The Los Angeles Lakers honored former coach Pat Riley during a ceremony outside Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, Feb. 22. The ceremony concluded with the unveiling of a bronze statue of the legendary coach’s likeness.
It’s the 15th statue put up outside the arena, joining a list of notable figures from Lakers history, including Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Riley’s statue is nearly eight feet tall and weighs 510 pounds and is located between the statues of Abdul-Jabbar and Johnson, his two star players on the "Showtime" Lakers of the 1980s.
Riley did not have head coaching experience when he was promoted to head coach of the Lakers during the 1981-82 season. But Riley became the perfect fit for the Lakers during the 1980s and the "Showtime" Lakers went to seven NBA Finals under Riley, winning four championships (1982, 1985, 1987, 1988).
“This right here is off the charts of being honored,” Riley told CBS Los Angeles.”I am just so privileged to have this here.”
Riley spent 24 years as a head coach and compiled 1,381 regular-season and playoff victories, which ranks fifth in NBA history. He has a regular season record of 1,210-694 (.636 winning percentage). In addition to his four championships with the Lakers, Riley won another title with the Miami Heat in 2006 and has added two more rings as an executive.
Is Pat Riley in the Basketball Hall of Fame?
Riley was enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008.
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 22: The Los Angeles Lakers honor Pat Riley with the the unveiling of his statue before the game against the Boston Celtics on February 22, 2026 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
From the moment JJ Redick was hired as the Lakers’ head coach, he was compared to Pat Riley.
While some of it was just overzealousness and an attempt to hype the new man in charge, Redick does share some similarities with Riley.
For starters, both were former players who transitioned from the court to the media and then became Lakers head coaches with zero experience in that role.
Both also use a ton of hair products to keep their hair styled and, in their first season in charge, they each won 50 games.
Still, Riley thinks the world of Redick and spoke highly of him during his press conference following the ceremony.
“I love JJ,” Riley said. “I really do. We competed against him. My teams competed against him in various teams that he played with. He’s a fiery guy. He can shoot the hell out of the ball. He was tough as nails. Sometimes I look back and I remember myself at that time and I look at JJ and I think they picked the right person.
“There’s just a quality about him, I think, that goes above and beyond. And they have a hell of a team for him right here, right now, with [Luka] Dončić and [Austin] Reaves, and, obviously, with LeBron [James]. I think Rob [Pelinka] will continue, along with the new ownership, to build that team, to complement those players. But they have a great opportunity and I think JJ will be a great coach for them.”
That’s high praise from Riley, and similarly, Redick has nothing but great things to say about him.
“I grew up watching ‘90s basketball and those Knicks and Heat teams and just how physical and tough-minded they were,” Redick said before LA took on the Clippers on Friday. “Then, obviously, played against Riles in Orlando when he was still coaching. Just the – the culture word is overused – but just a sustainable level of consistency that Miami has had since he’s been there
“What he was able to do as a head coach for the Lakers, I think it’s the North Star for any coach to be in one place for basically close to a decade and win a bunch of championships. That’s all we can ask for.”
Redick has a lot of work left to do to reach Riley’s level of infamy. But the respect is there, as is the love, and it’s great to see the current Lakers coach receiving so much adoration from one of the best to ever do it.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - FEBRUARY 22: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks to pass the ball during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on February 22, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers fought hard to erase an early 23-point deficit, but they weren’t able to keep up with the Oklahoma City Thunder’s hot outside shooting. The Thunder prevailed 121-113.
The starting lineup doesn’t work in every context; this is one of them. Lu Dort and Cason Wallace‘s size and strength made it difficult for Donovan Mitchell and James Harden to attack off the dribble. The rest of the starters weren’t able to do much as Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen are all play finishers and not play creators. This hurt the Cavs and was part of the reason why they turned it over seven times before the first subs entered the game.
I’m in favor of Wade starting in most situations. His defense and rebounding add a different dimension for this team. However, there are some matchups where Cleveland would be better served starting someone like Jaylon Tyson or Sam Merrill. This is one of them.
The Cavs lost the five minutes the starters shared the floor by 14. They won the other 43 minutes by six.
You don’t want to over-index one game, but outings like this are why it’s fair to wonder if Wade can be a difference maker in the playoffs.
As mentioned, this wasn’t a great matchup to use Wade as a starter. There wasn’t a player that they specifically needed him to defend. When he doesn’t have that, his utility goes down, which only highlights how he can be a limited offensive player.
