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Avalanche acquire veteran D Brett Kulak from Pittsburgh for D Samuel Girard and a draft pick

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Brett Kulak is on the move for the second time this season.

The Pittsburgh Penguins sent the veteran defenseman to Colorado on Tuesday in exchange for defenseman Samuel Girard and a second-round pick in the 2028 draft.

Kulak played 25 games in Pittsburgh after being acquired in a December trade that shipped two-time All-Star goaltender Tristan Jarry to Edmonton. Kulak has one goal and eight assists in 56 combined games this season for the Penguins and Oilers. Kulak's arrival gives the Avalanche an experienced stay-at-home defenseman as Colorado tries to hold on to the top spot in the Western Conference.

The 27-year-old Girard is a 10-year NHL veteran who has spent the last eight-plus seasons with the Avalanche. Girard, who is signed through the 2026-27 season, had three goals and nine assists in 40 games this season with Colorado.

The additional draft capital the Penguins picked up in the deal gives them 34 picks overall over the next four drafts, including 20 selections in the first three rounds.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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Baylor Scheierman made 2 dreams come true on Sunday

Feb 22, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Boston Celtics guard Baylor Scheierman (55) controls the ball against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

PHOENIX — Baylor Scheierman has been living out one childhood dream after another.

The 25-year-old Celtics guards played 29 minutes in Sunday’s game between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers, and reflected on the experience at shootaround on Tuesday morning in Phoenix.

“It was unreal,” Scheierman said. “It was a dream come true. Being from a small town in Nebraska, I had a lot of hometown friends and family who were taking pictures of the TV screen, sending it to me, ‘You’re on the court with Lebron James. LeBron James is guarding you.’”

Scheierman has started four straight games for the Celtics — and 10 in total this season — carving out the role of someone who can defend opposing teams’ best players, rebound the ball, and space the floor.

He’s shooting 38.1% from three on the season, and averaging 5.6 defensive rebounds per 36 minutes, third-best on the team among non-bigs (trailing Jaylen Brown and Hugo Gonzalez).

He’s also beginning to master the art of the no-dip three-point attempt, a shot form that saves him a little bit of time on the release and thus allows him to get up more attempts.

“It definitely helps me get two or three more shots that I probably wouldn’t get if I had to dip it down,” Scheierman said. “Even in the last game against the Lakers, LeBron is closing out. If I dip it, I’m definitely not getting it off. I think it definitely has helped me get more shots. And when I’m out there, obviously that’s what I want.”

In Sunday’s game, Scheierman was largely tasked with guarding Luka Doncic, and he helped hold the star to a 5-13 shooting performance, per NBC Sports Boston’s Chris Forbserg.

The day before, Jaylen Brown pulled aside Scheierman and the Celtics’ other wing defenders — Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh, and Sam Hauser — to go over some of the tendencies of the Lakers’ stars.

“Obviously, Jaylen is one of the best two-way players in the game,” he said. “He’s guarded Luka before. So giving us advice definitely helped.”

Celtics-Lakers was a dream come true in more ways than one

After the game, Scheierman also completed a jersey swap with James Lafferty, an actor from the television show One Tree Hill.

“It’s my favorite show of all time,” Scheierman said, grinning. His agency had reached out to Lafferty’s ahead of the Celtics-Lakers game, and it turned out that Lafferty was a fan of Scheierman’s as well.

“That was crazy,” Scheierman said. “It’s kind of cool to be able to call him my friend and whatnot. It was an unreal feeling.”

In many ways, Scheierman is having the breakthrough NBA moment he’s long hoped for

He’s not putting up crazy numbers — he’s averaging 3.9 points and 2.8 rebounds per game — but anyone closely watching this team can attest to the fact that Scheierman has been a crucial part of its recent success.

And the Celtics have seen a lot of success as of late. They’re winners of 8 of their last 9 games, and currently have the second-best record in the Eastern Conference (and fifth-best in the entire NBA).

Scheierman is still pinching himself — not when the game is going on, of course — but afterwards, as he reflects on the fact that he’s sharing the floor with some of basketball’s all-time greats.

“It’s a surreal feeling, something that, in the moment, I don’t really like pay too much attention to,” he said. “But after the game, being able to sit there and reflect and think about it, it’s an unreal experience. And, it’s a dream come true.”

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Former Canadiens Defender Gets Traded Again

Former Montreal Canadiens defenseman Brett Kulak has been traded for the second time this season.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced that they have traded Kulak to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for defenseman Samuel Girard and a 2028 second-round pick. 

Kulak will now be joining an Avalanche club that has Stanley Cup expectations. The 32-year-old defenseman undoubtedly has the potential to be a strong fit on their roster, as he has a ton of playoff experience and can play both sides. With this, he is a player who should come in handy for the Avalanche. 

Kulak was acquired by the Penguins back in December as part of the trade that sent Tristan Jarry to the Edmonton Oilers. Now, after spending two months with the Penguins organization, Kulak is heading to Colorado. 

Kulak has played in 56 games this season split between the Oilers and Penguins, where he has recorded one goal, nine points, and 77 blocks. Now, the former Canadiens defenseman will be looking to make an impact with the Avalanche after being acquired. 

Kulak spent four seasons with the Canadiens from 2018-19 to 2021-22. In 215 games with the Habs over that span, he had 11 goals, 34 assists, 45 points, and a plus-4 rating. 

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Brett Kulak traded to Avalanche for Samuel Girard, 2028 second-round pick

DENVER, COLORADO - NOVEMBER 26: Samuel Girard #49 of the Colorado Avalanche takes a shot against the San Jose Sharks at Ball Arena on November 26, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

Kyle Dubas is making moves again, and this is a pretty significant one for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Penguins traded defenseman Brett Kulak to the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday afternoon in exchange for defenseman Samuel Girard and a 2028-second-round draft pick.

There are a lot of layers to this move, but at first glance it is a fascinating move for the Penguins and one that seems to improve quite a few areas.

For one, this is pretty clearly a salary dump for the Avalanche. Kulak is a pending unrestricted free agent after this season, while the Avalanche are the ones giving up the draft pick. That is the price they were willing to pay to get the Penguins to take on the remainder of Girard’s contract. Girard is signed through the end of the 2026-27 season with a $5 million salary cap. Given the salary cap space the Penguins have at their disposal for next season, it is not a big deal for them to take on that contract.

