Category: Basketball

The Milwaukee Bucks have just secured their first three-game win streak of the season, and have a shot to make it four tonight against the Orlando Magic. Now, although the Bucks are playing better, each of those three wins was against a poor team; the Magic, even without Franz Wagner, present a greater challenge. This will be a good indicator of where the Bucks are as they continue navigate life without Giannis. This will be the first time these teams have matched up this season, with the second game coming just two nights from now.

Where We’re At

As mentioned, the Bucks just went 3-0 on their homestand, beating the Bulls, Pelicans, and Pacers. During that span, they ranked second in offensive rating (17th on D, but let’s not talk about that). Ryan Rollins has looked back to his damaging self, highlighted by a 27-point performance in Milwaukee’s OT win over New Orleans. Kevin Porter Jr. has also been stuffing the stat sheet since returning from injury against Chicago, averaging 20.5 PPG, 8.5 APG, 6.5 RPG, and a whopping 4.0 SPG over his last two. Although he won’t play tonight, it will be interesting to see how the signing of Cam Thomas impacts the rhythm both Rollins and Porter have been in lately.

After making something of an all-in trade for Desmond Bane in the offseason, the Magic have been relatively disappointing this year, sitting just above .500. They have beaten the Nets and Jazz in their last two, both of which don’t plan on winning another game this year (and I mean they really don’t plan on it; I’m looking at YOU, Utah). Hilariously, The Magic’s streak of ending the year in the bottom third in offensive efficiency, even with Bane in tow this season, is still alive—they currently sit 21st. Relatedly, they rank 26th in effective field goal percentage. Suffice to say, the Magic are beatable if the Bucks can shoot the ball well (as they often do, ranking third in EFG% this season). But the biggest reason for the Magic’s sluggish season has been their defence, which is meant to be their superpower. Last year, they finished second for the season; this year, they currently sit at a middling 15th.

Injury Report

For the Bucks, Giannis (calf) and Taurean Prince (neck) are both out. For the Magic, Franz Wagner (ankle) is out.

Player To Watch

After an iffy first few years in the league, Anthony Black has taken a giant leap this season, validating his selection at sixth in the 2023 draft. His stats across the board have gone up (some even skyrocketed, such as his PPG and minutes). Black plays a crucial role for the Magic as a connector and two-way player. He’ll likely toggle between Rollins and Porter, with Jalen Suggs taking the other guy. Milwaukee’s ability to neutralise AB will go a long way to them winning this one.

How To Watch

Peacock at 6:30 p.m. CST.

---

---

The Cleveland Cavaliers hope to extend a three-game winning streak when they visit Ball Arena and the Denver Nuggets.

With both groups missing their best defenders, my Cavaliers vs. Nuggets predictions and NBA picks expect a high-scoring affair in the Mile High City tonight. 

Cavaliers vs Nuggets prediction

Cavaliers vs Nuggets best bet: Over 237.5 (-110)

The Denver Nuggets have been a reliable Over machine this season, cashing at a 64% rate. That trend gets stronger at Ball Arena, especially with Aaron Gordon sidelined.

His absence removes Denver’s best defensive stopper and often turns games into faster, offense-first matchups. Denver is 15-9 to the Over at home, mostly without him.

On the other side, the Cleveland Cavaliers are missing Evan Mobley, the backbone of their defense. Since adding James Harden, their offense has leaned more aggressively.

The Cavs pushed the pace in Harden’s debut and scored 130 points. With Mobley out, expect more scoring responsibility for Donovan Mitchell and Harden, which makes the Over the preferred side.

Cavaliers vs Nuggets same-game parlay

Jarrett Allen has scored 17+ points in three of his last five games and meets a Nuggets defense allowing over 42 ppg in the paint.

Allen’s big scoring night should lead to a Cavs victory. Harden’s versatility will hurt the Nuggets, and I’ll back Cleveland to win straight up. 

Cavaliers vs Nuggets SGP

• Over 237.5
• Jarrett Allen Over 15.5 points
• Cavaliers moneyline

Our "from downtown" SGP: Jarrett, Jaylon, and Jamal!

Jaylon Tyson has scored 13+ points in four of his last five games, while Jamal Murray has scored at least 26 points in three straight contests. 

Cavaliers vs Nuggets SGP

• Over 237.5
• Jarrett Allen Over 15.5 points
• Jaylon Tyson Over 12.5 points
• Jamal Murray Over 25.5 points
• Cavaliers moneyline

Cavaliers vs Nuggets odds

• Spread: Cavaliers -1 | Nuggets +1
• Moneyline: Cavaliers -115 | Nuggets -105
• Over/Under: Over 237.5 | Under 237.5

Cavaliers vs Nuggets betting trend to know

The Nuggets have only cashed the Under in 13 of their last 40 games for -16.70 units and a -38% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Nuggets.

