Feb 19, 2026; Peoria, AZ, USA; Seattle Mariners pitcher George Kirby (68) spring training photo day in Peoria, AZ. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
The Mariners are hosting the South Side Sox in Peoria Sports Complex this afternoon, and giving George Kirby his first innings of work of 2026. Following yesterday’s 0-3 loss, the Mariners are sending out a suspiciously Major League-shaped lineup, with Michael Arroyo and Colt Emerson serving as the obligatory “guys who are just happy to be here.”
On the other side of things, the White Sox are sending Anthony Kay to the mound. Kay is a journeyman pitcher who spent two years across the Pacific in NPB. It’s his first start of the Spring as the former first round pick hopes to break his way back into stateside baseball.
Backing George up for the Mariners are Michael Morales, Michael Rucker, Troy Taylor, Blas Castaño, Alex Hoppe, and Nick Davila. For those keeping score at home that means three (3) Michaels are likely to appear for the Mariners. I wonder what the record is.
Today’s game is one of the blessedly televised games over on the new Mariners TV service with good ol’ Rick Rizzs and Gary Hill Jr. on the call. I’m still not over the fact that baseball is back. It’s been a long winter without hearing those two’s dulcet tones.
First Pitch: 12:10 pm PT
Watch: Mariners.TV or on Mariners.com
Listen: Seattle Sports 710AM (sadly delayed until 7 pm PT, with live listen available via Gameday. Though I suppose you could watch the game now at work — I won’t tell — and then go home and listen with your family, impressing them with your incredible predictions. A kind of low-stakes Back to the Future Part Two.)
As a reminder, we’re hoping to build our community before Opening Day for what promises to be an exciting 2026 season and we’d love to have you with us. If you haven’t yet, sign up (it makes the site function much better for you, as a bonus) and jump on in to the conversation! This is especially helpful on radio-only games to keep the conversation flowing. And don’t worry about making a mistake – it’s spring training for all of us.
It’s tough to find two bigger NBA surprises this season than the Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns, and they collide tonight in the desert.
But some of the air has come out of the Phoenix balloon lately after injuries to Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks, so my Celtics vs. Suns predictions expect Boston to add to its impressive road record here, led by a scorching Payton Pritchard.
Read on for my free NBA picks for Tuesday, February 24.
Celtics vs Suns prediction
Celtics vs Suns best bet: Payton Pritchard Over 19.5 points (-105)
As long as the Boston Celtics keep letting it fly from downtown, I’m riding the hot hand and taking the Over on this points prop for Payton Pritchard, who’s fresh off a 30-point clinic on Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Pritchard has blown past this O/U number in six of his last seven games, and he’s averaging 23.6 PPG in that span.
He’s knocking down his 3-pointers at a 45% clip in February, and the Phoenix Suns are vulnerable on the perimeter without Brooks and Booker. Plus, Pritchard would step into an even bigger role if Jaylen Brown (questionable) sits out.
Celtics vs Suns same-game parlay
Pritchard’s current heater has powered the Celtics to an 8-2 mark in their past 10 contests, and the 3-ball is the key ingredient. He’s had back-to-back games with six triples, and he’s attempting almost eight 3-pointers a game this month.
I’m grabbing the Boston moneyline too. The visitors are sitting at 19-10 SU on the road, and they’ve won four in a row away from TD Garden. The injury-hit Suns just don’t have enough offense to keep up.
Celtics vs Suns SGP
Pritchard Over 19.5 points
Pritchard Over 3.5 threes
Celtics moneyline
Our "from downtown" SGP: Derrick's White hot
Derrick White’s shooting numbers are down this year, but this SGP buys into all the other ways that he fuels the Celtics. White is coming off consecutive outings with five rebounds; he’s strung together three straight contests with 8+ assists, and he’s established himself as one of the league’s elite defensive guards.
Celtics vs Suns SGP
Derrick White Over 6.5 assists
Derrick White Over 4.5 rebounds
Derrick White Over 0.5 steals
Derrick White Over 2.5 threes
Celtics vs Suns odds
Spread: Celtics -7 (-110) | Suns +7 (-110)
Moneyline: Celtics -250 | Suns +205
Over/Under: Over 206.5 (-110) | Under 206.5 (-110)
Celtics vs Suns betting trend to know
The Suns are 3-6-1 ATS in their last 10 games. Find more NBA betting trends for Celtics vs. Suns.
