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Amid one of his disappearing acts, Mikal Bridges was again benched in the fourth quarter.

The guard sat the final 9 ½ minutes of Thursday’s 126-11 Knicks defeat to the Pistons at the Garden, with Landry Shamet getting the playing time and trust from coach Mike Brown.

“Landry had hit a couple shots. We needed to score,” Brown said. “They’re both really good defenders. And so I just stayed with Landry. But it wasn’t anything where, ‘Oh, I’m going to sit Mikal because he’s not doing this, or he’s not doing that.’ We were looking to score points and Landry was the only one to make a shot from behind the arc.”

Shamet scored 15 points in 28 minutes Thursday.

Bridges, who was acquired for five first-round picks and recently signed a $150 million extension, scored just eight points in 25 minutes.

Bridges was also 0-for-3 from beyond the arc.

He was also benched in favor of Shamet down the stretch of victories this month over the Sixers and Lakers.

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There has been more tanking discourse than ever across the NBA.

Commissioner Adam Silver said during the All-Star break that tanking has been “worse this year than we’ve seen in recent memory” and that he is considering “every possible remedy” to combat it.

Brown weighed in on potential solutions before the team’s game against the Pistons on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.

“Definitely trying to make somebody fight for it at the end of the season,” the Knicks coach said. “Whether you have a small tournament before the playoffs start or something like that to where it’s not just guaranteed that the team with the worst record gets the best odds. That may change it a little bit.”

Already, the Jazz and Pacers have been fined $500K and $100K, respectively, for sitting healthy players in recent games.

Brown’s Knicks certainly aren’t in the tanking conversation, and his teams throughout his tenure have never really fit that description.

But he recognizes it has gotten out of hand.

“Adam’s a smart guy and he’s figured out a lot of really good things for this league,” Brown said, “so I have a ton of faith in him that he will figure it out.”

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OG Anunoby, with one less toenail, made his Knicks return Thursday — scoring eight points in 32 minutes.

He missed the Knicks’ past four games before the All-Star break with right toenail avulsion.

He said that he had to have his full toenail removed and that there was “a lot of pain” and that “it’s an open wound, like it’s just flesh and raw, bloody.”

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Anunoby is normally tasked with guarding Cade Cunningham, whom the Knicks faced Thursday.

Without Anunoby, the Knicks were routed by the Pistons 118-80 in the first of those last four games before the break.

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Agent Rich Kleiman took a dig at Knicks owner James Dolan on social media.

Madison Square Garden Sports announced Wednesday that it is considering splitting the Knicks and Rangers into two, separately traded public entities.

Boardroom, which Kleiman co-founded with Kevin Durant, posted on Instagram a message that read: “You may soon be able to own a piece of the Knicks and Rangers.”

Kleiman responded to that post: “No thanks unless the owner was gone.”

Kleiman represents Durant, who notably spurned the Knicks for the Nets in free agency in 2019.

NEW YORK (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 42 points and 13 assists to lead the Detroit Pistons to a 126-111 win over the New York Knicks on Thursday night.

The Pistons have defeated the Knicks in the teams’ three meetings this season.

Paul Reed scored 18 points, Tobias Harris had 11 points and 10 rebounds, and Ausar Thompson added 10 points for Eastern Conference-leading Detroit.

Jalen Brunson led New York with 30 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds.

Landry Shamet scored 15 points and Josh Hart had 11 as the Knicks shot a miserable 23% (8 of 35) from 3-point range.

The Knicks scored the first five points of the game, taking their biggest lead at 9-2. The Pistons then went on a 21-8 run, taking the lead for good.

Detroit ended the second quarter on a 7-0 run and took its first double-digit lead of the game, 58-48, at halftime.

The Knicks pulled within 62-60 on Towns’ basket early in the third quarter. But, Duncan Robinson hit back-to-back 3s and the Pistons extended their lead to 13 points before settling for a 90-79 advantage heading into the final quarter.

Detroit went up by a game-high 19 points at 104-85 on Daniss Jenkins’ tip-in with 7:50 left in the game.

The Knicks closed within 11 at 120-109 on a 3-pointer by Brunson with 1:33 remaining, but got no closer.

CAVALIERS 112, NETS 84

CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 17 points, James Harden added 16 and Cleveland routed Brooklyn to extend its winning streak to a season-high six games.

The Cavaliers have also won five straight at home and 11 of their last 12 overall. It was the second straight game and sixth time this season they haven’t trailed in a game.

It was the start of five games in seven days for Cleveland. With a 102-67 lead at the end of the third quarter, coach Kenny Atkinson rested his starters for the final 12 minutes.

Michael Porter Jr. had 14 points and Ochai Agbaji 13 for Brooklyn, which is 5-20 since Dec. 29.

Harden and Mitchell were in sync early. Harden got a steal off a bad pass by Brooklyn’s Noah Clowney and started a fast break. He lobbed a pass to Mitchell for an alley-oop that gave the Cavaliers a 14-3 lead.

Harden made his first six from the field, including three 3-pointers. He also had nine assists and five rebounds. Mitchell was 7 of 12 from the field.

