Sports
As losses mount, Bulls 'move forward' against Trail Blazers
Feb 19, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) drives to the basket against the Toronto Raptors during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images The Chicago Bulls look to avoid matching the third-longest losing streak in franchise history when they host the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night.
Chicago has dropped 10 straight games this month since last winning against the Miami Heat on Jan. 31.
The Bulls are 0-4 on a seven-game homestand as the Charlotte Hornets ran roughshod at Chicago with a 131-99 victory Tuesday.
Chicago revamped its roster at the trading deadline with players like Nikola Vucevic, Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu and Kevin Huerter going to new destinations.
Roles have changed and the club is without recent acquisitions Jaden Ivey (left knee) and Anfernee Simons (fractured left wrist) due to injuries. Collin Sexton also was acquired during the flurry of activity.
“The trades happened. You’ve got to move forward and you’ve got to figure it out,” second-year forward Matas Buzelis told reporters. “I know we are capable when we are on the same page. We have to come in every day ready to work and try to get better. When you trade half the team and bring in new guys, it’s tough. But it’s no excuse.
“When we control the things we can control, we are going to be a great team. (Coach) Billy (Donovan) always says you get 10 guys who are on the same page and ready to fight and you can win anything.”
Buzelis exploded with a career-best 32 points during the loss to the Hornets. He knocked down six 3-pointers — his second most of the season – while topping 20 points for the third time this month.
The 21-year-old from Lithuania is averaging 15.3 points while starting all 59 games.
“I am going to be what the team needs me to be,” Buzelis said. “If that’s scoring, that’s what it’s going to be. I try to figure out during the game what the team needs.”
Patrick Williams (quadriceps) and Jalen Smith (calf) are doubtful for the Bulls.
The Trail Blazers will be without All-Star forward Deni Avdija (back) for the second straight game and 12th in the past 20. He played in each of the first 40 games of the season before the back troubles emerged.
Avdija is averaging 24.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.6 assists in 48 games during a breakout campaign.
Portland is coming off a 124-121 home loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Trail Blazers are 5-3 since Feb. 6.
Though the loss dropped the Trail Blazers three games below .500, veteran forward Jerami Grant was pleased with the performance.
“Definitely a step in the right direction,” said Grant, who scored 21 points. “You want to win. You’re never really happy with losses. But definitely a step in the right direction.”
Jrue Holiday led Portland with 22 points one game after the team allowed a season-low 77 points while beating the Phoenix Suns. Prior to that, the Trail Blazers gave up a season-worst 157 points in a loss to the Denver Nuggets on Friday.
“You don’t want to celebrate moral wins,” Trail Blazers interim coach Tiago Splitter said after the Minnesota contest. “But we competed against a great team … a full-strength team. That’s a pretty good team out there. I think it was just a couple details that gave them the win.”
Shaedon Sharpe (calf, fibula) will miss his eighth straight game and won’t return for more than a month. Big man Robert Williams III (foot) is questionable.
The Bulls produced a 122-121 victory in Portland on Nov. 19 when the now-departed Vucevic buried a game-winning 3-pointer as time expired.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Reports: Cincinnati to sue ex-QB Brendan Sorsby for $1M
Nov 29, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Brendan Sorsby (2) throws the ball during the second half against the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images The Cincinnati athletic department said it will enforce its contractual agreement with former quarterback Brendan Sorsby in an effort to recoup university resources, the school said in a statement Wednesday.
The Athletic and On3 both reported Wednesday that Cincinnati was set to file a $1 million lawsuit against Sorsby after the quarterback transferred to Texas Tech in January.
Sorsby signed a multi-year revenue-sharing agreement with Cincinnati in July of last year, before he revealed in December that he would transfer. On Jan. 5, three days after he entered the transfer portal, Sorsby committed to Texas Tech.
On3 reported that Sorsby signed a $5 million deal to play for the Red Raiders in 2026.
