DENVER, CO - DECEMBER 27: Evan Mobley #4 and Dean Wade #32 of the Cleveland Cavaliers high five during the game against the Denver Nuggets on December 27, 2024 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers have had a tough time keeping their ideal starting lineup on the floor. We’re not sure if Dean Wade is in their preferred playoff starting lineup, but he has been a starter for most of the season. Unfortunately, the Cavs could be without him for a few games as he went down with an injury during his on-court workout before Wednesday’s game.
According to Chris Fedor of cleveland.com, Wade seemed to hurt his ankle while warming up for Cleveland’s matchup with the Miami Heat. He landed on a ball boy’s foot after finishing a lay up.
Don’t know the extent of it at this point. But #Cavs Dean Wade seemed to hurt his ankle during his pregame workout.
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can buy the Donovan Mitchell and James Harden NBA Jam shirt HERE. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE.
We don’t know the extent of the injury at this time, but we won’t see him for Wednesday’s game against the Heat, as the team has officially ruled him out of this game.
Wade has started 36 of the 57 games he’s played this season. He’s averaged 5.8 points on .432/.354/.711 shooting splits with 4.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.
The Cavs have played some of their best basketball with Wade this season. Cleveland has been 3.1 points per 100 possessions better with Wade on the court compared to when he’s off. That’s been most relevant on the defensive end, where they’ve given up 1.8 fewer points per 100 possessions with him on.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson has been using the last portion of the year to experiment with lineups. We’ve seen that some with Wade’s insertion in the starting lineup, and how they’ve tried to use Wade at the five in lineups alongside James Harden. Groups with Wade at center and Harden on the floor have outscored opponents by 18.4 points per 100 possessions (99th percentile) with a 131.6 offensive rating (100th percentile) in just 76 possessions.
Losing Wade for an extended period of time would be detrimental. But it’s frustrating even if it’s just a short-term issue given how little time the Cavs have had their full compliment of players with the playoffs just around the corner.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 10: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives against Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Miami Heat during overtime at Kaseya Center on November 10, 2025 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers will try to push their winning streak to five games as they take on the Miami Heat.
Share your thoughts as the game unfolds. If you aren’t a member of the community, sign up so you can talk to your fellow Cavalier fans and make your voice heard!
Dealing with a busted bracket?
The Sweet 16 is almost here – who’s still alive? We’re reviewing the week that was in the first week of the NCAA tournament and turning our focus to remaining teams. How bad (or good!) is your bracket? Join us in the SB Nation March Madness Feed and let’s talk about who’s most likely to make a run to glory.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid will return to the Philadelphia 76ers' lineup on Wednesday against the Chicago Bulls after missing 13 consecutive games due to a right oblique strain.
Embiid has been limited to just 33 games this season due to injuries. The latest injury for the 2023 MVP occurred during a 124-117 win over the Miami Heat on Feb. 26.
Philadelphia entered the contest with a 39-33 record and in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, which would mean having to play in the NBA's play-in tournament. The 76ers are 1 1/2 games back of fifth-place Toronto.
Not necessarily, but the chance did just get a lot better.
With the news Wednesday, March 25 that NBA owners had approved the formal exploration of expansion opportunities in Seattle and Las Vegas, the natural question is whether the SuperSonics, the team that eventually relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008 to become the Thunder, would be making a reappearance.
In short: the chance is there for a prospective ownership group to take that step, though it’s not a guarantee. According to language in the contract agreement from the franchise’s move to Oklahoma City, which was obtained by NBC King5 in Seattle, the ownership group for the Thunder became prohibited from using the SuperSonics branding, color scheme, logo or any intellectual property.
According to the contract, should certain conditions be met under the approval of a new team located in Seattle, the Thunder ownership group will transfer intellectual property, including logos, color scheme, branding and even team history and statistics, to the new ownership group in place. In fact, there’s even language in the agreement that banners, retired jerseys and trophies may be transferred to the new team owner in Seattle.
Any prospective ownership group, however, is under no obligation to reestablish the SuperSonics should an expansion franchise be approved in Seattle, and the NBA would leave it up to the prospective ownership group.
It makes logical — if not easy — business sense, though, for new owners to simply reincorporate the SuperSonics back into the NBA. For one, it takes years of trust, marketing outreach, capital investment and performance to build brand loyalty. Compared to a prospective expansion team in Las Vegas, the Sonics already have that.
