NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - FEBRUARY 24: Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans reacts after scoring during the second quarter of an NBA game against the Golden State Warriors at Smoothie King Center on February 24, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 Sean Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The New Orleans Pelicans stepped in front of their home crowd at 17-42, a team so bad they make late-stage tank commanders nervous. And the Golden State Warriors, because this is who they are a lotta nights without their firepower, made it close down the stretch but ultimately faltered.
Final score: 113-109 Pelicans. Here’s the crime scene: the Warriors got outscored 31-19 in the first quarter and spent the next three quarters playing catch-up basketball against a team vying for a high draft pick in the lottery . Golden State won the second quarter, won the third, won the fourth but alas, still lost the game. Missing their stars Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Kristaps Porzingis doesn’t seem to be like a good enough reason to lose this game considering they just knocked off the Nuggets Sunday with similar injury woes.
They almost did bail themselves out, which marks the resilience this team has possessed all season with or without their stars.
Pelicans escape with a 113-109 win over the Warriors in a game that wasn't exactly the prettiest. But Dejounte Murray finishes with 13 points and 3 assists in his return. Zion Williamson had 26 points and 6 rebounds.
De’Anthony Melton was the best player on the floor for the Dubs, dropping 28 points on 8-of-21 shooting while going 9-of-11 from the free throw line, keeping Golden State’s pulse going when it had no business still beating. Moses Moody added 24 on 7-of-13 with a +13 that screamed “this man is figuring it out”. Brandin Podziemski hauled down 15 rebounds — 5 offensive — looking like the second coming of Westbrook. And Draymond Green orchestrated 6 assists with his usual controlled chaos. These guys fought. Credit where it’s due.
But the team shot 11-of-45 from three, which cost them on a night when their feisty opponents only made 10 threes of their own. If the Dubs knock down their usual clip beyond the arc tonight they probably pull away pretty easily.
On the other hand the Pelicans forced enough turnovers (all 20 of them) to the tune of being gifted 18 points off of Golden State’s mistakes. That’s how you get a lottery team jump started in their home arena.
Zion Williamson scored 26 on 11-of-21 shooting while the Warriors defense wrestled against his physicality Saddiq Bey added 18. Jordan Poole, playing against his former team with something to prove, dropped 12-6-3 off the bench. Of course he did.
Any given night in the nba. Warriors beat the nuggets the other night, and turn around and lose to the pelicans tonight. These are NBA players at the end of the day, yall gotta start realizing that.#Nba
The Warriors lose in New Orleans tonight. Doomed by 31-19 first quarter. They're 11-17 on the road. Three games back of the Suns for the #7 seed, two up on the Blazers for the #8 spot.
They play in Memphis tomorrow night. De'Anthony Melton (28 pts tonight) expected to rest.
This is a team that’s 30-28, scratching for playoff positioning, as they await the return of at least a couple of their best players. One broken quarter against one of the league’s worst teams decided everything tonight. Tough.
Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) shoots the ball while Indiana Pacers guard/forward Andrew Nembhard (2) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer standings: Tyrese Maxey – 21 Joel Embiid – 9 VJ Edgecombe – 8 Paul George – 6 Dominick Barlow – 2 Andre Drummond – 2 Jared McCain :’( – 2 Kelly Oubre Jr. – 2 MarJon Beauchamp – 1 Adem Bona – 1 Justin Edwards – 1 Quentin Grimes – 1 Trendon Watford – 1 15th roster spot – 1
We won’t be planning a parade for a win against an Indiana Pacers team with a starting five worth of talent on the sidelines, but it sure was nice to see the Philadelphia 76ers just suit up and handle their business. The Sixers jumped out in front with a scorching hot second quarter that saw them rack up 45 points in the frame. They avoided the usual third quarter bugaboo, actually extending the lead coming out of halftime, and were able to limit everyone’s minutes as they mostly coasted in the fourth quarter of the 135-114 win. It was a blistering offensive performance, as their 57.6 percent shooting from the floor was the team’s best mark in two years (h/t Erin Grugan). Philadelphia has now won two straight games as they’ll head back home to face Miami on Thursday. Let’s talk Bell Ringer first.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – FEBRUARY 24: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives to the basket during the game against the Indiana Pacers on February 24, 2026 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Maxey was on a clear triple-double pace on the evening before getting to take the rare fourth quarter off. It’ll pay off later in the week that Tyrese got to keep a little extra tread on the tires. Tonight, he was dynamite offensively, and not because he had some terrific outside shooting night (just 2-of-8 from three). Instead, it was Tyrese’s ability to carve into the paint and weave his way in and around and under defenders, finishing with a bunch of dazzling lay-ins and creative passes to teammates, and drawing fouls. His body control and shooting touch while sprinting faster than everyone else on the court is simply marvelous. Maxey also had a play where he backed the defender down repeatedly and then canned a turnaround jumper, years of putting in the work in the weight room on display. A more competitive game and we’re likely looking at a 40-point triple-double from Tyrese, just an outstanding evening.
Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center/forward Joel Embiid (21) shoots the ball while Indiana Pacers guard/forward Andrew Nembhard (2) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
After missing the past five games, Joel made his return to action and looked like he hadn’t missed a beat. Offensively, the gravity he creates for others is night and day from when he’s unavailable. Embiid had a couple nice assists where the double team came and he found Kelly Oubre Jr and Trendon Watford open for buckets. Joel knocked down a couple jumpers himself, but a lot of his work tonight actually came as a roll man, adeptly finishing through some traffic around the hoop. Defensively, Embiid looked in fine form, spryly getting around the court to rotate and challenge shots. Overall, it was about as good as we could have hoped to see from the big man in his return, who can sometimes tend to fall on the sluggish side after a layoff.
Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard/forward Andrew Nembhard (2) dribbles the ball while Philadelphia 76ers guard Vj Edgecombe (77) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
With Embiid back and Tyrese cooking, Edgecombe was able to have a highly efficient night, shooting 9-of-13 from the field. He wasn’t some wallflower though, attacking across all three levels. VJ nailed a couple spot-up threes, had a handful of hard drives at the hoop to finish through contact, and also showed off that advanced middie game with a pull-up and a fadeaway jumper. Really, everything just looked smooth and unforced for him tonight; he picked his spots and otherwise filled in all the gaps doing the little things elsewhere. It was the ideal “play off the stars” kind of game from the rookie.
Feb 24, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) dribbles against Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram (3) during the third quarter at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
“You can’t curate your circumstances,” said Mark Daigneault before the Oklahoma City Thunder played the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night, and that stuck with me. It’s true in every aspect of life, as he went on to mention, but seems especially true in sports. Especially true in basketball, and even more so in the final months of the season. You can build a great roster, create great plays, have great team chemistry — but so much of that goes out the door in the final stretch of the season.
You can’t pick and choose what players will be available to you by the time March rolls around. Sometimes, the players you have are dealing with minutes restrictions or lingering injury issues (see: Jakob Poeltl). The schedule doesn’t stop for you, though. You need to adapt to it.
Now, when you’re dealing with the circumstances at hand, and your opponent is as well, but theirs are worse (see: SGA still out), then maybe you should take advantage of that. The Raptors did not tonight.
Toronto’s performance against OKC is a huge reason why I am of the belief that people overreact when this team loses. I know that sounds weird, but listen (read?). This current iteration of the Toronto Raptors isn’t built to win a championship — I’ve said this before. They are having a good growth year, sure. RJ Barrett said exactly that after the game tonight, to think back to where they were last season at this time. How much better they are, but also hhow mucht hey still have to learn.
He’s right, and games like this are proving what this roster is lacking. Poeltl, of course, is a big hole in this roster as his injury is managed, and he doesn’t play both games on back-to-backs. They also lack the offensive punch needed to compete with the best NBA teams.
Once a team like OKC shuts down the Raptors’ best offensive player (Ingram), there isn’t much Toronto can do to recover. Scottie Barnes, of course, helps. Other than that, the Raptors’ offence tonight lacked the accuracy needed to overcome the Thunder. OKC’s defence was too suffocating, the Raptors weren’t shooting well enough, and they weren’t defending with 100% intensity 100% of the time. That’s important when playing the reigning champions.
What was great about their performance, though, was the urgency they played with in the fourth quarter. Too little too late? Maybe. Better than just rolling over, though. Barrett even compared it to how they lost to the Pistons a few weeks ago — that tonight they at least put up a fight. What you can’t do after coming back like that is let OKC go on a 9-0 run, though. Lesson learned.
The other bit of news, as we head into the second night of a back-to-back tomorrow, is that Scottie Barnes tweaked his quad in the final minutes of tonight’s game. The team says he has a quad contusion and is questionable for tomorrow’s game against San Antonio.
Feb 24, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Miami Heat forward Bam Adebayo (13) looks to pass the ball away from Milwaukee Bucks guard AJ Green (20) and center Myles Turner (3) in the first quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Bucks got back in the win column after a disappointing loss in their last game, beating the Miami Heat 128-117. Kevin Porter Jr. led all scorers with 32 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. Ryan Rollins and Bobby Portis also chipped in 21 each. Norman Powell scored 26 for the Heat.
There was no denying that Kyle Kuzma struggled on Sunday, scoring just three points. He quickly put that behind him to open things up tonight, scoring nine of the Bucks’ first 11 in a back-and-forth opening six minutes. While Kuzma was powering the Bucks’ offense, the Heat’s All-Star guard Norman Powell was cooking for them; he scored six straight points to put Miami up three in the later stages. The Heat clung to a two-point advantage until Porter drilled a triple with 13 seconds left. The bucket put Milwaukee up by one after the first 12 minutes, 30-29.
Both teams’ benches went band-for-band in the first few minutes of the second, until the Bucks created a cushion after a 6-2 run, prompting an Erik Spoelstra timeout. Ousmane Dieng scored his first home points as a member of the Bucks, nailing a three to give the home team a double-digit edge. However, Miami’s shooters then caught fire, converting four straight from beyond the arc before Andrew Wiggins scored in transition to tie the game, capping a 14-2 run. The game remained deadlocked until Cam Thomas completed a three-point play and then drilled a step-back jumper with one second left; Thomas’ five-point burst gave the Bucks a 63-58 lead at the break.
The Heat threw the first punch out of the locker room, going on a 7-0 run to regain the lead. A couple of Bucks who were held scoreless in the first half, AJ Green and Myles Turner, helped them respond in kind; Green’s first three of the night capped an 8-2 run to put Milwaukee back in front. Things remained tight between the two squads, but Miami regained the edge and held it for the rest of the quarter. A Bobby Portis floater with 46 seconds left cut the Heat lead down to 93-89 going into the fourth.
