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The Phoenix Suns played the second night of a back-to-back on Sunday, hosting the Portland Trail Blazers, and the result was an abysmal performance. Phoenix scored just 77 points.

It is easy to understand why when you zoom out. Phoenix was without three of its four highest-paid players, and the absence showed from the opening tip.

What it felt like was the final five minutes of the Orlando game, followed by two overtimes, stretched across an entire night. There was no offensive rhythm, no flow, and no sense of continuity. The shooting issues that have lingered all February stayed right on schedule, and the game never found a pulse.

You can call it expected, even understandable. Still, with so much youth on the floor, you hope someone grabs the moment and makes it theirs. That never really happened. No one stepped forward, no one bent the game in their direction, and the opportunity passed without resistance.

The team shot 36.9% from the field, 25.7% from three, committed 23 turnovers, and didn’t score more than 20 points in any single quarter. Collin Gillespie scored 18 points to lead all Suns’ scorers, and 14 of those came in the fourth. Meanwhile, both Donovan Clingan and Jerami Grant had 23 points for the Blazers, with Clingan adding 12 rebounds.

The loss marked the fewest points scored by the Suns since October of 2017. Phoenix now finds themselves further away from the sixth seed as the loss drops them to 33-25.

Game Flow

First Half

Before a single point was scored, the night started going sideways. Portland All-Star Deni Avdija exited with back tightness. He was questionable on the report, gave it a go, but was unavailable once his back locked up. On the next trip down, Collin Gillespie got tangled up in a foul with Donovan Clingan, braced himself as he hit the floor, and appeared to tweak his right wrist. One possession later, Clingan looked to injure his left thumb.

Three sequences, three issues. The Mortgage Matchup Center, which I have lovingly renamed “The Morg”, kept doing what it has done all week: quietly claiming bodies before the game ever had a chance to breathe.

Both Clingan and Gillespie remained in the game.

It was a brutal offensive start for both teams. When the seven-minute mark rolled around, the scoreboard read 4-2 Suns, and it felt every bit as rough as it looked. Phoenix opened 2-of-13. Portland countered with 1-of-8. 

The first real jolt came when Jalen Green ripped down the floor and finished a transition dunk, his first in a Suns uniform.

With the roster thinned out, the first look off the bench went to rookie Rasheer Fleming, with Jamaree Bouyea right behind him. The youth got real minutes, real responsibility, and a real chance to shape the night. 

Bouyea paced Phoenix with 6 in the first quarter, while the Suns shot 34.8% from the field and 0-of-7 from deep. Portland lived in the same neighborhood, shooting 32% and finishing 2-of-14 from beyond the arc.

After one, it was an ugly 20-20 game.

The second quarter opened, and Khaman Maluach was on the floor.

And wouldn’t you know it? He hit his first three-pointer in his career, a corner ball, scoring the first three-pointer for the team at the same time.

The second quarter continued the same trend as the first quarter in that both teams were having a hard time scoring. Halfway through the quarter, the Suns had the edge 7–6 in scoring.

Portland was the first team to string together a real run, ripping off nine straight points by pushing the pace and attacking the interior. Phoenix responded by circling the perimeter, hesitant to challenge Clingan, and taking turns missing threes. Ryan Dunn struggled mightily through the stretch. On one possession, he grabbed an offensive rebound, retreated to the three-point line, and missed. The next trip down in transition, he pulled up and airballed another three. 

Amir Coffey added some juice off the bench as the Suns were looking anywhere. He made three straight buckets, getting Phoenix to within 2. Portland responded, however, closing the quarter on a 5-0 run, extending their lead to 47-40 at the break.

The Suns were 2-of-19 from three-point range in the first half, with the rookies, Maluach and Fleming, accounting for those makes. The box score wasn’t good, it wasn’t bad. It was ugly. Royce O’Neale was 0-of-5 from the field. Ryan Dunn was 1-of-7. Jalen Green was 2-of-9. 24 of the Suns’ 40 points were scored by the bench, with Bouyea leading the Suns with 8 points.

The best shot of the night? A fan won $10,000 for hitting half court shot.

Second Half

The Suns opened the second half with a shot clock violation on their first possession. If you have a hand, feel free to place the palm of it directly on your face and leave it there for a moment.

Another 9-0 run by the Blazers pushed the lead to 15. The shooting fell apart, the defense followed, and the whole thing felt disjointed. Jalen Green was the lone steady presence. By the midpoint of the quarter, he had scored all 9 of the Suns points.

Soon Phoenix was down by 20 points. Short-handed or not, the team was struggling and failing the test. That test? Seize the moment. Take advantage of the opportunity before you.  

Khaman Maluach looked good, for what it’s worth. He was playing with some give-a-shit.

The Suns shot a putrid 30.4% in the third quarter and were 1-of-8 from three. They were outrebounded 15-8. They scored just 17 points, and entered the fourth down 71-57.

The fourth quarter opened with the Suns finally knocking down a pair of threes, one from Rasheer Fleming in the corner and another from Collin Gillespie. Gillespie followed by drilling two more threes, trimming the deficit to 11 with 7:48 left and briefly giving the building something to lean into.

Things got a little spicy with five minutes left. Ryan Dunn and Donovan Clingan got into a mild shoving match that triggered a review for a hostile act. After a long look, it was ruled that nothing met the criteria. Still, it counted as the most visible life Dunn showed all night. 

A moment later, Clingan missed two straight free throws. Somewhere, Chick-fil-A trays were being mentally claimed.

The game strolled on, and the sun had no offense outside of calling Gillespie in the final quarter. Eventually, the inevitable occurred as the Suns lost 92-77.

Up Next

The Suns welcome the surprising Boston Celtics to the Morg on Tuesday night. We shall see you then!

On paper, no one game is more important than another across 82 games in the regular season. A result in October will matter as much as a result in March.

But we know that’s not true.

For the Lakers, there are two games that always matter more than the rest. There have been many rivalries that have come and gone but the Celtics games have always carried more weight.

After getting blown out in Boston under not-so-great circumstances, Sunday was supposed to be the chance for the Lakers to get some sweet revenge. They were at full strength, at home and haven’t left the state for a game since the very beginning of the month. Everything was set up nicely for, at the very least, a competitive game.

