Starting 5: Hawks, Thunder and Lakers hold streaking; Key video games on Thursday’s slate

Eleven in a row for Atlanta – and all the pieces is falling.

Ten straight for OKC – and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is prospering.

Seven straight for the Lakers – and LeBron James continues to be flying.

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5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

Sizzling Streaks: Hawks soar, Thunder rumble, Luka & LeBron elevate Lakers late – once more

Playoff Pushing: Jaylen & Jayson ignite the C’s, Raptors & Wolves erupt for large dubs

Roundup: Grizz prime Nuggets, Pels rally previous Clips, Blazers climb to ninth in West race

Tonight On NBA TV: Hornets & Magic meet in Charlotte on Dell Curry Night

League Pass Spotlight: Wemby nonetheless hungry as Spurs search twentieth win in 22 video games, internet hosting Suns

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BUT FIRST … ⏰

Eight video games tip off tonight, beginning with the Hornets internet hosting the Magic on NBA TV, with Dell Curry’s No. 30 jersey heading to the rafters (7 ET | Tap to Watch).

The WNBA & WNBPA have aligned on key components of a brand new CBA, reaching an settlement in precept, the league announced Wednesday.

College Hoopers To Watch: The Men’s NCAA Tournament Round of 64 begins right this moment. See some key NBA prospects to observe, in accordance with The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie.

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1. STREAKING: HAWKS & THUNDER ROLL, LUKA & LEBRON SHINE FOR LAKERS

How many W’s are in “Hawks” at this point?

The league’s longest-active win streak is as much as 11.

Hawks 135, Mavericks 120: CJ McCollum (24 pts, 7 ast) and Nickeil Alexander‑Walker (22 pts) led seven Hawks in double figures as Atlanta by no means trailed, beating Daniel Gafford (24 pts, 9-10 FG) and the Mavs for its Eleventh straight win. | Recap

• Pass Is Cash: Jonathan Kuminga’s tried full-court move to Jock Landale somehow went in from 74.7 feet, turning into the Sixth-longest make since play-by-play information was first tracked in 1997-98
• Hotlanta: ATL’s 11-game win streak is its longest since 2014-15, and simply its third 10+ recreation win streak this century
• The climbing Hawks now have the identical document because the Seventh-place Heat (38-31), who lead their season collection 2-1. The two sides’ remaining assembly is about for the final day of the common season

The league-leading Thunder are as much as 10 straight wins themselves.

Thunder 121, Nets 92: Jared McCain’s season-high 26 factors and 5 3s led OKC to a wire-to-wire win because the Thunder’s top-rated protection (106.3) held the Nets to 11 factors within the 1st quarter and a league season-low 24 within the 1st half. | Recap

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recorded 20 factors and 6 assists with out enjoying within the 4th, extending his document 20-point streak to 130 straight video games
• Best Bench Performance: McCain is the primary OKC participant this season to tally 25+ factors and 5+ 3s off the bench
• Ten, Ten Again: The Thunder are the one staff this season with two separate 10-game win streaks, with a league-high 4 such streaks over the past two seasons
• Race To The Top: OKC is now 3.5 video games up on the Spurs for 1st within the West

An ideal half from the King, extra late magic from Luka Dončić and one other Lakers dub.

Lakers 124, Rockets 116: LeBron James (30 pts, 13-14 FG, 5 reb) put on a show within the 1st half, throwing down a slew of classic jams whereas going 8-of-8 from the ground for 18 factors and a 67-55 Lakers lead.

But the Rockets responded, as Alperen Sengun (27 pts, 10 ast), Amen Thompson (26 pts, 11 reb) and Kevin Durant (18 pts, 6 reb) sparked a 37-22 third quarter to go up three coming into the 4th.

Then, Luka.

