1. גם זאק לוויין מסקרמנטו קינגס סיים את העונה

 

אתמול כתבתי על סבוניס שסיים את העונה בגין ניתוח מיניסקוס שעבר. היום אני מוסיף את זאק לוויין לרשימת השחקנים שסיימו את העונה. זאק עבר ניתוח לגיד בידו הימנית, והקינגס מאבדים את ה-19.2 נק' שהוא תרם לקבוצה עד האולסטאר.

לזאק ישנה אופציה של 48.9 מיליון לעונה הבאה שהוא בוודאי יסכים לה ברצון, כמו סבוניס שהאופציה שלו היא 94 מיליון לשנתיים הבאות.

אלא חדשות שחורות לקבוצה עם הרקורד הגרוע ביותר בליגה – 12 נצחונות ו-44 הפסדים. אני לא אוהב במיוחד לומר את המילים האלה, אבל המצב בסקרמנטו גרוע כל כך שכאן לומר 'להתחיל הכל מחדש' זה לא מוגזם.

2. אני לא עורך סקר, אבל שואל שאלה: אנא רשום ב'תגובות' את שלושת ה-STORY-LINES החשובים ביותר לדעתך לשאר משחקי העונה!

אני אפרסם כמה מתגובותיכם!

3. לכל מי שחושב שקופר פלאג הוא לא יותר מ'פלאג-מטי' (לא רע, מל!) שהמדיה מרוממת, אז מה תגידו אם אגלה לכם שגופיית משחק שלו נמכרה במיליון דולאר???????

Cooper Flagg jersey sells for record $1 million

The jersey that Cooper Flagg wore in the first half of his NBA debut with the Dallas Mavericks sells for $1 milllion.

4. אם היו שואלים אותי איזו קבוצה נפלה ביותר העונה מכולן, הייתי בוחר באינדיאנה פייסרס ללא היסוס!

טייריס הליברטון עשה תנועה זו לקבוצה נגדית. היום הוא יכול היה לעשותה לעבר קבוצתו:

Pacers’ nightmare season is somehow even worse than fans expected

הקבוצנ שרק בקיץ שעבר הכריחה את האלופה אוקלהומה סיטי ת'אנדר ל-7 משחקים לפני שניצחה את האליפות 4-3, מקרטעת היום עם רקורד של 40-15, אולי הנפילה הגדולה בהסטוריה של קבוצה שהגיעה לגמר בעונה הקודמת.

האם חלק מהאשמה היא במאמן ריק קרלייל שאולי ניגמר לו?

Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle against the Golden State Warriors. | Anadolu/GettyImages :קרדיט

5. קייד קנינגהאם מאמין שהוא שחקן הכדורסל האמריקאי הטוב ביותר, והוא יוכיח זאת באולימפיאדה הבאה

“I want to be on the Olympic team coming up. I think I’m the best American player.” -Cade Cunningham https://t.co/JwjGCG9qOB pic.twitter.com/qBxUXpH52t

— GQ Magazine (@GQMagazine) February 19, 2026

6. אדם סילבר מבטיח שבעונה הבאה יהיו חוקים שיענישו טנקינג!

7. פלינקה: "זה לא סוד. אנחנו הולכים הקיץ להחתים את ג'יאניס" (Report: Lakers targeting Giannis Antetokounmpo all out in trade)

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8. פאוור רנקינג של 20 הראשונות לקראת הישורת האחרונה של העונה (CLUTCH POINT רנקינג של קלאץ' פוינט)

נשארו 27 משחקים לכל קבוצה ואתר קלאץ' פוינט החליט לערוך פאוור רנקינג:

1. San Antonio Spurs (-)

2025-26 Record: 38-16 | Last Week’s Schedule: at LAL (W28), at GSW (W13)

Upcoming Week’s Schedule: vs. PHX (2/19), vs. SAC (2/21)

As the NBA enters the final several weeks of the regular season, the San Antonio Spurs remain at the top of the power rankings despite holding the third-best record out of the All-Star break. Victor Wembanyama has been sensational as of late, and the Spurs, regardless of their playoff experience, look like legitimate threats to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the West.

Aside from defeating the Thunder four times this season, the Spurs have gone 7-4 against the other four teams currently ranked inside the top six of the West standings. Mitch Johnson’s group plays hard, they play with a chip on their shoulder, and their athleticism stands out defensively.

However, if there is one area of weakness for this group, it’s their perimeter shooting abilities. This season, the Spurs are shooting just 34.7 percent from deep, ranking them 22nd in the NBA.

