Sports
Bulls match third-longest skid in team history with loss to Blazers
Feb 26, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (3) drives to the basket against the Portland Trail Blazers during the first half of an NBA game at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Jerami Grant scored 27 points and Toumani Camara added 16 to help the visiting Portland Trail Blazers post a 121-112 victory over the struggling Chicago Bulls on Thursday night.
Robert Williams III recorded 14 points, a season-best 14 rebounds and three blocked shots and fellow reserve Vit Krejci also scored 14 points as Portland won for the sixth time in its past nine games.
Scoot Henderson had 12 points for Portland, which played without All-Star Deni Avdija (back) and big man Donovan Clingan (illness). Jrue Holiday had 10 points and seven assists while Kris Murray and backup Blake Wesley also scored 10 points.
Matas Buzelis had 20 points and seven rebounds and Tre Jones scored 19 points off the bench as Chicago dropped its 11th straight game to match the third-longest losing streak in franchise history.
Josh Giddey had 15 points, nine assists and six rebounds, Nick Richards had 14 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, and Isaac Okoro added 12 points for the Bulls.
The Trail Blazers shot 44.2% from the field, including a lowly 10 of 46 (21.7%) from 3-point range.
Chicago connected on 50% of its attempts and made 9 of 30 from behind the arc (30%). Leonard Miller scored 11 points and Collin Sexton added 10 for the Bulls, who committed 22 turnovers that led to 22 Blazers points.
The Bulls were down by 15 three minutes into the fourth quarter before making a charge with a 15-3 run.
Miller’s thunderous dunk brought Chicago within 108-105 with 3:37 remaining.
However, Grant knocked down a 3-pointer with 1:57 left and Murray scored on a dunk 30 seconds later to give the Trail Blazers a 113-105 lead.
Those five points started an 11-4 run as Portland led by 10 after two free throws by Holiday with 25.8 seconds left while closing it out.
The Bulls trailed by six at halftime but knotted the score at 75 on Giddey’s trey with 7:54 left in the third quarter.
Portland later rattled off nine straight points with Matisse Thybulle’s reverse layup giving the Trail Blazers a 91-80 advantage with 3:25 remaining in the third.
Portland held a 93-86 lead entering the fourth quarter before scoring 12 of the next 16 points. Wesley scored the last four to give the Trail Blazers a 105-90 lead with 9:02 left to play.
Grant scored 16 points as Portland led 69-63 at the break. Jones had 15 points in the half for the Bulls.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Corey Kispert, CJ McCollum carry Hawks past their ex-team, Wizards
Feb 26, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum (3) dribbles against Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (7) during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images Corey Kispert and CJ McCollum took it to their old team on Thursday, combining for 58 points to help the Atlanta Hawks roll to a 126-96 win over the visiting Washington Wizards.
The duo, obtained in the trade that sent Trae Young to the Wizards last month, sparked Atlanta to its second wire-to-wire victory over Washington in the past three days and its third win in a row overall. The Wizards have lost three straight.
Kispert had career highs with 33 points and 11 field goals, including six 3-pointers. McCollum scored 25 points, shooting 9-for-19. They each scored 22 points in the first half.
Atlanta also got 17 points and nine rebounds from Jonathan Kuminga, 13 points, 11 assists and five steals from Dyson Daniels, and 10 points and 11 rebounds from Onyeka Okongwu.
The Hawks were playing without a pair of starters. Jalen Johnson, the team’s leading scorer, was out with a left hip flexor injury, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, the team’s No. 2 scorer, was sidelined due to a left ankle sprain. Both injuries occurred in the Tuesday game against Washington and are not expected to be long-term issues.
Washington was led by Tre Johnson, Will Riley, Justin Hardy and Justin Champagnie with 14 points each.
The Wizards were without leading scorer Alex Sarr, who missed his sixth game with a right hamstring strain, and second-leading scorer Kyshawn George, out because of a left knee contusion.
The Hawks scored the first nine points of the game and soon built a 12-point lead. The Wizards managed to close the gap to 20-18, but Atlanta led 37-26 after one quarter.
McCollum and Kispert each had a pair of treys in the second quarter, when Atlanta outscored Washington 39-30 and took a 76-56 lead into the break. The Hawks ended the second period on a 9-2 run.
Washington got as close as 12 with 3:22 left in the third quarter on a layup from Anthony Gill, only to have the Hawks outscore them 10-4 and take a 98-80 lead in the final quarter.
