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Was it as simple as you were living nearby?
I grew up on the Space Coast, just 2 hours away from Tampa and seemingly 3 from St. Petersburg, in a family that stayed loyal to the Braves over the Marlins over the years — but I was the perfect age to become a Rays fan, with my interest in Sports born the same year the Devil Rays thew their first pitch.
Given their proximity and availability on television, it was an easy decision for the family to go all in on the Devil Rays.
Four post-Olympics Bruins storylines that fans should watch originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The 2026 Winter Olympics were a rousing success for United States hockey.
Both the men and women’s teams won the gold medal in Milan-Cortina by beating their Canadian rivals in overtime.
The men won 2-1 in OT on Sunday with a golden goal by Jack Hughes. It was the first time Team USA won Olympic gold in men’s hockey since the Miracle on Ice team in 1980.
The Bruins were well-represented at the Olympics and had two players — defenseman Charlie McAvoy and goalie Jeremy Swayman — win gold for the American squad.
It extends the streak of at least one Bruins player winning Olympic gold (when NHL players participate) to four Winter Games in a row.
Now that the Olympics are over, the NHL regular season will resume, and it will be a sprint to the finish in mid-April. The Bruins’ first game after the break is Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets at TD Garden.
Let’s look at four key storylines that Bruins fans should watch over the next six weeks.
McAvoy consistently ranked among the leaders in ice time among American players and was trusted to be on the ice in many important situations.
McAvoy didn’t tally a point at the Olympics, but he played excellent defensively and brought a physical presence to the ice on every shift. This style was a perfect compliment to Quinn Hughes. McAvoy allowed Hughes to jump into the attack offensively and the results were great.
The Bruins defenseman also made one of the most crucial plays in the gold medal game when he kept an airborne puck out of the U.S. net during a scramble in the crease.
After a successful Olympics, it’s fair to wonder if the Bruins will get a supercharged McAvoy for the rest of the season. McAvoy tallied 39 points (four goals, 35 assists) in 45 games for the Bruins before the Olympic break, and his 2.15 points per 60 minutes this season are a career high and well above his 1.17 last season.
The Bruins need McAvoy to continue being a force at both ends of the ice to give themselves the best possible chance of reaching the playoffs. And judging by his impact at the Olympics, it wouldn’t be surprising at all if he delivers.
The Bruins are in an interesting spot as the March 6 trade deadline nears. They aren’t a real Stanley Cup contender but they’re also a playoff-caliber team.
It makes no sense to give up quality draft picks and prospects for short-term upgrades, especially veteran players who would be rentals. But if the Bruins could acquire a player — preferably a top-six forward or top-four defenseman — who can make an impact beyond this season and fit the age timeline of the cornerstone players (Pastrnak, McAvoy, Swayman, etc), then that would be a move worth considering.
They reportedly were interested in acquiring 29-year-old defenseman Rasmus Andersson but only if he signed an extension. Andersson was ultimately traded to the Vegas Golden Knights last month without an extension.
It also would make sense to gauge the market on players with expiring contracts, such as defenseman Andrew Peeke. If the Bruins can get a decent asset for that kind of player, it’s also worth considering.
The Bruins went into full seller mode at last season’s trade deadline, and it was a huge success as the franchise added valuable draft picks and prospects. We won’t see that kind of selling this season.
If the Bruins do decide to be buyers, what should they target? Another goal scorer, especially on the wing, would be ideal. The Bruins, per Natural Stat Trick, have been expected to score 175.45 goals this season. The B’s have actually scored 193, or about 18 more than expected. A 12.4 shooting percentage, which ranks fourth-best in the league, is greatly contributing to Boston’s better-than-anticipated offensive numbers.
What happens if the Bruins regress a bit scoring-wise? It wouldn’t be a surprising outcome when you consider several Bruins forwards, including Morgan Geekie, have a career-high shooting percentage this season.
Bolstering the team’s scoring depth would be a great upgrade for the B’s ahead of the trade deadline.
The Bruins saw their nine-year playoff appearance streak end last season when they finished with the league’s fifth-worst record. They have a very good chance of returning to the playoffs this season.
The B’s exit the Olympic break in the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference standings. They have a four-point cushion over the Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets. Boston also is just one point behind the Buffalo Sabres for the first wild card spot and three points behind the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens for third and second place, respectively, in the Atlantic Division.
The Bruins won’t have an easy path to the finish line, though. They have 25 games left and the second-toughest remaining schedule. Fourteen of those 25 games are on the road.
The good news for the Bruins is making the playoffs is a very attainable goal. They’ve put themselves in a good position coming out of the break. But there’s plenty more work to be done.
The Bruins didn’t play over the last two weeks, but many of their top prospects did. And the results were fantastic.
The team’s last two first-round picks — forwards James Hagens (No. 7, 2025) and Dean Letourneau (No. 25, 2024) — are dominating for Boston College.
Hagens has tallied 38 points (20 goals, 18 assists) in 28 games to lead the Eagles. He also leads all Hockey East players with 24 points in 20 conference games. Hagens scored a hat trick against UConn on Friday, and he did it in two periods.
Letourneau ranks second on BC with 33 points (18 goals, 15 assists) in 30 games. He scored zero goals last season, so his improvement offensively has been tremendous. Letourneau scored one goal with three assists in two games versus UConn over the weekend.
Hagens and Letourneau are among the nominees for the Hobey Baker Award.
Will Zellers had a three-point game, including the game-tying goal late in the third period, against St. Cloud State on Friday. Zellers has scored 16 goals with 10 assists in 31 games for North Dakota as a freshman. He’s playing a key role for the No. 3 ranked team in the nation.
The Bruins’ prospect pool is better and deeper than it’s been in a long time, and these three players are the top of the group.
Their progress through the remainder of the regular season and the NCAA Tournament is worth following for Bruins fans.
In the second half of a Tuesday doubleheader on Peacock, the Minnesota Timberwolves will travel to the Moda Center to take on the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Timberwolves have bounced back from a five-game losing streak in January and remain in playoff contention, scoring more than 120 points in six of their past 10 games.
The Trail Blazers, who opened the season by winning nine of their first 11, are fighting for their first playoff berth since 2020-21. They have rebounded from a six-game losing streak on Jan. 23 through Feb. 3 (their longest in more than a year).
This will be the third of four games between the teams this season. The Timberwolves won the first two, a 133-109 home win on Feb. 11 and a 118-114 road victory on Oct. 22.
See below for additional information on how to watch the Timberwolves-Trail Blazers matchup and a breakdown of the game. Also check out the schedule for the NBA on NBC and Peacock. Peacock will feature 100 regular-season games throughout the 2025-2026 season.
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On track for career highs in scoring average and field goal percentage, Anthony Edwards is tallying more than 29 points per game (third in the NBA) and shooting over 49 percent. The recent All-Star Game MVP has scored more than 40 points seven times this season (second most in the league behind Luka Doncic) and holds the Minnesota franchise record for 40-point games (31) and 30-point games (132), including the playoffs.
Julius Randle has emerged as one of the best passing forwards in the NBA, leading the team with more than 5 assists per game. The 12-year veteran is in his second season with Minnesota and signed a three-year, $100 million extension last summer.
