Starting 5, Feb. 22: Knicks’ clutch comeback, Suns’ 2OT buzzer-beater, Wemby’s windmill, Cavs start busy Sunday before Celtics-Lakers

Right place, right time.

Check out this fan angle of Jalen Green’s game-winner last night, then keep reading for a front-row seat for what you gotta know about a packed Sunday on ABC & NBC.

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5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

Feb. 22, 2026

ABC Doubleheader: Top duos on display as Harden & Donovan aim for 6-0 in OKC and Joker & Jamal hit the Bay

Sunday Night Basketball: Storied Celtics-Lakers rivalry continues under leadership of close friends Redick & Mazzulla

Saturday’s Stunners: Brunson, Knicks’ late 18-point rally, Jalen Green’s 2OT buzzer-beater in the Valley

Roundup: Wemby, Spurs put on slam dunk show in 8th straight win, Pistons cruise

New Rookie Duties: The 2025 Draft class is contributing on the floor without the off-court chores

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BUT FIRST … ⏰

Over 10 hours of hoops heads your way today…

Sunday’s 11-game slate gets started with an ABC doubleheader featuring the red-hot Cavs visiting the defending champion Thunder (1 ET | Tap To Watch), and the Nuggets taking on the Warriors (3:30 ET | Tap To Watch).

Later in L.A., the Lakers will unveil a statue honoring former head coach Pat Riley (3:30 ET, NBA TV) prior to hosting their classic rival Celtics on Sunday Night Basketball (6:30 ET, NBC & Peacock | Tap To Watch).

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1. ABC DOUBLEHEADER: TOP DUOS STAR AS RED-HOT CAVS TEST THUNDER & NUGGETS VISIT WARRIORS

One pair is new and unbeaten.

The other is time-tested and title-winning.

The Cavs and Nuggets will give today’s national audience a look at two of the most successful and exciting two-man games of this Playoff push.

Cavaliers at Thunder (1 ET, ABC): Winners of seven straight and 5-0 since pairing James Harden with Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland is pressuring the Knicks for 3rd place in the East, while a short-handed OKC team has won three of its last four.

• “We’ve got so many weapons,” Harden said of Cleveland. “It’s not even about scoring the basketball, but just seeing everybody get involved.”
• Harden can do both these things at a historic level, ranking 9th all-time in points (28,897) and 12th in all-time assists (8,717)
• Paint Pass: With at least eight assists in each of his five games with the Cavs, Harden has helped his new team jump from 13th to 5th in points in the paint (55.2)
• Jarrett Allen benefits most in this stretch, soaring from 19th to 3rd in the league (16.8) in points in the paint, and tying for 13th in overall scoring (113 total points)
• Still Spida: Harden is adding without taking away from Mitchell, who is tied for the league lead in total points (146) since James’ Cavs debut

OKC is in a different kind of stretch, showcasing its depth without leading scorer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdomen) for the last six games (3-3).

• Since SGA went down (Feb. 3), OKC has had five different leading scorers: Kenrich Williams, Cason Wallace, Jalen Williams (2x), Isaiah Joe, and deadline acquisition Jared McCain

As great as Harden has been in Cleveland, Jamal Murray has matched him in assists (8.6 per game) over those last five games.

Nuggets at Warriors (3:30 ET, ABC): Denver enters having scored the most points in an NBA game this season in Friday’s win (157), with the Murray-Nikola Jokić duo flexing for 42-combined points by halftime. They conclude a three-game roadtrip in the Bay.

• Denver Duet: Alongside another dominant year from Jokić – leading the league with 12.3 rpg and 10.5 apg – Murray is scoring and assisting at a career-high (25.6 ppg, 7.6 apg)
• “Sometimes he has a lot of assists, sometimes he has a lot of points. He’s giving us that stability,” Joker said of Murray. “He can dominate the floor.”
• Murray’s career-year is making him that much more dangerous in his two-man game with Joker, ranking 3rd in total points off handoffs and 5th in points as the pick-and-roll ball handler this season
• Send Jokić: Nikola has carried his end of that pick-and-roll tandem, ranking 5th in the league in roll-man possessions and shooting 56.3% in those situations

Golden State holds a 2-game edge for the West’s 8th-seed with Steph sidelined behind their league-leading 16.4 made 3s per game and top-10 defense (112.7 DefRtg).

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2. SUNDAY NIGHT BASKETBALL: REDICK, MAZZULLA LEAD RIVALS HONORING COACHING LEGACIES

303 regular season matchups.

74 Playoff meetings.

77 years of green and gold duels.

The Celtics and Lakers will meet for the 304th time today (6:30 ET, NBC & Peacock).

Prior to this storied rivalry’s next chapter, Los Angeles will honor some of the history that’s made this matchup so special.

