Defending national champion Florida has already wrapped up the No. 1 seed for next week's SEC tournament in Nashville (March 11-15). But the final regular season SEC gameday saw plenty of drama and conference tournament re-seeding.
Arkansas' overtime win over Missouri on Saturday lifted the Razorbacks to the No. 2 seed momentarily. But Alabama's win over Auburn later Saturday allowed the Crimson Tide to retake the second spot.
Kentucky's loss to Florida on Saturday means the Wildcats dropped to the 9-seed and have to play in Wednesday's first round.
Then things got really exciting. Oklahoma beat Texas in OT to secure the 11-seed, while Texas A&M needed three overtimes over last-place LSU on Saturday to clinch the No. 6 seed, a first-round bye and maybe earned its spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Brazilian defender Matheus Thuler headed in the only goal as Vissel Kobe of Japan defeated FC Seoul of South Korea 1-0 on Wednesday in the first leg of the AFC Champions League Elite's round of 16.
Leonardo Ruiz had a chance to equalize for Seoul but missed a penalty in the second half.
“I’m a little disappointed that we didn’t win,” Seoul coach Kim Ki-dong said. “We showed our fight to turn it around but the round of 16 is not over yet and I am confident that we will win the next game.”
Benjamin Mazzeo’s strike in injury time earned Australia’s Melbourne City a 1-1 draw with Buriram United ahead of next week’s second leg in Thailand, while Johor Darul Tazim of Malaysia beat Japanese side Sanfrecce Hiroshima 3-1.
In the remaining fixture in the eastern half of the competition, South Korea’s Gangwon FC and Japan’s Machida Zelvia played out a 0-0 draw.
All matches from the quarterfinal stage onward are scheduled to take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from April 16–25 but it's unclear when games in the western zone can resume.
Tonight at Madison Square Garden may well be a preview of the NBA Finals when the New York Knicks (40-22) take the court against the Oklahoma City Thunder (48-15).
Each team enters the game riding a three-game winning streak. Since the All-Star break, the Thunder have faced Cleveland, Toronto, Detroit, Denver and now the Knicks. The only loss thus far came at Detroit on February 25. The Knicks head west after the game to play Denver and the Lakers later this week.
The Thunder own the best record in the NBA and lead San Antonio in the Western Conference by three games. The Knicks sit third in the East, 1.5 games behind the Celtics and six behind the Detroit Pistons.
Fatigue and injuries could well play a factor tonight. This is the third game in four nights for each team. Both played last night. The Knicks defeated Toronto for the twelfth consecutive time. New York held the Raptors to just 37 second-half points enroute to a 111-95 win. Jalen Brunson’s night included 26 points and Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 21 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. OKC won in Chicago, 116-108 win on Tuesday. They played without MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal), and additional key contributors including Isaiah Hartenstein (injury maintenance), and Jalen Williams (hamstring). SGA and the former Knick Hartenstein are expected to dress this evening.
The Thunder have won the last four meetings between these teams and have not lost at Madison Square Garden since 2017.
Lets take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch Live: Thunder at Knicks
Date: Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Time: 7PM EST
Site: Madison Square Garden
City: New York, NY
Network/Streaming: ESPN
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Game Odds: Thunder at Knicks
The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Oklahoma City Thunder (-170), New York Knicks (+142)
Spread: Thunder -4.5
Total: 222.5 points
This game opened Thunder -3.5 with the Total set at 222.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups: Thunder at Knicks
Oklahoma City Thunder
PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
SG Cason Wallace
SF Luguentz Dort
PF Chet Holmgren
C Isaiah Hartenstein
New York Knicks
PG Jalen Brunson
SG Josh Hart
SF Mikal Bridges
PF OG Anunoby
C Karl-Anthony Towns
Injury Report: Thunder at Knicks
Oklahoma City Thunder
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal) is listed as probable for tonight’s game
Isaiah Hartenstein (injury management) is listed as probable for tonight’s game
Ajay Mitchell (abdomen) is listed as doubtful for tonight’s game
Jalen Williams (hamstring) has been ruled OUT of tonight’s game
Branden Carlson (back) is listed as questionable for tonight’s game
Thomas Sorber (knee) has been ruled OUT of tonight’s game
New York Knicks
Miles McBride (ankle) has been ruled OUT for tonight’s game
Mitchell Robinson (ankle) is listed as doubtful for tonight’s game
Important stats, trends and insights: Thunder at Knicks
The Knicks are 23-8 at home this season
The Thunder are 23-8 on the road this season
The Knicks are 32-29-1 ATS this season / 20-11 at home
The Thunder are 31-31-1 ATS this season / 16-14-1 on the road
The OVER has cashed in 34 of the Thunder’s 59 games this season (34-25)
The OVER has cashed in 30 of the Knicks’ 63 games this season (30-33)
The Thunder are 7-3 in their last 10 games ATS against the Knicks and 8-2 on the Moneyline in those 10 games
Since the All-Star Break (6 games), Chet Holmgren has averaged 12 rebounds per game and pulled down at least 9 in each of the last 5
In his 7 games since the All-Star Break, Jalen Brunson has averaged 24.1 points and 6.7 assists per game
Shea Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 20 points in 123 consecutive games (Wilt Chamberlain holds the record with 126 consecutive games of 20 or more points)
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s Thunder and Knicks’ game:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Thunder on the Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Knicks +4.5 ATS
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 222.5
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To no shock, when CBS and TNT Sports announced their lineup for announcers for the 2025-26 tournament, Raftery was grouped with Ian Eagle, Grant Hill and Tracy Wolfson for the call on the semifinal and championship game on April 4 and 6, respectively. It will be the third straight year the quartet works together for these games.