How to watch Celtics vs Suns
Location
Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, AZ
Date
Tuesday, February 24, 2026
Tip-off
9:00 p.m. ET
TV
NBC Sports Boston, KTVK
Celtics vs Suns latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Coby White is set to make his Charlotte Hornets debut on Tuesday night against his former Bulls team.
The Hornets announced that White, who was acquired in a trade with Chicago on Feb. 4, has been upgraded to available and will play against the Bulls at the United Center. White has been sidelined for the Hornets since the trade while recovering from a left calf strain.
It's expected that White will come off the bench and serve as Charlotte's backup point guard behind LaMelo Ball, who is coming off a 37-point game in a win over the Washington Wizards on Monday night in which he made a career-high 10 3-pointers.
White, who spent 6 1/2 seasons with the Bulls, was averaging 18.6 points, 4.7 assists and 3.7 rebounds this season before the trade while playing in 29 games for Chicago. He shot 34.6% from behind the 3-point line for the Bulls.
While last played in an NBA game for the Bulls on Feb. 3.
Peoria, Ariz. - February 14: Garrett Hawkins #59 of the San Diego Padres pitches during spring training workouts at the Peoria Sports Complex on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026 in Peoria, Ariz. (Photo by Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
San Diego Padres at Chicago Cubs, February 24, 2026, 12:05 p.m. PST
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CLEVELAND, OHIO - FEBRUARY 19: Donovan Mitchell #45 and James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrate a dunk by Mitchell during the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Rocket Arena on February 19, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NBA season has reached its home stretch, with important storylines left to follow.
Many teams will use their remaining games to get healthy, as injuries remain a defining factor around the league. Others need time to gel, especially those who made moves at the deadline.
The most obvious example is Cleveland adding Harden, which has already paid dividends. But just how real is his recent stretch, and where do they stand in the East?
Let’s find out.
How real are the Cavs?
After a slow start to the season, Cleveland has gone 5-1 following the Harden trade with a +9.0 net rating (5th league-wide) and the second-best offensive rating at 124.3. However, the turnaround actually happened before the Beard’s arrival, as the Cavs are 14-2 over the past month with a +11 net rating and have been good on both ends: during that span, they have a 121.1 ORTG (2nd) and 110.2 DRTG (8th). Their offensive improvement is very real, given that Harden is both a better player and more available than Darius Garland, and his playstyle naturally raises the floors for bigs like Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
On the other hand, Cleveland’s recent defense has been propped up by shooting luck. During their hot streak, opponents are making just 33.5% of their triples, which is the 3rd lowest mark in the league. Conversely, they hit 38.9% of threes (the highest percentage) prior to this stretch, so the Cavs were due for some shooting luck anyway. A positive is that Cleveland’s rim protection has been elite all season, so they could still be a very good defense even if the opponent shooting normalizes. I’d currently put Cleveland under Detroit in the East’s hierarchy, but they could definitely rise into that top tier if their dominant play continues.
Tatum’s potential return
Boston’s inspiring season could get even better if Tatum returns, as they’re already close to locking in a top-4 seed in the East. Assuming he does come back, Detroit might be the only team I’d be more confident in making the finals, and that’s accounting for him being at 75% too. Even a lesser version of Tatum is enough to be a good starter/elite role player, and having him focus just on rebounding, shooting, and defending will be a huge boost. Boston will be especially lethal if Tatum can work his way back to guarding centres, as this would mitigate some of Vucevic’s defensive issues and let him play more. The Celtics could always have one guard (White/Pritchard), one wing (Brown/Tatum), and one big (Queta/Vucevic) on the court, allowing Joe Mazzulla to play any style given the polar opposite skillsets of their bigs.
The Nuggets’ injuries
I picked Denver to win the title coming into the season, and nothing has swayed me since — assuming they’re healthy, of course. Unfortunately, that’s a big if given how banged up they’ve been. You know it’s bad when Joker misses a month!
