BUFFALO, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 05: Avery Hayes #85 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates in his first NHL game against the Buffalo Sabres on February 05, 2026 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Tuesday will be the final day of the NHL’s Olympic break, with the 2025-26 season starting back up on Wednesday with eight games on the schedule. It will be a slightly longer wait for the Pittsburgh Penguins who return to action on Thursday against gold medal hero Jack Hughes and the New Jersey Devils at PPG Paints Arena.
If you were hoping for some big update on Sidney Crosby on Monday then you will have been disappointed since all we got from the team was that Crosby was on his way back to North America like his fellow Canadian teammates and will be evaluated once he rejoins the team this week.
Pens Points…
Back like he never left, Avery Hayes was recalled to the NHL on Monday, hoping to pick up where he left when he made his NHL debut in the final game before the Olympic break. Hayes was back in the AHL while the Penguins were off where he recorded a pair of hat tricks for the Baby Pens. [Pensburgh]
There was always an expectation that Hayes was going to be in Pittsburgh at some point this season, but the way he announced his arrival was perhaps not expected. He’s been on fire ever since and his first call-up along with the second has been well earned on the ice. [Trib Live]
There are 26 games remaining on the Penguins 2025-26 schedule, with each and everyone being important as the team battles for a playoff spot. They put themselves in great position through the first 56 games, but their fate will be determined by how they perform in what’s left. [Pensburgh]
Sunday was a defining moment for hockey in the United States and will have a profound impact for generations to come. In Pittsburgh, the sport is already a mainstay and will remain so, but it too will receive a boost from what transpired in Milan on both the men’s and women’s side. [Trib Live]
If that was in fact the last time we see Sidney Crosby on the Olympic stage, then it’s sure to leave a sour taste in his mouth given the way it played out. Let’s just hope for however long he continues his NHL career, he doesn’t face the same ending he just went through in Milan. [The Athletic $$]
NHL News and Notes…
Teams across the league are preparing for their return to action this week while Olympic players are still traveling back from Milan. With game resuming on Wednesday night, it remains to be seen if all Olympic players will jump right back into action or will be given a few extra days off to recover from the long travel.
Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff joked during his media session today that he did not think any of the United States players were going to be fit to play to his week when asked about the availability of Tage Thompson. Whether or not Ruff turns out to be prophetic in his analysis remains to be seen, but no one could blame those guys for taking some time to let the hangovers wear off.
As someone who grew up going to ECHL games in Johnstown when the league was still strictly on the East Coast, it’s crazy to see how the league has expanded since. Next season, the league will welcome its 30th franchise, the New Mexico Goatheads, a part of the Colorado Avalanche affiliate system. [Avalanche]
A lot can happen in four years time, but assuming the NHL sends players to the 2030 Olympic Games in France, the United States will be in good position to defend its men’s hockey gold. While nothing it set in stone, there should be quite a few familiar faces donning the red, white, and blue next time around. [ESPN]
In Milan, athletes showed that patriotism can be generous. In Los Angeles, that definition will be tested on the biggest, loudest stage sport can offer
The Milano Cortina Winter Games ended on Sunday night as the Olympics always do: in light, spectacle and speeches about unity. In Verona, the Olympic flag passed to the French Alps and the twin flames were extinguished. But unofficially, at least, a flame also flickered 6,000 miles west.
If these Games felt political, just wait until Los Angeles a little more than two years from now.
Feb 13, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA;New York Yankees pitcher Camilo Doval (75) throws a bullpen session during spring training practices at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
After adding Devin Williams last offseason, the Yankees had to feel confident about the state of their bullpen. Williams, perhaps the best reliever in the world, was joining a group that finished sixth in ERA the year prior, and now had a fearsome duo at the backend in the form of Williams and incumbent closer Luke Weaver.
Those best-laid plans went up in smoke quickly. Williams got off to a nightmarish start en route to the worst season of his career, while Weaver struggled with injuries and inconsistency much of the year. The bullpen would prove to be the Yankees’ biggest weakness, so much so that Brian Cashman made several moves for relief pitching at the deadline, overhauling the entire relief corps as the club headed into the stretch run.
There’s been plenty more turnover in the bullpen since the end of the 2025 campaign, with Williams and Weaver gone, and several other notable names, including Ian Hamilton and Mark Leiter Jr., also heading out the door. The Yankees didn’t make any major moves to replace those arms, instead opting to take a number of low-risk fliers on players like Angel Chivilli and Cade Winquest.
