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There’s a lot to unpack from last night’s comeback win over the Miami Heat.

Boston’s furious rally featured about as rough a shooting stretch as you can possibly imagine in a half of basketball, along with a 22-point comeback in a playoff-like atmosphere that featured blood, profanity, and a generational clash between 32-year-old Norman Powell and 20-year-old Hugo Gonzalez. 

What also stood out was a new wrinkle added into the offense from newly acquired center Nikola Vučević, who utilized his size and Miami’s willingness to switch to put his back to the basket in nearly every appearance in the paint. 

This year’s Celtics are dead last in post-up frequency by a healthy margin, averaging just 1.5 attempts per game. That’s a 1.4% frequency within their offense. That’s not a surprise based on their personnel, but it is a significant difference from last year, when they were third in post-ups with 6.5 attempts per game (6%) behind the back-to-the-basket activity of Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford. 

The only consistent source of post-up scoring this season has come from Jaylen Brown, who has scored 62 of their 78 points through work in the post.

Enter Vooch, who is among the most active post players in the game. His 19.84% post-up frequency ranks him 13th out of 520 players and puts him in the 98th percentile of the league, according to Basketball Index. That volume has not been met with high efficiency, as Vučević has scored just 0.87 points per possession on 45.8% shooting. But as we saw last night, Vooch’s activity facing away from the basket is a bit more than just a set-up for self-creation.

What we saw against Miami was a promising start to this new piece of their offensive identity. After a rewatch of Vučević’s 27 minutes, I logged 30 possessions where he at least opened himself up to an entry pass with his back to the basket. On those possessions, he got into a post-up 12 times. 

What stood out the most in his post possessions was his quick processing as a passer. Only one of his post-ups ended in a true assist, but the vision he showcased opened up scoring opportunities for cutters and shooters off the catch. He looked to Derrick White on 45 cuts twice in this game, one earning an easy bucket for his teammate and the other ending in a foul on the pass. 

His vision to shooters from beyond the arc also created easy opportunities. Those passes on the perimeter didn’t necessarily show up in the box score but created wide open looks for White and Sam Hauser that just didn’t fall their way. The passes themselves were both highly impressive, quick-instinct finds. 

Vooch takes no time to send the ball to the open corner, with Davion Mitchell forced to suck in and help off Hauser because of the position Powell is placed in by the mismatch. The Celtics haven’t had a big with this level of natural passing vision all season. 

With four assists to go with a points/rebounds double-double, we saw his passing affect the game from different areas of the floor, like in his dribble-drive kickout to the corner to White for a go-ahead three late in the game, but it’s in the post that he looks the most comfortable setting up teammates. 

Vooch’s understanding of when to dig in and set up shop with his back to the basket wisely correlated with the matchups he was given. While he did have one poor post-up that ended in an over-dribbling turnover against Bam Adebayo, he mostly sought to exploit the switch-heavy Miami defense that focused on maintaining higher pickup points on the perimeter to limit Boston’s 3-point shooting. 

If he saw Jaime Jaquez, he was posting up. If it was Dru Smith, yeah, you bet he was posting up. And if it was Norman Powell, well, you get it. 

We saw Vučević seek out these mismatches more often in the second half, particularly in the third quarter, where he flashed to the post 11 times, more than the 10 post flashes he made in the first half alone.

He received the ball five times in those instances, taking advantage of a switch onto Smith for his first post-up bucket of the night and later getting a nice entry pass from White after a scram switch from Jaquez left the paint open for an easy finish. 

This game ended with Neemias Queta on the floor to help deliver the final stops needed to pull off the comeback, but the Celtics instilled a significant level of confidence in their new center addition. He played 27 minutes in his debut and six in the fourth quarter, which included opportunities in clutch time. 

With 1:04 left to go in a two-point game, Brown sailed an entry pass just over Vučević that resulted in a turnover. 

A tough result, no doubt, but a telling sign that even in his debut, Vučević’s teammates displayed a level of trust in his ability to impact the game when it’s down to the wire. The hope is, with time, they’ll be able to iron out those wrinkles. We certainly saw enough to indicate a positive first step to a great new relationship.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — For the first time since 2015, the NBA's Shooting Stars event is returning to All-Star weekend.

The league made that announcement Saturday, revealing the lineups for two of the three events that'll take place at next weekend's All-Star Saturday Night at the Los Angeles Clippers' home in Inglewood, California.

