PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Scoot Henderson scored a season-high 28 points on 10-of-15 shooting and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the skidding Indiana Pacers 131-111 on Sunday night.
Jerami Grant and Jrue Holiday added 21 points apiece for the Blazers, who handed Indiana its ninth straight defeat. Henderson also had six assists with no turnovers.
Deni Avdija, who leads Portland in scoring (24.4 points per game) and assists (6.6), returned from a six-game absence caused by a lower back injury. He finished with 18 points and eight assists.
Indiana has dropped its past six games by an average of 20 points. This marks the team's third losing streak of at least eight games this season.
Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 22 points and Jay Huff had 16 points and five blocks. Andrew Nembhard added 14 points and nine assists, and Jarace Walker also scored 14.
Huff has an NBA-leading 39 games this season with at least two blocks, two more than San Antonio center Victor Wenbanyama, who had four in a 145-120 win over Houston earlier Sunday and leads the NBA in blocks.
Robert Williams III had his streak of 18 consecutive games with at least one block snapped. It had been the longest active streak in the league.
Henderson scored or assisted on 15 points in a 25-7 run over the final 5 1/2 minutes of the second quarter to help the Blazers take a 69-52 lead into halftime. The Pacers were 2-of-11 shooting with three turnovers during that stretch.
Henderson had 19 points and five assists while going 7 for 9 from the field, including 2 of 4 from 3-point range, before the break. Grant added 14 points, Holiday had 11 and Avdija scored 10.
Up next
Pacers: Wrap up a four-game trip Tuesday at Sacramento.
Trail Blazers: Host the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night.
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Joel Hofer made 22 saves for his fifth shutout of the season, Jonathan Drouin scored in his Blues debut and St. Louis beat the Anaheim Ducks 4-0 on Sunday night to sweep a four-game trip.
Jordan Kyrou, Jimmy Snuggerud and Pius Suter also scored to help St. Louis win for the fifth time in six games since the Olympic break.
Drouin was acquired from the Islanders on Friday at the trade deadline in the deal that sent Blues captain Brayden Schenn to New York. The left wing scored the second of three second-period goals, firing a slap shot past Ville Husso on a power play with 9:53 left.
Kyrou opened the scoring at 4:22, snapping a shot from the right side to the far post on a 3-on-1 break. After helping set up Drouin's goal, Snuggerud added one of his own on a one-timer with 7:49 to go.
St. Louis failed to add to the lead on an extended power play that spilled into the third when Ross Johnston received a major penalty for boarding Justin Holl, the defenseman who also made his Blues debut after coming over from Detroit.
After Anaheim successfully challenged Snuggerud's apparent goal midway through the third for offsides, Suter scored into an empty net with 4:02 to go
Husso stopped 31 shots. The Ducks completed a nine-game homestand, splitting the last four after winning the first five. They were 0 for 6 on the power play against the Blues.
John Carlson, the defenseman acquired from Washington on Thursday, missed his fifth straight game because of lower-body injury. Ducks center Mikael Granlund returned after missing six games because of an upper-body injury sustained playing for Finland in the Olympic bronze-medal game.
Up next
Blues: Host the New York Islanders on Tuesday night.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MARCH 8: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs celebrates during the game against the Houston Rockets on March 8, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The San Antonio Spurs didn’t just beat the Houston Rockets on Sunday night, they buried them under an avalanche of offense.
San Antonio erupted for 145 points in a dominant 145-120 victory over their in-state rivals, delivering one of their most complete offensive performances of the season. The Spurs played with pace, passion, and purpose, turning what began as a competitive matchup into a one-sided showcase of firepower.
From the opening tip, the Spurs looked locked in. The ball moved with ease, shooters found space, and the Rockets struggled to keep up with San Antonio’s tempo. Victor Wembanyama set the tone early, attacking mismatches and controlling the paint on both ends of the floor. The Spurs’ young superstar finished with a strong all-around performance: 29 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks in 30 minutes.
Houston managed to hang around in the first quarter, trading baskets as both teams pushed the pace. But the game began to tilt heavily in San Antonio’s favor in the second quarter.
That’s when the Spurs caught fire and stayed hot the rest of the night.
“The pace has been really consistent recently,” Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson said of his team’s offense. “When you play with the speed we have combined with the talent and moving off the basketball, it is really hard to guard.”
