AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AP) — Joe Scott is out as the Air Force basketball coach, the academy said on Friday, a month after he was suspended pending an investigation into his treatment of cadets.
The school said it was “a mutual parting of ways.” Assistant coach Jon Jordan had been serving as the interim coach.
“Coach Scott’s passion for the game of basketball has long been evident in his competitive and direct coaching style. It was this coaching style that guided Air Force Basketball to some of the program’s most memorable achievements during his initial tenure at the Air Force Academy,” Athletic Director Nathan Pine said.
“This is a different day, and now is the right time for a new voice and a new approach to drive the culture and success of the men’s basketball program, aligned with the Air Force Academy’s mission of forging leaders of character developed to lead in our Air Force and Space Force.” Scott was 97-183 in charge of the Falcons, first leading the team from 2000-04 — a stint that ended with a 22-7 record and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. After spending time at Princeton, his alma mater, and Denver, he returned to Air Force in 2020.
The Falcons are 47-129 since then, winning just four games last season; they have won three so far this year, losing their last 19 in a row.
“I thank Nate Pine for his leadership. The Air Force Academy gave me my first head coaching opportunity and I am forever grateful," Scott said. “We will always be fans of Air Force Basketball.”
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 15: The scoreboard at Truist Park is seen during an Automated Ball-Strike system challenge during the eighth inning of the MLB All-Star Game on July 15, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This season, we will get our first official taste of the Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System (ABS) in Major League Baseball. It has been used in the minors, and was used in the Arizona Fall League the last few years, but will officially be making its MLB debut this year.
Here’s the overview: each team has two challenges on an umpire’s ball-strike call per game. However, only pitchers, catchers and batters can appeal. If they do, ABS is used to determine whether the appeal is justified. If so, that team get to retain the challenge.
Yesterday, we saw its first action of it in the Rockies-Diamondbacks game. The Dbacks challenged three times and the Rockies challenged twice. The teams went 4-1 in their challenges.
Each challenge takes a few seconds, but it gives players a chance to challenge a call, which hasn’t happened in the past. In the Fall League, it looked a “checked swing” challenge was also being developed, but that won’t be added this spring.
So, Purple Row Night Owls, what are you thoughts on ABS? If you watched the game earlier today, what are your impressions? Do you like it, or do you worry it’ll slow down the game (after Rob Manfred added things like the pitch clock to speed up games)?
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - FEBRUARY 20: Cason Wallace #22 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives to the basket as Egor Demin #8 of the Brooklyn Nets plays defense during the game on February 20, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Taking down the Brooklyn Nets doesn’t require much these days. The Oklahoma City Thunder did it tonight without the league MVP, his lead running mate, and the rhythm of recent play. The Nets gave OKC their first game in over a week this evening. Brooklyn, of course, had this one as back-to-back. It was also their second straight game against a title contender richer than them by 20+ wins.
Essentially, Adam Silver welcomed the Nets back from the All-Star break like Kevin McCallister “welcomed” the wet bandits into his home that one Christmas Eve.
The odds against Brooklyn tonight also increased when Nic Claxton landed on the injury report again. He’s still dealing with a sprained ankle he suffered on Thursday. That meant Day’Ron Sharpe, who Thunder fans surely remember from his 25/15/5 game last year, would start in his place.
OKC seemed to bring the best out of Day’Day once more, at least in the game’s early stages. Sharpe scored Brooklyn’s first four points of the night, working well with Nolan Traoré, who had a far easier time getting into the paint compared to Thursday. Fellow rookie Drake Powell also had a few nice sequences…
That said, Brooklyn’s best friend in the first had to be the rust still hampering OKC’s offense. The Thunder, who carried the NBA’s second best two-point field goal percentage going into the break (57.7%), shot just 23.1% on such shots in the first. The Nets, uncoincidentally, maintained a 23-21 lead after one.
However, the quiet, slow approaching storm is just as dangerous as the one that’s accurately forecasted. Thunder struck in the second, as OKC enjoyed a 15-3 run that was more than enough to put them in front on the scoreboard.
Brooklyn, shooting 2-23 from deep in period, seemed rattled by the encompassing cumulonimbus clouds. Even while queuing up high percentage looks, the Nets failed to find nylon over and over again. It took them over eight minutes to make their first field goal in the second. They also had nine turnovers and just three field goals in the frame. Naturally, OKC outscored them there, doing so by a 29-10 margin. They led at the break by a 50-33 one.
“I think that when you play under duress, you feel it, and you feel it when you’re shooting is open,” Fernández said. “They do a great job. There’s a reason why they’re number one defense. But you know, the 17% is something that I’m not worried about because I know the shots are going to go in. So, we just got to continue to be convinced and take those shots.”
Even for the Nets, those numbers were horrid enough to require some sort of regression/return to the mean, and the basketball gods paid their debt as soon as play resumed. The Nets put together an 8-0 run in the top half of the third, starting the period 7-11 from the field and 2-3 from deep. They later cut it to 10 with 6:42 to go, and then eight with 2:39 remaining in the period.
Sharpe and Traoré had to have been praying the hardest at halftime. They led the way again with a combined 11 points on 4-5 shooting during that initial stretch. Porter Jr. and Danny Wolf captained the second run. Wolf notched eight points in the period while shooting 4-7 from the field, out-hustling the shorthanded Thunder to his spots on multiple occasions. MPJ added nine points, three assists, and came away with as sneaky a steal as you’ll see from a 6’10” guy in the backcourt…
After putting in just 33 points in the first half, Brooklyn added 34 in the third, and went into the fourth down 77-67.
“It was handling their pressure. I also thought getting the stops, when you get to your spots in transition, I think it’s a little easier to find those shots,” Fernández said. “We were good defensively, get stops, be able to run and create turnovers. That was good to see, and you know, better cutting. I think Mike did a great job in the third quarter finishing his cuts to all the way to the rim, as tall as he is. Day’Ron and Danny did a great job throwing the ball over the top.”