2. Detroit Pistons (+1)

2025-26 Record: 40-13 | Last Week’s Schedule: at CHA (W6), at TOR (W18)

Upcoming Week’s Schedule: at NYK (2/19), at CHI (2/21)

Cade Cunningham is playing like a real MVP candidate, and he has the Detroit Pistons at the top of the East standings coming out of the All-Star break. The last time the Pistons had 40 or more wins at the All-Star break, they won 64 games and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Could this year’s squad in Detroit share a similar fate?

Like the Spurs, JB Bickerstaff’s young Pistons squad is elite defensively and is allowing the third-fewest points per game to opponents this year. If you have any questions about their physicality, just watch what happened before the All-Star break in Charlotte, as Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren were among four total players ejected from the game for a major altercation that broke out.

Stewart was suspended for seven games for being a repeat offender, and Duren was suspended for two games for his involvement. Both players will begin their suspensions on Thursday when the Pistons take on the Knicks.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder (-1)

2025-26 Record: 42-14 | Last Week’s Schedule: at LAL (W9), at PHX (W27), vs. MIL (L17)

Upcoming Week’s Schedule: vs. BKN (2/20), vs. CLE (2/22)

Gilgeous-Alexander is dealing with an abdominal injury. Jalen Williams has a hamstring injury, and nothing has been said about whether he will be available coming out of the All-Star break. Ajay Mitchell has also been dealing with an abdominal injury, and Isaiah Hartenstein has missed over 20 games this season due to multiple ailments.

This is why the Thunder are just 5-6 over their last 11 games and lost three of their last five heading into the All-Star break. As a result, Oklahoma City finds itself No. 3 in the NBA power rankings, the lowest ranking for this team all season.

The Thunder are still the defending champions, and there is plenty of time for them to get their key talents back on the court and seize the 1-seed in the West. But at the same time, it’s hard to ignore that other teams have made significant ground in catching Gilgeous-Alexander’s group, and those in the West no longer fear them.

4. New York Knicks (-)

2025-26 Record: 35-20 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. IND (L3/OT), at PHI (W49)

Upcoming Week’s Schedule: vs. DET (2/19), vs. HOU (2/21)

A 49-point beatdown of the Philadelphia 76ers stands out on the New York Knicks’ resume right before the All-Star break. Outside of a blowout loss to Detroit and an overtime loss to Indiana, the Knicks have been rolling offensively.

With Jose Alvarado finding his groove in Madison Square Garden and now Jeremy Sochan joining the team, the Knicks have everything they need to chase a title this season. However, New York lost the season tiebreaker to Detroit and is currently 5.5 games behind them for the 1-seed in the East.

This is important because while the Knicks are 21-7 at home this season, they are just 13-13 on the road. Playing in MSG throughout the playoffs could be the difference in this team making its first NBA Finals appearance since 1999.

5. Denver Nuggets (-)

2025-26 Record: 35-20 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. CLE (L2), vs. MEM (W6)

Upcoming Week’s Schedule: at POR (2/20), at GSW (2/22)

Despite Nikola Jokic returning to the court before the All-Star break, the Denver Nuggets have lost five of their last nine games. Like the Thunder, injuries continue to limit Denver’s overall potential, and we’ve yet to see this group play consistently at full strength.

The Nuggets are obviously championship threats as long as Jokic and Jamal Murray are healthy, but there are two key metrics that stand out with this group. Even though they rank first in offensive rating and can score against the best teams in the league, virtually any team can score against Denver’s 24th-ranked defense.

This season, the Nuggets have given up at least 120 points in 12 of their 20 losses.

6. Boston Celtics (-)

2025-26 Record: 35-19 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. CHI (W19)

Upcoming Week’s Schedule: at LAL (2/22)

Is Jayson Tatum actually going to come back this season? It sure seems like the All-NBA forward is gearing up to return sometime in March before the start of the playoffs in April, but there are still some roadblocks to cross for Tatum before the Boston Celtics give him the green light.

Still, the hope of his return has elevated the Celtics’ play lately, and they are right behind the Pistons for the 1-seed in the East. Aside from owning the third-best point differential in the league this season, the Celtics are allowing just 108.4 points per game to their opponents, trailing only the Thunder’s average of 108.0 opponent points per game.

Oh, and the Celtics have Jaylen Brown, who is playing like a true MVP candidate and ranks fourth in scoring coming out of the All-Star break.

7. Cleveland Cavaliers (+1)

2025-26 Record: 34-21 | Last Week’s Schedule: at DEN (W2), vs. WAS (W25)

Upcoming Week’s Schedule: vs. BKN (2/19), at CHA (2/20), at OKC (2/22)

The duo of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden seems to be working so far, as the Cleveland Cavaliers have gone 4-0 since this trade was finalized. With Harden on the court, the Cavs have outscored their three opponents by 33 combined points.

