EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Grace VanSlooten scored 22 points and No. 18 Michigan State cruised past Northwestern 104-68 on Wednesday.
Michigan State (21-6, 10-6 Big Ten) took control early and broke the game open with a 32-14 second quarter to build a 55-28 halftime lead. The Spartans shot 53% overall from the field and made 13 of 26 (50%) from 3-point range while extending the margin beyond 25 early in the second half.
Northwestern (8-18, 2-13) showed some offensive life after the break behind Grace Sullivan, but Michigan State answered each push. A 3-pointer by Sara Sambolic and consecutive baskets from Jalyn Brown and VanSlooten helped stretch the lead to 94-60 midway through the fourth quarter, and late 3-pointers pushed the Spartans past the 100-point mark.
Kennedy Blair added 17 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds and five steals for Michigan State, and Brown finished with 15 points and five assists. Marah Dykstra provided 14 points off the bench, including three 3-pointers, and Sambolic scored 13 points with six assists. Michigan State recorded 29 assists on 39 made field goals.
Sullivan led Northwestern with 23 points on 11-of-20 shooting. Casey Harter added 14 points and six rebounds, and Caroline Lau contributed 10 assists, nine points and seven rebounds.
Up next
Northwestern: faces Illinois on Sunday.
Michigan State: travels to No. 23 Minnesota on Sunday.
STATE COLLEGE, Penn. (AP) — Tariq Francis had 22 points and seven assists, and Rutgers led the entire game in an 85-72 victory over Penn State on Wednesday, the Scarlet Knights' first road win of the season.
Francis scored 15 points to help the Scarlet Knights take a 39-20 halftime lead, its largest on the road in conference play since coach Steve Pikiell took over in 2016. Penn State did not make its first field goal until nearly seven minutes into the game, and finished with 10 first-half turnovers that Rutgers (11-15, 4-11 Big Ten) converted into 19 points. The Nittany Lions’ had their lowest-scoring first half of the season.
The Scarlet Knights pushed the advantage to 20 points early in the second half, but Penn State (11-16, 2-14) gradually chipped away. A 12-4 stretch helped the Nittany Lions cut the deficit to 67-56, and Josh Reed’s 3-pointer with 2:54 remaining pulled them within eight.
Francis responded with a 25-foot 3-pointer and a pull-up jumper on Rutgers’ next two possessions to halt the rally and restore a double-digit cushion.
Dylan Grant added 15 points on 6 of 8 shooting for Rutgers, and Harun Zrno scored 13 with three 3-pointers. Lino Mark provided 12 points off the bench as Rutgers shot 57% from the field and went 20 of 23 at the free-throw line.
Reed led Penn State with 22 points, while Kayden Mingo had 16 points and six assists. The Nittany Lions shot 55% from the field, but made 3 of 17 (18%) from beyond the arc.
LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 16: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver address the media prior to the 2025 Emirate NBA Cup Championship on December 16, 2025 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
There’s a plague passing through the National Basketball Association, and it’s not tanking.
Sure, the act of deliberately putting your team at a disadvantage in the hopes of improving draft odds is detrimental to the spirit of competition — when one of the teams doesn’t care to win, why should the fans? But the NBA isn’t anxious because ratings are low for Sacramento vs Washington.
What really makes Adam Silver sweat is the influence of hundreds of billions of dollars of market share owned by sports betting companies across the nation. Gambling and professional sports are becoming synonymous for an increasing number of viewers. Revenue drives the industry, and few companies can promise higher ad spend than a sportsbook these days. When money becomes the top priority, the suppliers wrestle control from the recipients, and we’re reaching a tipping point.
When money becomes the top priority, the suppliers wrestle control from the recipients, and we’re reaching a tipping point.
Tim Donaghy, a disgraced former referee whose involvement in gambling influenced the way that he officiated games, manipulated the results of his assignments to satiate sports betters. His scandal rocked the NBA, tainting history and calling into question the results of games he called in the late 90’s and early 2000’s.
That was the wake-up call. When gambling and sports mingle, they mix. And the NBA understood this threat over 20 years ago.
“Sports gambling jeopardizes the integrity of the game,” Stern said in support of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. “As well as the loyalty of the fans.”
“Jeopardizes the integrity of the game”? That sounds familiar.
Bobby Marks:
"I think what Utah is doing right now is messing around with the integrity of the NBA" pic.twitter.com/7KBRrt2Auq
David Stern changed his tune in 2016 with the rising popularity of daily fantasy sports.
“Whatever barrier perhaps existed is gone,” Stern shared with ESPN, completing a remarkable 180-degree kickflip. “So, to me, if they’re going to be doing daily fantasy, you might as well legalize gambling.”
He continued sharing his vision for its gradual implementation, hoping its implementation would be universal in the next five to 10 years. Here we are, just shy of one decade later.
Per the Sports Business Journal, gambling companies spent $52.1 million on NBA advertising during the 2024-25 season, a 28.96% increase from the previous season.