But rather than a legitimate comeback, Brooklyn’s efforts were more like back bumper collision warning for OKC, telling them to hit the gas. Each time the Nets got within striking distance, the Thunder surged ahead and pushed the lead back to double digits. An 11-3 start to the final frame put them back up 18 with about nine minutes remaining.
The Nets never pressured OKC again after that. Unlike vs Cleveland, Fernández kept the starters on the floor for the majority of garbage time, but it mattered not. Brooklyn shot a soft 5-15 from the field through the fourth’s first nine minutes, which simply won’t cut it against most teams, let alone the champs.
Despite shooting 1-9 from deep, Porter Jr. ended up with 22 points, finding his way to the line often, where he went 9-11. He also dished five assists, grabbed nine rebounds, and came away with two steals. Traoré followed him with 17 points, three assists, and two steals. He shot a modest 5-11 from the field, but turned it over four times. Sharpe was the only other Net to reach double figures, grabbing 12 points, eight rebounds, two steals, and a block.
In the end, it was a rather forgettable contest for Brooklyn. They fought enough to keep it from being embarrassing and noteworthy by consequence, but never threw a strong enough punch to ever challenge their opponent.
That said, in a season like this, I think we could all use some amnesia.
Final: Oklahoma City Thunder 105, Brooklyn Nets 86
Injury Report
We mentioned Claxton missing tonight’s game, but Ziaire Williams also didn’t suit up tonight for personal reasons. It feels worth mentioning that Porter Jr. and Egor Dëmin did both play tonight though, making it the first time each has appeared in a back-to-back this season.
Milestone Watch
Noah Clowney’s first 3-pointer tonight against OKC was the 200th of his career, which adds to his total as the most by a player under 22 years old in franchise history. In his 118th game, he becomes the fastest player in Nets history to reach 200 career 3-pointers.
Michael Porter Jr. had 17 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals at the end of Q3 tonight in Oklahoma City. It is his eighth time logging at least 15 PTS, 5 AST and 5 REB this season; he had seven such games through his first six career seasons.
Brooklyn’s loss combined with the Indiana Pacers loss to Washington Wizards puts the Nets in sole possession of the fourth place in Tankathon ranking and only one game out of second.
Next Up
The Nets will head back across the country to face the Atlanta Hawks Sunday afternoon. It’ll be their first look at the Hawks in the post-Trae Young era. The game tips off at 3:30 p.m. EST. After that, Brooklyn will return for a quick two at The Clays before hitting the road again.
CHARLOTTE, NC - FEBRUARY 20: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers before the game against the Charlotte Hornets on February 20, 2026 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Both the Cavs (129.7 offensive rating) and the Hornets (125.6 offensive rating) finished with single-game offensive ratings that were in the 80th percentile or above. How both teams got there was very different. Charlotte did this by controlling the offensive glass and generating second-chance points. Cleveland did so by shooting great from the field and by getting to the free-throw line repeatedly.
Charlotte registered 37 second-chance points. They did so by grabbing 23 offensive rebounds, many of which were due to not being able to track down long rebounds from missed threes. Additionally, being without Evan Mobley made this problem worse. Still, it’s frustrating when the Cavs are beaten this handily on the offensive glass.
The Cavs registered 18 second-chance points of their own. This would be a solid output on most days. For example, the team that leads in second-chance points per game — the Portland Trail Blazers — does so with 18.5 per contest. Even though this is much lower than Charlotte’s 37, being able to get these helped soften the blow. Jarrett Allen grabbed seven of Cleveland’s 10 offensive rebounds.
Cleveland is now 18-2 when Allen scores more than 15 points and 10-0 when he scores 20 or more. Allen put up 26 points on an efficient 11-15 shooting. He was arguably the team’s best player again — which has become a common occurrence over the past three or so weeks.
Additionally, they’re 14-0 when Allen attempts 10 or more shots. He took 15 in the win over Charlotte.
The Cavs took 42% of their shots at the rim (90th percentile). This has been a recent trend. They’ve registered over 40% of their shots in the restricted area during their last three games. Allen’s good play, and how the offense has shifted after adding James Harden to the mix, play a large role in that.
The Hornets converted just 43.5% of their shots in the restricted area (1st percentile). The Cavs didn’t necessarily do a great job of defending the three-point line. They struggled with their rotations out to shooters, especially in some of the Hornets’ guard-to-guard screens, but they made up for it by controlling the paint. The easiest way to have a good defense is by defending the rim. The Cavs did that at a high level. Getting to the basket is still the most efficient way to score.
The Cavs took their fewest three-pointers of a game this season (21) despite shooting 47.6% from deep (92nd percentile). The offense did a great job of generating clean outside shots while getting the ball inside when those looks weren’t there. They’ve come a long way from the side-to-side action that led to the contested, standstill threes that we saw at the beginning of the season.
Cleveland posted a great 109 half-court offensive rating (81st percentile). Having two dynamic guards in Donovan Mitchell and Harden, who are this effective in the pick-and-roll, will lead to an elite half-court offense. There’s a reason why they’ve been so good in this area in the five games Harden has been with the team.
The Cavs are now 21-8 when Mitchell scores 30 or more points and 18-4 when he scores 32 or more. These numbers don’t correlate to winning as Allen’s scoring totals do, but generally speaking, this team has typically won when Mitchell is scoring at a high level. That happened again here as he poured in 32 points in the victory.
This was Mitchell’s 100th 30-point game with the Cavs. He’s cementing himself as one of the best players in franchise history. Here’s to a few hundred more.
