Category: Basketball

Spacing.

So much discussion around spacing. It’s rudimentary. It’s intuitively easy to understand. More shooters = more shots. More shots = more points. Three is, by now, infamously more than two.

The Houston Rockets have bad spacing by modern NBA standards. It’s undeniably true. Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson are both poor shooters. They’re also the two best non-Kevin Durant players on the Rockets’ roster. It’s a conundrum.

I’m veering dangerously close to the “Can Sengun and Thompson co-exist?” piece I recently did. That’s fine. Think of me as Virginia Woolf writing another stream-of-consciousness novel, only a man in 2026 writing about the Houston Rockets with about one millionth the talent.

That piece was making the case that Sengun is close enough to being a shooter that he’s likely to reach the level he’d need to reach for the duo to co-exist. This one is more about what happens if he doesn’t reach that level.

Do the Rockets need four-out spacing?

The Rockets will need four-out spacing

Yes. Case closed.

Although the statistical analysis is somewhat complicated here. The Rockets hung 112 points on the Thunder with Amen Thompson on the sidelines. That’s the impetus for this article. It’s a huge number – in 1999. In 2026, it’s fine.

Factoring in that the Thunder are the best defensive team in the NBA, it looks pretty impressive. Factoring in that they were missing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams (two positive defenders), it gets downright aggravating. Was this game evidence of a revamped Rockets offense or not?

I say yes. The Rockets attempted 43 threes in this contest. The Warriors lead the league in attempts per game at 45.1, and the Celtics are second at 42.4. The Rockets?

Well, they’re not dead last – but they’re just 0.1 away. Houston’s 30.2 threes per game rank 29th in the NBA. That puts them in company with the Kings, Pistons, Mavericks, and Pelicans.

It seems that there’s room for one homecourt advantage seed that doesn’t shoot enough threes in each conference. Yet, three-point volume alone does not spacing make. Some Rockets fans will cringe reading this, but Jalen Duren is a – wait for it – vertical spacer. His pick-and-rollability (new word) with Cade Cunningham mitigates the non-shooting of the other Thompson. Not for nothing, Ausar also plays largely off-ball, similarly to how his brother played last season.

The Rockets’ spacing is worse. Sengun is best optimized when he’s camped in the paint. Thompson, if he has the ball, needs to get there. So, we’re back where we started:

Can they co-exist?

Rockets may face tough decisions

Not if neither of them can reliably shoot!

It’s a bitter pill – oh wait, we already did the pill metaphor. Am I, as the kids say, washed?

As constructed, the Rockets are too easy to plan for. Put the opposing center on Thompson. Have him sag off and pack the paint. Now, he can effectively guard Sengun and Thompson at the same time. The paint is closed off, so unless Durant can make lemonade, the offense looks like a firm, yellow, bitter fruit that nobody eats without sugar unless they’ve just done a tequila shot.

Yes, some actions can mitigate the problem. Put Sengun in the high post, have Thompson cut. That’s a good action. You can’t run it for every play. This is a fundamental problem that can’t be fundamentally solved unless one of these guys is a shooter.

What’s the solution?

There’s no reason to rush. There’s still enough reason to hope that one or the other can get their shooting up to snuff. If Rafael Stone wants to see how it looks with VanVleet and Adams back, that’s justifiable, even if it won’t appease the dopamine-chasing masses in need of instant results.

If the need to choose arises, it won’t be easy. Some will disagree. Sengun is the better player, so you choose him. Right?

Arguably. Sengun’s abilities were on full display against the Thunder. He finished with 17 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. Surrounded by four shooters, Sengun reminded the world why he’s evoked Jokic comparisons. He’s a dynamic passer when it isn’t far too easy for rival defenses to crowd him.

Yet, from the point of view of market scarcity, there’s a case for Thompson. As talented as Sengun is, Thompson is arguably the best wing defender in the NBA. Simply put, it would be easier to trade Sengun and picks for a better Sengun than it would be to trade Thompson and picks for a better Thompson. There is no better Thompson (besides, possibly, Thompson).

Ultimately, it may depend on who’s available. If the Rockets want to go the Antetokounmpo route, I think Thompson is the better fit. Antetokounmpo approximates Sengun’s offensive role more closely. Thompson can move off the ball full-time, feast on cuts, and the Rockets can overwhelm opponents with dunk and layup efficiency to offset the low three-point volume. The 81.1% Antetokounmpo is shooting between 0-3 feet would revolutionize this offense if it replaced the 69.1% Sengun is shooting from the same range.

Alternatively, suppose Ant Edwards requested a trade (I loathe the homophobia, but let’s otherwise talk basketball). You keep Sengun. The inside/outside combination would stretch the floor as far as it can be stretched. The Rockets would put opponents in an impossible bind. Edwards (again, minus personal foibles) is the dream target, but this applies to any potential star acquisition who’s an elite three-point shooter.

