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.
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Jillian Huerter hit four 3-pointers and scored 16 points, Cyanne Coe had 15 points and 10 rebounds and Fairfield beat top-seeded Quinnipiac 51-44 on Monday to claim a third straight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament championship.
Fairfield (28-4), the No. 2 seed, advances to its fourth NCAA Tournament in the past five years and its eighth overall. Quinnipiac (26-6) was aiming for a sixth appearance in the main event — with its five previous trips coming from 2013-19.
Anna Foley hit a 3-pointer and Jackie Grisdale added a layup as Quinnipiac took advantage of three straight Fairfield turnovers to cut it to 47-44 with 60 seconds remaining. But Sydney Ryan missed a tying 3-pointer with 23 seconds left and Kaety L'Amoreaux and Sydni Scott sealed it at the free-throw line.
Foley led the Bobcats with 17 points and nine rebounds. Ella Ryan added 14 points.
There were four lead changes in the second quarter with neither team leading by more than a point until Huerter sank back-to-back 3-pointers to give the Stags a 20-13 lead.
Ella Ryan's layup with 2:04 remaining was the final basket of the half and left Quinnipiac trailing 25-19.
Coe had six points in the third quarter and the Stags outscored the Bobcats by three to take a 38-29 lead into the fourth. Quinnipiac never had a second-half lead.
The two teams split two games during the regular season, with both winning on the road.
Quinnipiac was the last to win three straight conference tourneys (2017-19). Marist won nine straight from 2006-14.
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 7: OG Anunoby #8 of the New York Knicks looks on during the game against the LA Clippers on January 7, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After yesterday’s stinker against the Lakers, the Knicks (41*-24) get an LA mulligan against the Clippers (31-32) at the Intuit Dome. LA has gone 25-11 after a 6-21 start, powered by Kawhi Leonard’s monster year (27.9 PPG). Fatigue could be a concern for our heroes in this one, especially for Cap, who logged 42 minutes a little over 24 hours ago.
Game time is 9 p.m. 10 p.m.** EST on MSG. This is your game thread. This is Clips Nation. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Pick up after yourselves and be good humans. Go Knicks.
* Should be one more, but NBA Cups are actually Dixie Cups.
** Sorry about that, folks. Blame it on daylight saving time and wishful thinking.
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 24: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball during the game against Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 24, 2025 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers Date: March 10th, 2026 Time: 10:00 PM CDT Location: Crypto.com Arena Television Coverage: NBC, Peacock Radio Coverage: Wolves App, iHeart Radio
Every good run eventually meets reality.
For the Minnesota Timberwolves, that reality arrived Saturday afternoon at Target Center when their five-game winning streak came to a screeching halt courtesy of the Orlando Magic. The timing, of course, was almost comically predictable. If you’ve followed this team long enough, you know the Wolves have a weird kryptonite: weekend matinees. For this team, Saturday afternoon basketball is the equivalent of trying to run a marathon after waking up from a nap.
But here’s the important distinction: this loss wasn’t one of the lifeless disasters we’ve seen before. The Wolves have had games this season (the blowouts against the Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers come to mind) where it felt like the team simply forgot to show up. Those games were frustrating not just because they lost, but because the effort wasn’t there.
Saturday wasn’t that. Minnesota didn’t play well. Not even close. But they fought. They competed. They tried to claw their way back into a game that kept slipping through their fingers like sand. That doesn’t make the loss any easier in the standings, but it does separate it from the kind of no-show performance that makes you question the team’s focus.
The frustrating part is that the Wolves actually started the game well. The first quarter had the feel of a team ready to extend its winning streak. The ball moved. The defense held up. For a moment it looked like Minnesota might be in line for another comfortable home win.
Then the offense collapsed. Anthony Edwards cooled off after his scoring heater, and the rest of the roster seemed to follow gravity straight back to earth. The Wolves finished the game shooting an absolutely brutal 22 percent from three-point range.
And that’s a problem for this team. Because for better or worse, the Timberwolves’ offensive identity this season has revolved around the three-point line.
