Category: Basketball

After the 126-113 road win at the home of the Golden State Warriors last week, I spent most of the two hour public transit ride home flipping back and forth between these two views of the standings:

ESPN’s overall league standings:

ESPN Conference standings:

The best thing about this successful season is that there are no more instances of Warriors-loving friends sending me smack-talk pregame or postgame. This was the type of game that previous Spurs squads may have just accepted their fate and taken the deflating loss. However, San Antonio never seemed too far out of it this time — despite the sizable deficits — and was able to pull even with and away from the Warriors.

A Warriors fan behind me kept asking the Spurs fan to my left why he kept recording everything on his phone, and the young man turned around and simply said “These guys don’t make it out our way very much.” <conversation finished>

One of the benefits over the last decade-plus of living in the Bay Area is being able to see San Antonio visit Golden State and Sacramento at least twice a season for most years. Here are some of the highlight plays that I captured after the very sluggish start (there was a group of people that had more alcohol to drink during the game than I had consumed water that entire day, so the angles of the videos got increasingly higher and higher to minimize invasive scalp appearances):

2nd Quarter Hustle Plays

Carter Bryant seems to have found his way into the Bruce Bowen corners, like Keldon has, in order to find some offense:

Carter from the Corner pic.twitter.com/NCRGc9Oj5Z

— Gary Q from San Jose (@pattythrills) February 14, 2026

The ability for the Spurs to chase down loose balls gifted Vassell free throws here:

2nd qtr – 2nd chance to Devin pic.twitter.com/4GkyN89zzF

— Gary Q from San Jose (@pattythrills) February 14, 2026

3rd Quarter Comeback

This Fox to Wemby lob that was volleyballed in makes me think of how hard it was in previous seasons for the guards to feed the big man these types of ‘rewards’ for his great defense:

3rd – fox > wemby punch lob pic.twitter.com/EM5gHDEC7x

— Gary Q from San Jose (@pattythrills) February 14, 2026

If Castle can get 6-8 points a game in this way, it’ll be a great halfcourt shot diet to rely on:

3rd – stephon patience pic.twitter.com/boohXGHu1Q

— Gary Q from San Jose (@pattythrills) February 14, 2026

Harper seems to be able to make the easier passes – in this case, the pocket pass to an eager Kornet:

3rd – dylan > luke pocketpass pic.twitter.com/dwGLqriSLT

— Gary Q from San Jose (@pattythrills) February 14, 2026

Barnes seems fit to be a checkdown shooter at this stage, and he came through late in the clock here:

3rd – hb 100% pullup pic.twitter.com/Hy0x7i0nTO

— Gary Q from San Jose (@pattythrills) February 14, 2026

Fox’s stepback jumper tied things at 94 heading into the fourth.

3rd – fox ties it at 94 pic.twitter.com/oUocEurkmo

— Gary Q from San Jose (@pattythrills) February 14, 2026

4th Quarter Finish

Fox went deep in the paint to Wemby for a Nerf lob – hope to see this 2-3 times a game going forward:

4th – fox > wemby nerflob pic.twitter.com/GWCQkrQNf3

— Gary Q from San Jose (@pattythrills) February 14, 2026

Spurs milk the shotclock to find the best shot possible in the moment:

4th – movement to.keldon corner pic.twitter.com/QzEqdFhtMk

— Gary Q from San Jose (@pattythrills) February 14, 2026

Devin Vassell asserted himself in a way that he will be needed in the playoffs (shot creation genius):

4th – devin shot clock beating J pic.twitter.com/M5ODKXWSjY

— Gary Q from San Jose (@pattythrills) February 14, 2026

It was jarring to see Keldon do things to Draymond that the Warrior used to do to other players in years past:

4th – keldon bully dray aaaaah pic.twitter.com/RsbkVifExF

— Gary Q from San Jose (@pattythrills) February 14, 2026

Wembanyama, Vassell, and Fox ran a nice play here to free up Fox for a pull-up:

4th – wemby > fox reversal pic.twitter.com/Ebhh3sdVmd

— Gary Q from San Jose (@pattythrills) February 14, 2026

Keldon drove baseline for a floater to salt the game away:

4th – keldon clincher pic.twitter.com/mostidgdAn

— Gary Q from San Jose (@pattythrills) February 14, 2026

It fun win to watch in a place where the Spurs don’t always get them, so hopefully they can repeat it when they visit again on April 1 — and possibly even a few weeks later if a thing or two changes in those standings.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Ava Heiden had a career-high 27 points and 11 rebounds, Taylor Stremlow added a career-high 17 points, and No. 13 Iowa beat Nebraska 80-67 on Monday to sweep the season series.

