It’s all about timing.
Catch this fan perspective of Jalen Green’s thrilling game-winner last night. Keep reading for an insider look at a packed Sunday lineup on ABC and NBC.
Jalen Green’s game-winner / via liamshrenk (IG)
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
Feb. 22, 2026
ABC Doubleheader: Major duos on display as Harden & Donovan chase 6-0 in OKC while Joker & Jamal go up against the Warriors.
Sunday Night Basketball: The legendary Celtics-Lakers rivalry ignites under the guidance of close friends Redick & Mazzulla.
Saturday’s Stunners: Brunson leads the Knicks’ spectacular 18-point comeback, while Jalen Green nails a buzzer-beater in 2OT.
Roundup: Wemby thrills as Spurs secure their 8th straight win; Pistons dominate.
New Rookie Duties: The 2025 Draft class steps up on the court without the usual off-court responsibilities.
BUT FIRST … ⏰
Brace yourself for over 10 hours of basketball today.
Sunday’s 11-game slate kicks off with an ABC doubleheader featuring the surging Cavs against the defending champion Thunder (1 ET | Tap To Watch), followed by the Nuggets taking on the Warriors (3:30 ET | Tap To Watch).
Later in L.A., the Lakers will pay tribute to former head coach Pat Riley with a statue unveiling (3:30 ET, NBA TV) before they face their storied rivals, the Celtics, on Sunday Night Basketball (6:30 ET, NBC & Peacock | Tap To Watch).
1. ABC DOUBLEHEADER: POWER DUOS BATTLE AS RED-HOT CAVS TEST THUNDER & NUGGETS STAND AGAINST WARRIORS
One duo is fresh and undefeated.
The other features seasoned champions.
The Cavs and Nuggets will showcase some of the most captivating two-man plays as the postseason approaches.
Cavaliers at Thunder (1 ET, ABC): Winners of seven in a row and 5-0 since James Harden joined forces with Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland is applying pressure on the Knicks for 3rd place in the East. Meanwhile, a depleted OKC squad has secured three victories in their last four outings.
- “We’ve got numerous options,” Harden described Cleveland’s depth. “It’s not just about scoring, but about team engagement.”
- Harden brings experience, ranking 9th all-time in points (28,897) and 12th in assists (8,717).
- Paint Pass: With a minimum of eight assists per game during his first five games with the Cavs, Harden has propelled his new team from 13th to 5th in points in the paint (55.2).
- Jarrett Allen gets a boost, climbing from 19th to 3rd in league scoring in the paint (16.8) and tying for 13th in total scoring (113 points).
- Still Spida: Harden contributes without detracting from Mitchell’s performance, who stands tied for the lead in total points (146) since James’ debut.
OKC is navigating its own challenges, exemplifying depth with leading scorer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missing six games (3-3 these past outings).
- With SGA sidelined (since Feb. 3), OKC has rotated through five different leading scorers: Kenrich Williams, Cason Wallace, Jalen Williams (twice), Isaiah Joe, and new acquisition Jared McCain.
As impressive as Harden has been in Cleveland, Jamal Murray has matched his assist numbers (8.6 per game) over the last five games.
Nuggets at Warriors (3:30 ET, ABC): Denver comes into this matchup after posting a season-high 157 points in their last win, with the Murray-Nikola Jokić duo combining for 42 points by the break. This will mark the culmination of a three-game road trip for the Nuggets.
- Denver Duo: Jokić is enjoying another stellar year, leading the league with 12.3 rpg and 10.5 apg. Murray is performing at a career-best 25.6 ppg and 7.6 apg.
- “He varies his game between assists and points, providing us much-needed stability,” Jokić praised of Murray. “He can dominate the game.”
- Murray’s career numbers intensify the threat he poses in tandem with Jokić, ranking 3rd in total points off handoffs and 5th when acting as the pick-and-roll ball handler this season.
- Jokić’s contributions are equally essential, standing 5th overall in roll-man possessions and hitting 56.3% of those attempts.
Golden State is positioned two games ahead for the 8th seed in the West despite Steph being out, showcasing their league-leading numbers of 16.4 made threes per game and a top-10 defense (112.7 DefRtg).
2. SUNDAY NIGHT BASKETBALL: REDICK AND MAZZULLA HONOR RIVALRY LEGACIES
303 regular season matchups.
74 playoff contests.
77 years of fierce competition between green and gold.
The Celtics and Lakers are about to meet for the 304th time today (6:30 ET, NBC & Peacock).
Before kicking off this latest chapter in their storied rivalry, Los Angeles will pay tribute to the coaching legend Pat Riley with a statue unveiling (3:30 ET, NBA TV). NBA.com’s Shaun Powell breaks down Riley’s impactful legacy:
“Riley was the orchestrator of Showtime,” combining intellect with style as he became not only the coolest coach in the room but also among the most prepared.