To that point, it’s not uncommon at NBA games in the Western Conference to occasionally have some fans in attendance with jerseys, flags and gear with the old SuperSonics branding.
And given this rich history — the SuperSonics played 40 seasons in the city and won an NBA Finals in 1979 — it’s a near guarantee that basketball fans will once again embrace the brand in the city, which has been without an NBA outfit since 2008; the Seattle Storm, the city’s WNBA franchise, held its inaugural season in 2000.
All this to say that it would be a missed opportunity, if not a massive blunder, for a new team to not embrace the Sonics brand.
In a brief conversation with USA TODAY Sports following his press conference Wednesday, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver reiterated that any potential decision to reestablish the SuperSonics brand would be up to the prospective owner, though Silver also acknowledged the wide reach and loyalty fans have to the brand.
“I do a great deal of traveling around the country and the world,” Silver said. “And one of the top five, six questions I get, easily, is ‘When are the Sonics coming back?’ ”
In the current era of name, image and likeness (NIL) overtaking the sport, transfers have as big an impact as ever on college basketball rosters. Most of the top transfers still alive in March Madness were paid handsomely for a chance at a deep NCAA Tournament run.
Depending on the situation, a Sweet 16 run could be considered "mission accomplished" for a few programs. For others, such as No. 1 seed Michigan, it serves as the potential first stop en route to on a Final Four berth.
Here's a ranking of the top first-year transfers of the Sweet 16 in the 2026 men's NCAA Tournament:
Ranking top first-year transfers of Sweet 16
1. Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan
The No. 1-ranked transfer portal prospect from the offseason has lived up to his billing in his first season at Michigan after transferring from UAB. The first-team All-American won Big Ten Player of the Year this season, averaging 14.7 points with 6.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game on 51.5% shooting.
Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz has had a wild college career, starting at Division II Northwest Missouri State before following coach Ben McCollum to Drake and, now, Iowa.
He has blossomed into a potential 2026 NBA Draft lottery pick with the Hawkeyes averaging 19.7 points with 2.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists this season while scoring 30 or more points three times.
Bennett Stirtz with the turnaround 😮💨 #MarchMadness
Nebraska standout Pryce Sandfort left Iowa in the offseason after the Hawkeyes moved on from longtime coach Fran McCaffery. It turned out to be the right move for the 6-foot-7 sharpshooter, as he averaged 17.9 points with 4.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game on 41% shooting from 3-point range.
Ja'Kobi Gillespie starred for Maryland last season while making a Sweet 16 run, and he's doing the same for Tennessee in 2025-26.
Gillespie has 50 combined points in the Vols' two NCAA Tournament wins over Miami (Ohio) and Virginia, racking up nine assists against the RedHawks and six against the Cavaliers. Gillespie, who started his career at Belmont from 2022-24, averaged 18.4 points with 2.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game this season.
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 20, 2026
5. Aday Mara, Michigan
Former UCLA center Aday Mara has been a huge playmaker for the Wolverines alongside Lendeborg in 2025-26.
The 7-foot-3 big man is surprisingly skilled for his size, averaging 2.5 assists per game this season along with 12 points and 6.9 rebounds on 67.5% shooting percentage. Mara mostly came off the bench for UCLA in his two seasons there, showing the transfer was well worth it as he projects to be an NBA first-round pick in 2026.
Georgia transfer Silas Demary Jr. has been UConn's primary ball-handler this season, raising the ceiling of its offense as he averages 6.1 assists per game.
Demary Jr. is fifth on the team in scoring (10.6 points per game), but his impact has been felt more than that. He's also a pesky defender, averaging 1.7 steals per game while helping UConn's defense move up to No. 11 adjusted defensive efficiency, per KenPom.
Andrej Stojakovic, the son of NBA sharpshooter Peja Stojakovic, has been a spark plug off the bench for Illinois this season.
The 6-foot-7 wing started his career at Stanford before transferring to California and now Illinois, where he averaged 13.5 points with 4.5 rebounds per game this season. He wasn't much of a shooter in 2025-26, shooting 24.1% from 3-point range, but he's coming off a 21-point performance in the Fighting Illini's 75-66 win over VCU.
