Category: Basketball

There were many heroes in the Knicks’ come-from-behind win over Houston on Saturday.

OG Anunoby scored 20 points and made life difficult for Rockets star Kevin Durant. Karl-Anthony Towns scored seven of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and helped shut down Alperen Sengun (0-of-4 shooting, two turnovers in fourth quarter). Jose Alvarado had five points, three assists and three steals in the fourth quarter. Jalen Brunson went 4 for 4 in the final five minutes, making big shot after big shot in New York’s 18-point comeback.

“We found a way, that’s what I’m most excited about; we found a way,” Mike Brown said.

Brown and the Knicks would have gotten crushed locally if they’d lost on Saturday night. Two nights earlier, they were embarrassed at home by the Pistons.

Back-to-back losses out of the All-Star break would have had everyone on edge. But they avoided all of that. And they hit the road this week with an offense that’s still taking shape.

Brown’s offense has changed significantly since the start of the season. It will continue to evolve over the final few weeks of the regular season.

The ultimate goal? Find what works best for Brunson, Towns and the rest of the Knicks -- in that particular order.

“If you watch us closely from the beginning of preseason until now, our offense is different. And it’s different because … it’s evolving to try and fit not just Jalen, not just KAT, but all of our guys,” Brown said before Saturday’s game against Houston. “Knowing that those two guys are our leading scorer, our second-leading scorer, first-most shots, second-most shots; trying to fit those two guys in that order and then everybody else is what’s most important.”

Entering play Saturday night, New York has the No. 3 offense in the NBA. So the offense isn’t broken. But nights like Thursday -- when the Pistons embarrassed the Knicks and Towns doesn’t dominate a game with Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart sidelined -- lead to questions about the offense.

Towns, in particular, is under the microscope this season.

He entered play Saturday averaging 19.8 points -- the fewest since his rookie season.

After shooting 42 percent from beyond the arc last season, Towns is at just 35 percent this year. His shots per game are down (16.9 last season to 14.0 this season). His current mark has been impacted by his offensive fouls (he has 49, matching last season’s total).

Towns’ production and his fit have been talking points all season long for fans and media. Here is how Brown assesses what he’s seen from the All-Star center:

“I look at KAT and he’s probably right where he should be, right? Maybe he should be the leading scorer? I don’t know, but for sure the second-leading scorer. He’s that. He gets the second-most field goal attempts, right? Behind Jalen,” Brown said before Saturday’s game. “So if that’s gonna happen, it’s just like your work. You’re not gonna be up here (at a high level) every day. You’re gonna be (up and down) … but what is it gonna average out to? ... Hopefully it averages out to you getting the second-most if you’re the No. 2 guy. So I look at KAT, and that’s what his season’s about. … So that’s the way I look at it.

“And in a game, you can literally dissect every single game and say this guy didn’t get a shot. And yeah, that’s correct. It happens sometimes. That’s life. Sometimes OG may have 15 shots and KAT may have nine shots and Jalen may have 26 shots. But as long as at the end of the day it averages out to what it needs to be or what it should be, I think that’s what the season’s about.

“(The offense is) a work in progress. You’ve got to continue to feel and evolve as a group and hopefully you can do it around the guys that you need to knowing, ‘OK if this doesn’t work, I’ve got to go and change this,’ and like I said earlier, our offense is different from now than it was in the preseason because I’ve had to try to adjust and make it fit everybody to where Jalen’s getting his first, KAT’s getting his second, then we go from there.”

It’s common for teams to change their offense over the course of the season, said Brown, who referenced the Warriors with Durant.

“Even our teams in Golden State, when we got KD, we had to change,” Brown said. “It was a little different before KD, and KD gets here, we had to change it, and then as the season went along, we were like, OK this is not gonna work, we’ve got to change it.”

Brown has said that Towns has the toughest job on offense because he has to know the power forward and center spots.

In Brown’s offense, point guard, shooting guard and the small and power forward positions are interchangeable to a degree.

Center is totally different.

“He’s done fantastic,” Brown said of Towns. “And yes, we’ve simplified (the offense) a lot. We’ve simplified it a lot to try to fit him in and everyone else at the same time.”

That effort continues Sunday when the Knicks take on the Bulls.

