Captain’s moment must be celebrated at Twickenham on Saturday, as should Edwin Edogbo’s first Ireland cap
I was struck by Tommy Freeman’s comments this week when he said he had struggled mentally on the back of the British & Irish Lions tour to Australia last summer. It struck me because it was a very similar sentiment to that expressed by Maro Itoje earlier in the season, and it was a feeling with which I could sympathise. After the 2009 tour of South Africa, I was wrecked.
All but one of the England lads who went on that tour needed major surgery within a year of it finishing but, even if the body is holding up, you just don’t quite feel right. You’re back at your club, expected to be one of the best performers and don’t want to admit you’re tired, but sometimes you need someone to intervene and tell you to take a breather. There’s endless data these days but, for all that, mental fatigue can be hard to quantify and there can be no doubt that is something the Ireland squad is wrestling with at the moment.
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 19: Adolis Garcia #53 of the Philadelphia Phillies poses for a portrait during photo day at BayCare Ballpark on February 19, 2026 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to the last Friday without Phillies baseball for a while. Well, that’s not strictly true: there’ll be a Friday off after the home opener. But you know what I mean.
The end of the College of Coaches and other feel-good stories.
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue is pleased to present a Cubs-centric look at baseball’s colorful past. Here’s a handy Cubs timeline, to help you follow the various narrative paths.
“Maybe I called it wrong, but it’s official.” — Tom Connolly, HoF Umpire.
Today in baseball history:
1920 – The Chicago Cubs give an unconditional release to Lee Magee after having learned from him a week ago that he has been betting against his team. Magee will sue the Cubs for his salary of $4,500, charging that his livelihood as a ballplayer was destroyed through the sudden canceling of his contract. The Cubs will ask for a dismissal of the suit, saying that “previous to the making of the contract the plaintiff was guilty of betting against the team of which he was a member, and sought to win bets by intentional bad playing to defeat said team.” (2)
1929 – The Boston Red Sox announce they will play Sunday games (allowed for the first time in Boston) at Braves Field, because Fenway Park is located too close to a church. (1,2)
1943 – Chicago Cubs owner Philip Wrigley and Brooklyn Dodgers executive Branch Rickey draw up charter for the “All-American Girls Softball League”, which will eventually become the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL). The league, originally conceived in the belief that the major leagues would suspend play because of World War II, will operate from 1943 to 1954 around the Chicago area. When the league changes its name and switches to hardball, the pitching distance is 40 feet and bases 68 feet apart. After struggling through poor attendance in its early seasons, the league will draw over one million fans in 1948. (1,2)
1992 – The episode of the animated series The Simpsons entitled “Homer at the Bat” gets its first broadcast on FOX. In the episode, Springfield Nuclear Plant owner C. Montgomery Burns hires a team of major league ringers in order to win a bet he placed on a softball game against a rival businessman. In the end, though, it’s the hapless Homer Simpson who saves the day with a walk-off hit-by-pitch. A number of contemporary major league stars, many of them future Hall of Famers lend their voices and likeness to the show, which is considered one of the classic episodes of the series. (2)
2015 – Major League BaseballCommissionerRob Manfred announces a series of measures to quicken the pace of the game. Chief among them are that a batter will need to keep at least one foot in the batter’s box at all times during an at-bat, and that the intermission between half innings will be strictly timed. Pitchers will be required to complete their warm-up pitches before there are only 30 seconds left before resumption of play, or risk forfeiting any unmade pitches. More dramatic changes, such as adding a pitch clock, are not introduced at this time. Violation of the new guidelines will result in fines, and not in game-related penalties. (2)
2025 – The first day of spring training games also marks the introduction of the ball and strike challenge system at the major league level, although there are no plans to use it in regular season games this year. There is a scary moment in the Cactus League game between the Dodgers and the Cubs as Dodgers P Bobby Miller is hit on the side of the head by a hard line drive off the bat of Michael Busch. Miller has to exit the game and is placed in the concussion protocol, but it seems that he has escaped serious injury.
1472 – Orkney and Shetland are left by Norway to Scotland, due to a dowry payment.
1792 – US postal service created, postage 6-12 cents depending on distance.
1933 – US House of Representatives completes congressional action to repeal Prohibition.
1942 – Lt E.H. “Butch” O’Hare single-handedly shoots down five Japanese heavy bombers, becomes America’s first World War II flying ace.
1952 – Emmett Ashford is certified to be first black umpire in organized baseball; has to wait until 1966 for MLB debut.
1959 – Jimi Hendrix (age 16), rock and roll guitarist, plays his first gig in the Temple De Hirsch synagogue basement, Seattle; fired from the band after the first set due to “wild” playing.