Cleveland was up by 18 points at the end of the first quarter. Jarrett Allen scored 10 of his 15 points in the first 12 minutes.

The Cavaliers shot a season-best 64.2% from the field in the first half (27 of 42) and had a 70-48 advantage at halftime.

ROCKETS 105, HORNETS 101

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Durant made two free throws with 3.2 seconds left for the last of his 35 points, and Houston held on to beat Charlotte.

Jabari Smith Jr. added 15 points, and Reed Sheppard and Alperen Sengun each had 13 for Houston. The Rockets overcame an 11-point first-half deficit.

Grant Williams led the Hornets with 20 points. Brandon Miller scored 17 points, but was 1 of 12 from 3-point range.

LaMelo Ball, playing a day after being involved in a two-car crash in downtown Charlotte, had 11 points, seven assists and seven rebounds.

The Hornets, who had won 11 of 12 going into the All-Star break with the only loss coming to Eastern Conference-leading Detroit, looked sharp early and bolted to an 11-point lead early in the second quarter.

But the Rockets would start to pull away in the fourth quarter with Sengun making a spinning reverse layup against rookie 7-foot- center Ryan Kalkbrenner and baby hook shot on back-to-back possessions to Houston its biggest lead at 95-84 with five minutes left.

WIZARDS 112, PACERS 105

WASHINGTON (AP) — Bub Carrington and Anthony Gill each scored 13 points and helped spark a decisive fourth-quarter run as Washington outlasted Indiana.

Kadary Richmond and Jaden Hardy also had 13 points each as Washington snapped a three-game slide on a day it announced Trae Young is still at least a week from his team debut.

Bilal Coulibaly and Tristan Vukcevic scored 12 points each in the opener of a back-to-back set against the same opponent.

Jarace Walker scored 19 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for the Pacers, who fell to 2-3 during a season-long, six-game road trip wrapped around the All-Star break.

Taelon Peter added 16 points as Indiana fell a game behind Washington at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. Jay Huff and Ben Sheppard scored 15 each.

Pacers guards Kam Jones (back soreness) and Aaron Nesmith (ankle sprain) both left by halftime.

The Wizards led by 17 early in the third quarter before the Pacers responded with a 14-3 run to take a 92-91 lead early in the fourth.

Washington answered later with its own 14-0 run to put it away.

HAWKS 117, 76ERS 107

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jalen Johnson had 32 points and 10 rebounds and CJ McCollum added 23 points as Atlanta beat Philadelphia in the teams’ first game after the All-Star break.

Dyson Daniels finished with 15 points, Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 14, and Zaccharie Risacher and Jock Landale each had 10 as the Hawks snapped a three-game losing streak with their third win over Philadelphia this season.

Tyrese Maxey scored 28 points and Rising Stars MVP VJ Edgecombe added 20 for the Sixers, who were without center Joel Embiid, who missed the game due to soreness in his right shin.

Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 17 points and Quentin Grimes scored 10 of his 14 points in the first half for Philly. Andre Drummond contributed 10 points and 14 rebounds as the Sixers lost their third in a row and for the fourth time in five games.

RAPTORS 110, BULLS 101

CHICAGO (AP) — Brandon Ingram scored 31 points and Toronto returned from the All-Star break to beat Chicago.

With Chicago coach Billy Donovan away following his father’s death Saturday, assistant coach Wes Unseld Jr. directed the Bulls. Chicago has lost seven straight, also falling to the Raptors two weeks ago in Toronto.

Fifth in East, Toronto won for the eighth time in 12 games to improve to 33-23. Ingram also had eight rebounds and six assists. Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley and Ja’Kobe Walter each had 14 points, and RJ Barrett added 13.

After Anfernee Simons hit a 3-pointer to cap a 7-0 run and pull Chicago to 103-101 with 2:12 left, Collin Murray-Boyles had a three-point play with 1:18 remaining and Ingram hit a 17-footer with 36 seconds to go to make it 108-101.

Simons led Chicago with 20 points in his fifth game since coming over from Boston in a trade. Isaac Okoro added 16.

SPURS 121, SUNS 94

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Stephon Castle scored 20 points, Victor Wembanyama added 17 and San Antonio beat short-handed Phoenix for its seventh straight victory.

San Antontio also will face Sacramento on Saturday in Austin, a city the Spurs covet as part of a mega-region that they’ve cultivated for years.

Castle converted 8 of 11 shots from the field and had four assists and three steals in 21 minutes. Wembanyama had 11 rebounds and five blocks while playing 25 minutes. De’Aaron Fox added 15 points and eight assists in 22 minutes.

The Spurs received big contributions from backups Dylan Harper (17 points) and Luke Kornet (10 points, nine rebounds).

Jalen Green, playing in just his eighth game of an injury-plagued season, led Phoenix with 26 points. Mark Williams had 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Suns star Devin Booker played only nine minutes, all early in the game, before leaving with right hip soreness.

Cade Cunningham led the Detroit Pistons in a 126-111 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Thursday, Feb. 19.