Trail Blazers All-Star Deni Avdija is a favorite for Most Improved Player of the Year and on pace for career highs in scoring (more than 25 points per game), assists (leads the team with more than 6 per game) and 3-pointers made (2.2 per game). He missed 10 games with a lower back injury and was sidelined during much of Portland's six-game skid.
The Trail Blazers are beginning a tough road stretch, and Tuesday will mark one of only five games at home from Feb. 11 through March 22. Portland will play 10 of its next 13 games away from the Moda Center.
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.
Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
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SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Tony Vitello’s day opened when his players spoiled the suspense of the USA men's hockey team’s gold medal victory Sunday morning, got to meet new Hall of Famer Jeff Kent, had a fire alarm go off during their game, witnessed the most bizarre play of his life, won a spring-training game, and ended with one of his childhood heroes, Chicago Cubs Cy Young winner Rick Sutcliffe, stopping by afterwards to say hello.
Vitello knew life would be different as the first man to go straight from a college to major league manager with the San Francisco Giants, but nothing quite prepared him for this.
Each day this spring has been a learning experience for Vitello. He painfully discovered where not to stand in the dugout during games in his spring-training opener Saturday, and then was reminded Sunday not to live-stream a sporting event on your iPhone when you’ve got a clubhouse full of players watching on live TV.
Vitello was in the middle of rules meetings in the second level of the Giants’ clubhouse with the USA-Canada hockey game playing on his cell phone. He was intensely watching the action, bracing himself for overtime, when he heard his players screaming and shouting, and breaking into USA-USA-USA chants.
So when he finally saw Jack Hughes score the overtime game-winner for the United States’ first Olympic hockey gold medal since the “The Miracle on Ice" team, he already knew the outcome.
“When you’re streaming stuff,’’ said Vitello, a Blues fan growing up in St. Louis, “you better be careful where you’re sitting. Their reaction was pretty loud. Pretty awesome to see those guys get awarded the gold medal, pretty special to hear the anthem. Maybe that kind of sets the tone for the WBC (World Baseball Classic).’’
While his players may have ruined his own suspense, it was a lot less painful than his Cactus League debut Saturday against the Seattle Mariners in Peoria, Arizona, when he was smoked in the left shin by a foul ball by Mariners outfielder Jared Sundstrom
“I’ve had a broken face twice from baseballs as a coach,’’ Vitello said. “I’ll be standing in a different place next time.”
Then, after the events of Sunday, who could blame Vitello — who had never even attended a spring-training game as a fan, let alone as a player or coach — for wondering if someone has a warped sense of humor initiating him into MLB spring training?
Vitello has witnessed some bizarre things in his 25-year career as a collegiate coach, but the first inning of his first home game as Giants manager could be the ultimate.
It began with the Scottsdale Stadium loudspeakers blaring that an emergency had been reported, with the announcement: “Please cease operations and leave the building.’’
Dozens of fans took the advice and scurried for the exits, but crew chief Bill Miller told Giants' veteran starter Robbie Ray to stay put and keep pitching. The game continued even with the announcement recurring for at least five minutes.
The emergency alarm system at the Giants Spring Training facility went off during the 1st inning of their game against the Cubs, causing many fans to leave their seats
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) February 22, 2026
The umpires did not stop the game and after about three minutes, the emergency message shut off pic.twitter.com/o8BWCYqpmd
“You’re trying to play, but your family’s in the stands,’’ Vitello said. “I’m a condo guy, when the fire alarm goes off, you just assume somebody pulled it or something like that. But that was a little bit of a dicey situation.’’
It turned out that someone was smoking in the bathroom, triggering the alarm
“That fire alarm kind of rattled me,’’ Ray said. “To be honest, I thought we were just going to wait it out. … I’m looking up in the stands and people are filing out of the stands, and I’m like, we’re just going to play through this.’’
The bizarro world was just starting, triggering a play that has never happened in the history of a major-league regular season game.
It was a triple play that actually started on a base hit, turning a single into a 4-3-6-5 triple play.
“A triple play on a base hit,’’ Ray said, “I’ve never seen that.’’
Said Giants third baseman Matt Chapman: “That’ll be a glitch in the Matrix."
🚨 TRIPLE PLAY! TRIPLE PLAY! TRIPLE PLAY! 🚨 pic.twitter.com/8SjdbFxurs
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) February 22, 2026
It began with Cubs leadoff hitter Matt Shaw walking, stealing second, and Alex Bregman drawing a walk. Seiya Suzuki then hit a single to shallow right field, fielded by second baseman Luis Arraez. Arraez threw home, but third baseman Rafael Devers cut off the throw, and threw out Suzuki trying to reach second. Shortstop Willy Adames, noticing that Shaw never tried to run home and was standing on third base, along with Bregman, ran to third base and tagged out Bregman. He handed the ball to Chapman, and then, inexplicably, Shaw walked off the bag towards the Cubs’ dugout. Chapman tagged him, and Shaw was called out, too.
“I still don’t know what happened,’’ Adames said.
Ray, realizing he just pitched the most outlandish 1-2-3 inning of his life, couldn’t stop laughing when he reached the dugout and guys were yelling, “Way to get out of it.’’
Normalcy returned the rest of the afternoon, and after the first two games of Vitello’s career, the Giants are undefeated, with a clubhouse that has a whole lot of believers in Vitello.
“It’s definitely different in here,’’ said Ray, 34, the Giants’ oldest player. “He’s unique because he just brings a different energy every day. It’s infectious. And he does stuff you don’t necessarily see other managers do.’’
When the Giants take infield, or have fielding practice for pitchers, Vitello isn’t just standing idly by leaning on his fungo bat or talking to coaches. He’s taking grounders with them, or covering first base, or taking cutoffs.
“I think he’s going crazy,’’ Adames said, laughing. “Nah, he’s enjoying it. He has a lot of energy. He’s very intense. And he loves to work.
“He’s been amazing for us in terms of bringing the energy and trying to push everybody to be better. I think that’s something that we needed. I believe he’s going to be great for us.’’
The fundamentals, with as many as 25 players on the field participating in drills, reminds veteran scouts of the college ranks, but, hey, it’s what Vitello knows. And certainly it worked with Vitello turning Tennessee into a national power, and winning the NCAA championship in 2024.
“It’s different, but it’s cool,’’ Chapman said. “He’s got that young energy and good vibe. I think he’s really going to inspire this group.’’
While Vitello has been criticized at times for his rambling media sessions, bringing up stories from his college coaching days, and chastising reporters early in the week for prematurely reporting that he had accepted the Giants’ managerial job, the players don’t seem to mind one bit.
In fact, they’ve embraced him.
“I love the guy,’’ Giants veteran starter Tyler Mahle said. “He’s got all of that energy, and that’s what you look for in a manager, right? You like to talk to someone who’s fiery. He’s someone you can connect with like a friend or a teammate, but he’s also going to be get on somebody’s (butt), too.
“I mean it’s early. There’s going to be some growing pains. But he’s exactly someone you want as manager. I really think he’s going to do a great job for us.’’
