The Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo have some big decisions to make this summer, but until then, the show must go on as they visit the New Orleans Pelicans tonight.
I’m not reading too much into Milwaukee’s 5-1 spurt before the All-Star break, especially with Myles Turner now also sidelined, but my Bucks vs. Pelicans predictions expect Ryan Rollins to feast against a shaky New Orleans defense.
Check out my NBA picks for this February 20 matchup.
Bucks vs Pelicans prediction
Bucks vs Pelicans best bet: Ryan Rollins Over 18.5 points (-115)
There’s a Giannis-sized hole in the Milwaukee Bucks’ starting lineup, and Ryan Rollins has a clear path to bumper stats after resting a foot issue over the break.
Rollins has nailed this Over in six of his last eight games, and he’s averaging 21.8 ppg so far in February.
I’ll gladly pick against a New Orleans Pelicans team that’s allowing 120.4 ppg, tied for fourth-most in the NBA. Rollins gave the Pels fits earlier this month on the way to 27 points.
One glance at the Milwaukee rotation tonight confirms Rollins will be doing the heavy lifting.
Bucks vs Pelicans same-game parlay
It’s been a road-heavy schedule lately for the Pelicans, but they’re 17-11-1 ATS at home this year. The hosts should escape with a win, especially if they profit in the paint against a Milwaukee squad missing Giannis and Turner.
I’ll double down on that with a pair of Derik Queen wagers. He and Zion Williamson can both put up impressive numbers tonight, but I’m targeting Queen, who will get even more touches if Trey Murphy III (doubtful) is ruled out.
Bucks vs Pelicans SGP
Pelicans moneyline
Derik Queen Over 12.5 points
Derik Queen Over 0.5 3-pointers
Our "from downtown" SGP: Point guards rollin’
It’s an all-point guard SGP here, with Rollins and Jeremiah Fears both set for big minutes down the stretch this season. Rollins gets the keys to the Giannis-less Milwaukee offense, while Fears will benefit from New Orleans’ thin backcourt depth.
Fears was within touching distance of a triple-double in his last outing before All-Star weekend.
Bucks vs Pelicans SGP
Ryan Rollins Over 18.5 points
Ryan Rollins Over 4.5 assists
Jeremiah Fears Over 14.5 points
Jeremiah Fears Over 3.5 assists
Bucks vs Pelicans odds
Spread: Bucks +4 | Pelicans -4
Moneyline: Bucks +145 | Pelicans -170
Over/Under: Over 221.5 | Under 221.5
Bucks vs Pelicans betting trend to know
The Bucks are 11-18 SU on the road this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Bucks vs. Pelicans.
How to watch Bucks vs Pelicans
Location
Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA
Date
Friday, February 20, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN Wisconsin, Pelicans+
Bucks vs Pelicans latest injuries
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Now the two-time NL manager of the year has agreed to a new contract that assures he will remain in Milwaukee for some time to come.
Murphy has led the Brewers to division titles and has been selected as NL manager of the year each of his first two seasons on the job. He had been Milwaukee’s bench coach on Craig Counsell's staff for eight seasons before taking over as manager.
“I don’t want to be with any other organization,” Murphy told reporters Friday from the Brewers' spring training complex after the deal was announced. “I feel really connected. This is going on my 11th season. I feel really part of it. I feel like this is where I’m supposed to be.”
Murphy’s contract had been set to expire at the end of the season before he and the Brewers agreed to terms on this new deal. He had taken over as Milwaukee’s manager after Counsell let his contract run out following the 2023 season and then signed a lucrative deal with the rival Chicago Cubs.
Counsell said he talked to Murphy on Thursday night.
“Thrilled for him,” Counsell said before the Cubs' Cactus League opener in Mesa. “Absolutely thrilled for him.”
The Brewers didn’t release terms of Murphy's contract. The Athletic, which first reported Murphy’s new deal, said he now has a three-year contract with a club option for 2029.
“I really didn’t have any doubt that this was going to work out,” Murphy told reporters. “I’m really grateful, really thankful.”
Murphy, 67, owns a 190-134 record as Milwaukee’s manager and has helped the Brewers wildly outperform preseason forecasts each of the last two years. The Brewers earned a franchise-record 97 wins last season, won a third straight NL Central title and beat Counsell’s Cubs in the NL Division Series before getting swept in the NL Championship Series by the eventual World Series-winning Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Brewers went 93-69 and won the NL Central championship in 2024 before losing an NL Wild Card Series to the New York Mets.
Along the way, he has delighted Brewers fans and gained attention for his unique style, which has included pulling out pancakes from his pocket during a televised dugout interview and having his sons frequently sitting alongside him at postgame news conferences.
“He fits a young team really well, getting guys to believe in themselves — the kind of players who have made up our team over the years, where guys maybe hadn’t had success in other places and kind of come here and find their footing, find success and find themselves,” Brewers outfielder/designated hitter Christian Yelich told reporters.
Murphy is the first Brewers skipper ever to get named manager of the year. The only other people ever to get selected as manager of the year in consecutive seasons are Atlanta’s Bobby Cox (2004-05), Tampa Bay’s Kevin Cash (2020-21) and Cleveland’s Stephen Vogt (2024-25).
“He’s special,” Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold told reporters. “I love the fact he wants to continue to challenge everyone in the room and try to make everyone better. I think he’s not afraid. He’s competitive. He’s going to fight you tooth and nail for a win and to make you better off the field. He cares about people. I love that about him.”
Murphy's only previous major league managerial experience came when he went 42-54 on an interim basis with San Diego in 2015 after the firing of Bud Black. He was a minor league manager in the Padres organization from 2011-2015.
Before that, Murphy posted a combined 947-400-2 coaching record at Notre Dame (1988-94) and Arizona State (1995-2009). He coached Counsell at Notre Dame and helped Arizona State reach the College World Series championship game in 1998.
He had a total of 1,000 college wins in a career that also included stints at Division-III Maryville (1983) and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges (1986-87).
“I really feel lucky driving to work every day,” Murphy told reporters. “I feel lucky this is what I do for a living. I feel lucky that someone says, 'Yes, yeah, we want you to be in this position for our organization. I feel lucky and I feel fortunate. I know how tough it is to get there.”
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - FEBRUARY 12: Ousmane Dieng #21 of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on February 12, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With the NBA trade deadline long gone and All-Star weekend now over with, it’s officially the tail end of the season and the Milwaukee Bucks ramp it back up tonight against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center—God bless America! Last time these teams played, the Bucks were in the quandary of needing to win to protect their pick while teetering on tanking. After winning that one 141-137 in overtime, and unexpectedly winning three of the next four—including road wins against the Orlando Magic and Oklahoma City Thunder—the Bucks are embracing winning again. Even better, new recruits Cam Thomas and Ousmane Dieng have been at the centre of the resurgence and look like potential long-term fits. So, with stakes now again on the line, can the Bucks live up to expectations?