1962 – John Glenn becomes the first American to orbit the Earth, aboard Friendship 7.
Some of these items spread from site to site without being fact-checked, and that is why we ask for verifiable sources, in order to help correct the record.
Orioles players get warmed up before starting drills. The Baltimore Orioles began full-squad workouts this week at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota as the 2026 spring training season gets started. The Grapefruit Leage features 15 Major League Baseball teams that hold spring training in Florida. Games start this weekend and run up to opening day on March 25, 2026. | Mike Lang / Sarasota Herald-Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
I’ve got good news and bad news for you, Orioles fans. The good news is that baseball is happening today! The O’s will play the Yankees in their Grapefruit League opener in Sarasota at 1:05. The game will be broadcast on MASN and WBAL radio as the Orioles return to the field after nearly five long months.
The bad news is Jordan Westburg’s murky injury status, which is hanging like a dark cloud over the early days of camp. As reported by The Baltimore Banner, Westburg — who was already sidelined by a sore oblique — had imaging done on his elbow, which indicates the possibility of a much more serious injury. The O’s haven’t announced a diagnosis for Westburg, but in general, when a player has pain in his elbow such that it requires imaging, it’s hard not to assume the worst-case scenario. The initials T.J. jump to mind, and I don’t mean Thomas Jefferson.
Again, nothing is official yet. Maybe we’ll be pleasantly surprised and the imaging won’t reveal any serious damage to Westburg’s elbow. Even if that’s the case, though, he’s still got the oblique injury that will cost him some time, and he almost certainly won’t be ready for Opening Day, further weakening an O’s infield that will already have Jackson Holliday sidelined for a few weeks.
Newly acquired utility guy Blaze Alexander can’t fill both positions at once, which means the Orioles are either going to have to give Coby Mayo another shot at playing third base — something he’s struggled with throughout his minor and major league career — or they’ll need to make an emergency trade or free agent signing. I’ll note that former O’s Gold Glove third baseman Ramón Urías is available, having been non-tendered by the Astros in November, but there’s been no indication so far that the O’s are interested in a reunion.
The Orioles’ season isn’t over just because of Westburg’s injury, nor Holliday’s. There’s a full slate of spring training baseball and then 162 regular season games ahead of us. Still, after the 2025 Orioles were so badly ravaged by health problems that tanked their season, the fact that 2026 is starting with injuries to two key players is turning the spring vibes a little bit sour.
I was racking my brain trying to think of what player the O’s had signed from Germany before I realized the headline was referring to Nestor German. I need more sleep.
Don’t necessarily take this as a sign that Rogers will be starting on Opening Day for the Orioles. Case in point: the Yankees’ starting pitcher in this spring opener is Elmer Rodriguez.
I had never heard of this particular non-roster invitee before Meoli’s article, but now I’m pulling for Henriquez all the way. What a baseball journey he’s been on.
Phew! What a lucky break that Vanilla Ice was available.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! The two former Orioles with Feb. 20 birthdays are outfielder Julio Borbón (40) and the late right-hander Jim Wilson (b. 1922, d. 1986), an All-Star with the 1955-56 Birds.
On this day in 1990, the Orioles signed former Red Sox designated hitter Sam Horn. While Horn went on to put up decent numbers in three years in Baltimore, hitting 42 homers and posting a .797 OPS, he infamously struck out six times in one game on July 17, 1991, forever prompting a six-K game to be known as a “Horn.”
And on this day in 2017, the O’s signed free agent Craig Gentry. The veteran outfielder played 145 games in two seasons with the Birds, providing some defense but little in the way of offense, before calling it a career. The Orioles sure had some pointless signings near the end of the Dan Duquette era.
The Washington Wizards are raising season ticket prices for the 2026-27 season, according to documents obtained by Bullets Forever.
Wizards season ticket prices will reportedly increase by an average of 6.31%, with certain sections receiving price hikes of nearly 15%. The price increases, which will affect 43 of the arena’s 45 member tiers, come as Capital One Arena undergoes an $800 million renovation.
One season ticket holder, whose seats are located in section 432, told Bullets Forever the cost of his tickets increased by nearly 10% for the 26-27 campaign. This comes one year after those same seats saw a 5.6% increase amid another tanking season in Washington.
That source, who wished to remain anonymous, said he purchased his season tickets for $1,312 in 2013. His upper-level seat now costs $4,368, which marks a 233% price increase over a 13-year period in which the Wizards have just four winning seasons.
“It’s disappointing to see the team continue to push large increases to ticket prices year over year, while the team’s performance has been historically poor and demand for most games is low,” the season ticket holder told Bullets Forever. “It feels like ownership is passing along the cost of the stadium renovation to fans and doesn’t really care about fan loyalty.”
