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

SALT LAKE CITY — There’s something about Utah for Jordan Clarkson. 

Out of the Knicks rotation for most of the last seven weeks, the reserve guard returned to his old home and put on a show, scoring a season-high 27 points off the bench to help the Knicks recover from an 18-point deficit and avoid an ugly defeat to the tanktastic Jazz, 134-117. 

Clarkson, who spent 5 ½ seasons with the Jazz, got a video tribute at the Delta Center and proceeded to take the fans on a trip down memory lane, flashing the microwave scoring that won him the Sixth Man of the Year here in 2021. 

“I spent six years in this arena so the rims are pretty familiar to me,” Clarkson said. “It’s not the first time I’ve been hot in this arena. 

“Just being able to start the flame and keep it going.” 

Clarkson’s performance was necessary amid struggles from his backcourt teammates Wednesday, including another disappearing act from Mikal Bridges (five points, 27 minutes, 2-for-9 shooting, benched again in the fourth quarter) and early struggles from Jalen Brunson. 

Clarkson, 33, keyed the second-half spurt that turned the tables, and the Knicks (42-25) led for the entire fourth quarter while snapping a two-game losing streak. 

“For him to go out and perform the way he did, you couldn’t ask for anything better,” coach Mike Brown said. “And it goes to show he’s not just keeping his body right but his mind is in a good spot to go after coming in when you’re down [18 points] in the first half. So just to see that, you couldn’t ask for anything better. Especially from him, who is a veteran who hasn’t been playing or in the rotation and all of a sudden we need him.” 

Brown credited assistant Mo Cheeks with recommending playing time Wednesday for Clarkson. 

“Mo was the prophet,” Brown said. “He was right on target with it. We needed every single thing that Jordan brought to the table.” 

The first quarter, though, was a disaster for the Knicks. With Josh Hart out and nursing a sore knee, Landry Shamet stepped into the starting five and the Knicks were pummeled. 

They gave up 41 points in the first quarter, with Utah’s Brice Sensabaugh scoring 10 of them in just six minutes. The Knicks trailed by 15 after that opening period. 

The Knicks somewhat recovered in the second quarter behind Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 13 of his 21 points in that period. But the deficit was still nine at the break. 

Then Brunson woke up, Clarkson turned back the clock, and the Jazz returned to being terrible. Brunson scored 18 of his 28 points in the second half. Clarkson shot 10-for-15 in 26 minutes and five big offensive rebounds. 

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“Really good comeback win,” Brown praised. 

The Jazz (20-46) this season have acted like a family that reached its health insurance deductible. Their players have started racking up medical procedures. 

Jaren Jackson Jr. had a growth on his knee removed. Jusuf Nurkic repaired a deviated septum to address his sleeping problems. Walker Kessler had surgery on his shoulder in November. Lauri Markkanen missed his eighth straight game with a hip impingement. They were all out. 

Nobody in the Jazz’s starting lineup Wednesday was older than 22. Ace Bailey, the rookie, is only 19. But they were feisty and hitting their 3-pointers, connecting on 14-of-21 at halftime. 

Then the Jazz looked their age, especially on defense. The Knicks shot 52 percent on the night, racking up 37 assists compared to just 10 turnovers while scoring 78 points in the second half. 

Clarkson said the turnaround was preceded by a halftime message — first from the coaches, then from the players — to “get our s–t together.” 

The game began the easiest stretch of the season for the Knicks, with seven straight opponents currently carrying losing records. Those opponents had a combined winning percentage of 31 percent before Wednesday. 

Still, the Knicks needed to clean up their turnovers from the previous two games — losses to the Clippers and Lakers. 

And while it took them a half, they finally got going offensively. 

Thanks, in large part, to the former Utahn. 

“Clarkson kept us in the game when we were down and then definitely helped us get over the hump with the performance he had,” Brown said. 

This was supposed to be a get-right game. After losing twice in Los Angeles, the Knicks (42*-25) had a golden opportunity to flex their muscles against the Western Conference’s second-worst team, the Jazz (20-46). Instead, a poor defensive effort let Utah hit nearly everything from downtown in the first half (14 threes) and New York fell behind by as many as 18 points before intermission. After trailing 65-56 at halftime, the Knicks gradually came to life in a 40-point third quarter and finally pushed the lead to 22 in the fourth. Final score, 134-117.

The Delta Center gave a nice tribute to former Jazzman, Jordan Clarkson. Quoth Jslashnoel, “Clarkson’s professionalism is pretty awesome.” Mike Brown said in his presser that Mo Cheeks had suggested playing Clarkson more heavily tonight. Good advice, indeed, as J.C. recorded a season high 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting.

The game didn’t start great. The younger, springier Jazz jumped out to an early lead, causing Coach Brown to take a timeout before a full two minutes had passed. The ‘Bockers stood around while Brice Sensabaugh (29 PTS, 5 RBS) swished three triples and netted his team an 8-point lead. When Ace Bailey (who was listed on the early injury report) swished a corner three, Sensabaugh blindsided Jalen Brunson (28 PTS, 8 AST) with a flagrant-one foul. The Knicks scored four points as a result, but then they allowed yet another triple and a layup.

surgical with the dime 👨‍⚕️🪙 pic.twitter.com/yANR0EaDdW

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 12, 2026

After surrendering another—you guessed it—three-pointer to Bailey (21 PTS), New York found themselves down by 10.