POINTS VS. PISTONS

Brown was also asked some questions specifically about the Pistons game.

In talking about the Knicks’ screens and how they need to improve as screeners, in general, Brown said this about the Pistons:

“Trying to find different ways to attack their defense is gonna be something that I look forward to doing.”

Detroit has dominated New York, winning three games by a combined 84 points.

The Knicks don’t play the Pistons again in the regular season.

Like most Knicks fans, Brown obviously expects to see the Pistons in the playoffs.

MIKE BROWN ON TYLER KOLEK

Tyler Kolek played with the Westchester Knicks earlier Saturday; he scored 19 points and handed out 13 assists in Westchester’s win over the Cleveland Charge.

Kolek hadn’t played for the Knicks in the past 10 days. Brown was complimentary of the second-year guard when asked about him Saturday.

“Yeah, Jose is playing obviously. He’s played well for us and given us a different look. Tyler has been awesome for a Year 2 (player). He has a chance to be a good pro, a real good pro,” the coach said. “We have to find a way to help him by finding ways for him to get reps. Today was an opportunity for us to find a way for him to get a rep.”

Speaking of Alvarado, Brown pointed out that assistant Rick Brunson suggested subbing Alvarado into the game late in the fourth quarter.

Alvarado replaced Mikal Bridges with five minutes remaining. The Knicks trailed by six at the time.

And the new Knick played a major role in New York’s comeback. He had a steal, a layup and helped pressure the ball in those final minutes.

On Saturday in Los Angeles, Jayson Tatum did what he has done for weeks now: he said something that gave us pretty much nothing in the way of new information.

He hasn’t practiced with the team since his Maine session a week ago. The photos from San Francisco were — Tatum’s words — an “optional workout.” Joe Mazzulla said he’s continuing to hit his “check marks.” Brad Stevens repeated in his press conference that there is no timetable.

Simply put, there is no return date.

Naturally, the speculation has intensified.

So, I did what any rational Celtics fan would do. I pulled out my calculator. I stopped hearing and started listening. I looked in the places everyone else was looking, but I looked harder and better than everyone else.

After carefully studying the latest batch of quotes, I’ve narrowed Tatum’s return down to three possibilities. Let’s go through them.

Theory No. 1: March 6 vs. Mavericks

Joe Mazzulla: “It’s just trusting the group that we have around him. And taking it step-by-step.”

Joe could’ve said “day by day.” He didn’t. He chose “steps.” Steps imply a staircase. A finite number. You don’t reference steps unless you know how many there are.

He said this on February 21.

Count forward.

March 6 sits 13 days later.

13 is the average number of days between major lunar phase shifts. That’s Astronomy 101. I didn’t invent the moon.

Stay with me. Boston sits at roughly 71 degrees west longitude. Dallas is at 96. 96 minus 71 equals 25. 2 plus 5 equals 7. Take the 13-day lunar window and subtract 7.

Six.

March 6.

Now layer in the matchup. It’s at home, which Tatum has already said he’d like to return in front of a home crowd. The opponent is Dallas. Luka used to be there and now he’s not. What’s that all about? Related? I’m not ruling it out.

On March 6, we’ll (hopefully) be seeing Cooper Flagg, the next face-of-the-league candidate. Future superstar. Duke alum. Present convergence. All of this makes March 6 feel right.

That said, Jupiter starts drifting toward retrograde around then, and planetary wobble can’t be ignored. So, while March 6 has intergalactic support, I can only label it as a strong possibility at this stage.

And it was actually while adjusting for Jupiter’s drift through my telescope that a different possibility came into focus. The stars were whispering, “San Antonio.”

Theory No. 2: March 10 at Spurs

Jayson Tatum: “Work out, see how you recover the next day and then you just make the plan from there.”

“The plan.” You don’t casually reference “The Plan” unless there is a plan. Likely a document somewhere. Printed. Stapled. Possibly laminated.

Now this is where I began pacing. Because once you introduce a plan, you introduce intent. And once you introduce intent, you introduce architecture. So, I zoomed out.

March 10. San Antonio. Duh.

If you’re at the table of long-term power structures in the NBA, you pay attention to San Antonio. Duncan. Parker. Ginobli. Leonard. Popovich. Five banners materializing like clockwork over fifteen years.

