Sports
Jalen Duren's surge for East-leading Pistons tests Magic
Feb 25, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) looks on in the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images One word springs to mind for Detroit forward Ausar Thompson when asked to describe teammate Jalen Duren’s recent surge.
“Domination,” Thompson said.
It’s an ominous thought for the Orlando Magic, who host in-form Duren and the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons on Sunday.
Duren matched his season and career high of 33 points, along with 16 rebounds and three blocks, leading the Pistons to a 122-119 overtime victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.
Duren is in some of the best form of his blossoming career, chalking up at least 25 points and 13 boards in each of his last four outings.
The first-time All-Star is averaging a career-best 18.5 points this season, to go with 10.8 rebounds.
“Super aggressive, super strong — I feel like if you take a bump from him, it’s not a normal bump,” Thompson said of Duren. “It’s like getting hit by a train. Him coming down with a full head of speed, (and) them playing back is to his advantage.
“He’s just doing extra now. He’s just trying to show off.”
Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff is excited by the impressive way Duren has turned things around.
“It’s that moment when you figure it out, and all the things coming together,” Bickerstaff said. “And I think they’re coming together for him. The game slowed down for him, his understanding of the spacing and when to attack, all those things have slowed down and given him opportunities.”
Fellow All-Star Cade Cunningham compiled 25 points, 10 boards and seven assists before fouling out, while Thompson chipped in with 18 points and eight rebounds.
The Pistons trailed for most of the fourth quarter before clawing back to draw level at the end of regulation, then controlled overtime defensively.
Detroit’s lofty standing at the top of the East is no fluke.
“We’re ready,” Thompson said. “We’re ready for any moment. Minor setbacks don’t mess with our heads. We just keep our heads at the task ahead.”
That task will be in the form of an Orlando side smarting after a 113-108 defeat to the visiting Houston Rockets on Thursday.
Desmond Bane scored 30 points and Paolo Banchero flirted with a triple-double — posting 19 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.
Led by that duo, the Magic were in complete control, up 76-57, before that big lead was wiped in the space of just 3:31 as Houston went on a 21-0 third-quarter tear.
Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley is confident about what his team must improve to prevent a repeat of that disaster.
“Not turn the ball over,” he said. “We need to take care of the basketball. That’s what sparked them (Rockets). We had done a great job prior to that, taking care of the ball, making them have to play long possessions one-on-one individually.”
Bane, who hit 12 of 19 from the floor, including 6 of 10 from 3-point range, is averaging 20.3 points on the season.
He is averaging 28.3 points across the Magic’s past six, which includes four 30-plus outings.
“We’re going to respond for sure,” Bane said. “I think we’ve done that all season long. … I don’t think responding is something that this team has struggled with. Two days off, good opportunity after coming off a west coast trip to have a break and reset. Excited for another game at home.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Tre Carroll helps Xavier continue success over Georgetown
Feb 28, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Xavier Musketeers guard Roddie Anderson III (0) battles for the loose ball against the Georgetown Hoyas in the first half at the Cintas Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images Tre Carroll scored 18 of his 22 points in the second half, Roddie Anderson III added 21 points and Xavier powered past Georgetown 91-84 on Saturday in a Big East Conference game at Cincinnati.
Filip Borovicanin added 18 for Xavier (14-15, 6-12 Big East), which beat Georgetown for the eighth time in nine meetings while winning for just the third time in 11 games overall.
Georgetown (13-16, 5-13) dropped its sixth straight while playing its first game without its starting point guard and leading scorer KJ Lewis, who is out for the season with a left ankle injury that occurred in a loss to Marquette earlier in the week.
Kayvaun Mulready led the Hoyas with 19 points while Malik Mack added 17.
Jeremiah Williams replaced Lewis in the starting lineup and scored 10 points while making his second start of the season, and first since the Big East opener. Williams scored seven points and dished out four assists in the first half as Georgetown took a 39-38 lead into the break.
Xavier withstood a five-minute scoring drought in the first half and ended the first half on a 12-5 run that cut Georgetown’s eight-point advantage to one.
Borovicanin opened the second half with a 3-pointer and then a steal and a breakaway dunk on the next possession to cap off Xavier’s 10-0 run bridging the end of the first half and the end of the second half while putting the Musketeers up 43-39.
Following a Julius Halaifonua layup to bring Georgetown within one at 45-44, Carroll scored Xavier’s next 12 points. Isaiah Walker’s mid-range jumper broke the run but put Xavier ahead 59-53 with 11:34 remaining.
Anderson knocked down a 3-pointer with 8:08 left to put Xavier ahead 70-61 prompting a timeout from Georgetown head coach Ed Cooley.
Xavier led 73-63 on a Borovicanin three-point play with 6:58 left before Georgetown closed within 75-72 on a Vince Iwuchukwu three-point play with 4:38 left. Xavier built the lead back to 10 on a Borovicanin 3-pointer with 3:23 remaining.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Wolves, Nuggets each bring an edge into finale of season series
Jan 31, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) reacts during the fourth quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images The Minnesota Timberwolves wrap up a three-game road trip at the Denver Nuggets on Sunday afternoon with a chance to improve their seeding in the Western Conference playoff picture.