Shooting Stars — an event with three players per team — is taking the place of the skills competition, which is being tabled for at least this year.

Allan Houston — a past Shooting Stars champion — will return to the event this year for Team Knicks, with current New York players Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns joining him on that team. Also in the shooting event: Team Harper (Ron Harper Sr. and his sons, San Antonio's Dylan Harper and Boston's Ron Harper Jr.), Team All-Star (Richard Hamilton, Toronto's Scottie Barnes and Oklahoma City's Chet Holmgren) and Team Cameron (a nod to Duke, with Corey Maggette, Charlotte's Kon Knueppel and Atlanta's Jalen Johnson on that squad).

The last three Shooting Stars events were all won by the same trio — Chris Bosh, Swin Cash and Dominique Wilkins.

The Shooting Stars event has a two-round format, with all four teams competing in the first round and the top two advancing to the final round. Teams have 70 seconds to score points while rotating through seven designated shooting locations around the court, with all three players on a team shooting at each spot in a set order.

There will be a new dunk champion this year, with three-time winner Mac McClung not in this year’s field. McClung said going into last year’s dunk event that he expected it to be his last.

This year’s dunk participants: Miami's Keshad Johnson, San Antonio's Carter Bryant, Orlando's Jase Richardson and the Los Angeles Lakers' Jaxson Hayes.

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

The pressure is on for the Washington Wizards to be competitive during the 2026-27 season after two bold moves to acquire perennial All-Star point guard Trae Young from the Atlanta Hawks and future Hall of Fame big man Anthony Davis from the Dallas Mavericks.

On the flip side, both Young and Davis are currently dealing with injuries. Both players are expected to “play very little, if at all” throughout the rest of the season according to ESPN’s Tim Bontempts. NBA Insider Chris Haynes confirmed on Friday that Davis is not expected to play the rest of the season. That, along with C.J. McCollum and Khris Middleton both being in the moves that allowed the Wizards to acquire Young and Davis, means that the tank is on and the Wizards are going all-in on their young core to try and develop them and ensure they have the best possible odds at picking at the top of the 2026 NBA Draft. There is currently very little risk in their top-eight protected pick not converting. 

With more short-term expectations and a more inflexible roster that does not necessarily lend itself to just picking the best player available, how should the Wizards approach the draft?

The first things to look at are Young and Davis’ contract situations. Young could technically become a free agent after this season, but will likely accept his player option and enter free agency after 2026-27. Davis will be under team control next season, then will have a player option for the 2027-28 season.

It would be very surprising if Young does not accept his player option. After an injury-plagued season this year and a relatively negative perception around the league, Young will likely be jumping at an opportunity to be the Wizards’ first option and try and rehabilitate his image. But then again, even if Young accepts the player option, he is only guaranteed to be around for one season unless he signs an extension. 

Davis is about to turn 33 and has struggled to stay on the floor throughout his career, especially over the last few years. Last season, he strained his left adductor in his first game after the infamous trade that sent him to the Mavericks and suffered an eye injury that would end up requiring offseason surgery. Last month before the trade, Davis suffered ligament damage in his left hand. Earlier in his career, Davis also dealt with injuries to both ankles, both shoulders, his left calf, left knee, tailbone and left hand.

This is all to say that given Young and Davis’ injury histories and contracts, they should not necessarily be counted on as long-term fixtures in D.C. When it comes to the draft, the Wizards should still absolutely be looking toward the future and almost certainly draft the best player available regardless of fit at the top of the draft.

If I was Wizards general manager Will Dawkins, here is what my big board would look like post-trade deadline (only going eight deep because of the top-eight protection):

1. Darryn Peterson
2. AJ Dybantsa
3. Cameron Boozer
4. Kingston Flemings
5. Caleb Wilson
6. Keaton Wagler
7. Mikel Brown Jr.
8. Labaron Philon

Darryn Peterson, the 6’6” freshman combo guard from Kansas and AJ Dybantsa, the 6’9” freshman wing from BYU are my top two players in the draft and would instantly slot into the starting lineup next season alongside Young and Davis. Both Peterson and Dybantsa have the ability to be high-level starters on a competitive team as rookies, and could get that chance if they end up on the Wizards.

