What shall we expect of the Islanders tonight? With every point crucial in a crowded playoff race, they are in a run where they 1) played aimlessly against Ottawa yet still had at least a point on the table until the final 11 seconds, 2) gave up a gazillion goals to the Habs, 3) played a solid game against Columbus but still needed a Ilya Sorokin shutout, and 4) fell asleep for 10 minutes to lose to the Blackhawks.
That’s not good, not at all, and as a result they sit outside the playoff spots with 10 games to go.
Tonight a Cup contending team visits, though the Dallas Stars are on a three-game losing streak as they begin a four-game eastern trip.
The Isles, meanwhile, acre accumulating blueline injury issues, forcing Matthew Schaefer to break the record for ice time by a teenager in Tuesday’s loss to the Hawks. That game saw Tony DeAngelo leave injured in the first period, while Ryan Pulock sat out another one.
We’ll learn today from the morning skate if Isaiah George, called up before that last game, will get his first NHL action since a two-game stint in January. (On that note, Alex Romanov’s season-ender, Mikko Rantanen, has been out hurt but is apparently on this trip.)
PITTSBURGH, PA - FEBRUARY 2: Arturs Silovs #37 of the Pittsburgh Penguins makes a save against Drake Batherson #19 of the Ottawa Senators at PPG PAINTS Arena on February 2, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
With both teams desperate for points in their fight for playoff positioning, tonight’s game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Ottawa Senators should have a playoff feel when the teams hit the ice. Right now, the Penguins are holding onto third place in the Metro division while the Senators cling to the second and final wild card spot by virtue of holding the tiebreaker over the New York Islanders. Both the Penguins and Senators will have only 10 games left after tonight’s contest, so expect both sides to leave it all on the ice tonight in Canada’s capital.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00PM EST and will be broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh.
Pens Points…
While a few of the upper tier teams in the Eastern Conference have created separation and are in a comfortable playoff position, that is not the case for the rest as the battle to make the Stanley Cup playoffs is going to come down right to the wire with razor thin margins separating the contenders. [Pensburgh]
After some recent struggles, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins righted the ship a bit last weekend, taking two of three games on a road trip through Canada and clinched a playoff spot in the process. With nine games left on the schedule, the goal is now to lock down a first round bye. [Pensburgh]
Another key injury appears to have hit the Penguins lineup at the worst possible moment. Forward Anthony Mantha, who has already set a new career high in goals this season, did not practice on Wednesday and is considered day-to-day but will be on the plane to Ottawa with the team. [Trib Live]
Like Mantha, Just Brazeau has already set a new career high in goals this season with the Penguins but the well has dried up as of late. He had a goal taken off the board against Colorado on Tuesday, but Brazeau knows the opportunities will come if he just keeps playing his game. [Trib Live]
There’s a strong case to be made for Kyle Dubas as the top general manager in hockey this season as his series of moves over the past year have perfectly positioned this Penguins team break their postseason drought after many considered them a likely basement dweller rather than a playoff contender. [Daily Faceoff]
Another testament to the work Dubas has done since joining the Penguins organization is the way the he has slowly but surely replenished the prospect pool that was near the bottom of the league before he arrived. Now they sit somewhere around the middle of the pack with that stock likely to keep rising. [The Athletic $$]
NHL News and Notes…
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman and team captain Victor Hedman will be taking a temporary leave of absence from the team, citing personal reasons. No other reason was given for his departure nor did the team release any kind of timetable for his return to action. [ESPN]
The Azzurri are under pressure to avoid failing to qualify for soccer’s biggest event for a third consecutive time after being eliminated by Sweden in 2017 and North Macedonia in 2022.
In all, 16 teams are competing for four spots at the World Cup in North America.
Eight one-off semifinals are followed by four finals next week. The winners of the finals secure qualification.
Path A: Italy vs. Northern Ireland, Wales vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Path B: Ukraine vs. Sweden, Poland vs. Albania.
Path C: Turkey vs. Romania, Slovakia vs. Kosovo.
