Austin to LeBron to Ayton.
At full strength, the Lakers look to storm this season’s final stretch.
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
Feb. 21, 2026
ABC Saturday: KD readies Rockets for run to Playoffs, facing Knicks team holding down home
League Pass Spotlight: League-leading Pistons emphasize Cade’s MVP case
Friday’s Stars: Spida, Cavs continue streak, Luka ignites Lakers’ trio, Ant drops 40 points
West Flexes: Top-3 seeds OKC & Denver win big, with Nuggets pouring on historic 157 points
Friday Roundup: Herro’s Heat halt Hawks, Bucks trio nets 79, Grizzlies display depth
BUT FIRST … ⏰
Friday’s results and Saturday’s six-game slate…
Today’s 6-game slate gets started on NBA TV with the Magic visiting the Suns (5 ET | Tap To Watch) and concludes with ABC’s Saturday Night Primetime in New York for Rockets vs. Knicks (8:30 ET | Tap To Watch).
1. ABC SATURDAY: KD LEADS ROLLING ROCKETS ONTO MSG STAGE
Sixteen All-Star nods in, Kevin Durant’s still making his presence felt.
Not only is KD leading Houston in scoring (26.0 ppg), he’s given the West’s 4th place squad a consistent crunch time boost, ranking top-10 in clutch scoring.
And in a crowded Western Conference standings battle, the Rockets have needed every bit of it.
“We gotta just keep pushing,” Durant said Thursday. “We gotta stay poised through it all. We got 28 more games until it’s the real show, so we’re looking forward to every night.”
There’s a lot to look forward to tonight (8:30 ET, ABC) as Houston steps into the Mecca of Basketball to face a Knicks group boasting the league’s 3rd-ranked offense (118.8 OffRtg) and, over the last 13 games, the top-rated defense (103.2 DefRtg).
- The Rockets enter with wins over the Thunder, Clippers and Hornets in their last four games, with KD (35 pts, 70.0 FG%) imposing his will on surging Charlotte Thursday
- Instant Offense: Durant is working on averaging 25+ points for a season for his fifth different franchise, extending his NBA record
- If KD can pair his 25+ ppg with 50+ FG% (currently 51.0) for a 13th season, he’ll tie LeBron for the most such seasons in NBA history
- On His Radar: He’s also 396 points away from passing Michael Jordan for fifth on the all-time scoring list, with 1,326 points scored and counting this season
Joe Boatman + Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images
“I just try to be aggressive and try to inspire my teammates with that, and make the right play,” Durant said this month, noting he is not trying to “carry” the Rockets.
“I just feel like, when the ball comes to me, I gotta be aggressive to score, and we all gotta have that mentality.”
Across the court, the Knicks are out to prevent back-to-back home losses, having only dropped eight games at MSG this season.
- Owning Home: New York is tied with Detroit (21), trailing only OKC (22) for the most home wins by any team this season
- Big City Scoring: The league’s third-ranked offense scores over four whole points more at home (119.7) than on the road (115.4)
2. LP SPOTLIGHT: LEAGUE-LEADING PISTONS FUELED BY CADE’S MVP CASE
Michael Reaves/NBAE via Getty Images
At 41-13 (.759 win%), Detroit owns the league’s best record, full stop.
Not just in the East, but even ahead of the West-leading defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder (43-14, .754).
Three wins away from their total for all of last season (44-38), the Pistons’ rise coincides with that of their All-Star leader Cade Cunningham.
Fresh off his first All-Star Game start, Cunningham began the season’s second half Thursday with a history-making 42-point, 13-assist onslaught to sweep the rival Knicks for the year.
But after the statement-making win at MSG, Cade preferred to only talk about his team.
“I think we all made a statement. We’re coming to win every night.”
Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
As Hunter Patterson writes for The Athletic on NBA.com, it’s time to consider the MVP candidacy for Cade — who’s risen into the Top 4 on Shaun Powell’s list:
“Rather than being overwhelmed by New York’s defensive scheme, Cunningham picked it apart from start to finish for what was arguably the most impressive performance of his career in a 126-111 win — one that completed a regular-season sweep of the Knicks.