When the Threes Don’t Fall, Everything Falls Apart
Minnesota has built its offense around spacing, shooting, and the gravity that Anthony Edwards creates. Edwards has been spectacular this season as a three-point shooter, and players like Donte DiVincenzo, Naz Reid, Jaden McDaniels, and Bones Highland have all proven capable of catching fire from deep.
When those shots fall, the Wolves look unstoppable. The offense opens up, the driving lanes widen, and Minnesota can bury teams under an avalanche of perimeter scoring. But when those shots don’t fall?
It can get ugly fast.
Saturday was one of those days. The Wolves simply couldn’t buy a basket from deep. Some nights the rim looks like the ocean and everything drops. Saturday felt like the Wolves were trying to shoot into a thimble. Without the long ball falling, Minnesota’s offense stalled out completely.
Orlando certainly deserves some credit for that. The Magic played excellent defense. They built a wall in the paint, cut off driving lanes, and forced the Wolves into contested looks. As the misses piled up, frustration crept into Minnesota’s offense. Possessions started ending with rushed shots instead of flowing through the offense.
Meanwhile, Orlando took advantage of Minnesota’s defensive lapses in the exact opposite way. The Magic weren’t lighting it up from three either, but they didn’t need to. Orlando simply attacked the rim over and over again, slicing through Minnesota’s perimeter defense like a hot knife through butter.
Where the Magic put up a wall, the Wolves sometimes looked like a revolving door. The result was a 20-plus point blowout that never really felt like it was coming back.
A Wake-Up Call Before the Road Trip?
If you’re searching for a silver lining, and Wolves fans have spent decades mastering that particular skill, there’s an argument that this loss might not be the worst thing in the world.
Sometimes a good team needs a punch in the mouth.
The Wolves are about to embark on a four-game road trip that will serve as one of the biggest tests of their season. And if there’s a game in that stretch that stands above the rest in terms of importance, it’s the first one.
The Los Angeles Lakers.
Yes, the Wolves need wins against the Clippers, Warriors, and Thunder as well. Those are all tough opponents, and every win will matter in the standings. But the Lakers game is different. Because the Lakers are the team Minnesota is directly battling with in the standings.
The Wolves have already dropped two games to Los Angeles this season, which means they won’t own the tiebreaker. That makes the margin for error razor thin. Minnesota cannot afford to allow the Lakers to gain any more ground, especially at a moment when Los Angeles has started to wobble a little bit. If the Wolves want to claim the three seed, and avoid sliding back into the fourth or fifth spot, they need to establish their authority in this matchup.
There’s also a little psychological edge at play here. These two teams met in the playoffs last season, with Minnesota eliminating Los Angeles in the first round. That history adds a little extra spice to this matchup.
The media will bill this as Edwards vs. Doncic, and honestly, that’s not a bad storyline. But for Minnesota, the bigger story is the standings.
Keys to the Game
#1 – The three-point shooting has to rebound.
Minnesota’s offense lives and dies by the long ball. Anthony Edwards continues to shoot at a high clip, but the Wolves cannot rely solely on him to carry the perimeter attack. Players like DiVincenzo, Naz Reid, and Jaden McDaniels need to convert the open looks they’re getting. If Minnesota can push its team three-point percentage back into the mid-to-high 30s, the offensive balance returns immediately.
#2 – Reassert the physical advantage in the paint.
Minnesota bullied the Lakers down low in last year’s postseason series. Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle dominated the boards and controlled the interior, and Los Angeles simply didn’t have an answer. The Lakers attempted to fix that weakness by acquiring Deandre Ayton, who provided more resistance earlier in the season, but Minnesota still holds the edge.
Gobert needs to channel his Game 5 energy from that playoff series by dominating rebounds, protecting the rim, and turning missed shots into second-chance opportunities.
#3 – Contain Luka Doncic.
Doncic has torched the Wolves before, including earlier this season in Los Angeles when he outdueled Edwards. Stopping Luka entirely is impossible, but Minnesota can’t allow him to dictate the game.
