February 2026

There were 1,487 posts published in February 2026 (this is page 110 of 149).

James Harden posts 23 points, including some clutch 3-pointers, to beat Kings in first game with Cavaliers

The James Harden era of the Cleveland Cavaliers began with a close win over one of the worst teams in the NBA on Saturday.

The Cavaliers came back to beat the Sacramento Kings, in Harden’s debut with the team after a trade deadline move from the Los Angeles Clippers. Harden finished the game with 23 points on 7-of-13 shooting, with 15 of those points coming in the fourth quarter.

Harden made his mark when Cleveland was down 121-116 with fewer than four minutes to go. He made 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions to put his team ahead, and also made four free throws in the final 30 seconds to put the game away.

It had been previously shaping up to be a rough debut for the 11-time All-Star. The Cavaliers’ defense in particular looked like it needed work with Harden getting his first minutes in the system, but big nights from Donovan Mitchell (35 points) and Jarrett Allen (29 points) helped offset those struggles.

Travis Scott was excited, at least.

Harden’s time with the Clippers ended abruptly last week, when the team sent him to Cleveland in exchange for fellow All-Star guard Darius Garland. Harden spent two and a half seasons in Los Angeles, but a disappointing first half of the season led the Clippers to revamping the supporting cast around Kawhi Leonard.

In Cleveland, Harden joined a franchise currently in playoff position, but a step behind their 64-win season last year. He brings a lengthy history as one of the NBA’s top offensive engines and forms a dynamic backcourt with Mitchell, though with some overlapping skill sets (an issue with Garland as well).

The real question is if Harden can overcome a track record of underperformance come playoff time. That answer is months away, so all he can do for now is focus on getting up to speed with his sixth NBA team.

Stephen Curry could be out for Warriors until after All-Star break, Steve Kerr says

Stephen Curry has missed three games for the Golden State Warriors with a knee injury. It sounds like he will be missing at least two more.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr indicated to reporters Saturday that Curry is likely to sit out until after the upcoming All-Star break. At the very least, he was out for that night’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers and is considered doubtful for a clash with the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday.

“I think there’s a good chance he doesn’t play until after the break,” Kerr said. “We’re just going to take it day-by-day, but [Monday], he’s doubtful.

The Grizzlies game is one of two games the Warriors have before the All-Star break, with the other being a home game against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. Golden State’s first game of the second half is Feb. 19 against the Boston Celtics.

Stephen Curry likely won’t be playing for another week and a half. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
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That means the Warriors will have to continue proceeding heavily shorthanded. Jimmy Butler remains out for the season with a torn ACL, while past contributors Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield are now members of the Atlanta Hawks. They were dealt at the trade deadline in exchange for big man Kristaps Porzingis, who has been out since early January with an Achilles injury.

Kerr said Porzingis will remain out until after the All-Star break.

“He got a workout in today with Rick so we’ll see where it goes from here,” Kerr said. “I think the plan is he’ll be in the Bay all of All-Star break and he’ll play after All-Star break.”

The Warriors entered Saturday in eighth place in the Western Conference at 28-24.

Dodgers’ Blake Snell Makes Bold Super Bowl Prediction

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar pitcher Blake Snell made a bold Super Bowl prediction during last week’s Fan Fest before the big game.

In an interview with the SportsNet LA TV crew, the Seattle native predicted that the Seahawks would win big over the New England Patriots. 

Snell predicted the Seahawks would beat the Patriots by 17 points.

The 33-year-old was born and raised in Seattle and attended Shorewood High School in Shoreline, Washington. Snell made a name for himself in the Pacific Northwest before he was selected in the first round of the 2011 MLB Draft.

When is Super Bowl 60?

The All-Star pitcher grew up a Seattle Mariners fan and said that he will always have love for his hometown. In addition, Snell added that he will attend the Super Bowl, which is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 7 at 3:30 PM PT. The game will be held in Santa Clara, California, at Levi’s Stadium, the home of the San Francisco 49ers.