Spurs titles: ’99, ’03, ’05, ’07, ’14.

Add the last digits. 9 + 3 + 5 + 7 + 4 = 28. 2 + 8 = 10.

March 10.

Now this is where it gets interesting.

Wembanyama. Hector Banana-Bread. Seven-foot-four. Add 7+4, you get 11. Tatum wears 0. Subtract 1 for the silent digit, naturally. 10.

March 10.

Now, small complication. San Antonio sits at 29 degrees north latitude. Two plus nine gives you 11. Add the seven letters in “Go Spurs” and you land on 18. That’s just rudimentary math, folks.

And once 18 enters any predictive model, you have to take it seriously. Which is how, while re-running the numbers, March 18 began dancing on my calendar (I should mention I haven’t slept in 72 hours and am running out of yarn and hallucinations seem to be setting in.)

Theory No. 3: March 18 vs. Warriors

How could I be so foolish.

Of course, Mazzulla was throwing smoke screens. He knew I would run longitudinal numbers. He knew I would check latitude. He knew that I knew that he knew all along.

I had to wipe the board clean.

Jayson Tatum: “I’m just getting acclimated more and doing little things with some of the guys out there.”

“Acclimated.”

That’s not weight-room talk. That’s atmospheric. Someone adjusting to conditions before re-entry. You acclimate before you return from orbit.

Now, follow me carefully. Warriors. March 18. At home. The Celtics lost the 2022 Finals to Golden State in 6 games. They won the 2024 Finals in 5 games. 6 + 5 = 11. Steph has 4 rings. 11 times 4 is 44. Divide by the number of letters in “Tatum”, which is 5. 8.8.

Round up. Nine. Add the eight letters in “Warriors.” Seventeen. Add one for home court. Eighteen. 

March 18.

Joe let me chase March 6. He let me flirt with March 10. The real answer was sitting there the whole time. Unless he’s already anticipated this too. Dammit, Joe, you marvelous genius.

Back to Earth

The truth is, none of us know when Jayson Tatum will play basketball for the Boston Celtics again. Not me, not the internet, and not my dog despite how many times I beg her for the answer (dogs know everything). The only people who know the timeline are inside TD Garden, and they’ve been consistent on not giving anything away on that front from the start.

Tatum will return when he’s ready. Whenever it happens, it’ll be because he decided it was the right time. And that’s probably the only calculation that actually matters in the long run.

LILLE, France (AP) — France remained on course for the Six Nations title after a scrappy 33-8 win against Italy on Sunday.

Fabien Galthié’s side is favored to win back-to-back titles and is the only team to have won all three matches. France grabbed five tries for a bonus point and has 19 tries so far, having managed a tournament-record 30 last year.

Jet-heeled left winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey, lock Emmanuel Meafou and makeshift flyhalf Thomas Ramos scored first-half tries at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille, two of them set up by star scrumhalf Antoine Dupont.

But after leading 19-0 inside 30 minutes, the French tried too much entertaining as indiscipline allowed Italy back in.

An opportunist try from fullback Ange Capuozzo followed by Paolo Garbisi’s penalty pulled it back to 19-8.

The scoreboard stayed static until 31 minutes into the second half when the ever-alert Ramos kicked into the right corner to give winger Gaël Dréan a try on test debut.

That try came about when Italy was down to 14 players after winger Louis Lynagh — the son of Australian flyhalf great Michael Lynagh — was carelessly sinbinned for a deliberate knock-on.

Italy's bench was angry at the try, which came with the Italians effectively down to 13 because Capuozzo was not yet back on the field following treatment for a shoulder injury.

Center Emilien Gailleton showed his strength when he broke a tackle to dive over in the closing stages, and Ramos converted. ___

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

The Phoenix Suns have taken their second crushing blow of the week. 

Star forward Dillon Brooks sustained a broken left hand during Saturday’s double-overtime win over the Orlando Magic — just days after superstar guard Devin Booker went down with a right hip strain.

Brooks is expected to be sidelined for an “extended period of time,” according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, and doctors will meet Sunday to determine his exact recovery timeline.