Certainly, no manager will draw more scrutiny than Vitello all season. There are plenty of managers furious that he landed the job without paying his dues in the minors or on a coaching staff. There are veteran managers upset that he’s being paid $3.5 million a year, which is more than twice the amount any first-year manager has ever been paid. There are those who want him to fail for fear that it could open the door for more collegiate coaches following him directly into managerial positions.
“I love the move myself,’’ one rival GM said. “I think it’s creative. I think it’s bold. But would I have had the guts to do it? No (expletive) way.’’
The folks at Tennessee watched Vitello turn the Vols into a power, and believe he’ll have the same impact with the Giants, who haven’t had a winning season since 2021. They’re disappointed he left, but will forever have his back.
“People absolutely loved him, just a personal guy, taking pictures, signing autographs,’’ said Mark Smith, a longtime Tennessee booster who was wearing a Vols championship T-shirt at the game. “I know people want to know why he left Tennessee, but that’s a moot point now. I think it’s just people looking for controversy.
“You know everything he does will be under the microscope times 1,000. If he makes the right move, people will say, 'Well, he got lucky.’ If he makes a bad move, it will be, 'See, we told you he’s not ready for it.’ That’s not fair.
“I think he’ll be great.’’
Vitello won’t be afraid to be unconventional, willing to try different things. There will be times he’ll call pitches from the bench, like he’s a college coach. They’ll be aggressive, perhaps regardless of the score. He’ll experiment with the lineup.
For now, he’s just trying to get comfortable, getting to know his players, and understand what this big-league life is all about.
“There's a lot of people, and there's a lot to juggle,’’ Vitello says. “We've had conversations about trying to see as much as you can, and learn as much as you can, especially with personnel. I don't think anything too drastic.
“It's just something will pop up on the radar screen that's like, 'Well, I used to do that, but I don't do that now.’ Like, I’ve got enough help around here. I feel like I don't even have to tie my shoes if I didn't want to.
“I feel comfortable, but I don't know, you don’t want to get too comfortable. It's probably not a good thing.’’
Certainly, not in this business, where there are 10 new managers than a year ago.
But then again, there has never been a hire like Vitello, either.
“I was so excited to see him hired because I’ve seen Tennessee play, and I’ve seen the kind of energy they have on the field,’’ Giants infielder Casey Schmitt says. “You can see that same energy here. There’s definitely a different kind of vibe here, a different kind of energy.
“I know people are curious to see how this will work, but I think this is going to be great for us. Everyone is going to see the impact he makes.’’
Now, if he can just survive this crazy spring training.
Follow Nightengale on X: @BNightengale
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Giants' Tony Vitello's bizarre day: Fire alarm and a triple play
With the 2026 Winter Olympics officially in the books, the 2025-26 NHL season is set to resume this week. That means the playoff push is officially on for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The big question on everybody’s mind: What is going to be the status of captain Sidney Crosby following his injury in the quarterfinals of the Olympic tournament.
The fact he did not play in Friday’s semifinal game or Sunday’s gold medal game is not exactly an encouraging development for his short-term availability. You have to imagine if he were even anything remotely close to 100 percent he would have been out there going for his third gold medal. It seems quite likely that he is not going to be in the lineup when the Penguins return to action later this week.
An update on his status will be significant. They will eventually need him.
While we do not when Crosby will be on the ice for them, it does seem likely that Avery Hayes is getting a call back up to the big club, and it will be a well-earned promotion if/when it happens. Not only due to the fact he scored a pair of goals in his NHL debut, but also because he just continued to keep scoring goals when he was sent back down to the American Hockey League. It is an encouraging sign for his development and the forward depth the team has accumulated over the past two-plus seasons.
As for the week of games itself, every team in the NHL is probably going to have some rust to deal with after three weeks of no games. That does not even get into the players that are returning from international travel and having just played five-six highly competitive games over the past two weeks. Every team is going to be in the same situation.
The Penguins have three games on the schedule this week, and close out the month of February with a couple of favorable matchups before they get into the brutal March schedule. It begins on Thursday night against the New Jersey Devils (and Jack Hughes, fresh off of his golden goal). That is also a big schedule advantage right at the beginning because the Devils will be playing the second half of a back-to-back after playing the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night.
The Devils had lost five of six games going into the Olympic break, with their only win over that stretch being an overtime win against the Nashville Predators.
While the Devils have some big talent on paper, things have simply not worked out for them this season and enter the week with the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference. The Penguins have split the season series so far with the Devils, losing a shootout in New Jersey in early November and then beating them 4-1 in Pittsburgh in early January.
The week continues for the Penguins on Saturday afternoon with a game against the literal worst team in the Eastern Conference so far this season, the New York Rangers. The Rangers are not only the worst team in the Eastern Conference standings, they have also already started selling players by trading defenseman Carson Soucy and star forward Artemi Panarin. There is also the chance somebody else could be moved before Saturday’s game with the trade deadline looming and the Olympic break trade freeze lifting.
Even before the Rangers started selling this was still a very flawed team that did not really do anything well other than have a great goalie in Igor Shesterkin. Without him, there is just not much here. The Penguins have won two of the first three games in the season series against the Rangers, including the first game at Madison Square Garden. That was the Penguins 3-0 season-opening win to open the schedule.
The Penguins then return home on Sunday afternoon for the second half of a back-to-back to kick off their difficult March schedule against the Vegas Golden Knights. While the Golden Knights have not really met their own expectations so far this season, they are still one of the top teams in the Pacific Division and have enough talent on paper that they will be a handful to deal with. Especially since the Penguins will be playing the second half of a back-to-back, with travel, while Vegas will be waiting for them and rested in Pittsburgh with the off day on Saturday.
On paper, this will be the most difficult game of the week. It is still winnable, especially given how questionable the Vegas goaltending situation has been this season.
Overall, the Penguins are in a very good position in the Eastern Conference playoff race to open the week. They need roughly 14 more wins (or probably at least 28 more points) to secure a playoff spot. Whether Sidney Crosby plays or not this week they should be able to get at least four points in the standings. That should be the reasonable expectation.
We’re a couple games into spring now, and already seen a few highlight performances from the handful of innings that each player has gotten into thus far. Aaron Judge stole the show in the home opener with a two-homer showcase, but right before the Captain went off we got a glimpse of Judge’s potential protege going deep for the first time this year too. Spencer Jones launched one out to right field on Saturday, displaying the power that so many have been captivated by… and he also struck out twice, underscoring the primary concern scouts have had with his development.
This season figures to be a critical one for Jones’ future as a Yankee. Many of the cards are out of his control, namely the packed Yankee outfield that is set to get consistent playing time that doesn’t even include Jasson Domínguez as a regular yet. Jones would be next in line afterwards, meaning that unless the injury bug strikes particularly hard or Jones goes on a season-long scorcher to force their hand, he probably isn’t seeing much time on the major league roster.
With that in mind, unless the Yankees swing a trade involving him he’ll have a full season in Triple-A to develop his power further and work on the big swing and miss flaws in his game. So what should we expect from the outfielder entering his age-25 season? He took a major leap last year, jumping his OPS up from .789 in Double-A in 2024 to a .932 mark split between Double-A and Triple-A. The power skyrocketed, going from 17 long balls to 35, and the notorious strikeouts continued to pile up as he whiffed 179 times in 438 plate appearances compared to 200 times in 482 PAs.
