NEW YORK (AP) — Day'Ron Sharpe matched a season high with 19 points, Ochai Agbaji added 18 and the Brooklyn Nets beat the injury-plagued Memphis Grizzlies 126-115 on Monday night for their second straight victory.
Nolan Traore added 17 points for the Nets, who were coming off an improbable 107-105 win at Eastern Conference-leading Detroit on Saturday night that snapped a 10-game skid.
The Nets, who rested leading scorer Michael Porter Jr., had six players score in double figures. The Grizzlies had only eight players available.
Rayan Rupert scored a career-high 20 points and Javon Small added 19 for Memphis, which has lost four straight and 11 of 14.
The Grizzlies were missing Ja Morant (left elbow), Scotty Pippen Jr. (right toe soreness), Santi Aldama (knee), Ty Jerome (calf), Cedrix Coward (right knee), newcomer Taj Gibson (reconditioning), Taylor Hendricks (right thumb soreness) and Brandon Clarke (calf). Zach Edey and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are out for the season.
Brooklyn led by single digits throughout the third quarter before taking control early in the fourth. Traore made a 3-pointer that put the Nets ahead 101-90, and Agbaji followed with two buckets off feeds by Ziaire Williams for a 15-point lead.
Brooklyn had a 67-40 advantage in bench points.
Earlier Monday, the Nets announced that Egor Demin will miss the rest of the season with plantar fasciitis in his left foot. The 6-foot-8 rookie averaged 10.3 points in 52 games.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 09: Jahmai Mashack #21 of the Memphis Grizzlies dribbles against Nolan Traore #88 of the Brooklyn Nets during the first half at Barclays Center on March 09, 2026 in the Brooklyn borough of 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 Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Brooklyn Nets picked up their second win in a row tonight, and while they played winning basketball by all accounts, it felt like the Memphis Grizzlies set it down on the ground for them and walked away.
The Nets held Michael Porter Jr. out tonight for rest. They also started Drake Powell, who spent the last week and a half with Long Island. By putting him alongside Nolan Traoré, Danny Wolf, Noah Clowney, and Nic Claxton, the Nets started three rookies for a third time this season. Progress.
However, the Grizzlies had an even stronger handicap. If you’re a Nets fans infatuated with the Memphis Hustle, this was the night for you to come to the Barclays Center! Memphis’ list of inactives included Ja Morant, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Zach Edey, Brandon Clarke, Taylor Hendricks, Scotty Pippen Jr., Santi Aldama, Ty Jerome, Taj Gibson and Cedric Coward. That left them with only eight players available, three being two-ways. Their rotation also lacked a true center, as they opened with 6’9” GG Jackson at the 5.
Claxton relished his opportunity as the only adult in the room. Most of Brooklyn’s early offensive sets centered around him as he scored six of Brooklyn’s first eight points.
Nevertheless, Memphis controlled the contest early on, starting it 6-of-8 from deep. Rayan Rupert, one of the aforementioned two-ways, led everyone with eight first period points while shooting 2-4 from three. He and Memphis’ rag tag crew even went up on Brooklyn by as many as 10 in that frame.
However, the Nets closed it on an equally sized run to retake the lead, and they held theirs for far longer. Ben Saraf, running around like a penguin on melting ice beforehand, hit Ziaire Williams with a perfect pass to set up a the high-arching three that capped it off…
Ben Saraf finds Ziaire Williams at the last second. Nice job to lead him to the spot with the pass. pic.twitter.com/SNITv29LiU
It was Ochai Agbaji’s turn in the secon. He snagged seven points for the Nets in the period’s first three minutes, leveraging his speed and size on the break. The 6’5” 25-year-old wing also hit a triple in that stretch, bringing himself to 13-of-29 on threes in Brooklyn. He finished tonight with a season high 18 points on 8-of-9 shooting.
“Yeah, he took advantage of his minutes in the last two games, especially against Detroit, a very good team and physical,” Fernández said. “I thought defensively, he was one of our best players, especially protecting the rim and being our low man. He had four actions where he went vertical and protected the rim. And then tonight, the efficiency, 8-of-9 with 18 points, very clean game for him. It’s always good to have guys come in and be that efficient.”
However, if we’re going to talk about shooting from deep, we should really start with Traoré. He hasn’t shied away from the arc this year, but he hasn’t exactly threatened defenses from there either, coming into the game shooting 32.2% on 2.9 attempts per game.
Perhaps the Memphis defense read into those numbers too much. Perhaps Traoré wanted to save his makes for later in the season. Either way, he started the game a perfect 3-of-3 from deep and quickly helped the Nets build their won double digit advantage. He finished with 17 points shooting 6-of-9 from the field and 4-of-5 from three. The Nets also shot 17-of-33 on triples for the evening, giving them their highest mark from there in a game all season.