Cunningham produced 24 of the team’s 58 points in the first half, entering the locker room with a 10-point lead. The Detroit star finished the game with 42 points and continues to build himself into an MVP candidate.

REQUIRED READING: Ranking the NBA's best players: Top 25, revisited

He is currently third in the MVP race at +700 on BetMGM, trailing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (-150) of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Nikola Jokic (+275) of the Denver Nuggets.

The Pistons are currently the top seed in the Eastern Conference with a 41-13 record.

Detroit Pistons vs. New York Knicks highlights

Cade Cunningham stats vs. Knicks

• Points: 42
• FG: 17-for-34 (5-for-11 from 3-point line)
• Free Throws: 3-for-3
• Rebounds: 8
• Assists: 13
• Steals: 1
• Blocks: 2
• Turnovers: 5
• Fouls: 0
• Minutes: 38

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cade Cunningham stats, points tonight, Pistons vs Knicks highlights

Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker left Thursday night's 121-94 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in the second quarter with right hip soreness and was ruled out for the rest of the game.

Suns head coach Jordan Ott told reporters that Booker "wasn't moving great" and the decision to sit him was made to "save himself from himself," per the Arizona Republic's Duane Rankin.

REQUIRED READING: Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel jockey for top spot in NBA rookie rankings

Booker initially subbed out and went into the locker room with 5:24 left in the first quarter. He checked back in with 4:46 left in the second but then exited again two minutes later and returned to the locker room. His final stat-line for the night was five points and a rebound, shooting two-for-six from the floor in just nine minutes played.

Devin Booker (right hip soreness) will not return tonight

— Amanda_Pflugrad (@Amanda_Pflugrad) February 20, 2026

An All-Star for the fifth time this season, Booker has caught the injury bug recently. He missed seven straight games with a sprained ankle that he originally suffered on Jan. 23 against the Atlanta Hawks. He returned to the Suns lineup on Feb. 7 and played in their next game on Feb. 11 before sitting out the team's final game before the All-Star break against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

At All-Star Weekend, Booker participated in the three-point contest and was part of the USA Stars team, winning the first edition of the new USA vs. the World format All-Star Game.

The Suns are currently the seventh seed in the West, two games behind the Minnesota Timberwolves for sixth.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Devin Booker ruled out with hip injury after exiting Suns game in second quarter

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers did what they were supposed to do against the struggling Brooklyn Nets. Cleveland controlled this game wire-to-wire, which led to a one-sided 112-84 victory.

The stats in the table below are taken from Cleaning the Glass.

	Effective Field Goal Percentage	Offensive Rebounding Percentage	Offensive Turnover Percentage	Free Throw Rate
Cavs	58.1%, 72nd percentile	26.7%, 40th percentile	14.4%, 50th percentile	14, 17th percentile
Nets	42.5%, 4th percentile	18.6%, 10th percentile	12.5%, 69th percentile	11.5, 9th percentile

Now, let’s dive into the numbers.

• The Cavs are 17-2 when Jarrett Allen scores 15 or more points. Allen finished with exactly 15 in his 24 minutes of action. The Cleveland guards did a good job of getting him involved early and often.
• Allen’s 10 free-throw attempts tie the second most he’s had for a game this season. Allen didn’t do a great job of converting these opportunities (5-10), but getting to the line is more important. He continually went up strong whenever he was coming off a screen and roll with James Harden. That’s what led to most of these looks. And as we know, Allen is at his best when he’s playing with this level of aggression.
• The offense took 43% of their shots at the rim (92nd percentile). The most efficient shot in basketball is still at the rim. The offense was able to continually get there due to the guard’s ability to get to the rim and find the bigs in the pick-and-roll. This led to a great offensive output even though the Cavs only converted 65.7% of their looks at the rim (44th percentile).
• Cleveland added 10.9 points in transition per 100 plays (96th percentile)against Brooklyn. The offense has been elite since the Harden addition, but a majority of their damage came in the half-court. In their previous three games, they were under the 25th percentile in points added in transition. That changed on Thursday as they were able to attack off steals and defensive rebounds.
• The Cavs pulled their starters after the third quarter and scored just 10 total points in the fourth. The reserves really struggled as they went 5-22 from the field and 0-12 from three in the final quarter. Their poor showing really skews most of the Cavs’ offensive stats. For example, the halfcourt offensive rating was great through the first three quarters, but the poor showing in the fourth made me erase an entire paragraph about what has made them so good there. So, thank you, Cavs reserves, for that.
• Donovan Mitchell led the starters with a plus/minus of +37. He made the most of his 21 minutes, scoring 17 points on 7-12 shooting with five assists. The Cavs were at their best with him on the court. As good as Harden has been, this is still Mitchell’s team. The pairing couldn’t have gotten off to a better start together.
• Mitchell went 7-12 from the floor (58.3%). He’s been able to attack as a scorer against rotating and unstable defenses in a way he hasn’t before at any point in his career, largely due to Harden’s presence. As a result, Mitchell has shot over 54% from the floor in three of the four games he’s played with Harden.
• Harden finished with nine assists. He’s now finished with seven assists or more in each of his games as a Cavalier.
• Harden provided three steals. Playing alongside Dean Wade and Evan Mobley in the starting lineup gave him more leeway to jump passing lanes. Being able to create turnovers is a good way to offset the defensive limitations we know that Harden has.
• Cleveland’s defense was phenomenal as the Nets finished with an 86.5 offensive rating (2nd percentile). This was Cleveland’s best defensive rating of any game this season. The Cavs kept the Nets from finishing at the rim, contested three-point shots, prevented them from getting out in transition, and cleaned the defensive glass. As a result, Brooklyn was held to under 20 points in three of the four quarters.
• Keon Ellis has three blocks and a steal. He’s been everywhere on the court for the Cavs and is a legitimate difference maker on that end. The Cavs getting Ellis in the De’Andre Hunter trade was an absolute steal. I’m not sure why the Sacramento Kings weren’t giving him consistent playing time earlier this season.