Here's a look at who the networks will have on the call for games and studio broadcast during the 2026 NCAA Tournament:
2026 NCAA Tournament game announcers
It's not a shock that Raftery, Eagle, Hill and Wolfson will serve as the lead announcing team throughout the tournament. Brian Anderson, Jim Jackson and Allie LaForce will form one team through the regional round, while Kevin Harlan, Robbie Hummel, Stan Van Gundy and and Lauren Shehadi form another. Andrew Catalon, Steve Lappas and Evan Washburn form the third team.
Here's a look at all the CBS/TNT announcing teams:
Ian Eagle, Bill Raftery, Grant Hill and Tracy Wolfson: Through championship game
Brian Anderson, Jim Jackson and Allie LaForce: Through regional finals
Kevin Harlan, Robbie Hummel, Stan Van Gundy and and Lauren Shehadi: Through regional finals
Andrew Catalon, Steve Lappas and Evan Washburn: Through regional finals
Brandon Gaudin, Chris Webber and Andy Katz: First and second rounds
Spero Dedes, Jim Spanarkel and Jon Rothstein: First and second rounds
Tom McCarthy, Candace Parker, Dan Bonner and AJ Ross: First and second rounds
Brad Nessler, Wally Szczerbiak and Jared Greenberg: First and second rounds
2026 NCAA Tournament studio analysts
Adam Zucker and Nate Burleson are set to host the studio coverage from New York at the CBS Broadcast Center. Charles Barkley, Clark Kellogg and Kenny Smith will join the duo. Meanwhile, Adam Lefkoe will host the studio coverage from Atlanta, at the TNT Sports Studio. Bruce Pearl, Jamal Mashburn, Jalen Rose and Seth Davis are set to join Lefkoe.
Ernie Johnson will host the studio coverage during the Final Four.
Here's a look at the all the studio analysts this tournament:
Host: Nate Burleson, New York
Host: Adam Zucker, New York
Host: Adam Lefkoe, Atlanta
Host: Ernie Johnson, Final Four
Analyst: Clark Kellogg, New York
Analyst: Charles Barkley, New York
Analyst: Kenny Smith, New York
Analyst: Renee Montgomery, New York
Analyst: Jamal Mashburn, Atlanta
Analyst: Jalen Rose, Atlanta
Analyst: Seth Davis, Atlanta
Analyst: Bruce Pearl, Atlanta
Game updates: Jamie Erdahl
Rules analyst: Gene Steratore
2026 NCAA Tournament First Four announcers
The tournament officially tips off on Tuesday, March 17 and Wednesday, March 18 with the First Four games on truTV. Jordan Kent and Spanarkel, with Jenny Dell as the courtside reporter on the call the first game on Tuesday, as well as both games on Wednesday, from Dayton, Ohio.
The second game on Tuesday will be called by Anderson, Barkley and Dick Vitale, with Dell serving as the courtside reporter.
The studio coverage for the First Four games will come from Atlanta, with Lefkoe hosting and analysts Pearl, Mashburn, Rose and Davis joining him.
Game 1: Jordan Kent, Jim Spanarkel and Jenny Dell
Game 2: Brian Anderson, Charles Barkley, Dick Vitale and Jenny Dell
The Big Ten basketball regular season is down to the final four games Sunday. Teams are still jockeying for Big Ten Tournament seedings with positions 2 through 4 earning the all-important triple-bye to the quarterfinals.
Purdue, which began the season ranked No. 1 in the country, will be the No. 7 seed in the Big Ten Tournament after losing Saturday at home to Wisconsin, and UCLA beating USC.
This year, the Big Ten Tournament expanded to all 18 teams. So Penn State, Oregon and Maryland, who would have been in line to miss the tournament, get a chance to play in Chicago.
Here's how the bracket looks as of Sunday, March 8.
Something has been in the air lately, almost like a bug—or perhaps an injury bug? Jokes aside, both Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. have had ankle injuries in recent games. Amen hurt his ankle in Monday’s game against the Washington Wizards, while Jabari was injured during last Thursday’s game against the Orlando Magic.
Houston’s upcoming injury report is anticipated to include an official severity update for Amen, and Jabari’s comeback is anticipated on Thursday when Houston plays the Golden State Warriors. Smith and Thompson are both dealing with ankle issues, which is testing Houston’s depth. The coaching staff has been compelled to experiment with lineup combinations, increasing the responsibility of secondary scorers and bench contributions. The absence of two young building blocks also affects chemistry. Thompson and Smith make up the squad’s long-term core; their extended absence disrupts the team’s identity-building process.