Sports betting advertisements caught 1.93 billion household impressions through the ‘24-’25 season. Can you remember the last time you watched an NBA basketball game (or a U.S. professional sporting event at all) where your ad breaks weren’t bombarded with Kevin Hart sharing all the wonders of sports books? Where some Joe Schmoe’s life not radically improved thanks to the wonders of betting? Where a voiceover didn’t promise you free money when you sign up to Prize Picks, Draft Kings, FanDuel, MGM Bet, bet365, Caesar’s Sportsbook, Hard Rock Bet, Kalshi, etc.?
A recent report from Ben Golliver shared that gambling companies played a notable part in Adam Silver’s decision to punish the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers for tanking.
“Over-unders are at stake […] player props are at stake.” Golliver shared on his podcast. “If coaches are just willy-nilly not playing guys the entire game, and they’re not letting people know in advance that they plan to do that, you’re going to have a lot of angry gamblers and a lot of angry gambling companies as well.”
With its spreading legalization, the public opinion of sports gambling and daily fantasy apps has become increasingly positive. We’re normalizing sports gambling in the United States. It’s no wonder that their will controls the NBA.
In a way, the NBA Draft Lottery is essentially gambling when you think about it. By tanking, teams buy up as many lottery tickets as they can get their hands on — hoping, praying that their number will be called and all their dreams will come true. They’ll have the best, shiniest young star and watch as their revenue skyrockets in the following season. AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson in Utah? It’ll be standing room only in the Delta Center. Pay no mind to the Scrooge McDuck indoor pool in the arena’s updated renovation plans.
Tanking should not be a part of the game, I’ll grant you that. But perhaps the order of operations shouldn’t begin with Lauri Markkanen’s playing time.
But when the act of tanking works against the interests of the gambling companies funding the NBA, Silver’s action indicated that his loyalties (and by extension, the NBA’s priorities) lie with the sportsbooks, not with the teams.
Jontay Porter pleaded guilty to manipulating gambling over/unders with his play. Terry Rozier has been arrested for similar accusations.
Chauncey Billups, the former head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, was arrested for his involvement in illegal mafia-tied gambling.
Just after the Bucks flirted with the NBA trade deadline in their annual will-they-or-won’t-they-trade-Giannis sweepstakes, Antetokounmpo announced a partnership with Kalshi, the app where you can bet on anything.
Yet it’s the Utah Jazz who receive the finger of blame for the hideous state of professional basketball today. Tanking should not be a part of the game, I’ll grant you that. But perhaps the order of operations shouldn’t begin with Lauri Markkanen’s playing time.
Calvin Barrett is a writer, editor, and prolific Mario Kart racer located in Tokyo, Japan. He has covered the NBA and College Sports since 2024.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - FEBRUARY 12: Jusuf Nurkic #30 and Lauri Markkanen #23 of the Utah Jazz look on during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on February 12, 2026 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The latest news in the Tank Wars comes from the Sacramento Kings, the cute little participant in the latest tank discussion. Today, in some moves that may not even change the outcome of games, the Kings announced that Domantas Sabonis will be out the rest of the season for left knee surgery.
BREAKING: Sacramento Kings three-time All-Star center Domantas Sabonis will undergo season-ending left knee surgery, league sources tell me. He averaged 15.8 points and 11.4 rebounds in 19 games this season. pic.twitter.com/p3UitkYkGH
There’s no doubt this needs to be done, but these surgeries for players seem like moves that need to be done “at some point,” and now is the time to do them, especially with losing being the best option.
It’s only a matter of time before we start seeing these things pop up for the Jazz, also. Jaren Jackson Jr. is already out for the season with his own knee surgery. But what can the Jazz do to make sure their own players miss some of these games to ensure they lose some of these games? The answer is short-term injuries. But what can those injuries be? And that’s today’s Queston of the Day. What are the injuries the Jazz need to use for their players who need to rest?
We may get some inspiration from the Pacers, who are using a lot of sprains, personal reasons, and soreness in their latest injury report.
Injury Report for tomorrow’s game in D.C.:
Micah Potter – Questionable (left ankle sprain) T.J. McConnell – Questionable (right hamstring soreness) Aaron Nesmith – Questionable (lumbar sprain) Pascal Siakam – Out (personal reasons) Ivica Zubac – Out (left ankle sprain) Johnny… pic.twitter.com/xwQDH97Vij
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 2: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots a three point basket as Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Miami Heat plays defense during the game on November 2, 2025 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers are looking at an offseason with a ton of cap space and a handful of roster spots available, but how are they going to use these resources to build a winner around Luka Dončić?
They are flirting with being a top-four team in the Western Conference, but to truly be a contender, they need a productive summer that brings in the right players.
Of course, Giannis Antetokounmpo is the biggest player that could be on the market. The Lakers are reportedly expected to make a “hard push” at Giannis if he becomes available, but what if he doesn’t come to LA?
An unrestricted free agent who has been discussed internally, sources told ESPN, is Andrew Wiggins, but he has a player option with Miami he could exercise. Tobias Harris, Quentin Grimes and Dean Wade are other players who fit that profile.