Iowa (20-5, 11-3 Big Ten) secured its 10th straight 20-win season.

Heiden helped Iowa build a 45-27 lead by halftime after scoring 18 points on 8-of-9 shooting.

Nebraska went on a 10-1 run early in the third quarter to get within 52-41, but the Cornhuskers did not get any closer the rest of the way.

Iowa led by as many as 27 points, 76-49, with 7:54 left in the fourth.

Chazadi Wright chipped in with 14 points and seven assists, and Journey Houston added 10 points off the bench for Iowa. Heiden was 12 of 15 from the field, and Stremlow made her first six shots.

Britt Prince scored 13 points for Nebraska (16-10, 5-10), which has lost five straight games. Eliza Maupin added 11 points and Amiah Hargrove had 10. Prince had her consecutive free-throw streak end at 56 straight makes.

Nebraska has lost 13 of the last 15 meetings with Iowa.

Up next

Iowa: Stays on the road to play at Purdue on Thursday.

Nebraska: Travels to Oregon to face the Ducks on Thursday.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

A Victor Wembanyama signature just wasn’t enough for Nikola Jokic on Sunday.

Following the NBA’s All-Star Game at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Jokic passed around his Team World jersey to his squadmates for autographs, but when he got to Wembanyama, he demanded more than a mere John Hancock.

JOKER: “I want the alien”

WEMBY: “Say less.”

Nikola Jokić asks Victor Wembanyama to draw an alien after he signs his NBA All-Star jersey! pic.twitter.com/rTMKA7K3rV

— NBA (@NBA) February 16, 2026

In video the NBA shared after Team World bowed out of the entertaining round-robin tournament, Jokic could be seen requesting a unique drawing from the Spurs center in addition to his signature.

“Where’s the alien?” Jokic said bluntly. “I want the alien.”

Wembanyama, of course, has earned the “alien” nickname due to his 7-foot-4 frame and his guard-like playing ability, and from time to time, he’s been

And, after Jokic insisted he make the sketch on his uniform, Wembanyama obliged.

The 22-year-old first drew the head, then filled in the eyeballs, and when he was done, Jokic seemed pleased.

It’s now the second time the Nuggets center and Wembanayama have suited for an All-Star game together, but given the way the two are playing, it’s hard to imagine Jokic won’t be making a similar demand of the San Antonio star at the NBA’s annual showcase yet again in 2027.

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Barack Obama was nearly flattened by Nikola Jokic during Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game, but a quick-thinking Devin Booker helped save the day for the former president.

The funny scene all unfolded during USA Stars’ matchup with Team World at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, when Jokic was chasing down a loose ball.

The Nuggets big man — who’s 6 feet 11, 284 pounds — went full speed to try to get possession, but when Booker noticed a possible collision with Obama could result from the hustle play, he stepped in.

Devin Booker Barack & Michelle Obama pic.twitter.com/yn0YY8a0JF

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) February 15, 2026

The Suns point guard threw a shoulder into Jokic’s midsection, knocking him off course and rescuing Obama from a potentially dire situation.

Obama appeared grateful for Booker’s actions — he stood up and gave the 29-year-old a hug. Even Michelle Obama appeared to reach out for a thank you handshake.

Booker laughed off the whole scene, and then returned to play.

The Phoenix ball handler and his USA Stars team eventually went on to beat Team World, and then they won the entire All-Star Game.

Booker scored 12 total points in the exhibition’s round-robin tournament, and afterward, USA Stars coach J.B. Bickerstaff said he “was huge for us.”

And apparently a former POTUS as well.

At All-Star Weekend, LeBron James refused to answer questions about his basketball future. That hasn’t stopped the rest of the NBA from speculating about what’s next for King James, though.

Will he retire after this season? Will he re-sign with the Lakers? Or will he head back home to Cleveland and spent one last year with the Cavaliers?

On Friday, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said there’s “rampant speculation” around the league about the last option.

"I know what the ramping speculation is around the league: this summer there's gonna be a reunion and potentially a retirement tour for the ages back home again with the Cleveland Cavaliers next year" – @BannedMacMahon on Lebron pic.twitter.com/lcm1CSDmQ2

— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) February 13, 2026

The narratives will basically write themselves if LeBron decides to return to Cleveland, but the NBA salary cap won’t make that easy for the Cavs to pull off.

Can the Cavs duck the second apron?

Although the Cavs shed some long-term salary at this year’s trade deadline, they still have the league’s highest payroll this year and are the only team above the $207.8 million second apron. They’re already projected to be right in that neighborhood next year, too.