By now, some readers are sick. Listen – preferably, you can keep both. Ideally, one or the other (again, likely Sengun) develops a reliable enough three to make this viable. If, in a couple of years or so, that hasn’t happened, this could get messy. The Rockets may need to move one or the other.

In this NBA, they’ll need the spacing.

The texts from NBA agents came in almost immediately.

“Did he really do that?”

“ What??!?”

“Wooow”

They were reacting to the news that ex-Knicks forward Guerschon Yabusele removed the 2026-27 player option from his contract. Yabusele was slated to earn $5.8 million in guaranteed money next season. He essentially removed that money from his deal to facilitate last week’s trade to Chicago.

It’s rare for a player in Yabusele’s situation to forgo guaranteed money. But if you ask Yabusele about it, he’ll tell you it was an easy decision.

“We can always see the side of the money and talk about it, but at the end of the day the passion is more than just the money. It’s being out there, missing the feeling of being out there, offense, defense. Just competing at a high level because I’m a competitor first,” Yabusele said in an interview with SNY. “… The situation with New York was a little bit different for me because I wasn’t really playing, so being able to be on another team and try to bring value on the court was really important. I was just missing being out there on the court, making mistakes, learning from it and trying to get better.”

Yabusele signed a two-year, $12 million deal with the Knicks in the offseason – New York’s biggest signing of the summer. Once the season started, Yabusele was rarely on the floor. His strengths as a player did not seem to fit under new head coach Mike Brown (who was hired after Yabusele signed).

As the trade deadline approached, the Knicks were trying to find a new home for Yabusele. But it became clear that no team wanted to take on his $5.8 million player option for next season. The lack of interest was not a reflection of Yabusele’s ability; it’s mostly due to the ‘second apron’ era of the collective bargaining agreement, where every dollar in player salary is crucial for contending teams.

As such, the Knicks would have had to send draft capital to the team that traded for Yabusele.

But that all changed when Yabusele decided to change his contract. He and his agent, Richie Felder of CAA, worked with the Knicks to amend the deal and remove the player option.

Soon after, Chicago pounced and sent Dalen Terry to New York in a trade for Yabusele.

Sure, the amended contract was part of Chicago’s attraction to The Dancing Bear. But the Bulls also know Yabusele can help them on the court, something he wasn’t able to do in New York.

Yabusele so far has proven the Bulls right, averaging 12.5 points in 30 minutes over his first two games.

“I love it out there with the team, the guys. The coaches, they did a great job of welcoming me the best way they can,” Yabusele said. “Everybody’s telling me how happy they are for me to be out there on the team with them. It just makes it easy for me to have confidence and just feel good on the court.”

The trade also made it easy for New York to obtain Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado.

The Knicks didn’t have to use any of their *seven second-round picks in the Yabusele trade. In Terry, they acquired a player with no guaranteed money in 2026-27 (Terry is a restricted free agent this offseason).

New York flipped Terry and two second-round picks to New Orleans for Alvarado. The former Christ The King star made an immediate impact in his Knick debut, scoring 12 points while adding two steals on Sunday against Boston.

He will be greeted with a hero’s welcome at the Garden on Tuesday, his first home game as a Knick.

But he doesn’t make it to the Garden without Yabusele’s contract amendment.

“I mean the decision was, I wanna say pretty quick and easy,” Yabusele, a former first round pick of the Celtics who spent a few seasons overseas before returning to the NBA, said. “For me to be able to have that second chance at the NBA and come back here, I had to take [a] risk. So I would say it was nothing new to me… I was thinking about [amending my contract] and I thought that this was the best thing to do.”

With no player option for 2026-27, Yabusele will now be an unrestricted free agent this summer. He received interest from some overseas teams ahead of the trade deadline. He will probably get plenty of overseas interest this summer. A cynic would wonder if Yabusele already has a deal in place for next season.

Yabusele’s agent, Felder of CAA, declined comment when asked about an overseas deal for 2026-27.

Regardless of how things play out for Yabusele, his decision earlier this month opened the door for the Knicks to get Alvarado.

At some point on Tuesday night, Alvarado will stand up and walk to the scorer’s table. The Garden crowd will erupt. Alvarado, raised in Brooklyn, should get a long, loud ovation when he steps on the floor.

If you are one of the people screaming for Alvarado on Tuesday, don’t forget to thank Yabusele.

*The Knicks have two additional second-round picks if you include the 2026 first-round pick from Washington. That pick is top-8 protected and will almost surely turn into two second-round picks (2026, 2027). If you count the Washington picks, they have seven second-round picks left after the Alvarado trade.

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan reversed its decision to boycott the T20 World Cup game against India and was directed to “take the field” in Colombo next Sunday.