With the sport tied at 105, Dončić scored or assisted on the Lakers’ subsequent 17 factors, together with back-to-back lobs to Rui Hachimura and James, earlier than nailing a step-back dagger 3 with 58 ticks left – incomes one “Bang!” from Mike Breen and 7 straight wins for L.A. | Recap

• Pure Luka: Dončić completed with 40 points, 9 boards and 10 dimes, whereas splashing seven 3s, marking his seventh straight 30+ level recreation
• Pure Lakers: That included 10 factors and three assists within the 4th, the place Los Angeles outscored Houston 35-24, bettering to an NBA-best 20-6 in clutch video games
• “He’s been doing it all year for us,” mentioned James of Luka within the clutch. “He closed them out with big shots, big-time step-back 3 on that left wing. Big time.”

• Big-Time Company: It’s Luka’s third recreation of 40+ pts, 10+ ast and 5+ 3s with the Lakers, passing Kobe Bryant (two) for essentially the most in franchise historical past
• Unmatched Magic: Amid the win streak, Dončić is averaging 38.1 pts and eight ast – numbers no Laker has ever matched in a seven-game span in a single season
• Lefficiency: James additionally made historical past, turning into the oldest participant (41yr, 78d) to document 30+ pts on not less than 90% taking pictures in an everyday season recreation. And he’s still doing this

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2. PLAYOFF PUSH: CELTICS & RAPTORS HEAT UP, WOLVES WIN AGAIN

The Jays are clicking, and the C’s are surging.

Celtics 120, Warriors 99: Jaylen Brown was in full management (32 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast), whereas Jayson Tatum notched his fifth straight 20-piece (24 pts, 10 reb, 5 3s), main the Celtics previous the Steph Curry-less Warriors for a 3rd straight win. | Recap

• Full Strength, Full Stride: Boston is an East-best 26-11 since Jan. 1 and 5-1 with Tatum within the lineup

Raptors 139, Bulls 109: RJ Barrett scored a game-high 23 factors, whereas Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram and Ja’Kobe Walter added 18 apiece, as Toronto took a 72-45 halftime lead and by no means regarded again for a 3rd straight dub. | Recap

Wolves 147, Jazz 111: Brice Sensabaugh went off for Utah (41 pts, 17-31 FG), however Minnesota was too robust prime to backside, with Ayo Dosunmu (23 pts, 9 reb, 6 ast, 3 stl) main 5 Wolves with 17+ factors for his or her second win in two nights, regardless of being with out Anthony Edwards. | Recap

• Howling: Julius Randle (8 ast, 4 stl) and Rudy Gobert (12 reb, 2 blk) added 21 factors apiece as 12 Wolves scored, ending 2 factors shy of their season-high (149)

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3. ROUNDUP: GRIZZ STOP NUGGETS, PELS RALLY, BLAZERS MOVE TO 9TH

Grizzlies 125, Nuggets 118: Nikola Jokić stuffed the stat sheet (29 pts, 14 reb, 9 ast, 3 blk), however Memphis compelled him into 10 turnovers whereas splashing 16 treys, utilizing six double-digit scorers to stave off Denver. | Recap

• Skid Snapped: Ty Jerome led Memphis (21 pts, 9 reb, 9 ast) whereas its bench outscored Denver 43-18, halting an eight-game slide

Pelicans 124, Clippers 109: Down 18 within the 1st quarter, NOLA tied the sport by half amid a 76-47 run via the third to show the tables, as Saddiq Bey (25 pts, 5 reb, 5 3s), Trey Murphy III (23 pts, 7 reb, 5 ast, 3 stl) and the Pels overpowered Kawhi Leonard (25 pts, 8 reb) and the Clips. | Recap

Blazers 127, Pacers 119: Deni Avdija was working (32 pts, 11 reb, 5 ast), whereas Donovan Clingan owned the inside (28 pts, 13 reb, 2 blk) as Portland gained, leaping Golden State for ninth within the West. | Recap

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4. ON NBA TV: HORNETS HOST MAGIC ON DELL CURRY NIGHT

Break out your throwbacks.

Charlotte’s Spectrum Center can have some 90s vitality tonight, with the Hornets and Magic dueling (7 ET, NBA TV) – in uniforms that honor traditional NBA appears to be like – and Dell Curry’s purple-and-teal striped No. 30 being raised to the rafters at halftime.