If the Cavs are above the second apron in 2026-27, they couldn’t offer LeBron more than a veteran-minimum contract in free agency. He’d take home $3.9 million since he has 10-plus years of NBA experience, although he’d count for less than $2.5 million on the Cavs’ books.

That’s the dream scenario from the Cavs’ perspective. If LeBron is willing to take a minimum contract, he can go wherever he wants this summer, including a team that’s over the second apron. But if he wants more than that, the Cavs will need to make other moves first.

To gain access to the $6.1 million taxpayer mid-level exception, the Cavs would have to get far enough below the second apron that they could stay below it through June 30, 2027. Dumping Max Strus ($16.7 million) or Dennis Schröder ($14.8 million) this offseason would go a long way toward accomplishing that goal.

After the trade deadline, Cavs general manager Koby Altman told reporters that the front office knew they would be in the second apron this season but had “different strategies” for getting out of it if needed.

“Coming into the deadline, we were in the wilderness in terms of how do you see getting out of that second apron?” Altman said. “We got closer after the De’Andre Hunter trade, and then obviously moving Lonzo into [cap] space gets you even closer. So you can see it now. It’s in clear sight. And I think in the summer, if we want to pull that lever, we can.”

The first apron is a different story, though.

How much will LeBron want?

If LeBron wanted more than the $6.1 million taxpayer MLE, the Cavs would have even more work to do.

Using the $15.1 million non-taxpayer MLE—or even a portion of it—on James would hard-cap them at the first apron. They’re currently projected to be nearly $15 million above that line in 2026-27, and that’s not counting however much they’d be paying James.

Getting under the second apron should be manageable for the Cavs, but the first apron would be a stretch unless they shake up their new core again. Would they be willing to send Jarrett Allen back as part of a sign-and-trade for James? If so, that would hard-cap them at the first apron as well.

The threat level of the Cavs as a LeBron landing spot this offseason can’t be overstated given his history with the team. The realistic chances of him landing there depend on what he’s willing to settle on financially.

The Cavs have already sent signals to LeBron that they’d be open to a reunion, though. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin recently reported that they “would gladly welcome James back this summer if he wanted to return to Cleveland.”

At All-Star Weekend, Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell also made it clear that he’d be down to join forces with LeBron.

"It’s LeBron James, right?"

Here’s Donovan Mitchell’s thoughts on the rumors that LeBron could finish his career in Cleveland@TermineRadio | @Jumpshot8

Click here for more All-Star coverage – https://t.co/j3RPgmlH7epic.twitter.com/lm2My2U5HQ

— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) February 15, 2026

Even at the age of 41, James is still averaging 22 points, 7.1 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game. He’s no longer at the peak of his powers, but he’s still a legitimate difference-maker. He’s the type of player that teams move mountains for whenever he wants to sign with them.

If the Cavaliers could assemble a Big Four of LeBron, Mitchell, James Harden and Evan Mobley next year, that’s the type of all-in shot worth taking, especially if they’re worried about their chances of re-signing Mitchell. The appeal of one final return to Cleveland to join a ready-made title contender could be hard for LeBron to turn down, especially as he questions the Lakers’ own title candidacy.

It’s just a question of how much he’s willing to sacrifice financially. Is the $6.1 million taxpayer mid-level exception enough? If not, the Cavs legitimately will have to move mountains to figure out a way to fit him in financially.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Spotrac and salary-cap information via RealGM.

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In today’s Dub Hub:

• Stephen Curry hits another ridiculous shot from the NBA on NBC’s pregame set ahead of Sunday’s All-Star Game.
• Stephen Curry announces plans to return to the three-point contest next year.
• Anthony Edwards earns All-Star Game MVP honors after USA Stars defeated USA Stripes, 47–21, in the championship round.

Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry didn’t play Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game, but he still managed to steal a moment before the festivities began.

During NBC’s pregame coverage, Curry casually launched a deep shot from the NBA on NBC set — and in true Curry fashion, knocked it down, adding yet another entry to his growing collection of absurd marksmanship.

STEPH CURRY, ARE YOU SERIOUS???

FROM THE @NBAonNBC STUDIO SET 🤯 pic.twitter.com/VVOJFgF2wg

— NBA (@NBA) February 15, 2026

Curry’s absence from this year’s showcase didn’t dampen his All-Star energy for long. The Warriors guard has already started building anticipation for next season, teasing a return to the three-point contest and the possibility of a showdown featuring several of the league’s elite shooters, including this year’s champion Damian Lillard and former Warriors teammate and Splash Brother Klay Thompson.

