PHOENIX, AZ - FEBRUARY 10: Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns looks on during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on February 10, 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 Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The NBA All-Star break is only a day away. It is human nature to start looking ahead and thinking about time off. Heck, I have a three-day weekend coming up, and I have been thinking about it since Monday. I can only imagine what physically and mentally fatigued players across the league are feeling as the opportunity to rest is within reach. For eight days, they finally get to stop traveling and living from city to city during the grind of the season.
On a side note, I want to congratulate myself for not breaking into Michael Jackson lyrics after I wrote the words “human nature”. Why, why?
The Phoenix Suns are a team that thrives on disruption, hustle, energy, and focus. Since the beginning of February, it feels as if their edge has dulled a little bit. There are multiple reasons for this, with injuries being the primary culprit. It is also understandable to assume that human nature is taking a little bit of that edge off, as a team with bumps and bruises earned in the heat of battle is aching for rest.
When you look at the stats from before February and compare them to this month’s, you can see the blade is not as sharp as it was.
Pre-February, the Suns carried a +2.9 net rating (10th) and 111.8 defensive rating (5th). In Febraruy? Phoenix has a -3.0 net rating (19th) and 116.3 defensive rating (18th). Their rebounding percentage was 50.3% (11th), but since the dawn of February, it’s 44.2% (28th). Can we say, “tired legs”?
What makes the Suns different from many teams across the Association is that they need to keep their blade sharp at all times to be successful. This team is outperforming expectations thanks to their continued focus and energy each night. If that focus or energy is slightly off, their superpower is compromised. Because that is the NBA, where winning is hard. That is the level of competition you face every night. It happens even if it is the depleted Warriors on trade deadline day. It happens even if it is the Dallas Mavericks, a team that is clearly aiming to tank.
That will be the challenge as the second half of the season begins after the All-Star break. The Suns need to do all they can to stay as sharp as possible. The energy from opposing teams will rise as they lock in for the final stretch of the season, and playoff seeding is on the line.
When you look at the teams actively tanking, like the Wizards or the Jazz, the Suns don’t play many games against them. They play Jazz again and face the Kings, Pacers, and Mavs. No, for Phoenix, it’s the 4th-toughest remaining schedule in the NBA, per Tankathon. They will be playing against teams who will use the final third of the season as an opportunity to sharpen their knives and prepare for a deep postseason run.
Fatigue has set in, and there is no doubt about that. Whether it is physical or mental, the Suns need a break. This time off could not have come at a better time, as the arrow is starting to trend downward. Is that trend caused by fatigue or human nature? It is a possibility. The break needs to happen.
The Suns have one final test tonight against the Oklahoma City Thunder. After that, the rest can occur. The hope is that they maintain focus for tonight and moving forward. The schedule is going to get tough. The Suns will have to be tougher.
When Mariano Rivera retired in 2013, one of the greatest luxuries the Yankees had enjoyed in the Core Four dynasty came to an end. They had to start worrying long-term about who would pitch the ninth inning. The first man to succeed the Sandman was his setup man, David Robertson, who performed well enough to score a free agent deal with the Chicago White Sox to serve as their closer. Then when Andrew Miller came aboard in 2015 and notched 36 saves in 38 opportunities, it seemed the matter was settled.
But the Yankees were thinking bigger. Ahead of 2016 they traded for All-Star Reds closer Aroldis Chapman. The Cuban Missile was famous for his record-setting fastball, and would bring his near-unhittable heat to the Bronx in his last full season before free agency.
Chapman had also, however, been suspended by MLB under the league’s domestic violence policy and would miss the first 30 games of the 2016 campaign. The Yankees sputtered and ultimately traded Chapman to the eventual champion Cubs in a deal which brought Gleyber Torres to the organization. It seemed that would be that, then. Chapman might, thanks in part to his own actions, have been a mere footnote in the record of a forgettable Yankee season.
Then they brought him back.
Albertín Aroldis Chapman
Signing Date: December 15, 2016 Contract: 5 years, $86 million
Born in Cuba in 1988, Chapman became a superstar in his native country—and in the World Baseball Classic—before defecting to the United States in 2009. Once in the States, the tall left-hander immediately became a hot commodity for MLB teams. It was the Cincinnati Reds who ultimately scored Chapman, signing him to a six-year bonus-laden contract. It wouldn’t take long for his arm to enter the history books. In September, Chapman threw a record-breaking 105.1 mph fastball, the fastest pitch ever recorded.
