Dillon Brooks, whose energy and unexpected shot creation have been at the heart of the Phoenix Suns this season, will miss 4-6 weeks after having surgery to repair a fractured left hand, Phoenix announced Tuesday.
Brooks has been a culture setter for the organization and, on the court, a needed secondary shot creator, averaging 21.2 points per game. Not that there was a good time for an injury, but this hits the Suns particularly hard this week with Devin Booker missing time with a hip injury and Grayson Allen out with knee and ankle issues. The Suns lost to the Trail Blazers over the weekend without either of their two leading scorers.
Phoenix, 33-25, sits as the No. 7 seed in the West, just two games out of getting into the top six and avoiding the play-in, but it’s going to be tough to make up that gap without the team being healthy.
The Suns also announced that guard Jordan Goodwin is out for at least a week or two due to a left calf strain. Goodwin is averaging 8.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.
Cincinnati Reds infielder Eugenio Suarez (28) warmup ahead of practice, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, at the Cincinnati Reds player development complex in Goodyear, Ariz. | Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Michael Toglia smashed a grounder down the 1B line to plate Leo Balcazar in the Bottom of the 9th inning in Goodyear Ballpark on Tuesday afternoon, and doing so pushed the Cincinnati Reds to a 5-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals.
It marked the first win of Cactus League play for the Reds, who now sit 1-2 after a day off on Monday.
Here’s how things shook down:
The Good
Elly De La Cruz and Eugenio Suarez went back to back in the Bottom of the 5th inning, with each’s homer being their respective first of the spring.
Elly’s traveled 432 feet through the thin Arizona air.
Sal Stewart and Edwin Arroyo helped level the score in the Bottom of the 9th, as each singled (sandwiched around Balcazar’s single) with the latter scoring Sal from 3B. I have very high hopes for this trio this season.
Also, the Cincinnati bullpen looked a far cry better than their disastrous performance on Sunday, with the crew cobbling together five consecutive scoreless frames to finish the game, with the likes of Pierce Johnson and Sam Moll firing scoreless frames.
The Bad
Let’s preface it with this – Brandon Williamson returned to a mound in a competitive game, and that’s way more good than bad. If anything, I pulled him out for this section to highlight what went well for him despite the fact that he was tagged for a pair of ER on 3 hits in 2.0 IP.
He didn’t walk anyone, which kicks tail. He also struck out 4 in his pair of frames, and the stuff that’s reportedly looked so good early in camp definitely had its perks.
Williamson wasn’t bad, truly. The only thing that was ‘bad’ was that Jac Caglianone tagged him for a 460 foot moonshot, and that kinda stings.
Only that it ended, really. I suppose Andrew Abbott, who allowed 2 ER on a dinger in his second frame of the day, would’ve liked to have been a bit better, though he did look excellent in the Top of the 1st in his first inning of the season.
What’s Next
Nick Lodolo will start tomorrow as the Reds hit the road for Camelback Ranch to face the Chicago White Sox. First pitch is once again set for 3:05 PM ET, and it once again won’t be televised anywhere.
You’ll be able to follow along the Reds radio feed via 700 WLW, however.
Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder Alek Thomas (5) signs autographs during the spring training season opener against the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale. | Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Record: 2-3. Change on 2025: +1. 5-inning record: 1-4.
That was satisfactory – and it didn’t look like it would be initially. Michael Soroka, in his debut for Arizona, pitched his team into a deficit before he recorded an out, opening up by allowing a triple and RBI single. But he gave up just a walk thereafter, getting through two innings while allowing the one run, with three strikeouts. The middle innings were solid, with scoreless frames from Brandyn Garcia, Andrew Hoffmann, Philip Abner and Isiaiah Campbell. Texas did chip away down the stretch, getting single runs off Taylor Rashi, Bryce Jarvis and John Curtiss, but all of them avoided giving up a crooked number, to close out the win. Three ABS challenges, but in a win for home-plate umpire Sean Sparling, all three were confirmed!
Meanwhile, a three-run fifth inning saw Arizona take the lead for good. A Jorge Barrosa single was followed by A.J. Vukovich’s first home-run of spring, and Ketel Marte following him in going deep later in the inning. Two more runs followed in the seventh, on an Alek Thomas triple and Ben McLaughlin single. Both those men had two hits on the day, as did Carlos Santana and LuJames Groover, although nobody on the team drew a walk this afternoon. Small sample size, plus the usual meaningless nature of spring training – but Alek is 4-for-7 with three extra-base hits, and has also walked more than he has struck out. Given he has changed his swing, perhaps this is meaningful.