This isn’t a one-man defensive assignment. Even elite defenders like Jaden McDaniels and Anthony Edwards can’t handle Doncic alone for forty-eight minutes. It will require coordinated team defense, disciplined rotations, and the willingness to make Luka work for every shot.
If the Wolves force other Lakers players to beat them, they dramatically improve their chances.
#4 – Attack the rim.
Yes, the threes need to fall. But the Wolves can’t sit back and hope that better shooting alone solves their problems. The Lakers’ defense is vulnerable, particularly when it comes to perimeter containment. Doncic, Austin Reaves, and even LeBron James can be attacked off the dribble.
Players like Edwards, Ayo Dosunmu, Bones Highland, and McDaniels need to apply pressure by driving into the paint, collapsing the defense, and creating easier scoring opportunities.
#5 – Commit to playing the right way.
That means disciplined defense instead of gambling for highlight plays. It means moving the ball instead of falling into isolation hero ball. It means trusting teammates and playing connected basketball on both ends of the floor.
This road trip is where chemistry either strengthens or cracks. With the playoff just around the corner, the Wolves need to establish their identity and their habits. “Later” isn’t an option.
A Defining Road Trip Begins
The margin for error in the Western Conference is razor thin. One bad stretch can undo weeks of progress, and the Wolves know it. This four-game road trip will test their maturity, their discipline, and their ability to bounce back from adversity. And it starts with the biggest game of the bunch. Beat the Lakers and Minnesota keeps control of its destiny. Lose, and suddenly the standings get uncomfortable again.
The Wolves have spent the past few weeks climbing toward that coveted third seed.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Priscilla Williams finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out late in regulation, and Comari Mitchell gave Jacksonville the lead for good in overtime to help the Dolphins edge Austin Peay 66-63 on Monday in the title game of the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament.
No. 2 seed Jacksonville (24-8) advances to the NCAA Tournament for the second time by winning the first ASUN title game decided in OT since the tournament began in 1986. Jacksonville's other appearance came in 2016.
Mitchell gave the Dolphins the lead with 1:45 left in OT, and Mychal White stole the ball and scored with a baseline jumper on her only shot for a 64-60 advantage with 20.8 seconds left.
Mya Williams hit a 3-pointer 10 seconds later for eighth-seeded Austin Peay (19-13), but Makiya Miller made two free throws before JaNiah Newell missed a tying 3-pointer on the game's final shot.
Mitchell and Carmaya Bowman both scored 10 for Jacksonville.
Mya Williams had 20 points and seven rebounds for Austin Peay. Anovia Sheals scored 18 and Jim’Miyah Branton added 11 points and eight assists.
Miller hit a jumper with three seconds left in the first half to give the Dolphins the lead at 32-26.
Mya Williams made two free throws in the final second of the third after Priscilla Williams was charged with a technical foul following a traveling violation to cut it to 49-40 heading to the fourth.
Sheals made two free throws with 1:49 left in regulation to give the Governors their first lead, 54-53. Miller made the second of two foul shots with 33 seconds left to force OT tied at 56.
CJ McCollum of the Atlanta Hawks drives to the basket during a game against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 7 in Atlanta. (Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images)
The famed Magic City adult entertainment club won't be featured at next week's Atlanta Hawks promotional night, the NBA announced on Monday.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver acknowledged concerns from others in the league on Monday, saying that his decision to cancel the collaboration is in the best interests of the "broader NBA community."
"While we appreciate the team's perspective and their desire to move forward," he said in a statement, "we have heard significant concerns from a broad array of league stakeholders, including fans, partners and employees."
The Hawks announced its "Magic City Monday" promotion in late February, featuring a halftime performance by Atlanta-based artist T.I., a collaborative hoodie and the offering of some of the club's popular wings, including the lemon-pepper variety named after former Hawks player Lou Williams.
Hawks principal owner Jami Gertz was a producer on "Magic City: An American Fantasy," a docuseries that aired on Starz. Still, the team's decision to collaborate with the Atlanta strip club ruffled some feathers in the NBA.
San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet asked the Hawks to cancel the promotional night in a post on Medium last week, saying that it would "reflect poorly on us as an NBA community, specifically in being complicit in the potential objectification and mistreatment of women in our society."