Ahead of Saturday’s game, Phoenix announced that Booker would miss at least one week to nurse a hip injury that he suffered on Thursday night against the Spurs.

The Suns — who sit seventh in the West with a surprising 33–24 record under first-year head coach Jordan Ott — will now have to hold strong in a heated play-in race without two of their top stars for the foreseeable future.

While Ott acknowledged there being an emotional “lull” after such a drastic setback, he emphasized that it’s no excuse to roll over — and that Phoenix still has the necessary tools to stand its ground. 

“We can’t feel sorry for ourselves,” Ott told reporters after the game. “No one’s going to feel sorry for us.

“[Our opponents] surely aren’t going to. They’re trying to go out and win a game just like we are. No one cares… The only group that can help us when we’re stranded is our group.”

Brooks, 30, has had a breakout year after arriving in Phoenix by way of the Kevin Durant trade — averaging a career-high 20.9 points, along with 3.7 rebounds per game.

Phoenix is just 3-4 without the scrappy forward this season.

Booker, meanwhile, leads the Suns with 24.7 points and 6.1 assists a night in his age-29 campaign.

Phoenix continues its homestand Sunday night against the Trail Blazers before welcoming the Celtics and Lakers later this week.

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The Portland Trail Blazers look to rebound from a blowout loss on Friday when they visit the Phoenix Suns tonight.

Donovan Clingan will need to be a big part of Portland’s success, and I’m expecting the center to have a big night in the box score in my Trail Blazers vs. Suns predictions and NBA picks for Sunday, February 22.

Trail Blazers vs Suns prediction

Trail Blazers vs Suns best bet: Donovan Clingan double-double (-140)

The Portland Trail Blazers lost by 54 points to the Nuggets on Friday, but Donovan Clingan had a solid game himself with 15 points and nine boards — one rebound shy of the double-double.

Clingan, who’s averaging over 11 points and 11 rebounds per game this season, will record his 22nd double-double of the season tonight vs. a Phoenix Suns squad that struggles on the glass.

The Suns are 18th in the NBA in rebounds per game and 16th in rebounds allowed per game.

The Trail Blazers center has logged a double-double in four of his last seven contests.

Trail Blazers vs Suns same-game parlay

Clingan has recorded Over 11.5 rebounds in eight of his last 12 games, while Suns center Mark Williams has Over 8.5 boards in six of his last seven contests.

Both centers are the primary rebounders for their teams and will dominate the glass tonight.

Trail Blazers vs Suns SGP

• Donovan Clingan Over 11.5 rebounds
• Mark Williams Over 8.5 rebounds

Our "from downtown" SGP: Double-Doubles galore!

Deni Avdija has three double-doubles in his last five games, including a 15-point, 13-assist effort on Friday.

Williams has four double-doubles of his own in his last seven contests, and will get plenty of opportunity with Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks both out.

Trail Blazers vs Suns SGP

• Donovan Clingan double-double
• Deni Avdija double-double
• Mark Williams double-double

Trail Blazers vs Suns odds

• Spread: Trail Blazers -3.5 | Suns +3.5
• Moneyline: Trail Blazers -175 | Suns +146
• Over/Under: Over 222.5 | Under 222.5

Trail Blazers vs Suns betting trend to know

The Over is 8-0 in Portland’s last eight games and 4-1 in the last five H2H meetings. Find more NBA betting trends for Trail Blazers vs. Suns.

How to watch Trail Blazers vs Suns

Trail Blazers vs Suns latest injuries

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The Cleveland Cavaliers will be looking to make it eight-straight wins as they head on the road to take on a shorthanded Oklahoma City Thunder team.

I’ll be in the comments throughout the game sharing my thoughts. Come talk with me and the rest of your fellow Cavs fans there.

Go Cavs!

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The Philadelphia 76ers are going through their roughest stretch of the season, losing four straight games, all by double digits. Minnesota, meanwhile, has won three straight and seven of the last 10. 

With key players missing for both sides, my 76ers vs. Timberwolves predictions and NBA picks look for Minnesota to get a home cover on Sunday, February 22.

