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Thunder hold off Raptors after Isaiah Joe erupts in third quarter

NBA: Oklahoma City Thunder at Toronto RaptorsFeb 24, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) dribbles against Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram (3) during the second quarter at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Isaiah Joe scored 19 of his 22 points in the third quarter Tuesday night and the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder held on to defeat the Toronto Raptors 116-107.

Cason Wallace added a game-high 27 points with eight rebounds and seven assists for the Thunder, who have won three games in a row and five of six. Alex Caruso added 16 points, Luguentz Dort contributed 15 points and Isaiah Hartenstein scored 11 with nine rebounds.

The teams split their two-game season series.

RJ Barrett scored 21 points for the Raptors, who had won their two previous games. Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram each scored 15 points. Ja’Kobe Walter and Immanuel Quickley scored 17 points apiece and Jamal Shead added 13 points.

The Thunder led by as many as 25 before taking an 18-point lead into the fourth quarter. With the help of strong defense, Toronto quickly cut the lead to 10 on Barrett’s jumper with 10:20 to play. Ingram knocked in five straight points to trim the margin to five with 5:59 left.

Shead’s 3-pointer tied the game at 101 before the Thunder regained an eight-point lead on Wallace’s two layups and Joe’s 3-pointer. Dort’s jumper gave the Thunder a 10-point lead with 2:36 to go.

Toronto took advantage of seven Thunder turnovers to lead 32-25 after one quarter.

Oklahoma City improved their ball handling while adjusting to Toronto’s defense, and took a five-point lead when Wallace made a 3-pointer with 5:06 left in the second quarter. The lead grew to eight before Toronto responded with four straight points. The Thunder pulled ahead by 11 when Caruso scored five consecutive points, ending the half with a 60-51 lead.

Hartenstein’s 3-point play gave Oklahoma City a 12-point lead with 6:40 remaining in the third quarter. The lead expanded to 16 on Joe’s 3-pointer with 3:44 left in the third. Joe then added a four-point play to push the lead to 20. He scored another four-point play with 1:55 remaining, increasing the margin to 25. The Thunder led 98-80 after three quarters.

The Thunder were without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal strain), Jalen Williams (hamstring strain) and Ajay Mitchell (abdominal strain, ankle sprain).

Toronto’s Jakob Poeltl (rest) did not play.

–Field Level Media

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Hilary Knight calls President Trump's comment 'distasteful joke'

Olympics: Ice Hockey-Women Finals - Gold Medal GameFeb 19, 2026; Milan, Italy; Hilary Knight (21) of the United States high fives the bench after scoring a goal against Canada in the women’s ice hockey gold medal game during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Hilary Knight, captain of the gold-medal-winning U.S. women’s Olympic hockey team, took exception to a comment President Donald Trump made in the wake of the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team winning its championship game.

Trump invited the men’s Olympic team to attend the State of the Union speech, adding, “I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that.”

He then said if he didn’t welcome the women’s team, too, “I do believe I probably would be impeached.”

Knight reacted while appearing Wednesday on ESPN: “I thought it was sort of a distasteful joke, and, unfortunately, that is overshadowing a lot of the success, the success of just women at the Olympics carrying for Team USA and having amazing gold-medal feats.

“We’re just focusing on celebrating the women in our room, the extraordinary efforts, and continue to celebrate three gold medals in program history, as well as the double gold for both men’s and women’s at the same time. And really not detract from that with a distasteful joke.”

While some members of the men’s team laughed at Trump’s comment, Knight wasn’t overly upset with them.

“I think there’s a genuine level of support there and respect,” she said regarding the men’s and women’s Olympic teams. “I think that’s being overshadowed by a quick lapse. I think the guys were in a tough spot, so I think it’s a shame this storyline and narrative has kind of blown up and overshadowing that connection and genuine interest in one another and cheering each other on.”

The majority of the men’s Olympic team players visited the White House on Tuesday and then went to the Capitol for the State of the Union. The players received bipartisan cheers when they entered the House of Representatives chamber after being introduced by Trump.

The U.S. women’s hockey team declined Trump’s invitation Monday, issuing a statement that read in part, “Due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games, the athletes are unable to participate. They were honored to be included and are grateful for the acknowledgment.”

Knight, 36, collected her U.S. Olympic-record 15th goal at 17:56 of the third period in the gold-medal game against Canada, leveling the score at 1-1. Megan Keller’s goal 4:07 into overtime was the winner.