Riley was regarded as one of the league’s first “players’ coaches,” adept at relating to the players. His journey was remarkable, starting as a role player on the Lakers’ championship squad in 1971-72 and later transitioning to the commentator role alongside Chick Hearn.
| Read More
- “I’m a GQ coach,” Riley playfully remarked.
- Notably, the current head coach of the Lakers, JJ Redick, has been featured in GQ and often discusses fashion with his players.
- Similarity Alert: Like Riley, Redick held a 15-year NBA career before stepping into coaching. He values communication and has hosted the popular podcast The Old Man and The Three while also working as an analyst for ESPN.
Coaching for the Lakers demands a unique type of personality to live up to the Showtime legacy, and Riley certainly delivered, achieving four championships in seven Finals appearances over nine seasons.
Three of those Finals appearances and two of his titles were against today’s opponents, the Boston Celtics. This historical connection enriches the rivalry, with Boston being the only other franchise to commemorate a coach with a statue: the great Red Auerbach.
Today, this rivalry continues led by two young, analytical coaches who share more camaraderie than rivalry: Redick and Boston’s Joe Mazzulla.
- “He’s a great friend,” Redick noted about Mazzulla. “I’m probably one of only two coaches he consults during the season.”
- “We discussed it a couple of times,” Mazzulla added about potentially bringing Redick onto the Celtics coaching staff before JJ accepted the Lakers offer.
- Shoot To Win: Renowned for his shooting, Redick admires Mazzulla’s aggressive three-point strategy, with Boston ranking 3rd in three-pointers made (15.4 3PG) and attempted (42.4 3PA) this season.
- Leading the Charge: LA’s three-point offense revolves around Dončić, who ranks 2nd behind Steph Curry in three-pointers made (3.7 3PG) and attempted (10.4 3PA) per game.
The Lakers aim to earn Redick his second victory against Mazzulla’s Celtics, who currently lead their matchups 2-1 during JJ’s tenure, with the Celtics winning the first meeting this season 126-105 on December 5.
3. SATURDAY’S STUNNERS: KNICKS TURN THE TABLES ON ROCKETS, JALEN GREEN NAILS BUZZER-BEATER IN 2OT
Houston started the 4th quarter with an 18-point lead.
Less than 10 minutes later, the Knicks had engineered their largest comeback of the season.
Knicks 108, Rockets 106: With the score tied at 103 in the final moments, Jalen Brunson’s (20 pts, 6 ast) jumper clinched New York’s first lead of the second half, as Karl-Anthony Towns (25 pts, 7 reb) led the Knicks to a remarkable 33-15 scoring advantage over Kevin Durant’s (30 pts, 6 reb) Rockets in the fourth quarter. | Recap
- Climb Complete: Thanks to back-to-back steals by Jose Alvarado, Brunson and the Knicks were able to tie, before Captain Clutch delivered the decisive shot.
- New York’s</strong top-3 offense (118.7) demonstrated efficiency, shooting 59.1% (13-22 FG) during crunch time, as the defense (top-5 in 2026, 109.8) limited Houston to 4-of-15 shooting.
- Ruthless Efficiency: Brunson (8 pts, 4-4 FG), Towns (7 pts), and Landry Shamet (7 pts) accounted for 22 of the 33 points in the fourth, needing just 11 shots to do so.
“I knew I needed to shift gears,” said Brunson, who had scored only once in the 3rd quarter but exploded for 18 points in the 2nd half. “I found my rhythm.”
- KD Passes KAJ: With his 430th career game scoring 30+, KD moved ahead of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for 6th-most all-time.
- This comeback marks the NBA’s second-largest rally of the season in the 4th quarter, and the Knicks’ third such instance since 1996-97; they also came back from 17 points down on Christmas Day.
While New York clinched their victory in the 4th quarter, Phoenix showed its strength in the overtime.
Suns 113, Magic 110 (2OT): Jalen Green (16 pts, 7 reb, 5 ast) executed a game-winning corner three in double overtime, overcoming a shooting night of 6-for-26 and multiple Suns injuries to defeat the Magic. | Recap
“I told Collin Gillespie (19 pts), I’m running straight to the ball,” Green explained about the final play. “He found me, I knocked it down… I really needed that one.”
- Game Saver: Orlando fought back from an 11-point deficit in the 4th, closing out with a 6-0 run capped by Anthony Black’s shot-steal-dunk 4-point sequence.
- Swapping Runs: The Magic’s streak reached 11-0 in overtime until Grayson Allen (27 pts, 7 reb) injected a personal 7-0 run to give the Suns a 103-101 lead.
- Paolo Banchero (26 pts, 14 reb, 8 ast) tied the game with a backdown dunk, forcing double-OT as the teams exchanged leads until Jevon Carter’s game-tying 3 gave way to Green’s heroic shot.
“This was my first real game-winner,” Green reflected. “I’m thrilled it happened with the Suns.”
So was Charles Barkley, who celebrated Green’s win during the Inside the NBA broadcast leading into Rockets-Knicks on ABC.
