NEW YORK (AP) — Jarace Walker had 23 points, Kam Jones secured the victory with a 3-pointer with 16 seconds remaining, and the short-handed Indiana Pacers beat the Brooklyn Nets 115-110 on Wednesday night.
Micah Potter had 19 and Ethan Thompson had 15 for the Pacers, who won for the second straight night after winning in overtime over the New York Knicks on Tuesday night to end a four-game losing streak.
Potter shot 6 of 8 from the field and 6 for 8 from the line. He scored 14 in the second half.
Nolan Traore had 20 points to lead the Nets, who had won two in a row. Day'Ron Sharpe had 19 points and 12 rebounds and Ziaire Williams also had 19.
The Pacers played without eight key players, including T.J. McConnell (right hamstring soreness); Andrew Nembhard (lower back injury management); Aaron Nesmith (lower back soreness); Pascal Siakam (left hamstring soreness); and Ivica Zubac (left ankle sprain).
Brooklyn jumped to a 31-18 lead after one quarter and led 64-53 at halftime. The Pacers put the game away in the fourth, outscoring the Nets 31-20 in the quarter.
The Nets turned the ball over 16 times, six more times than the Pacers.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 11: Jose Alvarado #5 of the New York Knicks smiles during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on February 11, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Two nights, two games, two different Knicks (35*-20) teams.
Last night, the Knicks fell in overtime to the lowly Indiana Pacers, dropping a game that should’ve been a gimme and playing the worst defense of their season. Tonight, they travelled to Philadelphia to battle the sixth-place 76ers (30-24). With vastly improved defense, domination in the frontcourt, a franchise-record 24 first-half assists, and a total eruption by the freshly minted Jose Alvarado, the outcome was completely flipped. New York burned the Xfinity Mobile Arena to the ground and won, 138-89.
As mentioned by chinaski1980, this was the “Largest point margin ever against the 76ers.” The win splits the season series. Weirdly, the road team won all four games, although the Knicks fans in attendance made this one sound almost like a home game.
The first quarter was like a beautiful dream. Our heroes displayed no fatigue from last night’s bummer against the Pacers, and Mikal Bridges led the way, contributing nine of the Knicks’ initial 16-4 run. He scored 13 in the quarter and 22 overall on 9-of-15.
Through the first 12 minutes, New York won the paint 20-12 (with Karl-Anthony Towns scoring seven of those), made seven of their first nine shots, and assisted on 11 of their 15 first-quarter field goals. Their lead peaked at 14 points, thanks to a tighter defense (steals for Bridges and Hart, a block for Towns) that forced four Philadelphia turnovers. Towns finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds in 26 minutes.
Off the bench, Mohamed Diawara (14 PTS, 4-8 3PT) swished a three, redeeming his dud performance last night. Then, with a minute left, Mitchell Robinson tried to drive a rebound to the hoop but was dropped by Trendon Watford. While Mitch lay on the floor, Watford stood over him. The newest Knick, Jose Alvarado, took exception, told Watford so, and tensions rose. Philly’s Nick Nurse entered the court, trying to break up the congregating players. The coach and Alvarado were assessed offsetting techs. Watching Jose—26 PTS, 8-13 3PT, 5 steals, four assists, three boards, and +35 in 19 minutes—I can’t help thinking what fun Thibs would have had with such a magnificent menace.
New York won the first quarter, 36-23, and the good vibes continued in the second. Diawara drilled again from deep. Alvarado hit back-to-back triples early in the second quarter, and then a third at the midway point. New York was on a 9-0 run, going up by 27. The stadium rocked with Let’s Go Knicks chants. Philly’s supporters tried to drown them out to no avail.
With Joel Embiid out, Nurse started Adem Bona at center. Neither Bona nor Andre Drummond (2 PTS, 4 RBS) could contain KAT and Mitch. Through the half, the former had 16 points, the latter had four blocks. For one delightful stretch, Coach Mike Brown played a lineup that included Jalen Brunson (8 PTS, 30 MIN), Alvarado, Towns, and Robinson. The height in the frontcourt compensated for the height in the backcourt.
Tyrese Maxey (32 PTS, 9-21 FG) tried to keep Philadelphia afloat, but his was mostly a solo performance. By halftime, New York was steamrolling the Cheesesteaks, 72-42.