Instead, the fourth quarter featured Jaylen Brown getting MVP chants, Payton Pritchard talking trash after an endless barrage of threes and Neemias Queta slamming home lobs without a hint of resistance.

Utter embarrassment.

With a chance to not only get some revenge but match up with one of the top teams in the league, the Lakers chose the path they are all too willing to head down this year as they let go of the rope entirely. The Celtics bullied them from the very start to win the mental game and then hustled all over the court to win the actual game, too.

If the Lakers didn’t have enough to beat the Celtics, that’d be one thing. But putting forth that effort against that team on your home floor? Absolutely inexcusable.

It matters not how poor the officiating was in the first half. When the rubber met the road, the Lakers completely folded on Sunday, a trait that is starting to become commonplace for them.

So, let’s dive into the loss. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.

None of those qualifiers will matter, though, because everyone is getting the same grade after that performance.

LeBron James

34 minutes, 20 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover, 9-21 FG, 1-5 3PT, 1-1 FT, -14

LeBron was one of the victims of a terrible missed call. He spent the rest of the game missing layup after layup.

Grade: F

Marcus Smart

22 minutes, 1 rebound, 4 assists, 4 fouls, 0-7 FG, 0-5 3PT, -4

This is the worst case scenario for Smart. No team is more familiar with his shortcomings than the Celtics, who chose to completely disregard him offensively. He punished them by careening shots off the rim in their direction.

Grade: F

Deandre Ayton

25 minutes, 4 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover, 4 fouls, 2-6 FG, -15

The Lakers are getting the worst version of Ayton, who is not even taking mid-range shots. But at least he is also missing shots at the rim, too.

Grade: F

Austin Reaves

33 minutes, 15 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 4-10 FG, 1-4 3PT, 6-7 FG, -14

Reaves probably wasn’t far off from being an All-Star with the injury replacements earlier this month. He definitely strengthened his case tonight by being the fifth or sixth best player on the floor.

Grade: F

Luka Dončić

33 minutes, 25 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 4 fouls, 9-22 FG, 4-7 3PT, 3-6 FT, -21

Fans who criticize Luka for complaining to the officials too much will be feasting after this game. Valid or not, it’s a miracle he didn’t get a technical.

Grade: F

Jaxson Hayes

The only thing saving him from the same grade as his teammates is that he only played five minutes before exiting the game and not returning with an ankle injury.

Jake LaRavia

24 minutes, 4 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 2-2 FG, -18

LaRavia had maybe the highlight of the game for the Lakers with a big dunk after driving the lane. If you can name one other thing he did in this game other than turn the ball over in the backcourt, that’d be impressive.

Grade: F

Luke Kennard

22 minutes, 9 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, 3-4 FG, 1-2 3PT, 2-2 FT, -9

How can a player who is so good at 3-point shooting be so resistant to actually putting up 3-pointers?

Grade: F

Rui Hachimura

21 minutes, 5 points, 2 rebounds, 1 foul, 2-7 FG, 1-4 3PT, -13

Rui did a fantastic job in this game of playing off the other stars to get open looks that he missed repeatedly.

Grade: F

Jarred Vanderbilt

11 minutes, 3 points, 5 rebounds, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, 1-3 FG, 1-1 3PT, -1

The fourth quarter starting with Vando driving the lane, failing to eurostep around his defender and putting up a contested layup with his right hand should have been the point when everyone turned the game off.

Grade: F

Dalton Knecht, Maxi Kleber, Kobe Bufkin

Thirteen months ago, Dalton Knecht scored 13 points with three threes in 14 minutes in a 21-point win over the Celtics, in case you were wondering how dramatically he’s fallen off.

JJ Redick

With the game on the brink of getting away from the Lakers just past the midway point of the fourth, the Lakers had Luka on the floor alone with Reaves and LeBron on the bench. Don’t worry, though, because Redick brought them back in the game after a Brown and-one made it an 18-point game with right around five minutes to go.

Michael Smith, Pat Fraher, Curtis Blair

What was your favorite missed call of the game from this officiating crew? Was it the first missed goaltending? The second? Personally, I think it’s the sequence where Michael Smith missed Brown elbowing Smart in the face, then called technicals on both Reaves and Smart in the aftermath.

Grade: F

Sunday’s inactives: Chris Mañon, Drew Timme, Nick Smith Jr., Bronny James, Adou Thiero

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer standings:
Tyrese Maxey – 20
Joel Embiid – 9
VJ Edgecombe – 8
Paul George – 6
Dominick Barlow – 2
Andre Drummond – 2
Jared McCain :’( – 2
Kelly Oubre Jr. – 2
MarJon Beauchamp – 1
Adem Bona – 1
Justin Edwards – 1
Quentin Grimes – 1
Trendon Watford – 1
15th roster spot – 1

The Philadelphia 76ers have snagged their first win in over two weeks, taking down Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves 135-108 on Sunday night.

The Sixers had a decent first half of basketball, seemingly getting more in rhythm as the break approached. They entered the second half with a 10-point lead over the hosting Timberwolves. By then, four Sixers were already into double-digit scoring (Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Quentin Grimes and Kelly Oubre Jr.). The consistent scoring and even effort from the Sixers continued throughout the second half and Philadelphia amassed a lead of more than 20 points.

Tyrese Maxey put up his best performance in what feels like a long time with a game-high 39 points on 18-for-28 field goal shooting. Rookie VJ Edgecombe added a new career-high six triples for 24 points and Quentin Grimes added 19 points with five threes of his own. It was the best widespread effort we’ve seen from this team by a fair margin in weeks.

The Sixers get Monday off before continuing their road trip with a visit to the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday.

Until then, let’s get to the Bell Ringer.