Amazingly, their presumptive starting lineup of Murray-Braun-Johnson-Gordon-Jokic has played just 324 possessions together (less than 6% of the team’s total number of possessions on the season), and their most used lineup isn’t much better, logging just 357 possessions as a unit. However, Denver’s ludicrous +23.7 net rating (130.2 offensive, 106.5 defensive) with Jokic, Murray, and Gordon suggests that they’re a juggernaut waiting to be unleashed. A lot of that is due to defensive shooting luck, but given that the Nuggets are only reliable in their own end when Gordon plays, it’s not hyperbolic to say that his health could be the biggest X-factor in the title race. Whether or not that’s a good bet to make is up to you — his longest streak of games played the past two seasons is last year’s playoff run at 14, which ended in injury — but I have no doubt that Denver should be co-favorites with OKC if he’s able to make it through a long postseason run.
Wemby’s minutes
San Antonio has proven to be legit title threats this season, but they won’t be able to make a long run if Wemby can’t ramp up his minutes. The Alien started the year averaging over 34 minutes a game in October and November, which dropped down to 23 in December when he returned from a calf strain. January saw his playing time increase to 27 minutes per game, which is now over 29 in February. The Spurs won’t suddenly increase Wemby’s minutes to the mid to high thirties come playoff time, so he’ll have to make that adjustment in the last two months of the season. Moreover, Wemby can only miss four of the Spurs’ remaining 25 games in order to qualify for end of season awards, which could be both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, that could help his body acclimate to heavier loads, but it might also wear him out and increase the odds of injury. Either way, both the Spurs and Wemby are incentivized to increase his minutes, which should terrify the rest of the league.
Tanking is out of control!!
The discourse surrounding tanking has gone into overdrive, and rightfully so: there are more teams than ever purposefully losing and countless stars have ended their seasons because of it too.
However, the amount of tanking changes yearly, depending on the strength of the draft. The current tankathon race is out of control since the 2026 class has three players who could all go #1, but the 2027 and 2028 drafts all lack franchise players at the top. Thus, we don’t want to overcorrect due to this season and end up creating unforeseen consequences for years to come.
With that said, something has to change since this has been an ongoing issue for decades, but there is no magic bullet that’ll fix everything. Adam Silver is already looking at potential solutions, but the ideas proposed will only lessen tanking, and not get rid of it completely. That’s because the NBA still wants to keep its socialistic design in place — having the worst teams draft highest to even out the playing field — while incentivizing every team to compete. It’s impossible to square those things when losing gives teams the best path at drafting highest, so the league will need to sacrifice some of its ideals if they want to eliminate tanking.
The best solution I’ve heard is the Gold Plan, where teams earn draft ranking points for wins after they’re eliminated from playoff contention. Unfortunately, teams would just start tanking earlier so that they can get eliminated as soon as possible and have more runway to rack up draft wins, and it could lead to stars getting traded to bottom feeders and result in less intriguing postseasons.
If we truly want to abolish tanking, the Gold Plan can be tweaked by only counting wins, including the ones before teams are out of playoff contention. In other words, teams that just miss the play-in would be catapulted straight to the top of the draft standings since they have the most wins, and they’ll continue accumulating points by winning even after missing the playoffs.
The glaring issue with this idea is that some teams might intentionally miss/lose the play-in because they want better odds of picking high in the draft than getting shellacked in the playoffs by a high seed, and that’s where certain incentives could come into play: perhaps every team that misses the postseason would be ineligible to use their mid-level, or will start the following season operating like a second apron team no matter where they stand in the tax. Regardless of what the punishment is, it has to be so damaging that teams are all motivated to make the playoffs, even if they can’t legitimately compete for a title.
Does that sound like a good plan? It might abolish tanking, but the actual worst teams will have the lowest lottery odds and make it harder for them to become relevant. This is precisely why it’s impossible to get rid of tanking while also keeping the NBA’s current socialistic system in place: the concepts are mutually exclusive, and it’ll take something so radical that fans might start clamouring to go back to the way things are now. So if you truly want changes, be prepared for the league to get flipped on its head, and don’t pull a Mark Jackson.
Be careful what you wish for.
This week, please check out Eric’s article on postseason runs following playoff droughts! He does a great job of laying out the historical context, and you’d be surprised how many teams made deep runs even after breaking a long drought.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 04: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics dribbles the ball to the basket against Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns during the second quarter at the TD Garden on April 04, 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
PHOENIX — Jaylen Brown will miss Tuesday’s game against the Phoenix Suns. The Celtics star is dealing with a right knee contusion and will sit on the first night of the Celtics’ back-to-back (Boston will face the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night in Denver).
