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Kawhi Leonard, Clippers send Kings to 11th straight defeat

NBA: Los Angeles Clippers at Sacramento KingsFeb 6, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings center Dylan Cardwell (32) and Los Angeles Clippers guard Kris Dunn (8) reach for the ball during the second quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Kawhi Leonard produced a game-high 31 points, Kris Dunn and Derrick Jones Jr. contributed and-ones to a fourth-quarter pull-away and the visiting Los Angeles Clippers handed the Sacramento Kings their 11th straight defeat, 114-111 on Friday.

Playing short-handed in the aftermath of trades this week that saw them export James Harden and Ivica Zubac, the Clippers trailed 84-81 early in the fourth quarter before outfinishing the Kings for an 11th win in their past 15 games.

Leonard put the rally in motion with a long 2-pointer, after which Brook Lopez gave the Clippers the lead for good on a 3-pointer with 9:50 remaining.

Dunn’s big contribution came on an 11-foot floater on which he was fouled, setting up a three-point play, and two minutes later on a 3-pointer that increased the visitors’ lead to 96-89 with 6:52 left.

Jones then drilled a 24-footer as he was being fouled. He also hit the free throw for a four-point play and a 99-91 margin with 8:36 to go, and the Kings never recovered.

Leonard went 12-for-12 at the free-throw line en route to his 13th 30-point performance of the season. He also found time for nine rebounds and a game-high seven assists.

John Collins added 22 points for the Clippers, while Lopez and Dunn finished with 15 points apiece and Jones had 13. Lopez tied Leonard for team-high rebound honors with nine and also blocked three shots.

The Kings held out star center Domantas Sabonis because of a sore back but still got plenty of production from substitute big man Maxime Raynaud, who had 12 points and five rebounds, and his backup, Dylan Cardwell, who snatched a game-high 14 rebounds to go with 14 points.

Malik Monk came off the bench to pace the Kings with 18 points, all on 3-pointers, while Nique Clifford had 16 and Devin Carter 14.

Sacramento veteran starters De’Andre Hunter, Russell Westbrook, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine combined to shoot just 6-for-25 overall and 0-for-12 on 3-point attempts, the latter contributing to 27.0% team accuracy from beyond the arc. None of the four scored more than six points.

–Field Level Media

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Bucks build big lead, then hang on to top Pacers

NBA: Indiana Pacers at Milwaukee BucksFeb 6, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Ryan Rollins (13) passes the ball away from Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (23) in the second quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Kevin Porter Jr. scored 23 points and dished eight assists to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 105-99 victory over the visiting Indiana Pacers on Friday night.

Milwaukee has won three games in a row for the first time all season. Ryan Rollins added 22 points while Bobby Portis scored 21 and Jericho Sims grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds.

Indiana fell for the third game in a row and fourth time in its last six games. Andrew Nembhard led the way with 22 with all but four coming in the fourth quarter. Pascal Siakam added 19.

Milwaukee got off to a slow start, turning it over five times in the first quarter and shooting just 9-of-22. Relief would come from beyond the arc.

Milwaukee shot 6-for-10 from deep in the second quarter alone and 50% from the floor in the first half. Those numbers helped them take a 54-47 lead into halftime.

The shooting momentum did not carry over into the second half for Milwaukee. AJ Green knocked down two 3-pointers to start the quarter and the team went 0-for-13 after. Despite that, the Bucks still outscored Indiana 29-18 in the frame and took a commanding 83-65 edge going into the fourth.

Things got interesting late in the fourth. As Milwaukee continued to struggle from the floor, Indiana rattled off a 15-0 run, capped by seven straight points from Nembhard.

Milwaukee went four and a half minutes without any points and Indiana got the deficit down to just 91-87 with four to play.

Despite Nembhard’s heroics, the Bucks bounced back for the victory, with Porter and Portis combining for 11 points in the final four minutes.

This was Milwaukee’s fourth consecutive regular-season victory over Indiana, including three this season. The Bucks had not won four in a row over their division rival since they won 10 in a row from 2020-23.

–Field Level Media

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No. 22 St. John's knocks off No. 3 UConn for 9th straight win

NCAA Basketball: Connecticut at St. JohnFeb 6, 2026; New York, New York, USA; St. John’s Red Storm forward Zuby Ejiofor (24) looks to drive past UConn Huskies forward Tarris Reed Jr. (5) in the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Zuby Ejiofor totaled 21 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists as No. 22 St. John’s extended its winning streak to nine games in an 81-72 victory over No. 3 UConn in front of an electric sellout crowd at Madison Square Garden Friday night in New York.