San Antonio poured in points from everywhere: transition buckets, cutting layups and open three-pointers; stretching the lead with a relentless offensive surge. By halftime, the Spurs had seized control, leaving the Rockets scrambling to find answers as they went to the locker room.
Any hopes of a Houston comeback faded quickly after the break.
San Antonio came out of the locker room just as aggressive, continuing to push the tempo and widen the gap. Every time the Rockets showed signs of life, the Spurs responded with another scoring burst. The lead ballooned to nearly 30 points midway through the third quarter as the game slipped firmly out of Houston’s reach. The Spurs’ balanced scoring made the night even more impressive. Multiple players crossed the 20-point mark as San Antonio’s offense hummed with rhythm and unselfishness, a reflection of the ball movement that has become a hallmark of the team’s recent play.
“I thought we were really sharp,” Johnson said. “I thought the only area you could nitpick is some of the fouls. You got to make sure you aren’t off balance or out of position, but for the most part, I thought we played a really solid game defensively.”
Despite solid individual performances, the Rockets simply couldn’t slow down San Antonio’s offense or match its efficiency. Stephon Castle and Keldon Johnson made life difficult as possible for Kevin Durant, who finished with 23 points on 7-of-12 shooting, most of which came from the free throw line.
“Something clicked from the first quarter,” Wembanyama said of the Spurs’ offense onslaught. “We figured out their adjustments and decided to hurt them elsewhere.”
By the fourth quarter, the result was essentially decided. The Spurs continued to pour it on before eventually emptying the bench as the final minutes ticked away.
When the buzzer sounded, San Antonio had produced one of its highest scoring games of the season and sent a clear message about the level this team can reach when everything clicks. It was more than just another win for the Spurs. It was a reminder of the offensive potential of a young team that continues to grow more dangerous every time it steps on the floor.
“These guys are trustworthy. I can trust them to make the right play,” Wembanyama said. “I can trust them to play unselfishly. And I can trust that anybody here can choose that if they do the effort, the efforts, like my teammates, will do the right choice, and we’ll capitalize on it.”
Game Notes
Keldon Johnson finished with 20 points off the bench, his 10th game of the season with 20 or more points. The league better start enraving that 6th Man of the Year trophy for him.
Dylan Harper may be a rookie, but he isn’t playing like one. He stat line in the first half: 17 points, 7-8 FG (85%), 3 ast, +9 in 14 minutes. Overall, he had 19 points on the night. That will be very valuable come playoff time. “I think any open shot, I’m going to take it,” Harper said. “I have confidence, but I shoot those in warm ups. So why not take them?”
San Antonio’s ball movement is a page right out of the 2014 “Beautiful Game” Spurs. The Silver and Black had 38 assists on 51 made shots. Fox led the team with 10 helpers.
De’Aaron Fox had a nice evening with 20 points and 10 assists in 32 minutes. He’s now scored double digits in the paint in consecutive games since January. Fans have been waiting Fox to attack the paint more, and it appears he’s gotten the message from the coaching staff.
On a fun note: The Jackals and the French squad support sections have made the Frost Bank Center a madhouse. It is so loud inside and it translates well on the boradcast. I can’t wait to see what they do in the playoffs.
Overall, the Braves have got good production from their pitching this Spring, including Wentz and Elder. However, today was an all too familiar sight. The need for the Braves to add to the rotation remains clear as day, And with the additional money in place after Jurickson Profar’s suspension, the lack of urgency to strengthen the staff as the season draws closer is odd. Hopefully, at some point this week, common sense will prevail and a move will be made to strengthen the staff.
Vladislav Gavrikov #44 of the New York Rangers scores a goal during the first period when the New Jersey Devils played the New York Rangers Saturday, March 7, 2026.
Most of the words Chris Drury said in July about defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov centered around the defensive side of the $49 million defenseman’s game. The Rangers president and general manager wanted to be better in front of their goaltenders. He wanted improved coverage in high-danger areas. And Gavrikov, inked to a seven-year deal at the start of free agency that month to pair with Adam Fox, possessed “qualities of an elite shutdown guy.”
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But over the past eight months, another layer to Gavrikov’s game has started to emerge. He has become a scoring option for the Blueshirts, something that hadn’t necessarily been the case in past seasons with the Kings and Blue Jackets.