The Knicks’ 24 assists set a franchise record for a half. They had outshot the home team 58% to 35% from the field and 50% to 13% (2-of-15) from deep, beat them in the paint (34-24), and won the glass (26-20). Bridges and Maxey led their teams with 19 points apiece.
Out of the intermission, the Knicks promptly pushed the lead to 33 points, then got sloppy, turning the ball over twice. Philly didn’t capitalize on New York’s mistakes, however. Maxey did his best but received scant assistance from VJ Edgecombe (14 PTS, 0-5 3PT) and Dominick Barlow (13 PTS), and no help from Kelly Oubre, Jr. (2 PTS, 0-6 FG, 30 MIN), Bona (6 PTS, 5 RBS), or their bench.
Maxey and Edgecombe trimmed the differential from 34 to 22 by the three-minute mark. Towards the end of the frame, Nurse resorted to hack-a-Mitch. The big fella went 5-of-8 from the line, so joke’s on you, jerk. Mitch finished with 11 points and six points to go with those four blocks.
With Alvarado adding another triple and Clarkson scoring seven points, New York regained a hefty lead by the break. 104-71 after three.
To start the fourth, Alvarado stroked another three-ball, then jumped a passing lane for his second steal, THEN hit another trey. And another. Pinch me, I’m in love—and so was the half of the crowd at Xfinity Mobile Arena that was chanting Jose! Jose! Jose!
The Knicks were up by 40, so Brown thought it safe to field an assortment of Alvarado, Tyler Kolek, Diawara (who hit another longball), Kevin McCullar, Jr., and Ariel Hukporti. Sweet lord, Alvarado had back-to-back steals, then hit a career-tying eighth three-pointer. After that, Brown decided Jose deserved a rest and subbed him out. Diawara and Kolek hit from deep, Hukporti dunked, and every Knick available scored. What a win to carry them into the break.
Up Next
Like an oasis in the NBA desert, the All-Star break awaits. Rest up, Knickerbockers.
TORONTO, CANADA - FEBRUARY 11: Paul Reed #7 of the Detroit Pistons drives to the basket during the game against the Toronto Raptors on February 11, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
When you have Paul Reed, anything is possible. When you have Paul Reed and a Cade Cunningham who is hitting his threes, the Detroit Pistons are nearly unstoppable. Add those ingredients to an absolutely locked-in, suffocating team defense, and Detroit is invincible. The Pistons had everything going in a 113-95 road win over the Raptors.
Detroit entered tonight without three of its top eight players, with its top two big men in Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart suspended and Ron Holland out for personal reasons. It did not matter. It just allowed Paul Reed to shine.
Reed went 7-of-7 from the floor in the first quarter for 15 points. He hit a three, he cut into the lane for dunks, he used fancy footwork to knife his way to the rim, and he blocked shots. He did it all. He finished the night with 22 points, five rebounds, four blocks, three steals, and three assists. It was a vintage B-Ball Paul performance.
He wasn’t the only player to shine for the Pistons, though. Cade Cunnigham looked like he wanted to show the world why he was one of the leading vote-getters for the All-Star team with an absolutely dominant performance. He scored 28 points, hit four threes, added nine assists, and seven rebounds. He also played zero minutes in the fourth quarter because the Pistons had the game well in hand.
Detroit built up a 14-point lead in the second quarter, and aside from a couple quick spurts from Toronto that it was able to respond to, that is where the game hovered for the majority. Detroit’s team defense was absolutely on point tonight, and only got stronger as the night went along. The Pistons held Toronto to 43 second-half points en route to ballooning its lead to as high as 23 before letting the reserves get plenty of garbage-time action.
Tobias Harris added a 12-point, 12-rebound double-double as the veteran took on more of the rebounding load in the absence of his two big men. Things were going so well for the Pistons that Kevin Huerter even hit a 3-pointer for his new team. It was his first with the club. Hopefully it was the first of many to come.
The Raptors were able to stay competitive early with some hot 3-point shooting, but eventually cooled off and faded away. They finished 10-of-32 from deep on the night. They were led by 18 points from Immanuel Quickley and 17 points from Scottie Barnes.
The Pistons enter the All-Star break 40-13 and are tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the fewest losses in the NBA. When the final buzzer sounded they had a six-game lead in the East and prepare for a fun All-Star weekend that will feature both Cunningham and Duren.