With that in mind, do you see the bullpen proving to be as much of a problem in 2026 as it was in 2025? The unit finished 23rd in ERA last year, and didn’t even see any overall improvement in that figure after Cashman added David Bednar, Camilo Doval, and Jake Bird at the deadline. After opting not to sign a major reliever in free agency, it’s not hard to imagine relief pitching once again looking like the Yankees’ Achilles heel once the season starts.
Yet there remains reason for optimism. For one, despite all the doom and gloom, the cold numbers paint a rosier picture, with FanGraphs projecting the Yankee bullpen as the eighth best in the league right now. The team could see a positive regression just based on getting a full-season out of Bednar, while the other 2025 deadline additions, Doval and Bird, could hardly play worse than how they started in pinstripes (and Doval, for his part, looked very sharp by the end of 2025). We also can’t forget Fernando Cruz’s name, the right-hander proving to be one of the better under-the-radar relief finds in the league last season, or the possibility that someone like Chivilli or Winquest could prove to be the 2026 version of Cruz. And, if the team still can’t get enough out of the group as constructed, well, there’s always the option for Cashman to make another series of bullpen-reinforcing maneuvers at the trade deadline.
What do you think? Will the Yankee bullpen once again be a disaster, or are brighter times ahead in the late innings? Let us know in the comments below.
On the site today, Josh previews Aaron Judge’s season (a fourth MVP incoming?). Also, Jeff celebrates Mike Lowell as part of our Yankee Birthday series, the third baseman only playing eight games as a Yankee before being shipped away. Later, John gives us the rundown on the White Sox as part of our general MLB preview series, and Peter highlights a few adjustments to keep an eye on in spring training.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - FEBRUARY 11: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers talks with Dennis Schroder #8 prior to a game against the Washington Wizards at Rocket Arena on February 11, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers drastically changed their team at the start of the month when they traded multiple rotation players for James Harden, Dennis Schroder, and Keon Ellis.
They’ve played eight games since their first trade for Schroder and Ellis. That isn’t a huge sample size — and they haven’t exactly played the best defensive teams during that stretch — but it’s large enough to make analyzing some of the impact stats worthwhile, even if nothing conclusive should be drawn.
With that in mind, let’s look at some of the new strengths and weaknesses of this team based on the numbers.
Harden has taken the offense to another level
Harden was brought in to boost the offense, and he’s done just that. The Cavs have registered an absurd 128.1 offensive rating (99th percentile) when Harden is on the court. That’s nine points better than it has been without him during that same timeframe. And for context, the Cavs had a 116.3 offensive rating (61st percentile) with Darius Garland playing this season.
There’s multiple areas Harden has been able to help the offense.
First, the Cavs have gotten to the rim much better due to his ability to drive inside and playmake for the bigs.
They’re taking 3.4% more of their shots at the rim with Harden on the floor than they are without him (89th percentile). More importantly, they’re converting 69.8% of them (82nd percentile), which is 5.7% better than they are when he isn’t playing (93rd percentile).
Second, the Cavs are getting to the line much more easily. The Cavs have had a free-throw rate of 28.2 with Harden on the floor (99th percentile). For context, their season-long free-throw rate is 20, which is good for 22nd in the league.
Lastly, the Cavs are hitting more threes.
Cleveland has connected on 37.3% of their triples with Harden on the court. That’s above their season-long average of 35.9%. Harden shooting 47.1% from distance certainly helps.
The three most efficient ways to score are getting to the basket, getting to the free-throw line, and making more threes. Harden has helped drastically in each of these areas. From that perspective, it isn’t a surprise the offense has helped boost an already great offense.
Harden has made the offense work no matter who he plays with
It was fair to wonder how Harden and Donovan Mitchell would pair offensively. It usually takes time for two high-usage players to coalesce. That hasn’t been an issue as the offense has put together an out-of-this-world offensive rating of 132 (100th percentile) when both are on the court. This has led to the Cavs outscoring opponents by 10 points per 100 possessions in such lineups (91st percentile).
The same can be said of just about every other Cavalier Harden has played alongside.
These numbers actually got worse when Garland was forced to carry the Mitchell-less lineups. The Cavs registered a -9.5 net rating (15th percentile) and a 111.1 offensive rating (22nd percentile) when Garland was on the court without Mitchell. There’s context behind why this was the case, but the ineffectiveness of those lineups was a major issue.
It’s difficult to find a guard who can both play well with Mitchell and hold things down when he isn’t on the floor. Harden has done that extraordinarily well so far in his time in Cleveland.