Where We’re At
As noted, Milwaukee is on a tear, bringing much needed joy back to Bucks fans’ hearts. Thomas gives the team a bravado it’s needed—an unwavering confidence that it (he) can get a bucket when the opposition clamps down. In turn, Dieng fills a positional need and seems to be tapping into all that potential that made him the 11th overall pick in 2022. Of course, both bring youth too. So, giving up Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey, the Bucks got younger, filled a position of need, have upside, and are fun again. Kudos to you, Trader Jon.
Since losing to the Bucks, New Orleans has won two out of three, knocking off the Minnesota Timberwolves in Minneapolis and the Sacramento Kings at home before losing to the Miami Heat. It’s been the usual suspects for the Pelicans, with Zion Williamson (24.0 PPG, 70% shooting), Trey Murphy III (22.0 PPG, 6.0 APG, 4.3 3PM), and Saddiq Bey (18.7 PPG, 7.3 RPG) leading the way in this stretch. The Pelicans have stuck with their unconventional lineup too, Herb Jones and Derik Queen joining the aforementioned three in a starting group where under 6’6”s need not apply—though bizarrely they don’t start anyone over 6’9” either. Roster-wise, New Orleans made just one move at the deadline—much to the frustrations of their fans—trading Jose Alvarado, the team’s “heart and soul,” to the New York Knicks for Dalen Terry and two future second-round picks. So, at least for the rest of the season, they’ll ride it out with the group the front office still believes is a playoff roster. You know, the one that’s got them to a 15-41 record. Without the fallback of a pick in the coming draft. Yikes.
Injury Report
For the Bucks, Giannis (calf), Taurean Prince (neck), and Myles Turner (calf) remain out.
For the Pelicans, Dejounte Murray (Achilles), Yves Missi (calf), and Micah Peavy (toe) are out, while Trey Murphy III (shoulder) is doubtful.
Player To Watch
On a new team, one good game is expected. Two in a row raises eyebrows, but players are always juiced going up against the team that just traded them. Three in a row? Now that would smell like consistency. Does Dieng have it in him? While only he knows, what we do know is that he fits the desired archetype: size and length at the three, able to space the floor, some secondary ball handling, and activity on defence. That is, a multidimensional player. If you think it’s too good to be true, it just might be. Or, it might be transformational—for Dieng and the Bucks. Facing a Pelicans team that is loaded on the wing—including none other than long-time Bucks target Murphy—Dieng has a very real shot at placing a stake in the ground and claiming the starting small forward position as his own. However, with Ryan Rollins returning and stalwart starters Kevin Porter Jr. and AJ Green available, Dieng might have to do so from the bench. Doc Rivers’ rotation will be telling.
How To Watch
FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin at 7:00 p.m. CST.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 19: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics looks on against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on January 19, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Nic Antaya/Getty Images) | Getty Images
You know how Batman has the Bat Signal to project a big light in the sky for when people need him the most? I have my own Bat Signal, except it’s exclusively for Boston Celtics content emergencies. I call it the “why is everyone in my day-to-day life asking me this question?” Signal. We’re working on the name.
Right now, the signal is going crazy with a simple message: will Jayson Tatum return to play for the Celtics this season? Contained in that question are easy follow-ups: should he return? Is he rushing back? Will it be bad for team chemistry? Is there going to be a conflict with Jaylen Brown, who’s been a low-key MVP candidate this year?
When the Signal is shining this bright, you know I have the answers. And the answers are … I don’t care. I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. I recuse myself. I pardon you all from the suffering of trying to answer these questions. I release you, because the answers are “unknowable and irrelevant,” two words to live by and also my nickname in college.
So to keep things knowable and relevant, here’s the distillation: Jayson Tatum returning to play this season is simply a non-issue for Celtics fans, for Boston sports media or for anyone else with their emotional or professional wellbeing wrapped up in the Boston basketball industrial complex. Whatever ends up being Tatum and the team’s decision will be the right decision, and there is no reason to worry about this.
There are two basic questions people are trying to answer: will Jayson Tatum come back this season, and should he come back. Both are not rational discussions and thus we should not have them. Here’s why.
First, I am not some kind of debate detractor. Generally, I think it’s fine to discuss anything in potent or polemical public pieces in parallel publications, such as whether the New England Patriots were frauds, if Olympic Curling is the best competitive entertainment product since Season 1 of Survivor or the necessity of aggressive alliteration with the letter P in the fifth paragraph of an article about Jayson Tatum. All of that is fair game, because the parameters of those discussions are reasonably equal.
The problem with the “will Jayson Tatum come back?” question is that any rational argument about that would require a baseline of medical information that we simply do not have. Reading tea leaves about the five-part docuseries about his road to recovery or that the NBA flexed a March 1 game to primetime on NBC suggests a fairly commercial motivation for returning to play, something I do not believe Tatum or the Celtics would ever risk.
Even more insane is trying to determine if he is rushing back from his injury or is putting himself at additional risk by not sitting out the whole season—as if any of us have literally any idea what we’re talking about in the field of a specific individual’s recovery from Achilles surgery. If you want to speculate on that, I have a quick questionnaire for you to fill out: 1. Are you an Achilles surgeon/specialist or do you have intimate access to one? 2. If yes, is said specialist Jayson Tatum’s doctor themselves? 3. If yes, you may now speculate.
Basically, it doesn’t matter if Tatum is rushing back from his injury; if he comes back, I am forced to assume it was the right decision because there is no planet where I could possibly dispute it. It’s a hard thing to do for someone who thinks they have a right to comment on everything that happens with this team, but I am hereby recusing myself entirely.
We move now to the basketball consequences of Tatum’s return, namely the glorious question of “should he return, even if healthy?” The Celtics are playing great, Jaylen Brown has been a revelation and it would be risky to disrupt such great chemistry, right? Maybe just see how this thing goes and bring Tatum back for next season, right? Right? RIGHT!?
If you are worried about that, I have yet another question for you: are you kidding me?
The Celtics not bringing back Jayson Tatum because they are worried he will make the team worse is like not cashing your monthly paycheck because you’re worried it will make your wallet a little heavier in your left pocket. It’s like not listening to the new Kendrick album because you’re worried you’ll like some songs and it will disrupt your carefully curated Spotify playlists by adding them. It’s like—are we being serious about asking if adding 27-year-old, four-time All-NBA First Team Jayson Tatum to the basketball team is going to make the team worse at basketball?!?
