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1. Hugo Gonzalez Career Night

After Neemias Queta had a career night against the 76ers the night before, Hugo Gonzalez decided it was his turn to have the best game of his young career on the second night of a back-to-back in a commanding 108-81 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. In his third career start, Gonzalez finished with career highs of 18 points, 16 rebounds, and 3 steals while tying his career high with 2 blocks on 7-15 shooting from the field and 3-8 from three. He is the first Celtics rookie to have a stat line like this since Larry Bird on November 14th, 1979 against the Detroit Pistons.

After making the first basket of the game for the Celtics, there was a chance Gonzalez could have a good offensive night but I don’t think anyone expected him to put up this type of performance. He drove to the basket with force, made some great hustle plays on put-backs, and was able to shoot the three ball comfortably.

Hugo made the Bucks work on every possession, flying around the court on defense for his rebounds, blocks and steals. He did an incredible job when it came to locking down his offensive matchup and did solid when it came to guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo on a few possessions. His hustle and ability to be in the right place at the right time was absolutely huge for the Celtics and without Gonzalez, there is a chance Boston loses this game.

2. Great Defensive Stand

In a game where Jaylen Brown (illness) and Neemias Queta (rest) were ruled OUT, Boston was still able to hold the Bucks to only 81 points, their second lowest scoring output of the season only behind the 79 point performance that the Celtics held them to on February 1st in TD Garden.

Boston held Milwaukee to 27-74 (37%) shooting from the field and 13-36 (36%) from three point range. They forced 16 turnovers on the Bucks while also getting 7 steals and 6 blocks. Without two key defensive stoppers in the front court, the Celtics were able to once again dominate the Bucks.

3. Dominance in the Paint

Boston absolutely owned the paint against Milwaukee in this matchup. In the rebounding department, the Celtics crushed the Bucks on the boards 54-32. Out of the 54 rebounds, 19 of them resulted in offensive rebounds and usually ended in a basket on the second-chance opportunity.

When it came to the points in the paint battle I assumed that Milwaukee would have the edge given they got Giannis back but that wasn’t the case. The Celtics outscored them 34-22 when it came to points in the paint. This was a result of Boston’s elite rebounding and Milwaukee’s overall lack of interest when it came to wanting to play defense.

4. Payton Pritchard Bounce Back

Coming off a game against the 76ers where Payton Pritchard scored 0 Points, he was able to bounce back in a big way against the Bucks, finishing with 25 points and 9 assists on 10-23 shooting from the field and 5-10 from three. This was a much needed game for Pritchard who had scored in the single-digits in 3 of his last 4 games.

He started the game out kind of slow, but once he hit a midrange almost buzzer beater at the end of the third quarter, Pritchard turned it on in the fourth quarter. Payton scored 12 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and turned into the Celtics closer, icing the game.

5. Derrick White Steadied the Ship

Derrick White didn’t have the best shooting night in this game, going 5-18 from the field and 4-12 from three, but watching the game it felt like he was the stabilizer for the Celtics offense. He finished with 18 points and 9 assists, continuing his great stretch of facilitating. Dating back to February 3rd, White is averaging 7.1 assists since Pritchard starting coming off the bench.

Against the Bucks this season, the on/off numbers show that the Celtics are a +65 when White is on the court in 95 minutes versus a -25 when he has been off the court in 49 minutes. He has been the perfect connector for this team and with a lot of young guys playing for the Celtics, he is the veteran that can keep them afloat.

6. Sam Hauser Homecoming

Growing up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Sam Hauser grew up a Milwaukee Bucks fan as a kid and has had some special performances against them in the past. The game on December 11th of this season was not one of those good games, finishing with 0 points on 0-10 shooting in a 116-101 Celtics loss.

This game was a different story for Sam, finishing with 14 points on 5-9 shooting from the field and 4-8 from three. He torched the Bucks from beyond the arc and his shoot looked smooth all night long. This was some fitting redemption for Hauser, being able to take the win against his hometown team.

7. Luka Garza Steps Up

Ever since the Celtics traded for Nikola Vucevic, Luka Garza has found himself slowly falling out of the rotation. Before this game against the Bucks, the last time Garza got real meaningful minutes in a game was on February 8th against the New York Knicks when he played 15 minutes.