It’s been a hell of a season so far, and this doesn’t strike me as a team that is going to let up anytime soon.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jose Alvarado scored a season-high 26 points and Mikal Bridges added 22 points as the New York Knicks beat the Philadelphia 76ers 138-89 Wednesday night.
The Knicks bounced back from an overtime home lost to the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night for their 10th win in 12 games. Two of those victories have come against the Sixers. The teams split their four-game season series.
Alvarado, acquired last week from New Orleans, shot 8 for 13 from 3-point range and finished with five steals.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points and 11 rebounds. Mohamed Diawara scored 14 points. Jalen Brunson, who scored 40 points against the Pacers, scored eight on Tuesday.
Tyrese Maxey led the way with 32 points in three quarters for the 76ers, who played without center Joel Embiid, who sat due to right knee soreness. VJ Edgecombe added 14 points, and Dominick Barlow scored 13.
The 76ers, who lost their second straight and for the third time in four games, were held to a season-low point total, just their third game under 100 points this season.
The Knicks jumped out to a 16-4 lead thanks to nine points from Bridges. They led by 30 at the half. The Knicks shot 58% from the field in the first half, paced by 19 points from Bridges and 16 from Towns. They finished with a season-high 41 assists.
Embiid missed his second straight game. He hadn’t missed consecutive games since Dec. 19-20. Quentin Grimes missed a second straight game due to illness.
OG Anunoby missed this fourth straight game for the Knicks with a right toenail avulsion.
Up next
Knicks: Host the Detroit Piston on Thursday, Feb. 19.
76ers: Host the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday, Feb. 19.
Feb 11, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) stands on the court in the fourth quarter against the Washington Wizards at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers have won five straight after knocking down the Washington Wizards 138-113.
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Donovan Mitchell
30 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals
The Cavs can thank Mitchell for dragging them through the early stretch of the season. Now? All systems are cleared for takeoff as Cleveland has one of the best players in the league, with the best record since late December, and one of the easiest remaining schedules.
Grade: A+
James Harden
13 points, 11 assists, 4 rebounds
Harden looks like he’s playing in a sandbox. With a dominant pick-and-roll partner and three-point shooters galore around him, we’ve seen Harden dish the ball at an elite level over his last three games. Tonight was no different.
He might have only taken four shot attempts, but he managed to get himself to the line for 12 free throws.
Grade: A–
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That’s the only way to describe the last week Allen has played. Another 25 points and 9 rebounds feels too easy, at this point.
Grade: A+
Jaylon Tyson
7 points, 1 assist, 5 rebounds
Tyson didn’t have his shot falling tonight. That’s no big deal; the Cavs didn’t need him to score. He finished as a plus-19 despite shooting 2-6 from the floor.
Ellis will quickly earn rotation minutes if he plays like this. Quality off-ball movement, disruptive defense, and efficient shooting. These are all the makings of a fine role player.
Grade: A-
Nae’Qwan Tomlin
8 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals
Is it too late to enter Qwan into the dunk contest?
At one point in this game, Tomlin picked someone’s pockets and then threw down a viscious windmill dunk. It’s the type of stuff that’s become common for this newly minted NBA wing.
Grade: B+
Dennis Schroder
7 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds
Schroder struggled from the floor but made up for it by getting to the free-throw line and going 5-5.
Grade: C+
Sam Merrill
32 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block
Whew, this was a heat check if I’ve ever seen one.
Merrill shot 7-for-7 from deep in the first half, lighting up the Wizards for 26 points without even missing a shot. He finished the game with a career-high 32 points and only missed one field goal. Sammy, this was something special.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Chazadi Wright scored 21 points, Hannah Stuelke posted her seventh double-double this season, and 15th-ranked Iowa beat No. 25 Washington 65-56 on Wednesday night to end a three-game losing streak.
Wright finished 5 of 8 from 3-point range and distributed a team-high four assists. Stuelke scored 14 points and grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds, and Ava Heiden added 11 points for Iowa (19-5, 10-3 Big Ten).
Elle Ladine scored 19 points on 9-of-16 shooting, Sayvia Sellers added 14 points and Avery Howell grabbed 10 rebounds for the Huskies (18-7, 8-6).
Both teams shot 46% from the field, with each shooting 25 of 54.