Mohamed Diawara was one of the more surprising Knicks revelations during the first half of the season. 

But in the second half, that might change a bit. 

His role could be diminished with the addition of Jeremy Sochan, whom the Knicks signed during the All-Star break after he was waived by the Spurs. 

“I’m just gonna continue what I was doing,” Diawara told The Post before the Knicks lost to the Pistons, 126-111, on Thursday at the Garden. “Keep working and being ready for each opportunity that I’m gonna get. I’m not worried about that. I know the coaching staff and the team is gonna do whatever is good for the team, and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

Diawara got the early workload Thursday, finishing with nine minutes.

But Sochan got some run at the end of the third quarter and the fourth quarter and finished with 10 minutes, though some of that came in garbage time. 

On Wednesday, coach Mike Brown suggested that he needs to have Sochan in the rotation to evaluate him.

His minutes will need to come from somewhere and the most likely candidate is Diawara, who plays a similar role. 

“I’ll play young guys, and I have played young guys in front of vets before,” Brown said. “But I’m going to give Jeremy an opportunity.

“[Sochan] knows the league. The league knows him. He knows the officials and vice versa. So he’s going to get an opportunity. But at the end of the day, I’m going to play who I think is best for us. Right now, Jeremy is new. He hasn’t played for us. So I have to see rather quickly what we have in him before going to the playoffs.”

Diawara, whom the Knicks drafted with the No. 51 pick, has had a larger role than most expected for his rookie season.

It wasn’t even a given over the summer that he would be on the roster, but he carved out playing time as the season progressed. 

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Some of that was due to Guerschon Yabusele’s struggles.

Diawara was more effective as a defender at the four spot — and at times as a small-ball five — and as a scorer. That’s a role that, on paper, suits Sochan as well. 

“I’m a rookie, rookie year, first year in the league,” Diawara said. “The league, anything can happen, so I’m just gonna take what I have to take and not take anything for granted and just keep working until I’m gonna be that player [I want to be].” 

Entering Thursday, Diawara was averaging 2.7 points per game, but notably shooting 41.3 percent from 3-point range.

Given his size and wingspan, his defense was supposed to be well ahead of his offense coming out of the draft.

He scored in double digits four times in the first half of the year, showing that his offensive game is a bit more polished than advertised.  

“I think my 3-point shot,” Diawara said of where he’s most grown this year. “I think my 3-point shot became a little bit more consistent. I think that’s the biggest thing, and maybe my defense too, a little bit.” 

How much he can continue to grow his game now becomes a question mark, though.

The City of Beverly Hills apologized to Jaylen Brown after police shut down a panel he was hosting at a mansion during NBA All-Star Weekend, but the Celtics star didn’t seem to be in the forgiving mood Thursday. 

Beverly Hills admitted in a statement that it had stated “inaccurate information” as to why officers shut down the gathering last Saturday. The city had said organizers applied for an event permit and that it was denied due to violations connected to the address. 

Nevertheless, in their release Thursday, the city adjusted its position and said that no permit was applied for nor denied, and that the residence had no prior violations. 

“The city’s previous statement about the weekend event at the Trousdale home was inaccurate, and on behalf of the city, I would like to apologize to Jaylen Brown and the Jannard family,” City of Beverly Hills manager Nancy Hunt-Coffey said in a statement. “The City has a responsibility to its residents and neighborhoods to ensure adherence to established regulations for events held at private residences. These are designed to support the safety and welfare of neighbors and attendees.

“City staff observed circumstances that are believed to be City code violations and for that reason alone, the event was ended.”

Brown did acknowledge the Beverly Hills police department for the apology in a post on X, but said that the “Damage is already done and I can’t recreate that moment again” and that the city had “embarrassed me and my brand [741Performance].”

“You targeted me and my [741Performance] event based on biased information then you give a half ass apology after the damage is already done,” Brown added in a later post on social media. 

The five-time Celtics All-Star took umbrage with the new reasoning from the city in its latest news release and, in a lengthy statement, said that the police had shut the “private gathering” down based solely on an assumption. The Jannard family had allowed Brown to use the mansion for a panel for his footwear and apparel brand. 