Ahead of Dell’s jersey retirement night time, Nick Friedell coated The Athletic’s recent conversation with Steph and his dad, during which Steph was requested for his favourite second from Dell’s profession:

“Was it ‘93? When y’all played Boston in the first round and you threw the inbound pass to Alonzo [Mourning] for the buzzer beater,” Steph answered.

“I just remember being in the arena and the whole buzz around – pun intended – for the Hornets in Charlotte, and just what that team meant.” | Read More

That buzz is again right this moment because of the staff with the East’s greatest document (19-6) since Jan. 22.

• Kon, LaMelo, Miller: Charlotte’s trio of sharpshooting guards has lifted the Hornets’ assault to the highest OffRtg (120) in 2026
• Splash Duo: Kon Knueppel leads the league in whole 3s (238) and LaMelo Ball is third (210) as they give the impression of being to hitch Steph & Klay Thompson as the one pairs of teammates to complete top-2 in made 3s in a season
• Together, Ball (1st), Knueppel (third) and Brandon Miller (4th) rank within the top-4 in whole 3s since Jan. 1

The Hornets have gained three of 4 after dropping two straight following a 16-3 stretch.

Orlando is on the lookout for an analogous turnaround amid a two-game slide after seven straight wins.

• The Magic maintain Sixth place within the East by a half-game, strengthened by the league’s Sixth-best DefRtg (109.4) since All-Star Weekend
• Key Matchup: Having missed this season’s earlier three matchups with Charlotte (1-2), Jalen Suggs will look to gradual Ball and Co.
• Key Stopper: Since the All-Star break, Suggs has held his opponents to 46.2% taking pictures

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5. LEAGUE PASS SPOTLIGHT: WEMBY SEEKING MORE AS SPURS HOST SUNS

The Playoffs have but to start, however the Spurs have already taken a leap.

They’ve gained 51 video games, greater than double their whole from 2023-24. They sit 2nd within the West and are simply 3.5 video games again of OKC.

Victor Wembanyama nonetheless isn’t glad.

“It’s growth, but it’s still not enough,” mentioned the two-time All-Star after his staff’s fiftieth victory.

Tonight (8 ET, League Pass), the Spurs host the Suns, hoping to increase their run. A twentieth win in San Antonio’s final 22 video games is on the road.

• Riding High: San Antonio is 19-2 since Feb. 1, its greatest 21-game stretch since 2015-16. That season ended with a 67-15 document and a visit to the West Semifinals
• Road Ahead: With 13 video games left within the common season, the squad has a chance to succeed in 60 wins for the primary time since 2016-17

Powered by Wemby’s league-high 3 blocks per recreation, the Spurs’ protection ranks third with a 110.5 score. It will probably be challenged by one of many hardest duties within the league — stopping Devin Booker.

• Booker Cooking: The Eleventh-year guard has averaged 33.9 factors over his final 4 video games, together with a pair of 40-pieces
• Burning Bright: Booker is on tempo to common 25+ ppg for an eighth straight season. Only two gamers have longer such energetic streaks: Giannis Antetokounmpo (8) and Kevin Durant (16)
• Who Draws Book Tonight? It may very well be Stephon Castle. Having confronted Booker twice in 2025-26, he’s restricted the five-time All-Star to 2-of-9 taking pictures and compelled two turnovers
• Production Holds: Booker’s nonetheless been sharp in Phoenix’s three video games vs. San Antonio this yr, posting 19 pts and 6.7 ast whereas taking pictures 40% from 3
• Done It Before: That’s led to a 2-1 document, making the Suns one among 4 groups to beat the Spurs a number of instances this season

Also On League Pass: The streaking Lakers visiting the Heat (8 ET), whereas the East-best Pistons face the Wizards (7 ET) and extra:

• Cavaliers at Bulls (8 ET)
• Clippers at Pelicans (8 ET)
• Bucks at Jazz (9 ET)
• 76ers at Kings (10 ET)

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