Late in the half, the mouldering bones of Kevin Love (6 PTS, 6 RBS) rattled into the game. Guess what? He hit a three. The team with the league’s 22nd-ranked three-point shooting percentage made 9-of-11 from deep in the first quarter, including a leisurely buzzer-beater by Isaiah Collier for a 41-26 score.

Jordan Clarkson nice paint bucket pic.twitter.com/2UQytVOHnr

— Knicks Highlights (@KnicksClipss) March 12, 2026

During the break between quarters, the Knicks must have decided to let Elijah Harkless into the three-point party. As if in a practice shooting drill, Harkless lined up his shot and swished. Then Love drilled another. At the 10:30 mark, Mike Brown needed another timeout.

From there, the visitors went on a 13-3 run, powered by Karl-Anthony Towns (21 PTS, 7 RBS, 7 AST), Clarkson, and Mohamed Diawara (10 PTS). After taking a breather, Sensabaugh hit again from the corner because no one could have possibly guessed that they’d have a shooter waiting in the corner . . . and then he did it again. And then Keyonte George hit from the same spot. And then, down by 12, Brown needed another timeout.

Utah Jazz’s Brice Sensabaugh steals Mikal Bridges’ celebration…

Knicks down at the half. pic.twitter.com/HdIHvrfPwJ

— Knicks Fan TV 🏀🎥📺🏁 (@KnicksFanTv) March 12, 2026

In the final two minutes of the period, Bridges missed twice, Brunson missed twice—and turned the ball over—blowing multiple opportunities to narrow the score. Instead, they went into intermission behind, 65-56.

The Jazz had outshot the Knicks from the field (53% to 40%) and yard (67% to 35%). Rebounds were essentially even, and both teams had turned the ball over (Utah 10, Knicks 7), but the youngsters had run rings around the New Yorkers (21 fast-break points to 2). At the half, Sensabaugh led all scorers with 17 points. For the guests, Towns had 15 points but probably should have had more against a weak frontcourt.

give me some MO‼️ pic.twitter.com/5xnwsM7DLi

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) March 12, 2026

At halftime, Danny Ainge must have called the locker room to remind the Jazzies that they’re supposed to be tanking. In the third, the home team continued to score (George, Williams, and Kule Filipowski all got on the board), but they gave New York plenty of chances to catch up. Brunson did his part, with a three and a step-back jumper, and KAT added a layup. It wasn’t until later in the quarter that New York finally gained some momentum. Cap knocked down another three, a pull-up jumper, a late-quarter bucket, and a free throw, steadily chipping away at the deficit. OG Anunoby (22 PTS, 2 STL, 1 BLK) contributed at both ends (hitting a corner three, drawing fouls, and adding a block and a steal), Clarkson added six points, and Mitchell Robinson (13 RBS, 6 PTS) dominated the glass with a string of o-boards. With a steady push, our heroes climbed all the way back to cut the deficit to 96-94 by the break.

In the fourth frame, Clarkson continued to perform for his former fans. With a diet of dimes from Jose Alvarado (7 AST, 4 PTS, 2 STL), Jordan hit thrice from deep and twice at the rim for a new season high. Sensabaugh continued his strong night with a jumper and a floater, while New York stayed close with hustle plays: OG Anunoby’s transition dunk, Jose Alvarado’s runner, and a Mitchell Robinson alley-oop. Midway through the quarter, the Knicks finally put a lid on the game. KAT slammed an alley-oop dunk, Landry Shamet (7 PTS, 3-5 FG starting for an injured Josh Hart) hit a three, and Brunson added another from yard, capping a definitive run that pushed their lead to 22. Soon after, the benches were emptied, and when Clarkson checked out for the night, he received one more ovation from the crowd. Good stuff.

Up Next

The five-game road trip draws to a conclusion on Friday in Indiana. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.

Box Score

* Should be one more, but NBA Cup final wins self-destruct after opening.

The Jazz’s hot start wasn’t enough to overcome the Knicks. The season is almost over, stay strong Jazz nation! Hopefully all these losses will be worth it and Utah will finally jump in the lottery, but until then all we can do is watch the games and hope for the best.

Keyonte George –B+

Keyonte’s night ended early as he pulled his hamstring in the third quarter. He had a solid night moving the ball well and shooting efficiently. The Jazz should exercise extreme caution and sit him for the rest of the season.

Ace Bailey –A-

Bailey was a +3 in a 17 point loss while playing 36 minutes. He shot well from deep, going 5-10, and continues to be aggressive. He had an impressive finger roll layup that really illustrated his growth as a player. A few months ago he would have tried to pull up and take a jumper, or drive to the basket and try to throw it down. He continues to show just how high his potential is, and just how much of an athletic freak he is.

Brice Sensabaugh – A-

Sensabaugh did his best Jordan Clarkson impression tonight. He scored 29 on efficient shooting splits, and also added 5 boards and 5 assists. He had two particularly impressive assists to Cody. Hopefully this version of Brice becomes the new normal. If he can continue to play like this he will absolutely have a role on this Jazz team going forward.

Cody Williams –B

A very efficient shooting night for Cody, going 4/5 and making his lone 3-pointer. He also had a block. Cody had more ball handling duties tonight, and I thought he did a pretty good job handling it.