Tyrese Maxey: 39 points, 3 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, 1 block

Tyrese Maxey got off to a sloppy start in this one with two quick turnovers on bad passes in the first two minutes, and it was looking like it might be another tough night for the guard. After that though, he seemed to settle in, especially toward the end of the second frame. Maxey scored 11 of the Sixers’ last 17 points to close the first half after starting to have success getting downhill and weaving into the paint against a Timberwolves team without a real center available (Rudy Gobert, suspension, and Naz Reid, shoulder soreness, were both out). Maxey shot 8-for-15 from the floor and 2-for-5 from long range in the first half, tying with fellow NBA All-Star Anthony Edwards in leading the floor with 19 points at halftime.

From then on, Maxey seemed locked in, playing with a bit of fire we haven’t seen from him in a little bit. He added 13 more points in the third including two from an absolute poster on Anthony Edwards.

This was one of the best overall Maxey performances we have seen in a bit, with great energy level and body language coming with it. He was aggressive without forcing opportunities that weren’t there. He seemed not to succumb to frustration as much, even if he wasn’t getting the foul calls he wanted. He just stuck to his game and kept doing what worked, taking advantage of the Wolves lack of rim protection on Sunday.

After a really tough few weeks, Maxey might have needed this kind of night personally, mentally, even more than the Sixers needed it.

Maxey finished this one with 39 points on 16-for-28 (57.1%) field goal shooting and 5-for-7 (51.7%) shooting from long range. He also had eight assists, three rebounds, two steals and one block.

VJ Edgecombe: 24 points (career-high 6 triples), 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals

VJ Edgecombe got the night off to a hot start, taking advantage of some open looks to put up 10 points (two triples) in the first frame. The three-point shooting of the rookie would become the cornerstone of his night, with Edgecombe sinking 3-of-4 in the first half. Following halftime, he was completely locked in, looking confident and smooth pulling up from distance whenever he could find or create an open look. It paid off.

Edgecombe ended up with a new career-high six triples on seven attempts. That’s 85.7% shooting from beyond the arc. Not only that, but he was also active on the boards throughout, trailing only Andre Drummond for the Sixers in the category with seven. The rookie also put up a solid defensive performance and committed just one turnover the entire contest, with that single error not occurring until the final minutes of the game with the Sixers up over 20 points.

This performance was another example of Edgecombe seemingly playing beyond his years when it comes to rising up to the moment, too. He got the fourth off to a hot start with a high-flying alley-oop and yet another triple to extend the Sixers’ lead early in the final frame — the beginning of putting the game out of reach for the Timberwolves and finally snapping the losing streak for the Sixers.

Edgecombe finished the night with 24 points, seven rebounds, one assist and two steals.

Quentin Grimes: 19 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal

Quentin Grimes made a quick impact off the bench for the Sixers early in this one, hitting two threes and grabbing a steal not long after checking in for the first time in the opening frame. Grimes not only was scoring well in the first half, putting up 10 points on 4-for-8 field goal, 2-for-4 three-point shooting, but was contributing well as a playmaker. He had five assists by halftime, with three coming off similar plays ending in finding Adem Bona under the net for open dunks.

This performance was the perfect example of what the Sixers need from Grimes coming off the bench. It doesn’t have to be massive scoring bursts or all highlight reel level plays. He simply provided a consistent offensive boost for the Sixers on Sunday, whether scoring himself or just keeping his head up and making the right passes for some absolute dimes for his teammates. For a team that has been struggling with assists as of late, that playmaking alone is worth its weight in gold… but the five triples certainly didn’t hurt either.

Grimes finished Sunday with 19 points on 7-for-12 field goal shooting and 5-for-8 shooting from three-point range. He also had three rebounds, seven assists and one steal.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Tyrese Maxey had 39 points and eight assists, VJ Edgecombe made a career-high six 3-pointers and finished with 24 points, and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 135-108 on Sunday night to snap a four-game losing streak — all by double figures.

Maxey made 16 of 28 shots from the field and hit four of Philadelphia's 21 3-pointers. Quentin Grimes had 19 points, which included five 3s, and seven assists. Kelly Oubre Jr. added 18 points and four steals.

Coming off a 126-111 defeat Saturday night at New Orleans, the Sixers were again without center Joel Embiid, who missed his third straight game since the All-Star break due to right shin soreness. Embiid also sat out three of the last five games going into the break with soreness in his right knee.

Minnesota had its three-game win streak snapped. Anthony Edwards scored 19 of his 28 points in the first half for the Timberwolves. Jaden McDaniels added 19 and Julius Randle scored 18.

Naz Ried (shoulder soreness) did not play for Minnesota, and Rudy Gobert served a one-game suspension for accumulating too many flagrant fouls. Gobert, the four-time NBA defensive player of the year, will be suspended two games for each additional flagrant foul this season.

Joan Beringer, a 6-foot-11 center, made his first career start for the Timberwolves. Picked No. 17 overall in the 2025 draft, Beringer had two points and three fouls in five first-half minutes. Ayo Dosunmu started the third quarter in Beringer’s place and finished with 12 points.

Grimes hit a 3-pointer and then found a cutting Adem Bona for a dunk before Maxey drained a fadeaway jumper and a 3 to cap a 10-2 run that made it 35-26 at the end of the first quarter. Philadelphia led the rest of the way.

Up next

76ers: Wrap up a three-game trip Tuesday at Indiana.

Timberwolves: Play at Portland on Tuesday.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

The Dallas Mavericks broke their ten-game losing streak Sunday night, with a 134-130 win over the Indiana Pacers.

Let’s get to the grades!

Naji Marshall: B+

17 PTS / 2 REB / 2 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 26 MIN

Marshall was back to his old ways, hitting 7-for-10 from the floor in a highly efficient outing despite limited minutes. Two turnovers wasn’t terrible, but relative to only two assists, it stands out. Also, Marshall’s rebounding totals of late have been on the lower end, though playing out of the point guard spot in this one probably didn’t help that cause.

Max Christie: B

16 PTS / 2 REB / 4 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 31 MIN

Christie joined Marshall with some hot shooting of his own (6-for-11; 2-for-4 from deep). His assist total helped his grade, but three turnovers and three fouls did not. Nice solid game overall.

P.J. Washington: A-

23 PTS / 9 REB / 2 AST / 1 STL / 1 BLK – 37 MIN

Washington must have had whatever Marshall had for breakfast, because he too looked like his best self after a sting of “meh” games. Hitting 8-for-14 from the floor was good enough to make him the second highest scorer for the Mavs. He took care of the ball and played solid defense.

