Since 1983, the Big East Tournament has called Madison Square Garden home. That makes it the longest-running conference tournament held at the same venue in all of college basketball. From Patrick Ewing dominating the paint for Georgetown in the 1980s to Kemba Walker's unforgettable championship run with UConn in 2011, the Garden has been the stage for some of the most memorable performances in the sport's history.
All of the current Lakers realized that playing against the Boston Celtics on national television really was more than just one of the 82 games on the NBA schedule. It was crystallized even more because iconic former Lakers coach Pat Riley sat courtside after a celebration for the unveiling of his statue outside on the Star Plaza at Crypto.com Arena. He was the first Lakers coach to beat the hated Celtics for an NBA championship after eight failed attempts.
The Knicks enter this contest following a 108-106 victory against the Rockets on Saturday. The Bulls are coming off of a 126-110 loss to the Pistons in their last game on Saturday. In the win, Karl-Anthony Towns led the Knicks with 25 points. Josh Giddey scored a team-leading 27 points for the Bulls in the loss.
The NBA are introducing a new America versus the World format for the 2026 All-Star Game as part of its latest attempt to revive excitement around the traditional weekend of games. The league has repeatedly altered the structure of the All-Star Game in recent years, including captain-led drafts and target-score endings, but have yet to find a solution to retaining a large audience. Officials are hoping that framing the contest around national pride will encourage a more competitive edge and finally solve their issues.
Michael Porter Jr. and the Brooklyn Nets (13-35) battle the Los Angeles Lakers (29-19) on Tuesday, February 3, 2026 at Barclays Center. The game will start at 7:30 p.m. ET on YES and SportsNet LA. The Lakers are coming off of a 112-100 loss to the Knicks in their most recent game on Sunday. The Nets lost their last outing 130-77 against the Pistons on Sunday.