MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers homered in all three of his three plate appearances in a spring training game Saturday against the Kansas City Royals.
Langeliers was subbed out after five innings. By then he'd hit three solo shots as the A's took a 5-0 lead. All three were off Royals starter Ryan Bergert.
The 28-year-old Langeliers homered to left in the first, hit one to center in the third and completed the trio with a drive to center in the fourth.
Langeliers hit a career-high 31 home runs last season for the Athletics in 123 games. He has had two three-homer games in the regular season — on April 9, 2024, at Texas and on Aug. 5, 2025, at Washington.
May 9, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus (1) celebrates a made basket during game three of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Strus has been an integral part of the Cavaliers since coming over in a sign-and-trade from the Miami Heat in 2023. Strus has appeared in 120 games with the Cavaliers, starting in all but 13 of those outings. In that time, he’s averaged 11 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game on .426/.364/.802 shooting splits.
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Strus is known as an off-ball three-point shooter. He has a knack for creating havoc with his movement and screen setting away from the play. That has helped open up what could be a stagnant starting lineup before he came to Cleveland. But to limit his game to three-point shooting would be a disservice to how complete a basketball player he is.
The Cavaliers have benefited from Strus’s ability to initiate offense as a second-side playmaker, run pick-and-rolls, and do the dirty work on defense. Despite being just 6’5”, he’s held up well in matchups with bigger opposing wings, which is useful for a team that has been lacking wings during most of his tenure in Cleveland.
More than that, Strus plays with an edge that this team has oftentimes lacked. He’s not afraid to mix it up with opponents and is quick to hold players accountable. This has happened even when he’s been held out of games, as he’s often seen instructing players during timeouts.
Despite the good news, the Cavaliers will not be fully healthy on Sunday, even if Strus plays. They will still be without Jarrett Allen (knee), Sam Merrill (hamstring), Craig Porter Jr. (groin), and Tyrese Proctor (quad). Jaylon Tyson is questionable for the game with a hamstring injury.
Strus’s probable return on Sunday will undoubtedly help the Cavs, but it does present some good problems for head coach Kenny Atkinson to figure out.
The Cavaliers have been trying to work in new faces into the lineup after the trade deadline, and haven’t been able to nail down rotations. That task has been made more difficult due to recent injuries to Evan Mobley, Donovan Mitchell, and Allen. It’s not easy to gauge what units work best together with so many people out of the lineup. Trying to figure out where Strus fits in doesn’t make Atkinson’s job easier, even if it should help the Cavs in the long run.
DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Tarik Skubal struck out seven in 4 2/3 innings for the Detroit Tigers in a 6-1 spring training game win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday rather than make a second start for the United States at the World Baseball Classic.
Winner of the last two AL Cy Young Awards, Skubal and the Tigers agreed in January that he would be limited to one WBC outing, and he allowed one run and two hits in a 9-1 group stage win over Britain on March 7.
Skubal, eligible to become a free agent after the World Series, threw 44 of 61 pitches for strikes in his third spring training outing for the Tigers, matched up with three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer. He will likely have one more outing before Detroit's opener at San Diego on March 26.
Scherzer, a 41-year-old right-hander, allowed two hits in 4 2/3 scoreless innings with five strikeouts and two walks, throwing 42 of 65 pitches for strikes.
He agreed two weeks into spring training on a one-year contract guaranteeing $3 million and made his first exhibition appearance on March 7. Scherzer has allowed two hits over 8 2/3 scoreless innings.
SHANGHAI (AP) — Formula 1 and its governing body FIA said the Grand Prix races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia will not happen in April because of safety concerns related to the Iran war.
Both countries have been struck during Iran’s response after the United States and Israel launched a wave of attacks on Iran.
The announcement was made early Sunday morning in Shanghai ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix.
“Due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East region, the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix will not take place in April,” F1 said. “While several alternatives were considered, it was ultimately decided that no substitutions will be made in April.”
F1 was due to race in Bahrain on April 12 and in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah on April 19.
“While this was a difficult decision to take, it is unfortunately the right one at this stage considering the current situation in the Middle East," said Stefano Domenicali, president and CEO of F1.
The FIA said the two races “will not take place in April” and that no replacements would be organized.
