CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — William Nylander scored on a breakaway 35 seconds into the game and added two assists that helped the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Calgary Flames 4-2 on Monday night.
Matias Maccelli and defenseman Troy Stecher also scored as the Maple Leafs won their second straight following a six-game losing streak. Toronto halted an 0-5-1 slide by winning 3-2 in a shootout Saturday at Vancouver.
Bobby McMann's empty-net goal sealed it with 25 seconds remaining. Joseph Woll made 28 saves, improving to 5-0-0 against Calgary.
Toronto has won eight in a row versus the Flames, its longest active streak against any team.
Nazem Kadri and Joel Farabee each had a goal and an assist for the struggling Flames, who have dropped six of seven. They snapped a five-game skid (0-3-2) with a 3-2 victory Saturday against San Jose when Farabee scored a short-handed goal to break a third-period tie.
Dustin Wolf stopped 18 shots.
Toronto moved within seven points of the Boston Bruins, who occupy the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Nylander has 13 goals and 23 assists in 26 career games against Calgary, where he was born. His father, Michael, played for the Flames in the mid-1990s.
Calgary rookie defenseman Zayne Parekh was held without a point in 20:05 of ice time during his first NHL game since Nov. 7. A first-round draft pick in 2024, Parekh has been working his way back from an injury sustained at the World Junior Championship tournament, where he starred for Canada with five goals and eight assists in seven games.
Up next
Maple Leafs: At the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night to conclude a four-game trip heading into the Olympic break.
Flames: Host the Oilers on Wednesday night in the final game for both teams before the break.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 18: James Harden #1 of the Los Angeles Clippers handles the ball against Darius Garland #10 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first quarter at Intuit Dome on March 18, 2025 in Inglewood, 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. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers are reportedly in “advanced discussions” to trade for LA Clippers’ All-Star James Harden. The deal would seemingly include a swap of Harden for Darius Garland.
Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix broke the news, and ESPN’s Shams Charania later confirmed it. The Clippers are looking for a suitor to take Harden, and the Cavs, along with other teams, are expressing serious interest.
It’s worth noting that Harden has a no-trade clause and would need to approve of any deal the Clippers make. That adds another layer to consider. Harden would have to sign off on playing in Cleveland before the Cavs could acquire him.
Mannix also added that Cleveland is seeking additional draft compensation in the trade. This has been a holdup for LA.
Cavs have pushed for a draft pick/swap in Harden talks, sources told @SInow. Clippers have resisted. More ⬇️ https://t.co/XcfDBxVJNr
This is somewhat of a shock. We’ve known the Cavs are turning over every stone to find potential upgrades. But 36-year-old Harden wasn’t on many people’s radar. It feels insane on the surface to trade Garland for a player who is 10 years older than him and hasn’t proven he can get the job done in the postseason.
Granted, Garland hasn’t proven himself either, but he’ll presumably have many more chances to do so before his career is all said and done. Harden might be running out of time.
Numerous teams have convinced themselves that Harden can put them over the top. Thus far, no franchise has won that bet. I believe that Harden is better than he gets credit for in the playoffs—but I’m not eager to make the same mistake that the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, and Clippers have already made.
This is where I have to mention how great Harden still is on the basketball court. He’s averaging an efficient 25 points and 8 assists, all while playing 44 of LA’s 49 games this season. Harden has been more impactful and more durable than Garland this season. That’s a fact.
Also true is the age difference. It’s a bold move to hitch your wagon to a player who turns 37 this summer. The Cavs’ window won’t be open forever; we know this. But trading for a star who is closer to retirement than his prime is a risky move.
I’ll save the rest of my thoughts on this until we find out more. For now, keep your notifications on and brace for impact. Trade season is in full swing.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - FEBRUARY 06: Klay Thompson #31 of the Dallas Mavericks defends Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics during the second quarter at the TD Garden on February 06, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It feels like a lifetime since the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks met on the NBA’s biggest stage in the 2024 Finals. Much has changed since then as the red-hot Celtics (31-18) visit the Mavericks (19-30), who are looking to end a four-game skid. Here are three things to watch ahead of Dallas’s matchup with the East’s second-best team.