Oct 31, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (7) celebrates with the Commissioner’s Trophy in the locker room after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Will Blake Snell Be Ready for Opening Day?

The southpaw will now enter his second season in Los Angeles after he signed a five-year, $182 million contract. His deal includes a $52 million signing bonus and a conditional $10 million option for 2030.

Snell touched on a handful of different topics at Fan Fest, including his availability at the start of the 2026 season. He shared with the media that the “plan” is to be ready for Opening Day.

“I’ve been playing catch, been throwing. It feels good,” Snell said. “But I’m just going to take my time. Last year, I was rushing. I wanted to pitch so bad. But I’m going to take my time. The goal is to be ready Opening Day, but I’m going to take my time. I’ll know more once I’m [at Spring Training], throwing bullpens, pitching in games.”

The two-time Cy Young winner pitched an incredible 2.35 ERA in 2025, but was limited to only 11 starts due to left shoulder inflammation that kept him out for most of the season. Still, Snell played a pivotal role for the Dodgers in their quest for back-to-back titles. 

He will do the same for L.A. in the 2026 season as they seek to become the first National League team to complete a three-peat. 

NFL team’s logo links Super Bowl fans to indigenous roots

The Seattle Seahawks logo was chosen in the 1970s [Getty Images]

Wallace Nagedzi Watts had been going to Seahawks games for almost three decades when a historical discovery helped supercharge his fandom – and deepened his connection to his indigenous roots.

“It kind of changed my whole life,” says Watts, a prominent fan of the American football team who goes by the name Captain Seahawk.

“Because of the Seattle Seahawks I started getting back into my culture.”

Speaking to the BBC while driving down to attend the Super Bowl game in Santa Clara, California, where the Seahawks are due to take on the New England Patriots, Watts says “it’s been my life’s mission for the last 12 years to notify everyone that the Seahawks logo was copied from the Kwakwaka’wakw tribe on Vancouver Island”.

The discovery was made during the Seahawks last Super Bowl sting – coincidentally also against the Patriots – in 2014.

Amid city-wide excitement,the Burke Museum in Seattle decided to investigate the origins of the Seahawks logo, which was chosen by the team’s manager in the mid-1970s. A black-and-white photo of a ceremonial mask in an old art book revealed the inspiration behind the design, which was then traced to a collection at the Hudson Museum in Maine.

The museum sent the mask to Seattle on loan, where a ceremony was held featuring both tribal members and team representatives.

The mask has been repainted in the years since leaving western Canada. [Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture]

The mask, which was created in the late 1800s and was carved from cedar, had been in private collections since leaving Vancouver Island, British Columbia, where it was created by members of the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation, says Katie Bunn-Marcuse, the curator of Northwest Native Art at the Burke Museum.

The carving, which is known as a “transformational mask” and depicts the ancestral origins of one’s family, was created around the time that Canada introduced a ban on many indigenous practices, in a move which decimated many tribes in western Canada.

Using the mask for its intended purpose, at large gatherings called potlaches, became a crime. Many people went to jail for their cultural practices, however, the Kwakwaka’wakw people continued to hold underground potlaches.

“The Indian Act banned people gathering and performing their songs,” says Bunn-Marcuse, adding, that “the potlatch was the economic and legal system of the coast”. The ban was lifted in 1951, and in 2015 Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission found that it was part of a “cultural genocide”, which also included the notorious residential school programme, which separated families and erased local languages.

Watts had been going to games for decades before discovering his own tribal connection to the team. [Getty Images]

Watts grew up on a reservation in Port Alberni on the west side of Vancouver Island, in his father’s tribal community. But after the discovery of the logo’s Kwakwaka’wakw origins, he decided to look into his mother’s family history on the other side of the island.

Travelling back to Vancouver Island, he set out on a series of tribal canoe journeys, where he reconnected with Kwakwaka’wakw family members and learned more about their cultural practices.

During one trip, he was invited to take place in a ritual in which he was declared a “warrior”, or guardian of the tribe’s culture.