Dubas has been weaponizing the Penguins’ salary cap space for the better part of the past year-and-a-half now and used it to bring a stockpile of draft picks into the organization. This is another example of that.

It is also a potential upgrade to the defense for both this season and next season.

While the Avalanche clearly wanted to use that salary cap space for something else — perhaps another big move to add forward depth, what they do next will be fascinating — Girard is still a useful, puck-moving defenseman with strong underlying numbers. He is also a left-shot defenseman under contract for next season, something that has been a pretty big need for the Penguins. He is also still only 27 years old and fits into their current roster and timeline.

Kulak was a solid addition for the Penguins during his brief time here, but this is a no-brainer move. Especially when it comes with another future second-round pick to add into the collection.

With the addition of the 2028 second-round pick, they now have multiple second-round picks in each of the next four drafts, while also having multiple third-round picks in each of the next three drafts. That means over the next four draft classes the Penguins will have 20 draft picks in the first three rounds. That is a net-gain of eight draft picks. That is significant. Not only because it adds more prospects into the system for the ongoing rebuild, but also because those are picks that can also be traded. That is how you find an Egor Chinakhov or a potential addition to help in a playoff push without depleting your long-term prospects.

The other layer to this is it adds another branch to the still growing Tristan Jarry trade tree.

The Penguins initially acquired Kulak, along with goalie Stuart Skinner and a 2029 second-round draft pick, from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Jarry earlier this season.

With this trade now complete, it means the Penguins have turned Jarry and his contract into Stuart Skinner, Samuel Girard and two second-round draft picks.

That seems almost impossible to wrap your head around when you consider Jarry was on waivers a year ago, then playing in the American Hockey League, and looking to have a completely unmovable contract. They made it work, while also coming out ahead both now and in the future.

The thing about that is, even if Girard does not work out here he is STILL signed for fewer years than Jarry is. His contract comes off the books one year before Jarry’s does. So either way the Penguins are saving salary cap space in the long-run while also getting two pretty strong assets back in return and very likely making their team better in the short-term.

The question now becomes whether or not Skinner gets added to that Jarry trade tree to open the door for a potential Sergei Murashov call-up at some point. It would be risky, but nothing seems to be off the table right now.

It is really difficult to walk the line between rebuilding and contending at the same time, but the Penguins are doing a pretty good job of making it happen right now. They are a very good team. They are helping their team this season and very seriously competing for a playoff spot. It is, by pretty much every objective measure, a very good hockey team. They are also positioning themselves for the long-term with a significant influx of young talent while also having more draft picks over the next four years than any team in the NHL, including multiple picks in the second-and third-rounds. They also have significant amounts of salary cap space.

There is a lot you can do with that. All of it. They are in a good position both now and in the future. This is strong work by Kyle Dubas.

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Portuguese soccer federation monitoring situation in Mexico ahead of friendly in March

LISBON (AP) — The Portuguese soccer federation said Tuesday it was monitoring the situation in Mexico amid a surge in violence ahead of its friendly against the Mexican national team in March.

The federation said it was "closely monitoring the delicate situation currently unfolding in Mexico” following the killing of the country’s most powerful drug lord by the Mexican army on Sunday. The killing sparked a surge in violence and put the country on edge.

The World Cup warmup match is scheduled for March 28 at the renovated Azteca Stadium, which is scheduled to host the opening match of the World Cup between Mexico and South Africa on June 11.

Mexico is set to play Iceland in a friendly Wednesday in Queretaro, with the Icelandic soccer federation saying Tuesday that it expects the game to go ahead as planned.

The Portuguese federation said it was honored by the invitation to participate in the reopening of the renovated venue, but noted that “the recent evolution of events requires continuous evaluation of the conditions” that the national team and its delegation will find.

It said it will follow the recommendations of the Portuguese government and will be in close contact with the Mexican soccer federation.

“Any decision will be made as a result of ongoing monitoring, in close coordination with the government and in line with the Mexican Football Federation, an entity with which the Portuguese Football Federation maintains excellent institutional relations and regular contact,” the Portuguese federation said in a statement.

“The Portuguese Football Federation emphasizes that the safety of players, coaching staff and fans is an absolute priority, and this is the main criteria for all assessments and decisions regarding the holding of the match,” the federation said.

Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum said Tuesday at her daily news briefing that there was “no risk” for fans coming to the World Cup.

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

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Blues Send Matt Luff To The Islanders In AHL Deal

The St. Louis Blues have completed an AHL deal, sending forward Matt Luff to the New York Islanders in exchange for winger Julien Gauthier. 

Luff is participating in his second season in the Blues organization, as he played 50 games with the Springfield Thunderbirds last year. In the off-season, he signed a two-way contract with the Blues and spent time in both the NHL and the AHL during the 2025-26 season.

In the NHL, he’s notched one goal in five games. In the AHL, he scored 14 goals and 39 points in 42 games. The 28-year-old has played for many teams in his NHL career, but this will be his first stint with the Islanders. 

Coming over to St. Louis is a former first-round pick in the 2016 NHL draft. The Carolina Hurricanes had selected Gautier with the 21st overall pick in 2016, but he was dealt to the New York Rangers in the 2019-20 season.

Gauthier has played 181 NHL games in his career, scoring 19 goals and 41 points. The 28-year-old has also accumulated 86 goals and 130 points in 228 AHL games in his career, including five goals and seven points he’s scored in 14 AHL games this year. 

Luff and Gauthier are built fairly similarly, with Luff standing 6-foot-3, 219 pounds and Gauthier standing 6-foot-4, 230 pounds. But their play styles differentiate. Gauthier attempts to be involved physically far more frequently than Luff does, and Gauthier is more of a sniper, looking to get into high-danger areas to shoot the puck. 

According to the Blues, Gauthier will report to the Thunderbirds in the AHL.