Outside of Brown, the only other Celtic to be sidelined is Jayson Tatum, who has yet to make his season debut as he continues recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Jaylen Brown is OUT tonight vs Suns, per Celtics. He’s dealing with a right knee contusion, and the Celtics are on the first night of a back-to-back.
The Phoenix Suns will also be without several key players
The Suns will be without their two leading scorers — Devin Booker (right hip strain) and Dillon Brooks (left hand strain). They’ll also be without Jordan Goodwin (left calf strain) and Haywood Highsmith (right knee injury management).
The Suns will be led by Allen (17.3 points, 3.9 assists), Gillespie (13.4 points, 4.7 assists), and Green (13.3 points, 2.4 assists), all of whom are key contributors.
How the Celtics and Suns stack up entering the match-up
The Celtics have won 8 of their last 9 games and currently have the Eastern Conference’s second-best record at 37-19. They have the NBA’s fourth-best record, fourth-best net rating, and third-best offense.
The Suns, meanwhile, have dropped 6 of their last 10 games as they deal with a myriad of injuries. At 33-25, they currently have the 7th-best record in the Western Conference.
The Suns have had the NBA’s 9th-best defensive rating at 112.5 (the Celtics have the 8th-best defensive rating at 112.2). Another notable aspect is the Suns’ ability to crash the offensive glass; they have the 6th-best offensive rebound percentage at 33.2%.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 10: Chase Dollander #32 of the Colorado Rockies shakes hands with catcher Braxton Fulford #37 at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 10, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Kyle Cooper/Colorado Rockies/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Colorado Rockies are now 2-2 in spring training games after winning yesterday against the Chicago White Sox on a Zac Veen monster walk-off home run.
This afternoon, they will look to see how they fare against the visiting Los Angeles Angels (1-2)
Starting for the Angels is Jack Kochanowicz.
The righty finished 2025 with a 6.81 ERA ERA in 111.0 IP.
Could we see Kevin Durant draped in the United States flag, winning a fifth gold medal as part of the Los Angeles Olympics in two years? He absolutely wants to — but only if he earns the spot, he told Vincent Goodwill of ESPN.
"Hell yeah, I want to play," Durant said. "I would love to, but I've got to stay on top of my game. I'm not expecting, I want to produce on the floor and make Grant and whoever is making the decisions, want to put me on the team. I don't want — not just for seniority. I want to still prove I can help the team win."
"Today, yeah I feel like I'll put my name in that hat."
Durant was at the heart of the USA team that won a fifth-straight men's basketball gold medal in 2024 in Paris. LeBron James, who will be 43 at the time of the Los Angeles Games, has suggested he will not play, while Stephen Curry (who will be 39 at the time) has largely said it's too early to say.
The USA roster in Los Angeles should be stacked — but it also will face the toughest road to a gold the team has ever seen. Players likely invited to the 2028 USA squad include Anthony Edwards, Jayson Tatum, Cade Cunningham, Chet Holmgren, Donovan Mitchell and Tyrese Maxey.
The USA beat France in the gold medal game in Paris, but repeating that will be difficult with France having peak Victor Wembanyama in the paint and real depth around him — there are currently 16 other French players in the NBA, including Washington's Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly. This will be a stacked team as well. And that's not including potentially Nikola Jokic leading a good Serbian squad, Giannis Antetokounmpo leading Greece, and Luka Doncic leading Slovenia.
There is no easy route to gold in men's Olympic basketball anymore, but the USA would look better with Kevin Durant.
Chicago is 1-8 against the spread in its last nine games. At the same time, the young, streaking Charlotte Hornets are 8-1 ATS in their last nine and show no signs of slowing down as they fight for a spot in the play-in tournament.
I’m taking Charlotte to cover tonight.
Hornets vs Bulls same-game parlay
LaMelo Ball is coming off a huge performance on Sunday, and I’m targeting him again in my SGP tonight.
Ball went for 52 PRA and hit an incredible 10 three-pointers against the Washington Wizards in his last game, and he won’t have to come anywhere near those numbers to make a massive impact and hit our parlay in this contest.
Hornets vs Bulls SGP
Hornets -8.5
LaMelo Ball Over 32.5 points + rebounds + assists
LaMelo Ball Over 3.5 made threes
Our "from downtown" SGP: Hornets on the rise
Ball isn’t the only player making big contributions for this improving Hornets team.