However, with Queta out and Vucevic in the starting lineup, Garza was able to be the backup center in this game and he stayed ready. He finished with 7 points and 10 rebounds on 3-6 shooting in 20 minutes of play. He was a big reason as to why the Celtics were able to dominate Milwaukee on the glass and in the paint, using his physicality to get underneath the basket with ease. My favorite play of the night was his turnaround hook shot after bodying Myles Turner.

8. Nikola Vucevic First Celtics Start

For the first time in his Celtics career, Nikola Vucevic was named as a starter with Brown and Queta out. This is a role he was familiar with over the course of his NBA career, and he played a pretty solid game, finishing with 10 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds on 5-12 shooting. He was the primary defender on Giannis for most of the night and did a great job of controlling Antetokounmpo in the paint, even getting a block on him.

His passing was the biggest story for me in this game. Vucevic did a great job with handoffs when he set a screen and also made a few nice cross-court passes. I have been incredibly surprised with his passing ability since he’s come to Boston and he continues to show it off in games like tonight.

9. C’s Spoil Giannis Return

After weeks of trade rumors, flip-flopping emotions, and prediction market partnerships, Giannis Antetokounmpo suited up for the Milwaukee Bucks for the first time since January 23rd. In a game where Boston was missing two key players, you would think Giannis would be able to wild against the Celtics but that wasn’t necessarily the case.

He finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds on 7-18 shooting from the field and 0-2 shooting from three while missing his final 7 shots in a row. He was able to get his typical baskets from time to time by ramming his way to the basket but the Celtics did an incredible job building the wall and making every shot a difficult look. Out of any team in the NBA, I would say the Celtics have historically done the best job when defending Giannis and even with different and depleted personnel, they still found a way to get the job done.

10. Coaching Masterclass

What more can you say about the brilliance of Joe Mazzulla. This game was a perfect representation of why he needs to win Coach of the Year. He ran a starting lineup of White-Gonzalez-Scheierman-Hauser-Vucevic, a lineup that had never seen the floor together and dominated Milwaukee on the road. This was the 7th time the Celtics have won a game on the road by 20+ points and the 13th time this season.

This game is a testament to Joe Mazzulla and the entire coaching staff spending tons of hours in Celtics University drilling the players heads with information, it is a testament to Brad Stevens and the front office for identifying these players for the system, and it is a testament to the Celtics players as a whole for always being ready to play their roles when called upon. This game was another great team win a season full of incredible team wins.

The Houston Rockets built up a big lead against the Washington Wizards, and then they had hold on towards the end and a fourth-quarter rally by the Wiz, finishing the game with a 123-118 victory.

The Rockets were led by Alperen Sengun, who finished witgh 32 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and a block, but he did turn the ball over 8 times. Sengun shot 12-for-20 from the field. Houston also got 30 from Kevin Durant, who also had 7 rebounds, but he also racked up 6 turnover, making 14 between KD and Alpie out of the Rockets 20 total turnovers. .

And this was with good play by a point guard. Reed Sheppard had his first career double-double. He played 42 minutes, finishing with 19 points on 7-for-18 from the floor, 4-for-11 from deep, to go with 7 rebounds, 10 assists, 6 steals and 2 blocks for a monster stat line for Reed. Of course, in the post game, coach Ime Udoka mentioned that he expects Jabari Smith Jr. to be back soon and Reed to head back to the bench, but that’s a convo for another day.

Amne Thompson also pitched in 22 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists on 10-for-15 shooting, to round things out for the Rockets.

The Wizards were led by Bilal Coulibali, who finished with 23 points, and Sharife Cooper who had 21. Trae Young was also ejected from the Wizards bench, while Tari Eason was ejected for the Rockets. That gave Dorian Finney-Smith for Houston 27 minutes of playing time.

The Rockets move to 38-22 on the season and still sit in third place in the Western Conference, while the Wizards fall to 16-44 on the year. The Rockets are now off until Thursday, when they will return to action against their arch nemesis the Golden State Warriors.

