Lakers’ Luka Doncic looks calm outside Manhattan Beach bachelor pad amid drama with ex-fiancée

The breeze from the Pacific Ocean drifted into the sun-drenched Manhattan Beach neighborhood of Lakers superstar Luka Doncic on Wednesday. 

The NBA’s leading scorer and the most talked-about man in basketball this week arrived at his $25 million home — that he bought from tennis champ Maria Sharapova in September — in a black Cadillac Escalade and appeared unbothered by the off-the-court storm swirling around his personal life. 

The California Post exclusively captured photos of Doncic arriving at his beachfront bachelor pad, stepping out in a black Lakers track suit, dark sunglasses shielding his eyes, and a black duffle bag. Flanked by personal security and his chief brand officer and business manager, Lara Beth Seager, the 27-year-old guard looked calm — almost serene — despite the drama with his ex-fiancée Anamaria Goltes.

The breeze from the Pacific Ocean drifted into the sun-drenched Manhattan Beach neighborhood of Lakers superstar Luka Doncic on Wednesday.  Toby Canham for The California Post
The NBA’s leading scorer and the most talked-about man in basketball this week arrived at his $25 million home. Toby Canham for The California Post
Doncic purchased the $25 million home from tennis star Maria Sharapova back in September. Toby Canham for The California Post

Doncic’s Tuesday morning began with the NBA fining him $50,000 for what the league called an “inappropriate and unprofessional gesture” directed at a referee during the Lakers’ 110-97 win over the Knicks on Sunday. Hours later, another headline detonated across the sports world: Goltes, a Slovenian model and influencer, had filed a petition for child support and attorney fees in a Los Angeles court.

The legal filing ignited a custody battle over their two daughters — Gabriela, born in 2023, and Olivia, born in Slovenia last December.

Doncic confirmed the breakup in a statement to ESPN later in the afternoon.

“I love my daughters more than anything,” Doncic said. “I’ve been doing everything I can for them to be with me in the U.S. during the season, but that hasn’t been possible, so I recently made the tough decision to end my engagement.”

Behind the scenes, the situation has been complicated and emotional for the Lakers star. According to sources, Doncic was surprised by the California filing, noting that one daughter spent only three months in the state while the other has never been there.

The relationship between Doncic and Goltes stretches back nearly a decade. The pair met in their youth and began dating in 2016 before the Lakers star proposed in July 2023.

Doncic confirmed the breakup in a statement to ESPN later in the afternoon. Toby Canham for The California Post

According to the court filing, Goltes moved back to Slovenia on May 5, 2025, and remained in Slovenia for the birth of Olivia last December. The fracture reportedly widened when Doncic arrived at Kranj Maternity Hospital on Dec. 6. 

According to a police report obtained by ESPN, officers responded to a dispute between Doncic and Goltes after a disagreement erupted about travel plans for their older daughter. Police later concluded there was no criminal wrongdoing, and Doncic left peacefully before returning to the United States.

Since then, the distance has grown colder.


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Doncic hasn’t seen his daughters since that trip and recently filed an interim injunction in Slovenian court seeking immediate contact with them.

Yet through all of it, he’s dominated on the court. 

Doncic hasn’t seen his daughters since that trip and recently filed an interim injunction in Slovenian court seeking immediate contact with them. Toby Canham for The California Post

Doncic leads the league with 32.5 points per game, and just hours after the child-support news broke Tuesday night, he poured in 31 points in the Lakers’ 120-106 victory over the Timberwolves.

Three straight wins. Helping the Lakers leapfrog into fourth place in the Western Conference.

Doncic leads the league with 32.5 points per game, and just hours after the child-support news broke Tuesday night, he poured in 31 points in the Lakers’ 120-106 victory over the Timberwolves. Toby Canham for The California Post

And on Wednesday afternoon, as he disappeared behind the doors of his Manhattan Beach home, Doncic looked exactly like he has all season.

Unbothered.

Focused.

And still very much in control of the game that made him a global superstar — even if the one off the court has suddenly become far more complicated.

The Lakers did not practice Wednesday but will take the court again on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Crypto.com Arena against the Bulls.