Steph Curry says he’s going to be in next year’s 3-Point Contest: “Me, Dame, I’m going to try and get Klay.” pic.twitter.com/7hP6RYvLCX

— Dalton Johnson (@DaltonJ_Johnson) February 15, 2026

Even without a uniform on Sunday, Curry still found a way to put on a show and build excitement, reminding everyone why he remains one of the NBA’s brightest stars.

For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Monday, February 16th:

Warriors News:

Stephen Curry to make return to 3-point contest in 2027 | ESPN

Stephen Curry will make his return to the 3-point competition next year in Phoenix, he announced on NBC on Sunday.

Perhaps buoyed by seeing fellow veteran Damian Lillard win the contest in Los Angeles, Curry made the announcement during the All-Star Game, where he is out with a knee injury. Curry added that he will try to persuade former teammate Klay Thompson to join him in the contest.

Draymond Green would ‘love’ to become NBA commissioner after playing career | NBC Sports Bay Area

Green told Bayless he believes it is his duty to uplift the NBA, citing a mentor who helped shape his illustrious career.

“Pete Myers — I’m sure you know Pete Myers, he was an assistant coach my first two years under Mark Jackson — he used to tell me a couple of things,” Green told Bayless. “He would say, ‘Hey, Draymond, a couple of things I want you to always remember in this league — as long as you’re dealing with this league, you owe it to the game to leave it in a better place than it was when you found it.’

“And he said, ‘You get paid in this league for the next young guy to get paid.’ It’s so often in this league [that] you hear guys complaining about, ‘Oh, man, this young guy is now making this,’ or you hear how an older guy tried to crush a younger guy, and it derails a young guy’s career. And [Myers] was always telling me, ‘You get paid for the next young guy in this league to come along to get paid.’”

Warriors are the NBA’s most valuable franchise at $10.8 billion, according to CNBC

The NBA posted modest growth during the 2024-25 season but still saw three teams — the Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers — reach valuations of at least $10 billion. https://t.co/nWLtMTjdCIpic.twitter.com/Dr4mopWSuT

— CNBC (@CNBC) February 13, 2026

NBA News:

NBA commissioner Adam Silver touches on variety of topics at All-Star Saturday | NBA

Economists will tell you that whatever you incentivize in a system, you’ll get more of. The current setup incentivizes losing.  

“It’s time to take a fresh look at this to see to whether that’s an antiquated way of going about doing it,” the commissioner said. “Ultimately, we need a system to fairly … distribute players. 

“What we’re doing, what we’re seeing now is not working.”  

USA Stars’ Anthony Edwards named All-Star MVP

Anthony Edwards during NBA All-Star 2026:

🌟 32 PTS
🌟 8 REB
🌟 26 MIN
🌟 USA Stars championship

… and the @Kia All-Star MVP! pic.twitter.com/7gFyUajppK

— NBA (@NBA) February 16, 2026

In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:

Former Warrior Chris Paul calls it quits

When we look back on the Steph Curry era of the Golden State Warriors, the most prominent enemy of the team was clearly LeBron James. If the Warriors were the X-Men, James is Magneto, leading an ever-changing, ever-relocating Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. But Chris Paul was more like the Doctor Octopus to Curry’s Spider-Man, a highly intelligent, stocky man doomed to continually fall short against his rival, undone by injuries, bad luck, the resourcefulness of his opponent and too much whining. Wait, that last one doesn’t really describe Doc Ock.

Follow @unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.

If the rumors are true, anybody who’s an NBA fan does not want to miss next year’s Three-Point Contest during NBA All-Star Weekend.

Steph Curry, arguably the greatest shooter the world has ever seen.

Damian Lillard, the reigning champion who’s won the competition three times.

And that’s just the beginning.

After narrowly defeating Devin Booker and Kon Knueppel in the finals with a score of 29 — Booker had 27 and Knueppel finished with 17 — Lillard shared a screenshot of his Instagram conversation Curry regarding next season’s competition.

“Next year…. Me, you, klay, book, and 4 more real shooters…” Lillard wrote.

“Yessir I’m in. Know Klay will do if I ask and book will be at home. Perfect setup,” was Curry’s response.

If the two stars have their way, they’ll be joined by Klay Thompson and Booker for next season’s competition.

Talk about star-studded.

Curry is the NBA’s all-time three-point leader with 4,233 made shots from behind the arc in his career. He revolutionized the game, forcing opponents to defend him once he crossed half court due to his shooting prowess. He holds five of the top six seasons for most threes made in a season, including an NBA record 402 (only player in league history to make 400+) in 2015-16.

If Curry is the “Batman of shooting,” then Thompson is Robin.