The Cavs needed players who could shoot or provide some level of ball handling. Wade was hesitant to pull the trigger and isn’t an on-ball creator. He had just one field-goal attempt in 18 minutes despite the defense being more than okay to cheat off him. You’re completely handicapping your offense if neither he nor his teammates trusts him to be an active part of the offense.
The Cavs wouldn’t start Wade if they played the Thunder in a seven-game series. They’d just use him off the bench as a backup. So, again, you don’t want to make too much of this one game. But there are other matchups, like against the Detroit Pistons, where the Cavs need Wade to guard the opponent’s best player. Wade can only be placed in a spot to do so if he provides something offensively.
The Cavs need to find alternative ways to get Allen involved. After spending the last few weeks talking about how they need to get him the ball early, he took just one shot in the first quarter. As has been the pattern, this carried over for the entire game as Allen had just six field goal attempts in over 28 minutes.
The Thunder deserve some credit for this. They did a great job of collapsing passing lanes and sending help whenever Allen did get the ball. Cleveland’s poor outside shooting allowed them to gamble as much as they did. That said, the Cavs’ offense didn’t really have a way to get him the ball besides just trying to force-feed him in the pick-and-roll.
Teams know that Allen is the key to getting their offense involved, especially after the addition of Harden. Allen’s rim pressure opens the floor up for the guards and for shooters on the perimeter. But if it gets shut down, things can become stagnant like it did in Oklahoma City.
Not every team has the ability to stop Allen with a drop big as good as Isaiah Hartenstein and the perimeter defender the Thunder have. It’s not like it’s the most replicable strategy. At the same time, a team like the Pistons — who the Cavs could face in the playoffs — can do something similar with their defensive personnel.
Allen needs to be a bigger factor than he was. There’s just not many situations where the Cavs are going to beat an elite opponent if he’s held to just six shot attempts.
Keon Ellis continues to impress with his defensive effort. He finished with two steals and was once again incredibly disruptive.
There aren’t many players of his size who can alter defensive possessions as he does. Plays like the one below are an example of that.
Ellis rotates like he’s going to contest Chet Holmgren’s drive. Holmgren assumes that Ellis is going back to the wing, but instead, he comes down and forces Holmgren out of his shot. It’s not often a 6’4” guard forces a 7’1” center out of a jumper.
It’s difficult to keep someone this impactful defensively off the court.
There’s room for more Merrill and Harden two-man screening actions.
Merrill is a good screener and had his shot working on Sunday as he went 6-10 from three. Only one of those six triples was assisted by Harden, but the ease with which the shot was created makes you wonder why they don’t use it more often.
Here, a simple ghost screen from Merrill creates a wide-open look due to how much attention Harden draws to the ball. It helps that Harden can make behind-the-back passes with ease.
These two have shown a natural chemistry in their first six games together. They should lean into that much more than they currently are. This has the potential to be as lethal a combination as Harden and Allen.
The spacing principles with Harden need work.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson is trying to find ways to keep elements of his movement offense while working in the isolation sets that Harden is comfortable with. In the previous five games, the Cavs were able to make that work. They weren’t on Sunday as Harden turned it over five times, with a few coming because the spacing just isn’t where it needs to be.
We talked about the starters not providing much spacing. This is an example of that. Four defenders are in the paint along with three Cavaliers when Harden committed the offensive foul.
And here, Dennis Schroder is stuck trying to relocate to the corner in the middle of Harden’s drive, which disrupts the spacing, leading to the turnover.
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The Thunder are a tough matchup for Cleveland’s backcourt. There aren’t many teams that have more disruptive guard defenders than Dort and Wallace. They don’t give up many 30+ point games from an opposing guard. That means that the rest of the offense needs to be in sync, and they weren’t.
As was seen here, the Cavs’ offense has the potential to be good — and they were for stretches on Sunday — but they certainly aren’t fine-tuned yet. The spacing wasn’t great, they couldn’t find a way to get Allen involved, it’s fair to wonder where Mobley fits into the Harden offense, and the rotations are a work in progress. Games like this are going to expose those issues.
The Cavs are very much a work in progress. The talent is there, but they don’t know who they are and how they want to play enough to quite be on the Thunder’s level. In many ways, they’re trying to build the plane in the air.