We’ll get to see tomorrow. No, we’ll really get to see, with the game against the Dodgers being available for free on a dbacks.com live-stream. That will be our first chance to see Zac Gallen, with Dylan Ray and Drew Jameson among those scheduled to pitch out of the bullpen. 1:10 pm start at Salt River Fields for that.
I had to listen to the game on the radio for a little bit today, and no, the Cleveland broadcasters aren’t bitter. In the 10 minutes I was listening, they mentioned the Dodgers’ $414M payroll three times. It is six times the payroll of the Guardians. The Dodgers have ONE BILLION DOLLARS in deferred monies. They also spent some time opining about how when you play baseball at Harvard, you DO have to go to class, and you CAN’T play for seven years. The disgust was seeping through the airwaves. They obviously rolled in on the bitter bus.
On the field, the Dodgers looked like a team that has six times the payroll of their opponents across the field. They beat the Guardians 11-3, with Cleveland’s runs all coming off a three-run homer given up by Edgardo Henriquez in the second inning.
The Dodgers are a perfect 4-0 so far this spring, allowing only six runs total, while scoring 34.
What was important in this game was the return of Gavin Stone to the mound – and boy, did he look good.
Stone has not seen a Major League mound since August 2024, when he was sidelined needing shoulder reconstruction surgery. While he pitched only one inning, his 15 pitches were dominate. His changeup looked nasty, and he struck out two of the three batters he faced, setting them down in order.
“That’s my bread and butter, so if I don’t have that I’m screwed”, Stone told reporters after the game. “Seeing the results today was really uplifting”.
SportsnetLA’s Kirsten Watson had a nice interview with Stone after his outing.
“Perseverance, trust in the process, relying on Jesus, and my family.” – Gavin Stone talks with @kirsten_watson after his return to the mound… and maybe starting a band?🎸⚾️🔥 pic.twitter.com/1P0ED7omkp
I am here for a Dodgers band. I feel like maybe Kike’ Hernandez would be a good lead singer.
Justin Wrobleski got the win, and including Wrobleski, the remaining seven Dodger pitchers that appeared in the game combined to allow only four more hits for the rest of the game.
Freddie Freeman also appeared in his first game this spring. He popped out his first at bat and then roped a patented Freeman double in his next at bat, scoring two.
Max Muncy and Mookie Betts remain the only two regular starters that haven’t appeared in a Spring Training game so far but should do so by the end of the week. Roki Sasaki will make his first start tomorrow, and Tyler Glasnow will start on Thursday. The Dodgers will be at Salt River Fields against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday, and home against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday although they will be the away team.
BRADENTON, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 12: Konnor Griffin #75 of the Pittsburgh Pirates at bat at Pirate City on February 12, 2026 in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The term most associated with the top prospect in baseball regarding his chances to make the big league club out of spring training is to leave “no doubt.”
On Tuesday afternoon in Fort Myers, Konnor Griffin left no doubt on two baseballs.
In fact, they left the entire ballpark.
Facing All-Star left-hander Ranger Suarez and the Boston Red Sox in the second inning of his third spring training game, Griffin smashed a two-run home run over the left field wall.
The ball traveled 374 feet and left the bat at a 104.8 mph exit velocity.
Konnor Griffin today:
Home run – 374 feet, 104.8 mph Home run – 440 feet, 111 mph
The measurements? 440 feet and 111 mph exit velocity for the consensus best player in the minor leagues.
Griffin hit an RBI groundout to third base in his third time up, finishing the day with two home runs and four RBIs. He also committed one error at short.
Only 19 years old, Griffin played his first full season in 2025 after being selected No. 9 overall in the 2024 MLB Draft. Griffin was the first high school player taken and rapidly rose up the charts by mid-season.
In 122 games between three different levels, Griffin slashed .333/.415/.527 with a .942 OPS. He combined for 23 doubles, four triples, 21 home runs, 94 RBIs, and a whopping 65 stolen bases.
Griffin won’t turn 20 until April 24. Despite moving up from Single-A, to High-A and finally Double-A, Griffin hit .325 or better in all three leagues.
In 21 games with Double-A Altoona, Griffin recorded a .337 average and .960 OPS, increasing his OPS total each level. During that span, Griffin hit five home runs and drove in 22.
He didn’t play a single game of pro ball after being drafted in 2024, bursting onto the scene as a star that prospect analyst Keith Law called “Willie Mays at shortstop.”
The pressure and expectations on Griffin to be a key solution to the Pirates’ offensive woes are immense.
