HARRISON, N.J. (AP) — Julian Hall scored to lead the New York Red Bulls in a 1-0 victory over the New England Revolution on Saturday as the 17-year-old became the youngest player in MLS history to score in each of his club's first two games of the season. Hall headed the goal in the 53rd minute for his MLS-leading third goal of the year. He received a headed assist from 16-year-old Adri Mehmeti. The initial cross came from a 17-year-old Matthew Dos Santos.
It's the second game at the helm of the Red Bulls (2-0-0, 6 points) for former US Men's National Team captain Michael Bradley.
The Red Bulls dominated possession 66 to 34 percent, and 12 shots to five for the Revolution (0-0-2, 0 points).
USMNT-capped goalkeepers Ethan Horvath and Matt Turner had two and three saves for Red Bulls and the Revolution, respectively.
Up next
Revolution: Initial home opener scheduled for March 7 with the Houston Dynamo was postponed because their field was not ready. Their new home opener and next scheduled game is March 15, against FC Cincinnati.
PHOENIX, AZ - FEBRUARY 24: The sneakers worn by Ron Harper Jr. #13 of the Boston Celtics during the game against the Phoenix Suns on February 24, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Tre Donaldson scored 15 points, Miami took control with a huge first-half run, and the Hurricanes defeated Boston College 76-54 on Saturday.
Miami trailed 13-6 early in the first half but the Hurricanes outscored the Eagles 30-6 over the final 15 minutes to lead 36-19 at halftime. BC missed 12 of 13 shots in one stretch.
A 13-2 run near the midway point of the second half helped the Hurricanes push their lead to 55-31. Later in the half, reserve guard Noam Dovrat drilled 4 of 5 3-pointers and Miami's lead reached 27 points.
Ernest Udeh Jr. had 11 points and 12 rebounds and Tru Washington scored 14 points for Miami (23-6, 12-4). Dovrat scored a season-high 12 points. He has made 5 of his last 7 3-point tries.
Boden Kapke scored 18 points and Fred Payne and Jayden Hastings each scored 11 for Boston College (10-19, 3-13).
Miami's win squares the overall series 31-31.
Miami remains in third place in the ACC with two regular-season games remaining. The top four teams earn byes into the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament, which takes place March 10-14 in Charlotte, N.C.
Up next
Miami: The Hurricanes visit SMU on Wednesday and host No. 24 Louisville on Saturday.
Boston College: at No. 11 Virginia on Tuesday and home against Notre Dame on Saturday.
CINCINNATI (AP) — Day Day Thomas matched a career-best with seven 3-pointers and scored a season-high 26 points, Moustapha Thiam added a double-double and Cincinnati routed Oklahoma State 91-68 on Saturday.
Thomas was 7 of 11 from deep and made 5 of 6 free throws. Thomas also reached the 1,000-point mark for his career on the first of two free-throw attempts with 5:42 remaining before halftime. His 3-pointer with 8:22 left gave the Bearcats a 32-point lead midway through the second half.
Thiam scored 24 points on 10-of-18 shooting and grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds. Jizzle James and Baba Miller added 11 points apiece for Cincinnati (16-13, 8-8 Big 12).
The Bearcats have won five of their last six games.
Vyctorius Miller scored 15 points to lead Oklahoma State (17-12, 5-11), which has lost six of their last seven. Kanye Clary and Jaylen Curry each added 11 points and Andrija Vukovic scored 10.
The Bearcats never trailed and had a double-digit lead on James’ 3-pointer with 11:41 left in the first half.
Up next
Oklahoma State: The Cowboys are on the road against UCF on Tuesday.
Cincinnati: The Bearcats host No. 19 BYU on Tuesday.
Feb 28, 2026; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter George Springer (4) celebrates with first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) after scoring a run in the third inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during spring training at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
A split squad day that had a loss:
Jays 1 Yankees 5
Jose Berrios had a great day. 4 innings, no hits, 2 walks 2 strikeouts. Couldn’t ask for better against most of the Yankee regulars.
Other pitchers:
Ryan Jennings: Two outs, one hit, two earned, three walks.
