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FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Minnesota right-hander Pablo López will have season-ending Tommy John elbow surgery, expected once the Twins discovered their ace's torn ulnar collateral ligament.

The team said Friday that López's surgery will be performed next week in Texas by Rangers team physician Dr. Keith Meister. López turns 30 early next month.

It will be the second Tommy John surgery for López. He had the procedure as a minor leaguer with the Seattle organization and missed the 2014 season.

López ended a bullpen session early during the Twins' first full-squad workout Monday. First-year manager Derek Shelton said he was hopeful the move was precautionary, but a day later general manager Jeremy Zoll told reporters of the UCL tear.

López was the Twins' opening-day for the past three years and was planning to pitch for Venezuela in next month's World Baseball Classic.

López made his major league debut with the Miami Marlins in 2018 and spent five seasons with them, then was traded to the Twins.

He made the All-Star team in his first year with Minnesota and helped the franchise end a record 18-game postseason losing streak for North American professional sports, going 2-0 with an 0.71 ERA in two starts in the 2023 playoffs.

López is making $21.75 million this season and is signed through next year.

A shoulder injury limited him to 14 starts last season after he made 32 in each of three consecutive 10-win seasons, the first in his final season with the Marlins. López was 5-4 with a 2.74 ERA in 2025 and is 59-53 with a 3.81 ERA for his career.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

The Cleveland Cavaliers announced that they have signed Darius Brown II to a two-way contract. In a corresponding move, the Cavs waived forward Emanuel Miller, whom they acquired just a few weeks ago in the three-way deal with the Chicago Bulls and Sacramento Kings.

Brown, who went undrafted out of Utah State in 2024, has put together a quality season for the Charge to the tune of 12.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 9.7 assists, and 2.2 steals per game. On January 9th, Brown dished out a franchise-record 22 assists against the Texas Legends, narrowly missing the NBA G League record of 23 assists in a single game. Brown is averaging the third-most assists per game in the G League and is shooting 40% from three-point territory.

The Cavs have been doing plenty of shifting around with their bench players and G League two-way deals. The team opened up a roster spot with the salary-dump of Lonzo Ball to eventually sign Charge teammate Nae’Qwan Tomlin to a standard NBA deal. Luke Travers was also waived during the heat of the NBA trade deadline, further opening a spot that has now been filled by Brown. Charge forward Tristan Enaruna and guard Riley Minix have also received two-way deals from the Cavs to round out the available slots.

There are several instances across the league of two-way players not only finding minutes at the NBA level, but carving out meaningful roles. Tomlin is one of the brighter examples in the league, but Pat Spencer (Golden State), Daniss Jenkins (Detroit), and Dom Barlow (Philadelphia) are just a few others that have found great success through the G League track. Once seen as an afterthought, is now looked at as a meaningful pathway to the NBA.

The Dallas Mavericks (19-35) will try to end their nine-game losing streak as they play the Minnesota Timberwolves (34-22) at Target Center.

After a long and Mavs-less All-Star break, Dallas returns to action against the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, while the Mavericks are back, they will still be without rookie Cooper Flagg, who remains out with a foot injury that forced him to drop out of the Rising Stars game.

For Minnesota, it will mark the start of a second half of the season that will see Anthony Edwards try to help the Wolves claw their way higher in a tightly packed Western Conference. They are currently sitting in sixth place, just a half-game back of the Houston Rockets and home-court advantage in the playoffs.

The Gobert factor

For a Mavericks team that has struggled with three-point shooting during their losing streak — connecting on just 9.3 threes per game over the last nine contests and shooting a league-worst 34.2% from deep — Gobert’s rim protection presents a significant challenge. Dallas will need to find ways to draw Gobert away from the basket, whether through pick-and-pop actions with P.J. Washington or by attacking in transition before the defense can set. If Gobert is allowed to camp in the paint, the Mavericks’ already limited offensive options become even more constrained.

Gobert, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, is averaging 11.1 rebounds per game (fourth in the NBA) and shooting an incredible 70.3% from the field, leading the league in field goal percentage.