Teammates with the Warriors for 13 seasons from 2011-2024, the duo had been labeled as the best shooting backcourt in NBA history for their legendary run of four titles in eight seasons and rewriting the record books when it came to shooting from deep.

Curry, Thompson (No. 4 – 2,837) and Lillard (No. 5 – 2,804) make three of the top five players on the NBA’s all-time three-point makes list. Cavaliers guard James Harden is No. 2 on the list with 3,318.

Phoenix is scheduled to host the 2027 NBA All-Star Game, which would make Booker’s inclusion in the event a near certainty pending health. It’s unknown about Thompson, but considering the relationship between he and Curry, it wouldn’t be shocking to see them share the court one more time.

Time will tell if all four of them compete — and including James Harden in that group (No. 2 all-time in made threes) — but if they were, it’s a competition nobody will want to miss.

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PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — New York Mets owner Steve Cohen likes the vibe in a revamped clubhouse, and says he'll never have a captain in charge of that scene.

“As long as I’m owning the team, there will never be a team captain,” Cohen said in his first meeting with reporters at spring training Monday. “That was my decision. My view is the locker room is unique. And let the locker room sort it out, year in, year out.”

New York said goodbye to popular slugger Pete Alonso, star closer Edwin Díaz and two other Mets stalwarts before Christmas, but added free agent Bo Bichette and traded for All-Star pitcher Freddy Peralta.

The Mets are going into their third season with manager Carlos Mendoza after they missed the playoffs following a run to the 2024 NL championship series.

“I just was in that locker room and in the meeting and I sense an energy that really is exciting,” Cohen said on the day of the team's first full-squad workout. “These are new faces, fresh faces that I think our fans are really going to enjoy watch playing. It’s different. And I think we’ll play a different type of baseball, and I think that’s great.”

The rival Yankees had Derek Jeter, known simply as the “the captain,” for all 20 of the Hall of Famer's seasons. Becoming an owner in the same city won't sway Cohen, whose view might also keep the Mets from having a tricky choice between two of their biggest stars, Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto.

“Just my own views on how I want a locker room to be,” Cohen said. “My view is every year the team’s different and let the team kind of figure it out in the locker room rather than having a designation. Having a captain in baseball doesn’t happen often. It’s actually unusual.”

40 years and counting

The Mets have alternated between making and missing the playoffs during Cohen's tenure. New York made the playoffs in 2022, then missed in 2023 with an underperforming group that led to the unloading of star pitchers Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer at the trade deadline.

Disappointment returned last season after the Mets lost in six games to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2024 NLCS. New York's most recent World Series title came in 1986.

“About not winning? Yeah, I’m annoyed,” Cohen said. “I’m absolutely annoyed. Every year that goes by, I get frustrated. I’m really committed to this team. I know how much the fans care. I know we’re celebrating the 40th anniversary of 1986, and that’s just too long.”

Looming labor situation

Asked about the big-spending Dodgers, Cohen said he had no problem with their approach, while drawing laughter from reporters by saying the billionaire hedge-fund manager could spend big, too.

Cohen also didn't sound opposed to a salary cap, which figures to be the primary point of contention during collective bargaining talks that could jeopardize the 2027 season.

“Obviously, I’m listening to all the arguments,” Cohen said. “But I’ve always been a league-first owner. So I’m listening to all the sides and I haven’t made up my mind yet. We’ll see where it goes. Sometimes I put the league’s interests above my own interests.”

Tuckered out

Although the Mets pivoted with the signing of Bichette and the trade for Peralta, they thought they were going to land the biggest prize in free agency before four-time All-Star right fielder Kyle Tucker signed with those free-spending Dodgers.

“I’m competitive,” Cohen said. “When you’re actually making a bid and you decide you want that player, you don’t want to lose, like anything else. And then you get over it, and then you move on. It’s sort of like in my business. I have a bad trading day, all right, I move on to the next day, and then the next day's better.”

More investment

The Mets are set to break ground on a player development complex at their spring training home in Port St. Lucie. The 55,000-square-foot facility will include locker space, a training room, therapy pools and a dining facility.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

Life without LeBron James will not be pleasant for the NBA.

That’s according to Kendrick Perkins, who said on “First Take” on Monday that if James retires, it’s going to leave a massive, unfillable hole in Adam Silver’s Association.

Kendrick Perkins if the NBA is ready for life after LeBron James:

“Is the NBA ready for life after LeBron? Hell no. Hell no. They’re not…. We come on television every damn day and if LeBron James played the night before, we gonna talk about LeBron James the next day”

(Via… pic.twitter.com/ovRZoiTaH5

— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) February 16, 2026

“Is the NBA ready for life without LeBron?” Perkins asked. “Hell no. Hell no.”