The first question mark comes with Duke freshman forward Cameron Boozer. At 6’9”, 250 pounds, Boozer projects to primarily play the power forward position while occasionally playing some small-ball center in the NBA. But, with Davis and Alex Sarr already on the team, it would be difficult for Boozer to earn a starting spot. Despite that, Boozer is still an impressive enough prospect to earn consideration despite the imperfect fit over the next tier of players–Kingston Flemings and Caleb Wilson. 

Boozer, Davis and Sarr are all able to play both the four and five and have very different and complimentary play styles. If all three are healthy, they could each end up playing about 30 minutes per game even with Boozer or Sarr coming off the bench. Boozer would allow the Wizards to be extremely conservative with Davis’ playing time, making it a lot easier for him to take games off for load management knowing a player of Boozer’s caliber is able to step in. 

It would be foolish of the Wizards to not consider drafting a player as talented as Boozer just for one guaranteed year of Davis.

Going down the draft is where things get a bit more tricky. I view Flemings, the 6’4” freshman guard from Houston and Wilson, the 6’10” freshman forward from North Carolina, very similarly. If the Wizards fall in the lottery, this is where they could begin looking more towards fit instead of pure talent. At this point, Wilson is a non-shooter. While he has been taking and making more threes over his last few games, it should still not be considered a part of his game. Wilson’s defensive potential is tantalizing and in a vacuum, he is probably more talented than Flemings. But, what Flemings has shown this year as the floor general for an elite Houston team can not be ignored. Flemings and Young would immediately become one of, if not the best playmaking backcourts in the entire NBA. Flemings’ defensive abilities would help mask some of Young’s inefficiencies and Young’s superb playmaking would take the pressure off of Flemings that many young point guard face and allow him to grow into his role as a lead ball handler in the NBA.

This is pure speculation, but one thing that could now be on the table for the Wizards if their pick falls in the draft is for them to consider a trade. With Davis and Young, the Wizards’ timeline has moved way up. There are now real expectations for them to be competitive. If there is no player they are absolutely in love with available where they are picking, likely if their pick falls in the six through eight range, it would not shock me if they try and find a deal for another young player, or even a more established veteran if they want to go all-in on next season. 

6’6” Illinois freshman guard Keaton Wagler has had a shocking ascent up draft boards and is looking like an elite scorer. Louisville freshman Mikel Brown Jr. and Alabama sophomore Labaron Philon have very high upside and project to be above-average starting guards in the NBA. Other players like Arizona freshman forward Koa Peat, Tennessee freshman forward Nate Ament and Michigan senior forward Yaxel Lendeborg are endlessly talented, but would be clunky fits alongside a Davis-Sarr frontcourt. A trade would be shocking, and difficult to pull off with the Wizards no longer having as many tradable contracts, but should not necessarily be counted out if they fall in the lottery.

Look at the Indiana Pacers, who traded their first round pick this year that is protected from picks 1-4 and 10-30 to the Los Angeles Clippers for center Ivica Zubac. With Tyrese Haliburton expected to return next season from a torn achilles he suffered during last season’s NBA Finals, the Pacers have no need for a point guard. They likely view Wilson four on their big board, and understand that the next bunch of players after him would be ball handlers. It would not necessarily be unprecedented for the Wizards to make a deal if their pick falls in a similar range, especially if they agree to an extension with Young.

The way the Wizards acquired Young and Davis is a masterclass in asset management. But there are certainly risks in expediting the rebuild. The upcoming draft is still the most important factor in building a sustainable contender, and the Wizards should be very cautious about sacrificing any part of their future for short-term gain.

For several weeks earlier this season, Jared McCain had a copy of the book “The Inner Game of Tennis” in his locker.

According to the Amazon.com summary, the 1972 work by W. Timothy Gallwey is about “a revolutionary program for overcoming the self-doubt, nervousness, and lapses of concentration that can keep a player from winning” – and not just in tennis, but every walk of life.

No less a figure than Bill Gates called it “the best guide to getting out of your own way.”

While I never got the chance to ask McCain about it – and I had planned to – this would at least hint at the fact that the issues the young guard faced in Philadelphia were not confined to the knee injury that cut short his promising rookie year after 23 games, nor the thumb injury that caused him to get off to a slow start this season, his second with the Sixers.

Whatever was holding him back – whether he was still hobbled or indeed unable to get out of his own way – he seemed to be getting it together recently. And that’s the thing that gnaws at you, now that he has been traded to Oklahoma City: We never really got to see how his next chapter might read.