“This was a private, invitation-only gathering at a private home among friends and partners, not a public or commercial event requiring a permit,” his statement read. “Music was voluntarily turned off at 6:00 PM; well before the 10:00 PM noise ordinance. In advance of the event, our team proactively contacted the Beverly Hills Police Department, requesting to hire an off-duty officer for support, and that request was declined.

“No proof of any alleged violation was ever produced to the homeowner, our team, or legal counsel. Without observation, documentation, or confirmed violations, enforcement action based on belief alone raises serious due-process concerns.”

Brown said he was open to a constructive resolution with Beverly Hills. 

Brown took to social media on Saturday night to express his frustration over the incident. Video later surfaced of Brown trying to get answers from a Beverly Hills police officer over why the panel was being shut down. 

2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer standings:
Tyrese Maxey – 20
Joel Embiid – 9
VJ Edgecombe – 7
Paul George – 6
Dominick Barlow – 2
Andre Drummond – 2
Jared McCain :’( – 2
MarJon Beauchamp – 1
Adem Bona – 1
Justin Edwards – 1
Quentin Grimes – 1
Kelly Oubre Jr. – 1
Trendon Watford – 1
15th roster spot – 1

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The Philadelphia 76ers fell 117-107 to the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday in their first game back from the All-Star break.

Joel Embiid was out for this one after reporting shin soreness over the hiatus. The Sixers said at practice on Wednesday that the big fella will be re-evaluated before the team’s weekend back-to-back after missing the Sixers’ first game back from the All-Star break.

And boy did this look like the first game after some time off. Just ugly all-around, honestly, with the feeling of a random pick-up game more so than an NBA contest. The Hawks never got too far ahead but the Sixers just couldn’t seem to make up much ground at any point until it was too late — it probably didn’t help that they shot 38.4% from the floor (33-for-86). Atlanta wasn’t much better, but clearly they were better enough.

This is the Sixers’ third loss this season to a now 27-30 Hawks squad.

The Sixers will now hit the road for a weekend back-to-back, visiting the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.

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

VJ Edgecombe: 20 points, 9 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block

The rookie looked fresh and energetic coming off the All-Star weekend where he was the MVP of the Rising Stars game last Friday evening. Edgecombe led the Sixers in the first period with 11 points on 4-for-7 field goal shooting (2-for-4 from long range) and was really the only offensive juice Philadelphia had in an ugly 26-point first.

Speaking of long range, he hit this triple to beat the buzzer at the end of the opening frame.

VJ Edgecombe with 11 points in Q1 after sinking this ridiculous buzzer-beater three! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/MU8k822v1u

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) February 20, 2026

Edgecombe cooled off a bit after that hot start, but the rookie didn’t stop contributing. Per usual, he was the best when the Sixers’ backs were against the wall. He had seven points and a few great defensive plays in the fourth as the Sixers were trying to pry a victory from the jaws of defeat.

The rookie finished this one with 20 points (7-for-15 field goal shooting, 3-for-8 from long range) with nine rebounds, a steal and a block.

Adem Bona: 9 points, 7 rebounds, 4 blocks in 19:40

I don’t think you could possibly ask for more hustle from a guy. Adem Bona came out with a fire for this contest and was absolutely all over the court. By halftime, he had already racked up four blocks and four rebounds (three on the offensive end) in under 10 minutes on the floor. That doesn’t happen by coincidence. It happens from making sure you’re at the right place at the exact right times (with precise execution on the blocks) to make the plays.

In addition to putting up five points of his own in that first half, there’s one play I specifically want to highlight on the offensive end that turned what would have been Atlanta ball into three points for the Sixers.

Excellent awareness/hustle from Adem Bona giving the Sixers possession and Quentin Grimes sinks the triple off the Cam Payne inbound! pic.twitter.com/NKwYTf62R9

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) February 20, 2026

That’s an Adem Bona play. The hustle, the awareness and the execution.

And it’s a play that won’t show at all on a stat sheet. That’s what Bona does, the energy and hustle plays that don’t always show in the form of eye-popping stat lines — but if you’re watching, you know exactly what he’s bringing for the Sixers, especially in games like Thursday’s.

Bona finished this one with nine points, seven rebounds and four blocks in 19:40 on the floor.

Don't ask me why Adem Bona was on the bench to close out Sixers-Hawks 🤷‍♀️ I thought he was an absolute monster on the floor tonight.

9 PTS (3-5 FG), 7 REB (3 OFF), 4 BLK and a number of hustle plays that'll never show on a stat sheet, in 19:40

Here's some highlights from Bona… pic.twitter.com/I8diwY7Wdk

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) February 20, 2026

Tyrese Maxey: 28 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

Tyrese Maxey is far from perfect right now. His shot selection has been leaving a lot to be desired and is leading to some really inefficient shooting lines, but he is undeniably still able to string together bursts of scoring for this Sixers’ squad and leads the offensive production when Embiid is sidelined. Tonight was another one of those nights. He shot just 34.8% from the floor (8-for-23) — but he also led the Sixers with 28 points.