Luka Doncic arrives at his Manhattan Beach home on Wednesday.
Toby Canham for The California Post
The NBA star purchased the home from tennis star Maria Sharapova in September.
Toby Canham for The California Post
Doncic arrives home in Manhattan Beach after a workout.
Toby Canham for The California Post
He has been the subject of controversy amid drama with his ex-fiancee
Toby Canham for The California Post
It was reported that Doncic and then-fiancee Anamaria Goltes got into an argument in December.
Toby Canham for The California Post
Doncic was seen at his Manhattan Beach home.
Toby Canham for The California Post
Toby Canham for The California Post
Toby Canham for The California Post
Toby Canham for The California Post
Doncic exits a Cadillac Escalade after a workout.
Toby Canham for The California Post
Doncic heads into his Manhattan Beach home.
Toby Canham for The California Post
Doncic was spotted at his Manhattan Beach home on Wednesday.
Toby Canham for The California Post
Doncic is seen with his business manager Lara Beth Seager
Toby Canham for The California Post
Doncic was spotted outside his Manhattan Beach home.
Toby Canham for The California Post

Malik Dia scores 23 points, Ole Miss hands Texas damaging loss at SEC Tournament

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Malik Dia scored 23 points, AJ Storr added 18 off the bench, and 15th-seeded Mississippi knocked off No. 10-seed Texas 76-66 in the second round of the SEC Tournament on Wednesday night.

Mississippi, led by former Texas coach Chris Beard, put a dent in the Longhorns' NCAA Tournament aspirations. The Longhorns (18-14) were thought to be among the last handful of teams in consideration for an at-large bid. After losing five of their last six games, their hopes are fading.

Texas, which trailed by 11 points at halftime got eight points from Jordan Pope in the early minutes of the second half and it was his 3-pointer that had the Longhorns within 53-48 about seven minutes into the half.

Like they did for much of the second half, the Rebels (13-19) answered the Texas push with a rally of their own. Ilias Kamardine scored six points in a 7-0 run that had Ole Miss up by double digits again at 60-48. Texas chipped away over the next six minutes — mostly at the free throw line —and it was 66-63 with four minutes remaining.

Storr then scored eight points over the final 2 1/2 minutes while Texas only managed a free throw from Dailyn Swain and a dunk by Nic Codie.

Texas made 12 of 15 free throws in the second half, 21 of 25 for the game.

Kamardine scored 16 points and James Scott had 10 for Ole Miss.

Swain had 22 points and 12 rebounds for Texas. Pope scored 16 and Matas Vokietaitis added 10.

Up next

Ole Miss moves on to play seventh-seeded Georgia on Thursday. No. 2-seed Alabama awaits in the quarterfinals.

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Whitlock scores 18, Lehigh beats Boston University 74-60, wins Patriot League Tournament

BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP) — Nasir Whitlock scored 18 points, Joshua Ingram and Edouard Benoit each added 15, and second-seeded Lehigh beat No. 4 seed Boston University 74-60 on Wednesday night to win the Patriot League Tournament and clinch its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2012.

Hank Alvey added 14 points, nine rebounds, five assists and two blocks for Lehigh (18-16).

Ingram hit a 3-pointer and Whitlock followed with a step-back jumper to make it 13-12 and the Mountain Hawks led the rest of the way.

Ben Defty made 8 of 11 from the field and finished with 21 points and eight rebounds for BU (17-17). Michael McNair added 14 points, Chance Gladden 11 and Donte Tisinger Jr. 10.

Gladden hit a logo 3-pointer at the buzzer Sunday to help BU beat No. 1 seed Navy 73-72.

The Terriers won the 2020 conference tournament, but the ensuing NCAA Tournament was canceled due to COVID.

Up next

BU: Season complete.

Lehigh: Awaits its seeding and opponent for the NCAA Tournament.

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Nick Martinelli scores 28 and Northwestern defeats Indiana 74-61 at Big Ten Tournament

CHICAGO (AP) — Nick Martinelli scored 28 points, Jake West added 18 and 15th-seeded Northwestern knocked off No. 10-seed Indiana 74-61 on the second day of the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday.

The Wildcats (15-18) trailed 37-36 at halftime then held cold-shooting Indiana to 24 points in the second half. Northwestern now has a seven-game winning streak against the Hoosiers (18-14).