The price increases coincide with the organization’s recent shift toward premium seating. The list of premium sections at Capital One Arena includes the Michelob Ultra Courtside Lounge and Hennessy Lofts, located under each basket, and the United Globe Club & Lounge, which was introduced before the 2025-26 season.
Large clusters of seats in sections 110, 111 and 112 are reserved for members of “The Vaults,” according to the Wizards’ 2026-27 season ticket pricing chart. The Vault Suites allow fans to travel between their lower-level seats (in sections 110-112) and their own private suite, which seats up to 20 people and features a private bar, an exclusive tasting room and more.
The issue with this particular section of premium seating, as one source outlined, is that the guests spend most of their time in their suites, which leaves hundreds of lower-level seats empty for most of the game.
Seats allocated to members of The Vault sit empty during a Washington Wizards game. | Reddit/Outrageous_Web9312
Monumental Sports and Entertainment, which is owned by Wizards owner Ted Leonsis, recently announced another luxury space at Capital One Arena called “The Halo.” Expected to debut in 2027, The Halo is a multi-level hospitality space that features VIP entrances, tasting rooms, plush lounge seating and more.
In a video posted to X, Monumental Sports and Entertainment said the goal is to invite premium seat holders to leave their seats and explore.
“The modern guest is the most sophisticated we’ve ever seen,” Jackie Keller, the Founder and CEO of Èlan/Arc Hospitality group, said in a video posted to X by MSE. “Their next experience, they have this high expectation of what it’s going to deliver. And the concierge service inside the Halo is how we’ll bring that feeling to life.”
Amid the large rise in ticket prices, the organization has also changed the rewards in its ticket renewal program, which includes milestone benefits for every five years of ticket renewal.
Monumental Sports’ Wizards season ticket renewal rewards program, updated for the 2026-27 season
One source, who’s in his 13th season as a Wizards season ticket holder, told Bullets Forever that the old 15-year renewal reward, which was a free Lexus Level suite for a Wizards game, was changed to a round-trip Uber service to a game and a complimentary pregame dinner.
“I’m coming up on 15 years [as a season ticket holder], which is supposed to be a Lexus suite to a game. And [the suite] got replaced by an Uber ride and dinner. Greedy fucks,” the season ticket holder told BF.
The Wizards are 15-39 in their third rebuilding season. Since the start of the 2023-24 campaign, they own the NBA’s worst record at 48-170, which is 18 fewer wins than the next closest team.
After acquiring Trae Young and Anthony Davis, Washington hopes to compete next season. But its season ticket holders haven’t seen an above-.500 team since 2018, which explains their frustration amid another price hike.
One longtime season ticket holder told BF he understands the organization’s decision to increase prices. But he refused to back the team’s tanking methods because “they don’t guarantee success.”
“I fully understand that the team raises ticket prices almost every year. It’s a business,” the season ticket holder told BF. “I’m more upset that they purposefully and willingly lost games for the last three years, with no guarantee that this actually works. Until they find that elite franchise player, we are all still stuck in the ‘hope’ cycle.”
Monumental provided the following statement to Bullets Forever:
“Our goal is to keep tickets accessible while ensuring we’re putting the resources in place to provide a best-in-class experience for our fans, and these modest adjustments support our long-term goals.
We remain committed to offering a range of pricing options so that all our fans have the opportunity to be part of what we’re building for decades to come.”
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 15: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Team USA Stripes and De’Aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs and Team USA Stripes celebrate after Fox's game winning 3-pointer against Team USA Stars the 75th NBA All-Star Game at Intuit Dome on February 15, 2026 in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Even All-Stars can be awe-struck by moments with all-time greats. That’s what happened with Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox on Sunday afternoon during the NBA All-Star Game in an event that, gimmicky or not, turned out to be much more exciting than past iterations and produced the best viewer ratings since 2011. The round-robin tournament, with two US teams and one World Team, brought out the competitive edge in players that had been lacking, in no small part thanks to Victor Wembanyama setting the tone right out of the gates.
The game(s?) produced many highlight-real moments, especially the wild ending to Game 2 between Team Stars (the “young” US stars) and Team Stripes (the “old guard”). After Anthony Edwards hit a three with 17 sec left to put the Stars up by the two, Fox, who was a late injury replacement, hit a buzzer-beater three to win the match for the OG, complete with his signature celebration of looking at his hand as if it’s some kind of alien extremity.
WILD ENDING OF USA STARS/STRIPES!
ANT LAY TO MAKE IT A 2-POINT GAME. ANT STEAL. ANT 3 FOR THE LEAD. FOX GAME-WINNER.
