It was easy to take it for granted when the Toronto Raptors were an Eastern Conference playoff machine, qualifying for the post-season in eight of nine seasons beginning in 2013-14. It’s been slim pickings since. The Raptors did squeeze out an ultimately unsatisfying appearance in the Play-In Tournament in 2023, but since then?
Seasons of 25 and 30 wins as part of an on-the-fly rebuild.
There remain questions about the long-term rewards of the path the Raptors have chosen, but coming out of the all-star break with games that need to be won is objectively preferable to waiting to see how many ping pong balls can be gathered up in advance of the draft lottery.
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“I think it’s amazing. We’ve got a great opportunity at hand. We’ve just got to take full advantage of it,” said Raptors all-star Scottie Barnes, fresh from spending the weekend representing the Raptors in Los Angeles at the NBA’s mid-season gala. “(But) we’ve got to turn it up a notch, including our defence. That’s where it all starts. We’ve got to really toughen things up and try to make it hard for (the opposition). This is when you’ve got to start getting everything right so you’re ready for (the playoffs).”
But meaningful basketball doesn’t necessarily mean beautiful basketball.
The Raptors did what was necessary in their first game in eight days following the all-star break: they won, dispatching the new-look Chicago Bulls 110-101, but it was not a game they’ll remember for any other reason than the result.
When a team forces 20 turnovers and makes a season-high 14 steals while taking 14 more shots than their opponents, the hope would be they wouldn’t be up by just two with just 2:12 to play, especially when they were up by nine with 4:32 to play, or by 14 late in the third quarter.
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But that’s what happened at the United Center. It was a continuation of a theme as the Raptors loose shooting (42.2 per cent from the floor and 7-of-23 from three) nearly undid a generally high level of effort defensively.
“I thought we did a really, really good job there with our hand activity and keeping them in front, really setting the tone for the whole game,” said Rajakovic. “… Usually this first game, and we talked about it before the game, is (about) finding the rhythm a little bit, getting the rust off. But what I’m proud of is our guys, they stayed the course during the whole game. We knew we were supposed to convert a little bit more, (but) we kept finding ways to compete and came out with a very important win for us.”
A significant factor on that front was the play of Brandon Ingram, who delivered a proper effort with 31 points, eight rebounds and six assists. It wasn’t flawless — he was 11-of-26 from the floor — but he was determined to play through any rust or sluggishness, and the Raptors were fortunate he did.
“I just had that mentality to be aggressive,” said Ingram. “I know from previous years how it is coming off all-star break. Guys come in a little rusty, so I thought it was important for me to go out and just be aggressive whether the shot was going in or not.”
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His two biggest plays came in the final minutes. After the Bulls late 7-0 spurt had cut the Raptors lead to two, Ingram found Collin Murray-Boyles at the basket with about six inches and 50 pounds on Bulls guard Anfernee Simons. The burly rookie was fouled, scored and made the free throw to extend Toronto’s lead back to five. Next trip down, Ingram called his own number and hit an 18-footer that pushed Toronto’s lead to seven with 35 seconds left and iced the game.
“It’s a huge luxury for me as a coach to have (Ingram) in those situations. He’s just not getting rattled,” said Rajakovic. “He gets to the spot on the floor and reads the game really well. If he has a good shot, he’s gonna take it. But he also did a good job in that game with six assists. He did a good job of finding open people. That’s a great example, how he found CMB under the rim for a layup.”
If we’re nitpicking, the Raptors shouldn’t have been in that tough against a Bulls team that is rebuilding on the fly. Chicago made seven trades at the deadline and features seven new players on their roster since Feb. 5th, most of them guards. As well, the Bulls were reintegrating Josh Giddey and Jalen Smith after injury absences and were without head coach Billy Donovan due to the death of his father.
The Bulls looked like a team being remade in motion as they coughed up nine first-quarter turnovers. But the Raptors’ own state of discombobulation meant that they were only up by two even though they had 10 more field goal attempts. But the math only works if the shots go in, and Toronto converted just 10 of their 25 first-quarter shots and failed to hit a three. And it wasn’t like they weren’t prone to treating the ball like something hot and slippery.