A weeklong impasse ended on Monday, a day after International Cricket Council director Imran Khawaja and Bangladesh Cricket Board president Aminul Islam arrived in Lahore to talk with the Pakistan Cricket Board about reinstating the biggest and richest game in cricket.

Back-channel talks reached the highest level, and the Pakistan government announced on X, “In view of the outcomes achieved in multilateral discussions, as well as the request of friendly countries, the Government of Pakistan hereby directs the Pakistan National Cricket Team to take the field on February 15, 2026, for its scheduled fixture in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

“Moreover, this decision has been taken with the aim of protecting the spirit of cricket, and to support the continuity of this global sport in all participating nations.”

The ICC said: “It was agreed that all members will respect their commitments as per the terms of participation for ICC events and do all that is necessary to ensure that the ongoing edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is a success.”

After Bangladesh was booted from the World Cup two weeks ago when the ICC dismissed its security concerns about playing in India, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi decried the ICC's “double standards” and “injustice.” The Pakistan government told its cricket board to boycott the India group game in solidarity with Bangladesh.

But the consequences of no Pakistan-India game threatened current and future TV rights deals and ICC funding of the global game.

The Pakistan government noted in its statement that the PCB was formally asked by ICC members including Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates to end the boycott. On Monday, Bangladesh's Islam requested the match go ahead “for the benefit of the entire cricket ecosystem."

“We are deeply moved by Pakistan's efforts to go above and beyond in supporting Bangladesh during this period,” Islam said. “Long may our brotherhood flourish.”

The ICC eased its stance on Monday when it said it would not penalize Bangladesh for missing the T20 World Cup for the first time. The ICC added Bangladesh had the right to approach the dispute resolution committee “should it choose to do so.”

Naqvi then announced a decision by Pakistan within 48 hours, but the final clincher appeared to come from a phone call on Monday evening between Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

World Cup co-host Sri Lanka is hosting Pakistan for all of its matches.

The Pakistan government said Dissanayake asked Sharif “to accord serious consideration to amicably resolve the current impasse.”

Sharif green-lit the India matchup again and gave his best wishes to the “Men in Green,” who have already started the World Cup with a win over the Netherlands.

Bangladesh will be awarded a global tournament before the men's World Cup in 2031, the ICC said.

ICC chief executive Sanjog Gupta said in a statement that Bangladesh's absence from the T20 World Cup “is regrettable but it does not alter the ICC’s enduring commitment to Bangladesh as a core cricketing nation.”

___

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

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — German teammates Julia Taubitz and Merle Fraebel have pulled away after the first two runs of the women’s singles luge event at the Milan Cortina Olympics, opening up a sizable lead over the rest of the field going into Tuesday’s medal-deciding heats.

Taubitz is the leader, finishing her two runs Monday in 1 minute, 45.188 seconds. Fraebel is in second with a time of 1:45.249, and it’s a sizable gap from there to Latvia’s Elina Bota — third in 1:45.683.

There are five sliders within two-tenths of a second of Bota’s time, meaning the race for the bronze medal could get wild on Tuesday. Verena Hofer of Italy is fourth in 1:45.743, followed by Ashley Farquharson of the U.S. (1:45.796), Sandra Robatscher of Italy (1:45.801), Lisa Schulte of Austria (1:45.866) and Emily Fischnaller of the U.S. (1.45.872).

Anna Berreiter of Germany, the lone Olympic medalist in this field — she won silver at the 2022 Beijing Games — is ninth going into Tuesday. And Summer Britcher of the U.S., a two-time World Cup winner this season, is 12th after the opening two runs.

Taubitz is the reigning world champion. She's a six-time medalist in women's singles at the worlds — twice a winner, four times the runner-up.

___

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

One topic that has been the talk of the NBA recently has been the persistent (and perhaps increasing) efforts that “rebuilding” teams are making to actively fall down the standings. Commonly known as “tanking.”

The idea behind determining draft order starting with the worst teams getting the best picks is common among sports leagues. It promotes parity and at least attempts to give the impression that any team can get better over time if they are managed properly.

The draft lottery was put into place in order to stop teams from blatantly losing on purpose. A few pretty good teams won the lottery when the odds were flat across all non-playoff teams, so they tweaked the odds. The NBA has continued to tinker with rules changes, incentives, and penalties over the years and they are threatening to do so again.

Based on this season and what everyone expects to see down the stretch, I don’t think their efforts have done much to fix things.

So we get to my daily topic discussion: Is there anything the NBA can do to adjust the rules to at least make this tanking problem, …less of a problem?

Here are some of the suggestions the league is considering.

From ESPN:

In recent years, multiple teams have either shut down players early or sat players for games to try to improve their draft positioning, often tied to a protected pick. Sources said multiple ideas were proposed as a brainstorming measure to combat tanking, including:

Limiting pick protections to either top four or 14 and higher, which would eliminate the problematic mid-lottery protections

No longer allowing a team to draft in the top four two years in a row

Locking lottery positions after March 1

Which of these options do you like the best? Are there other ideas not mentioned above that the league should consider? Or will each of these cures end up being worse than the disease in the long run?

