Author: NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games

So long, upsets, and goodnight Cinderella.

Goodnight, Hubert Davis? Maybe in a day or two.

Goodnight, Mark Pope? Wait 'til 2027 on that one.

Although blue-bloods North Carolina, Kentucky and UCLA are mired in misery, most of the big dogs march on in March. Cinderella's glass slipper shattered after the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Well, except for Iowa. The Hawkeyes retained a slipper.

March Madness scores: Buzzer-beater, monster upset and more nail-biters

What to make of the mostly chalky first two rounds?

Well, the easy and perhaps most relevant explanation is NIL and transfer free agency mostly benefited Power conference brands, at the expense of mid-majors. Plus, this is a particularly good freshman class, and Power programs tend to gobble up the five-star prospects. With so many five-stars (see Cameron Boozer and Darius Acuff) playing up to their billing, that’s a boon for the high majors, because blue-chippers don't sign with mid-majors.

Also, this year’s bubble was particularly weak. The wheat separated from the chaff. A soft bubble is good for frontrunners.

Quiet tournament for upsets, but all eyes on Final Four

Does a relative lack of major upsets amount to a boring tournament? That depends on your perspective. If your interest in March Madness mostly hinges on upsets and bracket-busting stunners, then this tournament isn’t for you.

On the other hand, the favorites also ruled last year’s tournament, but that created an epic Final Four featuring three great games, on the heels of some Sweet 16 and Elite Eight thrillers.

In other words: Stay tuned. The tournament should get better as it goes.

If you’re hungry for upsets, though, here are three possibilities for the Sweet 16:

Four Sweet 16 games with upset potential

No. 4 Arkansas over No. 1 Arizona

Arizona is the most complete team in the bracket, with five starters who each average in double digits, plus two bench players who started on last year’s team that reached the Sweet 16.

So, why the upset potential? Well, because Arkansas is playing as well as anyone the past few weeks. John Calipari’s team hasn’t lost this month, and Acuff is becoming one of the top individual stories of the tournament. Asked about Acuff’s 36-point barrage in the second-round win over High Point, Calipari said, “What you saw is what he be’s.”

I’m not sure if that’s grammatically correct, but his point resonates, nonetheless.

No. 6 Tennessee over No. 2 Iowa State

Rick Barnes’ two best NCAA Tournament finishes at Tennessee came the past two seasons. Now, he's trying for a third consecutive Elite Eight. If Tennessee plays defense like it did in wins against Miami (Ohio) and Virginia, it’ll position itself to pull off the mild upset.

Never mind the seeds, because KenPom metrics would tell you Tennessee is closer to a 3-seed or a 4-seed. Iowa State has been under-manned without star scorer Joshua Jefferson. He's dealing with an ankle injury. Of course, if Tamin Lipsey and Milan Momcilovic play like they did against Kentucky, Iowa State might be just fine.

No. 5 St. John's over No. 1 Duke

Kentucky might be interested in what Rick Pitino has achieved these past two seasons at St. John's. His Red Storm have won 21 of their past 22 games.

Duke hasn't looked particularly stout in this tournament, and the ACC appears to be a fraud.

Pitino has St. John's into the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999, after winning 31 games last season. The more Pitino wins, the more Big Blue Nation will wish he'd never left "Camelot."

Final Four picks: Be skeptical of Duke

This much we know: We won't see a repeat of all four 1-seeds in the Final Four, not after Florida went down to Iowa. Duke might be next.

If basing an evaluation on the tournament’s first two rounds, you might think Michigan or Arizona or Houston was the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed. Duke didn’t perform like the No. 1 overall seed in either of its wins against Siena or TCU, and the sharpest teeth of the East Region still awaits.

An early scare or two is not a doomsday scenario. Last year, Florida got pushed to the brink by UConn in the second round before rallying. The Gators also trailed Texas Tech by nine points with less than three minutes remaining in the Elite Eight, but Walter Clayton Jr. refused to let Florida fall.

Point being, Duke's scare against Siena could become nothing more than a minor footnote for the Blue Devils, and yet I’d trust Duke more if they had a clutch veteran guard like Florida had in Clayton in 2025. I'd also trust Duke more if it didn't have to face a scorching-hot St. John's team, led by a veteran coach who's a shark in March.

On Selection Sunday, I picked a Final Four of Michigan State, Arizona, Michigan and Houston. All four teams looked good through two rounds. No reason to change those picks.

Put it in Sharpie: Michigan State. Arizona. Michigan. Houston.

National championship: Arizona beats Houston

I highlighted Arkansas-Arizona as a potential Sweet 16 upset, but I'm picking the Wildcats to survive and overcome their history of March Madness fizzles, which plagued this program for the past quarter-century.

History aside, there’s nothing to dislike about Arizona. I subscribe to the cliche old guards win in March, and Jaden Bradley is an excellent engine for Arizona at point guard. The Wildcats balance Bradley's experience with an excellent counterpart in freshman guard Brayden Burries. Add in a frontcourt that’s unmatched, and you see why Arizona is 34-2, despite playing a tough schedule.

As for Houston, I'm impressed by the guts of point guard Kingston Flemings, the big-game experience of Emanuel Sharp, Milos Uzan and Joseph Tugler, and the savvy of coach Kelvin Sampson. Nobody in the South Region plays better defense than Houston. The Cougars should benefit from playing the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight in Houston, too.

Blake Toppmeyer is a columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NCAA bracket predictions: Sweet 16 upsets, updated Final Four picks

What a way to end the first weekend of March Madness.

After a mostly tame opening round of the men’s NCAA Tournament, the second round absolutely cooked. Whether it was the outstanding performances, thrilling finishes and shocking upsets, Saturday and Sunday truly brought the unexpected to set the stage for an exciting Sweet 16.

It’s tough to pick which moments were the best since there were so many to choose from the two days, but these ones stood out as ones we’ll remember from this year’s tournament.

The fight to make it to the Sweet 16 provided some all-time moments. Here are the best ones from the 16 games of the second round:

Iowa stuns defending champion Florida 

It starts with the biggest upset of the tournament so far.

The defending champions will not get to keep their crown after Iowa sent Florida home packing early. The Hawkeyes controlled the majority of the game but the Gators stormed back to take a late lead, looking like they would survive.

However, Iowa didn’t falter. It stuck around until the very end, when Alvaro Folgueiras knocked down the go-ahead 3-pointer with four seconds left. What makes it even sweeter is Folgueiras honors his late father with every bucket, and he pointed to the sky after he hit the shot that will live in Iowa history forever, sending his team to its first Sweet 16 since 1999.

Folgueiras also hit the shot in front of his mom, who hadn’t seen him play for Iowa in two years.

“This one is for her and my dad,” he said. “He's watching up there.”

Texas clutch shot from Camden Heide

Camden Heide picked the best time to score his first points of the second round.

After not recording a single point for 39 minutes against Gonzaga, Heide came in with the Longhorns up one point in the final seconds. Texas needed a bucket to avoid a Bulldogs win, and Heide got the ball in the corner and drilled a 3-pointer with 14 seconds left for the dagger in the upset.

Truly saved the best for last.