Keon Ellis led the team in plus/minus by being a +19. He’s played six games with the Cavs and was a +17 or better in three of those games. So far, the Cavs have played some of their best basketball with him on the floor. The defensive energy he brings fits in well with this group.
The Cavs registered a 143.5 offensive rating with Harden on the court. That was the second-best number for a Cavalier behind only Allen (147.4). Coming into this game, the Cavs had an outrageous 129.4 offensive rating when Harden is playing (100th percentile). Simply put, the offense has been unstoppable with Harden through five games. This is exactly what he was brought in to do.
NEW ORLEANS, LA - FEBRUARY 20: Kevin Porter Jr. #7 of the Milwaukee Bucks drives to the basket during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on February 20, 2026 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Milwaukee Bucks put on a show coming out of the break, beating the New Orleans Pelicans 139-118. Ryan Rollins led the Bucks on both ends, racking up 27 points (on a career-high seven threes), six assists, four steals, and two blocks. Special mention to Kevin Porter Jr. and Cam Thomas, who dropped a combined 52 points. The Pels were led by Zion Williamson, who scored 32 points on 13/17 shooting.
The Pels got out to a quick start, making a bunch of easy looks at the rim. Ryan Rollins, however, was saving the Bucks’ bacon, nailing several contested long-range shots to have the game even at 10 apiece. Then, the Bucks went on a 5-0 run, featuring Kyle Kuzma punching it reverse-style twice in a row. Milwaukee would make a move to go up 26-18; there must have been something in that bayou air because this run featured a Bobby Portis putback slam. The Pels would respond with a 7-0 run, though, punctuated by the Milwaukee native Jordan Poole nailing a bomb in transition. Zion Williamson really flexed his muscle to end the period, scoring a bunch of times to put New Orleans up 38-33 after one.
Cam Thomas, who did not score in the opening frame, got the Bucks the lead back to open the second with a three and an and-one. Unfortunately, Zion would snatch the lead right back for the Pels, already scoring his eighth bucket from 10 tries early in the second. Remember when I said Cam Thomas hadn’t scored until the second quarter? Yeah, he ended up scoring 16 straight points for the Bucks (and did it in less than six minutes, no less). 16. Straight. Points. What an absolute psycho, man. And then for the rest of the quarter, I’ll be honest with you, neither team played a lick of defence (with both sides turning it over in the open court a number of times). The visitors were up 71-65 going into the locker room.
The Bucks were scoring at a solid rate to open the second, with KPJ, Rollins, and Portis boarding the tough-shot express. That said, the Pels were scoring at the same rate, able to keep the margin at the 6-9-point mark throughout the opening four minutes. New Orleans got it within two a few times, but the Bucks had an answer (often Rollins or Thomas) on every occasion. And in Rollins’ case, I don’t just mean on offence; this dude had four steals and two blocks at the end of the third, making huge plays to save easy baskets under the rim. Bucks up 103-96 after three.
Like clockwork, Thomas opened the fourth with a few buckets to bring him to 27 on the night. Pate Nance then got in on the act, nailing a corner three and a tough layup to force James Borrego into a timeout—visitors up 113-104 with just under eight minutes left. The Bucks would go on a 7-2 run right out of the timeout, forcing yet another timeout from the Pels (and more KPJ dance moves). For all his flaws, KPJ is a bucket when he gets in that mode (and trust me, he was in that mode throughout the fourth). From there, it was all academic; Milwaukee beats their pick-swap nemesis.
Stat That Stood Out
The Bucks rank fifth in the NBA with a 48.1% shooting percentage. They shot a ridiculous 59.8% tonight. Good golly.
The Jazz lost a game against the Grizzlies that they led and controlled most of the first half, but fizzled out in the second half—losing the third and fourth quarters by a combined 21 points. It was actually a very important game. Before the game started, the Jazz were sitting at 18 wins and 6th in the lottery standings, and the Grizzlies at 20 wins in the 8th lottery slot. Now with only 25 games remaining, every single win and loss is absolutely crucial towards the draft lottery standings that are so tight—and in a draft that looks incredibly generational. When the Jazz have a top 8 protected pick, the Jazz need to lose every game they can, and they succeeded tonight losing 114-123.
It was clear from the injury reports what this game was going to be…The Jazz had Jusuf Nurkic out with a nose injury. Obviously Walker Kessler and Jaren Jackson Jr remain out for the season so I find it funny they continue to list them on the injury report, but the injury report didn’t end there. Keyonte George continuing to miss time with his ankle, and just today a few hours before the game the Jazz added Lauri Markkanen to the report with an illness who went on to miss the game. The lengths the Jazz have to go to uphold the Integrity of the game, because this is so much better than literally playing your guys for over half of the overall 48 minutes… But fine Adam Silver!! We’ll just not play them at all and you’re going to like it! Speaking of the integrity of the game… The Grizzlies Injury report is listed below.
🚨 Have YOU or a LOVED ONE been personally victimized by the Memphis Grizzlies injury report? You may be entitled to financial compensation.
The Jazz started quite hot in this one, making 11 of their 13 total threes they made this game in the first half. Guys like Blake Hinson knocking down shots making it look easy. Kevin Love checked in for 5 minutes in the second quarter, hit 2 threes, and Will Hardy then instantly pulls him out. Kyle Filipowski and Isaiah Collier were Batman and Robin out there today—Collier with 24 points, 5 assists, and 6 combined STOCKS; Filipowski with 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 combined STOCKS. Ace Bailey continues to show flashes, hitting tough and confident shots, just showing glimpses of what type of player he’ll be on day.
