phoenix. The last time the Suns played the Thunder, Devin Booker had a game-winner in legendary fashion.

DEVIN BOOKER HITS THE TRIPLE AND WINS IT FOR THE SUNS 🚨

PHOENIX COMPLETES THE 18-PT COMEBACK TO DEFEAT THE THUNDER! pic.twitter.com/JNPazjMXTz

— NBA (@NBA) January 5, 2026

With the NBA Trade Deadline on the 5th, the Suns roster and their opponents’ squads could look differently than they are now for these matchups.

Staying at Home

• Thursday, February 19th @ San Antonio Spurs
• Saturday, February 21st vs Orlando Magic (NBA TV)
• Sunday, February 22nd vs Portland Trailblazers
• Tuesday, February 24th vs Boston Celtics
• Thursday, February 26th vs Los Angeles Lakers

Phoenix will continue its month of staying mostly at home after the All-Star break, and they’ll get their first looks at the Celtics and the Magic this year. Boston has been one of the biggest surprises this season, hovering in the second and third spots in the East despite Jayson Tatum sidelined, while Orlando has been one of the league’s biggest disappointments as Paolo Banchero is having a down year and Franz Wagner has dealt with injuries.

With how close the Lakers and Suns are in the standings, their matchup on the 24th could prove to be a big one; don’t be surprised if this one is flexed into a national broadcast. It’ll be the fourth matchup out of five this year for the two teams and the last in Phoenix. They’re playing five times this season after both lost in the first knockout round of the NBA Cup. The Suns are winning the season series 2-1. Could it be LeBron James’s last time playing in Phoenix?

---

82% of the Suns’ games this month are in at home, the highest percentage out of any month of the season. The team has a light traveling month with the All-Star break sandwiched in the middle of it, before they go on another six-game road trip in March.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have traded De’Andre Hunter to the Sacramento Kings for Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder as part of a three-team deal. This move cuts losses and returns Cleveland’s roster to the previous status quo.

Let me explain.

Think of last year’s roster construction. We know the starting lineup was killer, but Ty Jerome’s importance as a Sixth Man of the Year guard was just as necessary. Jerome made sure the Cavs never had to play without multiple shot creators on the floor.

Add a strong point-of-attack defender in Isaac Okoro, and the Cavs always had a wrench to throw at opponents when they needed stops. This optionality between Okoro and Jerome gave Cleveland levers they could pull at any point.

Is that not the vision with Ellis and Schroder?

Ellis is an elite perimeter defender. Just as good, if not more impactful than Okoro due to his defensive playmaking. He’s a truly disruptive player who can generate steals and blocks at a rate that Okoro never did. All the while, Ellis is a more willing and threatening three-point shooter.

As for Schroder, this is as safe a backup guard as you can ask for. He’s been kicked around the league for years, in large part because he’s good enough to warrant interest on the trading market, but not valuable enough to keep off the block. Schroder won’t replace Jerome’s efficient, high-volume scoring, but he is easily the best backup point guard on the roster, right now.

An upgrade for Okoro and a downgrade for Jerome. The Ellis/Schroder additions put the Cavs roughly back to where they were a year ago. I’d argue that’s a good thing, considering the massive success this roster construction previously had.

But then there’s the De’Andre Hunter of it all.

The Cavs sorely needed a small forward with legit size last season. A year later, they are right back in that hole.

Cleveland has a whopping nine players who are guard-sized: Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Craig Porter Jr, Max Strus, Sam Merrill, Jaylon Tyson, Lonzo Ball, and now Ellis and Schroder.

Certainly, a few of these players can scale up to play small forward. Tyson, Strus, and Merrill have all proven they fill minutes at the wing. The emergence of Tyson, especially, has saved the Cavs from being in an extreme bind right now.

Still, there’s a logjam in the backcourt full of guards trying to be wings. There always has been. That’s why trading for Hunter last season was seen as such a necessary move. Hunter, for his flaws, had the size and raw potential of a player who could be the missing piece.