The Cavaliers are one of the hottest teams in the league coming out of the All-Star break, as they’ve won 10 of their last 11 games, including five straight. Not to mention, the Cavs own the league’s best record since Christmas Day, going 17-6 in this span.

Cleveland has firmly established itself as a top-four team in the East this season, trailing the Knicks for the 3-seed by just one game.

8. Minnesota Timberwolves (+4)

2025-26 Record: 34-22 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. ATL (W22), vs. POR (W24)

Upcoming Week’s Schedule: vs. DAL (2/20), vs. PHI (2/22)

The Minnesota Timberwolves have been the most inconsistent top-10 team in the NBA power rankings all season. As good as Anthony Edwards is, his talents can’t mask the problems Minnesota has been dealing with when it comes to defensive intensity and effort given every night.

Rudy Gobert has called out his teammates for this major problem, and it has resulted in lackluster losses that a team with back-to-back appearances in the Western Conference Finals shouldn’t have.

That is why it’s hard to trust this group right now and why Minnesota is barely holding onto the 6-seed in the West standings.

9. Houston Rockets (-2)

2025-26 Record: 33-20 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. LAC (W7), vs. LAC (L3)

Upcoming Week’s Schedule: at CHA (2/19), at NYK (2/21)

No team needed to enter the All-Star break more than the Houston Rockets, as this team has really struggled on offense lately. Since the start of February, the Rockets rank 24th in offensive rating and are averaging just 104.3 points per game, the second least out of any team in this span, in front of just the Golden State Warriors (104.2 PPG).

Kevin Durant has been a one-man show at times for the Rockets, which is where this team’s concerns lie. Others will need to step up, especially from the perimeter, if Houston is to be taken seriously in the playoffs.

10. Los Angeles Lakers (-1)

2025-26 Record: 33-21 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. OKC (L9), vs. SAS (L28), vs. DAL (W20)

Upcoming Week’s Schedule: vs. LAC (2/20), vs. BOS (2/22)

With LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves healthy, the Los Angeles Lakers believe that they can contend against any team in the West come playoff time. At least, this is what LeBron said in his comments during All-Star Weekend.

“Our success is gonna come down to our health,” James said of the Lakers in his solo press conference at Intuit Dome on Sunday before the All-Star Game.

These three stars in LA have barely played with one another this season, which is why the final several weeks of the regular season will be key for them to find their rhythm before the postseason. All LeBron cares about at this point is contending for a championship, so don’t count out this group just yet.

11. Phoenix Suns (-)

2025-26 Record: 32-23 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. DAL (W9), vs. OKC (L27)

Upcoming Week’s Schedule: at SAS (2/19), vs. ORL (2/21), vs. POR (2/22)

The Phoenix Suns are another team that hit a rough patch before the All-Star break, losing four of their last six games. While Dillon Brooks has led the team in scoring each of their last four games, the Suns’ main concern is the health of Devin Booker and Jalen Green.

Booker was dealing with a right ankle sprain before the All-Star break, but he was able to participate in the All-Star Game. As for Green, he has played in only seven games this season due to a variety of injuries, mainly hamstring problems.

When this team is at full strength, they are one of the best defensive groups who can really light things up on offense off of turnovers. The Suns rank third this season in points off their opponent’s turnovers.

12. Philadelphia 76ers (-2)

2025-26 Record: 30-24 | Last Week’s Schedule: at POR (L17), vs. NYK (L49)

Upcoming Week’s Schedule: vs. ATL (2/19), at NOP (2/21), at MIN (2/22)

Without Joel Embiid, the Philadelphia 76ers lost by 49 points to the Knicks in their last game before the All-Star break. In their 23 games without Embiid playing, the Sixers have gone 11-12 this season.

It is no secret to anyone that Embiid is the key to the 76ers’ overall success, but can he actually remain healthy for the remainder of the season and what Philadelphia hopes will be a deep playoff push? These are the only questions that matter for the 76ers.

13. Toronto Raptors (-)

2025-26 Record: 32-23 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. DET (L18)

Upcoming Week’s Schedule: at CHI (2/19), at MIL (2/22)

While the Toronto Raptors have put together an incredible season to this point and are emerging as playoff threats in the Eastern Conference, they have yet to overcome one of the top three teams in the East.

This season, the Raptors are a combined 0-7 against the Pistons, Celtics, and Knicks. Toronto has gone 24-8 against the rest of the East.

It will be interesting to monitor the Raptors and see if they can claim a top-four spot in the Eastern Conference standings to have home-court advantage in the opening round of the playoffs. Then again, this team is better on the road this season than at home, so traveling for a first-round series isn’t all that bad for Toronto.