Martinelli made 5 of 7 shots early in the second half while Indiana was mired in a 2-for-11 shooting slump, leading to a 57-47 Northwestern lead with 10 minutes remaining.

Jordan Clayton made one free throw for a 70-52 Wildcats lead with about 5 1/2 minutes left. Both teams limped home from there, with the Wildcats missing their last seven shots and Indiana making only 1 of 4 down the stretch.

At one point in the second half the Hoosiers went six minutes without making a shot and they went 3 for 15 from the field in the final 14-plus minutes.

Lamar Wilkerson scored 17 points and Tayton Conerway had 14 for Indiana. Tucker DeVries had eight rebounds and six assists but was only 2-for-9 shooting for six points.

Northwestern led only once in the first half, when Tyler Kropp's 3-pointer gave the Wildcats a 33-32 lead with 2:49 remaining before halftime. Nick Dorn responded with a 3 for Indiana and the Hoosiers went on to lead 37-36 at the break.

The Hoosiers have lost six of their last seven games.

Up next

Northwestern plays seventh-seeded Purdue on Thursday. No. 2 seed Nebraska awaits in the quarterfinals.

___

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LeBron James available, Marcus Smart out vs. Bulls

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 10: Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) sits on the bench during the Minnesota Timberwolves vs Los Angeles Lakers game on March 10, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

UPDATE: LeBron James will play for the Lakers in their contest against the Bulls. He missed the last three games due to his right hip contusion and left foot arthritis.

With LeBron back, LA’s big three can continue working on building their chemistry and remaining undefeated during their current homestand.

Original story follows.


UPDATE: While the Lakers will still be favored against the Bulls, their matchup has gotten much harder. They’ll be playing without two of their bigs, with Jaxson Hayes and Maxi Kleber being downgraded to out. Marcus Smart will also be unavailable, due to a right hip contusion.

This means Deandre Ayton will be even more important as he will be the team’s lone traditional center. LeBron James remains questionable, so we’ll have to wait and see if he suits up for this one.

Original story follows.


LeBron James’ return to the Lakers lineup is still up in the air heading into Thursday’s game against the Bulls.

On Wednesday’s injury report, LeBron is listed as questionable yet again. He is still listed with both a right hip contusion and left foot arthritis.

The addition to the injury report is Marcus Smart, who is listed as doubtful with a right hip contusion.

LeBron has missed the last three games after initially injuring his elbow against the Nuggets. However, it’s his foot that has kept him out of recent games. The hip contusion is an entirely new injury that only surfaced during his absence.

Jaxson Hayes was a very late scratch for Tuesday’s game against the Wolves but looks set to return to the lineup. Maxi Kleber, however, is still listed as questionable with a back strain. He has also been dealing with back soreness for multiple games.

Smart’s addition is entirely new. After injuries in recent years that limited his availability, he has played in 41 of the Lakers’ last 42 games. In short, injuries have not been nearly as much of an issue this season.

Thursday’s opponent in the Bulls have been one of the worst teams in the league since the trade deadline. They did not win a game in February and have just three wins since late January.

But taking anyone lightly in the NBA can result in a loss, something the Lakers have learned firsthand this year. Fortunately, it’s not been a trait they’ve had of late, so regardless of who is available, the Lakers should be able to still take care of business.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

Arizona State not renewing Bobby Hurley's contract

Arizona State is parting ways with longtime men's basketball head coach Bobby Hurley, athletics director Graham Rossini announced on Wednesday, March 11.

"Bobby Hurley has made incredible contributions to the sport of basketball, and that certainly includes many memorable moments during his time as our head coach," Rossini said in a statement. "While we will not be extending his contract, we are so grateful for the 11 years that Coach, Leslie, Cameron, Sydney, Bobby Jr., and he spent with us at ASU.

"We wish Coach well moving forward and we are thankful for his leadership while at ASU."

According to multiple reports, Hurley is expected to be placed on administrative leave until his contract expires in June. He leaves as the second-winningest coach in program history behind only Ned Wulk with a 185-167 record in 11 seasons.

The announcement comes just hours after the Sun Devils were eliminated from the Big 12 tournament in a 91-42 blowout loss to No. 7 Iowa State.

Arizona State had a promising start to the season after finishing runner-up at the Maui Invitational and losing a closely contested game against Gonzaga. They couldn't find consistency from then on, however.