Kelena Sauer: Got the last out of the fifth.
Nate Garkow: One inning, two hits, two earned a walk and a home run.
Fernando Perez: Two innings, one hit, a home run, one earned, one strikeout.
Hitters, starters:
Leo Jimenez: 0 for 2, walk. .273 BA on the spring.
Addison Barger: 1 for 3. .083.
Davis Schneider: 0 for 2, walk, strikeout. .100.
Eloy Jimenez: 1 for 3. .400.
Tyler Heineman: 1 for 2. .500.
Myles Straw: 0 for 2. .200.
Sean Keys: 0 for 2, strikeout. .154.
Arjun Nimmala: 0 for 2. .250. He also had an throwing error at short.
Charles McAdoo: 2 for 2, double. .455.
Others:
Cutter Coffey: 0 for 1, k. .000.
Maddox Latta: 0 for 1, k. .00.
Carlos Mendoza: Walk. .600.
Eddie Micheletti Jr.: 0 for 1, k. .333.
Aaron Parker: 0 for 2, k. .250.
Jonatan Clase: 0 for 2. ..000.
Jackson Hornung: 0 for 1. .000.
Cade Doughty: 0 for 1, k. .000.
Nick Goodwin: 0 for 1. .500.
And a win.
In Dunedin, the Jays beat the Phillies. 7 to 5.
Dylan Cease had his first start of the spring. 1.2 innings, 1 hit a home run, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts. A very nice outing.
Jesse Hahn: 1.1 innings, 3 hits, 1 earned, 1 walk and 2 strikeouts.
EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Nick Martinelli scored 22 points, including the game-winner with 1.8 seconds left, for Northwestern in a 63-62 win over Oregon on Saturday afternoon.
Northwestern called a timeout with eight seconds left, down 62-61. Martinelli caught the ball and was well defended. He pivoted to the left, hooked the shot around the defender and watched the ball swirl around the rim before finally sinking.
Takai Simpkins's half-court heave for the Ducks hit the top of the backboard to end it.
Martinelli added 11 rebounds and seven assists, a career high, for the Wildcats (13-16, 5-13 Big Ten). Jayden Reid scored 11 points.
Nate Bittle scored 19 for Oregon (11-18, 4-14). Kwame Evans Jr. added 15 and Simpkins finished with 11. The Ducks led 36-29 at halftime, built on a 15-3 run to close out the first half.
Oregon continued to dominate, taking an early lead after the break from a jumper and 3-pointer from Bittle. Northwestern took the lead back off a 15-6 run with 10:56 to play.
Brett Baty made his spring debut on Saturday, but at a position Mets fans are not accustomed to seeing the young infielder.
With second and third base filled with the additions of Marcus Semien and Bo Bichette, Baty started at first base. It's the first time Baty has played the position in his professional career and he wasn't half bad. He made the plays he was supposed to and there weren't any misplays or errors on his part in the team's 3-2 loss to the Nationals.
"It was a fun challenge out there," Baty said about playing first. "No mistakes, but it didn’t look pretty either. We’ll get better over there for sure."
"I thought overall, it was a good day," Carlos Mendoza said of Baty's performance. "It was just good to see him out there in game action."
Over his four-year big league career, Baty has seen time at second and third, but this is a new challenge for him. The 26-year-old said he spent this offseason practicing multiple positions, but Baty admits no amount of practice can replace game action, and he was pleased with how he did Saturday.
"There’s just some things you never see in practice until you get out there and do it in a game," Baty said. "I was talking to [bench coach Kai Correa] and Mendy about some of the plays out there. I felt like I wanted to go get the ball, because that’s how I’ve always been. At third base, go get the ball, second base same thing. Some of them I wanted to go get, but I had to remember that Marcus was right behind me, so I had to get my butt to first base."
Baty says former teammate Pete Alonso was great at knowing exactly where the second baseman was and when to go for a ball. And while Baty fights the urge to think like a third baseman, Saturday was a good first step for him, but he knows the comfort comes with time.
"The difficult part is trying to master the plays that you can’t replicate in practice. The challenge is the game reps and trying to get those game reps," he said. "I’m excited for it."