Losing like it’s 1997

Dallas’ nine-game losing streak is its longest since the 1997-98 season, when they lost 10 straight. That’s a nearly 29-year-old mark, should they hit it. The 90s were not a nice time to be a Dallas fan, so to match a record from those dog days would be a stark indication of Dallas’ season trajectory.

The Mavericks’ nine-game losing streak has been characterized by poor shooting, defensive breakdowns, and an inability to close out competitive games. During the skid, Dallas has been outscored by an average of 12.4 points per game, with their only truly competitive performance coming in the 120-111 loss to Phoenix, where they cut a 31-point deficit to just six late in the fourth quarter.

The absence of Cooper Flagg has been particularly damaging. The rookie was averaging 20.4 points and 6.4 rebounds before suffering a foot injury, and his two-way presence gave Dallas a fighting chance in games against superior opponents. Without him, the Mavericks have relied heavily on Naji Marshall (averaging 16.8 points during the streak) and P.J. Washington to carry the offensive load.

Grievous injury

The idea of seeing Cooper Flagg play with Kyrie Irving has been something nearly every Dallas fan has been waiting to see. Even with the postseason out of reach and the Mavericks’ sights set firmly on ping-pong balls, basketball is still about entertainment, afterall. There’s little denying that watching Flagg play with a guard of Irving’s skillset has the chance to produce some pretty eye-popping highlights, even in a season where Kyrie would have been mostly shakingoff the rust from his ACL injury.

While having Cooper develop his game as a ball handler and offensive initiator, we’ve seen the results when he’s paired with even a replacement-level NBA guard. It speaks volumes that even just playing alongside an undrafted rookie in Ryan Nembhard, Flagg’s production noticeably improves. That’s no shade on Nembhard, he’s a great find and a promising player, but he’s not going to be opening the floor in the same way Kyrie Irving will when those two finally get on the floor together.

How to Watch

Tipoff is at 6:30pm on ESPN

UCLA men's basketball coach Mick Cronin apologized Friday, Feb. 20, for how he personally ejected Bruins forward Steven Jamerson II during UCLA's 82-59 loss to Michigan State.

Jamerson II was called for a Flagrant 1 late in the second half of UCLA's blowout loss on Feb. 17. It wasn't a foul that resulted in an automatic ejection — Cronin ejected Jamerson himself.

REQUIRED READING: UCLA basketball coach Mick Cronin ejects own player in lopsided loss

Cronin said Jamerson II made a "dirty play" in his apology on Feb. 20, but acknowledged he went too far with how he handled the situation.

"I apologized to Steve," Cronin told reporters. "I thought he took the guy out like the kid at Providence took out the guy from St. John's out. It's the only reason I sent him to the locker room. I thought he literally made a dirty play and tried to wipe the guy out.

"Once I saw the film, I mean, he still got a (Flagrant 1). But to be honest with you, I don't know if he deserved that. ... I was wrong. I apologized to him."

Cronin later said he needs to dial back some of his antics. He also had a heated exchange with a reporter after UCLA's loss to Michigan State, calling a question the worst he has ever been asked. Cronin later asked the same reporter if the reporter was raising his voice at him.

"I need to dial back some of my humor bends, and so for that I apologize," he said. "Sometimes I'm too candid, like for example talking about how bad our flight was after the NCAA Tournament. ... In this climate, you have to be careful about what you say. ... The brand matters here, the school matters. The last thing I want to bring is negative publicity to our school."

The 54-year-old coach is in his seventh season at UCLA and has the Bruins firmly on the NCAA Tournament bubble in 2026. He has led the Bruins to a Final Four, two Sweet 16s and a Round of 32 appearance in 2024-25.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: UCLA coach Mick Cronin apologizes for ejecting Steven Jamerson during game

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Two shorthanded teams clash as the Denver Nuggets travel to Moda Center to face the Portland Trail Blazers tonight.

The game total has gone Over in eight of the last 10 head-to-head matchups, and my Nuggets vs. Trail Blazers predictions call for another high-scoring affair.

Here are my best free NBA picks for this Northwest Division showdown on Friday, February 20.

Nuggets vs Trail Blazers prediction

Nuggets vs Trail Blazers best bet: Over 241.5 (-110)

The Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers will be shorthanded tonight, but that won’t stop a steady stream of points at Moda Center. On the season, both teams rank in the top-12 in points per game scored, and both rank in the top-7 in that category across their last 10 games.