Nothing from this game makes me think that the Cavs can’t reach that level. Even though the Thunder were without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, they shot uncharacteristically well from three. Making more than half of your outside shots is going to make any team incredibly tough to beat. The Cavs also didn’t do themselves any favors with the turnovers and poor shooting, yet they still had chances to win this one.
Even though they failed this test, going through struggles like this is necessary. The Cavs aren’t far off. The question is whether they have enough time to actually put all the pieces together.
PORTLAND, OREGON - FEBRUARY 03: Toumani Camara #33 of the Portland Trail Blazers lays up a shot defended by Royce O'Neale #00 of the Phoenix Suns during the first half at Moda Center on February 03, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. 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 Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Nick Boyd scored 27 points and Nolan Winter added 18 as No. 24 Wisconsin pulled away late for an 84-71 victory over Iowa on Sunday.
Bennett Stirtz’s layup trimmed Iowa’s deficit to 68-65, but Austin Rapp hit a pair of 3-pointers to fuel a 10-point Wisconsin run. Boyd’s layup put the Badgers ahead 78-65 with just under four minutes remaining.
John Blackwell hit four free throws after a deadball technical foul to extend the lead to 82-69 with 1:02 left.
Rapp scored 14 points and Blackwell had 13 for Wisconsin (19-8, 11-5 Big Ten), which bounced back from an 86-69 loss at Ohio State.
Stirtz had 23 points for Iowa (19-8, 9-7), which was coming off a 57-52 win at home over No. 9 Nebraska. Alvaro Folgueiras and Tate Sage scored 11 apiece.
Wisconsin shot 53.8%, including 10 of 24 beyond the arc. The Badgers hit 18 of 20 free throws, including 14 of 15 in the second half. Boyd shot 9 of 16 and Winter 8 of 11.
NO. 15 MICHIGAN STATE 66, OHIO STATE 60
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Carson Cooper scored a career-high 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead No. 15 Michigan State to a win over Ohio State.
Jeremy Fears added 11 points and eight assists for the Spartans (22-5, 12-4 Big Ten), who have won three of four, moving into a third-place tie in the Big Ten with No. 9 Nebraska and No. 7 Purdue.
The Buckeyes (17-10, 9-7) fell to 0-9 against Quadrant 1 teams, a statistic that may hurt their chances of earning an NCAA Tournament bid next month.
Ohio State had an opportunity to earn an impressive win, playing without the ill Devin Royal and injured John Mobley and missing the 29 points per game that they average.
Bruce Thornton tried to make up for it, scoring 32 points, but didn’t get much help from a teammate other than Christoph Tilly, who scored 10 points and missed only one shot.
The Sacramento Kings are looking to fill their roster after losing players to injury in the last few weeks.
Sacramento reportedly agreed to sign guard Killian Hayes to a 10-day contract deal, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania and Hoops Hype’s Michael Scotto.
Hayes most recently appeared in nine games for the Cleveland Charge, the G-League affiliate of the Cleveland Cavaliers. He averaged 22.4 points and 8.5 assists in nine games.
His last NBA appearance was during the 2024-25 season with the Brooklyn Nets, where Hayes averaged nine points in 27 minutes. He appeared in six games.
Who is Killian Hayes?
Hayes, 25, was drafted with the seventh overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft to the Detroit Pistons.
Hayes spent four seasons with the Pistons. His best season arguably came during the 2022-23 campaign when he posted career-highs in games played (76), points per game (10.3), assists (6.2), and steals (1.4).
Kings add more depth
Sacramento wasn’t done after the Hayes 10-day signing.
The team adds more depth to their roster following their announcement that recently acquired forward Deandre Hunter is ruled out for the season with ongoing left eye iritis, an injury that required surgery.
“Hunter was diagnosed with a retinal detachment in his left eye. This afternoon, Hunter underwent successful surgery to repair the injury,” the team said in a Feb. 20 news release. “Hunter is expected to make a full recovery and an update will be provided in approximately eight weeks.”
With the news of Hunter, who joined Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine to be ruled out for the final months of the season, they decided to add more depth.
The Kings signed Patrick Baldwin Jr. to a two-way contract deal.
Baldwin, 23, most recently played for the San Diego Clippers, G-League affiliate of Los Angeles.