Nebraska beats Vanderbilt in a thriller

You would’ve thought it was a national championship game with the environment in Oklahoma City.

Perhaps the game of the year so far, Nebraska and Vanderbilt played a thrilling back-and-forth affair that captivated everyone watching, and it ended with a spectacular finish. Braden Frager drove down the lane for a go-ahead bucket with two seconds left. All that was needed was to avoid a Vanderbilt game-winner, and oh how close it came to happen.

Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner heaved the ball from halfcourt as the buzzer sounded and the ball looked like it was going inside the bucket, but it bounced out, putting everyone in disbelief on how it didn’t go in.

It was the perfect ending to what was a near-perfect game.

Darius Acuff Jr.-Rob Martin duel

March is where stars are made, and an established one and new one emerged in a classic fun battle in Portland.

Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr. and High Point’s Rob Martin put on a show in the second round, putting their teams on their back in an exciting contest. Acuff, a projected lottery pick, dropped 36 points and Martin cemented himself as a star with a 30 point effort against the SEC champions.

What was incredible is their performance in the clutch. They accounted for a combined 31 points in the last 12 minutes of the game, capped off by Acuff’s nine points in the final three minutes. An entertaining battle between elite playmakers.

St. John’s buzzer-beater

We knew we were getting a hall of famer coaching matchup in St. John’s vs. Kansas, and the teams went down to the wire, capped by an amazing finish.

Tied at 65 with 3.9 seconds to go, St. John’s guard Dylan Darling raced down the basket and avoided the Jayhawks defenders to sink a layup as the buzzer sounded for the win in an amazing battle.

What made it even better was Darling called for the play himself, and it paid off.

“The play coach was trying to run, there wasn't enough time for it. I threw the suggestion out, and I don't think Coach really had a choice at that point in time.” he said. “So we went with it, and I probably don't deserve this. I was pretty bad all night long, but my teammates held it down tonight.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness best moments of Round 2 include upsets, buzzer beaters

BOSTON — Riding a four-game winning streak and facing a Minnesota Timberwolves team without Anthony Edwards, the Boston Celtics had momentum on their side. But circumstances only meant so much in Sunday night’s 102-92 loss at TD Garden.

In Edwards’ absence, the Celtics faced a challenge that Jaylen Brown admitted they failed to meet.

“They were physical. They played fast,” Brown said. “They definitely upped the level of intensity, and we didn’t necessarily meet the challenge. So that’s what the story of the game was. We got to be better. We got to be ready for that, and that’s uncharacteristic of us. We’re usually the harder-playing team, and tonight Minnesota was.”

The Timberwolves quickly rebounded from a 6-of-23 shooting performance in the first quarter by settling in before halftime. Maintaining their physical defensive presence, Minnesota turned the tables on Boston in the second quarter, outscoring the Celtics, 33-21. Backup guard Bones Hyland took charge of the Timberwolves’ offense, matching his season-high 23 points as he continued to lead in the second half. He nearly outscored Boston’s entire bench, which managed just 26 points on 34 percent shooting.

Minnesota’s strategy of smothering Boston’s offense held up long enough to swing the game. Five minutes into the third quarter, the Celtics built a nine-point lead. That didn’t hold up. In the fourth, Boston managed an 81-78 edge two minutes in, which proved to be their last real chance to gain control. That didn’t hold up either, as less than five minutes later, the Celtics were trailing the Timberwolves by 12.

“They started off the game with one coverage and then switched and we weren’t alert enough or they went smaller,” Brown said. “They tried to blow up hand-offs and then the second quarter we just was too lackadaisical with the ball. I was too lackadaisical with the ball, and we just wasn’t good enough. It’s definitely a game you look back and, you know, wish you could have some possessions back, because I feel like you’re in a position to win that game. But yeah, we didn’t play Celtics basketball tonight.”

Boston’s 15-point fourth quarter on 5-of-27 shooting was a season-worst.

Seven of Boston’s 11 turnovers came in the second quarter, and they were all committed by the starting unit.

“We learn from it and move on,” Brown said.

Beyond Hyland’s 23 points, Minnesota’s bench dominated Boston’s. The Timberwolves’ reserves outscored the Celtics bench, 40-26, providing steady offensive firepower that Boston’s starters couldn’t muster all night. Mazzulla credited Minnesota’s second unit, calling them the game’s difference makers

“That unit, in the second quarter and the fourth quarter, was the difference in the game,” Mazzulla said.

Disruption plagued the Celtics. Jayson Tatum attempted just four shots in the first half, Sam Hauser and Derrick White combined for 1-of-8 from three, and eight players — including two starters — failed to record a single trip to the free-throw line.

“It messed up the timing of our offense, messed up us getting the ball in the scoring area,” Mazzulla said. “I thought that it impacted our screening. It impacted our creating advantages, so I thought that was the tale of the fourth quarter from an offensive standpoint.”

Mazzulla didn’t question Boston’s effort, though he acknowledged that the Celtics were outmatched physically

“I thought they were more physical, and there’s a difference there,” Mazzulla said. “You look at the entire game, to me, it comes down to we go up nine in the third quarter and they cut it to one, and then the fourth quarter. I thought in spots of the game they were more physical, but both teams play hard.”

There was one unique bright spot on the night. When Mazzulla pulled the starters and emptied the bench for the final 1:45 of regulation, Max Shulga’s layup marked only the fourth basket the Celtics made in the period. Shulga, who had scored 12 points for Boston’s G League affiliate in Maine just hours earlier, became the first player in NBA history to score in both a G League game and an NBA game on the same day.

It's been a long time since the Big Ten has won the Men's NCAA Tournament.

Since 2000, to be exact.

But the Big Ten is winning this NCAA Tournament.

March Madness conference records: Big Ten is 13-2; How are SEC, Big 12 doing?

The Big Ten is 13-3 through the first two rounds and have six teams in the Sweet 16, one shy of the record set by the SEC last year. UCLA had a chance to equal that mark, but lost late Sunday night to No. 2 seed UConn.

Three of the four teams left in the South Region are from the Big Ten, so there's a 75% chance one of them will reach the Final Four.

Iowa, who stunned No. 1 Florida in the second round, plays Big Ten brethren and neighbor Nebraska in Thursday's Sweet 16 game in Houston. It marks only the second All-Big Ten Sweet 16 game in history, per CBS, and the first since 1980, when Purdue and Indiana met.

The Big Ten has won three straight football national championships, maybe it's time the good times extend to the hardwood.

Big Ten teams in 2026 Sweet 16

• No. 1 Michigan (Midwest)
• No. 2 Purdue (West)
• No 3 Michigan State (East)
• No. 3 Illinois (South)
• No. 4 Nebraska (South)
• No. 9 Iowa (South)

Sweet 16 teams by conference: Who has most?