By that point Chapman had already been moved to the closer spot, where he would remain. His breakout campaign came in 2012, when he posted 38 saves with a 1.51 ERA and 122 strikeouts in 71.2 innings. That would quickly become the new normal as Chapman made that year’s All-Star Game as well as the ensuing three Midsummer Classics.
The Reds, though, soon became a team in decline. They had snapped a 15-year playoff drought by winning the 2010 NL Central in Chapman’s rookie season and shook off both an NLDS sweep at the hands of the Phillies and a sub-.500 season in 2011 to win another division in 2012. Another October went by the wayside when they blew a 2-0 lead and painfully dropped three in a row at home to the Giants when they needed just one win to advance to the NLCS. A playoff berth in 2013 lasted just one game, as the rowdy Pittsburgh fans rattled them in a quick Wild Card Game loss.
Following that mini-renaissance of sorts, Cincy fell to the cellar of the NL Central, dropping 86 games in 2014 and 98 the next year. So inthe 2015 offseason, the Reds shopped Chapman around, nearly consummating a deal with the Dodgers in December.
Early that month, news broke that Chapman was being investigated for an alleged incident of domestic violence which occurred in October. According to what his girlfriend told police at the time, Chapman pushed her, choked her, and later fired a gun multiple times into the wall of his garage while locked inside it. Chapman was never formally charged, but was still suspended by MLB for 30 games. He did not appeal the decision.
The Reds’ deal with the Dodgers fizzled out, but evidently not every organization thought they should stay away. On December 28th, the Yankees acquired Chapman for a bushel of prospects, none of whom made an impact in MLB (save for Caleb Cotham … but only because he was retired within two years and soon became a well-regarded Phillies pitching coach). Brian Cashman and the Yankees knew exactly what they were doing with this buy-low offer, grossly referring to Chapman as “an asset in distress.”
Chapman sat out all of April with the suspension, then managed a 2.01 ERA in 31 games for a Bombers squad plainly doomed to miss the playoffs — “No Runs DMC” be damned. Stuck in fourth place in the AL East, the Yankees dealt Chapman to the Cubs in the aforementioned deal which included Gleyber Torres in the return. Chapman went on to help win the most overdue World Series in baseball history, though his blown save in Game 7 nearly cost them the title. The Cuban Missile hit the free agent market with as stacked a resumé as any closer, but the suspension loomed large as a character concern, to say the least.
The Yankees, who had also jettisoned Miller in that trade deadline, definitely had a need at closer. They also had options. Former Yankee Mark Melancon had broken out with three All-Star campaigns in Pittsburgh (though he would quickly sign a $62 million deal in San Francisco). Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen was available, and would remain a free agent until January.
But the alleged incident hadn’t stopped the Yankees for trading for Chapman in the first place, and it wouldn’t stop them from signing him as a free agent. On December 8th, Ken Rosenthal reported that Chapman and the Yankees had agreed to a five-year, $86 million deal. That dollar figure was the highest ever given to a reliever. An apparent big-money offer from the Marlins reportedly forced the Yankees to up the ante on their deal.
Any Yankee fan who thought their hands were proverbially clean after the Cubs deal had to begrudgingly begin to root for Chapman again — or at least watch the ninth inning with a perfectly blank expression. To be entirely fair to him, he had publicly expressed contrition for his actions and is still in regular contact with his counselor, but fans understandably felt sour about him getting a record-breaking contract after the fact.
In 2017, Chapman struggled with injuries and posted subpar numbers for his lofty standards, but returned in perfect form for the playoffs. He finished five playoff games, including ALDS Game 5, in which the Yankees completed their rousing 0-2 series comeback against Cleveland.
The Bombers fell a game shy of the World Series in 2017, but were decidedly ahead-of-schedule thanks to the advent of Aaron Judge. Ahead of 2018, they geared up for a big run. Chapman returned to All-Star form with a 2.45 ERA while going 32 of 34 in save opportunities, but the Red Sox eclipsed the Yankees both in the divisional race and in the ensuing ALDS.
Chapman earned his sixth All-Star appearance in 2019, and would have his most consequential moment in pinstripes that season. It was not in victory, however, but in defeat. Of course, the Yankees dug themselves into a deep hole in their ALCS rematch with the Astros, falling behind 3-1 in the series. But they were beginning to summon that 2017 magic. After claiming Game 5 in the Bronx, a dramatic two-run home run by DJ LeMahieu off Roberto Osuna suddenly tied Game 6 when the Yankees were two outs from elimination.