“Cunningham got whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted, finishing with 42 points, 13 assists, eight rebounds and two blocks. It’s become commonplace for Cunningham to be the best player on the hardwood on any given night.
“But this performance, in his lone trip to MSG this season, declared that he’s ascended into an echelon worthy of serious MVP consideration.”
“‘Ain’t nobody else in the league doing it like him,'” Ron Holland II told The Athletic. | Read More
Cade’s Pistons seek a fifth straight win tonight, visiting the Bulls (8 ET).
Roundup: Saturday’s hoops slate tips off at 5 ET on NBA TV with a display of hot shooting between the Suns and the visiting Magic.
- Sixers at Pelicans (7 ET)
- Grizzlies at Heat (8 ET)
- Kings at Spurs (8 ET)
3. STARS SHINE: SPIDA LIFTS CAVS, LUKA LAUNCHES LAKERS, ANT DROPS 40
David Jensen/NBAE via Getty Images
In the showdown of the NBA’s two hottest teams, Cleveland’s new duo proved too hot to handle.
Cavaliers 118, Hornets 113: Donovan Mitchell dropped 32 points to lead the Cavs to a seventh straight win and a 5-0 record since adding James Harden (18 pts, 8 ast), overpowering Kon Knueppel’s big shooting night (33 pts, 6 reb, 7 3s).
Cleveland never trailed in the pivotal 4th quarter, with Mitchell netting 13 of his 32 points to add to his league-leading total (422). | Recap
- Cavs Company: Spida achieved his 100th 30+ point game in four seasons as a Cavalier, trailing only LeBron James (324) in franchise history
- Threes Leaders: Knueppel entered the game trailing Mitchell for most total 3s this season by one, shooting past him with seven makes (193 total) to lead the league
- He also passed Spida for second-most 3s made in a rookie season all-time (187), now trailing only Keegan Murray’s 206 (2022-23)
- Magic Number: Kon’s seven 3s mark the third time he’s hit seven or more triples, the most such games for a rookie in NBA history
- Hornets History: Knueppel (5) now trails only Alonzo Mourning (8) in 30+ point games by a Charlotte rookie, and matched Brandon Miller for most 30+ point, 5+ rebound, 5+ 3s games for a rookie in team history
Charlotte dropped back-to-back games for the first time since Jan. 8, and is 1-4 since matching its franchise-best 9-game win streak.
For this regular season’s final Battle for L.A., the healthy Lakers brought all three pieces of their top-scoring trio.
Lakers 125, Clippers 122: Luka Dončić (38 pts, 6 reb, 11 ast, 3 stl) ignited a hot start with support from Austin Reaves (29 pts, 6 reb) and LeBron (13 pts, 11 ast), as the Lakers survived a 16-point Clips comeback and Nicolas Batum’s game-tying attempt with 6.2 seconds left. | Recap
- Kawhi Leonard (31 pts, 5 ast) and Bennedict Mathurin (26 pts, 7 reb) led the Clippers’ charge before each exiting in the 4th quarter (Kawhi: ankle; Mathurin: fouled out).
- Lakers’ Launch: Dončić caught fire for 17 1st-quarter points with 4-of-5 shooting from distance, as the Lakers opened with a 41-point first frame on 16-of-19 shooting (8-9 3FG)
- “We still gotta find our potential,” Luka said after his 11th game this season playing with both LeBron and Reaves. “We gotta go game-by-game, focus on every game going forward.”
- “I would cook him for sure.” Luka imagined what matching up with birthday boy Charles Barkley would be like in Chuck’s prime
Back in front of the Wolves faithful, Ant Edwards showed off his All-Star Game MVP trophy, and the scoring skills that earned it.
Wolves 122, Mavericks 111: With Dallas storming back to tie the game at 103-all with under 7 minutes to play, Edwards ignited a 40-point night with 14 in the 4th quarter, including 11 in a row in Minnesota’s 16-6 closeout run. | Recap
“This past summer, [Coach Finch] told me I needed a go-to shot at the end of games,” Edwards said after icing the win. “I was working on that all summer… so he’s a big part of my success.”