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Pack9 hosts Richmond on Tuesday, Akron on Wednesday

CORAL GABLES, FL - MAY 02: NC State outfielder Ty Head (14) runs to third base in the fifth inning as the Miami Hurricanes faced the NC State Wolfpack on May 2, 2025, at Mark Light Field at Alex Rodriguez Park in Coral Gables, Florida. (Photo by Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Richmond @ NC State, Tuesday @ 3:00pm (ACCNX | Stats)

Akron @ NC State, Wednesday @ 3:00pm (ACCNX | Stats)

It’s a busy week over at Doak Field as NC State (5-1) continues on as part of an 18-game homestand, welcoming the Richmond Spiders (5-3, RPI #242) on Tuesday at 3:00pm and the Akron Zips (3-4, RPI #304) on Wednesday at 3:00pm.

Six games into the year and the Wolfpack’s pitching has been impressive. JR RHP Heath Andrews was scheduled to start the year as State’s Sunday starter, but a weather cancelled season debut pushed him to start last week’s midweek win over Winthrop. His struggles in that outing coupled with JR LHP Cooper Consiglio’s excellent start in the series finale this past weekend against Princeton will keep Andrews (0-0, 8.10 ERA, 3.1 IP, 10.5 BB%, 10.5 K%) in that midweek role for the time being as he’ll get the start against the Spiders.

There is no announced starting pitcher for NC State’s game against Akron.

Half of Richmond’s games this year have been decided by two or fewer runs. After a season-opening home series win against Monmouth, the Spiders were stomped by UNC 10-0 last Tuesday, captured a 9-5 home win against James Madison on Wednesday, and then took two-of-three at home against Penn State this past weekend. Time will tell if that series win over the Nittany Lions is impressive or not; Penn State was projected to finish 5th in the 17-team Big Ten, but they also were destroyed by Air Force (3-15 loss) and Kansas State (5-24 loss) in Arizona to start the year.

The Spiders are hitting .256/.371/.397, 13 2B, 6 HR, 10.8 BB%, 22.0 K%, 11-19 SB on the year. Those stolen bases numbers tell you exactly how Mik Aoki wants his team to play: aggressively. That’s a bit of a new mentality, as the 2025 Richmond team only had 79 stolen bases combined (on 100 attempts), with 36 of those coming from a single player (Aaron Whitley) who has since graduated. That makes sense as this is a rebuilt lineup that lost 7 of their 8 regulars from last year. D3 transfer SR C Dylan Winebrenner (.433/.485/.933, 1 2B, 4 HR, 0.0 BB%, 6.1 K%, 1-4 SB) from Salisbury University is off to a fantastic start. He’s a big 6’4, 230 right-handed hitter with the requisites to be a power hitter, although he only had 16 career home runs heading into this year. SR C/2B Michael Elko (.259/.364/.333, 2 2B, 0 HR, 6.1 BB%, 18.2 K%, 0-2 SB), son of Texas A&M head football coach Mike Elko, is the top returning hitter from last year’s 33-19, RPI #140 squad.

On the mound, Saturday starter SO LHP Joey Giordano (2-0, 3.48 ERA, 10.1 IP, 9..5 BB%, 26.2 K%) has been a nice surprise. He had Tommy John Surgery as a senior in high school and wasn’t available until late last year, but showed promise in that brief showing (2-0, 3.78 ERA, 16.2 IP, 12.0 BB%, 17.3 K%), so him taking another step forward would be a very welcomed development for a Spiders staff that has a decent amount of returning experience, but is light on sure things. JR RHP Jackson Hinchliffe (1-0, 3.86 ERA, 7.0 IP, 3.1 BB%, 12.5 K%) will get the start on the mound against NC State. He started 12 games last year and did throw well against JMU last week in earning the win on a pitch count. He’s a contact oriented pitcher featuring a low-90’s four-seam fastball and high-80’s sinker, with a change-up, cutter, and a slurve to mix in.

The bullpen is going to be a work in progress throughout the year as four of their five top relievers are gone. Six-foot-seven grad transfer rSR RHP Justin Gay (0-1, 2 SV, 1.50 ERA, 6.0 IP, 0.0 BB%, 31.8 K%), a former JUCO player who spent the last two years at Florida Atlantic (although he didn’t pitch in 2025) is off to a strong start. Rice transfer rSR RHP Mauricio Rodriguez (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 3.0 IP, 26.7 BB%, 20.2 K%) is coming off an injury that cost him all of 2025; he could be a big piece to this bullpen if he can pound the zone and continue to miss bats like he did his last year at Rice (1-1, 8.07 ERA, 35.2 IP, 7.1 BB%, 29.5 K%).

Akron has a game at Western Carolina in Cullowhee on Tuesday afternoon, but enters today with a 3-4 record. Oddly, their losses have come via a pair of 6-8 defeats and a pair of 8-16 defeats. Weird. The Zips gave up multi-run late leads in both of those 6-8 losses (both to Presbyterian) and almost allowed another late lead to vanish in their third game against the Blue Hose, so it’s worth noting that the bullpen may be an issue.

That’s not a huge shock as five of the top six pitchers by innings pitched from 2025 are gone. Control has been a big issue for the pitching staff with a collective line entering Tuesday of 3-4, 1 SV, 6.87 ERA, 15.1 BB%, 18.7 K% and has given up 10 home runs. That 1.24 K/BB ratio isn’t a recipe for success.

The lineup is what Akron will have to ride to any success this season, and collectively they’re batting .266/.381/.437, 16 2B, 7 HR, 13.9 BB%, 22.9 K%, 25-26 SB. That strikeout rate is alarming given their level of competition, but those stolen base number is scary, especially when you realize that seven players have multiple stolen bags on the year. It’s also an experienced group, which will help. The lineup is incredibly top heavy with rJR 3B Brennan Morgan (.500/.625/.667, 4 2B, 0 HR, 18.8 BB%, 3.1 K%, 0-0 SB), rSO RF Brody Chrisman (.357/.387/.786, 3 2B, 3 HR, 6.5 BB%, 16.1 K%, 4-4 SB), SR CF Kelton Phillips (.345/.412/.379, 1 2B, 0 HR, 8.8 BB%, 20.6 K%, 7-8 SB), rSO DH Blake Bowen (.273/.515/.455, 1 2B, 1 HR, 33.3 BB%, 27.3 K%, 2-2 SB), SR 2B Henry Hayman (.316/.364/.632, 3 2B, 1 HR, 9.1 BB%, 18.2 K%, 0-0 SB), and rSR 1B Easton Amundson (.227/.419/.636, 1 2B, 2 HR, 19.4 BB%, 25.8 K%, 2-2 SB) basically being the entire offense. Getting production from the remaining one-third of the lineup will be crucial to creating big innings, which will be necessary to success given the pitching staff.