Khris Middleton: A+

25 PTS / 7 REB / 7 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 33 MIN

Aside from foul personal fouls, Middleton was across-the-board fantastic. He shot a ridiculous 11-for-15, including 3-for-5 from downtown, for a season-high in points. He led the team in scoring and led the team in assists (tied with Brandon Williams). He also took a clutch charge late in the fourth quarter, and if you’ve been reading long enough you know how positively that single act impacts a grade. Somewhat more seriously though, it was at a pivotal moment in the fourth quarter. Middleton really played a complete game and it’s doubtful Dallas wins without his performance.

Daniel Gafford: B-

8 PTS / 6 REB / 2 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 22 MIN

Gafford was solid, but one can’t help but wonder if he couldn’t provide similar production off the bench at this point. As the starting center, you would think he could be racking up double-doubles, or at least close. Had it not been for 3-for-7 shooting, he easily could have been in double-figure scoring at least. He had the best plus/minus of all the starters with a plus-10, to help boost his grade.

Brandon Williams: B+

15 PTS / 1 REB / 7 AST / 2 STL / 1 BLK – 22 MIN

Williams has been doing work lately. He is staying within himself and putting together solid games again and again. His two turnovers can be forgiven next to his team-leading seven assists (tied with Middleton). He led the team in plus-minus with a plus-15.

Marvin Bagley: A+

12 PTS / 11 REB / 1 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 26 MIN

It’s safe to say I am firmly on the Bagley bandwagon. I debated this grade a bit, however landed with top marks similar to his last outing, as he all but replicated that performance. It’s still a small sample size, but Bagley has obviously outplayed Gafford over the last few games, making the center position a thing of interest.

Final thoughts

This was a fun game and a much needed win. Without Cooper Flagg, Middleton took on the starring role, with plenty of help from Washington, Marshall and Bagley. Dallas inexplicably has one of (if not the) best three point defenses based on percentage allowed, yet to the naked eye they consistently appear to be either disinterested or incapable of stopping the long ball. Indiana hit nine more threes than Dallas, yet Dallas persisted and found a way.

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

The Milwaukee Bucks couldn’t stay perfect for long out of the All-Star break, losing to the Toronto Raptors, 122-94. Despite trailing by three points midway through the third quarter, the Raptors ended the game on a 60-35 run. The Bucks remain in the 11th seed in the East with the loss. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast, Bucks In Six Minutes, below.

Player Grades

Ryan Rollins

33 minutes, 21 points, 9 rebounds, 5 turnovers, 6/17 FG, 4/7 3P, 5/6 FT, -16

Rollins bounced back after a 2/9 first-half shooting performance, but four of his five turnovers came in the second half. 

Grade: C+

Kevin Porter Jr.

31 minutes, 21 points, 10 assists, 3 steals, 1 turnover, 8/11 FG, 4/6 FT, -16

KPJ was one of two players who finished with more than one assist, and he was an efficient scorer tonight. He also held up well against Brandon Ingram on defense, especially considering the size difference. 

Grade: B+

AJ Green

26 minutes, 3 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1/6 FG, 1/4 3P, -8

Green has fallen back into a rut. The constant pressure from Toronto made it difficult to get open, and in the rare moments he did, he couldn’t convert. 

Grade: D

Kyle Kuzma

19 minutes, 3 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1/3 FG, -6

Kuzma rebounded the ball well in the first half and played solid defense on the numerous wings the Raptors employ. He couldn’t get anything going on the offensive end, much like the rest of his teammates. 

Grade: C-

Myles Turner

25 minutes, 14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks, 6/11 FG, 2/7 3P, -5

Thank goodness for Turner in the first half. He scored 11 of his 14 points and helped keep the Bucks afloat. Credit to Toronto’s defense for limiting him to three shot attempts in the second half. 

Grade: B+

Bobby Portis

18 minutes, 6 points, 7 rebounds, 3/8 FG, -15

BP never found his rhythm. He stayed engaged on the boards, even with his shot not dropping, but it’s never good to pick up a flagrant foul. 

Grade: D+

Cam Thomas

21 minutes, 15 points, 3 rebounds, 2 turnovers, 5/9 FG, 4/4 FT, -18

Thomas excited the fans when he was first introduced at Fiserv Forum. He was limited after his initial eight-point burst, but it was a solid enough home debut for Thomas. 

Grade: C

Jericho Sims

24 minutes, 4 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 2/3 FG, -18

The Jericho hype train might be pulling back into the station. He did a decent job on the glass, but so many passes or deflected balls just hit him in the hands, and he couldn’t secure them. 

Grade: C-

Ousmane Dieng

14 minutes, 0 points, 5 rebounds, 3 turnovers, 0/4 FG, 0/2 3P, -10

I’m sure it wasn’t the way that Dieng hoped his home debut would go. He never got into a rhythm, sitting out the entire third quarter after playing eight minutes in the first half. 

Grade: D+

Doc Rivers

Another game, another presser where Doc says the Bucks couldn’t do what they were supposed to do. It’s become maddening at this point. Doc said they talked about the bigs screening more to alleviate the pressure on the ball handlers, but said Green probably set the most screens. The Raptors are a good defensive team, but when the game plan isn’t working, how can you not correct it in-game? 

Grade: D

Limited Minutes: Pete Nance

Garbage Time: Gary Harris, Gary Trent Jr., Andre Jackson Jr., Thanasis Antetokounmpo 

Inactive: Alex Antetokounmpo, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Taurean Prince

Bonus Bucks Bits

• Before the game, Doc Rivers offered up some new NBA overtime rules based on watching the United States men’s hockey team beat Canada in overtime 2-1:

“It was really cool to watch, it really was. The way I look at hockey is the three-on-twos and the two-on-ones; it’s just like basketball. I wish we passed like them, it’s really beautiful. But over time, I was sitting there thinking, ‘huh,’ we should start with three-minute overtime four-on-four, then go to double overtime, three-on-three, then to the next one, two-on-two, and the next one, one-on-one. The minute police would have a problem with the one-on-one, because they’d still be playing.” 