What do you think? Leave your suggestions and reactions in the comments below.

Shorthanded Western Conference heavyweights go head-to-head tonight as the Los Angeles Lakers host the Oklahoma City Thunder.

With Luka Doncic out, LeBron James should operate as LA’s primary facilitator, and my Thunder vs. Lakers predictions expect him to get teammates involved early and often.

Here are my best free NBA picks for Monday, February 9.

Thunder vs Lakers prediction

Thunder vs Lakers best bet: LeBron James Over 7.5 assists (-130)

LeBron James is averaging 6.8 dimes per game this season, including 7.4 at home. He's dished 8+ dimes in 13 of 34 appearances overall, including seven of 16 at home. 

In four games with Luka Doncic sidelined, James has averaged 8.8 assists and handed out 8+ three times. 

James has handed out 10 assists in back-to-back games, and he’ll operate as the Los Angeles Lakers’ primary facilitator tonight in what could be a high-scoring matchup at home. I’ll take the Over on a modest assists line.

Thunder vs Lakers same-game parlay

The Los Angeles Lakers have covered in seven of their last 10 games, including three straight. The Oklahoma City Thunder are just 4-5-1 ATS across their last 10 appearances. Both teams will be without their star point guards, but the Lakers have played too well to be spotted seven points at home.

Both teams have hit the Over in 28 games, and despite the absences of Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, they each have enough firepower to hit the Over on this modest line. The Lakers are 5-1 to the Over as the home underdog, and the Thunder are 13-11 as the road favorite.

Thunder vs Lakers SGP

• LeBron James Over 7.5 assists
• Lakers +7
• Over 223

Our "from downtown" SGP: Welcome to La-La land

Chet Holmgren is pulling down 8.7 rebounds per game this season, but he's corralled 9.8 across his last 14 appearances and reached the Over on this line 10 times. Even with Isaiah Hartenstein back in the fold, Holmgren has grabbed 10+ rebounds in two straight with Hartenstein available. 

Thunder vs Lakers SGP

• LeBron James Over 7.5 assists
• Lakers +7
• Over 223
• Chet Holmgren Over 8.5 rebounds

Thunder vs Lakers odds

• Spread: Thunder -7 | Lakers +7
• Moneyline: Thunder -260 | Lakers +210
• Over/Under: Over 233 | Under 233

Thunder vs Lakers betting trend to know

The Los Angeles Lakers have covered the 4Q Spread in 32 of their last 50 games (+10.60 Units / 18% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Thunder vs. Lakers.

How to watch Thunder vs Lakers

Thunder vs Lakers latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

Duke men’s basketball coach Jon Scheyer said that a member of the Blue Devils’ staff who was injured during a court storming at the end of the team’s 71-68 loss to archrival North Carolina is “fine” and “doing better.”

Scheyer said the unnamed staff member had a bloody lip and was “disheveled and didn’t know what happened” when the team reconvened in the locker room last Saturday after the game in the Dean E. Smith Center.

“He got trampled on the floor,” Scheyer said. “That was my main concern after the game. That's why I said what I said. It was not a good situation. But he's doing better, he's fine, ready to move on. I don't have anything more to say other than that was a very unsafe situation for him, our staff, our families, our players.”

REQUIRED READING: Duke basketball upset by rival UNC. What went wrong for the Blue Devils?

The alleged incident occurred during a chaotic final sequence at the end of Duke’s loss to the Tar Heels. North Carolina’s Seth Trimble hit what initially appeared to be a buzzer-beating 3-pointer, prompting students and fans to rush the court. After a review, though, officials added 0.4 seconds back on the clock. Duke was unable to get a shot off and the Tar Heels sealed the come-from-behind victory, leading to another court storm.

Scheyer had initially said in the moments after the game that he had staff members who were punched in the face, rather than a single staffer who was trampled.

North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham said he apologized to Scheyer before he went into his post-game news conference and said it’s “just very disappointing” someone was injured.

REQUIRED READING: College basketball rankings: Houston surges in USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll Top 25

The Tar Heels were fined $50,000 on Sunday by the ACC for violating the league’s court-storming policy.

“We accept the ACC’s fine for having unauthorized people on the court before Duke and the officials could completely clear the floor on Saturday,” North Carolina said in a statement. “The video we have reviewed confirms we followed our protocols to get Duke’s players and bench personnel and the game officials off the floor safely. We will continue to review our protocols to provide the highest measures of safety in the event fans rush the court. We consider this matter closed and look forward to the rest of the season.”