That was evident in January, where a pair of crucial conference wins at home against Kansas State and Cincinnati sandwiched a stretch of key losses to Houston, West Virginia and Arizona, none of which was particularly close.

The Sun Devils finished the season with a 17-15 record and entered the Big 12 tournament as the last place seed.

"I don't have any regrets," Hurley told reporters after the game. "I laid it out on the line the best I could every night."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Arizona State parting ways with men's basketball coach Bobby Hurley

Warriors Reacts: Should the Warriors re-sign Kristaps Porziņģis?

Kristaps Porziņģis holding the ball away from Lu Dort.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MARCH 7: Kristaps Porzingis #7 of the Golden State Warriors handles the ball while being defended by Luguentz Dort #5 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Paycom Center on March 7, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Joshua Gateley/Getty Images) | 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 Golden State fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

The Golden State Warriors have a serious decision to make this offseason: should they re-sign Kristaps Porziņģis? The former All-Star has looked brilliant when on the court with the Dubs, following a deadline deal that sent Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks.

But staying on the court has been an issue. He’s appeared in just three games in his month-plus with the team, and has now had an issue suiting up every year for the last decade. The talent is tantalizing, and there’s no doubt that he’s an excellent fit with the team. But is he worth committing to beyond this year, especially if his All-Star talent drives up his price? Let us know how you feel!

2026 NBA Draft Profile: Kingston Flemings – The Streaky Supernova

NBA fans have been paying very close attention to this draft because of three names in particular: Darryn Peterson, Cam Boozer, and AJ Dybantsa, with the occasional Big Board having UNC’s Caleb Wilson thrown in the mix. Rightly so; all four of them have had incredible seasons, but juuuuuust outside of all of that hype there are a few guys who have had really great seasons in their own right.

Playing in the Big 12 (which is widely regarded as the third best basketball league in the world) is no small feat. Playing on a team in the Big 12 that has winning culture and finished 2nd in the Big 12 standings is also no small feat, but to do all of that AND lead that team in scoring as a true Freshman seems impossible… but here we are. Kingston Flemings has demonstrated that he does have the ability to be great at the next level, but will he? Let’s talk numbers.

Tale of the Tape

Team: Houston Cougars

Position: Guard

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 190 lbs

Counting Stats: 16.5 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.5 SPG, 48.3/37.6/84.8 shooting splits

Hardware: First-Team All-Big 12, Big 12 All-Freshman Team

Triumphs

What cannot possibly be denied is his ability to put the ball in the hoop. He scored 27 against TCU, he scored 22 against a juggernaut in Iowa State, and he had a career high 42 against Texas Tech. He’s also a great facilitator as he was fifth in the Big 12 for assists per game and the ONLY Freshman in the Big 12 to average more than 5 a game.

His shooting percentages should be mentioned as well; not everyone can come in at 18/19 years old and shoot 37% from deep, albeit on limited attempts per game. His defensive metrics can’t be overlooked either: in the Big 12 he ranks 5th in Defensive Win Shares (2.3), 3rd in defensive box plus/minus (5.8), and 14th in defensive rating (97.4).

His other highly coveted skill is his ability to be THE engine of a team. He finished the Big 12 regular season with a Usage Percentage of 26.3% so he had the ball in his hands all the time. While constantly having the ball could lead to a high turnover rate, that isn’t the case with Flemings as he has a 2.8 assist/turnover ratio. He finished 16th in Big 12 Offensive Rating (124.3), 11th in Points Produced Per Game (16.8), and 7th in Offensive Box Plus/Minus (6.8). There is quite literally nothing that he can’t do on the basketball court. However…

Shortcomings

Flemings does have one fatal flaw in my opinion, and that is his consistency. While he does have the ability to go off for 40, he also has multiple single digit scoring games this year including 7 against Cincinnati in 30 minutes, 4 against Utah in 29 minutes, and a grotesque 1 point against Notre Dame in 22 minutes earlier in the year. His field goal percentage also fluctuates: for every 60% game on high shot volume, he has a 15% on similar attempts. For every hyper efficient game on limited attempts he also has a 0-4 night.