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Milwaukee Bucks Poll: Should Pete Nance be converted?

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - FEBRUARY 20: Pete Nance #35 of the Milwaukee Bucks takes a shot over Jordan Poole #3 and Karlo Matkovic #17 of the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half of a game at Smoothie King Center on February 20, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Two-way forward Pete Nance is in the second season of his two-way deal with Milwaukee and has impressed since joining the rotation last month. He’s shooting a bonkers 51% from three on 49 attempts, good for 58.8% from the floor, to go along with solid defense. That’s just five points per game over 25 contests this season, but most Bucks fans have seen enough and want him to be converted to a standard deal. Nance is also approaching his two-way limit of 50 active games: he has nine DNP-CDs, which count as being active, so he can only be active for 16 more, with 27 left on Milwaukee’s schedule. Two-way players also cannot participate in the postseason, including play-in games.

Unfortunately, converting him is not so simple. The Bucks’ standard roster is full with 15 guaranteed contracts, and while they could waive some of their cheaper players and keep the dead money on their books without much issue, some of the best release candidates also have guaranteed money due to them next season. Gary Trent Jr., Gary Harris, and Taurean Prince each have player options for 2026–27 for around $3.9m, so if the Bucks were to waive any of them, that option value would be stretched over three further seasons. Meaning another $1.3m on top of the $20–21m in stretched salary Milwaukee already owes to Damian Lillard and Vasilije Micic through summer 2029.

The options that don’t involve stretching are the Bucks’ upcoming free agents: Ousmane Dieng, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Cam Thomas, and Andre Jackson Jr. (who has a $2.4m team option this summer—non-guaranteed salary that wouldn’t require stretching). Ajax is the obvious candidate, given his lack of playing time and lack of familial relations with Milwaukee’s star. But Thomas is actually the cheapest player on the roster now at $845k. If any of these four were waived, they’d be off the books come July 1.

In this week’s Tuesday Tracker, make a decision on Nance. Leave him on the two-way and manage his games, thus making him ineligible for any playoff action, or convert him now? We also have questions on the Bucks’ projected finish in the East and the Bucks’ first-round pick this summer.

As always, this poll will be open until midnight Central on Friday, and we’ll post the results later that day. Thanks for voting!

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76ers vs Pacers Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s NBA Game

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The Philadelphia 76ers will look to build on their last road win as they visit the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night.

These teams have already played two tight, low-scoring games this season, and I’m taking the Under again in my 76ers vs. Pacers predictions below.

Keep reading to get a full breakdown of tonight’s matchup and see my free NBA picks for Tuesday, February 24.

76ers vs Pacers prediction

76ers vs Pacers best bet: Under 233.5 (-110)

The Indiana Pacers have been one of the worst offensive teams in the NBA this year. Indiana is averaging just 111.5 ppg on the season, and ranks second-to-last in offensive efficiency.

Even with the Pacers also playing mediocre defense, that’s been enough for the team to trend to the Under, which has gone 33-25 in Indiana’s games.

The Philadelphia 76ers have been only slightly above average offensively themselves this season, averaging 116.2 ppg, but play enough defense to make that work.

We’ve seen these teams play twice this year, easily hitting the Under both times, and I’m expecting the same tonight.

76ers vs Pacers same-game parlay

The Pacers have lost six of their last eight, and are just 2-6 against the spread in that span as well.

I like Philadelphia to cover behind a big night from Joel Embiid, who should impact both sides of the ball.

Embiid has scored 29+ points in nine of his last 10 games, and has recorded a block in four of his last five outings.

76ers vs Pacers SGP

  • 76ers -9.5
  • Joel Embiid Over 27.5 points
  • Joel Embiid Over 0.5 blocks

Our "from downtown" SGP: All in on the Sixers

For my lottery SGP, I’m banking on a big all-around game for Embiid, who has hit this PRA total in nine of his last 10 outings.

Let’s pair that with another strong game from Quentin Grimes, who dished out seven assists and hit five threes on Sunday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

76ers vs Pacers SGP

  • 76ers -9.5
  • Joel Embiid Over 38.5 points + rebounds + assists
  • Quentin Grimes Over 1.5 threes made
  • Quentin Grimes Over 3.5 assists

76ers vs Pacers odds

  • Spread: Philadelphia -10 (-110) | Indiana -10 (-110)
  • Moneyline: Philadelphia -450 | Indiana +350
  • Over/Under: Over 233.5 (-110) | Under 233.5 (-110)

76ers vs Pacers betting trend to know

The Under is 4-0 in the last four meetings between the 76ers and Pacers. Find more NBA betting trends for 76ers vs. Pacers.

How to watch 76ers vs Pacers

LocationGainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
DateTuesday, February 24, 2026
Tip-off7:00 p.m. ET
TVNBC Sports Philadelphia, FDSN Indiana

76ers vs Pacers latest injuries

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TRADE: Penguins & Avalanche Swap Defensemen

The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced that they have acquired defenseman Samuel Girard and a 2028 second-round pick from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for blueliner Brett Kulak.

Girard appeared in 40 games this season with the Avalanche, where he had three goals, nine assists, 12 points, and a plus-12 rating. This is after he had three goals and 24 points in 73 games this past season with Colorado.

Girard will be more than a rental for the Penguins, as the 27-year-old blueliner has a $5 million cap hit until the end of next season. 

As for Kulak, his time with the Penguins organization has come to a quick end. The Penguins brought him in earlier this season in the deal that sent goalie Tristan Jarry to the Edmonton Oilers.

Kulak played in 25 games for the Penguins following being acquired from Edmonton, where he had one goal and seven points. 

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Atlanta’s BravesVision Grabs Own Media Reins in Wake of RSN Crackup

As Major League Baseball scrambles to accommodate the local distribution needs of more than a half-dozen clubs formerly affiliated with the Main Street Sports RSNs, the Atlanta Braves have elected to take matters into their own hands.

The NL East franchise on Tuesday announced the launch of BravesVision, a wholly-owned multimedia platform that will begin producing and distributing its games in time for the March 27 season opener against the Kansas City Royals.