The win marked St. John’s first victory over a top-3 team at MSG since defeating No. 3 Duke on Jan. 30, 2011, and it’s the first time St. John’s has won three consecutive games against UConn since the 1999-2000 season.

Ejiofor posted his fifth double-double and shot 6 of 10 from the field and often exploited his matchup with UConn’s Tarris Reed Jr, helping the Red Storm (17-5, 11-1 Big East) move within a half-game of the first-place Huskies (22-2, 12-1).

Tied at 45 in the second half, the senior center scored seven points in a 15-4 surge and staked the Red Storm to a 60-49 lead with 10:24 remaining.

After that point, St John’s fended off UConn’s comeback attempt that saw the Huskies cut the lead to 66-65 on a layup by Silas Demary Jr. with 4:46 left and 69-67 on a hoop by Alex Karaban with 3:39 left.

Following Karaban’s basket, Dylan Darling hit a 3 over Solo Ball and Ejiofor went around Reed for another hoop to put St. John’s up 74-67 with 2:27 left. The Red Storm finished off their third straight win over UConn by hitting five free throws in the final 57 seconds.

Dillon Mitchell added 15 as the Red Storm outscored the Huskies 42-33 in the final 20 minutes. Bryce Hopkins contributed 14 as the Red Storm shot 50% and gave coach Rick Pitino his 903rd career win to tie Roy Williams for third most all-time.

Demary led the Huskies with 18 points and Karaban added 17 as the duo combined to shoot 14-for-21 from the floor. Reed contributed 12 and Braylon Mullins chipped in 11 as the Huskies lost despite shooting 54.7% and saw their 18-game winning streak come to an end.

The Huskies held a 16-10 lead on a layup by Reed with 13:50 left in the first half before St. John’s scored nine straight for a 19-16 edge on a dunk by Oziyah Sellers a little over two minutes later. The Red Storm pushed their lead to 23-17 on two free throws by Ejiofor with 10:10 left and UConn answered back, taking a 26-25 lead on a Mullins’ 3 with 7:26 remaining.

After St. John’s took a pair of four-point leads, the Huskies forged a 39-39 deadlock by halftime on a drive by Demary with 15 seconds left.

–Field Level Media

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New Orleans rallies to beat Minnesota, end skid

NBA: New Orleans Pelicans at Minnesota TimberwolvesFeb 6, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Saddiq Bey (41) dribbles the ball past Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3) in the first half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Saddiq Bey scored 30 points and grabbed nine rebounds as the New Orleans Pelicans rallied for a 119-115 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night in Minneapolis.

Zion Williamson added 29 points on 11-for-13 shooting for New Orleans, which snapped a three-game losing streak. Trey Murphy III added 26 points and made a half-dozen shots from beyond the arc.

Anthony Edwards scored 35 points on 11-for-22 shooting to lead Minnesota, which lost for only the second time in the last seven games. Julius Randle scored 24 points, Bones Hyland chipped in 20 off the bench, and Rudy Gobert registered a double-double with 12 points and 16 boards.

The Pelicans outscored the Timberwolves 30-21 in the fourth quarter, rallying four minutes into the period.

Randle made a jump shot to put Minnesota on top 102-96 with 7:32 remaining.

New Orleans responded with a decisive 11-0 run to grab a 107-102 lead with 4:13 to play. Bey — who shot 10-for-21 — hit a 3-pointer and a driving layup during the run, which also included a free throw, a layup and a 3-pointer by Bryce McGowens.

The Timberwolves regrouped to take a 115-114 lead after Hyland made a 3-pointer with 50.7 seconds to go.

Williamson made a driving layup moments later to put New Orleans on top 116-115, and the Pelicans led the rest of the way, hitting all three of their free throws in the final 35.5. seconds.

Minnesota led 70-56 at the half, thanks to a strong second quarter.

Minnesota went on a 9-0 run thanks to a 3-pointer by Edwards, a layup by Randle, a free throw by Edwards and a 3-pointer by Johnny Juzang, and they outscored the Pelicans 38-22 during the second quarter.

The Timberwolves welcomed new acquisitions Ayo Dosunmu and Julian Phillips on Friday but listed both players as inactive as they adapt to their new team. Minnesota acquired Dosunmu and Phillips from the Chicago Bulls on Thursday.

New Orleans played its first game since dealing Jose Alvarado to the New York Knicks on Thursday. The Pelicans acquired Dalen Terry but waived him before he ever suited up.

–Field Level Media

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