Path D: Denmark vs. North Macedonia, Czech Republic vs. Ireland
Per site tradition, we make our picks and lay them bare for all to see. And this year, 10 of us took on the challenge. Here are our section-by-section picks, which we’ll revisit and tabulate in October to reveal the best and worst. And by all means, feel free to listen on four of our writers discussing their picks in our Sox Populi podcast, found on The Feed here on site:
By all means, praise and chide in the comments — and feel free to chip in with your own prognostications, tough guys and gals.
The Tigers and Mariners are clear division favorites in the AL, with a much tougher fight in the AL East. Over in the NL, it’s the Brewers, Mets and Dodgers looking fine in our eyes.
And yes, trust us, dear readers, site suspensions of at least a full week have been discussed for Hannah Filippo, David James and Joe Kiang-Resis. We’ll let you figure out why.
The race for the AL’s best seems quite a fight, at least opposed to the NL. In the case of league worsts, there is fight between two teams in both leagues — and in the AL, no one picked the White Sox! Novel.
And yes, trust us, dear readers, a site suspension of at least a full year has been discussed for Hannah Filippo. We’ll let you figure out why.
Most of us have learned our MVP lessons and are meekly prognosticating repeats wins for Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani. It looks like a two-arm race for AL Cy Young, with the NL looking like a runaway for Paul Skenes.
As for the White Sox-specific picks, our wins total ranges from 66 to 80, and for once it is not Brett Ballantini as the most dour pick. It seems an absolute runaway for team MVP and best pitcher, and frankly for Best Rookie as well. And is the usual super-fun contradiction, Hannah Filippo picks Luisangel Acuña as best rookie, while David James has Acuña as the team’s worst player. Most likely, he won’t be either extreme — but that’s why we play the games!
The formatting of our final “tiebreaker” categories (mostly just an excuse to goof off with topical takes of the moment) is a little too difficult to fit onto the page here, but the questions for us all to consider were:
Do the White Sox have a winning record at any point after Tax Day? Do the White Sox select Roch Cholowsky with the No. 1 pick? Will Justin Ishiba become owner by December 31? Will the White Sox trade Andrew Benintendi? Will the Birmingham Barons Win a Third Straight Southern League Title? Will the White Sox extend Munetaka Murakami?
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MARCH 25: Terrence Shannon Jr. #1 and Donte DiVincenzo #0 of the Minnesota Timberwolves celebrate 110-108 win against the Houston Rockets at Target Center on March 25, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Rockets 110-108 in overtime. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There have been a lot of crazy nights at Target Center over the years, and tonight’s game is right up there as one of the craziest games in a long time.
On Wednesday night, the Minnesota Timberwolves took on the Houston Rockets in a game that will play a dramatic role in determining the seeding for the Western Conference Playoffs. The two teams came into the game separated by just half a game in the standings, and with the Rockets leading the season series between the two teams 1-0, a Houston win would clinch it in their favor.
The game started well for the Wolves. They jumped out to a 12-4 lead and carried that lead through most of the first half, including a nasty transition dunk from Naz Reid.
The Timberwolves led the entire first half, but without Edwards, they were unable to sustain consistent offense in the half-court as the Rockets cut the Wolves’ lead to just one heading into halftime.
Houston took a brief lead early in the third quarter, but Minnesota stormed back to build its lead back up heading down the stretch of the game. Jaden McDaniels was the catalyst late in the fourth quarter as he scored five straight Minnesota points, including a stepback 3-pointer and a strip of Kevin Durant for two points on the other end.
Jaden McDaniels nasty PnR stepback 3 + strip steal on Kevin Durant + transition dunk OH MY GOD pic.twitter.com/zBWUrGUXUS
That is when the game went totally off the rails. Following an Alperen Şengün layup and a Timberwolves shot clock violation, Julius Randle ran over Şengün, who was setting a screen, for a foul. With the Rockets in the bonus, this meant two free throws.