Miami was making shots from distance to open the final frame, drilling a pair to grab their largest lead of the night at nine. Milwaukee battled back, as Green, Portis, and Dieng converted three straight from long range, flipping the game back in the home team’s favor. KPJ then came up clutch with the biggest shot of the night, swishing an and-one fall-away triple to put the Bucks up two. The four-point play sparked a 10-0 run for Milwaukee, which was more than enough. The Bucks’ defense held the Heat without a field goal for a whopping 6:34!
Stat That Stood Out.
The Bucks needed a closer in this game, and KPJ answered the call. 10 of his 13 fourth-quarter points came in the final 5:35 of the game.
Lakers executive Lon Rosen, talking with Dodgers star Mookie Betts during spring training in 2024. (Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
During a 20-minute interview with the media Tuesday, new Lakers president of business operations Lon Rosen said Magic Johnson won’t be involved in any “day–to-day” involvement with the team and that hopes season-ticket holders will “renew” them despite the enormous increase for next season.
Rosen, who has been an executive vice president and chief marketing officer with the Dodgers since 2012 when Mark Walter and Guggenheim Baseball Management purchased the club, took over the Lakers job after Tim Harris resigned from that role.
Rosen, who is back with the Lakers after Walter purchased the team for a $10-billion valuation, was asked about Johnson’s role with the Lakers and how he would be involved with Rob Pelinka, the team’s president of basketball operations and general manager.
Johnson was president of basketball operations for the Lakers from Feb. 21, 2017 until April 9, 2019, when he abruptly resigned.
“Earvin's involved with all types of things. He owns football teams, baseball teams, soccer teams, insurance companies, a lot of things. He's always gonna have some type of involvement with all the teams, but he is not gonna have a day-to-day involvement (with the Lakers),” Rosen said. “It's gonna be no different since he left the Lakers. Obviously he's a huge fan of the Lakers, but he's not gonna be, 'Hey Rob go sign this player. Do that.' He'll always be involved with all the teams that he's involved in, but no, he's not gonna have day-to-day involvement at all. He is a super Laker fan and he'll continue to be a super Laker fan. It's not bad to have that. You see the involvement he had the other day when Pat (Riley) was here (to have his statue unveiled) and he'll always be involved that way.”
Rosen was asked about ticket prices increasing for the 2026-27 season.
There have been reports from Lakers fans that gave an example of their tickets in the 300-level increasing to over 45% from $6,192 to $9,035.
One fan said his increase was about 15% and another 3% fee if the tickets were not paid for upfront.
“We hope they renew. And obviously it reflects on what the market is now and the demand for tickets,” Rosen said. “You can look at how tickets sell and what the prices are. You look at primary and secondary market and you can see where their demand is.”
Magic Johnson with Pat Riley at the unveiling of the statue of Riley. (Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)
Pelinka told the media after the trade deadline that he’ll work with Walter and Jeanie Buss, who is still the board of governor for the Lakers, when it comes time to make basketball decisions this summer.
Both Andrew Friedman, the president of baseball operations for the Dodgers, and Farhan Zaidi, a special advisor with the Dodgers, will be advisors for the Lakers and Pelinka. Zaidi was seen at the Lakers’ practice facility Monday.
“Rob's empowered to do what he does,” Rosen said. “And he's talked about it and I can talk about it. Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi, they have involvement helping Rob a bit. It gives you a deeper bench, and I think Rob appreciates that. And it is unique. But they have a skill set that they can transfer some of it here. And that's really how we look at it. Look, I have a really good relationship with Rob. I've known Rob Pelinka from when he was representing Kobe (Bryant). I met him many many years ago."
The Knicks (37*-22) won two difficult games before they entered Rocket Arena to face the Cavaliers (37-22). In both wins—against the Rockets and the Bulls—there were the customary lulls we’ve come to expect from New York. Tonight, they topped that by going full lull, playing listless hoops from start to finish. They shot horribly from deep (10-of-37), scored a season-low 11 points in the third quarter, and took the L, 109-94.
That finish makes the Cavs 20-6 in their last 26 games and ties them with New York for third place. It also concluded the regular season series between these two, which the Knicks won 2-1.
Cleveland ruled the opening quarter, staying in front for nearly the full 12. Donovan Mitchell (23 PTS) set the tone with buckets, steals, and dishes, while Evan Mobley (12 PTS, 7 RBS) drained an early three and Jarrett Allen (19 PTS, 10 RBS) cleaned the glass. Through the first frame, the Ohio Players shot 54% from the field, buried 5-of-11 threes, and doled out 10 assists on 14 made baskets. They committed just four turnovers while capitalizing on New York’s six giveaways.
In the quarter, the Knicks shot 50% from the field but poorly from deep. Josh Hart (10 PTS) provided some energy, distributing to Mikal Bridges (18 PTS, 6-of-17 FG) and Karl-Anthony Towns (14 PTS, 7 RBS, 5 FGA!) before hitting his own three to cut the deficit to two. Inside they had success with three blocked shots (OG Anunoby, Towns, Bridges) and buckets around the rim, but they were a step slow against Cleveland’s length and quick transitions. Mitchell’s steal-and-layup plus dimes to his teammates—including late threes from Dean Wade (11 PTS)—helped the Cavs close the frame up 35-26.
Wade hit a triple early in the second quarter to go ahead by a dozen, and the Cavs benefited from even more Knicks turnovers. In fact, their 12 turnovers were the most New York committed in a first-half this season. Quite an achievement!
Mitchell Robinson (11 PTS, 15 RPBS, 2 BLK, 19 MIN) came in and pulled boards out of Allen’s grasp. Mitch singlehandedly kept New York within reach with rebounds, a putback, and an alley-oop from Jose Alvarado, while Towns added a putback and later a three. For Cleveland, Mitchell and Allen continued to chip in buckets and Dennis Schröder was a nuisance on defense.