Minutes after his team lost to Michigan last month, Purdue coach Matt Painter offered a mildly spicy prediction that almost could be interpreted as a national championship pick.

“They ain't losing four games,” Painter said of Michigan.

Maybe not, but days later, Michigan lost its second game to fellow frontrunner Duke and surrendered the No. 1 ranking.

Toppmeyer: Arizona is 'scary' good, but can it outrun history of March Madness flops?

March Madness power rankings: Ranking top 20 teams based on odds

The point here is not to question the Wolverines’ excellence, but only to say that even the most robust college basketball teams are not immune to defeat. It only takes one off night or one great performance from an opponent to get bounced from March Madness.

Undefeated mid-major Miami (Ohio) is the nation’s only team without at least two losses.

Hugo González played only 13 minutes on Sunday night, less than 24 hours before Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla needed the rookie to start.

That didn’t matter, though.

González logged his third career start, and his first since Jan. 10, with starters Jaylen Brown and Neemias Queta both sidelined on the second night of a back-to-back against the Milwaukee Bucks. On the other end stood two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in his first game back since January 3rd. But González, a 6-foot-6, 200-pound wing, embraced the David-and-Goliath challenge posed by the 6-foot-11, 243-pound Antetokounmpo head-on.

In his mind, he had no other choice, as González explained after Boston’s 108-81 win at Fiserv Forum.

“We got our standard, and we just want to maintain it every single game,” González told NBC Sports Boston’s Abby Chin postgame. “We don’t like to (make) excuses. Obviously, we’ve got some really, really important players — starting, important players — that were (out with) illness or resting, and I think we’ve got a really good spirit and took a difficult win after two games in 20 hours.”

Before arriving in Milwaukee, González watched Queta shine with a career-best 27-point, 17-rebound double-double against the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday night. González stood tall on the bench, rushed to Queta during timeouts, and celebrated Neemi at every opportunity. Now it was his turn to take full advantage of starting for Boston on short notice, and he was ready.

In return for the opportunity, González delivered the most impressive start of his young NBA career, scoring 18 points, grabbing a game-high 16 rebounds, and adding three blocks and two steals — setting new career highs in every category. That made him the first Celtics rookie to record a stat line as such since Larry Bird.

González secured his second career double-double by doing what he does best. Relentlessly shadowing Milwaukee’s ball handlers, he anticipated every move before jumping into action. His intensity repeatedly disrupted coach Doc Rivers’ offense, allowing González to propel the Celtics with a two-way impact that gave the Bucks — now losers of their last three — more problems than they could manage. All season, González has honed his preparation, leading to his biggest test yet: guarding Antetokounmpo.

González helped defend the 10-time All-Star on five possessions, in which Antetokounmpo went 1-for-5.

Whenever González guarded him one-on-one, he battled. When other Celtics defenders took on the task, and González was nearby, he rushed over to help make scoring as difficult as possible for Antetokounmpo. Of course, no single player can handle that defensive assignment for every possession throughout a night, and González experienced firsthand why that is.

“With those types of players, you can’t guard him with one person because they are some of the best players in the world,” González told Chin. “Giannis is an amazing player, and you can’t guard him with one person. You need a team effort. That’s what we try to follow the game plan, and today we succeeded in that.”

Antetokounmpo, returning after a 15-game absence with a calf injury, wasn’t in his usual league-MVP candidate form. He scored 19 points with 11 rebounds, shooting 11-of-18 from the field in a Milwaukee loss that became the next — and biggest — step in González’s development as a key role player in Boston’s second unit.

So far, González’s versatility has been one of the biggest surprises of this Celtics season — and the latest home-run draft selection from president of basketball operations Brad Stevens.

In Stevens’ eyes, González was deemed NBA-ready following his three-year run with Spain’s Real Madrid in the Liga ACB. Playing alongside several former NBA players in Spain as a teenage prospect, González grew accustomed to fighting for minutes, always prepared not to miss a beat when his number was called. Now, that experience is translating — and benefiting the Celtics.

It’s become clear that González has fallen into a right-place, right-time situation in Boston this season.