“I had to dance half-naked in front of a thousand people, and then I came back in warriors clothing. To me it’s like being baptised as a Christian. It really changed my life.”

The ‘transformational’ mask opens to show a human inside. [Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture]

Bruce Alfred, an artist living in Alert Bay, British Columbia, recalls when his cousin started showing up, inspired by his commitment to the Seahawks and his cultural heritage. He says that Watts is not the only person who has been inspired by the NFL team to look into their family history.

Alfred was part of the Burke team that surveyed the mask, and confirmed that it was indeed Kwakwaka’wakw, and had been used in spiritual ceremonies before going into a private collection.

“After the potlatch ban they took everything away from our people,” he says, adding that the goal of the government and missionaries was to “annihilate and assimilate us – either one”.

The Seahawks are popular throughout Canada’s western coast, where no other NFL team exists. Alfred says that many people in his village are Seahawks supporters, and that more people have been inspired to look into their heritage after discovering the team’s connection. It comes amid a larger tribal movement to reconnect with the past.

“There is a resurgence of our people that are stepping up and they’re learning the language, the culture, their own identity,” he says.

[Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture]

Alfred, and other indigenous people who spoke to the BBC, say that unlike other major league sports teams, the Seahawks logo has not sparked backlash because it respectfully borrows from indigenous culture, rather than plays in to racist stereotypes.

The display of indigenous cultural materials as artworks has been criticised by some tribal people, who see these as sacred tools for worship.

At the Kwakwaka’wakw exhibit at the University of British Columbia’s Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver, one mask is kept under a sheet to symbolically show how some believe these objects should not be displayed, and only taken out for important occasions.

The debate is always ongoing for museums that display indigenous relics, says Bunn-Marcuse.

“In community, many of these masks are not brought out until the moment that they are needed,” she says.

“Whenever we do our exhibits we do them collaboratively with input and advising by community members. So there are some masks that we no longer show because community has said those are not appropriate to be shown ever outside of their ceremonial context.”

Others have critiqued the artwork for originating from a tribe that is hundreds of miles from Seattle, halfway to Alaska. The artwork of local peoples such as the Coast Salish could be used instead, they argue.

The logo has been redrawn by local Washington artists, including this one by Qwalsius-Shaun Peterson, in their own indigenous styles. [Qwalsius-Shaun Peterson]

Qwalsius-Shaun Peterson, a Coast Salish artist from the Puyallup Tribe near Tacoma, Washington, is among many indigenous artists who have redesigned unofficial Seahawks logos in the style of their own local culture.

“People within the tribal communities are just really excited about native iconography of any kind,” he says.

“Nobody takes offense” to the official logo, he adds, adding that it is not a “misrepresentation” and instead “borrows from” indigenous art.

Watts, who proudly boasts that he’s the first person to arrive at games and the last to leave, is using his celebrity status as a superfan to fund raise for multiple charities.

He also cooks at a food bank, and mentors Native American youths in prison.

“I really had a different outlook on my entire life” after connecting with the roots of the logo, Watts says.

“We’re supposed to be the guardians of our tribe. We protect and provide.”

Rockets 112, Thunder 106: Alperen Sengun ‘phenomenal’ in key road win

In recent days, Alperen Sengun’s apparent regression on defense was a topic of discussion around the NBA and even by his own head coach, Ime Udoka.

On Saturday, in Houston’s 112-106 road victory (box score) over the Oklahoma City Thunder, the 23-year-old Rockets big man flipped the script.

With 17 points (50.0% FG), 12 rebounds, and 11 assists, Sengun — a 2025 NBA All-Star — finished with his second triple-double of the 2025-26 campaign. He also combined for 6 steals and blocks while turning the ball over only once.

Via Will Guillory of The Athletic, Udoka called Sengun’s performance “phenomenal” on both ends of the court. Specifically, Udoka pointed to Sengun’s defensive aggression in the second half, when the Rockets rallied back after trailing by six points at halftime (and as many as 15 in the first half).