Ben Cherington and Don Kelly may refrain from making Griffin a member of the Opening Day roster if they don’t feel he’s ready or for a number of other reasons, but Griffin is already doing his part to ensure that one of the best prospects this century leaves “no doubt.”
PHOENIX, AZ – MARCH 26: Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics looks to pass the ball during the game against the Phoenix Suns on March 26, 2025 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Boston Celtics (37-19) at Phoenix Suns (33-25) Tuesday, February 24, 2026 9:00 PM ET Regular Season Game #57, Road Game #30 TV: ESPN, NBCSB, 3TV Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub, 98.7 AZ Sports Radio, Sirius XM Mortgage Matchup Center
The Celtics continue their western road trip with a stop in Phoenix to take on the Suns. They won the first 2 games of the trip by beating the Warriors and the Lakers. They will face the Nuggets on Wednesday to close out the trip. This is the first of 2 games between these two teams this season. They will meet for the 2nd, and final, time on March 16.
The Celtics won the series 2-0 last season and have won 4 straight against the Suns. They are 79-60 overall all time against the Suns and they are 33-36 in games played in Phoenix. The Celtics are playing in the first of back to back games and will travel to Denver to complete the back to back set on Wednesday. The Celtics are 6-3 in the first of back to back games this season.
Like the Celtics, the Suns have changed quite a bit since last season. In the offseason, they traded Kevin Durant to Houston for Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green. They traded Vasilije Micic to Charlotte for Mark Williams. They claimed Jordan Goodwin off waivers from the Lakers. They bought out Bradley Beal. and they drafted Khaman Maluach (10th), Rasheer Fleming (31st) and Koby Brea (41st. Tyus Jones and Mason Plumlee both left in free agency. At the trade deadline, they traded Nigel Hayes-Davis and Nick Richards for Amir Coffey and Cole Anthony.
The Celtics are 2nd in the East, 5 games behind 1st place Detroit. They are 1 game ahead of 3rd place New York, 2 games ahead of 4th place Cleveland, 3.5 games ahead of 5th place Toronto, 6.5 games ahead of 6th place Philadelphia and 7 games ahead of 7th place Orlando. The Celtics are 13-6 against Western Conference opponents. They are 19-10 on the road and 8-2 in their last 10 games. They have won their last 3 games.
The Suns are 7th in the West, 11 games behind 1st place OKC, 3 games behind 3rd place Denver, 2.5 games behind 4th place Houston, and 2 games behind the 5th place Lakers and 6th place Minnesota. They are 2.5 games ahead of 8th place Golden Stat and 5 games ahead of 9th place Portland. The Suns are 11-7 against Eastern Conference opponents and 19-11 at home. They are 4-6 in their last 10 games and are coming off a loss in their last game.
The Celtics are playing in the 3rd game of a 4 game Western road trip. They beat Golden State 121-110 on Thursday and beat the Lakers 111-89 on Sunday. They will play Denver on Wednesday to close out the trip. They will then return home for games against Brooklyn and Philadelphia before a game at Milwaukee. Then they are back home for games against Charlotte and Dallas before a tough 3 game road trip through Cleveland, San Antonio, and Oklahoma City. Then they host Washington, Phoenix and Golden State.
The Suns are playing in the 3rd game of a 4 game home stand. They beat Orlando and lost to Portland in the first two games and will face the Lakers to close out the home stand. They will then play at Sacramento before three more games at home against Chicago, New Orleans and Charlotte. They will then head out on a 6 game road trip through Milwaukee, Indiana, Toronto, Boston, Minnesota and San Antonio.
Jayson Tatum remains out for the Celtics as he rehabs from the Achilles injury, although rumblings of his return seem to be getting louder. Jaylen Brown has been added to the injury report with a knee contusion. They may be cautious with him due to the back to back games with Denver being the tougher team. He was originally questionable but has been downgraded to out. I’m going to take a wild guess that Hugo Gonzalez starts but I’m usually wrong.
The Suns have 5 players out and one player questionable on their injury report. Grayson Allen is questionable due to right knee and ankle injury management. He will be a game time decision. Cole Anthony has not reported to the team as yet after his trade from Orlando. Devin Booker (hip), Dillon Brooks (hand), Jordan Goodwin (calf) and Haywood Highsmith (knee) are all listed as out. I’ve listed their starting lineup from their last game.
