New on Sports Illustrated: Kent scores 15 to lift Bradley over Drake 67-61

PEORIA, Ill. (AP) Jayson Kent had 15 points off the bench to lead Bradley to a 67-61 win over Drake on Saturday night.

Rienk Mast had 14 points and eight rebounds for Bradley (12-15, 6-12 Missouri Valley Conference), which ended its four-game losing streak. Sean East II added 14 points and six rebounds. Antonio Thomas had 11 points.

Joseph Yesufu had 21 points for the Bulldogs (24-3, 15-3), whose five-game winning streak was snapped. D.J. Wilkins added 14 points. Garrett Sturtz had 12 points and 11 rebounds.

The Braves leveled the season series against the Bulldogs. Drake defeated Bradley 80-71 on Friday.

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New on Sports Illustrated: Wooten hits winning 3 at buzzer, Elon beats UNC Wilmington

WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) Darius Burford scored 23 points and Kris Wooten sank a 3-pointer at the buzzer as Elon narrowly defeated UNC Wilmington 80-77 on Saturday night.

Hunter McIntosh had 17 points for Elon (7-8, 4-7 Colonial Athletic Association), which won its fourth consecutive game. Ikenna Ndugba added 13 points and nine rebounds, and Wooten finished with 12 points.

Joe Pridgen scored a season-high 21 points for the Seahawks (7-9, 1-6), who have now lost four consecutive games. Ty Gadsden added 20 points, and Mike Okauru had 12 points and six rebounds.

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New on Sports Illustrated: Georgia Tech bids to continue surge vs. Syracuse

Two teams on the bubble will try to strengthen their case for the NCAA Tournament on Saturday afternoon when Syracuse visits Georgia Tech in an Atlantic Coast Conference contest in Atlanta.

Syracuse (13-7, 7-6 ACC) had its three-game winning streak broken the last time out in an 85-71 loss to Duke on Monday.

Georgia Tech (12-8, 8-6) helped its cause on Tuesday with a 69-53 victory over No. 16 Virginia Tech. The win was the Yellow Jackets' third straight.

"We want to make the dance," said Georgia Tech captain Jose Alvarado. "We want to go dancing."

The Yellow Jackets certainly strengthened their case with the win over the Hokies. It was their fourth win over a top-25 opponent this season - winning each game by double-digits and an average of 15.5 points -- and gave them back-to-back ACC road wins. It was Georgia Tech's first road win against a ranked team since they defeated No. 23 Miami on Jan. 28, 2015, to break a streak of 21 straight losses.

"Part of it is learning how to win," Georgia Tech coach Josh Pastner said. "At the beginning of the year we didn't know how to win. We're starting to do that. It's just a part of the team growing and getting better."

Georgia Tech's Moses Wright scored 26 at Virginia Tech, his most since scoring 31 in the season opener, and his most against an ACC opponent since he went for 33 in a 79-72 loss at Syracuse last February. Wright, who improved his average to a team-leading 16.8 points, has made 53.2 percent of his shots from the floor.

Alvarado (16.6 points) and Michael Devoe (14.6 points) both scored double figures against the Hokies. The Yellow Jackets are 9-1 when that happens.

Syracuse, which has won six of its last nine, got behind early against Duke and could not overcome an 18-2 run by the Blue Devils.

"We battled as hard as we could after that start," Orange coach Jim Boeheim said. "We have to work better together, find a way to get better movement on offense, and be more active on the defensive end."

The defensive inconsistency in the second half of the last two games is bothersome to Boeheim.

"Our forwards are not playing defense. That's the best way I can say it. They're not," Boeheim said. "It's hard to know that when you don't know the defense and you don't know what we're trying to do. ... I think a couple of guys are more interested in their offense and you can't win that way. You have to play better defense to win. Period."

The Orange are led in scoring by Buddy Boeheim (15.5 points), followed closely by Alan Griffin (15.0 points, 6.7 rebounds) and Quincy Guerrier (14.8 points, 9.3 rebounds).

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Scott carries Portland State over Northern Colorado 73-65

GREELEY, Colo. (AP) James Scott had 19 points and six assists as Portland State topped Northern Colorado 73-65 on Saturday.

Khalid Thomas had 14 points for Portland State (9-10, 6-6 Big Sky Conference). Paris Dawson added six rebounds.

Daylen Kountz had 23 points for the Bears (10-9, 6-7). Matt Johnson II added 14 points. Kur Jockuch had 10 points and 13 rebounds.

The Vikings evened the season series against the Bears. Northern Colorado defeated Portland State 66-64 on Thursday.

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Jimmy G’s no-trade clause, Travis Benjamin’s return, River Cracraft and other 49ers news

See what is going on with the Cardinals' NFC West rival 49ers.

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Tom Brady is still motivated by his pre-draft scouting report

Earlier today, we pointed out that ESPN’s Dean of Draftniks had Tom Brady as a fifth-round pick and the No. 10 overall quarterback in the 2000 draft. Mel Kiper wasn’t alone, and Brady still derives motivation from the assessment of his skills as he made the leap from Michigan to the NFL. In response to [more]

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Raiders select small-school stud in latest CBS Sports mock draft

Raiders select small-school stud in latest CBS Sports mock draft

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Report: Pat Flaherty returning to Giants in advisory role

Former Giants offensive line coach Pat Flaherty is returning to the team this season. Dan Graziano of ESPN reports Flaherty is joining Joe Judge’s staff in an advisory role. Flaherty will help with the offensive linemen among other duties. Flaherty previously worked for the Giants on Tom Coughlin’s staff from 2004-15. Flaherty, 64, spent the [more]

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7 free agent RBs Steelers could target to bolster backfield

Should Pittsburgh find the cap room to add a back via free agency, these are some notable pending free-agent running backs.

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The Nets cold shooting night against Dallas will be one to forget

The Nets had a rough night from the field against Dallas.

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Bruce Brown is the Brooklyn Nets’ unexpected breakthrough player

Bruce Brown has found new life playing with the Brooklyn Nets.

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Are the Celtics true contenders? Kendrick Perkins, Brian Scalabrine debate

The Boston Celtics are sitting in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with a 16-17 record. Kendrick Perkins and Brian Scalabrine debate if the team is for real or if they're frauds.

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New on Sports Illustrated: Trey Mancini Receives Standing Ovation, Singles in First Game Back From Cancer

Mancini singled in the first inning on Sunday after missing the 2020 season while recovering from colon cancer.

Orioles first baseman Trey Mancini knocked a single up the middle in his first at-bat of spring training on Sunday, but the base hit was anything but ordinary for the four-year veteran. 

Sunday's game marked Mancini's first contest in over a year as he missed the entire 2020 season due to Stage 3 colon cancer. Mancini received a standing ovation before his first-inning single, tipping his cap to the crowd before stepping to the plate. 

"It was amazing," Mancini said postgame, per ESPN. "I almost teared up a little bit, I'm not going to lie, when I was up there and everybody gave me a standing ovation and I saw all the guys on the field clapping on the Pirates, clapping in the dugout, our team and all our fans.

"It meant the world to me. It was a really, really cool moment and one of the favorite moments of my baseball career. I think it was a huge day for me, personally, getting back in a game. Just another kind of milestone that I can check off here."

Mancini missed the 2020 season after a breakout campaign in 2019. The 28-year-old hit 35 homers in 2019, driving in 97 RBI as he posted an .899 OPS. Mancini appeared in five spring training games last year before undergoing surgery due to colon cancer. 

Perhaps Mancini's return can bring the Orioles back over .500 in 2021. Baltimore finished fourth in the AL East at 25–35 last season, marking its fourth straight year out of the playoffs. 

New on Sports Illustrated: 'Tiger Means Everything to Me': Collin Morikawa and Others Pay Tribute to Tiger Woods

Collin Morikawa, in a tear-eyed interview, had a very clear message for his childhood idol: Thank you.

It was an emotional moment for Collin Morikawa when the 24-year-old won the WGC-Workday Championship in Florida on Sunday. It became all the more real when the golfer, who idolized Tiger Woods growing up, found out he was now the second person to ever win a Major and a World Golf Championship under the age of 25 — the first being Woods. 

"Tiger means everything to me," Morikawa said. "Yes, he had the crash and thankfully he's alright and hopefully he has a quick and great recovery, but I don't think we say thank you enough. So, I want to say thank you to Tiger." 

Morikawa, who said his grandfather died last month, went on to say that sometimes you lose people too early and don't get the chance to say thank you when you have the chance. The teary-eyed champion also brought up the late Kobe Bryant as an example. 

During the final round of the championship, other golfers showed their love for Tiger while on the course by sporting Woods's signature Sunday red shirt and black pants combo.

Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, Cameron Champ, Patrick Reed, Tony Finau, Jason Day, Justin Thomas and more all joined in the outfit coordination. 

Woods is currently recovering from a one-vehicle car crash on Tuesday where he suffered multiple "open fractures" to his right leg, according to ESPN. 

New on Sports Illustrated: Pelicans brace for visit from Jazz

The Utah Jazz have the best record in the NBA.

They have lost consecutive games just once this season.

They'll try to continue rolling when they visit the erratic New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night.

The Jazz avoided a potential second consecutive loss when they beat the Magic 124-109 on Saturday in Orlando.

Utah got off to a sluggish start as it completed a back-to-back, having lost at Miami 124-116 the night before.

"We're not allowed to be tired," said coach Quin Snyder, whose team is now 5-1 on the back end of games on consecutive days.

Donovan Mitchell was scoreless in the first quarter but scored 15 of his 31 points in the third quarter as the Jazz pulled away from a four-point halftime lead. Utah scored 70 points in the second half.

"The way we started the game we weren't pushing the ball as much as we wanted to, and we didn't get some of the catch-and-shoot threes," Snyder said. "I think we just committed to that.