Luckily for Houston, neither injury is currently believed to be a season-ending one. Both players remain vital to the Rockets’ present and future objectives. Thompson’s top priorities will be steadiness and regaining confidence when going downhill. Smith’s main goal is to ensure that the ankle is strong enough to endure defensive shifts and heavy minute workloads. As the season goes on, both talent and health might determine the Rockets’ destiny. Houston will have two dynamic players who can alter the tempo of a game on any given night if Smith and Thompson heal completely. Without Thompson and Smith, expect more minutes from members of the “stay ready crew” such as Aaron Holiday and Jeff Green, along with Reed Sheppard starting.
The Rockets will be back in action Thursday at 6:30 pm as they take on the Orlando Magic at Toyota Center. You can watch the game on SCHN, and as always, be sure to check back at The Dream Shake for both pre- and post-game content.
Rob Dillingham looked like something close to Gen Z Allen Iverson in college when he was tearing it up for the Kentucky Wildcats next to Reed Sheppard. The super shifty point guard was ripping deep three-pointers, cooking defenders off the bounce, and playing with a flair that energized fans and teammates alike. The Minnesota Timberwolves were so sold on Dillingham that they traded a first-round pick seven years out to move up to the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 draft to select him.
Dillingham could not get on the floor for a contending Wolves team in his first 1.5 seasons, so at the trade deadline Minnesota dealt him to Chicago for Ayo Dosunmu. Taking a flier on the 21-year-old guard made sense for a rebuilding Bulls team, but so far the change of scenery hasn’t benefitted Dillingham too much.
As the Thunder were crushing the Bulls on Tuesday night, Dillingham had one of the strangest turnovers you will ever see. Pushing the ball on the break, the Chicago guard accidentally heel-kicked the ball to OKC. This is something straight out soccer, but not sure if Messi himself could actually pull off if he tried. Watch the play here:
Some of these Rob Dillingham turnovers are mind-boggling. He just heel kicked the ball to the Thunder pic.twitter.com/ngAuzeJjBG
This feels absolutely impossible to recreate. If Dillingham tried to do it 100 more times, I don’t think he could. That’s yours truly on the clip, and I’m just glad I had the game recording when such a strange play happened.
Dillingham needs to do two things to save his NBA career: cut down the turnovers, and improve as a shooter. He has a nearly 20 percent turnover rate since entering the league, which is about twice as high as it needs to be given his other limitations. For such a small guard to succeed, they need to be able to drain threes off the dribble. Dillingham’s 44 percent college three-point stroke has fallen to 31.7 percent in the NBA. A lot of his issues could probably be fixed just by getting stronger.
Dillingham is really fun to watch when he’s on, but his significant lack of both length and strength hurts him. This is just a bizarre play. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen it before, and I doubt I’ll ever see it again.
NOBLESVILLE, IN - FEBRUARY 21: Keshon Gilbert #10 of the Capital City Go-Go dribbles the ball during the game against the Noblesville Boom on February 21, 2026 at the Arena at Innovation Mile 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Dean/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Yesterday, the Hawks took action to fill their third and final two-way spot with the signing of Keshon Gilbert. The report broken by Jake L. Fischer of the Stein Line substack:
The Atlanta Hawks are signing Keshon Gilbert to a two-way contract, according to league sources. Gilbert, repped by veteran agent Bill Neff, was with the Capital City Go-Go, and spent time with the Washington Wizards earlier this season.
Caleb Houston was recently converted from his two-way deal to a standard contract. In that space is now Gilbert, who played for the Wizards earlier this season.
Gilbert is a 22-year-old rookie guard who went undrafted from Iowa State. He’s a solid playmaker and defender with good size for a point guard.
He joins Christian Koloko and RayJ Dennis as the other Hawks on two-way deals.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 01: Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks shoots the ball during the first quarter of the game against the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden on March 01, 2026 in New York City. 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 Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When Mike Brown was hired as the new honcho in July, it was abundantly clear that the Knicks would fundamentally change their offensive identity.
And while the team has been pretty similar to last season in terms of offensive rating, efficiency, and their overall standing in the league, there’s one thing that’s been different: three-point volume.
The Knicks are eighth in 3PA/g with 39.5 following their win in Toronto on Tuesday night. Last year? They were 27th with 34.1. The overall efficiency hasn’t changed too much (up to 37.5% from 36.9% last year), but in shooting 5.4 more attempts per game, the shot diet has been considerably augmented. They went from 38.2% of their shots being from 3 to having 43.7% of their shots be from downtown, a solid increase.
The biggest change, though, is that the team is now hunting the most efficient shot in the modern NBA, the corner 3. And for the most part, they’re knocking them down.