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The offense has been elite since the trades
I don’t want to give Harden all the credit for the offense being better, even though he deserves plenty of praise. The Cavs as a team have played well on that end since the initial trades for Schroder and Ellis.
Since the beginning of February, the Cavs have had the second-best offense in the league with a 124.9 offensive rating.
Harden isn’t a good defender. Even though he can hold his own in the post, the rate at which he gets blown by on the perimeter far outweighs that. So far, the Cavs haven’t found a good way to mask his ineffectiveness on that end.
The Cavs have registered a poor 120.8 offensive rating (16th percentile) when Harden is on the floor. That’s 20.8 points worse than it is with Harden off the floor since the trade. That disparity is artificially high due to the defense being uncharacteristically good with Harden off the floor, but it does speak to some of the issues.
Harden hasn’t helped the Cavs’ rebounding problem
Cleveland is 29th in defensive rebounding percentage since the beginning of February. In that time, opponents are collecting 34.2% of their missed shots.
Defensive rebounding has plagued the Cavs all season, but it’s actually worse when Harden is on the floor. Opponents are collecting 35.1% of their misses when he is playing (second percentile).
The Cavs have been great defensively with Ellis and Schroder
It’s worth noting that these lineups have been good offensively as well. The defense, however, has been elite. That means something on a team that has struggled on that end with Harden in the lineup.
Lineups with Ellis and Harden have been good defensively
The interesting part about these lineups is that there isn’t much commonality with the other three players. The Cavs have run this duo out in many different combinations, and nearly all of them have worked so far.
Groups with Schroder and Harden, but without Mitchell, have worked well. They’re in the 64th percentile for net rating (+2.7) due to being good offensively in their 85 possessions together. That is perfectly fine, even though it doesn’t live up to the other grouping.
This makes sense conceptually. Mitchell needs to play with a point guard, and Schroder fits that mold well. Harden needs additional spacers, not ball handlers. Schroder can do that, but that isn’t his area of expertise.
What do we make of all this?
It’s dangerous to read too much into the data that we have. The sample size is still incredibly small, the Cavs have played some horrible defenses, some good offenses, and the rotations haven’t been set yet.
That said, the numbers do conclusively show that the offense is much more well-rounded than before. They’re getting to the rim and the free-throw line more than they have in the past. Their attack is much more diversified, so that they don’t have to live and die by the three-ball as much as they have in the past.
Additionally, they need to find ways to make it work defensively with Harden. They haven’t figured out a system that best hides his deficiencies. It’s difficult to have a solid defense if your back court with him and Mitchell is that susceptible to being blown past. Going with more zone defenses could be a solution, but I’m not sure if having him at the top of a 3-2 zone is the best way to do so.
I would lean more into playing Harden with Ellis. It’s not a huge sample size, but their fit matches the eye test. Harden just needs floor spacers on offense, and that’s one of the few things Ellis can do well on that end. And Harden also needs people who can cover for him defensively. Ellis can do that as he’s one of the most disruptive defenders in the league for his size.
The main takeaway, however, is that the Cavs are implementing many changes in their rotations and style of play. It takes time to work those things out, and that’s not something this team has.
Right now, Atkinson will need to decide if he values trying as many lineup combinations as possible or if he wants to do less experimenting in an effort to establish some continuity. I would opt for the latter, but neither is a perfect solution.
These trades were a bet on Atkinson’s ability to figure out the rotations and style of play. So far, he’s done a great job, but there’s still plenty of work to be done before the playoffs. We’ll see if Atkinson can get this group to reach their potential.
In any event, we’ve had to reexamine the committee’s order and come up with a new template for our latest bracket projection. Duke, now topping the USA TODAY Sports coaches poll, strengthened its case for the No. 1 overall seed with its neutral-site victory against Michigan. Arizona also has an argument, with its win at Houston adding to an impressive list of high-end triumphs away from home. Michigan remains well-positioned as a top regional seed. Iowa State holds down the fourth No. 1, as its recent decision against Houston helps offset Saturday night’s loss at Brigham Young.
Houston is still very much in the No. 1 conversation but remains a 2 for now after a loss to Kansas on Monday. We also differ with the committee on Florida, which was outside the top 10 but projects as a No. 2 seed in our bracket. Purdue and Connecticut round out the second line.