• Big Ten: 6
• SEC: 4
• Big 12: 3
• Big East: 2
• ACC: 1

Conference records in 2026 March Madness

Conference	Record
Big Ten	13-3
SEC	12-6
Big 12	9-5
Big East	4-1
ACC	5-7

Who is in Sweet 16? March Madness Sweet 16 schedule, game times

THURSDAY, MARCH 26

• 7:10 p.m.: No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 11 Texas (West), CBS
• 7:30 p.m.: No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 9 Iowa (South), TBS/truTV
• 9:45 p.m.: No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 4 Arkansas (West), CBS
• 10:05 p.m.: No. 2 Houston vs. No. 3 Illinois (South), TBS/truTV

FRIDAY, MARCH 27

• 7:10 p.m.: No. 1 Duke vs. No. 5 St. John's (East), CBS
• 7:35 p.m.: Texas Tech/Alabama winner vs. No. 1 Michigan (Midwest), TBS/truTV
• 9:45 p.m.: UCLA/UConn winner vs. No. 3 Michigan State (East), CBS
• 10:10 p.m.: No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 6 Tennessee (Midwest), TBS/truTV

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How many Big Ten teams in Sweet 16? Big 10's March Madness record

By Mike Barner, RotoWire.com

Navigating the fantasy basketball playoffs requires a sharp edge, and understanding the weekly NBA schedule can make all the difference. With most teams playing three or four games in Week 22, maximizing volume through smart streaming and lineup decisions is key. Identifying favorable matchups, pace environments and defensive weaknesses can help fantasy managers uncover hidden value and gain an advantage. This breakdown highlights the top streaming teams, players to target and schedule quirks to exploit, helping you optimize your roster and stay competitive as the fantasy basketball season reaches its most critical stretch.

Days with fewer than six games

These are dates to target players for streaming options from the following teams: 

Tuesday, March 24: SAC at CHA, NO at NYK, ORL at CLE, DEN at PHX

Thursday, March 26: NYK at CHA, NO at DET, SAC at ORL

Teams with more than three games this week

Make sure to activate players and target weekly pickups from the following teams:

Draft your Yahoo Fantasy Baseball team for the 2026 MLB Season

Hawks (4), Nets (4), Hornets (4), Bulls (4), Nuggets (4), Pistons (4), Warriors (4), Rockets (4), Pacers (4), Clippers (4), Grizzlies (4), Heat (4), Bucks (4), Pelicans (4), Thunder (4), Magic (4), Trail Blazers (4), Kings (4), Raptors (4), Jazz (4)

Teams with fewer than three games this week

Consider looking for streaming options if your roster includes players from these teams:

Timberwolves (2), Suns (2)

Top Streaming Teams This Week

Golden State Warriors

at DAL, vs. BKN, vs. WAS, at DEN

Talk about a great schedule for the Warriors. They begin the week facing three tanking teams. Over their last 10 games, the Mavericks, Nets and Wizards all rank inside the bottom 10 in the league in defensive rating. The Mavericks and Wizards also rank inside the top five in pace of play during that span. Another huge positive for the Warriors is that none of these games are part of a back-to-back set.

There was a recent report that Stephen Curry (knee) is expected to be re-evaluated Tuesday. However, that doesn't mean he will play in any of these four games. Even if he does return, it might not be until the end of the week. Continue to expect increased production from Brandin Podziemski and De'Anthony Melton. Considering there are no back-to-back games, we could also see four games from Kristaps Porziņģis, who recently torched the Wizards for 30 points.

Houston Rockets

at CHI, at MIN, at MEM, at NO

The Rockets begin the week with a terrific matchup against the Bulls, who play at the fourth-fastest pace and have the eighth-worst defensive rating in the league. The Timberwolves can shine on defense, but the Grizzlies and Pelicans also rank inside the bottom 10 in defensive rating. Like the Warriors, none of the Rockets' games next week will be part of a back-to-back set, which is especially important for the 37-year-old Kevin Durant.

The Rockets lean heavily on their starters. Amen Thompson averages 37 minutes a game, Durant 36 minutes, Jabari Smith Jr. 35 minutes and Alperen Şengün plays 33 minutes a night. The four-game week should also provide a boost for the likes of Tari Eason and Reed Sheppard. Sheppard continues to be a great source of 3-pointers, with him averaging 2.7 of them a night.

Portland Trail Blazers

vs. BKN, vs. MIL, vs. DAL, vs. WAS

The Trail Blazers will face four teams that are looking on the outside of the playoff hunt. They also all rank inside the bottom 10 in defensive rating over their last 10 games. As good as the schedule is, the first game of the week against the Nets on Monday might be tricky. The Trail Blazers played Sunday in Denver, so we'll need to be mindful of possible rest days for some of their starters. The Trail Blazers are fighting for playoff positioning, though, so they might not sit anyone.

Deni Avdija and Donovan Clingan could be fantasy forces with this favorable schedule. Jrue Holiday should also be started in all formats. Monitor for updates on Jerami Grant (foot), who did not play Sunday. As far as viable streamers go, Toumani Camara and Scoot Henderson have upside. We might only get three games from Robert Williams III, who hasn't been playing both halves of back-to-back sets.

Los Angeles Clippers

vs. MIL, vs. TOR, at IND, at MIL

Playing two games against the Bucks is a major boost for all players on the Clippers. The Pacers have also been awful, posting the worst defensive rating in the NBA over their last 10 games. The only negative matchup is the Raptors, who rank eighth in defensive rating for the season. Some more good news for Leonard and company is that none of the four games will be played on consecutive days.

No back-to-back games could be key for Kawhi Leonard and Darius Garland. Leonard has battled an ankle injury lately, while Garland has been receiving rest days for his toe. They have the potential to play four games each. Bennedict Mathurin (toe) missed the team's recent road trip and has been ruled out for Monday, so at best, he will only play three times. John Collins should be started in most formats, while Kris Dunn can help fantasy managers with steals.

Less than 2 weeks ago, Bam Adebayo and the Miami Heat were the talk of the NBA. An 83 point performance that put Adebayo in the record books also happened to coincide with a 7 game win streak that’s kept them right in the thick of things out East as the season winds down. Since Adebayo’s historic night though they’ve gone a paltry 1-4, including two losses to two teams that they’re fighting for positioning with in the standings. Currently the 9th seed with 11 games left in the regular season, the Heat have just 1 less win than the current 5th seed Toronto Raptors.

Meanwhile for the Spurs, the possibility of 60 wins remains alive and well. Currently holding a 7 game lead over the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2nd seed and still just 3 games back of the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio might just be locked into that 2nd spot. Even with six of their next seven on the road, there’s a good chance they could wrap that race up very soon. Once that happens, the focus can be entirely on health and fine-tuning for the franchise’s first postseason run in a very long time.