That’s powered by some of the NBA’s most prolific corner 3 shooters, as Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby are 2nd and 3rd in attempts from the corner, respectively, while both are shooting over 42%. Deuce McBride, Landry Shamet, Josh Hart, and Jalen Brunson are also shooting over 39%. Hell, even Mo Diawara is on fire from the corner!
So the Knicks have shooters and a coach who prioritizes getting good, open looks at the most efficient spots. What could possibly go wrong?
The problem turns out to be that the Knicks aren’t the most consistent bunch. The numbers look spectacular, but not all “efficient” shooters are created equally. There’s the AJ Green’s of the world, that’s an absolute lock to at least go 3/6 or 4/10 even when he’s not 100% locked in. Then, there’s the type that will one game go 6/8 and the next game go 1/8, but ultimately average out at over 40%.
That’s, unfortunately, what the Knicks have been.
OG and Mikal both on this list.
Wrote about it this morning. Part of being the best role players in the NBA – something both were billed as – is consistency. Neither has been consistent enough for the Knicks given their other issues. https://t.co/tlRPeJURk7
As such, the Knicks have had some really bad shooting games. Through 62 games, here are the Knicks’ records when they shoot a certain percentage from 3:
Over 45%: 13-0 Over 40%: 20-5 Over 34%: 37-9 Under 34%: 3-13 Under 30%: 1-9
The Knicks have not lost a game where they shoot better than 44% from 3. They have not won a game where they shoot worse than 28%. Of course, it’s obvious that a team will do better when they make more 3-pointers, but this disparity is extremely jarring. In fact, here are the exact same splits from the 2024-25 season:
Over 45%: 11-1 Over 40%: 24-4 Over 34%: 40-13 Under 34%: 11-18 Under 30%: 5-13
With the larger volume of threes being taken this year, there’s less margin for error when they don’t go down. Last year, the Knicks were able to occasionally win when inefficient from 3 because they usually shot less than 30 a night when they weren’t falling. This year? They’re trying to shoot 35-40 per game, regardless.
There are pros and cons to both systems. Last year’s offensive system was more flexible, but the ceiling of the current team is much higher because they can absolutely destroy teams when they knock down a barrage of threes. It also makes it so that, as long as they make enough shots, the volume will usually have them out in front.
Of course, what matters is making the shots when it counts. The Knicks are the league’s best three-point shooting team in the clutch this season (while also, strangely, being the worst free-throw shooting team), but that’s not entirely what I mean by making it when it matters.
In three matchups with the top-seeded Detroit Pistons this season, the Knicks are shooting an abysmal 29.6%. While some of that is elite Pistons defense, a deeper dive shows that it’s just really bad shotmaking.
Open threes: 5-33 (15.2%) Wide-open threes: 19-56 (33.9%)
In the most recent defeat in Cleveland, the Knicks went an absolutely horrific 5-for-21 on wide-open triples. Maybe a good percentage of those bolsters an offense that was stuck in neutral all night there.
When the Knicks lose, it’s because they can’t make shots. Very few times (outside the 11-game stretch, of course) are they just completely overmatched and outplayed in all facets. There will be that game where Brunson is stuck in a box, and his supporting cast is either in street clothes or just not effective. There will be nights when important players are injured. There will be nights when the effort level isn’t there.
But a lot of times, it really just boils down to making open threes. When they make them, they’re extremely hard to beat.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 3: Doug Collins, Bob Costas and Mike Fratello smile before the game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the San Antonio Spurs on March 3, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
On Tuesday night, NBC flashed back to the 1990s and the result was more entertaining than any episode of Friends I’ve seen. With the NBA once more on the network this season as part of the league’s changing media rights landscape, NBC did a retro broadcast of the Sixers-Spurs game in Philadelphia. I adored it, despite the results of the game.
The network’s pregame show, featuring the likes of old-school NBA on NBC commentators Hannah Storm, P.J. P.J. Carlesimo and Isiah Thomas handled the pregame action, discussing the Sixers-Spurs game while mixing in clips from the ‘90s and the turn of the millennium to augment the retro feel. Sure, today’s younger fans want to know the latest on Victor Wembanyama and Tyrese Maxey, but seeing videos of former Sixers coach Larry Brown and NBA Finals matchups of yesteryear was a treat.
As things changed to actual in-game action, NBC brought the goods with the graphics package.
They were both great touches and the fact that the Sixers were donning their Allen Iverson-era throwback uniforms only made it that much more sweet.
A classic group of announcers were on the mic too with Bob Costas, Doug Collins and Mike Fratello, as well as Jim Gray as a sideline reporter. I have been vocal over the last 15 years about my disdain for Collins’ tenure as a coach in Philadelphia, but he was an excellent player as a Sixer and defining color commentator for the sport.
I love basketball history. If you’re a fan of the modern game, you should too. This isn’t to say that any teenager should automatically proclaim that Michael Jordan was better than their GOAT in LeBron James. Form your own opinions, but be informed of what transpired in the game, from the on-court action of the former legends to all the minutiae surrounding it that made us all fall for hoops in the first place. That connective tissue is everything. Sure, things have changed mightily over the decades. This game is airing concurrently on a streaming service, for instance, but our collective love of basketball still shines through.