But that heroism from The Machine just set the stage for humiliation in the home half of the ninth. Chapman took the mound and, with two men out, allowed Yankee nemesis Jose Altuve to end the series with a walk-off homer. There was the homer, and then there was The Grimace.
Due to opt out of his deal, Chapman received an extension to keep him in New York through 2022. But in 2020, he was was again the victim of a late consequential homer when he surrendered a bomb to Mike Brosseau in the Rays’ do-or-die Game 5 victory over the Yankees in the ALDS.
The Cuban Missile made another All-Star Game in 2021 despite a cataclysmic June in which he allowed 11 runs in 8.2 innings. He recuperated down the stretch, but the Yankees lost the Wild Card Game to the Red Sox.
The following season, in the final year of his deal, Chapman struggled with injury and fell out of the closer spot in favor of the surging Clay Holmes. He infamously went on the IL in August thanks to an infection he got from a new tattoo. Then in September, Chapman blew off a mandatory workout ahead of the ALDS, flying down to Miami and skipping a live batting practice session he was set to throw. As a result, he was left off the playoff roster. With Holmes and Wandy Peralta both capable of locking down tense matchups, the Yankees didn’t really need Chapman. But the acrimonious exit came as little surprise to a fanbase who was by now pretty tired of rooting for him.
Despite being the heir apparent to Mariano, Chapman was very rarely a comfortable watch. Throughout most years of his Yankee tenure, you knew his outings would go one of two ways: either he had his command and the game was over, or he didn’t, and you were destined to feel squeamish for however long the ordeal lasted. Then every so often, he’d give up a backbreaking homer and you were free to do something else with your day, but about 15 percent grumpier.
Of course, Chapman is still pitching in MLB. He spent a few years as a setup man and won a second World Series in more of a support role for the 2023 Rangers. Chapman returned to the closer spot with the Red Sox last year, and almost out of the blue, he posted what was statistically the best season of his career at age-37 in wake of some tweaks to his approach. He was extended by Boston in September on a deal that will go through 2027 as long as he throws at least 40 innings this year.
At this point, Chapman’s career accomplishments give him a near-Cooperstown-worthy resumé (even with bumpy playoff results). But when you betray a fanbase’s trust by crossing a line, as he did when he allegedly attacked his girlfriend in 2015—it is extremely difficult to earn that respect back. Chapman never fully did for a myriad of reasons, so while his time in pinstripes was statistically impressive, his legacy is decidedly less rosy.
See more of the “50 Most Notable Yankees Free Agent Signings in 50 Years” series here.
The brawl began after Diabate was fouled by Duren with more than seven minutes remaining in the third quarter. The players exchanged words and then Duren shoved Diabate in the face. Bridges stepped in and shoved Duren before Diabate threw a punch at Duren and had to be held back by coaches and teammates, according to the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are ready for the All-Star Break, looking to put a rough few weeks behind them.
A win against the Portland Trail Blazers would help that cause.
My Trail Blazers vs. Timberwolves predictions focus on Minnesota’s newest piece, perhaps buoyed by Anthony Edwards’s possible absence, an odd twist in my NBA picks for Wednesday, February 11.
Trail Blazers vs Timberwolves prediction
Trail Blazers vs Timberwolves best bet: Ayo Dosunmu Over 13.5 points (-115)
Ayo Dosunmu scored 21 points on Monday night, his second game with his new team. His 11 points in his Minnesota Timberwolves debut also encourage this prop, even if falling short in that moment.
Minnesota was blown out, and the Timberwolves' trade deadline acquisition played only 25 minutes. As Dosunmo's workload increases, so should his scoring.
While the Portland Trail Blazers have been an enjoyable story this season, their defensive rating ranks No. 20 over the last 10 games. This is a defense ripe for Dosunmu's aggressive offense.
Trail Blazers vs Timberwolves same-game parlay
With Anthony Edwards considered questionable due to an illness, there is immediate value in Jaden McDaniels scoring more.
That has been a consistent bet all season, as the T-Wolves continue to prove they’re much more than just their dynamic superstar shooting guard.