Minnesota has won the first two games of its trip and now faces a tough task against its Northwest Division rival.
Denver already secured the tiebreaker in the season series by winning the first three matchups. With both teams holding identical 37-23 records, the winner of Sunday’s game will have sole possession of fourth in the Western Conference standings.
The Nuggets have lost three of their first five games out of the All-Star break, including a 127-121 overtime setback at Oklahoma City on Friday night. Sunday’s game gives them a chance to get back some momentum.
The Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic appears to already have a postseason mindset after mixing it up with the Thunder during the loss.
Jokic was knocked down when Luguentz Dort hit him with his hip in the fourth quarter and then confronted the Oklahoma City forward. There was pushing and shoving before Dort was assessed a flagrant-2 foul and ejected.
Jokic, who leads Denver in points (28.7), rebounds (12.6) and assists (10.5), has a casual and deliberate demeanor on the court that belies his competitive nature.
“I think he was reacting to what was being done to him,” Denver head coach David Adelman said. “And his reaction’s not going to be to cower away. He’s competitive.”
Playing Minnesota again should keep that fiery spirit alive for Jokic and the rest of the Nuggets. The teams have forged a rivalry over the last four seasons, including two playoff series.
There is no question about the fiery nature and competitive spirit of Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards.
Edwards missed the first game against the Nuggets this season but is averaging 35.0 points in the two games between the teams. That includes a 44-point performance on Christmas night before he was ejected in overtime for arguing foul calls.
Edwards, who leads the Timberwolves in scoring at 29.6 points a game, doesn’t confine his arguments to opponents and officials. He got into a verbal exchange with head coach Chris Finch after hitting a 3-pointer to seal a 94-88 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday.
It is a feature of their relationship, according to teammates.
“They go at it. Honestly, they do,” Timberwolves guard Mike Conley said. “They go at it… They have days where they’re getting ready to fight, and then after the game they hug each other.”
Finch confirmed that in an interview on Fox Sports Radio.
“We’re both fiery competitors. It’s been part of our relationship since Day 1. … We say these things to each other and we move on,” Finch said. “We don’t take it personally.”
The task of stopping Jokic will fall mainly on Rudy Gobert, who leads Minnesota in rebounds (11.4) and blocks (1.7). Nobody could stop Jokic when the teams met on Christmas, with the three-time MVP recording a 56-point triple-double, including 18 points in overtime.
Jokic has averaged 36.0 points 15.7 rebounds and 12.0 assists in the three games against the Timberwolves.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cincinnati cruises past Oklahoma State with 3-point barrage
Cincinnati Bearcats forward Baba Miller (18) makes a basket from the two point line in the first half of a NCAA men’s basketball game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and Oklahoma State Cowboys, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati. Day Day Thomas heated up from long range, draining seven 3-pointers en route to a 26-point performance, Moustapha Thiam added 24 points and grabbed 15 rebounds and host Cincinnati rolled to a 91-68 home victory over Oklahoma State on Saturday afternoon.
The Bearcats (16-13, 8-8 Big 12), which entered No. 54 in the NET rankings, have won five of their last six. Jizzle James and Baba Miller each finished with 11 points for Cincinnati.
Oklahoma State (17-12, 5-11), playing its first game since losing big man Parsa Fallah to a torn ACL, was overwhelmed throughout. Vyctorius Miller led the team with 15 points, while Jaylen Curry and Kanye Clary both added 11 points. The Cowboys have lost six of their last seven games.
The Bearcats seized control early, going on an 11-2 run highlighted by 3-pointers from Thomas and Thiam to lead 12-4 less than four minutes into the game.
Those early minutes foreshadowed the rest of the game.
Cincinnati dominated from the start, leading 51-33 at halftime. The Bearcats shot 53.1% from the floor, made seven three-pointers and won the rebounding battle 20-15 in the first half. They finished with a two-handed dunk by Thiam. Miller was credited with an assist on the play as he found Thiam open underneath.
In the second half, the Bearcats pulled away. They went on an 11-2 run, capped by a 3-pointer from Thomas to lead 65-37 with just under 15 minutes remaining. Cincinnati continued to extend the lead, reaching as many as 32 points, with an 81-49 advantage after another 3 from Thomas at the 8:22 mark.
Cincinnati finished with 14 made 3s, dished out 24 assists, and had a 24-7 edge in second-chance points. The Bearcats also led for 39:24 of the 40 minutes and improved to 14-3 at home.
Both teams return to action on Tuesday. Cincinnati hosts No. 19 BYU, while Oklahoma State travels to UCF.
–Field Level Media
Tre Carroll helps Xavier continue success over Georgetown
Wolves, Nuggets each bring an edge into finale of season series