“One of the strengths of the locker room has always been being able to win games when guys have been out,” Mazzulla told reporters, per NBC Sports Boston. “We’ve sat guys over the last three, four years and still have been able to win games. That’s just kind of the DNA of the locker room, and you’re continuing to see that.”

Good morning, it’s Tuesday, March 3rd. The Cleveland Cavaliers are 38-24 and host the Detroit Pistons tonight. They’ll be without Donovan Mitchell again, who has missed the previous three games with a groin injury. Let’s hope he’ll be back next week, as the Cavs have four days off after this game.

Cleveland’s rematch with the Pistons tonight should be entertaining. Their last meeting was full of everything (including numerous missed calls) and went into overtime. The Cavs lost that one and would probably like to have it back. Thankfully, they now have a chance to make it right on their homefloor.

Today’s Game of the Day

• Cleveland Cavaliers vs Detroit Pistons – 7 PM,

Okay, we’re biased. But this is genuinely the best matchup on the schedule today. So, let’s talk a little bit more about it.

Detroit has emerged as the best team in the conference. There’s little chance anyone can catch them in the standings, though it’s not impossible. Yet even with that advantage, the Cavs are looking to make a statement against their potential playoff roadblock. They nearly beat this team last week despite various injuries. Setting the score straight with a big win tonight is worth something, even if it’s only a moral boost.

The rest of the NBA schedule

• Dallas Mavericks at Charlotte Hornets – 7 PM
• Washington Wizards at Orlando Magic – 7 PM
• Brooklyn Nets at Miami Heat – 7:30 PM
• New York Knicks at Toronto Raptors – 7:30 PM
• San Antonio Spurs at Philadelphia 76ers – 8 PM
• Memphis Grizzlies at Minnesota Timberwolves – 8 PM
• Oklahoma City Thunder at Chicago Bulls – 8 PM
• New Orleans Pelicans at Los Angeles Lakers – 10:30 PM
• Phoenix Suns at Sacramento Kings – 11 PM

Plenty of games to choose from tonight.

Cavs links of the day

• Why the Cavs will win the East – The Ringer
• How James Harden renewed the Cavs’ faith – ESPN

NBA links

• 2026 NBA Mock Draft: Absurdly deep class is why every team is tanking – New York Times

The last undefeated team in men's college basketball is at the center of the NCAA Tournament debate.

No. 20 Miami (Ohio) remains perfect going into the final week of the regular season, at 29-0 with two games left before the MAC tournament.

And while their record indicates the RedHawks should be a shoo-in for March Madness, that may not be the case. And there's no certainty Miami wins the MAC's automatic bid either.

'Flat out wrong.' Miami Ohio AD fires back at Bruce Pearl over March Madness bid

March Madness bracket: Teams rising, falling in projected NCAA field

The RedHawks have had plenty of close calls, and second-place Akron is no pushover. The Zips are 24-5 (15-1 in MAC), with their lone league loss to Miami by three points back on Jan. 3.

So what happens if Miami doesn't leave Cleveland with an automatic bid?

Miami's resume and season has perplexed the hoops world as it reignites the age-old postseason debate of best vs. deserving. The discussion intensified when former Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said the RedHawks aren't worthy of an at-large spot.

"If we're selecting the 68 best teams, then Miami (Ohio) is going to have to win their tournament to qualify as a champion, because as an at-large, they are not one of the best teams in the country, and that's going to be a difficult choice for the committee," he said.

Miami's athletic director David Sayler wasn't too impressed with Pearl's analysis, firing back on Monday via social media.

"(You) are flat out wrong about (Miami Ohio basketball) when (you) say we would finish last in the Big East," Sayler posted. "The disrespect is awful and (you) should not be near a TV studio covering this sport when (you) show your true colors! Even slipped in a 'we' when talking about Auburn, nice work!"

There are several reasons Miami should and shouldn't be in the NCAA Tournament. Of course, it can make all of this moot by heading into Selection Sunday if it still hasn't lost. But let's breakdown the RedHawks' at-large case, just in case.

Why Miami Ohio should be in NCAA Tournament

To start, it's March and they are the only one of 365 teams that haven't lost. Miami (Ohio) is just the fourth team in the 21st century — Wichita State (2014), Kentucky (2015) and Gonzaga (2021) — to enter March undefeated. The 29 wins are the most in Division I.