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San Antonio Spurs (53-18) vs Miami Heat (38-33)
March 23 2026 | 6:00 PM CT
Watch: Peacock, FDSS | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)

Spurs Injuries: Stephon Castle, hip (day to day), Devin Vassell, hamstring (day to day), David Jones-Garcia, OUT

Heat Injuries: Andrew Wiggins, toe (day to day), Jaime Jaquez Jr, hip (day to day), Norman Powell, calf (day to day)

What to watch for

• While he’s obviously not averaging 83 points a night, Bam Adebayo has nonetheless had a phenomenal season. He’s hit at least the 20 point mark in his last 11 games and is second on the Heat in scoring this season, behind only Tyler Herro. He’s coming off a 32 point, 21 rebound game in a loss to the Houston Rockets, a game in which he played 45 minutes. Adebayo is the bedrock of an elite Miami defense, shutting off driving lanes with his quickness and providing solid rim protection. With Victor Wembanyama playing some of the best basketball of his career, the potential for a classic confrontation is there.
• No one plays faster than Miami, averaging nearly 104 possessions per game this year. They like to push the ball in transition while leaning on a defense that’s just outside the top 5 (6th in defensive rating) to stifle opposing offenses and force them into turnovers to fuel their offensive attack. San Antonio, who are no slouches themselves when it comes to pushing the tempo and playing elite defense, protect the basketball as well as any team in the Association, but there’s always a chance for things to get ugly on the road. Keeping turnovers down and cleaning the defensive glass will be key in limiting the Miami offense.
• Dylan Harper took full advantage of his first career start, tying a career-high 24 points in Saturday’s win against the Pacers on a super-efficient 9/13 from the field. With Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell potentially out once again for this one, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Mitch Johnson give the impressive rookie the starting nod once again tonight. Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra has more than a few great options to throw at San Antonio’s wings, but Harper and the rest of his teammates should be up to the task The 20 year old Harper has scored in double figures nine times since the All Star break.

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

The Lakers (46-25) look to extend their winning streak to double digits on Monday against the Detroit Pistons (51-19). L.A. looks to even the season series with the current first seed in the Eastern Conference.

Start time and TV schedule

Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Detroit Pistons

When: 4 p.m. PT, Mar 23

Where: Little Caesars Arena

Watch: Spectrum Sportsnet

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Just when it looked like the Lakers were about to see their longest winning streak this season come to an end, Luke Kennard saved it by knocking down the game-winner. That moment was the perfect depiction of this current winning streak: finding ways to win even when the odds have been against them. As a result, the team is currently playing its best basketball of the season.

Los Angeles will look to continue doing that on Monday when they take on the best team in the Eastern Conference by record in the Pistons. This is the same Detroit team that blew them out at Crypto.com Arena in December. This time around, Cade Cunningham won’t be available for Motor City, though they’ve been holding up well without their MVP candidate so far.

The Pistons, who are currently on a three-game winning streak, are still quite a matchup problem for the Lakers even without Cunningham. They have quality scorers in every position and the defense to match up against the Lakers’ elite offense. That’s why this match will be about whether Detroit’s defense can contain the L.A.‘s offense.

Without Cunningham in the mix, the Lakers can focus on Jalen Duren and Tobias Harris, who are currently running the Pistons’ offense. They have to make sure shooters like Duncan Robinson don’t make their presence felt either.

Remember, in the last matchup, the Pistons demolished the Lakers in transition (31-12) and points in the paint (74-44). It didn’t help that they had a terrific game from the 3-point arc (45.8%) as well.

On Monday, we’ll get to see how much the Lakers’ defense has improved from last December as well as whether or not this Lakers team can beat the best team in the Eastern Conference on the road to earn their 10th straight victory.

Notes and Updates

• The Lakers’ injury report indicates Rui Hachimura (right calf soreness), Marcus Smart (right ankle soreness) and Maxi Kleber (lumbar back strain) as questionable.
• For the Pistons, Cade Cunningham (left lung pneumothorax), Marcus Sasser (right hip strain) and Isaiah Stewart (left calf strain) are out.

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.

Have the Houston Rockets turned the corner after adding Reed Sheppard to the starting lineup?

Well, it bears mentioning that it took a great bounce to beat the Miami Heat on Saturday night. It also bears mentioning that Houston was only down in that situation because the player that Sheppard replaced in the starting lineup, Tari Eason, made a boneheaded play late. And it’s not his first time.

Anyway, Houston now heads on the road for their second-to-last road trip of the season. Houston will play four straight on the road, followed by two more back at Toyota Center. Then it’s two more on the road (including Kevin Durant’s only trips to Golden State and Phoenix) and three at home to wrap up the season. There are only two more back-to-backs, and both take place entirely at home. We’re in the home stretch now folks!

In terms of importance, all the games are important now. If Houston wants to finish with a top 4 seed, they basically need to win all the games they are supposed to win. And on paper, they’ll probably be favored in at least ten of their final 12 games. Catching the Lakers seems impossible without the tiebreak (and LA has stopped losing altogether). Denver also holds the tiebreak over Houston, but they still have games against OKC and San Antonio.

Tip-off

7pm CT

How To Watch

Space City Home Network

Injury Report

Rockets

Steven Adams: OUT

Fred VanVleet: OUT

Bulls

Zach Collins: OUT

Noa Essengue: OUT

Jalen Smith: GTD

Jaden Ivey: GTD

Isaac Okoro: GTD

Guerschon Yabusele: GTD

Anfernee Simons: GTD

The Line (as of this post)

N/A

Check here for updates

Looking ahead because we can

Wednesday night on the road against the Minnesota Timberwolves

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Mick Cronin won the battle against Dan Hurley over who would receive a technical foul first.

The UCLA men's basketball coach was assessed a technical foul at the 4:41 mark of the second half of Sunday's Men's NCAA Tournament second-round game against 2-seed UConn at Xfinity Mobile Arena. It led to Huskies forward Alex Karaban making a pair of free throws that helped UConn build its lead against UCLA.

Replay from the TNT broadcast showed Cronin clapping his hands in front of the official.

"I have no comments about any of that," Cronin said in his postgame news conference when asked by USA TODAY Sports on whether he received an explanation from the official on what led to the technical foul.

UCLA head coach Mick Cronin is issued a technical foul. pic.twitter.com/NmTt9cOAIT

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 23, 2026

REQUIRED READING: UConn vs UCLA final score, highlights: Alex Karaban sends Huskies to Sweet 16 of March Madness

Here's another look at what led to the technical:

Another angle of Coach Mick Cronin's technical foul. pic.twitter.com/Co7O6wDB2r

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 23, 2026

In a pool report handed out through a request from the United States Basketball Writers Association, Cronin was issued the technical foul for Class A Unsporting Infractions, which is in accordance with Rule 10, Section 3, Article 2 of the NCAA Division I Men's College Basketball rulebook.

The statement includes paragraphs A and E of the rule, which states that bench personnel committing an unsportsmanlike act including, but not limited to, the following:

• "Disrespectfully addressing an official"
• "Objecting to an official’s decision by rising from the bench or using gestures"

On the TNT broadcast, CBS Sports rules analyst Gene Steratore didn't think it should have been elevated to a technical, and that there should have been more to it.

"From what I'm looking at here just on its own, that doesn't look like something that would elevate to a technical foul," Steratore said. "Now, I'm not sure if there's been something that's been building up previously. It doesn't appear that he's saying something verbally at that point. But you don't want to speculate, right? ... I think there's something more to it than just that clap. I can't see just the clap making this a technical foul scenario."

Part II:

Mick Cronin receives a technical foul in that same game. #MarchMadnesspic.twitter.com/zovtvEsPOu

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 23, 2026

REQUIRED READING: Dan Hurley, Mick Cronin to meet in March Madness: 'We're not coaching Little League'

Cronin's technical foul came at a bad time for the Bruins, as their offense was already in a rut and their deficit was up to nine points. That deficit grew to 11 after Karaban's pair of free throws, then to 13 when Silas Demary Jr. found Mullins for a layup, with UConn retaining possession after the free throws.