76ers vs Timberwolves prediction

76ers vs Timberwolves best bet: Timberwolves -8.5 (-115)

Not only have the Philadelphia 76ers lost four straight by an average of 22.8 points, but three of them have also come against teams with a losing record. Coach Nick Nurse admitted the team has hit its toughest point this season. 

The Minnesota Timberwolves should have their full attention on the Sixers. After winning two straight by more than 20, the T-Wolves jumped out to an 18-point lead against Dallas on Friday, only to play with their food a bit and allow the Mavericks to tie it late. All-Star MVP Anthony Edwards had 40 against Dallas and will continue his hot play in Philly. 

76ers vs Timberwolves same-game parlay

Edwards had 40 against Dallas and will be the focus of the Minnesota offense again today. He’s made more than half his shots and more than a third of his three-point attempts each of the last three games, with an All-Star MVP performance sandwiched in the middle. 

With Gobert out, Julius Randle will need to help pick up the slack on the boards. Even with Gobert next to him, he’s had seven or more rebounds in four of the last five contests. 

76ers vs Timberwolves SGP

• Timberwolves -8.5
• Edwards Over 29.5 points
• Julius Randle Over 7.5 rebounds

Our "from downtown" SGP: Edwards dials it up

The odds seem unusually long for Edwards’ three-pointers. He’s made four or more in four of the last five and hit five treys twice over that span. He’s 13 for his last 30 from three. 

Like Randle, Naz Reid will need to pitch in more than usual to help with rebounding with Gobert out. 

76ers vs Timberwolves SGP

• Edwards Over 29.5 points
• Julius Randle Over 7.5 rebounds
• Reid Over 8.5 rebounds
• Edwards Over 3.5 threes

76ers vs Timberwolves odds

• Spread: 76ers +8.5 | Timberwolves -8.5
• Moneyline: 76ers +290 | Timberwolves -370
• Over/Under: Over 238.5 | Under 238.5

76ers vs Timberwolves betting trend to know

The Minnesota Timberwolves have hit the Game Total Under in 18 of their last 25 games at home. Find more NBA betting trends for 76ers vs. Timberwolves.

How to watch 76ers vs Timberwolves

76ers vs Timberwolves latest injuries

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The NBA is set up to own Sundays for the next few months, with football in the rearview mirror and marquee weekend matchups on the schedule — and that starts today with wall-to-wall hoops and a stack of NBA player props to choose from.

Here are my Top 3 NBA picks for a February 22 slate that promises fireworks.

Best NBA player props today

Player	Pick
Ryan Rollins	Over 17.5 points	-115
Luka Doncic	Double-Double	+115
Derrick Jones Jr.	Over 16.5 points + rebounds	-115

Prop #1: Ryan Rollins Over 17.5 points

-115 at bet365

Without Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks are leaning on Ryan Rollins in a big way, and he’s fresh off dropping 27 points on the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday with a 10-for-15 line.

He’s gone past this number in seven of his last nine games, and he’s shooting 52% from 3-point range in February. 

Even if Myles Turner returns today, Rollins is the go-to guy for the Bucks as they try to hang in the play-in race, and I’m banking on another outing with 20+ points for the breakout guard here against a Scottie Barnes-less Toronto Raptors team.

• Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: TSN, FDSN WI

Prop #2: Luka Doncic double-double

+115 at bet365

Luka Doncic may be heading for the NBA scoring title, but he’s also a walking triple-double threat — and I love these plus odds for 10+ assists or rebounds alongside a big points haul tonight against the Celtics.

Doncic will have a size edge over the Boston backcourt, and he’s logged a double-double in seven of the last eight contests where he’s played 30+ minutes.

Boosted by Austin Reaves’ return as another proven bucket-getter, Luka dished 11 dimes in the Lakers’ win over the Clippers on Friday, and he could also be busy on the boards here with the Celtics’ 3-point barrage.

• Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBC

Prop #3: Derrick Jones Jr. Over 16.5 points + rebounds

-115 at bet365

It’s all change in Clipperland after the James Harden and Ivica Zubac trades, and Derrick Jones Jr. is one of the short-term beneficiaries. He logged 39 minutes on Friday against the Lakers, and that kind of workload can power this combo Over. 

Without Darius Garland and John Collins, L.A. is shorthanded as it takes on the Magic tonight, and Jones Jr. has blown past this combo O/U line in his past two outings, including a 13-point, eight-rebound effort last time out.