Moussa Diabate has four double-doubles in his last nine games, and we can get generous odds on him to hit that target again in a favorable matchup.
Meanwhile, rookie Kon Knueppel has proven to be a sniper at the NBA level, hitting at least four shots from deep in five of his last six games.
Hornets vs Bulls SGP
Hornets -8.5
Moussa Diabate double-double
Kon Knueppel Over 3.5 threes
Hornets vs Bulls odds
Spread: Charlotte -8.5 (-110) | Chicago +8.5 (-110)
Moneyline: Charlotte -330 | Chicago +265
Over/Under: Over 232.5 (-110) | Under 232.5 (-110)
Hornets vs Bulls betting trend to know
The Bulls are 1-8 ATS in their current nine-game losing streak. Find more NBA betting trends for Hornets vs. Bulls.
How to watch Hornets vs Bulls
Location
United Center, Chicago, IL
Date
Tuesday, February 24, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN SE-Charlotte, CHSN
Hornets vs Bulls latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 1: Ken Griffey Jr. 24 of the Seattle Mariners bats during a baseball game against the New York Yankees on August 1, 1996 at Yankee Stadium in New York, New York. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There is an artistry in sports. The physics-defying Michael Jordan hanging in the air in the NBA. The dizzying jukes of Barry Sanders weaving through defenders in the NFL. The graceful moves of Wayne Gretzky on a breakaway.
There are a lot of beautiful things about baseball, but one of the most aesthetically pleasing things to watch is a beautiful swing. I love a swing that looks effortless, yet generates tremendous power. And why is it always a left-handed hitter that looks so graceful?
Some of the best swings I ever saw include Will Clark, Don Mattingly, Tony Gwynn, and Rafael Palmeiro. From the right-side, I’ll give a lot of credit to the devastating power of Albert Pujols and Manny Ramirez. I always loved watching Ichiro hit. And while I saw him when he was in his later years, you can’t talk about sweet swings without talking about Royals Hall of Famer George Brett.
But the best swing I ever saw was The Kid, Ken Griffey Jr. We all mimicked him in our cul-de-sac – even though we were right-handers. One quick swoop, an effortless cut, and the ball was gone.
So who gets your vote? Was it a smooth lefty like Griffey? A picture-perfect technician like George Brett? Or someone more recent whose swing just looks right every time they step in the box? What’s the sweetest swing you ever saw?
This Golden State Warriors vs. New Orleans Pelicans game may seem low on the radar tonight, but a spread within a bucket should stress Golden State as it tries to stay in postseason position.
My Warriors vs. Pelicans predictions and NBA picks back Golden State, as the motivational gap is too significant on Tuesday, February 24.
Warriors vs Pelicans prediction
Warriors vs Pelicans best bet: Warriors moneyline (-125)
That is very much debatable, but the Pelicans are actively trying to tank, while the Warriors are desperate to stay in the top half of the Play-In Tournament. Those differing incentives provide enough value in this short moneyline favorite.
Golden State is not at a scheduling disadvantage, and how much credence should be given to Smoothie King Center amid this tank?
Warriors vs Pelicans same-game parlay
Even when Golden State needs his best, Draymond Green continues to fall short of these modest props.
Green turns 36 in a week, and he very much looks like it. Most notably, Green has failed to grab six rebounds in seven of his last 10 games.
Warriors vs Pelicans SGP
Warriors moneyline
Draymond Green Under 5.5 rebounds
Draymond Green Under 9.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Queen on the Card
Green’s struggles should play right into Derik Queen’s hands. He’s fallen just one or two rebounds short of a double-double in five of his last nine games.
Over/Under: Over 227.5 (-110) | Under 227.5 (-110)
Warriors vs Pelicans betting trend to know
The last four Golden State games have gone Over their totals, clearing them by an average of 15.75 points per game. Find more NBA betting trends for Warriors vs. Pelicans.
How to watch Warriors vs Pelicans
Location
Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA
Date
Tuesday, February 24, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
NBC Sports Bay Area, GCSEN
Warriors vs Pelicans latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Brett Kulak is on the move for the second time this season.
The Pittsburgh Penguins sent the veteran defenseman to Colorado on Tuesday in exchange for defenseman Samuel Girard and a second-round pick in the 2028 draft.
