Sports
Overhauled Knicks open camp with changes still swirling
New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) celebrates with guard Jalen Brunson (11) in the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers in game one of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Unable to comment on the latest roster addition, New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau played his hand with his facial expression on Monday.
A pending trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves that would bring Karl-Anthony Towns to New York has yet to be finalized with the NBA’s stamp of approval, which restricts Thibodeau from commenting on the former All-Star he coached in Minneapolis.
“Nice try,” Thibodeau said with an ear-to-ear grin when asked about his experience as KAT’s head coach at his previous stop.
Point guard Jalen Brunson and wing Josh Hart were hit in a different way by the trade for KAT. As proposed, it would include their former Villanova teammate Donte DiVincenzo and All-Star forward Julius Randle. Hart said the business side of the deal is the best and worst part of the NBA, while Brunson reminded media DiVincenzo was a groomsman in his wedding.
“Hate to see a guy like that go, especially with the caliber of player they are, the caliber of people they are,” Hart said. “KAT is an amazing player. Someone who is really good in terms of spacing, knocking down shots, blocking shots. You love it and hate it.”
Even so, Brunson said he trusts the front office to improve the roster with bigger goals in mind than the second round of the postseason.
“Obviously we want to take the next step, we want to be better than we were last year,” Brunson said. “We have to start all over again. That’s the beauty about all of this — you never know where you’re going to end up. … But we have a long way to go.”
Brunson is fully cleared medically and recovered from surgery to repair his broken left hand. Brunson was injured in the Game 7 loss to the Indiana Pacers in May. Brunson went on a scoring bender in the playoffs and turned in an MVP-caliber season. But with Bridges and Towns in the mix, he’s not likely to be asked to carry as much of the offensive burden this season.
Brunson signed a team-friendly extension in July — his 2024-25 salary is nearly $25 million less than Towns is owed — after the best season of his six-year NBA career, featuring career highs in scoring (28.7 points per game), assists (6.7 per game) and 3-pointers made (211). He shot 40.1 percent from beyond the arc. Brunson was named an All-Star for the first time, made the All-NBA second team and finished fifth in NBA Most Valuable Player balloting.
Thibodeau wouldn’t touch KAT questions even as he arrived at the practice facility during the press conference. But he would comment on the evolution of his offense — hinting at playing the “5 out” system with nobody in the paint to accentuate Towns — and revealed plans for a defense with vastly improved versatility upon completion of a trade that would put an exclamation point on the Knicks’ offseason.
Thibodeau signed a contract extension, the Knicks acquired Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets and re-signed OG Anunoby to a massive contract right when it appeared he was bolting in free agency. He signed a five-year, $212.5 million deal in July.
Anunoby, acquired from the Raptors in the trade that sent Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett to Toronto, reported to camp fully healthy, Thibodeau shared with great delight. A hamstring injury during the playoffs slowed New York, but if all goes according to plan, the Knicks will use him at almost every position in 2024-25.
Thibodeau even said it could be Anunoby who most helps the Knicks recover from the free-agent exit of center Isaiah Hartenstein. Mitchell Robinson is not likely to be on the floor until January.
But the 6-foot-7 Anunoby’s 7-foot-2 wingspan makes him a candidate to guard “4s and 5s,” Thibodeau said.
With all the pieces to fit together, Hart knows there are new roles and evolving lineups to be encountered. One big change expected for the versatile defender is the end of his playing time at the center position.
“Thank God,” Hart said.
–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
Sports
Bobby Durkin has career night as Minnesota tops UCLA
Feb 24, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers forward Bobby Durkin (3) dribbles against Michigan Wolverines guard Elliot Cadeau (3) in the second half at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Bobby Durkin scored a season-high 23 points with seven made 3-pointers and Langston Reynolds added 21 points with six assists as Minnesota claimed another victim at home with a 78-73 victory over UCLA at Minneapolis.