Trail Blazers vs Timberwolves SGP
Ayo Dosunmu Over 13.5 points
Jaden McDaniels Over 14.5 points
Timberwolves moneyline
Our "from downtown" SGP: Less Ant, No Problem
If Anthony Edwards does play, sharing the ball with Dosunmu before the All-Star Break may be a priority.
Edwards has also expressed some skepticism about whether he’ll even play in Sunday’s All-Star Game, as he’s seeking some rest.
Over/Under: Over 234.5 (-110) | Under 234.5 (-110)
Trail Blazers vs Timberwolves betting trend to know
The last five Blazers’ games have all cashed their Overs, exceeding bookmakers’ expectations by an average of 18.7 points per game. Find more NBA betting trends for Trail Blazers vs. Timberwolves.
How to watch Trail Blazers vs Timberwolves
Location
Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Date
Wednesday, February 11, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
KUNP, FDSN North
Trail Blazers vs Timberwolves latest injuries
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Isaiah Stewart committed one of the NBA's cardinal sins: He left the bench to get involved in a fight.
That's going to cost him seven games as the NBA handed down its suspensions from Monday's fight during the Detroit at Charlotte game. The suspensions, all without pay, are:
• Isaiah Stewart: 7 games • Miles Bridges: 4 games • Moussa Diabate: 4 games • Jalen Duren: 2 games
The NBA said that the length of Stewart's suspension was based in part on "his repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts." This is the fourth time he has been suspended for a fight.
Stewart's suspension feels about right — the league had to come down hard on him. Duren, whose push of Diabate started the entire thing, got off lightly here.
The fight came in the third quarter of the Pistons' win over the Hornets on Monday. It had been a chippy, physical game already midway through the third quarter when Detroit's Duren and Charlotte's Diabate had some words before an inbounds play. Detroit moved the ball around and got it to Duren in the post, who turned to score and was fouled by Diabate. Up to that point, this was all standard NBA stuff.
Then Duren and Diabate got face-to-face and had words again, which is when Duren pushed Diabate away in the face. Diabate got angry and went at Duren, taking swings while Tobias Harris held him back, and from there it escalated into a proper fight. Bridges had jumped in to defend Diabate and took swings as well.
Stewart left the Pistons bench to get in the middle of it and with that was always going to get the largest fine.
ALTOONA, PA - SEPTEMBER 04: Konnor Griffin #12 of the Altoona Curve celebrates with teammates in the dugout after scoring during the game between the Richmond Flying Squirrels and the Altoona Curve at Peoples Natural Gas Field on Thursday, September 4, 2025 in Altoona, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Sydney Kaschalk/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
The Pittsburgh Pirates are no strangers to making deals and shipping out big name players in the past, but who on this 2026 team should be deemed untouchable during trade talks this year ?
A lot of people will say Paul Skenes, and it’s hard to disagree with that, he is the reigning NL CY young winner. He is also widely considered one of the best pitchers in the league and he is only going into his third season.
I don’t want the Pirates to trade Skenes any time soon and honestly, I would deem him as untouchable as well, but the better he plays, the more expensive he is going to be when he eventually enters free agency. He is a great pitcher, but he is also the archetype of someone that we have seen Pittsburgh move on from fast, just look at the Gerrit Cole situation.
In my opinion, Konnor Griffin would be the untouchable player for the Bucs going into this season.
Griffin was taken ninth overall in the 2024 draft, and at this point, he is considered the Pirates top prospect. The reason why I think the young shortstop should be untouchable is because of the raw potential he has. He was taken that high in the draft to be the future and new face of this franchise.
The Pirates have really good pitching, and that was the case last year too, but the hitting struggled. Griffin could be the guy you build around and he is a strong defender with some underrated power in his bat. Griffin is ranked as the top prospect in the organization and he hit very well in the minors, with people already saying he is the best player out of that 2024 draft.
Depending on how the season is going in July Pittsburgh could move on from some veteran players to continue to build for the future. They could trade away Marcell Ozuna or even players like Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz but if you are the Pirates you gotta keep those young guys especially Konnor Griffin.
Tell us in the comments who on this team should be deemed untouchable during trade talks.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 16: Kadary Richmond #19 of the Washington Wizards dribbles the ball during the game against the Utah Jazz during the 2025 NBA Summer League game on July 16, 2025 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Washington Wizards have signed Kadary Richmond to a 10-day contract, the team announced Wednesday.