But even as Brooklyn continued the crisp outside shooting, they never forgot about their advantage on the interior. Brooklyn continued to attack the paint in transition and the halfcourt, posting a +12 advantage there in the first half. Just behind Traoré, who had 11 points by then with an assist and block, Brooklyn’s bigs in Claxton (10) and Sharpe (9) were their team’s second and third leading scorers at halftime.
Fernández took time to appreciate the team’s ability to attack the Memphis defense on both fronts after the game.
“Day’Ron was very efficient. Nic, pretty efficient,” Fernández said. “But, you look at the paint points, 56 is not crazy. I think DayD was very efficient. I think all the shots, like you shoot 55% from the field and 51% for three, that’s pretty good. So, short handed, eight players, probably smaller, but I think overall, it was not just throwing it into the post all the time. Day’Day ducked in a couple times, did a great job, dunked in transition, all that stuff, so yeah, it was good.”
“Great team effort,” Sharpe added. “Everybody’s playing hard, playing together. We always preach about by sharing the ball. They was smaller, so me and Nic was getting on the ball paint and kicking it out. Everybody was capitalizing off of that.”
The Nets likely would have led by more than eight at halftime had they not turned it over 10 times and allowed Memphis to shoot 9-of-20 from deep. But even with the first half spotlighting the Nets’ perimeter defense as the barrier separating them from a win, they either still couldn’t see it, or couldn’t get around it at first.
The Grizzlies began the second half 3-of-6 from deep and quickly cut the lead to one less than four minutes into the third. A Danny Wolf at center experiment midway through the period went awry too, as Memphis even swung back against Brooklyn inside, managing to win there in the period 14-10.
And again, the Grizzlies got close, but not back in front of the Nets. Each time they inched closer, Brooklyn hit a timely shot to stay up one or two possessions. Wolf even redeemed some of his rough defensive sequences at the other end, or at least by heaving the ball into it…
Sharpe then took it from there. Coming in for Wolf to begin the fourth, he added seven points in less than three minutes to lead Brooklyn on a 14-4 run. In the process, Sharpe showed he can put the ball through the rim with feel and force, hitting a three before doing this moments later…
“The three, I already knew it was going in as soon as I shot it,” Sharpe said. “And the dunk, I just gotta dunk it. I didn’t even think he was gonna jump, but he jumped, so I just put it on his head.”
When the dust settled after Sharpe’s seismic boom, the scoreboard showed the Nets up by more than two touchdowns. Powell, Agbaji, and Jalen Wilson, who played his first non-garbage time minutes in over two weeks, all mixing in threes as the fourth bled down also provided the plenty of lead insurance.
It was even enough for Chaney Johnson, one of Brooklyn’s own two-ways, to get his first career minutes as a pro. He played the game’s final five minutes alongside E.J. Liddell, grabbing four points and a steal.
There’s not many to choose from, but this was likely Brooklyn’s biggest “team” win of the season, and not just because the Long Island guys got some burn.
While Sharpe led everyone with 19 points on 8-11 shooting, Ziaire Williams also pitched in 11 points off the bench and finished as a +22. Wilson only scored six points, but finished as a +31 in 22 minutes, which ranks as a career-high figure for him. Wolf had a 14/9/2 line, registering a block and a steal too. Noah Clowney was the sixth Net in double figures with 10 points, but Powell and Claxton were right behind with nine apiece.
With the win, the Nets also surrender the third-best odds to win the draft lottery this May to the Washington Wizards. Sure, there’s plenty of time for them to make that ground back up, but we can’t talk about two Nets wins in a row without acknowledging that.
While lots of fans will surely care about draft pick positioning, Day’Ron Sharpe made it clear postgame he doesn’t…not that his play left anything up for debate.
“We trying to win every game,” he said. “Well, I know, like us as a team, we’re every game, so it felt great for us to get the last win and to get a win today. Nobody likes losing, so just always trying to win, always bring good energy in the locker room.”
Final: Brooklyn Nets 126, Memphis Grizzlies 115
Milestone Watch
Day’Ron Sharpe tied his season high of 19 points tonight against the Grizzlies (fourth time) to go with five rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block. In tandem with Ochai Agbaji (season-high 18 points), it is the first time this season that multiple Nets have scored 18+ off the bench in the same game.
Jalen Wilson +31 plus/minus tonight against Memphis is the second-highest plus/minus by a Net this season (Ben Saraf, +32 on 12/6/25 vs. WAS)
Waiting on the final results around the league, but it looks like the Nets will wind fourth in the Tankathon rankings.
Next Up
The Nets beat the Pistons on Saturday, so that automatically means they’re better than them now and should be favored in this game. This one tips off at Tuesday in the Barclays Center at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Mar 9, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Justin Edwards (11) goes for a loose ball against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Keon Ellis (14) during the first half at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer season standings: Tyrese Maxey – 22 Joel Embiid – 9 VJ Edgecombe – 9 Paul George – 6 Kelly Oubre Jr. – 4 Jared McCain :’( – 3 Dominick Barlow – 2 Andre Drummond – 2 Jabari Walker – 1 MarJon Beauchamp – 1 Adem Bona – 1 Justin Edwards – 1 Quentin Grimes – 1 Trendon Watford – 1 15th roster spot – 1
The woefully shorthanded Sixers stood no chance against the Cavaliers on Monday, falling 115- 101.