• The Bucks turned the ball over 17 times, tied for the fourth most they’ve had this season. Doc Rivers said post-game that they got “man-handled”:

“We got man-handled, bottom line. I’ve probably only said that one other time this year. I thought their physicality completely took us out of the game and turned us into one-on-one players. We stopped moving the ball, playing the way we’ve been. When you look at our assist column, and you see all those ones, it tells you all you need to know.” 

• AJ Green has his jersey retired at the University of Northern Iowa during the All-Star Break. Green told the assembled media the story of how he learned his no. 4 was going to be put in the rafters:

“My best friend was like, ‘hey man, can I call you later or sometime this week?’ He told me it was going to be over Zoom, and I was like ‘why would we ever Zoom, bro?’ He works at UNI, so as it went along, I’m like, something fishy is going on here, but it was cool. He had organized it, my parents were on the call, [and] all the staff at UNI were on the call to let me know. It was special.” 

• Myles Turner sits just two blocks away from 1,500 in his career, with 1,498 after today’s game. He would become the 41st player in NBA history to accomplish that feat.

Up Next

The Bucks will continue their four-game home stand on Tuesday, hosting the Miami Heat. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Central time and will be televised on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin.

Man, oh, man, not only did they need this win, but this performance from Tyrese Maxey as well.

The Sixers snapped their four-game losing streak, blowing out the Minnesota Timberwolves 135-108 Sunday night.

Maxey, in his best game of the month, put up a game-high 39 points going 16-of-28 from the field along with eight assists. VJ Edgecombe was feeling his three-point shot, putting up 24 points with seven boards shooting 8-of-18 from the floor and a career-high six three-pointers made on seven attempts. 

Quentin Grimes and Kelly Oubre Jr. dropped 19 and 18, respectively, while Anthony Edwards led the Wolves with 28.

Joel Embiid (shin soreness) missed his fifth straight game while the Timberwolves were down Rudy Gobert (flagrant foul limit suspension) and Naz Reid (shoulder soreness.)

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

First Quarter

• This one started even uglier, with both teams combining to miss the first three free-throw attempts of the night. It took the Sixers nearly three minutes to record their first field goal, throwing two lazy passes that were easily intercepted.
• Oubre’ three did seem get the ball rolling a little bit. Edgecombe had a couple successful drives, getting the Wolves’ depleted bigs in foul trouble in the process. Dominick Barlow made some hustle plays early with a transition and-1 along with an offensive board that led to Maxey’s first field goal of the night.
• Edwards was truly a one-man wrecking crew to start the night, scoring or assisting 13 of Minnesota’s first 19 points of the game. The Sixers’ shooting got hot enough to keep pace though. Grimes had a hot start for the second straight game, making two of his first threes. Maxey and Edgecombe each got another to fall as well as they got out to a nine-point lead after the first.

Second Quarter

• Strong play from Grimes kept the Sixers in a rhythm across quarters. He found Adem Bona wide open at the rim two more times after doing so once late in the first, and got a couple buckets on cuts himself. After Cam Payne set him up for the second, he got a backcourt steal and buried a three, forcing a Minnesota timeout amidst a 13-3 run.

• That timeout did stop the Sixers’ flow. It took the Timberwolves a couple minutes and Edwards returning to the game, but they strung enough baskets together to have Nick Nurse call a timeout of his own. That also seemed to work as Maxey hit a gorgeous layup before Barlow got to the line.
• Minnesota was able to get someone else going as Donte DiVencenzio hit four of his first five shots. While he caught fire from behind the arc, Edwards and Julius Randle had a lot of success driving to the basket. On the other end, Maxey began to have success off the dribble as well, though he smoked both free throws as well after one of his drives was overturned from a charge to a block. Another Edgecombe three proceeded a Maxey and-1, this time converted to keep the Sixers up by 10 at the break.

Third Quarter

• Just like the night before, the Sixers showed some pretty concerning signs coming out of the half. They only scored three points for the first four and a half minutes — just one make from Edgecombe from behind the arc. That was loudly interrupted though when Maxey had his second ferocious dunk of the week, throwing one down with Edwards and Jayden McDaniels in the area.

• That dunk started with a steal Maxey turned into a fast break, and the Sixers followed that up with two more steals, both leading to baskets as well. Maxey in particular seemed to run with that shot in the arm, finding Andre Drummond on an open roll off of one of those steals before a couple more baskets off the dribble.
• He felt less aggressive than his six attempts would suggest, but Edgecombe was deadly from beyond the arc in this one. He sunk five of those, his first game making at least five threes since early January. Maxey wasn’t at that pace but was still putting together a solid night from deep as well, knocking down a pull-up a few possessions later. Maxey put the bow on the third, sinking a floater before the buzzer sounded to put the Sixers up by 16.

Fourth Quarter

• After starting the quarter by finishing off an alley-oop, Edgecombe notched his career-high in three-pointers made in exciting fashion. He drilled a grenade to beat the shotclock despite being unable to shake Ayo Dosunmu.

• A quick 6-0 run made it very clear that there was still plenty of time for the Timberwolves to get back into this. As he had all night, Maxey responded out of the timeout, getting to the rim for a basket before stealing the inbound for another layup T.J. McConnell style. Both he and Oubre kept the Sixers lead in comfortable territory knocking down more threes. Oubre and Edgecombe both tried to posterize poor Joan Beringer. Neither were successful but Oubre’s attempt not only drew a foul, but it was Beringer’s sixth.
• As has become a recurring theme as of late, the last few minutes of these game didn’t matter, but this time it was a positive for the Sixers. This game was absolutely a must-win and credit it to the Sixers, they gave one of their best efforts all season.

All of the current Lakers realized that playing against the Boston Celtics on national television really was more than just one of 82 games on the schedule.

It was crystallized even more because iconic former Lakers coach Pat Riley sat courtside after a celebration for the unveiling of his statue on the Star Plaza outside Crypto.com Arena. He was the first Lakers coach to beat the hated Celtics for an NBA championship after eight failed attempts.