Baty enjoyed his best season as a major leaguer last year. Not only did he stabilize the third base spot, but Baty also showed promise at the plate, hitting a career-best .254 with 18 home runs. Now that he doesn't have a position to call his own, the Mets are trying to find ways to get the talented youngster into games.
Even if it means playing some outfield.
The Mets have a hole in right field with Juan Soto and Luis Robert Jr. projecting to start at left and center, respectively. While there's competition between youngster Carson Benge and veterans Tyrone Taylor, Mike Tauchman and MJ Melendez, the Mets want Baty to get reps in the outfield so they and he are comfortable playing out there if they need it.
Baty said he did some outfield reps in the backfields on Friday and will do so again on Sunday. He believes the plan is to get him in the outfield in a spring training game next week, and Baty is excited to try it.
"I feel like a football receiver out there. I think it’s fun to run around out there, catch flyballs, show off the arm and stuff like that," Baty said with smile. "I think you can showcase athleticism out there, and I like it out there, I think it’s very fun."
Mendoza said that the plan is to give Baty as much time at first and in right field this spring as he can, but he's confident the youngster can handle it.
“He’s very athletic. I have no doubt in my mind that he’s able to do it there," Mendoza said. "He was able to play second base for us last year and that wasn’t an easy transition. Early on, what we’ll do is keep [the reps] on the right side of the field, whether it’s first base, right field, maybe second base."
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 7: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors smile during the game on February 7, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors host the Los Angeles Lakers for their final game in the month of February. The primetime matchup is scheduled for 5:30 PM PT in San Francisco and will be broadcast on ABC.
The Warriors enter tonight’s matchup back to three games above .500 after Wednesday’s 133–112 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. It was a complete team effort from Golden State, with eight of their nine available players scoring in double figures, led by rookie Will Richard’s 21 points. That energy showed up defensively as well, as Golden State forced 16 turnovers that turned into 33 points. After the game, Brandin Podziemski — who finished second on the team with 19 points — praised the group’s collective approach.
Brandin Podziemski said his approach doesn’t change when he starts at the point for Golden State. As for the depth of double-figure scorers, “It seems like it’s been a them when we’ve won.”
The test gets tougher tonight for Golden State as they take on a Lakers team that sits 3.5 games ahead of them in the standings. The season series is split at one game each, with Los Angeles taking the most recent matchup earlier this month, 105–99.
De’Anthony Melton is expected to return after resting the second night of a back-to-back, but the Warriors will still be shorthanded. Stephen Curry has been ruled out for his 10th consecutive game, and Kristaps Porzingis — who missed the past two games due to illness — has now officially been ruled out as well.
Kristaps Porzingis will miss his fourth straight game with what the Warriors are listing as an illness @NBCSWarriors
No Steph Curry or Kristaps Porzingis against the Lakers. Draymond Green remains probable
Without their primary scoring options, the Warriors have leaned on ball movement, pace, and perimeter shooting to generate offense. Against Memphis, Golden State shot 41.3 percent from three and recorded 37 assists. Expect that approach to continue tonight against a Lakers team loaded with offensive firepower — including the NBA’s leading scorer Luka Dončić — but one that ranks 24th in the league in defensive rating (116.8).
Kerr again affirmed ball movement and pace are crucial for the short-handed Warriors to win: “That’s the formula for sure. And we’ve got to continue to plug away. I’m really enjoying coaching these guys. They’ve been great. Just the energy, the enthusiasm supporting each other.”
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Bobby Durkin, Cade Tyson and Langston Reynolds combined to score 65 points to lead Minnesota past UCLA 78-73 on Saturday.
Durkin scored 23 points exclusively on his 7 of 11 behind the arc, before hitting a pair of free throws with 12 seconds left. Tyson and Reynolds each scored 21. Tyson was 8 of 12 from the field and 3 of 5 behind the arc. Reynolds was 8 of 14 shooting to go with six assists.
The Golden Gophers (14-15, 7-11 Big Ten) have won three of their last four, with their lone loss coming to No. 3 Michigan on Feb 24.