The former NBA champ explained for over two minutes on ESPN’s morning show that the league will suffer for a multitude of reasons if James calls it quits after this season.

“When you just go and look at his social media following, we’re talking about over 200-million-plus followers,” Perkins said. “Name me another athlete that’s coming close — or another basketball player, should I say — that’s coming close to that. We can’t.

“When you talk about packing out arenas on the road, LeBron James does that in every arena that they pull up in that’s not in [LA’s] Crypto.com. He’s been doing that for the last two-plus decades.”

Perkins also said James helps lift jersey and sneaker sales, and with a squeaky-clean off-court résumé, he’s a great role model, too.

“Do a lot of these guys, like a Victor Wembanyama or Anthony Edwards — do they have potential?” Perkins asked. “Absolutely. But let’s not sit up here and take for granted at all what this man has been through and what he has done. 

“Hell, we come on television every damn day, and if LeBron James played the night before, damn it, we going to talk about LeBron James the next day.”

James has been in the NBA since 2003, and despite now being 41 years old, he’s still playing at an elite level, averaging 22 points per contest.

But speculation that he might retire this year has grown louder than ever, particularly after he wouldn’t commit to at least one more season while being peppered with questions about his future before Sunday’s All-Star Game at Intuit Dome in LA’s Inglewood.

“When I know, you guys will know,” James said of his basketball plans beyond 2026. “I don’t know. I have no idea.

“I just want to live, that’s all,” he added

James is currently in the final year of his contract with the Lakers, and if the star athlete opts for retirement instead of re-upping with Los Angeles or playing elsewhere, it’s clear Perkins thinks the entire landscape of the NBA will be drastically altered.

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Welcome to Week in Review: a Monday feature that looks back at the week that was for the San Antonio Spurs, takes a look at the week ahead, and more. Enjoy!

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Week 16: The Spurs avoided a series of trap games for their first undefeated week since December, beginning with an Oklahoma City Thunder team that was both injured and “load managing” on the second night of a back-to-back and had none of their top 7 players available, followed by an away/home mini-series against a depleted Mavs team that was waiting for trade assets to become available. In the first two games — against OKC and at Dallas — the Spurs were a little complacent but kept both teams at arm’s length the entire time before exploding at home in the second game against a more complete Mavs team, riding a historic 40-12-12 triple-double from Stephon Castle to a blowout victory.

Week 17: 2-0 (38-16, 2nd in West)

136-108 win at Los Angeles Lakers

In a scheduling quirk resulting from the NBA Cup Quarterfinals, the Spurs began their annual Rodeo Road Trip playing in the home of the Lakers for the third time this season. Again facing a depleted team, with Luka Doncic out with a hamstring injury and LeBron James and Austin Reaves load managing on the second night of a back-to-back, Victor Wembanyama left little doubt who was the best player on the floor, scoring a historic 25 points in the first 8 minutes of the game, 37 in the first half, and 40 overall before getting extended second-half rest in a rare wire-to-wire blowout victory.

126-113 win at Golden State Warriors

AGAIN facing a depleted team, with Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler both out injured, the Spurs initially looked like a tired team on the second night of a back-to-back, out step defensively and getting down by as much as 16 in the the third quarter. However, in a familiar trend from recent weeks, they weathered the storm before flipping the switch in the final 18 minutes, ramping up their defensive intensity while attacking the Warriors down low on offense, making a surging comeback to win their sixth straight game and enter the All-Star break as the hottest team in the league.

Power Rankings

John Schuhmann, NBA.com — N/A (last week: 2)

N/A

Law Murray, The Athletic — 2 (last week: 3)

All-Star Weekend moment: We can finally say it: the Spurs are ranked above a team they beat four times this season.

Mitch Johnson, coaching the veteran USA Stripes, delivered some of the week’s best pre-All-Star sound — openly wondering why San Antonio had only one All-Star despite strong results against star-laden opponents, and arguing that if De’Aaron Fox or Stephon Castle weren’t All-Stars, Victor Wembanyama should be leading the MVP race.

Honorable mention: The Spurs sent three players to the Rising Stars game (Castle, Dylan Harper, Carter Bryant), and Bryant nearly stole Saturday night’s dunk contest.

Brett Siegel, Clutch Points — N/A (last week: 1)

N/A

Andy Bailey, Bleacher Report — 2 (last week: 3)

The San Antonio Spurs are way ahead of schedule.

Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper are all still on their rookie contracts, and the team has a real chance to finish second in the loaded West.