The Celtics shoot threes, lots of threes
The Celtics and Mavericks play two completely different styles. Boston is second in the NBA this season in threes attempted per game at 42.9, and second in made threes per game at 15.6. As a team, they shoot 36.7% from three, ninth in the NBA. In comparison, Dallas is 26th in the NBA in three-point shot attempts per game at 32.0, 28th in makes at 11.0, and 26th in percentage at 34.3%.
One thing that has not changed since the 2024 NBA Finals is Boston’s ability to shoot volume threes, which can demoralize opponents when the threes are falling. In today’s NBA, the math of three being worth more than two is a big part of Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla’s strategy. In the absence of perennial All-Star Jayson Tatum, the Celtics lean on the three-point shot even more than before. Boston has six players who shoot above 39% from three this season — Anfernee Simons, Sam Houser, Josh Minnott, Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, and Luka Garza. This doesn’t include veteran sharpshooter Derrick White, who has struggled from three this season at 32.4%. Meanwhile, the Mavericks have one player who shoots north of 39% from three — Max Christie.
Dallas’s style of bully-ball and relentless attacking in the paint can work on teams that aren’t efficient from three, but three is still worth more than two, and the math favors the Celtics.
The Celtics are deep
Even without Jayson Tatum, this Celtics team has been finding its groove lately, and a lot of that success stems from its depth. Boston is 7-3 in its past 10 games with a plus-nine point differential. After a 5-7 start, the Celtics are 26-11 since and sit in a second-place tie with the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference. Boston has five players who score in double digits per game: Jaylen Brown (29.4), Derrick White (17.2), Payton Pritchard (16.8), Anfernee Simons (14.2), and Neemias Queta (10.1).
The depth of the Celtics is also a big reason why they have the league’s second-best offense at 121.3 points per game. One particular player that could cause problems for the Mavs is Queta, who has shown real promise in his fifth year. The seven-footer is averaging 10.1 points per game, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks on 63.5% shooting. Dallas’s lack of men in the middle could give the Celtics second and third opportunities to hoist from three.
Another player to watch is reigning Sixth Man of the Year Payton Pritchard. A lot of focus on the court tends to shift to Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, and for good reason. But Pritchard has quietly had another fantastic year for the Celtics, averaging 16.8 points per game, 4.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists. His ability to attack off the dribble and shoot from three is a big reason why the Celtics’ offense has remained efficient without Tatum.
And of course, there’s Jaylen Brown, who’s statistically having his best season at 29.4 points per game, 6.9 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. Brown usually takes on the form of Robin, with Tatum being Batman, but Robin has done a pretty good job at keeping the ship afloat without the captain.
Cooper Flagg is the new Jayson Tatum?
One of the most common player comparisons Cooper Flagg has drawn is Jayson Tatum. And it makes sense. Both went to Duke. Both were one-and-done. Both are widely viewed as elite two-way players. Flagg is listed at 6’9, 205 pounds. Tatum is listed at 6’8, 210 pounds. Both have the size and length to guard one through four on defense. Both have great court vision and passing ability to lead an offense. They do feel all too similar. So how are Flagg’s rookie numbers comparing to Tatum’s?
The situation Tatum was drafted into had some similarities to Cooper Flagg’s. The 2016-2017 Celtics were 53-29 and lost in the Eastern Conference Finals to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. In the 2017 NBA Draft, the Celtics took Jayson Tatum third overall. Tatum was thrust onto a good roster right away and was able to fit into his role. In his rookie year, he averaged 13.9 points per game, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. In comparison, Cooper Flagg is averaging 19.8 points per game, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in his rookie campaign.
Tatum’s team success in his first year was far greater than Flagg’s, with the Celtics going 55-27 and coming one game shy of the NBA Finals, losing once again to LeBron James’s Cavaliers. As of now, the Mavericks sit at 19-30, 11th in the Western Conference. But Tatum was surrounded early by veterans who helped him figure things out – Kyrie Irving, Marcus Smart, Al Horford, to name a few. Flagg has that in Dallas — Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, and Klay Thompson. Veteran leadership matters, it’s just that most of the Mavericks veterans are hurt. Tatum has now grown himself to a top five to 10 player in the NBA. That may not even be the ceiling with Flagg. His ceiling may be top one.
