NBA 101

Spurs vs Lakers Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s NBA Game

Only one team in the West postseason picture has gone better than 6-4 outright in its last 10 games: the San Antonio Spurs. And San Antonio should continue that surge against the Los Angeles Lakers tonight.

My Spurs vs. Lakers predictions believe in the young team that may be becoming the best team in the West, one of many NBA picks on Tuesday, February 10.

Spurs vs Lakers prediction

Spurs vs Lakers best bet: Spurs -9 (-110)

The schedules alone give too much of an edge to the San Antonio Spurs. The Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Thunder last night, and this will be the Lakers’ sixth game in 10 days, including their third in four nights. San Antonio’s two days off seem luxurious by comparison.

The L.A. nightlife could trouble the Spurs, but more likely, their youth should run the Lakers ragged. Victor Wembanyama gets the headlines, but San Antonio also plays at a top-half pace.

Spurs vs Lakers same-game parlay

LeBron James has fallen short of this modest prop in three straight games and in six of his last seven. Father Time may finally be winning. A springy James may be Los Angeles’s best defense against Wembanyama, but without that, the Lakers have no proper height to slow the French phenom.

Spurs vs Lakers SGP

• Spurs -9
• LeBron James Under 22.5 points
• Victor Wembanyama Over 22.5 points

Our “from downtown” SGP: Lakers Run Dry

The thought here is pretty simple: Expect Los Angeles to show its exhaustion throughout.

Spurs vs Lakers SGP

• Spurs -9
• LeBron James Under 22.5 points
• Victor Wembanyama Over 22.5 points
• Luka Doncic Under 3.5 made threes
• Under 227.5

Spurs vs Lakers odds

• Spread: Spurs -9.5 (-105) | Lakers +9.5 (-115)
• Moneyline: Spurs -350 | Lakers +275
• Over/Under: Over 227 (-110) | Under 226 (-110)

Spurs vs Lakers betting trend to know

San Antonio is 3-0-1 against the spread this month. Find more NBA betting trends for Spurs vs. Lakers.

How to watch Spurs vs Lakers

Spurs vs Lakers latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

Pacers vs. Knicks predictions: Odds, recent stats, trends and best bets for February 10

Child's play: Reigning NASCAR champion Kyle Larson adds team owner to his renowned racing resume

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Kyle Larson’s latest racing endeavor might be more challenging than “The Double.”

The two-time and reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion recently started his own micro-racing team — for his kids. Trucks, trailers, cars, engines, parts, shop space, employees, Larson added it all for his 11-year-old son, Owen, and his 7-year-old daughter, Audrey, to race scaled-down sprint cars more often in 2026.

“We are fully invested,” Kyle Larson said.

Larson, though, is dreading the financial thought of it becoming a three-driver operation because his youngest, 3-year-old Cooper, is the wildest of the bunch.

“In a perfect world, I would love for Cooper not to race,” Larson said. “He’s the craziest, for sure, of the three. I think he’ll be the most expensive, probably, because I’m sure he’ll be tearing up the most equipment. So, we’ll see if we can keep him out of it.”

Highly unlikely, especially if he’s trying to keep pace with Dad.

Larson is coming off his second Cup title, a somewhat surprising championship that came despite no wins over his final 24 events. Nonetheless, he finished ahead of fellow championship contenders Chase Briscoe, William Byron and Denny Hamlin in the season finale.

Hamlin had the championship within reach when Byron got a flat tire and hit the wall to bring out a late caution. Larson was the benefactor and hopes to carry some of that luck into the Daytona 500 on Sunday. He is winless in 12 tries in NASCAR’s premier event.

“I would imagine the feeling of winning (it would) be extremely massive, if it ever happens,” Larson quipped.

Larson hasn’t really been close, either. Daytona is the only regular NASCAR venue in which he doesn’t have a top-five finish. He crossed the line 20th last year.

“Prior to last year, I would just get caught up in wrecks and whatnot,” Larson said. “I wouldn’t say I have any more confidence this year than I did last year. I just hope that we have the same sort of good fortune as we did last year. Maybe it can be a few spots better to get a win.”