Kulak played 25 games in Pittsburgh after being acquired in a December trade that shipped two-time All-Star goaltender Tristan Jarry to Edmonton. Kulak has one goal and eight assists in 56 combined games this season for the Penguins and Oilers. Kulak's arrival gives the Avalanche an experienced stay-at-home defenseman as Colorado tries to hold on to the top spot in the Western Conference.
The 27-year-old Girard is a 10-year NHL veteran who has spent the last eight-plus seasons with the Avalanche. Girard, who is signed through the 2026-27 season, had three goals and nine assists in 40 games this season with Colorado.
The additional draft capital the Penguins picked up in the deal gives them 34 picks overall over the next four drafts, including 20 selections in the first three rounds.
Feb 22, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Boston Celtics guard Baylor Scheierman (55) controls the ball against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
PHOENIX — Baylor Scheierman has been living out one childhood dream after another.
The 25-year-old Celtics guards played 29 minutes in Sunday’s game between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers, and reflected on the experience at shootaround on Tuesday morning in Phoenix.
“It was unreal,” Scheierman said. “It was a dream come true. Being from a small town in Nebraska, I had a lot of hometown friends and family who were taking pictures of the TV screen, sending it to me, ‘You’re on the court with Lebron James. LeBron James is guarding you.’”
Scheierman has started four straight games for the Celtics — and 10 in total this season — carving out the role of someone who can defend opposing teams’ best players, rebound the ball, and space the floor.
He’s shooting 38.1% from three on the season, and averaging 5.6 defensive rebounds per 36 minutes, third-best on the team among non-bigs (trailing Jaylen Brown and Hugo Gonzalez).
He’s also beginning to master the art of the no-dip three-point attempt, a shot form that saves him a little bit of time on the release and thus allows him to get up more attempts.
“It definitely helps me get two or three more shots that I probably wouldn’t get if I had to dip it down,” Scheierman said. “Even in the last game against the Lakers, LeBron is closing out. If I dip it, I’m definitely not getting it off. I think it definitely has helped me get more shots. And when I’m out there, obviously that’s what I want.”
In Sunday’s game, Scheierman was largely tasked with guarding Luka Doncic, and he helped hold the star to a 5-13 shooting performance, per NBC Sports Boston’s Chris Forbserg.
The day before, Jaylen Brown pulled aside Scheierman and the Celtics’ other wing defenders — Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh, and Sam Hauser — to go over some of the tendencies of the Lakers’ stars.
“Obviously, Jaylen is one of the best two-way players in the game,” he said. “He’s guarded Luka before. So giving us advice definitely helped.”
Celtics-Lakers was a dream come true in more ways than one
After the game, Scheierman also completed a jersey swap with James Lafferty, an actor from the television show One Tree Hill.
“It’s my favorite show of all time,” Scheierman said, grinning. His agency had reached out to Lafferty’s ahead of the Celtics-Lakers game, and it turned out that Lafferty was a fan of Scheierman’s as well.
“That was crazy,” Scheierman said. “It’s kind of cool to be able to call him my friend and whatnot. It was an unreal feeling.”
In many ways, Scheierman is having the breakthrough NBA moment he’s long hoped for
He’s not putting up crazy numbers — he’s averaging 3.9 points and 2.8 rebounds per game — but anyone closely watching this team can attest to the fact that Scheierman has been a crucial part of its recent success.
And the Celtics have seen a lot of success as of late. They’re winners of 8 of their last 9 games, and currently have the second-best record in the Eastern Conference (and fifth-best in the entire NBA).
Scheierman is still pinching himself — not when the game is going on, of course — but afterwards, as he reflects on the fact that he’s sharing the floor with some of basketball’s all-time greats.
“It’s a surreal feeling, something that, in the moment, I don’t really like pay too much attention to,” he said. “But after the game, being able to sit there and reflect and think about it, it’s an unreal experience. And, it’s a dream come true.”
Former Montreal Canadiens defenseman Brett Kulak has been traded for the second time this season.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced that they have traded Kulak to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for defenseman Samuel Girard and a 2028 second-round pick.
Kulak will now be joining an Avalanche club that has Stanley Cup expectations. The 32-year-old defenseman undoubtedly has the potential to be a strong fit on their roster, as he has a ton of playoff experience and can play both sides. With this, he is a player who should come in handy for the Avalanche.
