AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Dani Carnegie had 17 points, Rylie Theuerkauf and Mia Woolfolk both scored 16 and No. 23 Georgia rolled to a 74-52 victory over Auburn on Monday night.
Carnegie added four rebounds and four steals for the Lady Bulldogs (21-7, 7-7 Southeastern Conference). Theuerkauf shot 4 for 7 from 3-point range and Woolfolk made 5 of 8 shots and 6 of 7 free throws.
Khady Leye had 16 points for the Tigers (14-14, 3-11). Ja'Mia Harris scored 13 and Kaitlyn Duhon added 11.
Harris made two free throws, then grabbed an offensive rebound and fed Duhon for a 3-pointer as Auburn jumped in front 9-3 in the first 4:33. Miyah Verse scored before coming up with a steal that led to Carnegie's 3-pointer as Georgia closed the first quarter on a 10-0 run and led 13-9.
Woofolk kept the run going with the first three baskets of the second period, Trinity Turner scored in the paint and the Lady Bulldogs upped their advantage to 21-9. Duhon hit a jumper to end the Bulldogs' 18-point run and the Tigers' scoring drought at 8:57.
Harris hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to cap a 7-0 spurt in the final 1:11 and Auburn to cut it to 30-23 at halftime.
Leye made it a two-possession game when she grabbed an offensive rebound and scored to begin the third quarter for the Tigers, but they would get no closer.
Georgia led 48-38 before starting the fourth quarter on an 8-0 run to pull away.
Up next
Georgia: At No. 4 Texas on Thursday before hosting Florida in a regular-season finale on Sunday.
Auburn: Hosts No. 16 Kentucky on Thursday before ending the regular season at Arkansas on Sunday.
From the moment he was first called up in September 2023 and immediately hit a ball 117 mph, the Mets have been waiting for the performance to match the potential.
Now, Mauricio is healthy and trying to make sure he has a role this year after spending much of last September on the bench.
“I use that as a source of motivation,” Mauricio said, through an interpreter, of spending much of the stretch run on the bench last season. “Last year, when I wasn’t playing, I was able to step back and see things I needed to improve in my game if I want to be on the field and be able to help the team.”
According to Mauricio, who turns 25 in April, there were plenty of areas on which to focus.
Ronny Mauricio swings during the Mets’ Feb. 21 Grapefruit League game. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post
“I want to control the strike zone and work on my defense,” Mauricio said.
More than anything, though, he wants to make sure he remains in one piece.
“I have to stay healthy,” Mauricio said. “I’m hitting the gym as much as possible to stay fresh for the whole season. I feel more stable now.”
The knee injury cost Mauricio plenty.
He’s eager to put it behind him, which he’s confident he’ll be able to do this spring.
“I want to maintain my speed and be the type of player I know I’m capable of being,” Mauricio said. “I want to return to the type of player I was before the injury.”
Carlos Mendoza wants to see that from Mauricio, as well, noting that his biggest takeaway from the young player this spring is that he’s back in good form physically.
“He’s healthy,” the Mets manager said. “When you watch him take ground balls [and] the way he’s moving around, there’s no limitations there now. He’s free. He’s happy to finally be a full-time player for us without any restriction.”
Ronny Mauricio makes a throw during the Mets’ Feb. 21 Grapefruit League game. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post
In Monday’s 4-3 win over Toronto, Mauricio started at third, walked, and ran the bases with abandon.
With Francisco Lindor out due to a hamate-bone fracture, there’s even more of an opportunity for Mauricio to contribute and show the Mets he belongs not just on the roster but on the field.
That might be tougher when they are at full strength and have Lindor back at shortstop, with Jorge Polanco at first base, Marcus Semien at second and Bo Bichette at third.
Mauricio nonetheless wants to give them something to think about.
“The last two years, I haven’t been able to have a real spring training because [of the injury],” Mauricio said. “I want to show I can play wherever the team needs me: second, third or short.”