How to watch Cavaliers vs Nuggets

Cavaliers vs Nuggets latest injuries

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

MILAN (AP) — Host nation Italy secured a place in the quarterfinals of the Olympic women's hockey tournament for the first time by beating Japan 3-2 on Monday.

Italy improved to 2-1, with one game left against Germany, and is guaranteed one of the three quarterfinal spots in Group B, where the five lower-ranked teams play.

“I think this is everybody’s dream coming true,” Italy's Canada-born goalie Gabriella Durante said. “Hopefully this just grows hockey in Italia that much more for little girls all over the country.”

Matilde Fantin scored the first two goals, giving Italy a 2-0 lead after the first period.

After Rui Ukita scored for Japan in the second period, Italy responded with Kristin Della Rovere scoring in the third. Akane Shiga's goal in the third period, confirmed after a lengthy video review to check the puck had crossed the line, kept the pressure on Italy.

Italy’s players poured off the bench at the buzzer to hug Durante, who made 27 saves.

“We had so many people blocking shots and dumping pucks in, just hard work that hurts the body,” she said. “Everybody’s willing to sacrifice for the family and it’s really an amazing feeling to win like that.”

Italy is making just its second Olympic appearance — both as the host team — and lost all four outings at the 2006 Turin Games, finishing last among the eight-team field.

Later Monday, the United States seeks its third win against Switzerland and Canada aims to improve to 2-0 against Czechia. Germany plays France.

___

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

The Minnesota Timberwolves enter tonight’s NBA matchup with the Atlanta Hawks on a miserable stretch, and they haven’t looked like a title contender at all.

As a result, my Hawks vs. Timberwolves predictions and NBA picks back Jalen Johnson and the Hawks to cover the spread tonight at Target Center. 

Hawks vs Timberwolves prediction

Hawks vs Timberwolves best bet: Hawks +6.5 (-110)

The Minnesota Timberwolves looked terrible after getting blown out by the Clippers, and their defense is currently a sieve, allowing over 124 points per game during the last four games. 

Meanwhile, the Atlanta Hawks are playing inspired basketball, winning six of their last 10. Jalen Johnson is a mismatch nightmare, he's fresh off a 31-point performance and has already dropped 34 on Minnesota earlier this season.. 

With Minnesota on no rest and playing its third game in four nights, I’ll back the Hawks to cover the spread. 

Hawks vs Timberwolves same-game parlay

Anthony Edwards is coming off a 1-for-8 stinker from long range against the Clippers. He’s a 40% shooter and is bouncing back tonight.

Minnesota typically plays good defense, and I expect that end of the floor to be where its focus lies. Four of their last five meetings have gone Under, and so should tonight’s contest. 

Hawks vs Timberwolves SGP

• Hawks +6.5
• Anthony Edwards Over 3.5 threes
• Under 238.5

Our "from downtown" SGP: Johnson leads the Hawks

Jalen Johnson is on a tear. He’s cleared his scoring prop total in three of his previous four. The Timberwolves will struggle to contain him, which should give us a solid payday if the entire card hits. 

Hawks vs Timberwolves SGP

• Hawks +6.5
• Anthony Edwards Over 3.5 threes
• Jalen Johnson Over 23.5 points
• Under 238.5

Hawks vs Timberwolves odds

• Spread: Hawks +6.5 | Timberwolves -6.5
• Moneyline: Hawks +200 | Timberwolves -250
• Over/Under: Over 238.5 | Under 238.5

Hawks vs Timberwolves betting trend to know

The Timberwolves are just 4-6 ATS in their last 10 games. Find more NBA betting trends for Hawks vs. Timberwolves.

How to watch Hawks vs Timberwolves

Hawks vs Timberwolves latest injuries

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

The Charlotte Hornets will be looking to extend their win streak to 10 games tonight as they welcome the Detroit Pistons to the Spectrum Center.

LaMelo Ball is scoring the basketball at an impressive level lately. I’m eyeing him to keep it up in my Pistons vs. Hornetspredictions and NBA picks below.

Pistons vs Hornets prediction

Pistons vs Hornets best bet: LaMelo Ball Over 18.5 points (-120)

LaMelo Ball’s numbers are definitely down from last season, averaging just 19.1 points per game compared to 25.2, but he’s still making his presence felt, and LaMelo has done his part during this win streak. 

The guard has cleared his scoring total in three straight contests and also in four of his previous five. He poured in 19 points over the weekend, and he also scored 20 and 24, respectively, in the two games before that. 

He's averaging 18.8 ppg at home this season. While the Detroit Pistons are a very solid team, I’ll take him to find a scoring rhythm again this evening. 

Pistons vs Hornets same-game parlay

Duncan Robinson has been a great piece for Detroit this season, averaging 12.1 ppg in the starting lineup. The guard has hit the Over in three of his last five appearances, scoring 20+ points in two of those games. 

We shift over to Miles Bridges, who's averaging 18.4 ppg this season for the Charlotte Hornets. The 27-year-old is coming off a 26-point performance against the Hawks, and he’s cashed the Over in points in back-to-back outings. 

Bridges has scored 17+ points in four of his previous six appearances, and he’s averaging 18.9 ppg at home. Bridges dropped 19 points against Detroit earlier this season, too. 

Pistons vs Hornets SGP

• LaMelo Ball Over 18.5 points
• Duncan Robinson Over 10.5 points
• Miles Bridges Over 16.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Cade in spades

Cade Cunningham has gone Over his assist line in two of his last four, and he dished out 10 dimes against the Hornets already this season. 

Pistons vs Hornets SGP

• LaMelo Ball Over 18.5 points
• Duncan Robinson Over 10.5 points
• Miles Bridges Over 16.5 points
• Cade Cunningham Over 9.5 assists

Pistons vs Hornets odds

• Spread: Pistons -3 | Hornets +3
• Moneyline: Pistons -155 | Hornets +130
• Over/Under: Over 223 | Under 223

Pistons vs Hornets betting trend to know

The Hornets have cashed the moneyline in 21 of their last 35 games for +21 units and a 45% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Pistons vs. Hornets.

How to watch Pistons vs Hornets

Pistons vs Hornets latest injuries

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

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Atlanta Hawks
Date: February 8th, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM CST
Location: Target Center
Television Coverage: FanDuel Sports Network – North
Radio Coverage: KFAN FM, Wolves App, iHeart Radio

February was supposed to be the month where the Timberwolves looked at the Western Conference standings, rubbed their hands together, and said, “Okay, let’s do this.” The schedule softened. The door cracked open just enough to imagine a world where Minnesota grabbed home court in the first round and avoided the most miserable playoff paths.

Instead, the Wolves took that door, doused it in gasoline, and lit a match.

The path to the three seed was sitting there like an unattended briefcase in a spy movie, and rather than quietly picking it up and walking away, the Timberwolves opted to blow it up in public. Four games against Memphis, Toronto, New Orleans, and a depleted Clippers team, four games where Minnesota had the clear talent edge, and they somehow managed to turn it into a case study in apathy. If not for a frantic fourth-quarter comeback in Toronto, we’d be talking about an 0–4 stretch.

What made it worse wasn’t just the losses, it was how they happened. Long stretches of lifeless basketball. Porous defense that felt optional. An offense that oscillated between stagnant isolation and desperate late-clock heaves. And then, right on cue, a brief surge of effort when the deficit became uncomfortable, like someone finally remembering they left the stove on. The Wolves would claw back, tease you into believing, and then promptly step on a rake.

Sunday’s matinee against the Clippers felt like the breaking point. Los Angeles came in stripped down after the trade deadline, no Harden, no Zubac, figuring things out on the fly, and Minnesota responded with one of its flattest efforts of the season. Low energy. Soft defense. No rhythm. No urgency. It was the kind of performance that makes you wonder whether this team believes the regular season is just something to be endured until April.

And now, because the NBA enjoys irony, the Wolves get to run it back on the second night of a back-to-back against the Atlanta Hawks, a team that, like the Clippers, has been actively selling pieces and repositioning itself for the future. On paper, this should be straightforward. Atlanta doesn’t have the personnel to hang with Minnesota if the Wolves play with any sense of purpose. But that’s the catch, isn’t it? If.

The truly maddening part is that this team already knows what winning basketball looks like. We saw it against Oklahoma City. We’ve seen it in flashes all season. The Wolves don’t lack talent. They don’t lack continuity. What they lack, far too often, is consistent effort and focus. And in the Western Conference, that’s how you end up teetering on the play-in line instead of jockeying for position near the top.

If Minnesota had simply handled business against Memphis, New Orleans, and the Clippers, we’d be talking about them sitting comfortably in the three seed, peeking up at San Antonio, and mapping out potential playoff paths. Instead, they’re staring into the mirror and realizing they might be their own worst matchup.

So with that, here are the keys, not because the Wolves need a complicated game plan, but because they need to remember who they’re supposed to be.

#1: Show up and act like you care.
Against the Clippers, the Wolves played like a team assuming it could flip a switch whenever it felt like it. That’s a dangerous habit born from last season’s playoff run, where Minnesota survived without home court and convinced itself that seeding doesn’t matter. It does. It matters a lot. The Wolves were fortunate to draw the undersized and roster-thin Lakers as the six seed last season. As things currently stand, a six seed would place them in the uneviable position of climbing Mt. Jokic. If the Wolves sleepwalk through games like this, they’re not just risking a loss, they’re volunteering for the hardest possible playoff road.

#2: Defense, defense, defense.
Everything good about this team starts on that end of the floor. When Minnesota defends with aggression, when the perimeter guys stay attached, when rotations are sharp, when Rudy Gobert is allowed to be a deterrent instead of an emergency responder, the Wolves look like a contender. When they come out flat, late on closeouts, and hoping Rudy can clean everything up, the entire structure collapses. Atlanta doesn’t have the firepower to keep up if Minnesota is locked in defensively. But if the Wolves let guards turn corners at will and allow easy kick-out threes, they’ll make another bad team look competent.

#3: Offensive discipline and shot quality.
Against the Clippers, the offense devolved into isolation basketball far too often, with Anthony Edwards trying to manufacture something out of thin air. That’s not a criticism of Ant, it’s a sign the system broke down. This roster has shooters. It has capable bigs. It has enough skill to generate good looks without resorting to hero ball. But that only happens when the ball moves, when spacing is respected, and when players trust that the extra pass will be rewarded. High-efficiency offense isn’t complicated, it’s unselfish.

And honestly, that’s it. We don’t need five keys. We don’t need a chalkboard full of Xs and Os. This comes down to pride, effort, and professionalism.

Minnesota has a talent advantage over Atlanta. Even on the second night of a back-to-back, this should be an open-and-shut case if the Wolves take it seriously. If they don’t. if they coast, defend lazily, and assume they can flip the switch late, then we’re staring at a February that turns into a five-alarm fire instead of a course correction.

The opportunity is still there. The February schedule isn’t brutal. The standings are still fluid. Nothing has been lost yet, except time. The question isn’t whether the Wolves can stack wins. It’s whether they actually want to. Because at some point, the league stops giving you chances to figure it out.

The fire is smoldering. Either Minnesota puts it out now, or they let it spread and deal with the consequences in April.

The Dallas Mavericks are currently in the throes of a season-long seven game losing streak after their 138-125 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night. Although that game was certainly an ugly one, Dallas has otherwise been competitive during the skid, giving fans something to enjoy while the wins remain elusive.

Cooper Flagg is surpassing the hype

In the four losses prior to Saturday night, Cooper Flagg put on an offensive show to etch his name in the record books yet again. From January 29^th through February 5^th, across four losses to the Hornets, Rockets, Celtics and Spurs, Flagg was unstoppable. He dropped a career-high 49 points, followed by 34, 36 and 32-point outings, respectively. The 151 combined points over a four-game span is the first time a rookie has had such a spurt in almost 30 years (Allen Iverson; 1997)!

Flagg’s rebounding totals of 10, 12, 9 and 6, respectively across those four games also put him in the company of Michael Jordan. Flagg is now the first rookie since 1985 to have four-straight games of 30 points and five rebounds.

For the trifecta, Flagg’s four-game stretch gives him a record all his own as well. He is now the youngest player in NBA history to score 30 or more in four-straight games.

With his 32-point performance tonight, Cooper Flagg is now:

▪️ The youngest player in NBA history to record 4 straight 30-pt games.

▪️ The first rookie since Michael Jordan in 1985 to record 4 straight games with 30+ PTS and 5+ REB.

▪️ The first rookie since Allen Iverson in… pic.twitter.com/unhZglmHpJ

— NBA (@NBA) February 6, 2026

There isn’t much argument at this point that Flagg has exceeded the lofty expectations he entered the league with. His growth is happening in real time before our eyes and any talk about his offensive game being under-developed feels like a very distant memory at this point.  

Marvin Bagley enters the Mavs’ record books in his first game

Marvin Bagley joined his fellow Duke University alum in the record-setting action. In his first game as a Maverick following his arrival as part of the Anthony Davis trade, Bagley put on a show. He poured in 16 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, one steal and four blocks off the bench. The box score alone would have been impressive had he been with the team all season, but is more impressive still just days after joining the Mavs roster.

Within his performance Saturday night is a Mavericks franchise record. Eight of Bagley’s 12 rebounds came on the offensive end, breaking Chris Gattling’s nearly 30-year old franchise record of six.

Marvin Bagley III set the Mavericks record for most offensive rebounds in a Dallas debut after garnering 8 offensive boards tonight, per @EliasSports (prev. 6 o-reb, Chris Gatling vs. DEN, 11/1/96)

He finished the game against the Spurs with 16 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks. pic.twitter.com/oqO1d6ve0g

— Mavs PR (@MavsPR) February 8, 2026

Much of Dallas’ trade deadline attention centered around cap relief and avoiding the second apron, and rightfully so. However, the players coming to Dallas still hold plenty of intrigue of their own when it comes to how they may fit going forward. Bagley, a former number 2 pick in the 2018 draft gives the Mavs another capable big. Depending on Daniel Gafford’s status with the team after this season, as well as Dereck Lively’s health going into next year, Bagley may yet have a future in Dallas. He will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and likely relatively cheap should the Mavs want to keep him around. Somewhat undersized as a center, he can at least play small there and is a capable power forward as demonstrated Saturday. Dallas has the remainder of the season to try out the fit, and perhaps he will want to stick around on a roster that currently features four other former Dukies (Kyrie Irving, Tyus Jones, Flagg and Lively).

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) — Mathilde Gremaud defends her Olympic gold medal in freeski slopestyle, while Eileen Gu again takes silver.

After OKC’s Shai-Gilegous Alexander sustained an abdominal strain, which will sideline him till after the All-Star break, it was said that there would need to be a replacement. Early Sunday, it was revealed that NBA commissioner Adam Silver selected Rockets center Alperen Sengun to be SGA’s replacement. It is important to note that this year the NBA is using a new format. This season, there will be three teams competing in the 75th NBA All-Star Game, in a novel round-robin format: two teams of American players (USA Stars and USA Stripes) and one international team, Team World. Four 12-minute games will be played between the teams. The event will take place at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, on Sunday, February 15, so it was crucial that SGA’s replacement would be an international player since SGA is from Canada.

Last week, Silver also named Kawhi Leonard of the Clippers to the All-Star team as an injury replacement because in order to guarantee that each side would have the necessary minimum of eight players, Leonard was required to bring the overall number of U.S. All-Stars for the new U.S. vs. World format to the required 16.

Şengün is making his second consecutive appearance on the All-Star team. Throughout the season, the 23-year-old has averaged 20.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 6.3 assists. Along with Nikola Jokić of the Nuggets and Jalen Johnson of the Hawks, Sengun is one of three players who have averaged at least 20.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists this season. Additionally, both players were chosen to play in the All-Star Game.

Şengün will play alongside Kevin Durant, a forward for the Rockets. The Rockets are one of the clubs with several All-Stars, along with the Pistons, Lakers, Knicks, and Nuggets. Durant will be a member of the USA Stripes. In his debut season with the Rockets, Durant has averaged 25.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.4 assists. 32-19 is the Rockets’ record.

Houston will play its second-to-last game before the All-Star break at home on Tuesday at 7:00 versus the Clippers. As always, be sure to check out The DreamShake for pre- and post-game coverage.

The NBA All-Star Game at Intuit Dome is days away, and no one is looking forward to it more than Barbara Bush, daughter of former President George W. Bush and the NBA’s vice president of social impact. She found her “dream job” and is loving every minute of it.

“I played basketball until fifth grade. I grew up in Dallas and everyone watched the Mavericks. Then when I moved to Austin it was all about UT," she said, referring to the University of Texas. "I never thought I’d work in basketball. For most of my career I’ve worked in global health with nonprofits. During COVID, I started paying more attention to the NBA as it utilized its arenas for vaccination sites and voting centers since you could be socially distanced and compliant by using them.”

While representing the foundation for which she worked, Bush attended meetings with NBA executives and sought ways to work together.

“I became more and more interested in what they were building,” she recalled. “So serendipitously I mentioned 'If you ever have an opening, I’d love to go through the recruiting process and see what happens.' One year later there was an opening, I applied, and I’ve been with the NBA for about three years now.”

Bush was promoted to her present position in 2023. Collaborating with the Clippers, she is overseeing this year’s All-Star youth and development programming and social impact initiatives, beginning with Thursday’s NBA Cares State Farm Assist Tracker Legacy Project Dedication in celebration of the YMCA’s 175-year anniversary at Weingart YMCA Wellness & Aquatic Center in South L.A.

“The YMCA’s been a great partner with the Clippers for years and years and we feel a strong affinity to the Y, given that our sport was created at a YMCA, so it’s been part of the story of the NBA itself,” Bush said. “We, the National Basketball Players Assn. and the Clippers, are renovating youth-serving spaces, including a STEM lab, teen center and basketball court.”

Read more:Rising Stars set to help kick off NBA All-Star Weekend at Intuit Dome

On Thursday night, seven L.A.-based entrepreneurs will present their companies to a panel of celebrity judges and compete for $200,000 in prizes in the All-Star Pitch Competition at the Kia Forum. Judging will be actress Issa Rae, marketing executive Bozoma Saint John, private equity partners Will Bumpus and Ted Oberwager, and Ann Miller, Nike’s executive vice president of global sports marketing.

“It’s a 'Shark Tank'-style competition, we had 200 companies apply, and this will be the final rounds where seven entrepreneurs get to pitch their business to some pretty well-known judges, so I’m sure they’re going to be nerve-racked,” Bush explained. “It’s really fun and inspiring to watch entrepreneurs have the courage to share in front of an audience their impressive businesses.”

The Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Day on Friday morning invites 1,000 local youth from the Beyond the Bell and Woodcraft Rangers programs to participate in clinics teaching fundamentals of the game.

The 18th annual NBA Cares Day of Service is Friday afternoon at the Convention Center, and 500 volunteers will build home structures with Habitat for Humanity and pack essential kits for underserved families with Baby2Baby.

All weekend a Basketball Without Borders Global Camp at the Lakers’ practice facility in El Segundo will bring together elite high school-age prospects from Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe to take part in shooting competitions, life-skills seminars and five-on-five games guided by current and former NBA players and coaches.

“One interesting tie this year is how we’ve reconfigured the All-Star Game so it’s the USA vs. the World, given that so many players are from other countries,” Bush said. “Since NBC is covering the Olympics at the same time, we think it’s compelling to have our format be USA vs. the World.”

Bush is perhaps most excited about the NBA Total Health All-Star Walk on Sunday morning, a two-mile route in Inglewood.

“We’ll be working with Girltrek, a phenomenal nonprofit focused on walking as a way to maintain your health,” she said. “We expect 1,500 people and it’s open to the public. NBA and WNBA legends are participating, and Evernorth Health Services will do biometric screenings and skin cancer checks to take care of yourself before heading to the game.”

Bush acknowledged the Clippers’ role in planning everything the NBA is doing next weekend and praised the franchise for its community outreach.

“What I love about my job is I still get to work on health and social justice issues but from a totally different vantage point,” she said. “We’ll have eyeballs around the world watching so we want to make sure we leave the community better than when we arrived.”

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Before Sunday’s 111-89 loss to the Knicks, the Celtics had been 7-1 when playing on a Patriots Super Bowl Sunday.

According to statistician Dick Lipe, the lone loss came in 2015, when the Celtics scored just 75 points against the Heat. Later that night, however, the Patriots rallied to earn a thrilling, 28-24, triumph over the Seahawks. Time will tell if history repeats itself, yet it’s an interesting trend to monitor nonetheless.

Here are 10 takeaways as the Knicks deprived the Celtics of their cementing sixth consecutive victory.

1. Oh, shoot

This was one of those games where living and dying by the 3 can sometimes yield a slow and painful death.

The Celtics shot 7 of 41 (17 percent) from distance, posting a season low in points, field-goal percentage (37), 3-point percentage and 3-pointers. Some of the looks just didn’t fall, some were ill-advised attempts and the Knicks certainly deserve plenty of credit for bothering the Celtics with their length.

2. Bruiser Brunson

There’s no denying it. Jalen Brunson (31 points, eight assists) is one tough dude, and he’s in his element as the head of the snake for the Knicks.

Brunson set the tone early with 15 points and four assists in the first quarter alone. He was average after that, but the damage had been done.

🏀 SUNDAY'S FINAL SCORES 🏀

Jalen Brunson and the @nyknicks win in Boston and move back into second in the East!

Josh Hart: 19 PTS, 6 REB
Jaylen Brown: 26 PTS pic.twitter.com/s80FH3hvop

— NBA (@NBA) February 8, 2026

3. Grand Theft Alvarado

The Knicks may have made a major theft of their own by snatching Jose Alvarado. He gives New York a different look to accompany Landry Shamet and is a true terror defensively. When he hits shots, watch out.

4. Battling Baylor

Baylor Scheierman was a bright spot for Boston, as he posted 10 points, a career-high 13 rebounds and five assists in the loss.

Scheierman is averaging 10 rebounds per game in his last four contests and is starting to showcase the versatility that made him special in college.

At his core, Scheierman is someone who can make plays, hit shots, battle on the glass, defend at a high level and use his basketball IQ to spearhead runs. He’s starting to do that all at once more consistently.

Baylor Scheierman recorded his second career double-double this afternoon with 10 points and a career-high 13 rebounds against the Knicks.

— Celtics Stats (@celtics_stats) February 8, 2026

5. Vuc watch

Nikola Vucevic had a pretty average game, with 11 points and six rebounds in 23 minutes, but it’s still worth taking a closer look at his performance.

The Celtics are really making a conscious effort to look for him in the paint, which is exactly what they should do. Vucevic commands so much attention and is a very skilled passer out of the post.

The chemistry is already there, and it will continue to grow in the coming months as he makes life easier for shooters like Payton Pritchard and Derrick White.

6. Speaking of White

Derrick White contributed 19 points and four assists to go with Jaylen Brown’s team-high 26 points. This was White’s first game shooting 50 percent or better (7 of 14) since late January.

He’s still managed to affect the game in other ways, from shot-blocking to pace-setting, but perhaps he can use this performance as a springboard to bolster his shooting splits.

7. Missin’ transition

The Celtics scored 3 points off turnovers against the Knicks, marking their lowest total since 2021.

The Knicks, meanwhile, scored 16 fast-break points and got plenty of easy looks. It was one of those games where the Celtics had to work hard for everything and the Knicks seemed to generate high-quality attempts at will.

The Sultan of Stat's noteage today is far more exciting than the Celtics' performance in the 111-89 loss to New York. (The Sultan leads the NBA in excitement.)

The Celts shot 7-for-41 on 3-pointers – and the rest was pretty bad, too.@DickLipe has the good, bad and mostly ugly. pic.twitter.com/kHRWvedPxb

— Steve Bulpett (@SteveBHoop) February 8, 2026

8. Sam I Am

The Celtics missed Sam Hauser (low back spasms) in this one and could have used his spacing and shooting. Anfernee Simons also would have helped (it was still a good move).

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla mixed and matched, turning to Ron Harper Jr., Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh and more, but nothing worked for extended stretches.

9. Kicked by the Knicks

The Celtics are now 1-2 against the Knicks this season, with both losses coming by double digits. After sweeping the regular-season series last year, they’re just a combined 3-6 in playoff and regular-season games since.

It’s enough of a sample size where it’s fair to be a bit concerned if they meet again. The Knicks are a difficult matchup for the Celtics because of their combination of size, shooting, speed and star power.

10. No biggie

It’s just one game, and in a long season, duds like this are going to happen. An important stretch before the All-Star Game awaits, with games against the Bulls on Wednesday and Warriors on Thursday.

The Celtics have still won five of six and 10 of 14. No need to panic.

Per a Spurs press release:

 Game night just got upgraded! The Spurs and Ledger are teaming up to give one lucky fan the chance to host the ultimate Spurs watch party at home. Enter for a shot at winning everything you need to turn your living room into the best seat in the house!

Ledger is teaming up with the Spurs to bring you the chance to win a one-of-a-kind Game night at home experience. The winner will receive Ledger surprises, premium Spurs gear, and all the essentials to host an unforgettable watch party.

I’m not personally a gamer, unless you count Frogger. I was a street-hopping guru. But Spurs gear and a watch party is enough to have me click HERE for my chance to win.

Will you take yours?

---

Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.

Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.

Jalen Johnson has ascended in meteoric fashion during his five-year basketball career.

Johnson has gone from G Leaguer, to rotation player, to franchise cornerstone in that short span. And now, he’s been named to his first All-Star Game in his career. The weekend festivities will take place in southern California, primarily in the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, the home of the Clippers.

But that won’t be his only involvement next weekend. It was recently announced that he will join fellow Duke Blue Devils Kon Knueppel, a rookie phenom, and Corey Maggette, a retired 14-year NBA veteran, in the NBA All-Star Weekend Shooting Stars Challenge.

In that competition, he’ll take on these three other trios:

• Team All-Star: Scottie Barnes, Chet Holmgren, Richard “Rip” Hamilton
• Team Harper: Derek Harper, Ron Harper Jr., Ron Harper Sr.
• Team Knicks: Jalen Brunson, Karl Anthony-Towns, Allan Houston

The contest makes its first appearance since the 2015 All-Star weekend. In it, there are seven spots on the floor with which the players can shoot from and earn various amounts of points with 70 seconds. Please see the attached PDF for a full set of rules and regulations.

Many will remember franchise icon Dominique Wilkins not only taking part in three straight competitions but winning the three most recent editions of the competition — a veritable dynasty as part of Team Bosh with NBA star Chris Bosh and WNBA star Swin Cash.

The event will take place on Saturday, February 14 after 5 PM EST on NBC and streaming on Peacock.

When you zoom out on Week 16 for the Suns, it reads like a week of missed opportunity. The West does not wait for anyone. It chews teams up nightly and dares you to keep pace. You have to handle your own business and hope a few breaks fall your way.

Phoenix started the week as the seventh seed and ended it the same way, but the math is shifting. Houston and the Lakers now sit two games ahead at 32-19. That gap did not have to be there. The door was open. The Suns never fully walked through it.