14. Golden State Warriors (-)

2025-26 Record: 29-26 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. MEM (W1), vs. SAS (L13)

Upcoming Week’s Schedule: vs. BOS (2/19), vs. DEN (2/22)

Stephen Curry has not played since Jan. 30 due to right knee soreness, but all indications point to him playing in the Warriors’ first game out of the All-Star break against Boston on Thursday. The Warriors are also optimistic about Kristaps Porzingis’ status, and he should be making his team debut some time soon.

With Curry and Porzingis back on the court, the Warriors can still be a threatening team in the West. However, losing Jimmy Butler obviously hurts this organization’s chances of competing for a title.

As the 8-seed in the West right now, Golden State is 4.5 games back of avoiding the play-in tournament.

15. Charlotte Hornets (-)

2025-26 Record: 26-29 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. DET (L6), vs. ATL (W3)

Upcoming Week’s Schedule: vs. HOU (2/19), vs. CLE (2/20), at WAS (2/22)

There is a lot to like about Charles Lee’s young Charlotte Hornets squad and what they have achieved over the last few weeks. Charlotte entered the All-Star break winning 10 of its last 11 games, and the Hornets have a chance to further build their resume with back-to-back games against the Rockets and Cavs out of the All-Star break.

Since Jan. 22, the Hornets rank third in offensive rating and sixth in defensive rating. Only the Pistons and Spurs can also say this during that span.

16. Los Angeles Clippers (+1)

2025-26 Record: 26-28 | Last Week’s Schedule: at HOU (L7), at HOU (W3)

Upcoming Week’s Schedule: vs. DEN (2/19), at LAL (2/20), vs. ORL (2/22)

What will the Los Angeles Clippers look like now that Ivica Zubac and James Harden are gone? Kawhi Leonard proved that he is still a superstar talent with his 31-point performance in one of the All-Star mini-games this past weekend, but are the Clippers still threatening in the West?

This is a question nobody knows the answer to yet.

The Clippers have no reason to tank, seeing as they don’t own their draft pick, so Tyronn Lue will continue to coach his team toward the playoffs. Whether LA can make the postseason comes down to if they can win in the play-in tournament, as their spot seems secured since those at the bottom of the West standings will be intentionally losing games.

17. Orlando Magic (+2)

2025-26 Record: 28-25 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. MIL (W19), vs. MIL (L8)

Upcoming Week’s Schedule: at SAC (2/19), at PHX (2/21), at LAC (2/22)

The Orlando Magic have not been healthy all season, and their injury woes continue post-All-Star break.

Franz Wagner has missed 25 of the Magic’s last 29 games due to a high ankle sprain, and he will now miss at least three more weeks as he recovers from this injury. With Wagner out again, the Magic have still yet to see him play alongside Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs, and Desmond Bane for a string of consecutive games this season.

That is why the Magic are nothing more than an average-looking team in the East.

18. Portland Trail Blazers (+2)

2025-26 Record: 27-29 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. PHI (W17), at MIN (L24), at UTA (W16)

Upcoming Week’s Schedule: vs. DEN (2/20), at PHX (2/22)

Over their last five games, the Portland Trail Blazers are 4-1 and averaging 127.2 points per game, the third most in the league behind only San Antonio and Cleveland during this span.

With their full lineup on the floor, Portland is beginning to look like the team many thought they could be, with Jrue Holiday and Jerami Grant helping bridge the gaps between the young stars like Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe. Donovan Clingan has also been a storyline for the Blazers as of late, as he’s averaging 14.4 points and 13.9 rebounds per game since the start of February.

Keep a close eye on this Trail Blazers team and what they can achieve heading into the back half of the season.

19. Miami Heat (-3)

2025-26 Record: 29-27 | Last Week’s Schedule: vs. UTA (L4), at NOP (W12)

Upcoming Week’s Schedule: at ATL (2/20), vs. MEM (2/21)

The Miami Heat did nothing to help themselves during the NBA trade deadline, and this team continues to drop in the power rankings because of the major inefficiencies they have outside of Bam Adebayo and Norman Powell.

This team has not won more than two straight games since the start of the new year, and Erik Spoelstra seems to be coaching a new team every time they take the court. That is why the Heat continue to be stuck in play-in tournament purgatory.

20. Milwaukee Bucks (+1)

2025-26 Record: 23-30 | Last Week’s Schedule: at ORL (L19), at ORL (W8), at OKC (W17)

Upcoming Week’s Schedule: at NOP (2/20), vs. TOR (2/22)

After winning five of their last six games before the All-Star break, the Milwaukee Bucks are suddenly seven games below .500 and have an outside chance of sneaking their way into the play-in tournament.

Not to mention, Giannis Antetokounmpo says he’s ready to get back on the court from his calf injury, so maybe the path forward in Milwaukee is bright after all the smoke about the two-time MVP being traded.