Sports
Rockets focus on slowing Kawhi Leonard again in rematch vs. Clippers
Feb 10, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) controls the ball as Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson (1) defends during the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images The memory of Los Angeles All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard scoring at his leisure during a late-December matchup remained front and center for the Houston Rockets as they prepared for the first game of a home back-to-back against the visiting Clippers on Tuesday.
Leonard scored 41 points in that 20-point victory on Dec. 23, the first of his career-high four 40-point games this season. Leonard entered play Tuesday averaging 30.2 points per game this month, and he held the Rockets’ undivided attention with another contest between the teams set for Wednesday.
The Rockets responded by hounding Leonard throughout their 102-95 win on Tuesday, limiting him to 24 points on 7-for-19 shooting. Tari Eason drew the primary defensive assignment on Leonard, but the Rockets sent several bodies his way. Amen Thompson and Dorian Finney-Smith also chipped in with the occasional double-team to slow the assault.
“He’s on a hot streak right now,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said of Leonard, who ranks eighth in the NBA with a career-best average of 27.9 points per game. “The ball is in his hands more, and they’re surrounding him with good pieces. For us, we like our length and size on the wings defensively, and we’ve got a lot of bodies we can throw at him. But you want to keep him off-balance.
“I’ve coached Kawhi for years (as an assistant with the San Antonio Spurs), and I’ve seen some things I can possibly do to go after him.”
The Clippers remade their roster at the trade deadline, shipping out James Harden and Ivica Zubac and welcoming Darius Garland, Bennedict Mathurin and Isaiah Jackson.
Garland (toe) has yet to play for the Clippers. Mathurin scored nine points in 26 minutes in his Los Angeles debut on Tuesday. Jackson also appeared for the Clippers for the first time, netting five points in five minutes.
Brook Lopez has replaced center Zubac in the starting lineup, and with Harden in Cleveland, Leonard will get additional opportunities as the unquestioned primary option on offense.
Rockets star Kevin Durant acknowledged that his team’s task against the Clippers was eased by Harden’s departure.
“I just think our physicality ramped up,” Durant said. “I mean, not having James Harden out there helps, too, as somebody else who can create offense and get everybody else involved. But yeah, we knew this team, Kawhi’s playing great basketball, and he’s willing these guys to up their game.”
The Clippers shot just 40.9% from the floor and missed 22 of 30 3-point attempts. John Collins (17 points) was the only double-digit scorer aside from Leonard for Los Angeles, which has ample experience of teams attempting to stifle Leonard. The trick is converting scoring opportunities when they are presented.
“They put two on the ball,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “I don’t think we capitalized well enough when they double-teamed Kawhi. We didn’t do a good job with our spacing and making the right play and making the right pass. (Wednesday), we’ll be ready.
“We understand our space, and we understand how to get to our spots. And teams are going to double-team Kawhi, so we know exactly what should be on the floor, so we just can’t panic. Take our time, make the right pass, make the right read, and we’ll be fine.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Quenton Jackson sparks overtime burst as Pacers outlast Knicks
Feb 10, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) drives to the basket against New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) and guard Jalen Brunson (11) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Quenton Jackson scored seven points in overtime Tuesday night for the visiting Indiana Pacers, who outlasted the New York Knicks 137-134 in a back-and-forth clash between the Eastern Conference rivals.
The two teams combined for 39 lead changes, the most in the NBA this season.
Jackson opened overtime with a driving layup to put the Pacers ahead for good at 126-124 and spark a 9-0 run for Indiana, which opened another nine-point lead at 135-126 before surviving a furious rally in the final 20 seconds by the Knicks.
Jalen Brunson and Landry Shamet combined for eight straight points before Jackson sank two free throws with four seconds remaining. Shamet was fouled by Aaron Nesmith with one second left but missed both free throws.
Jackson finished with 19 points and was one of eight players to score in double figures for the Pacers, who snapped a four-game losing streak as they improved their Eastern Conference-worst record to 14-40. Indiana is 4-22 on the road.
Andrew Nembhard (24 points, 10 assists) posted a double-double while Pascal Siakam had a team-high 30 points. Nesmith had 11 points and Micah Potter scored 10 points while T.J. McConnell (13 points), Jay Huff (10 points) and Ben Sheppard (10 points) all got into double figures off the bench.
Jalen Brunson scored a game-high 40 points while Josh Hart (15 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists) recorded a triple-double for the Knicks, who have lost two of three following an eight-game winning streak.
Karl-Anthony Towns, who forced overtime by draining two free throws with 0.2 seconds left, had 22 points and 14 rebounds but fouled out when he was called for a moving screen on Jackson with 2:14 left in OT.
Mikal Bridges had 22 points while Shamet added 17.
The teams combined to shoot 53.5% (23-for-43) in the fourth quarter and were never separated by more than four points. The Pacers didn’t trail after Nesmith’s jumper with 3:38 remaining, which put them ahead 115-114.