This shouldn’t be a one-off thing. Doing it weekly would diminish the aura of it, but how about monthly at least? Maybe you can’t get the whole crew of announcers together for that many games, but if the broadcast, graphics, court and uniforms adhere to the era, let’s keep going with this blast to past. Perhaps it reels back in some lapsed NBA fans while also giving younger generations a reason to go on a Wikipedia or basketball-reference wormhole to learn about everything that led to Wembanyama and Maxey now being the kings of the court.
Center Deandre Ayton dunks in front of Pelicans forward Zion Williamson duing the Lakers' defeat of New Orlenas on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
A three-pointer clanked off the side of the backboard. Four players were whistled for technical fouls. Passes from the Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans sailed out of bounds.
The errors added up to an ugly game. The result, however, was beautiful for the Lakers, who notched a 110-101 comeback win over the Pelicans on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. They clawed back from an eight-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win their third consecutive game, showing the kind of resolve coach JJ Redick said he hasn’t seen since November when the Lakers started 15-4.
“Nights like this can change the trajectory for teams and players,” guard Marcus Smart said. “So hopefully this win and tonight, in the way, the fashion that we won it, kicks our confidence up.”
Here are three takeaways from the game:
Marcus Smart gives Lakers life
Lakers guard Marcus Smart passes the ball under pressure from Pelicans guard Saddiq Bey on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
With calm feet and fast hands, Smart reached in to swat the ball away from a driving Trey Murphy III. The final defensive flourish from Smart put a fitting full-stop on the Lakers' win as the former defensive player of the year set the tone with four steals and three blocked shots and made a key three-pointer in the fourth quarter to spark the comeback.
“He gave us life tonight,” Redick said.
The 12-year veteran was the only Laker to play every second of the fourth quarter, proving to be a vital piece of the closing rotation along with stars LeBron James, Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic.
Doncic led the Lakers with 27 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, although he had seven turnovers. James fueled the Lakers during the third quarter, scoring the team’s first nine points and finishing with 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Reaves shook off a bad offensive night to score eight of his 15 points in the fourth quarter.
With so many offensive superstars around him, Smart has instead “starred in his role,” Redick said. The assignment is defense, a role Smart has dutifully filled his whole career.
“He’s just a winning player,” James said. “He always has been. Ever since I started watching him at Oklahoma State, all the way until being a pro.”
Jaxson Hayes stands up to Zion Williamson
Lakers center Jaxson Hayes falls after Pelicans forward Zion Williamson commits an offensive foul as Lakers guard Austin Reaves watches at at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Matching the physicality of Pelicans forwards Zion Williamson and Saddiq Bey was on the top of the Lakers’ scouting report. But the task is easier said than done.
Reaves admitted to being “terrified” of stepping in front of a driving Williamson to draw a charge. The 6-foot-6, 284-pound Pelicans forward is just as physical as he is athletic, creating a fearsome combination for defenders. Healthy for the first time in two seasons, Williamson led the Pelicans with 24 points on 10-for-18 shooting.
“We haven't seen somebody like that in a long time, right?” Smart said. “[With] his ability. But [being] willing to put your body there, take a charge, take an elbow to the face, box him out, go vertical, is definitely something that you got to be willing to do, and not everybody's willing to do it. And that's the difference in the game.”
Center Jaxson Hayes was up to the task. He absorbed a Williamson elbow in the fourth quarter and ended up in the front row of the stands holding his jaw. But the knock was worth it for the offensive foul that helped maintain the Lakers’ 14-0 run that quickly erased the Pelicans’ eight-point lead. The scoring streak started immediately after Hayes subbed back into the game with 7:20 remaining when he scored on his first possession, cutting to the basket for a dunk off an assist from Doncic.
Hayes had eight points, six rebounds and two blocks, playing nearly 23 minutes off the bench in his biggest workload as a substitute since Jan. 20 against Denver. After playing with Hayes in New Orleans during the center’s first two years in the league, Redick lauded the seventh-year pro's improvement. Hayes is sinking touch shots around the rim now. He has improved his decision making in the pocket. After getting benched for his defensive lapses last season, Hayes has impressed coaches with his consistent ability to stay vertical while protecting the rim. And he still brings the same trademark athleticism that made him the eighth overall pick in 2019.
“He consistently injects energy into the group when he runs the floor, blocks a shot, or he gets those dunks,” Redick said.
It's winning time
Lakers guard Luka Doncic motions across the court after Marcus Smart sank a three-pointer late in a win over the Pelicans at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday night. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
The Lakers steadied themselves with three wins over bottom-feeding teams. Now things get interesting.
With less than six weeks left of the regular season, the Lakers face a critical stretch of games that could shake up the playoff picture. Five of the Lakers’ next eight games are against the three teams directly ahead of them in the Western Conference, beginning with Thursday’s showdown in Denver. The Lakers are just half a game behind the Nuggets (38-24) for fifth place in the West. Behind conference favorites Oklahoma City and San Antonio, third and sixth place in the West are separated by just 1½ games.