Jones is one of the most volatile prospects to project that the Yankees have had in a while. His ceiling could genuinely be a left-handed version of the Captain’s prowess in the box, but his floor could be a bat with pop that cannot convert on it because he struggles too much to make any contact. Will he take another leap and fill out the holes in his swing, especially given that he’s made changes to his stance already? Will we see more of the same from Jones, talent to be tapped into with enough frustrating flaws to hold him back? Will the Yankees even be the ones to see how it all pans out, or will they ship him out for other needs somewhere midseason? What’s your take on the Yankees’ biggest bat down in the minors?
Today on the site, we’ve got a double-feature for Josh leading off with a birthday tribute to Elston Howard and his legacy with the franchise as a barrier-breaking great before kicking off our team previews with a look at the lowly Rockies out west. In-between we’ve got Sam giving us a preview of the funky lefty in the bullpen, Tim Hill, and then after the exhibition game I’ll be back to open up this week’s mailbag for questions.
New York Yankees vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Time: 1:05 p.m. EST
Video: Gotham Sports App, SportsNet-PIT
Venue: LECOM Park, Bradenton, FL
In a marquee Eastern Conference matchup, the New York Knicks will face the Cleveland Cavaliers in a Tuesday night game on Peacock.
The Knicks (36-21) and Cavaliers (36-21) are tied for third in the East, one game behind Boston for second place.
Cleveland will enter Rocket Arena as one of the league's hottest teams, riding a seven-game winning streak and having won 14 of the past 16. The visiting Knicks have the second-best record (11-3) over the past month behind the Cavaliers.
This is the third and final regular-season meeting between the teams. The Knicks won both at home — 119-111 in the Oct. 22 season opener and a 126-124 victory on Christmas Day that included a 17-point comeback in the fourth quarter.
Because of the State of the Union address on NBC, the game will be shown exclusively on Peacock and NBCSN (available on YouTubeTV).
See below for additional information on how to watch the Knicks-Cavaliers matchup and a breakdown of the game. Also check out the schedule for the NBA on NBC and Peacock. Peacock will feature 100 regular-season games throughout the 2025-2026 season.
Click here to sign up for Peacock!
Because of their recent streaks, the Knicks and Cavaliers have emerged with the shortest odds to make the NBA Finals. Per DraftKings Sportsbook, Cleveland is the current favorite at +300, and the Knicks are second at +330 (first-place Detroit is +350, and Boston is +380).
The Cavaliers are hoping to erase the memory of going wire-to-wire as the top seed last season at 64-18 before losing in 5 games to the Indiana Pacers in the conference semifinals.
Seven-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell has scored at least 30 points in seven of the Cavs' past 13 games and remains on track for a career high in scoring at 29 points per game (ffith in the NBA). Cleveland has been rolling since the Feb. 4 acquisition of 11-time All-Star James Harden, who has yet to play with Evan Mobley (out since Jan. 26 with a left calf strain).
Defense has spurred the recent success of the Knicks, who are allowing just over 101 points per game over their last 15 games after giving up more than 117 points per game in the 11 previous games. In their first 43 games this season, New York held only three teams to fewer than 100 points.
“I think the biggest part of our defense has been our communication, physicality and accountability without having to point fingers and say who was wrong and who wasn’t," said guard Jalen Brunson, who leads the team in scoring and assists during his fourth season in New York. "Just kind of being on the string and being on the same page is the biggest part of our turnaround so far.”
Teammate Karl-Anthony Towns is down in several major categories (points, rebounds, shooting percentage), but OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and recent acquisition Jose Alvarado have helped pick up the slack.
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.
Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC and Bravo hits for whatever suits your mood
Click here to see the full list of NBA games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.
You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices here.
Since James Harden has arrived in Cleveland, everything has been exactly what one would hope for. The Cleveland Cavaliers are 5–1, the offense looks rejuvenated, and the team’s vibes haven’t been higher this season. Nothing seems like it could detract from the momentum this team has built, as it now finds itself in the third seed of the Eastern Conference. Well, nothing except for the fact that we all know how Harden carries himself with his new clubs.
This is the honeymoon phase—a term that anyone who has been in a relationship knows all too well. Star-crossed lovers become so enamored with each other that they ride the euphoria and push all concerns to the side. Unfortunately, Cavaliers fans should keep in the back of their minds while they enjoy this initial phase of the James Harden experience. That, according to history, it will not last forever.
It would be nice to think the Tobias Fünke train of thought—“It didn’t work for them, but it could work for us”—didn’t have validity, but the pattern has too much credibility. Ask the fans of the Nets, Sixers, and Clippers how the initial portion of the James Harden experience went.
You go on Twitter, Reddit, YouTube, or even just talk to friends, and the quotes eerily all line up to paint the same picture. Harden joins Team X, and suddenly it’s, “Oh wow, he looks reinvigorated.” “Maybe something has changed?” Harden looks phenomenal for a stretch, which allows fanbases and front offices to quiet any reservations they had about the trade.
Then, Team X hits a bump in the road—whether it’s getting bounced from the playoffs or falling short of expectations—and things get dicey fast. The dialogue around the team and Harden suddenly pivots from, “Where did this guy come from?” to, “Will this team ever look like it did when he first arrived?” Next thing you know, the NBA trade deadline features Team X trying to appease Harden as he looks for his next venture, because your team didn’t cut it.
This is all part of the Harden experience. James Harden is an NBA mercenary. Mercenaries aren’t sentimental; they don’t get emotionally attached. In Harden’s case, if he doesn’t get what he wants quickly, things get sour fast.
This is nothing against Harden—he doesn’t hide his wishes or tendencies. This is very much out in the open. A key factor to consider when getting into the Harden business is that he never gets comfortable, always willing to press the buttons necessary to maximize his chances of winning a title. This is an important piece of information that Koby Altman and the Cavaliers front office were, without a doubt, aware of.
The Cavaliers, with all their chips on Harden, either unknowingly or unwillingly, have put themselves on a rapid and delicate timeline. This is probably the most open the Eastern Conference will be for the next few years, with the Pistons sitting at the top, the Celtics recuperating and reintegrating Jayson Tatum into the fold, and the Knicks looking like the main threats to Cleveland’s chances to represent the East in the NBA Finals.
It’s fair to anticipate that Cleveland has made some indication to Harden that they will either extend him or provide incentives for him to remain in town through next season, at minimum. The Cavaliers are currently benefiting from the Harden experience and show no signs of slowing down. The team should ride this momentum into the postseason. However, it is the playoffs that will set the tone for the team heading into next season, based on the recent chapters of Harden’s career.
This is the deal that Cleveland signed up for. Harden has always shown his cards. If the Cavaliers expect a different response from their newest star, then they got into the wrong business.
In 1980, it was Jim Craig. In 1996, it was Mike Richter. In 2026, it was Connor Hellebuyck playing the role of goaltender spoiler keying a U.S. victory over a favored opponent. Deciding the gold medal via 3-on-3 overtime feels silly, but it’s at least an improvement over the shootout (Peter Forsberg, 1994, and Czechs over Canada, 1998) and it provided the platform for Jack Hughes and Zach Werenski to take their heroic turn against the three top players in the world.
Like the Americans of Squaw Valley 1960 and Lake Placid 1980, they’ll always have a tale to tell their descendants about 2026. Compared to all the other athletes toiling away in obscure sports most of us only hear about every four years, Olympic hockey with NHLers is kind of a sideshow, a co-opted forum for what should basically be just a World Cup. But when the players get that into it, it’s fun to see them get their reward (or in Nathan MacKinnon’s case, heartbreak…those long faces, reminiscent of Gretzky, Lindros, Yzerman & Co. in 1996 when Canada was supposed to prove once and for all who owned the sport).
I do feel bad for Bo Horvat though; all he did was everything asked of him, winning faceoffs so the superstars could get on the ice, even drawing a penalty late in regulation to erase Sam Bennett’s mistake and give Canada’s goldenboy power play a chance to win it all. They let him down though. I hope someday Bo will be proud of his medal and this experience, ‘cause the whole “gold or bust” entitlement approach is no way to go through life.
This is an Islanders blog, though:
After a couple wins against the cellar-dwelling Indiana Pacers, the Wizards took on a surging Charlotte Hornets and got buried under an avalanche of threes. The Hornets made 25 in the game — one shy of their franchise record. Along the way, Charlotte connected on 12-14 from deep in the third quarter alone.
The Wizards did give up some open and wide-open looks in that ridiculous third quarter, but in fairness that kind of shooting is largely outlier flukish luck. Even All-Star teams going against All-Star level “defense” won’t make 12-14 from three-point range.
The Hornets deserve some credit too. Several of those threes came from stellar offensive design — multiple screens and side-switching player movement that befuddled the Wizards and created open looks. While the Wizards made a habit of dying on screens and not communicating effectively on switches, but those actions are tough to cover, and the league as a whole has had difficulty keeping up with them over the past couple months.
Overall, I’d have to say there wasn’t much to learn in this one. Washington was missing several players, head coach Brian Keefe kept the team’s available maintstays on a tight minutes leash, and gave biggest minutes to the two-way and 10-day guys. All part of the Keep That Pick campaign.
Below are the four factors that decide wins and losses in basketball — shooting (efg), rebounding (offensive rebounds), ball handling (turnovers), fouling (free throws made).
The four factors are measured by:
| FOUR FACTORS | HORNETS | WIZARDS | LGAVG |
|---|---|---|---|
| eFG% | 63.8% | 59.5% | 54.3% |
| OREB% | 36.4% | 19.6% | 26.1% |
| TOV% | 13.0% | 11.9% | 12.8% |
| FTM/FGA | 0.207 | 0.143 | 0.208 |
| PACE | 92 | 99.5 | |
| ORTG | 140 | 121 | 115.4 |
PPA is my overall production metric, which credits players for things they do that help a team win (scoring, rebounding, playmaking, defending) and dings them for things that hurt (missed shots, turnovers, bad defense, fouls).
PPA is a per possession metric designed for larger data sets. In small sample sizes, the numbers can get weird. In PPA, 100 is average, higher is better and replacement level is 45. For a single game, replacement level isn’t much use, and I reiterate the caution about small samples sometimes producing weird results.
POSS is the number of possessions each player was on the floor in this game.
ORTG = offensive rating, which is points produced per individual possessions x 100. League average so far this season is listed in the Four Factors table above. Points produced is not the same as points scored. It includes the value of assists and offensive rebounds, as well as sharing credit when receiving an assist.
USG = offensive usage rate. Average is 20%.
ORTG and USG are versions of stats created by former Wizards assistant coach Dean Oliver and modified by me. ORTG is an efficiency measure that accounts for the value of shooting, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers. USG includes shooting from the floor and free throw line, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers.
+PTS = “Plus Points” is a measure of the points gained or lost by each player based on their efficiency in this game compared to league average efficiency on the same number of possessions. A player with an offensive rating (points produced per possession x 100) of 100 who uses 20 possessions would produce 20 points. If the league average efficiency is 115, the league — on average — would produced 23.0 points in the same 20 possessions. So, the player in this hypothetical would have a +PTS score of -3.0.
Players are sorted by total production in the game.
| WIZARDS | MIN | POSS | ORTG | USG | +PTS | PPA | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bilal Coulibaly | 17 | 33 | 166 | 28.8% | 4.8 | 329 | -6 |
| Jaden Hardy | 22 | 42 | 156 | 21.2% | 3.6 | 178 | 6 |
| Kyshawn George | 18 | 34 | 137 | 24.8% | 1.8 | 185 | -21 |
| Sharife Cooper | 22 | 42 | 119 | 25.8% | 0.4 | 139 | 4 |
| Jamir Watkins | 16 | 32 | 136 | 28.1% | 1.8 | 185 | 13 |
| Alondes Williams | 34 | 66 | 132 | 10.9% | 1.2 | 89 | 4 |
| Anthony Gill | 31 | 59 | 126 | 11.8% | 0.8 | 66 | -33 |
| Will Riley | 31 | 59 | 140 | 12.3% | 1.8 | 65 | -4 |
| Tre Johnson | 19 | 37 | 91 | 31.2% | -2.8 | 2 | -21 |
| Bub Carrington | 30 | 58 | 55 | 21.5% | -7.5 | -81 | -27 |
| HORNETS | MIN | POSS | ORTG | USG | +PTS | PPA | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LaMelo Ball | 27 | 53 | 199 | 32.2% | 14.2 | 530 | 20 |
| Kon Knueppel | 28 | 55 | 135 | 33.9% | 3.7 | 242 | 33 |
| Brandon Miller | 26 | 50 | 145 | 26.6% | 4.0 | 210 | 7 |
| Josh Green | 23 | 45 | 199 | 12.2% | 4.5 | 234 | 10 |
| Ryan Kalkbrenner | 15 | 29 | 204 | 14.7% | 3.8 | 299 | 24 |
| Tidjane Salaun | 21 | 40 | 245 | 7.9% | 4.1 | 172 | -9 |
| Grant Williams | 26 | 49 | 105 | 14.4% | -0.7 | 39 | 33 |
| Pat Connaughton | 11 | 21 | 107 | 11.9% | -0.2 | 68 | -17 |
| Tre Mann | 21 | 39 | 98 | 18.0% | -1.2 | 31 | -3 |
| PJ Hall | 17 | 32 | 71 | 19.8% | -2.9 | -22 | -7 |
| Xavier Tillman | 4 | 7 | 33 | 26.6% | -1.5 | -208 | -4 |
| Sion James | 21 | 40 | 24 | 13.0% | -4.8 | -120 | -2 |
Coming into the season, the Boston Celtics weren’t taken nearly as seriously as in recent years. The team was dismissed early and so, too, were Jaylen Brown’s chances of mounting a legitimate MVP case.