The 7-foot transfer from Florida Atlantic averaged 15.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per game this season, and is coming off a pair of huge performances against BYU and Gonzaga. Vokietaitis had 23 points with 16 rebounds against the Cougars and 17 points with nine rebounds against the Bulldogs.
Dailyn Swain followed coach Sean Miller from Xavier to Texas in the offseason and has improved each of his top statistic averages. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 17.4 points with 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game this season on 54.5% shooting, a step up from his 11.0/5.5/2.6 averages a season ago. Swain is averaging 12.7 points with 6.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists during Texas' NCAA Tournament run.
Oscar Cluff was one of the most productive centers in college basketball last season at South Dakota State, but opted to take a lesser role to compete for a national title at Purdue.
The 6-foot-10 big man averaged 10.5 points with 7.5 rebounds per game this season as a paint anchor for the Boilermakers. Cluff was at his best in the Big Ten Tournament championship game vs. Michigan, dropping 21 points with five rebounds and a block in the 80-72 win.
Darling isn't a top-five scorer for St. John's and combined for eight points in two March Madness games this offseason.
But the Idaho State transfer is the literal reason St. John's is still dancing: He hit the game-winning, buzzer-beating shot against Kansas in the second round, sending the Red Storm to the Sweet 16 of March Madness for the first time since 1999.
And isn't that part of the beauty of March Madness, after all?
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 28: Marcus Smart of Lakers warms up before the NBA game 31 between Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors in San Francisco at Chase Center on February 28, 2026 in San Francisco, California, United States. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images) | Anadolu via Getty Images
UPDATE: Along with Rui Hachimura and Marcus Smart, Deandre Ayton will also be out for LA’s game against Indiana. Ayton was initially listed as questionable to play. He will miss this contest due to back soreness.
Deandre Ayton (back soreness) is out tonight in Indiana, per the Lakers.
The Lakers playing without two starters and a key rotation player in Hachimura makes a win that much harder. This is the final matchup of the team’s six-game road trip.
Original Story follows.
On paper, a contest between the Lakers and Pacers should be an easy win for LA. However, a couple of key injuries have made the path to victory a bit harder.
The Lakers will complete their last extended road trip of the season without Rui Hachimura, Marcus Smart and Adou Thiero.
Starting center Deandre Ayton’s status is also up in the air. He is listed as questionable on the injury report.
Rui Hachimura (right calf soreness), Marcus Smart (right ankle contusion) and Adou Thiero (left knee soreness) are all out, per the Lakers.
Deandre Ayton (back soreness) has been added to the injury report and is questionable for tonight. https://t.co/SS15oIKcaj
This is the second straight game both Hachimura and Smart will miss. Lakers head coach JJ Redick stated that Smart was day-to-day after a right ankle issue occurred due to a collision with Magic player Goga Bitadze.
Redick also said Hachimura is day-to-day with right calf soreness. On the bright side, Redick stated that Hachimura had an MRI, which came back clean.
Thiero played a short shift against the Pistons, but is now out with left knee soreness. Thiero has missed significant time due to left knee surgery recovery, so if he’s feeling anything sore at all on that same knee, he should sit.
Dealing with a busted bracket?
The Sweet 16 is almost here – who’s still alive? We’re reviewing the week that was in the first week of the NCAA tournament and turning our focus to remaining teams. How bad (or good!) is your bracket? Join us in the SB Nation March Madness Feed and let’s talk about who’s most likely to make a run to glory.
On the court, he’s not a player who gets regular playing time, so his absence impacts the Lakers less than the other players out for this contest.
If Ayton misses, that’d be an even bigger challenge to overcome. No one on the team has the size and post talent Ayton provides. Hopefully, he will be cleared to play.
Despite being shorthanded in Indy, the Lakers should still take care of business. The Pacers are tanking and have nothing left to play for and the Lakers are fighting to keep their No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.
And, while Smart and Hachimura are valuable players, LA still has its big three of Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and LeBron James ready to go.
So, a win should still be expected as they try to end this road trip strong.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 29: Pat Spencer #61 of the Golden State Warriors shoots a basket against Nic Claxton #33 of the Brooklyn Nets during the first half at Barclays Center on December 29, 2025 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors finally return to the Chase Center after a near two-week road trip as they prepare to host the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night. The game will be played at 7:00 PM PT in San Francisco and can be watched on NBC Sports Bay Area.