Others had argued that Magic City is a big part of Atlanta culture and should be celebrated as such.
The Hawks wrote in a statement on Monday that it was disappointed with the NBA's decision but would respect it.
Rapper T.I. will still perform at halftime, but the live recording of the Hawks AF Podcast featuring Gertz, T.I. and Magic City founder Michael Barney was canceled. Fans who pre-ordered the collaboration hoodie will still receive one, but the sweatshirts won't be available for purchase at the game, the Hawks wrote on X.
"As a franchise, we remain committed to celebrating the best of Atlanta — with authenticity — in ways that continue to unite and bring us all together," the Hawks wrote.
Times staff writer Chuck Schilken contributed to this report
Starting last Thursday in Denver, nine of their next 11 games were against playoff teams with six of eight against teams currently bunched up with them in the Western Conference standings.
With 18 games remaining, the NBA’s marathon 82-game season is now a sprint to the finish — that magical time when fans begin squinting at the standings like stockbrokers watching a volatile market.
Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers high five during the game against the New York Knicks. NBAE via Getty Images
Every win feels like leverage.
Every loss feels like disaster.
The next nine days could decide if the Lakers will have homecourt advantage in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
But that begs the question: Do the Lakers need or want homecourt advantage in the first round of the NBA Playoffs?
The answer might surprise you.
No. Not really.
Of course, if you ask any player or coach publicly, they’ll say the right things. Homecourt advantage matters. The crowd helps bring energy. Sticking to your normal routine helps. Sleeping in your own bed helps.
All of that is true.
But the reality of the NBA playoffs — especially in the Western Conference — is that matchups and health matter far more than geography.
Right now, the Lakers sit in the middle of the Western Conference traffic jam. Seeds three through six are separated by a single game heading into action Monday night. Oklahoma City and San Antonio have already pulled away at the top like two sports cars leaving a crowded freeway.
Everyone else is stuck jockeying for position.
The Lakers are currently tied with Denver for fifth. Minnesota currently sits in third. Houston sits in fourth just a half-game ahead of the Lakers.
Western Conference standings as of 5 p.m. PT Monday.
Over the next nine days, the Lakers will face all of them.
Minnesota on Tuesday. Denver on Saturday. Then two back-to-back road games in Houston.
If the Lakers win their next five games, they will sit alone in third place with homecourt advantage in the first round in their control.
“It’s not something we’re focused on, but we’re definitely aware of,” said Lakers’ guard Marcus Smart about the upcoming stretch. “My experience, we got to focus on one game at a time…We don’t have the luxury to look ahead. We definitely got to take it one game at a time and handle business.”
Handling business is great, but let’s pause for a moment and remember something.
This is exactly what happened last season.
With 18 games to go last year, the Lakers found themselves in fourth place in a crowded Western Conference. Seeds two through eight were separated by four games, with two through five separated by just 1.5 games. Everyone wanted the Lakers to finish second or third.
When the dust settled, they finished third in the West and earned homecourt advantage in the first round.
And it didn’t matter one bit.
Minnesota walked into Crypto.com Arena in Game 1 and punched the Lakers in the mouth. The Timberwolves blew them out in front of their own crowd. The Lakers recovered to win Game 2, but the rest of the series unraveled quickly.
They lost the series in five games, including two of their three home games,
So much for homecourt advantage.
LeBron James goes up for a dunk against the Pelicans. Getty Images
Last season the Lakers were dominant in Los Angeles, finishing 31–10 at home — the second-best home record in the Western Conference behind the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
It looked impressive in the standings, but it meant nothing in April. It rarely does when the matchup is wrong.
And matchups are exactly what the Lakers should be studying during this upcoming stretch, not necessarily results.
LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves — arguably the most fascinating offensive trio in the conference — have played only a little over a dozen games together. The chemistry is improving, but playoff basketball demands instinctive trust.
The kind that comes from repetition.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves hits a behind-the-back step back against New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The next nine days will act as a scouting report for April. The Lakers will see how they match up against Minnesota’s size and length, Denver’s experience, and Houston’s relentless athleticism.