In that span, each team ranks in the bottom-10 in points per game surrendered, creating a perfect blend of high scoring and lax defense. Denver has averaged 124.5 points across its last four on the road, while Portland has averaged 125.6 across its last five at home

Nuggets vs Trail Blazers same-game parlay

The home team has covered the spread in six straight head-to-head matchups between the Nuggets and Trail Blazers. Portland is 17-12 ATS at home and 11-7 as the home underdog.

Deni Avdija is averaging 39 PRA this season, but this line is depressed due to his recent availability. He's appeared in only six of the Blazers' last 16 games, but he should be close to full strength after the All-Star break.

Nuggets vs Trail Blazers SGP

• Over 241.5
• Trail Blazers +1.5
• Deni Avdija Over 34.5 points + rebounds + assists

Our "from downtown" SGP: Mighty Murray

Jamal Murray has been ultra-productive over his last 10 games, averaging 24.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 8.8 assists.

He's hit the Over on this line six times in that span, going for exactly 36 twice more.

Nuggets vs Trail Blazers SGP

• Over 241.5
• Trail Blazers +1.5
• Deni Avdija Over 34.5 points + rebounds + assists
  
• Jamal Murray Over 36.5 points + rebounds + assists

Nuggets vs Trail Blazers odds

• Spread: Nuggets +1.5 (-110) | Trail Blazers -1.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Nuggets -125 | Trail Blazers +105
• Over/Under: Over 241.5 (-110) | Under 241.5 (-110)

Nuggets vs Trail Blazers betting trend to know

The Denver Nuggets have hit the game total Over in 30 of their last 45 away games (+13.53 Units / 27% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Nuggets vs. Trail Blazers.

How to watch Nuggets vs Trail Blazers

Nuggets vs Trail Blazers latest injuries

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After a week devoted to rest, recalibration, and reflection, the Boston Celtics returned to the hardwood with sharpened focus and renewed intent. 

They secured their 36th victory of the season with a 121–110 victory over the Golden State Warriors. Boston controlled the tempo for much of the contest, executing on both ends with discipline and purpose. However, a blistering 15–0 surge by Golden State in the opening three minutes of the fourth quarter injected late drama into an otherwise steady performance. 

Rather than unravel, the Celtics steadied themselves. They absorbed the momentum shift, reasserted control, and answered with composure — a poised response that ultimately sealed the victory and underscored their maturity in such situations.  

Beyond the final margin, what stood out most was the orchestration on the offensive end. Boston’s attack was fluid, deliberate, and unselfish, a reflection of a team fully in sync in the face of adversity. The result was a season-high 36 assists, a striking testament to their connectivity and collective trust. Possession after possession, the extra pass wasn’t just available; it was instinctive. 

When asked about the 36 assists on 49 made field goals, head coach Joe Mazzulla emphasized the intentionality behind the performance. “I thought for majority of the game, we managed the game with our ability to execute, you know get a shot every possession find a two-on-one, have great spacing, great screening.”  

That cohesion was evident in real time, but upon a second viewing, the layers became even more apparent.  

Here are the plays that stood out to me.  

The first offensive possession of the game for Boston was a great one that reminded me of old times.  

Play starts off with a mini “Zipper” cut to get Derrick White to the top of the key. I say mini because the cutter usually starts all the way down near the post then Zipper’s all the way up to the top off a pin down.  

Boston has shortened it in the past; I assume for quickness purposes.  

When White gets the ball at the top, you’ll essentially see the Celtics having action on both sides in 5 out spacing as both Baylor Scheierman and Neemias Queta set “Flare” screens. Flare screens = an off-ball screen in between the passer and the recipient.  

This resembles “Delay” action which happens when a big has the ball at the top of the key and both sides set Flares or pin downs to get things open. But this particular play with Flares on both sides was ran a ton in 2022.  

On the current one, Scheierman slips his Flare screen and Queta holds his.  

Queta holding his forces Draymond Green to stay back a tick longer just in case White threw the pass to Jaylen Brown. This allows Queta to run into the screen freely. Right before Queta screens, you can hear Green yell “Ice!” to the on-ball defender.  