The Lakers have also privately discussed restricted free agents Tari Eason and Peyton Watson, sources told ESPN, and could land the latter if Denver, which already has $215 million in salary committed to returning players for next season, doesn’t match the offer sheet.
Wiggins has been linked to the Lakers since last summer. Back then, it was reported that the Heat’s asking price was too high, and Wiggins stayed in Miami.
The draw Wiggins has is clear, he’s a wing that can give the team another scoring option on the perimeter. Wiggins is averaging 15.9 points and shooting 39% from 3-point range. The issue, as McMenamin states in his article, is that Wiggins can opt into his player option, making it harder to acquire him.
A player the Lakers can pursue without any friction is Tobias Harris. He’s an unrestricted free agent, and his 13.4 points per game would be an upgrade at the wing position.
With other names currently being mentioned, such as Quentin Grimes and Peyton Watson, it’s clear the Lakers are in pursuit of some improved wing depth.
The offseason is the next chance they’ll have to upgrade that position or chase for a superstar like Giannis, so all eyes will be on the Lakers’ front office to see if they can get the job done and make LA the team to beat in the NBA again.
CHICAGO - MAY 15: Kiki VanDeWeghe, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations for the NBA, picks out a ping pong ball during the 2018 NBA Draft Lottery at the Palmer House Hotel on May 15, 2018 in Chicago Illinois. 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Randy Belice/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
There is one conversation dominating NBA headlines right now, and thankfully, the Phoenix Suns are nowhere near it. They are safely outside the noise for two very simple reasons.
First, this team is competitive. Not pretend competitive, not vibes competitive, but legitimately playing games that matter with a real path to the postseason. And maybe even a path that skips the Play-In entirely, which felt unrealistic when the season tipped off. They have surprised in a way that buys you meaningful basketball in April, and that alone changes the temperature around a franchise.
Second, the Suns are not part of this conversation because they do not have draft picks to weaponize. Whatever picks exist are tied to past decisions, past swings, past bets on players who are no longer here. You either compete or you waste a season, and Phoenix chose the former.
The conversation everyone else is having is tanking.
Players sitting in competitive games. Rotations are getting weird. Injuries are stretching a little longer than necessary. Entire franchises quietly shifting their posture from trying to win to trying to lose with purpose. It is one of those topics that lives perfectly in bar conversations or office debates, the kind where everyone suddenly has a solution. How do you fix tanking? How do you punish it? How do you make losing hurt more than winning helps?
I have heard plenty of ideas. Remove protections entirely. Create a tournament for the bottom teams where the prize is the top pick. Penalize teams financially the following season if they are clearly gaming the system. Some of them are creative. Some of them are fun.
@NBA Fix tanking by awarding teams who compete, rather than losing. -Draft lottery made up of 12 teams. 8 who lose in the first round of the playoffs and the 4 that lose the play in. – Each with equal chance at the first pick. -teams who miss playoffs are picks 13-22 by record.
None of them really move me. Okay, maybe the example above, because it incentivizes winning versus losing. But honestly? I do not care.
Tanking is almost unavoidable, and it is unavoidable for one very simple reason. The draft exists to distribute talent across the league. That is its purpose. If you are bad and you want to get better, the fastest and most realistic path is the draft. You add young talent. You hope it grows into something real. You hope it becomes a cornerstone. And the only way to consistently access the top tier of that talent pool is to be near the bottom.
Until the fundamental idea of what the draft represents changes, all the surface-level tweaks in the world are not going to solve much. You can shuffle odds. You can add incentives. You can dress it up in new language. Teams will still find a way to position themselves for the best chance at the best players. That is not corruption, it’s logic.
The Suns are fortunate to be operating in a different lane right now. They are chasing wins, not probabilities. They are playing games with consequence. And in a league where so many teams are already thinking about June, that is a place worth appreciating.
The Suns are not immune to this either, though. We lived it. We spent a decade squinting at injury reports, wondering what was really wrong with T.J. Warren’s neck, wondering why Devin Booker was sitting on a random March night when he looked perfectly fine two days earlier. We all knew the answer, even if we pretended we didn’t. The organization was trying to be less competitive at the end of the season in order to improve draft position. That was the plan, that was the play, and it was not unique to Phoenix.
This happens everywhere, across every major sport. In Major League Baseball, once a team realizes October is not happening, September turns into a parade of call-ups, auditions disguised as games, futures being prioritized over present results. Do you know how many fantasy baseball seasons have been derailed because I had a guy who launches dingers, but he’s on the Pirates or Rockies?! I’ve learned my lesson. Mostly.
In the NFL, the final two weeks for bad teams become a showcase for backups, not because coaches suddenly love depth charts, but because organizations are protecting assets and thinking long term. Nobody loses their mind over it. It is understood as part of the ecosystem.
So why does the NBA always catch the heat?
It starts with timing. The spotlight is brightest on the league right when tanking becomes most visible. Football is finished. Baseball has not started. The NBA owns February and March. And because of how the season is structured, because of the sheer number of games and when the calendar flips, teams often know by that point that the postseason is not in their future. When that realization sets in, priorities shift. Development matters more. Health matters more. Next year starts creeping into the room.