"I felt like the ball really started to get up the court quickly and it was moving. And when the ball's moving, that's when we're a good team."

Joe Ingles had 17 points and seven assists while starting in place of point guard Mike Conley, who didn't play because of right hamstring injury management. Conley might be available against New Orleans, but if he's not Utah has confidence in Ingles; The Jazz are 7-0 when he fills in for Conley.

"I try to play the same game, but I realize I'm going to have the ball more in certain situations," Ingles said. "I'm just making sure I'm getting guys involved and getting them in the right spots."

Utah is off to its best start in franchise history and has won 23 of its last 26 games.

Two of those victories came at home against New Orleans -- 118-102 on Jan. 19 and 129-118 on Jan. 21.

Brandon Ingram scored 29 points and Zion Williamson had 23 points and 14 rebounds as the Pelicans lost to the Spurs 117-114 on Saturday in San Antonio.

New Orleans lost for the seventh time in 10 games while facing a team that was missing five players for a sixth consecutive game because of COVID-19 protocols.

The Pelicans, who lost at Milwaukee 129-125 on Thursday, have struggled defensively most of the season, but they held the Spurs to 50 second-half points after allowing 67 in the first half.

But their offense stagnated down the stretch and they made just nine 3-pointers (in 32 attempts) for the game.

"We were a little bit better (defensively) down the stretch, but we couldn't make shots and our defense isn't good enough over the course of the game to win for us," coach Stan Van Gundy said. "We are totally dependent on our offense to win games and you're not going to go far with that."

Williamson said he wasn't discouraged by the mounting losses.

"I'll say this," Williamson said. "I feel like we're almost there. There's some small things we have to figure out. But we're almost there. They hit shots and we didn't hit shots. Nights like that are frustrating, but if we figure those small things out, we'll be there."

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Mavericks look to finish road trip strong at Orlando

The Dallas Mavericks look to end their final road swing before the NBA All-Star break with a win on Monday when they face the slumping Orlando Magic.

Dallas opened its three-game, Eastern Conference trip Feb. 25 with a 111-97 loss at Philadelphia but rebounded on Saturday to snap the Brooklyn Nets' eight-game winning streak in a 115-98 rout.

Kristaps Porzingis scored 18 points and grabbed four rebounds in his return to the lineup from a three-game absence, the result of lower-back tightness. Perhaps more crucial to the Mavericks' win were Porzingis' three blocked shots.

"His rim protection and defense was the best that it's been all year," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said in his postgame press conference. "It just shows the amount of work that he's been putting in over the last 10 or 11 days."

Porzingis' performance came amid rumors of trade talk involving the 7-foot-3 post player.

"I don't know what's going on behind the scenes, and I shouldn't be too worried about it," Porzingis said at team media availability on Friday. "It can only distract me at the end of the day."

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban told the Dallas Morning News that rumors of a Porzingis trade before the March 25 deadline are inaccurate.

In the meantime, Dallas aims to build on its recent run of three wins in its last four games at sputtering and injury-riddled Orlando.

The Magic won three straight games and four of five before hitting their current three-game skid. Orlando dropped a 124-109 decision to Utah on Saturday, playing without Cole Anthony (rib), James Ennis (calf) and Aaron Gordon (ankle).

The absences of Anthony, Ennis and Gordon compounded the already tenuous roster situation the Magic have endured with Jonathan Isaac out due to a knee injury sustained at the Orlando-area bubble in the summer.

Orlando also lost Markelle Fultz to a torn ACL in January.

Attrition from its limited rotation may have contributed to Orlando's fourth-quarter woes in its last two games. The Magic were outscored by 17 points in the final period of a Feb. 25 loss at Brooklyn and surrendered 37 points in Saturday's loss to Utah.

"There are games where you are kind of flat, energy wise," Evan Fournier said in his postgame press conference. "But we fight hard. The Jazz are a really good team and like I said, we were in the game. (The) beginning of the fourth quarter and the rebounding game really killed us."

Utah outrebounded Orlando, 52-37. The Magic held the Jazz to 10 offensive rebounds, in line with Orlando's season-long per-game yield of nine -- one of the best averages in the NBA.

Orlando ranks near the bottom of the league in defensive and total rebounds surrendered per game, however, a byproduct of the Magic's league-worst 43 percent field-goal shooting.

Of Orlando's top five scorers, none are shooting 50 percent from the floor. Nikola Vucevic leads the way at 48.3 percent on his 24.4-point per game average.

Dallas is shooting 46.5 percent from the floor as a team, and 54.8 percent from inside the 3-point arc. Luka Doncic -- averaging close to a triple-double with team highs of 28.5 points, 9.0 assists and 8.4 rebounds per game -- is shooting 54.3 percent on 2-point field goals and a career-best 35.1 percent from 3-point range.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Spurs look to continue home dominance of Nets

The San Antonio Spurs look to continue their winning ways despite being short-handed and with changing rotations when they host the Brooklyn Nets on Monday in the first of a back-to-back against teams from New York City.

San Antonio will battle the Knicks on Tuesday to complete the two-games-in-two-nights set.

The Spurs have won three of their past four games, including a 117-114 victory over New Orleans on Saturday as DeMar DeRozan returned from personal leave, scored 32 points and matched a season high with 11 assists.

It was the Spurs' first victory since they were forced to postpone four game because of COVID-19. Keldon Johnson, Derrick White, Rudy Gay, Devin Vassell and Quinndary Weatherspoon were held out for San Antonio because of health and safety protocols.

"Players want to play," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said after the win. "The guys that fill in for people that are hurt, they don't want their teammates to be hurt, but if they are they want to play and they take advantage of those minutes. They certainly did tonight."

It was DeRozan's fifth game of least 25 points and 10 assists since joining the Spurs in 2018.

LaMarcus Aldridge added 21 points off the bench for San Antonio, with Dejounte Murray hitting for 18, Lonnie Walker IV scoring 17, Patty Mills tallying 13 and Trey Lyles pumping in 10 points for the Spurs in Saturday's victory.

"A lot of people participated for us tonight," Popovich said. "Defensively, as a team, I thought we reacted really well. Overall, it was a great team effort and a fine win."

The Nets have dropped 17 straight games against the Spurs in San Antonio. Their last road win came on Jan. 22, 2002.

The Nets head to the Alamo City after a 115-98 loss at home to Dallas on Saturday that snapped Brooklyn's eight-game winning streak.

The Nets were without Kevin Durant, who will not return until after the upcoming All-Star Break because of a left hamstring strain, and Kyrie Irving, who rested his surgically repaired right shoulder.

That forced James Harden to carry the load for Brooklyn, and he was up to the task for the first half, scoring 25 of his team-leading 29 point before the break. The Nets scored just 34 points in the second half of Saturday's loss.

Durant has missed 10 of the last 11 games, including seven of the eight wins in Brooklyn's streak.

"The guys are ready for us to throw out different lineups and have different people out of the lineup," Nets coach Steve Nash said. "So, I don't think guys are that affected by the change. They're more used to the kind of inconsistency with our availability, and it's no big deal."

Jeff Green and Bruce Brown each scored 12 points in the loss and were the only other Brooklyn players in double figures.

Nash said that Irving's injury was not serious. It's the second game Irving has sat out to rest the shoulder after playing just 20 games last year.

"I would expect him to play (on Monday) and if not, I don't think this is a thing that will linger into the All-Star break," Nash said. "Kyrie knows his body -- he's discussed it with us. He has history with that shoulder and he is taking the necessary precautions to make sure he can keep up the maintenance on that shoulder."

--Field Level Media

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Steelers have virtual meeting with speedy Auburn WR Anthony Schwartz

The Steelers look to be adding some speed in the draft.

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Cowboys 2021 Draft Debate: Safeties Ar’Darius Washington vs Trevon Moehrig

Mike Crum and Jeff Cavanaugh debate who's the better safety prospect for the Dallas Cowboys between Trevon Moehrig and Ar'darius Washington.

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NFL rumors: Bill Belichick 'does nothing but rave about Cam Newton'

Cam Newton evidently has a big supporter with the Patriots: Head coach Bill Belichick.

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2021 NFL draft: Chargers have had virtual meeting with Syracuse CB Trill Williams

The Chargers had a pre-draft meeting with a versatile defensive back.

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James Wiseman reminiscent of 'young' David Robinson, Mychal Thompson says

"The Warriors got a good one in James Wiseman."

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SEE IT: Davis Bertans does his best Tracy McGrady impression on self alley-oop

Did the Wizards' sharpshooter throw this shot off the rim on purpose?

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Lakers look to exact revenge in rematch vs. Warriors

"Just to have him back in our lineup and have him back in our locker room just means so much to our team," said LeBron James, who had 28 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists against the Blazers. Schroder is expected to be in the mix again when the Lakers host the Golden State Warriors on Sunday.

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Steph Curry's 3-point numbers from left corner well below NBA average

There aren't many place on an NBA court where Steph Curry doesn't shoot well, but we found one.

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Grizzlies seek to bounce back against reeling Rockets

Most of what the Grizzlies displayed in their 28-point win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday vanished when the teams met in the second game of a back-to-back on Friday in Memphis. The most glaring area of regression came defensively, with the Grizzlies showing little of the tenacity that fueled their success the previous game. In their 119-99 loss to the Clippers, the Grizzlies allowed Los Angeles to shoot 55 percent, and for a team seeking a playoff berth following a three-season hiatus, consistency remains the buzzword for advancing that goal.

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Surging Heat look to stay hot against Hawks

The Miami Heat, who host the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night, have had nine really good days in a row. During that span, the Heat have beaten the reigning NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers, defeated the 2019 NBA champion Toronto Raptors, and knocked off the team with the NBA's best record in 2021, the Utah Jazz. Miami is 9-7 at home.