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The most absurd sequence of the early going came when the Raptors forced a Bulls eight-second violation only to have Immanuel Quickley (14 points) miss a wide-open elbow jumper. Toronto then forced another turnover when Jamal Shead (four points, four assists and two steals) intercepted a post entry, only to have Barnes (14 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three steals, but six turnovers) promptly throw the ball cross-court and out-of-bounds after the Raptors got the ball up the floor.
Next, the Raptors Ja’Kobe Walter (14 points, three steals) stole the ensuing inbounds pass, and while it was probably a bad idea for him to try and dunk over Bulls centre Jalen Smith, he got two free throws for the effort. Encouraged, Walter made another steal, got fouled and hit those freebies, too. But then Shead turned it over, and Smith went the other way for a fastbreak dunk.
Still, the Raptors were able to persevere through it enough to take a 53-45 lead into the half and eventually hold Chicago off for the win. The victory improved their record to 33-23, good for fifth place in the Eastern Conference, and while they remain two games behind fourth-place Cleveland, they are now 2.5 games up on sixth-place Philadelphia.
Those are all good things, if Toronto’s overall performance against the Bulls wasn’t all good.
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1. Murray-Boyles with the start: With Jakob Poeltl back in good health, it was somewhat surprising that Rajakovic started Murray-Boyles (11 points, six rebounds) at centre but the explanation made sense: “Going into this game, we were thinking (Guerschon) Yabusele or (Jalen) Smith were starting. We knew the best thing to do [against centres that spread the floor] was switching more. I talked to Jak, so he was completely fine coming off the bench. (With) Nick Richards was coming off the bench,” said Rajakovic. “We were trying to match him up with those minutes (against a more traditional centre). And also, I’m really intrigued to see what it looks like with Jamal (Shead) on the floor and some of the other guys in the second unit.” In just his second game back after missing nearly two months, Poeltl managed just one field goal attempt and didn’t grab a rebound in 16 minutes, but seemed to be moving fluidly and without restriction, so there’s that.
2. What was that all about? RJ Barrett (13 points, six rebounds, three assists on 3-of-10 shooting) got hit with a well-deserved fragrant foul after giving Bulls centre Richards a firm elbow to the stomach while coming around a screen in the first quarter. I asked Barrett about it afterwards and was surprised that it wasn’t in retaliation for anything Richards had done, but more in frustration that the referees hadn’t been making calls to Barrett’s satisfaction. “They started making calls after that, right?” he said. He added that there were no hard feelings between him and the big Bulls centre, who have known each other since they were teenagers playing on the World Team together at the Nike Hoop Summit in 2017.
3. Mamu boo-boo: Sandro Mamukelashvili ended up playing against Chicago despite being listed as questionable before the game due to a bruised rib he suffered when he got caught by a stray elbow from Detroit Pistons guard Daniss Jenkins. He told me that it has settled down considerably over the past week, but he spent the first four or five days of the all-star break finding it uncomfortable to breathe, cough or roll over in bed. The good news is it will only be likely to bother him for another month or so …. The big Georgian finished with seven points and three rebounds in 16 minutes off the bench.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola spoke about the impact for Manchester City on Arsenal’s draw at Wolves this week.
Pep Guardiola said that he does not know how Manchester City will react to Arsenal’s draw at Wolves as he looks to keep all title race talk out of the Etihad. The Blues can close the gap at the top of the Premier League table to two points on Saturday but Guardiola will not let it be framed in those terms.
With a third of the season still to be completed, City’s manager insists that there are many twists and turns still to come in a title race that has become more interesting over the last fortnight as Arsenal have opened the door to City. The title race is in the hands of both teams given they play each other at the Etihad in April.
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As the country leans into that excitement, Guardiola refuses to let his team get ahead of themselves ahead of their fourth meeting of the season with Newcastle. The City boss said that he had not spent one second with his squad talking about the title race or Arsenal’s results.
“Many things are going to happen until the end of the season. 70 per cent of the players are new so they don’t have that experience of these kind of situations. Experience is win tomorrow.