Brown, the lone man in the driver’s seat with Jayson Tatum sidelined, has reshaped not only how he’s perceived but also how his teammates are seen. Boston’s surge from being counted out after its offseason yard sale, combined with Brown’s growth, has put the entire league on notice. Even four-time NBA MVP LeBron James joined the Brown-for-MVP conversation, offering his support following Boston’s 111-89 win over his Lakers on Sunday night.
“He’s playing great basketball,” James told reporters, per CLNS Media.
What Brown has done soars far beyond the usual feel-good Cinderella run. He hasn’t just been dominant; he’s been efficient. The front office moved on from established veterans like Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porziņģis, and Al Horford, turning instead to less expensive and less experienced contributors such as Neemias Queta, Luka Garza, Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, and rookie Hugo González, with no intention of tanking. Instead, they recalibrated to build a system that allows everyone to shine and contribute. And at the forefront of what has become a well-oiled machine, designed by Joe Mazzulla, has been Brown himself.
“This whole MVP thing, I don’t understand why his name is not getting talked about as well,” James told reporters. “Like, nobody gave him a shot to start the season, and he’s averaging what, 30 (points)? It’s a popularity contest sometimes.”
James continued: “I don’t know the criteria for the MVP anymore. I kind of stopped giving a damn about it a long time ago. I got my own personal issues about it.”
Brown is competing against Cade Cunningham and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the leaders of the Eastern and Western Conference’s top seeds, along with Nikola Jokić, a perennial MVP candidate and three-time winner, and Victor Wembanyama, who is in the midst of a breakout season of his own. There is a legitimate case to be made for each, but at the very least, no MVP discussion should exist without Brown’s name mentioned. By any reasonable measure, he is as qualified as the league’s current frontrunners and, in some cases, more qualified than several players routinely mentioned in the conversation.
It hasn’t been as simple as Tatum’s touches being absorbed by Brown, thus inflating his scoring figures and nudging him into MVP consideration. It’s been far more than that. Brown has embraced a leadership role, even when it lacks glamor. He has invested not only in his own growth but in that of his teammates as well, a commitment that shows up in his playmaking. On Sunday night, against the Lakers, Brown tallied seven assists, and it did nothing to diminish his 32-point performance.
The constant pursuit of elevating both himself and the Celtics collectively has made this season’s version of Brown markedly different from what we’re used to seeing.
“He’s the kind of guy who relishes in getting 1% better, whatever that looks like,” Mazzulla told reporters, per CLNS Media. “He just cares about winning. At the end of the day, he wants to win. He’s smart. He knows the game, knows the league, knows what wins, knows what doesn’t win. He knows the strengths and weaknesses of our team, and if you look at last game, he gets a triple-double. Tonight, he picked and chose his spots.”
Brown spent the night finding different ways to score, attacking whoever the Lakers put in front of him. He played with a relentless motor, knocking down difficult shots one after another while flashing his stepback so frequently it became a daunting task to defend him.
It’s one thing to scroll through social media and find validation from fans. It’s another to wind down after a blowout win while a future first-ballot Hall of Famer sings your praises from the opposite locker room, and Brown understands that fully.
“It’s an honor for LeBron, who’s arguably the best player to ever play the game, giving me some high praise,” Brown told reporters, per CLNS Media. “I’m just grateful. I wake up every morning grateful, humbled, in the position I’m able to be in and put my best foot forward every single day.”
Hearing what James said brought back memories of Brown’s debut, as he shared. He couldn’t help but smile while thinking back on what James told him a decade ago, and how far he’s come since then as a household star, now with a championship, a $286 million max contract, and an NBA Finals MVP to his name.
“My first start was against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and after the game, he came up to me and told me, ‘You’re going to be an All-Star one day. You’re going to be a great player.’ He also said, ‘You’re playing for a great coach,’” Brown recalled of his rookie days under Brad Stevens.
“That was my first start in the NBA. I had a good game back in 2016. So we talked about that at the All-Star Game (this year) — ‘Remember that, 10 years ago?’ And he smiled and said, ‘Of course. I’m not surprised at anything you’re doing right now. So just keep proving people wrong, keep doing what you gotta do, and keep leading your team, and people will take notice.’”
Brown still remembers the reception that greeted him on Draft Night, when a mix of boos and cheers echoed through TD Garden during the team’s draft party. Then-majority owner Wyc Grousbeck addressed the decision, only to be met with even louder expressions of disappointment from those in attendance. For better or worse, Brown has held tightly to those moments, the ones that have shaped him both as an athlete and as a person.
Those experiences have molded him, helped him overcome his lows, and prepared him for his highs. Now, they’ve carried him into the most challenging season of his career, and so far, it has gone nearly perfectly. The Celtics sit at 37-19, winners of eight of their last 10 games. Regardless of the odds or the shifting MVP discourse, Brown isn’t changing a thing.
“We still got 26 games left, so just come with the same mentality I’ve had from Day 1,” Brown told reporters. “Don’t let the praise, the warmth, or the criticism make or break you. Just come out and be Jaylen Brown, who I am. I feel like I’m the best two-way player in the world; I play both ends of the court night to night. I’m available, which is hard to do. I’m a leader; I help lead my team, empower my team to come out confidently — stuff that doesn’t always show up on the analytics. And I’m a winner. I come out and try to win every single time.”
Duke and Arizona looked like the teams to beat in the upcoming men's NCAA Tournament after taking down No. 1 Michigan and No. 2 Houston, respectively, on Feb. 21.
The No. 3 Blue Devils beat the Wolverines 68-63 behind Cameron Boozer's 18-point, 10-rebound and seven-assist performance. Guards Isaiah Evans and Caleb Foster added 26 combined points in the win.
Meanwhile, the Wildcats defeated the Cougars 73-66 behind a career-high 22 points from Anthony Dell'Orso, who played 34 minutes off the bench for the national championship contenders.
There will be a shakeup in the polls on Feb. 23, as No. 6 Iowa State fell to No. 22 BYU and No. 12 Kansas was upset by unranked Cincinnati. No. 18 Vanderbilt also lost to unranked Tennessee.
Here's a look at the latest risers and fallers for March Madness as the regular season winds down:
Duke is coming off a 68-63 win over No. 1 Michigan on Feb. 21 and looks to be the new frontrunner for the No. 1 overall team in the NCAA Tournament. The Blue Devils are 25-2 on the season and their two losses are to Texas Tech and North Carolina, which are both virtual locks for March Madness.
Duke still has remaining games against Notre Dame, Virginia, NC State and UNC in the regular season.
Arizona was the last undefeated team in Power Four until it lost to Kansas on the road Feb. 9, before losing again to Texas Tech in its next game. The Wildcats bounced back on Feb. 21, though, defeating No. 2 Houston 73-66 on the road.
Arizona is back to being a contender for the No. 1 overall seed, along with Duke.
Florida was shaky at times early in the year, but has hit its stride in recent weeks and is dominating the SEC. The Gators have won 12 of their past 14 games, including wins over Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky and Vanderbilt.
Florida's frontcourt trio of Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu might be the best in college basketball and starting guards Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee are also heating up, which could be scary for opposing teams facing the reigning national champions.