Maxey had an especially strong third period — the period where it typically all gets worse somehow for the Sixers — with 11 points on 4-for-7 field goal shooting with a few timely triples to keep Philadelphia within striking distance of Atlanta. However, he then put up just three points (all free throws) in the entirety of the fourth.

Tyrese Maxey with his own 5-0 run with a slam and a step-back triple 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/j53iZYZO1I

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) February 20, 2026

I’m conflicted personally putting Maxey here. I feel like I have to, because he did lead the Sixers scoring and had a number of good defensive plays… but his game continues to be off in a concerning way. From the shot selection and poor shooting to his demeanor and emotional reactions throughout games, it just feels like Maxey is far from at his best right now.

But here we are. Maxey finished the night with 28 points, three rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. He played nearly 39 minutes.

Quentin Grimes: 14 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block

Someone is feeling good after some time in the sun! Quentin Grimes has not been having a ton of success as of late making much impact for the Sixers, especially struggling shooting, so seeing him start tonight going 3-for-3 from the floor (2-for-3 from three) for nine points was an encouraging sight.

And five more quick points from Quentin Grimes! 👀 pic.twitter.com/ptCqe1aRBR

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) February 20, 2026

It didn’t feel like Grimes was forcing things on Thursday and he was actually one of the more efficient shooters for the Sixers, ending up 5-for-9 (55.6%) on field goals (2-for-4, 50% from long range). It wasn’t anything that’s going to break records or majorly turn heads, but getting 14 points off the bench from Grimes feels like a step in the right direction — hopefully a direction he can keep moving in.

He finished Thursday with 14 points, two rebounds, one assists and a block.

Kelly Oubre Jr.: 17 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 1 block

Felt like this was a quietly decent game from Kelly Oubre Jr. This certainly wasn’t his best game shooting, going just 4-for-13 on field goals, but it wasn’t really anyone on the floor’s best game shooting. Even with that inefficiency, Oubre was able to score 17 points tonight, including five in the final frame as the Sixers attempted to mount a comeback.

In that same late stint, he also came up with a number of massive defensive plays, including a block and a steal, to give Philadelphia even the suggestion of a chance.

Oubre finished the contest with 17 points, three rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block.

The Phoenix Suns’ start to the final 27-game stretch of the season went as poorly as you could have imagined it in a 121-94 loss to the Spurs. The game is just one of a long 82-game season, but it was a reminder that the Suns, and by extension the Suns fanbase, are cursed.

Most of us Suns fans know the history: The Suns lost the coin flip for the first pick in the NBA Draft the year Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was coming out of UCLA, Stoudemire was suspended for stepping onto the court in Game Four of the Western Conference Semifinals in 2007, the Kardashian curse, etc. There is always something that happens to us that zaps our happiness.

This season, it has been the seesaw of health for Devin Booker and Jalen Green. With Jalen Green starting his first game as a Phoenix Suns player, it took all but six minutes for Booker to exit the game due to right hip soreness in a game the Suns were completely outplayed the moment he left the game. Maybe it is time to accept that Booker and Green just will not play together this season. The talented guard duo has started and finished a handful of games this entire season.

The only good news from this game was that Green finished the game healthy and looked the healthiest he has all season. He led the Suns with 26 points on 11-of-23 from the field in a season-high 26 minutes. At times, Green was the only Suns player who did not appear bothered by the Spurs’ relentless pressure and elite shot-blocking presence at the rim. The Suns need a big game from someone else to have a chance in this one, and no one stepped up with Allen and Brooks out.

Top Performers

Suns

• Jalen Green: 26 points, 11-of-23 shooting, 2 assists, 3 steals
• Mark Williams: 11 points, 4-of-12 shooting, 10 rebounds, 1 block
• Oso Ighodaro: 10 points, 5-of-8 shooting, 5 assists
• Collin Gillespie: 8 points, 3-for-13 shooting, 8 assists

Spurs

• Stephon Caste: 20 points, 8-for-11 shooting, 4 assists
• Victor Wembanyama: 17 points, 8-for-15 shooting, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 blocks
• De’Aaron Fox: 15 points, 4-of-9 shooting, 8 assists
• Dylan Harper: 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting

Game Flow

First Half 

Jalen Green’s first start for the Suns got off to a strong start. He scored 7 points in the first six minutes of the game and knocked down his first three. He also had multiple dump-off passes to Mark Williams who had varying success trying to finish against Wembenyama. There were growing pains as well. Green threw the ball carelessly multiple times, resulting in a couple of turnovers, but most importantly, he looked fully healthy and confident moving on the court.

Then the bad news, Devin Booker exited the game and went back to the locker room with five minutes left in the first quarter.

Booker checked out game with 5:24 left in the 1st quarter.

He isn't on the bench.

— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) February 20, 2026

Without Booker, Dillon Brooks, and Grayson Allen playing, the Suns survived offensively for a quarter. The Suns were moving the ball and getting good shots against one of the top defenses in the NBA. Defensively, is where the Suns specifically missed Brooks and Allen. The Spurs guards De’Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper all attacked the Suns and were effective in getting to the rim and generating easy baskets. Spurs led 30-25 after an Oso Ighodaro bricked floater fell to end the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Suns’ bench struggled to keep pace. The Spurs started the quarter on a 13-0 run with the Suns’ offense unable to create quality shots with Wembanyama on the floor. With the Suns’ offense sputtering, the Spurs took advantage, getting the ball up the court quickly. Castle led the Spurs charge, scoring 14 points on 5-of-6 from the field and 4 assists. The Suns’ first points in the quarter came on a Royce O’Neale three with 7:30 left in the quarter, followed by a Green 3-point shot to force a Spurs timeout down 45-31.

The only semi-good news from an abysmal second quarter was that Booker checked back into the game with 4:46 left, but he quickly returned to the locker room minutes later.

The Spurs ballooned out to 19 points thanks to a 16-4 advantage in points off turnovers. The Suns committed just seven turnovers, but they were cataclysmic. The Suns, who are second in the NBA in steals per game, got a taste of their own medicine from the Spurs. The ball pressure from the Spurs guards frustrated and disrupted the Suns, who could not get into any rhythm. After multiple defensive breakdowns and Luke Kornet dunks, it was all San Antonio until a late flurry of triples from Jordan Goodwin and O’Neale got Phoenix within shouting distance, down 61-49 at halftime.

Second Half

The second half was all San Antonio. The Spurs turned stops into easy fastbreak layups for the entire third quarter, which the Spurs led by as much as 32. The Spurs outscored the Suns 25-7 in fastbreak points and 18-7 in points off turnovers after three quarters, when this game was unofficially over at 98-71. After a mediocre first half by his standards, Wembanyama made his typical jaw-dropping plays as he easily blocked a circus Green layup and had a monster dunk on the other end. Williams competed hard against Wembanyama, but struggled to finish over the top, and defensively, he was targeted and taken advantage of by the quick San Antonio guards. The usually reliable Gillespie struggled to get his shot off against the superior athleticism of the Spurs guards at times and looked to be second-guessing many of the opportunities he created.

The Suns threw in the towel in the fourth quarter and started playing the young guys. The first four-minute stretch for Phoenix was Green, Gillespie, Ighodaro, Ryan Dunn, and Rasheer Fleming. Then Khaman Maluach checked in for the rest of the quarter. The Suns’ lottery pick scored 4 points, grabbed 5 rebounds and turned it over twice in his eight minutes. Fleming scored 3 points on 1-for-4 shooting and snagged 3 boards.

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Up Next

The Suns head back home to face the Orlando Magic on Saturday at 3 pm Arizona time on NBATV.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are on a roll. They’ve won six straight and are 13-2 since January 14th. Jarrett Allen has been dominant throughout.

All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player. We also won’t be grading garbage time. Sorry, Tristan Enaruna. You were fun to watch.

Donovan Mitchell

17 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds

Mitchell must feel like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders. He’s able to freely attack defenses without having to do everything for Cleveland. He’s no longer their leading scorer and best playmaker. He can instead fall back into his comfort zone as a volume shooter who can dish the ball in the right spaces. That should lead to an even more efficient Mitchell as we move into the playoffs.

Grade: A+

James Harden

16 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals

Harden put on a clinic tonight. He was in full control of the offense, throwing dimes left and right while getting to the rim whenever he wanted. His playmaking is bringing out the best in everyone, and he’s a big reason for the crowd being lively in Cleveland once again. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed the Harden experience thus far.

Grade: A+

Jarrett Allen

15 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks

Rolling hard to the basket. Burying mismatches and drawing free throws. Blocking opponents at the rim. Catching lobs from the dunker’s spot. Allen is doing it all, and the Cavs are surging because of it.

Grade: A+

Jaylon Tyson

11 points, 2 assists, 5 rebounds

Tyson’s development has been fascinating to watch. He’s filled whatever role is asked of him. And, as he grows more comfortable creating in the short-roll, his pairing with either Mitchell or Harden should only get more fun to watch. He’s an underrated screener, and he’s playing next to two of the best manipulators in the game.

Grade: A-

Keon Ellis

7 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 3 blocks

I can get used to watching Ellis play for the Cavs. He’s an electric defender who makes all of the highlight plays while bringing enough offensive juice to be on the floor in any lineup. Consider me a fan.

Grade: A+

Evan Mobley

10 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block

Mobley returned from his calf injury tonight. He was limited by a minutes restriction (and the Cavs ended this game early), but the early results of Mobley running the pick-and-roll next to Harden have been positive. And, he’s still a menace defensively.

Grade: A-

Dennis Schroder

12 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds

Schroder started this game with an ugly airball from the short corner. You don’t see those very often in the NBA. Outside of that, he was a helpful contributor in a huge win.

Grade: B+

Sam Merrill

3 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists

Merrill couldn’t miss a shot in his previous game against the Wizards. He crashed back to Earth with a 1-4 shooting performance tonight. It happens.

Grade: B-

Dean Wade

11 points, 5 rebounds

Wade returned from injury and nailed his first two shot attempts. He finished the game a perfect 4-4 from the floor, hitting three triples and providing elite defense. AWOOOOOOO.