After scoring in a third consecutive game Saturday during the loss to the Devils, Gavrikov has collected 12 goals — shattering his previous career high of six — after recording just 11 the last two seasons combined.
He’ll have a chance to continue the longest goal streak of his career Monday against Philadelphia, but even if it ends, Gavrikov became just the third Blueshirts defenseman to have a three-game goal streak across the past 10 seasons, according to the team.
He’s also tied with Hy Buller, from the 1951-52 campaign, for the first-most goals by a defenseman in his first season on Broadway, too.
Vladislav Gavrikov of Rangers scored a goal during the first period when the Devils played the Rangers Saturday, March 7, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Those numbers have all been a bit unexpected for Gavrikov. But with uncertainty looming in the offseason after trade rumors involving Braden Schneider and cryptic comments from Fox about his desire to remain with the Blueshirts through their retool, Gavrikov — given the term remaining on his deal and the production in his first season — has emerged as one of the surest pieces the Rangers have on their blue line.
“From an offensive standpoint, I think he’s had a really, really good year,” head coach Mike Sullivan said Friday. “He’s everything we had hoped for defensively when we signed him, but his offensive game, I think, is something that’s been a welcomed addition to our group — and we think he’s been pretty good in that area of the rink.”
With Fox only skating in 35 games this season and missing extended time with a pair of stints on long-term injured reserve, and with Schneider also mostly struggling this season, Gavrikov has already become the anchor of the Rangers blue line in the present, too. He leads all Blueshirts in ice time. His 25 points lead all defensemen. He has filled roles on both the penalty-kill and power-play units.
And, recently, the goals have followed. Less than a minute into the third period during the March 2 game, Gavrikov slid a pass to Fox across the blue line and then veered toward the left post — collecting a return pass and sending a shot into the Blue Jackets net. Then, against the Maple Leafs, Gavrikov deposited a rebound. And to give the Blueshirts a temporary lead Saturday, he took an extra stride in from the point and ripped a shot past Jacob Markstrom.
These are the signs that teams looking to overhaul a roster need. The ones that contain glimmers of hope, that capture the notion that internal building blocks exist in addition to any of the external ones acquired or drafted.
Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Mason Marchment (17) and New York Rangers defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov (44) fight for the puck during the third period at Madison Square Garden. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
There’s Gabe Perreault, who’s up to 11 points and carved out a role on the first line. There’s Will Cuylle, in the middle of another productive season as a physical two-way forward. There’s Noah Laba, a rookie center. And then there’s Gavrikov, established in the NHL to the point where he was a commodity last summer but still in the early stages of his Rangers tenure.
Fox’s absences have forced some shuffling alongside Gavrikov throughout the season, but in the bigger-picture, the long-term status of their pairing has become murky. When asked if he wanted to remain with the Rangers through their retool, Fox said that’s a conversation for the offseason.
When given a chance to clarify those comments, he doubled down. Schneider’s name swirled in rumors, too, ahead of the deadline. It’s unclear just how eager Drury will be to move either of those pieces in the offseason with the Rangers sitting in last place in the Eastern Conference and committed to a retool — on paper — after issuing The Letter 2.0.
The Rangers know they’ll likely have Gavrikov, though. They’ll have someone who has delivered on the expectation to be a first-pair defenseman while unexpectedly adding offensive contributions, too. The next step involves ensuring that it’s just not a one-season fluke. That the production becomes sustainable.
But for now, in a lost season for the Rangers, it has certainly emerged as one of the bright spots.
TAMPA — Arguably the greatest strength of the Yankees this decade is their bullpen, which is consistently excellent in part because of the organization’s talent in identifying and maximizing talented arms who had failed elsewhere. They found Clay Holmes and Lucas Luetge in 2021, Ian Hamilton and Luke Weaver in ’23 and Tim Hill and Jake Cousins in ’24.
The discoveries largely halted last season, which helps explain why their bullpen was the 21st most valuable, according to FanGraphs, and not good enough in the postseason.
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For the Yankees’ relief corps to bounce back this year, they would love to stumble across a difference-maker.
Perhaps that will be Dylan Coleman.