Ice in pick and roll coverage means shading your body toward the screener, so the handler can’t use it. This is why you see Green on the right side of Queta because if the defender would’ve done it correctly, White would dribble towards Green.  

But it doesn’t and White ends up using the screen forcing Green to go to the other side and pick him up. A great screen and that pick up, leaves Queta open on the roll and he gets fouled.  

Here we have more pick and roll play from the Celtics.  

The term “Mazzulla Ball” is classified as creating and taking advantage of two-on-one and three-on-two situations. With great screening, which Mazzulla noted postgame, the team is able to create both on one play.  

The Celtics force two on the ball when Queta’s screen knocks the defender off, and Green has to pick up White once again.  

This in turn creates multiple two-on-ones or a big three-on-two on the lower half of the court.  

White does a great job staying patient and waiting for the corner defender on the right side to make a decision. Queta gets deeper than the corner man and the pass leads to a dunk.  

Once again, the Celtics create an advantage through screening.  

As Nikola Vucevic sets the screen, former Celtic Al Horford plays to the level and ends up crowding Brown making sure he can’t penetrate the defense further. This gets two on the ball.  

Doing that once again gives us the same multiple two-on-ones and three-on-two look they got last play.  

In this situation, whichever corner defender the big rolls closer to is who the passer will read. The last play was on the right side and on this one it’s the left. Moses Moody (defender in the corner) comes all the way into the paint to disincentivize the pass to Vucevic which leaves Jordan Walsh wide open in the corner and Brown finds him.  

That was one of Brown’s career high 13 assists in this game. He stuffed the stat sheet in last night’s contest, putting up 23 points and 15 rebounds to go along with the passing. When asked about his all-around performance postgame, Mazzulla remarked, “JB just had a clear understanding of what the advantage was every time down the floor,” highlighting his keen awareness and ability to read the game in real time. 

Continuing with the plays, here the Celtics get two on the ball in a different way. 

White sets the back screen for Vucevic then gets to the top of the key. He then calls for Payton Pritchard to set the Ghost screen, which causes some confusion defensively.  

This creates a three-on-two on the left side for a second.  

What’s crucial on this is the cut by Sam Hauser. As I just noted, the advantage created by the Ghost screen is fleeting, so the team must execute after it perfectly to fully capitalize on it. When he sees Pritchard coming to the wing, he immediately cuts.  

He does this because he knows his defender will step up to a wide-open Pritchard on the wing. The cut also draws the attention of Kristaps Porzingis away from his man who is Vucevic in the corner. Pritchard sees Porzingis trying to reach Hauser and hits Vuc in the corner.  

Next, we have dribble penetration creating the advantages.  

As the Celtics attempt to go to another pick and roll, the on-ball defender correctly Ices the screen this time making White reject it. White sees this and smartly proceeds to drive drawing Porzingis closer to him and away from Vuc.  

This causes a longer closeout for the big man and Vuc shows his versatility pump faking and driving past him. White’s defender sees this and stops the drive and behind him, Green picks up his. The thing is in doing so Green completely leaves the corner and thus the two-on-one.  

Vuc makes a phenomenal read and gets rewarded with the hockey assist.  

This set didn’t result in points (looked like a goal tend) but it was my favorite one of the game.  

Here the Celtics go to Horns Out Ram. “Horns Out” is a type of entry that is made up of two things. First, the play starts in “Horns” alignment which can be easily identified by seeing two players at or near the elbows of the free throw line.  

The “Out” part is an Out cut which is when someone cuts out to either wing with a screen. The Celtics also use these out cuts in “Stack Out” entry plays. I don’t like to assume, but I’m going to say maybe Brown running over Queta wasn’t apart of action. 

Next, the “Ram” part is named after a Ram screen which is an off-ball screen set for someone to go set a ball screen.  

Queta sets the screen for Brown after the screen from White, and two gets put on the ball again. Brown gets it to White and he makes a great touch pass into Queta who has good position.  

Brown starts it all for the green team on this one.  

Him touching the paint draws three Warrior defenders to him and creates a three-on-two situation.  

All that’s left now is to play Celtics basketball and whip the rock to the open man.  