When Jalen Brunson (20 PTS, 6-of-19 FG) returned after a breather, he steadied the offense with a drive and a late pull-up three. The Knicks went on a 10-2 run late in the deep end of the quarter to cut the deficit to one. From there, Cleveland outscored them by five. Bridges hit a floater in the final seconds, but the home team still carried a 60–54 lead into halftime.
Through the half, Cavs outshot New York from deep (35% to 27%), grabbed seven offensive rebounds to the Knicks’ three, and turned 12 New York turnovers into 11 points. New York shot 51% overall, owned the paint 32-26, and blocked six shots to Cleveland’s three, but their blunders kept them on the outside looking in. Mitchell led all first-half scorers with 15, while Brunson had 13 for the good guys.
After intermission, this game got sloppier than my kid’s bedroom. James Harden (20 PTS) opened the third quarter with a step-back jumper, Mitchell forced a Towns turnover, and Allen converted a putback. The Knicks failed to do anything well—Bridges missed twice, Towns committed another turnover, etc.—before Brunson set up OG Anunoby for a three. When Harden swished from deep, the deficit was 11 again and Coach Brown needed a timeout.
New York continued to throw rocks from deep, making 5-of-21 after two and half quarters. They continued to turn the ball over, too, which explains why they couldn’t get the differential to low-single digits. With four minutes left, and down by 14, Brown tried a lineup of Brunson, Alvarado, Landry Shamet, Mohamed Diawara, and Robinson. Same results. To close the period, Brown dusted off Jordan Clarkson. Nada,otra vez. New York scored their fewest points in a quarter (11), and went into the fourth trailing 83-65.
Weirdly, OG Anunoby logged 34 minutes, took nine shots, and finished with five pints. He must have worn his invisibility cloak, because I barely saw him on the court.
In Q4, the misery continued, and the hole reached 19 points until Alvarado (5 PTS, 1 STL, 1 BLK) hit from the corner. In need of energy, Jose seemed most likely to bring some pep. On another possession, GTA snaked into the paint and kicked out to Josh Hart, who hit another (finally) three-pointer. Unfortunately for them, they couldn’t gain ground because they couldn’t stop Mitchell at the other end.
Bridges missed another layup, Mobley put back a Mitchell miss, and a befuddled Brown called for time. The clock still had seven-and-a-half minutes on it, but the Knicks had done nothing yet to convince us that a rally was possible. A few minutes later, when Brunson missed off the glass on a drive, it became abundantly clear that Cleveland had secretly put a transparent lid on the visitors’ rim—there was no other logical explanation for how badly New York had shot. Unless they were drugged . . . or had lyme disease . . . or ate pizza in Utah.
The deficit reached 20, the reserves came on, and this turkey was finally, mercifully cooked.
Up Next
New York travels to Milwaukee to face the Bucks on Friday. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 25: General Manager Rob Pelinka of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on prior to the game against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena on December 25, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
However, don’t expect Rob Pelinka to be one of those changes.
Rosen spoke to reporters before Tuesday’s game against the Magic and confirmed that Pelinka would remain in his role as President of Basketball Operations.
In a conversation with reporters, new Lakers president of business operations Lon Rosen says the plan is for Rob Pelinka, with input from Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi, will continue to handle basketball operations. Pelinka told reporters the plan is to have an expanded front…
Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi’s continued involvement with the Lakers’ front office is interesting. On one hand, it appears the Dodgers and Lakers could be operating under one umbrella moving forward with Rosen going from one franchise to the other.
However, if you want to be more cynical, it could also be a matter Friedman and Zaidi overseeing how the front office is operating and whether Pelinka should be the one in charge moving forward. There definitely is some overall observing and evaluating to report back to Walter. Those two are not just trusted executives under Walter but also have had success as well.
This also doesn’t mean that there won’t be more people hired around him. Almost assuredly, there will be more voices in the front office, which can only be a good thing. It’ll be a big change for the Lakers, who have operated with a small circle under Pelinka.
The other interesting aspect from Rosen was that Magic Johnson will not have a role in the front office. Depending on the tweet you saw, though, it came across very differently.
New Lakers president of business operations Lon Rosen told reporters this evening that Rob Pelinka will remain as the team’s president of basketball operations and while Earvin “Magic” Johnson will surely be around the franchise, no official title is planned for him with LAL
Magic Johnson will hold no official day-to-day position, but he’ll continue to be around the Lakers as always. He hosted the on-court ceremony for Pat Riley on Sunday.
How you feel about this depends on your faith in Rosen, Walter and the new front office. Given their track record of success with the Dodgers, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and say that Magic will continue to have the “role” he has now, which is being around the team for events but nothing else.
Some skepticism is both natural and fair. This current Lakers front office has given no reason to be confident. But Walter and Friedman and Zaidi have had success, so it might be time for a cautious amount of trust.
CLEVELAND, OH - FEBRUARY 24: James Harden #1 and Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers high five during the game against the New York Knicks on February 24, 2026 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Mitchell didn’t score the ball efficiently, but he looked much more comfortable against the Knicks than he did in OKC. Not having Lu Dort attached to you goes a long way. This was a quality offensive performance from Mitchell, carried on his ability to get to the free throw line 13 times.
Grade: B+
James Harden
20 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, 3 turnovers
We’ve seen a few classic Harden-blemishes show themselves over his last two games. Iffy point-of-attack defense, 3 turnovers, and an 8-18 shooting night.
