NBA NewsSaturday, Feb 28, 2026

Rich Paul discussed the 2011 NBA Finals defeat of the Miami Heat on the Game Over With Max Kellerman and Rich Paul podcast, saying the loss played a crucial role in shaping LeBron James’ career. He called the defeat a necessary experience, adding that winning in that manner could have had consequences beyond basketball. “Obviously […] The post Rich Paul on 2011 Finals: “I’m glad LeBron and the Heat lost” appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

The Rockets rallied for a comeback win in Orlando on Thursday night, marking their fourth victory in five games since the All-Star break, but the team saw forward Jabari Smith Jr. leave late with an injury. Smith hurt his ankle with under two minutes left in the fourth quarter (NBA.com video link), though head coach […] The post Jabari Smith Jr. injured during Rockets win appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall demonstrated Thursday why the team chose not to move him at this month’s trade deadline. As Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal reports, Marshall delivered a standout performance against Sacramento, becoming only the third undrafted player since the 1983/84 season to post at least 35 points, 10 rebounds, and five […] The post Jason Kidd credits Naji Marshall for stepping up appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

James Borrego has taken an aggressive approach since becoming the New Orleans Pelicans’ interim head coach, rather than coaching cautiously after replacing Willie Green, writes Rod Walker of NOLA.com. Walker notes that Borrego has shown a willingness to make daring lineup adjustments, such as giving rookie Derik Queen a starting role while moving high-salaried veteran […] The post Dejounte Murray praises Pelicans’ ego-free culture appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Head coach Erik Spoelstra continues working to strike the right balance between developing Miami’s young talent and keeping the team competitive as it pursues a seventh consecutive playoff appearance, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Spoelstra acknowledged that managing growth while maintaining consistency has been a key challenge this season. “I have to do […] The post Erik Spoelstra aims for consistency with young roster appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

The Miami Heat wing Jaime Jaquez Jr. is no longer considered the betting favorite for the Sixth Man of the Year award, having been overtaken by Naz Reid and Keldon Johnson in recent odds. Still, as Ira Winderman writes for The Sun Sentinel, the third-year player remains focused on contributing to team success rather than […] The post Jaime Jaquez Jr. is no longer the Sixth Man favorite appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Heat president Pat Riley was honored Sunday with a statue unveiling outside the Lakers’ arena, and during the ceremony the longtime executive reflected on Miami’s championship era and what might have happened if LeBron James had remained with the franchise after 2014, as Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald reports. Riley spoke about the expectations […] The post Pat Riley says Heat could’ve been dynasty appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson talked about what makes Jalen Duren so dynamic when he locks in as a scorer after Friday’s 122-119 overtime home win vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers (33 points/16 rebounds/3 assists/zero turnovers/1 steal/3 blocks/one foul/11-19 FG/11-15 FT/+14 +/- in 41:42 MP). *set career-high for free-throw attempts* *tied career-high in points* (via Detroit […] The post Ausar Thompson on Jalen Duren: “You take a bump from him, it’s not no normal bump” appeared first on T...

Marcus Sasser and trade deadline addition Kevin Huerter have yet to secure regular spots in the rotation, but the Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said both players should see more opportunities as the schedule intensifies next month. With a busy stretch ahead, Bickerstaff expects the team’s depth to play a larger role. “We got […] The post Pistons coach says opportunities coming for Marcus Sasser, Kevin Huerter appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

The Houston Rockets host the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday, January 3, with injuries playing a major role in how this Western Conference matchup could unfold. Tipoff is set for 8:00 p.m. ET at Toyota Center as both teams enter the game on very different trajectories. Houston Rockets comes in with a 21-10 record and a […] The post Rockets vs. Mavericks injury report: Key absences shape Saturday matchup appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder highlighted his team’s defensive effort after Friday’s 111-99 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. “I think just playing the style of play that fits us… we’ve got to defend,” Snyder said, noting that rebounding and transition opportunities fueled their offense. Snyder emphasized the importance of […] The post Quin Snyder praises Hawks’ defense and ball movement in win over Knicks appeared first on TalkBasket.net .

Memphis head coach Tuomas Iisalo addressed the challenges of containing Los Angeles’ stars after the 128-121 loss at Crypto.com Arena. “We had a very clear game plan… get the ball out of Doncic’s hands and make other guys finish. Only today, those guys shot with a great percentage,” he said. Iisalo noted that Lakers’ mid-range […] The post Tuomas Iisalo reflects on Lakers’ shooting and Grizzlies’ adjustments after loss appeared first on TalkBasket.net .