Early in the second half, the Celtics run “Horns Stagger Slip”. 

Stagger screens are two of the same off-ball screens with space in between them.  

Hauser is the first one, so he sets that but watch the IQ of White as the second screener. As he’s preparing to set the screen, he feels that his defender is leaving his body. The moment his arm is let go he slips wide open for the layup.  

Brown creates more offense for the C’s here with incredible pace.  

After the missed free throw, we see him jet to the block where Horford comes to double. He wastes no time getting the ball out of his hands, which helps the Celtics play four-on-three. Another wrinkle that helps Boston on this play is Porzingis not wanting to close out on Pritchard and telling his teammate to.   

Play most likely ends up the same way honestly, but this creates a longer closeout and gives the Celtics an extra tick of time. Pritchard attacking the closeout and touching the paint creates a two-on-one in the corner.  

Hugo Gonzalez and Ron Harper Jr play hot potato for a second which leads to Gonzalez attacking a closeout himself and displaying some intriguing self-creation.  

For the second to last play, you can hear Mazzulla call out another beautiful Horns set. I can’t quite make out what he said after Horns, so any theories are welcomed.  

Pritchard enters it into Vuc in the pinch post, and Harper Jr sets a “Rip” screen for Pritchard.  

He gets a nice release angle on the dive, but Vuc couldn’t get it to him. Pritchard uses that Rip screen to go set a pin down for Brown.  

As Brown curls off the screen, his defender is forced to chase over and ends up behind him. This forces Pritchard’s defender to help on Brown and make sure he doesn’t get an easy layup. But now nobody is on catch and shoot P.  

Last but not least, we just have great recognition by Mazzulla. As Pritchard is isolated vs Horford, he yells “Switch! Hugo!” so that Brown can be the guy that’s one pass away. This is done so the better offensive player can be the closest outlet to the driver if they cannot score whether it’s catch and shoot or driving. Pritchard gets it to Brown, and he finishes around his old buddy Porzingis.  

Ultimately, Boston’s victory over Golden State was more than just another notch in the win column; it was a showcase of precision, teamwork, and basketball IQ. From the fluid ball movement that produced a season-high 36 assists, to the savvy cuts, screens, and reads that define “Mazzulla Ball,” the Celtics displayed an offense that is both disciplined and dynamic. 

The Dallas Mavericks are in the home stretch, fully in rebuild mode for the final 28 games of their season. For the last few years at MMB we’ve wrapped up each week with a quick glance at the Power Rankings among national outlets to see how they view the Mavericks from week to week. That, for now, is not necessary. The Mavericks aren’t playing meaningful basketball, not for the playoffs. Instead their meaningful basketball centers solely on the development of Cooper Flagg and the other young players in the rotation. They announced this week that Kyrie Irving will continue rehab and will not return until next season. Now the team gets reps for the young guys, and organically position themselves as best they can for the NBA Draft lottery draw. Don’t call it a tank! (you can call it a tank). Development matters first, getting good reps for the young guys while letting the wins and losses fall as they may.

Let’s take a look at where the Mavericks are as of this writing, and what happens next.

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Lottery standings

The Mavericks (currently 19-35) are seventh in the lottery standings, two games back of the Utah Jazz in sixth and 8.5 games back of the Sacramento Kings. The Memphis Grizzlies are currently eighth behind Dallas — just 1.5 games back.

Utah and Memphis will be teams to take a hard look at if you find yourselves scoreboard watching on any given night. All of these teams, as covered nationally at a very loud decibel, are going all in on collecting losses. The reality of Dallas “catching” teams like the Washington Wizards or Brooklyn Nets in fourth or fifth is not likely — both teams are a full four games ahead of the Mavs. They’re bunched up with the Indiana Pacers and New Orleans Pelicans. So expect plenty of shuffling in front of Dallas in the coming weeks.

If the lottery were today, the Mavericks would have a 31.9% chance at a top four pick (7.5% at the top pick). Their top four chance moves up or down a full 5% if they moved in front of Utah or behind Memphis.