The Sixers were without their top four scorers for this one — Joel Embiid (oblique), Tyrese Maxey (finger), Paul George (suspension) and VJ Edgecombe (back) were all sidelined.
Their absences were felt early and often as the Sixers could not find consistent offense and were forced to play zone defense until garbage time. A new Sixers addition made an impact in the final quarter, but there was not much else to point to in this one.
No rest for the weary either as the Sixers play tomorrow to close the back-to-back hosting the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday evening.
Grimes was one of if not the only Sixer who could operate the offense at a respectable level provided the injury report. He took advantage of it both as a playmaker and scorer, when points were extremely difficult to come by.
Quentin Grimes leading the floor with 14 points on 5-8 FG shooting as we inch towards halftime pic.twitter.com/Om4KpYnFJ3
He did most of his damage in the first half with strong drives and solid shooting. He started the game with a pair of threes which got the Sixers out to an early advantage, which he parlayed into determined attacks into the teeth of the Cleveland defense. He added a few dimes including a great look to Adem Bona underneath the basket following good ball movement from the Sixers.
While Grimes made a strong impact in the first, Payne shook off some shooting woes late in the second quarter. Following a nice finish in the paint, he drained a pull-up three from the top of the arc after missing his first five attempts from deep.
There was also a ridiculous moment caught by Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire that may or may not have been intentional from the Cavaliers’ scoreboard graphics department.
Very strong shooting for Justin Edwards throughout this one, and helped create some tension for the Cavs in the fourth. In what has been an up-and-down campaign for Edwards, Monday’s showing was one of his better two-way performances. He picked off a couple errant passes, one of which he converted for a transition layup.
Terry did made the most of his opportunity, especially during his stint in the fourth. He grabbed a couple offensive rebounds which turned into points, and initiated the offense with athleticism that stood out. He made his defensive presence known despite the score, and was the main engine in making things appear closer at the final buzzer. He should be a candidate for more minutes with the Sixers guard depth depleted.
Nets guard Egor Demin (8) dribbles against Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher (10) during the first half at State Farm Arena.
Egor Dëmin — the Nets’ first lottery pick in 15 years — will miss the remainder of his rookie season due to increased plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
The news came Monday before a victory that was Pyrrhic in every way. Brooklyn won 126-115 against Memphis, but the tanking Nets lost not only their prized rookie, but vital ground in the all-important lottery race.
While Dëmin will avoid surgery — and should return to basketball activity early in the offseason and be a full participant in the summer development program — having his promising debut season cut short will be a blow for the young Russian.
Nets guard Egor Demin (8) dribbles against Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher (10) during the first half at State Farm Arena. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“He’s been a kid that wants to play, wants to be out there, wants to develop — and nothing better than playing real games to get better at this level,” said Jordi Fernández. “Obviously when you have discomfort and it doesn’t allow you to play at that level, we had to find solutions. We were trying to find the best way. And at the end of the day, the good thing is it’s [a] non-surgical procedure, which is good.
“Obviously the summer and getting him to work and get better throughout the process and having a summer is important. So, the fact he’s not going to be able to play these 20-some games, it’s not the best, because he wants to and we value real reps. But his health is the No. 1 priority. And we’re very, very optimistic and positive about it.”
Dëmin, 20, had missed the last four games and been mired in a funk. He’d averaged just six points on 31.4 percent shooting and 6-for-24 from deep over his last five games, a Feb. 27 loss in Boston his final game.
“I know he was dealing with some discomfort, and it got worse and worse,” said Fernández. “We decided to take a look and [try to] settle it a little bit. We ended up asking for different opinions, and that’s what was recommended to us.”
Dëmin ends a solid rookie campaign averaging 10.3 points, 3.3 assists and 3.2 boards. He was the first Net since 2019 picked for the Rising Stars at All-Star weekend, and set an NBA rookie record by hitting a 3-pointer in 34 straight games.
“He’s gotten better at everything we ask him to do,” said Fernández. “The superpowers that he has, he’s shown he can do it at this level, which is really good. The shooting, not just how real it is, but how fast it goes in. His shots in clutch time, the perimeter passing. And now defensively and offensively, that physicality that comes with the work [on] his body. … He’s taking steps.
“He’s been able to get into the paint more times. Same [thing] defensively on being more physical and working on that technique. That’s going to come with his player development plan. And the sooner we can have him in the summer and keep working on these things, you can keep taking steps forward. But he’s gotten better in every single thing that we’ve asked him to do.”