Under the new BravesVision paradigm, the franchise will televise and stream more than 140 regular-season games to fans across its six-state footprint, a swath of the Southeast that includes Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and the Carolinas.

“This endeavor will bring the most vital link to our fanbase—our television broadcast—back under the control of our organization,” Braves president and CEO Derek Schiller said in a statement. In a nod to the team’s long run on the TBS Superstation, Schiller noted that BravesVision marks a return to form for “generations of Braves fans who were raised watching games on a network that shared ownership with the baseball team.”

Sales and marketing staffers are already being onboarded, and the Braves are working quickly to secure carriage deals with the likes of Charter, Comcast and DirecTV. The club is also said to be interested in pursuing alliances with virtual MVPDs such as Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV.

The Braves’ announcement comes about a year after the Texas Rangers’ split from their RSN, which served as the precursor for the launch the in-house Rangers Sports Network. The AL West franchise cut ties with its legacy RSN/Main Street precursor Diamond Sports Group in late 2024.

BravesVision also will be made available to in-market fans on a streaming basis via Braves.TV, a new direct-to-consumer platform hosted by MLB.TV—which was recently acquired by ESPN as part of its three-year, $1.65 billion renewal with the league.

In addition to the pay-TV offering, Gray Media will televise 15 free over-the-air games in 2026, reprising a similar deal struck between the stations group and the Braves a year ago. Atlanta will continue to be well-represented on the national TV dial; in April alone, the Braves are set to appear on Fox, NBC and TBS.

The Braves’ bid to strike out on their own was necessitated by the imminent collapse of the Main Street RSNs, which appear to be on a collision course with bankruptcy. Earlier this month, the nine MLB teams that remained under contract with Main Street formally dissolved their ties with the company; seven of those defectors—the Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, Royals, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays—have already come in under MLB’s media umbrella, while the Los Angeles Angels are officially expected to join the rest of the pack before the new season gets underway. 

Main Street still holds in-market rights to 13 NBA and seven NHL teams, but those legacy deals are all but certain to be voided by the time both leagues close out their respective 2025-26 campaigns. Among the pro sports franchises in the Braves’ footprint that may soon be looking for a new local media base are the Atlanta Hawks and Nashville Predators.

Barring a zero-hour infusion of cash, Main Street could begin winding down its operations in the spring. The company began issuing WARN [Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification] notices to its employees last week. A legal requirement designed to provide employees 60 days’ notice in advance of a mass layoff, WARN filings may also include information pertaining to the imminent closure of offices.

The WARN notice Main Street issued to its Atlanta offices indicates that 74 employees will be let go, with the facilities set to be shuttered on April 14. Similar alerts have been issued to staffers in Minneapolis, Detroit, Los Angeles and Milwaukee.

In November, the Braves disclosed that they’d generated $600.3 million in baseball revenue for the first three quarters of 2025, up 7% versus the year-ago period. Per the team’s 10-Q filing, games at Truist Park accounted for 60% of that total ($357.6 million), with broadcasting revenues coming in at $164.6 million, which marked a 14% improvement compared to the analogous nine-month period in 2024.

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Who will be the pleasant surprise the Phillies desperately need?

Feb 21, 2026; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Justin Crawford (80) singles during the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

For a few moments on Saturday, Phillies fans forgot about the drama.

Justin Crawford, the left-handed-hitting rookie who everyone expects to be the everyday center fielder this year, walloped a ringing line drive double off the left-center field wall in his first plate appearance of spring training.

It was a beautiful sight.

Crawford’s penchant for hitting tons of ground balls has been well-documented, and despite finishing with an .863 OPS in 112 AAA starts a season ago, fans entered the spring tamping down expectations. To be honest, no one is expecting much from Crawford in his first season. He’ll likely hit out of the nine-hole in the order. The fear is Crawford’s ground ball swing will severely limit his productivity at the Major League level, dampening expectations for the 22-year-old before he’s played his first official big league game.

So seeing him rocket a deep fly ball to the opposite field off a left-handed pitcher with seven years of MLB experience had everyone feeling really good. That he followed that up with a single in a subsequent at-bat, and made a terrific sliding catch in center, only helped improve the vibes.

This off-season has been brutal. After re-signing Kyle Schwarber to an expensive free agent contract and grabbing Mitch Keller as a right-handed set-up man in the ‘pen, Dave Dombrowski’s winter of our discontent has permeated into the spring.

Sure, the Phillies won 96 games a year ago. Sure, they boat-raced the NL East by 13 games. It all feels hollow because they lost in four games to the Dodgers in the NLDS, another playoff series in which the same bats fell silent and the same relief pitchers gave up untimely hits in another early-round exit.

When you add in the failed pursuit of Bo Bichette in free agency, the Nick Castellanos drama and Bryce Harper’s anger at Dombrowski, it’s clear this team needs some things to go right down in Clearwater before the team breaks camp next month.

Crawford’s debut was a good start. Schwarber went deep in his first plate appearance of the spring. That was nice, too. As Phils fans, we need more.

We need Andrew Painter to look more like the young phenom who appeared to have a spot in the Phillies’ rotation earmarked ahead of the 2023 season before Tommy John surgery knocked him out for all of 2024 and caused him to be largely ineffective in 2025. A dominant Painter would do wonders for concerns about the sudden fragility of the starting rotation.

Speaking of that rotation, seeing Zack Wheeler up on the bump and throwing hard would be amazing. An effective Aaron Nola, looking to bounce back from a brutal 6.01 ERA in half a season, would be great, too. Castellanos’ replacement in right field, Adolis Garcia, could ease a lot of concerns by hitting a few meaningless bombs down in Florida. And hey, maybe someone pops up from out of the blue to make an impact, like right-handed outfielder Bryan de la Cruz or a minor league guy like Nick DeMartini. Maybe Aidan Miller, once his back heals, pushes for a big league spot sooner rather than later.

And wouldn’t it be nice to see the Phillies participating in the World Baseball Classic have some big moments? It could be quite the showcase for Harper, who one would believe is taking Dombrowski’s “elite” comments to heart by having a more impactful season that he did last year.

So, who will it be? Who will be the pleasant surprise the Phillies desperately need to change the narrative?

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GameThread: Tigers vs. Braves, 1:05 p.m.