That is also the exact moment when casual fans and national voices start paying closer attention. And what they see is a diminished product. Players are sitting, rotations are changing, and outcomes feel preordained. The league does not condone it publicly, but it has also done a poor job of managing the optics. Whether that comes down to an 82-game season, the calendar start, or the way incentives are aligned, the result is always the same. Right when the NBA has the stage to itself, the cracks become visible.
And then we do the dance. Same cycle every year. Same outrage. Same proposals. Same debates on how to fix something that is not really broken, it is functioning exactly as designed.
NBA twitter has spent so much time talking tanking and draft this week. Tanking sucks. Tanking is smart. We all know it. Please talk about basketball. pic.twitter.com/xFO6T2zjnR
In my opinion, there is no true fix. Not without fundamentally changing what the draft represents and why teams value it. Until that happens, this will keep looping, season after season, argument after argument, while the teams that have something to play for keep playing and the rest start quietly looking ahead.
Teams are always going to prioritize long-term possibilities over short-term competitiveness, especially when the math tells them that sacrificing now gives them a better chance to be something later. That part is inevitable. My real issue with tanking has always lived in one place, and that place is the fans, because they are the ones who ultimately pay the price. Literally.
If you are a season ticket holder and your team tanks one year in an effort to secure a better draft pick, then comes back the next season and still isn’t any good, there is no refund waiting for you. The league is not cutting you a check. The team is not knocking 20% off your invoice because they decided to roll out a lineup full of G League-level talent while preaching patience and development. You paid full price for a diminished product, and that is the part of this equation that never really gets discussed. Or at least not enough.
That is why tanking feels unfortunate, even when you understand it. On the surface, the logic tracks. If you are bad and you want a chance to stop being bad, you often have to lean into being bad long enough to draft someone who can change your trajectory. It is the natural order of how this league is built. You can workshop a million ideas on how to fix it, flatten the lottery odds, create tournaments, punish cap sheets, tweak incentives, but someone will always find the seam. Someone will always locate the weakness and exploit it, because that is human nature.
I have seen this play out countless times outside of sports. In the hospitality world, I cannot tell you how many processes I have helped put in place, well-intentioned, thoughtful, designed to create fairness, only to watch guests immediately search for ways around them. Everybody loves rules in theory. Everybody supports structure and order right up until it inconveniences them personally. Then it becomes negotiable.
That is the space tanking lives in. It makes sense from the top down. It is defensible from an organizational standpoint. But from the seat in the arena, from the fan who keeps showing up, keeps paying, keeps caring, it feels like a tax with no return policy. And that is the part that will always sit a little sideways with me, no matter how logical the strategy might be.
But again, it is the fan, the person who simply wants to enjoy the product, who ultimately pays the price. And in my opinion, that is the one place where there is an actual fix, even if it is the hardest one to pull off.
Why the NBA should embrace tanking –
The NBA has kate been misguided thinking that fans want to see their teams compete every night with a chance to win. It’s never been that way that way.
When I got into the nba, they thought they were in the basketball business. They…
Teams and organizations are businesses. Full stop. They exist to make money, just like any other business. And this is where short-term greed starts tripping over long-term greed. The short-term play is obvious. Maximize revenue, fill out the balance sheet. Walk into the boardroom and say, “Look, we might be bad on the court, but the numbers still look good”. Tickets sold. Sponsorships intact. Revenue streams humming along.
But if you actually want loyalty, real loyalty, not the fragile kind that disappears the moment expectations aren’t met, you give something back. You refund a prorated portion of season tickets during a tanking year. You lower prices so the building stays full even when the wins aren’t coming. You admit what the season is, instead of selling hope as a finished product. And the byproduct of that honesty is still revenue. People show up. They buy food. They buy drinks. They buy merchandise. They bring their kids. They stay emotionally invested instead of feeling taken advantage of.
That is where it gets interesting with the Phoenix Suns, if and when a tanking season ever arrives. A real one. One where they actually control their first round pick and decide that short-term pain is necessary to reset the trajectory of the franchise.
Because what Mat Ishbia has shown in a very short amount of time is that he cares about the fan experience. He cares about access. He cares about the relationship between the team and the community. And he has proven he is not afraid to do things that go against the grain. We have seen it with the value menu. We have seen it with free local broadcasts. We have literally seen him buy antennas so fans can watch games. That is not normal ownership behavior. That is someone who understands that if you make fans feel included in the process, the long-term payoff is far greater than squeezing every last dollar out of a down year.
So if the Suns ever reach a point where tanking becomes the path forward, Ishbia would have a rare opportunity. He could be a trendsetter. He could be the owner who says, “This season didn’t meet the standard, and we’re not going to ask you to pay full freight for something we know isn’t complete yet. We’re going to eat some of that cost, not you”. And in doing so, he would likely gain a level of trust that most franchises never touch.
Because if you want a fan base to understand a tank, to actually get behind it instead of resenting it, that is how you do it. Until something like that happens, tanking will always exist. These conversations will keep cycling. The league will keep pretending there is a fix just around the corner. And the truth will remain the same as it has always been.