“The FIA will always place the safety and well being of our community and colleagues first. After careful consideration, we have taken this decision with that responsibility firmly in mind,” FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said.
The FIA didn’t explicitly rule out rescheduling the races and, along with F1, did not use the words "cancel" or "postpone" in announcing the series would not be in Bahrain or Saudi Arabia next month.
Ben Sulayem said: “Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are incredibly important to the ecosystem of our racing season, and I look forward to returning to both as soon as circumstances allow.”
The promoters of the races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia said they supported the decision.
F1’s packed schedule doesn’t have any obvious open dates for rescheduled races this year.
Calling off the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian races means there will be a five-week gap from the Japanese Grand Prix on March 29 and the next race, the Miami Grand Prix on May 3. Without any rescheduling, the 22-race schedule would be the shortest since 2023.
The two Middle East races weren’t until next month but F1 faced making a decision earlier because it typically flies in the first staff and cargo to tracks weeks in advance. F1 was also faced with the difficulty of selling tickets at short notice, which make it almost impossible to set up a replacement race in other countries.
Kimi Antonelli, the Mercedes driver who qualified on pole position for Sunday’s race in Shanghai, said his thoughts were “with the ones that are suffering from this situation” and that safety needed to be the priority, adding of the FIA and F1: “I’m sure they will do the right thing.”
The schedule is a joint matter for the FIA and for F1’s commercial rights holder and teams had signaled a willingness to follow their lead.
“I think we follow the guidance of the FIA and Formula 1, as we always do. They’ve always led us in the right direction,” Audi team principal Jonathan Wheatley said Friday. “Nobody’s going to compromise on anything that would put teams into an uncomfortable situation.”
Bahrain had already hosted two preseason F1 tests this season before Israel and the United States launched attacks on Iran. A smaller-scale test of wet-weather tires was called off in the immediate aftermath of those strikes.
A travel shutdown affecting major airports in the Middle East also caused disruption for Europe-based F1 and team staff heading to Melbourne for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
The last time a scheduled F1 race was canceled was in 2023, when the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in northern Italy was called off at short notice due to deadly floods in the area.
In 2022, F1 continued with its race weekend in Saudi Arabia even after Yemen’s Houthi rebels attacked an oil depot during a practice session, with black smoke visible from the Jeddah circuit.
The same year, F1 canceled the Russian Grand Prix’s contract after Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine.
ATLANTA (AP) — Emmanuel Latte Lath had a goal and an assist and Miguel Almirón had three assists to spark Atlanta United to a 3-1 victory over Philadelphia on Saturday, extending the Union's worst start in club history.
Latte Lath staked Atlanta United to a 1-0 lead in the 28th minute when he used assists from Almirón and defender Elías Báez to score. It was Latte Lath's first goal this year after scoring seven times last season — his first in the league. Báez, a 21-year-old rookie, notched his second assist.
Tomás Jacob made it 2-0 with a goal two minutes into the second half. It was the first goal for the 21-year-old rookie defender. Almirón and Matías Galarza had assists. Galarza contributed in his debut for the club after being signed on March 2 from Argentina's River Plate.
Alexey Miranchuk scored for the third time in the last two matches to make it 3-0 in the 68th minute. Latte Lath and Almirón had assists. Almirón set a club record with his 38th career assist in his 97th appearance, topping the 37 assists of Brooks Lennon.
Philadelphia spoiled rookie goalkeeper Lucas Hoyos' shot at his first clean sheet in the 87th minute when rookie midfielder Agustín Anello scored his first career goal. Defender Frankie Westfield earned his first assist this season after collecting five of them as a rookie last year. Alejandro Bedoya also assisted on the score, his first this season and his 34th in 271 career appearances — all with the Union.
Hoyos saved two shots for Atlanta United (1-3-0) in his fourth league start.
Andre Blake finished with two saves in his 270th career start for the Union (0-4-0) since 2014.
Atlanta United improves to 5-1-4 all time at home against the Union, outscoring them 18-8.
Coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino earns his first victory in his return to Atlanta United after coaching Inter Miami in 2023-24. He led Atlanta United to the MLS Cup in 2018.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - APRIL 4: St. Louis Cardinals manager Oli Marmol looks on during a game against the Miami Marlins during the home opener at Busch Stadium on April 4, 2024 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals offered us an unprecedented opportunity to have direct access to the thinking of manager Oli Marmol. We were given a 30-minute online session to ask questions and one of the top recommendations from the community here was the viability of a 6-man rotation for this season.