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Jets 2021 NFL Mock Draft Roundup: Zach Wilson still most popular option at No. 2

After a 2-14 season, the Jets enter 2021 with a brand-new head coach and two picks in the first round of the NFL Draft.

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Eddie Jackson posts picture of Russell Wilson in a Bears uniform

It doesn't mean anything, but why are we so excited that Eddie Jackson posted a picture of Russell Wilson in a Bears uniform.

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Raiders select UCF FS Richie Grant in latest PFF mock draft

Raiders select UCF FS Richie Grant in latest PFF mock draft

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Buddy Hield overturned tip-in late in Kings' win upheld by NBA L2M report

Buddy Hield's tip-in late in the Kings' win over the Detroit Pistons was upheld by the NBA's Last Two Minute Report.

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Toronto’s Pascal Siakam reportedly out until after All-Star break

Siakam is averaging 20.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists a game this season.

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Rashod Bateman runs a sub-4.4 40-yard dash at EXOS combine

In a normal year, Saturday would have consisted of a slew of 40-yard dash times generated by incoming NFL players at the Scouting Combine. Obviously, this is far from a normal year. Still, at least one draft prospect ran really fast in a straight line on Saturday. Former Minnesota receiver Rashod Bateman, through agent Blake [more]

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Former Bengals DE Carlos Dunlap could be cut by Seahawks soon

Former Bengals DE Carlos Dunlap could be done with the Seattle Seahawks soon.

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Son of former Packers great loses father’s Super Bowl II ring

The son of a former Packers great is seeking the safe return of his father’s Super Bowl II ring, Scott Venci of the Green Bay Press-Gazette reports. Mike Kostelnik is offering a $5,000 reward. His father, defensive tackle Ron Kostelnik, won the ring in his seventh of eight seasons with the Packers. Mike wore the [more]

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Seahawks' K.J. Wright weighs in on who the NFL's best linebacker is

He believes not one, but two players have cemented their legacies as the league's best.

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Report: Jaguars meet virtually with CB Greg Newsome II

According to Justin Melo of The Draft Network, Jacksonville has met with one of the top cornerback prospects in the draft.

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Cowboys have other free-agent concerns besides Dak Prescott

The Dallas Cowboys will have a ton of questions to answer this free-agency season. Currently, the team has 16 player set to hit the market.

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Report: Texans hope to keep David Johnson on reduced salary

The Texans cut Duke Johnson on Friday. They want to keep David Johnson. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports the Texans and Johnson have mutual interest in the running back’s return. Johnson is under contract, but the team wants him to take a paycut. Johnson, 29, has a salary cap number of $8.812 million, [more]

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SBJ stands by its report of a “broad agreement” between the NFL and Disney

Sports Business Journal supplied it. The NFL denied it. SBJ is standing by it. The current story from John Ourand of Sports Business Journal includes the NFL’s quote calling the report “incorrect.” However, Ourand maintains that a “broad agreement” has been reached between the league and Disney on a new deal for Monday Night Football. [more]

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Packers meet virtually with Syracuse DB Trill Williams

The Packers held a virtual pre-draft meeting with Syracuse defensive back Trill Williams.

from NFL News, Scores, Fantasy Games and Highlights 2020 | Yahoo Sports https://ift.tt/3qYPiLD

Where do Saints players rank on top 2021 free agents lists?

New Orleans Saints free agents like Trey Hendrickson, Marcus Williams, and Jameis Winston were ranked wildly different among their peers.

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Haason Reddick on free agency: My priority is fit

Linebacker Haason Reddick‘s first three seasons with the Cardinals were disappointing considering the team made him a first-round pick in 2017 and they opted not to pick up their option on his contract for 2021. That decision set Reddick up for a contract year in 2020 and he made the most of it. He recorded [more]

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New on Sports Illustrated: Warriors use late run to pull away from Pacers, 111-107

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) With Stephen Curry struggling to make baskets, Draymond Green gave Golden State a boost of energy.

The Warriors needed everything he could muster.

Green scored on two late dunks to start the decisive final run, defended hard and found a way to corral loose balls in the closing minutes as Golden State scored six straight points to finally fend off the Indiana Pacers 111-107 on Wednesday night.

''I think in general we don't really need Draymond to score,'' coach Steve Kerr said. ''We need him to do what he needs energy wise but there are going to be some nights like tonight where we don't make a lot of shots and if we get a few from Draymond it might put us over the top.''

Green certainly bailed out the weary Warriors, who won the last two games on a four-game road trip.

His numbers - 12 points, 11 assists, nine rebounds and three steals - only told part of the tale on a night Golden State made a season-low 19.2% from 3-point range. Curry scored 24 points but was just 7 of 21 from the field and 1 of 11 from beyond the arc.

But at the end, Green cleaned up by doing the dirty work.

''It's not pretty,'' Kerr said. ''Draymond was just tremendous tonight. It was a hell of a grind out win.''

Malcolm Brogdon led the Pacers with 24 points, and Domantas Sabonis had 22 points and 16 rebounds for his his 24th double-double of the season. But the Pacers looked rusty after taking an unexpected one-week break because of two postponed games.

The Warriors failed to take advantage of earlier opportunities to take control of the back-and-forth contest.

Instead, the Pacers fought back from an 81-75 deficit late in the third quarter to tie the score at 86 early in the fourth. And after Golden State scored four straight to take a 95-91 lead midway through the fourth, the Pacers got as close as 99-98 with 4:36 to play.

That's when Green drove through the lane for an uncontested dunk to start the decisive run, and the Pacers never recovered.

''We played hard, we just didn't make baskets at the end,'' Pacers center Myles Turner said.

TIP-INS

Warriors: Eric Pascalll had 13 points. ... Andrew Wiggins scored 15 points and has scored in double figures every game this season... Kelly Oubre Jr. finished with 17 points, the first time in five games he failed to reach 19. ... Rookie James Wiseman had 11 points before fouling out early in the fourth. ... Golden State won in Indy for the first time since March 2019 and became the fifth team in NBA history with 1,000th road wins, joining the Celtics, Lakers, 76ers and Knicks.

Pacers: Sabonis had 15 points and seven rebounds in the second quarter. ... Turner finished with 14 points, eight rebounds and two blocks. ... Doug McDermott added 15 points. ... T.J. McConnell had nine points, six assists and five rebounds. ... Indiana had won the last two against Golden State. It hasn't won three straight in the series since 2011-12. ... The Pacers were 7 of 29 on 3s and had 19 turnovers.

COMING UP SHORT

Curry's seven field goals gave him 5,999 in his career, leaving him one short of becoming the fourth player in franchise history with 6,000. The others are Wilt Chamberlain, Rick Barry and Chris Mullin.

His streak of 14 consecutive games with 25 more points was And while he made a 3 in his 94th consecutive game, he's now away from matching teammate Klay Thompson for the third-longest streak in NBA history, his 14-game streak with 25 or more points ended. It was Golden State's longest streak since Barry had 17 in a row in 1974-75.

UP NEXT

Warriors: Host Charlotte on Friday night.

Pacers: At Boston on Friday night.

New on Sports Illustrated: Malik Monk scores 29 points, Hornets cool off Suns 124-121

PHOENIX (AP) Malik Monk scored 29 points, LaMelo Ball added 20 points and eight assists and the Charlotte Hornets cooled off the Phoenix Suns with a 124-121 victory Wednesday night.

Phoenix lost for just the second time in 11 games. Suns star Devin Booker missed an off-balance 3-pointer at the buzzer with replays showing Gordon Hayward made contact with Booker's arm. There was no foul call and the play wasn't reviewed.

Hayward also had 20 points, including two free throws with 5.8 seconds left.

Charlotte trailed for most of the first half, then rallied to take a 97-91 lead by the end of the third quarter. The Hornets pushed ahead by 11 points midway through the fourth but Phoenix scored 11 straight points - capped by Booker' dunk - to tie it at 110.

Charlotte responded with the next seven points. Two came on a perfect alley-oop pass from Ball to Miles Bridges and then Bridges knocked down a 3-pointer on the next possession. After a Phoenix timeout, Ball slammed home a dunk after slicing down the lane and the Hornets didn't trail again.

Booker was named to his second straight All-Star team as an injury replacement for Lakers forward Anthony Davis a few hours before Wednesday's game. He got a big ovation from the crowd during pregame introductions and put on a show in the first quarter, pouring in 16 points on 7 of 9 shooting.

Booker finished with 33 points on 13-of-24 shooting. Teammate Chris Paul - who also made the All-Star team for an 11th time - added 20 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds.

Phoenix led 17 points in the first half but settled for a 67-66 lead at halftime. Monk scored 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting - including 4 of 7 from 3-point range - before the break.

TIP-INS

Hornets: Hayward was questionable with a right hand contusion but made his 29th start of the season. ... Charlotte's Terry Rozier was called for a technical in the third quarter after a no-call when Rozier appeared to get poked in the eye before he shot a 3-pointer. ... Guard Devonte' Graham didn't play for a third straight game because of left knee discomfort. ... Bismarck Biyombo had 11 rebounds.

Suns: Forward Abdel Nader didn't play because of a left thumb strain. ... Booker got a technical in the fourth quarter for jawing with Graham, who didn't play and was sitting on the Hornets' bench.

UP NEXT

Hornets: At Golden State on Friday night.

Suns: At Chicago on Friday night.

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Follow David Brandt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/davidbrandtAP

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New on Sports Illustrated: Gilgeous-Alexander scores 42 as Thunder top Spurs 102-99

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a career-high 42 points and Lu Dort hit a 3-pointer as time expired to give the Oklahoma City Thunder a 102-99 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night.

San Antonio turned the ball over with 3.9 seconds remaining, giving Oklahoma City the ball with the score tied. Dort's corner 3-pointer dropped as the buzzer sounded, and his teammates mobbed him.

Dort, known mostly for his defense as a rookie last season, has improved as a perimeter shooter this season. He made three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter against the Spurs.