Sellers made two foul shots to bring Washington within 51-47 less than a minute into the fourth quarter. But Wright followed with a four-point play for a 55-47 advantage and the Hawkeyes maintained a safe margin from there.
Iowa outscored the Huskies 17-5 in the second quarter as Washington was 2-of-9 shooting without a trip to the foul line.
Feb 11, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) reacts in front of Washington Wizards head coach Brian Keefe after making a three-point basket in the fourth quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers took down the Washington Wizards 138-113. This is Cleveland’s fifth consecutive win. They have turned their season around and are rolling into the All-Star break with style.
Sam Merrill stole the show in this one. He erupted for 26 points in the first half while shooting 7-of-7 from deep and 9-for-9 from the floor. He’s tied for the most consecutive three-point makes in the opening half of a game since at least 2002-03.
Merrill's 7-7 mark from three is tied for the most 3FGM without a miss by any @NBA player in an opening half since at least 2002-03. He is the 1st @cavs player to accomplish the feat in that span. https://t.co/pq98aVQzXB
Merrill finished with a career-high 32 points and 9 three-pointers. He put on a masterclass in moving without the ball and scoring with efficiency. There aren’t many things more entertaining than watching a sharpshooter like Merrill catch fire.
Donovan Mitchell was pretty good, too. He scored 30 points for the 28th time this season and 99th time as a member of the Cavaliers. This has been the best season of Mitchell’s career as he’s kept this team afloat at their worst and pushed them into title contention at their best. It’s no surprise that Mitchell will be representing the Cavs as an All-Star this weekend.
Other Cavaliers that deserve a shout-out include Nae’Qwan Tomlin, who recorded a handful of impressive steals and threw down a windmill slam. And James Harden, whose behind-the-back pocket pass is one of the nastiest things I’ve seen all season.
Jarrett Allen had 21 points and 9 rebounds, falling just short of his fifth consecutive double-double. Allen has been on a tear recently, and he didn’t even miss a shot tonight (8-8 from the floor).
This wasn’t just a dominant game against a lottery-dwelling team like the Wizards. It was another strong performance in a string of big games that has put the Cavaliers back into the NBA’s upper echelon. They are quickly climbing up the standings and will have a full week off to get healthy following the All-Star Break.
TWIN LAKES, Iowa (AP) — A community college bus carrying the school’s baseball team crashed and overturned in a ditch in rural Iowa on Wednesday, authorities and media reports said, killing one person and injuring all the other 32 occupants.
The 11 a.m. crash involved the Iowa Lakes Community College bus and no other vehicles, the Iowa State Patrol said in a statement. It occurred on a highway near Twin Lakes, about 110 miles (180 kilometers) northwest of Des Moines.
Three people were airlifted to trauma hospitals in Des Moines, said Bruce Musgrave, director of Calhoun County emergency services, and others were taken by ambulance to four hospitals in the area.
KTIV reported that the college’s baseball team was on board.
OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Latrell Wrightsell Jr. tied his career high with seven 3-pointers and finished with 21 points, Labaron Philon scored 18, and Alabama overcame a cold-shooting start to beat Mississippi 93-74 on Wednesday night and extended the Rebels' losing streak to six games.
Charles Bediako did not play for the Crimson Tide after his motion for a preliminary injunction was denied in circuit court. The 7-foot center played two years at Alabama before he went undrafted in 2023 and appeared in 37 games across three seasons in the NBA G League.
Aiden Sherrell scored 15 points and Amari Allen had 13 points, eight rebounds and six assists for Alabama (17-7, 7-4 SEC). Aden Holloway added 12 points and six assists.
AJ Storr led Ole Miss (11-13, 3-8) with 27 points on 10-of-17 shooting. Eduardo Klafke had 12 points and a career-high nine rebounds. Klafke, a 6-foot-5 sophomore guard, scored 10 points or more for the third consecutive game and the fourth of his career.
Sherrell scored the first seven points while Wrightsell, Allen and Holloway each hit a 3 in a 19-6 run that gave Alabama a 51-38 lead with 13:38 left in the game, and it was at least a two-possession game the rest of the way.
Storr scored 13 points — including the Rebels' first 11 — in a 15-5 run that gave them a nine-point lead with 9:10 left in the first half. Alabama scored 11 of the next 13 before Allen and Philon made back-to-back 3-pointers and Holloway added a layup to give the Crimson Tide a 32-30 lead in the intermission — their lowest-scoring first half this season. Ole Miss went 0 for 10 from the field over a span of about 6 1/2 minutes in the first half.