“Cincinnati athletics is proud to partner with its student-athletes and honors the contractual commitments it makes to them,” the Cincinnati athletic department said in a statement. “We expect student-athletes and their representatives to do the same. In his lucrative NIL agreement with Cincinnati Athletics, Brendan Sorsby committed to stay and play for two seasons as a proud Bearcat representative.
“He also agreed that if he left the university before that time, he would pay the university a specific amount for the substantial harm that his breach would cause. Cincinnati Athletics intends to enforce that contractual commitment. As stewards of the university’s resources, the Athletics Department has a duty to do so. We thank Brendan for his time at Cincinnati and wish him success in the future.”
Sorsby threw for 2,800 yards and 27 touchdowns with five interceptions for Cincinnati last season. He also rushed for nine touchdowns.
Sorsby has three seasons of starting experience, one for Indiana in 2023 and two with Cincinnati.
Overall, Sorsby has passed for 7,208 career yards and 60 touchdowns against 18 interceptions. He has 1,295 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns on the ground.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Why The Darryn Peterson Backlash Has Gone Too Far
There’s been so much backlash to Kansas star Darryn Peterson missing time that we’ve reached the backlash-to-the-backlash portion of the public discourse.
Jay Bilas called the criticism of Peterson “unfair” and said if he really wanted to shut it down for the season, he’d do so and still go No. 1 in the NBA draft. His coach Bill Self, whose bluntness a week ago gave credence to many of these narratives about Peterson’s availability, has taken the national media to task for those exact narratives.
So I’m here to provide the backlash to the backlash to the backlash.
It can probably be summed up in one sentence: If we accept that no questions can be lodged about Peterson’s heart, then something is really worrisome about Peterson’s body.
The freshman phenom has been terrific when he’s on the court. But after hurting his hamstring early in his season, he’s also missed time with cramping, ankle and quad issues and flu-like symptoms.
He’s played 465 minutes of a possible 1,130 — for comparison, teammate Melvin Council Jr. has been out there for 968 minutes. It’s earned him an undeniably funny nickname from the haters based on his initials: DNP.
This really hit a fever pitch earlier this month. Before Kansas faced undefeated No. 1 Arizona, Peterson was ruled out with flu-like symptoms 10 minutes before the game. The Jayhawks handed the Cats their first loss anyway. Then he scored 23 points at Oklahoma State but removed himself early in the second half and watched the rest of the game.
At that point, Self — who’s stuck up for his player all season and said he agreed with Peterson’s family that the guard should only play when close to 100% — made his revelatory comments.
“I thought we were past it, but obviously we’re not,” Self said. “It’s certainly a concern. You get into the NCAA Tournament, you’re playing a team just as good as you and you need to have all your best players available, so to speak.”
Ah, proof! Peterson (specifically, any “protect yourself” advice from his agent) was wearing on the Hall of Fame coach. The internet ran wild. What a bad teammate. These guys are paid now, so we can criticize them like professionals. And so on.
Peterson even did one of the rarest things imaginable and got “First Take” to talk about college basketball before March, Stephen A. Smith declaring that “no team in hell” should draft Peterson No. 1.
I agree, but not for the reason everyone seems to be settling on.
First of all, this class is loaded. AJ Dybantsa was the big thing coming out of high school. Cameron Boozer now looks like the can’t-miss prospect of this group. Wait, I meant Caleb Wilson at North Carolina. Then Arkansas’ Darius Acuff dropped 49 points – 41 in regulation! – after wearing a walking boot for two days, and the same night Peterson had a little cramp against Oklahoma State.
You, a tanking, rebuilding NBA franchise, don’t have to feel tied to Peterson at Nos. 1, 2 or 3. There are tons of great flavors of ice cream out there this year.
And moreover, the availability thing does not have to be a reflection on Peterson’s character or competitiveness. It can simply be about his body’s ability to withstand an 82-game NBA season, when he can barely play two-thirds of a college season. Why is he cramping so often and why can’t he get through it with some electrolytes and massage guns? It’s stumping Self, so it sure as hell stumps me.