“12 games is a lot. Newcastle is all I am concerned with. I’m not concerned with the League Cup final with Arsenal until it comes. Now it’s rest and after Leeds. You want to anticipate what is going to happen, who is going to be champion but that doesn’t count. It’s Newcastle.
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The Carabao Cup Final will see Arsenal v Manchester City at London’s Wembley Stadium this March.
“I didn’t speak one second about that with my players. Yesterday and the day before it was Newcastle, Newcastle, Newcastle. I didn’t talk about the position or the table. I could not care less. It’s 12 games. Ask me this question with two or three games and I will answer but 12 games left is an eternity.”
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Super Eagles striker Kelechi Iheanacho made his return for Celtic in a tough night for the Scottish side, who suffered a 4-1 home defeat to VfB Stuttgart in the Europa League.
Iheanacho came on as a substitute in the 71st minute, marking his first appearance since early February. He had missed several league matches due to fitness issues, but his return was highly anticipated by fans.
Celtic started well when Benjamin Nygren equalised shortly after Stuttgart’s opening goal from Bilal El Khannouss. However, Stuttgart soon regained control, with El Khannouss heading in a second goal and Jamie Leweling adding a third after the break. Tiago Tomas completed the scoring, giving Stuttgart a comfortable first-leg lead.
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Iheanacho joined Celtic last summer on a free transfer, bringing experience from his time at Manchester City. Injuries have limited his impact so far, with just a handful of league appearances this season.
Despite the loss, Iheanacho’s return offers hope that he can regain full fitness and help Celtic in the coming weeks as they aim to recover in the Europa League and domestic competitions.
Man Utd’s decision-makers have considered arranging a mid-season friendly abroad.
Michael Carrick has confirmed Manchester United are still considering arranging a mid-season friendly abroad. United crashed out of the Carabao Cup and FA Cup at the first hurdle this season.
Failure to secure European football this season has contributed to United playing the fewest games in a campaign since 1914/15. United will play just 40 matches, which has led club chiefs to consider organising a mid-season friendly abroad to bank millions in revenue.
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United have an 11-day gap between games from playing Newcastle on March 4 and Aston Villa on March 15. The Reds then have a 22-day gap between playing Bournemouth on March 20 and facing Leeds on April 11, although the first weekend of that is an international break.
When asked if United could still organise a mid-season friendly, Carrick said: “It just depends on a lot of things really. I don’t think there is a black and white answer with that one. We will make a call.
“And there is an area in between where it would depend on where the game is, what it is like, what time it is, when the fixtures fall. It is not straightforward, but it is something if we need to look at we can do if it is best for the players.”
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Speaking at the start of the month, Carrick said about the prospect of a mid-season friendly abroad: “It might happen or it might not, we’ll just have to wait and see.”
United are next in action against Everton at the Hill Dickson Stadium on Monday night.
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Stephen A. Smith recently claimed late-night comedy hosts had rattled Trump and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), further adding that the hosts brought the FCC controversy on themselves. This came after late night television host Stephen Colbert claimed that CBS pulled his interview with Texas state Representative James Talarico for fear of FCC’s retaliation.
Talarico was scheuled to appear on Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show on February 16, 2026. However, the interview did not air on the network and was instead uploaded on the show’s YouTube page. During the Monday episode, Colbert also explained why the interview, where he and Talarico spoke about the politician’s Democratic nomination for Senate and the recent FCC crackdown, didn’t air on CBS.
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Radio host Stephen A. Smith addressed the controvesy during the February 19 episode of Straight Shooter. He questioned why late night comedy hosts targeted only Trump and didn’t go after everybody, saying:
“This is my issue: These are brilliant late-night hosts who are comedic geniuses. Why not go after everybody? See, the problem is, everybody talked about Trump so much that it was so one-sided cause it’s clear, you know, the disgust and the vitriol he evokes and they felt for him. You’ve got to hit everybody when you’re a comedian. Nobody is supposed to be safe. No one is supposed to be spared.”
He added:
“Hell, when I go into a place, I expect them to be teasing me about my hairline… So what? That’s what comedians do. Late night stopped doing that when it came to practically everybody else but Trump… Had they spared no one, Trump and his influence over the FCC clearly exist, none of that would have been enough for them to invoke their wishes the way that they’ve tried.”