However, the box score looks worse than it felt. Harden took quality shots, kept Cleveland’s offense grooving, and probably should have finished with more assists than he had.
Also, Harden should have been rewarded with a few more free throws in this one. I don’t know why he isn’t getting the same calls he has been receiving for the previous decade.
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Allen was more involved tonight than he was in OKC. The Cavaliers had an easier time penetrating New York’s defense, and that inherently benefits Allen. He did a great job scoring at the rim, and outside of a few conceded rebounds, Allen held his own as Cleveland’s defensive anchor.
Grade: A-
Evan Mobley
12 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist
Mobley is clearly still working his way back from his calf injury and searching for his place among the Cavaliers’ newest additions. He felt disjoined in this one, never really fitting in with what the team was doing on offense. It wasn’t until the fourth quarter that Mobley flashed some of the on-ball creation we’ve been wanting to see. He’s always seemed to enjoy the Karl-Anthony Towns matchup.
Kenny Atkinson said before the game that Tyson will have to “earn” his minutes moving forward. His first half stint tonight included three personal fouls in 12 minutes. The second half was much better, and the fourth quarter was a strength. His efforts on the glass helped Cleveland win the rebounding battle before garbage time.
Still, Tyson is currently navigating his way through a weird stretch. It will be interesting to watch moving forward.
This seems like it should be a good matchup for Ellis. He played an important role defensively, but he wasn’t overly effective in stuffing the stat sheet tonight. That’s bound to happen now and again.
Grade: B+
Dennis Schroder
3 points, 5 assists, 1 rebound, 2 steals
Schroder is meshing nicely with Cleveland’s bench. He’s done a fine job running the offense as a backup point guard and threw some sneaky passes tonight. I thought his shot selection was mostly fine, but I will have to ding him half a grade for 1-6 shooting.
Grade: B–
Sam Merrill
0 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist
We’ve seen some erratic shooting performances from Merrill recently. He’s either going full inferno or coming up empty on everything. Either way, he still brings off-ball gravity and defensive grit that keep him in the rotation. Merrill shot 0-4 from deep tonight but was a plus-13.
Grade: D+
Dean Wade
11 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals
Wade remained in the starting lineup as Cleveland looked to match New York’s size on the wings. He smoked his first layup attempt, but then drilled three consecutive three-pointers to help the Cavs build an early lead.
Feb 24, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton (33) looks to drive past Dallas Mavericks forward Marvin Bagley III (35) in the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
The Dallas Mavericks defeated (21-36) the Brooklyn Nets 123-114 at Barclays Center on Tuesday, nabbing just their seventh road win of the season.
In a game that came together a bit helter-skelter after both teams had to fly in on the day of because of the blizzard conditions along the East coast, Dallas built enough of a lead to weather a fourth quarter comeback attempt from Brooklyn.
Dallas had six players in double digits as the team shot 59% from the floor, and did enough in the end to overcome a 23-point night from Michael Porter Jr.
That it even got close enough to register as a clutch game speaks to the up-and-down nature of this Dallas team in its current state. After scoring a season-high 76 points in the first half, the Mavs did just enough to close it out down the stretch and secure a back-to-back win after their 10-game losing streak.
In his bag
With Khris Middleton, the team’s high-scorer from their win against the Pacers, leaving mid-game with a shoulder injury and big man Daniel Gafford playing only 17 minutes because of foul trouble, a perfect, Marvin Bagley-shaped hole opened up in Dallas’ rotation, and the big man stepped up.
Marvin Bagley scored 22 points off the bench in just 20 minutes to lead the Mavs in scoring. As the Mavs navigate the rest of this season with an eye firmly on the future, the idea of locking down Bagley is looking better and better. He’s on an expiring contract, so if Dallas likes what they see, it’s never too soon to add a little stability to a roster in flux.
Refusing to be replaced
Since the end of last season, when Brandon Williams was getting minutes on an injury-ravaged Mavericks team that was limping across the finish line, Dallas has cycled several potential replacements — none of whom have stuck quite like Williams has.
Dante Exum’s return never materialized, Jaden Hardy never stuck in the rotation, the D’Angelo Russell experiment never showed life, and the early momentum of rookie Ryan Nembhard has slowed dramatically. Through it all, the once and future “placeholder until Kyrie gets back” remains Brandon Williams.
Against the Nets (15-42), Williams notched his third career double-double with 19 points and 10 assists while shooting 9-for-11 from the floor. There’s something admirable about a guy who really takes the smallest of opportunities and makes hay.
3-pointers are a myth
On one hand, there’s something admirable about simply being who you are, and if you are the Mavericks, you are not good at shooting 3-pointers. On Tuesday, the team attempted only 23 — a far cry from the league average of 37 per game — and made a respectable eight, good for 35% on the night. It should be said, though, that five of those eight came courtesy of Klay Thompson, who went 5-for-10. Dallas’ only other true outside shooter, Max Christie, is in something of a slump. After opening the season as one of the best in the league from the corner, he’s shooting just 31% from deep in the month of February, and tonight’s 1-for-5 effort won’t help that math.
In Christie’s defense, his big two-handed dunk in the fourth was functionally the dagger that ended any comeback hopes Brooklyn may have been harboring. Still, so long as Christie remains in the starting lineup, and especially if Cooper Flagg remains out, there’s going to be plenty of shots to go around, and he shouldn’t let an off night like tonight (or an off month) prevent him from letting them fly.