That didn’t pan out.

Hunter fell to all of his worst tendencies this season. A low motor defender who can’t create for others or play in a team system. Hunter could previously lean on being a 6’8” wing who can shoot efficiently from deep. But the writing was on the wall once his jumper disappeared (career-low 30% shooter this season).

This trade is a bet against Hunter. A gamble that Hunter is showing his true colors this season—and that last year—was just an outlier. Getting rid of Hunter is a risk that no one can blame the Cavs for taking, considering how actively damaging he had become to the team. Some of his recent turnovers might have been the final straw, in all honesty.

There’s no shame in cutting your losses early. Hunter wasn’t working out, and we know that Ellis and Schroder lend themselves to a style that did work last season. Thus, the Cavs have recouped the playmaking and perimeter defense that they lost in the summer. In the process, they are back to having zero small forwards on the roster above 6’6” that aren’t named Dean Wade.

Perhaps most importantly, the Cavs have taken a step towards reganing financially stability. They’ve saved $50 million in luxury taxes and are now just $13.9 million above the second apron. Another salary dump could allow the Cavs to reintroduce themselves as serious contenders on the trade market.

In summary, the Cavs have punted on the Hunter experience and pivoted back to a blueprint that has worked in the past. Along the way, they save money and open the door to future moves that could help them address their need for size on the wing. It’s the type of move that you have to applaud — even if you question the previous decisions that made this trade necessary.

PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka (AP) — Tom Banton hit 54 not out off 33 balls and England won the second T20 against Sri Lanka by six wickets with two balls remaining under the DLS method on Sunday to clinch the series.

England has a 2-0 lead in the three-match series ahead of cricket's T20 World Cup, which starts Saturday.

Banton hit three sixes and four fours as England successfully chased down the revised target of 168 in 17 overs. It finished with 173-4 in 16.4 overs. Jos Buttler scored 39 runs off 29 balls, with six fours.

Sri Lanka lost the toss and had earlier reached 189-5 in 20 overs, with Pavan Rathnayake top-scoring for his team with 40 off 22 balls.

A short burst of rain meant the game was reduced to 17 overs a side.

Sri Lanka was beaten by 11 runs in a rain-affected series opener on Friday, also at Pallekele. The final T20 will be played at the same venue on Tuesday.

Quick start for Sri Lanka

Pathum Nissanka scored 34 off 22 balls with two sixes and added 56 off 33 with Kamil Mishara (36) for the first wicket.

Jofra Archer (2-42) got the breakthrough in the sixth over, bowling Nissanka. Kusal Mendis then added another 50 off 33 balls for the second wicket with Mishara.

Mendis hit 32 off 17 deliveries, with four fours and a six, as Sri Lanka kept up a good scoring rate before losing three quick wickets.

Will Jacks had Mishara dismissed in the 11th over. Eight balls later, Liam Dawson sent back Mendis, while Adil Rashid trapped Dasun Shanaka lbw for 1 in the 14th over.

Rathnayake helped rescue the side from 131-4, sharing a stand of 56 runs off 36 balls with Charith Asalanka, who scored 28 not out off 22 balls and four fours.

England's chase

It seemed a tough target for England, which had reached 57-2 in 7.2 overs — behind the DLS par score — when rain intervened.

Opener Phil Salt fell for 1, caught off Matheesha Pathirana (2-47), while Jacob Bethell was out for 13.

Rain and a wet outfield held up play for around 75 minutes before resuming with an adjusted target.

Buttler provided support to Banton, who powered his way to a half-century off 29 balls.

The duo added 43 off 28 deliveries before Buttler fell to Dunith Wellalage in the 10th over.

Banton added another 49 off only 20 balls with skipper Harry Brook (36), and then another rapid 43 off 25 with Sam Curran (20 not out off 14 balls) to win the match.