Nets guard Egor Dëmin (8), right, attempts a 3-point basket against Atlanta Hawks guard Gabe Vincent (4), left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, AP
With Dëmin shelved and Michael Porter Jr. rested against the Grizzlies, the Nets started rookies Nolan Traore, Danny Wolf and Drake Powell.
Traore had 17 points and four assists while Day’Ron Sharpe bullied the short-handed Grizzlies inside for 19 points and five boards.
“We’re trying to win every game,” said Sharpe. “Nobody likes losing. So just always trying to win, and always bring good energy.”
Memphis showed tanking urgency and suited up just eight players, with Ja Morant, Santi Aldama, Ty Jerome, Cedric Coward and Zach Edey all out. Brooklyn won, but fell to fourth in the lottery race.
“When you’re winning it makes everything better. Guys are bought in, and it’s a lot of fun,” said Wolf (14 points,) adding, “We were able to punish them in the paint. We had a pretty large lineup, and their tallest guy was 6-8.”
The Nets declined to give Grant Nelson a second 10-day contract, league sources told the Post. Fernández said it was to get a look at other players.
“We obviously loved what he did in the games he had a chance to play,” said Fernández. “We have plenty of players here to give looks and to make sure that we know what we’ve got. We have to make sure that at the end of the season, we know exactly what we’ve got, and there’s no question marks.”
Mar 9, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Cameron Payne (20) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Keon Ellis (14) during the first half at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
James Harden
21 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds, 29 minutes
Chef Harden was cooking tonight. This was one of those games where Harden felt two steps ahead of the defense. His step-back jumpers and dimes to the corner were so much fun to watch.
Grade: A
Donovan Mitchell
17 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists
The Cavs didn’t need Mitchell to exert himself too much on the second night of a back-to-back. He shot just 4-11 from the floor, but worked his way to the free-throw line for nine attempts. Cleveland’s double-digit lead allowed Mitchell to coast for most of the night.
Another strong showing from Mobley, who has been stringing these games together since returning from his calf injury. Mobley is back to being a supreme downhill threat while being an all-world defender.
Grade: A-
Jaylon Tyson
11 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists
Tyson felt much more comfortable against the Sixers than he did versus Boston. He had plenty of easy catch-and-shoot opportunities, as well as converting a tough finish in the lane during the fourth quarter.
Grade: B+
Dennis Schroder
4 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound
There’s a trend emerging. Schroder can be very helpful in small doses. The more his usage increases, the larger the risk. But the Cavs got just the right amount of Schroder tonight.
Grade: C+
Sam Merrill
5 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds
I’m not sure if Merrill fits in the starting lineup. It increasingly feels like Jaylon Tyson should be in this position, as both players would likely benefit from this change. Merrill was 1-6 from the floor tonight. That said, he did dish out five assists.
Grade: C+
Keon Ellis
19 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal
Ellis was on fire tonight. He nailed three three-pointers in the first half, building an early lead for his team while demoralizing the Sixers’ bench. There’s nothing to complain about when Ellis is burying threes and playing lockdown defense.
Grade: A+
Dean Wade
13 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists
Wade shot 3-of-6 from three tonight and provided his usual defensive impact. That’s everything you want from Wade.
Grade: A+
Thomas Bryant
8 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block
Bryant got back on track tonight with a 2-5 three-point shooting performance. This is closer to what we’ve grown accustomed to.
Mar 8, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; The opening tipoff between Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton (5) and New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Being the starting center of the Lakers is always going to bring an inherent pressure with it. After embracing that pressure coming into the season, Deandre Ayton has faded into the background.
With each subpar game, the focus on him intensifies. Recently, those games have come with more frequency for Ayton.
Sunday, though, was a big test for the Lakers and one that they passed with flying colors with an impressive win over the Knicks. Many players stepped up in the victory with Ayton included among them. His box score might not be his most gaudy of the season at six points and eight rebounds.
However, he was impactful defensively, fought for loose balls on both ends of the floor and generally played at a high level.
“He was great,” head coach JJ Redick said. “I thought the pursuit of the basketball, loose balls, going to block shots. There was a couple of times where he was outside the play, shot goes up, he goes and pursues the rebound. I thought he played really hard tonight. He was great.”
Effort level has waned throughout not just Ayton’s time in LA but also his NBA career. It will certainly continue to wane even after the Knicks game. But that game showed how important he can still be for the Lakers.
According to NBA’s matchup data, Karl-Anthony Towns shot just 1-6 from the field with Ayton as the primary defender. In fact, no player made more than one field goal on Ayton, including when he was switched onto guards like Jalen Brunson or Josh Hart.
Again, the Lakers can’t realistically expect Ayton to perform like this every game, no matter how much they may want that to be the case. In an ideal world, they can get this level of production from Ayton. But there’s a career’s worth of data for Ayton to suggest that isn’t going to happen.