A highly anticipated battle of Eastern Conference forces never took shape on Tuesday night, as the Knicks struggled to build momentum on both ends of the court in a 109-94 loss to the Cavaliers at Rocket Arena.
Here are the takeaways...
-- While both teams came out hot, nearly matching in efficiency and pace, an edge in first-quarter possessions and jumpers from beyond the arc helped the Cavs take a 35-26 lead through 12 minutes. The Knicks lacked ball control, committing six sloppy turnovers in the period that produced seven points in transition, and the Cavs shared the wealth much better, with four of their five starters making three shots apiece. Cleveland also attacked without any fear of New York's physicality, properly balancing movement around the perimeter and inside the paint behind Donovan Mitchell and James Harden.
-- There were signs of the Cavs taking greater command, as their lead reached 12 within a minute of the second quarter due to poor three-point shooting and further turnovers from the Knicks. But the Knicks clawed back, cutting their deficit down to one with a 10-2 run by the 3:00 mark. The catalysts were their bigs down low, as Karl-Anthony Towns scored 11 points by halftime while Mitchell Robinson logged a team-high six rebounds with seven points off the bench. The Cavs responded with an 8-0 run minutes before the break, ultimately entering the locker room with a 60-54 lead. Jalen Brunson had one more point (13) than the Knicks had first-half turnovers (12, a season-worst mark), and they shot an uninspiring 27 percent (4 of 15) from deep.
-- The third quarter started slowly for the Knicks, so much so that they were issued a delay of game violation before the Cavs even inbounded. There was an absence of rhythm and tenacity, and the combination of rushed possessions and poor shot choices kept them from generating any momentum. By the 4:05 mark, a three from Harden pushed the Cavs' lead to 13, forcing the Knicks to burn a timeout. To make matters worse, they couldn't contain Jarrett Allen, who actually led the Cavs in points (18) and rebounds (10) after three quarters. A ghastly 5 of 27 mark from three placed the Knicks in an 18-point hole, and their measly 11 points was their worst third-quarter output since 2022. Towns and Brunson also combined for just two more shot attempts (17) than Mikal Bridges (15).
-- A pair of made threes from Jose Alvarado and Josh Hart early in the fourth quarter were ironic and still too little, too late. The Cavs kept pace with ease, holding a comfortable 20-point lead around the halfway mark. Abysmal three-point shooting and costly turnovers placed the Knicks in a deep hole, and they simply ran out of time to recover or adjust their plan. The body language was ugly too, and a quiet 20-point effort from Brunson wasn't close to sufficient. Towns only scored three points in the second half, and was responsible for nearly one-third (5) of the team's 17 turnovers.
-- Hart, who scored seven points in the first quarter, finished with only 10 across 26 minutes. OG Anunoby was a ghost, as he scored five points on a weak 2 of 9 shooting in 34 minutes. Robinson racked up a team-high 15 boards (eight on offense), but added just two buckets in the second half. It was a dormant night for the Knicks' bench, which delivered 27 points (11 were from Robinson). Mitchell scored a game-high 23 points for the Cavs, while Harden (20) and Allen (19) combined for 39. Overall, the Knicks shot 27 percent from deep (10 of 37).
Game MVP: Jarrett Allen
Most of the attention was directed toward Mitchell and Harden -- and rightfully so -- but it was Allen who gave the Knicks fits in the paint and on the glass. The veteran big finished with 19 points on 7 of 8 shooting with 10 rebounds across 29 minutes.
BROOKLYN, NY - FEBRUARY 24: Nic Claxton #33 of the Brooklyn Nets drives to the basket during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on February 24, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Brooklyn Nets and Dallas Mavericks each faced a far more daunting opponent than each other before tonight. For those unaware, Mother Nature dumped over a foot of snow on New York City Sunday afternoon through Monday morning. Unable to fly in ahead of time, neither team arrived in the Big Apple before this morning.
Pregame, Jason Kidd couldn’t remember a time where he had to travel and play in the same day since his days running point for the team he’d coach against this evening.
“I think with the Nets, we flew from here to Phoenix and played Phoenix the same day,” Kidd recalled. “It was a snowstorm — we sat on a plane, couldn’t get out, stayed at a hotel and then left in the morning. I think we were in that game for the first quarter and then fatigue set in. So yes, I’ve been in something like this.”
Outside of that anecdote, Kidd downplayed the whole ordeal, mentioning that they had a good practice yesterday and the team spirit remained positive. Brooklyn also seemed to make the best of the situation.
“T-Mann [Terance Mann] put together an outing to aquarium, and that was pretty awesome,” Jordi Fernández said. “Pretty much all the guys went there. I asked them questions about their favorite things that they saw. It was pretty good.”
Atlanta marine life seemed to rub off on Brooklyn. In the tank race, the Nets were swimming upstream tonight. Brooklyn came into the contest vs Dallas with a clean injury report while teams like the Indiana Pacers and Washington Wizards hid half their rotations on their benches tonight. The Mavericks, meanwhile, benefitted from injuries to Cooper Flagg, Kyrie Irving, and Derick Lively.
That said, Brooklyn’s advantage (strictly on the floor…not in long term team-building) never really took form. The Nets fell behind early after starting the game 5-13 from the field, even with Michael Porter Jr. opening it 3-3.
But aside from the misses, Brooklyn’s offense did look a tad more fluid, and at the very least, just entertaining to watch tonight. They assisted on four of those first five makes and tallied 29 for the game. Brooklyn doubled up on their bigs in the pick-and-roll early, with Noah Clowney and Nic Claxton screening for each other before Day’Ron Sharpe and Danny Wolf did took turns later in the first.