Probable Starting Matchups PG: Derrick White vs Collin Gillespie
Derrick White | NBAE via Getty ImagesCollin Gillespie | Getty Images
SG: Baylor Scheierman vs Jalen Green
Baylor Scheierman | Getty ImagesJalen Green | NBAE via Getty Images
SF: Hugo Gonzalez vs Ryan Dunn
Hugo Gonzalez | Getty ImagesRyan Dunn | NBAE via Getty Images
Sam Hauser vs Royce O’Neale
Sam Hauser | NBAE via Getty ImagesRoyce O’Neale | NBAE via Getty Images
C: Neemias Queta vs Mark Williams
Neemias Queta | NBAE via Getty ImagesMark Williams | Getty Images
Celtics Reserves Payton Pritchard Luka Garza Amare Williams Nikola Vucevic Jordan Walsh Delano Banton (10-day) John Tonje (10-day) 2-Way Players Ron Harper, Jr Max Shulga Injuries/Out Jayson Tatum (Achilles) out Jaylen Brown (knee) out
Head Coach Joe Mazzulla
Suns Reserves Amir Coffey Rasheer Fleming Oso Ighodaro Khaman Maluach 2-Way Players Jamaree Bouyea Koby Brea Isaiah Livers
Injuries/Out Grayson Allen (ankle) questionable Cole Anthony (not with team) out Devin Booker (hip) out Dillon Brooks (hand) out Jordan Goodwin (calf) out Haywood Highsmith (knee) out
Head Coach Jordan Ott
Key Matchups Derrick White vs Collin Gillespie Gillespie is averaging 13.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists,and 1.4 steals per game. He is shooting 42.9% from the field and 42.8% from beyond the arc. He is one of their best 3 point shooters and so the Celtics need to especially defend him on the perimeter.
Baylor Scheierman vs Jalen Green Green is averaging 13.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. He is shooting 38.2% from the field and 31.3% from beyond the arc. In his last game, he finished with 13 points to go along with 3 rebounds and 3 steals. He hit a game winning 3 to beat the Magic on Saturday and so can be dangerous if not defended well.
Honorable Mention Neemias Queta vs Mark Williams Williams is averaging 11.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game. He is shooting 64.2% from the field but is not a threat from beyond the arc. Williams ranks 4th in the NBA in FG% (64.2%) and is 1-of-5 players in the NBA this season averaging 11+ points on 67+ TS% and 11+ rebounds per game. The Celtics need to keep him out of the paint and off the boards.
Keys to the Game Defense – Defense is always a key to winning. The Celtics have a defensive rating of 112.2 (7th) and the Suns have a defensive rating of 112.5 (8th). The Suns take 40.4 threes per game (6th) and make 14.5 threes per game (8th). The Celtics take 42.3 threes per game and make 15.4 (3rd). The Suns are a good shooting team and the Celtics will need to up their defense, especially on the perimeter, if they want to beat the Suns at home.
Rebound – The Celtics need to rebound on the offensive end to give themselves extra possessions and to prevent the Suns from racking up fast break points. They also have to crash the boards on the defensive end to prevent the Suns from getting tip ins and second chance points. The Celtics are 8th with 45.7 rebounds per game while the Suns are 18th with 43.4 rebounds per game. Rebounding is all about effort and the Celtics are going to have to put out extra effort to win the battle of the boards.
Move the Ball Carefully – The Celtics need to move the ball in order to find the best shot on each possession. When the ball sticks and players try to do too much, the Celtics struggle. They are at their best when they pass the ball and keep it moving. ISO ball is not usually winning ball. The Celtics are 29-4 when they have at least 25 assists. They need to keep the ball moving and find the open man. However, they need to be careful with their passes and ball handling since the Suns are 3rd with 20.8 points per game off turnovers.
Be Aggressive – The Celtics have to come out and be aggressive right from the opening tip. They have to be aggressive on defense, driving to the basket, rebounding, diving for loose balls and just playing harder in general. They need to get off to a strong start and play hard right up until the final buzzer. They can’t let the Suns outwork them for any period of time because even the best team in the league can lose to the worst if they don’t play with effort. The Celtics tend to take it easy when a team is bad or missing key players. The Suns are missing several key players but are still capable of beating the Celtics if they don’t play aggressively throughout the game.
X-Factors Road Fatigue – The Celtics are playing in the 3rd game of a 4 game road trip. They have had a lot of travel and had to sleep in hotels and play in hostile arenas. They may be gettng somewhat road weary. They have also changed time zones and may have a bit of jet lag. They may be short handed if Jaylen Brown is out and so they all need to pick up the slack and that could also add to fatigue in the game.
Officiating – I know that I say this every game, but the officiating always has the possibility to be an x-factor in every game. Every crew calls the game differently, whether they call every little ticky tack foul or they let a lot of contact go and let the teams play. Some refs favor the home team and some call for both teams evenly. The Celtics have got to adjust to the way the game is being called and not allow the officiating to take away from their focus.
WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 22: Bilal Coulibaly #0 of the Washington Wizards goes to the basket against PJ Hall #16 of the Charlotte Hornets during the second half at Capital One Arena on February 22, 2026 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Washington Wizards play the Atlanta Hawks at 7:30 p.m. tonight at State Farm Arena. Watch the game on Monumental Sports Network.
Trae Young remains out in his return to Atlanta. Former Wizards Corey Kispert and CJ McCollum will be available for the Hawks.
The NBA Finals MVP odds are shaping up to look very familiar.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has led the Finals MVP odds since the 2025–26 season tipped off, and with the Oklahoma City Thunder owning the league’s best record — even while he’s sidelined with an abdominal strain — OKC is proving it has the pieces to repeat.
When their star guard returns, he should be able to slide right back into a NBA Championship caliber lineup with ease.
Here’s a look at the latest NBA odds to win 2026 Finals MVP.
🏆 2026 NBA Finals MVP odds
These are the latest NBA odds for the NBA Finals MVP race with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the pack to go for it once again.
The Oklahoma City Thunder remain the favorites in the NBA Finals odds. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been their most reliable source of production, and that’s why he’s the leader in this market.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have been weathering the storm without their top scorers, with Jalen Williams also dealing with an injury — but they’ve kept rolling through the league by showing resilience despite a short-handed roster.
📈 NBA Finals MVP opening odds
Here are what NBA Finals MVP opening odds looked like, just before the postseason.
The adage of needing versatile forwards in today’s NBA rings especially true when looking at the recent Finals MVP winners. Despite Giannis being one of the most position-amorphous players in NBA history, eight of the past 10 Finals MVPs have been, at least by most definitions, forwards.
Year
Player
Team
2024
Jaylen Brown
Boston Celtics
2023
Nikola Jokic
Denver Nuggets
2022
Stephen Curry
Golden State Warriors
2021
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Golden State Warriors
2017
Kevin Durant
Golden State Warriors
2016
LeBron James
Golden State Warriors
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The San Antonio Spurs are once again surging in odds to win the NBA Finals, this time after they beat the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons by double digits Monday night.
Key Takeaways
The Spurs are 9-3 against teams in the top three in both conferences.
San Antonio was given +6,600 odds the day before their season began.
A Spurs championship would mark the largest Finals upset on record.
The Spurs are 41-16, good for the second-best record in the Western Conference and the third best in the NBA. The only teams ahead of them are the Oklahoma City Thunder (44-14) and Pistons (42-14).
San Antonio passed the “40-20” test, which refers to more than 90% of champions winning 40 games before losing 20 during the regular season.
The Spurs were +6,600 to win the Finals on Oct. 21, the day before they made their season debut, according to Sports Odds History’s archive of BetMGM’s odds.
BetMGM is now one of several sportsbooks to list the Spurs at +1,000 odds, meaning they’ve gone from a 1.5% to a 9.1% implied chance to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy. OKC is at +135 (42.6% chance) and Denver is at +550 (15.4% chance).
Prediction platform Kalshi views the race much differently. The Thunder are still at the top of the board, though users have only given them a 39% chance to win the Finals. The Spurs are second at 14%, ahead of the Nuggets at 12%.
Those probabilities translated to betting odds would look like this:
Thunder: +156
Spurs: +614
Nuggets: +733
Spurs, Wembanyama surging
The Spurs’ continued ascent in NBA Finals winner odds is well earned. They are 9-3 against the top three teams in each conference (Thunder, Pistons, Houston Rockets, Boston Celtics, and New York Knicks) and beat the defending champions in four of their five matchups.
They also won the NBA Cup and are two wins (against the Toronto Raptors and Brooklyn Nets) away from going 11-0 in February.
The team’s surge has given life to Victor Wembanyama’s NBA MVP case. Kalshi’s odds list the young Frenchman fourth behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, and Cade Cunniingham with a 9% chance to win.
While he is an obvious underdog, both Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic are in danger of losing their eligibility for the award due to the NBA’s 65-game requirement for players. Cunningham isn’t close to missing more than the allotted amount of games, but he’s only at a 16% chance at the time of writing.
Here’s how the top four candidates stack up against one another as they continue to battle in NBA MVP odds:
A Spurs NBA championship would mark the largest Finals upset on record, according to Sports Odds History data.
The longest preseason underdogs to win since 1984-85, when odds were first tracked, were the 2014-15 Golden State Warriors. Even they were only +2,800.
The closest team since then was the 2018-19 Raptors, who were +1,850.