The Warriors snapped a three-game losing streak on Monday with a 137–131 overtime win over the Dallas Mavericks. The victory capped off a 2–4 record during their six-game road trip, but it came at a devastating cost. Moses Moody, who had just returned after missing 10 games with a wrist injury, suffered a gruesome knee injury late in overtime. He was later diagnosed with a torn patellar tendon and will miss the remainder of the season.
The timing couldn’t have been worse, as Moody looked sharp in his return, leading the team with 23 points while knocking down four three-pointers. Although the injury was a tough blow for a Golden State team already dealing with a lot of them, head coach Steve Kerr did offer a positive update regarding Moody’s condition and the upcoming surgery he is expected to undergo.
"The MRI was clean. It's the [patellar] tendon. No damage to cartilage or bone, so that's the good news. That allows it to be a pretty basic surgery." 🙏
Wednesday night’s matchup against the Nets does carry some postseason implications for the Warriors. While the team has been trending toward a play-in spot for weeks now, that outcome could become official depending on tonight’s results.
With just 10 games remaining, Golden State sits 9.5 games behind the sixth-seeded Houston Rockets in the Western Conference. A loss would officially lock the Warriors into the Play-In Tournament, while a win would eliminate the Memphis Grizzlies from contention and leave only the New Orleans Pelicans as a distant threat for the final spot.
Though all signs point toward a play-in appearance, the Warriors have continued to compete regardless of the circumstances. That effort should be put on display again as they take on a Brooklyn team dealing with injuries and riding an eight-game losing streak.
Warriors are 12.5-point favorites tonight against the Brooklyn Nets at Chase Center. Stephen Curry/Al Horford/Quinten Post/Seth Curry out for Golden State. Michael Porter Jr. among several inactives for Brooklyn.
Mar 16, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (7) and forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) react during the game against the Orlando Magic during the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Hawks (40-32) try to avoid a season sweep at the hands of the Detroit Pistons (52-19) tonight in Motown.
Starting lineup:
G CJ McCollum
G Nickeil Alexander-Walker
F Dyson Daniels
F Jalen Johnson
C Onyeka Okongwu
Please join in the comments below as you follow along.
Where, When, and How to Watch and Listen
Location: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
Start Time: 7:00 PM EDT
TV: ESPN
Radio: Sports Radio 92.9 the Game (WZGC-FM)
Streaming: ESPN+, Fubo (out of market), NBA League Pass (out of market), Youtube TV (NBA League Pass out of market)
The easy route to replace Davis, who was fired after five seasons on Tuesday March 24, would be to go outside of the “Carolina Family.” And there is a real struggle taking place right now in Chapel Hill, N.C., between honoring tradition and paving the way forward in a new world of college sports.
Before outgoing athletic director Bubba Cunningham and AD in-waiting Steve Newmark decide on a new coach, they must take strong look at Jerry Stackhouse.
There will be more names of potential candidates, who have won big like Gonzaga's Mark Few, Michigan's Dusty May and Billy Donovan with the Chicago Bulls.
Stackhouse is the most credible former UNC player or coach not named Roy Williams or Larry Brown who could take the job. And Carolina being Carolina, the first look should always be from within even when, on the surface, there's not an obvious choice like Williams when he returned in 2003.
UNC has always viewed itself from within as being above the fray in college athletics. Pursuing Stackhouse might be the last way to show it, because in some respects, the Tar Heels have become what they once despised.
The hiring of Bill Belichick as football coach was conducted by a shadow search by John Preyer, the former head of the Board of Trustees, that was so shady it would have made Marshall Mathers proud.
After the coaching search, they’ll get back to debating whether to build a new basketball arena as the centerpiece of a new project to create the “Carolina North” part of campus; or stay in the Dean E. Smith Center, the home of the Tar Heels since 1986.
There wasn’t much of a discussion at all, it seemed the administration was just going to push it forward, until Williams released a video lobbying for the team to keep calling the Smith Center home. The tug of staying true or moving on to something new is at the heart of many decisions facing UNC Athletics right now.
A new arena would have suites and box seats to help Carolina max out revenue streams that are necessities in this new era. But staying connected to Dean Smith in any form can’t be easily dismissed.
That’s why it’s imperative to exhaust all avenues of a coach with ties to Smith before moving on.