Kyle Filipowski –B+

Flip was aggressive and shot well tonight. He also did a good job getting his teammates involved, as he had 5 assists to go with his 7 rebounds and 15 points. He did get into foul trouble very early in the game which limited his effectiveness.

Kevin Love –B

I’m convinced that Kevin Love will be able to grab rebounds at an elite level until he’s 50. In just 10 minutes he grabbed 6 rebounds. Never change Kevin.

Isaiah Collier –C-

Collier missed a gimme layup on a fast break, and also had a tough shooting night, going 4-11. He did have 5 assists in just 19 minutes, but that’s pretty standard for Collier. We know what he can do when he is a starter, and it appears he will be going forward due to Keyonte’s injury, so I’m not worried about his performance tonight.

Oscar Tshiebwe – C-

It was a bit of a tough night for Tshiebwe as he only had one rebound and two points in —- minutes. I just don’t see a real role for him on the roster next year. The Jazz may be wise to consider giving some minutes to Mo Bamba to see what they have in him.

Andersson Garcia –B

Welcome to the NBA Andersson Garcia! Garcia had a ridiculous block and was hustling all night. He did miss two fairly easy layups but we can chalk that up to first game nerves. 6 points and 9 boards is a pretty impressive first outing. Hopefully we will see more for Garcia in the next few games.

Elijah Harkless –C

Rough shooting night for Harkless, but his defensive effort makes up for it. He plays with so much intensity and hustle that I think he has made a strong case for a roster spot, and maybe a few minutes a night next season. If he can become a more consistent shooter, watch out.

I can remember driving southbound on Utah’s I-15 as the music from my stereo was drowned out by the hum of an approaching vehicle that was clearly far more powerful than my humble, practical sedan. My jaw tumbled into my lap as a dark blur formed into a Lamborghini — and it was going to catch me.

Whoa, I said out loud. Who in the state of Utah is out here whipping a Lambo?

I thought I had gotten my answer as the roaring thunder rolled past me. Peering through the tinted windows, my eyeline caught the driver, but I simply couldn’t believe what the picture was struggling to communicate to my brain. Him? I had to get a closer look. Pressing down on the accelerator, I attempted to make up the gap for a second glance.

Sure enough, as I matched my speed to the rare sight, and inconspicuously (ish) stared over at the neighboring driver. My first impression was correct: that was Jordan Clarkson.

Clarkson made his first return to Utah since joining the New York Knicks this offseason. One of the final remaining artifacts of the pre-tanking Jazz, Clarkson stood out on the Jazz much like a Lamborghini in Central Utah. He’s stylish and flashy in a community that is largely conservative and muted. He was a firework in the night sky, and his tendency to stand out made him an instant fan-favorite. He spent six seasons with the Jazz — the longest stint of any one team in his career, and his return to the Salt Lake Valley was incredibly emotional.

JC got his ovation as he checked into the game for the first time, but now, as a competitor, his individual style arrived in direct opposition to the organization he had called home since 2019. He knows his way around the Delta Center floor and scooped in score after score in the Knicks’ win with 27 points on 10/15 shooting.

In fact, it was the Jazz who lit the flamethrower out of the gate, jumping far out ahead on 14-18 three-point shooting to open the night, pushing ahead to lead by 18 points in the second quarter.

It was all Jazz for the first half, keeping the visiting Knicks at bay until Keyonte George grabbed at his right hamstring. George knew his night was over the moment he felt a tug. Clutching at the back of his thigh and hobbling into the locker room, Keyonte wouldn’t return in this one.

The Jazz’s barricade had broken. As head coach Will Hardy remarked in the post-game press conference, “It was a tale of two halves.”

The Knicks finally wrestled the win out of their hosts’ possession once George left the game, leading at the end of the third quarter and outscoring the Jazz 38-23 in the fourth quarter to win comfortably, 134-117.

Tonight marked another arrival in Utah, as newly signed Andersson Garcia took the floor for the first time in the NBA. Garcia, claiming number 0 in Taylor Hendricks’ absence, was a critical player for the G-League Best Mexico City Capitanes. Will Hardy wasted no time giving Garcia NBA minutes, and he did well, scoring 6 points, collecting 9 rebounds (6 offensive), plus a steal and a block in 24 minutes.

Andersson Garcia, newly signed to a 10-day, gets 1st NBA bucket 🇩🇴 pic.twitter.com/oWoasczSOC

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) March 12, 2026

Garcia was incredibly active on the offensive glass, scrapping and swinging as he cleaned up missed shots, batting out 50/50 balls against the New York frontcourt, and putting up his own second-chance attempts. He took no plays off at the defensive end and placed his fingerprints all over the box score despite apparently still figuring out where he fits in Will Hardy’s game plan.

Brice Sensabaugh led all scorers with 29 points on 6-11 three-point shooting. After the Jazz mostly cooled off in the second half, Ice Brice maintained the flame. The better team took control in the final frame and took off as crunch time approached. Utah falls to 20-45 with this loss, giving the Jazz the NBA’s fifth-worst record.

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

The predominant narrative surrounding the Toronto Raptors lately has been that they struggle against good teams while beating up on the bad ones. 

The good news from tonight is that the Raptors broke free from that pattern. The bad news? Well, you know the bad news.