Brook smashed four sixes off 12 balls to bring the target within reach, before he was caught off Pathirana.

___

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

Former Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said the NCAA should consider levying harsh consequences against Alabama for its role in Charles Bediako joining the team midseason.

Bediako, a two-year starter at Alabama from 2021-23, was in the midst of his third G League season before being granted a temporary restraining order to return to college for the remainder of the campaign.

Decision delayed: Alabama's Charles Bediako can keep playing. He can thank Mother Nature

'G League dropout': Florida basketball fans chant at Charles Bediako

Pearl said the NCAA should consider banning Alabama from the NCAA tournament this year for allowing Bediako to return to the school years later.

“I think they should consider it,” Pearl said in an interview with OutKick on Saturday, Jan. 31. “I think it’s something that should be talked about. … So, the NCAA, Alabama went ‘Hey, we want to get Bediako eligible. We think there’s some argument that he’s getting treated differently as an American that played professionally vs. European kids.’ It’s a good argument to have but the NCAA said no.

"They said, ‘No, he’s not eligible. You guys are part of the SEC, you’re part of the NCAA. You guys choose to be here. Therefore, you choose to play by our rules.’ And so, when we don’t like the ruling, what do we do? We go to court and get an injunction.”

Bediako's temporary restraining order states the NCAA can't impose sanctions or bans to Alabama as a result of Bediako being allowed to play. In other words, the NCAA can't consider banning the Crimson Tide from the NCAA Tournament.

Bediako has been a huge boost to Alabama's frontcourt already. He scored 13 and 14 points, respectively, in his first two games this season against Tennessee and Missouri. ESPN's Seth Greenberg even called the Crimson Tide a national championship contender with Bediako in the fold.

Regardless, it's a harsh statement from Pearl, who retired from coaching ahead of the 2025-26 college basketball season. Pearl coached Auburn from 2014-25 and, prior to coaching the Tigers, led Tennessee from 2005-11. His son, Steven Pearl, is in his first season as head coach at Auburn after taking over for his dad.

Pearl led Auburn to two Final Four appearances in 2019 and 2025 and accumulated a 244-123 record in 11 seasons.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bruce Pearl says Alabama basketball should face March Madness ban

Nothing has gone according to plan over the last 36 hours for the Spurs. First, in a game that in hindsight should have been postponed, what was supposed to be a 2:00 PM CT game in Charlotte yesterday got moved back to 11:00 AM with the hopes being the Spurs would be able to play and get out before the impending winter storm hit. Unfortunately, it was already snowing by tip-off, and after sitting on the tarmac for two hours hoping the runways would be cleared, the Spurs flight was canceled, and they were forced to stay overnight. As a result the tip-off for today’s game at home vs. the Orlando Magic was moved back from 3:00 PM CT to 6:00.

However, today hasn’t been smooth sailing, either. San Antonio Express News’ Tom Orsborn has been monitoring the Spurs’ odyssey to return home today, and it has been everyone’s worse nightmare. After finally leaving Charlotte at little after 10 AM, they were forced to land in Atlanta to change planes after their’s suffered mechanical issues, causing another extended delay.

Latest on the Spurs odyssey:

After departing Charlotte at 10:21 a.m. Eastern, their flight was diverted to Atlanta, where it landed at 10:59 due to a minor equipment issue, a team spokesman said. They are switching to a new plane.

— Tom Orsborn (@tom_orsborn) February 1, 2026

They finally took off from Atlanta around 1:30 PM CT, and with the flight taking approximately two hours, they should land in San Antonio around 3:30 PM. That would not give them enough time to get to the arena and adequately prepare and warm up, so as a result, the game has now been pushed back again to 8:00 PM CT.

Tip off for Spurs game with Magic tonight has now been pushed back to an 8 pm start, a team spokesman told the Express-News.