Tyler Bilodeau poured in 32 points for the Bruins (19-10, 11-7), two shy of his career high set earlier this season. He was 13-of-21 shooting and 4 of 7 behind the arc with eight rebounds.
Eric Dailey Jr. added 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting with six rebounds. Skyy Clark had 17 and five assists. Donovan Dent tied his career high, set a week prior in an overtime win over Illinois, with 15 assists.
Up next
UCLA will host No. 12 Nebraska on Tuesday.
Minnesota will face Indiana on the road on Wednesday. ___
Dustin May in live BP | Pic courtesy of ORSTLcardsfan
Recap disclaimer – this may be more a random observations list than a specific blow-by-blow of the game. Spring training results are unimportant, right? It’s the process, after all.
Game Summary
With the weather starting out hot and humid, and turning soggy, the St. Louis Cardinals bang out 10 runs on 18 hits, Prieto, Crooks, Walker, Wetherholt and Winn collecting 2 hits each. Prieto leads the fireworks with a 2-run HR. Final score 10-2.
Pre-Game Notes
From my wanderings around the back fields and looking at the daily schedule:
The venue remains unchanged. Roger Dean Stadium. Cardinals are visitors today.
McGreevy to start, followed by Svanson, Graceffo, Rajcic, Stanek, Naughton.
MiLB guys expected to see action are: Gurevitch, Jesus Baez, McGee, Weingartner, Cho on the player side; Saladin, Watson, Burns, Picone on the pitching side.
Talked about the approach for filling in for Nootbaar in LF.
It was brought up that eight games in, no one guy has played more than twice.
Discussed Torres a bit … getting more comfortable being in the group. His versatility is “real”. Takes a professional AB.
There is no certainty with Nootbaar – not a solid timeline yet that might guide a decision.
Prioritizing someone who can take a good AB and defend the baseball. Won’t hurt if he hits RH.
Burleson is the first baseman.
Talked about Dobbins
Still progressing, will be under controlled “sim” conditions to allow him to not do things like cover first quite yet.
Talked about the group of guys being prepped for starting
Still plenty of innings left to get all the guys work
May will start in Bradenton on Thursday
Talked about getting offense
Looking for corner guys to provide thump, preferably. If not, the D better be solid.
Sees pitching as the strength of the team.
Acknowledged that the guys in competition have VERY different profiles
Thinks Winn is “spot on” with his approach to improving offensively
Planning an execution game today between the two MLB groups
Noot picks the teams
Game Observations
McGreevy mostly workmanlike. Appeared to be trying to work a cutter in to the LH hitters. Saladin came in to get one batter in the 2nd when McG’s pitch count got a bit hit (38). McG came back out for the 3rd, but Watson finished, getting the last batter to ground out.
The Cardinals put up a six-spot against Perez in the second, featuring a 2-run oppo HR by Prieto. Walker and Crooks with RBI singles. Crooks has been stinging the ball. Wetherholt with a 2-run bloop out of the four-hole. Cards up 6-1 after 3.
Storm clouds gathering. Literally.
In 4th Winn got on for the third time (2 hits, 1 BB) and Wetherholt drives him in with a solid single. Cards up 7-1 after 4.
Anyone notice the ABS dashboard on Statcast? Our HP umpire is 0-5 (I believe) today on challenges, halfway through the game. All borderline pitches.
Stanek carries the 4th with 2k. Svanson gives up a solo HR in a showery 5th. Graceffo followed in the sixth with a steady, light rain falling. He got a K with 98 at the bottom of the zone and another on a curveball. I’ve seen him twice nice and he seems sharper.
McGee singles in Mendoze to put Cardinals up 8-2. Packy Naughton gets a scoreless inning in, 1 K. Rajcic gets the 8th (and 9th) and comes through cleanly, except for a couple of wet balls making the backstop on the fly.
Umpire streak on ABS ends in the bottom of the ninth of a 10-2 rain-soaked game. Call upheld. That is karma right there. Who challenges there?
NEW YORK (AP) — Vincent Trocheck scored the shootout winner and Igor Shesterkin made 31 saves and the New York Rangers rallied to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 on Saturday.