Apr 2, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) shoots over Atlanta Hawks forward Georges Niang (20) during the first half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Timing is important in the NBA. Teams that are and aren’t playoff-bound are fairly easy to discern after about 20 to 30 regular-season games. Who is and isn’t a contender is also largely well known by about the same point. There’s jostling for seeding and homecourt advantage, but what’s important for teams looking to make some postseason noise is that, come May, the team is healthy and playing its best basketball. Atlanta looks to be fulfilling those two dependencies, which is not great for a Dallas team trying to halt a seven-game losing streak.
Dallas, at least, can check one of those boxes; they’re heading into Tuesday’s game with as clean of an injury report as they’ve had in some time. Dallas’ young core, Cooper Flagg, Ryan Nembhard, and Max Christie, will all be available to play against a team in Atlanta, with players like Jalen Johnson, Zaccharie Risacher, and Dyson Daniels. It’s a matchup that, if nothing else, is perhaps aspirational, as the Hawks’ youth movement is gelling post-deadline, and has the Hawks, who are 7-and-3 over their last 10 games, fighting to break out of the Play-In Tournament and reach the 6th seed in the East.
No Trae, no problem
Atlanta has hit the ground running in their post-Trae era. Literally. Despite trading a player in Young who is nothing if not a high-pace, high-firepower offensive engine, Atlanta is playing with the second-highest pace in the league over the last 10 games.
Their up-tempo playstyle has the Hawks scoring the fifth-most points per game over that span, averaging nearly 119 per contest. No team in the league has generated more possessions than Atlanta has, and their sixth-best assist percentage indicates that it’s not just playing fast, but also unselfishly and with an ability to move the ball.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, CJ McCollum, Dyson Daniels, and Jalen Johnson are all averaging more than four assists per game over the Hawks’ 7-and-3 stretch. Dallas has just two such players in Cooper Flagg and Brandon Williams.
Best foot forwards
Both lineups will feature future stars at the forward position for both of these teams. For Dallas, obviously there’s Flagg, and for Atlanta, Jalen Johnson has become a do-it-all style player who is filling up the box score. Johnson is leading his team in points, rebounds, and assists, averaging 22.9/10.5/7.9. He’s behind only Nikola Jokic (though by a wide margin) for players with the most triple-doubles this season, with 11.
Flagg is still searching for his first triple-double (He’s had double-digit assists just once this season, 11 against the Lakers in November), but with the team fully focused on his development since trading Anthony Davis, the light couldn’t be greener for him to have the ball in his hands as much as is feasibly possible. Especially as coach Jason Kidd has made getting Flagg reps as the lead ball handler this season a point of focus for his rookie development.
Board battle
The Hawks have been voracious on the board recently. Their rebound rate is 54%, which trails only the Celtics, and they have the seventh-best offensive rebound rate.
The Mavericks and Hawks are roughly equal when it comes to second-chance points scored, with Dallas at 14.7 to Atlanta’s 14.4 points. However, the Mavs are allowing opposing teams to score 16 points on second-chance points, while the Hawks allow just 10.7.
Daniel Gafford and Dwight Powell will have their work cut out for them to prevent the Hawks from crashing the boards and tilting those numbers even further in their favor. With how Dallas’ offense has looked recently, giving up easy second-chance buckets wouldn’t bode well for the team.
How to watch/listen
You can watch the game at 6:30 pm on KFAA Channel 29 or MAVS TV (streaming), or listen at 97.1FM KEGL (English), and 99.1FM KFZO (Spanish).
PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — Thomas Dowd finished with 23 points and 13 rebounds, and regular-season champion Troy ended the five-day run of No. 10 seed Georgia Southern with a 77-61 victory in the championship game of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament on Monday night.
Dowd made 8 of 12 shots with two 3-pointers and 5 of 6 free throws for the Trojans (22-11), who earned a second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament and their fourth overall.
Georgia Southern (21-16) became the fourth team to win five games in five days in a conference tournament — joining N.C. State (2024, ACC) and Connecticut (2011, Big East). North Carolina did it in 1922 and 1925 while members of the Southern Conference.
Jerrell Bellamy scored 15 on 7-for-11 shooting for Troy. Victor Valdes added 12 points and six assists, and Cobi Campbell scored 11.
Spudd Webb had 16 points to pace the Eagles, and Tyren Moore scored 10 on 3-for-11 shooting with two 3-pointers. Nakavieon White added 11 points off the bench.
Dowd had 13 points by halftime to help the Trojans build a 38-25 advantage. Georgia Southern missed 18 of 26 shots overall and 12 of 16 from 3-point range in the first half.
Moore hit a 3-pointer to begin the game, but Dowd had a layup and Bellamy followed with a dunk and Troy never trailed again.
Georgia Southern has made three NCAA Tournament appearances, none since 1992.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Cooper Bowser had 21 points and 11 rebounds as No. 6 seed Furman beat top-seeded East Tennessee State 76-61 on Monday night to secure the Southern Conference Tournament and a NCAA Tournament bid.
Furman (22-12) won its eighth SoCon title in program history and first since defeating Chattanooga in 2023.