Coleman is a 29-year-old in camp as a non-roster invitee who has a big arm that can touch 100 mph and has been a quality major league reliever: In his first two seasons, 2021-22, the 6-foot-5 righty pitched to a 2.66 ERA in 74 ¹/₃ innings with the Royals.
But he had a poor 2023 campaign then was traded to the Astros for the 2024 season, struggled at Triple-A and was released in August.
He popped up with the Orioles last season, was ineffective in 11 minor league games and was cut in May.
Dylan Coleman is a 29-year-old in camp as a non-roster invitee . Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The turning point, Coleman believes, occurred next.
He stepped away from organized baseball and spent a few weeks with Mason Feole, who runs a pitching instruction company in Rhode Island.
In his last outing in the Baltimore organization, Coleman said he was throwing 93-94 mph and touching 95 mph.
“Went up there [to Rhode Island] after I got released,” Coleman said. “Five days later, I was like 99, 100 or so.”
The couple of weeks were encouraging enough for Coleman to then spend a couple of months training with Feole over the offseason, making small tweaks to feel and look like the pitcher he wanted to be.
They worked on small mechanical things that added up to big things: getting Coleman’s arm and body in sync, releasing the ball with ideal timing, and cleaning up the direction of his delivery—ensuring he moves straight to the plate rather than falling toward the left, a habit he had to kick.
Dylan Coleman pitches during the Yankees-Pirates spring training game on Feb. 23, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“When my direction is good,” Coleman said, “the throw takes care of itself.”
He also added a sinker that he hopes can record quick outs to a repertoire that already included a hard four-seamer plus a sweeper and cutter.
The Yankees found him and took a flier on an impressive arm with a respectable résumé and one who can be optioned to the minor leagues.
In a pair of Grapefruit League games, Coleman has pitched two scoreless innings while allowing three hits and a walk and striking out two.
More importantly, Coleman is happy with how he feels, believes his mechanics are sound and is seeing the velocity begin to tick up.
“I’m in a way better spot than I’ve been in a while,” Coleman said after throwing a live batting practice at Steinbrenner Field on Sunday.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 08: Henry Bolte #33 of the Athletics reacts as he runs the bases after hitting a home run against the Los Angeles Angels during a spring training game at Las Vegas Ballpark on March 08, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Athletics defeated the Angels 7-4. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Following a rough day yesterday, the Athletics flipped the script today, winning both games of the spring training split-squad double-header to end the weekend on a positive note. The A’s in Arizona came back from a seven-run deficit to defeat the Las Angeles Dodgers 11-7, while the other half of the team beat the Los Angeles Angels 7-4, splitting the two-game preseason series in Las Vegas.
A’s vs Dodgers
Making his first start of the spring, A’s left-hander Jacob Lopez did not have his best performance, yet that was expected as he is getting back into the groove and likely had to shake off some rust. Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages hit a two-out solo home run off Lopez in the first inning and then Lopez allowed Nick Senzel and Ryan Ward to hit back-t0-back RBI doubles the next inning.
In the fourth inning, the Dodgers added to their lead, scoring three more runs off of A’s pitchers Matt Krook and Kenya Huggins. Up 7-0, it seemed like the Dodgers would coast to another Cactus League victory. However, the A’s top prospect, 19-year-old shortstop Leo De Vries, said not so fast. The best prospect the A’s acquired from the San Diego Padres in the Mason Miller trade singlehandedly willed the A’s comeback against the defending champions, with the caveat that it came against Dodgers minor league pitchers.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, De Vries hit his first homer in an A’s uniform, a two-run blast to right field. An inning later, he came up again, this time with the bases loaded and two outs. De Vries made more noise, hitting a grand slam over the right field fence to trim the A’s deficit to one.
It is hard to believe that the Padres traded this rising star for a reliever. That leaves them without a successor should their starting shortstop 33-year-old Xander Bogaerts start declining as he ages.
De Vries got the A’s back in the game and then his teammates picked up the slack to take the lead and secure the victory. Third baseman Andy Ibàñez’s RBI double tied the game in the sixth inning and then the A’s put up a four-spot in the eighth inning to take their first lead of the game. Minor league outfielder Clark Elliot’s single scored the go-ahead run and then Colby Thomas capped off the scoring with a two-run double. Ibàñez had another run-scoring hit in that inning, finishing the game an impressive 4-for-5 with two doubles and two RBI.