Weekly schedule

• Dallas Mavericks: @ Minnesota Timberwolves, @ Indiana Pacers, @ Brooklyn Nets, vs. Sacramento Kings
• Utah Jazz: @ Memphis Grizzlies, @ Houston Rockets, vs. New Orleans Pelicans
• Memphis Grizzlies: vs. Utah Jazz, @ Miami Heat, vs. Sacramento Kings, vs. Golden State Warriors

One magic spin

Each week we’ll take one spin around the block at tankathon.com and see where the chips fall. Our first inaugural spin was chaos. The Mavericks fell back one spot to eighth with the Milwaukee Bucks jumping nine spots to first — but because of a previous trade where the Atlanta Hawks get the best selection between Milwaukee and New Orleans, the Hawks are at one. The Bucks were able to then take on the New Orleans pick.

Let the games begin.

Fans aren’t the only ones that believe the 2025 NBA Draft lottery was rigged.

Some owners share that sentiment, too.

In an appearance on the “Chapo Trap House” podcast, investigative podcaster Pablo Torre said two owners told him at the event that they believe the lottery was fixed for the Mavericks to draft Duke standout Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick.

“I remember I was at an event, and I spoke to two NBA owners. This was the day after the NBA lottery. And those two owners were both like, ‘This was obviously fixed,’” Torre said.

“I’m saying literally two NBA owners did not trust the hand of Adam Silver to remain out of the proceedings, in terms of rigging the NBA draft lottery,” he added.

Dallas secured the No. 1 choice just a few months after a puzzling trade in which general manager Nico Harrison sent franchise icon Luka Doncic to the Lakers.

But with only a 1.8 percent chance of winning the lottery, the Mavericks earned the right to draft Flagg.

It could’ve simply been luck, but many fans thought it seemed too good to be true.

“Nico Harrison should not be allowed to make this pick,” Barstool Sports personality Dan “Big Cat” Katz wrote. “He needs to be fired before the draft. I’m happy for Mavs fans, they deserve this, Nico does not.”

Even LeBron James found it ridiculous, posting a few crying laughing emojis on X after the news broke.

Torre said the owners he talked to were merely speculating, but it shows that more than just fans were suspicious.

The NBA changed its lottery odds in recent years as well. The three worst teams have an equal 14% chance of picking No. 1, while every other non-playoff team has decreasing odds to discourage tanking.

Despite their poor odds, the Mavericks and Hawks snagged the top choice in 2025 and 2024, respectively. Atlanta’s chances sat at just three percent.

In his rookie season, Flagg has been unsurprisingly outstanding.

After winning National Player of the Year honors at Duke last year, he’s averaging 20.4 points and 6.6 rebounds while shooting 48.2 percent from the field in Dallas.

The Mavericks are still seven games out of playoff contention, but Flagg’s heroics provide a glimpse of hope for the future — all for a team that looked dead in the water last year after casting Doncic to the side of the road.

And nearly everyone is skeptical of how Flagg landed in Texas.

The Cleveland Charge, the G League affiliate of the Cleveland Cavaliers, have acquired guard Victor Oladipo, according to the official G League transaction board. Oladipo, the former number two overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, was playing with the Wisconsin Herd. In exchange, the Charge sent Jacob Gilyard and Drake Jeffries to Wisconsin, as well as 2026 second-round and international draft picks.

In 26 games with the Herd, Oladipo is averaging 14 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game, though he does appear to be playing in a somewhat restricted capacity (28.7 minutes per game). Oladipo has a long, long history of leg and knee injuries, including a ruptured quad (which he re-ruptured two years later), followed by a torn achilles. The team, naturally, has displayed caution with the former lottery pick.

Oladipo last appeared in an NBA game during the 2023 playoffs as a member of the Miami Heat, logging 19 minutes. He missed the following season rehabilitating that torn achilles, getting traded (or more accurately, his contract) multiple times over before being waived by the Memphis Grizzlies almost two years ago. Oladipo played briefly in the Chinese Basketball Association with the Guangzhou Loong Lions.

The Charge now feature a back court of former top-seven draft picks in Oladipo and Killian Hayes, the latter of whom is averaging 24.6 points and 7.7 assists per game. Hayes is just the latest reclamation project for the Charge, who have sent several players to the NBA over the last several seasons. Olapido figures to be the next, as he works toward a return to the NBA.