Flagg will have his hands full on Tuesday night, being guarded by some of the league’s best perimeter defenders in Jaylen Brown and Derrick White. Let’s see how the next Jayson Tatum fairs against the team that grew the original one.
How to watch
The two teams, going in seemingly opposite directions, will take the court on Tuesday night. But if there’s one thing we know, Dallas tends to beat the good teams. Go figure. The Mavs and Celtics will tip off at 7 p.m. Central time on NBC and Peacock.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Jaylin Henderson scored 30 points to lead Portland State to an 88-65 victory over Idaho State on Monday night.
Henderson made 10 of 18 shots, including both of his 3-point attempts, and 8 of 10 free throws for the Vikings (15-6, 9-1 Big Sky Conference). He also handed out seven assists.
Terri Miller Jr. totaled 22 points and three steals for Portland State. Kelcy Phipps scored 11 off the bench on 4-for-4 shooting with a 3-pointer.
Caleb Van De Griend came off the bench to score 13 for the Bengals (10-13, 3-7), who trailed 43-32 at halftime. Evan Otten had 12 points and Connor Hollenbeck scored 10.
A potential Harden swap would net the Clippers Darius Garland in return, the outlet added.
The Clippers are reportedly in talks with the Cavaliers about sending James Harden to Cleveland. NBAE via Getty Images
Harden did not play in Los Angeles’ home game against the Sixers on Monday night after head coach Ty Lue said the point guard was “home in Phoenix” due to “personal reasons.”
James Harden has missed the Clippers’ last two games, including Monday night’s matchup with the 76ers. NBAE via Getty Images
Harden also missed the Clippers’ Sunday matchup against the Suns.
The 11-time All-Star joined the Clippers in 2023 in a trade from the 76ers.
In his two-plus seasons with the team, he’s averaged 21.1 points, 8.5 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game.
Harden’s played for five total teams — the Thunder, Rockets, Nets, Sixers and Clippers — in his 17 years in the NBA.
Cavaliers guard Darius Garland has missed time this season because of a toe injury. NBAE via Getty Images
Garland, meanwhile, has played his entire career in Cleveland after he was taken with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
He’s made two All-Star teams.
He, though, has been limited to 26 games this season while dealing with a toe injury.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Prophet Johnson had 35 points to match his career high and propel Sacramento State to a 104-90 victory over Weber State on Monday night.
Johnson made 11 of 16 shots with three 3-pointers and 10 of 13 free throws for the Hornets (9-13, 5-5 Big Sky Conference). He added seven rebounds.
Jahni Summers made 8 of 9 shots with five 3-pointers, scoring 22 with five assists for Sac State. Mark Lavrenov totaled 18 points and nine rebounds.
Ty Saine Jr. had 22 points and six assists to pace the Wildcats (11-12, 5-5). Malek Gomma finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Nigel Burris totaled 17 points and eight rebounds.
Summers had 17 points, Johnson scored 12 and Shaqir O'Neal scored all 10 of his points in the first half to help the Hornets take a commanding 53-32 lead.
INGLEWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 2: Dominick Barlow #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers dunks the ball during the game against the LA Clippers on February 2, 2026 at Intuit Dome 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 Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
#SixersAfterDark with only a small risk of blowing a 20-point lead. How pleasant.
Philadelphia won their fourth game in a row, taking down the LA Clippers 128-113 Monday night.
Tyrese Maxey caught fire from three, going for a game-high 29 points on 9-of-18 shooting as well as six assists. Joel Embiid came alive in the second half to finish with 24 points shooting 8-of-19 from the floor.
VJ Edgecombe was cold from the floor but found ways to be productive, having five points on 1-of-11 shooting with three rebounds and seven assists.Dominick Barlow put up a career-high 26 going 10-of-16 from the floor along with 16 rebounds and two steals. Kawhi Leonard led LA with 29 as well.
Paul George was the lone Sixer out with his suspension while the Clippers were without James Harden and Derrick Jones Jr.
Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.