WACO, Texas (AP) — Taliah Scott scored 20 points and made five 3-pointers, Bella Fontleroy added 16 points and four makes from distance, and No. 18 Baylor beat Kansas State 80-54 on Monday night in its final home game of the regular season.
The Bears pulled away by starting the third quarter on a 13-2 run, highlighted by three 3-pointers by Fontleroy, for a 48-28 lead. Fontleroy scored 12 points in the third on 4-of-5 shooting.
Baylor finished 13 of 26 (50%) from 3-point range, while Kansas State shot 34% overall from the floor with 14 turnovers.
Darianna Littlepage-Buggs had 10 points and 11 rebounds to help Baylor (24-6, 13-4 Big 12) outrebound Kansas State 43-29. Jana Van Gytenbeek added eight assists to go with five points. Scott reached 20 points for the 19th time this season and Littlepage-Buggs recorded her 12th double-double.
Jordan Speiser and Tess Heal each scored 12 points for Kansas State (15-15, 8-9). Brandie Harrod added 10 points. Taryn Sides, averaging a team-high 12.7 points per game, did not score in 12 minutes.
Baylor led 35-26 at halftime after holding the Wildcats to 35% shooting, including 2 of 13 from distance.
Up next
Kansas State: Returns home to finish the regular season on Sunday against Iowa State.
Baylor: Plays at No. 11 TCU in a regular-season finale on Sunday.
The Athletics continued their rough start to spring training, losing 6-2 to the San Francisco Giants. The A’s stopped scoring after the first inning, while the Giants scored six unanswered runs. Good thing spring stats and records don’t matter!
Looking to avoid a third straight loss to begin preseason action, the A’s started the game strongly. The first three batters reached base against Giants starting pitcher JT Brubaker. Max Muncy, one of the A’s vying to start at third base, came up to bat with the bases loaded, no outs and a chance to do some damage. However, he grounded into a double play, foreshadowing things to come. With a run in, a runner on third and two outs, second baseman Andy Ibàñez doubled to left field, bringing in the A’s second and final run of the game.
Taking the mound with a two-run lead, A’s starting pitcher J.T. Ginn turned in an impressive first spring training performance. He struck out the side in the first inning beginning with Luis Arraez, who is one of the hardest MLB players to strike out. Ginn proceeded to complete a clean second inning, this time inducing three groundouts.
Given how well Ginn pitched in this two-inning stint, it might not be a bad idea for the A’s to deploy him in this role out of the bullpen this season. However, he has also had success as a starting pitcher, which makes him one of the most interesting A’s pitchers to watch this spring. More performances like that this spring and Ginn may very well be in the A’s rotation to open the season.
The third inning was where the game’s momentum shifted. In the top of the inning, the A’s had a chance to extend the lead. Unfortunately, Muncy was thrown out trying to go from second base to home on Darell Hernaiz’s double to right field and then Henry Bolte grounded out with the bases loaded. In the bottom of that frame, the Giants broke through against A’s top pitching prospect Gage Jump. San Francisco got three straight singles before Jump induced a double play grounder to escape a bases loaded jam and keep the A’s ahead by one.
The following inning, the Giants tied it. Then, they proceeded to score once an inning from the fifth to the eighth off a mix of returning relievers like Elvis Alvarado and non-roster relievers. Meanwhile, the A’s offense was shut down by multiple Giants minor league pitchers. Once the Giants took the lead, the A’s did not come close to scoring again until the eighth inning. They got two baserunners with one out, only for the next two batters to not come through. The A’s finished the game with ten hits, although only two were extra-base hits.
Ginn’s strong performance was the highlight of today’s game as the A’s need improvement from him and the other young pitchers if the team wants to return to playoff contention. Speaking of young pitchers, both Jump and fellow pitching prospect Braden Nett showed promise, even though they each allowed a run in their respective innings.