Siakam had a chance to give Indiana a three-point lead with five seconds left but missed one of his free throws. Shamet missed an open 3-pointer before Towns was fouled on the rebound by Nesmith.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Led by Nick Boyd, Wisconsin stuns No. 8 Illinois in OT
Feb 10, 2026; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Will Garlock (23) screens Illinois Fighting Illini forward Ben Humrichhous (3) as guard Nick Boyd (2) drives the ball during the first half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images Nick Boyd scored 19 of his 25 points after halftime and John Blackwell added 24 points to lead Wisconsin to a 92-90 overtime victory over No. 8 Illinois on Tuesday night in Big Ten play at Champaign, Ill.
Austin Rapp had 18 points off the bench as the Badgers (17-7, 9-4 Big Ten) won for the eighth time in their past 10 games. Wisconsin committed just four turnovers and recovered from a 12-point, second-half deficit to record its second huge road victory of the season. The Badgers notched a 91-88 win over then-No. 2 Michigan on Jan. 10.
Keaton Wagler scored 34 points and Tomislav Ivisic added 19 points and 11 rebounds for Illinois (20-5, 11-3), which lost its second straight contest following a 12-game winning streak.
David Mirkovic added 12 points, Jake Davis chipped in 11 and Ben Humrichous had 10 for the Fighting Illini, who played without Andrej Stojakovic (ankle).
Boyd converted a three-point play for the first points of overtime and Blackwell knocked down a trey to make it 87-81 with 3:24 left. Boyd added a driving hoop for an eight-point lead with 2:36 remaining.
Ivisic scored in the interior and Wagler buried a trey to bring the Illini within 89-86 with 1:30 left. Mirkovic split two free throws with 44 seconds left as Illinois moved within two.
Braeden Carrington made two free throws with 14.2 seconds left to give the Badgers a four-point lead. Humrichous then sank a trey to move Illinois within one with 6.3 seconds left.
Blackwell split two free throws with 5.7 seconds left, but Wagler’s running 3-pointer bounced off the rim as time expired.
The Illini shot 53.3% from the field, including 15 of 33 from 3-point range.
The Badgers made 43.4% of their attempts and hit 16 of 36 from behind the arc. Wisconsin beat the Illini for the second straight time after losing the previous nine.
Rapp buried a 3-pointer to give Wisconsin an 81-80 lead with 56.3 seconds remaining in regulation. Wagler was fouled and made the first free throw with 35.3 seconds left but missed the second to leave the game tied.
Blackwell made two 3-pointers as the Badgers opened the second half with an 11-2 spurt. His second trey gave Wisconsin a 49-46 lead.
The Badgers later led 51-49 before Illinois went on a 14-1 burst to take a 63-52 lead with 11:21 left.
Wagler’s 3-pointer gave Illinois a 68-56 advantage with 8:58 remaining. Illinois led by seven with under five minutes left before Blackwell and Boyd scored on layups and Rapp drained a 3-pointer to tie it at 76 with 2:19 left.
Ivisic scored 17 first-half points as the Illini led 44-38 at the break. Blackwell had 10 points in the half for the Badgers.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Emanuel Sharp's 3-point prowess powers No. 3 Houston past Utah
Feb 10, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Houston Cougars guard Emanuel Sharp (21) goes to the basket against Utah Utes forward James Okonkwo (32) during the first half at Jon M. Huntsman Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images Emanuel Sharp made a career-high eight 3-pointers and scored 27 points to lead No. 3 Houston to a 66-52 victory over Utah on Tuesday in Salt Lake City.
Sharp shot 8-for-13 from long distance to help the Cougars (22-2, 10-1 Big 12) win their fifth straight game and move into a tie with No. 1 Arizona atop the Big 12 standings. He has made 277 3-pointers at Houston, passing Marcus Sasser (276) as the school’s career leader in made 3-point field goals.
Sharp carried the Cougars on a night where no other Houston player scored in double figures. Leading scorer Kingston Flemings was held to four points on 2-of-9 shooting.
Keanu Dawes led Utah with 15 points and eight rebounds while Seydou Traore and Terrence Brown added 12 points apiece. The Utes (9-15, 1-10) committed 13 turnovers, leading to 20 Houston points, as they dropped their sixth game in a row.
Sharp gave Houston an early advantage with his hot outside shooting. He went 6 of 7 from 3-point range over the first 10-plus minutes to help the Cougars break open a close game.
Starting with Sharp’s last outside basket of the first half, Houston went on a 10-0 run to grab a 33-18 lead. Milos Uzan helped fuel the run with a pair of layups. The Utes went nearly 5 1/2 minutes without a point until Don McHenry ended the drought with a layup.
Houston missed seven consecutive shots to end the half, scoring a single point over the final four minutes before halftime. The drought opened the door for Utah to cut the deficit to 34-25 going into the locker room.
The Cougars kept Utah from drawing any closer. They scored four baskets on their first four possessions after halftime to fuel a 14-4 run. Sharp punctuated the surge with a pair of 3-pointers, giving Houston a 48-29 lead.
Houston led by as many as 22 points in the second half, going up 55-33 on a dunk from Chris Cenac Jr. with 8:13 remaining.
–Field Level Media
Quenton Jackson sparks overtime burst as Pacers outlast Knicks
Led by Nick Boyd, Wisconsin stuns No. 8 Illinois in OT