The RedHawks have the best shooting percentage at 52.7% and are eighth in 3-point percentage at 39.2%. They average 90.9 points per game, second in the country behind Alabama, an win by an average of 17 points a game, a margin that's seventh-best in Division I.

Some models back the success. The strength of record is 21st in the country, and in the RPI, the old model used to select NCAA Tournament teams before the NET rankings, the RedHawks are No. 28.

History certainly favors Miami. No team with more than 28 wins has ever missed out on March Madness since it expanded in 1985, and the NCAA Tournament selection committee never left out a team with less than four losses. Even if the RedHawks lost the remainder of their games, they'd only have three defeats.

Why Miami Ohio shouldn't be in NCAA Tournament

It's the quality of resume the tournament selection primarily uses that doesn't work in Miami's favor.

While undefeated, the RedHawks are ranked No. 52 in the NET rankings, high for an at-large team. It's still possible, as San Diego State was that exact ranking when it made the First Four last season.

A deeper look reveals Miami doesn't have any Quad 1 games, and just one Quad 2 victory. A majority of the wins are Quad 4 with a 16-0 record that doesn't include the three victories against non-Division I teams. It doesn't help at the moment, it will not get a chance to earn a Quad 1 win by the end of the MAC title game.

The lack of quality opponents really hurts other metrics. The strength of schedule ranks 256th and Miami has a KenPom rating of 87, surrounded by teams that are virtually out of the running for an at-large spot. In KenPom, the RedHawks have a strength of schedule ranking of 285th, and a the nonconference rating is sixth-worst in Division I.

All of the variables make for one of the most polarizing bubble contenders in recent memory. Miami deserves credit for playing its schedule perfectly and should be rewarded for the amount of wins, yet it's understandable to see why there's a chance they can end up being left out of the tournament — no matter how unfair it is.

Miami Ohio basketball remaining schedule

• Tuesday, March 3: vs. Toledo, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+
• Friday, March 6: at Ohio, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2
• Thursday, March 12: MAC tournament first round (vs. TBA)
• Friday, March 13: MAC tournament semifinal (vs. TBA) *if advance
• Saturday, March 14: MAC tournament championship (vs. TBA) *if advance

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Miami Ohio a March Madness lock? RedHawks' case for, against at-large bid

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo said he "did not play well" on his return from injury but the two-time NBA MVP was just "happy" to be back on the court.

The 31-year-old made his comeback after missing six weeks of action with a calf strain in a 108-81 defeat against the Boston Celtics.

He put up 19 points, 11 rebounds and two assists in 25 minutes in a defeat that left the 2021 champion Bucks 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 26-34 record.

Antetokounmpo said "we've got 24 games left - it's 24 fights" when asked about the Bucks' battle to reach the post-season.

"Obviously I did not play well, but at the end of the day, I'm just happy that I'm out there being able to help my team-mates in any way that I can and just do what I love, which is play basketball," he added.

"I'm just happy that I'm on the court. It doesn't matter if I play 18 minutes, 20 minutes, 22, whatever, I'm just happy that I'm out there."

Antetokounmpo missed 15 games through injury and says he has "got to be smarter moving forward because things that I was able to do in the past, maybe I'm not able to do now".

Rivers on Antetokounmpo return

Antetokounmpo's injury in January came shortly before the NBA trade deadline.

The deadline passed with him still a Bucks player, despite heavy speculation that he could leave.

Bucks coach Doc Rivers said before the game against the Celtics that he would ease Antetokounmpo back into action.

"I'm not going to overdo it," he explained. "It's not like we had a big practice or a shootaround on Monday morning, so it's not the ideal way of bringing him back.

"But the fact that he's available, you put him in and you figure it out."

• 'It was a relief' - Bucks on keeping Antetokounmpo
• Antetokounmpo expects to miss up to six weeks

After bottoming out last season with the 3rd worst record in the Eastern Conference the Philadelphia 76ers have been a fun, but flawed team this year, in large part due to yet another impressive leap from lead guard Tyrese Maxey as well as the promising potential of rookie shooting guard VJ Edgecombe. As for their notable vet, MVP Joel Embiid has played in more contests this year than last year but still has managed to appear in just a little more than half of Philadelphia’s contests and is sidelined once again, while Paul George is currently serving a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s antidrug policies. Their 33-27 record has them currently in 6th place in the East with more room to slide in the standings than there is for them to move up, which means they will likely be in a fight to avoid the play-in tournament through the end of the season. 

Meanwhile, March has already been worse for the San Antonio Spurs than February was! The Spurs dropped their first game of the 2026 Rodeo Road Trip in a Sunday afternoon loss to the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, their first loss after posting a perfect February. They’re still within striking distance of the Oklahoma City Thunder for the 1 seed, a very worthy goal to aspire to for a team as young as these Spurs are. There’s more than enough season left to make up that difference and with a much-needed nearly 2 week stretch at home coming up, San Antonio are well- positioned to potentially make up some of that narrow ground. Finishing the best Rodeo Road Trip in years off with a win would set them off running. 

San Antonio Spurs (43-17) vs Philadelphia 76ers (33-27) 

March 3 2026 | 7:00 PM CT 

Watch: NBC | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM) 

Spurs Injuries: Mason Plumblee, reconditioning (OUT), David Jones-Garcia, OUT

76ers Injuries: Joel Embiid, strain (OUT), Johni Broome, meniscus (OUT)

What to watch for

• Even if Embiid was going to be out there to play foil to Victor Wembanyama, it’s possible that the match-up between Tyrese Maxey and Stephon Castle would be the most intriguing one heading into this game. Maxey, a very good shooter and 3-level scorer with a complete offensive package, has recorded a new career-high in points per game in each of the 6 seasons he’s played, while Castle has established himself as one of the very best perimeter defenders in just his 2nd season in the league. Castle has the physicality, toughness, and measurements to match-up with the best of the best, with the most recent example being his battle with Detroit’s Cade Cunningham. Maxey’s 29.1 PPG currently ranks 4th this season. 

• Taken with the 3rd overall pick last June, VJ Edgecombe has been a major bright spot for Philadelphia this season. He’s flashed potential as a two-way wing, contributing in multiple categories and making an immediate impact in his rookie season. Perhaps most significantly, he’s shown to be adept at creating for himself, a skill that should eventually develop into creating for others as well. He’ll have his hands full with San Antonio’s slew of defensive wings, including #2 overall pick Dylan Harper. 

• With Embiid on the sidelines for this one, veteran Andre Drummond should be Victor Wembanyama’s main match-up tonight. Drummond is 32 years old, but his best days are clearly behind him at this point. Wemby has struggled with his shot as of late, especially from 3. He’s shooting just 28.6% from behind the arc in the 6 games since the All Star break. He also had 7 turnovers in the loss to the New York Knicks he surely wants to make up for, his most in a game since having 8 turnovers in a loss to the Golden State Warriors back on November 12.  

If you’d like to, you may follow along with the game on our Twitter profile (@poundingtherock) or visit our Game Thread!

While the San Antonio Spurs were amassing one of the greatest months in franchise history, the Spurs Organization was over the pond in Paris, France building on the relationship launched last season.

Per a Spurs press release:

The San Antonio Spurs and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) held two sports leadership events as part of the ongoing “Spurs Week Paris” initiative. The Spurs and PSG hosted an executive learning session for their leadership teams, followed by the second iteration of Spurs Community Leadership Institute (SCLI) Paris, serving a diverse group of French women leaders in sport. This transformative collaboration is the result of the deep relationship that has grown between the two clubs, both known as leaders in the globalization of sport, which tipped off in 2025 with the Spurs competing in the NBA Paris Games.

The Spurs x PSG Executive Learning Session brought both organizations together offering a leadership development program with expert panels and hands-on workshops.

The Spurs Community Leadership Institute hosted a one-day leadership summit involving 50 women leaders in sports, government officials and community. The event centered on advancing women in sports, leadership development and leveraging sports as a catalyst for social impact.