Basketball teams are not porcelain figurines that may break at the first stiff breeze they encounter. They are built through blood, sweat and work over months; they need every single piece they can get. If that piece is Tatum, it would be an excellent one to add. There is nothing more to litigate.
The reason people still want to litigate it is, probably, because there is real money riding on the Celtics in the form of win-total or Championship futures, Jaylen Brown MVP odds and an untold number of gambling stakes in whether Jayson Tatum returns or not. But even gambling discussions must base themselves on logical parameters, and as we have functionally proven, such parameters do not exist in this dojo.
If Tatum returns, it will be good for the Celtics. If something goes wrong afterward, it will be bad for the Celtics, but we have no reason to predict that given the presently available information. Hypothetical future narratives about re-injury or Tatum-Brown beef are pure speculation, something that also does not exist in this dojo. This dojo is rational, and thus, for now, closed.
The Minnesota Timberwolves (34-22) return from the All-Star Break tonight when they take the court at home against the struggling Dallas Mavericks (19-35).
Winners of two straight, the Wolves sit in eighth place in the Western Conference but are within one game of the Houston Rockets and the three-seed. Minnesota enters the matchup tonight as the heavy favorite, having already smacked the Mavericks in their first two meetings this season, including a 118-105 victory on January 28. In fact, the Timberwolves have won and covered the spread in each of their last four games against the Mavericks.
The Dallas Mavericks arrive in Minnesota struggling mightily. Riding a nine-game losing streak and without standout rookie Cooper Flagg, the Mavs sit in 12th place in the Western Conference and are unofficially but officially looking toward the future and another high draft pick. Last night the Mavs lost to the Lakers in Los Angeles, 124-104. Naji Marshall and Max Christie led the Mavs with 19 points apiece.
With Dallas playing their second game in two nights in two different cities, the severely shorthanded and defensively challenged Mavericks face immense odds against them snapping their nine-game losing streak. Minnesota’s frontcourt, led by Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert, should dominate the paint against this depleted Mavericks’ lineup. This game should be a walk for the Timberwolves.
Lets take a closer look at the matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch Live: Mavericks at Timberwolves
Date: Friday, February 20, 2026
Time: 7:30PM EST
Site: Target Center
City: Minneapolis, MN
Network/Streaming: ESPN
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Game Odds: Mavericks at Timberwolves
The latest odds as of Friday courtesy of DraftKings:
This game opened Timberwolves -11.5 with the Total set at 235.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups: Mavericks at Timberwolves
Dallas Mavericks
PG Brandon Williams
SG Max Christie
SF Naji Marshall
PF P.J. Washington
C Daniel Gafford
Minnesota Timberwolves
PG Donte DiVincenzo
SG Anthony Edwards
SF Jaden McDaniels
PF Julius Randle
C Rudy Gobert
Injury Report: Mavericks at Timberwolves
Dallas Mavericks
Cooper Flagg (foot) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game
Kyrie Irving (knee) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game
Caleb Martin (ankle) is listed as questionable for tonight’s game
Max Christie (ankle) is listed as questionable for tonight’s game
Daniel Gafford (ankle) is listed as questionable for tonight’s game
Minnesota Timberwolves
No Injuries to Report
Important stats, trends and insights: Mavericks at Timberwolves
The Timberwolves are 19-10 at home this season
The Mavericks are 5-18 on the road this season
The Timberwolves are 25-31 ATS this season / 13-16 at home
The Mavericks are 23-31 ATS this season / 7-16 on the road
The OVER has cashed in 25 of the Mavericks’ 54 games this season (25-29)
The OVER has cashed in 28 of the Timberwolves’ 56 games this season (28-28)
The UNDER has cashed in 7 of the last 10 games between these teams
The Timberwolves have won and covered the last 4 games against the Mavericks
Anthony Edwards has scored at least 30 points in 5 of his last 7 games
Donte DiVincenzo has buried at least 3, 3-pointers in 9 of his last 15 games but in none of his last 4 games
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s Mavericks and Timberwolves’ game:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Mavericks +13.5 ATS
Total: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Game Total OVER 239.5
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The Cleveland Cavaliers look for their seventh straight win when they visit the Charlotte Hornets tonight.
Both teams will be playing the latter half of a back-to-back, with the books setting the visitors as 6-point favorites in the NBA odds.
Even with James Harden’s successful integration onto the Cleveland roster, my Cavaliers vs. Hornets predictions and free NBA picks like the home team to cover on Friday, February 20.
Cavaliers vs Hornets prediction
Cavaliers vs Hornets best bet: Hornets +6 (-110)
The Cleveland Cavaliers crushed Brooklyn 112-84 on Thursday, moving to 3-0 since acquiring James Harden while averaging 123 points a game.
But Cleveland has had its problems against the Charlotte Hornets. While they’ve won six of the last seven straight-up, they're just 1-4 ATS in their last five meetings.
The Hornets lost a close 105-101 decision to Houston yesterday, but they’re built to bounce back. They're 9-2 ATS on the second night of a back-to-back, the second-best mark in the NBA.
They’re also allowing just 105.2 ppg over their last 10, third-best in basketball.
Cavaliers vs Hornets same-game parlay
The point guards are front-and-center for this SGP. Harden has topped his 8.5-assist line in each of the last two games, missing the Over in his debut by two dimes.
LaMelo Ball, meanwhile, racked up seven assists in the loss to Houston, and he’s averaging 7.4 dimes per game on the season.
Cavaliers vs Hornets SGP
Hornets +6
James Harden Over 8.5 assists
LaMelo Ball Over 6.5 assists
Our "from downtown" SGP: Arc asylum
Harden has hit at least three 3-balls in six of his last nine, shooting it much better than backcourt mate Donovan Mitchell, who has hit three triples in a game one time in his last seven.
Brandon Miller has hit 3+ 3-pointers in three of his last four, while rookie phenom Kon Knueppel has drilled 4+ in five of his last eight outings.
Ball has struggled shooting deep against Cleveland, hitting four 3-pointers or more in a game just three times in 10 career starts.
Cavaliers vs Hornets SGP
James Harden Over 2.5 3-pointers
Donovan Mitchell Under 2.5 3-pointers
Brandon Miller Over 2.5 3-pointers
Kon Knueppel Over 3.5 3-pointers
LaMelo Ball Under 3.5 3-poiners
Cavaliers vs Hornets odds
Spread: Cavaliers -6 | Hornets +6
Moneyline: Cavaliers -225 | Hornets +185
Over/Under: Over 231.5 | Under 231.5
Cavaliers vs Hornets betting trend to know
The Hornets have hit the moneyline in 20 of their last 35 games (+18.20 Units / 39% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Hornets.
