Rising Stars Game 1: Team Melo vs Team Austin Picks and Prediction
Team Melo, anchored by reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle and featuring four top-5 draft picks, faces Team Austin's G League squad at Intuit Dome on Friday, February 13, tipping off at 9:00 PM ET. With Carmelo Anthony's roster navigating the loss of franchise cornerstone Cooper Flagg (foot) but still boasting Castle fresh off a 40-point triple-double and Portland's Donovan Clingan coming off a 23-point, 18-rebound performance last night, this semifinal pits a talent-stacked NBA rookie squad dealing with chemistry issues and injury losses against Austin Rivers' underdog G League group riding chemistry from playing together all season, hungry for revenge after last year's championship game heartbreak where Castle hit the game-winner, as both teams operate on opposite trajectories, NBA lottery pedigree versus developmental league proving ground, in the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars tournament race to 40 points.
OC Staff - February 13, 2026, 6:45 PM EST
5 Minute ReadRising Stars Game 1: Team Melo vs Team Austin Picks and Prediction
Team Melo vs Team Austin Recent Performance
Team Melo enters Friday's Rising Stars tournament carrying championship pedigree but dealing with a massive injury blow. Cooper Flagg, the first overall pick in the 2025 draft and Team Melo's top selection, is out with a foot injury that will sideline him through the All-Star break. Despite the loss, Team Melo still features reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, who just dropped a 40-point triple-double against Dallas last week. Castle has averaged 16.5 points, 7.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds this season and knows what it takes to win this event after hitting the championship game-winner last year.
Portland's Donovan Clingan anchors the frontcourt coming off Thursday's monster performance against Utah, where he posted 23 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists. The 7-foot-2 center ranks third in the league in rebounds per game and first in offensive rebounds, making him a double-double machine. Dylan Harper, Reed Sheppard and Jeremiah Fears round out a guard-heavy roster that features four top-5 draft picks.
Team Austin brings the underdog mentality with a G League squad coached by Austin Rivers. Ron Harper Jr., Tristen Newton and Yang Hansen lead a group hungry to prove themselves against NBA lottery talent. Last year's Rising Stars saw the G League team nearly pull off the championship before Castle's heroics sent them home empty-handed. This roster has nothing to lose and everything to prove.
Team Melo vs Team Austin Head to Head
These teams haven't met, but the history between G League squads and NBA rookies in this format is tight. Last year's championship game came down to the wire with Castle hitting the game-winner for the NBA team. The G League has consistently competed in this event, using speed and chemistry to hang with more talented rosters. Team Austin knows they can exploit the loss of Flagg and catch Team Melo looking ahead.
Rising Stars Game 1: Team Melo vs Team Austin Date, Time, and Where to Watch
- Date: Friday, February 13, 2026
- Time: 9:00 PM ET
- How to Watch: Peacock
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Team Melo vs Team Austin Odds
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Team Melo vs Team Austin Team News
Team Melo faces this semifinal without their franchise player after Flagg's foot injury knocked him out of All-Star festivities. The Dallas rookie was having a Rookie of the Year-caliber season before the injury and represented Carmelo Anthony's first overall selection in the draft. Ace Bailey steps in as his replacement, joining a loaded backcourt that includes Castle fresh off his 40-point explosion.
Clingan brings All-Star weekend momentum after dominating the Jazz with 23 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists just last night. The UConn product has secured himself as one of the league's premier rebounding threats at 11.5 boards per game. Castle (pelvis) is fully healthy after sitting briefly against the Lakers earlier this week. Murray-Boyles and the guard trio of Harper, Sheppard and Fears give Team Melo depth and versatility.
Team Austin enters at full strength with their G League roster intact. Harper Jr. and Newton provide scoring punch, while Hansen gives them size inside. Mac McClung returns to the Rising Stars after winning the 2023 Slam Dunk Contest. This team runs deep and played together at the G League level, giving them chemistry advantages over a Team Melo squad meeting for the first time.
Prediction: Team Melo 40, Team Austin 36
Team Melo wins but doesn't blow them out. The loss of Flagg hurts more than the betting public realizes, he was averaging 20.4 points and 6.6 rebounds before the injury and would have been the clear go-to scorer in crunch time. Now that responsibility falls to Castle, who showed he can handle the moment with last year's championship game-winner but also dealt with a pelvis injury this week. Clingan's dominance on the glass gives Team Melo a massive edge after grabbing 18 rebounds against Utah on Thursday, and his league-leading offensive rebounding numbers matter in a race to 40 points. The guard rotation of Castle, Harper, Sheppard and Fears features three top-4 draft picks with superior talent. Team Austin keeps it competitive through chemistry and pace, bringing experience from playing together at the G League level. McClung's athleticism, Harper Jr.'s scoring and Newton's playmaking push tempo and exploit Team Melo's lack of chemistry early. The talent gap shows late as Castle and Clingan close it out, but Team Austin covers the 4.5-point spread by keeping it within one possession down the stretch.
Best Bet: Team Austin +4.5 (-115) Click here to get the best odds at Caesars Sportsbook
Team Austin covers this number. Team Melo loses their best player in Flagg, who was the clear first overall pick and would have been their primary scorer. Castle is elite but he's dealing with a pelvis injury from earlier this week and might not be 100%. The race-to-40 format favors underdogs who can hang around and hit a hot streak, and Team Austin brings chemistry from playing together at the G League level while Team Melo meets for the first time tonight. Harper Jr., Newton and McClung can all score in bunches with nothing to lose. Clingan's rebounding dominance is the biggest concern, but Team Austin counters by pushing pace and forcing Team Melo to run. Carmelo Anthony's guard-heavy roster struggles without a true point guard to control tempo, Castle can facilitate but he's more of a combo guard, and that defensive versatility that made him Rookie of the Year doesn't translate as well in an up-and-down showcase format. Team Melo wins because talent eventually prevails, but 4.5 points is too many against a G League team when its proven they can compete. Take the underdogs to keep it close and make some cash.
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