Meanwhile, A’s pitching prospects Zane Taylor and Steven Echavarria shut down the Dodgers for the game’s final three innings. With all the attention on the lefties Gage Jump and Jamie Arnold, do not sleep on these two right-handers as they also have the talent to make waves in the A’s minor leagues this season.
A’s vs Angels
Taking the mound for the second time in an A’s uniform, offseason acquisition Aaron Civale put forth a solid performance. He accumulated four strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings pitched. Civale’s lone blemish was Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe’s two-run home run in the fourth inning. O’Hoppe’s home run gave the Angels the lead, erasing the A’s 1-0 advantage which came courtesy of third base prospect Tommy White’s second home run of the spring in the second inning.
Angels starting pitcher Jack Kochanowicz pitched well, only allowing White’s home run in his four inning outing. Once the Angels ended his day, the A’s took advantage, tying and then taking the lead against Angels relievers. The A’s tied the game in the fifth thanks to doubles by Henry Bolte and fellow prospect Joshua Kuroda-Grauer. Bolte, who finished the game with four hits in four at-bats, came up with another big hit later in the game. His two-run home run in the seventh inning gave the hosts a lead that they would not relinquish.
White added his third hit and second home run of the game an inning later to give the A’s a three-run cushion going into the ninth inning.
Relievers Wander Suero and Nick Hernandez protected the A’s late lead in this game, only allowing one run over the final three innings. While they are likely to start in Triple-A, it would not be surprising to see at least one of them with the MLB club this season, especially given the relative dearth of experienced bullpen arms on the A’s roster.
The fact that the A’s won two games today despite getting limited contributions from their core offensive starters bodes well, even if these are just meaningless spring training games. Tomorrow, the team coalesces back into one unit as they travel to Goodyear, AZ to take on the Cincinnati Reds. It will be a matchup of promising young right-handed pitchers with Jack Perkins to start for the A’s and Rhett Lowder for the Reds. Can the A’s make it three in a row or will their week get off to a losing start? Tune in tomorrow to find out.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Damari Wheeler-Thomas scored 19 points to lead top-seeded North Dakota State to a 70-62 victory over North Dakota on Sunday night, winning the Summit League Championship and earning an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament for the Bison.
Wheeler-Thomas made 8 of 16 shots with two 3-pointers for the Bison (27-7), who have made four previous trips to the NCAA Tournament, most recently in 2019. He added six rebounds. Tay Smith scored 13 points off the bench and Andy Stefonowicz totaled 11 points and six rebounds.
Greyson Uelmen scored 24 to pace the third-seeded Fighting Hawks (18-17), whose only tournament appearance at the Division I level came in 2017. Uelmen sank 7 of 11 shots with two 3-pointers and made all eight of his free throws. Zach Kraft scored 19.
Smith hit a 3-pointer and Treyson Anderson scored on a tip-in to cap a 13-2 run as North Dakota State took a 15-9 lead in the first 8:19. Smith connected three more times from beyond the arc and the Bison built a 38-30 advantage in a first half that saw four ties and three lead changes.
Eli King had back-to-back baskets and Garrett Anderson added a layup in a 6-2 spurt to pull North Dakota within 41-36 four minutes into the second half.
Anderson answered with a layup and North Dakota State maintained a three-possession lead until Kraft had a layup and Uelmen added two free throws to cut it to 63-59 with 1:34 remaining.
Noah Feddersen buried a 3-pointer to spark a 7-0 spurt and the Bison prevailed.
North Dakota State won both regular-season matchups by a combined 50 points.
You have to go back to Tampa Bay’s first season in the league, to Hall of Fame goaltender Dominik Hašek’s first season in Buffalo. To a time when Mario Lemieux had led the Pittsburgh Penguins to back-to-back championships and Wayne Gretzky was on the verge of leading the Los Angeles Kings to their first Stanley Cup Final.
In the Sabres’ 8-7 win in Buffalo on Sunday night, the teams combined for 15 goals and 28 penalties, the most since the St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals combined for 16 goals and 28 penalties on Feb. 11, 1993, according to OptaSTATS.
Six different players scored for the Lightning, while five players scored for the Sabres, and seven had at least three points. Jason Zucker scored two goals, and he assisted on Josh Doan’s second goal, the game-winner with 4:17 remaining in the third period. Nikita Kucherov recorded two goals and an assist to lead the Lightning.