Davis was the right coach for Carolina at the wrong time in college basketball.
His respect for tradition didn’t mesh a generation that has a short attention span. Footage from their run to the 2022 Final Four and national championship game may as well have been an analog broadcast to these kids.
Davis passed on players who could have helped his roster through his five seasons because their initial concern was about compensation. He wanted players who put Carolina first in a time where basketball mercenaries show loyalty so long as the check clears.
While Davis has a well-deserved reputation as a gentleman coach, Stackhouse does not. In the best kind of way. His teams were tough and his demeanor has an edge to it that has been woefully missing in Chapel Hill.
He was that way as a player too. Stackhouse, of course, played two seasons under Smith and helped the Tar Heels reach the 1995 Final Four his sophomore year. (Had he not suffered a thigh contusion against Arkansas, he may have even delivered a third national title for Smith.)
Stackhouse was a two-time NBA All-Star during 18 seasons in the league, which is where he transitioned to coaching. He made a splash in his first season as a head coach by leading the Raptors 905 to a NBA G League championship in 2017.
He did have limited success during his five seasons at Vanderbilt from 2019-24 with two winning seasons and he never reached the NCAA Tournament. But he took over a program that went 0-18 in the SEC prior to his arrival and the bulk of his time in Nashville was before transfers were granted immediate eligibility and flooded the portal and before name, image and likeness (NIL) budgets became the new relationship that determined recruiting.
Vandy basketball had among the worst NIL budgets in the SEC during Stackhouse’s tenure, yet he still managed to win the conference’s Coach of the Year award in 2023.
Give him the basketball resources of North Carolina and he will get the results to match.
Stackhouse was well respected among SEC coaches for the offensive sets he ran. In his current position as an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors under coach Steve Kerr, he’s becoming known as a defensive savant.
Hiring Stackhouse would not be making the same mistake twice. It would be North Carolina honoring its tradition before there’s nothing left to honor.
Oklahoma City Thunder (56-15) at Boston Celtics (47-24) Wednesday, March 25, 2026 7:30 PM ET Game #72, Home Game #36 TV: NBCSB, FDSN,, NBA-LP Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub, WWLS/WKY, Sirius XM
The Celtics continue their 3 game home stand as they host the Oklahoma City Thunder in what may be a Finals preview. This is the second, and final, regular season game between these two teams. The Celtics lost 104-102 in Oklahoma City on March 12. They lost the series 0-2 last season, with each team winning at home. The Celtics are 79-69 overall all time against the Thunder and they are 40-29 in games played in Boston.
The Celtics are 2nd in the East, 5 games behind 1st place Detroit. They are percentage points ahead of 3rd place New York, 3 games ahead of 4th place Cleveland, 7 games ahead of 5th place Toronto, 7.5 games ahead of 6th place Atlanta, and 8.5 games ahead of 7th place Philadelphia. The Celtics are 18-10 against Western Conference opponents. They are 24-11 at home and 6-4 in their last 10 games. They are coming off a loss in their last game.
The Thunder are 1st in the West, 3 games ahead of 2nd place San Antonio, 11 games ahead of the 3rd place Lakers, 13 games ahead of 4th place Denver and 5th place Minnesota, 13.5 games ahead of 6th place Houston and 17 games ahead of 7th place Phoenix. They are 20-6 against Eastern Conference opponents. They are 28-8 on the road and 10-0 in their last 10 games. They have won their last 12 games.
After this game at home against Oklahoma City, the Celtics will host Atlanta to complete a 3 game home stand. Then it’s back on the road for a 4 game trip through Charlotte, Atlanta, Miami and Milwaukee. They will then play two games at home against Toronto and Charlotte before one game on the road at New York. They will finish the season with 2 games at home against New Orleans and Orlando.
The Thunder are playing in the final game of a 6 game road trip. They will return home for a 5 game home stand hosting Chicagok New York, Detroit, Los Angeles Lakers, and Utah. Then it’s on the road for a 3 game road trip to play the Lakers and Clippers in Los Angeles and finish the trip in Denver. They will finish the season with a game at home against Phoenix.