The Huskies would finish the game on a 15-3 run in the final 5:23 of the second half to defeat the Bruins. UCLA finished the game 1-of-9 from the field on their last nine shot attempts and went scoreless for the last 2:55 of the game.

The Bruins end their season with a 24-12 overall record while not making it out of the first weekend of March Madness for the third consecutive season.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mick Cronin gets technical foul after seemingly clapping at official

The streak is over.

After five straight losses, the Suns took care of business against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night, snapping the skid and picking up their 40th win of the season. It does not move the needle much in the standings, but it matters. Losing streaks wear on you, and getting one in the win column does something for the mindset of the group.

And they did it short-handed. Dillon Brooks, Mark Williams, Royce O’Neale, Grayson Allen, Haywood Highsmith, and Amir Coffey were all out, yet Phoenix still found a rhythm. The ball moved, the defense held, and for long stretches the game felt controlled. The Suns led by as many as 31 points and never really let Toronto find a way back into it.

Devin Booker led all scorers with 25 points, going 9-of-15 from the field and 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, adding six assists. The Suns also received 20 points from Jalen Green, 16 from Collin Gillespie, 14 from Jordan Goodwin, and 12 from Ryan Dunn. It was a quality team effort from Phoenix, one that saw them shoot 45% from three and take care of a Toronto team that came in competing for position in the Eastern Conference.

It was clean. It was needed. And for at least one night, it felt like things made sense again.

Game Flow

First Half

Phoenix opened the game with an 8-0 run, led by 5 points by Jalen Green. And it did not take long for the first controversial moment to show up. Out of a dead ball, the official handed Collin Gillespie the ball to inbound, possession already in motion, and somehow, Toronto was still granted a coach’s challenge. It felt eerily similar to what happened nine days ago in Toronto, when Devin Booker had the ball and the Raptors were still allowed to sneak in a late challenge.

Yes, the challenge was successful, but that is not the point. The point is the timing. Toronto continues to live right on the edge of when a challenge should be allowed, and somehow they keep getting the benefit of it. At some point, that line has to be enforced because right now it feels a little ridiculous.

3rd time this season the refs allowed the opposing team to call a challenge while our players are holding the ball pic.twitter.com/kT5IA8wl9C

— Cage (@ridiculouscage) March 23, 2026

A couple of possessions later, the Suns opted to challenge an out-of-bounds call. They did so prior to the Raptors having the ball in their hands, doing so legally and in accordance with the NBA rulebook. That being said, the officials opted to change the call to a foul and deem it an unsuccessful challenge. So up 16-6 with 6:12 in the first, the Suns were without a challenge.

The Suns’ rookies, who continue to see extended run with all the injuries, looked good early. Rasheer Fleming had an and one, and Khaman Maluach knocked down a three.

Khaman Maluach hits a three & Rasheer Fleming gets a steal into the and-1 in transition 👀

The rookies making plays early 🙌 pic.twitter.com/QLi71rUKQg

— PHNX Suns (@PHNX_Suns) March 23, 2026

For the second straight game, the Suns came out with a strong first quarter. They held Toronto to 20 points and limited them to 1-of-9 from beyond the arc, setting the tone defensively. On the other end, Collin Gillespie led the charge with nine points on 3-of-3 shooting from deep, while Devin Booker added eight. Rasheer Fleming chipped in six points off the bench, and Phoenix caught fire from three, going 8-of-12 as a team.

After one, the Suns held a 34–20 lead.

Phoenix opened the second quarter right where they left off, shooting the ball well, and Jalen Green was leading the charge. He started 4-of-4 from the field for 10 quick points, pushing the Suns’ lead to as much as 18.

Then came the response. Toronto ripped off a 12–0 run, cutting the lead down to six. During that stretch, Collin Gillespie picked up his third foul, which stung given he was the game’s leading scorer with 11 at the time. That forced him to the bench and disrupted some of the early rhythm.

Jordan Goodwin provided the answer the Suns needed. He knocked down a three while getting fouled, completing the four-point play and stopping the bleeding.

The highlight of the quarter came from Ryan Dunn, doing what he does best. After a missed Goodwin three, Dunn flew in for an electric putback dunk. Moments later, he generated a steal and took it the other way for another dunk, bringing energy on both ends of the floor.

You can never have too many Ryan Dunn putback slams pic.twitter.com/jUmGmzViz9

— Shane Young (@YoungNBA) March 23, 2026

The Suns responded well, putting up 32 points in the quarter while going 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. Ryan Dunn led all scorers in the period with seven points, Jordan Goodwin added six, and both Devin Booker and Khaman Maluach chipped in four.

Phoenix’s bench made a real impact, contributing 25 first-half points, and the team took care of the ball, committing only seven turnovers that led to eight points for Toronto. Scottie Barnes led the Raptors with 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting, and Toronto as a whole shot 48.7% from the field. Brandon Ingram had just 2 points on 1-of—7 shooting.

Phoenix shot 54.5%, had five more shot attempts, and controlled the flow of the game. At the break, Phoenix held an 18-point lead, up 66–48.

Second Half

The third quarter opened with clear intent from the Suns. They came out with energy, putting together an 11–6 run, and once again, it was Jalen Green leading the scoring. He had four points early, although it took him five shots as he opened the half 1-of-5 from the field.

The tone was set on the defensive end and on the glass. Phoenix forced two early turnovers and turned them into four points. They also grabbed five offensive rebounds in the first four minutes, leading to four second-chance points. That effort dictated the pace and kept them engaged.

The concern showed up in a familiar place. Toronto was getting whatever it wanted at the rim. Much like the previous matchup, the Raptors were living in the paint. Of their first 14 points in the second half, 10 came inside, a reminder of how easily they were able to attack the interior.

The Suns’ offense kept responding, and with just over three minutes left in the quarter, Phoenix had stretched the lead to 30.

Bookers shot looks so good in slow motion, even the net moving looks beautiful pic.twitter.com/T5leJIs9kR

— Cage (@ridiculouscage) March 23, 2026

It was a quality third from Phoenix. For the third time in the game, they cleared 30 points in a quarter as they scored 31 in the third. They held Toronto to 21. Devin Booker set the tone, going 5-of-8 from the field for 13 points, and Jalen Green added eight more. The three-point shooting continued to hurt the Raptors. They went 1-of-9 from deep, and Phoenix made them pay, taking a 97–69 lead into the fourth.

The fourth quarter opened with a moment I appreciated. Rasheer Fleming caught the ball in the left corner and let a three fly. It was not pretty, and it missed. The next possession, he found himself in the same exact spot. The ball hit his hands again, and this time he stepped into it with confidence and knocked it down clean. That is a good sign. For a young rookie, the ability to forget the previous possession and trust the next one matters. That kind of confidence, that willingness to shoot again, that is how growth happens.

The fourth quarter continued, and the Suns kept the pressure on. All gas, no brakes.

It almost felt like a response to what has hurt them recently. Those moments where they build a lead and then ease off, playing not to lose instead of playing to win. On Sunday night, there was none of that. The intensity stayed. The focus stayed.