Here’s what Oli had to say about using a 6-man rotation this season:
“I thought that worked really well last year…and here’s the way I was thinking about it. We didn’t have the depth in Triple A so it was almost this game within a game where we had to not get hurt. That was part of the strategy…so how do we keep these dudes healthy and not have to tap into the layer beneath them…thank God we were able to make it through where every starter made every start and the strategies that were put in place worked. I can say that you can plan all you want, but you have to get lucky for that to happen…With having almost every Thursday off if you look at our schedule, it would actually put guys on a 7-day which is not a great thing out of the gate. I think there’s times to plug them in in order to give guys the rest necessary, but not at the expense of part of the rotation being on a 7-day rather than a 6-day. That complicates things as well. People often talk about injury from a workload standpoint, where a lot of times it’s also not enough work and then jumping in. Relievers can go…he got hurt because he went 3 days in a row…well, there’s also the other side of the guy hasn’t pitched in 6 days and you ask for 2 innings. You have to balance that out as you think about the bullpen and the rotation. Out of the gate, I’m less likely to think of it as a 6-man, but I think there are times where you start to get into the schedule where that makes sense”.
You can expect to hear a lot of takeaways from our writers based on Oli’s comments. I was struck by the fact that this get-together with online writers and podcasters was Oli’s idea and not something that the Cardinals came up with. He expressed how vital it is as the team continues this rebuild process to help fans understand what the team is thinking as they make decisions since it’s been a long time since the St. Louis Cardinals have not been in a realistic contention position. He also did emphasize that he’s not assigning any length of time to how long this rebuild will take before the team is competing for a division title or pennant. The current roster could surprise or it could take longer. He wants transparency with the fanbase as we all move forward together.
One final thought on what Oli Marmol had to say. He emphasized that the front office is not dictating decisions on the field. He said that if you don’t like a decision that was made during a game, the responsibility is on him. He said that Chaim Bloom and his team are providing ample information so they can make informed decisions, but he completely owns the decisions on the field. I came away from our time with Oli Marmol impressed with this new direction and inclusion of online personalities into what the St. Louis Cardinals are working to accomplish. I believe the organization is in very good hands. Let’s hope that leads to winning sooner rather than later.
At 24-10, with regular-season losses to Oregon, USC and Indiana, the Badgers might not show up on many lists of projected Final Four teams. But after watching them handle Illinois and then punch Michigan in the mouth at the Big Ten tournament, don’t be surprised if Wisconsin makes a deep run over the next three weeks.
“We’ve all grown,” Austin Rapp said after scoring 18 points, all on 3-pointers, in the last 10 minutes as Wisconsin erased a 15-point deficit before falling to Michigan 68-65 on a last-second 3-pointer by Yaxel Lendeborg.
“We’re starting to show we can compete with anyone in the country.”
Just ask the Wolverines.
Michigan is outscoring opponents by more than 18 points a game, and all but seven of its 31 wins were by double figures. It has a player of the year candidate in Lendeborg, and the Big Ten defensive player of the year in Aday Mara.
But the Wolverines had already lost to Wisconsin once before Saturday’s Big Ten semifinals, its only conference loss during the regular season, and the Badgers almost made it two.
“We know we're a pretty good team,” Lendeborg said. “We haven't had many opportunities or games like this where we felt that kind of game pressure.”
No one is ever going to call Wisconsin flashy. They don’t have a roster of All-Americans. All anythings, actually. They didn’t even have experience at the beginning of the year, with seven of the eight players on the floor against Michigan in their first seasons at Wisconsin.
But the Badgers are also not easily containable.
They have slick guards, yes, with Nick Boyd and John Blackwell making a case for the best backcourt in the country. But they also have big guys who can shoot, which can make them a nightmare to defend.
Besides the six 3s from Rapp, who is 6-10, Wisconsin got three 3s from Aleksas Bieliauskas, who is also 6-10. Nolan Winter, a 7-footer who missed his fourth game with an ankle injury, went 3-of-4 from long range in the regular-season win over Michigan.
“I think we probably make a lot of teams uncomfortable because of that attribute to our team,” Wisconsin coach Greg Gard said.