The New Orleans Pelicans, who entered the game with a 21-45 record, handed the Raptors a 122-111 loss — their first loss to a sub-.500 team since January 16.

To put it bluntly, this was bad. Really, really bad. And as TSN’s Josh Lewenberg put it, the upstart 2013-14 Raptors vibes are starting to give way to darker, ultimately disappointing 2014-15 Raptors vibes.

The team is now 4-6 in their last 10 games. At 36-29, they find themselves in the East’s seventh seed, right back in the cursed play-in spot where they languished for a couple years before trading away/losing the Siakam/Anunoby/VanVleet core. 

Some of the Raptors’ weaknesses were on full display in this one. They shot just 14/44 from behind the arc, missing a bunch of great looks down the stretch that would’ve kept them in it. They also lost the size matchup, and were outrebounded 62-48. They turned the ball over 11 times, which is solid — but there were some bad, fully avoidable ones in the mix thanks to some sloppy play.

This game had plenty of bad moments. Notably, there was Yves Missi’s monster block leading to a Zion Williamson windmill dunk that had us lamenting the Keshad Johnson/Jase Richardson dunk contests. 

But perhaps the most disheartening moment of the loss was when Dejounte Murray punked Jamal Shead after he dropped him and hit a three to make it 119-101. Sure, the game was over by that point — but nobody other than Immanuel Quickley seemed remotely bothered by Murray taunting Shead so profusely. The Raptors have long been in desperate need of better shooters. But that moment accentuated the team’s need for some Dudes Who Are Nasty (that’s the scientific term).

DEJOUNTE MURRAY DROPPED JAMAL SHEAD, KNOCKED DOWN THE 3, AND STARTED TWEAKING

😭😭😭

pic.twitter.com/kjnIdkHgXm

— Hater Report (@HaterReport) March 12, 2026

This was not the return to New Orleans that Brandon Ingram had in mind. Ingram played a solid individual game, scoring 22 points along with six rebounds, five assists and four steals. Quickley was also carrying the team at times, and finished with 25 points on 8/14 shooting. 

But overall this was an underperformance.

Scottie Barnes was held to just nine points, and returned to his shooting slump with a ⅙ three-point shooting night. He made no field goals in the second half. 

The first half wasn’t great — you’d like to be beating the Pelicans — but the Raptors were down just 60-58 at the half. 

Then the Pelicans blew the doors off. They capitalized on a Raptors scoring drought to take an eventual 88-70 lead, picking up an Ingram frustration technical foul along the way. Despite getting their heads bashed in within a couple minutes of the quarter starting, Darko Rajakovic did not call a timeout until the 4:47 remaining mark, by which point the Raptors were down by 15. Rajakovic went with Jamison Battle to try and get some shooting on the floor, but it took another couple minutes to stop the bleeding.

It also took the Raptors a full three quarters to match Bam Adebayo’s scoring total last night (83). (2005-06 Raptors, you are relieved of your duties!)

Thanks to a couple timely Shead threes and some defensive stops, the Raptors had closed the gap to 93-83 by the end of the quarter. With a quick flurry out of the fourth quarter gate — a Quickley three and an RJ Barrett fastbreak layup — they brought the lead down to 93-88. It seemed that the Raptors had weathered the storm and would have essentially a whole quarter to make up the five-point deficit. 

But the jaws of defeat were strong. 

The Pelicans benefited from a great shooting night, going 14/29 (48%) from beyond the arc. Murray, of punking Shead fame, played a great game, scoring 27 points with five boards and six assists. Trey Murphy scored 27 points and went ⅝ from three — some of which were more open than you’d like, thanks to some lagging defensive rotations. Herb Jones dropped 16 and shot 4/6 from three. Yves Missi was more physical than Jakob Poeltl, picking up 10 rebounds and two blocks in just 19 minutes.

There aren’t many excuses for this performance. The Raptors were about as healthy as it gets, with only rookie Collin Murray-Boyles missing from the rotation. And yes, they were on the second night of a back-to-back on the road. But this game was on the schedule as one that the team ought to win. 

Instead, they were thoroughly embarrassed by one of the league’s worst teams — and now, the Raptors are on the outside of the playoff picture looking in.

The Cleveland Cavaliers couldn’t stop what has been a bad Orlando Magic offense on Wednesday, which led to their 128-122 defeat.

The stats in the table below are taken from Cleaning the Glass.

	Offensive Rating	Effective Field Goal Percentage	Offensive Rebounding Percentage	Offensive Turnover Percentage	Free Throw Rate
Cavs	128.4, 86th percentile	59%, 75th percentile	28%, 47th percentile	10.5%, 84th percentile	19.1, 42nd percentile
Magic	133.7, 92nd percentile	58.8%, 74th percentile	25%, 31st percentile	6.3%, 98th percentile	32.9, 92nd percentile

Now, let’s dive into the numbers.