Once the second half started you could feel the shift. The Jazz weren’t quite as polished as they seemed in the first half. Will Hardy managed the rotations to perfection, and the Jazz’s 12 point lead at halftime was cut down to 2 going into the fourth quarter. And by the time there was 4:35 remaining in the fourth quarter the Grizzlies were up 16 points. And you have to understand the Grizzlies wanted to lose this game just as badly as the Jazz. I say this honestly with no bias… Even though the Jazz lost this game, actually watching and observing the guys the Jazz had out there vs who the Grizzlies had out there, the Jazz players seemed far more exciting, talented, athletic, and just better… But they ended up winning anyway… I mean losing! Excuse me.
This was one of the most important games of the season for the Jazz. First game post All-Star break, 26 total remaining, and they couldn’t have started the second half any better. Jazz fans need to continue to be thankful the front office is doing what’s right for the franchise, and we as Jazz fans need to embrace our fandom and really come together. It’s kind of felt like a civil war on Jazz Twitter and other online communities these past few years, but the basketball world really does not care about us except for when they need a punching bag. So if we don’t have each other we have nothing.
The Utah Jazz tankfully lost this one tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies 114-123, building some lottery space between them and the Grizzlies.They’ll have another few days off before continuing the road trip playing the Rockets in Houston on February 23rd.
With his 149th point as a member of the Abbotsford Canucks, Arshdeep Bains has set a new franchise record in all-time points. The forward’s 47 goals and 102 assists as a member of Abbotsford passes the record set by Linus Karlsson last year. Bains registered his 149th point with the AHL Canucks by scoring a short-handed goal against the Henderson Silver Knights tonight.
Bains first joined Abbotsford after signing an entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks in 2022. He made his AHL debut on October 14 against the Ontatio Reign, also scoring his first AHL goal during this game. In his first season with Abbotsford, Bains scored 13 goals and potted 25 assists in 66 games played.
The seasons after were when Bains began to showcase his offensive skills. In 2023–24, he put up 55 points in 59 games with Abbotsford and made his NHL debut with Vancouver on February 20 against the Colorado Avalanche. He was also named to the AHL All-Star Classic in that season and earned MVP honours. In 2024–25, he scored 43 points in 50 games and was an instrumental piece in Abbotsford’s Calder Cup win.
Bains began the 2025–26 season with Vancouver but rejoined Abbotsford for two separate stints. Throughout his time in the AHL this season, the forward has scored seven goals and sixassists in 17 games played. He is currently tied for eighth on his team in points.
With Bains now holding the franchise record in all-time points, Karlsson (148), Christian Wolanin (124), Sheldon Dries (118), and Tristen Nielsen (115) all trail him to make up the club’s top-five. Karlsson still holds sole possession of the franchise lead in goals (70), while Wolanin leads in overall assists (109).
Oct 13, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Arshdeep Bains (13) skates against the St. Louis Blues in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Ryan Rollins made a career-high seven 3-pointers and scored 27 points to help the Milwaukee Bucks beat the New Orleans Pelicans 139-118 on Friday night for their third straight victory and sixth in seven games.
Playing without injured star Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks pulled away in the fourth quarter to improve to 24-30. Antetokounmpo has been sidelined four weeks by a strained right calf.
Bucks newcomer Cam Thomas, a former LSU star, had 27 points in 21 minutes off the bench, and Kevin Porter added 25 points. Rollins was 7 of 10 on 3s and had six assists, four steals and two blocks. The Bucks were coming off a victory at defending champion Oklahoma City before the All-Star break.
Zion Williamson led New Orleans with 32 points in the first game of home back-to-back, while scoring leader Trey Murphy sat out because of a sore right shoulder. The Pelicans dropped to 15-42.
Rollins had 16 points in the first half to help Milwaukee take a 71-65 lead. Williamson had 21 points in the half.
The Bucks took a 103-96 advantage into the fourth. After the Pelicans cut it to 108-102 on Williamson’s layup, the Bucks pulled away with a 14-4 run. Pete Nance hit two 3s and a layup during the run.
CHARLOTTE, NC - FEBRUARY 20: Jarrett Allen #31 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks to pass the ball during the game against the Charlotte Hornets on February 20, 2026 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers obliterated the Brooklyn Nets 112-84 in their first game back from the All-Star break. Let’s see who won the night.
WINNER – Jarrett Allen
“I’m running out of things to say about Jarrett Allen,” Donovan Mitchell said after the game.
Same, Donnie.
I really don’t know what else to say about Allen that we haven’t already seen in the previous seven games. He’s crashing the glass. He’s playing with authority and forcing his way into the paint. Allen started tonight by burying an elbow jumper just to prove he can do it.
Allen’s played with a newfound aggression that predates the James Harden acquisition. Harden has only added more fuel to the fire. He’s now getting more opportunities than before and making the most of them. Allen has recorded a double-double in six of Cleveland’s seven wins (falling just short with 9 rebounds against the Wizards).
LOSER – Second Chance Points
This was a rough night on the glass for every Cavalier not named Jarrett Allen.
Charlotte grabbed 23 offensive rebounds for 37 second-chance points. That’s the type of thing that should result in a loss 99% of the time. Thankfully, the Cavs managed to grab key rebounds and play good defense outside of those second-chance opportunities. But man… did they have to fight for it.
Part of this can be explained by the Hornets launching 56 three-point attempts. All of those threes led to long rebounds, which have historically been a weak point for the Cavaliers. They don’t have many rebounders in the backcourt who can successfully win those 50/50 balls.
This isn’t an excuse, rather an explanation. The Cavs are a good defensive rebounding team when both Allen and Evan Mobley are available. They became a below-average team when one of them is off the floor. That’s a straightforward fact that’s been true since the core four era began. Don’t expect it to change now.
WINNER – The Bench
The Hornets made this game interesting. And while the Cavalier starters ultimately closed this game out, I can’t give enough credit to the bench for swinging momentum multiple times throughout.
Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis are brothers in causing mayhem. They combined for five steals and wreaked havoc in the passing lanes. Two pesky, athletic guards who never stop harassing their opponent are a good thing to have on your side.
“Sometimes he [Ellis] gets a deflection, and you don’t even see how it happens,” said Kenny Atkinson after the game.
Nae’Qwan Tomlin deserves a shout-out, too. He didn’t come up with any stocks tonight, but he’s always aggressive and isn’t afraid to get physical. Of course, that’s all true for Jaylon Tyson, as well. The Cleveland bench has become one of the nastiest groups in the league, and that toughness is something the Cavs haven’t always had.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 20: Brandon Williams #10 of the Dallas Mavericks drives to the basket during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on February 20, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Game. Blouses.
Not that it matters much, but the Dallas Mavericks (19-36) lost their 10th straight game and their first out of the NBA All-Star Break on Friday, 122-111, to the Minnesota Timberwolves (35-22) at Target Center. The Timberwolves donned their Prince-inspired City Edition jerseys and served pancakes (probably) in the visitors’ locker room after beating the Mavericks for the third straight time this year.
Anthony Edwards led all scorers with 40 points and grabbed six rebounds in the win. Naz Reid added 21 and seven off the bench, while Rudy Gobert abused Dallas’ small frontcourt for 22 points on 9-of-10 shooting and 17 rebounds. Khris Middleton led seven Mavericks in double figures with 18 points and seven rebounds in the loss. Marvin Bagley III added 15 points and 13 boards.
Reid, Donte DiVencenzo and Jaden McDaniels combined to make it rain purple, knocking down all five of their first-quarter 3-point attempts and helping the Wolves gradually extend their lead as the frame wore on. The Mavericks countered with… well, no one. Cooper Flagg (foot) and Max Christie (ankle) were both held out of the matchup to gear up for the all-important stretch run. We laugh to keep ourselves from crying, don’t we, Mavs fans? Minnesota led 40-25 after one in a first quarter that saw 10 combined turnovers.
The Timberwolves continued to turn the ball over in the second quarter, but it didn’t matter. The Mavs couldn’t take advantage of the extra possessions to carve into Minnesota’s lead before the break, and Dallas trailed 69-57 at halftime, despite nine Timberwolves giveaways. Edwards led all scorers with 20 points and had four rebounds in the first half. He went off for 17 on 6-of-10 shooting in the second quarter.
Dallas tried to mount a comeback in the third quarter, continuing an extended 24-8 run from late in the second through the first four minutes of the third. Washington helped the Mavs creep back in it with his second 3-pointer of the game from the right corner to bring Dallas to within 77-75 with 7:23 left in the frame. The Wolves took a 96-88 advantage into the fourth quarter.
Klay Thompson got hot down the stretch to make things interesting. He scored his first basket of the game, a 3-pointer from the left wing, with 1:52 left in the third quarter, then poured in eight more in the first six minutes of the fourth quarter. His third 3-point make of the game came with 7:23 left in the game and brought the Mavericks to within two, down just 103-101. Tyus Jones scored the next time down to tie the game and force a Timberwolves timeout after tracking down Thompson’s missed 3-point attempt for an offensive board.
But Edwards nailed a step-back 3-pointer late in the shot clock out of the timeout to give Minnesota the lead for good, with 6:37 left. Naz Reid hit his fourth of the game a minute later to put the Wolves up 109-105 with 5:25 left. The Timberwolves did just enough to keep the pesky Mavericks at arm’s length the rest of the way.
Hot hand, then good hands
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – FEBRUARY 20: Rudy Gobert #27 of the Minnesota Timberwolves dunks the ball during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on February 20, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Timberwolves canned eight of their 13 first-quarter 3-point attempts and shot north of 58% from the field in the opener to put the game effectively out of reach early for the undermanned Mavericks. When the early hot hand deserted them, the Wolves made up for it on the offensive glass. The Minnesota front line gobbled up 10 offensive rebounds in the first half, resulting in five easy put-backs for center Rudy Gobert. Dallas came into the game allowing the third-most offensive rebounds in the NBA, at 12.4 per contest.
Minnesota ended up shooting 16-of-42 (38.1%) from beyond the arc in the win and out-rebounded the Mavs, 66-58. The Mavs gave up 17 offensive boards in the loss.
Tryouts?
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said before the game that one of the things the team wanted to do was to get a good hard look at AJ Johnson, who was brought in from the Washington Wizards in exchange for Anthony Davis at the NBA Trade Deadline, and two-way rookie Miles Kelly. Johnson’s first bucket as a Maverick came on a high-flying second-quarter fast-break lob from Naji Marshall after a P.J. Washington steal, to bring Dallas back to within 45-37. He turned the ball over on the Mavs’ next possession. Johnson is a 21-year-old second-year player who decommitted from the University of Texas a couple years ago in favor of starting his professional career in Australia after high school.
Johnson played just five minutes in the loss, all in the first half, and Kelly didn’t get in until the fourth quarter. Even if it didn’t materialize on Friday, expect Dallas to get extended looks at these guys over the last 27 games of the season.
Where’s Washington
Someone had to score baskets for the short-handed Mavericks in this one. Despite all the missing pieces coming into the game for Dallas, they were still scheduled to play 48 full minutes on Friday. Washington would get every opportunity to turn a corner, but he turned in another stinker through the first half against Minnesota.
Washington shot 2-of-8 from the field in the first half for five points, as newcomer Khris Middleton led Dallas with 12 points at the half. He hit a 3-pointer in the game’s opening moments, then scored just two points over the next 22-plus minutes. For much of the 2025-26 season, he’s been in full-on regression mode after cementing himself as one of the most important Mavericks on the roster a year ago.