The Badgers have had big shooters before. That team that went to back-to-back Final Fours in 2013 and 2014 was led by Frank Kaminsky. But the difference is this Wisconsin offense is more versatile than the typically stodgy Badgers.
Take away the paint, and the bigs can light you up from outside. Don’t let them get good looks, and Boyd and Blackwell will tag you for 50.
“That's one thing we try to embed in these guys is you've got to keep shooting. You've got to stay with your confidence,” Gard said. “I don't want them gun shy. I don't want them overthinking it and becoming hesitant because when we are spraying 3s, it opens up so much more and then the guards can get downhill.”
They also can score a lot in a hurry. In the first half, it took about 2½ minutes for the Badgers to turn a tie game into a seven-point lead. Rapp made five 3-pointers in a row in just three minutes.
Gard and his players are the first to acknowledge they wouldn’t have put a scare in NCAA Tournament opponents earlier in the season. Heck, maybe even a few weeks ago. But their three games at the Big Ten tournament were invaluable, especially for younger players like Rapp and Bieliauskas.
Wisconsin opened the conference tournament with a win over Washington.
“I think this group understands how good they are, but you get to this point and time of the year, they're all good,” Gard said. “So just understanding and keeping in mind what makes us good and stay true to that and do it better and keep getting better.
“That's what I said a week ago when we won at Purdue, this group has gotten better,” he added. “I think we can still get better.”
So spare a thought for anyone who sees Wisconsin in their path Selection Sunday. They’re going to need it.
Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
DALLAS, TEXAS - MARCH 13: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks is defended by James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half at American Airlines Center on March 13, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. 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 GettyImages License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cavs handled business in their last outing. Evan Mobley set the tone earlier, tying a season-high with 29 points. The Cavaliers kept their foot on the gas all game, never really allowing the Mavs to think they could win the game.
We’ll see if the Cavaliers can assert the same level of control in their second and final meeting of the season against Dallas.
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TV: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports App, WUAB 43, NBA TV, NBA League Pass
Point spread: Not yet set
Cavs injury report: Sam Merrill – OUT (hamstring), Jarrett Allen – OUT (knee), Tyrese Proctor – OUT (quad), Max Strus – PROBABLE (foot), Olivier Sarr – OUT (G League), Craig Porter Jr. – OUT (groin), Jaylon Tyson – QUESTIONABLE (ankle)
Mavs injury report: Klay Thompson – DOUBTFUL (rest), Daniel Gafford – DOUBTFUL (illness), P.J. Washington – QUESTIONABLE (ankle), Caleb Martin – PROBABLE (finger), Kyrie Irving – OUT (knee), Dereck Lively II – OUT (foot), Moussa Cisse – QUESTIONBLE (G League), John Poulakidas – QUESTIONABLE (G League), Tyler Smith – QUESTIONABLE (G League)
Cavs expectedstarting lineup: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Keon Ellis, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley
Mavs expected starting lineup: Ryan Nembhard, Naji Marshall, Max Christie, Cooper Flagg, Marvin Bagley III
Meeting with the media before the Mets traveled to West Palm Beach to take on the Houston Astros on Saturday night, manager Carlos Mendoza spoke about a number of topics and players with New York still in the thick of it during spring training.
When the Mets signed Holmes last offseason with the idea of converting the career-reliever into a starting pitcher, a lot of people were skeptical if it could work. Even if it did work and Holmes acclimated to the change and pitched well, concerns over his innings pitched were always at the forefront of discussions.
Despite a shaky second half at times, Holmes did, in fact, pitch well in his first year as a full-time starter. The right-hander went 12-8, finished with a 3.53 ERA in 33 games (31 starts) and pitched a career-high 165.2 innings.
The only time the right-hander ever really faltered came in July when he had a 4.91 ERA (1.57 WHIP) in six starts and even though he finished strong (3.09 ERA in September/October), Holmes’ midseason struggles were to be expected as he entered uncharted territories for the first time in his career.
But with that experience under his belt, Mendoza thinks his starter is now much more prepared going into his second season in the Mets’ starting rotation.