Upon review (there were many in this game), the play was curiously upgraded to a flagrant foul as the lead official, Scott Foster, said he “launched” into the opposing player.
The flagrant gave the Rockets two free throws and the ball back, which Houston capitalized on as Şengün slammed the ball home to cut the Minnesota lead down to just five.
The Wolves continued to melt down as they turned the ball over on three straight possessions. The Rockets scored on each of their subsequent possession to give themselves a one-point lead. All in all, it was a 12-0 run over about 3.5 minutes of game time that turned a sure win to the Wolves into a dog fight with less than a minute left.
Randle got into the paint for a layup to give the Wolves a one-point lead back before an away-from-the-play foul on an inbounds play from Rudy Gobert gave Durant a free throw to tie the game. The Wolves forced a turnover and nearly had the game won on the other end, but there was no call on the Randle layup attempts as the game went to overtime.
Things went from bad to worse in overtime for the Wolves in overtime as they quickly went down by five points. The Scott Foster show continued from there. Following an upheld call on a review of a Naz Reid charge, Reid was ejected for seemingly saying, “He’s moving.” After the game, the officials were asked about the ejection via the NBA’s pool report and said, “Reid made a statement that questioned the integrity of the officiating crew.”
With Reid ejected, McDaniels on the bench with an injury he sustained late in the fourth quarter, and Gobert out of the game after fouling out, the snowball kept rolling down the hill, and before the Wolves knew it, they had given up the first 13 points of overtime.
If the game ended right there, it would have been crazy enough, but it didn’t. With fans heading toward the exits, the Wolves didn’t quit on the game. They continued to generate good looks on offense and get stops on defense. Mike Conley knocked one down from deep, Kyle Anderson put in an and-1, and Julius Randle put in a layup to cut the Houston lead down to one possession.
Minnesota didn’t stop there, as Donte DiVincenzo tied the game on the next Wolves possession before Randle put the Wolves back in the lead with another layup. In total, it was a 15-0 Timberwolves run that turned a 15-point deficit into a two-point lead.
According to Sportradar, the 13-point overtime comeback was the largest in NBA history since they started keeping track of play-by-play data during the 1996-97 season. The next highest? The Wolves’ nine-point lead was blown in Denver this past Christmas.
After a pair of missed free throws from Durant (one of which was intentionally missed), the Wolves secured a 110-108 victory in one of the most absurd games at Target Center in a long time.
After the game, Randle made his displeasure with the officiating known, yelling out, “That shit didn’t work, Scott Foster,” as he walked back to the locker room. When asked about the flagrant call earlier in the game, Randle responded, “Don’t get me fined, man.”
“I’ve never seen it before,” Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch said about the flagrant call on Randle. “They’re telling me they had a clear opportunity to avoid the screen. They said he sought him out to run him over. I’ve never seen a flagrant like that. He goes through a screen, they call a foul, fine. That’s clearly a foul. Play on. But a flagrant? I don’t know.”
Throughout a long NBA season, there are bound to be games where the officiating doesn’t go the way a team would hope. While those types of games seem to happen more often with Foster on the floor, how a team responds during those types of games is almost as important as the actual result of the game.
“I’m so proud that we didn’t quit,” Gobert said after the game. “We had a lot of opportunities to get very frustrated tonight. For the most part we were able to overcome that. That’s the blueprint for us. We want to win a championship, so we know there’s going to be adversity.”
DiVincenzo gave insigth into what allowed the Wovles to come back in overtime explaining, “That last timeout we just basically regrouped and looked up and we had a lot of time. I think it was like 3:25. That’s a lot of time in the NBA, but we just got stop after stop and executed on offense. We did a great job of getting the ball into Julius’ hands and trusted his decision making and it worked out for us.”
The hope is that a win like this is a springboard to the Wolves finally becoming the team many fans and media think they can be. Through most of the season, something has just felt off about the Wolves. The consistency of performance has not been there, and each solid stretch of play is followed by abhorrent basketball.