Despite Brooklyn’s early investment in size, it was Dallas who initially saw greater returns on the interior. Fueled by Daniel Gafford and Marvin Bagley, who combined to for 13 on 5-8 shooting, the Mavericks scored 20 points in the paint during the first quarter. Dallas also maintained a rebounding advantage the whole game. As a result, the Nets finished the first down 36-29.
When the teams swapped baskets, Dallas’ approach switched as well. Klay Thompson made three triples less than three minutes into the second to give his team a double digit lead. Bagley also continued to have his way with Claxton, adding seven more points in the frame to lead his team with 14 at halftime. He finished with a team-high 22 for the game.
Claxton’s front court mate did his best to keep Brooklyn within striking distance. Clowney banged three triples in the second, one of which Clax even assisted on…
Nic Claxton with the one-hand catch and toss to Clowney.
Clax doing his best overcome a rough night defending the paint so far. He's up to six dimes already. pic.twitter.com/usWfyiVXeU
However, Brooklyn remained behind even as Claxton and Clowney looked to make up for their team’s paint passivity. Claxton had a game-high seven dimes by halftime and Brooklyn even managed to shoot 60.5% from the field in the first two periods. Regardless, Dallas maintained a 76-64 lead, shooting even better from the field (64.4%) and a full touchdown ahead on the glass (21-14).
Even after the Mavs scored the first four points of the second half, putting a daunting 80-64 score on the board at one point, Brooklyn kept the deficit in the 8-10 point range for much of the third. Brooklyn’s veteran though not exactly “old” group did the bulk work.
Through three, Porter Jr., Claxton, and Clowney had 57 points, shooting 21-29 from the field and 6-8 on threes. The seven other Nets combined for just 34 points, shooting 13-32 from the field and 4-15 from deep. Egor Dëmin looked in danger of going scoreless for the the second time this season, having zero points to his name at the start of the fourth after missing all five of his shots thus far.
Of course, the first Net to reach double figures outside those three was the oldest guy on the team. Terance Mann did so with a buttery mid-range finish early in the fourth. After leading his teammates to an eventful layover day in the ATL, he took charge again in the fourth, putting in 10 quick points in the period’s first five minutes and even made it a basket difference at one point.
But despite Mann’s productivity, Fernández opted to close with his original staring five, which included Traoré and Dëmin, who were a collective 4-17 by that point.
And while Dëmin finally broke the seal with a little over three to go in the game, the Nets couldn’t do the same with Dallas’ offense. The Mavs continued to switch Claxton and Traoré on defense, putting the latter in the paint and the Nets at a size disadvantage. Whether it was a Dallas big finished over Nolan, or the team working the ball around to find an open man after the Nets sent help, the Mavs slowly but surely rebuilt their lead down the stretch.
In the end, the issues the plagued Brooklyn from the start came back to bite them. They lost 44-28 on the glass and were -16 in the paint. The rookies combined for just 20 points while shooting 7-24 from the field and with seven turnovers.
Well, at least everyone is home safe.
Final: Dallas Mavericks 123, Brooklyn Nets 114
Milestone Watch
Nic Claxton scored 16 points with nine assists tonight against Dallas, which tied the fourth-most assists in a game in his career. It was his 10th career game with at least seven dimes, nine of which have come this season.
Noah Clowney has recorded his eighth 20-point game of the season tonight against Dallas, which is now twice as many 20-point outings as his first two seasons combined (four). He has made four 3-pointers (4-of-5), tied as his third-most of the season (13th game with 4+ 3PM).
Terance Mann’s 17 points off the bench tonight vs. Dallas are tied as his second most in a game this season. He is shooting 6-9 FG, 2-3 3PT and 3-4 FT.
So where do we find ourselves in the Tankathon rankings? Better than ever! The Nets are within two games of the No. 2 spot and within three games of the top spot.
Next Up
The Nets will get their second and final shot of the season at the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night. Brooklyn visited and lost to the Spurs in their third game, way back in late October. San Antonio will play this one as the latter half of a back-to-back sequence, but they’ve also won nine in a row. This one tips off at 7:30 p.m. EST at the Barclays Center.
NEW YORK (AP) — Marvin Bagley III scored 22 points, Naji Marshall had 21 and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Brooklyn Nets 123-114 on Tuesday night after both teams arrived in New York earlier in the day.
Both clubs played road games on Sunday and neither was able to fly into the New York area because of a blizzard. The Mavericks stayed in Indiana and the Nets remained in Atlanta. Both flew Tuesday and arrived in the early afternoon.
The change in schedule didn’t affect the Mavericks, who scored a season-high 76 points in the first half and won their second straight after a 10-game skid.
Brandon Williams had 19 points and 10 assists, while Klay Thompson added 17 points for the Mavericks, who shot 58.5% from the field while playing their fourth consecutive game without No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg because of a sprained left foot.
Michael Porter Jr. scored 26 points and Noah Clowney had 22 for the Nets, who lost their fifth straight. Terance Mann had 17 points off the bench and Nic Claxton finished with 16 points and nine rebounds.
Mann hit back-to-back 3-pointers to bring Brooklyn within two with 7:42 to play, but the Mavericks recovered and pushed the margin back into double digits in the final minute.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - FEBRUARY 24: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers passes around Og Anunoby #8 of the New York Knicks during the second quarter at Rocket Arena on February 24, 2026 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. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers made drastic trades at the deadline because they believed they could compete in a wide-open Eastern Conference. A regular-season win doesn’t validate those moves, but it does provide good proof of concept. The Cavs came away with a 109-94 victory over the New York Knicks.