Trump previously hinted at FCC revoking the license of televison broadcasters
During the February 16 episode of The Late Show, Stephen Colbert explained why his interview with Texas state Representative James Talarico did not air in CBS. Durign his statement, the television host suggested that CBS lawyers told him they could not have the policitian on the broadcast and also supposedly prohibited Colbert from talking about the incident on the broadcast.
“He was supposed to be here, but we were told in no uncertain terms by our network’s lawyers, who called us directly, that we could not have him on the broadcast. Then, then I was told in some uncertain terms that not only could I not have him on, I could not mention me not having him on. And because my network clearly doesn’t want us to talk about this, let’s talk about this,” Colbert said.
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According to NBC News, CBS denied this claim in an emailed statement, saying that the network did not prohibit Colbert or The Late Show from airing the episode. The statement further added that the talk show was provided “legal guidance that the broadcast could trigger the FCC equal-time rule for two other candidates.”
For those uninformed, the FCC‘s equal time rule prohibits networks and radios from hosting political candidates durign the election season without giving equal airtime to the opponents. However, Colbert claimed that the rule did not apply to talk show interviews with political candidate.
Meanwhile, Brendan Carr, the chairman of Trump’s FCC, addressed the controversy during an FCC meeting meeting on February 18, saying that the media should “feel a bit ashamed for having been lied to and then run with those lies.”
This is not the first time the FCC has clashed with late night shows in recent times. In September 2025, Brendan Carr strongly condemned Jimmy Kimmel‘s comments regarding Charlie Kirk’s supposed assassin during an episode of his late-night talk show, resulting in ABC temporarily suspending the program.
At the time, Trump praised the decision and suggested that the FCC could revoke the license of broadcasters that gave him “bad publicity” saying:
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“I mean, they’re getting a license. I would think maybe their license should be taken away. It will be up to Brendan Carr. I think Brendan Carr is outstanding. He’s a patriot. He loves our country, and he’s a tough guy, so we’ll have to see.”
In July 2025, Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show was canceled by CBS due to financial pressure and the talk show’s final episode will be aired in May 2026.
For the first time, there won’t be a Canadian woman on the ski-cross podium.
Marielle Thompson, Brittany Phelan and Hannah Schmidt were all eliminated in the quarterfinals of the event on Friday in Livigno at the Milano-Cortina Olympics.
Thompson, 33, entered these Games as a strong favourite to add a third medal to her gold from 2014 and silver from 2022. She was Canada’s opening ceremony flag-bearer, alongside Mikael Kingsbury.
But lining up in the first quarterfinal, she was knocked out by top seed Daniela Maier of Germany and France’s Marielle Berger Sabbatel.
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Phelan and Schmidt then lined up next to each other in the third quarterfinal, but were taken out by Switzerland’s Franny Smith and France’s Jade Grillet Aubert.
Maier went on to capture gold while Smith took silver and Sweden’s Sandra Naeslund earned bronze.
Ski cross was introduced to the Olympic program at Vancouver 2010. The men’s ski-cross event in Italy is set for Saturday.
Meanwhile, Canada will also head home empty-handed in men’s aerials.
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Both Lewis Irving and Emile Nadeau barely missed out on the second final, finishing seventh and ninth, respectively.
Irving, 30, helped Canada win bronze in the mixed-team event four years ago in Beijing, breaking a 20-year drought in the sport. Nadeau, 22, was also competing at his second Games.
Canada’s final shot for an aerials medal will come as it attempts to return to the podium Saturday in the mixed-team event.
Palace beat rivals Brighton earlier this in February but they have failed to win a home game since November.
Speaking before Sunday’s game against Wolves, Glasner said: “I’m always realistic, and we’re not in the best moment right now. I understand, and I take responsibility for everything because I’m responsible for the whole team.
“Right now, I’m just not good enough to replace the players we sold. I’m just not good enough to integrate the new players in a way to play the same way like we did, and I’m not good enough that we can cope with the schedule we had.
“On the other side, I was good enough to play the best season ever [and] win two trophies.