While Fox is certainly a top 25-ish player in the league today, he may have felt like a boy among men on Team Stripes, and as all the legends around him raised their hands in celebration, LeBron James was the nearest and first teammate to come over and celebrate with him. It’s a moment Fox says he’ll never forget, with plans to frame the picture and get it signed by The King himself.
– De'Aaron Fox on the moment after hitting the game winner in the All-Star game:
“I saw the picture with me and Bron… that's got to be one of the best pictures, I think that I have. That picture is for sure getting framed, might have to have him sign it.” 🥹❤️ pic.twitter.com/hM9cu01cA8
While it hopefully won’t be the biggest moment for Fox this season (ideally, that will come in May or even June), it’s definitely one that will stick with him for the rest of his life, and it will be fun to show that signed picture of him being celebrated by one of the GOATs to his children and grandchildren.
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Feb 19, 2026; Austin, Texas, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) drives to the basket against San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) during the first half at Moody Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
The “Sometime Soon Suns.” It kind of feels like a nickname is forming in real time, because sometime soon this team will be whole. Or at least that is the hope we keep circling back to.
Before the game against the San Antonio Spurs, the first one out of the All-Star break, there was genuine optimism tied to the injury report. It was clean as no names were on it outside of Haywood Highsmith, who the Suns recently acquired but has yet to play this season due to a meniscus injury. And of course, the suspended Dillon Brooks. For a brief moment, it felt like maybe this was the reset point.
Then, hours before tipoff, Grayson Allen popped up as questionable and ultimately did not play. We already knew Dillon Brooks would be suspended after picking up his 16th technical foul against Oklahoma City before the break. And then, with Jalen Green starting alongside Devin Booker, Booker exited in the first quarter. He returned in the second. Then he left again. A hip contusion was the explanation.
So yeah. The team will be healthy. Sometime soon.
As for the game itself, it is hard to compete when that much payroll is sitting on the bench. Against a team like the Spurs, who are starting to hit a real stride and look increasingly comfortable in what they are trying to be, it was always going to be an uphill climb. Even at full strength, that would have been true. This version of the Suns, stretched thin and scrambling, never really had a chance to flip the script.
Nothing about the outcome was shocking or appalling. It was simply Phoenix getting outlasted and overmatched against one of the better teams in the league right now. From an analysis standpoint, there is not a ton to mine. I appreciated Mark Williams for continuing to go at Victor Wembanyama instead of shrinking from the moment. I liked how bouncy and athletic Jalen Green looked, maybe the best he has all season. I remain frustrated with the minutes Ryan Dunn is getting. I continue to see the limitations in what Oso can ultimately provide. And I find myself wondering where the aggressive version of Collin Gillespie disappeared to.
Time will reveal more as the season plays itself out, but most of it feels secondary until the roster stabilizes. None of this really matters unless the Suns get healthy.
And they will.
Sometime soon.
The Phoenix Suns will be whole again…sometime soon. At this point, it feels less like a timeline and more like a nickname:
What’s one genuinely fun thing to come out of the game against Oklahoma City before the All-Star break? Rasheer Fleming landing the Bright Side Baller award. 8 points, 2-of-5 from beyond the arc, 3 rebounds, and a night where the box score almost felt secondary to the opportunity itself.
That game was a throwaway in the standings sense, but it mattered in a different way. We got an extended look at Rasheer Fleming and Khaman Maluach, and honestly, they didn’t look half bad. I don’t care that it came against Oklahoma City’s third unit. They moved well, they competed, and they looked like players who belonged on an NBA floor. Fleming especially looked comfortable letting it fly, finding space, and playing within the flow instead of shrinking from the moment.
So yeah, Rasheer Fleming is officially on the Bright Side Baller board now, and that makes me smile. In a week that was otherwise wacky and hard to evaluate, that was a clean little win worth holding onto.
Bright Side Baller Nominees
Game 56 against the Spurs. Here are your nominees:
Otega Oweh put together a very impressive first year as a Kentucky Wildcat and nearly turned pro last summer.
Instead, he decided to return to Lexington to work on his game and further improve his NBA draft stock.
That mission is going incredibly well as he’s increased his points per game, assists and steals averages over last year. He’s also one of the select players considered as frontrunners for Southeastern Conference Player of the Year.
Despite his Antonio Reeves-like season, head coach Mark Pope believes Oweh can deliver at an even higher level.
Now, Pope’s statement after the team’s loss to Georgia earlier in the week does contradict himself a bit. He is basically saying he wants more out of Oweh but also wants him to play less minutes.
Pope is going to have to face the reality of Kentucky being without three of their five best players and Oweh is going to have to carry the team on his shoulders if the Wildcats have any hope for the postseason.