''Lu's changed it around, obviously, changed the narrative,'' Gilgeous-Alexander said. ''It's just him working hard, not getting down on himself, being confident. When you work hard, confidence comes with it because you believe in yourself.''

Gilgeous-Alexander became the first Thunder player to score at least 40 points in a game since Russell Westbrook had 42 on March 20, 2019. He made 13 of 20 field goals, 10 of 11 free throws and shot 6 of 11 on 3s.

Gilgeous-Alexander was one of the NBA's highest-scoring players to be left off the All-Star rosters, but he said there was ''no extra push or anything like that'' to score a lot of points and make a statement about being snubbed.

''I wouldn't have known how much I had if my teammates weren't telling me,'' he said. ''I was so locked into the game, honestly, just trying to win. Big nights are huge, but personally, if we didn't win tonight, I wouldn't feel close to what I feel right now.''

Dort and Al Horford each scored 16 points for the Thunder.

Dejounte Murray had 27 points and Patty Mills added 15 for the Spurs.

San Antonio hadn't played since Feb. 14 because of health and safety protocols, and the Spurs were still depleted. DeMar DeRozan, the team's leading scorer, sat out for personal reasons. Rudy Gay, Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell, Quinnary Witherspoon and Derrick White were out because of health and safety protocols.

Gilgeous-Alexander took over in the third quarter. He hit a 3-pointer while being fouled, and his free throw cut San Antonio's lead to 53-51. He later drained a 3 to tie the game at 65.

His layup as time expired in the third put Oklahoma City up 76-73. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 points in the period on 5-for-5 shooting from the field and 8 for 9 at the free throw line.

''I just wanted to be aggressive, try to put the defense on their heels, and from there, make the right play,'' Gilgeous-Alexander said. ''Oftentimes, I found myself in position to score in that quarter.''

Horford's 3-pointer on an assist from Gilgeous-Alexander put the Thunder up 87-86 with about seven minutes remaining, and the game remained close from there.

TIP-INS

Spurs: LaMarcus Aldridge returned after missing six games due to hip soreness. He had 11 points and seven rebounds. ... San Antonio went 5 of 10 on 3-pointers in the second quarter. ... The Spurs made 10 of 15 free throws.

Thunder: Made six 3-pointers in the first quarter while holding the Spurs to one. San Antonio didn't make one until the final minute of the period. ... Missed all seven of their 3-point tries in the second quarter. ... Hamidou Diallo did not play in the second half because of left groin soreness.

NEW ROLE

Aldridge came off the bench for the first time since the 2006-07 season - his rookie year. He's not sure if the move is permanent.

''It was fine,'' he said. ''Very different. Still trying to figure it out, how to be ready to go. It's definitely a different task coming off the bench, having very few minutes to get loose and kind of find a rhythm. I'm still figuring it out. It wasn't perfect tonight, and I don't think it's going to be perfect for a while. It's going to take some time for me to figure it out.''

STAT LINE

Thunder forward Darius Bazley missed all eight of his shots from the floor and went scoreless, but had 10 rebounds in 30 minutes.

UP NEXT

The Spurs host the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday.

The Thunder host the Atlanta Hawks on Friday.

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Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CliffBruntAP.

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New on Sports Illustrated: LaVine scores 35 as Bulls beat Timberwolves 133-126 in OT

CHICAGO (AP) Zach LaVine is an All-Star for the first time, and he wants more. Same for the rest of the surging Chicago Bulls.

LaVine scored 35 points against his original NBA team, helping the Bulls beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 133-126 in overtime Wednesday night.

Chicago shot 59% from the field and had seven players score in double figures. Coby White had 20 points, and Wendell Carter Jr. finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

The Bulls (15-16) won for the fifth time in six games, but felt they should have played better against the lowly Timberwolves (7-26). Looking for the franchise's first playoff appearance since 2017, just winning isn't enough anymore.

''These guys have worked really, really hard, but I don't think that we played to the level of standard that we want to play to,'' coach Billy Donovan said.

LaVine, named an All-Star reserve Tuesday night, made 14 of 21 shots in his 16th game this season with at least 30 points. The dynamic guard was selected by Minnesota in the first round of the 2014 draft and spent three seasons with the Timberwolves before he was traded to the Bulls in June 2017.

''You always want to go and play good against the team that traded you, but also have love for them as well,'' LaVine said.

Minnesota lost for the 10th time in 11 games despite a gutsy second-half rally while playing for the second straight night. New coach Chris Finch is winless in two games since taking over after Ryan Saunders was fired Sunday night.

Malik Beasley scored 25 points for the Timberwolves, and Karl-Anthony Towns had 24 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Anthony Edwards added 21 points, and Jarred Vanderbilt matched his career high with 16.

Towns fouled out on a questionable call with 12.3 seconds left in regulation, and the Timberwolves missed his presence in overtime.

''We're not playing the best defensively right now, and we've got to find ourselves,'' Towns said.

Minnesota was down 119-116 when veteran guard Ricky Rubio was fouled by White on a 3-point try with 4.9 seconds remaining. Rubio calmly made all three foul shots and LaVine missed a 3 as time expired, sending the game to overtime.

''I felt like I fouled him well before the shot,'' White said. ''He didn't even know I was fouling him. I fouled him, they called it five seconds later after he threw the ball.''

Chicago responded with a 7-0 run. LaVine capped the spurt with a 3-pointer, making it 126-119 with 3:27 left.

White made two free throws with 15.1 seconds remaining to help the Bulls hold on.

Minnesota trailed by 14 early in the second half, but Towns had 15 points in the third quarter and Josh Okogie's layup trimmed Chicago's lead to 98-97 with 8:59 left in the fourth.

TIP-INS

Timberwolves: Jarrett Culver (left ankle sprain) missed his 17th straight game. The No. 6 overall pick in the 2019 draft was listed as probable. ... Rubio finished with nine points and 10 assists.

Bulls: F Lauri Markkanen (sprained right shoulder) isn't expected to return until after the All-Star break. He got hurt during a 123-119 loss at Orlando on Feb. 5. ''He makes progress, but he has not done anything contact-wise,'' Donovan said. ''He's done nothing that at this point in time would show us that he's going to be back within the next week.'' ... White and LaVine each committed seven turnovers.

UP NEXT

Timberwolves: At Washington on Saturday night. The Timberwolves lost 130-109 to the Wizards on Jan. 1.

Bulls: Host the Phoenix Suns on Friday night.

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Jay Cohen can be reached at https://twitter.com/jcohenap

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New on Sports Illustrated: Zion Williamson leads Pelicans past Pistons, 128-118

NEW ORLEANS (AP) Zion Williamson scored 32 points in his first game since being named a first-time All-Star, and the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Detroit Pistons 128-118 on Wednesday night.

''I didn't know I was supposed to feel different, to be honest, because everyone's been asking that,'' Williamson said in reference to how All-Star recognition affected his mindset on the court. ''If you know me, my goal is to go out there and try to win every game. Is it going to happen like that? Maybe not, but I just want to go out there and win and have fun with my teammates and enjoy each moment.''

Williamson had many highlights to enjoy against Detroit.

There were several quick, dribbling spin moves to elude multiple converging defenders in the paint before he finished near the rim with floaters or layups. There were also thunderous one-handed dunks on cuts down the lane or along the baseline. One of his flourishes featured his throw down of Lonzo Ball's alley-oop lob.

Williamson made 13 of his 18 shots in reaching the 30-point threshold for the eighth time this season.

''He's a generational talent where you don't know what you're going to get from him every single night; it's going to be something different. It's going to be something exciting,'' said Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram, who scored 27 points to go with eight assists and seven rebounds.

Pelican center Steven Adams said than an ''obviously super-talented, super-skilled player'' like Williamson has ''a lot bigger goals than just the All-Star game, right? It's a good little stepping stone for him, but I have a feeling he's not finished.''

Adams scored 14 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in his first action since missing two games with a sore right ankle. His putback gave the Pelicans a 121-111 lead with 2:15 left.

The Pelicans' strong finish came after they'd trailed most of the first three quarters before thwarting the Pistons' bid to win two road games in consecutive nights.

Josh Jackson scored 25, and Mason Plumlee added 21 points for Detroit, which led by 10 in the first half and nine in the third quarter. Saban Lee and Saddiq Bey each scored 13 points.

''We couldn't buy shots at the right time, but I was overall pleased with our approach,'' Pistons coach Dwane Casey said. ''For whatever reason, we ran out of gas down the stretch.''

The Pistons looked sharp early, combining for nine 3s and shooting 53.1% overall (26 of 49) in scoring a season-best 69 first-half points.

Detroit got 36 first-half points from reserves including 10 from Jackson and nine from Svi Mykhailiuk on three 3s.

The Piston's led by as many as 10 when Jackson's floater made it 43-33.

Detroit was up by seven late in the half before Williamson scored on a dribble drive in the final seconds of the quarter to make it 69-64.

TIP-INS

Pistons: Fell to 3-15 on the road. ... Wayne Ellington started after resting a night earlier in Orlando. He had seven points and three assists in 24 minutes, missing six of seven 3-point attempts. ... Mykhailiuk finished with 12 points and Dennis Smith Jr. scored 12. ... Sekou Doumbouya was limited to 22 minutes in part because he was called for his fifth foul half way through the third quarter. ... Detroit went 13 of 37 from 3-point range.

Pelicans: Josh Hart led Pelicans reserves with 11 points. ... Starting guards Eric Bledsoe and Ball each scored 10 points. Ball also added eight assists. ... New Orleans shot 55.6% (50 of 90), including 10 of 23 from deep. ... The Pelicans outscored Detroit 74-60 in the paint and outscored the Pistons 26-13 on fast breaks.

DEFENSIVE LIABILITIES

While Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy credited his club's late-game defense in their previous two games - both victories - he said his team is far from a finished product on that end of the court.