The A’s will try again tomorrow to get that elusive first spring training win vs the also winless Milwaukee Brewers. Mason Barnett, another of the team’s young starting pitchers, will start with relievers Justin Sterner and Hogan Harris lined up to follow him. Will the team’s offense shake off its rust tomorrow or will it be another low-scoring day for the A’s?
Notes:
Nick Kurtz showcased his on-base ability today, drawing two walks as the A’s leadoff hitter.
Andy Ibàñez had a good day as he drew a walk in addition to his double.
Darell Hernaiz looks ready to play for Puerto Rico in the WBC. He got two hits and played a clean game at shortstop
Polarizing prospect Henry Bolte struck out twice, further proof that his ability to make contact is still a concern.
Max Muncy made a throwing error on a slow ground ball hit his way at third base. His defense was erratic last year. Is third base the best fit for him defensively?
Infield prospect Joshua Kuroda-Grauer got two hits. His hitting ability is not in question, but will that be enough to get him to MLB at least in a utility role given his lack of power.
Rusty Hardin and Letitia Quinones-Hollins, attorneys for Patrick Beverley, released a statement Monday, Feb. 23: "Several months ago, we said that when all the information was in – when a grand jury could hear all the facts of this case – Patrick Beverley would be cleared of all charges. That is what happened today, when a grand jury sitting in Fort Bend County no-billed Patrick, effectively ending the case.
"Patrick wants everyone to know that he would never do anything to harm his sister and that he is very grateful that the grand jury has recognized that with their no-bill. He is thankful for all who prayed for him and supported him during this time. He is glad that the process was allowed to work as it did and his hope is that with these charges behind him now, his name and reputation will be restored."
Beverley had been accused of assaulting his teenage sister and faced a third-degree felony assault charge for the alleged incident. The arrest circumstances were detailed in a probable cause affidavit obtained by USA TODAY Sports.
According to that affidavit, deputies were dispatched to the home of Beverley's mother, Lisa, in Rosharon, Texas, a Houston suburb, in the early morning hours of Nov. 14. The mother had called Beverley to confront his teenage sister and her 18-year-old boyfriend, both of whom were in the residence. Upon arriving at the home, Beverley then confronted his sister, who is 15 years old.
The affidavit stated that the sister had snuck out to meet her boyfriend, identified as being 18 years old.
Feb 21, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson (1) at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Houston Rockets vs Utah Jazz
February 23, 2026
Location: Toyota Center, Houston, TX
TV: Peacock, Space City Home Network
Radio:KBME Sports Talk 790
Online: Rockets App, SCHN+
Time: 8:30pm pm CST
Later Start For TV Purposes
Probable Starting Lineups
Rockets: Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun
Presenter joins Triple M’s play-by-play commentary team
Move hailed as win for women working in sport broadcasting
Emma Lawrence will become the first woman in NRL broadcast history to call a game, with Triple M including “one of the sharpest broadcasters in rugby league” on its play-by-play commentary team for the new season.
Lawrence, one of the most respected voices in the game, will enter the domain previously reserved for men in a move the radio station called a “landmark moment”. Female voices are present across broader coverage of the NRL, but a woman has never been handed the prestigious play-by-play call before.
HOUSTON (AP) — Utah Jazz center Jusuf Nurkic will undergo nose surgery this week and miss the remainder of the season.
Jazz coach Will Hardy said before Monday’s game against Houston that Nurkic has needed the procedure for a while.
“He has had a really bad deviated septum in his nose,” Hardy said. “He has gotten hit in the face four or five times this year. His recent sickness has pushed that forward. It’s something that he’s needed to get done for a while now, so he’s going to get it taken care of.”
The 31-year-old Nurkic averaged 10.9 points and 10.4 rebounds in 41 games in his first season with the Jazz. He is scheduled to become a free agent after the season.
“Nurk has been a big part of what we’ve done this year, and he helps our team in a bunch of ways,” Hardy said.