“Second year after a full year as a starter, he’s got a better understanding of what the routine looks like between outings, how he’s going to pace himself in outings, pitch usage, how he’s going to attack a lineup not only once or twice but three times through the order,” Mendoza said. “…This is a guy that wants to use all the resources, wants to use all the information and he continues to tinker with pitches. He’s got a pretty good repertoire versus lefties and righties and he’s in a good place."
Not only does Holmes have more knowledge about being a starter, he’s looked the part of a starter during camp with his 2.84 ERA (0.71 WHIP) through 12.2 innings. Not only that, but Holmes also looked dominant in his lone WBC appearance, going three scoreless innings and striking out six against Great Britain.
With the addition of Freddy Peralta as well as the emergence of Nolan McLean, New York’s pitching staff should be less of a question mark than it was last season and Holmes continuing to improve has a lot to do with that.
While it's too early to tell if Benge has proven enough in spring to be the team's starting right fielder on Opening Day, the 23-year-old has been spectacular for the Mets and has at the very least put himself in the conversation.
"Hopefully that’s the case that we get to those last few days and we have to make some tough decisions because we got a lot of guys playing well and are healthy," Mendoza said. "That’s the case with Carson. He continues to go out there, continues to give good at-bats, play good defense, run the bases, left on left – so he’s doing what he’s supposed to be doing on his end."
Getting an extended look in camp, Benge has gone 10-for-27 (.370) with a triple, five RBI, four runs scored and a stolen base to go along with an .858 OPS in nine games.
After playing mostly right field so far, Benge is in center field on Saturday (batting third) which Mendoza says is about giving him exposure, like they've done with other players, to "prepare them for potential scenarios that can happen in the regular season."
Mendoza isn’t worried about how his youngster will handle the position change because from everything that he’s seen and heard from Benge, he’s as even-keeled as it gets. It's something that will benefit him in the majors whether he makes the Opening Day roster or not.
"You go by what you hear from people in player development," Mendoza said. "[Benge is a] quiet, baseball guy that doesn’t get too high, doesn’t get too low and that’s kind of what we’re seeing here. I don’t think the moment is going to be [too] big for him. He’s a pretty neutral guy to be honest with you. He goes about his business, he plays baseball, goes home and comes back the next day and does it again."
After playing in his second minor league game since hamate bone surgery, Lindor is considered "day-to-day", per Mendoza.
The shortstop remains on track to play on Opening Day which has been New York's message throughout the entire process. What Lindor does next remains to be seen, but he looked good in the game and had a couple of at-bats, per Mendoza.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Lauren Olson scored 17 points and had three steals as top-seeded Cal Baptist defeated Abilene Christian 74-58 to secure their second Western Athletic Conference championship in the past three seasons.
The Lancers (23-10) punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament shooting 44% from the field while holding Abilene Christian to 31%.
Emma Johansson added 15 points (6-for-10 shooting) before fouling out late, Khloe Lemon had 13, and Shawnee Nordstrom scored 12. Filipa Barros scored eight points, grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds, and distributed 11 assists.
Erin Woodson paced the Wildcats (22-10) with 16 points on 6-for-10 shooting. Emma Troxell had 12 points and a team-high 12 rebounds, and Payton Hull scored 10.
Cal Baptist has won three WAC titles, but their 2021 title did not come with the conference's automatic bid as they made the transition to Division I from Division II. They made their first DI tournament appearance in 2024 as a No. 15 seed, losing 84-55 to 2nd-seeded UCLA in the first round.
The Lancers are departing the WAC for the Big West effective July 1st.
Cal Baptist awaits seeding for the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, which will be revealed on Sunday. The tournament tips off with the First Four on Wednesday and Thursday, and the first round begins Friday.
CHAPEL HILL, NC - JANUARY 25: Jared Dudley #3 of the Boston College Eagles celebrates after defeating the University of North Carolina Tar Heels during their game on January 25, 2006 at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The Eagles defeated the Tar Heels 81-74. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the Earl Grant era officially over for Boston College Eagles Men’s Basketball, it now raises the most serious question moving forward: who is going to steer this ship straight?
Names are already being thrown around like t-shirts into a playoff crowd (let’s hope whoever is hired can get BC Basketball fans to experience that again). Based on a report by Adam Zagoria of NYTSports, Boston College has interviewed Eric Konkol, Eric Olen, Gerry McNamara, Jay Larranaga, and Joe Gallo. These names are intriguing, but a name that is also floating around is former Eagles star Jared Dudley.