Larson has company in 0-for-Daytona club. Kyle Busch is winless in 20 starts in the 500, a skid that’s more of a head-scratcher than a heartbreaker considering the two-time series champ has won at just about every track on the circuit. Brad Keselowski is 0 for 16 in the Daytona 500, also baffling considering the 2012 series champ has six wins at NASCAR’s other superspeedway, Talladega.

Hall of Famers Tony Stewart, Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin are the most notable drivers to never win the Daytona 500.

Fellow Hall of Famer David Pearson needed 15 tries to win NASCAR’s signature event. Kyle Busch’s older brother, Kurt, needed 16. And NASCAR great Dale Earnhardt won in his 20th try — an iconic moment in series history.

“You feel it, for sure,” said Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who won the 500 in 2023 on his 12th try. “Most people get to double digits before they win a Daytona 500 these days. The more races that go by, the more you wonder if you’ll ever get one.

“You look at guys like Mark Martin and Tony Stewart who been super successful in our support and never got one. Kyle Busch is still trying. The more that goes by, the more pressure that ramps up every February.”

Larson insists he’s feeling no anxiety — at least not regarding the 500. He started his own series in 2023, the High Limit Racing Sprint Car Series, which has now expanded to 60 events.

He also races in other series, too. Most notably, the last two years, he attempted “The Double” – racing the Indianapolis 500 in the IndyCar Series and then hopping on a jet to make NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, North Carolina, the same day.

Weather caused a logistical issue that didn’t allow him to complete the double in 2024, and he crashed last year in Charlotte.

NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick called Larson’s venture “a huge distraction” and was relieved the Cup champion would not make another attempt this season.

“Not only was it a distraction with the team, but coming back and wrecking in the 600 was mentally just a downer that he had to work his way through,” Hendrick said. “I’m super excited about this year.”

Larson agrees, especially with the addition of his micro-racing team.

“It’s honestly been a lot of fun, and I look forward to kind of having our own little touch on things,” he said.

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Grizzlies vs Warriors Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s NBA Game

You’d think the Memphis Grizzlies would be the NBA’s version of a doormat with the combination of injuries and players leaving via trades, but these Grizz have a little fight in them.

Tonight, they’ll face another depleted roster in the Golden State Warriors, who are somehow 9.5-point favorites.

My Grizzlies vs. Warriors predictions and NBA picks explain why that’s too many points for this Western Conference clash set to tip-off at 10:00 p.m. ET at the Chase Center on Monday, February 9.

Grizzlies vs Warriors prediction

Grizzlies vs Warriors best bet: Grizzlies +9.5 (-115)

No Steph, no Jimmy Buckets, and no Kristaps Porzingis means the Golden State Warriors have been struggling.

The no-Steph Curry thing has been the biggest problem, as the Warriors have averaged just 94.3 points in the four recent games their franchise player has missed.

The Memphis Grizzlies also have a roster that’s hard for even the biggest fan to recognize, but they’re putting up some good fights. The Grizz have averaged 122 points per game over their last five and are 3-1 ATS in their last four. 

This is too many points to cover for a team that can’t score.

Grizzlies vs Warriors same-game parlay

The Grizz have been surprisingly efficient recently, ranking sixth in offensive rating over the last five games.

The return of Ty Jerome has helped. After missing the entire season, he’s averaged 20 points in his first four games back, topping this 13.5 line three times.

Sophomore Jaylen Wells has also seen an uptick in production with added opportunities lately. Wells has topped 12.5 points in four straight games.

Grizzlies vs Warriors SGP

• Grizzlies +9.5
• Ty Jerome Over 13.5 points
• Jaylen Wells Over 13.5 points

Our “from downtown” SGP: The Replacements

This is how the Grizzlies have played in recent weeks. Team basketball, with everyone doing their part. Even if you don’t know everyone’s name.