How to watch Cavaliers vs Hornets
Location
Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC
Date
Friday, February 20, 2026
Tip-off
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN Ohio, FDSN Southeast Charlotte
Cavaliers vs Hornets latest injuries
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SAN ANTONIO, TX - FEBRUARY 19:Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket during the game against the Phoenix Suns on February 19, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The San Antonio Spurs “home stretch” of the Rodeo Road Trip in Austin kicked off with a bang. The Spurs secured a 121-94 victory over the Phoenix Suns. The Spurs were locked in defensively while playing an even offensive game. Six members of the Silver and Black scored in double digits, and 30 of San Antonio’s baskets came off assists.
Stephon Castle led the team in scoring with 20 points, 4 assists, and 3 steals. Castle shot an efficient 8-11 from the field and 2-4 from deep. He scored at all-three levels, getting shots to go around the rim, in the mid-range, and hitting some big threes. Castle has turned it on over the last month, heating up as the Spurs head into the stretch run of the season.
The Area 51 duo was in action on Thursday night. Castle does a great job probing the defense until the defense ignores Victor Wembanyama (a mistake) and then finds him on the lob. Castle is probably the best on the team in finding the big man for lobs, which makes sense given the nickname.
Wembanyama showed why he is considered the favorite for Defensive Player of the Year. Wemby was dominant defensively, altering shot after shot in the paint. He finished the game with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 blocks.
Wembanyama’s best play of the night came in the pick-and-roll when he slammed the ball over Mark Williams and Jordan Goodwin. Williams had been playing physically and trying to dunk on him all night, and Wembanyama punished him on the other end with a towering slam.
He wasn’t the only Spurs center with highlight reel dunks, though. Luke Kornet was all over the rim against the Suns. He had 10 points and 9 rebounds on a perfect 5-5 shooting from the field. He was a beast on the boards, grabbing three offensive rebounds. He’s been a much better lob threat than expected this season, thanks to his great hands and elite positioning in the paint.
The rookies had their moments, too. Dylan Harper had 17 points off the bench, hitting 2 three-pointers. He, like Castle, scored at all three levels, which has been rare for him early in his career. Carter Bryant also hit two three-pointers, including a smooth-looking side-step jumper late in the fourth quarter.
San Antonio will play the Sacramento Kings in the last game of their Austin home-stand on Saturday night as they look to secure their 40th victory. Check out the video below for full game highlights.
HOUSTON, TX - JANUARY 5: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets and Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns talk during the game on January 5, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. 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 Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Last offseason’s trade between the Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets, that saw Kevin Durant get dealt to Houston, in exchange for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, five second-round draft picks and the 10th pick of the 2025 NBA Draft has been a franchise saver, of sorts, for the Rockets.
Especially when considering the mountain of injuries Houston has seen. Fred VanVleet was out before the season even started.
Steven Adams is out for the season.
(And hasn’t suited up in a month).
Tari Eason has missed over 20 games (well, 22, to be exact).
And Houston’s prized free agent signing, Dorian Finney-Smith, has missed 33 games (and hasn’t looked good, although we’ve seen positive signs, of late ).
Yet and still, the Rockets have their same record at this point in the season as last year. Despite being without three of last year’s starters.
“The deal was never gonna get done without Jalen and Dillon in the deal.”
Bartelstein claims the Suns wanted Brooks, to help set their culture.
Houston’s brass has denied being willing to part with Smith.
But make no mistake. They surely would’ve included him, if it came down to it.
Not many players on last year’s roster should’ve been deemed untouchable, especially with Kevin Durant on the table as an acquireable piece.
Even an older version.
We should expect the Rockets to deny their willingness to move Smith.
In the same way that it shouldn’t be a surprise that the Suns are now hyping up their guy in Brooks.
It’s a bit less believable that Brooks was a sticking point for the Suns.
It’s not like it could’ve been predicted that he was going to average a career-best 21 points (albeit on 18 shots).
It should also be noted that Phoenix couldn’t have moved Durant for Green and Smith at the deadline, from a salary standpoint, as Smith was still on his rookie salary.
The Miami Heat begin their second half on the road this evening against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena. Tip-off for this contest is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.
Jalen Johnson has been a beast this season, and I’m targeting him to ball out in my Heat vs. Hawks predictions.
Read more in my NBA picks for Friday, February 20.
Heat vs Hawks prediction
Heat vs Hawks best bet: Jalen Johnson Over 22.5 points (-120)
Jalen Johnson has burst onto the scene this season, averaging 23.5 ppg. Before he partook in the All-Star festivities in Los Angeles, the Duke product cashed the Over in points in two of his final four games in the first half.
He also returned with a bang on Thursday, as the Atlanta Hawks hammered the 76ers. Johnson showed out for 32 points.
Johnson is averaging 26.5 ppg across two meetings with the Miami Heat in 2025-26, so he knows how to beat this team.
Heat vs Hawks same-game parlay
Tyler Herro is having a nice campaign, averaging 21.9 ppg. He’s hit the Over in points in four straight games.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker is averaging a respectable 3.7 assists per game. He’ll be important in getting Johnson more scoring opportunities tonight.
The Canadian guard has cashed the Over in dimes in seven straight.
Heat vs Hawks SGP
Jalen Johnson Over 22.5 points
Tyler Herro Over 17.5 points
Nickeil Alexander-Walker Over 3.5 assists
Our "from downtown" SGP: Home cooking for Hawks
Atlanta is coming off a big win over the Sixers, and this new-look roster is promising. They also beat the Heat on February 3.
Heat vs Hawks SGP
Jalen Johnson Over 22.5 points
Tyler Herro Over 17.5 points
Nickeil Alexander-Walker Over 3.5 assists
Hawks moneyline
Heat vs Hawks odds
Spread: Heat -3.5 | Hawks +3.5
Moneyline: Heat -155 | Hawks +130
Over/Under: Over 244.5 | Under 244.5
Heat vs Hawks betting trend to know
The Hawks have hit the 1H Moneyline in 13 of their last 24 games (+7.05 Units / 23% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Heat vs. Hawks.
How to watch Heat vs Hawks
Location
State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
Date
Friday, February 20, 2026
Tip-off
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN Sun, FDSN Southeast Atlanta
Heat vs Hawks latest injuries
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Tanking has the chance to become the NBA's biggest scandal since Tim Donaghy.