Washington got going a little early in the third quarter, scoring in transition less than two minutes into the second half before knocking down a mid-range jumper two possessions later to bring the Mavs to within 75-68, as part of an extended 24-8 run from the end of the second through start of the third. His second 3-ball of the game put him at 12 points with 7:23 remaining in the third and brought Dallas back to within two, down just 77-75.
Washington was not eligible to be traded at the deadline this season, but will be this offseason. It will be interesting to see what kind of market, if any, there is for him. He finished with 12 points on 5-of-17 shooting and 12 rebounds in Friday’s loss at Minnesota.
MEMPHIS, TN - FEBRUARY 20: Jaren Jackson Jr. #20 of the Utah Jazz waves to the fans after his tribute during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on February 20, 2026 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Jazz snatched defeat from the jaws of victory and lost 114-123. Depending on who you ask this was either a masterclass in tanking, or an embarrassing implosion. This game also featured many familiar faces for both teams, (Hello Kyle Anderson, and Taylor Hendricks) as well as an emotional homecoming for Jaren Jackson Jr.
Ace Bailey– B
Ace had arguably the most memorable play of the game from a Jazzman when he caught a beautiful lob from Collier and threw it down. He dropped 20 points, with 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and a block on the night. His shot from deep wasn’t falling tonight, going 2-9, but he had some good looks from deep. He’s still only 19 (which I just recently learned) and will continue to develop and grow as a player. I think I speak for all Jazz fans when I say that I’m very excited to see the player that Ace will become.
Cody Williams–C-
Really tough shooting night for Cody. He only had 5 points in 37 minutes, and had four turnovers. He did rebound the ball well tonight though, posting a team high 9. He also had a really impressive defensive moment when he shut down a three on one.
Isaiah Collier –A-
Collier was awesome yet again. Lead the team in scoring and assists with 24, and 5 respectively. His speed will never cease to amaze me. His defense tonight was also impressive as he had four steals, and two blocks.
Kyle Filipowski –B-
Two of Flip’s five turnovers came inbounding the ball tonight. He did have some impressive defensive moments and 20 points so it certainly wasn’t a bad game for him. He’s proven to be a capable backup big man and should be a really nice piece for this Jazz team when they are competing for a playoff spot next season.
John Konchar–B
Making his first start as a Jazzman, the former undrafted free agent looked solid in front of his former team. While he is still yet to knock down a three as a member of the Jazz, he did have a productive game, especially on defense. He had 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals. He plays hard, and knows his role.
Brice Sensabaugh–C-
Brice Sensabaugh is an enigma. One game he will look like a high end starter, the next he will look like a low tier bench player. In a game where you would figure he would be one of the go to guys on offense he was largely invisible. He shot poorly from deep (1-4) and had 3 turnovers. He still managed to score 9 points in limited playing time, but I feel that its a bad sign that he’s not getting on the floor as much as he seemingly should. Maybe I have it wrong and the reason that he’s not playing as much is because we want to lose, but guys like Collier and Flip have been playing well and don’t seem to have any limits on their playing time. Sensabaugh also received a tech after he didn’t get a foul call on a play where he absolutely got fouled.
Vince Williams Jr. –B-
Solid night for the former Grizzly. He plays with a lot of hustle, and had a ridiculous pass to his former teammate. He dove for a loose ball, secured it, and passed it while seated, to Konchar for an easy layup. He didn’t have the best night shooting the ball, going 2-7, but who really cares? He plays hard and is so much fun to watch, and at this point in the season thats all that really matters.
Oscar Tshiebwe –B
In 14 minutes he grabbed 6 rebounds, 2 points. It’s too bad we didn’t get to see more of him, but he got in foul trouble which limited his minutes tonight.
Blake Hinson – A
Hinson was awesome tonight. In his second ever NBA game he managed to impress. He was perfect from deep, and had 4 boards. He also set his career high in points with 13. Hinson plays with a lot of hustle and like I said in my last player grades article that I think he could definitely serve as a depth piece here, or for another team.
Elijah Harkless –B+
You know exactly what you’re going to get from Harkless every time he steps onto the court: hustle, and defense. Tonight was no exception as he played hard for his 7 minutes of action.
Kevin Love –A
The veteran only played 5 minutes in this one, but he was great, making both his three pointers, (one of which was an and-one) and also dishing out 3 assists.
Jun 2, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb (62) emerges from the dugout to warm up before facing the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images
Writing out Logan Webb’s statline just now made me giggle. A 2.60 FIP in 207 innings? That’s not real. That’s silly. On the other hand, that sort of feeling generally defines the feeling of Logan Webb pitch. A guy who has been so dominant as a groundball pitcher that it almost feels like a fluke. And then he goes and leads the National League in strikeouts in 2025 and posting the best K/9 of his career. It’s hard not to land from the bird’s eye view of his year and think, “He can do everything!” So, it felt appropriate to (finally) end our season reviews with him.
He is the best and, certainly, the most important Giant. The perfect Giant. If the team did not have him, then in any season post-2021 there would’ve been no thought or even hope that they could contend. Certainly not for the division (for the truly delusional set of fans out there) and not for the third Wild Card deep into September (the median hope). The franchise has come to count on his innings. He is a load-bearing talent, even as ownership has all but expressed resentment over having to pay him.
2025 didn’t add to or even cement Logan Webb’s reputation across the industry or San Francisco. He did that at some point near the end of 2023. Instead, the season was yet another reminder that the Giants have a genuine talent in the fold and they’d do well to get him back into the postseason as quickly as possible. For fans who can still remember the championship era, it’s very hard not to go absolutely wild imagining how Postseason Webb might look, leading a team that has a lineup with Rafael Devers in it.
Was it a perfect season? Not exactly. In February, Steven Kennedy wrote this detailed analysis of Logan Webb’s changeup, a critical pitch in his arsenal that had faltered in 2024.