The Crimson Tide shot 53% from the field, made 12 of their 22 3-pointers and scored 61 points in second half.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The San Antonio Spurs waived forward Jeremy Sochan after being unable to find a trade partner before last week's deadline.
The Spurs announced the move to cut ties with Sochan on Thursday before playing the Golden State Warriors in their final game before the All-Star break.
Sochan was drafted ninth overall in 2022 by San Antonio. Sochan averaged double digits in each of his first three seasons, but averaged just 4.1 points in 28 games this season. Sochan was playing only 12.8 minutes per game — less than half of his playing time for his first three seasons — and hadn't started once after starting 149 of his 184 games before this season.
Coach Mitch Johnson praised Sochan's energy and wished him the best.
“We were all very aware of his desire to be in the rotation, given more of an opportunity than he had, especially recently,” Johnson said. "We wanted to do right by him and make sure that he had that opportunity before the year was over.”
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Riley Makalusky scored 20 points in 20 minutes off the bench, Kierra Wheeler scored 18 points, and No. 19 West Virginia blew out UCF 106-56 on Wednesday night for the Mountaineers' fourth straight win.
Makalusky, a junior forward, had her highest scoring game since she was a freshman playing for Butler. She made 7 of 10 shots overall, 3 of 4 3-pointers and went 3 for 3 at the free-throw line.
Sydney Woodley scored 16 points off the bench, Jordan Harrison and Gia Cooke 12 each and Sydney Shaw 10. Wheeler and Shaw grabbed nine rebounds each. Harrison, who had at least 14 points and five steals in her past four games, had four steals and eight assists.
West Virginia had a 41-0 advantage in points after turnovers. The Mountaineers had only seven turnovers to 23 for UCF.
West Virginia (21-5, 11-3 Big 12) led 13-4 after 5 1/2 minutes of play, then extended the lead to 24-6 thanks to an 11-0 run. The Mountaineers led 24-8 after one quarter and the lead reached 25 points after back-to-back 3-pointers by Makalusky, who scored 12 points in the first half. West Virginia led 45-22 at halftime.
The Mountaineers shot 68% (13 for 19) in the third quarter and scored 31 points for their biggest scoring quarter of the game. They led 76-38 heading to the fourth quarter and scored another 30 points.
Mahogany Chandler-Roberts scored 12 points to lead the Knights (10-14, 2-11).
Central Florida has lost six in a row.
Up next
West Virginia: The Mountaineers hit the road to face No. 17 TCU on Sunday.
UCF: The Knights return home to play No. 12 Baylor on Sunday. ___
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Bruce Thornton scored 21 points and hit two late throws to help Ohio State secure an 89-82 win over USC on Wednesday.
Ohio State (16-6, 8-6 Big Ten) trailed 43-40 at halftime after opening 2 of 13 at the free-throw line, but Thornton steadied the Buckeyes in the second half. He became the fifth player in program history to reach 1,935 career points and moved into fifth all-time in Ohio State scoring.
The Buckeyes grabbed their largest lead at 67-60 with eight minutes left after a Devin Royal layup and a John Mobley Jr. 3-pointer. USC (18-7, 7-7) answered with a 7-0 run capped by a Jordan Marsh 3 to cut it to 70-69, but Christoph Tilly scored inside, and Royal added a jumper to push the margin back to five.
Alijah Arenas hit a 3-pointer with 1:09 remaining to pull USC within 82-81, but Thornton responded with a driving layup and converted the free throw to make it 85-81. USC missed two shots in the final 30 seconds, and Thornton closed it out at the line.
Royal scored 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Ohio State, and Mobley added 13. Thornton reached double figures for the 23rd time this season.
Arenas scored 25 points for USC, Kam Woods added 14 and Ezra Ausar finished with 13 points and nine rebounds before fouling out. The Trojans have played eight consecutive games decided by seven points or fewer.
Tuesday night, in a blowout Spurs win over the Lakers, where essentially the entire second half was garbage time, Jeremy Sochan still never touched the court for San Antonio.