For that reason, the NBA is considering more changes to the draft lottery.
Via Shams Charania of ESPN.com, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told the league's General Managers on Thursday that changes could be coming to the NBA's draft lottery.
Per the report, several concepts are being considered. Possibilities include freezing the lottery odds at the trade deadline or some other date, preventing teams from picking in the top four in consecutive years (and/or after consecutive finishes in the bottom three spots in the league), preventing teams from picking in the top four the year after making it to the conference finals, determining lottery odds based on the combined record over two seasons, extending the lottery to include the play-in teams, and flattening the odds for all lottery teams.
None of those devices would eliminate tanking. It would simply change the analysis for teams that are hoping to land a key prospect in the next draft. Until the incentives to win are fully aligned with the incentive to get the best incoming players, some team at some point will be tempted to try to not win games.
On Thursday, Silver reportedly was "forceful" regarding his message that the problem must be solved.
And it must be. As Suns owner Mat Isbhia said on Thursday, teams trying to lose games is bigger than any prop-bet controversy the league has experienced. Beyond tanking being an integrity problem, it can become a business problem. Tom Friend of Sports Business Journal, citing multiple unnamed high-level team executives, reports that tanking is "nowaffecting ticket values and game experience across the league."
How can it not be? Although former Dallas Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban has said that the league should embrace tanking and focus instead on game experience, how does tanking help game experience if a fan purchases tickets weeks or months in advance with the anticipation that the "experience" will include watching star players who ultimately don't play for reasons other than injury, the experience is diminished.
It's a mess for the NBA. It's an embarrassment to the game. The only true solutions are to set the draft order randomly every year or to determine the draft order not based on worst-to-first but first-to-worst.
If dibs on incoming players were one of the spoils of victory, every team would try its damnedest to win every game. Likewise, if the worst teams no longer have the inside track to the best new players, there's no reason to do anything other than win as many games as possible.
The proposed changes will simply muddy the draft-lottery waters with more factors and complications. Some teams will still find a way to game the system by not trying to win each and every game.
And while tanking is not yet a full-boil problem for the NFL, pro football needs to be watching what's happening to the NBA. At some point, the NFL may need to come up with an approach other than its current one — ignore it.
That's why there's no NFL draft lottery. Anything other than a firewall between being bad in the regular season and parading around for several months with a prime draft pick opens the door to normalizing talk of tanking.
Unfortunately for the NFL, the fact that tanking has become such a hot topic for basketball will necessarily splash a little mud on the NFL's current ability to keep people from noticing the clear connection between losing late-season games and winning offseason benefits.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - FEBRUARY 19: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics dribbles the ball during the game against the Golden State Warriors on February 19, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
#1 – Jaylen Brown driving the Celtics offense
With almost 19 drives per game, Brown is the second most prolific driver in the NBA this season – and last night might have been one of his most impressive games in the paint.
As the mid-ranges and 3-pointers wouldn’t fall, JB shifted his approach toward the rim and kept attacking it, with 10 field goals made in the paint. His craftiness was on full display, like here, where he crossed and attacked the space with just the right timing.
The Warriors tried to force him left and put bodies in the paint to slow down the five-time All-Star, but it didn’t work. The game felt easy for Brown, with very efficient footwork like here. He gathered the ball right before Draymond Green’s stunt, put his foot right between the two defenders while carrying the ball high to avoid their arms, and finished it with a nice touch.
Overall, 9 of his 10 field goals made came after a drive, showing how aggressive Jaylen Brown was after the All-Star break.
#2 – Celtics flare for space
The Warriors’ defensive coverage didn’t work against Brown’s drives but also collapsed due to the Celtics’ shooting ability and screening strategy. Green was asked to remain in the driving lane and leave Neemias Queta alone because the Portuguese big man is not a shooting threat – however, Queta can screen, and he screens pretty well.
In this play below, the Celtics had just crossed half court and already created an open shot for Sam Hauser thanks to a screen that punished Green’s positioning. The former DPOY wanted to block the drive and leave Queta open. The Celtics big man therefore set a flare screen and created space for Hauser to shoot. As Green was too far to help his teammate who was stuck in the screen, that was money for Sammy!
The Warriors still kept the same approach with Al Horford or Kristaps Porzingis, keeping them near the paint as much as possible, so the Celtics kept attacking that coverage. Even with Vucevic on the court, the Warriors’ big men remained low, and it opened things up for Boston.
Yet, while Vucevic and Queta set the same off-ball screens, they are quite different players. Boston’s pick-and-roll offense changed depending on who was on the court and showed real versatility.
#3 – Pick-and-roll with Queta
As Neemias Queta was starting the game, Boston made sure to use his screening skills to create space on the first possession. The big man set a screen on the ball for Derrick White, which triggered Draymond Green’s rotation toward him to prevent the pull-up. This forced the rest of the Warriors to compensate in the paint to protect the rim, but it was already too late, and Queta earned free throws.
The Warriors kept sending two players to the ball, hoping White would struggle under the pressure, but the Celtics guard didn’t. And as the Celtics’ spacing made the rotations more difficult, it left the paint open for Queta.
The Celtics even added a little twist to the pick-and-roll, with White acting as a second screener who slipped the action and cut to the rim behind the defense that wanted to pressure the ball. Safe to say the Celtics came prepared to punish the Warriors’ defensive coverage.
And while this worked well with Queta, the Celtics were also very efficient with Vucevic on the court.
#4 – Pick-and-roll with Vucevic
The former Bull is a different pick-and-roll player than Queta, offering a new variety of movement and spacing. After a screen, he rolls a little less deep than the Portuguese big man and has more passing flair. This one ended up as a turnover, but you can clearly see the great read from Vuc.
The difference with Queta in how he moves after the screen can also create pick-and-pop situations that put pressure on the defense in drop coverage. This play was really impressive to me, as he caught the ball beyond the three-point line and immediately drove to put even more pressure on the defense. The big standout of this action is the skip pass that created an even better situation. A great flash from the big man.
The Celtics’ ability to play a very different style depending on their centers is a great addition and could go a long way in a playoff run. And speaking of centers…
#5 – Porzingis’ trap
What is super insightful about a player facing his former team is that it gives us insight into what the former coaching staff really thought of him. And apparently, the Celtics didn’t have a lot of belief in Porzingis’ passing under pressure.
It also shows that the Celtics were wary of Porzingis’ post-up scoring and were willing to take that risk rather than let him attack one-on-one. The Celtics rarely put this much pressure on the ball against a single player and usually prefer to defend the matchup despite some occasional mismatches.