The loss was only Duke’s second of the season, dropping it two spots to No. 6 in the latest USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. The Blue Devils led for 37:39 of a possible 40 minutes and were ahead of the Tar Heels by as many as 13 points. Trimble’s shot with 0.4 seconds left gave North Carolina its first and only lead of the game.

“I'm a big boy, can take losing,” Scheyer said on the teleconference Monday. “Great college game. Carolina played great.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jon Scheyer says Duke staff member injured during UNC court storm is 'doing better'

The Phoenix Suns started the week strong with a win on national television against the Portland Trailblazers shorthanded. However, once the team returned home, Phoenix struggled to close games and hit the three ball when they needed to, going 1-2 for the week, their first time being under .500 for a week in 2026.

Here are the main questions for Week 16 that we want your thoughts on:

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A Fourth Quarter Collapse Against the Warriors with no Steph Curry

Phoenix’s loss to the Warriors on Sunday wasn’t just bad because the Warriors were without Stephen Curry and recently acquired Kristaps Porzingis; they blew a double-digit fourth quarter lead. The Suns were up 90-76 with less than 9:30 left in the game and proceeded to score seven points the rest of the way, Golden State went on a 25-7 run to win 101-97.

The team’s offense went cold and couldn’t get into a rhythm, not scoring a single point the final 3:55 of the contest.

While the Suns did not have Devin Booker or Jalen Green, the team’s offensive continued to struggle when they returned to the lineup in the next game against the Philadelphia 76ers. How concerning were the team’s two losses this week?

Devin Booker Returns from a 15-Day Absence

Devin Booker returned to play on Saturday night after missing more than two weeks with an ankle injury he suffered against the Atlanta Hawks on January 23rd. In his return Booker had 21 points and nine assists on 5/12 shooting from the field, 1/7 from three and 10/11 from the line against the Sixers.

Additionally, Jalen Green also returned from injury on Saturday after missing more than a week, scoring 8 points in 17 minutes of action on 2/6 shooting from the field with three rebounds and three assists.

What did you make of the two guards’ returns, and do you the Suns should rest them on one-end of the team’s back-to-back this week with the All-Star Break coming up?

What Did You Make of Phoenix’s Trade Deadline?

The Suns stayed relatively quiet this trade deadline, moving Nick Richards and Nigel Hayes-Davis in exchange for forward Amir Coffey and guard Cole Anthony. The move gets the Suns out of luxury the tax for the first time since the 2021-2022 campaign. Neither Coffey or Anthony are expected to play a major role with the team, and the deal gives the team a chance to sign a 15th player, which their likely to use to convert Jamaree Bouyea’s two-way contract into a standard one.

What grade would you give the team’s deadline and do you think signing Bouyea to the last roster spot is the best use of it?

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For more questions on the Suns follow @HoldenSherman1 on X for content after every game.

Devin Booker and Jalen Green returned from injury absences.

Green had 8 points in 17 minutes on 2/6 shooting and 0/3 from three.

Booker had 21 in 32 minutes on 5/12 from the field and 1/7 from deep.

What did you of their performances?

— Holden Sherman (@HoldenSherman1) February 8, 2026

Arizona (23-0) holds the No. 1 ranking again in the latest USA TODAY Coaches Poll heading into a top-10 matchup against No. 9 Kansas on Monday, Feb. 9.

The Wildcats dominated in their two wins over middling Big 12 opponents last week, defeating Arizona State 87-74 and Oklahoma State 84-47. They're led by a pair of true freshmen in Brayden Burries and Koa Peat, who are averaging 15.3 and 14.6 points per game this season, respectively.

REQUIRED READING: North Carolina basketball stuns Duke on last-second shot, court stormed early

No. 2 Michigan and No. 3 Houston also took care of business last week and remain with their rankings on Feb. 9. No. 11 Gonzaga fell six spots after being upset by Portland 87-80.

Here's a look at the updated men's college basketball USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll for Feb. 9:

College basketball rankings

USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

1. Arizona (30)
2. Michigan (1)
3. Houston
4. Iowa State
5. UConn
6. Duke
7. Illinois
8. Nebraska
9. Kansas
10. Michigan State
11. Gonzaga
12. Purdue
13. North Carolina
14. Florida
15. Virginia
16. Texas Tech
17. St. John's
18. Clemson
19. Saint Louis
20. Vanderbilt
21. Arkansas
22. BYU
23. Louisville
24. Miami (Ohio)
25. Iowa

Others receiving votes: Kentucky 30; Alabama 24; Villanova 13; North Carolina State 13; Tennessee 10; Utah State 8; Texas A&M 7; Georgia 3; Santa Clara 1;

AP Top 25 poll

This section will be updated.

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

With the football season officially in the books, we can now turn our attention to NBA betting at least until March Madness.

This is a great day to dive in with 10 games on the board and unlimited options in the player prop markets. 

My three favorites include a pair of 3-point props. One is for an up-and-comer, while the other is more well-known. 