Both teams are relatively healthy. Nikola Vucevic remains out for the Celtics after surgery to stabilize a fracture in his right ring finger. John Tonje is out on G-League assignment. Amare Williams and Max Shulga are questionable due to G-League assignment. For the Thunder, Thomas Sorber (knee) and Nikola Topic (G-League) are both out. In the first matchup, the Celtics were without both White and Tatum while the Thunder were without Jalen Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein.
Probable Starting Matchups PG: Derrick White vs Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Derrick White | NBAE via Getty ImagesShai Gilgeous-Alexander | NBAE via Getty Images
SG: Jaylen Brown vs Luguentz Dort
Jaylen Brown | NBAE via Getty ImagesLuguentz Dort | NBAE via Getty Images
SF: Sam Hauser vs Jalen Williams
Sam Hauser | NBAE via Getty ImagesJalen Williams | NBAE via Getty Images
PF: Jayson Tatum vs Chet Holmgren
Jayson Tatum | Boston Globe via Getty ImagesChet Holmgren | Getty Images
C: Neemias Queta vs Isaiah Hartenstein
Neemias Queta | Boston Globe via Getty ImagesIsaiah Hartenstein | NBAE via Getty Images
Celtics Reserves Payton Pritchard Hugo Gonzalez Luka Garza Amare Williams Jordan Walsh Baylor Scheierman Max Shulga Charles Bassey (10-Day) 2-Way Players Ron Harper, Jr Injuries/Out Nikola Vucevic (finger) out John Tonje (G-League) out Amare Williams (G-League) questionable Max Shulga (G-League) questionable Head Coach Joe Mazzulla
Thunder Reserves Alex Caruso Ajay Mitchell Isaiah Joe Jared McCain Aaron Wiggins Cason Wallace Jaylin Williams Kenrich Williams
Injuries/Out Thomas Sorber (knee) out Nikola Topic (G-League) out
Head Coach Mark Daigneault
Key Matchups Derrick White vs Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. He is shooting 55.5% from the field and 38.8% from beyond the arc. In the first game against the Celtics, SGA finished with 35 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 blocks and 2 steals while shooting 72.2% from the field and 43.8% from beyond the arc. Gilgeous-Alexander is the reigning MVP and is one of the leaders to win it once again this season. He is the key to the Thunder’s winning ways. In order to slow the Thunder, the Celtics must slow down SGA.
Jayson Tatum vs Chet Holmgren Holmgren is averaging 17.2 points, 9 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.9 blocks per game. He is shooting 55.4% from the field and 35.2% from beyond the arc. In the first game against the Celtics, he finished with 14 points and 9 rebounds while shooting 50% from the field and 25% from beyond the arc. The Celtics must stay with him on defense whether he is in the paint or on the perimeter. Jayson Tatum has been struggling somewhat in recent games and hopefully he will be able to play well in this game. Honorable Mention Sam Hauser vs Jalen Williams Williams is averaging 17.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, , 5.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. He is shooting 48.3% from the field and 31.3% from beyond the arc. He missed the first game against the Celtics and this is just his 3rd game back from injury. He has played in just 27 games this season.
Keys to the Game Defense – Defense is always the biggest key to winning. This is going to be a tough matchup for the Celtics as the Thunder are first in the league with a defensive rating of 106.0 while the Celtics are 4th with a defensive rating of 111.5. The Celtics need to tighten up their defense and make playing defense a priority especially against this Thunder team that plays lock down defense.
Rebound – Rebounding is also a key to winning. The Celtics need to rebound on the defensive end to keep the Thunder from getting second chance points and they need to rebound on the offensive end to give themselves extra possessions. The Thunder are 13th with 44.1 rebounds per game while the Celtics are 4th with 46.5 rebounds per game. Much of rebounding is desire and effort and the Celtics as a team have to put in the extra effort to grab rebounds.
Take Care of the Ball – The Celtics need to keep their focus and not turn the ball over. The Thunder are 1st in the league with 22.3 points off turnovers per game. They are also 4th with 9.7 steals per game. The Celtics have to move the ball because they are a much better team when they move the ball and don’t over dribble. But they must focus and make careful passes and not get sloppy. They also have to be aware when dribbling the ball so as not to allow the Thunder to get steals. The Thunder will make them pay if they get sloppy and turn the ball over.