How do you think Kentucky will do over the last few weeks of the season?
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The semifinals of the Olympic men’s ice hockey tournament get underway this morning with a matchup between the No. 1 seed, Canada, and the defending gold medalists from 2022, Finland.
Both teams advanced from the quarterfinals into today’s semifinal with overtime wins, though neither 3-on-3 overtime lasted more than three minutes. . Finland defeated Switzerland 3-2, while Canada won 4-3 against Czechia.
At the time of writing, there is still concern that Canada’s captain, Sidney Crosby, will not be available for today’s game. Crosby sustained a lower-body injury during Wednesday’s quarterfinal.
“Sid is by no means ruled out of the tournament,” head coach Jon Cooper said after a well-attended optional practice Thursday afternoon. “We’ve got the best of the best looking at him. … We’re taking this day by day. And we’re not going to put anyone in harm’s way. But if he can play, he’s definitely going to. We’ll know more in again in 24 hours.”
olympics 2026 men's hockey: what to know
What: Canada vs. Finland (Semifinals)
When: Feb. 20, 10:40 a.m. ET
Where: Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena (Milan, Italy)
Channel: USA Network (joining in-progress at 11:50 a.m. ET)
Streaming: Peacock
If Crosby is sidelined, then Cooper will have to name a new captain, per international hockey rules.
The winner of today’s matchup will, of course, advance into Sunday morning’s gold medal game against either the United States or Slovakia, while the loser will play the loser of the second semifinal for bronze.
Canada vs. Finland start time
The Canada vs. Finland semifinal is scheduled to start at 10:40 a.m. ET today, Feb. 20.
How to watch Canada vs. Finland in Olympics hockey semifinals
If you want to watch the whole semifinal between Canada and Finland, we recommend a Peacock subscription.
Peacock currently offers two subscription types: Premium with ads and Premium Plus ad-free. Peacock Premium costs $10.99/month, while Premium Plus costs $16.99/month.
You can also save a bit by subscribing to one of Peacock’s annual plans, which give you 12 months for the price of 10. These cost either $109.99 with ads or $169.99 without ads.
SUBSCRIBE TO PEACOCK FOR $10.99/MONTH
You can also utilize a DIRECTV five-day free trial to watch the men’s hockey semifinals on USA Network.
Canada and Finland team rosters
Below, check out the rosters for Team Canada and Finland, along with each player’s NHL team.
Canada
Travis Sanheim (D) – Flyers
Devon Toews (D) – Avalanche
Cale Makar (D) – Avalanche
Thomas Harley (D) – Stars
Shea Theodore (D) – Golden Knights
Josh Morrissey (D) – Jets
Colton Parayko (D) – Blues
Drew Doughty (D) – Kings
Sam Bennett (F) – Panthers
Nick Suzuki (F) – Canadiens
Sam Reinhart (F) – Panthers
Bo Horvat (F) – Islanders
Macklin Celebrini (F) – Sharks
Seth Jarvis (F) – Hurricanes
Nathan MacKinnon (F) – Avalanche
Brandon Hagel (F) – Lightning
Tom Wilson (F) – Capitals
Mark Stone (F) – Golden Knights
Brad Marchand (F) – Panthers
Sidney Crosby (F) – Penguins
Mitch Marner (F) – Golden Knights
Connor McDavid (F) – Oilers
Darcy Kuemper (G) – Kings
Logan Thompson (G) – Capitals
Jordan Binnington (G) – Blues
Finland
Olli Määttä (D) – Mammoth
Mikko Lehtonen (D)
Henri Jokiharju (D) – Bruins
Esa Lindell (D) – Stars
Nikolas Matinpalo (D) – Senators
Miro Heiskanen (D) – Stars
Rasmus Ristolainen (D) – Flyers
Niko Mikkola (D) – Panthers
Anton Lundell (F) – Panthers
Sebastian Aho (F) – Hurricanes
Roope Hintz (F) – Stars
Eetu Luostarinen (F) – Panthers
Eeli Tolvanen (F) – Kraken
Joel Armia (F) – Kings
Erik Haula (F) – Predators
Artturi Lekhonen (F) – Avalanche
Mikael Granlund (F) – Ducks
Kaapo Kakko (F) – Kraken
Teuvo Teräväinen (F) – Blackhawks
Oliver Kapanen (F) – Canadiens
Joel Kiviranta (F) – Avalanche
Mikko Rantanen (F) – Stars
Kevin Lankinen (G) – Canucks
Joonas Korpisalo (G) – Bruins
Juuse Saros (G) – Predators
When do the Winter Olympics end?