— Tom Orsborn (@tom_orsborn) February 1, 2026

To add insult to injury, Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama have been listed as questionable for tonight’s game, with adductor and calf soreness, respectively. (Sounds like code for potential rest games since they’re referring to previous injuries, but most of these scenarios have resulted in the players playing, so hopefully that continues, especially with the added time before tip-off.)

Wemby, Castle questionable for tonight’s game, Spurs say. pic.twitter.com/AvqCEqA72E

— Tom Orsborn (@tom_orsborn) February 1, 2026

This scenario is unlike anything I’ve seen a team go through ahead of a game, and honestly, the Spurs should be completely forgiven if they can’t pull out a win tonight. They never should have been put in this situation to begin with, and it seems like every other game that happened in the eye of this storm was properly handled. While today’s mechanical issues are not the fault of the NBA, I feel like the game in Charlotte never should have happened, and now they are in a nearly unwinnable situation tonight. If they do somehow pull this one off, it just might be their most impressive achievement of the season.

Oh, and if they win and the Nuggets lose to the Thunder, Mitch Johnson will be an All-Star coach. There’s some added motivation for tonight.

On Saturday evening, Sixers fans gathered to reminisce about the one shining moment this franchise has had in over four decades. The 2001 Eastern Conference Champions team reunited in South Philadelphia in a celebration of what once made professional basketball so special in this city.

The Sixers, of course, did not win the NBA Finals that season. Facing a vaunted Lakers team in the midst of a three-peat, they won Game 1 of the Finals before falling in the next four. Los Angeles went 15-1 that postseason, just a historical throttling that featured two of the game’s all-time greats at the peak of their powers. On the other side of things were the people’s champion in Allen Iverson, the late, great Dikembe Mutombo and a host of beloved role players.

It was great seeing fans young and old cheer on and pay tribute to the lone great Sixers squad of my lifetime before, during and after Saturday’s win over New Orleans. The energy Pat Croce showcases is the epitome of the spirit a professional sports owner should have. Iverson was instrumental to building my love of not just the Sixers, but the sport of basketball overall. His on- and off-the-court impact for a generation cannot be overstated. What 1990s kid doesn’t love Hip-Hop the mascot on top of it all?

I went out of my way to buy tickets for Saturday because it was specifically a 2001 reunion game. I wanted to soak up all those throwback vibes on top of watching this year’s Sixers team make some noise. I wanted to remember what it was like being six or seven years old and seeing the Sixers be the class of the Eastern Conference.

I had a blast seeing the likes of Iverson, Croce and Eric Snow out there and it was lovely to have Joel Embiid put up a 40-point performance on top of it all, but the more I reflect on it, and this is likely more of a me thing, I feel slightly more empty than I anticipated.

I think of Philadelphia’s own Da’Vine Joy Randolph in her Oscar-winning performance in The Holdovers. Her most famous line in the film is, “You can’t even dream a whole dream, can you?”

The gold standard of Sixers basketball for more than four decades has been a gentleman’s sweep at the hands of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. It’s bittersweet to me. Our memories, the ones we cherish the most, are important. Iverson winning MVP and his iconic step over in Game 1 of the Finals will live forever in NBA lore. The 2001 Sixers were about more than mere hardware, but I am still dreaming about a summertime parade down Broad Street for this franchise for the first time in my life.

I don’t know when the Sixers will return to the NBA Finals. Hell, I don’t when they’ll be back in the Eastern Conference Finals even. Are the memories and highlights of the 2001 team enough to carry us all over until then? I sure hope so.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have made the three-team trade that broke late last night official. The Cavs acquired Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis from the Sacremento Kings along with Emanuel Miller from the Chicago Bulls. In return, the Cavs shipped De’Andre Hunter to the Kings and a second-round pick to the Bulls. To make room for Ellis, the Cavs waived former second-round pick Luke Travers.

The team announced the news on Sunday afternoon, along with a statement from Koby Altman, the Cavs’ president of basketball operations.