• The Magic converted 21 of their 25 shots at the rim (84%, 92nd percentile). The Cavs had no answer for Orlando’s size. They desperately missed Jarrett Allen in this one.
• Orlando outscored Cleveland by 11 points at the free-throw line. The Magic were able to get to the free-throw line often, going 28-37 (75.7%). Meanwhile, the Cavs couldn’t get to the line and had trouble converting when they did, going 17-26 (65.4%).
• Evan Mobley went 2-7 from the charity stripe. He’s struggled with his free-throw shooting all season, as he came into this game converting 63.4% at the line. This is a sizeable dip from shooting 72.5% last season.
• The Magic turned it over just six times. You’re going to have a good offense if you get to the basket, the line, and keep possession of the ball.
• Orlando had their seventh-best offensive rating for a game this season (133.7). They did this without the benefit of shooting well from beyond the arc. They converted just 34.3% of their three-pointers.
• Desmond Bane scored 11 of his game-high 35 points in the fourth quarter. His off-balance three with 18 seconds left ended Cleveland’s chance of a comeback.
• Donovan Mitchell struggled to find his shot in the fourth quarter, going 2-8 from the field in that frame. This wasn’t Mitchell’s most efficient game. He still scored 25 points, but he wasn’t able to establish the offensive rhythm we’re used to seeing.
• James Harden — who scored a team-high 30 points — took just two shots from the field in the fourth quarter. Harden has ceded the scoring burden to Mitchell, particularly in the clutch. However, on a night like this where he had it going, the Cavs needed him to call his own number more down the stretch.
• Keon Ellis went 5-8 from three. He did exactly what you wanted him to do offensively, as he finished with 20 points.
• Dennis Schroder provided 0 points. He’s struggled in his last three outings. He’s combined for just six points on 2-11 shooting in his previous three games combined.
• Jaylon Tyson struggled once again, providing just four points.
• Dean Wade was scoreless and registered a team-worst plus/minus of -10. He isn’t in there to score, but you’d like to see him take more than two shots. Wade also struggled to contain Paolo Banchero, who finished with 25 points.
• Cleveland converted 83.3% of their shots at the rim (91st percentile). This was a good outing for the offense despite the loss. They were able to spread Orlando’s formidable defense out and create lanes to attack the paint.

CHICAGO (AP) — Tariq Francis scored 29 points to lead No. 14 seed Rutgers over 11th-seeded Minnesota 72-67 on Wednesday night in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament.

Rutgers (14-18) faces sixth-seeded UCLA on Thursday.

Jamichael Davis hit a 3-pointer with 6:47 to play that gave Rutgers the lead for good. It was part of a 17-5 run that pushed the Scarlet Knights' advantage to 64-57 with 1:53 remaining. Emmanuel Ogbole's dunk capped the surge, and the Scarlet Knights then shot 8 of 8 from the free-throw line to seal it.

Francis shot 9 of 16 from the floor and made five 3-pointers. Davis added 13 points and hit three 3s to go with six assists. Ogbole finished with 10 points and seven rebounds. Harun Zrno also made two 3s to help Rutgers set a program record with 10 made 3-pointers in a conference tournament game.

Cade Tyson scored 18 of his 24 points in the second half for Minnesota (15-17). Bobby Durkin added 15 points and Grayson Grove 10.

Grove scored all 10 of his points in the first half for Minnesota, which shot 52% (12 of 23) for a 31-29 halftime lead. Francis made four 3s and scored 16 points for Rutgers.

Minnesota won at home in the regular-season matchup against Rutgers, 80-61.

Up next

Rutgers plays on Thursday against No. 6 seed UCLA, which beat the Scarlet Knights 98-66 on Feb. 3.

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Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

The Dallas Mavericks (21-44, seventh in Loser for Boozer race) play basketball once again on Thursday, which can be as encouraging or threatening as you choose to make it out to be.  This time out, the road trip continues in Memphis, where the Grizzlies (23-41, eighth in the Down for Darryn standings) await. Much like everyone else in contention for this race, the Mavs and Grizz are each riding extended losing streaks, with Dallas losing eight in a row and Memphis losing five in a row and eight of their last ten.

Someone is going to come away with a hard-fought loss tonight, while the other will be left looking in the rearview mirror to ensure they can still hold their position as we head down the final stretch. Feel the excitement, it’s consequential March basketball! Here’s a couple things to keep an eye on in and around this game.

Defensive indifference

The key for the Mavericks in this run has been the defense, which has been truly abhorrent. Per Cleaning the Glass, the Mavericks defensive rating is 24^th in the NBA since February 1^st, where they have been surrendering 121.1 points per 100 possessions. That has contributed to them having the 4^th worst net rating in that time, behind the likes of Indiana and Sacramento. For their part, Memphis ranks 26^th in defensive rating over the same period.

A potential deciding factor in this one is the offense. The Grizzlies have a top ten offensive rating since February 1^st, scoring 118.2 points per 100 possessions. The Mavericks are 28^th in that same time, scoring just 109.0 points per 100 possessions.

All eyes on New Orleans

Ah, the joys of not having your own pick. Because Joe Dumars foolishly traded away their first round pick this year for Derik Queen, the Pels are blissfully ignorant to the carnage going on around them.

In a world full of tankers, the Pelicans are trying their butts off. Good on them! After their win over Toronto on Wednesday, they have now pulled even with the Mavericks in the Dybantsa Derby.

Which, speaking of, if you’d like to read Jack and I’s conference tournament NBA Draft previews, now would be a good time! We hit on the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC. I might be biased, but these are a must read for any Mavericks fan leading up to the postseason.