First Quarter
It was quite a start for the Sixers, opening the game on a 18-2 run. Maxey started hot with a couple threes falling away. The Clippers looked every bit like a team that played the night before. Three of their first four turnovers were just because they dropped the ball.
Barlow got a couple of hustle buckets, putting back two missed Embiid shots and finishing a backdoor cut. He was quickly fueling the offense with his putbacks. He intercepted a bounce pass and took it all the way, reaching 11 points, which was a career-high for him in a first quarter.
Things looked a bit more conventional when Maxey got going again, drilling another pair of threes after getting to the line. He seemed to really want to show off his stepback three, trying it on three of his five attempts. His heat check to close the quarter didn’t go, but he still helped power the Sixers to a 21-point lead.
Second Quarter
The staggering changed up again, with Edgecombe leading the second unit along with Jared McCain. Edgecombe found McCain coming off a screen for a three. Adem Bona rolled open to the basket and kicked it to Quentin Grimes to take advantage of a wide open runway and posterize John Collins. The dunk was not only Grimes’ best play in quite some time, but encouraged Edgecombe to drive to do the same over the next few possessions.
It was quickly becoming the Dominick Barlow Game, with him picking up another putback upon returning to the game and shortly picked up a steal as well, completing that fast break with a give-and-go with Edgecombe. The Clippers’ eight turnovers had really kept them in a hole despite shooting 56% from the field.
The heavy doubles the Sixers threw at Leonard helped generate some of those turnovers, but they didn’t slow him down much with his 13 points in the half. LA’s offense predictably wasn’t able to do much without him. On the other end of the floor, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Grimes hit corner threes, and Edgecombe finally made his first field goal with one as well to keep the Sixers at a 19-point lead at the half.
Third Quarter
After a slow start, Embiid knocked down a jumper on three possessions in a row, surpassing his first half total. While Edgecombe did not find the same rhythm, missing on the open threes swung to him, he was plenty involved. He assisted on two of those Embiid jumpers working the two-man game.
The game came screeching to a halt thanks to two Clippers challenges — one successful, one unsuccessful. The Clippers finally started to take advantage of the odd man advantages, slowly chipping away at the lead. Embiid settled things down with a couple looks from the nail before Barlow got another putback, getting fouled in the process as well.
Dominick Barlow has 9(!) offensive rebounds and is a point away from matching his career high pic.twitter.com/4w6B5R6qEq
The offense slowed down again after Maxey followed up that and-1 with a jumper. Some fresh faces helped that as Grimes checked into the game and knocked down a three coming off a screen. On the next possession he kept his head up on a drive to find McCain wide open in the corner, helping the Sixers stay ahead by 13.
Fourth Quarter
A bad pass that didn’t make it to Embiid to close the third got McCain benched to start the fourth though. The shot quality had dipped a bit, but tough makes from Maxey and Oubre kept them afloat. Truly everything was coming up Barlow. After an and-1 drive he had a corner three take three or four bounces off the rim before falling in.
For every time the Clippers did threaten to make things interesting, the Sixers were able to come up with a shot or two to keep them at bay. Embiid made up for a turnover by capping off a nice second half with a couple more jumpers. Another Maxey stepback three made the Clippers wave the white flag with about four minutes to go.
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 2, 2026: Injured Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) bounces the ball during a timeout in the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Crypto.com Arena on January 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
For fans eager to see Austin Reaves back on the court, the last week has been frustrating.
Even if the Lakers are taking an understandable cautious approach, fans are rarely reasonable and the idea of Austin returning had them excited, only to be let down twice. After Sunday’s loss, head coach JJ Redick was asked about Reaves’ status.
“I just would say he’s day-to-day, game-to-game, however you want to phrase it,” Redick said. “We’ll hopefully have him for Tuesday but he’s got to feel 100% confident.”
This is not the first time Redick has given some form of a quote like this during the road trip either. The team is clearly being extremely cautious with his return. Unsurprisingly, Reaves is listed as questionable for a third straight game ahead of the Lakers’ clash with the Nets in Brooklyn on Tuesday.