The statement from Altman reads:

“After careful evaluation and a clearer view of the Eastern Conference landscape, we believe adding Dennis and Keon strengthens our depth, expands our flexibility, and positions us to keep building a Championship caliber team now and into the future. In a season defined by its parity, this move better aligns us for a deeper postseason run. I’m thankful as well to De’Andre, who made an immediate impact upon his arrival to Cleveland and represented the Cavaliers with class. We appreciate everything he did for us both on and off the court, and we wish him the best in Sacramento. We drafted Luke in 2022 and have seen his development improve each year and thank him for his contributions to the franchise.”

The most interesting part of this statement to me is that Altman mentioned that the trade “expands our flexibility.” The move saves the Cavs approximately $50 million in luxury cap payments this season. That is something that would undoubtedly interest the ownership group. However, it also got the Cavs closer to getting under the second-apron threshold. Cutting the money that they did makes it more viable for them to go big-game hunting if they wanted to.

We’ll see what other moves, if any, the Cavs make before the Feb. 5 trade deadline.

The kid Cooper Flagg had just put together an all-time performance, accomplishing something we’d never seen a teenager do in an NBA game, and he was getting ready to follow it up with 34 and 12.

So, of course, Saturday afternoon was the perfect moment for two of the most insane media takes you could dream up in the interim.

Udonis Haslem and Jamal Mashburn, both former NBA players, proved on Saturday that they don’t watch actual NBA games as part of their duties as media personalities, unleashing separate takes on Cooper Flagg’s rookie year that were equally untethered to reality.

Perhaps it’s healthier to simply ignore takes as asinine as these, but this isn’t the doctor’s office. After all, one of them was offered by an “analyst” who was also a highly sought-after NBA Draft prospect once, selected fourth overall by the Dallas Mavericks in 1993. Let’s start with Mashburn.

He was being recorded for broadcast to a wide audience of sports viewers when he said on Saturday, “If I was to put [Cooper Flagg] on that list [of current college Freshmen], he would be sixth.”

"If I was to put [Cooper Flagg] on that list [of current Freshman], he would be 6th." 😳@jamalmashburn breaks down why this year's top Freshman stand out to him 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/qGkknRPSgp

— TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) January 31, 2026

Imagine telling a million sports fans with eyes that the guy who had just matched Michael Jordan’s best scoring output as a rookie in an NBA game would be the sixth pick in the upcoming NBA Draft if he hadn’t reclassified, because he “still has some holes in his game.”

It’s true, the 2026 NBA Draft class is likely going to be one of the best in recent memory. BYU’s A.J. Dybantsa, Kansas’ Darryn Peterson, Houston’s Kingston Flemings, Arizona’s Koa Peat, North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson and Duke’s Cam Boozer are all legit prospects with the potential to help change the trajectory of an NBA bottom-feeder. One or two of them may even end up being generational players. Miss me with the “Caleb Wilson’s game is a better fit for the NBA than Cooper Flagg’s” nonsense, though. One is actually doing it. The other hasn’t been given the chance yet. Comparison, and especially this brand of comparison, is the thief of, not only joy, for fuck’s sake, but sanity.

Flagg is already busy proving he is the guy these other six hope to one day become. His 49-point outburst in the Mavericks’ 123-121 loss to the Charlotte Hornets was the best scoring night by a 19-year-old in NBA history. It was his second 40-plus point outing this season. He would follow it up with 34 points and 12 boards in a 111-107 loss to the Houston Rockets mere hours after Mashburn inserted his foot into his mouth on cable television, becoming the youngest player in NBA history to record back-to-back 30-point double-doubles in the process.

We’ll save this clip for a year or so to see how many 40-point nights any of these six tremendous prospects have in their rookie NBA seasons. Kobe Bryant never scored 40 as a rookie. Neither did Luka Dončić. Victor Wembanyama scored exactly 40 once in his rookie season. Flagg is putting together a rookie year that separates him from even these greats. He’s entering rarified air occupied by only Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James on his best nights.