He’s also shooting 50% from the field in February, with 2+ triples in three of his prior four contests.

• Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBA TV

These props are available now at bet365, one of our best betting sites.

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PARIS (AP) — Franck Haise's first game in charge of Rennes started with a clinical 3-0 win at Auxerre in Ligue 1 on Sunday.

Midfieler Mahdi Camara scored two first-half goals either side of an effort from striker Esteban Lepaul to put Rennes 3-0 up at halftime. Haise replaced Habib Beye, who split with Rennes and is now with Marseille.

Rennes was hardly troubled in the second half and moved provisionally up to fifth place, three points behind fourth-placed Marseille in the race for a Champions League place.

Lille need to win at Angers later Sunday to reclaim fifth spot on goal difference. Struggling Auxerre is in 16th.

Later Sunday, Lyon went to Strasbourg looking for its 14th straight win in all competitions. Bordeaux and Paris Saint-Germain share the French record with 16 straight wins overall.

It has been a remarkable turnaround for coach Paulo Fonseca’s Lyon side, which avoided relegation to the second tier for financial irregularities after winning an appeal in July.

In Sunday's other matches, Nice hosted Lorient and struggling Nantes faced Le Havre.

PSG went back to the top on Saturday after title rival Lens lost at home to Monaco. ___

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

While many Cleveland Cavaliers fans were blindsided by the Darius Garland trade to the Los Angeles Clippers, the one person who was not was Garland himself.

“It was going to happen regardless, either at the [trade] deadline or this summer,” Garland told Marc J. Spears at Andscape. “[My agent] Rich [Paul] had that conversation with me last summer.”

The Cavs clearly had made a decision internally about how they wanted to approach the inevitable shakeup required to not only make the team fit, but also be financially feasible. Trading Garland, who was an All-Star last season, has failed to live up to that stature this year. The 26-year-old suffered a mysterious toe injury in the playoffs last season, requiring offseason surgery and a delayed start to the season. But even after returning, Garland did not look like himself.

“The toe definitely had a factor in it (the trade),” Garland continued. “They didn’t know if I was going to be healthy for this season, which I will be.”

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The consistent injury issues, coupled with the reality that the Cavs’ window of opportunity is now, made the trade all that much more necessary. And the player Cleveland got in return is awfully good, fitting into that “win-now” mode.

“They thought that James (Harden) had something that I didn’t, I believe,” Garland said. “He has experience in playoffs and All-Star numbers still to this day, even though he wasn’t an All-Star this year. But yeah, they want to win right now. They have a group, too. And I guess I really wasn’t part of the plan.

“But now, I’m over here in a really good situation.”

Garland has yet to appear in a game for the Clippers this season, though both he and the team remain adamant that his debut is coming soon. The Cavs may have made the right decision on their former franchise point guard, with his inconsistent health becoming an excuse too often. While his departure from Cleveland came under unfortunate circumstances, it seems both sides are happy with the deal.

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One of the most iconic rivalries in NBA history gets renewed tonight when the Boston Celtics visit the Los Angeles Lakers.

Celtics vs Lakers prediction

Celtics vs Lakers best bet: Jaylen Brown Over 28.5 points (-120)

Jaylen Brown's career-best campaign is the driving force for the Boston Celtics' success, and his scoring prowess will be on full display against the Los Angeles Lakers tonight.

Los Angeles is a below-average defense, and Brown torched the Lakers for 30 points in his first matchup.

Celtics vs Lakers same-game parlay

The Celtics rank second in offensive rating, and despite recurring injuries, the Lakers rank 11th. Both rosters will be at full strength tonight, which should lead to plenty of scoring.

Celtics vs Lakers SGP

• Jaylen Brown Over 28.5 points
• Over 228
• Lakers moneyline

Our "from downtown" SGP: LeBron shares the love

James is averaging 7.2 assists per game this season. He's recorded double-digit dimes in five straight and at 7+ in six straight.

With Doncic and Reaves available, James' elite playmaking abilities will shine as he gets his high-scoring teammates involved.