Those and more NBA picks for Monday, February 9, below.

Best NBA player props today

Prop #1: Derik Queen Over 11.5 points

-125 at bet365

New Orleans Pelicans rookie Derik Queen is playing his basketball, and he’s in a great spot to keep that going against the Sacramento Kings.

Queen has put up 14 points per game over his last five — topping 16 or more three times over that same stretch — and this is another great matchup for him.

The Kings have little interior presence, even with Domantas Sabonis, and he’s banged up and questionable to play.

Sacramento has surrendered the third-most opponent points in the paint per game, so Queen is a great bet to go Over his point total.

• Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBCSCA, GCSEN

Prop #2: Julian Strawther Over 1.5 threes

+110 at bet365

Denver Nuggets shooting guard Julian Strawther has earned himself more playing time. 

The 23-year-old is coming off his second start of the season, playing a career-high 33 minutes, scoring 19 points while going 4-for-8 from 3-point range.

I’m betting he keeps letting it fly against the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight. The Cavs traded away all their best perimeter defenders, and Cleveland already ranks 27th in opponent 3-point shooting percentage and 21st in opponent made threes per game.

• Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, ALT

Prop #3: LeBron James Over 1.5 threes

+100 at bet365

With Luka Doncic still banged up, you can bet LeBron James will get up a few more shots when the Los Angeles Lakers host the Oklahoma City Thunder.

And that isn’t as bad an idea as you might think. The Thunder were known for their defense last season, but it’s slipped a bit this year, particularly on the perimeter.

OKC allows the fifth-most 3-point attempts while surrendering the fifth-highest opponent 3-point shooting percentage.

LeBron has drained multiple threes in three of his last five games, and I love the idea of him jacking up some treys vs. the defending champs.

• Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Peacock

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

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) — Chloe Kim and Eileen Gu, two Olympic standouts who have faced their share of hate over the years, each weighed in Monday on Donald Trump's bashing of their friend, American freeskier Hunter Hess, for having said he didn't back the U.S. president's heightened crackdown on immigrants.

“I think in moments like these, it is really important for us to unite and kind of stand up for one another for all that’s going on," said Kim, the two-time Olympic gold medalist whose parents are South Korean immigrants and who has faced racism throughout her career for her Asian heritage.

Gu, the American-born freeskier who competes for China, said after her silver-medal win in slopestyle that she had been in touch with Hess, who told her she was one of the few people who could relate to what he's going through.

“As someone who’s been caught in the crossfire before, I feel sorry for the athletes,” said Gu, who was born in San Francisco and whose decision to compete for China turned her into a lightning rod.

Hess drew Trump’s ire when he was asked by reporters to give his views on the immigration crackdown that has claimed the lives of two protestors in Minnesota and disrupted thousands of lives of immigrants and U.S. citizens. Hess answered: “Just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.”

The next day, Trump lashed out at Hess on his Truth Social account, calling him “a real Loser” and saying he would be hard pressed to root for him at the Games. Hess's friends — snowboarders and freeskiers competing this week in Livigno — were asked for their reaction.

“My parents being immigrants from Korea, this one definitely hits pretty close to home,” said Kim, who begins defense of her title Wednesday.

"I’m really proud to represent the United States,” she said. “The U.S. has given my family and I so much opportunity, but I also think that we are allowed to voice our opinions of what’s going that we need to lead with love and compassion.”

Other American snowboarders spoke out for diversity and the right of expression.

“I think there are a lot of different opinions in the U.S. right now. Obviously we’re very divided,” snowboarder Bea Kim said. “I personally am very proud to represent the United States. That being said, I think diversity is what makes us a very strong country and what makes that so special.”

Teammate Maddie Mastro added: “I’m also saddened with what’s happening at home."

“It’s really tough and I feel like we can’t turn a blind eye to that. But at the same time, I represent a country that has the same values as mine of kindness and compassion. And we come together in times of injustice,” Mastro said.

Gu called it “an unwinnable press war” for Hess and lamented the fact that the controversy could be a distraction for the athletes, and overshadow the beauty of the biggest event in winter sports.

“I’m sorry that the headline that is eclipsing the Olympics has to be something so ... unrelated to the spirit of the Games," she said. "It really runs contrary to everything that the Olympics should be.”

___

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

A wild week in men’s college basketball produced considerable shuffling in the updated USA TODAY Sports Top 25 coaches poll. The changes didn’t quite reach the very top, but that could change soon.

Arizona will spend at least one more week as the No. 1 team. The Wildcats received 30 of 31 first-place votes, but their perfect record will be on the line immediately as they visit surging Kansas in a Big Monday showdown. Michigan solidifies its hold on the No. 2 spot this week, even picking up a No.-1 vote.