On the flip side, the Wolves have shown this season, and really the past few seasons, that when it seems like they are at their lowest, they can dig out of it with one of their best performances of the season. This game, especially the overtime, was a perfect example.
With just eight games left on the schedule, the question is what Timberwolves team will we see down the stretch of the regular season? The team that gave up a 26-2 run late in the fourth quarter and into overtime, or the one that came storming back just when all seemed lost.
Up Next
The Timberwolves get another couple of days off before taking on the Detroit Pistons on Saturday at 4:30 PM CT. The Pistons will be without Cade Cunningham, who suffered a collapsed lung last week. Fans can watch yet another nationally televised game airing on ABC.
Brooklyn Nets (17-56, 14th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (47-26, third in the Western Conference)
Los Angeles; Friday, 10:30 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Los Angeles plays the Brooklyn Nets after Luka Doncic scored 43 points in the Los Angeles Lakers' 137-130 win over the Indiana Pacers.
The Lakers are 23-12 on their home court. Los Angeles is eighth in the Western Conference with 14.7 fast break points per game led by LeBron James averaging 5.8.
The Nets are 8-30 on the road. Brooklyn averages 15.3 turnovers per game and is 4-18 when winning the turnover battle.
The Lakers are shooting 50.0% from the field this season, 0.6 percentage points higher than the 49.4% the Nets allow to opponents. The Nets' 44.3% shooting percentage from the field this season is 4.1 percentage points lower than the Lakers have given up to their opponents (48.4%).
The teams play for the second time this season. The Lakers won the last meeting 125-109 on Feb. 4. James scored 25 points to help lead the Lakers to the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Austin Reaves is scoring 23.6 points per game and averaging 4.7 rebounds for the Lakers. Doncic is averaging 39.1 points and 8.0 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Terance Mann is averaging 7.2 points and 3.1 assists for the Nets. Ben Saraf is averaging 10.2 points and 2.2 rebounds while shooting 44.0% over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Lakers: 9-1, averaging 120.9 points, 41.0 rebounds, 25.9 assists, 9.6 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 50.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.9 points per game.
Nets: 1-9, averaging 102.6 points, 36.4 rebounds, 23.7 assists, 9.0 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 43.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.2 points.
INJURIES: Lakers: Deandre Ayton: day to day (back), Marcus Smart: day to day (ankle), Adou Thiero: day to day (knee), Rui Hachimura: day to day (calf).
Nets: Noah Clowney: out (wrist), Nolan Traore: out (rest), Danny Wolf: out (ankle), Egor Demin: out for season (foot), Day'Ron Sharpe: out for season (thumb), Michael Porter Jr.: out (hamstring).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Los Angeles Clippers (36-36, eighth in the Western Conference) vs. Indiana Pacers (16-57, 15th in the Eastern Conference)
Indianapolis; Friday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Indiana aims to stop its 10-game home losing streak with a victory against Los Angeles.
The Pacers are 10-26 on their home court. Indiana gives up 120.7 points to opponents and has been outscored by 8.8 points per game.
The Clippers are 16-21 in road games. Los Angeles is 6-8 in one-possession games.
The Pacers score 111.9 points per game, 0.6 fewer points than the 112.5 the Clippers allow. The Clippers average 12.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.5 more makes per game than the Pacers give up.
The teams square off for the second time this season. The Clippers won the last matchup 130-107 on March 5. Kawhi Leonard scored 29 points to help lead the Clippers to the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jarace Walker is scoring 11.6 points per game and averaging 5.2 rebounds for the Pacers. Aaron Nesmith is averaging 14.9 points and 2.0 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Kris Dunn is averaging 7.7 points, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals for the Clippers. Leonard is averaging 22.0 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 55.1% over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Pacers: 1-9, averaging 114.9 points, 37.8 rebounds, 30.3 assists, 6.7 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 48.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 126.3 points per game.
Clippers: 5-4, averaging 121.6 points, 38.1 rebounds, 26.4 assists, 10.9 steals and 6.5 blocks per game while shooting 51.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.1 points.