''It's going to take a lot more defensively,'' Van Gundy said. ''We don't have enough sense of urgency on a consistent basis yet. We haven't built that habbit. I'm not sure we think of ourselves as a defensive team. ... Our defensive mentality and execution still has a ways to go.''

UP NEXT

Pistons: Hosts Sacramento Friday night in the first of two straight games at home

Pelicans: Visits Milwaukee on Thursday night in the first of two consecutive road games.

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New on Sports Illustrated: No title

New on Sports Illustrated: Reeling Rockets take on Raptors in Tampa

The Toronto Raptors, who have lost two in a row, will be out to regain their winning ways Friday night at Tampa when they play the visiting Houston Rockets, who have lost nine straight.

The Raptors had been on a four-game winning streak until losses to the Philadelphia 76ers and the Miami Heat on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively dropped them one game below the .500 mark.

The Rockets lost 112-96 Wednesday against the host Cleveland Cavaliers.

"Our defense wasn't good, and our offense was disjointed," Houston coach Stephen Silas said. "It wasn't very good all around."

The Rockets are one loss away from matching the longest losing streak of the season in the NBA. The Cavaliers ended a 10-game losing streak on Tuesday.

The Rockets have not lost 10 in a row since a 15-game losing streak Nov. 23 to Dec. 20, 2001.

In losing 116-108 at Miami on Wednesday, Raptors coach Nick Nurse felt that his team played well but "the ball bounced their way a lot."

"I don't think there (were) any moments where we were not good (Wednesday)," Nurse said. "I thought we were playing really hard. I thought we were searching. Yeah, we had a couple (bad) possessions here and there, but so did they. The offense gets bogged down, and there's a late shot clock or whatever -- but, no, I thought we outplayed them in almost all facets."

"We had some key turnovers, which didn't help," said Raptors center Chris Boucher, who had 11 points off the bench. "When we were making a run, they'd capitalize on our mistakes. I felt like we played an extremely good game. We were almost there, just a couple mistakes away from that win. They capitalized."

The Raptors had Kyle Lowry back in the lineup Wednesday after he had missed four games with a sprained thumb. He scored 24 points against the Heat, tying Fred VanVleet for the team lead. Pascal Siakam, however, was held to five points in 24 minutes. He was subbed out with 3:17 to play in the third quarter and did not return.

"I think we had a group that was hanging in good, making some runs," Nurse said.

It was the fifth game in seven days for the Raptors and their 12th in 20 days.

"It feels like every day you get out of bed, there's a game," Nurse said before the game. "I know that's not true, but it's kind of what it feels like when you throw in the travel, late nights, getting in at 3:30 or getting home at 5 a.m. or whatever. It's seemed very busy and heavy, as the schedule goes."

With DeMarcus Cousins being waived this week, P.J. Tucker started at center for the Rockets on Wednesday and had no points and seven rebounds in 31 minutes. Tucker played 24 games for Toronto in the 2016-17 season.

"It's definitely good for it to not be in limbo anymore," Silas said about Cousins' situation. "I don't know if it was a distraction or not. I don't really think so when it comes down to when the ball goes up and you start playing."

Victor Oladipo returned after missing four games with a strained foot to score 17 points for Houston on Wednesday. John Wall had 20 points.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Warriors look to exact revenge on visiting Hornets

The Golden State Warriors look to complete a revenge trifecta Friday night when they host the Charlotte Hornets in San Francisco.

Stephen Curry scored 24 points as the Warriors won on the road against the Indiana Pacers 111-107 on Wednesday night, avenging a home loss to the Eastern Conference club in January.

The Warriors extracted a similar measure of revenge one night earlier against the New York Knicks, and now get a shot at the Hornets, who stunned Golden State with a late comeback for a 102-100 home win last Saturday.

As Golden State attempts to win a third straight game for the first time this season, the Hornets have given no indication they will be a gracious guest.

Charlotte has opened a six-game trip by splitting a pair against two of the West's top teams, losing 132-110 at Utah on Monday before holding off Phoenix 124-121 on Wednesday.

Former California prep whiz LaMelo Ball will be making his first appearance in his home state as an NBA rookie after contributing 20 points and eight assists to the Hornets' win over the Suns.

Ball, who attended Chino Hills High in Southern California, had seven points and seven assists against the Warriors last week. The hero of the win was backcourt mate Terry Rozier, who beat the buzzer from the left corner for the game-winning hoop to cap a 36-point night.

It wasn't one of Ball's more impressive efforts of the season, but Curry has been impressed nonetheless.

"He's playing amazing," the All-Star starter gushed recently. "There was a lot of talk about what he could show his rookie year. He's surprising a lot of people."

The third pick in the 2020 draft, Ball didn't get a chance to go head-to-head with No. 2 overall selection James Wiseman of the Warriors in the earlier meeting. Wiseman sat out the game with a sprained wrist but has since returned from an 11-game absence to average 12.5 points on 11-for-17 shooting in Golden State's wins over New York and Indiana.

Wiseman has re-emerged as a backup, with Kevon Looney having returned from a 10-game absence for the last two wins as well.

The 19-year-old Wiseman, who attended Warriors games even when he could not play, said this week watching coach Steve Kerr's concepts from the sidelines has helped him find his way early in his NBA career.

He added that being able to observe the start of games from the sidelines has been a benefit as well.

"I look at it as a learning experience," he said of coming off the bench. "It's nothing bad at all, just due to the fact that we're figuring the rotations and stuff. But everything's coming together. I'm most definitely learning over there (on the bench) more, so it's really helpful for my development as a basketball player."

While the Hornets will be seeking their first two-game winning streak since Feb. 7-8 against Washington and Houston, the Warriors will be attempting to end an oddity: Through their first 33 games, the Warriors have no three-game winning or losing streaks.

Golden State's two-game winning streak is its eighth of the season.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Nuggets looking for shot at payback vs. Wizards

When the Denver Nuggets played the Wizards in Washington last week, it looked like a bad loss to a team near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

After what the Wizards accomplished over an eight-day period, Denver's loss to the Wizards doesn't look so bad. Washington's five-game winning streak included road victories at Portland and the Los Angeles Lakers before the Clippers ended the fun on Tuesday night.

The Nuggets have a chance for payback when the two teams meet in Denver on Thursday, which will conclude the Wizards' four-game road trip through the Western Conference.

This will be the third game in four nights for Washington, which couldn't pull off a fourth comeback win in a week. The Wizards ran out of fuel in the fourth quarter against the Clippers, and they plan on recharging before facing Denver.

"Just rest, rest our bodies, rest our minds," coach Scott Brooks said after Tuesday's loss. "We had a good run. We started this trip 2-1, could be a great trip if we could somehow muster up a good start in Denver and play a good finish, but it's not going to be easy."

Bradley Beal continues to be the focal point of Washington's offense. His 32.7 points a game leads the NBA and he averaged 33.4 points in the winning streak. Now that they've lost a game, the Wizards need to quickly move on or risk losing multiple games in a row.

"That's the crazy thing about this league, like, if you emotionally just get stuck, if you get caught up in the past, you're done," Moritz Wagner said Tuesday night. "So honestly, if you ask me, clear our heads tomorrow, learn from today and move on. Get better by it. Can't make the same mistakes over and over again, but at the same time, stay positive and know that we're a really, really good basketball team."

Denver is coming off a 111-106 win against Portland on Tuesday night after losing three of its previous four. The Nuggets are still short-handed, with two starters -- Gary Harris (adductor) and Paul Millsap (left knee) sidelined -- as well as JaMychal Green and P.J. Dozier.

Due to the injuries, Denver has leaned on its two stars -- Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, both of whom carried the Nuggets to the win over the Trail Blazers.

Denver also got a solid performance from Michael Porter Jr., who started at the power forward position with Millsap and Green out. He finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds and played some solid defense.

"Michael has been an elite scorer his whole life, prolific scorer his whole life, and on this team, yes, we need him to score, we need him to make shots, but we also need him to defend and to rebound," Nuggets coach Michael Malone said Tuesday night. "Tonight, I thought it was an all-around game for him and I think Michael's development is continuing."

Denver is expected to be without the same four players against the Wizards, but Murray, who was battling through a sore shoulder Tuesday night, said he is fine.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Red-hot Jazz ready to face Heat in Miami

Goran Dragic put it perfectly when asked about his Miami Heat teammate, Jimmy Butler.

"He's our leader," Dragic said. "We need him."

Butler and the Heat, winners of four straight games, will try to keep it going on Friday night when Miami plays host to the red-hot Utah Jazz, who have the best record in the NBA.

In Wednesday's 116-108 win over the Toronto Raptors, Butler had 27 points, including 14 in the crucial fourth quarter. Butler also had a game-high 10 assists, eight rebounds and three steals. And, to top it off, he made a season-high three 3-pointers, including two in the final minutes.

"That was a quintessential Jimmy game," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "It was an all-around, winning game."

Miami is still not 100 percent health-wise. But Dragic returned on Wednesday after missing nine straight games due to an ankle injury.

It is also possible that Tyler Herro will return on Friday. He has been out due to a hip injury, and his return would be huge for Miami because of the scoring punch he provides.

Bam Adebayo leads Miami in scoring (19.6), rebounds (9.6) and blocks (1.0). Butler leads Miami in assists (7.8) and steals (1.9) while averaging 19.5 points and 7.7 rebounds.

Herro is third in scoring (16.9). Dragic is averaging 14.4 points, and those are Miami's four top scorers and key components.

But while the Heat had been struggling before this recent win streak and are not yet back to .500 with a 15-17 record, Utah (26-6) is rolling.

In fact, the Jazz beat Miami 112-94 in Utah on Feb. 13 in the only previous meeting between the teams this season.

In that game, Utah held Miami scoreless for a six-minute stretch bridging the second and third quarters, leading to the rather easy win.