Tampa Bay had 57 penalty minutes and Buffalo 45, with Lightning defenseman Charle-Edouard D'Astous and Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram leading the way with 12 apiece. The teams also had seven fights.
According to OptaStats, the 15 goals and 102 penalty minutes totals had not been reached since an NHL playoff game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers on April 25, 1989 (17 goals and 130 penalty minutes).
The victory marked the seventh in a row for the Sabres, who moved into first place in the Atlantic Division. According to the NHL, the last time they were in first place in their division at this stage of a season or later was April 11, 2010.
Yankees shortstop George Lombard Jr. (96) hits a two-rbi single against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning during spring training at Lee Health Sports Complex/Hammond Stadium.
Observations from Yankees spring training on Sunday:
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George Lombard Jr., already considered good enough defensively at shortstop to play in the majors, showed off his versatility by playing third base in a 10-4 loss to the Mets at Clover Park. He also tripled as he tries to show he can hit well enough to get to The Bronx.
You Can’t Go Home Again
Ex-Mets prospect Dom Hamel, in Yankees camp as a non-roster invitee after finally breaking through to the majors last year with the Mets, allowed three runs — two earned — and made a throwing error in 2 ²/₃ innings in a disappointing return to Port St. Lucie.
Caught My Eye
Spencer Jones is known mostly for his power, but scouts also praise his speed, and he stole another base Sunday, his third of the spring.
Yankees shortstop George Lombard Jr. (96) hits a two-rbi single against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning during spring training at Lee Health Sports Complex/Hammond Stadium. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Monday’s Schedule
Max Fried will take the mound for his spring training debut when the Yankees return to Steinbrenner Field to face the Pirates.
"It's exciting," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said of the young players, including Benge's 2-for-3 afternoon at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie, Fla. "Again, I've been saying it for a few days now that their ability to impact the game in so many different ways. There wasn't an easy matchup there, left on left, with (Ryan) Weathers with the way he was throwing the ball. A couple two-strike-approach (hits) there where they're putting the ball in play and just make things happen. The way they run the bases, how they play defense. It's just good baseball from them so far."
Starting in center field and batting sixth, Benge had a pair of singles -- the first a second-inning knock that scored Francisco Alvarez and put the Mets on the board, 2-1 -- and made the most of his latest opportunity.
"For me, I don't really care -- if you throw it in the zone, I'm going to try to hit it, try my best to hit it," Benge said. "So, it doesn't really matter who's throwing -- I just look at it that way."
Through seven games this spring, the 23-year-old is slashing .350/.381/.350 with three runs, an RBI and a stolen base, and embracing what he can learn from his veteran teammates along the way.
"Definitely -- all of 'em, I'd say," Benge said. "Everyone -- Tyrone Taylor, (Juan) Soto, all the outfielders, even (Marcus) Semien a lot -- ut I'd say all those guys have been really kind to me."
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MARCH 8: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs dribbles the ball during the gameagainst the Houston Rockets on March 8, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Spurs rode another dominant performance from Victor Wembanyama to put away the Houston Rockets by throwing multiple defenders at Kevin Durant and surviving what every other player could throw at them. The Spurs led by as much as 27 halfway though the third, but the Rockets turned the game into a parade to the stripe as they upped the physicality and made the game ugly. They couldn’t make it ugly enough for them to win, though, and the Spurs kept the Space City Cowboys at arm’s length throughout the fourth quarter and Udoka waved the white flag when the Spurs led by 20 with three and a half minutes left. The Spurs bench led by Harper and Keldon Johnson helped the Spurs dominate the minutes that Durant sat on the bench and turned the game into another impressive win for the Silver and Black.
Observations
I usually watch the FanDuel feed for Spurs game, but tonight they weren’t available. I th0ught the Peacock crew was pretty good, although I have no clue why Reggie Miller still can’t pronounce Victor Wembanyama’s last name correctly. It’s been almost three years, man. He corrected himself late in the first quarter, so and I actually heard his say Wembanyama once instead of WembanyaNa, so maybe he can learn.
Both teams are on a THIGAFONI tonight, so there’s no rest advantage on either side.