#6 – Boston cutting hedge
Back to the Celtics’ offense, which was really impressive last night. As far as I can remember, I can’t find another game this season where the players had this willingness to cut again and again. Here, for example, the defense focused on the ball with the Pritchard screen, but the important move came from Hauser, who cut from one corner to the other, catching the defense’s attention and creating space for Vucevic to shoot in the corner.
Why did they cut more than usual, you might think? This is related to the Warriors’ aggressive coverage on the ball. With this approach, defenders need to be ready to help, especially on the strong side. Therefore, a cut, like this one from Hugo Gonzalez, is perfect to punish that coverage.
This next play might be one of my favorites. A zoom action with not one but two screens prior to the handoff. As Jaylen Brown ran, Hauser popped beyond the line and White slipped the screen while the defense focused on the handoff with Queta… and that was a trap!
It was all very fun… until the Warriors suffocated the Celtics.
#7 – Warriors pressure
Despite losing by 30 points, the Warriors didn’t give up and kept fighting. They took advantage of the Celtics’ laid-back approach in the fourth quarter to steal the ball over and over and get back into the game.
The Celtics tried to play slowly at first. They ran the clock down to save time, but the Warriors were happy with these bad shots. And every time they were able to score in transition, they put a lot of pressure on the ball and the passing lanes. The defense was so good they even forced a very rare travel from Payton Pritchard.
Yet, it was Pritchard who put the game away a few minutes later.
#8 – Pritchard broke the shell
To break a shell, you need a tool adapted to create a breach. The Warriors’ shell, which was suffocating the Celtics by putting heavy pressure on the ball, had a kryptonite: Payton Pritchard’s deep shooting ability.
The Celtics put Jaylen Brown back into the game so he could hold the ball while attracting two defenders. Then, they made sure Pritchard was one pass away so, as soon as the Warriors trapped Brown, the Celtics could punish them from 35 feet.
The beautiful collective performance could make us forget that Jaylen Brown recorded his third triple-double of the season, and the sixth of his career. He is now tied with Dave Cowens, who recorded six triple-doubles in 726 games. The next player on the list is Paul Pierce with nine – could JB catch up with PP before the end of the season?
#10 – Healthy KP and mysterious Horford
The vibes were good with Kristaps Porzingis and the Celtics.
It was nice to see him healthy and on the court after months of ups and downs for the Latvian big man. On the other hand, Al Horford’s words after the game raised more questions about his departure, and I’m looking forward to finding out what really happened.
Al Horford said his decision to leave the Celtics for Golden State was "something that's deeper than just the basketball stuff of it."
"And it's something that at some point I'll share with people," Horford said, "but for me it felt like it was the time for me to go elsewhere."
Nonetheless, this video from Noa at the end of the game showed that, mostly, it’s all love.
Very wholesome postgame scene as Al Horford and his son Ean made their way to say hi to almost everyone on the Celtics — almost like they both were former Celtics pic.twitter.com/iWUdN2or5H
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - FEBRUARY 19: Kristaps Porzigis #7 of the Golden State Warriors talks with Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics after the game on February 19, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It had been 279 days since Kristaps Porziņģis last shared the floor with the Celtics, as either a teammate or an opponent. The final farewell was bitter.
Porziņģis last suited up alongside his former Boston teammates in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. A lingering illness that followed him out of the regular season stretched on for more than three months, reducing him to a limited version of himself. Fast forward 40 weeks and two trades later, and Porziņģis finally shared the floor with Boston again — this time as a member of the Warriors — facing the team he helped raise a banner with two years ago.
“It was definitely fun,” Payton Pritchard told reporters, per CLNS Media. “I was looking forward to it. It’s always fun playing against ex-teammates and going to battle with them.”
Golden State acquired Porziņģis before the Feb. 5 trade deadline, sending Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Hawks in exchange. Like his time in Boston, injuries limited Porziņģis’ impact in Atlanta. He played just 17 games due to left Achilles tendinitis, which also kept him out of a potential return to TD Garden on Jan. 28 against the Celtics. So instead, the reunion came in Porziņģis’ Golden State debut on Thursday night, with Boston coming away with a 121-110 win.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr played Porziņģis on limited minutes, giving him 17 off the bench.
In the second quarter, Porziņģis recorded his first basket in a Warriors uniform by flushing a two-handed dunk during a mismatch with Derrick White, which helped get him going. Nearly 12 minutes later, he attacked another mismatch, going after a rebound against Pritchard, who he towers over by more than a foot. The two wrestled back and forth for possession like brothers before smiling and setting up a lopsided jump ball between 6-foot-1 Pritchard and 7-foot-2 Porziņģis.
Porziņģis, unsurprisingly, came away with the win.
“I’m disappointed in myself for letting that go,” Pritchard told reporters. “Next time, I’m not doing that.”
Both Payton Pritchard and Kristaps Porziņģis refused to let the ball go 🤣
It didn’t take much for Porziņģis to outmatch Pritchard, but trailing his old team by 33 points put a little extra pep in his step in that moment. Ripping the ball away from Pritchard quickly became the only thing that mattered, Porziņģis recalled.
“I was not going to let go of that ball,” he told reporters, per team-provided video. “We were down big, so I was already not in the best mood. But it was a cool moment with my old teammate, and that’s it. Just playful.”
The motivation of facing his former teammates paid off for Porziņģis. Slowly throughout the night, the same player who thrived in a Celtics uniform began doing everything that made him a fan favorite in Boston — now in Golden State: attacking mismatches, draining 3-pointers, including one from 30 feet, and remaining competitive during each play. It also helped that Porziņģis reunited with fellow 2024 Celtics champion Al Horford, who assisted him in his first Warriors basket.
Horford spent seven seasons with the Celtics across two stints, while Porziņģis lasted two years. Both veteran centers remain beloved in Boston, by fans and by those of the current Celtics alike.
“I played with those guys, against those guys, and I practiced with those guys for a long time,” Jaylen Brown told reporters, per CLNS Media. “I always wish them well. I hope their families are doing good.”
Porziņģis scored 12 points in his first game since Jan. 7, part of an ongoing acclimation with a Warriors team in need of frontcourt assistance.
“I think this is a first step to keep building,” Porziņģis told reporters.
From afar, Porziņģis had been keeping tabs on the Celtics. Boston’s annual trip to Golden State gave him a first-hand look at the team’s retooled roster that lost much of its championship talent — including himself — yet has managed to excel as the No. 2 seed in the East, even without Jayson Tatum.