INJURIES: Pacers: Johnny Furphy: out for season (knee), Ivica Zubac: out for season (rib), Tyrese Haliburton: out for season (achilles).
Clippers: Jordan Miller: day to day (back), Yanic Konan Niederhauser: out for season (foot), Bradley Beal: out for season (hip).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MARCH 25: Baylor Scheierman #55 of the Boston Celtics celebrates after scoring against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at TD Garden on March 25, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics defeat the Thunder 119-109. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Not when he fell out of the rotation early on this season, not when he had a tough shooting stretch last Summer League in Las Vegas.
The 25-year-old Celtics forward always saw this kind of success coming.
“I’m super confident in my abilities,” Scheierman said after the Celtics’ win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night.
That much has been evident from the first time he donned Celtics green.
In his two years in Boston, Scheierman has blown kisses and concocted a myriad of new celebrations. Last year, he invented Jayson Tatum’s wrist celebration. This year, he’s rocked his own ‘thumbs up’ celebration in an ode to the fact he’s playing with a broken thumb.
Scheierman has probably talked more trash to opposing teams’ benches than any player on the team, and carried himself with a swagger more reminiscent of a perennial All-Star than a role player trying to break through.
That seemingly unwavering confidence has translated to plenty of on-court success. And, Wednesday’s win over the Thunder was the latest example of just how successful a season it’s been.
In a 119-109 Celtics win, Scheierman tallied 11 points in 20 minutes, hitting 3 of his 7 three-point attempts. He grabbed 5 rebounds and forced Shai Gilgeous-Alexander into a turnover. The Celtics outscored the Thunder by 11 points in his minutes, tied with Payton Pritchard for the best plus-minus on the team.
Still, as per usual, Wednesday’s box score doesn’t begin to capture Scheierman’s impact on the ball game.
“I thought Baylor was great — his shot making,” said Joe Mazzulla. “He was great defensively on his match-ups. He’s a guy that just makes plays.“
Those winning plays can be difficult to quantify and even harder to explain. But, you watch Scheierman play for just a few minutes, and it becomes evident: when he’s on the court, he makes the Celtics better.
His teammates have taken notice, too.
“He can do a little of everything,” Sam Hauser said last month. “At times, it’s really hard to take him off the floor.”
Scheierman’s ability to create chaos on the offensive glass has been a major strength — nearly every time a shot goes up, Scheierman is in the action, whether he’s trying to tip the ball out to a teammate, deflect it off an opposing player, or simply wreak havoc.
There’s no perfect science to crashing the offensive glass, and Scheierman just follows his instincts.
“Shoot, it really just comes down to a feel thing,” he said. “You’re not perfect all the time, but that’s one area they give you a lot of freedom to be able to just crash or stay — so it’s really just a feel thing.”
Mazzulla doesn’t know exactly how to explain Scheierman’s penchant for winning plays, either.
“It’s just who he is,” said Joe Mazzulla. “He just has a knack for making plays. He doesn’t want to be defined by one thing. He doesn’t care if he shoots, he doesn’t care if he has to play defense, crash, take care of the ball. He just has a knack for making basketball plays. It’s a huge strength of his.”
How does Scheierman explain that knack?
“Playing hard, I guess,” he said with a smile. “Just having a little bit of a feel for the game, and a nose for the ball, I guess. And then just competing super hard on both ends of the floor.”
Amazingly, Baylor Scheierman’s impact hasn’t diminished since Jayson Tatum’s return
On the outside, it wasn’t clear what kind of season Baylor Scheierman was going to have.
Last year, he spent most of the season with the Maine Celtics. This year, he began the year on the outskirts of the rotation but became increasingly important as the season progressed.
Scheierman averaged 7.4 minutes per game in October, 14.3 minutes in November, 16 minutes in January, and 24.3 minutes in February, his on-court opportunities steadily climbing as the season progressed.
With Jayson Tatum back in the lineup, one would assume Scheierman’s minutes would be significantly reduced.