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“We are playing a better Premier League season than [in] eight of the last 10 seasons. We play European football, and that is the reality.”
Glasner is the most successful manager in the club’s history having won the FA Cup last season and the Community Shield.
Palace host bottom of the table Wolves on Sunday before the second leg of their Conference League tie with Zrinjski Mostar on Thursday.
One of the MAC’s top teams will be on display Friday when the Akron Zips travel to take on the Ball State Cardinals. Akron is 21-5 (12-1 MAC), trailing only undefeated Miami (OH) in the conference standings. Ball State, meanwhile, has struggled this season and enters this matchup 8-18 overall with a 3-10 mark in the MAC. Akron is 13-11 against the spread this season, while Ball State is 9-15 ATS.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every college basketball game 10,000 times and it enters Week 15 on a sizzling 11-1 run on its top-rated over/under college basketball picks dating back to last season, and is on an 11-5 run on top-rated CBB side picks. Anyone following its college basketball betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen strong returns.
After 10,000 simulations of Ball State vs. Akron, SportsLine’s model is going Over on the total (145.5 points). Akron has hit the Over in two straight games and is 13-11 to the Over this season.
These teams met on Jan. 13, a game Akron won 87-77. That game cleared the total (152.5) as the teams combined for 164 points. This time around, the model is projecting the Over to hit again as the teams combine for 153 points.
Brian Foss displays his custom Minnesota Vikings logo prosthetic eye at the Super Fan Summit Tailgate Party, with the moment captured on Apr 25, 2025 during a gathering in Ashwaubenon that drew devoted supporters from around the league. The longtime fan stands among event attendees while sharing the distinctive accessory, offering a clear snapshot of fan creativity and team pride on a lively spring afternoon. Mandatory Credit: Sarah Kloepping-USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin via Imagn Images.
The Minnesota Vikings are expected to explore the quarterback market after inconsistent play at the position derailed their 2025 season. While most rumors have centered around veterans and reclamation projects, a much more surprising name has quietly entered speculative league chatter.
There is no indication the Texans are actively looking to move C.J. Stroud, but his name being mentioned in broader QB speculation has naturally caught the attention of quarterback-needy teams.
NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay said on his podcast, “I’m told, don’t be surprised if in the next couple of weeks there are some big-name QBs that are going to be targeted. CJ Stroud is one of them… does he need a change of scenery? Be prepared for that.”
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It’s important to note that this is not a report that Houston is actively shopping Stroud, but rather that his name has surfaced in league speculation as teams monitor quarterback movement across the offseason.
Jan 12, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) greets Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers following their AFC Wild Card Round game at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
Stroud is coming off a disappointing season, with disastrous playoff play in which he piled up interceptions and fumbles.
But McShay isn’t the only credible name that has moved Stroud into trade talks. A couple of weeks ago, SI.com’s Albert Breer wrote, “If Stroud’s contract negotiations get sticky, or the Texans prefer to punt them to next year—while rewarding Anderson—will there be friction? Could that impact the Texans’ offseason? Might someone swoop in to see if they could pry the wildly talented 24-year-old away?”
Stroud is eligible for a contract extension this offseason, but with the fifth-year option and another year on his rookie deal, the Texans could just wait. Until he signs on the dotted line, he will remain in trade speculations.
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Breer added, “These are questions other teams have certainly asked, as Stroud’s gone through his ups and downs. Along those lines, Houston’s September signing of Davis Mills to a one-year, $7 million extension got the attention of some of those same teams. Mills, who was in Caserio’s first draft class, has started 28 games in Houston, and went 3–0 this year, while Stroud was dealing with a midseason concussion. Stay tuned on this one.”
Stroud is a fascinating player, as he looked like the real deal in his rookie season but hasn’t been nearly as sharp since.
A trade could go two ways. Either his rookie season was accurate and he’ll quickly establish himself as a franchise quarterback, or his early success was overrated and he’s not as good as everyone thought a couple of years ago. It’s a high-risk, high-reward bet,
Dec 8, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) celebrates running back Aaron Jones’ (33) touchdown run with head coach Kevin O’Connell during the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.