Be Focused and Ready for a Tough Game – The Thunder are a very good team and they play exceptional defense. They are also a very physical team. The Celtics have to be ready to go to the basket if they struggle from three. They also have to be ready to shoot from midrange if both the paint and the perimeter are defended tightly. The Celtics must stay focused on playing hard for 48 minutes and on playing tough defense and on matching the Thunder’s physicality. They can’t afford to let the Thunder play harder than them.
X-Factors At Home vs Road Fatigue – The Celtics are at home and they should get motivation from playing in front of their fans. The Celtics at home for their 2nd straight game and should be refreshed being at home. The Thunder are on the road with distractions of travel, staying in hotels and playing in front of a hostile crowd. They are playing in the final game of a 5 game road trip and so fatigue may be a factor for them down the stretch.
Officiating – Officiating is always an x-factor. How the refs call the game has a big influence on how the teams play. Will they let them play or call every little bit of contact? Will they call it evenly or will they favor one team or the other. It all effects the outcome of the game and the Celtics need to play the right way and not allow the officiating to take them out of their game. They can’t let bad calls and no calls take away their focus.
PHOENIX, AZ - MARCH 22: Ryan Dunn #0 and Rasheer Fleming #20 of the Phoenix Suns high five during the game against the Toronto Raptors on March 22, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With recent injuries, Jordan Ott has had to dig deep into his rotation and find guys to step up in big moments. We have seen this transpire, with young wings in Ryan Dunn and Rasheer Fleming showing bright flashes of their game. Not only that, but veteran wings that have been late-season additions have also risen to the occasion. Players like Amir Coffey and Haywood Highsmith have made winning plays on both ends and filled holes this team lacked in the first half of the year.
Yet even though all this positive stuff has been said about this dynamic wing room, there are plenty of people who will say that it is too crowded. To those people, I have this to use against them; that is a ridiculous thing to say.
In this league, the wing position is the most coveted, and the Suns have the perfect blend in their rotation. This is a good problem for the team, and one they should not squander. When you look at each of them, too, it makes sense why this is not an issue.
First, let’s look at Dillon Brooks, who was a key piece for this team and came at the right moment. When this team needed an identity and culture shift, he was the perfect person to bring in to help build that structure. He does everything he can on the court to fire himself and his teammates up to make sure they are always ready for war. Some of these antics can cause him some unnecessary trouble with the referees, but his teammates always have his back.
"We're a unit. We're all connected."
Dillon Brooks after Suns win over Warriors.
On Collin Gillespie return: "Just a little bruise, put some ice on it. He'll be alright. He's a tough kid."
On Oso Ighodaro 13-rebound, 5-steal effort: "If I've got to pick on him and yell at him… pic.twitter.com/woS9wkRiIW
Brooks has consistently been a leader for this team and arguably their second-best player. We have noticed it especially with him being out with the broken hand, missing his impact on both ends of the court. Brooks, though, is not the only one who brings this fire to the team.
The young wing duo is now flourishing, and due to those injuries, has seen increased developmental minutes together. Both Ryan Dunn and Rasheer Fleming have made those eye-popping plays, whether it’s a crazy dunk or a block you could not imagine, they are taking the Valley by storm. Not to mention the great shooting that Fleming has displayed in this short stint in March, it really convinces fans to buy into the direction the Suns are heading.
Rasheer Fleming has some freakishly long arms and it's sick to watch him protect the rim as a 6'9 rookie…
Even with Dunn getting some DNP’s over a stretch, it did not faze him as he came back and has gotten better with each performance. To see the sophomore not get frustrated and use that as motivation to make sure he sticks in the lineup should only fuel the fire of the other wings who want playing time too.
Up to +15.7 on the season for the Dunn/Fleming pairing. Their drawbacks are obvious but they shoot just well *enough* to not cripple the halfcourt offense while bringing a serious energy that no other pair of wings can match.
Guys like Haywood Highsmith and Amir Coffey, two wings who came in the middle of the season, were acquired: Coffey from the Milwaukee Bucks and Highsmith from the buyout market. Both saw limited or no playing time due to injury, but have now integrated themselves as guys who have earned Ott’s trust.
Coffey was in and out of Doc Rivers’ rotation, but when he came to Phoenix, he seemed to fit like a glove. His ability to be a solid three-point shooter and a guy who hunted offensive rebounds was a perfect match for Ott’s playing style. His hustle has earned him a lot more credit than the box score shows every night, allowing him to get minutes when he’s healthy.