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Olivia Miles scored 15 of her 26 points in the final 5:21 and finished with her fifth triple-double this season, rallying No. 12 TCU to an 80-73 victory over Iowa State on Sunday and extending the Horned Frogs' winning streak at home to 41.
TCU trailed 66-53 with 7:35 remaining before Miles took over to ensure the Horned Frogs (25-4, 13-3) tied Texas for the longest current home streak, while staying atop the Big 12 Conference with their fourth straight win.
Miles, who played at Notre Dame from 2020-2025, scored six straight points to ignite a 16-4 run capped by Taylor Bigby’s 3-pointer and TCU trailed 70-69 with 2:54 left.
Miles extended the run with a go-ahead jumper, two free throws and another jumper over the next two minutes for a five-point lead. She made 3 of 4 foul shots in the final 48 seconds as TCU outscored Iowa State 31-15 in the final quarter.
Miles missed 12 of her first 14 shots before making 6 of 7 in the fourth. She added 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Martz Suarez posted a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Clara Silva scored 11.
Audi Crooks had 22 points, six rebounds and four assists before fouling out for the Cyclones (21-7, 9-7). Jada Williams scored 15 on 6-for-23 shooting, adding 11 assists. Addy Brown chipped in with 11 points and seven rebounds.
Crooks had eight points and Iowa State led by as many as 10 in the first quarter before settling for a 24-16 advantage. Miles and Suarez both scored five in the second period to help TCU cut it to 40-34 at halftime.
Crooks had two layups in the final 1:28 of the third quarter and Iowa took a 58-49 lead into the fourth.
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Raegan Beers, who averages a double-double, had 18 points and 18 rebounds in No. 11 Oklahoma's foul-filled 100-93 win over No. 21 Tennessee on Sunday.
Sahara Williams had 22 points and Aaliyah Chavez scored 19 points for the Sooners (21-6, 9-5 SEC). Payton Verhulst scored 17 points and Zya Vann added 15 as Oklahoma's starters all scored in double figures and totaled 93 points.
There were 53 fouls and 79 free-throw attempts. Oklahoma made 36 of 46 free throws and Tennessee made 23 of 33. Oklahoma made more free throws than baskets (30).
Tennessee's Jaida Civil opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer that cut Oklahoma's lead to 71-67. A few minutes later the Lady Vols were within three points before Oklahoma tacked on four free throws at the beginning of an 8-2 run.
A layup by Williams gave Oklahoma an 86-77 lead with 4:14 remaining. The Sooners attempted only two more shots the rest of the game and they scored their last 14 points on free throws.
Talaysia Cooper scored 22 points, Civil 21 and Nya Robertson 18 for Tennessee (16-10, 8-6). Civil had 10 rebounds. The freshman played 33 minutes off the bench and collected her first double-double.
Tennessee led throughout the first quarter and it was 22-20 heading to the second period. An 8-0 run got the Sooners within 30-29 and a 3-pointer from Vann gave them their only lead of the first half, 47-45 at the break.
Up next
Tennessee: The Lady Vols wrap up the regular season at No. 7 LSU on Thursday and at home against No. 5 Vanderbilt on Sunday.
Oklahoma: The Sooners host Arkansas on Thursday and visit Missouri on Sunday.
Feb 22, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) drives to the basket beside Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) during the first half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Turnovers, an early deficit, and hot outside shooting from the Oklahoma City Thunder did the Cleveland Cavaliers in on Sunday afternoon. They lost their first game in February 121-113.
The Cavs coughed it up on 37% of their possessions in the first quarter (0th percentile), leading to 17 points off turnovers. This resulted in Cleveland being down by 23 midway through the first quarter and 15 at the end of one. You can’t come out of the gates that poorly against the defending champions and expect to win on the road, regardless of who’s in the lineup.
Cleveland turned it over just seven more times in the last three quarters, but still gave up 31 points off turnovers overall. The Cavs’ giveaways were costly. This is a Thunder team that has struggled to score in the half-court without their two best offensive players. That isn’t much of an issue if you’re able to generate that many points off turnovers.
Donovan Mitchell and James Harden combined for eight turnovers. There’s context behind why they turned it over this much — mainly the minutes with the starting lineup were bad — but they simply needed to be better. It’s difficult to win games if your two best offensive players aren’t protecting the ball like they need to.