But, he’s actually played more in March than any month this season; he’s averaging 7.5 points and 5.8 rebounds in 27.5 minutes of action. His shooting numbers have actually increased since breaking his thumb late last month; Scheierman is shooting 39.2% from three this month, up from 32.7% in February.
Scheierman is no longer starting — Jayson Tatum reclaimed his spot in the starting lineup when he made his season debut on March 6th — but he’s continued to play a pivotal part in the Celtics’ success.
That might be a surprise to some, who saw him struggle in Las Vegas in July and begin the season toward the bottom of the depth chart.
But Scheierman smiled when asked if he was surprised at the success he’s had this season. The answer was an obvious ‘no.’
“The work I put in coming into my rookie year, coming into this year, has prepared me for this,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s just taking it one day at a time, one game at a time. I’m super blessed and grateful for the opportunity, and I just try to take advantage of that. But to answer your question, no, I’m not surprised. I’m super confident in my abilities.”
Chicago Bulls (29-43, 12th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (57-16, first in the Western Conference)
Oklahoma City; Friday, 8 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Chicago travels to Oklahoma City looking to stop its three-game road losing streak.
The Thunder are 29-7 in home games. Oklahoma City ranks second in the Western Conference with 34.5 defensive rebounds per game led by Chet Holmgren averaging 7.0.
The Bulls are 11-23 on the road. Chicago is seventh in the Eastern Conference scoring 116.3 points per game and is shooting 46.9%.
The Thunder are shooting 48.2% from the field this season, 0.6 percentage points higher than the 47.6% the Bulls allow to opponents. The Bulls are shooting 46.9% from the field, 3.4% higher than the 43.5% the Thunder's opponents have shot this season.
The teams play for the second time this season. The Thunder won the last matchup 116-108 on March 4. Jared McCain scored 20 points to help lead the Thunder to the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Cason Wallace is scoring 8.5 points per game and averaging 3.1 rebounds for the Thunder. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 29.8 points and 4.4 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Josh Giddey is scoring 17.6 points per game with 8.3 rebounds and 9.2 assists for the Bulls. Matas Buzelis is averaging 20.3 points and 6.2 rebounds while shooting 44.9% over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Thunder: 9-1, averaging 115.4 points, 43.6 rebounds, 24.8 assists, 8.4 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 48.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.1 points per game.
Bulls: 4-6, averaging 120.3 points, 47.1 rebounds, 28.2 assists, 7.2 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 125.6 points.
INJURIES: Thunder: Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee).
Bulls: Anfernee Simons: day to day (wrist), Jalen Smith: day to day (calf), Noa Essengue: out for season (shoulder), Jaden Ivey: day to day (knee), Nick Richards: day to day (elbow), Zach Collins: out for season (toe).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: New Orleans visits Detroit looking to break its three-game road skid.
The Pistons are 28-9 on their home court. Detroit is fourth in the Eastern Conference with 17.9 fast break points per game led by Cade Cunningham averaging 3.5.
The Pelicans are 9-26 on the road. New Orleans averages 13.4 turnovers per game and is 14-22 when winning the turnover battle.
The Pistons are shooting 48.0% from the field this season, 0.5 percentage points higher than the 47.5% the Pelicans allow to opponents. The Pelicans score 5.7 more points per game (115.5) than the Pistons allow their opponents to score (109.8).
The teams play for the second time this season. The Pistons won the last matchup 112-104 on Jan. 22. Jalen Duren scored 20 points to help lead the Pistons to the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Duren is averaging 19.3 points and 10.6 rebounds for the Pistons. Daniss Jenkins is averaging 12.3 points and 5.6 assists over the past 10 games.
Trey Murphy III is scoring 21.7 points per game with 5.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists for the Pelicans. Zion Williamson is averaging 20.5 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 69.7% over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Pistons: 7-3, averaging 121.7 points, 43.1 rebounds, 31.4 assists, 9.8 steals and 5.8 blocks per game while shooting 50.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.2 points per game.