Highsmith was signed and brought in after being injured all season, but he seems not to skip a beat. His best game was just recently, when he went off for 16 points and 4 three-pointers in Boston. His ability to be a viable offensive option when the Suns were struggling from three was necessary to keep them afloat in the game. His defense is also fantastic with his 6’11” wingspan at 6’5”, allowing him to be disruptive on the ball and force plenty of turnovers, something the Suns love to create into their own opportunities.
"I feel like I took a good step. Saw the ball go through the hoop a little bit. Moving well. Getting the confidence every game."
Haywood Highsmith after season-high 16 points (4-of-5 from 3) in Suns 120-112 loss to Celtics.
Last but not least is Royce O’Neale, the three-point sniper. Even though he can be very hit-or-miss this year, he has been very good, shooting 40% from beyond the arc. This ability to be such a valuable shooter in an offense that runs heavily through the three-ball is key. In the game the other week against the Bucks, he was huge, making six threes in the third quarter alone to help the Suns secure the victory. His peskiness on defense also allows him to force plenty of turnovers that aid the team.
When all this is added together, it is clear they have the depth to step in and fill gaps when the Suns are in dire need of it, as they have recently. Compare this to last year, when the Suns were begging for Cody Martin to play so they could have some help on defense, praying that Oso Ighodaro and Ryan Dunn would see the light and be released from the bench. Those are the painful days we all dread remembering, even if it was just a year ago. So why ruin all the fun and rush out of this, especially in a season when expectations were so low?
You continue to invest in the youth, as they are the future, yes, but you do not just cast others away because of bad performances or because someone is better than them in a short stint. Depending on how the remaining 10 games and, hopefully, the playoffs go, we will all have a better understanding. One thing is for sure, though: the Suns fans should be happy they have this “too many wings” issue, instead of trying to force a hypothetical trade for no reason.
MEMPHIS, TN - MARCH 20: The sneakers worn by Taylor Hendricks #22 of the Memphis Grizzlies during the game against the Boston Celtics on March 20, 2026 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Sweet 16 is almost here – who’s still alive? We’re reviewing the week that was in the first week of the NCAA tournament and turning our focus to remaining teams. How bad (or good!) is your bracket? Join us in the SB Nation March Madness Feed and let’s talk about who’s most likely to make a run to glory.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay Lightning captain Victor Hedman is taking a temporary leave of absence for personal reasons, the team announced Wednesday.
The Lightning did not share further details and asked for Hedman’s privacy to be respected.
Hedman, 35, missed time in November, December and January because of injury and subsequent elbow surgery to repair it.
He returned in early February and represented his country at this year's Milan Cortina Olympics. Hedman has a goal and 16 assists and is averaging nearly 19 minutes of ice time over 33 games for the likely playoff-bound Lightning.
Mar 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; A general view of Opening Day signage prior to a game between the Detroit Tigers and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
The Dodgers on Wednesday finalized their opening day roster, setting the 13 pitchers, 12 position players and one unicorn for the start of the season.
It’s the first time on an opening day roster for Will Klein, and Edgardo Henriquez, and the second time for Justin Wrobleski, who was active for the first game last March in Tokyo, but did not pitch and was optioned before the second game overseas. All three pitched in the majors in each of the past two seasons, and that trio combined for 12 scoreless innings in the 2025 World Series.
Wrobleski will be in the bullpen for the opening series or two, but he’s basically part of a six-man starting rotation that won’t be as taxed due to four off days in the first three weeks of the season. The Dodgers bullpen though does have three traditional left-handed relievers in Tanner Scott, Alex Vesia, and Jack Dreyer.
It’s also the first opening day roster for switch-hitter Alex Freeland, who made his major league debut last July. Freeland will platoon at second base, beating out Hyeseong Kim, who was optioned to Triple-A Sunday.
“I think with Alex, with what he’s done in Triple-A already, he’s really played well. There’s nothing left for him to prove there,” manager Dave Roberts said Sunday. “For us to give him a little bit of runway to see what we’ve got in him, to give him an opportunity to play here for us against right-handed pitching, and just kind of see where it goes.”
Another first opening day roster for Dalton Rushing, who made his major league debut last May. At 25 years, 33 days old on Thursday, Rushing is the youngest Dodgers catcher on an opening day roster since Russell Martin in 2007.