The arguments for dealing him are manifest. He was blocked by Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes in the backcourt rotation. The Sixers gained the financial flexibility to sign Dominick Barlow to a big-boy contract. And those four draft picks obtained from the Thunder can be used in a future deal (though Daryl Morey told reporters he was unable to pull the trigger on anything that would have given the team immediate help).

That’s all well and good. But McCain is 21, and he played exactly 60 games for the Sixers. Nobody knows exactly what he is, nor what he might become. Put another way, he was an ACL tear away from getting big-time minutes here.

The suspicion is that he will never be an All-Star, but he could be a useful piece on a good team. That he has “an identifiable NBA skill,” as Brett Brown used to say – i.e., he can shoot – that will consistently resurface once he gets regular run again.

You know, like Isaiah Joe.

This is not an apples-to-apples comparison, but the Sixers cut Joe on Oct. 13, 2022, after he played sparingly for them over two seasons. The Thunder snapped him up three days later, and he has developed into a reliable off-the-bench sniper, nailing 41 percent of his three-point attempts over three-plus seasons.

And, of course, he earned a championship ring last spring.

The Thunder, ably operated by Sam Presti, are now hoping that the Philly pipeline delivers once more. While they are loaded and again rolling along – and while there is no clear role for McCain at present – he does represent a potential hedge against possible issues concerning their veteran wings.

The team holds an option on Lu Dort next season, and Alex Caruso, in the first season of a four-year, $81 million deal, is struggling at present. He’s also nearing his 32nd birthday. McCain is not the defender either of those guys are – who is? – but he offers another perimeter alternative, in the event Caruso is washed and/or OKC parts company with Dort (not as unlikely as it might appear, given the money the team has committed to its biggest stars – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams).

In short, this looks like the sort of low-risk transaction a smart, well-run team makes. If McCain doesn’t work out, no big deal; the Thunder has a bunch of other wings, and a bunch of assets to acquire anybody they might need.

And while it’s understandable why the Sixers went this route, it now seems like their reserve corps, already threadbare, is another man short. This is a team that is ranked 28th in the NBA in bench scoring, at 16.5 points a night. And in Thursday’s loss to the Lakers, their reserves were outscored by a staggering 61-14 margin. Given the precarious health of some of their front-line players, they are really walking a tightrope now.

McCain, for his part, bade a fond farewell to Philadelphia. On Instagram he wrote that Philly will “always be a home for me” and that he was “incredibly blessed to be drafted here.” And on TikTok he sang part of an Olivia Dean song entitled “A Couple Minutes,” notably these lines: “Although it’s over/I’ll always be there.”

Then he closed by saying, “I’ll always love ya, Philly.”

Yeah, it’s a business. We hear that time and again. But is it a good idea to give up on a guy like this? Only time will tell.

The Orlando Magic will look to keep their winning ways going on their current homestand as they host the Utah Jazz on Saturday night.

Orlando is coming off a big home win and has been dominant against weaker teams recently. My Jazz vs. Magic predictions and NBA picks for February 7 like Orlando to cover.

Jazz vs Magic prediction

Jazz vs Magic best bet: Magic -7 (-110)

The Orlando Magic have never quite found a rhythm this season — they are currently 26-24 on the year — but they have a chance to string together some wins with a four-game homestand. That began with a comfortable 20-point victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday, and continues with tonight’s contest against the Utah Jazz.

Utah has won just one of its last eight games, with that win coming against a Pacers team that was resting a number of ailing players. This span includes five losses by double digits, including a 10-point loss at home to the Nets.

In some ways, the Jazz have been even worse than their 16-36 record would suggest, as their -8.5 point differential ranks third-worst in the NBA this season.

Utah has lost 17 of its last 21 games overall, and while the trade deadline addition of Jaren Jackson Jr. should make the Jazz better in the future, it’ll take time to see how they integrate him in the short term.

Utah hasn’t been particularly competitive lately, and they have little motivation to do anything other than improve their lottery odds down the stretch. This is a team the Magic should put away easily at home tonight, and I’m taking Orlando to cover.

Jazz vs Magic same-game parlay

The Magic have played below tonight’s total in each of their last three games, and six of their last eight overall. Utah has hit the Under in three of its last four.

I’m also going to take Paolo Banchero to record a double-double, as the Jazz should have few answers for him. He’s hit that milestone in three of his last six games.