Oklahoma City outscored Cleveland by 24 points from beyond the arc. The Thunder went a scorching 21-41 (51.2%, 96th percentile) from three. Meanwhile, the Cavs couldn’t get their outside shots to fall as they went 13-39 (33.3%, 35th percentile).
The Thunder hit as many two-point shots as they did from three, 21, and did so on a worse percentage, 46.7%.
Oklahoma City tied its third-best three-point percentage in a game and tied their fourth-most threes in a game this season. This was an exceptionally good shooting day from a team that has struggled from beyond the arc when they’re without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jaylin Williams, and Alex Caruso. On the season, OKC had shot just 34% (19th percentile) without all three on the court before Sunday.
Sam Merrill was the exception to the Cavs’ poor shooting, going 6-10 from three. He carried Cleveland’s lifeless offense for stretches. The Cavs played their best basketball of the day when he was on the court, as he led the team in plus/minus, being a +6.
Cavaliers outside of Merrill went just 7-29 from three (24.1%). It’s a make-or-miss league. The Cavs weren’t making their shots, this included Mitchell, who went 0-6 from beyond the arc.
The Cavs outscored the Thunder 56-40 in the paint. Cleveland finished 72.2% of their looks at the rim (65th percentile) and 52% of their attempts in the short midrange (75th percentile). Harden and Mitchell were a big reason why, as they went 13-17 (76.5%) inside the paint. Their ability to score inside kept them in the game.
Cleveland’s bench scored 47 points. Merrill (20 points) and Dennis Schroder (11 points) contributed to the Cavs’ reserves outscoring the Thunder’s 47-37.
Jarrett Allen took just one shot in the first quarter. The Cavs have talked a lot about why it’s important to get Allen involved early. They weren’t able to do so as he registered no first-quarter points.
The starting front court didn’t score until four and a half minutes into the second quarter. The Thunder’s two-big configuration of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein outplayed Evan Mobley and Allen. OKC’s starting duo combined for 30 points, 22 rebounds, and three blocks in 60 combined minutes. Cleveland’s duo had 26 points, 15 rebounds, and no blocks in their 54 minutes. The Cavs lost this matchup.
Going along with that, the Thunder outscored the Cavs 17-8 in second-chance points. The Thunder grabbed only one more offensive rebound. They made the absolute most of their opportunities, as they did with their points off turnovers.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Jaloni Cambridge scored 33 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter, and No. 10 Ohio State used a 15-0 run to rally for a 88-83 victory over Southern California on Sunday.
It was Cambridge's fifth 30-point game this season. The sophomore was 12 of 21 from the field and 8 of 9 from the line as the Buckeyes (23-5, 11-4) snapped a two-game losing streak.
Cambridge also had three steals and forced USC to commit a season-high 25 turnovers as the Trojans (17-10, 9-7 Big Ten) had their six-game winning streak come to a close.
USC's Jazzy Davidson scored a season-high 32 points, including six 3-pointers, before fouling out with 1.1 second left. The freshman also had six rebounds and four assists.
Ohio State's Chance Gray had 16 points and Kennedy Cambridge scored 14 points and four steals before fouling out with 4:06 remaining.
Kennedy Smith had 18 points and Dayana Mendes 13 for the Trojans.
There were 13 lead changes and six ties before Ohio State took control.
The Buckeyes trailed 65-61 early in the fourth quarter before going on their decisive run. Jaloni Cambridge had seven points as Ohio State was 5 of 7 from the field while USC committed four turnovers.
The Trojans missed their first seven shots in the fourth quarter and had an 8:17 drought from the field. They made a late surge to get within 86-83 on a 3-pointer by Mendes with 2 seconds remaining, but Cambridge made a pair of free throws after being fouled by Davidson to make it a two-possession game.
Ohio State was 23 of 28 from the foul line. The attempts were a season-high while the makes were one off from tying it.
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 24: LaMelo Ball #1 of the Charlotte Hornets drives to the basket while guarded by Justin Champagnie #9 of the Washington Wizards in the first half during their game at Spectrum Center on January 24, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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 Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Washington Wizards play the Charlotte Hornets at 6 p.m. tonight at Capital One Arena. Watch the game on Monumental Sports Network.
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Hannah Kohn hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 3.1 seconds left for her only points of the game as Clemson upset No. 9 Duke 53-51 on Sunday to snap the Blue Devils’ 17-game win streak.