Victor scored the first 8 points for the Spurs, and four different Spurs scored the next 10, as Wembanyama’s gravity gave the Spurs shooters lots of room as they took an early 18-9 lead.
Both Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie are masters at drawing fouls on three point shots. I wonder if that’s something that the Spurs staff coaches them to do.
The Spurs put Carter Bryant on Kevin Durant midway through the first quarter, which was sort of effective, as it forced him to pass the ball, but losing Dorian Finney-Smith probably wasn’t a good idea, as that guy can be counted on to hit open shots.
The Rockets led 33-32 at the end of the first quarter as the Spurs couldn’t hold Durant in check.
The Silver and Black started off hot in the second quarter as they ran out to a 50-39 lead, hitting their first seven shots of the quarter.
The Spurs have so many stars, sometimes it’s hard to notice that Dylan Harper is having an incredible rookie season. He led the team in scoring in the first half with 17 coming off of the bench. His game is so smooth, sometime you don’t even notice how well he’s playing.
Wemby hit a buzzer beater triple and the Spurs led 69-57 at the half. He scored the first and last points for the Spurs in the half on good looking three point shots.
The Spurs took over to start the third quarter as they pushed the lead to over 20 as they dominated the Rockets on both end of the court, capped by a Wemby breakaway dunk over four Houston defenders.
The Spurs stretched the lead to 27, but eventually Victor had to sit, and while Luke Kornet is a good NBA player, he’s going to suffer in comparison to Victor, as any player would, and the Rockets cut the lead to 15 with 2 minutes left. The Spurs led 110-94 after three. Luke Kornet redeemed himself somewhat in the fourth by drawing two offensive fouls on Sengun.
The Rockets were committed to make it a game as the fourth quarter began, blocking Carter Bryant and getting Steph Castle’s fifth foul on a Jabari Smith and-one to start the frame.
Capela is still an elite rim defender, as he turned away a series of shots from the Spurs to start the fourth quarter, keeping the Rockets in the game during the minutes that Durant had to sit.
The Spurs outlasted the Rockets’ fourth quarter surgelet and led by 20 with three and a half minutes left in the game, and both teams accepted their fate and put in the end of the benches, as the Spurs extended the lead and won 145-120. It was fun watching guys like Jordan McLaughlin hit their shots as the Spurs put the game away.
The Spurs continue their home stand on Tuesday against the Boston Celtics, who are rounding into form late in the season with the return of Jayson Tatum from Achilles surgery. The team was already a threat to go far in the playoffs without him, and with him, I wouldn’t bet against them taking over the top spot in the Eastern Conference, even though there are no more head to head games left between the Pistons and Celtics in the regular season. The Spurs have been terrific against top teams this season, and Tuesday will be another chance to prove that they can beat top-level competition.
The Chicago Blackhawks had a 2-0 lead over the Dallas Stars in the first period thanks to goals scored by Tyler Bertuzzi and Sam Rinzel. With a chance to sweep the season series from one of the best teams in the NHL, they gave themselves the early advantage.
On the first goal, Artyom Levshunov collected the puck at the point, skated in a bit, and made an incredibly wise shot-pass to Tyler Bertuzzi, who tipped it home. On the Rinzel goal, he found the puck in the slot thanks to a great play by Oliver Moore and rifled it into the net.
Moore took a hit to make a play and immediately went to the dressing room. He did not return. That is the type of speed that you miss when it’s removed from the lineup.
After that, the Dallas Stars started to take over. Before the Blackhawks could escape the first period with a two-goal lead, Nathan Bastian scored to get the Stars on the board. That 2-1 held through the first intermission, and there was no scoring at all in the second.
Entering the third period, the Stars had a 22-10 shot advantage, indicating that the Blackhawks needed to be much better if they wanted to win the hockey game.
You could feel a Dallas goal coming, and Mavrik Bourque’s 13th of the season knotted things at two just 42 seconds into the third period. At 9:40, the Stars took their first lead of the game with Justin Hryckowian’s 10th of the year.
Just when it seemed completely hopeless for the Hawks, Connor Bedard scored with Arvid Soderblom on the bench to tie the game. In his 200th career NHL game, he put on a show with the extra attacker on the ice.