PHOENIX –– On the scoresheet, Monday might’ve only gone down as one inning, 17 pitches and three inconsequential spring training outs for Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia.
But for the still-grieving pitcher, who just four months ago missed the World Series following the loss of his newborn daughter, his official return to game action couldn’t have been any more meaningful.
“We’ve been waiting for that one,” Vesia said afterward, before adding with a gracious smile: “It was a little overwhelming … just trying to take it all in.”
Indeed, in the Dodgers’ 3-0 win over the Seattle Mariners, Vesia’s outing was emotionally charged throughout. He received a rousing ovation from the crowd as he entered the game at the start of the fifth inning. He was greeted by a line of high-fives and handshakes as he returned to the dugout after his 1-2-3 frame.
Dodgers pitcher Alex Vesia returned to the mound Monday, four months after missing the World Series after the tragic death of his newborn daughter. Getty Images
Mostly, though, he rediscovered a feeling he had missed during the hardship of his heartbreaking winter –– getting to pitch, compete and exude his typically energetic demeanor from back atop a big-league mound.
“I just want to have fun on the mound,” he said. “I just want to be able to spazz out and be myself out there. Because right now, I feel really good out there. It’s just me and myself and baseball.”
Ever since arriving at Dodgers camp this spring, Vesia has been chasing that sense of normalcy.
He is grateful for all the support he and his wife, Kayla, received in the wake of last year’s tragedy, noting how on even the first day of spring, “we walk out the doors, and (there was) cheers and lots of love. It means a lot.”
Vesia is grateful for all the support he and his wife, Kayla, received in the wake of their daughter’s death. Getty Images for Netflix
But, the 29-year-old left-hander is also ready to fall back into familiar, comforting routines.
And compartmentalizing it all, he acknowledged, “has been hard, (but) hard in a good way, because I want to interact with the fans and all that, but I know I have a job to do.”
Vesia began preparing for this coming season back in November. He spent more time than usual bulking up in the gym, a place where he said he rediscovered “mental clarity” amid his personal grief.
So far, that work has helped him get off to a quick start in Dodgers camp.
“Thank you to the Dodgers for their understanding and support during this time. Our baseball family showed up for us and we wouldn’t be able to do this without them,” Vesia wrote after announcing the Oct. 26 death of his daughter, Sterling Sol. Alex Vesia
Vesia was not only one of the team’s first pitchers to begin facing batters in workouts in recent weeks, but also had two of the biggest highlights from the club’s live BP action: Striking out Shohei Ohtani not once, but twice, after getting some good-natured ribbing from his superstar teammate.
“Shohei was like, ‘Hey, I want a little piece of that,’” Vesia recalled with a laugh. “So I was like, ‘OK, come on.’”
After each Ohtani strikeout, Vesia celebrated by strutting around the mound and unleashing one of his familiar celebratory shrieks. He did the same thing on Monday afternoon, as the crowd roared again for his strikeout of Mariners infielder Cole Young on a full-counter slider.
“To see him get back out here in a baseball game, in a big league game, and have a clean inning and be received by the fans, I know it meant a lot to him,” manager Dave Roberts said. “And obviously, his teammates feel for him and want to support him. So today was a really good day for Alex.”
Dodger teammates, Vesia said, have been among his biggest supporters as he has navigated this spring.
While he has only once spoken publicly about the death of his daughter –– in a prepared statement he read to reporters on the first day of camp earlier this month –– he said he has found comfort in discussions he’s had around the clubhouse.
“That’s honestly been a blessing,” he said. “I do like talking about it with the guys. I don’t want them to feel like they can’t, because to share those important moments and whatnot – these guys are my brothers. I truly do love all of them. It’s meant a lot.”
Nothing has meant more, though, than getting back to pitching.
After all he has endured, it’s his way to keep moving forward.