In the playoffs, he appeared to struggle to see the field and seemed to lack confidence. If Kevin O’Connell has shown one thing, it’s that he can infuse confidence into his passers. Sam Darnold is the prototype, but Kirk Cousins, Josh Dobbs, and Nick Mullens also displayed that under his tutelage. As Stroud could be the franchise quarterback the Vikings have been looking for, it would almost be malpractice not to call the Texans and check in with GM Nick Caserio to gauge Houston’s position.
Texans writer Jared Koch of SI commented on the situation, “In reality, the Texans would have to get a notably good package in return for trading Stroud to make the most sense. Stroud is still just 24 years old, on his rookie contract, and even despite his playoff woes, has more than enough time to rebound back into the franchise quarterback he was drafted to be.”
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In three seasons and 46 games in the regular season, Stroud has recorded 10,876 yards, 62 touchdowns and 25 interceptions. Also on his scorecard are more than 600 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.
Dec 21, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) exits the tunnel during player introductions before a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
“Of course, everything has a price, and if another team hungry for a quarterback were to offer a haul for Stroud, there might be a discussion to be had. But the more likely outcome remains that the Texans roll with their guy for at least one more season, let him play out the fourth year of his rookie deal, and re-evaluate after he has a chance to bounce back from a rough end to his third year,” Koch concluded.
Because of his rookie season and the youth he brings to the table, a realistic trade package despite the recent struggles, would like start with a couple of 1st-round picks. At this point, it’s unclear whether the Texans would even entertain trade talks, given that they need a starting quarterback, too. If they move Stroud, they have the same options the Vikings have now, including players like Kyler Murray, Kirk Cousins, Mac Jones, Aaron Rodgers, and Malik Willis.
Sure, he’s a long shot, but Stroud, 24, is one of the more intriguing QB options for the Minnesota Vikings.
Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has returned to first-team training at Besiktas after travelling to Nigeria to bury his father.
Ndidi’s father, Sunday Ndidi, died in a car accident in Agbor, Delta State, about three weeks ago. It was a painful period for the Nigerian international and his family.
Besiktas showed strong support for the midfielder during his time of mourning. The club paid tribute to his late father and allowed Ndidi to travel home for the funeral.
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Ndidi was seen in Delta State with his family as they laid his father to rest. After the burial, he returned to Turkey and rejoined his teammates in training.
The midfielder is now expected to focus on helping Besiktas in their upcoming matches.
World number two Jannik Sinner has dismissed concerns about his early-season form, despite suffering a surprising defeat to Jakub Mensik at the Qatar Open in Doha.
The Italian, who had been aiming to emulate rival Carlos Alcaraz by reaching the semi-finals, was ultimately ousted 7-6 (3) 2-6 6-3 by the 20-year-old Czech talent.
While Mensik delivered a stellar performance, showcasing why he is considered one of the sport’s brightest young prospects, Sinner was plagued by uncharacteristic errors, particularly from his forehand.
This unexpected loss follows his semi-final exit against Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open.
Thursday’s defeat marks the first time Sinner has lost a completed hard-court match to a player ranked outside the top 10 since October 2023.
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Furthermore, he had not failed to reach the final at consecutive events since the summer of 2024, underscoring the exceptionally high standard he has maintained.
Jakub Mensik stunned Sinner in Doha (REUTERS)
The 24-year-old remained philosophical post-match, acknowledging Mensik’s strong play.
“He served really well, so it was difficult to return,” Sinner stated. “It’s been a tough break in the third, a couple of mistakes. It can happen, obviously, but, at the same time, I’m a bit disappointed in how I handled these moments.”
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He added: “Every player goes through ups and downs. I’ve had two incredible years. Having a small down, it’s nothing that’s going to worry me. I know that I can play a little bit better tennis.
“In every tournament, I would like to go as far as possible, but it’s normal to go through some tough moments. I’ve had tougher ones in the past, so I know how to come back.”
Sinner will now turn his attention to the upcoming ‘Sunshine Double’ events in Indian Wells and Miami next month, where he will aim to narrow the significant ranking gap to Alcaraz, which could exceed 3,000 points by the week’s end.