Official: The Washington Wizards have signed Kadary Richmond to a 10-Day Contract. 🤝
Richmond, 24, played Summer League with the Wizards before he later signed with the Capital City Go-Go, the organization’s G League affiliate.
In 23 games appearances with the Go-Go this season, the 6-foot-5 guard has averaged 8.3 points and 3.9 rebounds per game on 45.7% FG. Richmond played five collegiate seasons with three programs: Syracuse, Seton Hall and St. John’s.
The Wizards’ roster sits at 13 standard NBA contracts and three two-way deals. Keshon Gilbert and Richmond now occupy the final two roster spots, with both on 10-day contracts.
Playing the same opponent on back-to-back days creates a unique dynamic with one side leaning on familiarity, while the other looks for redemption after falling short.
That’s exactly the situation for the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers, and after Tuesday’s matchup stayed Under the total, Wednesday’s meeting shapes up similarly as I break down in my Clippers vs. Rockets predictions.
With that, let’s get into my NBA picks for February 11.
Clippers vs Rockets prediction
Clippers vs Rockets best bet: Under 208.5 (-110)
These teams fared off Tuesday and essentially shared the blueprint for what to expect in the rematch Wednesday.
After the Houston Rockets picked up a 102-95 win, my pick undoubtedly takes the Under.
These are two of the Top 9 teams in the NBA in scoring defense, and both have winning Under records when playing the second night of a back-to-back.
Houston is no stranger to going low, having cashed the Under in eight of its last 10, while the Los Angeles Clippers – still awaiting the debut of Darius Garland – have worked their way Under in three of their last four.
Clippers vs Rockets same-game parlay
With Garland (toe) still sidelined, John Collins has been the second-leading scorer in all three games since trading away James Harden, while topping his 13.5 scoring line set for Wednesday each time.
Kevin Durant went 3-for-7 from distance in the win over LA, the sixth time in his last he’s banged in at least three. Against the Clips? That’s now at least three 3-point makes in four of the last five.
Clippers vs Rockets SGP
Under 208.5 points
John Collins Over 14.5 points
Kevin Durant Over 2.5 three-point makes
Our "from downtown" SGP: Raining from three
It’s all about the moneyball in this lotto SGP. Reed Sheppard went 4-for-6 from distance last game, and is 13-for-26 (50%) from three-point range in his last four against LA.
Jabari Smith Jr. has been potent from long range too. His 2-for-3 effort Tuesday makes it eight times in the last nine games he’s hit at least two triples in a game.
Brook Lopez has hit a three-pointer in all six games in February, but the big man has only topped 1.5 makes in a game twice in that span.
Clippers vs Rockets SGP
Kevin Durant Over 2.5 three-point makes
Reed Sheppard Over 2.5 three-point makes
Jabari Smith Jr. Over 1.5 three-point makes
Brook Lopez Under 1.5 three-point makes
Clippers vs Rockets odds
Spread: Los Angeles +9 (-110) | Houston -9 (-110)
Moneyline: Los Angeles +290 | Houston -370
Over/Under: Over 208.5 (-110) | Under 208.5 (-110)
Clippers vs Rockets betting trend to know
Los Angeles has covered four straight games vs Houston. Find more NBA betting trends for Clippers vs. Rockets.
How to watch Clippers vs Rockets
Location
Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Date
Wednesday, February 11, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN Southern California, SCHN
Clippers vs Rockets latest injuries
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LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 10: Keldon Johnson #3 of the San Antonio Spurs dunks the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on February 10, 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 NBA is annoying right now. The Spurs are my perfect, beautiful angels who can absolutely do no wrong and I love them deeply and irrationally, but the NBA as a whole? Annoying. The league. The season. The vibes. It’s hard to get excited for these games right now. I feel unenthused. Unaffected. Uninspired. I’m trying to feel something, you know? It turns out that watching Victor Wembanyama stomp around on Jaxson Hayes’s sandcastle didn’t exactly do the trick.
I realize the Spurs are not blameless in the grand phenomenon of Load Management and DNP Old. If anything, they wrote the playbook for it. Tim Duncan and co.’s minutes quietly shrinking. That Miami game. The fine. Look, Pop wasn’t apologizing for it then, and most of us weren’t either. It felt rebellious. It felt punk rock. It felt smart.