"We know our shots are not always going to fall," Jazz center Rudy Gobert said, "but we have a chance every night because of our defense."

Gobert, who had 16 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in that game, is the head of the Jazz snake when it comes to defense. He is a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2018, 2019). He has also made the NBA's First-Team All-Defense in each of the past four years.

Offensively, the Jazz are led in scoring by Donovan Mitchell (24.1), a two-time All-Star (2020, 2021) who is approaching his peak at age 24.

Veteran point guard Mike Conley averages 16.3 points and leads the Jazz in assists (5.7) and steals (1.5). Bojan Bogdanovic averages 15.3 points, and Jordan Clarkson leads the bench scorers (18.3).

In Utah's 114-89 beatdown of the reigning NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night, the Jazz made 22 three-pointers, shooting an impressive 45.8 percent from distance. Mitchell nearly had a triple-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. Conley came close also -- 14 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.

"We have a lot of guys who can make plays," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. "That's who we are and part of our identity."

Conley said the Jazz should have had more than their two All-Star selections this year, which were Mitchell and Gobert.

"We're making history in so many ways, and we should've been rewarded for that," Conley said.

Added Lakers coach Frank Vogel when asked about the Jazz: "They're the hottest team in the league. Nobody's playing as well as Utah right now."

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads guard battle as Thunder host Hawks

Luguentz Dort might've hit the game-winning shot for the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday in its win over San Antonio, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the story of the game.

Danilo Gallinari had the monster game for Atlanta in its win over Boston, and Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce spent plenty of time raving about Gallinari after the game but also heaped praise on Trae Young.

The Oklahoma City point guard and the point guard from Oklahoma -- both in their third NBA seasons -- are two of the major focuses entering Friday's game between the Thunder and Hawks in Oklahoma City.

Gilgeous-Alexander is not only coming off a career game -- 42 points, eight rebounds and four assists in the win over the Spurs -- but has put together his best stretch of basketball in his career.

Over the last three games, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 33.3 points and six assists per game while shooting 64 percent from the floor and 64.7 percent from behind the 3-point line.

Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said that while Gilgeous-Alexander's 21-point third-quarter performance Wednesday was impressive, he was maybe even more impressed with the fourth quarter, during which Gilgeous-Alexander took just three shots and had one assist.

"He was spreading the ball all over the place. He was getting guys shots," Daigneault said, noting that several of those shots had been missed.

"The thing that's been most impressive is how he's matured as a game manager and how he's finding a balance between his own offense and helping the team function. ... He didn't get seduced by the points on the board. He just continued to make the right play."

While Gilgeous-Alexander's scoring is at a career high, Young's is down a bit from last season, when he was an NBA All-Star and averaged 29.6 points per game.

But Pierce said Young was making necessary adjustments to his game to continue to be successful.

"Trae's played unbelievable basketball," Pierce said. "It's simple. He's making some great reads. Teams are converging on our picks and rolls. He's making the skips; he's making some of the throwbacks; he's making some of the simple passes in front of him, and when he starts doing that ... he's going to soften the defense."

Young is averaging a career-high 9.5 assists per game and is averaging 11.3 over the last four games.

"The quicker he can punish people with the pass, they're going to have to soften their defense," Pierce said.

Young assisted on two of Gallinari's Hawks-record 10 3-pointers on Wednesday.

Young is still looking for his first pro win in his home state. The Hawks haven't won in Oklahoma City since 2016.

The Hawks continue to battle injuries, with Bogdan Bogdanovic, Kris Dunn and De'Andre Hunter out with long-term injuries. Dunn has yet to play this season, Bogdanovic hasn't played since Jan. 9 and Hunter since Jan. 29.

Lately, Atlanta has also been without Cam Reddish, who has missed the last two games with a sore right Achilles.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Bulls look to extend win streak vs. rebounding Suns

The Chicago Bulls will try for their first four-game winning streak of the season when they host the Phoenix Suns on Friday night.

Chicago is coming off a 133-126 overtime win against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. The Bulls blew a 10-point lead in the final five minutes of regulation but rallied with a 7-0 run to start overtime.

Another win would boost Chicago to .500 for the first time since Jan. 5, when the team improved to 4-4.

All-Star guard Zach LaVine, who led the Bulls with 35 points against Minnesota, said he and his teammates were learning how to win under first-year head coach Billy Donovan, who replaced Jim Boylen during the offseason.

"Billy's been great, man," LaVine said. "Total 180 from what we had last year, 'cause we pretty much have the same team. We've had our share of ups and downs, games we should have won and didn't come out and play the right way, but our approach and my approach is just so much different mentally. I've been saying this the whole time, (Donovan) challenges you, and he's so respected and goes about it the right way."

The Bulls will face a tough test against Phoenix, which has won 12 of 15 games since Jan. 28. The Suns are looking to bounce back from a rare loss as of late after falling short 124-121 against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday.

Friday marks the start of a three-game road trip for the Suns, who also will make stops at the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers before returning home March 4 against the Golden State Warriors.

Devin Booker led the Suns in their most recent contest with 33 points on 13-for-24 shooting, including 4-for-10 shooting from beyond the arc. Chris Paul had a double-double with 20 points and 10 assists.

Earlier this week, Paul earned his 11th career All-Star selection.

"It means a lot," Paul said. "There are so many people that make it possible for me to even play. A lot of times, people see you out there during the games, but the training staff here, ... my family, everybody plays a huge role in everything that goes on. I'm grateful for the Suns organization, my teammates and my own personal team."

This will be the first meeting of the season between the teams.

In 2019-20, the teams played only once, with the Suns holding on for a 112-104 win on Feb. 22, 2020. Booker finished with 29 points to lead the Suns while making 5-of-10 shots from beyond the arc. The Bulls' top scorer was Coby White, who scored 33 points on 11-for-22 shooting, including 7-for-13 from long distance.

White ranks third on the Bulls this season with 15.7 points per game. He trails LaVine (28.8) and Lauri Markkanen (19.1), who is out because of a right shoulder sprain.

Booker paces the Suns with 25.0 points per game this season, while Paul (16.7) is second and Deandre Ayton (14.0) ranks third.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: All-Star snub Tobias Harris, 76ers, battle Mavericks

Tobias Harris certainly deserved to earn a spot on the Eastern Conference All-Star team.

Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons will represent the Philadelphia 76ers next month in Atlanta while Harris will be watching from afar.

"He's as mature as anybody in our locker room, including the coaches," 76ers head coach Doc Rivers said of Harris. "He's just a mature kid. He clearly wanted to make it, and I clearly wanted him to make it."

Harris will have another chance to prove his mettle when the Sixers host the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday.

Harris was terrific in Wednesday's 109-102 road win against the Toronto Raptors in Tampa, Fla., as he posted 23 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

Last season, Harris struggled at times under former head coach Brett Brown. But Harris has thrived under Rivers, his former coach.

"You know, maybe we keep winning and go win the whole thing," Rivers said. "Then next year, he will be on it. Sometimes you play and make it the year before you make it. Hopefully, that's the case for him."

Simmons, who was named an All Star on Tuesday, had 15 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Embiid, who will start in the All-Star Game, scuffled a bit with 18 points and 12 rebounds on 3-of-13 shooting.

But the Sixers won thanks in large part to Harris.

And playing the right way.

"I thought, down the stretch, we got a little loose with the ball," Rivers said. "But overall, I thought we were fine. You know, it's a great example. We missed again some great shots. But I thought we had a chance to have a high-scoring night with them taking the ball out of Joel's hands."

The Mavericks will be searching for their seventh win in the last eight games. The only setback during this stretch was a three-point loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Feb. 14.

As usual, Luka Doncic has been leading the way.

Doncic had 31 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists -- including two late 3-pointers -- to lift the Mavericks past the Boston Celtics 110-107 on Tuesday. Jalen Brunson added 22 points off the bench. The game-winning shot by Doncic dropped through with 0.1 seconds left.

"He's just a very unique player, a very unique person," Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle said of Doncic. "The wiring of people like Luka Doncic, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Larry Bird, Kobe Bryant, guys that have this laser-like focus in these situations. It's difficult to explain how their minds and their brains work."

The Mavericks needed every one of Doncic's 31 points as the Mavericks played without Kristaps Porzingis for the second consecutive game with tightness in his lower back. Porzingis' status is unknown for the game against the Sixers.

Dallas has won three in a row against the Sixers. A fourth straight win will put the Mavericks above .500 at 16-15.

For such a young player, Doncic hasn't shied away from taking the big shot. He missed a late trey against the Trail Blazers and appeared visibly upset.

But when the opportunity came again, he delivered against the Celtics.

"Sometimes you're going to miss it, like the last game against Portland," Doncic said. "And sometimes you're going to make it."

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Struggling Celtics tip off pivotal stretch vs. Pacers

Losers of three straight and eight of their last 11, the Boston Celtics know they have a lot on the line with four games remaining before the All-Star break.

"These next four games will tell us a lot about where we can go," said coach Brad Stevens.

It could be the most important stretch of the season for Boston as it gets set to host the Indiana Pacers on Friday night. The Celtics were blown out 127-112 by the mediocre Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, falling two games below .500 and out of playoff position in the Eastern Conference.

Boston is tied for last in the Atlantic Division after having the best record in the East just over a month ago.

"I wish I had answers for you. I don't," team president Danny Ainge said in a radio appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub on Thursday. "I do believe in my players. I like them all individually. I think they have good futures. I just think right now our team is in a major funk.

"We don't have a good enough team -- in my opinion."

The assessment is stunning given the presence of All-Stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in the starting five. Each struggled against Atlanta, Tatum scoring 13 points on 4-of-20 shooting and Brown going 0-for-6 on 3-pointers in scoring 17 points. Boston's third-leading scorer, Kemba Walker, sat out the contest that was the tail end of a back-to-back. His knee injury has limited him to 17.3 points per game this season, well below his career average.