The 2026 Winter Olympics end with the closing ceremony on Feb. 22 at 2:30 p.m. ET.
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
Ten months ago — almost to the day — Cade Cunningham changed the culture of the Detroit Pistons.
It was April 22, 2025. The Pistons were playing in Madison Square Garden in a first-round playoff game. At the time, they were facing a 15-game postseason losing streak, one that spanned 6,174 days, and were billed as steep underdogs.
And though the Pistons ultimately came up short 10 months ago in that hard-fought series, Cunningham is now the reason why Detroit could be poised for something far bigger.
Thursday, Feb. 19, in a 126-11 demolition over the Knicks, the Pistons completed their regular-season sweep over New York to improve to 41-13, the best record in the NBA. In fact, the average margin of victory Detroit posted against the Knicks this season was a staggering 28 points per win.
Like it was 10 months ago, it was Cunningham with a 42-point, 13-assist, 8-rebound masterclass Thursday that showed how dangerous Detroit can be in the East.
“I would hope so,” Cunningham told reporters when asked if he thought the game made a statement. “I thought it was a good game for us. I think we all made a statement. We coming to win every night. We want to impose ourselves and our identity every night.”
And it also showed that, as of right now, Cunningham should be atop every NBA Most Valuable Player ranking.
The Pistons lack a true second scoring option, and the player who fits that role most closely — All-Star center Jalen Duren —missed Thursday’s victory due to a suspension. It didn’t matter.
Cunningham shredded a pair of the league’s best wing defenders in OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges. He calmly orchestrated the offense, pushing the ball with pace. He surveyed the court, looking for spaces to attack. And when New York threw extra bodies at him, he made the right passes.
Cunningham was efficient, shooting 17-of-34 from the field, including 5-of-11 from 3-point range.
“The ball went through the rim, bro,” Cunningham said after the game with a smile. “It was just one of those days.”
He joined LeBron James (twice) and Allen Iverson to be the only opposing players in history to drop 40 or more points and 10 or more assists at Madison Square Garden.
“Great players have big games,” Knicks All-Star guard Jalen Brunson told reporters after the game. “We didn’t slow him down fast enough — or even at all.”
In 48 games, Cunningham is averaging 25.7 points, 9.7 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game. There are several players who score more than Cunningham — 15, in fact — but there is no player, right now, who is carrying his team more.
“He’s a superstar,” Pistons coach JB Bickerstaff told reporters after the game. “No doubt about it. It’s hard for me to think of five guys in this league that do more on both ends than he does.
“He guards the opposing team’s best perimeter player on any given night. Offensively, the ball is in his hands and his usage rate is through the roof. He never says no. He never complains and he goes out and gets the job done and it has impacted winning. I think that’s what superstars do. Superstars aren’t hollow numbers.”
Players like Lakers guard Luka Dončić, the NBA’s leading scorer at 32.8 points per game, are liabilities on defense. Opposing teams often scheme and attack so that they can end up with Dončić matched up on scorers. Nuggets center Nikola Jokić may be the most gifted offensive player in the NBA, but he’s not a defensive stopper.
And while Cunningham isn’t an elite stopper, his length, athleticism and effort make him a problem for opposing wings, further increasing his value.
Just two years ago, Detroit recorded the worst record in the NBA, at 14-68. This season, the Pistons had 40 wins by the All-Star break. Cunningham is just 24 and in his fifth season. He’s only getting better.
“He’s the guy that goes down in the Hall of Fame someday,” Bickerstaff said. “Cade is playing at that level.”
That may very well turn out to be the case, but a lot has to happen before we can entertain that conversation.
First things first: if the season ended today, Cade Cunningham is your 2025-26 NBA MVP.
Before the NCAA men’s basketball tournament bracket is carved in stone, attempts to anticipate what the final product will look like more closely resemble molten lava. That was made abundantly clear over the last three days, which featured numerous developments that in turn led to significant changes in our latest projection.
The quartet of No. 1 seeds was shaken up yet again, as Connecticut was a home upset victim against Creighton Wednesday night. Houston replaces the Huskies on the top line, as the Cougars’ most recent result was a less damaging loss at Iowa State. As fate would have it, the Cougars’ next opponent, Arizona, is also on the first line along with Michigan and Duke, who are set to square off themselves in a non-conference clash Saturday. In short, expect the bracket to once again look very different next week.
There is also much to be settled on the bubble, where both of the Big Ten’s Los Angeles members are on the precipice. As things stand heading into the weekend, UCLA is on the outside and Southern California is clinging to a First Four spot. San Diego State has also fallen to the wrong side of the cut-off point, as Santa Clara returns to the field for now.