Something that I’m also concerned about is his frame at the pro level. He’s 6’4” which is a decent height, but with the NBA is shifting to taller ball handlers (or allowing your Center to be the playmaker in the case of Nikola Jokic and Alperen Sengun), the “smaller” guard is becoming more of a novelty. There are exceptions, obviously: Payton Pritchard is 6’1” and Steph Curry is 6’3” but the a huge difference between those two and Flemings is my other concern which is his weight. He’s listed at 190 lbs but he is a skinny 190. I do want to give credit where credit is due; he put on 10 lbs of muscle prior to the start of the season, so this is something that he is aware he needs to work on, but I think that early in his career his frame will hinder him from being as physical as he needs to be in the NBA.

Is He Worth The Pick?

I think that I approach drafts and draft picks a little differently than most. In my view scouting is both very difficult and kind of a crapshoot. I made a video over a year ago detailing how rare it is to find a superstar in any one draft. In my view the draft kind of goes like this…

Picks 1-3: You are expecting a future superstar

Picks 4-14: You are expecting a high production role player

Picks 15-60: You are PRAYING for a role player

There are obvious outliers in that framing as Giannis and Jokic come to mind, but for the most part if you can secure a lottery pick and they turn into a solid role player you have to count it as a win. When you don’t have a chance to select a consensus “top guy” in the draft you’re best suited to select a positional need.

I think that Kingston Flemings has the ability to be really good in this league one day. He can put the ball in the hoop, he is a more than capable defender, and he has shown the ability to be the engine for a team. For the Utah Jazz specifically? I’m not sure that the juice is worth the squeeze.

I don’t think that he’s a great roster fit for us at this stage in our development. Keyonte George is on track to win the Most Improved Player Award and his playmaking ability has taken a huge leap. Isaiah Collier, while mostly playing a backup role, has also shown great strides in his playmaking. With two above-average playmaking guards on the team I’m not sure that having another one would be super beneficial. Now, I’m higher on Collier than most (I even bought a Collier jersey to celebrate me becoming a contributor to this great site and community) so I’m willing to entertain the idea of moving on from Collier to get a guy like Flemings but if we end up with the 5th pick in the NBA Draft, and we truly feel like we need to get another do-it-all guard, I think that there is at least one better option at our disposal (be on the lookout for that piece soon).

We’re also in the middle of a contentious Tankathon against the Pacers, Wizards, Kings, Nets, and Pelicans right now, and I think that Flemings could benefit the most from going to a team like the Nets; a team that isn’t going to compete in the immediate future and can allow someone like Kingston the time and grace needed to adjust to the NBA game. After the moves the Jazz made this Trade Deadline Season it’s clear that the front office is tired of being at the bottom of the standings and they’re ready to start competing for potential Playoff spots. I’m not sure that we’ll be in the business of drafting a guard that will have this much of a learning curve at the start of their career.

If I’m wrong, I’m wrong. If we wake up in 6 years and Flemings is an All-Star already I’ll eat my words, but now that it seems like we’re trying to take steps forward instead of laterally I think that we’d be better off selecting someone else with that potential pick, selecting a truly needed archetype like a volume 3 point shooting wing, or to trade the pick and get even more assets as Trader Danny is prone to do.


Where do you land on Flemings? How do you think Houston will do in March Madness? Sound off in the comments!

Be kind. Tell someone you love them.

Game Thread: Knicks at Jazz, March 11, 2026

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 05: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks in action against Jusuf Nurkic #30 of the Utah Jazz at Madison Square Garden on December 05, 2025 in New York City. The Knicks defeated the Jazz 146-112. 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 Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The New York Knicks (41*-25) face the Utah Jazz (20-45) tonight at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. Josh Hart is OUT for New York with left knee soreness, while Utah is missing Lauri Markkanen (hip), Walker Kessler (shoulder), Jusuf Nurkic (nose), and Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee), and lists Keyonte George as questionable (illness).

Tip off is 9 p.m. EST on MSG. This is your game thread. This is SLC Dunk. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Have fun. And go Knicks!

* Should be one more, but NBA Cup finals are temporary tattoos.