Feb 23, 2026; Lakeland, Florida, USA; Detroit Tigers right fielder Kerry Carpenter (30) catches a fly ball during the third inning against the Minnesota Twins at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Detroit Tigers vs. Atlanta Braves

Time/Place: 1:05 p.m., CoolToday Park – North Port, FL
SB Nation Site: Battery Power
Media: MLB.TV (free)

Lineups

TIGERSBRAVES
Parker Meadows – CFRonald Acuna – RF
Kevin McGonigle – SSJurickson Profar – DH
Wenceel Perez – RFMatt Olson – 1B
Jahmai Jones – DHAustin Riley – 3B
Zach McKinstry – 2BOzzie Albies – 2B
Max Clark – LFMike Yastrzemski – LF
Hao-Yu Lee – 3BMichael Harris – CF
Jace Jung – 1BJonah Heim – C
Tomas Nido – CMauricio Dubon – SS
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Cubs vs. Padres at Mesa preview, Tuesday 2/24, 2:05 CT

MESA, Arizona — Tuesday notes…

  • FORMER CUBS IN PADRES CAMP: Jason Adam, Jeremiah Estrada and Nick Castellanos. Yu Darvish is still officially with the Padres as of now, but is unlikely to play this year and might retire.
  • CUBS SPRING BATTING LEADERS: Hits (3): Jefferson Rojas, Brett Bateman, Pedro Ramirez. Doubles (1): Carson Kelly, Owen Miller, Ramirez. Home runs (1): Rojas, Seiya Suzuki. BA: .429, Bateman, Ramirez. OBP: .600, Bateman. SLG: .750, Rojas. OPS: 1.194, Rojas.

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

Padres lineup:

Shōta Imanaga will start for the Cubs. Other Cubs pitchers scheduled today: Daniel Palencia, Jacob Webb, Hoby Milner, Ethan Roberts, Jack Neely, Gavin Hollowell and Grant Kipp.

Marco Gonzales will start for the Padres. Other Padres pitchers scheduled today: Jackson Wolf, Ryan Och, Francis Peña, Ethan Routzahn, Bradgley Rodriguez and Ron Marinaccio.

No TV today. There will be a radio broadcast online via Padres Audio.

MLB.com Gameday

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

Please visit our SB Nation Padres site Gaslamp Ball. If you do go there to interact with Padres fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

As we have done in the past, we’ll have a first pitch thread at five minutes to game time and one overflow thread, 90 minutes after game time. For today, that will be 2 p.m. CT and 3:30 p.m. CT.

These threads will not post individually onto the front page; instead, you can find links to them in the box marked ”Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page. There will also be a StoryStream on the front page with all the game thread links, as well as the recap after the game is over. The pitcher photos and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

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NBA power rankings 2025-26: San Antonio takes over top spot in rankings after beating Detroit

After a week off for the All-Star break, NBC's NBA Power Rankings are back, and they have a new No. 1: Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, fresh off beating the now-second Detroit Pistons.

1. San Antonio Spurs

(41-16, last week No. 2)
For three quarters, the Detroit Pistons used their physicality to disrupt and wear down Victor Wembanyama on Monday night. Didn't work. In the fourth quarter, Wembanyama had 11 points, six rebounds, three assists and four blocks to make sure the Spurs pulled away from the Pistons for a 114-103 victory. It was one of those games where Wemby's counting stats — 21 points, 17 rebounds (eight offensive), four assists and six blocks — don't do justice to his impact. Devin Vassell added 28 in the game because someone is always stepping up for the Spurs, who have now won nine straight and are unquestionably contenders despite their young age. People often talk about the Pistons' fast turnaround after winning just 14 games a couple of seasons ago, but people gloss over the fact that the Spurs have that same kind of story: This team was 22-60 in both the 2022-2023 and 2023-24 seasons. San Antonio entered this season with people expecting them to take a step forward into the play-in, not make a leap to title contender, but here we are.

2. Detroit Pistons

(42-14, last week No. 1)
Last week showed us why this team has to be considered a genuine threat to make the NBA Finals out of the East, and also why some around the league have doubts about them in the postseason. The week started with a statement over the Knicks, one of the preseason favorites in the East, and the Pistons did it without suspended big men Jalen Duren (he's back) and Isaiah Stewart (still serving time). Detroit looked dominant in that win. Then it ran into the Spurs, with their quality perimeter defenders backed by Wembanyama, and they lost a game in which Cade Cunningham had 16 points on 5-of-26 shooting, and the lack of a second perimeter shot creator caught up with Detroit. The Pistons are 18-6 against teams over .500 this season, but are "just" 8-5 at home in those games.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder

(44-14, last week No. 3)
Oklahoma City has gone 4-3 without MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (and five of those games were also without Jalen Williams), holding onto its spot atop the Western Conference (although San Antonio is closing fast). It's been the role players stepping up, as they always seem to for OKC. For example, since the trade deadline, the Jared McCain and Isaiah Joe bench combo has instant chemistry and is destroying teams. Another guy who helped on Sunday against Cleveland was Cason Wallace, who had his first 20-10 game ever. One of the challenges of being an elite team is that the league backloads the schedule for television reasons — OKC has the second toughest schedule in the league the rest of the way.

4. Boston Celtics

(37-19, last week No. 5)
Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics are still figuring out exactly how to fit Nikola Vucevic in with their roster after picking up the stretch five at the trade deadline. Through five games, Vucevic is averaging 11.8 points and 8.4 rebounds a game, shooting 42.9% from 3-point range. "The gift Vuc has is versatility," Mazzulla said before facing the Lakers. "So it's not about what he's best at, he's good at a lot of things. And so it's an understanding of how can we take advantage of that within a game. And so it is going to change from game to game, how is he being defended? How he's being defended has a direct impact on how we're being defended as a team." On another note, Payton Pritchard's move to the bench is already paying off.

5. Cleveland Cavaliers

(36-22, last week No. 6)
The Cavaliers started 5-0 in the James Harden era with a top-three offense in the league through that stretch, although the loss to a shorthanded Thunder team on Sunday was a reminder of the concerns about this team (particularly the defense). That loss makes us wonder if a starting five with Sam Merrill instead of Dean Wade may be coming soon. Either way, Cleveland has the sixth-easiest remaining schedule in the league, one with a lot of games against tanking teams, and it's easier than any of the teams they are in the mix with at the top of the East. Cleveland sits just two games back of Boston for the No. 2 seed in the East and passing them is a reasonable goal over the final stretch of the season.