Until someone gives back some money, which I think we all know will never happen, we’ll continue to have these circular conversations until the playoffs start. And then? No one gives a shit until next Febraury.
SACRAMENTO — Whenever Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray scores a basket at Golden 1 Center, a slogan with his name his echoed.
The chant is led off with Kings public address announcer Scott Moak, who yells into the mic after each Murray basket, whether a free throw, layup, midrange, three-pointer or slam dunk. It's even shouted after a big play.
"KEEGAN!" Moak roars, igniting the Sacramento faithful to follow suit.
"MURRAY!" the Golden 1 Center attendees respond in unison.
During a podcast episode of "White Noise" hosted by Boston Celtics guard Derrick White and Alex Welsh, White was discussing some of the loudest arenas in the league along with Celtics center Luka Garza and former Celtic, now Chicago Bulls guard, Anfernee Simons.
Amidst the conversation, Garza brings up the Kings and how loud their fans get, especially when the team is winning. Simons was the one who mentioned Murray's chant.
"Oh my goodness. When he hit a three and it's packed in there, it's like," Simons said with an appalled look on his face.
White jumped in and continued to harp on Murray's chants in Sacramento.
"His like rookie year, I was like 'yo, this is the coolest thing I've ever heard,'" White said.
Murray was drafted by the Kings with the fourth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. As White said, it's been his chant since day one.
It's a call that Murray, himself, tends to enjoy throughout the game. He said he builds more appreciation for the chant every year.
"For me, I think every single year I continue to have more appreciation for it," Murray told USA TODAY Sports. "Because when you go around the league, there's not many, or if any teams that do that kind of thing for their players."
Fans and NBA opponents can expect to hear that chant for Murray for at least another five seasons through 2031.
Murray signed a five-year, $140 million rookie scale contract extension with the Kings in Oct. 2025.
"Obviously for me to be here another five years is great," Murray said. "I think the fans have enjoyed it. I've personally enjoyed it a lot. I think it's just a really special thing that Sacramento has done for me."
Believe it or not, the chant for Murray has been passed down from previous Kings players who grew to be fan favorites.
Before it was Murray's chant, it was reserved for and belonged to Yogi Ferrell, who played for the Kings from 2018 to 2020.
"I was surprised when I first heard it,” Ferrell told NBA.com in 2019. “When I made the bucket, it felt pretty cool. It feels amazing to have my name chanted out by all the fans – it just shows how special I feel like I am to them. I love this arena.”
Kings PA announcer Moak wasn't sure if it would initially stick, but he kept roaring Ferrell's first name and the fans eventually caught on to yell back his last name.
But it even originated before Ferrell. When Italian sniper Marco Belinelli played for the Kings during the 2015-16 season, he'd get remnants of the chant.
After Belinelli scored, Moak called out, "Marco!"
It took fans some time to catch on, but eventually they responded with the only acceptable response if you ever played games in the swimming pool with friends or family growing up.
"Polo," fans responded.
Thus, the chant in Sacramento was born, and nearly 10 years later, it'd be reserved for Murray.
Some believe the idea came from Champions League soccer as it was used as an introduction for Argentine soccer player Gonzalo Higuain, when he played for Napoli between 2013 and 2016.
Kings next game
No matter where it started, it's now recognized as Murray's chant.
Murray and the Kings will be back in action following the All-Star break on Thursday, Feb. 19 when they host the Orlando Magic at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.
The team announced Wednesday after practice that Murray, who was a full participant, will return from injury to play against the Magic after missing over six weeks with a left ankle sprain sustained in early January.
BROOKLYN, NY - OCTOBER 24: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on October 24, 2025 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers have one of the easiest schedules in the league after the All-Star break, but they have a tough stretch to start things off. They play five games in seven nights, and they take on the Oklahoma City Thunder, New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons (twice), and the Boston Celtics over the next two-and-a-half weeks. That will be a good test to show how the new-look Cavs stack up with the best teams in the league.
Fortunately for Cleveland, they have an easy one to open things up against the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday.
The Nets are one of the worst teams in the league, and aren’t actively trying to win games. They should present a good opportunity for the Cavs to get off to a good start.
The Cavs will also be among the healthiest they’ve been all season. Evan Mobley and Dean Wade are expected to play. They’ll only be without Max Strus (foot) and Nae’Qwan Tomlin, who was just added to the injury report with calf soreness.
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports Network App, NBA League Pass
Point spread: Cavs -16
Cavs injury report: Max Strus – OUT (foot), Nae’Qwan Tomlin – OUT (calf soreness), Emanuel Miller – OUT (G League), Tristan Enaruna – OUT (G League), Riley Minix – OUT (G League)
Nets injury report: Nic Claxton – OUT (ankle), Tyson Etienne – (G League), Chaney Johnson – OUT (G League), E.J. Lindell – OUT (G League), Josh Minott – OUT (G League), Ben Saraf – OUT (G League)
Cavs expectedstarting lineup: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen
Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets and Team USA Stripes looks on during the 75th NBA All-Star Game at Intuit Dome on February 15, 2026 in Inglewood, California.