Friday's game against the Pacers will be followed by a rematch Sunday with the Washington Wizards, who trounced the Celtics 104-91 on Feb. 14 despite being one of the worst teams in the East. Then come its meetings with the much-tougher L.A. Clippers and Toronto Raptors before the break.

Indiana has had its own inconsistencies of late, having lost four of five earlier this month. The Pacers have won three of their last five, however, and had a chance in the final seconds before ultimately falling 111-107 to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday.

"I feel like we got key stops at the end of the fourth, but we just couldn't make baskets," said Domantas Sabonis, who finished with 22 points and 16 rebounds. "That was the main thing. I think our defense overall there was pretty good ... but at the end when we got stops, we couldn't convert and get the lead."

The game was the first for the Pacers after a week off due to two postponements. Malcolm Brogdon scored 24 points, but he and Sabonis combined for 10 of Indiana's 19 turnovers.

Beginning Friday, the Pacers will play their next four games on the road, including Saturday at the Knicks.

"We've got a tough schedule coming up, and we've just got to try to take care of business," said Myles Turner.

The Celtics and Pacers split their first two meetings this season as part of a back-to-back at Indiana in December.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Gallinari hits team-record 10 3s, Hawks rout Celtics 127-112

ATLANTA (AP) Danilo Gallinari set a Hawks franchise record with 10 3-pointers in a 38-point spree that carried Atlanta to a 127-112 rout of the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.

Gallinari broke the mark of nine 3-pointers by Steve Smith in a 1997 game against Seattle. The Hawks also eclipsed the overall team record by going 23 of 42.

Trae Young played like an All-Star, adding 33 points as the Hawks built a 27-point lead in the first half and were never threatened by the lackluster Celtics, who have lost three in a row.

Gallinari, one of the biggest free agents signed by the Hawks in an offseason spending spree, equaled the best scoring half of his career with 24 points over the first two quarters. He finished 10 of 12 from 3-point range and 13 of 16 overall.

''It's always great to make history,'' he said. ''I'm very happy for that. Of course, when you set these kind of records and win the game, it feels way better.''

Gallinari knocked down jumpers from just about anywhere on the court - most notably swishing a 3 from at the edge of the special MLK Day half-court logo that was used on a night honoring historically black colleges and universities.

''The dude was on fire,'' teammate John Collins said. ''He could not miss. The entire team loves it when when they see a guy on fire like that. We're going to keep giving it to him until he burns out.''

The Hawks led 72-49 at halftime and maintained a comfortable margin the rest of the way.

Gallinari turned in his best performance since joining the Hawks. His previous high was 20 points against Indiana on Feb. 13.

It was much-needed rebound for Young and the Hawks, who lost 112-111 at Cleveland the previous night on a last-second shot - just hours after Atlanta's star guard learned he had been passed over for a spot in the March 7 All-Star Game to be held on his home court.

Young, an All-Star starter in 2020, ripped through the Celtics for 25 points in the first half. He is averaging 27.2 points a game, the most by any player passed over for the midseason showcase.

Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 17 points but missed all six of his attempts from 3-point range.

Jayson Tatum was held to 13 points on 4-of-20 shooting. He made just 1 of 8 from long range.

''It got away from us early,'' Tatum said. ''They played well and made a bunch of shots. But we didn't come with it today.''

NICE PASS

The Hawks were having so much fun that Young doled out an assist to himself.

On an inbounds pass from the baseline, Young threw the ball off the back of Boston's Grant Williams, caught the deflection and went in for an uncontested layup.

SLUMPING CELTICS

Boston has lost eight of its last 11 games to drop two games below .500 (15-17) for the first time this season.

Coming off two tough defeats - an overtime setback at New Orleans and a three-point loss at Dallas - the Celtics totally fell apart against the Hawks.

With four games left until the All-Star break, Tatum said the team feels a sense of urgency.

''These are four very important games,'' he said. ''We've got to dig deep and figure it out.''

TIP-INS

Celtics: G Kemba Walker didn't dress in the second game of a back-to-back to help manage his comeback from a left knee injury. ... Boston briefly showed signs of life when the Hawks missed their first six shots of the third quarter. The Celtics closed to 73-56, but the Hawks snuffed out the rally with back-to-back 3s by Tony Snell and Collins.

Hawks: Collins, who played only 13 minutes against the Cavaliers before leaving with a possible concussion, was cleared to play after undergoing an evaluation shortly before tipoff. He had 14 points and 11 rebounds in 25 minutes. ... F Cam Reddish missed his second straight game with a sore right Achilles. ... In addition to breaking out the special court for HBCU Night, the Hawks also wore their black uniforms with ''MLK'' across the front of the jersey.

UP NEXT

Celtics: Return home Friday night to host the Indiana Pacers.

Hawks: Travel to Oklahoma City on Friday night to face the Thunder.

---

Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at https://twitter.com/pnewberry1963 His work can be found at https://apnews.com/search/paulnewberry

---

More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

New on Sports Illustrated: Report: Bronny James Undergoes Knee Surgery for Torn Meniscus

James, the son of Lakers forward Lebron James, suffered a torn meniscus in his knee and is expected to make a full recovery.

Highly touted prep star Bronny James has reportedly had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee,

according to Tarek Fattal of the Los Angeles Daily News. The sophomore is expected to make a full recovery.

James, the son of Lakers star forward LeBron James, plays for Sierra Canyon, a private school in the Los Angeles suburb of Chatsworth. He's considered a 5-star prospect and is currently ranked No. 25 by 247Sports in the 2023 class.

California has yet to clear high schools for indoor sports, so it's unclear if or when Sierra Canyon's season will take place. The school has competed as a club team, per Fattal, and plans to play out-of-state games in March, though James will not be participating.

Sierra Canyon was one of the best teams in the country last season, with a lineup that featured McDonald's All-Americans Ziaire Williams (Stanford) and Brandon Boston Jr. (Kentucky). James played in every game as a freshman in a supporting role, averaging 15 minutes per game.

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

Frank Reich: Michael Pittman looks good in No. 11

Carson Wentz will wear a number other than 11 with the Colts. Receiver Michael Pittman Jr. wore the number as a rookie in 2020 and doesn’t plan on giving it up in 2021, no matter what the team’s new quarterback offers. Colts coach Frank Reich is not surprised or concerned about Pittman declining to give [more]

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Mitch Who? Some Bears players openly lobby for Russell Wilson trade

Russell Wilson trade rumors have created some excitement in Chicago.

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In latest mock draft, Mel Kiper Jr. sticks with USC OL Alijah Vera-Tucker going to the Vikings

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. dropped his second 2021 mock draft of the offseason. He's got the same player going to the Minnesota Vikings.

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Jaylon Smith reportedly safe as Cowboys consider cap clearing moves

Jaylon Smith has taken a step back since signing his in 2019. However, the Cowboys aren't considering making him a cap casualty.

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2021 NFL Draft: Tracking the Jags’ virtual prospect meetings so far

The Jags have virtually met with several prospects this offseason, some of which would fit a huge need like Alim McNeil of NC State.

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Devin White reacts to Willie McGinest's suggested nickname for him

Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Devin White reacts to NFL Network's Willie McGinest's suggested nickname for him. This game is streaming live on the Yahoo Sports mobile app, or on NFL Network

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McGinest, Tomlinson discuss whether Jimmy G is 'the guy' in San Francisco

NFL Network's Willie McGinest and LaDainian Tomlinson discuss whether quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is 'the guy' for the San Francisco 49ers. This game is streaming live on the Yahoo Sports mobile app, or on NFL.com

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Packers meet virtually with Auburn LB K.J. Britt

The Packers met virtually with a linebacker prospect who participated at the Senior Bowl.

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4 lessons the Texans need to learn from the Bill O’Brien era

The Houston Texans may have underachieved in the Bill O'Brien era, but here are four lessons they can learn from the experience.

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NFL Network to air pro day workouts in absence of NFL Scouting Combine

With no NFL Scouting Combine this year, NFL Network is set to air many of this year's top pro day workouts for 2021 NFL draft prospects

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Kyrie Irving calls for Kobe Bryant to be new NBA logo

A year to the date since Kobe and Gianna Bryant's celebration of life, Kyrie Irving went on Instagram Wednesday with a message for the NBA.

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Bulls' Lauri Markkanen unlikely to return before NBA All-Star break

The Bulls forward has missed the team's last 10 games, including Wednesday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and is likely to miss four more, says head coach Billy Donovan.

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Steve Kerr 'very happy' for Mychal Mulder after Warriors contract guaranteed

"Very proud of him, very happy for him that his contract is guaranteed."

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Devin Booker replacing Anthony Davis in All-Star game

Suns guard Devin Booker was a borderline All-Star candidate.

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Stats and Highlights: James Wiseman scores 14 points in 16 minutes in return vs. Knicks

After missing 11 games due to a sprained wrist, rookie James Wiseman tallied 14 points in 16 minutes in his return against the Knicks.

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Draymond Green on pace to make NBA history with bizarre stat line

Draymond Green ... unicorn?

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New on Sports Illustrated: No title

New on Sports Illustrated: All-Stars Kawhi Leonard, Paul George set for Clippers matchup vs. Grizzlies

The Grizzlies welcome the Los Angeles Clippers to Memphis on Thursday, tipping off a back-to-back pair of games between the Western Conference counterparts.

Thursday's matchup begins a five-game road swing for the Clippers. They are coming off a 4-2 homestand, capping the stretch on Tuesday with a 135-116 rout of Washington.

Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, both named to the NBA All-Star Team, scored 32 and 30 points in the win. The duo missed an earlier stretch, Leonard out three games with a leg contusion and George sidelined seven with bone edema in a toe.

Tuesday's game was the third back in the lineup for both.