These games are not just about wins and losses.
They’re about gathering information. They’re about discovering which lineups survive when the game slows down. They’re about understanding which defensive matchups can lock-up their opponent during a seven-game series.
“This could be a perfect time or not,” Doncic said about the upcoming schedule. “Just gotta approach those games with the same mentality. Obviously, every one of those teams has great players. They’re winning games. So we need to go game by game first of all, and then just try to win all those games.”
If the Lakers secure the No. 3 seed, great. They’ll happily take the home games.
But if they finish fifth, avoid the play-in tournament, and have a more favorable matchup?
That’s perfectly fine too.
Because the truth about playoff basketball is brutally simple.
It isn’t about where you play. It’s about who you play — and whether you’re healthy enough to beat them.
The Atlanta Hawks play in the NBA's Eastern Conference [Getty Images]
The NBA has cancelled plans by the Atlanta Hawks to hold a promotional collaboration with a strip club at one of their games next week.
The Hawks had intended to partner with Atlanta-based adult entertainment venue Magic City for the visit of Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference on 16 March.
There were no plans to host adult entertainment at the Hawks' State Farm Arena home before, during or after the game but concerns arose at the NBA over the idea of partnering with a strip club.
The Hawks had described Magic City as an "iconic cultural institution" in a story on their website promoting the event and had announced plans relating to food, music and merchandise as part of a "Magic City Monday" in-arena experience.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said the league "reached out to the Hawks leadership" in order to "better understand their plans and rationale" before deciding to step in.
"While we appreciate the team's perspective and their desire to move forward, we have heard significant concerns from a broad array of league stakeholders, including fans, partners and employees," Silver said.
"I believe canceling this promotion is the right decision for the broader NBA community."
The Hawks said that they were "disappointed" by the NBA's decision but "fully respect" it.
A statement added: "As a franchise we remain committed to celebrating the best of Atlanta - with authenticity - in ways that continue to unite and brings us all together."
SAN ANTONIO, TX - FEBRUARY 4: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs drives on the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first halfat Frost Bank Center on February 1, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Spurs have won 15 of their last 16 and are only two games behind the Thunder on the loss column. Can they take the top seed in the West? And should they go for it even if it means playing their starters more?
Mark Barrington: I don’t think they ‘go for it’ in the sense that they change their strategy for the final stretch of games going into the playoffs. They’re comfortably in the top four and will have at least one home playoff series. They’re going to concentrate on continuing to improve and staying healthy. It’s entirely possible that that could result in a first-place finish in the west, but that’s not the primary goal.
Bill Huan: I can’t see that happening. The discourse about the Spurs potentially securing the top seed over a dominant regular-season team is reminiscent of the 2016-17 season, when they were within a game or two of the Warriors before Golden State pulled away. Oklahoma City has held its best punch for months now, prioritizing health. They’re still ahead, and I fully expect them to start rounding into playoff form and dominate games again before the postseason.
As for the minutes, the only player I’ll be monitoring for that is Wemby. He needs to be able to handle a load in the low-mid thirties for the Spurs to maximize their potential this season, and everyone else on the team seems to be in a good spot already.
Devon Birdsong: I think if there’s anything we’ve learned over the last several seasons, it’s that the Spurs have their timelines and guardrails in place, and they’re not going to deviate from them unless they see a clear (risk-limited) advantage in doing so. Unless they’re within a game of the Thunder in the final weeks of the stretch run, I just don’t see them making a special effort to do so from a front-office/coaching perspective. However, you can never count out what the players and their on-court performances might lead to. They clearly have their own desires and goals, and the way they’re pursuing them has already put them in a place that has (on some level) surpassed even the most optimistic of the front office’s projections. I think the most likely scenario is that they’ll start resting players once/if their position as a 2nd seed is solidified down the home stretch. However, if this hot streak keeps up, I would not be shocked to find them fighting for the #1 seed, which really says everything about this team.