Pelicans: 6-4, averaging 119.4 points, 44.6 rebounds, 26.3 assists, 8.8 steals and 6.1 blocks per game while shooting 48.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.8 points.
INJURIES: Pistons: Cade Cunningham: out (lung), Isaiah Stewart: out (calf), Marcus Sasser: day to day (hip).
Pelicans: Trey Murphy III: day to day (ankle), Dejounte Murray: day to day (achilles), Bryce McGowens: out (toe).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Miami Heat (39-34, eighth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (45-28, fourth in the Eastern Conference)
Cleveland; Friday, 7:30 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Bam Adebayo and the Miami Heat visit Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.
The Cavaliers are 29-18 against Eastern Conference opponents. Cleveland ranks seventh in the Eastern Conference in rebounding with 44.3 rebounds. Evan Mobley leads the Cavaliers with 8.9 boards.
The Heat are 23-20 against Eastern Conference opponents. Miami is 19-27 against opponents with a winning record.
The Cavaliers are shooting 47.8% from the field this season, 1.8 percentage points higher than the 46.0% the Heat allow to opponents. The Heat average 13.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.4 fewer makes per game than the Cavaliers give up.
The teams meet for the fourth time this season. The Heat won 120-103 in the last meeting on March 25. Norman Powell led the Heat with 19 points, and Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 28 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Mitchell is averaging 28.3 points, 5.8 assists and 1.5 steals for the Cavaliers. James Harden is averaging 22.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 7.6 assists over the last 10 games.
Adebayo is averaging 20.3 points and 9.8 rebounds for the Heat. Tyler Herro is averaging 2.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Cavaliers: 6-4, averaging 118.1 points, 43.6 rebounds, 26.8 assists, 5.9 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 49.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.6 points per game.
Heat: 5-5, averaging 121.3 points, 42.9 rebounds, 29.2 assists, 8.5 steals and 3.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 121.7 points.
INJURIES: Cavaliers: Max Strus: day to day (injury management), Craig Porter Jr.: day to day (groin), Dean Wade: day to day (ankle), Jaylon Tyson: day to day (toe), Jarrett Allen: day to day (knee).
Heat: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Washington Wizards (17-55, 13th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Golden State Warriors (35-38, 10th in the Western Conference)
San Francisco; Friday, 10 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Brandin Podziemski and the Golden State Warriors host Alex Sarr and the Washington Wizards in non-conference play.
The Warriors have gone 20-15 at home. Golden State is fourth in the league with 29.0 assists per game led by Draymond Green averaging 5.3.
The Wizards are 6-29 on the road. Washington gives up 123.9 points to opponents while being outscored by 11.1 points per game.
The Warriors average 15.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.4 more made shots on average than the 13.5 per game the Wizards allow. The Wizards average 112.8 points per game, 2.0 fewer than the 114.8 the Warriors give up.
The teams play for the second time this season. In the last matchup on March 16 the Warriors won 125-117 led by 30 points from Kristaps Porzingis, while Trae Young scored 21 points for the Wizards.
TOP PERFORMERS: Podziemski is shooting 44.6% and averaging 13.1 points for the Warriors. LJ Cryer is averaging 1.8 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Bilal Coulibaly is scoring 11.3 points per game and averaging 4.4 rebounds for the Wizards. Will Riley is averaging 15.0 points and 3.9 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Warriors: 3-7, averaging 114.5 points, 40.7 rebounds, 27.7 assists, 10.4 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 46.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 120.1 points per game.
Wizards: 1-9, averaging 116.4 points, 38.7 rebounds, 25.0 assists, 7.3 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 48.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 129.4 points.
INJURIES: Warriors: Jimmy Butler III: out for season (knee), Seth Curry: out (adductor), Al Horford: out (calf), Quinten Post: out (foot), Moses Moody: out for season (knee), Stephen Curry: out (knee), Malevy Leons: out (illness).
