NBA Game Notes (Feb. 23, 2026)
Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on Feb. 23, 2026.
Three Stars
Here are my “three stars” from yesterday’s NBA games, with the “first star” considered the top performer.
First ⭐️
Jabari Smith Jr. scored a game-high 31 points in the Houston Rockets’ 125-105 blowout win over the Utah Jazz. Smith Jr. shot 12-17 from the field, hitting six of his 11 attempts from 3-point range. He also contributed nine rebounds, a team-high three steals, and a game-high three blocks in 33 minutes played.
Second ⭐️
Devin Vassell scored a game-high 28 points as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Detroit Pistons 114-103 to pick up their ninth straight win. Vassell went 10-14 from the floor, sinking seven of his 11 tries from beyond the arc. He also dished out four assists and blocked one shot, committing just one turnover in 36 minutes of action.
Third ⭐️
Jalen Duren produced team highs of 25 points and 14 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough in the Pistons’ loss to the Spurs. Duren was very efficient, going 10-13 from the field and 5-6 from the free throw line. He also swiped a game-high two steals (tied with two others) in 29 minutes played.
Milestones
Russell Westbrook (25 points) recorded his 413th career 25-point game as the Sacramento Kings snapped a franchise-record 16-game losing streak with a 123-114 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. He’s now tied with Charles Barkley for the 29th-most such games in NBA history.
Westbrook’s teammate, DeMar DeRozan (5-6 free throws), increased his career total to 6,837 career free throws made, breaking a tie with Adrian Dantley for 12th place on the NBA’s all-time list.
Streaking
Team(s) with a winning streak of five or more games: San Antonio Spurs (nine).
The Spurs’ nine-game winning streak is the franchise’s longest since another nine-game run from Feb. 27 to March 18, 2019.
Miscellany
Smith Jr. was the night’s leading scorer, netting 31 points. He was followed by the Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen (29 points), Vassell (28), the Jazz’s Brice Sensabaugh (26), Duren (25), and Westbrook (25).
The Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama was the top board man, collecting 17 rebounds last night. Duren was runner-up with 14 rebounds, while the Kings’ Maxime Raynaud placed third with 13.
The Rockets’ Kevin Durant was the nightly leader in assists, handing out 12 helpers. Also delivering double-digit dimes were the Spurs’ Stephon Castle (11 assists) and the Pistons’ Cade Cunningham (10).
Wembanyama (21 points, 17 rebounds, six blocks) produced his seventh career game with at least 20 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocks. The only active player to record more such games is Anthony Davis with 12.