Grizzlies vs Warriors SGP

• Ty Jerome Over 13.5 points
• Jaylen Wells Over 13.5 points
• Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Over 11.5 points
• Cam Spencer Over 11.5 points

Grizzlies vs Warriors odds

• Spread: Grizzlies +9.5 | Warriors -9.5
• Moneyline: Grizzlies +320 | Warriors -400
• Over/Under: Over 220.5 | Under 220.5

Grizzlies vs Warriors betting trend to know

The Warriors have covered the first-half spread in only 12 of their last 35 home games, resulting in -14.30 units and a -36% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Grizzlies vs. Warriors.

How to watch Grizzlies vs Warriors

Grizzlies vs Warriors latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

Kokomo Murase wins gold in women's big air, extending Japan's snowboarding success at the Olympics

LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) — Japanese snowboarder Kokomo Murase won Olympic gold in women’s big air on Monday, two days after her teammates swept the top two medals in the men’s event.

Murase had already locked up a least a bronze medal when she went for broke on her last jump and nailed it to move to the top of the standings. She added the gold medal to her bronze from the same event at the 2022 Beijing Games.

Zoi Sadowski-Synnott of New Zealand repeated as silver medalist. She had been on the cusp of taking gold until Murase soared in front with the penultimate jump of the competition.

Seung-eun Yu of South Korea claimed bronze.

On Saturday, Japanese teammates Kira Kimura and Ryoma Kimata won gold and silver, respectively, in men’s big air.

Two-time defending champion Anna Gasser finished eighth, falling short in her bid to become the first snowboarder to win three consecutive Olympic gold medals. She fell on her first jump and had a costly bobble while landing her second.

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AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

NBA power rankings: New York Knicks rise to top 5 after trade deadline

The NBA trading deadline has come and gone and a handful of teams improved their positioning for the back half of the 2025-26 NBA season.

And with the NBA All-Star break coming up at the end of the week, it will offer teams a bit of a respite and chance to recharge before the grind continues.

The most fascinating teams to watch are the ones who bought before the deadline — the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics and Charlotte Hornets, for example — to see whether their moves can lead to tangible gains in the future.

Here are USA TODAY Sports’ NBA power rankings after Week 15 of the 2025-26 regular season:

USA TODAY Sports NBA power rankings

Note: Records and stats through Feb. 8. Parentheses show movement from last week’s rankings.

NBA Week 16 power rankings: Top 10

1. Detroit Pistons, 38-13 (—)

2. Oklahoma City Thunder, 40-13 (—)

3. San Antonio Spurs, 36-16 (+1)

4. New York Knicks, 34-19 (+5)

5. Boston Celtics, 34-19 (—)

6. Denver Nuggets, 34-19 (-3)

7. Houston Rockets, 32-19 (—)

8. Los Angeles Lakers, 32-19 (—)

9. Cleveland Cavaliers, 32-21 (+1)

10. Toronto Raptors, 32-22 (-4)

The Thunder continue to show vulnerabilities, especially now that reigning Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is set to miss time. Oklahoma City has lost five of its last eight games, including the last two without Gilgeous-Alexander. The Knicks have posted massive victories against the Raptors, Lakers, Nuggets and Celtics over the last week, so they move up, but a loss against Detroit shows why the Pistons remain at the top.

And the Cavaliers, with their fascinating trade for James Harden, now have to back up their decision to go all-in on this build; the Cavs have won eight of their last nine, though the competition hasn’t necessarily been that impressive.

NBA Week 16 power rankings: Nos. 11-20

11. Minnesota Timberwolves, 32-22 (+1)

12. Phoenix Suns, 31-22 (+1)

13. Philadelphia 76ers, 30-22 (+1)

14. Golden State Warriors, 28-25 (-3)

15. Orlando Magic, 27-24 (+4)

16. Los Angeles Clippers, 25-27 (+2)

17. Miami Heat, 28-26 (-2)

18. Charlotte Hornets, 25-28 (+4)

19. Atlanta Hawks, 26-28 (+1)

20. Portland Trail Blazers, 25-28 (-3)

The Timberwolves have lost three of their last four, but they move up a spot mostly because the teams below them haven’t necessarily capitalized. Still, defense is a massive concern, as Minnesota ranks 29^th in defensive rating (125.5) over its last four games.