UCLA coach Mick Cronin went viral for the wrong reasons after its blowout loss to Michigan State on Feb. 17. However, the Bruins turned around and defeated No. 10 Illinois 95-94 at home on Feb. 21, which is a huge boost to their resume.
UCLA still has some work to do but holds an 18-9 record with ranked wins over Purdue and Illinois, two of the top projected teams in March Madness.
Houston is coming off back-to-back losses to Iowa State and Arizona and appears to have fallen behind both schools in the Big 12's pecking order. While the Cougars are still national championship contenders, they have some work to do to get back onto the No. 1 seed line.
Kansas was blown out by Iowa State on Feb. 14, before defeating Oklahoma State on Feb. 18 with limited help from star guard Darryn Peterson. The Jayhawks then suffered perhaps their worst loss of the season on Feb. 21, falling to unranked Cincinnati by 16 points at home.
Thankfully for Kansas, Peterson played 32 minutes in the loss after pulling himself from the game against the Cowboys.
Vanderbilt, losers of three of its past five games, is quickly falling out of contention to be the higher seed for the Round of 32, should it reach that stage of the NCAA Tournament.
The Commodores have dropped back-to-back games to Missouri and Tennessee, who are looking to surpass Vanderbilt in the SEC order. The losses were only by five combined points, though, showing how slim the margins can be between winning and losing.
Vandy ends the regular season with games against Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee again, which could all go either way.
Clemson was looking to compete with North Carolina to finish second in the ACC standings, until its current four-game losing streak started. The Tigers are 20-8 on the season, but have lost four straight, including three against unranked teams in Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and Florida State.
The Tigers have upcoming games against Louisville and North Carolina, two ranked teams. Things could get ugly quick if they can't win at least one of those two games, in terms of seeding and even avoiding the bubble.
The 68-team bracket for the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament will be unveiled on 6 p.m. ET, Sunday, March 15.
The 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament will transpire over the next three weeks, which will end with the Final Four and the national championship game in Indianapolis.
Here’s a rundown of the schedule for the 2026 NCAA Tournament:
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NCAA tournament bracketology teams rising, falling in bracket predictions
LOS ANGELES — Jaylen Brown broke into a toothy grin as he chest-bumped Payton Pritchard at the center of Crypto.com arena, moments after Pritchard crossed up Austin Reaves en route to his sixth three-pointer of the night.
Brown, Pritchard’s longest-tenured teammate, relished the offensive explosion.
“Payton has been playing at an All-Star level,” Brown said after the Celtics 111-89 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. “And I’m happy to see it. Nobody happier to see it than me.”
Pritchard’s three-pointer extended the Celtics’ lead to 22 points, their 37th win of the season all but secured. And, a team that was once heralded by many as destined for the lottery extended their lead for second place in the Eastern Conference.
On the sidelines, Jayson Tatum chuckled, in awe of Pritchard’s masterful offensive display (the Celtics guard finished the afternoon with 30 points on 10-14 shooting).
But afterwards, in quintessential fashion, Pritchard said he wasn’t a finished product.
“[There’s] another step I can get to,” Pritchard said. “So, just gonna keep working — and I’m gonna get to it.”
In one sense, Payton Pritchard was the story of the Celtics’ blowout win over the Lakers — the 27-year-old has been on a tear as of late, averaging 23.6 points and shooting 54.4% from the field in his last 7 games (since Anfernee Simons was traded to the Chicago Bulls).
Payton Pritchard, the NBA’s most efficient isolation scorer this season, overcame an ice-cold start to the year to average 17.6 points and 5.4 assists per game, both career-highs.
But, was Pritchard the story of the Celtics’ Sunday afternoon victory? Is he the story of the Celtics’ season?
In the victory, Brown talled 32 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists, putting forth another all-around performance that earned praise from LeBron James himself.
“This whole MVP thing, I don’t understand why his name is not getting talked about some as well,” James said, per CLNS Media. “Like, nobody gave them a shot to start the season. And he’s averaging what, 30 [points]? Just under 30? It’s a popularity contest sometimes, I tell you.”
Brown has received his fair share of accolades this season; in January, he earned his first-ever Eastern Conference Player of the Month selection. Last week, he started in an All-Star game for the first time in his NBA tenure. And, before the game, Lakers head coach JJ Redick stated simply that there were no holes in Brown’s game.
Is Brown’s leap the story of the Celtics’ season?
There’s a strong case to be made. Jaylen Brown has played some of the best basketball of his career, averaging 29.2 points, 7 rebounds, and 4.9 assists — all career-highs.
It’s unusual for a player in their 10th season to make such a substantial lap — Brown is scoring 7 more points per game than he did last year — and it’s the first time in his career he’s been in MVP conversations.
“I feel like I’m the best two-way player in the world,” Brown said. “I play both ends on the court night-to-night. I’m available, which is hard to do. I’m a leader. Help lead my team, empower my team to come out and play confidently, stuff that doesn’t always show up on the analytics. And I’m a winner. I come out and try to win every single night.”
It’s hard to boil down the Celtics’ success to the elite play of one player, when all season long has so loudly been about the team. Contributions have come from different players every night — for a stretch, it was Josh Minott starting games for Boston (Minott is no longer on the team).
For a couple-month period, Jordan Walsh, who started 20 consecutive games, was the talk of the town. For a stretch, it was Hugo Gonzalez, who began to break through at just 19 years old.
A hallmark characteristic of this group has been that regardless of who is available, the same attention to detail is on full display.
Nowadays, Sam Hauser and Baylor Scheierman regularly start games for Boston, with Pritchard and Nikola Vucevic coming off the bench.
There were turning points in Sunday’s beatdown that felt like the Celtics’ success could largely be attributed to the team’s trio of young defenders: Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, and Jordan Walsh.
Mazzulla said that Brown pulled all three aside — as well as Sam Hauser — at Saturday’s practice in Santa Monica in order to go over some of the Lakers’ stars offensive tendencies. That extra scout carried over into Sunday’s game; James, Austin Reaves, and Luka Doncic combined to shoot just 22 of 53 (41%) from the field.
And, Brown liked what he saw from that trio in action on Sunday afternoon.
“Hugo made some big plays for us,” Brown said. “Baylor was amazing tonight. Defense is what we’ve got to continue to elevate.”
They now have the NBA’s fourth-best record (trailing only the Detroit Pistons, Oklahoma City Thunder, and San Antonio Spurs) and third-best net rating (trailing only the Pistons and Thunder).
After the win, Mazzulla was asked what he thought was the story of the Celtics’ season.
His answer perfectly reflected the Celtics’ mindset: focus on the right now, on the controllables. Focus on the process, not the result.
“The story’s not done,” Mazzulla said. “We are only a product of what we do tomorrow, what we do the next day, and that’s just the story. If we would have lost this game by 1, tomorrow’s film session [would have] to be as detailed and as disciplined as it is going to be with the result that we had. And so that’s the story. It’s not done yet.”
Mazzulla doesn’t expect Monday’s Celtics film session to feel any different on the heels of a victory as it would feel after a loss. After the 22-point win, he noted the Celtics gave up two back-cuts and an after-timeout lob to LeBron. He also noted that the Celtics overhelped on several three-point attempts.