The rest of the top 10 looks different, with several of Arizona’s fellow Big 12 contenders leading the charge. Houston makes the biggest move forward among the contenders, vaulting all the way from No. 8 to No. 3 after defeating Brigham Young. Iowa State is back up to No. 4. Kansas, as mentioned, is also on the move climbing to No. 9.

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

Connecticut slips a couple of positions to No. 5 after its Friday night loss at No. 17 St. John’s ended a run of 18 consecutive wins, and Duke also falls two places to No. 6 after Saturday’s last-second setback at No. 13 North Carolina. Illinois drops just one spot to No. 7 after its loss at No. 10 Michigan State, and Nebraska is back up a notch to No. 8. Gonzaga tumbles to No. 11 after its midweek loss at Portland but remains ahead of No. 12 Purdue.

Defending national champion Florida, back on top of the SEC standings, is also on the rise checking in at No. 14 this week. Iowa nudges back into the poll at No. 25 as Texas A&M drops out.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College basketball rankings: Houston surges as Top 25 poll shuffles

The Bottom 2 teams in the Western Conference will face off on Monday night as the New Orleans Pelicans host the Sacramento Kings.

While both teams have struggled to win games this year, New Orleans has been the better team in recent weeks, and I’m taking it to cover in my Kings vs. Pelicans predictions below.

Read on to see which bets I like for this matchup in my free NBA picks for Monday, February 9.

Kings vs Pelicans prediction

Kings vs Pelicans best bet: Pelicans -7.5 (-115)

When breaking down a game between two teams with very little motivation to win that are both sitting at the bottom of the standings, it’s often worth considering which side has been showing some signs of life. It’s clear the New Orleans Pelicans have been the better squad in recent weeks.

The Sacramento Kings are on the verge of setting a franchise record for most consecutive losses. They come into tonight’s game riding a 12-game losing streak and are playing with a roster that has often leaned on younger players with Keegan Murray, Malik Monk, Zach LaVine, and Domantas Sabonis missing time.

Most of those players are out again tonight, with Sabonis listed as questionable.

New Orleans is offering up the best version of their lineup right now. Zion Williamson (21.6 ppg) is healthy, and his presence and physicality always cause trouble for opponents when he’s able to take the court. He makes a solid pairing with Trey Murphy III (22.2 ppg).

New Orleans is 4-4 SU in its last eight games, and while that’s hardly setting the world on fire, it’s a bit of proof that this is a legitimate NBA team when healthy.

Kings vs Pelicans same-game parlay

The Pelicans have hit the Under in five of their last seven games, while Sacramento has come in Under on tonight’s total in five of its last seven contests.

Murphy has scored Over 22.5 points in each of his last three games.

Kings vs Pelicans SGP

• Pelicans -7.5
• Under 231
• Trey Murphy III Over 22.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Derik from deep

Derik Queen appears to have fallen in love with the 3-pointer lately. The center has hit at least one in three of his last four games, and went 4-for-4 from deep against the Timberwolves on Friday.

Kings vs Pelicans SGP

• Pelicans -7.5
• Under 231
• Trey Murphy III Over 22.5 points
• Derik Queen Over 0.5 made threes

Kings vs Pelicans odds

• Spread: Kings +7.5 | Pelicans -7.5
• Moneyline: Kings +250 | Pelicans -310
• Over/Under: Over 231 | Under 231 

Kings vs Pelicans betting trend to know

The Pelicans are 5-3 ATS in their last eight overall. Find more NBA betting trends for Kings vs. Pelicans.

How to watch Kings vs Pelicans

Kings vs Pelicans latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

Durant and Hakeem trade notes on post work, precision, and obsession, revealing how greatness lives in basketball’s smallest details in the latest Boardroom Talks.

The exchange unfolds less like an interview and more like a private gym conversation that just happens to have microphones on. Kevin Durant isn’t there to be praised, and Hakeem Olajuwon isn’t there to reminisce. They’re trading notes in the kind of dialogue that only makes sense when two players have lived inside the same details for decades.

Durant sets the tone by admitting he recently spent nearly 40 minutes watching nothing but post work, possession after possession, all the mid-post touches, face-ups, and subtle angles. It wasn’t about highlights or ego. It was about feeling the rhythm again, letting the movements reset his mind. Olajuwon immediately meets him there, talking not in generalities but in specifics: positioning, how ground is gained before the move even starts, how strength shows up in ways the eye doesn’t always catch.

From there, the conversation turns collaborative. Leverage. Timing. Durant nods along because he’s felt it himself. Olajuwon pushes the idea further, reinforcing that innovation doesn’t come from flash but from understanding when and how to apply force. Size and position matter less than precision.

There’s humility threaded throughout. Durant openly critiques himself, admitting he sometimes stands too upright, that his spin can be slow, that he knows exactly where the improvement is waiting. Olajuwon doesn’t posture or lecture. He offers small corrections, the kind only someone who mastered the craft can give. Less talk about highlights, more about the invisible details — the pounding dribble, the balance, the moment when the defender’s weight shifts just enough.