Now, onto everyone’s (read: no one’s) favorite, Udonis Haslem, who also ran his mouth on Saturday before Flagg continued his run of excellence, when he said that if he were starting a team with one of the NBA’s current rookies, he’d choose Philadelphia 76ers’ guard VJ Edgecombe over Flagg.

Udonis Haslen says he would start his franchise with VJ Edgecombe over Cooper Flagg and Kon because of his two way ability: pic.twitter.com/0d4u0OInbo

— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) January 31, 2026

“If I’m starting a team, I’m starting a team with a two-way guy,” Haslem said — the inference being that the two rookies he was comparing Edgecombe to are not two-way guys.

“I know Cooper [Flagg] is doing his thing, I know Kon [Knueppel] is doing his thing, but out of all these guys, VJ is the two-way guy,” were the words that tumbled from Haslem’s mouth hole. “He is the guy that can impact the game on both ends. I’ve watched three quarters of VJ Edgecombe guarding Brunson, guarding Luka and then all of a sudden in the fourth quarter, he’s making big shots.”

My brother in Christ, you just described Flagg’s rookie year in an attempt to credit another rookie with doing the exact things that Flagg has accomplished. Too many times, through Flagg’s first 30 or so games with the Mavericks, his teammates forgot about him, the offense flowed through a revolving door of role-player schlock, while Flagg worked tirelessly on the defensive end to keep the opposing team’s best player in check. Then, at a certain point, whether in the fourth quarter of a close game or as fall turns to winter in Flagg’s first season in the NBA, Flagg takes any choice in the matter out of the hands of his coach and his teammates.

He’s been one of the top-10 performers in clutch-game scenarios in the NBA this year. He’s taken his development — again, as a 19-year-old — to another level by asserting his will on games after getting his feet wet for the first 20 games of his rookie campaign. You say you’re describing Edgecombe, but what you’re actually doing is proving that, despite your lofty title at your cushy Amazon gig, you haven’t watched Flagg play.

What you find out when you watch way too much basketball and basketball-related content is that these “analysts” often say shit just to say shit. They blather and meander and meander and blather, filling endless segments with meaningless debate fodder. But when they open mouth and insert foot to this degree, I’m glad Flagg is there with a 34-point, 12-rebound retort at the ready, and I’m glad he’s wearing a Mavericks jersey when he does it.

WINSTON, SALEM, N.C. (AP) — A bomb cyclone over North Carolina forced NASCAR to push its preseason exhibition to Wednesday night because the snow-covered roads are too dangerous for teams and fans to get to historic Bowman-Gray Stadium.

The Clash had been scheduled to run Sunday night and has now been postponed twice, with a schedule adjustment, because of the intense snowfall that blanketed the area. NASCAR first condensed the race into a one-day, Sunday-only show, then pushed the race to Monday.

NASCAR said Sunday it was moving it to Wednesday evening “due to the impacts of historic winter weather across the North Carolina region.”

The race is now scheduled to run one week before qualifying for the Daytona 500, at Daytona International Speedway, where The Clash was held from 1979 through 2022.

The Clash went to a temporary track inside the Los Angeles Memorial Stadium for three seasons, then moved to its grassroots anchor at Bowman Gray last year.

Its first year was a success but the second running has been interrupted by the bomb cyclone, known to meteorologists as an intense, rapidly strengthening weather system. It contributed to nearly a foot (30 centimeters) of snow in and around Charlotte, North Carolina’s largest city and home base for the majority of the NASCAR teams.

The snowfall represented a top-five snow event all time in Charlotte, said Peter Mullinax, a meteorologist with weather prediction center in College Park, Maryland.