Demeara Hinds finished with 13 points and Taylor Johnson-Matthews and Mia Moore each added 11 for the Tigers (19-9, 10-6 ACC), who added a huge resume-building victory before the NCAA Tournament.
Toby Fournier had 18 points and seven rebounds for Duke (20-7, 15-1 ACC) which lost its first conference game of the season. Fournier, an ACC player of the year candidate, was held in check for most of the second half after scoring 14 before the break.
The Blue Devils, who last lost on Dec. 4 to then-No. 7 LSU, appeared in control entering the fourth quarter, but Clemson stepped up its defense.
The Tigers took the lead at 44-43 with 3:24 left when Moore drove the lane and drew a foul for a 3-point play. Johnson-Matthews then drilled a 3 to give the Tigers their biggest lead of the game at 4.
Duke would battle back though and Riley Nelson hit a corner 3 to give the Blue Devils the lead with 9.3 seconds left.
But Kohn, who had missed her previous four shots of the game, got free and hit the 3 as Clemson made four of its final five shots from the field.
The Blue Devils were unable to get a final shot off after an inbounds pass was knocked away.
Duke got 10 points and two blocks from Fournier in the first quarter and used a 17-2 run to to build a 20-8 lead before the Tigers began to battle back.
Feb 22, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) dribbles down the court as Oklahoma City Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins (21) defends during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers lost a gut-check game to the shorthanded Oklahoma City Thunder.
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
This has historically been a tough matchup for Mitchell. He was able to break free for a relatively efficient game (compared to his previous efforts vs OKC), but there’s no doubt the Thunder remain the best defensive team in the league at hounding Mitchell. He had to fight for everything today and went 0-6 from downtown.
Harden can handle OKC’s ball-pressure a bit better than Mitchell because of his size at 6’5”. But this is still a difficult matchup even for Harden. The Cavs struggled to get the ball into the paint, and it’s largely because the Thunder’s strong point-of-attack defense and willingness to drop on pick-and-rolls.
I like the Cavs’ chances in this matchup better with Harden, but clearly, beating the champs isn’t going to be easy at any point. Five turnovers knock him down half a grade.
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Allen went scoreless in the first quarter as the Thunder’s frontcourt dictated the terms of engagement. Allen eventually found his groove and played an otherwise strong game.
He’s predictably being maligned for the Cavs rebounding issues (though they tied OKC on the glass today). So, I think it’s worth pointing out that Allen had a game-high 6 offensive rebounds.
But… I do have to remove half a grade for airballing that free throw.
Let’s get some context out of the way before I trash Mobley’s game.
This was only his second game since January 24th. And, he was on a minutes restriction playing against the best defensive frontcourt in the NBA.
With that said, only 2 rebounds are tough to swallow. Mobley also struggled with OKC’s physicality on offense, being moved off his spots and resorting to three-point attempts in the fourth quarter. The Cavs need him to be more aggressive, getting to the paint or forcing his way to the free-throw line.
Grade: D
Jaylon Tyson
7 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal
Tyson’s going through an adjustment period, and it’s affected his recent performances. His role is smaller than before, and his impact has felt more scattered.
I’m loving the Ellis experience. He’s a difference maker on the defensive end. Just follow him on any given possession and watch how he disrupts actions for the opponent. It’s a joy to watch, and he’s a competent enough offensive player to hang in any matchup.
Schroder’s scrappiness is something that will always be valuable. His ability to run the pick-and-roll only adds to his value.
Grade: A+
Sam Merrill
20 points, 3 rebounds
The Cavs fell into a hole early in this game, and Merrill brought them back to life. His momentum-swining three-pointers made this competitive. And, as the day went on, Merrill began attacking closeouts and making great plays inside the perimeter.
There isn’t much room on the court for a player as hesitant as Wade in this matchup. The Thunder pounce on any form of hesitation. Wade is a quality defender and rebounder, but he’s a bad fit offensively against this OKC defense.
MILAN (AP) — AC Milan lost more ground to city rival Inter Milan after a 1-0 loss to Parma at home on Sunday in a match which saw Milan midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek hospitalized after a collision with the Parma goalkeeper.
Loftus-Cheek was struck on the head after colliding with Edoardo Corvi after a cross into the area about 10 minutes into the match at San Siro.
The 30-year-old Loftus-Cheek had a bloodied face while being treated on the field. He was stretchered off with a neck and head brace, and later taken to hospital.