Tom House added 13 points off the bench for Furman and Alex Wilkins, who scored a career-high 34 to help rally from an 11-point halftime deficit in the semifinals, scored 12. Bowser was 9 of 12 from the field to help the Paladins shoot 51%.
Brian Taylor II scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half for ETSU (23-11), which was in the title game for the second time in three seasons. Blake Barkley added 14 points and Jaylen Smith had 10.
House made Furman's sixth 3-pointer of the first half to extend the lead to 37-27 with four minutes left. The Paladins led 42-35 at the break.
Wilkins' steal and fast-break dunk extended Furman's lead to 72-61 with 2:11 left and Bowser added a hook shot in the lane on their next possession for a 13-point lead.
ETSU went 2 of 7 from the field over the final five minutes to halt a comeback attempt. The Buccaneers finished 3 of 16 from 3-point range and 10 of 18 at the free-throw line.
The Buccaneers were trying for their first NCAA bid since 2020.
CLEVELAND, OH - MARCH 9: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 9, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers handled their business against a shorthanded Philadelphia 76ers team that was missing their four best players. The Cavs took the lead at the end of the first quarter, stretched the advantage to 25 in the third, and settled for a 115-105 victory.
This was a complete team victory. The Cavs had six players finish in double figures, led by James Harden, who scored his 29,000th career point.
Harden set the tone. He controlled the offense, got his teammates involved, and found ways to score himself. He provided a team-high 21 points on 6-11 shooting with five assists.
Evan Mobley had another solid game. The pick-and-roll partnership with Harden is still a work-in-progress, but games like today show that there is a way that this duo can work together, even if he isn’t the typical big man you’d pair with Harden.
Mobley finished with 15 points on 7-12 shooting with eight rebounds and three blocks.
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Donovan Mitchell wasn’t his usual efficient self from the floor. He shot 4-11, but was able to make up for it by going 9-9 at the free-throw line. He had 17 points, six assists, and two steals in the win.
The other Cavaliers that finished in double figures scoring were Keon Ellis (19 points), Dean Wade (13 points), and Jaylon Tyson (11 points).
The Sixers were led by Quintin Grimes’s 17 points on 6-13 shooting.
There isn’t a whole lot to take from a game like this. The Sixers weren’t close to having their usual rotation players, and it very much looked that way. There weren’t many ways they could actually challenge the Cavs.
It is, however, worth pointing out that the Cavs didn’t take this game lightly. They approached it as they should’ve, didn’t suffer a letdown from yesterday’s emotional loss, and played up to their skill level.
The Cavs will be back in action on Wednesday when they hit the road to take on the Orlando Magic. Tip-off is at 7:30 PM.
The Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star guard has now scored at least 20 points in 126 consecutive games, tying the NBA record set by Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain. Gilgeous-Alexander tied the mark during the Thunder's game against the Denver Nuggets Monday, March 9.
It’s yet another indicator of Gilgeous-Alexander’s remarkable consistency and dominance. Gilgeous-Alexander, the 2024-25 NBA Most Valuable Player, entered the night ranked second in the league in scoring, at 31.6 points per game.
Gilgeous-Alexander, 27, set the record in the third quarter, on a stepback 3-pointer that he rattled through the net.
He got off to a quick start, making his first four shot attempts of the game. The Thunder are down three starters in the game, with Jalen Williams (right hamstring strain), Chet Holmgren (flu) and Isaiah Hartenstein (left calf contusion) all sidelined. That meant that Gilgeous-Alexander had to take on a greater role in the team’s offense.
Through the first quarter, aside from Gilgeous-Alexander and backup guard Ajay Mitchell, who combined to go 10-of-13 from the field, the rest of the Thunder started the game just 4-of-14 (28.6%) from the floor.
Gilgeous-Alexander will now have the chance to set the NBA record Thursday, March 12 in a game against the Boston Celtics (Amazon Prime).
CLEVELAND, OH - MARCH 9: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 9, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Another 0-4 season series against an Eastern Conference opponent — that’s not exactly ideal.
The hospital Sixers were handled a 115-101 loss by the Cleveland Cavaliers Monday night.
They are 34-30, the eighth seed in the East and now a game and a half back from the sixth.
Quentin Grimes led the Sixers with 17 points shooting 6-of-13 from the floor. James Harden led all scorers with 21.
The Sixers were only down Tyrese Maxey (finger strain), Joel Embiid (oblique strain), Paul George (suspension) and VJ Edgecombe (lumbar contusion).
Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.
First Quarter
The start was about what you’d expect from the Sixers’ side. Adem Bona’s first two attempts of the night were thwarted. Grimes’ first drive ended with a pass sailed into the second row, but the guard went on to knock down his first two threes of the night off the catch. Cleveland opened the game just as cold as their game the day before, missing eight of their first 10 attempts.