With 4:44 left, Jordan Ott was able to empty the bench. That meant minutes for Koby Brea and CJ Huntley, and it was good to see. Those are the kind of moments young players need, getting run in a game where the Suns were in control, dictating the tone, and finishing strong. For once, they were the ones doing the slapping.

Up Next

The Suns remain at home and host the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night at 8:00pm. We’ll see you then Bright Side.

The Dallas Mavericks (23-48, 14-22 Home) took the Los Angeles Clippers to overtime on Saturday before falling 138-131 in a game that had no business being that close and (if you were watching) every reason to be exactly that close. These Mavericks don’t fold. They don’t mail it in. They play hard enough to make you forget, for stretches at a time, what the standings actually say. On Monday at 8:30 PM CT, they host the Golden State Warriors (33-38, 14-23 Away), who arrive at the AAC without Stephen Curry, without Jimmy Butler, and without much to offer beyond Draymond Green’s behavioral grab bag and Brandin Podziemski doing his best impression of a lead guard. Both teams have lost eight of their last ten. One of these losing streaks ends tonight. Let’s look at three things before the Mavericks take on a familiar yet barely recognizable foe.

The Mavericks are losing the right way

Somewhere between sixth and seventh in the Tankathon standings, Dallas sits with a 9.0% shot at the top pick in a loaded draft class—behind Indiana, Washington, Brooklyn, Sacramento, and Utah, all of whom have more losses and, in several cases, seemingly more organizational intent to keep accumulating them. The NBA made that point explicitly in February, when it fined the Jazz $500,000 and the Pacers $100,000 for what commissioner Adam Silver called “overt behavior that prioritizes draft position over winning.” Pulling healthy stars in fourth quarters of close games. Sitting rotation players against medical advice. The league had seen enough.

The Mavericks are not engaged in such overly obvious shenanigans. Jason Kidd is playing as close to a winning rotation on any given night as he has available. Veterans including Washington, Gafford, Marshall, and Thompson are playing to win every night because that’s who they are, not because the front office is choosing their level of competitive fire or minutes on the floor. PJ Washington is averaging 14.6 points and 6.9 rebounds since the start of March, and in the overtime loss to LA on Saturday put up 21 and nearly won it off an offensive rebound in the final seconds. Daniel Gafford came off the bench against Atlanta last Wednesday after a brief absence and went 9-for-10 from the field for 24 points in 22 minutes, which is the kind of performance that makes you wonder why his minutes are being managed at all. This is not Cooper Flagg and four guys standing around watching. There’s real pride in this building, and it shows up every night even when the results don’t.

That duality—proud of the fight, aware of the math—is what it means to watch this team right now. Dallas sits eight games back of Indiana and two behind Utah in the loss column. They probably aren’t moving up given how hard they are fighting but they aren’t engineered to move down either, and there’s something genuinely refreshing about that in a season where the race to the bottom has been uglier than usual.

The cost of betting on aging stars

Stephen Curry is 37 years old and, when healthy this season, has been almost absurdly good—averaging 27.2 points, which only LeBron James has topped at that age in NBA history. The problem is the “when healthy” part. Curry has been out since January 30 with runner’s knee, and in his absence the Warriors have gone 6-13. With him, they won 59% of their games. Without him, 32%.

Golden State made a calculated bet last season when they acquired Jimmy Butler, deciding that Curry’s window—however narrow it was getting—was still worth pushing through. It was a reasonable bet. Butler tore his ACL in January. Curry went down two weeks later. Two pillars of the same window, lost in the same month.

The Mavericks learned a version of this lesson themselves. Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis were supposed to form the bridge between the Luka era and whatever came next. Irving is missing this entire season during his ACL recovery and Davis was traded to Washington in a reset button maneuver. When you pin your hopes on players past thirty, availability is a variable, not a constant. Golden State found that out. Dallas found it out. The difference is Dallas now has a teenager who plays like he’s been doing this for a decade, and Golden State has Draymond Green playing out the string of a dynasty that won its last ring four years ago.

Curry is trending toward a return as early as Wednesday’s home game against the Nets. Tonight in Dallas is likely one of his last absences. It’s still not going to save the Warriors’ season as I suspect they are out in the play-in or an early round exit if they advance to the playoffs.

Four years is forever

I just find it genuinely hard to believe that the 2022 Western Conference Finals happened four years ago. I can still see Dorian Finney-Smith and Reggie Bullock ground down to a fine pumice like substance by the end of that series because Jason Kidd had no one else he trusted to defend opposing scorers. Brunson and Dinwiddie starting without Luka in Utah. Maxi Kleber hitting threes in the desert like he’d been saving them all season. That whole run felt like the sky opening up—like Dallas had finally turned a corner and the next decade was going to be something.

Four years later, here are the players from those two rosters still on their original teams who may see action in tonight’s contest: Draymond Green.Dwight Powell. That’s the list.

Klay Thompson—who scored 32 points and hit eight threes to close out these Mavericks in Game 5 of that series—is now in a Dallas uniform, averaging 11.8 points in year two of a three-year deal on a team that has pivoted decisively away from anything he signed up for. He came here for a fifth ring. Luka got traded six months later. His contract runs through next season at $16.7 million and he may well be dealt in the offseason when whoever takes over as GM starts building their own thing around Cooper Flagg. We might be watching the final chapters of Klay Thompson’s career, which is a strange thing to sit with.

Part of this is just this old writer getting…older. Time moves faster at 50 than it did at 40, and four years that should feel like four years somehow feels like eighteen months. But part of it is genuinely how completely these franchises have transformed. The Warriors went from dynasty to expensive construction project gasping for the stars to align for just one more run. The Mavericks went from Finals contender to full rebuild, skipping several steps along the way thanks to the decision maker at the time who has Voldemort levels of popularity in Dallas.

What hasn’t changed is that these two teams still show up and compete. That’s worth something, even in March, even with the standings looking the way they do.

Where to watch

The Mavericks and Warriors tip off at 8:30 PM CT from American Airlines Center on Monday. Watch on Peacock. Go Mavs.

Game Story

21 years.

Sunday evening, the Minnesota Timberwolves visited the Boston Celtics at TD Garden, a place where the Wolves hadn’t won since March 6, 2005. That’s not a typo. Kevin Garnett still played for Minnesota, where he scored a team-high 21 points in a narrow 99-97 victory (Ricky Davis missed a game-winning 3-point attempt at the buzzer).

And no, Bruce Lee was not alive during that victory either (RIP).

It’s no surprise to Wolves fans that Minnesota started off the game slow. Slow starts have become a part of their DNA. The Celtics have also been winners of their last five games, utilizing the momentum of Jayson Tatum’s return to catapult themselves into contention for the top Eastern Conference seed. So when Minnesota found themselves down 2 to 11 to start the game, it felt all too familiar.

During the NBA trade deadline and Giannis Antetokounmpo trade saga just over a month ago, a large part of the Wolves fan base pointed to three reasons for why “blowing it up” would’ve been the wrong decision. The marked improvement of Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid’s production, and to a much lesser extent, Julius Randle’s early season heater.

The first half was not a good one for that camp.