- Ant Catches Luka: Edwards (40 pts, 6 reb, 5 3s) recorded his eighth 40+ point game this season, tying Dončić for the league lead
- Linked In History: Ant hit the 40 point mark while adding at least five 3s for the 23rd time in his career, tying Luka again for most ever by a player under age 25
- Without Cooper Flagg (foot), Khris Middleton (18 pts, 5 reb) led seven Mavs in double figures back from Minnesota’s 40-point 1st quarter and 18-point lead
Minnesota starts the final stretch of the season with a third straight win, claiming victory in eight of its last 11 games.
“Well, we got 25 more [games], hopefully we can go 25-0,” Edwards said with a smile.
4. WEST FLEXES: NUGGETS EXPLODE FOR 157, MCCAIN BOOSTS THUNDER
Cameron Browne/NBAE via Getty Images
One night after a last-second loss in LA, Denver’s top-rated offense let off some steam in the Northwest.
Nuggets 157, Blazers 103: Denver scored over 40 points in each of the first three quarters on the way to a league season-high 157 points, with Nikola Jokić (32 pts, 9 reb, 7 ast, 4 stl) and Jamal Murray (25 pts, 6 reb, 6 ast, 6 3s) leading seven double-digit scorers to the largest win in team history. | Recap
- Scorching Start: Jokić had 19 1st-quarter points with three 3s, while Murray joined Nick Van Exel as the only Nuggets with 15+/5+/5+ and 5+ 3s in any half (in the play-by-play era)
- Rare Gold: Denver achieved the fourth-largest road win in NBA history, scoring the most points in Nuggets history since Mar. 16, 2008 (168 pts)
- All-Time 150s: This was the 14th time in franchise history Denver scored at least 150 points, tying Golden State for second-most, in NBA history, trailing only the Lakers (17x)
Deni Avdija (15 pts, 8 reb, 13 ast) was two boards shy of a triple-double, as Jrue Holiday’s 19 points led Portland.
Thunder 105, Nets 86: Jared McCain celebrated his 22nd birthday with a season-high 21 points in his fifth game with OKC and Chet Holmgren added 15 points and seven rebounds to guide the short-handed Thunder past Michael Porter Jr.’s (22 pts, 9 reb, 5 ast) Nets for a third win in four games. | Recap
- More McCain: Jared has increased his point total in every game since joining OKC at the trade deadline, building up to his highest-scoring game since Dec. 4, 2024
5. FRIDAY ROUNDUP: EAST FLASHES FIREPOWER, GRIZZLIES DISPLAY DEPTH
Heat 128, Hawks 97: Tyler Herro (24 pts) led all scorers in his first action after missing 15 games (rib), as Miami never trailed, with seven double-digit scorers overcoming Jalen Johnson’s (16 pts, 16 reb, 11 ast) 13th career triple-double. | Recap
- JJ’s Collection: Johnson extended his Hawks’ record with his 11th triple-double this season, second-most in the NBA behind Jokić
Bucks 139, Pelicans 118: Ryan Rollins (27 pts, 6 ast, 4 stl) hit a career-high seven 3s, Cam Thomas (27 pts) went over 25 points for the second time in four games with the Bucks, and Kevin Porter Jr. (25 pts, 7 ast) made it a 79-point trio, overpowering Zion Williamson’s 32 points. | Recap
Wizards 131, Pacers 118: For the second straight night, Washington defeated Indy in DC, with Alondes Williams logging career-highs of 25 points and 10 rebounds to help the Wizards erase a 15-point deficit and top Jay Huff’s (22 points, 5 3s) Pacers. | Recap
Grizzlies 123, Jazz 114: Eight of nine Grizzlies who played reached double figures, led by Olivier-Maxence Prosper’s 23 points, as Memphis overcame Utah and Isaiah Collier’s (24 pts, 5 ast) 14-point edge to take the lead in the 4th for the first time since it was 1-0. | Recap