By the end, the conversation feels like a bridge between eras. Olajuwon represents the blueprint of post dominance; Durant is the evolution, stretching those principles across positions and body types no one once imagined could live there. What connects them is obsession. The willingness to watch, steal, tweak, and refine.

Two generations, one shared truth: Greatness is built in the details most people never notice. Be sure to catch the full conversation here.

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The Detroit Pistons travel to the Bible Belt to take on the hottest team in the NBA. The Charlotte Hornets are winners of nine in a row, and they’ve been more than an exciting young core. They’re figuring it out.

The Pistons wear you out with defensive pressure and intensity, while the Charlotte Hornets zoom up and down the floor with an elite offense. With Charlotte’s recent surge and the Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks slipping, Pistons-Hornets is a legit potential first-round matchup. Sign me up for that.

Game Vitals

When: 7:00 p.m. ET

Where: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, North Carolina

How: FanDuel Sports Network Detroit

Odds: Pistons -3

Analysis

The Pistons have been the best team in the East all year, but Charlotte dominated January. The Hornets had a league high 11 wins, the best net rating (11.5), the best offensive rating (121.1), and the fifth best defensive rating (109.6). That’s not a cute team; that’s a group one has to take seriously.

LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Kon Knueppel are the team’s foundation. Ball is known for why’d-he-shoot-that shots and lackadaisical defense, but he’s running the show on this winner. Those insane one-legged shot attempts are there, but he’s contributing to winning basketball.

Miller has the potential to be a perennial top 20 scorer. He’s smooth overall and can be vicious when attacking the basket. Knueppel is the easy rookie of the year front-runner in most seasons. His efficiency and shotmaking as a rookie aren’t normal. The way he attacks off the bounce and defends on the other end shouldn’t go under the radar. Knueppel is a complete player with limited holes.

Those are the three this thing in Charlotte starts with. Compare that to three of Detroit’s young core, and you’ll see Detroit still has the upper hand.

Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren (probable) are both All-Stars. Ausar Thompson will more than likely get some league honors under his belt after this season. Those three are as good as it gets as an under-25 trio. Add Ron Holland (out, personal) to the mix, and that’s a fantastic four that front offices would kill to have at their disposal.

Duren is a man amongst boys, but he needs to be ready to go in a matchup against Moussa Diabaté. Per Basketball-Reference, Diabaté is second in the league with a 17 percent offensive rebound percentage. Duren is actually third at 15 percent. Diabaté isn’t the rebounder Duren is overall, but he’s an energy bunny who doesn’t quit on the O glass. He’s the cherry on top of this Hornets roster. Charlotte is 15-8 when he starts this season.

Daniss Jenkins isn’t quite Detroit’s cherry on top, but he’s one of the X-factors who can swing a game. Jenkins is arguably the best two-way player story the league has seen. Congrats to him on getting a new contract. Detroit is going to need his shotmaking, creation for others, and his grit as we inch closer to the postseason.

How can you not love his post-game comments after the Knicks game? That massive chip on his shoulder fits right into Detroit’s contagious culture.

"Most of these dudes who got drafted,

What was the difference between me & them?

"Going undrafted's insanity to me

"Burns inside me every day.

They gonna have to see me

Every time we match up"

– Iona/St. John's Daniss Jenkins (team-high 18 vs 4 Knicks drafted over him) pic.twitter.com/KLEYRwaPYe

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) February 7, 2026

Every game moving forward is another opportunity for Kevin Heurter to get more comfortable in his new environment. Tonight wouldn’t be a bad time for him to find his spark because the Hornets let it fly!

Charlotte shoots the fourth most 3s in the association, and they make the 3rd most. Volume plus efficiency is the name of the game for the Hornets. We know that’s not Detroit’s forte, but they strangle teams defensively. This is the best Pistons defense since their early 2000’s run that featured the best modern-day defense.

If Detroit stays put at No. 1 in the East, I think this is a likely playoff matchup. The Hornets are the 10th seed and would need to win two play-in games on the road to secure the eighth seed if the postseason started today.

I’d favor Charlotte over any team in the East play-in. Orlando, Miami, and Atlanta aren’t as consistent as Charlotte. Orlando has more top-end talent, but the Hornets are on a string, and the roster has bought in.

If it is Pistons-Hornets in the first round, then Detroit wouldn’t have any “easy” matchups. The Hornets have shown they won’t be a cakewalk in any one-off game. The nature of the playoffs can change that when schemes get more tailored to the opponent, but Detroit taking Charlotte out of what they do would be a testament to their great team defense.

Lineups

Detroit Pistons (38-13)

Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Charlotte Hornets (25-28)

LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, Miles Bridges, Moussa Diabaté

Question of the day

What’s been your favorite game of the year so far?