So, this aim for the team may seem a little nitpicky.

But if Castle (28.8 percent from three this season) and Harper (25.2 percent) enter the playoffs shooting like they are right now, defenses are going to completely ignore them and make life a lot more difficult for every Spur sharing the floor with them.

There isn’t enough time for either to fix their outside shots between now and the postseason, but giving them plenty of opportunities to try should be a priority. Opposing defenses are going to give them opportunities to hit big shots. They’ll at least need the confidence to hit them.

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Coming up: Thurs. 2/19 vs. Phoenix Suns* (32-23); Sat. 2/21 vs. Sacramento Kings* (12-44)

* at the Moody Center in Austin

Prediction: 2-0 — For once, the Spurs were able to align their two games in Austin with the Rodeo Road Trip to give them a bit of respite from traveling (although a five-game road trip still awaits afterwards). They’ll be relatively fresh and motivated after a big showing at All-Star weekend, where they were well represented but left wanting coming up short in nearly every event (outside of Carter Bryant in the Rising Stars Challenge). First is a rematch with a Suns team (and possible future playoff opponent) that had their number early in the season but will be missing Dillon Brooks, who will be suspended for receiving his 16th technical of the season. (It’s a little early for that, don’t you think?!) Next will be a directionless Kings team that may have a motivated DeMar DeRozan, who tends to show out against his former teams but otherwise won’t have enough if the Spurs show up.

EAST LANSING, Mich. — There is no grudge, no animosity, no hard feelings.

All Xavier Booker has to do to make sure is check his phone.

That’s where he’ll find friendly text messages from Michigan State’s Coach Tom Izzo. Some light scrolling will reveal congratulatory messages from other Michigan State Spartans staffers after the big man put together the best game of his college career earlier this month.

That he did it for the UCLA Bruins didn’t bother anyone.

Everybody understood that it was time for a new position and a new school after Booker’s two underwhelming seasons as a Spartan.

“It was definitely a little sad,” Booker told the California Post of his departure. “But we kind of all knew what it was and we all came to an agreement.”

Booker will return to the Breslin Center on Tuesday night as a different player, the changes going well beyond a blue-and-gold uniform.

He’s playing center now, starting for the Bruins. That means there’s less lingering on the perimeter and considerably more manning the middle, fighting for rebounds and serving as the last line of defense. Booker still has permission to shoot 3s, his 41.5% accuracy from long-range ranking as the fourth-best percentage on the team.

It hasn’t been the easiest of transitions, with the converted power forward sometimes struggling to hold his own at a wiry 6 feet 11 and 250 pounds.

“Most nights, you are going to play somebody who is just as strong as you or stronger,” said Booker, who is on the way to setting career highs across the board with averages of 7.2 points and 3.7 rebounds in 20.3 minutes per game. “It’s definitely been an adjustment, but I have been getting better every day.”

A reminder of his unique talent came when he made all four 3-pointers and 10 of 11 shots against Rutgers, dominating from beyond and inside the arc. His best moments are when he’s super active, using his elite athleticism and 7-foot-5-inch wingspan to protect the rim and snag rebounds. 

“The hardest thing to teach,” UCLA’s Coach Mick Cronin said, “is motor.”

So how has Booker gone about increasing his?

“He’s got a little bald guy chasing him up and down the court in practice,” Cronin cracked, referring to himself, “and I try to tell him every day, ‘You’ll decide your fate in basketball.’”

His future seemed more assured a few years ago, when Booker arrived as the highest-rated high school prospect of Izzo’s three decades at Michigan State. Growing up, he had spent more time on the wing than under the basket before a massive growth spurt in high school.

Even with an almost mythical combination of size and skill, Booker never found a rhythm as a Spartan. On a roster stocked with centers, he mostly played power forward. As a sophomore, he went from starting the first three games to out of the rotation during the team’s final three games in the NCAA tournament.

A departure seemed inevitable.

“We had meetings about it and an almost tearful departure, if you want the truth,” Izzo said at Big Ten media day. “But I just didn’t get his motor going like I needed to.”

Cronin pitched Booker on moving to center as part of a career reboot. The thinking was that this was his most likely path to a spot on an NBA roster. What sparked the idea was Cronin watching Booker produce 12 points and seven rebounds while playing the five during a victory over North Carolina early last season.

“He said the UNC game,” Booker said, “was all he needed to see.”

Many wondered how Cronin could unlock a better version of Booker, given the coach’s similarities to Izzo in terms of a snarling demeanor and prioritization of defense. 