Idaho women beat Montana State 60-57 to win Big Sky tourney, clinch NCAA Tournament berth

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Ana Beatriz Passos scored 12 points, Ana Pinheiro and Hope Hassmann each added 11, and top-seeded Idaho beat No. 2 seed Montana State 60-57 on Wednesday night to win the Big Sky Conference Tournament and clinch a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in a decade

Idaho (29-5) won its first regular season conference title since 2019 and its first Big Sky Conference Tournament since 2016. Second-year coach Arthur Moreira — the first Brazilian head coach in Division I history — led the Vandals to a program record for single-season wins. Idaho won 28 games in the 1984-85 season.

Debora dos Santos grabbed 10 rebounds to go with nine points for the Vandals.

Taylee Chirrick made a layup, and Ella Johnson hit a 3-pointer — her only points of the game — to cut Montana State’s deficit to a point with 54 seconds left, but the Bobcats didn’t score again.

Hassmann made 2 of 6 from the free-throw line from there, and Lorena Barbosa blocked a potential tying 3-point shot by Johnson with about a second left.

Chirrick had 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting for the Bobcats (25-7), the 2025 Big Sky Conference Tournament champion.

The Bobcats scored seven of the first nine second-half points to tie it 38-all, but dos Santos responded with a layup before Kyra Gardner and Ella Uriarte made 3s as the Vandals led the rest of the way.

Montana State beat the Vandals 99-66 at home Jan. 10 and lost 73-70 at Idaho on Feb. 5.

Up next

Montana State: Hopes for a potential postseason invitation.

Idaho: Awaits seeding for the NCAA Tournament.

___

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Garcia scores career-high 31 to lead McNeese over Stephen F. Austin 76-59 for Southland title

LAKE CHARLES, La. (AP) — Javohn Garcia scored a career-high 31 points and made five 3-pointers, and No. 2 seed McNeese beat top-seeded Stephen F. Austin 76-59 on Wednesday to claim the Southland Tournament championship and a bid to the NCAA Tournament.

McNeese (28-5) became the first team in 10 years to reach and win three straight Southland Tournament title games since Stephen F. Austin did so from 2013–16.

Garcia finished 11 of 18 from the floor and grabbed five rebounds in 33 minutes — a day after playing 48 minutes in a triple-overtime win over UT Rio Grande Valley. Larry Johnson added 18 points and Tyshawn Archie had 17.

McNeese did not trail in the game, jumping out to a 29-20 lead behind five 3-pointers from Garcia. The Cowboys went into the break ahead 42-25.

Keon Thompson, the conference player of the year, led the Lumberjacks (28-5) with 18 points, while Kam Burton added 10. Stephen F. Austin shot 37% from the floor and 24% from behind the arc.

Up next

The Cowboys return to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in program history.

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San Antonio’s race for the one seed is on

SAN ANTONIO, TX - FEBRUARY 4: Brooks Barnhizer #23 of the Oklahoma City Thunder plays defense during the game against Harrison Barnes #40 of the San Antonio Spurs on February 4, 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 have won 16 of their last 17 games, and are 2.5 games back from the Oklahoma City Thunder for first place in the Western Conference standings. With just 17 games remaining, the Spurs have the sixth-easiest schedule through the end of the season. The Thunder have the fourth-hardest remaining schedule.

What was once thought to be a season defined by ramping up for playoff contention could realistically end with the Spurs holding the league’s best record and number-one seed in the West. San Antonio has done it with shot-making all over the floor and elite defense on the other end. The Spurs have a +13.1 net rating, with a 122.1 offensive rating and 108.9 defensive rating in the last 17 games.

Over this stretch, they’ve gotten great performances from their role players. Keldon Johnson has had a major impact off the bench on both ends, Dylan Harper is coming into his own as a young guard, and Julian Champagnie has shone as a 3&D wing. Soon, the team will welcome Harrison Barnes back to the lineup and have even more shooting to surround their star big man, Victor Wembanyama.

But is the support cast’s stellar play enough to catch OKC? The Thunder are 9-1 in their last 10 games, winning six straight games. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is playing MVP-level basketball while the team shows no signs of slowing down. Without any matchups with the Thunder on the schedule, San Antonio will rely on other teams to help them move up in the standings.

Will the Spurs get the number one seed? Which role player needs to stay hot as we head into April? Vote in the poll below and we’ll be back with responses next week.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Spurs fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Curry’s knee will keep him out at least five more games

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - FEBRUARY 28: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors looks on during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on February 28, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Ten days ago, the Golden State Warriors announced they’d re-evaluate Steph Curry’s ailing knee. Wednesday, they announced there would be no good news about the Baby-Faced Assassin’s return for another 10 days.