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

The Detroit Pistons were a very good basketball team last year, and they have graduated to excellent this season. While saying as much earlier in this season might have generated some side eye, you don’t generate a 5.5-game lead in the Eastern Conference by accident.

The Pistons have made this leap on the back of great coaching and culture setting by JB Bickerstaff and the front office, and continued growth from a core of young players. Nobody has been more important than All-NBA candidate Cade Cunningham, but not too far behind are likely All-Star at 22 years old Jalen Duren and steady growth from Isaiah Stewart, Ausar Thompson, and Ron Holland.

Armed with the third-best point differential in the NBA and the league’s second-most potent defense, the Pistons are for real. They have the foundation, personality, and alpha scorer needed to go to the NBA Finals.

They also have the critical flaws that could see this team bounced in the first round. It deserves better than to chance that fate.

That is why the Pistons front office must make a deal at the NBA trade deadline this week to add at least one and maybe two shooters. Headlines indicate that the Pistons are unlikely to make a big swing at the deadline (think someone like Michael Porter Jr.) and, you know what, fair enough. Detroit doesn’t want to strip away its core or its long-term roster-building vision. Fine.

But you don’t need to make a deal at the top of the market to address this team’s most glaring weakness, and it is glaring. Detroit ranks 28th in 3-point attempts per game and 21st in 3-point percentage. They are middling in overall shooting efficiency despite being able to absolutely dominate in the paint, and that is because they have so few reliable 3-point shooters.

Detroit does have Duncan Robinson, and he has been critical to Detroit’s success. The Pistons rank dead last in 3-point makes this season, and Robinson accounts for just under 25% of the team’s total successful attempts. Only five teams have a player eclipsing 24%, and two of those are the Pelicans and Mavericks. Detroit’s second-most prolific marksman in Cade Cunningham with 78 makes. That is bottom-4 in the league, along with Orlando, Memphis, and the Los Angeles Lakers. In contrast, the No. 2s at the top of the league include former Pistons wing Tim Hardaway Jr. in Denver (140 makes) and Anthony Edwards in Minnesota (156 makes).

The Pistons are playing a dangerous game, and it is one they cannot win in the playoffs. There is too much time between games to scheme up your defense, and there are too many targets on Detroit’s roster offensively and defensively. You want Ausar on the floor, but he needs shooters around him to stick on the floor. Conversely, you need Robinson on the floor for shooting, but how many times can the opponent force a switch so their best player can flambe Robinson’s D are you willing to risk?

The other side of the coin is just how dangerous this team could be if they address the relatively low-hanging fruit of adding some shooting. Their defense would likely remain elite, and they would still be able to dominate opponents inside. They would even better be able to maximize the Cunningham-Duren pick-and-roll. They would still rebound the hell out of the ball, generate steals, and get out and run. That is the recipe for great success in the playoffs. If only the defense isn’t allowed to ignore the perimeter or send two or three guys at Cunningham all game.

I don’t expect or need the Pistons to be going all-in for a title this season. But I need them not to sabotage their chances at a deep playoff run, and the valuable experience it provides for players we are confident will be on this roster for a true potential title run (guys like Cunningham, Duren, and Thompson).

Detroit doesn’t need to sell the farm for Michael Porter Jr., but there are other ways to add 3-point shooting to this roster. The Trail Blazers added Vit Krejci from the Hawks for the cost of Duop Reath and two seconds. Krejci is no All-Star, but he is a 6-foot-8 wing shooting 42% from deep this season.

That is the level of move the Pistons need to make this season. Anything less is letting down their players, their fans, and potentially sabotaging their future. They can’t let that happen.

PARIS (AP) — Midfielder Noah Nartey made an immediate impact at his new club by scoring Sunday on his Ligue 1 debut to lead Lyon to a 10th consecutive win across all competitions.

In a match of few chances for both teams, Nartay broke the deadlock in the 37th minute as Lyon beat Lille 1-0 to climb to fourth place in the French league, level on points with third-placed Marseille.