The San Jose Sharks play their first game following the Olympics on Feb. 26 against the Calgary Flames. The Sharks will be looking to start their final stretch of the season on the right foot by picking up a victory against Calgary and ending their four-game losing streak.
With the Sharks getting back on the ice, let's look at three storylines that fans should be keeping an eye on.
What Will The Sharks Do At The Trade Deadline?
The Sharks will certainly be a team to watch leading up to the 2026 NHL trade deadline. At this point of the season, they have a 27-24-4 record and are five points behind the Anaheim Ducks for the final wild card spot in the Western Conference standings.
The Sharks have already shown that they are willing to add to their roster, as they acquired Kiefer Sherwood from the Vancouver Canucks last month. Their next addition should be a right-shot defenseman, but there are also questions about whether they will sell off some of their pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs).
Macklin Celebrini's Chase to 100-Point Season
Macklin Celebrini is having a spectacular second season in the NHL with the Sharks. In 55 games so far, the 19-year-old forward has recorded 28 goals, 53 assists, and 81 points. The only three players with more points than Celebrini in the NHL are Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Nikita Kucherov.
With Celebrini having 81 points at this point in the season, he undoubtedly has a very good chance of hitting the 100-point mark for the first time in his career. The Sharks have 27 games remaining, so if Celebrini continues to dominate, he should not trouble reaching point No. 100 of the season.
Will The Sharks Make The Playoffs?
As noted above, the Sharks still have a chance of making the playoffs this season. While they need to climb up the standings and get ahead of the Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, and Nashville Predators, the possibility of them doing so should not be ruled out. This is especially so when noting that the Sharks have played fewer games than all three of them at this point in the season.
Adam Silver and the NBA league office singled out the Utah Jazz among the myriad of tanking teams this season because the way Utah went about it — playing their best players, including Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr., for three quarters then sitting them in the fourth — was bad PR and a black eye for the league. Silver slapped Utah with a $500,000 fine. However, other teams have sat players for extended periods after injuries — or come up with dubious medical reasons to keep them out — and gone untouched.
Center Jusuf Nurkic is going to miss the remainder of the season following surgery to his nose, a story broken by NBA insider Chris Haynes. The Jazz have yet to confirm this, but it tracks and we can expect that on Tuesday or Wednesday.
With Walker Kessler out for the season following shoulder surgery, Nurkic, 31, has stepped into a larger role and is averaging 10.9 points and 10.4 rebounds a game for Utah, although he has not played since the All-Star break.
Without Nurkic out of the rotation, look for more Kyle Filipowski, Kevin Love and Oscar Tshiebwe.
Utah owes its first-round pick this year to Oklahoma City, but it is top-eight protected, which is why the Jazz are tanking — they want to hold on to a high pick in what scouts believe to be an exceptionally deep draft. Utah currently has the sixth-worst record in the NBA and, with that, a 96% chance of retaining its pick. This is the kind of tanking that has NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on a crusade, one that generates a lot of headlines but largely feels misguided and likely will end in "solutions" that don't fix the core issues of improving paths for bad teams to get the kind of elite players needed to turn their fortunes around. Silver is treating the symptom, not the problem, but that's the topic for longer stories coming later in the week here at NBC Sports.
Jusuf Nurkic #30 of the Utah Jazz dribbles the ball during the game against the Sacramento Kings.
The Jazz lost another big man in their rotation for the rest of the season.
Jusuf Nurkić will undergo season-ending surgery on his nose Wednesday, according to multiple reports.
Nurkić has been experiencing complications with his breathing and sleeping since he fractured his nose several years ago, NBA insider Chris Haynes reported.
The season-ending procedure comes at a time when Nurkić had been seeing an uptick in his production, averaging 10.9 points and 10.4 rebounds a game while shooting 50.3 percent from the field this season.
Jusuf Nurkic of the Utah Jazz dribbles the ball during the game against the Sacramento Kings. NBAE via Getty Images
Additionally, Nurkić has averaged 4.8 assists per game this year.