So, yes, on this Sunday afternoon, this game meant more if only because it was another game in the long rivalry, a game the Lakers lost, 111-89.

Luka Doncic had 25 points for the Lakers but he was just nine for 22 from the field. LeBron James had 20 points but was just nine for 21 from the field.

Read more:Plaschke: During statue unveiling, Pat Riley reminds the disjointed Lakers of keys to winning

It was the second time this season the Lakers scored in the 80s, and that also was a loss.

For a team that entered the game shooting a league-best 50% from the field, it was not a good sign for the Lakers’ offense when their shooting slipped to 36.8% in the second quarter. They shot 39.1% for the game and 30% (nine for 30) from three-point range.

“We had some really good looks,” James said. “I think they had a good game plan defensively, forcing us to take some shots … I mean listen, sometimes you got to make shots. And they made timely shots and we didn't. We didn’t give ourselves a good chance on the offensive end. I think defensively, we held serve as long as we could. But offensively, we didn't give ourselves a good chance.”

It was obvious the Lakers felt the intensity of the rivalry when Austin Reaves and Marcus Smart received technical fouls in the second quarter and coach JJ Redick got one in the third.

They were unhappy with the officiating that didn’t go their way against an aggressive Celtics defense.

Perhaps, it was posed to Doncic, the Lakers lost some focus on offense because of the complaints that led to the T's.

"Maybe. ...You’re surprised it wasn’t me, huh?" he said. "Then you know it’s bad.”

Doncic laughed.

But what was of real concern for the Lakers was trying to deal with the Celtics and their three-point shooters.

The Celtics (37-19) entered the game tossing up 42.4 threes per game, the third-highest output in the NBA, and making 15.4 of them, also the third-highest.

On cue, the Celtics shot 14 for 36 from three-point range.

Read more:Statue outside Lakers' arena is another first for Pat Riley, the consummate coach

The Lakers (34-22) fell behind by 18 points with 4:46 left in the fourth quarter after Jaylen Brown was fouled while scoring. He made the free throw and then followed that with a three-pointer to put the Lakers in a 21-point hole.

Brown finished with 32 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.

But the real problem for the Lakers was not being able to slow down Payton Pritchard. He had 30 points off the bench, making 10 of 14 shots and six of nine three-pointers.

His three-pointer gave the Celtics a 22-point lead and forced Redick to call a timeout with 3:22 left. Redick pulled his starters, knowing it was over.

“You talk about the personnel and how good Jaylen Brown has been and how good Payton Pritchard has been,” Redick said. “Really where this team kills you is when they can get you in the blender and take catch-and-shoot threes. They can shoot 51 of them and they're going to make 20. They're that good. Trying to limit that is the biggest thing when you play these guys. And you have to be willing to live with contested off-the-dribble jumpers. Pritchard made a lot of them tonight. He played a great game."

James said he watched some of the Riley ceremony that took place at halftime.

James played for the Miami Heat for four years under the watchful eye of Riley. The Heat went to four NBA Finals and won two championships.

Riley left an indelible impression on James.

“I got out there for a little bit, sat on the bench during halftime before our meeting,” James said. “Listen, he’s one of the all-time greats to ever have been a part of this league. Not only player — coach, executive, front office, everything. Obviously what he did here for the Lakers organization in the ‘80s goes without saying and rightfully so, him having a statue outside his building. Obviously I spent four years with him. I have the utmost respect for him, for his family and everything. So, it's pretty cool.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Nicolás Fernández scored on a penalty kick in the second half and New York City FC tied the Los Angeles Galaxy 1-1 in a season opener on Sunday before a sellout crowd of 30,510 at Dignity Health Sports Park.

Newcomer João Klauss needed 90 seconds to win the hearts of Galaxy fans, scoring with assists from Marco Reus and Joseph Paintsil for a 1-0 lead. LA worked a cash-for-player trade with St. Louis City to acquire Klauss on a 1-year deal, hoping he'll ease the loss of superstar Riqui Puig for a second straight season after complications from a torn ACL.

Los Angeles maintained the lead until Emiro Garces was sent off the field for a second yellow card, setting up a successful PK for Fernández that tied it in the 66th minute and left the Galaxy a man short. Fernández scored five goals in 19 appearances with L.A. last season.

Novak Micovic did not have a save in his 25th career start for the Galaxy — 20 of them coming last season when the 24-year-old allowed 37 goals.

Matt Freese, the reigning goalkeeper of the year, saved six shots for NYCFC — four in the first half. Freese had eight clean sheets in 31 starts last season on his way to the award.

NYCFC is coming off a loss to eventual MLS Cup champion Inter Miami in the Eastern Conference Final last season.

The Galaxy are hoping to rebound from a disastrous season that saw them endure a league-record 16-match winless streak — one year after beating the New York Red Bulls to win the MLS Cup.

Up next

Los Angeles: Hosts Charlotte FC on Saturday.

NYCFC: At Philadelphia Union on Sunday.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer

The Boston Celtics continued their four-game road trip with a visit to Los Angeles to play the Lakers Sunday night. Boston rolled to a seventh victory of the month of February as they log a wire to wire win, 111-89 against their rival franchise. Jaylen Brown once again led Boston in scoring with 32 points, Payton Pritchard was unstoppable with 30 points of his own, including a mixtape of tough shots all night, as no Laker could match the former sixth man of the year.

The Lakers started Marcus Smart, Austin Reeves, DeAndre Ayton, Luka Dončić, and LeBron James. Boston started the game with Brown, White, Queta, Hauser, and Scheierman. Boston started off the game a tad sluggish as the Lakers scored the first four points of the game. Scheierman hit a corner three to finally get the C’s on the board at the ten-minute mark of the first quarter.

Big men Nemias Queta and DeAndre Ayton traded baskets as both teams settled into the game flow. Luka got in on the scoring for LA, and Hauser drained a pair of open triples for Boston as the scores were tied at 15 apiece in an entertaining start to the first quarter. Pritchard and Vooch entered the game for Boston at the six-minute mark, and they were spectators to a Jaylen Brown steal and loud two-handed jam.

Brown laced a pretty baseline jumper for his sixth point on 3-7 from the field early. Vooch sealed Doncic on the low block, and Brown fed him in the key with a sweet mini hook shot for his first points of the game. Kennard hit his first shot of the game with LeBron looking on from the bench as the Lakers took an early 25-21 lead. Derrick White got into the key and hit a push shot floater to tie the game at 25 points.

Hugo Gonzalez was tasked with sticking on Luka Doncic late in the first and held his own against the former Real Madrid star. Doncic rushed a step back, and Hugo stayed draped all over the Slovenian All-Star. Derrick White had a brilliant steal on Vanderbilt and fed the neat alley-oop dunk to Vucevic.

In a hectic end to the quarter, Jordan Walsh had a massive block from behind and an unfortunate turnover with an errand pass to Pritchard. LeBron missed his layup, and Walsh was whistled with a foul for leaping over Reaves for a tip-in attempt. Gonzalez had a horrible foul on Reaves with under a second to go as he hit his three free throws to get the Lakers back even at 28-28 to end the first quarter.

Payton Pritchard scored Boston’s first 6 points of the second quarter, including a nasty stepback triple over Vanderbilt, as the pace was extremely hectic. Brown inadvertently kicked Queta in the face on a loose ball play. Brown had a jumper and connected with Smart’s chin. Austin Reaves was whistled for a tech for clapping at the refs as Brown drained the technical free throw. Former Celtic Marcus Smart kept chirping at the refs, and he was then teed up as things got heated.

Scheierman and Brown ran a perfect fast break play off another steal, their sixth of the contest. The C’s were up 38-33 with the Lakers calling a timeout to stop the bleeding. The Lakers came out of the timeout with a play called for Luka Doncic, who calmly hit a bucket in the lane over rookie Hugo Gonzalez.

Doncic hit a triple and argued he was fouled whilst seated on the court. Gonzalez ran the length of the floor for a wide-open layup. Boston was up 44-41 as Luka was getting settled into the contest. Derrick White had a gorgeous catch-and-shoot triple from the corner, off a Pritchard assist in front of the C’s bench, to get Boston’s lead back out to 6 points.

Queta blocked and pinned a LeBron James turnaround into the backboard as the Lakers bench went ballistic as the replay showed a clear goaltend. Brown stripped Doncic as he tried to get into the lane. Boston was super active on the defensive side of things, turning over the Lakers seven times in the first half. White scored his tenth point of the game on another three-pointer, but it was Payton Pritchard who stole the show once more, on a buzzer-beating triple over Doncic to end the half, Boston up 60-50.

Pat Reilly would be honored at half time alongside other Laker legends, as the coaching legend had his statue revealed prior to the game. The second half started as Ayton was whistled for his fourth in the first minute of the second half. Brown hit a three-pointer to open the scoring for Boston, his sixteenth point of the game. Doncic hit a wide open three for his 21st point of the game. Queta got away with placing his hand inside the rim on a defensive play, Reddick was whistled for the team’s third technical as the Lakers were on the wrong side of the whistle.

Pritchard hit his third triple on a deep step back, JB hit a step back jumper over Austin Reaves, Scheierman kept the ball alive with a tip away over three flat footed Lakers. Payton Pritchard grabbed the loose ball and calmly drained his fourth three of the night, Boston still in control 77-65 with three minutes to go in the third.

Reddick and the Lakers successfully challenged a foul call as Brown drove through three white Laker uniforms. However Boston regained possession, and Hugo Gonzalez scored on a cutting layup as the Lakers defenders were caught napping, Boston by 14 points.

Laravia drove and dunked on a broken play, he would becoming the first Laker, not named James or Doncic to score in the third. Jaylen Brown rattled home his second triple to end the second quarter, he had 24 points as Boston led 84-71 with a quarter of play to go.

Joe Mazzulla rolled with Walsh, White, Vucevic, Pritchard and Hauser to start the fourth, that group gave up 5 points to the Lakers, before Boston called a quick timeout to talk about things. Payton Pritchard’s eyes lit up as Lavaria was switched onto him, nailing a step back jumper. Pritchard’s next trip down the floor resulted in another score, his 23rd point over an outstretched Austin Reaves, Boston up 92-77.

A Jaylen Brown mid range step back bucket at the six minute mark, felt like it was all over for the Lakers as the points had dried up, Boston in complete control. LeBron went to the bench with six and half remaining, Luka whistled for an offensive foul on Scheierman, things were going from bad to worse for LA.

JB’s tough and1 drive and fnish on Luka Doncic, saw the Laker faithful head to the carpark early. Lakers went to the deep bench with the white flag flying with three minutes to go in the game. Boston win big time in La La Land by 21 points.

The Celtics next face the Pheonix Suns on Tuesday night.

Hours after unveiling Pat Riley’s statue, the Lakers hit a new low this season as they were run off the floor by the Celtics on Sunday, 111-89.

After a back-and-forth game for most of the contest, the Lakers put up a pathetic display in the fourth to allow Boston to blow the game open. The Celtics set the tone physically from the start and the officials allowed the teams to play.

The result was LA being bullied for much of the night as Boston was the aggressor. LA finished the night shooting 39.1% from the field and 30% from three.

LeBron James opened the game on a personal 4-0 run, giving the Lakers an early edge. Boston started cold, missing their first three shot attempts. Baylor Scheierman jump-started the Celtics’ offense with a 3-pointer. Luka Dončić also started heating up, scoring six points for LA.

Sam Hauser knocked down two 3-pointers that helped tie the game and also led to a Lakers timeout. 

Out of the break, a turnover by Los Angeles ended in a Jaylen Brown dunk. Jaxson Hayes returned the favor with a dunk of his own. The Lakers eventually went up by four after triples from Luka and Luke Kennard. 

Boston had snatched the lead back, going up by three, before Austin Reaves knocked down three free throws to tie the game at the end of the first quarter.

Neither team could score early in the second period until Payton Pritchard drained a 3-pointer as the shot clock expired. Deandre Ayton scored on a hook shot to jumpstart the offense for LA. A 7-0 Celtics run, which included two technical fouls assessed to Austin Reaves and Marcus Smart, shifted the momentum in favor of the green. 