Obviously, Webb has expressed frustration with how the pitch performed last year. Though the league took some serious strides, it wasn’t just an improved plate approach that sent the pitch spiraling. Something was off. Something was weird, an apt word for the change-up’s mercurial nature. On the surface though, there was nothing noticeably problematic. Nothing as obvious as lack of command, leaving the pitch up in the zone, or throwing with his left arm instead of his right. Webb did mention to Andrew Baggarly that he made a minor grip adjustment to “restore some of its familiar fading action.” Though the induced movement between 2023 and 2024 seem pretty comparable, there is an inch-and-a-half of lost horizontal run evident in the year-to-year numbers.
Oh, wait, no Webb wound up totally fixing the changeup, getting the veritcal movement (6.1”) right back in line with 2023 (6.2”) and plussing the run value from +1 in 2024 to +11 in 2025. Admittedly, it was +30 in 2023, but still, that’s a massive improvement year over year. Also, Statcast’s Run Value is context-dependent, meaning the situation matters, so there’s perhaps a little bit of evidence that, despite executing the pitch better than the year before, the league has adjusted and can recognize it better or understand how it moves or simply knows when in a sequence he’s most likely to use it.
As great as the final line was, it’s worth pointing out that Webb’s total arsenal run value wound up just +12. That’s not just the changeup (+11), but the sinker (+7), the four-seamer (+0), the sweeper (-2), and the cutter (-4). The total run value of his arsenal was +23 the year before and +29 the year before. That’s a definite trendline worth keeping an eye on over the course of the season.
This review wouldn’t dare suggest that the Giants’ ace is on some sort of decline… even if he had the second-worst second half of his career. I mean… it was still pretty good, but here are some numbers:
I mean, look at that… it’s terrible, right? What a collapse.
Okay, in all seriousness, though, that second half saw him throttled by the Blue Jays in Toronto (11 hits in 6 IP with 4 ER and just 1 strikeout), blasted by the New York Mets in Oracle (8 hits and 6 ER in 4 IP), frustrated by the Padres in Oracle (8 hits and 4 ER in 6.1 IP with just 3 K), and bookending this trio of letdowns during a key run of games were a pair of pastings by those Los Angeles Bums.
The Giants wound up winning the game where allowed 6 earned runs in 5.1 innings against the Dodgers in Oracle on July 11th, and that was a game where Webb seemed to run out of gas. With an 8-2 lead in the 6th, he hit Mookie Betts, gave up back-to-back doubles to Will Smith and Teoscar Hernandez and then gave up a 2-run home run to Michael Conforto. Okay, well, you know what? Michael Conforto was a corpse for all of last year except when he played the Giants, so, maybe I won’t hold that start against him.
The September start in Oracle, when the Giants had managed to recover a bit of their record and headed into the contest 75-72 having won game one of the series, was perhaps an even greater letdown. The Giants scored 4 in the bottom of the 1st to jump ahead 4-1, but then in the 5th, he walked Mookie Betts to lead it off, gave up a single to Freddie Freeman, then a walk to Max Muncy, and that was that. Jose Butto came in and did not do the job, and Webb would get tagged with 6 earned runs on top of 10 hits in just 4 completed innings of work.
He’d turn it around five days later in Dodger Stadium, holding Los Angeles to just 2 runs (1 earned) in 7 innings of work, but as ace-y as he was all season, as truly great as he was overall, there were still some unfortunate hiccups along the way against superior opponents.
That’s probably been the knock against him over the years: he might be the Giants’ ace, but he’s not necessarily an ace in the way the industry thinks of one. For his part, he was 4th in NL Cy Young voting this year, the fourth year in a row in which he’s gotten Cy Young votes, but unable to crack the finalists list (Paul Skenes, Cristopher Sanchez, Yoshinobu Yamamato). He was an NL All-Star for the second straight season and won his first Gold Glove, too. For the third straight season, he led the National League in innings pitched and it was also the second time in three seasons that he led MLB in innings pitched.
An indication that he’s a perfect San Francisco Giant is in this note: two of his three best games of the season, according to Bill James’s Game Score (which Baseball Reference tracks), wound up being Giants losses:
April 7th against the Reds in San Francisco (Game Score: 79). He struck out 10 in 7 shutout innings and walked 0. The Giants lost 2-0.
June 2nd against the Padres in San Francisco (Game Score: 77). He struck out 7 in 8 shutout innings and walked 0. The Giants lost 1-0 in 10 innings.
Now, you might see that and think back to all of the tough losses Logan Webb has suffered throughout the years and think, “Well, sure. He’s the new Matt Cain.” And that’s a fair starting point. But Matt Cain never had the strikeout-ability that Logan Webb did or the ability to suppress home runs at the same level. So, I’d say he’s note quite Matt Cain. He’s certainly not Tim Lincecum, of course… or… the 2010-2011 versions of Tim Lincecum are an awfully interesting comparison. Which isn’t to say that we’ve been watching the next Tim Lincecum. No, what I mean to say is that we’ve been watching some third thing, a perhaps “holy” fusion of Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum, a freak of his own flavor, frustrating hitters with groundballs when they’re not whiffing.
If you disagree with that imagery or assessment, I would hope you’d agree with me at the very least that he’s as important to the Giants as both of those pitchers were during their heyday. He compels the Giants to act — or stand pat! Why bring back Carlos Rodon? We have Logan Webb. Why stay entangled with Blake Snell? We have Logan Webb? Who needs Kevin Gausman? We’ve already got Logan Webb. Is that decision-making sound? Probably not, but Logan Webb keeps backing up their kinda nutty plan every single year. “Yeah, okay, maybe Robbie Ray doesn’t have to be that good or maybe Landen Roupp doesn’t have to become a #2 starter because we have Logan Webb.“ He’s so great that he simultaneously strengthens the team and papers over its weaknesses.