The 2025-26 season has been Nurkić’s first with the Jazz after playing for the Nuggets, Trail Blazers, Suns and Hornets.
Nurkić will be an unrestricted free agent this upcoming offseason and is near the end of a four-year, $70 million contract that he originally signed with the Trail Blazers in 2022.
He now joins a growing list of Jazz players who have had their seasons cut short due to injury.
Jaren Jackson Jr. recently underwent knee surgery to deal with a non-cancerous growth, and Walker Kessler had his season end prematurely in early November after suffering a torn labrum.
Jusuf Nurkic #30 and Lauri Markkanen #23 of the Utah Jazz look on during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on February 12, 2026 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. NBAE via Getty Images
The organization had also been caught up in the ongoing conversation around the NBA regarding tanking.
The NBA fined the Jazz $500,000 for a violation of the league’s player participation policy.
The fine stemmed from instances on Feb. 7 and Feb. 9 where the NBA said the Jazz took out Lauri Markkanen and Jackson Jr. before the start of the fourth quarter and did not have them play the rest of the night.
“These players were otherwise able to continue to play and the outcomes of the games were thereafter in doubt,” the league said in a statement at the time.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - FEBRUARY 11: Jaden McDaniels #3 of the Minnesota Timberwolves dribbles the ball against Jrue Holiday #5 of the Portland Trail Blazers in the second quarter at Target Center on February 11, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Trail Blazers 133-109. 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 Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Portland Trail Blazers Date: February 24th, 2026 Time: 9:00 PM CST Location: Moda Center Television Coverage: Peacock Radio Coverage: KFAN FM, Wolves App, iHeart Radio
The Timberwolves had a golden opportunity Sunday night. Denver lost. The Lakers lost. Houston stumbled. The Western Conference standings basically opened the door, rolled out a red carpet and said, “Hey Minnesota, would you like to be tied for the 3-seed?”
Instead, the Wolves got absolutely shellacked by the Philadelphia 76ers on their own floor. 135 points worth of shellacked, to be exact.
And yes, context matters. Rudy Gobert was suspended after the Marvin Bagley flagrant. Naz Reid was out with shoulder soreness. Julius Randle was apparently under the weather, though he gave it a go. When you remove Gobert and Naz from the equation, you’re not just losing size. You’re losing the defensive backbone and a key offensive release valve. That’s real. But even with that caveat, Sunday was ugly.
Because yes, Minnesota was undersized. Yes, they were missing their Defensive Player of the Year center. But the bulk of the damage didn’t come from post dominance or paint bullying.
It came from the three-point line. Philadelphia shot 57 percent from deep. Twenty-one made threes on 37 attempts. That’s not “Gobert is suspended” stuff. That’s perimeter breakdown stuff. That’s effort and communication stuff. That’s point-of-attack defense stuff.
Meanwhile, Minnesota went just 10-for-33 from beyond the arc. Do the math. That’s a 33-point differential from three alone. In a 27-point loss. That’s not bad luck. That’s a defensive collapse.
The Familiar Wolves Problem
This has been the maddening paradox of the 2025-26 Wolves. Even when Gobert is available, the defense has been suspect at times. But when he’s out, the floor drops out completely.
Against Philly, the Wolves looked like a team that assumed the Sixers would roll over. Philadelphia was on the second night of a back-to-back. If anything, Minnesota should have had the fresher legs and the hungrier mindset. Instead, it looked like only one team bothered to show up.
Tyrese Maxey and company got comfortable early. Minnesota’s closeouts were late. Rotations were sluggish. Shooters were wide open. The Sixers weren’t just making tough shots, they were getting clean looks in rhythm. When the Wolves fall into that trap, when they start trading baskets instead of defending, things spiral. They don’t have the offensive consistency to win 135-130 track meets every night. That’s not who they are, and that’s not how they’re built.