Dudley, 40, retired from the NBA in August 2021. Immediately after retiring he joined the Dallas Mavericks as an assistant coach. Following his tenure as a coach with Dallas, in July 2025 he joined the Denver Nuggets as an assistant coach. However, he’s widely known as being a former BC Eagle. Dudley is without a doubt one of the greatest Eagles basketball players of all time, considering he won ACC Player of the Year in 2007. As an Eagle, he averaged 15.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists on 50% FG shooting and 36.5% from three, per SportsReference.
Why he’d be interested:
Dudley has shown interest in returning to his alma mater in the past. In 2020, he was a guest on Bill Simmons’ Podcast, and expressed brief interest in returning to BC.
“Going back to BC, gonna clean all that up.” Dudley said. “Need to have my donors, need to get those facilities.”
Now obviously times and priorities change. He stated this back when he was still playing in the NBA and could’ve felt nostalgic in the moment. Other reports show he’s focused on NBA opportunities, but it’s still worth noting he holds Boston College in a special place within himself.
Why it could work:
Leadership defines Jared Dudley. He wasn’t a superstar like LeBron James or Kevin Durant, but he was the kind of player every team wanted in its locker room. And leadership is what the Eagles and the fans need – a voice. Dudley can be the guy to bring the team together and get the most out of his players.
In terms of X’s and O’s, Dudley’s style of play came from his versatility. The Eagles were respectable defensively this season, but their offense was borderline inept. This is where Dudley’s versatility as a coach comes in, implementing a flexible philosophy in his players. In doing so this makes the Eagles less one dimensional and more balanced overall. His basketball knowledge could instill a serious culture change if the team truly bought in – his resume both as a college and NBA player speaks for itself.
Why it wouldn’t work:
One thing must be noted with Dudley as a coach: he’s never coached college basketball before. That’s not to say he is incapable of doing the job on the collegiate level, but NBA players are different. Lots of these NBA guys are finished products, and Dudley having to tweak his coaching style to raw, unproven players may not translate in the way he’d hope.
How likely is the hire?
Bringing Dudley home would be nostalgic. Being a home grown talent would inspire his roster and athletes, but I think Boston College has their eyes set on different candidates. The chances of hiring him I’d put lower than five percent.
TORONTO, CANADA - MARCH 13: Jalen Green #4 of the Phoenix Suns dribbles the ball during the game against the Toronto Raptors on March 13, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Weddings. The sacred moment when two people stand together and promise to love, honor, and cherish each other for eternity. Eternity is a long time. Anyone who has been married understands that quickly. The only way that promise survives the calendar is through teamwork. Every successful marriage carries the same understanding inside those vows. You walk through life together. You support one another. You do what you can to place the other person in a position to succeed.
So why the wedding talk? That is where I was during the Suns game yesterday.
I was attending the wedding of my 20-year-old nephew. It was outdoors in Arizona in March, which sounds like a postcard until you remember that Arizona has its own personality. The ceremony began at four in the afternoon, and the temperature sat comfortably at 97°. The vows were being read, and I could not tell if people were crying or melting.
The lovely bride and groom walked back down the aisle, hands raised, smiles wide, celebrating the fact that their bond was official. The crowd applauded. The reception hour began. I glanced down at my phone.
4:37 PM. Perfect. There was a window here. A small one, although a window all the same. Time to pull out the phone and tune into the Suns game.
Yes, I was that guy. The guy with his phone quietly propped up during the reception, trying to sneak glances at the broadcast while conversations floated around the courtyard. I was looking forward to this matchup with Toronto. In my mind, the Raptors resemble the Suns of the Eastern Conference. A team outperforming expectations and doing much of the work on the defensive side of the floor. The basketball version of that Spider-Man pointing meme.
We were standing around one of those little cocktail tables when Rasheer Fleming started cooking. He put together one of the better stretches of basketball we have seen from a Suns player all season. The kind of run that makes you lean over to the person next to you and say, “Hey, this kid might have something”. Granted, when I did, I learned the guy next to me had no clue who Fleming was and had only politely asked me what I was watching earlier. Ugh…I am a Suns Sicko.