After an overtime in which each team had several good scoring chances, Trocheck beat Penguins goaltender Stuart Skinner with the only goal of the shootout as the Rangers snapped a five-game losing streak. Shesterkin made five saves in overtime.
Mika Zibanejad and Taylor Raddysh also scored for the Rangers. The last-place Rangers are 7-15-5 at home this season.
Anthony Mantha and defenseman Ryan Shea scored for the Penguins, who had their two-game winning streak stopped. Pittsburgh is 8-1-2 since Jan. 17.
Mantha beat Shesterkin at 2:08 of the first with his 21st goal of the season. Shea made it 2-0 at 1:59 of the second with his fourth goal.
Zibanjead scored his team-leading 24th goal on the power play at the 10-minute mark of the second.
Raddysh tied it with his ninth at 2:57 of the third with assists to Vladislav Gavrikov and Brendan Brisson. It was Brisson’s first point as a Ranger.
Forward Tye Kartye, claimed off waivers from Seattle on Friday, made his Rangers debut.
Shesterkin made his second straight start since returning for Thursday’s 3-2 home overtime loss to Philadelphia. Shesterkin had suffered a lower-body injury suffered on Jan. 5
Skinner made 23 saves in defeat.
The Penguins under first-year head coach Dan Muse – a former Rangers assistant — lead the Rangers by 20 points in the Metropolitan Division.
The Rangers, coached by former Penguins coach Mike Sullivan, are last at 23-29-7.
The Penguins were without captain Sidney Crosby who suffered a lower-body injury at the Winter Olympics in Milan. The 38-year-old center leads Pittsburgh with 27 goals and 59 points. He is expected to miss four weeks.
Feb 28, 2026; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets pitcher Tobias Myers (32) pitches in the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
The Mets fell behind early in today’s game against the Nationals at Clover Park, and despite late attempts to comeback, they ultimately fell to the Nationals 3-2.
Tobias Myers started for the Mets after looking solid in his first spring training appearance earlier this week. He looked strong once again today, as he tossed three innings of one-run ball while striking out four and walking one. His only blemish came in his final inning of work, as he surrendered two one-out hits (a single and double, respectively) and then allowed one of the runs to score on an RBI groundout. Still, it was overall another promising appearance, as Myers continues to look like he will be a solid piece for the Mets’ pitching staff this year.
After Myers departed, Craig Kimbrel and Adbert Alzolay—both of whom are attempting to make the major league bullpen—surrendered runs to make it 3-0 Nationals. Kimbrel pitched the fourth inning and gave up a double to Brady House, who would go on to score on a sacrifice fly, and the veteran closer also walked two in his inning of work. Alzolay, on the other hand, also gave up a double to House to lead off the sixth, and he followed that with a wild pitch to move him to third. A groundball fielder’s choice force out at home gave him a chance to get out of the frame unscathed, but a stolen base and a single from Warming Bernabel instead gave Washington their third run of the afternoon.
Luis García, Nick Burdi, Austin Warren, and Joey Gerber also pitched in the game, and they all tossed scoreless innings.
Some notable tidbits from the starting position players in today’s game: Brett Baty started at first base and had no noticeable blemishes there, and Michael Tauchman continued his solid spring by hitting a double. Still, the majority of the bats were held quiet by the Nationals pitching staff in the first six innings of the game.
The Amazins finally broke through for their first run in the seventh, when Mark Vientos followed a Jared Young walk with an RBI double against Paxton Schultz. They followed that with another run in the eighth against former Met Dicky Lovelady, as Ji Hwan Bae and Antonio Jimenez led off the frame with singles and Nick Morabito subsequently drove in a run with a one-out double. In both cases, however, the bats failed to add on additional runs.
The Mets went on to load the bases in the ninth on two walks and an error by second baseman Cayden Wallace, and they had the chance to win the game with two outs. But Jacob Reimer instead flew out on the first pitch he saw, and the game concluded.