6. New York Knicks

(37-21, last week No. 4)
Every concern fans have about the New York Knicks was exposed by Cade Cunningham and the Pistons in the first game back from the All-Star break. Part of that is the ongoing issue that Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns can be exploited in a pick-and-roll, but the other, maybe larger, issue may be shooting and floor spacing. Towns does not always seem comfortable and has stretches where he is not scoring like he needs to in Mike Brown's system, at least against good defenses, although he has looked better of late (he scored 28 and looked great against tanking Chicago). Key game for East seeding on Tuesday when New York travels to Cleveland, a game you can catch on Peacock.

7. Minnesota Timberwolves

(35-23, last week No. 9)
Anthony Edwards is your All-Star Game MVP and he didn't miss a beat in his return, dropping 40 on the Mavericks. That said, Sunday's loss to Philadelphia was a reminder of just how much this team needs Rudy Gobert in the paint to be a serious threat — the Timberwolves defense is top three in the league when he is on the court and bottom five when he sits. Sit him for a game and Tyrese Maxey is dunking on everyone. Big test on Sunday, when it's Gobert against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets in a key Western Conference game for West playoff seeding.

8. Denver Nuggets

(36-22, last week No. 8)
It's time to be genuinely concerned about Denver's defense, which is 22nd in the league, although it has improved slightly over the last 15 games. Injuries are certainly part of this — not having Aaron Gordon is a critical loss — but watch them against the Clippers in the first game back from the break, when they should be rested, and they could not get stops when it mattered. Another reason for Nuggets fans to be concerned: This team is 6-13 in clutch games when Jokic plays. A third reason for Denver fans to be concerned: The Nuggets have the toughest remaining schedule in the league, and it starts this week with games against the Celtics, Thunder and Timberwolves. On the plus side for the Nuggets, they still have Nikola Jokic breaking basketball.

9. Houston Rockets

(35-21, last week No. 4)
Houston's loss Sunday at New York — blowing an 18-point fourth-quarter lead thanks to nine turnovers in the frame — was the latest reason to be concerned about this team in the clutch. The Rockets are 14-16 in clutch games (within five points in the final five minutes) with a -8.8 net rating and a 29th in the league turnover rate (16.3% of possessions). What Houston has done well this season is beat up the teams they should beat and those teams fill the schedule this week: Utah, Sacramento, Orlando and Miami.

10. Toronto Raptors

(34-23, last week No. 14)
While James Harden in Cleveland is drawing the headlines, Toronto is just 1.5 games back of the Cavs and has a legit chance to land a top-four seed in the West and host a playoff round. Center Jakob Poeltl is back in the rotation, and that is a big help (his return to the starting five really helps the bench rotation up front with Collin Murray-Boyles). The Raptors won their first two games out of the break, but have the Thunder and Spurs on a back-to-back this week, good luck with that.

11. Los Angeles Lakers

(34-22, last week No. 10)
A couple of weeks ago, after a loss to the Thunder, LeBron James summed up the Lakers this way: "We can't sustain energy and effort for 48 minutes and they can. That's why they won a championship." If you think anything has changed, you didn't watch the Lakers against the Celtics on Sunday (on NBC). That game featured all the concerns about the Lakers against the league's top teams — the defense, the lack of shooting, the inconsistent effort and the lack of quality depth. The Lakers are 4-3 on their eight-game home stand, which concludes on Tuesday night against Orlando, before heading out on the road to face the Suns and Warriors this week.

12. Golden State Warriors

(30-27, last week No. 15)
Stephen Curry has now missed too many games to qualify for postseason awards. The concern now becomes that he misses so many games the No. 8 seed Warriors fall to the No. 9 seed, with its tougher road through the play-in — Portland is just 2.5 games back and finding a groove of late. Which is why the Warriors raining 3s on the Nuggets on Sunday was a critical win. One Warriors subplot to watch the rest of this season and into the summer: Brandin Podziemski is extension eligible this summer. Will the sides reach a deal (the Warriors did with Moses Moody, for example), or wait until he's a restricted free agent in the summer of 2027 and make a decision then?

13. Phoenix Suns

(33-25, last week No. 13)
Dillon Brooks is out at least a month due to a fractured left hand, and Devin Booker will miss this week (or most of it, at least) with a hip injury. Will that keep the Suns from climbing out of the play-in? They sit as the No. 7 seed now and are two games back of the Lakers to climb into the top six (Minnesota is in that mix as the No. 6 seed, but barring injury, it's hard to see them falling back, even with their inconsistency). The Suns host the Lakers Thursday night and could use that win to keep their top-six dreams alive.

14. Miami Heat

(28-26, last week No. 16)
Tyler Herro is back, returning after the All-Star break and reprising his role as Sixth Man of the Year in a couple of comfortable Heat wins. Bringing Herro off the bench and letting All-Star Norman Powell cook makes a lot of sense, but Herro wants to start, so we'll see how long this lasts. Interesting tests for the No. 8 seed Heat at Milwaukee and Philadelphia this week, then home to host Houston.

15. Orlando Magic

(30-26, last week No. 17)
While we haven't seen much out of Orlando's core three of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs (148 minutes across 13 games this season), but lately we have seen Desmond Bane find his groove and start to break out. In February, Bane is averaging 24.4 points per game on an insane 75.4 true shooting percentage (fueled by shooting 50.9% from 3-point range). Orlando is 2-1 since the All-Star break (with the loss being in 2OT to Phoenix), but it needs to keep racking up wins as it, Philadelphia and Miami are all in the mix for the six seed and avoiding the play-in.

16. Philadelphia 76ers

(31-27, last week No. 12)
Philly is 1-4 playing in this stretch without Joel Embiid (knee) and Paul George (10 games into his 25-game suspension), and they are barely holding on to the No. 6 seed in the East. The 76ers did pick up an unexpected win on Sunday against the Timberwolves, which makes Philadelphia an impressive 8-3 on the second night of a back-to-back this season. While Sunday against the Celtics may feel like the big game to fans, Thursday against the Heat — one of the teams they are fighting for the No. 6 seed in the East — is the critical game.