Coming off that long road trip where they split six games and lost both Devin Booker and Jalen Green along the way, the schedule finally softened. Nine of ten at home. Prime real estate. This team is supposed to feast there. Instead, seven games into that stretch, they are 3-4. Even the lone road game this week turned into an early mess, down 19 before waking up and clawing back to win. Credit for the fight, sure. But it keeps feeling harder than it needs to be.

That is the rhythm of an NBA season. You steal some you should not. You drop some you cannot afford. Eventually, it evens out. The bad from this week is loud. A 14-point fourth-quarter lead evaporated against Golden State. The good matters too. Booker is back. Green is back. Health changes everything.

The season keeps breathing. Up and down. In and out. Same as it ever was. Look at it, learn from it, and carry on.

Week 16 Record: 1-2

@ Portland Trail Blazers, W, 130-125

• Possession Differential: -5.7
• Turnover Differential: -6
• Offensive Rebounding Differential: 0

Tuesday night in Portland started like a trap game and played like one, at least early.

The Suns sleepwalked through a brutal opening quarter and watched the league’s worst three-point shooting team go 13-of-30 from deep. Down 19, things looked cooked. Then Phoenix woke up. They clawed back before halftime, detonated a 34-22 third quarter, and flipped the night on effort and poise.

Ugly start, strong spine, familiar finish.

vs. Golden State Warriors, L, 101-97

• Possession Differential: +0.8
• Turnover Differential: -3
• Offensive Rebounding Differential: -4

It’s three days later, and I’m still pissed about this game.

vs. Philadelphia 76ers, L, 109-103

• Possession Differential: +1.7
• Turnover Differential: -5
• Offensive Rebounding Differential: +1

The Suns got their cavalry back Saturday night. Devin Booker returned. Jalen Green returned. The vibes were there. The shooting was not. Phoenix opened 1-of-13 from deep, finished 11-of-46 overall, and spent the night pump-faking themselves into worse decisions. The offense moved. The looks were clean. The threes refused to fall.

Inside the Possession Game

• Weekly Possession Differential: -2.8
• Weekly Turnover Differential: -14
• Offensive Rebounding Differential: -3
• Year-to-Date Over/Under .500: +9

Who doesn’t love trying to figure out this graph, eh?

There’s not a lot to unpack in the possession battle from this past week. On the surface, the Suns did some things well. They won the turnover differential. They were not crushed on the glass the way the noise might suggest. And yet, they still lost the possession game overall.

When I dig into the numbers, nothing really screams at me. Even with that ugly shooting night against Philadelphia baked in, the Suns finished the week at 36.2% from beyond the arc, which sits 14th in the league. That is fine. They were sixth in the NBA with 10.3 steals per game, which tracks with the effort and activity we have come to expect.

The problem shows up in the assists. 23.3 per game. That ranks 25th. And that tells you everything you need to know. The ball did not move with any real pop. Too much standing. Too much dribbling. Too many possessions ending in isolation that never quite got where they needed to go. And on the occasions when the ball did move, the shots did not fall.

Week 16 ended up being strange like that. A week that easily could have been 2-1. Instead, it turned into something messier. Sometimes it is not one stat that betrays you. Sometimes it is the way all of them quietly point in the same direction.

---

Week 17 Preview

Only two games on the slate this week, both at home. And because the NBA never misses a chance to trip over its own scheduling genius, they come as a back-to-back. This could have been clean. Saturday. Monday. Wednesday. Instead, the league jams Dallas and Oklahoma City together and calls it a plan. So that is what it is, and that is when it is happening.

Dallas is fascinating in a chaotic way. Cooper Flagg has arrived and changed the temperature of the franchise. Everything Nico Harrison built has been stripped down to the studs, outside of keeping Max Christie around. Anthony Davis is gone. Flagg is already a problem. And yet, the wins have not followed. The talent is there. The results are not.

Then comes Oklahoma City. A Thunder team playing without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and wobbling a bit because of it. This feels like an opportunity. A real one. The Suns can make it two wins in four games against this group this season, with one more meeting waiting at the very end. Back to back or not, the opening is there. The question is whether Phoenix takes it.

---

63% of voters believed Week 16 would be a 2-1 week for Phoenix. The 3% who chose 1-2 were correct. How does it shake out in this short week that has only two games…but they’re back-to-back?

MILAN (AP) — Lindsey Vonn came to the Winter Olympics as one of the headline acts of the Games, just a week after tearing the ACL in her left knee. But her chances of winning a medal at 41 came to an abrupt and painful end when she crashed in the women's downhill. Here's a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors of Vonn in Cortina, from her training ahead of the race to her crash on Sunday.