Kevin Durant wants no part of his burner account accusations.
Days after alleged messages of Durant ripping current and former teammates leaked on social media, the Rockets star brushed off questions from the media about the internet firestorm.
“I know you got to ask these questions but I’m not here to get into Twitter nonsense,” Durant said. “I’m just here to focus on the season, keep it pushing.”
Later, Durant, 37, was asked by reporters if he had talked to his Houston teammates about the now-viral messages.
Kevin Durant of the Houston Rockets and Team USA Stripes looks on during the 75th NBA All-Star Game at Intuit Dome on February 15, 2026 in Inglewood, California. Getty Images
“My teammates know what it is,” he said. “We’ve been locked in the whole season. Enjoyed our break. Had a great practice today, looking forward to the road trip.”
Over the weekend, screen shots emerged of posts from an X account with handle @gethigher77 that’s alleged to be Durant, who is infamous for his social media activity and online persona.
The account, which has since gone private, criticized Rockets teammates Alperen Şengün and Jabari Smith Jr.
It also referenced former teammates James Harden, Russell Westbrook and Ben Simmons.
While we may never know if Durant was truly behind the account, his past “burner account” activity makes the rumors all the more believable.
In 2023, Durant announced that he was on Threads with a burner account, challenging fans to “come find” him on the then-newly launched platform.
Three years earlier, Durant admitted to using burner accounts to hit back at those talking about him online.
“I still have burners that I use for sure,” Durant said.
Kevin Durant of the USA Stripes Team plays defense on Anthony Edwards of the USA Stars Team during the 75th NBA All-Star Game. NBAE via Getty Images
“I have a burner Twitter account still. When people use that burner thing against me they only thought I was on there just to talk s–t. I was really indulging in a lot of different communities on my burners.”
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - FEBRUARY 06: Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks reacts against Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons during the third quarter at Little Caesars Arena on February 06, 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
Does the regular season matter?
Well, you need to win enough games in the regular season to make the playoffs and get a favorable seed in the playoffs. Home court advantage is very important.
But does it matter who you beat and who you lose to? Probably not. The Knicks won the season series with the Hawks in 2021, the Heat in 2023, and the Pacers in 2025, but flamed out against all three in the playoffs. They were beaten up by Detroit and Boston last year in the regular season, but they sent them home in the playoffs. It doesn’t matter what happens before the playoffs start in that regard.
So, how much do I take from the two blowout losses at Little Caesars Arena in January, the same arena that the Knicks won thrice in the playoffs last April? Not much. We all know what happened with the Celtics last year.
But there was one thing that happened in the Knicks-Celtics season series that year that made you raise an eyebrow. On April 8, the Celtics, without Al Horford but otherwise pretty healthy, came to the World’s Most Famous Arena and, after three blowouts in the season series, got caught up in a very competitive game.
The Knicks led for much of the first half, but the Celtics took control late in the third quarter. Yet, the Knicks rallied back from a seven-point deficit to take a three-point lead in the final 15 seconds, only to get their hearts broken by Jayson Tatum at the end of regulation and in overtime.
While the Celtics prevailed and pulled off the season series sweep, that game being as competitive as it was surely made the Knicks believe in that locker room, “We can beat these guys.” If they fouled up 3 or executed in overtime, they would’ve won. They used the lessons from that clutch scenario to pull off several clutch games in the second round series.
So, even though the Knicks knocked off those same Pistons last season, it’s imperative that they don’t get embarrassed a third time. They had excuses the first two games, they don’t on Thursday.
In the first game, they were in the midst of their 11-game rut where they couldn’t defend a thing, and the offense similarly slumped. In the second game, they were down OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns, along with the still-injured Deuce McBride. Towns and possibly Anunoby will be back on Thursday, and the game will be in MSG.
They have to match the intensity. The Pistons are a team that knows they were a few key plays away from pulling off the upset last year, and they don’t like that the media still hasn’t anointed them as the East favorite. They see the Knicks on the schedule and feel hatred. They can’t get revenge until May, so they want to beat them into the ground to vindicate themselves until then.
The Knicks haven’t felt like they needed to match that intensity yet, and you can do with that what you want. It feels like they have to on Thursday, even if they don’t pull it out for whatever reason. You can’t get boatraced every single game in the regular season series. That’s when doubt starts to creep in.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 23: Nolan Traore #88 of the Brooklyn Nets looks on during the game against the Boston Celtics at Barclays Center on January 23, 2026 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The Boston Celtics won 130-126. 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 Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Brooklyn Nets have been a top 10 team in salary dedicated to injured players during five of the past seven NBA seasons. In three of them, they’ve been in the top two. Last season, the Nets set a franchise record for games missed to injury/illness at 374, second only to the 76ers 397.
Sure, those stats loses some stock when you remind yourself they paid Kevin Durant $37 million during the 2019-20 campaign, fully knowing he wouldn’t suit up for a single game during it. Whatever you want to call Kyrie Irving’s imposed absence due to the New York City vaccine mandate factors in here too. Uncle Drew made $35.3 million in 2021-22, appearing in just 29 games.