With all the offensive usage that needed to be soaked up sans Edwards, McDaniels was super cold early. Naz Reid, who had just missed the last two contests with a nagging shoulder injury he’s been nursing for some time, was also off target in his first half stint. In fact, it was only when those two went to the bench when Minnesota battled all the way back from a 15-point second quarter.

Oh, and don’t think I forgot about Julius Randle, who also missed seven of his first eight shots.

It was the aggressive point-of-attack pressure defense and quick offensive decision-making of Bones Hyland and Ayo Dosunmu that spearheaded a 33-21 second quarter. We even got a destructively productive three-minute stint by Jaylen Clark, who defended Jaylen Brown successfully in isolation and rebounded the ball well all game! Right as the first half buzzer sounded, Hyland capped off a team-best 14-point half with a patented step-back triple and celly to boot.

It felt unsustainable for Minnesota to continue their scorching hot second quarter performance where they went 50% from the field and 62.5% from beyond the arc. It also seemed improbable that Tatum, who had been averaging nearly 20 points per game this season, would remain scoreless in the second half.

It felt unsustainable because it was.

Tatum opened up the third quarter on a personal mission, scoring 10 points in a matter of minutes to help engineer an 11-0 Boston run right out of the gates. Meanwhile, the Wolves compounded that by missing their first five shots of the half, erasing all the hard work they did in the previous quarter. But once again, it was the Dosunmu who came to the rescue with some nasty driving layups, as well as playmaking for others, which resuscitated Minnesota.

The previously frigid McDaniels came to the party at a time of a need. A pair of easy shots close the rim broke the seal for him to uncork 12 points in a three minute span. Hyland, the first half hero, continued his tirade in the fourth quarter, terrorizing Celtics rookie, Hugo González, taunting him along the way. Hyland joined the NBC Peacock broadcast crew after the game to share that March is always an emotional month for him, as this was the month where he lost his grandmother and baby brother in a terrible fire tragedy.

A year after a tragic fire, high-major recruit Nah’Shon Hyland has his groove back

He certainly made them proud tonight.

This all bought just enough time for the previously struggling Naz Reid to enter the picture in the only way he knows how: An offensive showcase that was a delight to all the senses.

A personal 8-0 run by Reid suddenly pushed the Wolves ahead by as much as 12 with just six minutes remaining in the game. There was just but a faint heartbeat from Boston at this point. However, the Wolves had nearly blown a similar lead in more chaotic fashion when the two teams faced off in November.

Oh, don’t think I forgot about Randle.

Despite an otherwise disappointing overall effort from him all game, he did assist Reid on two of his makes before scoring five of his own points in a row to help keep the Celtics at bay. It was poetic that the man who started it all, Ayo Dosunmu, would slam the door shut with his amazing play on both ends of the court. Another beautiful driving layup dagger, standing up Brown to force a miss, then a vicious block on Ron Harper Jr.

The Wolves victory keeps them in an essential three-way tie with the Rockets and Nuggets for the fourth through sixth seeds in the Western Conference, and four games above the seventh play-in tournament.

It only seemed fitting that on the same day that the Wolves debuted an exclusive Michael Grady interview with Kevin Garnett, Minnesota would end their drought in Boston. Not only is Garnett going to have his jersey retired for both franchises, but think about KG’s black tree jersey. What number is on the back of his jersey?

The number of years it’s been since the Timberwolves won at TD Garden.

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Box Score

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Comment of the Night

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Up Next

One of the two most important games of the season comes up for the Wolves. They return home to host the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, March 25, at 8:30 PM CT. Houston is tied with the Wolves in the standings and currently hold a 1-0 season series lead on them with two games remaining. This is particularly imperative to Minnesota because they’ve already lost tiebreakers to the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets, meaning this could be the only series they can still snag.

This game will be broadcast on ESPN and FanDuel Sports Network.

Highlights

The Field of 68 is down to the Sweet 16.

Stealing a line from Kenny Smith: The first weekend of March Madness you make your name. The second weekend you make your fame.

The Sweet 16 starts Thursday in San Jose with Purdue vs. Texas and ends late Friday night with Tennessee vs. Iowa State in Chicago.

March Madness scores, highlights: Who is headed to Sweet 16?

Here's a look at the full schedule with TV listings for the 2026 Sweet 16:

Sweet 16 schedule, game times: Updated March Madness bracket

THURSDAY, MARCH 26

• 7:10 p.m.: No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 11 Texas (West), CBS
• 7:30 p.m.: No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 9 Iowa (South), TBS/truTV
• 9:45 p.m.: No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 4 Arkansas (West), CBS
• 10:05 p.m.: No. 2 Houston vs. No. 3 Illinois (South), TBS/truTV

FRIDAY, MARCH 27

• 7:10 p.m.: No. 1 Duke vs. No. 5 St. John's (East), CBS
• 7:35 p.m.: Texas Tech/Alabama winner vs. No. 1 Michigan (Midwest), TBS/truTV
• 9:45 p.m.: UCLA/UConn winner vs. No. 3 Michigan State (East), CBS
• 10:10 p.m.: No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 6 Tennessee (Midwest), TBS/truTV

Where is Sweet 16, Elite 8? 2026 Sweet 16 locations, venues 

• SOUTH: Houston; Toyota Center
• WEST: San Jose, Calif.; SAP Center
• MIDWEST: Chicago; United Center
• EAST: Washington, D.C.; Capital One Arena

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sweet 16 schedule, tip times, TV channel, March Madness bracket update

I know, I know, you’ve been glued to college basketball for the past four days — I get it. March Madness is possibly the greatest annual event in all of basketball. The buzzer-beaters, the upsets, and the endless stream of pure hooping goodness are all intoxicating. I won’t deny this. Nor will I plead with you to tear your eyes away from the pinnacle of college basketball.

But with the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament coming to a close, the Utah Jazz are here to satisfy the vacuum left in the days leading to the Sweet 16. With AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson having played their final minutes of college hoops, a thirst for professional basketball may dry out the back of your throat.

At home in the Delta Center, NBA basketball flows like water.

One look at the Utah Jazz’s injury report leading up to their March 23 meeting with the Toronto Raptors, and my jawbone loses all structure, dropping to the floor as the list of injured Jazzmen spans for miles. Out for this matchup are Isaiah Collier and Keyonte George (hamstring twins!), Blake Hinson on two-way assignment to the G-League, and the obvious remainder of Jaren Jackson Jr, Walker Kessler, Lauri Markkanen, and Jusuf Nurkic.

The @utahjazz injury report:

OUT – Isaiah Collier (hamstring)

OUT – Keyonte George (hamstring)

OUT – Blake Hinson (Two-Way)

OUT – Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee)

OUT – Walker Kessler (shoulder)

OUT – Lauri Markkanen (hip)

OUT – Jusuf Nurkic (nose)

— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) March 22, 2026

So now the challenge becomes uncovering who will play for the banged-up Jazz as the Raptors hope to defend their fifth-place position in the Eastern Conference on a trip to Salt Lake City. Utah, valiantly clinging to the second-worst record in the West, will be hosting a youth showcase on the floor of the Delta Center.