March Madness bracketology: NCAA Tournament projection
March Madness last four in
Southern California, New Mexico, Santa Clara, TCU.
March Madness first four out
UCLA, San Diego State, California, Virginia Commonwealth.
NCAA tournament bids conference breakdown
Multi-bid leagues: Big Ten (10), SEC (10), ACC (8) Big 12 (8), Big East (3), West Coast (3), Mountain West (2).
Feb 19, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) is introduced before the game between the Cavaliers and the Brooklyn Nets during the first quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Head coach Kenny Atkinson is known for his motion-based offense. That free-flowing system is one of the things that made him so attractive in 2024 to a Cavaliers team that couldn’t figure out how to make it work on that end with their two big configuration. J.B. Bickerstaff’s stagnant offense, based mostly on high pick-and-rolls, didn’t work with that roster.
Hiring Atkinson transformed the offensive attack, but the James Harden trade has changed everything again. They won’t be reverting to what they were under Bickerstaff, but there’s going to be much more high pick-and-rolls than what we saw from the best regular-season offense in the league last year.
Right now, the Cavs are pick-and-roll merchants. They’ve spammed it over the past four games and have had great success doing so. Given their personnel, there’s no reason to see that changing anytime soon.
“It’s a lot of things,” Nets head coach Jordi Fernández said before the game when asked what makes a good pick-and-roll player. “It’s not just ball handling, but it’s also how you use your body. It’s how you set up the pick-and-roll, how you prepare the play. … Good pick-and-roll players can destroy every coverage.”
The Cavs guards did that, particularly their newest one.
Brooklyn decided to trap Harden on ball screens. He countered by accepting the double team and coolly making the right read time after time.
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“It’s almost like a quarterback leading a receiver,” Atkinson said about Harden’s playmaking. “You don’t have to wait for it. You catch it kind of in stride.”
Jarrett Allen has been the biggest beneficiary of this type of offense. He once again dominated inside. And unlike his previous strong showings, he did so with Evan Mobley on the court as well.
The immediate chemistry with Harden and Allen has stood out. They both seem to understand where the other is at all times, despite playing just four games together. This speaks to how good both are and how well their talent fits.
“Being on the outside, I can say he’s better than I thought he was in the sense he’s able to catch the ball, finish around the rim with both hands,” Harden said of Allen. “He has so much touch around the rim, and that’s probably one of the most underrated parts of his game.”
Allen is a good vertical spacer. He can sky up for alley-oops and finish those as good as any rim-running center. That can sometimes obscure how technically sound Allen is as a scorer inside. The combination of both skills has led to him converting 77% of his looks in the restricted area this season (87th percentile) and 82%since the new year (95th percentile).
It’d be wrong to credit Harden entirely for Allen’s good play. His passing just allows Allen to showcase those skills more consistently.
“James and [Allen] have a great connection, and everybody is really feeding off that,” Mitchell said.
It’s also worth pointing out that Allen is playing more aggressively. The Cavs have made a better effort of getting him involved earlier and are reaping the reward for doing so.
The best version of Allen is one that is actively hunting for ways to be involved offensively. He’s been doing so recently.
“He’s been a beast, just super aggressive,” Mobley said of Allen. “Every single time he sees a mismatch or anything, he’s going down to the paint and getting two points every single time. We need that from him.”
Mitchell’s scoring continues to benefit from playing alongside Harden. Harden was able to set Mitchell up for one of the best alley-oops of the season with a pass that even Mitchell said he didn’t think he was going to finish. But more importantly, the space that Mitchell has when the defense is keying in on another dynamic guard has given him much more room to attack.
As we’ve seen with Mitchell, he really doesn’t need too much room to make defenses pay.
The Cavs are still figuring things out offensively. They have only had one practice since the Harden trade, and most of the work they’ve done is in film sessions so far. That will presumably limit what they can implement.
That said, they are working on building a system that best fits their offensive pieces. Atkinson is using these next few weeks as an “observation period” to see what works and what doesn’t. At this point, it doesn’t seem like he’s rigidly clinging to any one system, but would seemingly prefer a blend of both a heavy pick-and-roll and movement-based offense.
“You got to lean on your best player’s strengths,” Atkinson said. “That’s part of this observation period. [We need to find out] how much moving and cutting we want. We’re still doing a fair amount. But you know, you just got to be careful against a blitz, because if you start running guys away and into the lane, you know, James has no outlet. So it’s almost like you have to have a blitz package and read that. And then when you’re in a normal coverage, we can do our cutting.”
It’d be unwise to make too grand a proclamation after four games, especially considering the defenses they’ve gone up against. At the same time, it’d be difficult not to be optimistic about where this could go.