“You have to give credit to Joe and the coaching staff,” he told reporters. “Joe’s a great coach and a great leader. For this team to maintain the same culture — and probably be even hungrier with less talent — you have to give credit to that. And JB is playing at a super-high level, leading them. They’re a good team, even without JT and some of us who were there.”
Losing Porziņģis and Horford — their most-rotated centers last season — was just the start. Tatum’s Achilles injury in Game 4 against New York, combined with the need to rely on a mix of inexperienced and new players, put the Celtics in a tough spot from the jump. Yet judging by their 55-game sample size that has made Brown an MVP candidate, Mazzulla a frontrunner for Coach of the Year, and Boston a legitimate contender for the No. 1 seed, it’s likely Porziņģis shares a sentiment similar to most across the league.
“I knew they were going to be good, and this is probably a little bit better than I expected,” Porziņģis told reporters. “So hats off to them.”
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - FEBRUARY 11: Ayo Dosunmu #13 and Anthony Edwards #5 celebrate with teammate Julius Randle #30 of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the fourth quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at Target Center on February 11, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Trail Blazers 133-109. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here we are, the home stretch of the NBA regular season.
It’s been a bumpy first two-thirds of the schedule for the Minnesota Timberwolves. They’ve had some high-hights, including a pair of wins against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, and many low-lows, most notably a five-game losing streak in January.
With the All-Star break now in the rearview and just 26 games remaining on the schedule, the Timberwolves look to finish out the season strong heading into what they hope is another successful postseason campaign.
Before that, there is still a lot to be determined and numerous questions that still need to be answered. Let’s take a look at each of those questions, how the Wolves might find answers, and what that means for the Wolves’ playoff chances come April.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – FEBRUARY 11: Julius Randle #30 of the Minnesota Timberwolves celebrates in the fourth quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at Target Center on February 11, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Trail Blazers 133-109. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Which version of Julius Randle will take the Court?
Julius Randle has an up-and-down season for the Timberwolves. On many nights, Randle has had outstanding performances where he almost single-handedly overpowers the opposing team as a matchup nightmare. There have also been games, though, where his bully-ball style isn’t working, the playmaking goes away, and his defense becomes untenable, as Randle has showcased a frustrating level of inconsistency.
In the aggreagate, Randle has had a fantastic season for the Wolves. Both his points and assists per game have both increased while seeing no meaningful dip in either shooting efficiency or turnovers.
Right before the All-Star break, Randle showcased what he is capaple as he put up 41 points, including 23 in the fourth quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers and Deni Avdija, who was selected to the All-Star game above Randle.
In the first two rounds of the 2025 Playoffs, Randle played his best stretch of basketball in a Timberwolves uniform, putting up 23.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game as the Wolves won both series in five games.
Then, in the Western Conference Finals, the inconsistency showed back up. While he did score 20+ points in three of the five games, Randle scored just six points in Game 2 and five points in Game 4, both losses for Minnesota.
If the Wolves want to get back to the Western Conference Finals or beyond, they will need the version of Randle they saw in the game against Portland and in the first two rounds of last year’s playoffs. They will need the player who made Draymond Green, of all people, admit he got outplayed.
If Minnesota gets the opposite version, the one that often gets beaten back door on defense, provides little ball movement on offense, and has an overall moodiness to his games, then the season will likely end sooner than anyone wants.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – FEBRUARY 09: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves smiles in the fourth quarter of the game against the Atlanta Hawks at Target Center on February 09, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Hawks 138-116. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Can the Timberwolves flip the switch?
For much of this season, the Timberwolves have played like a team that knows they can turn up the intensity when its required. When they put their mind to it, the Wolves can beat anybody. When they don’t, though, they can lose to anybody.
There are very clearly two different Timberwolves teams, one that takes the other team seriously and one that does not. It has led to the Wolves having incredibly varied performances from night to night and, despite being one of the healthiest teams in the NBA, sitting at sixth in the Western Conference.
While there are many reasons for the varied level of intensity from the Wolves, one of the biggest reasons is their franchise superstar, Anthony Edwards. Similar to Ranlde, the inconsistency of Edwards, seemingly dictated by the level of the opponent, has become maddening.
While Edwards is having by far his best season on the offensive end of the floor, the defensive end has been another story. There have been numerous games where Ant has felt totally disconnected from the Wolves’ game plan on the defensive end of the floor, leading to consistent open shots for the other team.
“He has the capacity to be the best two-way player in the league,” Timberwolves Head Coach Chris Finch said recently of Edwards. “Really, when he’s playing that way, we’re a whole other team defensively. So he’s really got to lean in and lead us that way.”
While Edwards is not the only player relying on “flipping the switch” come the playoffs, as Finch noted, the fix to that type of thinking needs to come from the team’s best player, as when Ant does lock in on defense, he becomes one of the best on-ball defenders in the entire league.
With the Wolves making the last two Western Conference Finals, they have a level of playoff success that is undeniable, but if they want to be better than either of those teams that lost in five games, Ant and the rest of the team will need to find far more consistency in their level of play.
Feb 11, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ayo Dosunmu (13) dribbles the ball against the Portland Trail Blazers in the second half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
How much value will Ayo Dosumnu provide?
Since the departure of Nickeil Alexander-Walker last offseason, the Wolves have been desperate to replace his role and production. With Mike Conley’s game dropping off, Terrence Shannon Jr. dealing with nagging injuries, and Rob Dillingham failing to crack the rotation, the Wolves have felt a player short the entire season.
At the trade deadline, they seemed to have solved that issue, as the Timberwolves traded for Ayo Dosunmu, who has provided a scoring punch off the bench that Minnesota has craved all season. Dosunmu scored in double figures in each of his three games with the Wolves, including a 21-point performance against the Atlanta Hawks.
Dosumnu’s skills that are most needed on this Timberwolves roster are his ability to attack the paint with his drives and his willingness to push the ball in transition, often doing both on the same possession.
Even just a few games into his time in Minnesota, it has become clear just how good a fit Dosunmu is with this Wolves team. After an All-Star break to recover from the turbulent trade deadline and some practice time to integrate himself with his new team, Ayo is ready to his the ground running when the Wolves’ season resumes.
“This last three to five days helped me a lot,” Dosumnu said of the All-Star Break. “The coaches, I asked them to send me the playbook, send me the most frequent actions we run, defensive schemes, things of that nature, and I’ve just been watching it, and I’m getting very much more familiar with it. I’m getting comfortable with it, where I’m able to call sets out. So that’s been great, and I think these pasts, I’m blessed to have these past five days to be able to do that.”