Keep an eye on Utah’s rookie, Ace Bailey, who recently posted a career-high 33-point performance and has violently caught flame among his fellow rookie classmates. The jumper is clicking. His defense is artful. The three-pointers are plentiful. Ace Bailey isn’t campaigning for rookie of the year, but is it too late to consider a spot in the All-Rookie First Team? He’s hitting over 40% on very high volume in the month of March.

Ace Bailey’s rookie ranks since February 26th:

1st – PPG
1st – 3PM
1st – 3PA
2nd – BPG
3rd – FGA
5th – SPG
9th – RPG

Making a late push for All-Rookie 1st Team?

— Art Cummings (@ArtTakesNote) March 22, 2026

With apologies to Andersson Garcia supporters, Utah opted not to offer the G-League star a second 10-day contract in favor of Kennedy Chandler, who likewise wears 0 with the Jazz, and enjoyed an excellent maiden appearance with the Jazz. 19 points, 4 assists, and a steal is a great stat line to catch the attention of talent evaluators at the front office level and easy chair level alike. But a very inefficient 33% field goal rate gives the former Tennessee Volunteer a clear opportunity for improvement against Toronto.

On the topic of the Raptors, the visitors from the North are much-improved from a season ago. After finishing 30-52 in 2024-25, Toronto is 39-30. Despite strong seasons from Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett (no relation), Scotty Barnes, and Immanuel Quickly, Toronto represents the “best of the rest” designation beneath the Finals contenders of Detroit, Boston, New York, and Cleveland.

These prehistoric beasts intend to collect their 40th win without much discussion on Monday, which would push their record 10 games above .500, and draw one step closer to clinching a spot in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. A great turnaround for a team that whiffed on the Play-In just a year earlier.

Toronto, largely healthy, enters the Delta Center against the youngsters of Utah, largely unhealthy. The Jazz are 2.5 games above Sacramento in the tank race dumpster dive.

How to watch Utah Jazz vs Toronto Raptors:

Date: Monday, March 23, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM MT
Location: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Channel: Jazz+, KJZZ
Odds: TOR -12.5

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Calvin Barrett is a writer, editor, and prolific Mario Kart racer located in Tokyo, Japan. He has covered the NBA and College Sports since 2024.

The Boston Celtics hosted the Minnesota Timberwolves Sunday night in a nationally televised match up. Minnesota had not won a game in Boston for 25 years, and they obliterated the Celtics in the fourth quarter. Boston missed 12 straight shots to start the fourth quarter as they recorded their 24th loss on the season, 102-92. Jaylen Brown had 29 points to lead the C’s, Jayson Tatum was scoreless in the first half but finished the game with 16 points, Derrick White chipped in 15 points.

Boston started the game with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Sam Hauser, and Neemias Queta. The Timberwolves started Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle, Ayo Dosunmu, Donte DiVincenzo, and Jayden McDaniels. Anthony Edwards was unavailable for the visitors following a MRI on his right knee due to inflammation.

Derrick slipped into the lane to score the game’s first points as he got off a quick shot over Rudy Gobert. Jaylen Brown drove and scored over McDaniels. JB got a steal and passed full court to Hasuer for an easy layup to go up 6-2 early. Minny started off shooting just 1-6 to start the game. JB was on fire to start with, back-to-back buckets as Boston went up 11-2.

Jayden McDaniels finally stuck the Wolves’ second bucket with a line drive two-pointer. The visitors scored a pair of quick baskets to close the Celtics’ lead back to 11-8. Scheierman and Pritchard were the first C’s off the bench for Boston as White and Hauser took an early seat. Queta was blocked by Gobert but got the ball back and muscled it home over Randle in the key for his score of the game.

After his fantastic game in Memphis, Luka Garza got the nod as the first big man off the bench with Queta taking a seat. Brown drove with an up-and-under and was looking for his eleventh point in the quarter, but Gobert blocked him for his third of the night as the last line of defense for Minny.

In a low-scoring first quarter, both teams were struggling to shoot; Minnesota was just 26 percent from the field, Boston a fraction better at 38%. Jaylen Brown scored 11 of the team’s 23 points as Boston took a 9-point lead after one quarter, 23-14.

Brown and Tatum started the second quarter on the bench as Derrick White returned to the court. He wasted no time, hitting a triple followed up by a Baylor Scheierman corner trey to start the third as Boston went on a 10-0 run. The bench mob was proving to be effective for Boston as the home team went up, 31-20.

Hauser blocked a three-point attempt, and Derrick White slipped into the key to score his seventh point of the night. Jayson Tatum was struggling with the shot early, the All-Star scoreless to start, missing on his four shot attempts.

Luka Garza was whistled for an offensive foul on a blown screen, Gobert dunked it home as Minny came racing back into the contest, down just 3 points, 33-30. Dosunmu’s wing triple laced the net and tied scores at 33 all. Boston was stuck in mud int he second quarter after taking an early eleven point lead.

Derrick White was super open in the key with 4 and half minutes to go in the half, he scored on a back cut and dunk. Boston was not taking care of the ball in the half, and Minny had ratcheted up the defensive pressure in the second quarter, the C’s with 10 uncharacteristic first half turnovers.

JB was the C’s best player in the first half, he drove and spun home a circus shot reverse lay in and drew a foul. Brown would have 17 points in the first half on 6-13 from the field, Boston down 44-47 as Bones Hyland nailed a triple at the buzzer to end the half.

Jayson Tatum scored his first points of the game to start the 3rd quarter with a drive and layup over Rudy Gobert. JT followed that up with a step-back triple over Randle as he was finally starting to find a groove. Tatum stole the ball at half court for another layup; he had 7 quick points in the first 2 minutes of the third.

Tatum stepped into a second triple of the game as he shot over the taller Gobert, who was caught flat-footed. Brown hit a pair of free throws, and Pritchard rattled home a corner three in front of the C’s bench as Boston took a 63-54 lead.

Tatum had 13 points and counting in the third with five and a half minutes to go. Minny was running the floor and not going away, outscoring Boston in a third-quarter run, with the C’s up by just 3 points, 69-66. Pritchard hit a corner triple, and Brown flashed through the key for a two-handed dunk as Boston regained a scoring buffer.

With Rudy Gobert on the bench taking a breather late in the third, the smaller Wolves were running and gunning, Hyland and McDaniels providing the scoring punch for the visitors. After three it was a tight contest, Boston up by just one point, 77-76.

Both teams traded buckets to start the fourth quarter. It was Bones Hyland who was the story for Minny as he put the visitors on his shoulders to take a seven point lead, 88-81. Joe Mazzulla had to call a timeout as the Wolves went on a 10-0 run to silence the TD Garden. Naz Reid hit consecutive baskets as the Wolves had 16 straight points, 81-94.

Boston would need to dig out of a big hole with 5 minutes to go and after missing 12 straight shot attempts. Jayson Tatum broke the streak as he scored a layup and was fouled, Minny up by 10 points. The sixth placed Minnesota Timberwolves continued to pile up the points and close things out strong on the road. Joe Mazzulla emptied the bench to end it, with Shulga, Bassey and Harper Jr., getting late minutes.

Tonight’s game marks the first of three home games, Boston next host the Oklahoma Thunder on Wednesday.