Yes, this is a consequential game

Because of the depth of this draft class, these games for ping pong balls mean something. With these teams are right next to each other on the tank table, it’s an important result for both teams to get. Eighth place Memphis currently sits 2.5 games behind Dallas for seventh, but a Dallas win on Thursday would make that margin just 1.5 games with 16 still to go. More importantly, that would push the Mavericks two games back of Utah in the win column for fifth on the table, which is suddenly within sight.

However, flip the result and all of a sudden, Dallas has a 3.5 game buffer for their spot, which would be awfully hard to overcome. At the same time, they’d likely pull even with New Orleans and stay within a game of fifth in the table. It’s going to be a battle, but the Mavericks need a result on Thursday to ensure they hold their ground.

How to watch

Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. CT from the FedEx Forum in Memphis. KFAA Channel 29 and Mavs TV will have you covered locally. I would recommend bringing the heavy stuff to ensure you can get through all 48 minutes of this one.

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Ivan Demidov broke a tie with 7:20 left, Jacob Fowler made 32 saves and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Ottawa Senators 3-2 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory.

Demidov scored off Alex Newhook's rebound and Montreal held on a night after beating Toronto 3-1 at home.

Juraj Slafkovsky and Alexandre Texier also scored for Montreal, with Demidov assisting on Slafkovsky's power-play goal in the first period.

Texier tied it at 2 on a wraparound with 2:31 left in the second.

Drake Batherson scored twice for Ottawa. Linus Ullmark stopped 20 shots.

Montreal’s Jake Evans played his 400th NHL game.

Up next

Canadiens: Host San Jose on Saturday night.

Senators: Host Anaheim on Saturday.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Trey Murphy III scored 28 points, Dejounte Murray added 27 and the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Toronto Raptors 122-111 on Wednesday night, spoiling Brandon Ingram's return to the city where he played for six seasons.

Murray had his highest-scoring game since his return from a torn right Achilles tendon that sidelined him for more than a year. Zion Williamson added 19 points for the Pelicans, who have won seven of 10.

In his first game at New Orleans since he was traded to Toronto in February of last year, Ingram finished with 22 points. The 10-year veteran also surpassed 11,000 points for his career.

Immanuel Quickley scored 25 points for Toronto, which has lost six of eight. This defeat dropped the Raptors from fifth to seventh in the Eastern Conference, one-half game behind Orlando and Miami.

Murphy shot 8 of 12 from the field and 5 of 8 from 3-point range. Both teams made 14 3-pointers, but New Orleans did it on 29 attempts (48.3%) and Toronto needed 44 (31.8%).

The Pelicans led 60-58 at halftime and expanded their lead to 18 points in the third quarter. The Raptors got back within two early in the fourth, but New Orleans responded with an 8-0 run and Toronto never got closer than six the rest of the way. Murphy put it away when he hit a 3 with 2:19 left for a 116-101 lead.

During the first quarter, the Pelicans played a video tribute to Ingram, who averaged 17.6 points and made his first All-Star Game during his time in New Orleans.

Up next

Raptors: Host Phoenix on Friday.

Pelicans: At Houston on Friday.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t have enough tonight against the Orlando Magic.

All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

James Harden

30 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds, 4 turnovers

Harden was in full maestro mode tonight. He abused Orlando’s defense for 30 points on 11-16 shooting, showing no signs of trouble against Paolo Banchero. The Cavs maybe would have benefited from treating this like a retro-Rockets game from Harden. He was the only creator in the offense that felt consistently good.

With that said, I have to crush both Harden and Mitchell for their defense. The point of attack has been a massive weakness recently. It starts with the backcourt.

Grade: B

Donovan Mitchell

25 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 turnovers

This is one of those games where I felt the stats were worse than they looked for Donovan. He had some great highlights, including a filthy windmill gather over Banchero. But he also galringly missed Evan Mobley under the basket at one point. And he attempted some shots that I can only describe as rushed. His 25 points came on 24 field goal attempts (granted, a few of them were taken in desperation at the end of the game).

As mentioned, both Mitchell and Harden take a hit for their defense tonight.

Grade: C-

Evan Mobley

18 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks

The first quarter was a weird one for Mobley. He missed a few easy shots and got into early foul trouble. The fouls remained an issue, but he eventually found his touch. Still, it’s obvious how much the Cavs miss Jarrett Allen to help protect the paint. Mobley can only do so much on his own.

Grade: B

Jaylon Tyson

4 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists

Not a good one from Tyson. He shot 1-4 and only played 18 minutes. I think he should have gotten a longer leash, but he didn’t do anything in his minutes to make Kenny change his mind.

Grade: D

Dennis Schroder

0 points, 2 assists

Yikes. This might have been the worst game Schroder has played as a Cavalier. He picked up 4 fouls and shot 0-5 in just 18 minutes.

Grade: F

Sam Merrill

13 points, 2 assists, 4 rebounds

Merrill wasn’t great at containing the point of attack defensively. He did, however, nail 2-5 three-point attempts while converting all of his attempts inside of two-point range.

Grade: B–

Keon Ellis

20 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block

Ellis has scored 39 points across his last two games. He shot 5-8 from downtown tonight and delivered a barrage that nearly stole this from Orlando.

Grade: A+

Dean Wade

0 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block

A classic stinker from Wade. We’ve seen this type of game before, even if I maintain that Wade is an otherwise positive contributor more often than not. These nights still happen.

Grade: F

Thomas Bryant

12 points, 5 rebounds

Bryant gave the Cavs everything he could in 19 minutes. They needed him to contribute with Mobley in foul trouble and Allen on the bench. Can’t ask for much more.

Grade: A

The Cleveland Cavaliers lost to the Orlando Magic 128-122 in a game that didn’t feel as close as it looked. Let’s go over today’s winners and losers.

LOSER – Foul Trouble

Do you like free throws?

If you answered yes, then the last two nights of NBA basketball must have been a dream. As for the rest of us, this is getting old.

I’m not here to complain about the whistle. Refs miss calls all the time, though, I will point out that Cleveland has had to (successfully) use both of their challenges more than a few times recently. Simply getting it right the first time would be preferable. Not T’ing up a player for being upset about the umpteeth incorrect call is even better.

And if you really want to do your job, maybe get a crucial out-of-bounds call right at the end of the game. There are a million cameras in the arena. We review countless plays each game. Why does Kenny Atkinson need a third challenge to get the correct call?

Now that’s out of my system, let’s talk about where the Cavs are at fault.

Protecting the paint starts with securing the perimeter. Free paths to the basket can put your helpside defense into awkward positions. Orlando’s runway drives to the rim took full advantage of this tonight. The Cavs couldn’t seal the gaps, and Evan Mobley was routinely tasked with having to clean things up. That resulted in four fouls to start the third quarter for Mobley.

Naturally, the game changes when your defensive anchor is in foul trouble. Not having Jarrett Allen makes it worse. The Magic continued to attack the paint, knowing that Mobley was at a disadvantage. And the game grew chippier as it went on.

WINNER – James Harden vs The Mismatch

Orlando opened this game with Paolo Banchero defending James Harden. It’s honorable for the opposing team’s best player to accept a defensive challenge like this. Was it a good idea? Probably not.

Harden didn’t appear bothered at all by Banchero. In fact, he actively hunted him in isolation. Harden accelerated around PB multiple times in the first half en route to 16 points on 6-9 shooting. We saw some classic drives to the basket and stepback jumpers from Harden along the way.

The Cavs’ offense never felt like it was fully rolling tonight. The Magic did a fine job of turning this game into a rock fight. Harden delivered the only moments that felt smooth. He felt little resistance getting around Banchero and was just as successful whenever he drew Wendell Carter Jr. onto the perimeter, too.

Harden finished with 30 points (11-16 shooting) and 8 assists.

Drawing and beating mismatches will prove valuable in the playoffs. We’ve known for a full decade that Harden thrives in those scenarios. It’s good to see it in Cleveland, even with a loss.

LOSER – Spacing

Okay, listen, you’re gonna have to bear with me on this. Because if it wasn’t for a late surge of three-point shooting from the Cavs, this category would have made perfect sense.

Before Cleveland’s near comeback in the final minutes, the Cavs had been shooting 12-35 from downtown. Not too shabby, but certainly not great.

Now let’s add more context.

Orlando made their goal pretty clear tonight. Pack the paint defensively and funnel to the ball to Cleveland’s role players. That put pressure on Dean Wade, Jaylon Tyson, Dennis Schroder, and even Evan Mobley to space the floor and make plays. They all combined to sh00t 0-5. That speaks for itself.

Other players did step up. In fact, it was Keon Ellis going ballistic in the final frame that snapped the Cavs back to life. Sam Merrill and James Harden were plenty efficient, as well. But if you focus on the players whom Orlando dared to beat them — you can see why the Magic had success.

Cleveland’s offense sputtered throughout the night. Sometimes, you just need a barrage of three-pointers to get you out of the ditch. That barrage came just a few minutes too late.

The Cleveland Cavaliers dropped a chippy game to the Orlando Magic 128-122 due to their inability to defend the paint and clutch shot-making from Desmond Bane.

The Magic have a bad offense. They can’t shoot from the outside and don’t have many playmakers. They do, however, have size, and that was an issue for a Cavs team that desperately missed Jarrett Allen, who sat out this game with a knee injury.

Orlando set the tone early, scoring 38 points in the first quarter while going 11-12 in the paint and attempting seven shots at the free-throw line. They were able to consistently outmuscle the Cavs’ smaller defenders, which became a theme for the entire evening.

The Cavs were able to take advantage of their smaller, faster lineup on the other end of the court at the beginning of the night, but they weren’t able to keep pace for 48 minutes.

The three-ball being average for most of the evening and leaving far too many points at the free-throw line (17-26, 34.3%) eventually did the offense in. After scoring 35 points in the first quarter, they were held to just 27 the next two, which wasn’t enough considering how poorly their own defense was playing.

The Cavaliers went into the second half tied, but lost their grip on the game at the start of the third quarter. Bane’s 12 points on 4-4 shooting in that frame had a lot to do with that. Orlando pushed its lead to 10 at the end of the third quarter.

The Magic carried that momentum into the fourth. They extended their advantage to 12 at the halfway point of the final frame, before the Cavs attempted a comeback that was far too late in the making.

Cleveland cut the deficit to two with threes on four-straight possessions to make it a two-point game with 39 seconds left. They needed one more stop to give themselves a chance to tie or take the lead, but Bane had other ideas. He hit a tough, off-balance triple with a hand in his face late in the shot clock to put the game away.