In a vacuum, a game against the Nets would be a perfect time to bring a player back from injury. That likely factored little into the Lakers’ calculus considering how important each win is in the Western Conference, but this should be a comfortable on-ramp for Reaves.
It’s clear Reaves’ return is very close. As frustrated as Lakers fans may be about having to wait, it shouldn’t factor into the team or Reaves’ decision of when to finally suit up.
But, man, It’s about time Reaves got back on that court.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Nick Schmaltz had his second hat trick of the season and added two assists for a five-point game in the Utah Mammoth's 6-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Monday night.
Schmaltz had his third career NHL hat trick to push his season goals total to 22, one shy of his career high set with Arizona in 2021-22.
JJ Peterka scored his 20th of the season, John Marino had a goal and two assists and Mikhail Sergachev also scored to help Utah end a two-game losing streak. Karel Vejmelka made 21 saves.
Schmaltz scored twice in the first as Utah took a 2-1 lead. In the second, Sergachev connected on a power play and Marino and Peterka pushed the advantage to 5-1. Schmaltz completed the hat trick with 7:38 left in the third, scoring off a feed from Clayton Keller on a break.
Liam Ohgren and Teddy Blueger scored for Vancouver. Kevin Lankinen stopped 14 shots.
Vancouver has only two victories in its last 18 games — both on an eight-game homestand that ended Saturday night with a 3-2 shootout loss to Toronto.
Up next
Canucks: At Vegas on Wednesday night in their final game before the Olympic break.
Mammoth: Host Detroit on Wednesday night in their final game before the Olympic break.
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson scored 19 points, including two 3-pointers in the final 1:20 for his only field goals of the second half, and the 11th-ranked Jayhawks overcame a late nine-point deficit to beat No. 13 Texas Tech 64-61 on Monday night.
Peterson, who played a season-high 35 minutes, hit a 3 from the right corner with 1:20 left to tie the game at 61. His next one, with 44 seconds remaining, put the Jayhawks (17-5, 7-2 Big 12) ahead to stay in their sixth consecutive win.
The Red Raiders (16-6, 6-3), playing without starting point guard Christian Anderson, had a 59-50 lead with 6:05 to go after a jumper by LeJuan Watts. But they made only one of their last 12 shots while Kansas closed on a 14-2 run.
Melvin Council Jr. had 16 points, Flory Bidunga scored 14 and Bryson Tiller grabbed 10 rebounds for Kansas.
NO. 14 NORTH CAROLINA 87, SYRACUSE 77
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Caleb Wilson had 22 points and nine rebounds as North Carolina held off Syracuset after building a 32-point lead midway through the second half.
Syracuse shaved the deficit to six with 42 seconds remaining before the Tar Heels finally closed it out from the free-throw line.
Henri Veesaar added 17 points and 11 boards for his Atlantic Coast Conference-leading 12th double-double. Jonathan Powell scored 12 points and Luka Bogavac had 10 for the Tar Heels (18-4, 6-3), who will carry a four-game winning streak into Saturday’s showdown with No. 4 Duke in Chapel Hill.
Wilson went 6 of 14 from the field and reached 20 points for the 16th time, most by a UNC freshman.
Donnie Freeman finished with 23 points and eight rebounds to lead Syracuse (13-10, 4-6), which lost for the fifth time in six games. Naithan George added 15 points.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 10: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles as Day'Ron Sharpe #20 of the Brooklyn Nets defends during the first half at Barclays Center on March 10, 2025 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. 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 Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a tough loss against the New York Knicks, the Lakers (29-19) look to redeem themselves against the Brooklyn Nets (13-35) on Tuesday. This is the last stop in their Grammy road trip.
The Lakers were once again confronted with some harsh realities in Sunday’s loss against the Knicks:
They’re not going to win many games whenever they shoot 12-45 (28.6%) from the 3-point line
Losing one quarter by a wide margin can significantly affect the game’s outcome
They have a tough time against opponents who rebound the ball well
Their struggles against teams above .500 continue (9-11) has become a concern
Frankly, these points have been reccurring issues throughout the season and the purple and gold have shown very little to no signs of improving. Whether that’s because of roster construction, injuries, JJ Redick’s coaching, players underperforming or everything at once, it’s fair to say that the Lakers won’t go far if these issues continue.