Jazz vs Magic SGP

• Magic -7
• Under 238
• Paolo Banchero to record a double-double

Our "from downtown" SGP: Solid night for Suggs

Jalen Suggs is coming off his first career triple-double, and has put up at least 29 PRA in three of his last four games.

Jazz vs Magic SGP

• Magic -7
• Under 238
• Paolo Banchero to record a double-double
• Jalen Suggs Over 28.5 points + rebounds + assists 

Jazz vs Magic odds

• Spread: Jazz +8.5 (-110) | Magic -8.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Jazz +270 | Magic -340
• Over/Under: Over 237.5 (-110) | Under 237.5 (-110)

Jazz vs Magic betting trend to know

The Jazz have only hit the moneyline in six of their last 40 away games (-16.40 Units / -39% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Jazz vs. Magic.

How to watch Jazz vs Magic

Jazz vs Magic latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

ROME (AP) — Italy stopped Scotland's last-gasp charge to hang on for a precious Six Nations win by 18-15 at a rain-soaked Stadio Olimpico on Saturday.

Scotland used its last scoring chance, two minutes after the fulltime hooter, to go through the phases and took 25 to reach Italy's 22. But on the 30th phase, Scotland's Max Williamson was held up in the tackle by Italy's Muhamed Hasa and Niccolo Cannone and it was game over.

“Absolutely incredible,” Italy captain Michele Lamaro said of his team's last defensive set. “Just shows how much we care for each other, how much we care for this jersey, this country. This is us. Now we've got a dream in our head."

Italy notched only a 17th win in Six Nations history and a ninth win against Scotland, which sets it on a path to avoid the wooden spoon for an unprecedented third straight year.

Italy's first opening win since 2013 was not a surprise and neither was Scotland's first opening defeat since 2020, another deflating result for a side that hasn't contended for the title in decades.

Scotland coach Gregor Townsend has been under fire for not improving the team. In his eight previous Six Nations as coach, Townsend has led Scotland to a best finish of third, twice. Asked if he expected to be in charge when England visit next weekend, he said, “Well, I want to be, that's my job so, yeah, that's what I’m focused on.”

The buildup focused on Scotland's last-quarter collapses but it was a slow first-quarter start which stung this time. Italy was 12-0 up in light rain before the game was hit by torrential downpours, turning the field into a splash zone. Scotland outscored Italy in the miserable conditions, even despite a yellow card, but gave the host too big a start.

For the first time since 2019, Scotland began a Six Nations match without at least one of back-three regulars Duhan van der Merwe, Darcy Graham and Blair Kinghorn, and it wasn't controversial. Townsend replaced them with form picks but Italy exposed the new back three's naivety in defense with two head-up tries inside 14 minutes.

First, Juan Ignacio Brex grubbered into wide open space for winger Louis Lynagh to scoop and slide in. Then Lynagh took a high ball from scrumhalf Alessandro Fusco and Fusco's miss-out pass gave Tommaso Menoncello an overlap to score untouched. Paolo Garbisi added the sideline conversion.

Scotland's lineout was also failing. The visitor had three lineouts in Italy's 22 in the first quarter. The first two were pinched and the third wasn't gathered properly. But Scotland did a tap and go and No. 8 Jack Dempsey crashed over.

Italy finished the rest of the half on top. Garbisi landed a penalty for 15-7 but badly missed two drop-goal attempts, and the scrum sent Scotland reeling backwards.

Scotland earned the first points of the second half from a Finn Russell penalty despite a fifth stolen lineout.

Poor discipline also undermined them. A relieving penalty on defense was overturned from Ewan Ashman's high tackle on Italy's Manuel Zuliani. Garbisi kicked the resulting penalty to restore an eight-point lead.

Ashman was replaced at hooker by George Turner who, moments later, nailed Zuliani's head in a ruck, received a yellow card and canceled a kickable penalty for Scotland.

Italy failed to score a point while it had a man advantage, and as soon as Scotland was restored to 15 men it scored.

Scotland waived off another kickable penalty for a corner lineout, and claimed it cleanly. Three backs joined the maul which wheeled to the blindside, and replacement scrumhalf George Horne darted inside the right corner flag. Russell couldn't convert from the touchline but the gap was cut to three with 12 minutes to go.

Italy had a kickable penalty in the 78th but elected for a corner lineout and knocked on. That gave Scotland one last shot in the rain. Italy soaked it up.

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