While Dosunmu and Alexander-Walker are stylistically very different players, Ayo seems like the perfect fit to fill the hole left by NAW on the Wolves roster. Dosumnu can put the ball in the basket, something the Wolves bench desperately lacks, especially on nights when Naz Reid struggles, and does so without taking up too much of the offensive bandwidth.
The rest of this regular season for Ayo will be about getting up to speed and finding his role with his new team. If his first few days in the organization are any indication, he will be just fine.
DALLAS, TEXAS – JANUARY 28: Mike Conley #10 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on during the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on January 28, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. 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 Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
What will the rotation look like with the return of Mike Conley?
It has been a whirlwind past couple of weeks for Mike Conley. Before the trade deadline, he got traded from the Wolves to the Chicago Bulls, who traded him to the Charlotte Hornets, who bought out his contract allowing the 19-year NBA veteran to return to Minnesota.
With Conley back on the roster, the question now is, how much will he play? Before getting traded, Conley was averaging 18.5 minutes per game, but with Dosunmu added to the roster, Bones Hyland joining the rotation in the past month, and Terrence Shannon Jr. back from injury, Mike is unlikely to see the same level of playing time post All-Star break.
“Honestly, I don’t expect to be out there playing a ton of minutes,” Conley said in his first media availability after re-signing with the Wolves. “I don’t expect to be out there 20 minutes. I expect Ayo, Bones, and all these guys who’ve earned their time and minutes on the court to get their opportunities and do what they do. So I’m going to be ready and be prepared just for whatever role, whether it’s in rotation or spotty or whatever it is.”
While Conley likely will gladly take any minutes that may come, he seems to understand that his role within the team has changed since the trade deadline. It appears Conley is set up to be more of a break glass in case of emergency option for the Wolves. If Hyland or Shannon Jr. struggle in their playing time, Conley may be called upon to grab the eighth-man minutes.
Other than that, Conley’s role will likely be in and out of the rotation depending on what the matchup or injury report dictates, unless Finch has other plans, which is always a possibility.
Can the Timberwolves get a top-three seed?
If the playoffs were to start today, the Timberwolves would have to go through the Denver Nuggets, then likely the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, all on the road, to reach the NBA Finals. That is a gauntlet of championship-contending teams that almost every team would have difficulty advancing through.
That can and likely will change with the Timberwolves are just a game and a half back of the three-seed Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference. Just like last season, where the Wolves finished just a single game back of the third seed and only a game up on the seventh seed and the Play-In Tournament, there is again a lot of the line in March and April for the Timberwolves.
While the Wolves’ strength of opponent is high for the rest of the season, something that may not be a negative for this team, their travel schedule is incredibly nice as they have the fewest back-to-backs remaining at four, only two of which require the team traveling between games.
“We’re not afraid to go anywhere or play anybody, but obviously, you want to give yourselves the best chance. So we have that in front of us.” – Chris Finch
While the Wolves clearly feel like they can beat anyone in the Western Conference, they can make things a whole lot easier on themselves by advancing up the standings. Home court advantage in the first round is still well within their reach, and a dream scenario of forcing conference-title favorites OKC and Denver to face off again in the second round exists.
The Wovles have proven they can win multiple playoff rounds even if they are the sixth seed, but if they want to advance further than they ever have, that place in the standings will likely not be good enough.
Dallas Mavericks forward Marvin Bagley III, right, grabs a rebound away from Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura during the second half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
After an abysmal start to the NBA season defensively, the Lakers turned a corner on that end of the floor over the last month, and they’re confident the reasoning behind the turnaround can help lead to further success.
With respect to their roster construction, the Lakers’ defense wasn’t expected to be a top-tier unit entering the season. But they started off even worse than anticipated.
After an abysmal start to the NBA season defensively, the Lakers turned a corner on that end of the floor. AP
The Lakers’ defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) of 117.9 through their first 40 games ranked 26th — a bad sign for their chances of contending for an NBA title.
They rebounded the ball well defensively, didn’t foul a lot and forced turnovers at a decent rate in the first half of the season.
But they were one of the league’s worst teams at protecting the rim and limited 3-pointers. And in addition to their troublesome transition defense, they were giving up points in some of the worst ways.
Thanks to their zone defense, the Lakers have made improvements, helping them have an above-average defense (112.7 defensive rating, which ranks 13th) in their 14 games leading into the All-Star break.
And for a Lakers team that’s expected to be led by its offense, above average should be more than good enough.
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“It just gives us a different look,” Austin Reaves said Thursday of the team’s zone defense. “And an opportunity to kind of mix it up and fly around and get our defense started that way.”
During a pregame segment ahead of the Lakers’ home win over the Mavericks on Feb. 12, the “NBA on Prime” studio show highlighted the Lakers’ uptick in usage of zone defense.
The Lakers deployed a zone defense on a league-leading 17.6% of possessions in the 13 games leading into the matchup against the Mavericks — significantly higher than the league-most 10% of possessions the Bucks used zone defense this season through Feb. 12.
During a pregame segment ahead of the Lakers’ home win over the Mavericks on Feb. 12, the “NBA on Prime” studio show highlighted the Lakers’ uptick in usage of zone defense. AP
And it’s been effective, with the Lakers allowing just 0.86 points per possession when playing zone.
Although opponents shot similarly at the rim against the Lakers during the 14-game stretch leading into the break, the Lakers have been better at contesting 3-pointers.
“It starts with setting our defense and just eating up some clock,” coach JJ Redick said. “We looked (Thursday) morning, we did a bunch of stuff with our analytics group, it’s not like teams are vastly underperforming from the midrange or from 3. Some of the underperformance from 3 has to do with just breaking up a little bit of the flow of the game, if that’s what you mean by throwing it for a loop. It’s been a good tool for us, and we recognize that.”
Redick reiterated that the Lakers will have to use a variety of strategies for defensive success.
“We’re going to have to play man at points,” Redick said. “We’re going to have to play 15 at points and switch 1 through 5. We’re going to have to play some zone at points, and we’re going to have to put two on the ball at some point against certain players. With this group, it’s not going to be one thing. We’ve got to continue to be adaptable and search for the right answer in the middle of the game.”
There are many league-wide notions about what’s effective in an 82-game season vs. the playoffs, including the effectiveness of zone defense.
The Lakers are confident the strategy can be relied upon in higher-stakes postseason games.
“It’s just the way we communicate in the zone,” Reaves said. “Five guys are locked in every single possession, talking. Obviously, there’s gonna be breakdowns; nobody’s perfect. But for the most part, the communication’s high, and the effort’s high as well.”