In fact, after the annoying loss to New York, Los Angeles fell to seventh in the competitive Western Conference standings which, as we all know, is play-in territory. This didn’t last long thanks to the Suns’ loss a few hours after, but it’s a warning on what can happen if they don’t start stringing some wins.
Luckily for them, they’ll have a good chance of improving their record right away when they take on a rebuilding Nets team on Tuesday. The Nets are pretty much Michael Porter Jr’s team right now along with a bunch of serviceable role players like Cam Thomas, Noah Clowney and Nic Claxton. They can be competitive at times but truth to be told, there’s no reason for the Lakers to lose to them.
Now in jeopardy of being a play-in team, this has become sort of a must-win game for the purple and gold. They can’t lose games like this anymore, especially with seven of their next 10 games coming against teams above .500. The Nets are one of the very few teams in the league with a bottom-tier offensive and defensive rating. They don’t shoot and rebound the ball well. If there’s a group that’s worse than the Lakers in pretty much everything, it’s them.
The goal is to make sure MPJ — who is averaging 25.6 points a game — doesn’t go off. Same goes with Claxton, who shouldn’t dominate the boards and in the paint against Deandre Ayton. If the Lakers can manage to make sure the Nets don’t have an anomaly type of shooting performance or feast inside the paint, then they should be able to handle them.
The Lakers should also use this as another “get right” game before they head home and their schedule gets tougher. Their biggest competitors will be themselves, especially if their offense underperforms again. Hopefully, the team that shows up is the one that’s determined to close their road trip on a winning note and is serious about being a competitive playoff team this season.
Let’s see if the Lakers can do just that on Tuesday.
Notes and Updates
The Lakers’ injury report lists Bronny James Jr., (left lower leg soreness) and Austin Reaves (left calf strain) are questionable.
Adou Thiero (right MCL sprain) is out.
For the Nets, Haywood Highsmith (right knee surgery) is out and Noah Clowney (lower back sprain) is probable.
Mikal Bridges dunks the ball during the Knicks' Feb. 1 win over the Lakers.
Mikal Bridges’ epiphany came from a bit of personal reflection.
After the Knicks win over the Raptors in Toronto last week, when Bridges scored 30 points, his answer on the MSG Network broadcast went viral for how honest he was. Bridges admitted that he was “feeling too entitled” and “wasn’t being coachable.”
That realization wasn’t prompted by the coaching staff or his teammates — it came from within.
“I think my biggest thing is being accountable, accountability,” Bridges told The Post after the win over the Lakers Sunday night at Madison Square Garden. “You spend a lot of time by yourself, so just trying to realize what I gotta do to be better. I think that was one of the big things — I wasn’t being accountable enough for things that were happening. And not me being coachable as well, as I should.”
Mikal Bridges dunks the ball during the Knicks’ Feb. 1 win over the Lakers. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
Coach Mike Brown on Sunday claimed that he did not see those comments, but stressed that Bridges has been coachable.
Still, Bridges has noticed a shift in how he’s operating on the floor.
“It just makes you play more free,” Bridges said. “Not worrying about nothing but playing the right way.”
Miles McBride will miss his fourth straight game Tuesday against the Wizards with what the team still lists as left ankle injury management.
Mitchell Robinson is out, with it being the first leg of a back-to-back.
Whatever Brown and his staff is saying at halftime, it’s clearly working.
The Knicks have absolutely dominated second halves during their current six-game winning streak.
They recorded a net rating of 42.3 points in second halves across those six games.
That’s by far the best in the NBA during that stretch — the next closest is the Cavaliers at 19.7 points.
Compare that to first halves during that stretch, where the Knicks had a net rating of 7.1 points — eighth in the NBA.
“This is a mature group,” Brown said. “They’re competitive as well. We just tell them what we see, a lot of times they just go out and correct it. It’s more about being locked in and doing the little things, detail-wise, better, and not every other play or every few plays.”
Across this six-game win streak, opponents have shot just 41.7 percent when Jalen Brunson was the closest defender, according to NBA.com’s tracking stats.