Players are “aware” of the tight standings, Smart said. But the potentially season-defining stretch can’t be at the forefront of their minds now.
“We don't have the luxury to look ahead,” Smart said. “I think if we can stay that course and just focus [on] one game at a time, [we can] give ourselves a chance to do some things and catch a good rhythm.”
The Lakers also play fourth-place Minnesota (39-23) at home on March 10 and have consecutive road games at third-place Houston (38-22) on March 16 and 18.
ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 3: Justin Champagnie #9 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 Wizards lost another one — this time a reasonably competitive game (at least for a while) against the Orlando Magic. The final margin: 17.
That 17-point final gap sounds big for the words “reasonably competitive,” and those words in this case are not intended to convey the idea that the Wizards ever had a serious chance of winning. They did play Orlando about even in three of the four quarters, though it always felt like the Magic were just better and would eventually go on a run.
Will Riley goes for a layup in the team’s loss to the Orlando Magic. | Getty Images
That happened in the third quarter, which the Magic “won” by 13.
Although I’ve written variations of this next point many times the past couple years, it bears repeating: this kind of loss is by design. I mean, they gave 33 minutes to JuJu Reese, 31 to Leaky Black, and 20 to Sharife Cooper. This is not to slander any of them — if they work very hard and smart, each of them has the ability to be on NBA rosters and maybe in a team’s rotation for the next several years.
Possibly.
At this point, they’re G-Leaguers, 10-day, and two-way guys. Which is to say, not ready to offer serious competition to a professional team making a push to get their collective stuff together in time for the playoffs. Maybe that will be the Wizards in the future.
Thoughts & Observations
Trae Young will make his Wizards debut on Thursday against the Utah Jazz. Expect a tight minutes restriction, especially if he’s playing well. This one — and Sunday’s game at the New Orleans Pelicans are must lose for the Wizards.
After deploying a tiny lineup that got bludgeoned inside by the Houston Rockets, Washington opened even smaller. Kyshawn George was out with a “sprained elbow,” so head coach Brian Keefe started Will Riley, who’s…yet to develop muscles. Somehow, the Wizards (slightly) out-rebounded the Magic.
Coulibaly picked up two fouls in the first two minutes of the game. Keefe left him in, and he committed his third foul with five minutes left in the period. Given the team’s goals, and the reality that he wasn’t going to play more than 24 minutes, I thought Keefe should have let him continue playing — even with three fouls in the first quarter. Let him get the experience of defending through foul trouble.
The Wizards struggled frequently to get shots in the halfcourt. They had back-to-back shot clock violations in the first quarter. In the second, they committed consecutive backcourt violations.
Related: a recurring entry in my game notes was something along the lines of “nice move (or shot), but…” and the “but” would be followed by something about how hard the Wizards had to get a difficult shot. I made that note about Coulibaly, Tre Johnson, Will Riley, Bub Carrington, and Jaden Hardy.
Related-related: Difficult shot-making is valuable and necessary. But it cannot be the foundation of an efficient NBA offense. Much more valuable is the ability to generate easy shots. The Wizards aren’t there right now. It’s something that may come — they’re gaining experience, and they can improve with work on their bodies, skills, and decision-making.
From what I’ve seen so far, Reese has a very long ways to go to have an NBA career. He’s an undersized center whose best skill seems to be passing. He’s not a rim protector (by aptitude or athleticism). He was ineffective as a switch defender. He’s not nearly strong enough to bring high-level physicality.
Riley scored on a first-quarter possession that involved some fine moves and aggression. And it drove me nuts because it should have been illegal. On the move, I thought he double-dribbled once and committed at least three carries. Good move based on the way the NBA is currently officiated. It should have been a turnover.
From the notebook: Orlando’s offense is an incoherent mess.
Jaden Hardy is very confident in his ability to make shots.
Orlando shot 1-12 from three in the first half. They finished the game 10-25, which means they hit 9-13 in the second half. The quality of looks didn’t seem to change — just the result.
Coulibaly has been more aggressive offensively the past few weeks. One possession last night was a bit worrisome — he tried to post up on Tristan da Silva, got forced into a weirdly contorted fling, and got his shot blocked.
Every time I see Orlando play, I’m a bit underwhelmed by Paolo Banchero. That was true even last night when he had 37 points and 6 assists with very good efficiency. He seems heavily reliant on difficult shots and inefficient mid-rangers. Last night, he took mid-range faders when being defended by Riley — where Banchero has big size and strength advantages. I think center is the best position for Banchero and the Magic, except that his lack of rim protection might undermine their defense more than he’d benefit their offense.
Going by the Game Score metric on basketball-reference, this was the fifth best game of Jett Howard’s career. He scored 12 points on six shots.
Four Factors
Below are the four factors that decide wins and losses in basketball — shooting (efg), rebounding (offensive rebounds), ball handling (turnovers), fouling (free throws made).