Geoffrey Chaucer wrote that time and tide wait for no man, and the second part of that quote seems like it’s about noted boating enthusiast Klay Thompson. Curry turns 38 on Saturday and he won’t be playing before then, nor will he be available for most of the Warriors’ brutal upcoming road trip, featuring six games in nine nights and matchups with each of the Eastern Conference’s top three teams.

Just for the record, Shams Charania wrote a truly terrible sentence in the above tweet, even for him. “Stretching his absence to five more games and a total of 20 consecutive” is the kind of thing you type one-handed while fielding calls from Rich Paul with the other hand. And you also haven’t slept more than four hours a night in case someone else announces publicly-available NBA information seconds before you do, since that is apparently worth millions of dollars per year.

Curry is apparently doing on-court work, but it doesn’t sound like he’s playing basketball yet, which is an important prerequisite for playing basketball in an NBA game. This means the Warriors will continue to lean on valuable two-way guard LJ Cryer and valuable former two-way guard Pat Spencer, but will remain an offense in search of an engine. The ragtag group of Warriors is basically enthusiastically pushing a powerless car around a track, but the upcoming East Coast swing is like trying to get said car up a hill in Pacific Heights.

How does this affect the Warriors playoff play-in chances? They’ve been passed by the LA Clippers and lead the Portland Trail Blazers by 1.5 games, but the bottom of the Western Conference is an ugly morass of injuries, tanking, and the New Orleans Pelicans, who are actually trying to win but are terrible at it. Even a team that lost back-to-back games to the Utah Jazz and Chicago Bulls won’t drop 8.5 games in the standings in their final 17 games, which at most a dozen will feature Curry.

The expected-but-disappointing injury news does make it quite unlikely the Warriors finish 7th or 8th, which likely dooms them to a first-round series with the defensing champion Oklahoma City Thunder — and that’s if everything goes right.

That’s why the Warriors may as well be patient with Curry, since their play-in fate is pretty much sealed, next week would be brutal even with him in the lineup, and his brother needs playing time anyway. We’ll know more in 10 days, but don’t be surprised if we get another 10-day notice then.

Cavs at Magic open gamethread

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - JANUARY 24: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers dribbles the ball against Paolo Banchero #5 of the Orlando Magic during the third quarter at Kia Center on January 24, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. 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 Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers will look to break the Orlando Magic’s four-game winning streak.

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Wizards at Magic preview: Washington closes Florida trip against Orlando

ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 3: Sharife Cooper #13 of the Washington Wizards drives to the basket during the game against the Orlando Magic on March 3, 2026 at Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Washington Wizards take on an undermanned Orlando Magic team on Tuesday at Kia Center to close out the Florida leg of their four-game road trip.

Game info

When: Thursday, Mar. 12 at 7:00 p.m. ET

Where: Kia Center, Orlando, Florida

How to watch: Monumental Sports Network, League Pass

Injuries: For the Wizards, Kyshawn George (elbow), Jamir Watkins (ankle), Anthony Davis (hand, groin), Cam Whitmore (shoulder), and D’Angelo Russell (not with team) are out.

For the Magic, Jase Richardson (back) and Jonathan Isaac (knee) are questionable, while Franz Wagner (ankle) and Anthony Black (abdominal) are out.

What to watch for

The Wizards will try their best to wash away the stench of the 83-point game they gave up to Bam Adebayo in their Tuesday tilt against the Miami Heat. The Magic will be without key pieces such as Franz Wagner and Anthony Black, but the Wiz may need to be wary of Wendell Carter Jr. going off for a career night.

Kidding aside, the Magic enter the contest on a four-game winning streak and desperately need a victory after getting passed by the Heat for the sixth seed in the East. After getting a rest day on Tuesday, Trae Young is expected to be back in action for his third game in a Wizards uniform.

For the tank watchers out there, the 16-48 Wizards made up some ground in the race to the bottom as both the Sacramento Kings (16-50) and Brooklyn Nets (17-48) picked up victories over the last couple of days. Only the Indiana Pacers currently have fewer wins than Washington.