Kulak was acquired by the Penguins back in December as part of the trade that sent Tristan Jarry to the Edmonton Oilers. Now, after spending two months with the Penguins organization, Kulak is heading to Colorado.
Kulak has played in 56 games this season split between the Oilers and Penguins, where he has recorded one goal, nine points, and 77 blocks. Now, the former Canadiens defenseman will be looking to make an impact with the Avalanche after being acquired.
Kulak spent four seasons with the Canadiens from 2018-19 to 2021-22. In 215 games with the Habs over that span, he had 11 goals, 34 assists, 45 points, and a plus-4 rating.
DENVER, COLORADO - NOVEMBER 26: Samuel Girard #49 of the Colorado Avalanche takes a shot against the San Jose Sharks at Ball Arena on November 26, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Kyle Dubas is making moves again, and this is a pretty significant one for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Penguins traded defenseman Brett Kulak to the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday afternoon in exchange for defenseman Samuel Girard and a 2028-second-round draft pick.
There are a lot of layers to this move, but at first glance it is a fascinating move for the Penguins and one that seems to improve quite a few areas.
For one, this is pretty clearly a salary dump for the Avalanche. Kulak is a pending unrestricted free agent after this season, while the Avalanche are the ones giving up the draft pick. That is the price they were willing to pay to get the Penguins to take on the remainder of Girard’s contract. Girard is signed through the end of the 2026-27 season with a $5 million salary cap. Given the salary cap space the Penguins have at their disposal for next season, it is not a big deal for them to take on that contract.
Dubas has been weaponizing the Penguins’ salary cap space for the better part of the past year-and-a-half now and used it to bring a stockpile of draft picks into the organization. This is another example of that.
It is also a potential upgrade to the defense for both this season and next season.
While the Avalanche clearly wanted to use that salary cap space for something else — perhaps another big move to add forward depth, what they do next will be fascinating — Girard is still a useful, puck-moving defenseman with strong underlying numbers. He is also a left-shot defenseman under contract for next season, something that has been a pretty big need for the Penguins. He is also still only 27 years old and fits into their current roster and timeline.
Kulak was a solid addition for the Penguins during his brief time here, but this is a no-brainer move. Especially when it comes with another future second-round pick to add into the collection.
With the addition of the 2028 second-round pick, they now have multiple second-round picks in each of the next four drafts, while also having multiple third-round picks in each of the next three drafts. That means over the next four draft classes the Penguins will have 20 draft picks in the first three rounds. That is a net-gain of eight draft picks. That is significant. Not only because it adds more prospects into the system for the ongoing rebuild, but also because those are picks that can also be traded. That is how you find an Egor Chinakhov or a potential addition to help in a playoff push without depleting your long-term prospects.
The other layer to this is it adds another branch to the still growing Tristan Jarry trade tree.
The Penguins initially acquired Kulak, along with goalie Stuart Skinner and a 2029 second-round draft pick, from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Jarry earlier this season.
With this trade now complete, it means the Penguins have turned Jarry and his contract into Stuart Skinner, Samuel Girard and two second-round draft picks.
That seems almost impossible to wrap your head around when you consider Jarry was on waivers a year ago, then playing in the American Hockey League, and looking to have a completely unmovable contract. They made it work, while also coming out ahead both now and in the future.
The thing about that is, even if Girard does not work out here he is STILL signed for fewer years than Jarry is. His contract comes off the books one year before Jarry’s does. So either way the Penguins are saving salary cap space in the long-run while also getting two pretty strong assets back in return and very likely making their team better in the short-term.
The question now becomes whether or not Skinner gets added to that Jarry trade tree to open the door for a potential Sergei Murashov call-up at some point. It would be risky, but nothing seems to be off the table right now.
It is really difficult to walk the line between rebuilding and contending at the same time, but the Penguins are doing a pretty good job of making it happen right now. They are a very good team. They are helping their team this season and very seriously competing for a playoff spot. It is, by pretty much every objective measure, a very good hockey team. They are also positioning themselves for the long-term with a significant influx of young talent while also having more draft picks over the next four years than any team in the NHL, including multiple picks in the second-and third-rounds. They also have significant amounts of salary cap space.
There is a lot you can do with that. All of it. They are in a good position both now and in the future. This is strong work by Kyle Dubas.