The middle of the Eastern Conference is seemingly a group of teams — the Magic, Heat and Hawks — rotating in and out. But it’s the hottest team in the NBA, the Charlotte Hornets, who have won nine consecutive games, who are big risers. Charlotte ranks first in offensive rating (120.8) and second in net rating (13.2) over the last nine games.

NBA Week 16 power rankings: Nos. 21-30

21. Chicago Bulls, 24-29 (-5)

22. Milwaukee Bucks, 21-29 (+2)

23. Memphis Grizzlies, 20-31 (—)

24. Dallas Mavericks, 19-33 (-3)

25. Utah Jazz, 16-37 (—)

26. New Orleans Pelicans, 14-40 (—)

27. Brooklyn Nets, 14-37 (—)

28.  Washington Wizards, 14-38 (+2)

29. Indiana Pacers, 13-40 (-1)

30. Sacramento Kings, 12-42 (-1)

The Mavericks have gotten excellent performances from Cooper Flagg, but the trade of Anthony Davis signals that rebuild is fully in action. The Bucks got a big win by staying patient in the trading deadline, and the addition of Cam Thomas should bolster scoring. But can the Bucks make a tangible push for the playoffs once Giannis Antetokounmpo returns?

And the poor Kings are in absolute free fall, losers of 12 consecutive games. They struggle to defend, made a head-scratching move before the deadline and simply don’t have a tangible direction for their future.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA power rankings: Pistons remain in top spot as Knicks make jump

✍ Trade grades: Reactions for every transaction

The Cavaliers, Celtics, Hawks, Mavericks and Warriors are among the teams that have made trades. We’re grading every deal.

Dame Time: Lillard, who hasn't played this season, will be in 3-point contest at All-Star Saturday

Damian Lillard is apparently going to wear his Portland uniform again, in a most unexpected manner.

And he’ll have the Olympics as the television lead-in for his return.

Lillard — who has not played this season while recovering from a torn Achilles tendon — will participate in the 3-point contest on All-Star Saturday, the NBA announced.

Viewers won’t have to wait long to see Lillard’s return. All-Star Saturday will lead off this year with the 3-point contest, a major change from the norm and a move that could command big ratings — with NBC’s coverage of the event immediately following broadcasts from the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, which the network also airs.

In other words, NBC is going from skating, sliding and skiing to shooting.

Lillard is joining 2018 3-point contest champion Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns in the field, along with Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel, Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey, Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell, Denver’s Jamal Murray, Milwaukee’s Bobby Portis Jr. and Miami’s Norman Powell.

If Lillard wins, he would join Larry Bird and Craig Hodges as the only three-time winners of the event, which will be held at the Los Angeles Clippers’ home in Inglewood, California.

Saturday night’s 3-point contest will be followed by the return of the Shooting Stars competition, then the dunk contest will close the Saturday night schedule. The skills competition is out, at least for this year.

It would be Lillard’s first time playing — or at least shooting — in front of fans since he rejoined Portland going into this season. Lillard got hurt last spring while a member of the Milwaukee Bucks, who wound up waiving-and-stretching the remaining $113 million on his contract to make him a free agent and give him the opportunity to re-sign with his original NBA club.

He’s not the first 3-point participant without a made 3-pointer in that season: In the 1989 contest, the NBA invited Rimas Kurtinaitis of Lithuania to participate. Kurtinaitis never played in the NBA.

Lillard was the sixth pick in the 2012 NBA draft by the Trail Blazers and spent 11 seasons with Portland before he was traded to Milwaukee just before the 2023-24 season. Lillard won back-to-back 3-point contest titles in 2023 and 2024, before Miami’s Tyler Herro — who has missed most of this season because of injuries — won the event last season.

Herro is not in the lineup of 3-point participants this year.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA