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

The men's NCAA basketball tournament now enters its second week. Even though the teams remaining still have to win four more games to claim a coveted national championship, this is the part of the tournament at which teams and their fans can realistically envision the possibility that it really can happen. That is the case even for programs that have never managed to get over the hump.

Ten of the 16 teams still alive in the Big Dance are seeking that elusive first title, but several others haven’t raised a banner since the turn of the millennium.

Here’s a cursory ranking of the eight matchups on tap this week in the Sweet 16.

1. Connecticut vs. Michigan State

Time/TV: Friday, 9:45 p.m. ET

This is the only matchup left in the field featuring coaches with national titles, though it’s been considerably longer since Michigan State and Tom Izzo hoisted the trophy in 2000. Dan Hurley and the Huskies will be seeking their third crown in four years.

2. Arizona vs. Arkansas

Time/TV: Thursday, 7:30 p.m. ET

This is arguably the game with the most next-level talent on display. The Wildcats have several likely future pros, but the Razorbacks’ Darius Acuff is often the best player on the floor.

3. Duke vs. St. John’s

Time/TV: Friday, 7:10 p.m. ET

These big-name programs with plenty of history also happened to be among the hottest teams in the country entering March Madness. This contest should in truth be happening in a later round, as the Red Storm were curiously given a No. 5 seed despite winning the Big East championship, and the committee by extension did the Blue Devils, ostensibly the top overall seed, no favors with this difficult region.

4. Houston vs. Illinois

Time/TV: Thursday, 10:05 p.m. ET

These two programs have been on the doorstep of claiming the title but have yet to do so. The Cougars, agonizingly close a year ago, hope to make the most of this opportunity in their home city, but the Fighting Illini are capable of matching shots with them.

5. Michigan vs. Alabama

Time/TV: Friday, 7:35 p.m. ET

This would be a compelling matchup on the gridiron as well, but both these schools have also won their share of basketball games in recent years. The Wolverines topped the polls for a large chunk of the season, but the high-octane Crimson Tide are capable of upending anyone if their 3-point shots fall.

6. Nebraska vs. Iowa

Time/TV: Thursday, 7:30 p.m. ET

There’s a curiosity factor for this one to be sure, as the Cornhuskers have never reached this round of the tournament and it has been a very long time for the Hawkeyes. It’s actually their third meeting of the season, with each winning at home during Big Ten competition, but obviously the stakes are elevated for this one.

7. Purdue vs. Texas

Time/TV: Thursday, 7:10 p.m. ET

There is mismatch potential for this one, as the red-hot Boilermakers hope to keep riding the momentum from their Big Ten tournament title. The Longhorns are the lowest remaining seed left in the field but have clicked since their First Four victory.

8. Iowa State vs. Tennessee

Time/TV: Friday, 10:10 p.m. ET

This might be the least appealing contest of the round in terms of historical pedigree, but there are plenty of subplots to monitor even if you don’t know much about these programs. The Volunteers are in the Sweet 16 for a third consecutive year but still seek a first Final Four appearance, while the Cyclones hope to take another step after last season’s run was cut short by tough injury luck.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness Sweet 16 games ranked from best to worst

Mark Pope whistled past the graveyard this week. He probably thought it sounded like a hopeful tune, but my ears detected more of sob story, set to a sad trombone.

Pope compared himself to John Calipari on his radio show, and he thought the comparison made him sound good. Say what?

In a four-minute monologue, Pope explained how, in his mind, his two seasons as Kentucky men's basketball coach deserve a little more love than Big Blue Nation is offering. Keep in mind, his Wildcats just got trounced in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

“This is what’s going to shock you," Pope said. "If you take the four years before we got here and compare them to the two years since we’ve been here, we actually have a higher winning percentage in the last two than we did in the four preceding (years, under Calipari) — barely, but a higher winning percentage.”

Whew, buddy, where to begin.

Mark Pope: 'Do the math.' OK, let's do it

Let’s start here: Winning percentage, are you kidding me? Pope should know Kentucky doesn’t hang banners for a .639 winning percentage. That winning percentage will get him a buyout check from Kentucky, not applause.

The next time Pope wants to compare himself to Calipari, stop. Just stop. Big Blue Nation wanted Calipari gone at the end of his tenure. Pope admitting he’s "barely" performed better than the end of Calipari’s reign is not the compliment Pope thinks it is — especially, when you consider Pope has delivered none of the success Calipari previously supplied, before Cal fizzled and flopped in March his final few years.

Calipari has six Final Fours (four at Kentucky) and a national championship. Pope has three tournament wins. He’s never won a Sweet 16 game or an SEC title. End of comparison.

Oh, one more thing: Calipari’s current Arkansas team won the SEC tournament, and he’s strutting like a rejuvenated mafioso into the Sweet 16, while Pope uncorks excuses, cites his winning percentage, and comes armed with strength of schedule metrics to an offseason radio show.

Coach rankings: We rank the coaches at the Sweet 16. See where John Calipari ranks

UNC coaching search: Who will replace Hubert Davis? Expect big names linked

“Go do the math yourself,” Pope said, in defense of his record.

Yes, because if there’s one thing that’ll fire up a ravenous fan base, it’s whipping out a calculator and celebrating .639.

Calipari’s winning percentage his final four seasons: .635.

Well, glory be, I detect a whisker of progress!

Except, then you consider Calipari’s winning percentage his final three seasons was .703. I guess we’re not supposed to do that math.

To Pope’s credit, his Wildcats avoided the gut-punching first-round losses Calipari suffered to Saint Peter’s in 2022 and Oakland in 2024. That’s where the credit ends. Otega Oweh's banked-in 40-footer kept Pope's second season from ending with a first-round loss to 10-seed Santa Clara. Then, Iowa State busted out the whoopin' stick.

While we’re talking numbers, here are a few more: Calipari won 29 games his second season at Kentucky and went to a Final Four. He won 38 games his third season and delivered a national title.

That’s the bar. That’s the standard. That gets you a banner and praise. Not .639.

“We haven’t met our goals, clearly,” Pope said, “but we are making progress.

“We know where we need to go.”

So do I. To the Final Four, next season, or start packing.

Big Blue Nation doesn’t want to solve math problems. It cares about one number: One.

As in, it expects to be No. 1.

That’s what the Kentucky job demands. Same as North Carolina.

North Carolina firing Hubert Davis gives a warning to Mark Pope

If Pope needed a hint as to what .639 will get him, check out Hubert Davis. He’s unemployed today. Despite being a well-respected alumnus, like Pope is at UK, Davis failed to meet UNC’s blue-blooded standard for unflinching excellence, no matter the circumstances.

Davis’ winning percentage in five seasons at North Carolina: .698.

His winning percentage this season: .727.

A lot better than .639.

Fired anyway.

Numbers that come after a decimal point don’t matter at blue bloods nearly as much as banners do.

Iowa State smashed Kentucky, as Cyclones dealt with an injury

Pope, during his monologue, explained injuries affected his team the past two seasons. Kentucky’s savvy fans didn’t need Pope to repeatedly remind them of those injuries, but it’s true his Wildcats dealt with “some misfortune,” as Pope put it.

An injury didn’t keep Iowa State from steamrolling Kentucky in the second round. While prolific scorer Joshua Jefferson sat out with an ankle injury, the Cyclones nonetheless made a mockery of the Wildcats after halftime, in an 82-63 rout.

Know who else got bit by the injury big? North Carolina.

The Tar Heels weren’t the same after losing leading scorer Caleb Wilson to injury in early March. That injury to a superstar didn’t keep Davis off the firing line when the Tar Heels lost in the first round.

Davis took UNC to the national championship game his first season and to a Sweet 16 two years ago, but North Carolina decided he wasn’t an elite coach. So, it became time for him to go, so the Tar Heels can try again to hire a coach who'll hang a string of banners.

Let UNC’s firing of Davis be a warning to Pope: Win, or walk.

Mark Pope will get new boss soon

Kentucky is in the process of hiring an athletic director. The last AD retired, after hiring Pope and stroking a $38 million buyout to football coach Mark Stoops. Among the tasks for Mitch Barnhart’s successor: Make Kentucky basketball great again.

Kentucky came miles short of greatness the past two seasons. By Pope’s own admission, Kentucky fared “barely” better than Calipari’s last four seasons.

If you had to describe Kentucky in a single word under Pope, opt for a number instead.

.639.

Too bad for Pope this job demands banners, not calculators.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mark Pope comparison to John Calipari at Kentucky is bad look

BOSTON — Jaylen Brown baited a foul on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, using the reigning league MVP’s signature move to get to the line with under eight minutes in the fourth quarter. It worked — and Brown cracked a smile on his way to the stripe. He called it “payback.”

“He got me last time we played them,” Brown said following Boston’s 119-109 win over Oklahoma City on Wednesday night. “He got me on the upfake, and I knew it was coming, and I still jumped forward. So, I guess that was a little payback.”

It wasn’t until 8:21 in the third that Brown attempted his first free throw of the night. More than four minutes later, Gilgeous-Alexander attempted his first before finishing with 12 total — two shy of Brown’s 14. The much-anticipated potential NBA Finals preview between the Celtics and Thunder didn’t end with anyone in Boston’s locker room looking back with regret or disdain for the officiating.

When it was only a matter of seconds until Boston officially ended Oklahoma City’s 12-game winning streak and split the season series, Brown looked toward the TD Garden crowd. With both arms raised in, he urged Celtics fans to rise to their feet. The Celtics had avoided falling victim to Gilgeous-Alexander’s foul-merchant ways — and instead, it was Brown who had beaten last season’s Western Conference leader in free-throw attempts (8.8) at his own game.

That took time — a career-high 11 technical fouls, one ejection, and one $35,000 fine in January.

“I feel like I play the same style, but maybe complaining is giving more notoriety to how the game is officiated, and I feel like I’ve gotten more calls,” Brown said. “I thought the officials did a good job tonight. Every call is not gonna be perfect, but I thought they did a great job of trying to keep it balanced or keep it the same both ways. So I didn’t have no complaints.”

Brown added: “If they’re gonna get those calls, as long as we get them too, then I feel decent about it.”

Two weeks ago in Oklahoma City, Gilgeous-Alexander baited Brown with the same move. Just over eight minutes into their matchup on March 12, Brown fell for the upfake and fouled Gilgeous-Alexander.

Knowing he messed up, Brown could only grin in frustration with himself.

So with the Celtics struggling to break out against the top-seeded teams in the West, having gone 1-8 against the Thunder, Spurs, Nuggets, Timberwolves, and Rockets before Wednesday night, Brown knew it was time to flip the script. Boston had just lost to an Anthony Edwards-less Minnesota team to begin the week, so it was time to reassess and establish a game plan once Oklahoma City arrived.

“That was a well-needed win,” Brown admitted. “I really wanted that win — we needed that as well. We know we can play anybody, but when you get a win on your home floor against the team that has the best record in the league, it feels good — especially after dropping the game I feel like we should’ve won against Minnesota, so (it was) very encouraging and it’s a step to build in the right direction.”

Brown finished with 31 points, combining for 50 with Tatum.

Boston outclassed Oklahoma City in second-chance points, rebounds (43-35), assists (25-17), and 3-point shooting (44% to 32%) — all without Nikola Vučević, still sidelined with a finger fracture since March 6. While Coach Mark Daigneault fielded a full-strength Thunder team, Coach Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics logged their most impressive victory of the season without their newly acquired trade-deadline star.

“This team has just been awesome all year,” Brown said. “It’s been a very fun season.”

Brown’s latest 30-point performance increased his Eastern Conference lead to 33 this season. To Tatum, his partner-in-crime’s rise has come as no surprise. Brown has spent the entirety of the year holding the fort down as the team’s leader through Tatum’s nearly-10-month-long absence, amassing a convincing league MVP campaign in the process.

Through their previous eight seasons together, Tatum knew Brown was more than capable of sitting in the driver’s seat while keeping the Celtics their usual competitive selves, regardless of circumstances.

“He’s made big plays in every game that we’ve been in, but this season he’s been able to take more ownership,” Tatum said of Brown. “Obviously, him and all the other guys (have) just been able to carry more weight, and obviously we all know he could do it. It was just when guys get more of an opportunity, they get to show it.”

On Wednesday night, the Houston Rockets squared off against the Minnesota Timberwolves on the prime-time slate, in a game that had a playoff feel to it. Certainly a playoff intensity.

The game held major stakes, as it pertains to the Western Conference standings, as the two teams were separated by just a half game. Kevin Durant struggled at the onset, going 1-for-6 in the opening quarter, as the Wolves made it a point to neutralize him, by either employing double teams or having Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels rotate as Durant’s primary defender.

And although Julius Randle gashed the Rockets for 39 points in the last matchup between the two teams, he went 0-for-4 in the opening quarter. Houston struggled to execute on relatively higher percentage looks, going 9-of-23 in the paint in the first half. The Rockets also had seven straight 3-point misses in the opening half (which shouldn’t be a surprise, considering their struggles from the outside of late).

Defense was the story of the game. Alperen Sengun was a force on that end, amassing four blocks in total. But not just the blocks, Sengun was drawing charges, diving for loose balls to get key stops and even had the key stop of the game, getting a block on Randle that saw him bloody his lip at the end of regulation to extend the game to overtime.

The overtime period was a quarter of runs, by both teams. The Rockets went on an 8-0 run, looking like they were going to walk out victorious. However, the Wolves went on a 15-0 run to close the period, becoming the first team since the Phoenix Suns in 2021 to go on such a run in overtime.

The Rockets lost 110-108 and seem entrenched in the sixth seed in the West, as they are now 1.5 games back from the Wolves for the fifth spot and 3.5 games ahead of the Phoenix Suns, who are in the seventh spot. Durant finished with 30 points, albeit on an inefficient 22 shots and had a key missed free throw in overtime, while Sengun also had 30 points on 22 shots.

Jabari Smith Jr. and Reed Sheppard went a combined 10-of-28 from the field and 4-of-16 from deep, in addition to five turnovers. Amen Thompson had a near triple double, with 11 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.

In the Celtics 119-109 statement win over the Thunder, Joe Mazzulla went with a tight nine-man rotation. In what felt like a Finals preview, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown performed at a championship level against the defending champs after laying an egg on Sunday against the visiting Timberwolves.

The game was speckled with some questionable calls. Boston and Oklahoma City combined for 55 trips to the line and just twenty turnovers. In the end, the Celtics identity shined through to win the possession battle with the team hitting 18-of-41 from behind the arc and dominating the offensive glass to the tune of 19 second chance points to the Thunder’s 2.

Currently, our friends at FanDuel have the Thunder at a +130 to represent the Western Conference and the Celtics sharing odds with the Spurs at +600.

Jayson Tatum

35 minutes, 19 points (3-6 from 3, 6-6 from the free throw line, 5-12 from the field), 12 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, 5 turnovers, 1 block, +2

As quickly as Tatum has recovered from his Achilles tear, it seems as though his assimilation back into the rotation has proportionately been just as fast. In his ninth game back, JT nearly registered a triple-double in a very laboring matchup with the defending champs with 19 points (3-of-6 from 3), 12 rebounds, and 7 assists (and 5 turnovers). It wasn’t a perfect performance, but considering the opponent and their physicality, it was another step in the right direction with ten games to go before the playoffs.

Grade: A

Jaylen Brown

39 minutes, 31 points (1-3 from 3, 12-14 from the free throw line, 9-17 from the field), 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, 5 turnovers, +7

Since Tatum’s return, Brown has ceded some of the scoring responsibilities to his counterpart. His shot attempts are down, but he’s averaging more assists and made a concerted effort to drive the ball and get to the line.

Against the Thunder, JB was intent on testing the league’s best defense at the rim. With a handful of spectacular finishes and fourteen trips to the line, he carried the team with 14 points in the 3rd and 10 more in the 4th. It was MVP-level work.

DON'T JUMP WITH JB 🫣 pic.twitter.com/YuKWdusIq9

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 26, 2026

After a close loss in Oklahoma City, Brown was critical with the officiating that night and in general, particularly SGA’s whistle and stars like him “foul baiting” and manipulating the game with flopping. The NBA’s iconoclast made it a point to show the league the difference between toughness and the grift.

Grade: A+

Derrick White

33 minutes, 12 points (2-7 from 3, 4-4 from the free throw line, 3-11 from the field), 2 rebounds, 6 assists, one turnover, +6

DWhite didn’t shoot the ball particularly well, but his two back-to-back threes in the second quarter got the Celtics back into the game after trailing by double digits. Along with the Jays in the final frame, White was part of the trio that limited SGA to just one shot in the fourth quarter.

Thunder are double teaming Tatum now. Derrick White has hit back to back threes pic.twitter.com/9mgYHZZRo5

— Ian Inangelo (@iinangelo) March 26, 2026

After spending much of the season as the de facto starting point guard, White should benefit with more catch-and-shoot threes as teams start to double team Brown and Tatum and dare the rest of the team to beat them.

Grade: B

Payton Pritchard

33 minutes, 14 points (4-6 from 3, 5-11 from the field), 2 rebounds, one assist, one turnover, 1 block, +11

OKC is super switchy with strong perimeter defenders up and down the roster. Much of Pritchard’s isolation game is predicated on taking advantage of mismatches

Like White, Pritchard is going to get more open looks playing next to the Jays. He was 4-of-6 from 3

Grade:

Sam Hauser

29 minutes, 19 points (3-8 from 3, 3-19 from the field), 5 rebounds, +4

In the first quarter, it felt like the Thunder were leaving Hauser wide open behind the arc in favor of clogging up the paint. It’s too bad that Hauser couldn’t covert, going just 1-for-5 from 3. In the second half,

Grade: B

Neemias Queta

30 minutes, 13 points (3-4 from the free throw line, 5-7 from the field), 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, +3

Neemi’s greatest area of improvement this season is his understanding of time and space. No, this is not a Robert Williams III reference, but like The Timelord, he’s figured out in Year 3 with the Celtics where to be at the right place and more importantly, at the right time.

He outscored both Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein working off the pick-and-roll with Tatum and being careful not to flash too soon into a passing lane and disrupting the team’s spacing. This dunk on Holmgren is the perfect representation of holding the screen long enough for Tatum to draw two, waiting at the free throw line to catch the pass, and using that runway to rise over Holmgren:

QUETA WITH THE POSTER SLAM 💥 pic.twitter.com/pF6kYmYRmv

— NBA (@NBA) March 26, 2026

Grade:

Hugo Gonzalez

9 minutes, 3 points (1-2 from 3, 1-2 from the field), 2 rebounds, -3

The rookie played nine minutes in the first half and matched up predominantly against SGA. Frankly, he got cooked a bunch, but that was more about the MVP doing MVP things rather than Gonzalez not sticking to him. Tip of the hat to better offense beating good defense.

Grade: C

Luka Garza

12 minutes, 7 points (1-2 from 3, 0-1 from the free throw line, 3-4 from the field), 2 rebounds, one turnover, +9

Production-wise, you never know what you’re going to get from Garza; what you can rely on is that he’s going to root around the restricted area and do everything he can to earn a couple of Tommy points off the offensive glass. Oh, and the 43.1% three-point shooter will hit a 3 or two if teams are silly enough to leave him open at the top of the arc.

Grade: B+

Baylor Scheierman

20 minutes, 11 points (3-7 from 3, 4-8 from the field), 5 rebounds, one assist, +11

Scheierman absolutely owned the second half. With two threes and a forced turnover against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the third and another triple and putback dunk in the fourth, he had TD Garden rocking as the Celtics gained the lead and never relinquished it.

Like Luka, Baylor has become the unlikely difference maker in so many of these wins by finding ways to make winning plays. He always in the hunt for offensive rebounds and become a nifty finisher off the dribble because of his consistent shooting. If that wasn’t enough, what’s keeping him on the floor is his versatile defense against the league’s best.

Grade: A+++

DNP-CD: Jordan Walsh, Ron Harper Jr., Amari Williams, Max Shulga, Charles Bassey

Inactive: Nikola Vucevic

There have been a lot of crazy nights at Target Center over the years, and tonight’s game is right up there as one of the craziest games in a long time.

On Wednesday night, the Minnesota Timberwolves took on the Houston Rockets in a game that will play a dramatic role in determining the seeding for the Western Conference Playoffs. The two teams came into the game separated by just half a game in the standings, and with the Rockets leading the season series between the two teams 1-0, a Houston win would clinch it in their favor.

The game started well for the Wolves. They jumped out to a 12-4 lead and carried that lead through most of the first half, including a nasty transition dunk from Naz Reid.

Naz Reid pass-fake + transition dunk WOW pic.twitter.com/GsZ1JEfRav

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) March 26, 2026

The Timberwolves led the entire first half, but without Edwards, they were unable to sustain consistent offense in the half-court as the Rockets cut the Wolves’ lead to just one heading into halftime.

Houston took a brief lead early in the third quarter, but Minnesota stormed back to build its lead back up heading down the stretch of the game. Jaden McDaniels was the catalyst late in the fourth quarter as he scored five straight Minnesota points, including a stepback 3-pointer and a strip of Kevin Durant for two points on the other end.

Jaden McDaniels nasty PnR stepback 3 + strip steal on Kevin Durant + transition dunk OH MY GOD pic.twitter.com/zBWUrGUXUS

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) March 26, 2026

That is when the game went totally off the rails. Following an Alperen Şengün layup and a Timberwolves shot clock violation, Julius Randle ran over Şengün, who was setting a screen, for a foul. With the Rockets in the bonus, this meant two free throws.

Upon review (there were many in this game), the play was curiously upgraded to a flagrant foul as the lead official, Scott Foster, said he “launched” into the opposing player.

The flagrant gave the Rockets two free throws and the ball back, which Houston capitalized on as Şengün slammed the ball home to cut the Minnesota lead down to just five.

The Wolves continued to melt down as they turned the ball over on three straight possessions. The Rockets scored on each of their subsequent possession to give themselves a one-point lead. All in all, it was a 12-0 run over about 3.5 minutes of game time that turned a sure win to the Wolves into a dog fight with less than a minute left.

Randle got into the paint for a layup to give the Wolves a one-point lead back before an away-from-the-play foul on an inbounds play from Rudy Gobert gave Durant a free throw to tie the game. The Wolves forced a turnover and nearly had the game won on the other end, but there was no call on the Randle layup attempts as the game went to overtime.

Things went from bad to worse in overtime for the Wolves in overtime as they quickly went down by five points. The Scott Foster show continued from there. Following an upheld call on a review of a Naz Reid charge, Reid was ejected for seemingly saying, “He’s moving.” After the game, the officials were asked about the ejection via the NBA’s pool report and said, “Reid made a statement that questioned the integrity of the officiating crew.”

Naz Reid ejection pic.twitter.com/FDAjYksBV0

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) March 26, 2026

With Reid ejected, McDaniels on the bench with an injury he sustained late in the fourth quarter, and Gobert out of the game after fouling out, the snowball kept rolling down the hill, and before the Wolves knew it, they had given up the first 13 points of overtime.

If the game ended right there, it would have been crazy enough, but it didn’t. With fans heading toward the exits, the Wolves didn’t quit on the game. They continued to generate good looks on offense and get stops on defense. Mike Conley knocked one down from deep, Kyle Anderson put in an and-1, and Julius Randle put in a layup to cut the Houston lead down to one possession.

Minnesota didn’t stop there, as Donte DiVincenzo tied the game on the next Wolves possession before Randle put the Wolves back in the lead with another layup. In total, it was a 15-0 Timberwolves run that turned a 15-point deficit into a two-point lead.

According to Sportradar, the 13-point overtime comeback was the largest in NBA history since they started keeping track of play-by-play data during the 1996-97 season. The next highest? The Wolves’ nine-point lead was blown in Denver this past Christmas.

After a pair of missed free throws from Durant (one of which was intentionally missed), the Wolves secured a 110-108 victory in one of the most absurd games at Target Center in a long time.

After the game, Randle made his displeasure with the officiating known, yelling out, “That shit didn’t work, Scott Foster,” as he walked back to the locker room. When asked about the flagrant call earlier in the game, Randle responded, “Don’t get me fined, man.”

“I’ve never seen it before,” Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch said about the flagrant call on Randle. “They’re telling me they had a clear opportunity to avoid the screen. They said he sought him out to run him over. I’ve never seen a flagrant like that. He goes through a screen, they call a foul, fine. That’s clearly a foul. Play on. But a flagrant? I don’t know.”

Throughout a long NBA season, there are bound to be games where the officiating doesn’t go the way a team would hope. While those types of games seem to happen more often with Foster on the floor, how a team responds during those types of games is almost as important as the actual result of the game.

“I’m so proud that we didn’t quit,” Gobert said after the game. “We had a lot of opportunities to get very frustrated tonight. For the most part we were able to overcome that. That’s the blueprint for us. We want to win a championship, so we know there’s going to be adversity.”

DiVincenzo gave insigth into what allowed the Wovles to come back in overtime explaining, “That last timeout we just basically regrouped and looked up and we had a lot of time. I think it was like 3:25. That’s a lot of time in the NBA, but we just got stop after stop and executed on offense. We did a great job of getting the ball into Julius’ hands and trusted his decision making and it worked out for us.”

The hope is that a win like this is a springboard to the Wolves finally becoming the team many fans and media think they can be. Through most of the season, something has just felt off about the Wolves. The consistency of performance has not been there, and each solid stretch of play is followed by abhorrent basketball.

On the flip side, the Wolves have shown this season, and really the past few seasons, that when it seems like they are at their lowest, they can dig out of it with one of their best performances of the season. This game, especially the overtime, was a perfect example.

With just eight games left on the schedule, the question is what Timberwolves team will we see down the stretch of the regular season? The team that gave up a 26-2 run late in the fourth quarter and into overtime, or the one that came storming back just when all seemed lost.

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Up Next

The Timberwolves get another couple of days off before taking on the Detroit Pistons on Saturday at 4:30 PM CT. The Pistons will be without Cade Cunningham, who suffered a collapsed lung last week. Fans can watch yet another nationally televised game airing on ABC.

Highlights

BOSTON — Baylor Scheierman never doubted he could do this.

Not when he fell out of the rotation early on this season, not when he had a tough shooting stretch last Summer League in Las Vegas.

The 25-year-old Celtics forward always saw this kind of success coming.

“I’m super confident in my abilities,” Scheierman said after the Celtics’ win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night.

That much has been evident from the first time he donned Celtics green.

In his two years in Boston, Scheierman has blown kisses and concocted a myriad of new celebrations. Last year, he invented Jayson Tatum’s wrist celebration. This year, he’s rocked his own ‘thumbs up’ celebration in an ode to the fact he’s playing with a broken thumb.

Scheierman has probably talked more trash to opposing teams’ benches than any player on the team, and carried himself with a swagger more reminiscent of a perennial All-Star than a role player trying to break through.

That seemingly unwavering confidence has translated to plenty of on-court success. And, Wednesday’s win over the Thunder was the latest example of just how successful a season it’s been.

In a 119-109 Celtics win, Scheierman tallied 11 points in 20 minutes, hitting 3 of his 7 three-point attempts. He grabbed 5 rebounds and forced Shai Gilgeous-Alexander into a turnover. The Celtics outscored the Thunder by 11 points in his minutes, tied with Payton Pritchard for the best plus-minus on the team.

Still, as per usual, Wednesday’s box score doesn’t begin to capture Scheierman’s impact on the ball game.

“I thought Baylor was great — his shot making,” said Joe Mazzulla. “He was great defensively on his match-ups. He’s a guy that just makes plays.“

Those winning plays can be difficult to quantify and even harder to explain. But, you watch Scheierman play for just a few minutes, and it becomes evident: when he’s on the court, he makes the Celtics better.

His teammates have taken notice, too.

“He can do a little of everything,” Sam Hauser said last month. “At times, it’s really hard to take him off the floor.”

Scheierman’s ability to create chaos on the offensive glass has been a major strength — nearly every time a shot goes up, Scheierman is in the action, whether he’s trying to tip the ball out to a teammate, deflect it off an opposing player, or simply wreak havoc.

There’s no perfect science to crashing the offensive glass, and Scheierman just follows his instincts.

“Shoot, it really just comes down to a feel thing,” he said. “You’re not perfect all the time, but that’s one area they give you a lot of freedom to be able to just crash or stay — so it’s really just a feel thing.”

Mazzulla doesn’t know exactly how to explain Scheierman’s penchant for winning plays, either.

“It’s just who he is,” said Joe Mazzulla. “He just has a knack for making plays. He doesn’t want to be defined by one thing. He doesn’t care if he shoots, he doesn’t care if he has to play defense, crash, take care of the ball. He just has a knack for making basketball plays. It’s a huge strength of his.”

How does Scheierman explain that knack?

“Playing hard, I guess,” he said with a smile. “Just having a little bit of a feel for the game, and a nose for the ball, I guess. And then just competing super hard on both ends of the floor.”

Amazingly, Baylor Scheierman’s impact hasn’t diminished since Jayson Tatum’s return

On the outside, it wasn’t clear what kind of season Baylor Scheierman was going to have.

Last year, he spent most of the season with the Maine Celtics. This year, he began the year on the outskirts of the rotation but became increasingly important as the season progressed.

Scheierman averaged 7.4 minutes per game in October, 14.3 minutes in November, 16 minutes in January, and 24.3 minutes in February, his on-court opportunities steadily climbing as the season progressed.

With Jayson Tatum back in the lineup, one would assume Scheierman’s minutes would be significantly reduced.

But, he’s actually played more in March than any month this season; he’s averaging 7.5 points and 5.8 rebounds in 27.5 minutes of action. His shooting numbers have actually increased since breaking his thumb late last month; Scheierman is shooting 39.2% from three this month, up from 32.7% in February.

Scheierman is no longer starting — Jayson Tatum reclaimed his spot in the starting lineup when he made his season debut on March 6th — but he’s continued to play a pivotal part in the Celtics’ success.

That might be a surprise to some, who saw him struggle in Las Vegas in July and begin the season toward the bottom of the depth chart.

But Scheierman smiled when asked if he was surprised at the success he’s had this season. The answer was an obvious ‘no.’

“The work I put in coming into my rookie year, coming into this year, has prepared me for this,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s just taking it one day at a time, one game at a time. I’m super blessed and grateful for the opportunity, and I just try to take advantage of that. But to answer your question, no, I’m not surprised. I’m super confident in my abilities.”

SAN FRANCISCO — Gui Santos scored a career-high 31 points, Draymond Green made two clutch free throws with 6.9 seconds remaining and the Golden State Warriors beat the Nets 109-106 on Wednesday to clinch a play-in spot.

Brandin Podziemski had 22 points, six rebounds and five assists for the Warriors (35-38), who won their first game at Chase Center since returning from a grueling 2-4 road trip.

Kristaps Porzingis added 17 points and De’Anthony Melton had 14, including a pair of free throws in the final seconds, as Golden State beat Brooklyn in San Francisco for the first time since Dec. 16, 2023.

Ziaire Williams had 19 points for the Nets, who have lost nine straight. Jalen Wilson added 15 points off the bench while Ben Saraf had 14 points and seven rebounds.

The sellout at Chase Center was the 600th consecutive sellout for the Warriors, the sixth-longest streak in NBA history,

The Nets, who will face LeBron James and the Lakers on Friday night, led most of the game, trailed going into the fourth then wore down over the final 12 minutes.

Brooklyn shot 8 for 20 (2 for 9 behind the arc) down the stretch.

Still without injured star Stephen Curry, the Warriors committed 15 turnovers in the first two quarters and had trouble running their offense with much consistency.

The Nets also got off to a sluggish start and missed 10 of their first 15 shots before Williams warmed up.

The former first-round draft pick repeatedly attacked through the paint and scored 11 points to help Brooklyn to a 58-50 halftime lead.

Golden State pulled within 63-62 midway through the third before Powell made consecutive 3-pointers to get Brooklyn on track.

Those of you who stayed up to watch our 17-win Nets play into the wee hours of the morning were rewarded with an entertaining bout, a touch of history, and somehow still, a lottery-friendly game result.

Those of you who reading this in the morning, first off, no one is blaming you. Hanging with this team in any capacity through this point in the season is more than admirable. So, we’ll do our best to deliver everything that went down anyway…

Brooklyn’s usual, and by that I mean “poor,” start tonight in no way indicated the wild ride they’d eventually take us on. They began the game 2-10 from the field and looked headed for another blowout in a hurry. With a few timely cutes and slick feeds, the Nets queued themselves up several good looks at the rim, but just couldn’t slide the turkey into the oven.

However, the Warriors, who’ve gone 7-16 since having to shelve Steph Curry with runners knee, had their own debilitating basketball vice in the opening minutes too. Golden State surrendered 10 turnovers in the first period alone. And with that grace provided by the extra possessions, Brooklyn eventually found its footing, pulled into the lead, and its shooting above 50% from the frame.

Even as the offense improved, Brooklyn’s closing minutes of the first weren’t without their mistakes…

Fitting end to a funny first quarter. pic.twitter.com/PA3gily1Av

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) March 26, 2026

In fairness, we’re well beyond asking for perfect, or even decent basketball from this young, hard-working, but obviously talent-deficient team. However, as the game rolled on, the former traits shined brighter than the latter, and brighter than gold.

Brooklyn continued to turn the Warriors over in the second, getting their total up to 15 less than 18 minutes into the game. The Nets also got up by a dozen around that point after Ben Saraf nailed a triple that broke a streak of 18 straight misses for him from deep. Brooklyn’s audaciousness grew so abundant in the second, that at one point, Terance Mann tried to drop a hammer on one of the best statistical rim protectors of our time…

Another look at Terance Mann's near poster on Porzingis. Almost got there. pic.twitter.com/FrF2IIIw2B

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) March 26, 2026

Wisely, Golden State started slowing things down after that, getting to the line and getting 10 points there in the period. They were about to close the half on a 16-9 run until Malachi Smith, with his second 10-day contract still damp with ink, bolted past everyone for lay-in off the glass that made it a 58-50 game at the break.

Jalen Wilson and Ziaire Williams led the Nets with 11 points each at that point. Williams nabbed four steals along the way as well. The most he’d had in a game before tonight was five. He tied that mark less than three minutes into the second half and surpassed it a few minutes later. He finished with a whopping six to go with 19 points on 6-11 shooting.

One of the few other veterans available tonight, Nic Claxton, was less involved in the box score both at half and beyond. Clax picked up his fourth foul of the game with 5:27 to go and ended up with only three shot attempts in the first half. He logged just eight points in 20 minutes for the game and did not play beyond the third quarter.

In that period, Golden State looked primed to re-take the lead the after starting it on a 12-5 run. However, Drake Powell said “not so fast” with two back-to-back threes that kept his team afloat.

DRAK3 POW3LL

back-to-back triples for the rook 👌 pic.twitter.com/Hwzq1H22PW

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) March 26, 2026

But while maintaining their buoyancy, the Nets eventually drifted into rough waters, and took the Warriors with them. Like a limp sailboat, both teams rocked back and forth in the latter half of the third, trading possessions and points at a rapid pace as the turnovers and shot-making both increased.

Gui Santos, who averages 8.3 points per game, added 15 points in the quarter while shooting 3-4 from deep. Brooklyn got their own “where’d that guy come from” contributions amidst the chaos as well, as Chaney Johnson added a quick six points in the frame. Williams, however, remained the guy, adding another eight before the start of the fourth.

There, the Nets started with an 86-77 lead, though Santos’ hot shooting quickly threatened the advantage again. Getting support now from Gary Payton II, Brandin Podziemski, and Draymond Green at the defensive end, the Warriors made their first three triples to open the period and tied things up 88-88 with 8:10 remaining.

Again, Drake Powell tried to change the tide, picking off a pass and going the distance to give Brooklyn back the lead once play resumed. But the Warriors, who still feel like a force of nature for this writer whose formative years took place during their heyday, maintained the look of a strong swell midway through the fourth. Next time down the floor, De’Anthony Melton got in for an easy two before Will Richard walked into a three that gave Golden State it’s first lead since the first period.

However, Golden State couldn’t get any further, and even took a few steps back with many of the final minutes played either with the score tied again or with Brooklyn ahead by a possession or two. Smith played a large part in that, beating the shot clock, blanketing defense, and the odds odds just to be there tonight at one point…

Tough shot in a tough moment. Malachi Smith is making a lot of viewers sweat tonight.

The Nets re-signed him this morning. pic.twitter.com/yKz4dKWJoX

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) March 26, 2026

The Warriors, on the other hand, opted to roll with Porzingis in isolation down the stretch and found mixed results. On many occasions, the Unicorn looked more like a run down horse, missing short on a variety of looks around the paint. He did, however, rise over everyone to flush in a missed layup from Santos that tied things back up. Not long after that, he drew a foul on Johnson that brought him to the line and Golden State back up two with just under a minute to go.

In game riddled with responses from both teams, Brooklyn’s next was the best by a landslide, even if it wasn’t game-deciding. Next time down the floor, Saraf put Draymond on a poster and possibly into a retirement home. Maybe it’s just getting late here, but I think he gave him a bit of a stare after too…

Ben Saraf puts it on Draymond Green's head.

We are tied. pic.twitter.com/LaeLD8ij9L

— Collin Helwig (@collinhelwig) March 26, 2026

But while Saraf’s jam had many on the Brooklyn bench smiling from ear to ear, it was Melton who got the last laugh. On the subsequent possession, the legendary ex-Net drew a foul made the necessary free throw to give his team the lead.

With only a handful of seconds remaining after that and no timeouts, the Nets had to heave the ball across the court. Rather than another chance at redemption, Josh Minott’s pass found Melton’s hands. The clock quickly ran out, the Nets told everyone “goodnight,” and picked up their eighth loss in a row.

Alas, once could argue Nets “won” with their 17 steals tonight, the most in a game in over a decade. With the Washington Wizards mopping the floor with the Utah Jazz, they also pulled into a tie with them for the second slot in the lottery standings.

We’re a ways to go, both in seeing how much that’ll matter and getting to the point where real wins are on the table, but certainly closer now.

Final: Golden State Warriors 109, Brooklyn Nets 106

Milestone Watch

• Ziaire Williams career-high six steals tonight in Golden State are the most by a Net since Caris LeVert’s six on 2/22/20 at Charlotte.
• The Nets have a season-high 17 steals tonight against the Warriors, which is their most in a game since recording 19 vs. Chicago on 3/3/14.

Next Up

Nets #afterdark continues on Friday evening as Brooklyn will head out to Los Angeles for a date with the Los Angeles Lakers. For those unaware, Luka Doncic has been on an absolute tear lately at the offensive end. That should provide the night owls among you with some entertainment even as the Nets likely get beat to a pulp. This one tips off at 10:30 p.m. EST.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Gui Santos scored a career-high 31 points, Draymond Green made two clutch free throws with 6.9 seconds remaining and the Golden State Warriors beat the Brooklyn Nets 109-106 on Wednesday to clinch a play-in spot.

Brandin Podziemski had 22 points, six rebounds and five assists for the Warriors (35-38), who won their first game at Chase Center since returning from a grueling 2-4 road trip.

Kristaps Porzingis added 17 points and De’Anthony Melton had 14, including a pair of free throws in the final seconds, as Golden State beat Brooklyn in San Francisco for the first time since Dec. 16, 2023.

Ziaire Williams had 19 points for the Nets, who have lost nine straight. Jalen Wilson added 15 points off the bench while Ben Saraf had 14 points and seven rebounds.

The sellout at Chase Center was the 600th consecutive sellout for the Warriors, the sixth-longest streak in NBA history.

The Nets led most of the game, trailed going into the fourth then wore down over the final 12 minutes. Brooklyn shot 8 for 20 (2 for 9 behind the arc) down the stretch.

Still without injured star Stephen Curry, the Warriors committed 15 turnovers in the first two quarters and had trouble running their offense with much consistency.

The Nets also got off to a sluggish start and missed 10 of their first 15 shots before Williams warmed up. The former first-round draft pick repeatedly attacked through the paint and scored 11 points to help Brooklyn to a 58-50 halftime lead.

Golden State pulled within 63-62 midway through the third before Powell made consecutive 3-pointers to get Brooklyn on track.

Up next

Nets: Face the Lakers in Los Angeles on Friday.

Warriors: Host the Wizards on Friday.

The Dallas Mavericks (23-50) dropped their fifth straight game Wednesday, falling 142-135 to the Denver Nuggets (45-28) in a game that felt within reach early before completely getting away from them late. Dallas had a few solid stretches to start, showing some offensive rhythm and energy, but couldn’t sustain it as Denver’s shot-making and overall execution took over. Cooper Flagg continued his strong stretch with 26 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, while P.J. Washington added 19 points and 15 rebounds with steady production inside. On the other side, Jamal Murray put together a dominant performance with 53 points, and Nikola Jokić orchestrated everything with 23 points, 21 rebounds and 19 assists, as the Nuggets controlled the game from the middle quarters on.

The Mavericks hung around for stretches in the first half, but a Jamal Murray explosion ultimately tilted the game, as the Denver Nuggets took a 68-59 lead into halftime in a game that quickly started to feel like it was slipping away. Dallas opened with solid energy, getting contributions from multiple spots, as Naji Marshall scored efficiently and Cooper Flagg made his presence felt early as both a scorer and a playmaker, helping keep things within reach. Flagg had a noticeable impact in those opening minutes—knocking down pull-ups, attacking downhill, and creating looks for others—while Marshall’s shot-making kept the offense afloat during key stretches.

But every time the Mavericks made a push, Murray had an answer. He completely took over the second quarter, piling up 33 first-half points on 11-of-15 shooting and 6-of-9 from deep, hitting pull-ups, step-backs, and tough contested shots that Dallas simply couldn’t slow down. At the same time, Nikola Jokić quietly controlled everything else, finishing the half with 11 assists and 9 rebounds, consistently creating easy looks and keeping Denver’s offense flowing even without scoring much himself.

Dallas had some bright spots, though. There were moments especially in the third where Dallas strung together a few stops and got downhill, but it never turned into anything real, as missed shots, turnovers, and Denver’s instant responses kept resetting the margin.

The Mavs need a stopper

If this game didn’t make it obvious, nothing will Dallas desperately needs a guard who can defend at the point of attack. Jamal Murray didn’t just have a good night, he had complete control, getting wherever he wanted and scoring however he wanted, finishing with 53 points on 19-of-28 shooting and 9-of-14 from three. There was no real resistance at the top of the defense no one who could consistently stay in front, disrupt his rhythm, or even make him uncomfortable. Once he got downhill or into his pull-up game, it was over, and that kind of pressure completely breaks a defense before it even has a chance to rotate.

This is where roster construction starts to matter. Dallas has length and some versatility in the frontcourt, but without a guard who can actually contain the ball, none of it holds up. You can’t ask your bigs to clean everything up every possession, especially against elite shot-makers. That’s why this draft becomes so important. It’s not just about adding talen it’s about adding the right kind of player. Someone who can fight over screens, stay attached, and at least make life harder for guys like Murray at the point of attack.

Because nights like this aren’t just about one player getting hot they expose a structural issue. And until Dallas finds a guard who can defend at that level, this is going to keep happening.

Someone seeds to close, eventually

The Mavericks have played a ton of close games this season, but the results just haven’t followed, and that’s something that continues to show up late in these losses. Too often, possessions in crunch time turn into rushed shots, stalled actions, or empty trips, while a single defensive breakdown on the other end swings momentum the other way. It’s not just one game it’s been a pattern, and it speaks to a team that’s still learning how to execute when everything tightens up.

That said, context matters right now. Dallas isn’t necessarily trying to squeeze out every late-game win at this point in the season, and losses like these actually help their lottery positioning. There’s value in being competitive and getting those reps without sacrificing long-term upside, especially in a strong draft class.

But long term, this is something to watch especially with Cooper Flagg. He’s already showing flashes as a primary creator, but closing games is the next step: controlling tempo, getting to the right spots, and making the right reads under pressure. It’s okay that it’s messy right now given where the team is, but if the Mavericks want to take a real step forward next season, turning these close games into wins has to be part of that growth.

Cooper Flagg continues to shine

Cooper Flagg continues to look more and more like the centerpiece of what Dallas is building, and nights like this are a big part of why. He finished with 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists, impacting the game in just about every way despite the result. What stands out isn’t just the production it’s how he’s getting it. He’s initiating offense, pushing in transition, making reads out of drives, and consistently putting pressure on the defense as both a scorer and playmaker.

This stretch has been especially encouraging. Over the past few games, Flagg has been steadily trending upward, not just in scoring, but in overall control of the game. He’s starting to look more comfortable as the primary option, picking his spots better and showing more patience when defenses collapse. Even when shots don’t fall, he’s still influencing possessions through rebounds, assists, and defensive activity.

There are still things to clean up, especially late-game execution and shot selection in tighter moments, but that’s expected at this stage. The important part is that the flashes are becoming more consistent. For a team leaning into development, Flagg isn’t just putting up numbers he’s showing real signs of growth as a lead initiator, and that’s the biggest takeaway moving forward.

Down eight at halftime and down nine in the fourth quarter to a Brooklyn Nets team that came into Chase Center with one of the worst records in the NBA, the Golden State Warriors looked like a squad still jet-lagged from everything the road took from them. The Dubs coughed up twenty-six turnovers and this looked like a bad loss brewing to a tanking team.

And then Gui Santos decided he didn’t care about any of that.

Career night for the man from Brazil 🇧🇷@googlecloud || Player of the Game pic.twitter.com/jTfgddCVAo

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) March 26, 2026

The 23-year-old finished with 31 points on 11-of-16 shooting, a career statement carved out against a legitimately bad team, yes, but carved out nonetheless. When a young player finds that kind of rhythm, the opponent’s record becomes irrelevant. Santos was locked in.

The fourth quarter told the real story. Brooklyn tied the game 106-106 with under a minute left, Ben Saraf’s driving dunk over Draymond Green threatening to turn a sloppy Warriors performance into a loss nobody could explain away. Then De’Anthony Melton, who finished with 14 points and 9 rebounds, stepped to the line and hit the go-ahead free throw. Melton stopped Saraf on the next possession and Green, ice in his veins at the line down the stretch, sealed it at 109-106. That closing sequence was Warriors basketball at its most essential: survive the mess you made, close it with character.

The Warriors have clinched a spot in the play-in after tonight’s win.

LETS GO DUBNATION 🔒🔥 pic.twitter.com/EaqDVPfPrs

— Warriors Lead (@DubsLead) March 26, 2026

Two wins in a row. First game back home after a road trip that tested this team’s identity at every stop.

Here’s the real concern the scoreboard can’t hide, though. Twenty-six turnovers against a 17-56 team is not a footnote; I see it as more of a flashing warning light. The Warriors gave up 28 points off those turnovers. Against a playoff contender, this game isn’t close at the end. That number needs to get addressed in practice, in film, in conversation, because the schedule doesn’t stay this forgiving.

But tonight, Chase Center got its team back. Santos gave them a reason to be loud. Sometimes winning ugly is exactly what a team healing from the road needs most.

The Utah Jazz likely had this game circled on the calendar for some time. It’s the matchup of two ultra tankers facing off, and the prize for losing was all-important playoff positioning. The Utah Jazz came out on top … I mean, as the losers 133-110.

At halftime, the Jazz were down a massive amount, way more than anyone expected.

pic.twitter.com/IIsDXsVXnj

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) March 26, 2026

It’s a good thing because the Jazz got an incredible boost from Blake Hinson. In 11 minutes tonight, Hinson was 4/5 from three, 6/8 from the field, and a +15 in a blowout loss. His shooting with this Jazz team has been incredible, and he’s looking like one of the big steals of the current rebuild. It’s really nice to see because it’s showing that Utah is finding players from multiple avenues that can contribute. Utah has Hinson for two seasons minimum with his two-way contract, but they may want to find a way to give him a standard contract next season. His shooting and overall feel for the game make him a valuable role player. Not bad at all for the Jazz to find a player like that from the G-League, and they didn’t have to use a single asset to make it happen.

We also need to give Ace Bailey some major credit for some of his highlight plays. Bailey had a bad shooting night tonight, but it felt like every one of his scores was a highlight dunk. This reverse dunk was unbelievable.

ACE IS AT IT AGAIN 😱🤩♠️ pic.twitter.com/EzHEuMFFA9

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 26, 2026

He’ll still have some up and down nights shooting the ball, but the ceiling for Ace Bailey continues to rise.

Finally, there needs to be huge credit given to Cody Williams, who has been asked to do things outside of his comfort zone. Overall, he’s doing a solid job. Williams had a great night with 24 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist. He’s playing under control and, most importantly, with real confidence. That confidence is great to see, as it shows Williams can be a contributor to winning basketball for the Jazz. If he continues on this trajectory, there’s no reason not to believe he can’t be a core part of a future playoff rotation.

It’s a massively important loss for the Jazz, who stay in the hunt for the #4 spot with the Kings.

INDIANAPOLIS — The Lakers’ season was not going to be defined by a late March road trip. But when the games truly start to matter, the six games LA battled through could very well serve as a reference point.

On Wednesday, the purple and gold closed out its stint away from Crypto.com Arena with a win over the Pacers that was much more comfortable than the 137-130 final score would indicate. It was the punctuation on a trip in which they went 5-1, with the only loss coming to the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed in the Detroit Pistons.

Across those six games, the Lakers faced a myriad of challenges, both on and off the court. They found solutions for nearly all of them and, as a result, head back home with a real chance to finish the regular season on a high.

“This is the thing that we’ve talked about a bunch is just play the game in front of you and win the game in front of you,” head coach JJ Redick said. “It’s not about looking ahead. It’s more, ‘What does this game present?’ And each game on this trip presented a different problem that we had to solve and a different matchup nightmare that we had to solve and our guys did a great job of executing throughout the trip.”

The problems presented themselves in a myriad of ways. In Houston, it was athleticism. In Miami, it was sleep deprivation. In Detroit, it was physicality. In Indiana, it was the speed and pace of play.

But the Lakers found answers in different ways, too. The defense stepped up in Houston. Luka Dončić had a career night in Miami — and a career stretch of games during the road trip. Luke Kennard had the big shot in Orlando.

And on Monday, it was Bronny James who provided a spark.

The seldom-used sophomore guard parlayed his recent success in the G League into a rare appearance with the depleted parent Lakers. And they weren’t ceremonial minutes, but important ones that included a momentum-stopping jumper late in the fourth quarter to stem the tide of a Pacers run.

“He did a great job today,” Luka said of Bronny. “A big game from him. That pull-up two [in the fourth quarter], it was a big bucket. It was probably one of the most important shots of the game. They’re coming back, he hits that one. I think he did really great in those minutes.”

While Bronny is not the solution himself, he is emblematic of the Lakers’ ability to find answers. When the playoffs came around last season, they ran out of ideas quickly, bowing out in swift fashion as a result.

This season, the Lakers are a more resilient group with an ability and willingness to problem-solve, something they proved time and time again over the last week-and-a-half.

“I think we did a great job – even the game we lost that we could have won – I think just not giving up,” Luka said. “Numerous times, teams went on a run and we didn’t give up. We just kept at it.”

By keeping at it, the Lakers have positioned themselves for a strong finish. Of their final nine games, six are at home, seven are in California and only once will they have to leave the Pacific time zone. Games against Brooklyn, Washington, Dallas and Utah will match them up against tanking teams.

Following Wednesday’s results, they sit 1.5 games up on Denver, two games up on Minnesota and 3.5 games up on Houston with tiebreakers over all three teams.

Even with a game against OKC left on the schedule, the Lakers, should they simply take care of business in the final two weeks of the regular season, are primed to lock up the No. 3 seed for a second year in a row.

But if they’re to avoid the fate that followed last year’s team after the regular season ended, it’ll likely be performances like these six road games they can turn to in order to see their ride through the postseason last a little bit longer.

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

The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t put their best foot forward to start this game. Let’s go over today’s winners and losers.

LOSER- Coming Out Flat

Second night of a back-to-back. Numerous key players are down due to injury. Random, meaningless game in March. I understand all of the context.

That still doesn’t mean it’s okay for the Cavs to come out as flat as they did tonight.

Miami built an early 20-point lead after pouncing all over Cleveland’s poor effort. Some of the Cavaliers’ offensive concerns can be excused due to simply missing shots (they shot 3-15 from three in the first half). But their defensive integrity was nowhere to be found. That’s especially concerning, considering Kenny Atkinson previously called them out for their poor defense against the Magic just 24 hours ago.

It’s a combination of scheme and execution. The Cavs have always rotated early and dug deep into the paint to provide help on drives. But their timing and process on this strategy have been worse as of late. They are frequently over-committing and opening themselves up to three-point onslaughts. It’s worrying that even middling offenses like the Heat can impose their will on the Cavaliers so quickly to start a game.

The Cavs proved they can ‘flip a switch’ once the second half began. The comeback was as electric as anything. With that said, I can’t blame any of the hometown fans who booed their team during the first half. That was a bad effort — and they dug themselves a hole that was ultimately too much to get out of.

WINNER – Donovan Mitchell’s Second Half Effort

Mitchell has a knack for getting the Cleveland crowd on its feet. This Cavalier team was being booed off the floor entering halftime. By the end of the third quarter, Mitchell had them in a full frenzy as his 13 points fueled a comeback and tied the game.

It was everything we’ve come to expect from Mitchell. Elite three-point shooting. Dazzling dribble moves. And a one-man heat check that brought his team (and the crowd) back to life. Mitchell hit three three-pointers in the third quarter, including back-to-back shots to swing the momentum all the way back into Cleveland’s favor.

As previously mentioned, Atkinson called out his team’s ‘compete level’ after their narrow win over Orlando. Specifically, he urged his two leaders (presumably Mitchell and James Harden) to respond. It took a full half for Mitchell to get the message, but by the end of the game, it was clear he took it to heart.

Mitchell opened the fourth quarter by diving for the ball and forcing a jumpball. That kind of scrappiness from a player who is currently on fire shooting the rock is the definition of leading by example. Mitchell’s energy sparked the run.

LOSER – Evan Mobley

Think of the things you don’t want to see from Evan Mobley. Indecisiveness. A lack of confidence. Probing aimlessly and taking shots that feel hopeless.

That’s what we saw tonight.

At one point in the first half, Mobley was working one-on-one against Bam Adebayo with the shot clock winding down. Mobley took a step-back dribble, and as he was gathering for the jumper, Bam visibly waved him off and turned around for the rebound. Mobley nearly airballed the shot.

It’s worth saying the Heat deployed a great defensive scheme. Their mixture of zone and double-coverage kept Mobley from finding an open space to operate. They sped him up and made him passive. That’s a credit to Miami.

“They mixed in a lot of zone,” said Kenny Aktinson after the game. “Those guys are tough; they’re a darn good defensive team. I think Evan’s next evolution is when they start swarming him, making those decisions.”

Later in the fourth quarter, Mobley had a deep-seal on Kel’el Ware. The Cavs dumped him the ball, and Mobley proceeded to get blocked at the rim. That sums up the night.

Every player has bad games. It’s worth noting that Mobley had been playing his best stretch of the season, and arguably one of the best of his career. But this type of performance is something we all wish we could forget.