Superstars collide tonight (10 ET) when Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers visit LeBron James and the Lakers to cap ESPN’s doubleheader. (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)
Enjoy the best of Friday’s 9-game schedule with the NBA.com live blog, featuring all of the meaningful moments, performances, observations, news, notes and highlights.
6:50 p.m. ET / Feb. 20
What we know before Friday’s games:
Donovan Mitchell and James Harden look to secure a seventh straight victory for Cleveland when they visit Charlotte on League Pass. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
The Cavaliers have been on a tear over the last month and a half of action. Since Dec. 29, Cleveland is an NBA-best 18-5 (.783 WIN%) while ranking second in scoring (120.3 ppg), field goal percentage (49.6), assists (30.0) and plus-minus (8.4). In the first four outings of the James Harden era, the Cavs are 4-0 and rank second in scoring (125.3 ppg) and third in FG% (51.0) and plus-minus (15.3).
The Cavs are in Charlotte to battle the Hornets on the tail end of back-to-backs for both squads (7 ET, League Pass).
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdomen) and Jalen Williams (hamstring) remain out for Oklahoma City’s contest versus the Brooklyn Nets (8 ET, League Pass).
A matchup with Eastern Conference playoff implications awaits, as the Miami Heat (29-27, 8th in East) visit the Hawks (27-30, 9th in East) in Atlanta (7:30 ET, League Pass). The season series is split at one game apiece, with Atlanta earning a 127-115 victory back on Feb. 3.
Denver hopes to rebound from a tough loss last night when they travel to Portland (10 ET, League Pass). The Nuggets have lost five of their last seven games dating back to Feb. 1, while the Trail Blazers are 4-1 over their last five outings.
6:15 p.m. ET / Feb. 20
Welcome to a 9-game Friday night of NBA hoops!
Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves host the Dallas Mavericks to tip off ESPN’s primetime doubleheader (7:30 ET). (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
The Dallas Mavericks, who will be without Cooper Flagg (foot), hope to avoid a tenth consecutive loss when they visit the Timberwolves to jump start ESPN’s primetime doubleheader (7:30 ET). Anthony Edwards, fresh off his 2026 NBA All-Star MVP award, will look to continue that momentum for Minnesota as they aim to secure a third straight win.
We’ll follow that up with the fourth and final battle for Los Angeles this season, as a healthy Lakers squad getting Luka Dončić (hamstring) back from a four-game absence will host a resurgent Clippers squad fueled by Kawhi Leonard (10 ET). The Clips are 2-1 versus the purple and gold in 2025-26 after taking the last two matchups at home.
Here’s tonight’s complete schedule:
