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The Boston Celtics are coming off of perhaps their best win of the season, a 119-109 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder who were fully healthy for the first time all year. It’s just one game, but the importance of the win can’t be overstated.

For starters, it shows that the Celtics can keep up with one of the Western Conference favorites to reach, or even win the Finals. Statement wins like this can go a long way for a team’s confidence heading into the playoffs. Along with that, the Knicks are hot on Boston’s tail for the second seed, and holding off the most difficult remaining opponent after a disappointing loss to the Timberwolves gives the Celtics just a bit of breathing room.

As things currently stand, Boston is one game ahead of the Knicks for the second seed, with two less games in the loss column. If the two teams were to end up with the same record by the end of the regular season, New York would earn the higher seed, having secured the tie-breaker by having a better record against teams in the same division. The Celtics and Knicks do face off against each other once more before the season ends though, a game which could create the separation Boston is looking for, or put New York in prime position to overtake them.

Along with their race with the Knicks, the Celtics are also still technically in play for the best overall record in the East, currently sitting 4.5 games behind the Pistons. In reality, it should be considered a 5-game gap, since the Pistons took the season series 3 games to 1. It’s going to be extremely difficult for Boston to make up that gap, but a possibility nonetheless. The Cleveland Cavaliers sit 2.5 games behind the Knicks, and four games ahead of the Hawks, so they might have an opportunity to jump up if all goes their way, but are otherwise likely going to end as the 4_^th seed.

So, what should Celtics fans keep an eye on in Boston’s final 10 games of the regular season?

Well, there’s actually quite a bit to consider. Of the remaining games, nine of them are against Eastern Conference opponents, the New Orleans Pelicans being the lone Western Conference competitor. Out of the eight East matchups, the Milwaukee Bucks are the only remaining opponent who seem to be on the outs for Play-In contention, sitting 9 games behind the 10^th seed Magic.

We’ve already mentioned that one of the remaining matchups is against the Knicks, the best remaining team that Boston will face in this final stretch. That still leaves 7 more games against potential playoff teams: the Atlanta Hawks (x2), Charlotte Hornets (x2), Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, and Orlando Magic.

Those five teams are separated by at most 2 games in the standings, and they make up the 5-10 spots in the East, along with the 7^th seed Sixers which the Celtics will not face again this regular season. Any single one of them could be Boston’s eventual first-round matchup in the playoffs, and the Celtics could heavily influence their ultimate landing spots given the upcoming schedule.

Here’s where each team stands as of today:

5^th. Atlanta Hawks (1-1 vs Celtics, 41-32 overall)

6^th. Toronto Raptors (0-3 vs Celtics, 40-32 overall)

7^th. Philadelphia 76ers (2-2 vs Celtics, 40-33 overall)

8^th. Orlando Magic (1-2 vs Celtics, 39-34 overall)

9^th. Charlotte Hornets (1-0 vs Celtics, 39-34 overall)

10^th. Miami Heat (0-3 vs Celtics, 39-34 overall)

If this were to be how the season ended, Boston as the 2 seed would play the winner of the 7-8 Play-In matchup, that being between Philly and Orlando. These standings are very volatile, however. With the Celtics facing the Hawks twice in the next three games, Boston winning both could drop Atlanta down into that 7^th seed.

Similarly, Boston has two games against Charlotte coming up. If the Hornets were to win both, they could potentially jump up the standings, again making them a possible first round matchup for the Celtics assuming Boston still manages to maintain their own spot as the 2^nd seed.

With the records being so close, every game matters down this stretch for nearly every remaining team in the East. Boston has a slight advantage over the Knicks by having two less losses. The Knicks also have some competition in their remaining games: the Thunder, Rockets, Hawks, Hornets (who they just lost to), Raptors, and us, of course.

Ultimately, it comes down to the Celtics taking care of their own business. Along with holding their spot in the standings, they’ll be looking for Jayson Tatum to keep building rhythm, while also trying to integrate Nikola Vucevic back into the lineup as soon as he returns from nursing the broken finger he suffered earlier this month. Vuc is expected to be back before the end of the regular season, though we don’t have an exact date yet.

It’s important to note that Boston’s last two opponents are the Pelicans and the Magic. These two games, could see a lot of the starters sitting to make sure they get to the playoffs as healthy and rested as possible. Additionally, the Celtics have one more back-to-back, that coming in Charlotte and Atlanta on March 29^th and March 30^th. We may very well see Jayson Tatum at minimum rest one of those nights, potentially along with any other players who may be feeling a bit banged up at this point of the season.

We did see several new players pop up on the injury report for Boston’s game against Atlanta tonight. Jaylen Brown is questionable with calf tightness, Neemias Queta is questionable with a thumb sprain, and Derrick White is questionable with a bruised knee. This means Boston could potentially be without three starters in a key matchup against a red-hot Hawks team.

We don’t know the severity of these injuries, and it is possible that JB, Neemi, and Derrick are just due for some rest. Regardless, whoever plays for Boston will have to be able to execute if they want to maintain their standings, in this game, and every other for the rest of the season.

WASHINGTON - No, it’s not the Final Four. It just feels that way.

Between No. 1 Duke, No. 2 Connecticut, No. 3 Michigan State and No. 5 St. John’s, the East region foursome in Washington, D.C., would have enough star power to light up Indianapolis, host of this year’s national semifinals and final.

“This is like a Final Four, if you ask me,” said Michigan State coach Tom Izzo. “I think this is almost a chalk tournament. I'm just proud and excited to be part of it.”

Instead of playing for the national championship, the group will meet to decide which team advances out of this loaded region. The Blue Devils and Red Storm will get things started on Friday night, followed by the Huskies and Spartans.

Yet these are undoubtedly some of the biggest brands in the country. Each head coach brings glittering résumés into the Sweet 16, including a combined five national championships and 18 Final Four appearances. The four teams are led by a parade of All-America selections and future NBA draft picks.

On paper, it’s hard to find another regional bubble like this in recent tournament history.

“A ton of respect for each coach and their programs,” said Duke coach Jon Scheyer. “I think that's what makes it exciting, right? It's going to be an exciting atmosphere, high-level basketball, high-level coaching for sure.”

Elite programs, teams meet on an elite stage

Duke, UConn and Michigan State have combined for 13 national championships, with the Huskies most recently capturing back-to-back crowns in 2023 and 2024. They make up three of the nine programs to win multiple championships in the past 50 seasons.

The Blue Devils (34-2) won the ACC regular-season and tournament titles after losing just twice leading into March Madness by a combined four points. St. John’s (30-6) did the same in the Big East, though the Red Storm were given a No. 5 seed by the selection committee due to fewer Quad 1 wins that the other elite teams.

UConn (31-5) finished one game behind the Red Storm in the Big East and then dropped the conference championship game between the schools, giving St. John’s a 2-1 edge in the season series. Let’s put the rivalry aside for one night and root for each other to meet against in the Elite Eight, UConn coach Dan Hurley said.

"It's probably a little bit early, but obviously, I think we've got to support each other,” said Hurley. “It's pretty brutal on Twitter, I think, and socials between our fan bases, but I think we have to try to come together Friday night against our opponent so we can have a bloodbath on Sunday."

And Michigan State (27-7) has rebounded from losses to Michigan and UCLA to end the regular season and conference tournament, respectively, to post impressive wins against No. 14 North Dakota State and No. 6 Louisville to reach the Sweet 16 for the second year in a row and the third time in four years.

“We want to make it as far as we can,” Michigan State forward Jaxon Kohler said. “Playing with all these guys is something that's really special in my life, honestly.”

East region features four of college basketball’s best coaches

Here’s the best way to describe four head coaches still standing in the East region: Scheyer is the least accomplished of the bunch.

That’s a telling statement given how capably Scheyer has stepped into Mike Krzyzewski’s shoes since being promoted from associate head coach in 2022.

All he’s done in his four seasons is go 123-24 overall and 65-13 in the ACC, reaching the Elite Eight in 2024 and the Final Four last season, though the Blue Devils’ season ended with a heartbreaking collapse against Houston in the national semifinals. Given the difficulties of replacing a legend, Scheyer has become the poster child for seamless caching transitions.

Izzo followed similar path as an assistant to title-winning coach Jud Heathcote before assuming the job in 1995 at the age of 40 - five years older than Scheyer was when he replaced Coach K.

The résumés speak for themselves of the three veterans speak for themselves.

Izzo has gone 764-308 with 11 Big Ten regular-season titles, six Big Ten tournament titles, 17 trips to the Sweet 16, eight appearances in the Final Four and one national championship, in 2000.

“I don't know how Coach Izzo has done it,” Hurley said. “I don't.”

Hurley is one of eight coaches to win back-to-back national titles, joining Krzyzewski, Billy Donovan (Florida), Henry Iba (Oklahoma State), Ed Jucker (Cincinnati), Adolph Rupp (Kentucky), John Wooden (UCLA) and Phil Woolpert (San Francisco).

Now in his third season with the Red Storm, Pitino is already the only coach to reach the Sweet 16 in five separate decades, the only coach to win national championships at two schools — Kentucky in 1996 and Louisville in 2013, though the second was later vacated by the NCAA — and one of two to lead three different teams to the Final Four (Providence, Kentucky and Louisville), along with current Arkansas coach John Calipari.

Breaking down the East region Sweet 16 matchups

There’s one very interesting quirk to the Blue Devils’ matchup with the Red Storm. Duke beat St. John’s in each of the program’s five national-championship seasons (1991, 1992, 2001, 2010 and 2015), including a 78-61 win in the 1991 Elite Eight.

Duke is preparing for a battle against the Red Storm’s physical, end-to-end style, which paced a 67-65 win against No. 4 Kansas in the second round.

“I think that's part of our identity, too, is being a physical team,” Duke freshman Nikolas Khamenia said. “I think we've played a lot of teams that have been physical, which is obviously going to help prepare us for tomorrow.”

St. John’s will have to contend with Duke forward Cameron Boozer, a favorite for national player of the year while leading the team with 22.4 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.

“You have to be really hungry and believe,” Pitino said. “If you don't, usually you go home. So we just want to get after it. We know we're playing a great team. There's no question about that. They haven't lost very much. But we want to foster that type of belief, that we're going to win this game.”

Like Duke and St. John’s, the matchup between Michigan State and UConn should have a high-intensity feel driven by two of the top defenses remaining in the tournament.

According to the analytics site KenPom.com, the UConn defense ranks 11th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency and the Spartans rank 13th. And both offenses look to get into transition but will focus on frontcourt play in the halfcourt set, with the Huskies led by center Tarris Reed Jr. (41 points and 40 rebounds through two tournament games) and Michigan State centered on Kohler, center Carson Cooper and junior forward Coen Carr.

While the two teams didn’t face off during the regular season, they did meet in a charity exhibition game in late October, with the Huskies pulling out a 76-69 win.

“You remember the physicality they play with, the rebounding, how fast they play, the pace they play at,” said UConn forward Alex Karaban.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: East Region in March Mandes resembles Final Four with its quality

The Big Ten entered the 2026 Men's NCAA Tournament riding a 26-year drought since the conference last produced a national champion.

Nearly halfway through the event, the league is doing just about everything it can to make sure that skid comes to a long-awaited end.

What was arguably the best conference in the sport during the regular season has continued to show its strength during March Madness. Many of the conference’s best teams, like Michigan, have looked dominant thus far during the Big Dance, while others, like Iowa, have pulled off a handful of upsets to advance deeper than many predicted they would.

REQUIRED READING: March Madness finds a Cinderella. Iowa basketball, the slipper is yours

On Thursday night, on the first day of the Sweet 16, that dominance was on display. Illinois stymied Houston 65-55 to earn its second Elite Eight appearance in the past three years under coach Brad Underwood. Purdue got a buzzer-beating tip-in from Trey Kaufman-Renn to edge Texas 79-77. And in an intra-conference matchup, Iowa continued its unexpectedly lengthy run in the tournament with a 77-71 victory over fellow corn enthusiast Nebraska.

Four tickets have been punched to the Elite Eight, with three of those belonging to a single league — and with two of its best teams, Michigan and Michigan State, trying to join them there tomorrow.

Just how good has the Big Ten been in the 2026 NCAA Tournament? Here’s a look:

How many Big Ten teams are in Elite 8?

After the first night of Sweet 16 games on Thursday, March 26, the Big Ten has three teams in the Elite Eight: Purdue, Iowa and Illinois.

The conference could add two more on Friday with No. 1 seed Michigan taking on No. 4 seed Alabama and No. 3 seed Michigan State squaring off against No. 2 seed UConn. The Wolverines, the Big Ten regular-season champions, are a 9.5-point favorite while the Spartans are a 1.5-point underdog.

REQUIRED READING: Who's in Elite 8? Updated March Madness bracket, NCAA Tournament schedule

What’s the record for most Big Ten teams in Elite 8?

Even if Michigan and Michigan State both lose, the Big Ten’s performance on Thursday already made a bit of history.

Halfway through the Sweet 16, the Big Ten has already tied its record of three teams in the Elite Eight, a mark it had previously reached in 2000, 2005 and 2019.

REQUIRED READING: Inside the game-winning play that advanced Purdue to Elite 8

Record for most Elite 8 teams from one conference

The record for most Elite Eight teams from one conference is four, a mark that has been reached three times since the NCAA tournament field expanded to 64 in 1985.

That figure was achieved by the Big East in 2009 (UConn, Pitt, Louisville and Villanova), the ACC in 2016 (North Carolina, Notre Dame, Syracuse and Virginia) and the SEC in 2025 (Florida, Auburn, Tennessee and Alabama).

When’s the last time a Big Ten team won March Madness?

Despite the success of its teams this season, the Big Ten hasn’t had a member win the national championship in men’s basketball since Michigan State all the way back in 2000. Maryland, a current Big Ten member, won it all in 2002, but the Terrapins were in the ACC at that time.

Big Ten NCAA tournament record

The nine Big Ten teams that made it into the field for the 2026 NCAA Tournament have combined to go 16-4.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The Big Ten has 3 Elite 8 teams in a record-setting 2026 NCAA Tournament

By the time the final buzzer sounds Friday, the NCAA men’s basketball tournament field will officially be down to the Elite Eight.

The round of 16 concludes with games in the East and Midwest Regionals, with the action taking place in Washington, D.C., and Chicago, respectively. A loaded field of programs with multiple championships will hit the floor in the East, while the foursome in the Windy City features a pair of SEC squads looking to take down a couple of top seeds. Once again, we’re here to break down the matchups for you, with all the information you’ll need about how and when to watch.

No. 1 Duke vs. No. 5 St. John’s

Time/TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, CBS

Even if this matchup is happening in an earlier round than it probably should be, it’s arguably the most compelling of the round. History and coaching achievements aside, they’re two of the hottest teams in the field having won their respective power conference tournaments. That the Blue Devils have run their winning streak to 13 despite being down a couple of starters certainly speaks to their depth, though Patrick Ngongba’s return to the lineup was nonetheless a welcome development. His presence near the bucket could force the Red Storm to find a source for points other than Zuby Ejiofor, but fortunately Bryce Hopkins has been shooting well of late. Duke’s Cayden Boozer has handled his increase in minutes and responsibilities well since the injury to Caleb Foster, but the waves of pressure he’ll see from the Red Storm will test his mettle.f

No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 4 Alabama

Time/TV: 7:35 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV

Opening the festivities at the United Center is this clash of programs led by coaches who have experienced the Final Four stage, although in this iteration the top-seeded Wolverines appear to be better constructed to get there. Not only do they put up 87.4 points a game, but their array of interior defenders reject around six shots a game and challenge countless others. But the 3-point arc can be an equalizer, and the high-octane Crimson Tide utilize it better than most knocking down nearly 13 treys a game as part of their nation's-best 91.6-point per game average. The other factor that might spell success for Alabama is ball security, if primary handler Lebaron Philon can limit miscues better than Michigan counterpart Elliot Cadeau.

No. 2 Connecticut vs. No. 3 Michigan State

Time/TV: 9:45 p.m. ET, CBS

The second contest at Capital One Arena is yet another heavyweight showdown in the East, a region that would be dubbed the group of death if this were a World Cup draw. This pairing of name-brand programs led by – shall we say – high-intensity coaches figure to add up to one of the more physical confrontations of the tournament. Feisty Spartans point guard Jeremy Fears will need to keep his notorious temper in check, while UConn’s Tarris Reed must do his best to avoid early foul trouble. Michigan State has a lot of options if a clutch bucket is needed, but there’s no substitute for the big-game experience of veteran Huskies captain Alex Karaban.

No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 6 Tennessee

Time/TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV

The nightcap in the Windy City could be a low-scoring affair, as playing lock-down defense is hardwired into both programs. The health status of a couple of the game’s top offensive weapons could also keep the point total down. Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson is officially a game-time decision but seems unlikely to play, and Tennessee’s Nate Ament hasn’t been 100% for some time. The Cyclones theoretically have more reliable shooters in their lineup, especially if facilitator Tamin Lipsey is on target, but Volunteers guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie can also get hot.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness games today: NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 schedule

Many words have been said and written about why the Cleveland Cavaliers’ new core four won’t work. About redundancy. About perimeter defense. About spacing. Very few words have been said and written about why it will work. About what, precisely, makes die-hard fans and the Cleveland front office and coaching staff alike believe that this team can win the NBA title and be crowned world champions.

Turns out, words aren’t necessary. There’s a play. A singular clip. Show. Don’t tell.

This clip is everything. It’s the hope. It’s the dream.

The NBA playoffs are less about what you can do and more about what problems you can present to your opponent. Modern basketball is an offense-advantaged game at its core. Present enough problems and the defense will crumble. Present too few, and the defense will take it away. They will collapse what you do and what you are. Watch the clip twice.

This is not a meaningless game. It is the best insight into what it will take to win it all. Cleveland, post-James Harden trade, with the whole (new) Core Four playing, at the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder’s house on the last game of a three-in-four night stretch. National spotlight game. Both teams are trying their best.

Now, let’s dig in.

James Harden brings the ball up court. The Thunder are pressuring hard because that’s what you do with playoff intensity. Evan Mobley sets a screen way up near half court to spring Harden. He doesn’t slip it. He makes contact, and the defender is put off balance. Harden has the edge. A staggered screen from Jarrett Allen is waiting just in case he recovers.

Boy howdy! That’s a lot of resources to commit above the three-point line. Three players and both bigs! Is space tight? Does the best defense in basketball (by my eyes) have the Cavs in jail? No. Chet Holmgren (Mobley’s defender) is waiting at the arc but won’t go further. Allen’s defender is right behind him, effectively double-covering meaningless space. Mitchell’s defender is glued to him in the corner. And where is Sam Merrill? Where is his defender? They are so deep in the opposite corner that they aren’t even in the picture.

The action continues. Harden has the corner. His defender no longer matters. Allen reads it and slips the screen, making minimal contact. OKC switches assignments because they are great at basketball. Mitchell and Merrill’s defenders stay home because OKC is good. Mobley is effectively unguarded.

Next, we have three moments in time in rapid succession. It is a work of art titled “Why Point Guards Matter.”

Harden drives. Allen rolls. The defensive shell is intact. Oppressively solid.

Harden throws on the brakes. He takes three hesitation dribbles. Why, oh why, would you do this?! Are you even trying to score? Do you want your defender that you worked so hard to leave behind to catch up?

This freeze frame is unique to veteran, elite point guards. What happened to that defensive shell? Where did it go? James Harden is many things. I, personally, have disliked many of those things over his career. But he is absolutely an elite, veteran point guard. He can play on many timings. And this is the key to his brilliance. He lets the defense recover and collapse. Intentionally. He does this three seconds before anybody could possibly say that is a good decision. Where does the defense end up?

Lou Dort is in No Man’s Land. He cheated into Allen earlier for a pass that didn’t come while Mitchell repositioned.

Isaiah Joe is in No Man’s Land. He rightly stayed home on Sam Merrill on the strong side during the initial drive. You can’t not. That’s Sam Merrill. By the time he cheats in on the play, it is too late.

Jaylin Williams and Carson Wallace wall off Harden’s attack. No lay-ups. No lobs. No easy through-bounce passes. Harden uses his wingspan to wrap the pass around the outside.

Holmgren actually shows remarkable processing and agility to see what is happening and hard cuts back to the wide open Allen. It’s too late.

All of this happens because of the off-timing read Harden made. It ends in a Jarrett Allen dunk. But what if the timing was slightly different? What then? Let’s consider.

Holmgren is full commit to Allen. Mobley is wide open as a viable high outlet or Nash dribble reset. Merrill is wide open for an easy corner 3. Did we mention he’s Sam Merrill? Say Mobley does get the ball. Lou Dort is the only possible person who can contest. He will contest. This is what it means for a defense to be in rotation. Somebody is open. Who is open? That man is Donovan Mitchell for the easiest skip pass in basketball history. Did we mention he is Donovan Mitchell?

This play is the play. It is the ultimate in cherry picking, stat nerd Nirvana. But it is also the peak of what the Cleveland Cavaliers’ core four can be. It is everything the Cavs have previously struggled with. High ball pressure. Elite switching defenses. Situationally packing paints. And then eviscerate it. Let’s say those names again. This happened against a defense comprised of:

Carson Wallace
Lou Dort
Isiah Joe
Jaylin Williams
Chet Holmgren

If there is a better cast of characters to defend the 2025-26 Cleveland Cavaliers, then it only exists in fiction. This is the pinnacle. And the Cavs can do it. There is reason to believe. It is everything. It is the problems the Cavs can present. The double bigs, the variable timings, the shooting, Mitchell’s individual attacking brilliance, Harden’s off-timing precognition.

Do not listen to conventional talking points. This is not a conventional team. Look deeper, and you’ll see it. The Cavs can win it all. The only question is if they’ll have the health and the time to bring it all together, and the good fortune to see it through. But this is a true, blue contender. Top to bottom.

Don’t believe me? Scroll back to the top. Watch that play again.

As the NCAA tournament moves towards the Elite Eight and the Final Four in just a few days, some attention is being spent on the NBA Draft. Duke’s Carlos Boozer is racking up a massive haul of awards, and his numbers are historic.

Yet we hear constantly that he’s not athletic enough to prosper in the NBA.

It’s an old argument. It was behind his father, Carlos, falling to the second round when he was drafted out of Duke, and he went on to a superb NBA career.

After last year’s draft, we heard the same argument about Kon Knueppel. A lot of critics thought that he might be a useful piece, a sniper off the bench, but he’s proven to be far more than that.

Knueppel, along with close friend and former Duke teammate Cooper Flagg, is a leading candidate for Rookie of the Year, and on Thursday, he did something no rookie has ever done: he topped 250 three-point shots in his first NBA season.

It’s been a spectacular season, almost as spectacular as his re-evaluation. It should be a warning for Boozer’s critics: athleticism is a huge asset for an NBA player, but as in most aspects of life, intelligence is the biggest asset.

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