Grade: A+++

CHICAGO (AP) — Brandon Ingram scored 31 points and the Toronto Raptors returned from the All-Star break to beat the Chicago Bulls 110-101 on Thursday night.

With Chicago coach Billy Donovan away following his father’s death Saturday, assistant coach Wes Unseld Jr. directed the Bulls. Chicago has lost seven straight, also falling to the Raptors two weeks ago in Toronto.

Fifth in East, Toronto won for the eighth time in 12 games to improve to 33-23. Ingram also had eight rebounds and six assists. Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley and Ja’Kobe Walter each had 14 points, and RJ Barrett added 13.

After Anfernee Simons hit a 3-pointer to cap a 7-0 run and pull Chicago to 103-101 with 2:12 left, Collin Murray-Boyles had a three-point play with 1:18 remaining and Ingram hit a 17-footer with 36 seconds to go to make it 108-101.

Simons led Chicago with 20 points in his fifth game since coming over from Boston in a trade. Isaac Okoro added 16.

Bulls guards Josh Giddey and Tre Jones returned from hamstring injuries, with each playing about 21 1/2 minutes. Giddey had five points and five assists, and Jones finished with 12 points and six assists.

Chicago opened a seven-game homestand. The Bulls are 11th in the East at 24-32.

Up next

Raptors: At Milwaukee on Sunday.

Bulls: Host Detroit on Saturday night.

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

The Suns were missing their emotional leader in Dillon Brooks, who was suspended for tonight’s game after committing 16 technical fouls before the All Star Break. When Devin Booker couldn’t come out of the locker room after halftime with hip soreness, the Suns were wounded, and the Spurs took advantage. The Spurs fought their way through an inefficient first half with Victor settling for three point shots and finesse plays, but still led by 12, thanks to some solid play from Luke Kornet and company. Victor moved his game inside the paint in the second half, and that combined with his ability to erase the opponents’ shots on defense let the Spurs put the game out of reach in the second half with a 37-22 third quarter. When the Spurs extended the lead to 30+ early in the final frame, it was Biyombo time as the Spurs put in a lineup of all third stringers to finish out the game. The Austin was treated to some nice shots from Carter Bryant and the rest of the garbage time crew as they held most of the lead and won 121-94. Victor came out after the game and banged the drum, and the crowd went wild!

Observations

• It was a balmy 75 degrees in Austin at tip-off. It’s a nice day to be in Central Texas.
• The Spurs wore Fiesta colors, and it looks like they transported the Fiesta court from San Antonio to the Moody Center. The logistics of holding a home game an hour and a half up I-35 (on a good day) from the Frost Bank Center must be pretty involved.
• The beginning of the game was a back-and-forth affair as both teams played the first 6 minutes at a breakneck pace, with the Spurs leading 17-16 halfway through the first. The Suns called the timeout to challenge an out of bounds call, and the challenge was successful, but they immediately turned over the ball to the Spurs, causing Jordan Ott to call another time out just 30 seconds later. It was a pretty inefficient quarter for both teams as the Spurs led 30-25 at the end of the first 12 minutes.
• Remember when it was a big deal when Carter Bryant got into the game? He’s just part of the regular rotation now.
• The Spurs are so lucky to have Luke Kornet. When Wembanyama has to sit, he’s always so solid, and he knows how to get the crowd involved when he make a play. When Wemby has a bit of an off night, Luke is always there to keep the Spurs going strong.
• The Silver and Black had some nice work in the second quarter but weren’t able to keep Jalen Green and Collin Gillespie in check as they led by as much as 19 later in the quarter, but the Suns ended on a 6-0 run to trail by a dozen points at the half, 61-49. It was kind of an ugly half, as both teams looked like they were coming off of an All Star hangover.
• Devin Booker did not come out of the locker room to start the second half with hip soreness, and Phoenix was without their top score as the Spurs started the third on a 12-2 run to take a 22 point lead.
• Steph Castle committed his fifth foul early in the third quarter, and had to sit out for a while, but with the Spurs stretching their lead as Dylan Harper filled in, it was not too much of a problem for the Silver and Black.
• Jamaree Bouyea is pretty impressive, he’s worked really hard to make a career in the NBA and worked his way into being in the Suns rotation after bouncing around the league for a couple of years. It’s just great to see guys like him succeed in the association.
• The Spurs outscored the Suns 37-22 in the third quarter with Victor Wembanyama dominating the paint on both ends of the court.
• Mitch Johnson decided he had seen enough with about 10 minutes left in the game, and put in a lineup of Bismack Biyombo, Jordan McLaughlin, Carter Bryant, Dylan Harper, and Kelly Olynyk to finish out the game.

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The Spurs will remain in Austin for a couple more days, facing the Sacramento Kings on Saturday at the Moody Center. Then they’ll go on the road for five games, starting with the Pistons on February 23, including a key matchup against the Knicks on March 1, and finally returning home to San Antonio with a March 5 rematch against the Pistons. After the RRT concludes, the Spurs will be home for 13 of the remaining 21 games, which could be helpful for the Spurs as they attempt to rise in the playoff standings.