The Sixers held an early lead thanks to some hustle plays like Cam Payne’s putback layup and turning a blocked jumper into a transition opportunity. Harden hit his first three before having one blocked. He also got four from the line and was the only source of points in the early going.
On the other end it was a struggle from the stripe, with Dominick Barlow and Tyrese Martin each missing their first two foul shots to start the night. Both Martin and Dalen Terry got early minutes with Barlow and Oubre getting in early foul trouble. Martin somehow made a nice recovery block on a Jalen Tyson layup attempt, but Tyson drilled a corner three at the buzzer to make it a six-point Cavs lead after one. The Sixers went the last 3:05 of the quarter without a field goal.
Second Quarter
Justin Edwards was also on the floor early, getting on the board with a midrange pull-up before trying a deep three of the catch. The two-ways all ended up with short shifts, with Martin and MarJon Beauchamp combining for three ugly turnovers. The Cavs’ offense — DonovanMitchell specifically — took advantage with drive after drive.
Bona got rolling, quite literally in fact, having two nice finishes at the rim being set up by Grimes and Payne. Grimes himself found success getting to the hoop after missing three straight threes. The occasional bucket in the post hardly kept up with the Cavs’ offense coming alive.
At least that’s how it looked like compared to the Sixers shooting 22% from three in the half. Cleveland only shot 33% from beyond the arc, but eight more attempts certainly helped them take a 12-point lead into the half. Payne hasn’t given the Sixers the shooting boost since coming over from Europe so far, coming into the night shooting 18% from three in his return. He finally got one to go with 30 seconds left in the half after missing his first five attempts.
Third Quarter
Bona had another exciting dunk, but his hands problem was on full display, struggling to corral a rebound and a wild turnover trying to get somewhere with his dribble. Harden seemed intent on putting the game away quickly, setting up a couple teammates for threes after nailing one himself.
The broadcast kept mentioning how the Sixers had as many or more made field goals than the Cavs. They rightly attributed that to free throws, but again the three-point disparity was very much on display. Cleveland had only made two more field goals but had made nine more threes as they coasted to a 21-point lead.
Fourth Quarter
It was at least nice to see Terry have a nice little sequence. He pulled down an offensive rebound and kicked it out for a three before stealing the ensuing inbounds pass and knocked down a three of his own. He drove and found Jabari Walker for a corner three a few possessions later.
A rotation note is that Walker had only played a couple minutes in the first half, perhaps a shot to the head ending that shift prematurely. If that was the case it didn’t make much sense in putting him out there. If he had been good to go he probably should have played more minutes before this point in the game.
It didn’t take long for Terry, Edwards and Walker to nearly double the team’s made three-pointers on the night, but that was hardly enough to keep the lead under 20 points. It’s been fitting seeing players who were added by teams that did some cost cutting at the deadline play well against the Sixers such as Jose Alvarado back in mid-February. Keon Ellis dropped 19 points in this one shooting 5-of-9 from the floor.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - MARCH 9: Seth Curry #31 of the Golden State Warriors watches a shot drop during warmups before their game against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center on March 9, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Chris Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There’s something poetic about this. Steph Curry, the greatest shooter in NBA history, is watching from the bench while his little brother Seth laces up for the Golden State Warriors tonight against the Utah Jazz. Three months removed from a left sciatic nerve issue that’s kept him sidelined since December 4th, Seth Curry makes his return for what is technically his third appearance in a Warriors uniform this season.
Two sons of Dell Curry. One family legacy built on the art of putting the ball through the net.
And right now, with Steph still nursing his knee, the Warriors need the other one badly.
Seth Curry is officially making his return tonight for the Warriors @NBCSWarriors
This will be his third game of the season and first since Dec. 4 after missing the last three months to left sciatic nerve irritation
Seth’s sample size this season is microscopic but encouraging: 7.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, shooting 66.7 percent from the field and 50 percent from three in two games back in December. That’s not a projection. That’s not a trend. But it IS a sharpshooting guard on a team that has been scrapping for consistent perimeter shooting while running its “Communist Ball” offense through youth and collective will.
The timing matters. The Warriors’ shooting depth is stretched thin. Seth Curry arriving tonight isn’t just a heartwarming family subplot. Rather, it’s a necessary basketball injection.
We spent all offseason talking about the “Splash Brothers 2.0” narrative when Golden State signed Seth. The blood version of a legacy pairing that helped redefine how the NBA plays basketball. Dub Nation started daydreaming about Steph and Seth running off screens together, surgical and inevitable. The injury report had other plans. But tonight, at least one son of Dell is back.
And in a season that has tested the faith of every Warriors fan repeatedly, that’s worth something.
As the Sun Belt’s No. 10 seed, the Eagles would need to win six games in six days to secure one of those precious auto bids that unlock NCAA Tournament access for super Cinderellas, no matter their record.
A conference 10-seed, becoming a bid-stealer? That really would be mad, but, hey, this is March.