Wizards: Anthony Davis: out (finger), Tristan Vukcevic: day to day (back), Cam Whitmore: out for season (shoulder), Alex Sarr: day to day (toe), Tre Johnson: day to day (foot), Kyshawn George: out (elbow), D'Angelo Russell: out (not injury related), Trae Young: out (quad).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Houston Rockets (43-29, sixth in the Western Conference) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (24-48, 12th in the Western Conference)
Memphis, Tennessee; Friday, 8 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Houston will attempt to end its four-game road skid when the Rockets take on Memphis.
The Grizzlies are 6-8 against opponents in the Southwest Division. Memphis gives up 119.1 points to opponents and has been outscored by 4.0 points per game.
The Rockets are 7-6 against the rest of their division. Houston has a 20-16 record against teams over .500.
The Grizzlies score 115.1 points per game, 4.9 more points than the 110.2 the Rockets give up. The Rockets average 11.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.0 fewer made shots on average than the 14.2 per game the Grizzlies give up.
The two teams play for the third time this season. The Rockets defeated the Grizzlies 108-99 in their last matchup on Jan. 27. Kevin Durant led the Rockets with 33 points, and Santi Aldama led the Grizzlies with 17 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Cam Spencer is shooting 46.7% and averaging 11.1 points for the Grizzlies. Javon Small is averaging 1.8 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Durant is averaging 26 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists for the Rockets. Reed Sheppard is averaging 2.8 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Grizzlies: 1-9, averaging 111.6 points, 37.2 rebounds, 23.9 assists, 9.1 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 43.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 127.1 points per game.
Rockets: 4-6, averaging 111.3 points, 45.7 rebounds, 26.2 assists, 7.7 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.1 points.
INJURIES: Grizzlies: Santi Aldama: out for season (knee), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: out for season (finger), Ja Morant: out for season (elbow), Scotty Pippen Jr.: out for season (toe), Zach Edey: out for season (ankle), Ty Jerome: day to day (ankle), Jaylen Wells: day to day (toe), Jahmai Mashack: day to day (ankle), Brandon Clarke: out for season (calf).
Rockets: Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Steven Adams: out for season (ankle).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Dallas Mavericks (23-50, 13th in the Western Conference) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (37-37, ninth in the Western Conference)
Portland, Oregon; Friday, 10 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Dallas is looking to break its five-game skid with a win against Portland.
The Trail Blazers have gone 25-20 against Western Conference teams. Portland ranks seventh in the NBA with 46.0 rebounds led by Donovan Clingan averaging 11.8.
The Mavericks have gone 12-33 against Western Conference opponents. Dallas is 10-15 when it turns the ball over less than its opponents and averages 14.2 turnovers per game.
The Trail Blazers score 115.5 points per game, 3.8 fewer points than the 119.3 the Mavericks allow. The Mavericks average 114.0 points per game, 2.7 fewer than the 116.7 the Trail Blazers allow.
The teams square off for the third time this season. The Trail Blazers won the last meeting 125-122 on Dec. 30, with Deni Avdija scoring 27 points in the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Clingan is shooting 52.6% and averaging 12.4 points for the Trail Blazers. Avdija is averaging 21.6 points over the last 10 games.
Naji Marshall is averaging 15.4 points and 3.3 assists for the Mavericks. Cooper Flagg is averaging 21.0 points and 7.1 rebounds while shooting 47.4% over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Trail Blazers: 7-3, averaging 118.4 points, 48.4 rebounds, 28.8 assists, 7.9 steals and 7.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.1 points per game.
Mavericks: 2-8, averaging 118.7 points, 44.3 rebounds, 28.3 assists, 7.5 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 47.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 129.7 points.
INJURIES: Trail Blazers: Shaedon Sharpe: out (calf), Vit Krejci: day to day (calf), Damian Lillard: out for season (achilles).
Mavericks: Dereck Lively II: out for season (foot), Caleb Martin: day to day (foot), Kyrie Irving: out for season (knee), Daniel Gafford: day to day (shoulder).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