The four factors are measured by:
eFG% (effective field goal percentage, which accounts for the three-point shot)
OREB% (offensive rebound percentage)
TOV% (turnover percentage — turnovers divided by possessions)
FTM/FGA (free throws made divided by field goal attempts)
FOUR FACTORS
WIZARDS
MAGIC
LGAVG
eFG%
50.5%
61.8%
54.3%
OREB%
27.1%
9.4%
26.1%
TOV%
12.2%
8.2%
12.8%
FTM/FGA
0.174
0.421
0.207
PACE
98
99.4
ORTG
111
129
115.3
Stats & Metrics
PPA is my overall production metric, which credits players for things they do that help a team win (scoring, rebounding, playmaking, defending) and dings them for things that hurt (missed shots, turnovers, bad defense, fouls).
PPA is a per possession metric designed for larger data sets. In small sample sizes, the numbers can get weird. In PPA, 100 is average, higher is better and replacement level is 45. For a single game, replacement level isn’t much use, and I reiterate the caution about small samples sometimes producing weird results.
POSS is the number of possessions each player was on the floor in this game.
ORTG = offensive rating, which is points produced per individual possessions x 100. League average so far this season is listed in the Four Factors table above. Points produced is not the same as points scored. It includes the value of assists and offensive rebounds, as well as sharing credit when receiving an assist.
USG = offensive usage rate. Average is 20%. Median so far this season is 17.7%.
ORTG and USG are versions of stats created by former Wizards assistant coach Dean Oliver and modified by me. ORTG is an efficiency measure that accounts for the value of shooting, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers. USG includes shooting from the floor and free throw line, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers.
+PTS = “Plus Points” is a measure of the points gained or lost by each player based on their efficiency in this game compared to league average efficiency on the same number of possessions. A player with an offensive rating (points produced per possession x 100) of 100 who uses 20 possessions would produce 20 points. If the league average efficiency is 115, the league — on average — would produced 23.0 points in the same 20 possessions. So, the player in this hypothetical would have a +PTS score of -3.0.
Players are sorted by total production in the game.
ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 19: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks dribbles the ball during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on January 19, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Todd Kirkland/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Milwaukee Bucks face off with the Atlanta Hawks tonight as both teams battle for play-in positioning. The Bucks (four games back) sit at 11th, while the Hawks are tied with the Hornets for 10th; a Bucks win means they would gain a full game on the Hawks. This will be the second matchup between these teams this season, with Milwaukee taking the first on MLK Day in Atlanta. With just one more matchup to come, the Bucks can claim the season series tonight.
Where We’re At
As I explained on today’s episode of Deer Diaries, the Bucks have lost three straight because their offence—which had been sustaining them—has deteriorated rapidly. Their defence has been consistently weak all season (even during the recent winning streak), so that was never going to bail them out. If they can’t recover their previous level of offensive efficiency, they’re finished. On the positive side, Giannis returned and, while he appeared rusty, I thought he looked solid athletically. Hopefully, he continues to improve in all facets as the games progress.
The Hawks are in a much better spot than they were when these teams last met, having won five of their last six games (granted, three of those came against the Wizards and Nets). The newly acquired Jonathan Kuminga has shocked everybody with his performance since getting dealt to Atlanta at the deadline, scoring a combined 64 points in his three games in a Hawks uniform (again, though, two came against the tanking Wiz). They’re also finally getting solid contributions from CJ McCollum, who had a rough start with the team since arriving.
Injury Report
For the Bucks, Taurean Prince (neck) is out. The Hawks have a clean bill of health.
Player To Watch
Giannis. Not because he’s the best player on the team, but because he’s coming back off a long injury-induced break. While GA looked decent athletically in his return, he went 7/18 from the floor (including some bad misses) and had three turnovers. How does he look tonight with the return game out of the way?
How To Watch
ESPN and FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin at 8:30 p.m. CST.
The Mavericks were 1-4 over the last week and remain in 12th place in the West. They beat Brooklyn (123-114), and lost four largely uncompetitive games to Sacramento (130-121), Memphis (124-105), Oklahoma City (100-87), and Charlotte (117-90). Naji Marshall led the team in scoring with 20.3 points per game. Cooper Flagg (foot) remains out, while Naji Marshall (finger), P.J. Washington (ankle), and Marvin Bagley (neck) all missed time.
Grade: C-
Cooper Flagg’s return cannot come fast enough. The Mavericks are playing multiple two-way guys every night and have rotation players in and out. This was one of the most meaningless stretches of basketball the Mavericks have played since possibly the 1980s, as they did not play well and did not improve their lottery odds by a single point.
Max Christie and Khris Middleton played all five games. They averaged a combined 21 points per game on 38-of-101 shooting (37.6 percent). It was not a good showcase from them when they had an elevated offensive burden due to the injuries on the team. Dallas cycled point guards and centers and found nothing worthwhile in either category, outside of a remarkable stat line from Moussa Cisse against the Thunder: 12 rebounds, zero points, zero assists, zero blocks, and zero steals.