The Mets will be at home once again tomorrow afternoon. They face off against the Astros at 1:10 PM on SNY, with Clay Holmes taking the mound.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 10: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns brings the ball up court against the Dallas Mavericks at Mortgage Matchup Center on February 10, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NBA is in a constant state of tinkering. Adam Silver is always adjusting and experimenting in real time. He’s trying to solve one problem while occasionally creating another. You see it in the NBA Cup. You see it in the All-Star Game formats that require a flow chart and a deep breath to explain. There is always a new lever being pulled, a new idea being tested under Adam Silver’s watch.
It makes you wonder how this era will be remembered in ten or twenty years. Will it be viewed as innovative? Progressive? Necessary? Or will it feel like a stretch of seasons where the league kept throwing concepts at the wall, searching for traction, with only a few actually sticking.
One of the most impactful tweaks has been the 65-game minimum for end-of-season awards, something the league instituted before the start of the 2023-24 season. We are now on year three of this arbitrary line, and the potential impact it might have on the history books is legit. Most Valuable Player. All-NBA. All-Defense. The rule is simple on its face. Play 65 games, and you qualify. Miss 18 or more, you are out. There is no gray area.
It was Silver’s response to load management, an attempt to discourage teams from strategically shelving stars in the name of preservation. The thinking was straightforward. Tie availability to legacy and tie it to contract incentives. Make it matter tangibly.
Whether it fully solved the issue is another conversation. It placed durability back into the spotlight, made it part of the awards discourse again, and forced organizations to weigh rest against recognition. Like many league-wide experiments, it addressed a real concern. The long-term ripple effects are still playing out.
Adam Silver is trying to solve a real issue, although in my opinion, he is circling around the cleanest answer without ever touching it. The solution has been sitting there the whole time. Fewer games. Reduce the total. Ease the cumulative strain. If the tax on a player’s body is lighter, the incentive to strategically rest him decreases.
This version of the NBA is not the league from twenty years ago. The pace is faster, the space is wider, and the defensive ground to cover is massive. Bigs are chasing guards on the perimeter. Guards are crashing into seven-footers at the rim. Every possession asks more of the body than it once did. Add in stretches of scheduling that still feature as many as 16 back-to-backs for certain teams, and you are almost inviting fatigue to take over.
Instead of trimming the schedule, which would impact revenue, the league landed on 65 games as the line in the sand. An arbitrary number that attempts to legislate availability rather than address the wear and tear that limits it in the first place.
And now we are staring at a strange possibility. Some of the best players in the world may not qualify for the very awards that define their seasons. Nikola Jokic. Shai Gilgeous Alexander. Luka Doncic. Kawhi Leonard. Giannis Antetokounmpo. Stephen Curry. Players who shape the league narrative could find themselves on the outside of MVP or All-NBA conversations because they land on the wrong side of a games played ledger.
That creates tension. Voters are evaluating greatness while glancing at a participation threshold. Seasons remembered with an asterisk of availability. The intent was to discourage load management, but the byproduct might be award races that feel incomplete. The league wanted stars on the floor. Everyone does. The question is whether tying legacy to 65 games addresses the root of the issue, or whether it simply reshuffles the consequences.
In a season where so many primary stars have missed chunks of time, the 65-game rule is about to open doors that in other years would have stayed closed. All-NBA spots are usually a gauntlet. This year, the math is reshaping the field. Players who might have been on the fringe in a traditional season suddenly find themselves with a clearer lane because others cannot clear the availability bar.
One of those players, had he remained fully healthy, is Devin Booker.
Booker has missed 16 games already. The margin is razor-thin. Miss two more, and the All-NBA conversation ends. Not because of production, not because of impact, but because of a ledger. Two more absences in the final 22 games, and he is mathematically disqualified. That is not to say he would be sneaking in undeservedly. His play speaks for itself. In a year where several superstars are hovering around the cutoff, his consistency when available has strengthened his case. The shifting landscape has quietly improved his odds.
Although that is the tension of this rule. It turns the stretch run into a health countdown. Every questionable tag matters. Every maintenance night carries weight. The focus drifts from performance to participation.
So now it becomes simple arithmetic. 22 games left. Two games of cushion. The difference between an All-NBA nod and watching from the outside might come down to something as routine as a sore ankle or a scheduled rest day. In a season already defined by attrition, the rule adds another layer of drama, one that has nothing to do with shot making and everything to do with availability.