For the Rockets, it was their first win in three tries this season versus the defending league champions.

Despite the loss, the Thunder (40-13) continue to own the best record in the Western Conference and the NBA. Houston (32-19) snapped its two-game losing streak and remains at No. 4 in the West standings.

Beyond Sengun, other statistics of note included:

  • Kevin Durant: 20 points, 4 assists; 6-of-10 shooting (60.0%), 2-of-5 on 3-pointers (40.0%)
  • Jabari Smith Jr.: 22 points, 10 rebounds; 5-of-12 shooting (41.7%), 3-of-7 on 3-pointers (42.9%), 9-of-11 on free throws (81.8%)
  • Tari Eason: 26 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals; 10-of-22 shooting (45.5%), 5-of-13 on 3-pointers (38.5%)
  • Reed Sheppard: 16 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals; 7-of-12 shooting (58.3%)
  • Chet Holmgren (Thunder): 17 points, 14 rebounds; 5-of-10 shooting (50.0%), 6-of-8 on free throws (75.0%)
  • Cason Wallace (Thunder): 23 points, 4 assists, 4 steals, 4 rebounds; 10-of-16 shooting (62.5%)
  • Isaiah Joe (Thunder): 21 points,3 steals; 3-of-6 on 3-pointers (50.0%), 8-of-8 on free throws

With the All-Star break looming in a few days, both teams held out several rotation players. The Thunder were without Jalen Williams, Ajay Mitchell, and reigning NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, while the Rockets were missing Amen Thompson (illness), Fred VanVleet, and Steven Adams.

Unfortunately, Adams (ankle surgery) is expected to miss the remainder of the season, while VanVleet (knee surgery) appears likely to.

Next up for the Rockets is a home back-to-back on Tuesday and Wednesday versus the Los Angeles Clippers (24-27). That will lead into the 2026 All-Star break for both teams.

More: Defensive regression: Rockets, Alperen Sengun searching for answers

This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Rockets 112, Thunder 106: Alperen Sengun ‘phenomenal’ in key road win

NFL great says he’ll be working with Panthers WR Xavier Legette in offseason

Xavier Legette may be getting some help from one of the biggest Carolina Panthers fans on the planet.

Chad Ochocinco spoke with team beat reporter Sheena Quick from Super Bowl LX’s “Radio Row” on Friday. And when discussing the team’s wideouts, he offered up an encouraging outlook for the struggling Legette.

“He’s comin’ to see me in the offseason. He’ll be alright. I guarantee you, he gonna be alright,” Ochocinco told Quick. “He’s special. He just needs someone to unlock the specialty, that I can see from far away.”

Ochocinco was pretty special himself during his playing days. Before he became a full-fledged member of the Carolina faithful, he was three-time first-team All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowl pass catcher over a highly-productive 11-year NFL run.

Legette, unfortunately, isn’t exactly trending in the same direction. The 2024 first-round pick experienced a dip in production from his underwhelming rookie campaign, amassing just 35 receptions for 363 yards and three touchdowns in 2025.

He also took a hit in usage. Legette’s snap share decreased every week over the final four games, and ended with a career-low 31.4 percent mark in Week 18.

But maybe whatever Ochocinco is realizing from afar can help unlock Unosiete.

Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.

This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: NFL great Chad Ochocinco says he’ll work with Panthers WR Xavier Legette in offseason

Roch Cholowsky Embraces Spotlight as UCLA Shortstop

Jun 17, 2025; Omaha, Neb, USA; UCLA Bruins shortstop Roch Cholowsky (1) throws to first base against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the third inning at Charles Schwab Field.

LOS ANGELES — Roch Cholowsky has never lacked perspective on where he is — or where he’s headed.

The UCLA shortstop, widely viewed as a potential No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming MLB Draft, recently reflected on a Bruins program that rebounded sharply after a difficult stretch, setting the stage for what could be a defining year in his baseball journey. After going 19–33 during his freshman season, Cholowsky said the team made a conscious decision to stay unified, recommit in the offseason, and reset expectations.