Leonard is averaging a team-high 27.1 points per game. George is posting 24.6 points and a team-best 5.4 assists per game, good enough to lock up a selection as an All-Star reserve.

"He deserves it, and the kind of year he's having," Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said in a press conference on Tuesday. "It just shows the hard work he put in over the summer to get back to this point."

George said in his press conference Tuesday that he did not agree with the NBA holding the All-Star Game amid the COVID-19 pandemic, although he added that being selected "is a good milestone, but definitely (not) where I want it to end."

The Clippers come into Thursday's matchup second in the Western Conference, three games behind Utah. Los Angeles split two games with the Jazz last week.

Memphis looks to improve its positioning for a postseason berth, sitting a game out of the last playoff spot after a 102-92 loss at Dallas on Monday.

The Grizzlies endured further disappointment on Tuesday when guard Ja Morant was denied a spot on the All-Star team. Morant is averaging team highs of 19.1 points and 7.9 assists per game but has missed eight games with an ankle injury.

Morant's lengthy absence was part of a larger issue for the Grizzlies. Memphis has been ravaged by injuries throughout the season, most recently losing Dillon Brooks - who averages 15.8 points -- for the past three games with a thigh injury.

Both Jaren Jackson Jr. and Killian Tillie have been out for the entire season. Reinforcements arrived recently from Justise Winslow, who missed the first 25 games of the campaign with a hip injury.

Winslow returned Feb. 20 and shot 3-of-14 for nine points in a 31-point loss to Phoenix. He went 1-of-10 from the floor for three points Monday against Dallas.

Brandon Clarke, Grayson Allen and Kyle Anderson returned to the lineup from brief injuries on Monday. Despite having a fuller rotation available, Memphis shot just 39.4 percent against the Mavericks and fell short of 100 points for a second consecutive game.

"I feel like we were just missing on the other end," Morant said in his postgame press conference. "We got to learn. We'll get better, it takes time. As long as we stay positive and continue to play our basketball with our heads up out there fighting, we'll be good."

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Reeling Kings seek to end eight-game slide versus Knicks

The Sacramento Kings posted the first of seven wins in an eight-game stretch by defeating the New York Knicks last month.

Unfortunately for the Kings, they answered that sizzling run by cooling down considerably. They have dropped eight in a row heading into Thursday's road encounter with the Knicks.

De'Aaron Fox, who averages team-best totals in points (22.5) and assists (7.1), scored 15 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter of Sacramento's 127-118 setback to the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday. He had 22 points and seven assists in the Kings' 103-94 victory over New York on Jan. 22.

Harrison Barnes, who collected 21 points, eight rebounds and seven assists versus the Knicks, scored 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the floor versus Brooklyn. The strong performance on Tuesday was a welcome one for Barnes, who made just 12 of 39 attempts in his previous five games.

Rookie Tyrese Haliburton scored 23 points for the second consecutive contest on Tuesday. He also had nine assists, five rebounds and three steals and committed just one turnover.

"My confidence is growing by the day. I just need to understand what is needed by me and that's just to be who I am," the 20-year-old Haliburton said. "Don't be hesitant, I'm (playing) for a reason, right? Coach puts me in early, obviously because he trusts me. So I've got to take advantage of that and just be me."

Haliburton soon could find himself inserted into the starting lineup in place of the struggling Buddy Hield, who has made three or fewer field goals in four of his last six games. Haliburton is shooting 49.5 percent from the floor and 44.2 from 3-point range on the season, while Hield owns 37.2 and 36.4 percentages, respectively.

"I know we've lost eight in a row and we've got to get off this, but I'd like to see a little bit more," Kings coach Luke Walton said of a potential lineup change. "We were having some really good success with how that team was playing before, so I'd like to get a little more of a sample size before making any major moves like that."

The Knicks were making major moves in the standings by winning four of their previous five games before dropping a 114-106 decision to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday.

Prior to the game, Julius Randle was informed that he received his first career invitation to the All-Star Game.

"Everything you could dream of; it just seemed like it all came to fruition," Randle said after recording 25 points and 10 rebounds versus the Warriors. "It was amazing, honestly, and everything that I signed up for. And goals that I wrote down when I decided to come here and play for the Knicks. It's all happening."

Randle is making it all happen on the court, as his career-high averages in points (23.3), rebounds (10.9) and assists (5.5) lead the Knicks in all three categories. He had 26 points and 15 boards in the previous encounter versus the Kings.

Elfrid Payton had 20 points on Tuesday, marking his seventh straight double-digit scoring performance and ninth in 10 outings.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

New on Sports Illustrated: Looking to win their eighth straight, Nets take on Magic

For the first time in nearly a year, fans were in the seats to watch the Brooklyn Nets perform. And they witnessed a team continuing to ascend toward the top of the Eastern Conference standings.

The Nets will attempt another strong display for their limited in-person audience and run the NBA's longest active winning streak to eight games Thursday night when they host the Orlando Magic.

Brooklyn is unbeaten since a 122-111 loss in Detroit on Feb. 9, and Tuesday night 324 fans were in the seats to watch the Nets pull away down the stretch for a 127-118 win over the Sacramento Kings. The win came after the Nets swept a five-game road trip, doing so while Kevin Durant sat out the last four with a strained left hamstring.

Durant was out again Tuesday, although it is possible that he could return by the All-Star break. Without their leading scorer, the Nets showcased plenty of effectiveness, getting James Harden's sixth triple-double with Brooklyn and the best game of Bruce Brown's career.

"It's a trap game, so I was proud of the focus," Nets coach Steve Nash said. "It wasn't always pretty, but they wanted to win and they got the stops when they needed them."

Harden totaled 29 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds and is averaging 27.7 points during the winning streak. Brown set a career-high by scoring 13 of his 29 points in the fourth when the Nets ended the game on a 17-9 spurt while playing a home game in front of fans for the first time since March 8 against the Chicago Bulls, shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic pummeled the New York area.

"It feels good," Brown said. "It gives us more confidence than we already had. So, we just gotta keep pushing and try to get more wins."

The Nets are seeking their first eight-game winning streak since winning 14 straight since March 12 to April 6, 2006. During this winning streak, they are averaging 121.4 points while allowing 112 -- down from the 118.4 points they were allowing through the Detroit loss.

Orlando was in the midst of a six-game losing streak when it dropped a 122-115 decision in its last visit to Brooklyn on Jan. 16 in a game when Nikola Vucevic scored 34 points. Since the first visit to Brooklyn, the Magic are 7-12 in their last 19 games, although they are playing better of late.

The loss to Brooklyn was part of a 3-15 slide that lasted through a 111-105 loss at Golden State on Feb. 11, but Orlando is 4-2 in its last six games. The Magic won three straight before shooting 37.5 percent in Tuesday's 105-93 home loss to the Detroit Pistons.

"For the most part, we just came out slow," Orlando's Terrence Ross said. "It's not something that happens all the time. It was just one of those days where everybody's a little tired, a little slow, a little fatigued. We didn't do a good enough job of fighting through it."

Vucevic led the Magic with 20 points after being named to the All-Star team, but Evan Fournier was held to 14 after getting 57 points over his previous two games.

An All-Star for the second time, Vucevic is averaging career-highs of 23.9 points and 11.7 rebounds this season. He is averaging 26.5 points and 13.2 rebounds in 11 games this month, a stretch that includes a 43-point game against Chicago on Feb. 5 and a 42-point showing Feb. 12 in Sacramento.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Nuggets looking for shot at payback vs. Wizards

When the Denver Nuggets played the Wizards in Washington last week, it looked like a bad loss to a team near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

After what the Wizards accomplished over an eight-day period, Denver's loss to the Wizards doesn't look so bad. Washington's five-game winning streak included road victories at Portland and the Los Angeles Lakers before the Clippers ended the fun on Tuesday night.

The Nuggets have a chance for payback when the two teams meet in Denver on Thursday, which will conclude the Wizards' four-game road trip through the Western Conference.

This will be the third game in four nights for Washington, which couldn't pull off a fourth comeback win in a week. The Wizards ran out of fuel in the fourth quarter against the Clippers, and they plan on recharging before facing Denver.

"Just rest, rest our bodies, rest our minds," coach Scott Brooks said after Tuesday's loss. "We had a good run. We started this trip 2-1, could be a great trip if we could somehow muster up a good start in Denver and play a good finish, but it's not going to be easy."

Bradley Beal continues to be the focal point of Washington's offense. His 32.7 points a game leads the NBA and he averaged 33.4 points in the winning streak. Now that they've lost a game, the Wizards need to quickly move on or risk losing multiple games in a row.

"That's the crazy thing about this league, like, if you emotionally just get stuck, if you get caught up in the past, you're done," Moritz Wagner said Tuesday night. "So honestly, if you ask me, clear our heads tomorrow, learn from today and move on. Get better by it. Can't make the same mistakes over and over again, but at the same time, stay positive and know that we're a really, really good basketball team."

Denver is coming off a 111-106 win against Portland on Tuesday night after losing three of its previous four. The Nuggets are still short-handed, with two starters -- Gary Harris (adductor) and Paul Millsap (left knee) sidelined -- as well as JaMychal Green and P.J. Dozier.

Due to the injuries, Denver has leaned on its two stars -- Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, both of whom carried the Nuggets to the win over the Trail Blazers.

Denver also got a solid performance from Michael Porter Jr., who started at the power forward position with Millsap and Green out. He finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds and played some solid defense.

"Michael has been an elite scorer his whole life, prolific scorer his whole life, and on this team, yes, we need him to score, we need him to make shots, but we also need him to defend and to rebound," Nuggets coach Michael Malone said Tuesday night. "Tonight, I thought it was an all-around game for him and I think Michael's development is continuing."

Denver is expected to be without the same four players against the Wizards, but Murray, who was battling through a sore shoulder Tuesday night, said he is fine.

--Field Level Media