This loss stung even more because of the standings math. Denver dropped to Golden State. The Lakers fell to Boston. Houston stumbled against New York on Saturday. If Minnesota handles its business, they’re neck-and-neck with the Nuggets for the 3-seed.
Instead? They’re staring at the 6-seed again. Play-in territory hovering in the background like an unwelcome sequel nobody asked for.
The Good News (Yes, There Is Some)
The West is still jam-packed. The margin is razor thin. One good road trip flips everything. And here’s what’s ahead: Portland, then the Clippers in L.A., then a final showdown with Denver on March 1.
If the Wolves string together three wins on this trip, they’re right back in the mix and will have likely leapfrogged Denver. The three seed is sitting there. Waiting.
But this team doesn’t get credit for theoretical standings jumps. They get credit for showing up. So now we pivot to Portland…
Keys to the Game
1. Don’t Walk In Like It’s Wrapped Up
Minnesota just beat Portland before the All-Star break. And that’s the danger. Because if you rewind a bit further to opening night, it took fourth-quarter heroics from Anthony Edwards to avoid losing to this same Blazers team.
They’re young. They’re scrappy. They don’t know they’re supposed to lose. If Minnesota strolls in assuming this is a get-right game, they’ll find themselves in another fourth-quarter coin flip on the road. That’s not the recipe.
Show up. Focused. Determined. Play like a team that understands the stakes.
2. Protect the Perimeter — For Real This Time
Sunday was a clinic in what not to do defensively. Maxey and the Sixers got comfortable because the Wolves failed at the point of attack. No resistance. Lazy closeouts. Slow rotations. That can’t happen again.
When Jaden McDaniels, Anthony Edwards, and Jaylen Clark are locked in, they can be suffocating on the perimeter. We’ve seen it. We saw it against OKC earlier this season. We’ve seen them swarm and choke teams out. They have to bring that version. Keep Portland’s guards from living in the paint. Contest shooters with purpose. Rotate like it matters.
Because it does.
3. Reclaim the Paint
Gobert is back. Randle should hopefully be recovered from his illness. Naz Reid remains questionable, but even if he’s limited, Minnesota has a size advantage. The Wolves looked lost without their interior presence against Philly. That shouldn’t happen again.
Run the floor. Crash the glass. Establish physicality early. Feed Gobert on lobs. Let Randle bully his way into high-percentage looks. Clean up misses with putbacks. Portland should not win the rebounding battle. Period.
4. Reestablish Defensive Identity
This is bigger than Portland. Bigger than one night.
If Minnesota wants to be taken seriously in April and May, giving up 120-130 points can’t be the norm. Two years ago, this team routinely held opponents under 100. That edge, that pride, has flickered this season. When they get bored, when they assume their offense will carry them, they bleed points.
On the road, you cannot let a young team build momentum. You can’t turn it into a fourth-quarter scramble. Assert control. Make Portland earn every bucket.
Time to Get Real.
After the Dallas win, Edwards said he wanted to go 25-0 down the stretch. That every game matters now.
That sounded great.
Sunday didn’t back it up.
There are 24 games left. The 3-seed is within reach. It doesn’t take a miracle run, just professionalism and consistency. The Wolves don’t need to be perfect. They just need to stop stepping on rakes.
Portland is overmatched on paper. But so was Memphis. So was New Orleans. We’ve seen how that story goes when Minnesota assumes it’s entitled to the result.
This road trip could define the season. Three wins and they’re talking about home-court advantage and avoiding OKC’s side of the bracket. Another slip-up and they’re flirting with the play-in.
Anthony Edwards can say all the right things, but talk is cheap and it’s time to get real. The only thing standing in this team’s way is effort, focus, and whether they decide this matters. We’ll find out Tuesday night in Portland whether 24-0 is a mission statement… or just another sound bite.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Basketball center Charles Bediako is asking the Alabama Supreme Court to let him play the rest of the season for the Crimson Tide.