I was in line grabbing tacos when Phoenix pushed the lead to 58–47. Up 11, I was feeling good. The team, albeit Booker and Green-centric, was knocking down their shots.
In the fourth quarter, the Suns held a 100–90 lead, and I thought to myself, “Alright, things look under control. Might as well grab another round of tacos.”
That is when it unraveled.
Standing there in line with a strawberry lemonade in hand, I watching the game on my phone as the whole thing started slipping away possession by possession. Nothing like witnessing a collapse while holding a drink at a dry wedding and wondering if you somehow caused it by stepping away from the table. It was time to splash that lemonade with some 10 Cane rum, which I discreetly pulled from my pocket.
Phoenix lost the game just as a plate of carne asada street tacos was placed in my hands. I slammed the remainder of my lemonade as I navigated back to my table. There would be no reason to dance tonight.
The larger story continues to develop on the floor. A wedding celebrates two people becoming one and learning to operate together. The Phoenix Suns are trying to build something similar with Jalen Green and Devin Booker. As Green has regained his health and rhythm, the two guards have started to look comfortable sharing the floor.
Over the past five games, the numbers jump off the page. Booker is averaging 32.6 points, shooting 43.2% from deep, while adding 5.2 assists and 4.4 rebounds. Green is right there with him. He is averaging 28.8 points, hitting 38.9% from beyond the arc while launching 10.8 threes per game. He is also contributing 3.6 assists and 4.2 rebounds.
The team sits at 4–1 over the last five games, although the lone loss arrived against the Toronto Raptors. That game served as a reminder of something simple. Like a marriage, basketball requires balance. That is what the Suns are trying to sort out as they continue reintegrating Jalen Green into the offense. Getting 61.4 points per game from your backcourt sounds fantastic. It provides options. It forces opposing defenses to think about multiple threats when the game tightens late.
Although balance still has to exist. That will be the mission for Phoenix over the remainder of the season.
One of the Suns’ quiet superpowers this year has been their balance. Devin Booker stepped back from his usual scoring volume and leaned into facilitation. That approach helped unlock strong seasons from players around him. Collin Gillespie. Royce O’Neale. Grayson Allen. Dillon Brooks. Those guys have produced some of the best basketball of their careers because the ball found them in the right moments.
Now the equation has shifted.
Insert Jalen Green into the lineup, and the offense naturally changes. That is expected. The Suns have become extremely guard-centric during this stretch. Over the last two games, Booker and Green combined for an average of 72 points. At the same time, Collin Gillespie averaged two points.
That is the lesson sitting in front of the team. It is perfectly fine for Booker and Green to carry the scoring load against certain opponents. Some nights, that is the best path to victory. But the offense still needs to involve everyone else on the floor.
Gillespie attempted 4.5 field goals per game over the last two contests and went 0-for from three during that span. That is not a sustainable formula for winning basketball. Gillespie has been one of the surprise contributors this season. Right now, he is sacrificing touches so Booker and Green can operate. The Suns need to find the middle ground where those two guards can cook while the rest of the offense remains alive. That balance will determine how far this group can go.
So that is where the Suns are right now.
They are in the learning curve portion of the season. The post-honeymoon phase. The time when the group starts figuring out where to push and where to pull, how to share the floor, and how to make the parts move together. Is it a little strange that this process is happening during the final fifth of the season? Sure. Although that is what injuries do. They disrupt the rhythm, force adjustments, and send teams back into the lab when the calendar says they should already have the answers.
These final games become the testing ground. Jordan Ott and his staff are watching closely. They are experimenting with rotations, studying which combinations work, learning when to lean on the guards and when to spread the responsibility around the floor.
The goal is simple. Find the balance that allows everyone to move forward together. A group that functions like a true team, where every player understands his role and the whole machine operates as one.
In the end, the Suns are standing at the same altar every good team eventually reaches. Talent is easy to assemble, chemistry is harder to sustain. Booker and Green can light up the scoreboard, although the real promise of this group lies in whether the rest of the roster stays part of the ceremony. If Phoenix finds that balance, the kind where the stars shine, and the role players still feel the ball in their hands, then this partnership has a chance to last a while. If not, the honeymoon phase will end quickly. And just like any marriage, the next stretch of games will reveal whether this relationship truly works.
Congrats to the happy couple, William and Brooke Lissy.