Celtics vs Lakers SGP

• Jaylen Brown Over 28.5 points
• Over 228
• Lakers moneyline
• LeBron James Over 6.5 assists

Celtics vs Lakers odds

• Spread: Boston -2 (-110) | Los Angeles +2 (-110)
• Moneyline: Boston -130 | Los Angeles +110
• Over/Under: Over 228 (-110) | Under 228 (-110)

Celtics vs Lakers betting trend to know

The Lakers have hit the 2Q Over in 25 of their last 35 games at home (+13.65 Units / 34% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Celtics vs. Lakers.

How to watch Celtics vs Lakers

Celtics vs Lakers latest injuries

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BYU basketball star freshman AJ Dybantsa wants you to know he's got no issues staying on the court.

There's been a lot of discussion about playing time and availability when it comes to Darryn Peterson, the presumed No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA draft.

The Kansas freshman has missed 11 games and has pulled himself out of games in the second half on occasion, causing many to question his perch as college basketball's top prospect.

NCAA tournament top 16 seeds: A rough day just hours after reveal

March Madness power rankings: Ranking top 16 teams based on odds

Dybantsa, a rival for that No. 1 spot in the draft, offers no such concerns.

The Cougars star led No. 22 BYU to a 79-69 upset win over No. 6 Iowa State on Saturday, Feb. 21, finishing with 29 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists — and maybe more importantly, 40 minutes.

"If they need me to play 40 minutes, I’ll play 40 minutes," Dybantsa said postgame Saturday.

Dybantsa has averaged 40.5 minutes over his past four games (includes an overtime win over Colorado).

Peterson is averaging 27.2 minutes per game.

Dybantsa is averaging 24.9 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game for the Cougars (20-7, 8-6), while Peterson leads the Jayhawks with 19.8 ppg.

They are the headliners of a super-talented freshman class that should dominate the summer's draft. It will be interesting to see how much NBA scouts value availability and whether Peterson can calm any fears teams may have.

AJ Dybantsa highlights vs Iowa State

AJ Dybantsa's last 6 games

The potential No. 1 pick just went off against No. 6 Iowa State

29 PTS | 10 REB | 9 AST
35 PTS | 13-28 FG | 7 REB
20 PTS | 13 REB | 8 AST
36 PTS | 14-20 FG | 7 AST | 5 REB
28 PTS | 9-14 FG | 5 REB | 4 AST
36 PTS | 13-20 FG | 7 REB | 4 AST pic.twitter.com/9u7u9vVyVz

— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) February 22, 2026

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Darryn Peterson may worry about his minutes. AJ Dybantsa will play 40.

Houston’s effective offense and solid board play allowed them to take a commanding early lead, going up to 18 points in the first three quarters.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Knicks were behind 91-75, but they totally turned the tide thanks to defense and clutch shots, pulling off one of their largest comebacks of the year. After Houston had a sizeable lead going into the fourth quarter, the Knicks began to run away with the game as Houston began to turn the ball over.

After being smothered for the first three quarters, Jalen Brunson made a midrange jump shot over Tari Eason to take the lead with 29 seconds remaining, tying the score at 103. In all honesty, Brunson really came alive in the fourth and had a tremendous final quarter. A jump shot that would have knotted the game was missed by Kevin Durant. Jabari Smith Jr. missed a contested 3-pointer after Houston grabbed the offensive rebound, causing the Rockets to intentionally foul.

Before Durant’s 3-pointer, Houston was behind by four points. Durant had another chance, a near half-court heave that missed, but the Knicks made one of their two free throws, sealing a heartbreaking 108-106 defeat.

Despite leading Houston with 30 points, Durant had a terrible fourth quarter, shooting only 2-for-7 and causing three of Houston’s nine turnovers.In the fourth quarter, the Rockets’ field goal percentage was 27.8%. After three quarters with 12 points on 2-for-8 shooting, Brunson finished with 20 points after making all four of his baskets in the last quarter. New York was led by Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 25 points. Alperen Şengün and Jabari Smith Jr. made significant contributions that helped Houston manage rebounds and transition offense.

Rockets will look to get back on track Monday as they return to Toyota Center to take on the Utah Jazz at 8:30. As always, make sure to check back here at the Dreamshake for pre- and postgame coverage.