The Lakers are set to unveil a statue honoring former head coach Pat Riley (3:30 ET, NBA TV) prior to the game, and NBA.com’s Shaun Powell broke down what Riley’s dominant tenure means to the franchise:

“Riley was the director of Showtime, and for those who were born too late and missed the fun, he was a combination of smarts and sharp dressing, the coolest coach in the room and very often the best prepared. 

Riley was among the league’s first “players’ coaches” meaning, he could relate to and connect with those he steered. And his beginnings were peculiar. Riley was a role player on the Lakers’ 1971-72 championship team, then later became the team’s commentator who sat next to [Chick] Hearn.” | Read More

• “I’m a GQ coach,” Riley once said jokingly
• Sound familiar? The Lakeshow’s current head coach, JJ Redick, has been featured in GQ, and openly debates fashion with his players
• More Similarities: A 15-year NBA vet turned players’ coach, Redick prides himself in communication, having also hosted the popular basketball podcast The Old Man and The Three and called NBA games for ESPN

It takes a certain type of coach and personality to meet the Showtime expectations of the purple & gold, and Riley exceeded his, winning four NBA championships in seven Finals appearances across his nine seasons in Los Angeles.

Three of those seven Finals appearances, and two of Riley’s four titles, came against today’s opponent, the Boston Celtics. The historical link that makes this rivalry so iconic even extends to the teams’ statues, with Boston being the only other franchise to immortalize a coach: the great Red Auerbach.

These days, the rivalry persists under the guidance of two young, analytical coaches who are more friends than nemeses: Redick and the C’s Joe Mazzulla.

• “He’s a really good friend,” Redick has said of podcast guest Mazzulla. “I’m probably one of [only] two coaches that he’ll speak with during the season.”
• “We had a couple talks about it,” Mazzulla said of pitching Redick to join the Celtics’ coaching staff, before JJ’s Lakers opportunity
• Shoot To Win: Known for his shooting, Redick admires Mazzulla’s high-volume 3-point approach, with Boston ranking 3rd in 3s made (15.4 3PG) and attempted (42.4 3PA) this season
• Luka’s Department: LA’s 3-point attack centers on Dončić this season, who ranks 2nd behind Steph Curry in 3s made (3.7 3PG) and attempted (10.4 3PA) per game

The Lakers look to earn Redick his second win against Mazzulla’s Celtics, who hold a 2-1 edge during JJ’s tenure after taking this season’s first matchup, 126-105 on Dec. 5.

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3. SATURDAY’S STUNNERS: KNICKS CATCH ROCKETS LATE, JALEN GREEN BEATS BUZZER IN 2OT

Houston opened Saturday’s 4th quarter with a bucket for an 18-point lead.

Less than 10 minutes later, the Knicks had completed their largest comeback of the season.

Knicks 108, Rockets 106: Tied at 103-all with 30 seconds to play, Jalen Brunson’s (20 pts, 6 ast) jumper gave New York its first lead of the 2nd half, as Karl-Anthony Towns (25 pts, 7 reb) and the Knicks outscored Kevin Durant (30 pts, 6 reb) and the Rockets 33-15 in the 4th to win. | Recap

• Climb Complete: Back-to-back steals by Jose Alvarado gave Brunson and the Knicks the chance to tie it, before Captain Clutch grabbed the lead for good
• New York’s top-3 offense (118.7) shot 59.1% (13-22 FG) during the closeout, while its defense (top-5 in 2026, 109.8) held Houston to 4-of-15 shooting
• Ruthless Efficiency: Brunson (8 pts, 4-4 FG), Towns (7 pts) and Landry Shamet (7 pts) logged 22 of the 33 Knicks points in the 4th on just 11 combined shots

“I just had to flip a switch,” Brunson said, who made his first field goal in the 3rd quarter and piled up 18 of his 20 points in the 2nd half. “I found a way.”

• KD Passes KAJ: With his 430th career 30+ point game, KD moved past Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for 6th-most all-time
• The 18-point comeback is the NBA’s second-largest 4th-quarter rally this season, and the Knicks’ third since 1996-97. They also rallied from 17-down in the 4th on Christmas Day

While New York did its winning work in the 4th, Phoenix flexed its best after regulation.

Suns 113, Magic 110 (2OT): Jalen Green (16 pts, 7 reb, 5 ast) splashed a game-winning corner 3 for a double-overtime Tissot Buzzer-Beater, overcoming a 6-for-26 shooting night and multiple Suns injuries to outlast the Magic. | Recap

“I’m gonna run straight to the ball,” Green told teammate Collin Gillespie (19 pts) for the final play. “He was able to find me, I was able to knock it down… Needed that one, too.”

• Game Saver: Orlando erased an 11-point 4th-quarter deficit, closing on a 6-0 run to force OT, capped by Anthony Black’s shot-steal-dunk 4-point sequence
• Swapping Runs: The Magic’s streak extended to 11-0 in OT, before Grayson Allen’s (27 pts, 7 reb) personal 7-0 run put the Suns back in front 103-101
• Paolo Banchero’s (26 pts, 14 reb, 8 ast) backdown dunk forced double-OT, where the teams traded leads until Jevon Carter’s game-tying 3 in the final seconds set up Green’s heroics

“That was my first real game-winner,” said Green, who was acquired by Phoenix in the offseason. “I’m happy it’s with the Suns.”