Jeje Gomez: If the top seed is attainable in the last few games, they should probably go for it. The play-in games mean more rest before the start of the playoffs, so a few extra minutes shouldn’t matter that much. Some of the last few games could be tough, but they are at home. The top seed would guarantee that they wouldn’t have to face the Thunder until the conference finals and would pit them against the lesser of the play-in teams, but, more importantly, taking those last few games as must-wins could prepare them for the postseason. It would make no sense to risk injury, but tightening up an already shrinking rotation even more could put them in a playoff mindset, which could help such a young team.
The Spurs have lost to the Knicks twice this season. Bad luck, or is there anything about them that makes them a bad matchup for San Antonio?
Barrington: The Knicks are a veteran team with an incredible on-court leader in Jalen Brunson. Brunson can impose his will, and his team has the size and shooting to cause the Spurs problems, with KAT limiting the strategy of having Wemby lay off of his man and protect the rim. I think the Spurs are learning on the fly to gain the mental resilience to take on the veteran leadership of Brunson, but they still don’t have a big forward to counter Towns, who is too quick for a French Vanilla lineup to work. If the Spurs meet them in the playoffs, it will be a tough matchup, but I’d take it, because that would mean that the Spurs were in the NBA finals, about 2-3 years before I would have predicted that in my most optimistic scenarios.
Huan: Two games are too small a sample size to come to definitive conclusions, but it does appear like OG’s defense on Wemby is the x-factor. In a 7-game series where the Spurs can come up with a better gameplan, I think things would be a lot closer, and it would obviously mean that they made it to the finals. I’m not worried about the matchup in the slightest, and if I need to be in the future, it would mean that this Spurs team is four games away from a championship.
Birdsong: There’s certainly some bad luck involved, but it really comes down to three factors. 1. The Spurs are still inconsistent defending the three, and the Knicks have a roster that can really pour them on. 2. Jalen Brunson is one of the few guards who has enough savvy and grit to successfully fight through and counter Stephon Castle’s defense. 3. And most importantly, Karl-Anthony Towns is one of the few big men whose long-distance shooting can warp San Antonio’s preferred defensive schemes. That shooting forces the Spurs to either let Wemby pursue him to the perimeter, opening up the post for exploitation, or stay home and allow Towns to benefit from the Spurs’ weak spot at power forward. Towns has shot 40% from three in 3 of their last 4 games against each other, and there’s no other player on the roster big enough and fast enough to trouble Towns, which has been making him (and the Knicks) a matchup nightmare for San Antonio.
Gomez: It’s a bad matchup. Teams with stretch bigs and big wings tend to give the Spurs trouble because they expose the lack of length at the forward spots and force Wemby to either step outside or roam, which surprisingly confuses him at times, as he seems at his best when he’s directly involved in plays. But what makes the Knicks a worse matchup than most is their offensive rebounding. Towns is not only an elite shooter, but he has been crashing the glass well, and Mitchell Robinson is arguably the best offensive rebounder in the world. Worrying about New York doesn’t make much sense since they won’t be a playoff rival unless the two teams make the finals, but they do offer others a blueprint on how to beat San Antonio.
Assuming the Spurs stay in one of the top two spots, which potential play-in team would you like them to face in the first round?
Barrington: I think I’d be happy with a Suns matchup. The Spurs have lost two games to them, but I think that could work in the Silver and Black’s favor, as they’ll be motivated to play with maximum effort from the start. Also, the Suns seem to be having a bit of internal dissension, and that might make them a little easier to beat.
The other likely matchup for the Spurs would be the Warriors, and I think they might be a tougher out, especially if Steph Curry is healthy. Really, the dream scenario for the Spurs in the first round is a sweep with everyone healthy, and a good rest before the second round starts, and that would be extremely unlikely against a healthy Golden State squad.
If I were just looking for a fun series, I’d ask for the Trail Blazers, who are punching above their weight in the Western Conference Standings. But I don’t see them winning two play-in games against any of the possible opponents. The Clippers are probably the best team in the play-in range of any of the current four, but by the end of the season, I expect that they’ll be either in the top 6 or out of the play-in tournament completely, depending on Kawhi’s health. There’s no middle ground for them.