Cade Tyson also scored 21 points for the Golden Gophers (14-15, 7-11 Big Ten), who shot 62.3% from the floor and 52.2% from 3-point range. Durkin, who reached 1,000 points for his college career in the first half, went 7 of 11 from long range.
Minnesota improved to 12-4 at home this season with victories in its own building over a trio of ranked teams in Indiana, Iowa and Michigan State.
Tyler Bilodeau scored 32 points with eight rebounds and Eric Dailey Jr. added 18 points for the Bruins (19-10, 11-7), who failed to build off huge victories over No. 10 Illinois and rival Southern California over the past week.
Skyy Clark scored 17 points, while Donovan Dent had 15 assists but just three points, as UCLA now prepares for a key home game upcoming against No. 12 Nebraska.
With the game tied 61-61 with 7:59 remaining, Cade scored four points in a 6-0 run for Minnesota to give the Gophers a 67-61 lead with 6:15 left. The Bruins got within 76-73 on a three-point play from Bilodeau with 1:50 remaining.
The Bruins then missed four consecutive 3-pointers over the final 1:08, including two by Bilodeau, as the Gophers held on for the victory.
In a first half of swings, Minnesota led by as many as nine points early before UCLA went on a 17-3 run to lead by as many as seven points before taking a 41-40 lead into the break. Bilodeau had 16 points in the first half, while Dent had nine assists for UCLA.
Durkin scored 15 points in the first half for Minnesota and reached 1,000 points on one of his five 3-pointers before halftime. UCLA’s Clark reached 1,000 career points on a basket in the second half.
–Field Level Media
Sports
On his bobblehead day, Nick Martinelli lifts Northwestern over Oregon
Feb 28, 2026; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Northwestern Wildcats guard Angelo Ciaravino (44) blocks the shot of Oregon Ducks forward Kwame Evans Jr. (10) during the first half at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images Nick Martinelli produced the game-winning runner with one second remaining as part of his game-high 22 points to lift Northwestern to a 63-62 Big Ten win over Oregon on Saturday afternoon in Evanston, Ill.
On a day Northwestern handed out bobbleheads bearing his likeness, Martinelli added 11 rebounds, a career-high seven assists and career-high-tying three steals to lead the Wildcats (13-16, 5-13) to their third win in a row. Jayden Reid added 11 points.
Nate Bittle paced Oregon (11-18, 4-14) with 19 points and nine rebounds. Kwame Evans Jr. piled up 15 points and 15 rebounds while Takai Simpkins posted 11 points.
The Ducks led 36-29 at halftime and by 12 two minutes into the second half before Northwestern scored 17 of the ensuing 19 points to leap to a 48-45 lead with 12 minutes left.
Over the final seven minutes, the teams swapped the lead six times in their battle to move into 14th place in the Big Ten.
Oregon regained the front on a 3-point play by Bittle at the 4:37 mark, but the Wildcats tied it at 59 on Martinelli’s second-chance layup with 4:10 to play.
After empty possessions by both teams, Northwestern went up on Jayden Reid’s turnaround jumper with 2:24 remaining. The Ducks regained the lead when Wei Lin hit a 3-pointer with 50 seconds to play.
Martinelli missed a go-ahead jumper with 18 seconds left, but Northwestern’s Tre Singleton grabbed the rebound and the Wildcats called a timeout to set up a play. Martinelli got hemmed in 12 feet from the hoop, but he spun free for a left-handed runner that hung on the back of the rim for a few beats before falling through.
Oregon launched a 40-footer at the buzzer that did not fall.
Neither team could create separation early on. Northwestern built a 24-18 advantage on two Martinelli free throws with 8:04 to play until halftime, but the Ducks owned the rest of the half. They used a 10-2 run, capped by Bittle’s 3-point play, to take a 28-26 edge.
Bittle’s 12 points led all scorers before halftime while Martinelli paced the Wildcats with eight.
–Field Level Media
Cincinnati cruises past Oklahoma State with 3-point barrage
Bobby Durkin has career night as Minnesota tops UCLA