Italian media reports said the England international and former Chelsea player sustained broken teeth and was being examined for head trauma.
“Our thoughts are with him,” Parma coach Carlos Cuesta said.
Mariano Troilo scored with a header off a corner in the 80th minute to give Parma the win. The goal was initially disallowed for a foul but the call was reversed after video review.
Milan had entered the match looking to cut its gap to Inter to seven points. Inter moved 10 points clear with a 2-0 victory at Lecce for its seventh straight league win on Saturday.
Milan had already lost points at home in a 1-1 draw against Como on Wednesday.
It was the third win in a row for Parma, which is in 12th place.
Other results
Fourth-place Roma opened a four-point gap to fifth-place Juventus. Roma scored three second-half goals in a 3-0 home win against 16th-place Cremonese, which has lost 12 consecutive matches.
Roma is tied on points with third-place Napoli.
Seventh-place Atalanta scored two second-half goals to rally to a 2-1 win over third-place Napoli at home. It was Atalanta's third straight league win. Napoli hasn't won in three consecutive matches in all competitions.
Genoa beat Torino 3-0 at home to end a three-game winless streak. Torino, which played the entire second half with 10 men, hasn't won in four straight matches in all tournaments.
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The Cleveland Cavaliers might have lost this game in the first six minutes. Let’s talk about it.
LOSER – The First Quarter
The Cavs had 10 turnovers in the first six minutes of the game. Oklahoma City had 17 points off turnovers during that run on their way to a 20+ point lead. That’s a catastrophic opening that will result in a loss 99% of the time.
So what went wrong?
Cleveland entered this game with the wrong approach. They treated this like a regular-season matinee rather than the potential NBA Finals preview that the OKC Thunder were prepared for. The Cavaliers were blitzed from the jump as a result.
Hesitation is a death sentence against this Thunder defense. They pounce on the first sign of indecision. That’s what led to 10 turnovers in the opening quarter as the Cavs frantically searched for their footing. It wasn’t until the offense became more purposeful and decisive that the turnovers finally subsided.
The Cavs eventually fought back into this game and made it a good one. But the opening six minutes are what ultimately cost them.
WINNER – Sam Merrill
A handful of Cavs players stepped up to make this competitive after the first quarter. None was more impactful than Sam Merrill.
Merill jump-started this offense and got them back into gear with his three-point shooting. He nailed consecutive deep balls to cut into the deficit early in the first half. As the game went on, Cleveland continued to rely on Merrill’s outside shooting to bail them out.
It’s not always easy for a player like Merrill to get free against a team such as OKC. They defend off-ball actions better than anyone in the league. That’s why it’s so impressive that Merrill was able to find openings and release the ball before this scrambly Thunder defense could catch up.
Merrill finished with 20 points on 6-10 three-point shooting.
LOSER – Screen Navigation
Turnovers were a problem in the first quarter. That was addressed as Clevleand’s offense settled into the game.
One thing that wasn’t solved, however, was their screen navigation.
I’ll give credit to the Thunder. Isaiah Hartenstein sets some of the widest screens in the association. He was crushing Cleveland’s backcourt all game long. Combine that with an efficient shooting night from the Thunder backcourt, and this was too much to overcome.
Donovan Mitchell and James Harden both got hung up on numerous screens that led to three-point jumpers. Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley were also torched for playing below the level of the screen. We understand why those bigs would be in drop coverage, but the opponent shooting 21-41 (51%) from deep should probably warrant an adjustment.
WINNER – Schroder and Ellis
Let’s hand out one more pair of winners to a bench squad that’s made a difference.
Schroder and Ellis are giving this second unit new life. They’re able to enter the game and initiate a new style that, at worst, changes the dynamic of a game, and at best, swings things back into Cleveland’s favor.
Their scrappy style lends itself to generating chaos. The Thunder had a taste of their own medicine when this duo was on the floor. Their defensive activity made life more difficult for OKC. And, they each bring their own value on offense.
The Cavs have leaned on Schroder to operate in the pick-and-roll when Mitchell or Harden aren’t on the floor. He isn’t as elite as the starting gaurds but he’s more than capable of running this two-man action.
As for Ellis, he shot just 1-4 from deep, but cut into the lane for a handful of easy buckets. He’s a better shooter than this on most nights and should mesh well with whatever lineups the Cavs put him in moving forward.