And maybe it still was. At least, maybe that version of it was. Maybe I’m just a hypocrite! Fine. But whatever the league has turned into now is leaving me cold. The strategy around when and how teams are sitting people, the current iteration of the Spurs included, no longer feels like a cheeky shenanigan. It feels corporate and methodical. It’s like spending my entire day trapped in an Excel doc, only to come home and discover that my cool, fun hobby has also been corrupted by the unholy spreadsheet.
I don’t know what the fix is. I’m not even talking about tanking. The Spurs’ hands are just as unclean on that front, so it’s probably more polite to stay on the sidelines for that particular conversation. All I’m asking for is that these games matter. Just a little. I want them to have some stakes. I want it to feel important every time we line our guys up against theirs. I want it to hurt to miss a game. I want this stuff to mean something!
Because the scary little secret lurking under the surface, the one no one is really allowed to say out loud, is that it doesn’t. None of it does. The games. The league. Everything. The Thunder won the title last year? Doesn’t matter. The Spurs have won five banners? Doesn’t matter. In a real world sense, this is all pointless. It’s a game, and a silly one at that! One that’s been inflated into a giant industrial complex designed to separate us from our money as efficiently as possible and keep us coming back.
And yet.
The players keep me coming back. Their stories. Their lives. Their games. I want to watch them grow and excel and do things that make me sit back in awe of what the human body is capable of.
The fans keep me coming back. The community. The family. I want to be part of something bigger than myself. I want to feel alive when the crowd erupts after a big play. I want to hug strangers because they’re wearing the same colors as me. I want to feel joy and pain in equal measure with the people around me. I want to beam with pride every time I see San Antonio represented on the world stage.
It only matters because we care about it. Because we ascribe meaning to it. We have to figure out how to hold on to that. To blow on whatever embers of passion are still glowing in there, because the slog the regular season keeps turning into is going to extinguish it for good if we’re not careful.
Takeaways
Ok. It was pretty cool to watch Victor for a bit there. It wasn’t a fair fight and it definitely had that tang of watching a 14-year-old dunk on an 8-foot rim. Like, yes, buddy. We see you. Maybe set your sights a little higher. But you can only play the opponent in front of you, and Victor absolutely did that. Seventeen in four minutes. Thirty-seven at halftime. Forty in twenty-six minutes. If you’re going to participate in a scrimmage disguised as a nationally televised game, at least make it art. Congrats to him on that.
The Spurs are getting a touch better at not turning these schedule wins into full-blown emotional stress tests designed to shave years off my life. There was a time (recently!) when “undermanned opponent on the second night of a back-to-back” meant we’d flirt with disaster for three quarters before escaping with a six-point win and mild cardiac damage. This one was different. It wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t transcendent. But it was competent. Mature. A touch better. Just a touch!
I would prefer, specifically, if none of our players ever got hurt. Ever. I recognize that this is not how sports works, but you miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take, yeah? Steph, we simply must protect our pelvises. I love the reckless abandon. I love the full-court sprint into a chase-down block attempt when the game is already in hand. I love it! But also, please. The Pelvi. We need them intact. Protect the pelvi.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 28: Nick Kurtz #16 of the Athletics looks on as he heads back to the dugout after striking out during the bottom of the fourth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Sutter Health Park on September 28, 2025 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pitchers and catchers have reported and it’s finally beginning to feel like baseball season. The A’s checked off most of their offseason wish-list, trading for a starting-caliber second baseman (Jeff McNeil), signing a veteran starting pitcher (Aaron Civale just yesterday), and a couple low-end middle relievers (Mark Leiter Jr. and Scott Barlow).
Better than all those moves combined for me though is the recent extensions the club has secured with Tyler Soderstrom and Jacob Wilson, locking them in as core players for years to come. And those two extensions are on top of the ones given to Lawrence Butler and Brent Rooker. The A’s are finally trying to keep their players.
But was all that enough for the A’s to possibly contend for a Wild Card spot? The team was never going to play in the deep-end of the free agent pool but they probably could have spent more than what they have. The front office added plenty of depth arms to the organization’s relief cupboard but the team is more or less bringing back the same guys as last season, minus a half season of Mason Miller. The starting rotation has potential but only if everything goes perfectly. And though they’ve looked for upgrades at the position, third base looks like it’ll be a combination of Max Muncy, Andy Ibanez and Darell Hernaiz.
Which offseason decision have you disliked the most or feel the most uneasy about? Have we not shored up the relief core enough? Is the starting rotation your primary concern? No upgrade at the hot corner? Or is your head not even on the field, instead wishing for one final extension from our Rookie of the Year first baseman Nick Kurtz? Debate and comment below!