Knight emerged with her second gold medal in her fifth Olympics. The Seattle Torrent forward owns a record 10 golds from the IIHF World Women’s Championship.

–Field Level Media

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Wyatt Johnston tallies twice, Stars beat Kraken to run streak to 7

NHL: Seattle Kraken at Dallas StarsFeb 25, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston (53) skates against the Seattle Kraken during the second period at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Wyatt Johnston scored twice and Thomas Harley added two assists as the Dallas Stars topped the visiting Seattle Kraken 4-1 on Wednesday night.

Matt Duchene and Sam Steel also scored, with Duchene adding an assist, as the Stars extended their winning streak to seven and won for the eighth time in nine games.

Casey DeSmith made 18 saves to improve to 3-0-0 against Seattle this season.

With the win, Dallas swept the three-game season series against the Kraken and improved to 13-1-1 all-time against Seattle.

Ryker Evans responded for the Kraken, who lost for just the third time in nine games. Joey Daccord stopped 28 shots.

The Stars outshot the Kraken 10-3 and led 1-0 after 20 minutes.

Dallas opened the scoring with 1:19 remaining in the first as Johnston tipped an Esa Lindell point shot past Daccord for his 30th goal of the season.

Duchene made it 2-0 at 1:43 of the middle period, redirecting a Harley shot from the blue line past Daccord for his 11th. With the goal, Duchene extended his point streak to seven games (seven goals, three assists).

Dallas scored twice in a 39-second span to double its lead.

The Stars took a 3-0 lead as Steel poked home the rebound off Mavrik Bourque’s shot at 5:35. Seattle unsuccessfully tried to challenge for goaltender interference on the play.

Johnston added his second of the game on a power play as Miro Heiskanen’s shot deflected off the Stars forward and in at 6:14.

Evans got Seattle on the board at 6:46 of the third, putting a slapshot past DeSmith for his sixth of the season.

Kraken defenseman Ryan Lindgren left the game in the first period with an undisclosed injury, following a collision with Stars forward Colin Blackwell, and did not return.

–Field Level Media

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No. 9 Gonzaga avenges loss to Portland, grabs share of WCC title

NCAA Basketball: Portland at GonzagaFeb 25, 2026; Spokane, Washington, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Noah Haaland (35) shoots the ball against Portland Pilots center Jermaine Ballisager Webb (1) in the first half at McCarthey Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images

Graham Ike scored 19 points, grabbed eight rebounds and snagged a career-high seven steals as No. 9 Gonzaga clinched the top seed in the West Coast Conference tournament as well as at least a share of the regular-season title with an 89-48 victory against Portland on Wednesday in Spokane, Wash.

Braeden Smith added 15 points on 6-for-6 shooting for the Bulldogs (28-2, 16-1 WCC), who also avenged their lone conference loss of the season. Tyon Grant-Foster and Mario Saint-Supery scored 12 apiece as Gonzaga won its sixth game in a row.

Joel Foxwell led the Pilots (12-18, 5-12) with 12 points. Portland has lost four consecutive games.

The Bulldogs were dominant on defense, forcing 22 turnovers while allowing just 17 field goals.

Gonzaga shot 52.4% from the field (33 of 63) while limiting the Pilots to 34.7% (17 of 49).

Ike scored 12 points in the first half as the Bulldogs took a 36-21 lead. He also had six steals by the intermission as Gonzaga forced 15 turnovers in the opening 20 minutes.

Foxwell, who scored 27 in the Pilots’ 87-80 upset of Gonzaga on Feb. 4, had eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers, in the opening six minutes as Portland took a 15-12 lead.

The Bulldogs responded with a 16-0 run, sparked by an Ike 3-pointer and fastbreak layup off a steal, to take the lead for good. Smith also had five points during the run, also on a trey and a layup, and capped it with a steal and an alley-oop pass to Grant-Foster for a thunderous dunk.

The Pilots were scoreless for a stretch of 7:22 and held without a field goal for 8:59. They went 0-for-6 from the field with eight turnovers during that stretch.

A putback by James O’Donnell with 5:56 remaining and a jumper by Foxwell with 3:29 to go were the Pilots’ only field goals in the final 14 minutes of the half.

The Bulldogs closed the half with another alley-oop dunk by Grant-Foster with three seconds left off a feed from Saint-Supery.

–Field Level Media

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