Earlier this week, Kenny Atkinson said he wanted to see the role players step up to claim a spot in the playoff rotation. Ellis seems to have taken that message to heart. He was the unquestioned best Cavalier on the defensive end and more than did his job offensively. Ellis poured in 20 points on 6-9 shooting with 12 of them coming in the fourth quarter.

James Harden led Cleveland in scoring with 30 points on an efficient 11-16 shooting with eight assists and four turnovers.

Donovan Mitchell wasn’t able to establish his usual rhythm and was inefficient in the clutch. He went just 2-8 from the field in the final quarter. Mitchell finished the game with 25 points on 9-24 shooting with five assists and three turnovers.

Evan Mobley had a solid night from the field, but being in foul trouble and not being able to convert from the free-throw line (2-7) kept him from being as effective as you’d like. He ended the evening with 18 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists.

Bane led the Magic with a game-high 35 points on 12-19 shooting. Paolo Banchero provided 25 points in the victory.

The victory extends the Magic’s winning streak to five. The Cavs are now up 2-1 in the season series against Orlando. Their final meeting of the regular season will be Tuesday, March 24.

The Cavs are back in action on Friday when they head on the road to take on the Dallas Mavericks. Tip-off is at 7 PM.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Former Michigan linebackers coach Chris Partridge sued the university, its board of regents and its athletics director Wednesday for firing him in 2023 while the NCAA investigated allegations of in-person scouting and sign-stealing.

Partridge's lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Michigan argues that his “termination was wholly unjustified and without legitimate cause," saying that the school violated his Fourteenth Amendment right to due process.

“The University of Michigan unjustly terminated Partridge’s employment and spread false and damaging information regarding his professional conduct, tarnishing Partridge’s hard-earned reputation and inflicting irreparable harm on to his career and personal well-being,” the lawsuit said.

Michigan did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press requesting comment. The Big Ten declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Partridge was fired from Michigan in November 2023 as the NCAA investigated allegations that former university staffer Connor Stalions purchased tickets to scout the school's opponents and sent people to those games to record teams signaling in their plays. In-person scouting is banned by the NCAA. Stalions resigned earlier that month.

In 2025, the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions determined that Stalions had orchestrated a scouting scheme for years. It also found recruiting violations and fined the school millions of dollars. Partridge was largely cleared of any wrongdoing.

But just after Partridge's firing, rumors swirled about why he was let go. He took to social media at the time to say that he had no knowledge of any scouting scheme and that he was fired for failing to abide by the school’s directive to avoid discussing the inquiry with “anyone associated with the program.”

“Additionally, at no point did I destroy any evidence related to the ongoing investigation,” he had said in an online post.

Partridge went on to serve as outside linebackers coach for the Seattle Seahawks, helping them clinch a Super Bowl win last month.

The lawsuit states that Partridge was told by the university that he was fired for telling a player that he should “get an attorney," despite being instructed not to communicate with the athletes during the investigation.

Partridge confirmed that he did say that to a player. But, he said in the lawsuit, the football staff was never told to stop communication with players, which would have caused the football program to “come to a screeching halt.”

“Partridge was a scapegoat who was wrongly fired simply because he told a player he had the right to have counsel,” the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit also said that the school smeared his reputation, including when some athletics department employees and at least one Board of Regents member told a sportswriter that Partridge was fired for “destroying evidence." That information was then reported by several news organizations, including the AP, which cited reporting by Yahoo Sports that Partridge "allegedly tried to cover up evidence."

Partridge was fired just before the Wolverines became football national champions. One day after he was fired, the school and the Big Ten Conference agreed that then head coach Jim Harbaugh would serve the final two games of his three-game suspension in return for the conference ending its investigation into the sign-stealing allegations.

The lawsuit seeks damages to be determined at trial, along with clearing Partridge’s name and reputation.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Robert McCray V scored 30 points and Florida State continued its winning ways beating California 95-89 in the second round of the ACC Tournament on Wednesday.

The eighth-seeded Seminoles (18-14) advance to play top-seeded Duke on Thursday in the quarterfinals.

McCray finished shooting 10 of 17 — including a thunderous windmill dunk off a steal. Lajae Jones scored 15 points, Chauncey Wiggins 14 and reserve Kobe MaGee scored all of his 13 in the first half.

Dai Dai Ames scored 27 points, Chris Bell 17, Justin Pippen 15, John Camden 11 and Lee Dort grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds for ninth-seeded Cal (21-11).

Cal darted to a 9-2 lead before the Seminoles took control. Florida State went on a on a 13-4 run and took the lead for good on a MaGee 3-pointer with 12:13 before halftime.

Florida State shot 53% (18 of 34) including 7 of 14 — after missing its first five — from 3-point range in the first half. Cal shot 41% (11 of 27) including a paltry 27% (3 of 11) from past the arc in the first half.

The Seminoles led 46-32 at halftime and stretched their lead to 56-39 with 16:31 left.

Florida State has won 11 of its last 14 against conference foes since dropping its first five to start ACC play.

Cal has lost three of its last four and now sweats its potential NCAA Tournament berth fate.

Up next

Florida State: Advances to the quarterfinals.

Cal: Awaits Selection Sunday.

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