Huan: Out of all the options, I’d feel the best facing Portland. Deni is their lone reliable creator, and he’s having back issues. Frankly, I don’t want to see a red-hot Clippers team or a potential Warriors squad getting back a refreshed Steph. Phoenix would be a tough out too, given how much trouble they’ve created for Wemby this year, and the West is suddenly looking much deeper than it did earlier in the season.
Birdsong: I really would prefer for them to avoid the Warriors and the Clippers, so that really only leaves Portland and Phoenix, and out of those two, I think Portland would be the better option. The Spurs would probably need to land the #1 seed for that to happen, though. By default, I think it’s going to be Phoenix. And honestly, that might be a good first-round matchup for the Spurs, because that’s not a team they can succeed against if they get sloppy. Also, I love the opportunity the Spurs would have to make Phoenix fans miserable. Sorry, can’t teach this old dog new tricks (or get him to let old rivalries go).
Gomez: The obvious answer is Portland. They just don’t have enough shot creation to win a playoff series unless everything breaks right for them, but that’s also the reason why they are unlikely to come out of the play-in. Out of the other three teams, the Warriors give the Spurs trouble because they can play five-out and lure opponents into shooting contests, and the Clippers have a stretch big and the type of perimeter length that the Knicks also have. So the preferred option would be Phoenix, which has Spurs-killer Jalen Green, but also traditional bigs for Wemby to guard.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - NOVEMBER 01: Taurean Prince #12 of the Milwaukee Bucks dribbles the ball against the Sacramento Kings during the second quarter at Fiserv Forum on November 01, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There’s a surprise inclusion on the Bucks’ initial injury report ahead of tomorrow night’s matchup with the Suns: forward Taurean Prince is questionable to play. Prince has missed the last four months after appearing in Milwaukee’s first eight contests off the bench. That’s 55 games in total.
You’ll recall that TP, a major fixture of last year’s starting lineup, underwent neck surgery on November 13th. He’s seen zero action since their loss to Toronto on November 4th, after which he was listed as out with a neck strain. From what it sounded like in Doc Rivers press conferences, they thought it was serious, and sure enough, it turned out to be a herniated disc. A few weeks post-operation, the soon-to-be 32-year-old vowed that he’d play again.
In December, the Bucks reportedly applied for a disabled player exception in light of Prince’s surgery, indicating they believed he could be done for the season. For the exception to be granted, an NBA-designated physician must determine that the player is “substantially more likely than not” to be out through at least June 15th of any league year. Now, most of these exceptions—if approved—are never used because they do not grant teams an additional standard roster spot. They only allow teams to sign a replacement player for the lesser of 50% of the injured player’s salary or the non-taxpayer’s mid-level exception. The latter is $14.1m, and given Prince’s $3.6m salary, Milwaukee’s exception would have been worth only $1.8m, only about $600k more than the rookie minimum salary.
Since they applied, there’s been no word on whether their request was approved or denied, but we can close the book on it now. Perhaps a physician determined that Prince could play again this season, which may prove correct very soon. TP’s done on-court work at practices and before games for a while now, though there had been no rehab assignment to the G League or any indication he was getting close. For a Bucks team that isn’t as starved for wing depth as they were to begin the year, he’s still a welcome body who maybe defends a little, but definitely shoots. On 4.2 attempts per game, he shot 43.9% from three last year, good for third-best leaguewide.
Prince is in the first year of a two-year, veteran’s minimum contract, with a $3.8m player option for 2026–27. He’ll certainly face a minute restriction, and the Bucks’ 19 remaining games may not give him much chance to reestablish enough value for a trip to the open market, so he may opt in once that decision is due in late June. On the other hand, his projected minimum salary for next year is $3.9m—an $85k raise—and all 30 teams can pay him that money with the minimum salary exception. Despite the long injury layoff, he still seems likely to find a minimum deal somewhere if he chooses to leave, given the recent shooting prowess.