Knicks-Spurs matchups have become must-see television.
It seems every time the two teams square up recently, there is significant drama.
They meet Sunday at Madison Square Garden for the third and final time this regular season.
“I heard about the Christmas game last year,” Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox said after practice Saturday. “I felt like there was probably a little something there. First time we saw them [this year] was the championship of a tournament. That’ll help you find a reason to, not necessarily dislike somebody, but you’re playing for a little bit more.”
The Knicks and Spurs are set to meet for the final time this regular season. Charles Wenzelberg for The New York Post
It came via a huge fourth-quarter turnaround, during which the Knicks outscored the Spurs by 16. That has been the peak of the Knicks’ season, by far.
But the two teams have largely taken different trajectories since that moment.
They met just over two weeks later in San Antonio on New Year’s Eve, and the Knicks blew a double-digit lead en route to a gutting loss that changed the course of their season. From their Cup triumph through the first three quarters of that second Spurs matchup, they looked like the best team in the East and a bona fide contender.
But since the fourth quarter of that second matchup, they’ve dragged their feet and mostly looked like pretenders. That loss began a stretch in which the Knicks lost 9 of 11 games.
Knicks coach Mike Brown was harsh on his team afterward.
“They just, s–t, excuse my French, but they just outworked us in a lot of ways,” Brown said after the game. “[Spurs coach Mitch Johnson] kicked my ass. The rest of the team kicked our ass. We all got our ass kicked today.
“First of all, our physicality wasn’t good. We haven’t figured out how to be physical for 48 minutes in the last I don’t know how many games. And doing it without fouling. We pick up some silly fouls that we have to do a better job of. I feel everybody understands that. But now we have to go do it. So now our physicality isn’t good. And we just haven’t been able to — I don’t know if we’re tired or what, we haven’t been able to sustain anything defensively for 48 minutes. And we’ve won a lot of games and you want to win games and feel good about it. But at the end of the day, if we don’t figure out how we’re going to sustain what we’re supposed to do on defense for 48 minutes, it’s going to be a long year for us and it’s going to catch up with us.”
Everything Brown said after that game was prescient — particularly that last part predicting that their lingering problems, especially on the defensive end, would eventually catch up with them.
In 2026, the Knicks have so far recorded a 15-12 record. The Spurs have gone 19-7 and are riding an 11-game winning streak. Fox believes their Cup experience, despite falling short to the Knicks in the final, sparked it.
“For us, just being able to be around each other playing for something a little bigger than a normal regular season game,” Fox said, “I definitely think that helps.”
Mikal Bridges puts up a shot over San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Last year on Christmas, Mikal Bridges scored 41 points — his most with the Knicks — as the Knicks overcame Victor Wembanyama’s 42-point outburst in a heart-stopping three-point win.
A year prior, Jalen Brunson and Wembanyama had an epic duel — Brunson scored a career-high 61 points while Wemanyama recorded 40 points, 20 rebounds, seven assists and two steals as the Knicks lost by four in overtime.
Something about this matchup keeps delivering memorable showdowns.
“It’s a great team,” Wembanyama said previously of the Knicks. “One of the teams I looked up to as a kid, which has a lot of history. So it’s always interesting. Going to New York, as well, is always fun.”
Sunday’s clash will be the first this season at MSG. Buckle in for more fun.
Golden State Warriors young forward Gui Santos has been making strides in his fourth season in the Bay Area and it's being noticed - and rewarded.
The team announced on Saturday, Feb. 28 that Santos signed a multi-year contract extension with the Warriors. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the deal is a three-year, $15 million contract extension and includes a player option in the 2028-29 season.
Santos has shown himself to be a hard-nosed role player for the Warriors with his hustle, energy and doing whatever is asked of him.
He has scored in double-figures in 11 of the last 12 games. In that span he has averaged 15 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.6 steals in 28.8 minutes. He's shooting 58.8% from the field and 43.1% from 3-point distance.
Golden State Warriors forward Gui Santos has signed a three-year, $15 million contract extension with the franchise, sources tell ESPN. The deal includes a player option in 2028-29.