But even if you’re willing to concede that, there’s still no arguing against the idea that the injury bug likes to dine in Brooklyn, and not at Peter Luger. It’s nobody’s fault, but that doesn’t make it any less unfortunate.
However, this year, the Nets have been relatively healthy. At the All-Star break, they’re second-to-last in cumulative injured salary, per Spotrac.
We always knew this season would be a turning point for the Nets. Brooklyn installed five rookies via the draft over the summer, becoming the first NBA team to ever select five players in the first round. Good or bad, their first steps are also the first tangible ones in a new era for the Nets — one no longer defined by star players of the 2010s, the crushing expectations that come with them, and the amplified misery that follows when one inevitably gets hurt.
Nolan Traoré, the 19th pick in last year’s draft, is part of that rookie crew … and part of the program to reduce time lost. He’s fully embracing both sides of the responsibility that comes with shaping a new age for the Nets, on the court and off.
As part of that, he’s big on preventive performance, so to speak, trying to limit the games he loses at this level. He’s had a balky knee in France. Both he and the Nets don’t want to see that replicated in the NBA. It’s a big if not much publicized part of his development and how the Nets have been treating their young players.
He’s not alone in his praise among the Nets young players both in Brooklyn and Long Island. Grant Nelson sat seven weeks to clear up his knee issues, which he said he’s had been an issue since he was 20.
“I think it really shows how good the performance staff is here,” Nelson told ND last month. “And what they’ve done to get me back on the court and be ready for when I get back on the court.”
Brooklyn selected Traoré with their second first rounder out of France in June, then paid his French team a six-figure buyout fee. He logged eight minutes on opening night, but spent much of the team’s first two months of the season in the G-League. Early on at the pro level, he looked uncomfortable, off-pace, and without command of the offense. He needed to develop a tad more. So, the Nets sent him to a place where he could.
Since coming over from Long Island in mid-December, it feels like Traoré’s come much farther than Nassau County, 20 miles to the east. The young ball-handler now resembles a confident, professional offensive facilitator starting to find his footing while not sacrificing that awesome speed…
He’s also shooting north of 40% from three since mid-January. The sample gets bigger and better all the time.
But as mentioned, while looking to give Nets fans something fresh to cheer for, Traoré’s also looking to reverse course when it comes to the injury department.
“Recovery isn’t just downtime for me,” he told NetsDaily. “It’s a non-negotiable part of my job…Staying ahead of the curve with recovery and constantly adapting my routines is how I plan to build a long and productive career in this league. Ultimately, success is being just as physically capable in year ten as I was in year one.”
Traoré’s focus on his body runs deep as blood. His brother, Armel Traoré, has dealt with hand, quad, ankle, and back injuries while playing professionally in France over the past four years and during a brief stint with the Los Angeles Lakers. Nolan named Armel as the biggest influence on his approach to longevity.
“Having played in the NBA and faced his own battles with injuries, he has been an invaluable source of advice on what it actually takes to stay healthy at this level,” Traoré said. “Seeing his journey firsthand made me realize early on that talent alone isn’t enough if you aren’t available to play.”
That said, Traoré’s also seen a similar level of dedication to long-term health in his new home(s). He mentioned he’s relied “heavily” on Brooklyn’s medical staff and noted that rather than applying a one-size-fits-all program, the Nets integrate their professional expertise with a player’s personal goals to develop training and recovery plans. Traoré said he appreciates that collaborative approach more than anything. He also said Brooklyn’s helped him better listen to his body, which he claims is key.
“The most important lesson I’ve gathered from both my brother and the staff is that you have to be your own biggest advocate when it comes to health,” he said. “It is about understanding my body and its limits while using every tool at my disposal to push those limits safely.”
Traoré listed pace and the sheer physicality of the NBA as the biggest training and recovery-related factors he’s had to adjust to since coming over from France.
“Even coming from France, where the game is fast, the NBA is even faster,” he said. “I’ve had to become much more proactive rather than reactive. It’s no longer just about recovering after I feel fatigued; it’s about preparing my body days in advance to absorb that nightly impact. In this league, you can’t just play through the grind; you have to stay ahead of it.”
Traoré’s typical recovery days focus on targeting stretching and soft tissue work. He also mentioned he prioritizes mental clarity with consistent, quality sleep, as well as disciplined nutrition and hydration.
Then on the court, Traoré also noted he wears a custom brace that gives him a unique blend of support and flexibility. If you haven’t seen Traoré play, trust me, the ability to stop and go in an instant is a pretty important part of his game.
“Because my game relies on being shifty and change-of-direction, I can’t afford to feel restricted,” he said. “It’s the only brace I’ve found that feels completely natural and fluid while I’m moving, but activates instantly to protect my ankle the moment there’s a risk of injury. It gives me the confidence to play my style without compromise.”
Traoré again being strategic with when he takes off. Fellow rookie Egor Dëmin benefits this time. pic.twitter.com/aR3K8twesL
It’s all part of something more crucial to Traoré than any dime he’ll drop, triple he’ll splash, or painted area he’ll touch — to be ready not just for Brooklyn’s next game, but its next one hundred, and so on.