Illinois, which lost a third consecutive overtime contest, might have missed out on its shot at heading a regional and slips to the third line along with Nebraska, Texas Tech and Gonzaga. The middle portion of the bracket wasn’t drastically altered by the weekend’s results, but there was a change on the fringe of the at-large pool as UCLA, thanks to its buzzer-beater against Illinois, replaces rival Southern California in the field.
March Madness bracketology: NCAA Tournament projection
March Madness last four in
TCU, New Mexico, UCLA, Santa Clara.
March Madness first four out
Southern California, California, Virginia Commonwealth, San Diego State.
NCAA tournament bids conference breakdown
Multi-bid leagues: Big Ten (10), SEC (10), ACC (8) Big 12 (8), Big East (3), West Coast (3), Mountain West (2).
Feb 22, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) gestures to his team during a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Good morning, it’s Tuesday, February 24th. The Cleveland Cavaliers are 36-22 and host the New York Knicks tonight. The last time they played the Knicks was in New York on Christmas Day. Since then, the Cavs have turned the corner and are playing like a new team.
New York still stands as one of the Cavaliers’ biggest obstacles in the Eastern Conference. This game can give them valuable intel into how James Harden changes the dynamic of this matchup.
Also, I’m hoping to see a bounce-back game from Evan Mobley.
Today’s Game of the Day
Boston Celtics at Phoenix Suns – 9 PM, NBA League Pass
The Celtics are in the middle of their West Coast road trip. They previously dismantled the Los Angeles Lakers and now face a scrappy Suns squad. This could make for a fun matchup as both teams have surpassed expectations this season.
Boston is a dark-horse contender in the East this year and should be on the mind of every Cavs fan. Especially if Jayson Tatum returns before the playoffs. This isn’t a team to ignore.
The rest of the NBA schedule
Philadelphia 76ers at Indiana Pacers – 7 PM
Oklahoma City Thunder at Toronto Raptors – 7:30 PM
Washington Wizards at Atlanta Hawks – 7:30 PM
Dallas Mavericks at Brooklyn Nets – 7:30 PM
Miami Heat at Milwaukee Bucks – 8 PM
Golden State Warriors at New Orleans Pelicans – 8 PM
Charlotte Hornets at Chicago Bulls – 8 PM
Minnesota Timberwolves at Portland Trail Blazers – 10 PM
Crystal Palace fan Dan Cook says Oliver Glasner should have already been removed from his role as manager.
Speaking on the latest Monday Night Club, Cook was asked about Glasner's approach to recent disharmony and also his legacy.
"It's such an obvious thing to say he's our greatest ever manager - he is," said Cook.
"You could argue Steve Coppell is above him for longevity. It depends how you look at it.
"In terms of tangible success, it's beyond our wildest dreams. I never thought I'd see it.
"In terms of his legacy, how he'll be viewed as an individual and personality-wise, he has definitely sullied it. You want to feel like your manager wants to be your manager and he clearly doesn't."
You can watch clips of Cook discuss Glasner's current position above or his legacy below.
BOTTOM LINE: The Washington Capitals host the Philadelphia Flyers after Jakob Chychrun's two-goal game against the Nashville Predators in the Capitals' 4-2 win.
Washington is 29-23-7 overall with an 11-4-2 record against the Metropolitan Division. The Capitals have gone 26-8-3 when scoring at least three goals.
Philadelphia is 25-20-11 overall and 6-5-4 against the Metropolitan Division. The Flyers have given up 177 goals while scoring 162 for a -15 scoring differential.
The teams match up Wednesday for the second time this season. The Flyers won 4-2 in the previous meeting.
TOP PERFORMERS: Dylan Strome has 16 goals and 31 assists for the Capitals. Chychrun has four goals and seven assists over the last 10 games.
Travis Konecny has 22 goals and 32 assists for the Flyers. Owen Tippett has scored four goals with three assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Capitals: 5-4-1, averaging 3.1 goals, 5.7 assists, 4.3 penalties and 11 penalty minutes while giving up 3.3 goals per game.
Flyers: 3-4-3, averaging 2.9 goals, 4.4 assists, 3.4 penalties and 7.1 penalty minutes while giving up 3.5 goals per game.
INJURIES: Capitals: None listed.
Flyers: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
MILAN (AP) — Inter Milan must overturn a two-goal deficit against Bodø/Glimt in Tuesday's Champions League playoffs if it is to avoid becoming the latest giant to be cut down by the tiny Norwegian team.
Bodø/Glimt leads 3-1 after the first leg and has its sights on the round of 16.
Inter — the beaten finalist in two of the last three seasons — plays the second leg at home but is in danger of suffering one of the biggest upsets in the competition's history.
“We should have done better, and there’s a lot of disappointment,” Inter coach Cristian Chivu said. “But we’ve reset and I’m now interested in our approach and our confidence, being the best version of ourselves and knowing we can turn it around.”
“We feel we can compete with most teams but at the same time we have nothing to lose,” Bodø/Glimt midfielder Patrick Berg said.
Atletico has work to do after drawing at Club Brugge 3-3.
Newcastle appears to be cruising into the next round after a 6-1 win in Qarabag, while Bayer Leverkusen is in control against Olympiakos following a 2-0 win in the first leg.
Lifelong memories are not usually made during dank winter nights at the MKM Stadium in Hull, but the World Club Challenge will be treasured even by those of us who do not have red and white allegiances. The match was an absolute cracker but, even if NRL champions Brisbane Broncos had strolled to victory rather than losing a spellbinding game to Hull Kingston Rovers, the event would still have been a spectacular success.
There were fireworks, a light show, music from Reverend and The Makers, and a rammed “away end” knocking out Robins anthems. Fans turned the stadium red as they waved thousands of flags while decked out in glasses from sponsors Specsavers. It was all simple but hugely effective, which is an apt description for Hull KR as a club and team.
Manager has already undergone a tactical evolution but needs further progress if his side seek highest honours
At first glance, Anthony Gordon appears to have little in common with Sir Keir Starmer but, like the prime minister, the Newcastle forward looks infinitely more surefooted on foreign soil than domestic battlegrounds.
In the Champions League, Gordon has scored 10 goals in nine games. In the Premier League, meanwhile, he has managed a modest three in 21 appearances, two of which were penalties. Whether deployed wide on the left or, following a recent positional shift, at centre-forward, Gordon seems emblematic of a wider Newcastle paradox. Just like Eddie Howe’s team, he is irrepressible one match and ineffective the next.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - FEBRUARY 22: Brandin Podziemski #2 of the Golden State Warriors handles the ball during the game against the Denver Nuggets on February 22, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Let me set the scene for you in Sunday’s game against the Denver Nuggets.
The Warriors were down on starpower. Steph Curry was out. Draymond Green got ruled out before tip-off. Kristaps Porzingis? Nope. Jimmy Butler III? Not available. You’re essentially running a nine-man road crew against Nikola Jokic, who just posted his 185th career triple-double like it was a grocery errand.
And third-year Golden State guard Brandin Podziemski? He was 1-for-10 through three quarters, couldn’t hit the side of a barn with a beach ball. The kind of performance that makes trade rumors feel justified. Then the fourth quarter happened.
Podziemski scored 15 points on 6-for-6 shooting to fuel a 20-2 run that buried Denver 128-117. He finished with 18 points, a career-high 15 rebounds, and9 assists. One assist away from a triple-double and a plus-19 in 37 minutes. On National TV!
The historical context here matters deeply, because a Basketball Reference query shows Podziemski’s 18-15-9 line against Denver makes him just the 28th entry in Warriors franchise history to post at least 18 points, 15 rebounds, and nine assists in a single game. The names above him on that list? Wilt Chamberlain, Nate Thurmond, and Draymond Green. That is the full list of Warriors players who have done something in this neighborhood. Brandin Podziemski is 22 years old and carved his name into that wall Sunday afternoon.
The heavy.com report from December noted the Warriors had shifted from treating him as “untouchable” to being “more open than ever” to moving him before the trade deadline. That’s a real tension that exists around this young man that I see around Podz in the fanbase; and performances like these make believers.
This is the version of Podziemski that had Mike Dunleavy Jr. telling him “you’re ours” when teams were calling with draft picks during the offseason. This is the version Joe Lacob saw when he believed him to be a future All-Star. And 15 rebounds from the guard feels rather Prime Westbrookian, amirite? They say if you can’t score, find other ways to contribute, don’t let your shot drag down your game. Those boards represent effort and will to affect the game in multiple ways.
Al Horford had great insight and perspective into Brandin Podziemski’s huge game after last night’s Warriors game pic.twitter.com/CpvfaLLAVO
Here’s what I keep coming back to from what Podziemski said in October that stuck with Dub Nation. He talked about wanting Curry and Green to be able to leave the franchise with him, to go to Joe Lacob and say “he’s the one.” But Sunday against Denver was Brandin answering that challenge without saying a word. Podziemski was ice cold for three quarters and then he willed them to a win against the fourth-best team in the Western Conference.