- A Phoenix First: Green recorded the sixth buzzer-beater in double-overtime since 2012, marking the Suns’ first 2OT buzzer-beater in the play-by-play era.
- With Devin Booker out due to a hip injury, Phoenix also lost Dillon Brooks (broken hand) early and Jordan Goodwin (leg) in the 4th during a stellar outing.
- Early Story: Desmond Bane (34 pts, 5 3s) was a standout following a 22-point first half but fouled out in the opening minute of the first overtime.
4. ROUNDUP: WEMBY’S DUNK SHOW, SPURS & PISTONS KEEP WINNING
San Antonio’s 40th victory of the season signified their 8th consecutive win, the longest current streak in the league.
Spurs 139, Kings 122: Victor Wembanyama (28 pts, 15 reb, 6 ast, 4 blk) showcased his talents, powering his team past DeMar DeRozan (20 pts, 5 ast), Keegan Murray (20 pts), and the Kings to equal the longest Spurs win streak since his draft. | Recap
- Buckets & Blocks: Wemby joined elite company with Anthony Davis and Shaq, totaling 200+ points and 25+ blocks during an eight-game win streak.
- “I aim to participate in the Dunk Contest eventually,” Wemby teased after executing a wild in-game windmill dunk.
- Providing a Show: Wemby amazed fans with his spin-and-slam and was visibly impressed by Dylan Harper’s one-hand dunk.
- I-35 Series: Keldon Johnson expressed gratitude to the supportive crowd during the Spurs’ recent showcase at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas.
Another of the league’s 40-win teams enjoyed a fifth consecutive victory on Saturday.
Pistons 126, Bulls 110: The East-leading Detroit squad received a team-high 26 points and 13 rebounds from Jalen Duren. Cade Cunningham (18 pts, 9 reb, 13 ast) missed a triple-double by one rebound, as the Pistons edged the Bulls led by Josh Giddey (27 pts, 6 reb, 5 3s). | Recap
- Score & Share: Cade’s 27th double-double in points and assists tops the league in that metric this year.
- Detroit Dominance: With their eighth win in the last nine games, the Pistons (41-13) matched their 2nd-best record through 55 games in team history.
Heat 136, Grizzlies 120: Andrew Wiggins (28 pts, 7 reb) led eight Miami players scoring in double figures, as the Heat controlled the game and never trailed by more than a bucket during their third straight win. They outperformed GG Jackson (28 pts, 9 reb) and Memphis. | Recap
- Heat’s High Scores: Miami hit the 130-point mark for the 15th time this season, tying Cleveland for the most in the league.
- Change In Temp: Prior to this season, Miami had only hit 130+ points 30 times in franchise history.
Pelicans 126, Sixers 111: Jordan Poole (23 pts, 5 ast, 5 3s) contributed 18 of his points in the second half, leading New Orleans to their fourth straight victory. Tyrese Maxey (27 pts, 7 ast, 5 stl) and Philadelphia faced their fourth consecutive defeat amid a dominant 40-point third quarter from New Orleans, with seven players scoring double digits. | Recap
- Bounce Back: Following a disappointing 3-point outing on Friday, Poole excelled with a +21 plus/minus, with only Zion Williamson (+24) outdoing him, contributing 21 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 steals.
- Derik Queen stole the show in his postgame interview, taking over the mic from veteran DeAndre Jordan, who set season-records with 15 rebounds and 4 blocks after his first game since October.
5. ROOKIE RITUALS
Kon Knueppel currently leads the league with 193 made three-pointers.
Cooper Flagg ranks in the top ten for total clutch points scored (82).
The rookie class of 2025 has made a significant impact this season.
However, as NBA.com’s Steve Aschburner reports, this does not mean rookies are completely off the hook from traditional duties; these responsibilities may be less demanding nowadays.
“Packing and providing a teammate’s favorite soap or lotion is still part of an NBA rookie’s checklist. Occasionally, there may be charming pink “Hello Kitty” backpacks involved as a playful initiation rather than a demanding chore.
Such traditions date back well before the Basketball Association of America was established in 1946-47, serving as rites of passage for rookies, creating camaraderie.
The good news for NBA rookies is that the demands have softened. A casual survey of first- and second-year players at All-Star Weekend revealed few complaints about the nature of their required tasks.
“I’ve had rookie duties such as getting Chick-fil-A for the players, but nothing too outrageous,” shared Washington’s Tre Johnson. | Read More
Look out for featured rookies Egor Dëmin (Nets at Hawks, 3:30 ET), Knueppel (Hornets at Wizards, 6 ET), VJ Edgecombe (Sixers at Wolves, 7 ET), and others on League Pass:
- Raptors at Bucks (3:30 ET)
- Mavericks at Pacers (5 ET)
- Knicks at Bulls (8 ET)
- Blazers at Suns (8 ET)
- Magic at Clippers (9 ET)