The concerns have proven valid, Booker nearly falling out of the rotation last month. But Booker said UCLA’s coaching staff has continued to back him, even before a revitalizing nine-point, four-rebound, three-block performance during an upset of then-No. 4 Purdue.

“The coaches, they all still instill a lot of faith and they believe in me, so they’re on me every day and I just take it, I don’t ever take anything the wrong way,” Booker said. “I just take everything they say with a positive outlook and just try to get better.”

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Motivation won’t be an issue against the Spartans, even if there figures to be plenty of handshakes and hugs. Booker said he still talks to guard Jeremy Fears Jr., his former roommate, nearly every week.

“Definitely going to reconnect with some of the guys there probably before the game or after,” Booker said. “But the main thing is just coming out of there with a win, that’s what I want most.”

Of course, his old pals want the same thing. This could be one day when his phone doesn’t buzz with pleasantries from his former coach.

“I told him I’ll pull hard for him,” Izzo said, “all but one game a year.”

A new No. 1-ranked team was crowned in the latest USA TODAY Sports Men's Basketball Coaches Poll after Arizona suffered its first two losses in back-to-back fashion against Kansas and Texas Tech last week.

Michigan (24-1) took over the top spot in the poll on Monday, Feb. 16, and has won 10 consecutive games since dropping its only game this season against Wisconsin on Jan. 10. Nine of its wins during the win streak have been by double digits, outside of its 75-72 win over No. 9 Nebraska.

REQUIRED READING: March Sadness: College basketball's 10 most disappointing teams

Arizona not only fell out of the No. 1 ranking, but fell behind Michigan, No. 3 Houston and No. 4 Duke after its back-to-back-losses. Elsewhere, Purdue jumped five spots to No. 7 in the update, ahead of the Boilermakers' top 10 showdown against No. 1 Michigan on Feb. 17.

Here's a look at the updated men's college basketball USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll for Feb. 16:

College basketball rankings

USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

1. Michigan (31)
2. Houston
3. Duke
4. Arizona
5. UConn
6. Iowa State
7. Purdue
8. Gonzaga
9. Nebraska
10. Illinois
11. Florida
12. Kansas
13. Texas Tech
14. Virginia
15. Michigan State
16. St. John's
17. Arkansas
18. Vanderbilt
19. Saint Louis
20. North Carolina
21. Louisville
22. BYU
23. Miami (Ohio)
24. Clemson
25. Wisconsin

Others receiving votes: Alabama 32; Villanova 30; Utah State 20; Tennessee 19; Iowa 7; Kentucky 6; Saint Mary's 2; Miami (FL) 1;

AP Top 25 poll

1. Michigan (60)
2. Houston (1)
3. Duke
4. Arizona
5. UConn
6. Iowa State
7. Purdue
8. Kansas
9. Nebraska
10. Illinois
11. Gonzaga
12. Florida
13. Texas Tech
14. Virginia
15. Michigan State
16. North Carolina
17. St. John's
18. Saint Louis
19. Vanderbilt
20. Arkansas
21. Louisville
22. Miami (OH)
23. BYU
24. Wisconsin
25. Alabama

Others receiving votes: Clemson 55, Utah St. 45, Tennessee 36, Villanova 29, Kentucky 15, Miami 10, Saint Mary's 3, VCU 1.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Men's college basketball rankings: Updated Coaches Poll, AP Top 25

Arizona’s reign as the No. 1 team in the USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll is over for now. After five weeks at the top, the Wildcats took their first two losses of the season, losing their hold on the Big 12 lead as well.

Michigan reclaims the No. 1 ranking, the unanimous choice after the Wolverines extended their current winning streak to 10. Houston, now alone atop the Big 12, climbs to No. 2. Duke vaults to third as Arizona falls to No. 4. Connecticut continues to round out the top five.

TOP 25: Complete USA TODAY Sports men's basketball poll

It was a mixed week for Iowa State, which drops two positions to No. 6 but picked up a convincing bounce-back win against red-hot Kansas. Purdue leaps back into the top 10 at No. 7, a gain of five positions. Gonzaga, Nebraska and Illinois round out the top 10.

Kansas slips to No. 12 behind Florida, whose late charge continues with another three-spot gain. Texas Tech also moves up three places to No. 13 after beating Arizona on the road.

Virginia checks in a slot higher at No. 14, but a couple other ranked ACC squads weren’t as fortunate as North Carolina tumbles seven places to No. 20 and Clemson takes a six-position fall to No. 24.

Wisconsin, nudges into the poll at No. 25, replacing fellow Big Ten member Iowa.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College basketball rankings: Coaches poll Top 25 has Michigan at No. 1