“I feel like I’ve been better as of recently,” Brunson said after Sunday’s win. “I’m gonna give effort every single time. I’d be a below-the-rim rim protector with my charges. Just find a way to impact the game on that side of the floor as best I can.”
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — LaMelo Ball overcame an early head-to-head collision with coach Charles Lee to score 24 points, and the surging Charlotte Hornets fought back from a 22-point deficit to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 102-95 on Monday for their seventh straight win.
Kon Knueppel added 17 points, hitting four 3s, and Brandon Miller and Grant Williams each scored 16 as Charlotte pulled within a half-game of the Atlanta Hawks for the 10th spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Hornets overcame 17 turnovers while matching their longest winning streak since March 2016.
Trey Murphy III scored 27 points to lead the Pelicans, who have lost six of their last nine. Zion Williamson finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Derik Queen had 16 points.
ROCKETS 118, PACERS 114
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Alperen Sengun matched his season high with 39 points, and Jabari Smith Jr. added 19 to help short-handed Houston overcome the absence of All-Star forward Kevin Durant to beat Indiana.
Durant sat out, coach Ime Udoka said, after spraining his left ankle when he stepped on a fan’s foot. The Rockets already were missing center Steven Adams, who is expected to miss the rest of this season following surgery on his injured left ankle, so Sengun did the heavy lifting.
He made 13 of 25 from the field and 13 of 18 from the free-throw line including 8 of 12 during the fourth quarter. Houston won its third straight, got its fifth victory in six games and captured its third straight on the road.
All-Star forward Pascal Siakam finished with 27 points and Bennedict Mathurin added 25 to lead the Pacers, who charged back from a 12-point deficit in the third quarter to take the lead. But they didn’t have quite enough to extend their winning streak to a season-best three straight.
GRIZZLIES 137, TIMBERWOLVES 128
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 30 points, Ty Jerome added 19 and Memphis built a 20-point lead in the second half and held on for a victory over Minnesota.
Memphis maintained a double-digit advantage through much of the fourth quarter. Minnesota, behind Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards, seemed poised to overtake Memphis, but the Grizzlies never let the Timberwolves within nine points and snapped a six-game losing streak.
Jaylen Wells scored 18 points for Memphis, while Cam Spencer and Vince WIlliams Jr. added 16 points apiece.
Edwards led Minnesota with 39 points and seven rebounds. Jaden McDaniels scored 29 points and DiVincenzo finished with 21, including 13 in the fourth. Minnesota had its four-game win streak halted.
76ERS 128, CLIPPERS 113
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Tyrese Maxey scored 29 points, including seven 3-pointers, Dominick Barlow added 26 points and 16 rebounds, and Philadelphia beat Los Angeles for their fourth consecutive victory.
The game featured two big names who weren’t selected as All-Star reserves: Joel Embiid of the Sixers and Kawhi Leonard of the Clippers.
Embiid had 24 points as he continues to gain full strength after a right ankle injury. The Sixers improved to 11-10 without Paul George, who is serving a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug program.
Leonard led the Clippers with 29 points and Jordan Miller had 21 points off the bench.
Los Angeles was without James Harden, who missed his second straight game due to personal reasons. Coach Tyronn Lue said before the game that Harden was at home in Phoenix.
MEMPHIS, TN - FEBRUARY 2: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope #3 of the Memphis Grizzlies drives to the basket during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on February 2, 2026 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. 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 Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Everything the Minnesota Timberwolves do right now is under a massive microscope. That microscope’s name is Giannis Antetokounmpo.
It’s hard to watch Jaden McDaniels shoot 18-26 from three during the last two weeks and not think immediately of how a certain team in Milwaukee would think of him. It’s increasingly difficult to watch Julius Randle without wondering if he will be sticking around if Minnesota continues to try to prioritize McDaniels and Naz Reid without getting a deal done for Giannis.
Jaden McDaniels over his last 10 quarters…
Points: 58 Rebounds: 11 Assists: 6 2s: 11 for 18 (61%) 3s: 11 for 14 (79%) https://t.co/fdPhRMkgYa
All of that is on the table. It means that so little about tonight’s game is actually about tonight’s game. Still, the nature of this recap means that we do need to talk about what happened against the Memphis Grizzlies instead of thinking about what price, if any, is too high for a current top-three player in the entire association.