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 09: Miles Bridges #0 of the Charlotte Hornets fights Isaiah Stewart #28 of the Detroit Pistons during the second half of a basketball game at Spectrum Center on February 09, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NBA has announced suspensions to four players related to the extended melee between the Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets on Monday. Pistons big men Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren received a seven-game suspension and a two-game suspension, respectively. Hornets players Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate are suspended for four games apiece.
The suspensions were announced by James Jones, head of basketball operations for the league.
Stewart received the longest suspension because he left the bench to get involved in the altercation, eventually laying hands on Bridges, and because he has a history of league discipline, termed “his repeated history of unsportstman like acts” by the NBA in the release. The suspension means Stewart will not play enough games to be in contention for All-Defense honors.
Presumably, Diabate and Bridges were next in line because Diabate escalated a confrontation with Duren beyond the boiling point and had to be restrained multiple times while trying to get to Duren. Bridges, meanwhile, seemed to be the only person to land a thrown punch and proactively went after Duren after not being involved in the original dust-up. Duren “initiated the altercation,” the league says, presumably when he put his hands on Diabate’s face to shove him away after they went head-to-head following a hard foul, so he gets the least of it but does not walk out of the situation unscathed.
The two-game suspension should not in any way prevent Duren from participating in All-Star weekend as a reserve for Sunday’s game.
Both Pistons players will miss tonight’s matchup against the Toronto Raptors, and the Pistons have recalled two-way big man Tolu Smith to help provide some center depth. Duren will also miss a big rematch against the New York Knicks on Feb. 19. Stewart will miss those games as well as matchups against the Bulls, Spurs, Thunder, Cavs, and Magic.
In other words, this is coming at one of the most difficult stretches of Detroit’s schedule.
What’s your reaction to the level of punishment for all involved? Sound off in the comments.
Shohei Ohtani will lead off again. Will Smith will bat fifth. Mookie Betts will probably be in the third spot.
Three weeks before the Dodgers’ first full-squad workout of spring training, manager Dave Roberts was already talking about what his batting order would look like.
And why not?
Roberts knows what he has.
All-Stars up and down the lineup. A rotation packed with potential Cy Young Award candidates. A bullpen loaded with flamethrowers.
Not much guesswork is involved when your team is the two-time defending World Series champion. Not as much finger-crossing when you have the most expensive collection of talent in baseball history.
LA Dodgers’ Roki Sasaki, left, and Shohei Ohtani celebrate after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 7 of the 2025 World Series in November in Toronto, Canada. Getty Images
That doesn’t mean the Dodgers don’t have any questions heading into spring training this year.
Here are the five most important:
What to expect of Roki Sasaki?
Considered a generational talent in his home country of Japan, the 24-year-old Sasaki remains a mystery as he prepares for his second year in the majors.
Sasaki underwhelmed as a starting pitcher last year, as his control was off and his velocity was down. He spent more than four months on the injured list, but returned in the final week of the regular season and quickly became the team’s closer.
Sasaki, who underwhelmed as a starting pitcher last year, at LA’s Dodger Stadium on Jan. 31. Getty Images
The right-hander accepted the move to the bullpen under the condition that he be given a chance to start again this year. The Dodgers will honor their promise to him, but it’s uncertain whether he has the durability or arsenal required to be a starting pitcher in the majors.
In his five years with the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Japanese league, Sasaki was never healthy for an entire season. He said his goal this year was to “remain standing on the mound for the entire year without any injuries.”
Sasaki relies heavily on his fastball and forkball, so much so that Roberts has called for him to develop a third pitch. Sasaki is listening.
“I’ve been practicing a cutter and slider since last year,” he said.
Miguel Rojas is expected to share time at second base with either Hyeseong Kim or Alex Freeland. AP
Who’s at second base?
With Tommy Edman recovering from ankle surgery and expected to miss the start of the season, Miguel Rojas is expected to share time at second base with either Hyeseong Kim or Alex Freeland.
The fleet-footed Kim excelled as a bottom-of-the-order hitter when he was initially called up from triple-A last year, but his production plunged after a couple of months. In 71 major league games, he stole 13 bases.
The other option would be Freeland, who entered last season as one of the organization’s top prospects. He earned his first promotion to the majors in the middle of the season when Max Muncy and Kiké Hernandez were on the injured list. Batting just .190 in 29 games, Freeland finished the season with triple-A Oklahoma City.