This is not a big surprise. San Antonio held on to him through the trade deadline, but gave his representatives the chance to find a trade for the former No. 9 pick, reported Marc Stein of The Stein Line. Sochan is making $7.1 million this season on an expiring contract and would have been a restricted free agent this coming summer if a team acquired him and picked up his qualifying offer. However, teams interested in him (the Knicks were mentioned) knew they could sign Sochan to a minimum contract off the buyout market and decided to wait rather than trade for him.
Sochan was part of the Spurs rotation alongside Victor Wembanyama for a couple of years. However, as the team added depth — Harrison Barnes, Carter Bryant, Julian Champagnie, Kelly Olynyk, Dylan Harper — Sochan was squeezed out of coach Mitch Johnson's rotation. Sochan is a solid defender, but he never developed the ball-handling or shooting the Spurs had hoped for (25.7% from 3-point range this season).
Once he clears waivers (no team is picking up his current salary), some team will likely take a chance on the athletic forward and see if he can fit in its system.
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Andre Mills scored 24 points, David Coit added 19 off the bench and Maryland beat Iowa 77-70 on Wednesday night to snap the Hawkeyes' six-game win streak.
Mills scored 10 straight Maryland points to take a 57-56 lead with 8:03 remaining and then Coit scored the next five points overall for a six-point advantage.
Bennett Stirtz twice got Iowa within three points in the final 20 seconds, but Elijah Saunders made four straight free throws and Coit added two more to seal it.
Maryland won despite going 19 of 28 from the free-throw line and committing 14 turnovers. Iowa could not take advantage due to missing 10 straight 3-pointers over the final 10 minutes of the game.
Saunders finished with 12 points and eight rebounds for Maryland (10-14, 3-10 Big Ten). Darius Adams added 11 points and Solomon Washington had 10 points and eight rebounds to help the Terrapins hold a 34-25 advantage on the glass.
Stirtz finished with 32 points, six assists and no turnovers for Iowa (18-6, 8-5). He was 13 of 21 from the field, including 4 of 10 behind the arc, to reach 30-plus points for the third time in four games. Tavion Banks had 13 points and eight rebounds.
Brendan Hausen made a 3-pointer with 11:42 remaining in the game to give Iowa the lead, 48-47, for the first time since there was 4:36 left before halftime.
On Dec. 6, Iowa eased to an 83-64 victory over Maryland for coach Ben McCollum’s first Big Ten victory.
Up next
Iowa: Returns home to face No. 13 Purdue on Saturday.
Maryland: Goes on the road to play Rutgers on Sunday.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - FEBRUARY 11: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers warms up prior to a game against the Washington Wizards at Rocket Arena on February 11, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
CLEVELAND — Trading for James Harden two-thirds of the way through the season presents some challenges for Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson.
Harden has had success playing an isolation-heavy style where he knows where everyone is on the court. Atkinson has been known for a heavy ball and player movement offense. Those opposites can’t co-exist, at least not in how they’ve looked in previous itterations.
After Harden’s debut, Atkinson said that “players win, not systems.” By the looks of it, Harden’s style will win out for at least this season and rightfully so. The Cavs are already taking steps to make sure that they put him in the best position to succeed.
“I’ve looked at all the Houston stuff, and looked at Clippers stuff, looked at Sixers stuff,” Atkinson said, “I think that’s part of your job as a coach is to see what’s worked. Heck, we ran two ATOs (after timeout plays) the other night I stole from [Mike] D’Antoni. Houston stuff. Nothing particularly new or innovative. But it’s, how do we get an advantage for him type stuff?”
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Atkinson admitted that he talked with D’Antoni about Harden after the trade went down. Atkinson served as an assistant under D’Antoni when they were both with the New York Knicks.
It’s important to remember that D’Antoni was the architect of the seven seconds or less Phoenix Suns. They were a high octane, revolutionary offense that was built on playing fast and having ample ball and player movement. It’s not too dissimilar to the systems that Atkinson has run as a head coach.
But D’Antoni didn’t try to force Harden into that system in Houston. Instead, he created an environment for Harden to thrive in, because he knew that particular systems don’t matter if it’s not what fits your players.
So far, Atkinson is doing his part to make sure the Cavs fit around Harden and not the necessarily the other way around. When you have a player as good as Harden who can make his teammates better — especially the bigs — it would be foolish to not take advantage of that.
“We’d be dumb not to,” Atkinson said about borrowing stuff from Harden’s previous stops. “I’m looking forward to over the All-Star break to dive in deeper on how we can use him even better.”