Overtime was required, but the Stars made sure to complete their comeback as Miro Heiskanen won it 22 seconds into the extra period. Dallas narrowly avoided being swept by a young Chicago team, but they found a way in the end.
It doesn’t feel good for these players to lose, but they will look back on a 2-0-1 performance against the Dallas Stars as a highlight of the season. That will be especially true if the Stars reach their potential in the playoffs.
The only update that Jeff Blashill had on Moore's injury is that he won't be available for Monday's home game.
The Blackhawks will be back in action again on Monday night when they take on the Utah Mammoth. This is their one game at the United Center this week before leaving for two games out west.
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LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 6, 2026: Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) gestures after sinking a three point shot against the Indiana Pacers in the first half at Crypto.com Arena on March 6, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Lakers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
There are three things in this life that are certain: death, taxes and the Western Conference playoff race being as tight as possible.
Once again, teams are bunched up together in the standings with the difference between the No. 3 seed and the No. 7 seed being just three-and-a-half games.
The Lakers are right in the middle of this congestion, at the sixth spot. With LA having 18 games left, they could just as easily rise in the standings as they can fall into a play-in spot.
For our SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we asked fans where the Lakers will finish in the playoff race. The results are in, and the majority of fans have the purple and gold ending the season as the fifth- or sixth-seed.
It makes sense that LA will likely stay where they are or move up marginally. According to Tankathon, the Lakers have the ninth-toughest remaining schedule, and all the teams they are competing against for a playoff spot have easier schedules, bar the Nuggets.
While 18 games is a lot of action left, the only way the Lakers move up to the No. 4 spot or better is by beating a bunch of teams with elite records. So far, they haven’t shown they can consistently do that, going 5-12 against teams with a .600 winning percentage or better.
However, if you are optimistic that a healthy Lakers team can begin besting these teams, then a higher seed is possible. Based on our poll, 36% of fans think that’s what’s going to happen in the coming weeks.
While moving up is tough, dropping down to the play-in is even less likely. Currently, only the Suns have a realistic chance of taking the No. 6 seed from the Lakers. With Dillon Brooks missing games and Phoenix going 5-5 over their last 10 games, they aren’t winning enough to gain ground in the West.
And that’s why only 11% of fans think the Lakers are play-in bound.
The good news for LA is that they still control their destiny. If they win their head-to-head games against key opponents, they’ll own the tiebreakers they might need at the end, and a good winning streak could make a top seed not only probable, but inevitable.
It’ll be up to them to show what kind of team they truly are now that every game has a bit more at stake.
Mar 8, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks center Jericho Sims (00) dunks the basketball in the second quarter against the Orlando Magic at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Bucks lost 130-91 to the Orlando Magic on the second night of a back-to-back for the home team, who played shorthanded without Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Porter, Jr. Bobby Portis led the Bucks’ attack with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Paolo Banchero cooked the Bucks with a game-high 33 points for the Magic.
The first quarter saw the Bucks’ limited offensive options on full display. The Magic jumped out to a 7-0 start and largely held serve as both teams shot poorly and generally showed limited interest in playing an NBA basketball game. After one, it was Magic 25, Bucks 15.
Quarter Two presented the fans with the illusion that this would be a game worth staying past halftime for. The teams both found their offensive rhythm after the doldrums of the opening frame. An entertaining, back-and-forth affair it was. Of note, Ousmane Dieng connected with Jerico Sims on four highlight dunks, and Bobby Portis poured in most of his team-high 18 points. The Bucks had no answer for Paolo Banchero, who headed to the locker room with 26 points on near-perfect shooting. Orlando led 67-55 at half.
The Bucks forgot to show up for the third quarter again, allowing the Magic to stretch a 12-point halftime lead into a 30-point beatdown as the matchup limped to the final frame. The quarter started with a 16-3 Magic run and largely continued in that vein. Bucks turnovers became uncontested dunks, or three-pointers, for the Magic. The rout was on, and the home team needed their crying towels. Orlando was ahead 100-70 entering the final period.
Among the few remaining people in Fiserv Forum, Thanassis Antetokounmpo entered the game with 9:22 left. He provided an emotional lift to the 17 remaining fans.
Stat That Stood Out
46.2%. That’s the Bucks’ free-throw shooting percentage. On a night that saw the team find many ways to embarrass themselves, this one was particularly brutal.