The Mavericks play three more road games this week, in Orlando, Boston, and Toronto. The talk is that Cooper Flagg could return in one of these games, and with him being from Maine, a homecoming in Boston could be on the horizon.
Straight A’s: Klay Thompson
Klay Thompson is in Dallas as a result of the falling out he had with Golden State over his role, and particularly with regards to coming off the bench. He came here to start alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, yet now he finds himself subbing in for Max Christie. Any player of his caliber and with his resume would have every right to demand a trade or pout. And yet, Thompson has not said a word. He has been a consummate professional, showing up to work every day and playing as well as he can. I am sure mentoring Cooper Flagg provides incentive to take a back seat on a bad team, but the fact that he hasn’t repeated the antics that led to an exit from the Warriors is commendable.
Currently Failing: Watchability
The Mavericks were already teetering on the edge of tolerable when Cooper Flagg was playing, but now that he has been out for an extended period of time, it’s clear where the joy from those games came from. It’s not even that Dallas is hurt or bad; it is that most of the guys they have healthy are either old or playing for their NBA lives. There are no future implications when Flagg does not play. This is not a Wizards or Nets situation, where they have loads of young guys that could be the core moving forward. This is as close to an existential crisis as basketball fandom gets.
Extra Credit: Khris Middleton
Middleton will be a Maverick for the rest of the year. There were reports of Denver having interest, but ultimately, it will be Dallas where the former champion will play out his 2026 season. Regardless of reasoning, the Mavericks will benefit from his decision. He is another winning vet that can help guide Dallas’ young star rookie and prevent a losing culture from seeping in. It also speaks to the quality of guys behind the scenes, at least to some degree, that he would want to play relatively meaningless basketball in the latter stages of his career when the option to ring chase was on the table. Khris Middleton, we will not forget what you have done here.
Mar 3, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) reacts to his three pointer against the Philadelphia 76ers during the third quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Poke the bear and you get the horns. Something like that. Everyone and their tax advisor knew that coming off their first lost in 10 games, the Spurs would come out swinging on Tuesday night. Boy howdy, did they wax the cow off that haystack.
Devin Vassell and Dylan Harper both had a game high of 22 points, while Victor Wembanyama slept walked his way to 10 points, 8 rebounds, with 3 steals and 6 blocks. 6 blocks. 6 blocks in 24 minutes of play. I couldn’t get 2 blocks on my daughter’s Fisher Price basketball goal in 6 years of play.
What a smooth shot. Devin Vassell, here, hoisted up a shot with such a perfect arch that even the CEO of McDonald’s was so impressed he forgot he was eating his own product that his company dispenses.
I am work shopping an alternative to “Area 51.” Don’t get me wrong, I love Area 51. But these two have an inexplicable mind meld going on whenever they share the court that it can only be described as ESP (extrasensory perception).
Hey, remember when I was just talking about ESP? Did you know that the late, great Dennis Hopper did a commercial praising the exploits of Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin? Well now you do.
Here, Devin Vassell channeled his inner Robin Hood and stole from the rich to give to the robo-advisors. On a team of Victor Wembanyams, Stephon Castles, and De’Aaron Foxes, it’s easy to forget that Devin Vassell is stacking together games played in this stretch run as he helps lead the Spurs to the playoffs.
Another day, another way for Stephon Castle to dunk his way into our hearts. He’s like Shia LeBouf in Transformers (2007): plucky, surprisingly good, and you really don’t mind the Linkin Park soundtrack even if hearing anything Linkin Park makes your ears taste Red Bull even if you like your Red Bull to taste like emo.
Look, I want to apologize from above for comparing our beloved Stephon Castle to Linkin Park. No offense to Linkin Park, but your nu metal/rap rock/alternative metal/electronic rock/pop rock is not enough to describe my love and admiration of Stephon Castle’s game. And I once went to a music festival (it was actually the State Fair of Texas) featuring Linkin Park with 30 Seconds From Mars opening for Linkin Park. But after my friend and I watched 30 Seconds From Mars (purely for Jared Leto) (it was the year when “Dallas Buyers Club” was an Oscar darling) open for Linkin Park, we skipped the main act (Linkin Park) to get a giant fried turkey leg because it’s Texas, and that’s what you do at the State Fair of Texas in 2014.
Dylan Harper out here in his bag waiting for us to say (in my best Stanley Tucci voice) “Girl, that Louis Vitton does not deserve to be hung off your arm.”
Julian Champagnie had no sense of dithering when he served up this soft lob to Luke Kornet to reward the big man for his block and hustle on the defensive end.
In a true display of overflowing of talent, the Spurs unleashed Carter Bryant to the tune of 25:35 minutes where he wreaked upon the basketball world a barrage of 11 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists in those almost 26 minutes. Feast your eyes as our young prodigy takes to the air in an aerial display of magnanimous marvel.
If you missed the game because you were too busy cataloguing your CD collection of Papa Roach, Limp Bizkit, and Evanescence, here are the full-game highlights:
Next up, the Spurs return home after a long road trip to take on the Detroit Pistons on Thursday, March 5, 2026.