17. Charlotte Hornets

(27-31, last week No. 11)
Charlotte has come back down to earth after their nine-game winning streak, having gone 2-3 in the five games since. Charlotte can get rolling again starting this week with a string of games against struggling teams (Chicago and Indiana, for example), especially if LaMelo Ball is knocking down 10 3-pointers as he did against the Wizards.

18. Los Angeles Clippers

(27-30, last week No. 20)
Bennedict Mathurin is thriving off the bench for LA since coming over in the Ivica Zubac deal at the deadline. Through five games, Mathurin is averaging 22 points and 4.2 rebounds a game, and the usually reliable 3-point shooter has yet to find his groove from deep in Los Angeles. This hot streak includes a 38-point performance in a win against Denver. Only a couple of games this week for the Clippers and one interesting one, against up-and-down Minnesota on Thursday.

19. Portland Trail Blazers

(28-30, last week No. 19)
Aș a Curry-less Warriors team struggles above them, the No. 9 seed Trail Blazers have won 5-of-7 and suddenly making the top eight (with a much easier path through the play-in to the playoff proper) seems realistic — Golden State is just 2.5 games ahead of them. Can Portland keep up the strong play with Shaedon Sharpe (calf) and Deni Avdija (back) missing time?

20. Milwaukee Bucks

(24-31, last week No. 21)
There is no tanking in Milwaukee — the Bucks went 6-1 around the All-Star break and are now 6-5 without Giannis Antetokounmpo in this stretch, and he appears ready to return this week. The key has been the offense, which usually falls off a cliff when Antetokounmpo is not on the court, but was top five in the league during that hot stretch, with Cam Thomas and Ryan Rollins having some big games. The Bucks have done more than keep their heads above water without their former MVP and are just 1.5 games out of the play-in, which has to be the short-term goal (one step at a time).

21. Atlanta Hawks

(28-31, last week No. 18)
CJ McCollum started on Sunday in place of Zaccharie Risacher. McCollum has been closing games (with Risacher on the bench) for a while, but the fact that Quin Snyder is now starting this way is not a good sign for Risacher's future with the Hawks. Atlanta is the only team in the NBA with a losing record at home (11-16) and a winning record on the road (17-15). The Hawks should be able to improve that this week with two home games against the Wizards (plus a tougher one against the Trail Blazers).

22. New Orleans Pelicans

(16-42, last week No. 24)
After missing a little more than a year, Dejounte Murray is set to make his return to the court from a torn Achilles on Tuesday. He could provide some needed glue to the Pelicans' offense for the stretch run of the season. It's good news because the Pelicans are not tanking (they don't control their own pick, so there's no motivation), something evidenced last week in their come-from-behind win against the 76ers. Coach Willie Green is experimenting with some big lineups (6'6" Zion Williamson is the smallest guy on the court), and it's interesting.

23. Memphis Grizzlies

(21-35, last week No. 22)
I'm not saying the Grizzlies are tanking; I'm just saying that in recent weeks they have started Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Jahmai Mashack, and Lance Lovering, and then they lost to a Sacramento team that came in having lost 16 in a row. With Ja Morant injured and Jaren Jackson Jr. injured and in Utah, the only expected starter in Memphis getting run is Jaylen Wells, who is having some good games (25 points against Miami last week).

24. Utah Jazz

(18-40, last week No. 28)
Adam Silver unfairly singled out Utah for tanking and slapped them with a $500,000 fine. To be clear, the Jazz were tanking — sitting Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. in the fourth quarter of games — but is that any more blatant and ugly than what is happening in other markets? No. But because Utah got press and gave the league a little PR trouble, Silver came down on them. Utah learned its lesson and now Jackson (knee) and Jusuf Nurkic (nose) will be out for the season due to surgeries (ones that maybe could have waited, but we're not doctors here). It's not going to be a pretty last couple of months of the season in Utah, but this is now a fan base with legitimate reasons for hope going forward when they envision what the Jazz will look like next season.

25. Dallas Mavericks

(20-36, last week No. 25)
It is a wise decision not to have Kyrie Irving return to the court this season, and Cooper Flagg has missed the last three games with a foot injury and likely will be out longer, as well. That said, Dallas snapped a 10-game losing streak by beating Indiana over the weekend thanks to a throwback Khris Middleton game. Expect to see a lot of Middleton and Max Christie the rest of the season for Dallas.

26. Washington Wizards

(16-40, last week No. 27)
Here's the thing about tanking: It's a front-office/management call, the players who get put out on the court still try hard to win. That's what happened last week when the Wizards swept two games from the Pacers, in part because Sharife Cooper (on a two-way contract) and Alondes Williams (10-day contract) played like guys fighting for bigger, better deals. They got the wins despite Alex Sarr (hamstring strain) missing the last four games. Washington has two games in Atlanta this week.

27. Chicago Bulls

(24-34, last week No. 23)
The Chicago Bulls have not won a game in February. That includes an ugly loss to Sacramento on Monday, a team that had lost 16 in a row before they met the Bulls. In classic Bulls style, this pivot to tanking has come so late that they have just the ninth-worst record in the NBA and, if that holds, a 50.7% chance of drafting ninth (currently they would have a 20.2% chance of jumping up to the top four.

28. Indiana Pacers

(15-43, last week No. 26)
Kobe Brown was considered a throw-in by the Clippers as part of the Ivica Zubac trade at the deadline, but Brown is getting an opportunity and thriving with the Pacers. Through five games (one a start), Brown is averaging 10.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. "I like the things he's doing," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said (via Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star). "When you get an opportunity like this, this is where you can really show what you can do."

29. Brooklyn Nets

(15-41, last week No. 29)
Brooklyn isn't tanking by sitting Michael Porter Jr.; he has played all three games since the All-Star break, but he is ice cold, shooting 3-of-23 in those games. Tough week ahead for the Nets, who start with fellow tanker Dallas but then get San Antonio, Boston and Cleveland.

30. Sacramento Kings

(13-46, last week No. 30)
The Kings won! The Kings won! Sacramento snapped its franchise record 16-game losing streak on Monday by beating the also-tanking Grizzlies. Don't worry Kings fans, your team still has the worst record in the league. What should worry you is that for three years running, the team with the worst record in the league fell to fifth in the NBA Draft lottery.