All of those plays — win or loss — is what the group will focus on tomorrow.
“We haven’t done anything,” Mazzulla said. “All we’ve done is stick to the process of winning on both ends of the floor, put our head down. [We] don’t overreact to a good win or to a bad loss. And, [we] get better in the next game.”
Weekly schedule analysis can be the difference between winning and losing tight fantasy basketball matchups, especially during busy stretches of the season. By identifying low-volume game days, managers can maximize streaming spots, while also prioritizing players from teams with four-game slates to squeeze out extra production. This breakdown highlights the most favorable schedules, teams to target, and potential matchup advantages to exploit. With several clubs playing four times and a few light days ideal for streaming, proactive roster management will be key to gaining an edge in points, categories, and overall lineup efficiency throughout the week.
These are dates to target players for streaming options from the following teams:
Monday, February 23: SAS vs. DET, SAC vs. MEM, UTA vs. HOU
Friday, February 27: CLE vs. DET, BKN vs. BOS, NYK vs. MIL, MEM vs. DAL, DEN vs. OKC
Saturday, February 28: POR vs. CHA, HOU vs. MIA, TOR vs. WSH, LAL vs. GSW, NOP vs. UTA
Make sure to activate players and target weekly pickups from the following teams:
Nets (4), Celtics (4), Cavaliers (4), Mavericks (4), Pistons (4), Rockets (4), Lakers (4), Grizzlies (4), Bucks (4), Pelicans (4), Thunder (4), Trail Blazers (4), Kings (4), Spurs (4)
Consider looking for streaming options if your roster includes players from these teams:
Clippers (2), Suns (2)
at Nets, vs. Kings, vs. Grizzlies, vs. ThunderThe Mavericks open with their only road game of the week, as they take on the Nets, who give up the league's second-highest field-goal percentage, including the second-highest three-point percentage, along with the sixth-most turnovers per game. This should be a great opportunity for the squad to establish a good rhythm heading into a couple more highly winnable matchups. Next, they clash with the Kings, who are missing a few of their top players due to injury trouble and are giving up the league's third-most points per game. Moving ahead, a meeting with the Grizzlies, who give up the league's ninth-most points per game, including the fourth-most three-pointers, along with the league's seventh-most turnovers per game. All three matchups provide ideal opportunities for Max Christie and Khris Middleton to maximize their impact from long range, while guys like Brandon Williams and P.J. Washington should be able to pad their stats across the board against the unimposing defenses. Finally, the Mavs face the Thunder, in what will most likely be the toughest game of the week. However, Cooper Flagg (foot) should be back in action by then and will help give his side a better chance to take advantage of the Thunder's few weak spots, as they give up the league's third-most three-pointers per game and the seventh-highest three-point shooting percentage. The Thunder also give up the fourth-most offensive rebounds per game.
vs. Jazz, vs. Kings, at Magic, at Heat The Rockets start things off with a couple of very winnable home games. First, they take on the Jazz, who give up the league's most points per game, along with the fourth-highest three-point percentage, followed by an encounter with the Kings, who give up the league's highest field-goal percentage and third-most points in the paint per game. Both matchups should help the Rockets get their offense rolling, giving guys like Reed Sheppard, Tari Eason and Jabari Smith to get into a groove before a couple of more challenging games to follow. Up next, they meet with the Magic, who give up the league's fifth-most free throws per game, as well as the eighth-highest field-goal percentage, including the seventh-highest field-goal percentage to opposing power forwards. Amen Thompson should look to use his size advantage in the backcourt to put the pressure on the rim with drives to draw foul contact, as well as open up easy looks for his teammates. The Rockets then close the week against the Heat, who give up the league's ninth-most points in the paint and second-most rebounds per game. Kevin Durant will need to step up to help lead the charge in both matchups, while Alperen Sengun and Clint Capela will be instrumental in ensuring their squad's best chances by imposing their presence in the paint.
vs. Kings, vs. Warriors, at Mavericks, at PacersThe Grizzlies begin their week with back-to-back home games, providing a chance to improve on their 11-15 home record. They start off against the Kings, who give up the league's fifth-most free throws per game. The Kings also give up the fourth-most points per game to opposing shooting guards and second-most points per game to opposing small forwards, suggesting that Malik Monk and Precious Achiuwa could stand out as top streaming options for the day. Up next, an encounter with the Warriors, who give up the league's fifth-highest field-goal percentage to opposing point guards and the second-most rebounds per game to opposing centers, which should help guys like Scotty Pippen, Ty Jerome and Cam Spencer continue to provide notable impacts from the backcourt, while Olivier-Maxence Prosper may remain in line to step up in for his squad's injury-riddled frontcourt. The Grizzlies then clash with the Mavericks, who give up the league's most points in the paint, as well as the third-most rebounds per game, including the third-most offensive rebounds. Lastly, a meeting with the Pacers, who give up the league's sixth-most points per game, including the second-most points in the paint and the fifth-highest field-goal percentage. They also give up the third-most free throws and fourth-most rebounds per game. These final two matchups provide ideal grounds for Grizzlies' frontcourt players to thrive, making GG Jackson, Taylor Hendricks and Santi Aldama (who should be back from a knee injury by then) ideal streaming options for the couple of games.
vs. Warriors, at Jazz, at Jazz, at ClippersThe Pelicans start things off against the Warriors, who are dealing with injury trouble to a few key players. Combined with the fact that they give up the league's fifth-most turnovers per game, that should result in a somewhat favorable matchup. Herbert Jones could be a stand-out contributor by using his defensive ability to convert the turnover-prone opponents' gaffes into easy baskets. Moving ahead, the Pelicans face back-to-back meetings with the Jazz, who own one of the league's most lackluster defenses and are shorthanded in the frontcourt. The Jazz give up the league's third-highest field-goal percentage and most three-pointers per game. They also give up the second-most free throws per game, which should allow Trey Murphy to get back into rhythm quickly upon his expected return from a brief injury absence. Additionally, rookies Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen should prosper in their respective areas of prowess. The Pelicans wrap their week with a more challenging matchup -- road game against the Clippers. However, there is still room for the squad to carry over momentum that was ideally built through the first part of the week and take advantage of the fact that the Clippers give up the league's fifth-highest three-point shooting percentage, including the sixth-highest field-goal percentage to opposing shooting guards, an area where Murphy can once again lead the way.
After their poorest pair of tournament performances in years, Steve Borthwick’s project is inevitably under scrutiny
The band on the stadium concourse were playing a familiar tune in the immediate aftermath of England’s latest debacle on Saturday. “Zombie! Zombie!” the vocalist sang, ostensibly in tribute to Ireland’s record 42-21 victory at Twickenham. Alternatively he might just have been riffing on the horribly listless, blank-eyed performance that ended England’s Six Nations title hopes for another year.
“In your he-ad, in your he-ad…” The old Cranberries anthem, synonymous with Ireland’s 2023 World Cup campaign in France, will be heard a few more times over the next month if Andy Farrell’s team maintain their revitalised excellence and no-nonsense physical intent. For England’s players, though, the past two weekends have been truly grim, a return to the bad old days they had dared to hope were over.
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