Atlanta won the season series 3-1.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Islanders tie game late, send Canadiens to OT loss
Feb 26, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) celebrates with right wing Simon Holmstrom (10) his second goal of the game against the Montreal Canadiens during the second period at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored the game-winner at 1:46 of overtime as the visiting New York Islanders rallied for a 4-3 victory against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.
Pageau carried the puck up the left side for a partial breakaway and cut to the front of the net before slipping a backhand under Samuel Montembeault’s pads.
Matthew Schaefer scored twice for the Islanders, who have won three in a row. Ilya Sorokin made 21 saves.
Noah Dobson scored twice against his former team and Samuel Montembeault made 22 saves for the Canadiens, who have lost two of three (1-0-2) but extended their point streak to six (4-0-2).
Cole Caufield put Montreal ahead 3-2 at 9:11 of the third period. Juraj Slafkovsky’s shot from the right circle deflected off Ivan Demidov’s skate on the doorstep and trickled through Sorokin’s pads to the other side, where Caufield easily tapped it in.
With Sorokin pulled for the extra attacker, Anders Lee tied it 3-3. Bo Horvat fired a shot from the top of the slot that deflected off Lee in front and went over Montembeault’s left arm at 18:19.
Dobson gave the Canadiens a 1-0 lead at 12:11 of the first period. The defenseman, who was traded to Montreal in the offseason for forward Emil Heineman, carried the puck to the left circle before snapping it glove side past Sorokin.
Dobson made it 2-0 on the power play at 10:06 of the second period. He took a feed from Alexandre Texier at the middle of the blue line and beat a screened Sorokin with a slap shot blocker side.
Schaefer scored twice in less than a minute late in the second to pull the Islanders even.
The rookie defenseman cut it to 2-1 on a 5-on-3 with a snap shot from the top of the slot at 17:56. Schaefer then tied it 2-2 at 18:51, beating a screened Montembeault inside the near post from the top of the right circle.
Schaefer’s second tally was his 18th of the season, moving the 2025 No. 1 overall pick past Hall of Famer Phil Housley for most by an 18-year-old defenseman in NHL history.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Julian Champagnie enjoys homecoming as Spurs' streak hits 11
Feb 26, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) is fouled by Brooklyn Nets forward Noah Clowney (21) as he drives to the basket during the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Julian Champagnie scored 26 points in a successful homecoming and the San Antonio Spurs extended their longest winning streak since the 2015-16 season to 11 with a 126-110 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night in New York.
A Brooklyn native who played at nearby Bishop Loughlin High School and at St. John’s in Queens, Champagnie made 6 of 9 3s and 10 of 14 shots overall after the Spurs arrived in the area from Toronto at about 4 a.m. Eastern time.
In front of many San Antonio fans, Champagnie led seven Spurs players in double figures to help the club keep its longest winning streak since a 13-game run Dec. 26, 2015-Jan. 22, 2016, going.
Champagnie’s big night helped offset a second straight quiet showing from Victor Wembanyama, who was held to 12 points and had eight rebounds.
Stephon Castle added 13 of his 18 in the opening quarter when he sank seven of his career high-tying 10 free throws. Devin Vassell added 14 and De’Aaron Fox contributed 10 of his 14 in the third.
Keldon Johnson contributed 13 and rookie Dylan Harper chipped in 12 and seven assists as San Antonio’s reserves totaled 42 points.
The Spurs shot 49%, hit 17 3s, handed out 36 assists and collected 13 steals en route to their fifth straight win over the Nets.
Michael Porter Jr. scored 17 of his 25 in the third when the Nets made a comeback attempt before taking their sixth straight loss. Day’Ron Sharpe contributed 14 points and 11 rebounds off the bench and rookie Danny Wolf also scored 14.
Rookie Nolan Traore chipped in 13 and Nic Claxton finished with 12 points before fouling out early in the fourth.
The Nets shot 46% and made 38% from 3-point range but never led and trailed by as many as 26.
The Spurs made 13 of 14 free throws for a 36-22 lead through the opening quarter. Champagnie hit 3s on consecutive possessions to give the Spurs a 48-26 lead 2:20 into the second quarter and San Antonio held a 71-56 at halftime.
Porter scored 11 points early in the third and the Nets cut the lead to 75-69 on his 3 with 8:19 left in the quarter. The Spurs gradually pulled away again and held a 104-84 lead into the fourth.
San Antonio took a 26-point lead early in the fourth and pulled its starters a few minutes later.
–Field Level Media
Corey Kispert, CJ McCollum carry Hawks past their ex-team, Wizards
Islanders tie game late, send Canadiens to OT loss