Luka converted on a floater to stop some of the bleeding. 

Boston’s defense was making LA stumble, forcing seven turnovers. The Celtics ended the half with Pritchard scoring five points, three of which came at the buzzer, yet again.. 

At halftime, the purple and gold were down by 10. Hayes was also ruled out for the rest of the game with a right ankle injury. 

After both teams missed a few buckets, Brown converted on a 3-pointer for the Celtics to start the scoring in the third period. LeBron responded with a triple on the other end for Los Angeles. Emotions remained high as the officiating frustrated the Lakers, leading to more free throws for Boston.

At the 6:53 mark, the Celtics were up by 11. 

LA did not know how to defend Pritchard, who was now shooting 71% from behind the arc. He knocked down two more triples before finally missing his eighth attempt. 

Aside from Luka and LeBron, no other Laker was in double figures. The closest was Reaves with nine points. The offensive struggles made it difficult for the team to string together a meaningful run.

Going into the fourth, Los Angeles was down by 13. 

The final frame began with LA trying to make a push, cutting the deficit to single digits. Reaves, LeBron and Rui Hachimura combined for a quick six points. Pritchard then scored six in a row, putting a dent in Los Angeles comeback attempt. 

LA continued to struggle throughout the quarter on both ends of the floor while Boston certainly did not. The Celtics blew the game open on the backs of Pritchard and Brown, who combined for 62 points, to run the Lakers off their home court.

Key Player Stats

Luka finished with 25 points, five rebounds and three assists. LeBron notched 20 points with four rebounds, five assists and two steals. Reaves had 15 points with seven rebounds, two assists and two steals. 

The Lakers’ next matchup will be against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday at 7:30 PM PT.

You can follow Karin on Twitter at @KarinAbcarians.

At long last, the Dallas Mavericks have won a basketball game.

The Mavericks (20-36) won their first game in a calendar month with a 134-130 decision over the Indiana Pacers (15-43) at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sunday. Dallas got a season-high 25 points from Khris Middleton to go along with seven rebounds and seven assists in the win. Andrew Nembhard led the listless and even more shorthanded Pacers with 22 points and 11 assists in the loss.

Hey, you can’t lose them all. Here are five stats that tell the tale of the streak-busting win for the Mavs.

9: Players unavailable due to injury

In a game featuring two teams doing everything they can to avoid the dreaded win column, Sunday’s game between the Mavericks and the Pacers featured 13 players on both rosters who were unavailable due to injury. Indiana and Dallas came into the game at fourth and fifth, respectively, in man games missed due to injury, illness and suspension in the NBA this season.

Cooper Flagg missed his third straight game for the Mavs with a foot sprain, while T.J. McConnell (hamstring), Aaron Nesmith (ankle), Obi Toppin (foot) and Ivica Zubac (ankle) all missed the game for the Pacers.

36-33: Mavericks’ first lead after one quarter since Jan. 19

Sunday marked exactly one month since the Mavs’ last win, a 123-115 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Jan. 22 at American Airlines Center. But did you know that it had been even longer since the Mavericks led a basketball game at the end of the first quarter? Dallas had trailed after one quarter in every game of the team’s 10-game losing streak, and trailed the Warriors after one in their last win, 27-24.

Before Sunday’s 36-33 lead at the end of the first quarter against the Pacers, the last time the Mavs had won the first quarter was on Jan. 19 at Madison Square Garden, 31-22, over the New York Knicks. Dallas ended up winning that game, 114-97, in one of the ugliest losses of the year for the Knicks.

17-of-32 (53.1%): Combined first-half 3-point shooting

Despite their short benches, both teams came out with a hot hand from 3-point range. The Mavericks made seven of their 13 first-half 3-point attempts, while the Pacers shot 10-of-19 from deep. Indiana’s tried-and-true three-headed beast from the outside featured Jarace Walker (3-of-3), Quenton Jackson (2-of-2) and Ben Sheppard (2-of-3), who combined to shoot 7-for-8 from beyond the arc.

P.J. Washington led all scorers with 16 points at the break and made his only 3-point attempt of the first half, while Pascal Siakam led Indy with 14 and made 1-of-2 from 3-point land. Dallas led 71-66 at intermission. And then, like clockwork, the two teams combined to go 1-of-6 from long range to start the second half.

48: Combined scoring from P.J. Washington and Khris Middleton

Sunday’s win was Washington’s best game since Dec. 15, when he scored 25 points and pulled down 14 boards in a 140-133 overtime loss to the Utah Jazz. Any sign of life from Washington, who has hibernated through the rougher stretches of the 2025-26 season, is a good sign.

If Washington and Khris Middleton were the story for the Mavericks in the first half, Naji Marshall was the story in the third quarter. He shot 4-of-5 from the field in the third as the Mavs extended their modest five-point lead at the half to eight entering the fourth quarter. Gafford found him with a little room in the lane in the final minute of the third to give Dallas a 98-93 advantage, before late buckets by Caleb Martin and Klay Thompson gave the Mavs some momentum going into the fourth.

Then Washington and Middleton, who paced the Mavs in the first half, reemerged to lead the team to its first win in a month down the stretch. Middleton scored nine points in the fourth quarter, heating up from the mid-range and answering the bell each time Indiana crept to within two possessions of the lead. He banked one in from 12 feet out with 4:41 left in the game to give the Mavericks a 123-116 lead, before knocking down his third 3-ball of the game the next time down to answer an Andrew Nembhard 3-pointer on the other end and make it 126-119.

12/11: Marvin Bagley’s third double-double as a Maverick

More to come on this in the coming days, but Marvin Bagley III notched his third double-double in his first five games as a Dallas Maverick on Sunday with 12 points and 11 rebounds. It remains to be seen if the Mavericks can fix Bagley, who was drafted second overall by the Sacramento Kings in 2018, ahead of both Luka Dončić and Trae Young, or if they even have any interest in taking on the project. Bagley’s current contract is up at the end of this season, but he seems to be playing with a spring in his step since coming to the Mavs from the Washington Wizards in the Anthony Davis trade.