As has been the case in much of James Harden’s initial tenure with the team, the Cavs won on the strength of their two guards and Jarrett Allen.
The Cavs failed to get Allen involved in their loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday and paid the price. They rectified that issue by ensuring Allen was a part of the offense early and often. He was continually able to get downhill to attack the basket and held up better than he has in a matchup with Mitchell Robinson in recent memory.
Getting Allen touches opened up things for the rest of the offense. The guards had lanes to attack off-the-dribble and from beyond the arc. And they made sure to take advantage of that.
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Donovan Mitchell and Harden continue to complement each other well on the court, even though they didn’t put up gaudy stat lines.
Harden orchestrated the offense all night while finding opportunities to score from the outside.
Mitchell relentlessly attacked the defense off the dribble. Even though he didn’t have his usual efficiency from the floor, he made up for it with his ability to get to the free-throw line.
The Cavs took control of this game in the third quarter after not being able to create much separation in the first half.
They continually forced New York to beat them with their outside shot by cheating off guys like Josh Hart and OG Anunoby, daring them to beat them from deep. This cut off lanes to the basket, which resulted in the Knicks only attempting three shots at the rim in the third quarter. And the Knicks weren’t able to make up for it with their outside shooting as they went 1-12 from beyond the arc in that frame.
This all led to Cleveland winning the quarter 23-11 and jumping out to an 18-point lead that they never gave up.
This was a great game from the Cavs, but they struggled to get Evan Mobley involved offensively. He felt like the odd man out when playing with the starters and wasn’t able to take advantage of the additional spacing in the bench lineups.
It will be an adjustment period for Mobley, who is still on a minutes limit. This was just his third game with the team since they made their drastic moves at the deadline, but this is something to keep an eye on. He finished this one with 12 points on 4-7 shooting with seven rebounds.
Mithell provided 23 points on 5-18 shooting to go along with five rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Harden had 20 points on 8-18 shooting with four assists.
Allen supplied 19 points and 10 rebounds on 7-8 shooting.
The Knicks were led by 20 points from Jalen Brunson. Mikal Bridges provided 18 points on 6-17 shooting with five rebounds.
With the win, the Cavs are now tied with the Knicks for third in the conference and are a game and a half behind the Boston Celtics for the second spot.
This was the last meeting between the Cavs and Knicks this season. This was the Cavs’ lone win in the series.
The Cavaliers are back in action tomorrow night as they hit the road to take on the Milwaukee Bucks. Tip-off is at 8 PM.
ATLANTA, GA - FEBRUARY 24: Jonathan Kuminga #0 of the Atlanta Hawks smiles during the game against the Washington Wizards on February 24, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Joe Boatman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In his first NBA game without a Golden State Warriors jersey, Jonathan Kuminga delivered an impressive all-around performance in the Atlanta Hawks 119-98 blowout win over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night. In 24 minutes off the bench, Kuminga scored a game-high 27 points alongside 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and just 2 turnovers on 9-for-12 shooting from the field (3-for-4 from three and 6-for-7 from the free-throw line). He unsurprisingly had an excellent +16 plus/minus as well.
Kuminga’s tumultuous Warriors tenure finally came to a close at the trade deadline, when Golden State sent him to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis and his expiring contract. While a healthy Porzgingis would be the perfect center for the Warriors, his injury history and prolonged bout with chronic illness (POTS) make it difficult to envision him becoming a core member of the team. With Porzingis’ contract slated to expire at the end of the season, Golden State was largely moving Kuminga in a salary dump that netted them a potential lottery ticket.
Kuminga has had plenty of impressive flashes throughout his pro career. His tantalizing athleticism after all is what led the Warriors to select him with the seventh-overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Kuminga had many promising stretches with Golden State, where he flashed future All-Star potential. Even this season, after an ugly prolonged restricted free agency, Kuminga started the season in the starting lineup and got off to a great start. However, head coach Steve Kerr quickly pulled Kuminga from the starting lineup after a slump and he soon was out of the rotation entirely.
Kuminga is confident he can be a legitimate NBA star. Kerr was clearly skeptical. If Kuminga keeps playing like he did in his first game with the Hawks, he’ll surely have the last laugh.
NEW YORK (AP) — Marvin Bagley III scored 22 points, Naji Marshall had 21 and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Brooklyn Nets 123-114 on Tuesday night after both teams arrived in New York earlier in the day.
Both clubs played road games on Sunday and neither was able to fly into the New York area because of a blizzard. The Mavericks stayed in Indiana and the Nets remained in Atlanta. Both flew Tuesday and arrived in the early afternoon.
The change in schedule didn't affect the Mavericks, who scored a season-high 76 points in the first half and won their second straight after a 10-game skid.
Brandon Williams had 19 points and 10 assists, while Klay Thompson added 17 points for the Mavericks, who shot 58.5% from the field while playing their fourth consecutive game without No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg because of a sprained left foot.
Michael Porter Jr. scored 26 points and Noah Clowney had 22 for the Nets, who lost their fifth straight. Terance Mann had 17 points off the bench and Nic Claxton finished with 16 points and nine rebounds.
Mann hit back-to-back 3-pointers to bring Brooklyn within two with 7:42 to play, but the Mavericks recovered and pushed the margin back into double digits in the final minute.