Regardless, congrats to Prince for completing his rehab and seeing an NBA floor again before the season is out. Neck injuries, especially when a disk is involved, have curtailed many careers—just ask Marques Johnson. I doubt TP displaces Ousmane Dieng or Kyle Kuzma from the starting lineup or rotation, but Milwaukee will at least now have the size to avoid playing guards like AJ Green out of position as often.
LONDON (AP) — West Ham will face Leeds United in the FA Cup quarterfinals after beating Brentford 5-3 in a penalty shootout following a 2-2 draw after 90 minutes and extra time on Monday.
The tie was decided when stationary West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola saved Dango Ouattara’s woefully taken Panenka effort in the shootout.
His effort, the third of Brentford’s five, was the only penalty kick not converted.
The finale came at the end of a pulsating match that featured two goals apiece from West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen and Brentford’s Igor Thiago.
A regular talisman for the Hammers, Bowen got the opener after 19 minutes when he reacted quickly to a loose ball in the box to slam it past 'keeper Caoimhin Kelleher.
Thiago equalized for Brentford nine minutes later but West Ham was ahead again before halftime when Bowen coolly converted a penalty kick.
The second half failed to live up to the high standards set in the opening 45 minutes but another penalty decision proved key.
Thiago got his double from the spot with nine minutes remaining after Crysencio Summerville was adjudged to have pushed Michael Kayode. It was Thiago's 20th goal of the season in all competitions.
The result means West Ham has needed extra time or penalties to win all three of it FA Cup ties thus far but that will bother neither the players nor coach Nuno Espirito Santos.
They can look forward to an enticing home game against Leeds, one of the two all-Premier League encounters. The other has Manchester City facing Liverpool on the weekend of April 4-5.
MIAMI, FL - MARCH 5: Nolan Traore #88 of the Brooklyn Nets dribbles the ball during the game against the Miami Heat on March 5, 2026 at Kaseya Center in Miami, 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 Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The day didn’t get off to a great start, as the Nets announced that Egor Demin will miss the remainder of the season with plantar fascia. Otherwise, Nets fans are looking at development for the others and lottery odds.
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Who: Memphis Grizzlies (23-39) at Brooklyn Nets (16-47) When: 7:30 PM ET Watch: YES Network
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PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 16: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers game winning dunk during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on January 16, 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
I’ll be in the comments throughout the game sharing my thoughts. Feel free to join in on the conversation and let your voice be heard in the comments below.
The Utah Jazz are waiving Vince Williams, league sources told @hoopshype. WIlliams previously suffered a torn ACL and is out for the rest of the season. He’s averaged 7.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in 21.3 minutes per game in four seasons with the Grizzlies and Jazz.
It’s been reported by multiple outlets now that the Utah Jazz have waived Vince Williams Jr. The news was expected; Williams Jr. tore his left ACL after colliding with Houston Rockets Forward Tari Eason on February 23rd. After being acquired with Jaren Jackson Jr. in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies, Williams Jr. only appeared in 6 contests for the Jazz before the injury where he averaged 4.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game in 14 minutes of action a night.
After spending four years at VCU, Vince spent most of his pro career in Memphis playing sporadic minutes, but found moderate success in the Grizzlies injury riddled 2023-2024 season. That year he was a bit of a utility player averaging 10 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.6 stocks per game. His true “calling card” was his reliable backup ballhandling with occasional playmaking masterclass performances like when he had 17 assists against the Pelicans or 15 assists against the Kings.
The release comes at a time where the Jazz are also battling the injury bug and they will now need to add a player to the roster to finish out the season to be in compliance with the NBA’s minimum roster requirements. The team themselves have not announced the move at the time of writing but I do expect it within the coming hours.
I was certainly a fan of his time in Utah and viewed him as a serviceable bench player that we could have had a role for next year. With the timing of the injury and the recovery time required it is unlikely that we’ll get to see him on the court next year, but I hope that once he is healthy he’s able to get on a roster and prove what he can do.
Now that leaves us with an open roster spot. Who do you think the Jazz should sign for the rest of the year? Who would you like to see the most in a Jazz uniform or who do you think we should give a chance to (potentially for a roster spot next season)? Sound off in the comments with your suggestions! Be kind, tell someone you love them.