“Injury prevention is essential to having a long, successful career, and as an athlete, this is my ultimate goal,” Traoré reiterated. “Talent isn’t everything; the small, disciplined choices you make every day to take care of your body now at a young age are what determine your ceiling. I see this as being proactive and thinking years ahead rather than waiting for a problem to occur before addressing it.”
Traoré is starting to reap the benefits of his labor as well. Since returning from Long Island, he’s appeared in 27 games for the Nets, only missing two due to an illness, not an illness. He’s logged over 30 minutes in six of his last nine contests. In his most recent one, he became the first Nets rookie with at least 20 points and eight assists in a game since Terrence Williams did so on April 9, 2010.
“I define a successful career by longevity and consistency, specifically how long you can sustain your performance at an elite level,” Traoré went on. “To remain on the court for many years, you have to be disciplined about how you treat your body from the very start of your professional journey. It’s not just about the number of games played. It’s about the quality of those minutes and your ability to bounce back night after night.”
Dialogue today around player availability can easily spill into arguments over load management and the NBA’s recently imposed 65-game threshold for award eligibility. It’s a tiresome, static conversation that continues to flood First Take airwaves and serve as the backbone for the “this league is soft” narrative.
However, Traoré simply remains concentrated on being there for this teammates, and, of course, the fans.
“Players today have a greater responsibility than ever to use the advanced tools and medical resources available,” he said. “Meeting league benchmarks like the 65-game threshold isn’t just about award eligibility; it’s about being reliable for your teammates and the fans.”
MILAN (AP) — AC Milan fell seven points behind Inter Milan in the Italian title race after drawing 1-1 at home to Como on Wednesday.
Argentina midfielder Nico Paz put the visitors ahead in the 32nd minute following a clumsy error from Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
The France No. 1 tried passing the ball from the edge of his penalty area, but Paz swiftly intercepted it and shot through Maignan's legs for his ninth league goal of the season.
Portugal winger Rafael Leão equalized midway through the second half for Milan with a neat lob, after being set up by midfielder Ardon Jashari.
Como moved into sixth spot on goal difference from Atalanta in the race for a Champions League place next season. Fifth-place Juventus is four points ahead. ___
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid reported soreness in his right shin over the All-Star break and will miss the Philadelphia 76ers' game against Atlanta on Thursday night.
The Sixers said Embiid experienced the soreness while participating in a right knee injury management program over the break. Following a consultation with doctors, Embiid has received daily treatment, while progressing through on-court work and strength and conditioning.
Embiid will be evaluated again ahead of the Sixers' back-to-back road games, Saturday at New Orleans and Sunday at Minnesota.
Embiid averaged 26.6 points in 31 games this season for the Sixers and was free of the minutes restrictions that had plagued him over the last few seasons. He sat out three of the last five Sixers' games headed into the All-Star break with soreness in his right knee.
The Sixers have lost six of their last seven games in which Embiid doesn’t play.
The 7-foot center was limited to 19 games last year and 39 games the previous season. He had 40 points and 11 rebounds in a win last month over New Orleans on a night in which Paul George was suspended 25 games for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy.
Embiid has dealt with multiple injuries since even before he entered the NBA. He suffered a stress fracture in his right foot before he was drafted out of Kansas that cost him two years. From there, it was a bone bruise here, a meniscus tear there. A busted orbital bone. A sprained shoulder. Tendinitis. Torn ligaments. Even Bell’s palsy.
Even with all the injuries, the 76ers still signed Embiid in 2024 to a three-year, $193 million extension with a player option for the 2028-29 season that doesn’t kick in until next season.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 13: Head coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors talks with his player Draymond Green #23 during a break in the action against the Sacramento Kings in the fourth quarter at Chase Center on March 13, 2025 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 the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to February Daily Topics at Golden State of Mind. A question (almost) every day this month to give the community a prompt to talk about!
Well folks, it’s almost time. On Thursday, the Golden State Warriors will get back in action at the Chase Center, hosting the Boston Celtics in a rematch of the 2022 NBA Finals, though both teams look dramatically different four years later (including two of the players from that Celtics team now playing for the Warriors).
It marks the end of the All-Star break, and the start of the second half of the season … though this “half” is only 27 games, after 55 in the opening act.
I’ll admit that it’s not the most exciting return to action for the Warriors. With Jimmy Butler III out for the year with an ACL tear, Steph Curry fighting off lingering injuries, and the Jonathan Kuminga drama finally behind us, there aren’t a ton of intriguing stories for a Warriors team that would need a minor miracle to make a playoff run that outlasts the first round of the playoffs. The biggest story for the rest of the season is how Kristaps Porziņģis looks when he gets on the court … and if he can stay healthy.
Still, basketball is back in front of us, and that’s fun and exciting, and there’s much to talk about. So it seemed like a good time to do another mailbag, which we haven’t done in quite some time.
So drop your questions — no topic (within reason) is off limits — in the comment section below, and I’ll answer them all on Thursday ahead of the team’s return to action. And until then, enjoy one more night of peace before getting back to watching this fairly frustrating basketball team.