“This little winning streak has been nice, but you definitely see the level we’re at now,” Dean Wade said. “It’s a little higher than it has been.”
SARASOTA, FL - MARCH 20: New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) bats during an MLB Spring Training baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles on March 20, 2025 at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Pitchers and catchers reported to Yankees spring training a little over a week ago, and now today, we check off another milestone on the way to Opening Day. It’s the Grapefruit League opener! Yes, it’s that special time of year when MLB players appear in games they don’t particularly care about, all with the explicit goal of not breaking something. But it beats “no baseball.”
The first game will be in Sarasota against the Orioles. Since it’s a spring road game, that means we’re not getting as many regulars, so that makes our question today a bit more tricky than one might think. So who’s hitting the first long ball of the spring?
Here’s who we know is making the trip:
Regulars expected to play in the #Yankees’ spring opener tomorrow: Austin Wells, Jose Caballero, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Amed Rosario.
Elmer Rodriguez is starting. Jake Bird is on the travel roster, too.
Aaron Judge will play RF in the home opener on Saturday and DH Sunday.
As such, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Austin Wells would be good guesses since they’re both power threats. And if Amed Rosario is facing a lefty, well, he did slug .491 against southpaws in 2025.
Maybe there’s a surprise in store though! We’ll update this post once we know the full lineup, but make your best guess! And hey, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the Yankees go homerless today, too, so Aaron Judge and more are in play for tomorrow.
It’s more than just the spring opener today on the site! Andrés will begin our morning by musing on the Yankees’ ever-evolving international baseball operations overhaul, Jake will celebrate the 113th birthday of late-1940s/early-’50s standout Tommy Henrich (Old Reliable), and Michael will preview Trent Grisham’s 2026 season. Peter will have you covered on the exhibition game against the O’s.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 29: Jose Ramirez (L) of the Cleveland Guardians attends a press conference announcing a new seven-year contract through 2032, which extends the contract by four additional seasons, at Progressive Field, on January 29, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Russell Lee Verlinger/Cleveland Guardians/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For me, there’s a clear answer here but it’s not the one you’re thinking. There’s division rivals and the historic, heated division races the Twins have had with the Tigers through the 2000s and White Sox in the late 2010s.
There’s the Yankees, the source of Minnesota’s postseason misery for nearly two decades. The Dodgers and Mets have spent so much more money compared to other teams that we might lose the entire 2027 season over it. The Astros cheated their way to multiple championships and faced almost no repercussions for it.
However…
Every time the Cleveland Guardians win a baseball game it feels me with incomparable rage. No one on that roster is good besides Jose Ramirez and Cade Smith. They’re the focal point for the biggest gambling scandal in modern professional sports, including Emmanuel Clase allegedly throwing playoff games. Their fans think they play baseball the “right way” when in reality they just are bad and lucky. I sincerely hope they win 50 games and become what we currently think the White Sox to be.
But enough about me. Who is your least favorite MLB team AND why? Rational or irrational, let me hear it!
MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 18: Sidney Crosby #87 of Canada gets to the Bech slowly after clash with Radko Gudas #3 of Czechia during the Men's Playoffs Quarterfinal match between Canada and Czechia on day twelve of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 18, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by RvS.Media/Robert Hradil/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are your Pens Points for this Friday morning…
Team Canada head coach Jon Cooper says captain Sidney Crosby has not been ruled out for the rest of the 2026 Winter Olympics due to his injury and will be evaluated daily with the hope he can play in the upcoming games. [PensBurgh]
With Crosby’s injury status still uncertain ahead of Canada’s Olympic semifinal, the team is prepared to step forward with others—likely Connor McDavid—to lead and wear the captain’s “C” if Crosby can’t play. [Sportsnet]
However, Crosby’s injury has reignited the long-standing debate over whether NHL players should participate in the Olympics, balancing the desire to represent one’s home country on the Olympic stage against the risk of key stars getting hurt and impacting their NHL teams. [PensBurgh]
Those Penguins players who didn’t go to the Olympics spent their break relaxing, often in warm, sunny locations with family and teammates to rest, recover, and recharge before the final stretch of the season. [Penguins]
News and updates from around the NHL…
Team USA rallied from a 1-0 deficit with a late regulation goal by Hilary Knight and a thrilling overtime winner by Megan Keller to beat Canada 2-1 and win the women’s hockey gold medal game on Thursday. [NBC News]
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev was back on the ice for a third consecutive day Thursday, though his availability to return to the lineup this season remains uncertain. [TSN]
Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin says he’s rested from an Olympic break and focused on helping his team make a late-season playoff push, though he hasn’t decided on his future beyond this season. [NHL]