That approach paid off. UCLA surged to a fifth-place finish last season and returns much of its core, giving Cholowsky confidence that the Bruins can build on that momentum. While outside recognition has followed, including early Golden Spikes Award buzz, Cholowsky emphasized that team success remains the priority. Individual honors, he noted, would be meaningful, but a national championship is the ultimate goal.

Being mentioned alongside past Golden Spikes winners is not something Cholowsky takes lightly. He described the award as baseball’s equivalent of the Heisman, reserved for the game’s elite, and acknowledged that hearing his name in that conversation is both humbling and motivating. Still, he views it as a byproduct of doing the right things on the field rather than a singular pursuit.

Cholowsky’s long-term vision was already clear coming out of high school, when he went undrafted despite interest from several clubs. He said most teams understood he was committed to UCLA, a decision he felt was the right one after experiencing college baseball firsthand. The limited draft dialogue only reinforced his belief that development and patience would pay off.

That clarity extended to his choice to step away from football. A standout high school quarterback, Cholowsky admitted it was difficult to leave the sport behind, but focusing exclusively on baseball allowed him to fully invest in his growth. Once acclimated, he said, his progress accelerated.

Few players arrive at that crossroads with Cholowsky’s background. His father, Dan, spent years in professional baseball as both a player and a scout, giving Roch a rare window into the evaluation process from a young age. From sitting in on in-home scouting meetings to hearing firsthand stories about elite prospects, those experiences shaped how he understands the game.

For Cholowsky, that foundation — combined with performance — has positioned him for an extraordinary few months ahead, even as he remains grounded in the work still to be done.

Social media reacts to Chargers’ Justin Herbert receiving one MVP vote

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert may have inadvertently spoiled Drake Maye’s chances of winning the 2025 NFL MVP award.

Herbert received one first-place vote on the final MVP ballot alongside Josh Allen’s two votes, Maye’s 23 votes, and Matthew Stafford’s 24 votes. If that vote had gone to Maye instead of Herbert, the outcome of the MVP race may have very well been different.

Stafford was named the 2025 NFL MVP after an impressive season under center for the Rams. In his 17th season, the 37-year-old led the league with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns. He became the oldest player to receive his first career MVP award.

The MVP race was evidently close as Maye also made an impressive case for himself. The sophomore quarterback led the league in passer rating (113.5), completion percentage (72%), and EPA.

While Maye didn’t earn the accolade, he will lead the Patriots’ offense at Super Bowl LX against the Seahawks this Sunday.

Best Social Media Reactions to Justin Herbert’s One MVP Vote

This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Social media reacts to Chargers’ Justin Herbert receiving one MVP vote

Pacers’ Aaron Nesmith questionable vs. Raptors with left ankle sprain

INDIANAPOLIS — Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith is listed as questionable for Sunday’s 3 p.m. game against the Raptors in Toronto with a left elbow sprain according to the NBA’s official injury report.

Nesmith took a hard hit and was knocked to the ground in the Pacers’ loss to the Bucks on Friday and Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said he would be evaluated to see if there was any injury but wasn’t sure at the time. Nesmith scored 12 points in 27 minutes in the game. He’s averaging 13.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game this season and has scored in double figures in each of his last six games. He’s averaging 16.8 points per game and shooting 54.5% from the floor and 51.5% from 3-point range in that stretch.

Newly acquired center Ivica Zubac and forward Kobe Brown are still listed as out. Carlisle said that they still had to take physicals and wouldn’t be available until at least the Pacers’ game against the Knicks in New York on Tuesday. Center Micah Potter (left hip contusion) is still listed as questionable. Two-way contract guard Quenton Jackson is listed as questionable for being on a two-way. Fellow two-way guards Taelon Peter and Ethan Thompson are listed as doubtful.

Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (right ankle sprain) and center Jakob Poeltl (return to competition conditioning) are listed as questionable for the Raptors.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Pacers’ Aaron Nesmith questionable with left ankle sprain