(If that price is all three of Naz, Jaden, and Julius, that’s certainly too high for me)
The Wolves did what we all know them to do and came out flat. A first-quarter deficit grew and festered like an ever-spreading cough that no one seems to be able to get rid of. While on the topic of sicknesses, it seems pretty clear that the entire team frequently looks anemic and completely devoid of whatever vitamin is needed to provide consistent effort.
The story of this game was the eight-point lead that the Grizzlies maintained for the entirety of the contest. It is exceptionally difficult to consider the Wolves a good team when they have inverted their early-season form and turn into a pumpkin whenever they face a team below 500.
To Minnesota’s discredit, Memphis was also missing two consistent starters and at least four rotation pieces by my count.
It’s just bad.
Despite a great performance from Jaden, these are the types of games that fuel the desperation necessary for the Wolves to go all in on a Giannis trade. And it doesn’t help when your supposed second option has fans tweeting like this:
Julius looks like he’s volunteering to be the guy traded tonight lol
The word to describe it is just flat. So much of this team is without depth and without texture. The Wolves are not a product you can trust. They are the gas station sandwiches of the NBA. One day, they are the exact thing you need on a road trip, a shocking bit of excellent normalcy to distract from disappointing other options. Another day, they had you projectile vomiting on the side of the highway about an hour and a half later because the lettuce had started to rot.
All that is to say that anyone who sees Minnesota as a title contender is simply wrong. The unseriousness is unavoidable and is just fully baked into this team as is. Whether that would change in an era focused fully on the Jaden/Ant/Naz trio remains to be seen, but this iteration of the team will not escape who they are.
Maybe we will look back on this recap in a couple of months — as we did last year… and the year before as well — and laugh at this level of declaration, but I think there’s a reason that the Wolves burn out in the conference finals.
The Wolves have the ceiling of being able to beat anyone. The last few matchups with the Thunder have shown that. But their inability to lock in and just show up every day, every hour, every play means that they just cannot stop getting in their own way.
If you missed this whole game, you missed out on nothing. You should’ve watched Unrivaled.
A 16-3 run in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter buried any hope of a Minnesota comeback. What else is there to say about a performance like tonight that hasn’t already been said? Ant started off hot, and then cooled off as the game fell out of grasp. Cam Spencer and Ty Jerome made a bad loss worse for Minnesota.
If there’s a story that continues to stand out, it is how dreadful Mike Conley has been. Whereas Bones Hyland at least has a lesser version of the Jordan Poole/Michael Jordan wheel that he spins every game, Conley is ping-ponging between Hornets Tony Parker and Bucks Jeff Teague.
The old man is, by all accounts, a wonderful teammate and an integral part of the locker room, but the biggest difference maker for the Wolves’ deadline hopes is probably getting number 10 to go from a five-minute-a-game player to a zero-minute-a-game player.
Additionally, it was a terrible night for Naz Reid, who had been the most impactful Wolves player according to most net rating numbers over the past few game winning streak. Naz’s issues tend to mirror the team’s. There’s such a high high, but such a low low. Tonight was quite low.
Basketball is fun. Being a fan of a good team is, typically, fun. The Wolves have once again drained me of my will to watch and my will to support.
That brings us back to the question that looms as large as the last name that would answer it. I’d have no problems putting my own words to it, but I think it’s already been said about as well as it can.
To me the Wolves trading for Giannis puts both potentially crashing and burning AND potentially winning a ring on the near-future table — maybe even equally as likely. I don’t think either of them are foreseeable right now
Your view kinda depends on your appetite for risk/reward
Goodnight Wolves fans. I’m sorry you had to watch that. I wish you didn’t have to. I wish I hadn’t.
Up Next
The Timberwolves finish their three-game road trip north of the border as they take on the Toronto Raptors, where they look to end one of the craziest streaks in the NBA, as they have not won a road game in Toronto since January 21, 2004. The game begins at 6:30 PM CT, airing on FanDuel Sports Network.