So was Charles Barkley, who celebrated Green’s game-winner live on air as Inside The NBA was leading into Rockets-Knicks on ABC.

• A Phoenix First: Green hit just the sixth buzzer-beater in double-overtime since 2012, and the Suns’ first 2OT-winner at the horn in the play-by-play era
• With Devin Booker out (hip), Phoenix lost Dillon Brooks (broken hand) early and Jordan Goodwin (leg) in the 4th amid a 17-point outing
• Early Story: Desmond Bane (34 pts, 5 3s) led all scorers following a 22-point 1st half, but fouled out in the first minute of the first overtime

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4. ROUNDUP: WEMBY’S DUNK DISPLAY, SPURS & PISTONS KEEP ROLLING

San Antonio’s 40th win of the season marked eight in a row, the longest active streak in the league.

Spurs 139, Kings 122: Victor Wembanyama (28 pts, 15 reb, 6 ast, 4 blk) thrilled and willed his team past DeMar DeRozan (20 pts, 5 ast), Keegan Murray (20 pts) and the Kings to tie the longest Spurs win streak since he was drafted. | Recap

• Buckets & Blocks: Wemby joined Anthony Davis and Shaq as the only players since 2000 to total 200+ points and 25+ blocks during their team’s eight-game win streak
• “I’ll be in the Dunk Contest one day.” Wemby teased his future slam plans following his wild in-game windmill dunk
• Putting On A Show: Vic struck again with spin-and-slam and was in disbelief after Dylan Harper’s one-hand hammer
• I-35 Series: Keldon Johnson thanked the home-away-from-home crowd after the Spurs banged the drum twice this week at Moody Center in Austin, Texas

One of the league’s other two 40-win teams rolled to a fifth straight win Saturday.

Pistons 126, Bulls 110: East-leading Detroit got a team-high 26 points and 13 rebounds from Jalen Duren and Cade Cunningham (18 pts, 9 reb, 13 ast) was a board shy of a triple-double, as the Pistons outdueled Josh Giddey’s (27 pts, 6 reb, 5 3s) Bulls. | Recap

• Score & Share: Cade’s 27th double-double of points and assists leads the league in that category this season
• Detroit Dominance: With an eighth win in the last nine games, the Pistons (41-13) tied their 2nd-best record through 55 games in team history

Heat 136, Grizzlies 120: Andrew Wiggins (28 pts, 7 reb) led eight Miami scorers in double figures, as the Heat never trailed by more than a bucket in their third straight victory, overpowering 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, matching Cleveland for the most such performances in the league
• Change In Temp: Prior to this season, the Heat had only scored 130+ points 30 times in franchise history

Pelicans 126, Sixers 111: Jordan Poole (23 pts, 5 ast, 5 3s) scored 18 of his 23 points in the 2nd half where New Orleans sent Tyrese Maxey (27 pts, 7 ast, 5 stl) and Philly to a 4th straight loss with a 40-point 3rd quarter and seven double-digit scorers. | Recap

• Bounce Back: Following his 3-point outing Friday, Poole excelled with a +21 plus/minus, bested only by Zion Williamson (+24), who added 21 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 steals
• Derik Queen took over his vet DeAndre Jordan’s postgame interview, who set season-highs with 15 rebounds and 4 blocks in his first action since October

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5. ROOKIE RITUALS

Kon Knueppel leads the league in total 3s (193).

Cooper Flagg is in the top-10 for total clutch points scored (82).

The 2025 Rookie class has left an impactful mark thus far.

But, as NBA.com’s Steve Aschburner writes, that doesn’t mean rooks are completely exempt from their usual duties — even if the demands are less these days.

“Packing and providing a teammate’s favorite soap or lotion can be part of an NBA rookie’s “to-do” list… Occasionally, there will be pink “Hello Kitty” backpacks to tote on the road all season, more of an initiation than a helpful chore.

All of it is part of a tradition in sports that pre-dates even the Basketball Association of America’s arrival in 1946-47, a ritual for rookies repeated season after season as a way to (cough) welcome new guys into the group.

… But here’s the good news for NBA rookies: It all seems to be toning down. A random sampling of first- and second-year players at All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles discussed required basic chores, but none complained about anything nasty.

“I’ve had rookie duties to get Chick-fil-A for the players, but nothing more than that,” Washington’s Tre Johnson said. | Read More

See featured rookies Egor Dëmin (Nets at Hawks, 3:30 ET), Knueppel (Hornets at Wizards, 6 ET), VJ Edgecombe (Sixers at Wolves, 7 ET) and more today 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)