That’s not just promise; that’s character. As to whether Podziemski is catching his stride, and the answer has to be: he’s catching something. Call it confidence. Call it clutch gene. Call it the beginning of a player materializing the understanding of what he’s capable of when the lights get bright.
Imagine being this dude who dropped $124K on the Nuggets to beat the Warriors last night only to see Podz go full Curry mode in the fourth 😭
The baton metaphor he used in October looked premature when December came around. Sunday it looked like a sneak peek at a very favorable future in the Bay.
HOUSTON (AP) — Rockets forward Kevin Durant will be less than two months shy of his 40th birthday when the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics begin, but he said Monday night he told USA Basketball Managing Director Grant Hill he’d like to be considered for the U.S. men’s team when the time comes.
“I didn’t want to just take my name out of consideration just because of the simple fact that I’m older and I did it before,” Durant said after scoring 18 points for Houston in a 125-105 win over the Utah Jazz. “Grant understands my love for Team USA. That’s my family. The level of love I have for Team USA and the whole organization over there is unmatched, so I’d love to be part of it until I’m done playing.”
Durant has played in the last four Olympics, becoming USA men’s basketball’s career scoring leader in the process, but he says he doesn’t want to just be handed a spot on the 2028 team. He wants to earn it.
“I understand how tough that decision is for Grant, and how many great players are going to emerge the next year and a half, and I’m also very old compared to a lot of these players,” Durant said. “I know I've got my work cut out for me to make that team.”
During the 2024 Paris games, Durant became the first American player to win four Olympic gold medals in men’s basketball. United States stars Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird won five gold medals in women’s basketball, but Durant says joining that club is not his motivation for wanting to go through another Olympic cycle.
“I just love playing for Team USA. I love representing my country. That’s the first and most important thing — it’s putting that USA across my chest and representing where I come from,” he said.
Durant is averaging 25.9 points per game on 50.7% shooting in his 18th NBA season.
Sacramento Kings (13-46, 15th in the Western Conference) vs. Houston Rockets (35-21, third in the Western Conference)
Houston; Wednesday, 8 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Western Conference foes Houston and Sacramento face off on Wednesday.
The Rockets have gone 20-16 against Western Conference opponents. Houston averages 114.5 points and has outscored opponents by 5.1 points per game.
The Kings are 9-30 in Western Conference play. Sacramento has a 5-29 record in games decided by 10 points or more.
The Rockets average 114.5 points per game, 6.5 fewer points than the 121.0 the Kings give up. The Kings are shooting 46.2% from the field, 0.6% higher than the 45.6% the Rockets' opponents have shot this season.
The teams square off for the fourth time this season. The Kings won the last matchup 111-98 on Jan. 12. DeMar DeRozan scored 22 points to help lead the Kings to the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Kevin Durant is averaging 25.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists for the Rockets. Jabari Smith Jr. is averaging 18.6 points over the last 10 games.
Russell Westbrook is scoring 15.1 points per game and averaging 5.5 rebounds for the Kings. Malik Monk is averaging 1.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Rockets: 6-4, averaging 107.3 points, 45.3 rebounds, 24.0 assists, 9.6 steals and 6.3 blocks per game while shooting 46.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.4 points per game.
Kings: 1-9, averaging 109.3 points, 43.4 rebounds, 24.9 assists, 8.6 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 43.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 122.8 points.
INJURIES: Rockets: Jae'Sean Tate: out (knee), Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Steven Adams: out for season (ankle).
Kings: Domantas Sabonis: out for season (back), Dylan Cardwell: out (ankle), De'Andre Hunter: out for season (eye), Zach LaVine: out for season (finger), Devin Carter: day to day (back).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
HOUSTON, TX - FEBRUARY 23: Vince Williams Jr. #0 of the Utah Jazz drives to the basket during the game against the Houston Rockets on February 23, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. 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 Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
According to Sarah Todd, it appears that Vince Williams Jr. may have suffered a season-ending injury in the Jazz’s game against the Houston Rockets.
Multiple sources believe that Vince Williams Jr. suffered a significant ACL injury. He’ll have an MRI in Salt Lake tomorrow. Left the arena on crutches.
It’s a really unfortunate injury for Williams, who was looking like he was trending in the direction of being a potential rotation player next season with his size, length, defense, and ability to run the point. Now, Williams will obviously find out the extent of the injury and begin the recovery process. Let’s hope that it’s not as bad as it looked and that it’s just a severe strain and not something that requires any sort of reconstructive surgery, as likely as that seems.