It doesn’t help that Peterson has rarely spoken to the media throughout this campaign, leaving a vacuum for Reddit threads and conspiracy theories. He gave ESPN an interview before the Jayhawks’ game Monday, and said, “Basketball is my life… If you would have asked me last year, what were my goals for this year, I would never mention missing games.”
Then Kansas toppled No. 5 Houston on Monday, and Peterson (14 points) said afterward he ignores the internet’s criticism. “I’ve kind of been an anti-social loner my whole life, so I just kind of deal with it on my own,” he said.
I don’t know, I get Kawhi Leonard vibes when I hear him talk, but maybe I’m being unfair. I’m sorry, Jay Bilas!
Kansas has won and lost without Peterson. It’s won in impressive fashion and lost in embarrassing fashion with Peterson. One thing you shouldn’t do is pick the Jayhawks to go all the way in your bracket. We can take Peterson at his word that he wants to be out there, but you never know when the cramping will take hold.
Sports
U.S. Olympian Brady Tkachuk leads Senators against Red Wings
Feb 22, 2026; Milan, Italy; Brady Tkachuk (7) of the United States celebrates after defeating Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images The Detroit Red Wings visit the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night in a matchup of teams beginning their final sprint for spots in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
The Red Wings, looking to snap a nine-year playoff drought, are tied for second place in the Atlantic Division with the Montreal Canadiens but have played one more game. The Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins are two and three points behind Detroit, respectively.
The Senators sit fifth in the Eastern Conference wild-card race, six points behind the second-place Bruins.
Ottawa welcomes back forward Brady Tkachuk after the Canada residents rooted against him Sunday in the gold-medal game at the Olympics.
“They’re not the happiest with me right now,” Tkachuk said on Fox News after helping the United States defeat Canada for gold. “I’m just going to go back and give them everything that I’ve got. It’s a funny feeling when you feel their support every day, and then, within two weeks, you’re Public Enemy No. 1.
“I’m going back with a smile on my face, and I’m getting ready for a playoff push.”
Ottawa rolled into the Olympic break, winning five of six, but faces a tough road — literally — as play resumes. After hosting the Red Wings, Ottawa embarks on a five-game road trip with stops in Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, Seattle and Vancouver.
After a full week of practice for those who did not go the Olympics, play resumes
“I think once Thursday comes, we’ll be ready,” Senators forward Nick Cousins told Sportsnet. “I think I can speak for the guys in the room. I think everybody’s kind of itching to get going here and play some games.”
“The guys are sick of practice,” he joked.
After returning from a leave of absence, goalie Linus Ullmark played two games before the break. He won both, stopping 40 of 43 shots. Ullmark is 9-2-2 with a 2.13 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage in 13 games versus the Red Wings.
The Senators have allowed just 11 goals over their past six games.
Detroit stumbled into the Olympic break, losing four of five (1-3-1) and scoring a total of seven goals, but remain in control of its post-season fate.
“You work all season to be in that spot, and now we’re in a great position to hopefully do some damage along the way,” Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider said following his return from the Olympics. “I think everyone is looking forward to it.”
Red Wings goalie John Gibson is 6-3-2 with a 2.20 GAA and .926 save percentage in 11 games against the Senators.
Olympian Lucas Raymond also returned to Detroit practice on Tuesday.
“You kind of get pumped up to get back, and I think that kind of brings it up a notch,” he said. “We’ve had a tough (couple of weeks) here, where maybe we haven’t been playing up to our standard.”
After a stop in Ottawa, the Red Wings travel to Carolina and Nashville.
It’s the third of four meetings between the Atlantic Division rivals. The Red Wings beat the host Senators 5-3 on Jan. 5 behind a goal and two assists from James van Riemsdyk. On Jan. 19, Alex DeBrincat scored 36 seconds into overtime to lift host Detroit to a 4-3 win.
The Red Wings are 10-4-2 against the Atlantic Division.
–Field Level Media
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Reports: Cincinnati to sue ex-QB Brendan Sorsby for $1M