Andy Pages crushed 27 homers in the regular season last year, but was just four for 45 in the postseason. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
Which version of Andy Pages shows up?
By running over Kiké Hernandez to make a season-saving catch in Game 7 of the World Series, Andy Pages assured himself a place in Dodgers folklore. But can Pages assure himself a place on the team going forward?
Pages, 25, finds himself at a career crossroads. He crushed 27 homers in the regular season last year, but was just four for 45 in the postseason.
This will be the year in which Pages transitions from prospect to regular starter — or becomes another James Outman. Another athletic outfielder, Outman homered 23 times for the Dodgers in 2023. He was traded last year to the Minnesota Twins.
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The $72-million left-hander was nothing like the pitcher who struck out Ohtani four times in four plate appearances pitching for the San Diego Padres in the 2024 National League Division Series. Scott registered a 4.74 earned-run average and was credited with nine blown saves.
Scott believes his problem was that he challenged opposing hitters too much, and the data indicates he’s onto something. The percentage of pitches he threw in the strikezone went up last year.
With Edwin Díaz signed to be the team’s closer, Scott is expected to be used in a setup role and Roberts should be able to deploy him against their opponents’ best left-handed hitters.
Dodgers’ Ryan Ward arrives for a spring training game against the San Francisco Giants at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona in March 2025. Getty Images
Is Ryan Ward already on the trading block?
Ryan Ward has hit 70 home runs in the minor leagues over the last two seasons. He was the Pacific Coast League’s most valuable player last year. He’s already 28.
So why did the Dodgers spend $240 million to avoid giving him a chance?
The team’s decision-makers swear the choice to splurge on Kyle Tucker was more about Tucker’s talent than Ward’s shortcomings.
The downside of coming up in an organization like the Dodgers is that because they have to win now, they don’t have the luxury of gambling on prospects. The Dodgers will take a look at him to see if he could be a late bloomer like Max Muncy, but his real chance might come elsewhere. Other teams are interested, making him a candidate to be moved at the trade deadline.
It’s the battle of the tanks as the Western Conference’s worst team, the Sacramento Kings, travel to Salt Lake City to take on the No. 13 team out West, the Utah Jazz.
Utah (17-37) and Sacramento (12-43) split their previous two meetings earlier in the regular season, and this game is vital in the tanking race. Every win — and every loss — is crucial for both teams’ lottery chances in May.
Injury Report
Utah Jazz:
Keyonte George — OUT (right ankle; sprain)
Sacramento Kings:
De’Andre Hunter — OUT (left eye; iritis)
Zach Lavine — OUT (right 5th finger; tendon injury)
Malik Monk — OUT (illness)
Keagan Murray — OUT (left ankle; sprain)
Domantas Sabonis — OUT (left knee; injury management)
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 29: Retired NBA player John Wall speaks on a pregame show prior the game between the Washington Wizards and the Milwaukee Bucks at Capital One Arena on January 29, 2026 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the NBA All-Star Break now ready to begin, the NBA will start airing related content across multiple networks like NBA TV, NBC, Versant, Amazon and Disney (that’s ESPN and ABC). As Washington Wizards fans, this will be our best opportunity this season to see some players, namely Tre Johnson, Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George on some of these networks. That’s simply because the Wizards are one of the worst teams in the NBA and started the season with no superstars. So they just aren’t going to be on national TV very often.
That said, last month has been quite exciting for the Wizards. They now have two superstars (even if they aren’t at their peaks) with Trae Young and Anthony Davis. Don’t be surprised if Young and Davis aren’t playing this season, but it gives Wizards fans something to look forward to for the 2026-27 season. And the national media will almost definitely start to play Wizards games in their rotation again.
So here’s my question In light of the trades and national media. How many Wizards regular season games do you think will be aired on national television (we’ll include streaming as well)? Let us know in the comments below.
SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday will have surgery on Thursday to repair a broken hamate bone in his right hand and will miss opening day.
Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias announced Wednesday that Holliday sustained the injury while taking batting practice last week.
Holliday, 22, hit .242 with 17 home runs, 55 RBIs and 17 stolen bases in 2025. He was the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2022.
Elias also said Wednesday that third baseman Jordan Westburg is recovering from a right oblique injury that could delay his participation in spring training games.