The way the Sun Belt’s “Flying V” bracket works, teams with double-digit seeds like Georgia Southern face a rigorous journey to reach the point of the “V,” the finals, while the conference’s best teams start several rounds closer to the finish line.
The NCAA Tournament starts next week, and mid-majors supply the event's charm and paint some of the most epic scenes for Luther Vandross to croon over. Real ones know, though, the upsets and the mad twists begin in the conference tourneys, where precious NCAA access is on the line, even for teams with damaged records and flawed resumes.
One by one, night by night, Georgia Southern carved through Old Dominion, Arkansas State, South Alabama, Coastal Carolina and Marshall.
Down went Sun Belt’s No. 3 seed. Out went the No. 2.
One more upset, and the Eagles wouldn't just be soaring, they'd be dancing.
And you can say they ran out of steam, and that’d probably be right. Or you can say they simply ran into the Sun Belt’s best team, and that’d be right, too.
However you put it, super Cinderella bowed out. The Sun Belt’s No. 1 seed, Troy, is headed to the NCAA Tournament for a second straight year after a 77-61 victory to turn back Georgia Southern.
"We wanted to make it six, man," Georgia Southern coach Charlie Henry said. "We really did."
How to describe playing six games in six nights?
"It's legendary," Georgia Southern guard Tyren Moore said. "It didn't end the way that we wanted it to, but I'm still proud."
Troy beating Georgia Southern makes NCAA Tournament bracket better
This result works neatly for the Sun Belt, that its best team will be on display on the sport's biggest stage. Troy is likely headed somewhere in the direction of the 14-seed line, after its frontcourt dominated in the paint against the Eagles.
"We won it with defense and rebounding and toughness," Troy coach Scott Cross said.
And with fresher legs, too, a benefit of Troy winning the Sun Belt's regular-season crown and securing the top seed.
It’s good for March Madness when the best teams in mid-major conferences win their respective conference tournaments. That means a better batch of underdogs.
And, still, what a story it would have been — a story that can only be told in March — if Georgia Southern had gotten a crack at playing a No. 1 or a No. 2 seed in a first-round game after a six-night stand in this Panhandle city that’s home to the world-famous Blue Angels and pristine beaches with sugar-white sand.
Georgia Southern came out of halftime burying buckets in a furious final stand that cut Troy’s lead to four points. Ah, but it wasn’t to be, and when Troy’s star big man Victor Valdes made a bucket in the paint to re-establish a double-digit lead, it was clear the postgame Fiskers were headed to the Trojans to do the net snipping.
March Madness expansion is coming, but not to help mid-majors
NCAA Tournament expansion probably is coming for us, not because fans want it or because deserving teams are being left out of the bracket. Expansion is coming because the Power-conference power brokers want to rescue the 10th- and 12th-place teams from the mega conferences they created.
No matter whether the bracket grows to 72 or 76 or even 80 teams, it’s not going to be big enough for 10th-place teams from the Sun Belt.
For teams like Georgia Southern, there’s still only one way in: By banging down the door with six wins in six nights and getting an auto bid.
And in those rare instances when a super Cinderella pulls it off, it’ll be madness, the likes of which Georgia Southern attempted, before Troy took its rightful place in the tournament every mid-major pains to reach.
Will Giannis Antetokounmpo be back with the Milwaukee Bucks next season?
It will be the question of the offseason, and nobody knows the answer — not pundits, not social media influencers, not Antetokounmpo himself, and not his teammates. Here is what Milwaukee's Bobby Portis said when he was asked about his confidence in Antetokounmpo returning during a recent episode of FanDuel TV’s Run It Back (hat tip Bleacher Report).
"I'm at a five, bro. I'm right there in the middle... for real, it's up in the air...
"It's going to be a super lingering thing all summer long, especially leading up into the draft. So, I guess we'll have to see, but I think it's right there at that five."
Antetokounmpo returned to the court last week in an effort to push the Bucks into the postseason, but since then the team is 1-3 and sits four games back of the No. 10 seed with 19 to play. If they miss the play-in, it shows how far away from the contender Antetokounmpo says he wants to play for the Bucks are right now. Antetokounmpo has also said he wants to be a Buck for life and that he loves Milwaukee.
This summer, Milwaukee GM Jon Horst will have three first-round draft picks and some players with tradable salaries — Kyle Kuzma, maybe Portis — to make moves that turn the team back into a threat in the East. That is going to start around the draft.
Ultimately, Milwaukee will talk max contract extension with Antetokounmpo (which he can't officially sign until Oct. 1), and if he says he will sign it, then he stays. If he says he will not (which most people outside Milwaukee expect), the rumor mill starts up again. Milwaukee could work with him on a trade that works for everyone. Or the Bucks could decide he is too important to the franchise to trade, as Oklahoma City did with Kevin Durant, and hold on to him. Antetokounmpo can be a free agent in the summer of 2027 (he has a player option for the 2027-28 season).
Whatever happens, there will be drama, and even Antetokounmpo's teammates don't know how this will play out.