Patricia Mejia, chief impact & inclusion officer for the San Antonio Spurs shared,

“From day one, our relationship with Paris-Saint Germain has been driven by innovative thinking, collaborative conversations and a shared commitment to community impact. Through innovative initiatives like these, in collaboration with highly regarded organizations like PSG, the Spurs will continue to build lasting relationships in France and inspire the next generation of leaders and changemakers in the global sports industry.”

Spurs Week Paris, a week-long in-person fan engagement activation across the city, continued to expand its presence in France on and off the court.

The Spurs commitment to growing the game of basketball globally involved a full week including a Spurs Skills Challenge Clinic, exclusive retail experiences, a newly renovated basketball court in Nanterre, and a public game watch party.

Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.

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Washington Wizards (16-44, 13th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Orlando Magic (31-28, seventh in the Eastern Conference)

Orlando, Florida; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Magic -15.5; over/under is 227.5

BOTTOM LINE: Washington heads into the matchup with Orlando after losing five games in a row.

The Magic are 19-19 in Eastern Conference games. Orlando is eighth in the Eastern Conference in rebounding with 43.4 rebounds. Paolo Banchero leads the Magic with 8.5 boards.

The Wizards are 2-9 against opponents from the Southeast Division. Washington has a 4-29 record against opponents over .500.

The Magic average 11.7 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.3 fewer makes per game than the Wizards allow (14.0). The Wizards are shooting 45.9% from the field, 1.8% lower than the 47.7% the Magic's opponents have shot this season.

The two teams play for the third time this season. The Wizards defeated the Magic 120-112 in their last meeting on Jan. 7. Alex Sarr led the Wizards with 23 points, and Jase Richardson led the Magic with 20 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Desmond Bane is averaging 20.3 points and 4.1 assists for the Magic. Banchero is averaging 22.4 points over the last 10 games.

Kyshawn George is averaging 14.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists for the Wizards. Will Riley is averaging 12.7 points over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Magic: 6-4, averaging 112.6 points, 41.9 rebounds, 26.4 assists, 10.7 steals and 6.2 blocks per game while shooting 45.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.4 points per game.

Wizards: 2-8, averaging 111.9 points, 39.0 rebounds, 24.0 assists, 9.4 steals and 6.0 blocks per game while shooting 46.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 125.1 points.

INJURIES: Magic: Franz Wagner: out (ankle), Anthony Black: day to day (quadriceps), Colin Castleton: out (thumb).

Wizards: Anthony Gill: day to day (illness), Anthony Davis: out for season (finger), Tristan Vukcevic: day to day (thigh), Cam Whitmore: out for season (shoulder), D'Angelo Russell: day to day (not injury related), Leaky Black: day to day (ankle), Alex Sarr: out (hamstring), Trae Young: day to day (knee).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Atlanta Hawks (31-31, ninth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Milwaukee Bucks (26-34, 11th in the Eastern Conference)

Milwaukee; Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Atlanta is looking to extend its four-game win streak with a victory against Milwaukee.

The Bucks are 19-22 in conference games. Milwaukee gives up 115.6 points and has been outscored by 4.3 points per game.

The Hawks have gone 17-21 against Eastern Conference opponents. Atlanta is second in the Eastern Conference with 18.4 fast break points per game led by Jalen Johnson averaging 4.1.

The Bucks score 111.3 points per game, 6.1 fewer points than the 117.4 the Hawks allow. The Hawks average 14.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.1 fewer makes per game than the Bucks give up.

The teams meet for the second time this season. The Bucks won 112-110 in the last matchup on Jan. 19.

TOP PERFORMERS: Ryan Rollins is averaging 16.8 points, 5.4 assists and 1.5 steals for the Bucks. Kevin Porter Jr. is averaging 18.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, seven assists and 2.1 steals over the past 10 games.

Johnson is scoring 22.7 points per game with 10.6 rebounds and 7.9 assists for the Hawks. CJ McCollum is averaging 18.6 points and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 42.2% over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Bucks: 5-5, averaging 108.0 points, 41.8 rebounds, 23.1 assists, 7.1 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 46.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.7 points per game.

Hawks: 6-4, averaging 117.2 points, 48.8 rebounds, 28.9 assists, 9.3 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 45.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.7 points.

INJURIES: Bucks: Taurean Prince: out (neck).

Hawks: None listed.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.