When you put it all together, it’s no wonder the Giants have pinned their entire present on Logan Webb. Every year, he shows the team that he’s perfect.
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 20: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers brings the ball down the court during the first half of a basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center on February 20, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers extend their win streak to seven after a narrow win over the Charlotte Hornets.
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Donovan Mitchell
32 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals
Mitchell started this game 4-15. But, as we’ve seen all season, Mitchell turned it on when the Cavs needed him most. He shot 5-8 the rest of the way and finished with his 100th 30-point game as a Cavalier.
Grade: A–
James Harden
18 points, 8 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal
Harden is dishing the rock with efficiency since joining the Cavs. He had another 8 assists tonight as the Cavalier offense feels more potent than it’s been all season with him at the helm. We only wish he could have grabbed a few more rebounds or been sharper off the ball defensively.
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Jarrett Allen
26 points, 14 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block
Allen hasn’t let up on any opponent for weeks now. He put his head down and attacked the paint over and over again tonight as the Hornets didn’t have enough bodies to stop him. If he hadn’t hauled in 14 rebounds, the Cavs would have lost this one. Bravo, Allen. This aggression has been a joy to watch.
Grade: A+
Jaylon Tyson
5 points, 1 rebound
Tyson’s role has changed significantly now that Harden is here. That means we’ll likely have to adjust how we grade him. He simply isn’t getting as many opportunities. That said, Cleveland could have used a better effort on the glass.
I’m convinced that Ellis can clone himself and appear multiple places at once. That’s the only way to explain some of the defensive plays he comes up with.
Grade: A–
Thomas Bryant
2 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks
Bryant had some highs and lows. His block in the third quarter was electric, but he might have been a step too slow for a fast-paced matchup like this.
Grade: B-
Dennis Schroder
8 points, 3 assists, 3 steals
Schroder continues to be a pest. He came up with two big steals in the second half and has given the Cavs bench an edge that they’ve been missing.
Grade: A-
Sam Merrill
10 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Merrill had more success tonight. He hit 2-of-4 three-point attempts and had a nice backdoor cut early in the first half.
Grade: B+
Dean Wade
8 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal
Wade hit consecutive three-pointers in the fourth quarter to close this out. He hasn’t missed a shot since returning from the All-Star break.
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 19: Alondes Williams #31 of the Washington Wizards celebrates after a play against the Indiana Pacers during the second half at Capital One Arena on February 19, 2026 in Washington, DC. 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 Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Washington Wizards defeated the Indiana Pacers, 131-118 on Friday night at Capital One Arena.
This game began as one where the Wizards were losing for much of the first half, even into the second. The Wizards were losing by as many as 15 points at one point in the second quarter. But in the fourth quarter, Washington shot over 70 percent from the field, forced 7 turnovers and scored 11 points off of them and ultimately came up with the win.
Alondes Williams scored 11 of his 25 points off the bench to lead the Wizards to victory. He was also the leading scorer overall. Sharife Cooper also added 18 points, also off the bench for Washington.
For the Pacers, Jay Huff led with 22 points.
The Wizards’ next game is on Sunday against the Charlotte Hornets. Tip off is at 6 p.m. ET. At least for now since there is a chance of a snowstorm. See you then.
Feb 20, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) dribbles against Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) during the second quarter at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers pulled out an impressive 118-113 victory over a surging Charlotte Hornets team on the second night of a back-to-back. It wasnt pretty for the entire 48 minutes. Cleveland struggled to defend the three-point line and clear defensive possessions, but they executed well enough offensively to get the win. That’s all that matters in a game like this.
The Cavaliers controlled most of the first half. They won the first quarter by 10, pushed their lead to 14, and then settled for a six-point advantage going into the break.
Charlotte roared back in the second half. They retook the lead in the third quarter due to shooting 8-15 from beyond the arc in that frame. They pushed their advantage to four before the Cavs reasserted control.
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Cleveland wasn’t able to create much separation in the fourth, but they also never let Charlotte off the mat. The offense continued to generate clean looks in the half-court thanks to their dynamic backcourt of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. Combine that with an energized Jarrett Allen, and you have the makings of an elite offense.
Meanwhile, the Hornets weren’t able to get their outside shots to carry them in the fourth as they did in the third quarter. They went 2-15 from three, and their offense simply ran out of gas. This led to the Cavs winning the final frame 28-24.
Allen continued his string of impressive play. He set the tone early by scoring 11 of his 26 points in the opening quarter. Even though he wasn’t scoring as much over the final three quarters, his activity never wavered, which led to him finishing with 14 rebounds and a block.
Mitchell and Harden once again worked well together in crunch time. Harden had the reins as the play initiator, while Mitchell was able to find opportunities to score when the ball came his way. This led to Mitchell scoring 13 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter. Harden finished the evening with 18 points on 6-14 shooting to go along with eight assists.
This wasn’t a perfect game by any stretch. The Cavs once again struggled to clear defensive possessions. This led to the Hornets compiling 37 second-chance points and gathering 44.6% of their missed shots (97th percentile). Many of these were due to the Cavs not being able to corral long rebounds off missed triples. This is an area where Evan Mobley’s absence (injury management) was sorely missed.
Kon Knueppel’s three-point shooting kept the Hornets in the game. He went 7-15 from beyond the arc en route to a game-high 33 points. Lamelo Ball and Brandon Miller both contributed 18 points apiece.
Even though there were areas to improve, this was a solid win. The Hornets are better than their record indicates. They came into this one winning eight of their last 10.
The Cavs have won their seventh in a row and 12 of their last 13. They were playing well before the trades, but have taken that to a new level since.
Cleveland will look to keep their strong play going. They head to Oklahoma City to take on a shorthanded Thunder team on Sunday afternoon. Tip-off is at 1 PM.