The recent NBA G-League player on Monday filed an appeal of Tuscaloosa Circuit Court Judge Daniel Pruet’s recent decision that ended Bediako's temporary playing status with the University of Alabama. While Bediako appeals the decision to the state Supreme Court, his lawyers asked Pruet to grant interim relief and allow him to return to play.
Bediako spent two seasons (2021-23) at Alabama, averaging 6.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks, and helped the Crimson Tide make the NCAA Tournament both years. He wasn’t selected in the 2023 NBA draft, but he played for the Motor City Cruise in the G League as recently as mid-January.
He returned to Alabama this season and filed a lawsuit against the NCAA after it denied Alabama’s request to allow him to return to collegiate competition. His lawyers argued that Bediako remains within his five-year college eligibility window. NCAA President Charlie Baker and SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey have opposed Bediako’s reinstatement.
A judge, who later recused himself from the case, issued a temporary restraining order that allowed Bediako to play while the case moved forward. But Pruet on Feb. 9 ruled against Bediako, writing that the player “failed to demonstrate that he is entitled to the injunctive relief that he seeks.”
On Monday, Bediako’s lawyers asked the judge to issue an interim order while the appeal is pending requiring the NCAA to reinstate Bediako as a student-athlete immediately eligible to compete in NCAA competition. They noted that the end of the season and collegiate tournaments are rapidly approaching, and it is unlikely that the Supreme Court will rule on the appeal before the season concludes.
“Without interim injunctive relief, the whole purpose for Plaintiff’s appeal — the ability to play basketball for the University of Alabama for the remainder of play in 2026 — will be null,” lawyer David W. Holt wrote.
Alabama’s regular season ends on March 7. The SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament takes place in mid-March, and the NCAA Tournament will be held from March 17 through April 6.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 22: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers goes for the basket against Sam Hauser #30 of the Boston Celtics during the second half of their game at Crypto.com Arena on February 22, 2026 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. (Photo by Luiza Moraes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When you’re run off the floor by your rival, there aren’t many positives that can be taken away. Particularly with the way things played out in the fourth quarter, there was definitely a very sour taste in the mouths of fans walking away from that contest.
However, when looking at the box score, it wasn’t a total disaster for the Lakers. In fact, all things considered, it was one of the better defensive showings against a top team this year, even if every Payton Pritchard three felt like a dagger to the soul.
The problem for the Lakers came on the other end of the floor where they had arguably their worst offensive showing of the season.
“I think going against this team and their offense,” Redick said, “[when I] made the subs at 3:22 in the fourth quarter, they’ve got 105 points and they’re 12-for-32 from three and they’re shooting 47%. We did a good job limiting their fast break points [and] did a good job limiting their points in the paint under 50. So, we did enough defensively. We were just awful offensively tonight.“
Technically, the Lakers have had one game with fewer points this year, that coming in a mid-December loss to the Clippers. However, in that contest, Austin Reaves didn’t play and Luka Dončić left midway through the contest and didn’t return.
On Sunday, all three were healthy and the team laid a huge egg. While it’s fair to call the Big 3 a work in progress, there was no excuse for that performance against the Celtics.
For Reaves, while part of it came down to missing open looks, the process also wasn’t good, specifically in the first half, either.
“We missed some good looks,” Reaves said. “I think we could have done a better job in the first half playing with the pass [and] trying to create better looks in that first half. I thought [in] the second half, we did a good job of that. We missed some good looks and they capitalized on that.
“You’re going to have games where you don’t shoot it well or offensively play well. You got to find other ways to keep yourself in the game.”
The Lakers aren’t going to have the necessary time to figure things out. All of this is going to be rushed. But there is still a level of expectations that the team, and the Big 3 in particular, need to meet.
Sunday needs to be an aberration, though, based on how the season has played out, that might not end up being the case.