The 20-year-old Danish player signed a five-year contract with Lyon last month, joining from Brondby.

Lille dominated the first half and Nartay showed his solid defensive skills. He then displayed his composure to send a low shot between the legs of the Lille goalkeeper. That capped a fine move by Ruben Kluivert, who had rushed down the the left flank then set up his teammate with a precise cut-back pass at the penalty spot.

“I'm proud of the team, we worked hard,” Kluivert said. “Lille was good, but we were better.”

Nartay's goal extended Lille's losing streak to a fourth consecutive Ligue 1 match, with Bruno Génésio's team in fifth place, seven points behind Lyon.

Defending champion Paris Saint-Germain played at Strasbourg later Sunday and is looking to move back to the top. Lens reclaimed the lead with a 1-0 win against Le Havre on Friday.

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

All eyes are on LeBron James and a possible Madison Square Garden finale when the Los Angeles Lakers visit the New York Knicks tonight. 

However, New York isn’t going to let “The King” steal the show, especially not All-Star guard Jalen Brunson.
 
My Lakers vs. Knicks predictions see potential in Brunson’s playmaking, featuring buyback value on his assist prop.

Here are my best NBA picks for Sunday, February 1, with tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. ET on NBC.

Lakers vs Knicks prediction

Lakers vs Knicks best bet: Jalen Brunson Over 5.5 assists (-120)

Jalen Brunson’s passing prowess has slimmed over the past month.
 
After averaging around seven assists through November and December, the New York Knicks guard dished out just 4.4 dimes per game in January and closed out the month by finishing Under his total in seven straight.

Brunson’s potential assists went from 11.7 per game to 8.0 in those seven outings, with Brunson converting only half of those chances for 4.0 assists.

Brunson has failed to record more than six dimes in a game during that stretch, and that’s pulled his assist market down to 5.5 O/U.

Tonight’s tilt with the Los Angeles Lakers offers a good spot to buy back the Over, considering the Lakers allow the sixth most assists per game on the season, with that metric spiking to 30.3 over the past three contests. L.A. also gives up a high assist-to-FGM rate, especially on the road (65.6%).

Brunson is a handful for any defender, but the Lakers don’t have anyone who can hang with the mighty guard when he wants to attack the paint.

Luka Doncic and Rui Hachimura are below-average defenders, and Austin Reaves, who is questionable, has been sidelined with a calf injury since Christmas.

New York’s offense thrives on spot-up shooting, and Brunson’s dribble penetration will draw help defenders and gift wing shooters with extra space on those kickout passes.

Despite his dip in assists, his projections vs. L.A. remain positive. His assist tally ranges from 6.0 to 7.4 dimes tonight, with my number at 6.6. That should have the Over 5.5 assists priced around -170.

Lakers vs Knicks same-game parlay

New York is riding a five-game winning streak and has covered in each of those games.

Mikal Bridges benefits from Brunson's playmaking, with projections north of 16 points.

Lakers vs Knicks SGP

• Knicks -4.5
• Jalen Brunson Over 5.5 assists
• Mikal Bridges Over 15.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: The MSG SGP

Karl-Anthony Towns averages 1.8 triples per game inside MSG.

Lakers vs Knicks SGP

• Knicks -4.5
• Jalen Brunson Over 5.5 assists
• Mikal Bridges Over 15.5 points
• Karl-Anthony Towns Over 1.5 threes

Lakers vs Knicks odds

• Spread: Lakers +4.5 (-105) | Knicks -4.5 (-115)
• Moneyline: Lakers +160 | Knicks -190
• Over/Under: Over 229.5 (-105) | Under 229.5 (-115)

Lakers vs Knicks betting trend to know

New York is 6-2 SU and ATS when hosting Western Conference foes. Find more NBA betting trends for Lakers vs. Knicks.

How to watch Lakers vs Knicks

Lakers vs Knicks latest injuries

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