SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — RJ Barrett scored 27 points, Sandro Mamukelashvili added 23 and the Toronto Raptors defeated the Utah Jazz 143-127 on Monday night.
Ja’Kobe Walter had 21 points and Scottie Barnes finished with 20 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds as the Raptors (40-31) stopped a two-game skid. They remained a half-game ahead of Atlanta for fifth place in the Eastern Conference — the top six teams are assured a playoff berth without needing to qualify via the play-in tournament.
Utah rookie Ace Bailey had 37 points and Brice Sensabaugh scored 24 off the bench for the Jazz (21-51), who have lost six of seven and are eliminated from playoff contention.
Toronto outscored Utah 49-30 in the third quarter to open a 29-point cushion. Led by Walter and Barrett, the Raptors shot 54% from 3-point range (20 of 37) and 61% from the field overall.
Walter went 6 for 8 on 3-pointers and 7 of 10 from the floor. Barrett was 10 for 15 from the field, including 4 of 5 on 3s. He added six assists without committing a turnover in 25 minutes.
Jamal Shead had 15 assists for the Raptors to go with his seven points. Jamison Battle scored 17 off the bench, and Gradey Dick had 13.
Markelle Fultz, the top pick in the 2017 draft, played 16 minutes off the bench for Toronto in his first NBA game this season. He had two points on 1-of-5 shooting with five assists and three turnovers.
The 27-year-old Fultz signed a 10-day contract with the Raptors, the team announced earlier in the day. He had been playing for their G League affiliate.
Up next
Raptors: Wrap up a five-game trip Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Jazz: Finish a four-game homestand Wednesday night versus the Washington Wizards.
Golden State's Moses Moody was carted off late in overtime against Dallas with what appeared to be a serious knee injury after his left leg buckled when he went up for a shot with nobody around him.
Moody, who missed the previous 10 games with a sprained right wrist, had just stolen the ball from Mavericks rookie standout Cooper Flagg and was dribbling all alone, planted his left leg to go up for the shot and instead lost the ball as he crumpled to the court with 58 seconds remaining in the extra period.
Play continued at the Dallas end until the ball went out of bounds. After the whistle, Warriors coach Steve Kerr put his hands to his face as the Mavericks' home arena went silent.
The Warriors led 136-131 when Moody was injured, and only one more point was scored in a victory that extended Dallas' home losing streak to 12 games.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks requested waivers on guard Cam Thomas and converted forward/center Pete Nance, who had been on a two-way deal, to a multi-year standard NBA contract.
Nance, 26, entered Monday night’s game with the Los Angeles Clippers having averaged 4.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 12.1 minutes in 37 games while playing on a two-way deal.
Thomas scored 34 points in a 116-108 victory at Orlando in his Bucks debut and had 27 points in a 139-118 win at New Orleans nine days later, but his role eventually decreased. He didn’t play at all in back-to-back games with Indiana and Cleveland last week.
This move continues what’s been a difficult season for Thomas, who had scored 22.5 points per game in 2023-24 and 24 points per game in 2024-25 while playing for Brooklyn.
Thomas was averaging 15.6 points in 24 games with Brooklyn this season before the Nets waived him. He averaged 10.7 points and 16.6 minutes in 18 games with Milwaukee.
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Sahith Theegala picked the right time to find a fairway, setting up a two-putt birdie on the final hole Monday night to flip the match and give Los Angeles a 6-5 victory over Jupiter Links and a 1-0 lead in the TGL finals.
Match 2 is Tuesday night at the SoFi Center, followed immediately by Match 3, if necessary.
LA was without Collin Morikawa, who suffered a back injury at The Players Championship.
Tiger Woods heads the Jupiter team but has sat out all year as he recovers from back surgery last fall. Jupiter had been using Akshay Bhatia as an alternate, but Bhatia is playing the Hero Indian Open this week in New Delhi on the European tour.
That put Kevin Kisner — who has been in the broadcast booth for NBC during the Florida swing on the PGA Tour — in the lineup for Jupiter for only the second time since Feb. 2.
Theegala twice hit tee shots out of play, and hit another drive into a bunker that kept LA from reaching the green in two on a par 5. He also missed a 3-foot putt that cost his team a point. But he wound up hitting a winner.
Jupiter led 5-4 going to the par-5 closing hole and LA threw the hammer, meaning the hole was worth two points. Theegala ripped his drive into the fairway to set up a second shot to 35 feet. Kisner found the rough off the tee, the rough on his second shot and a wedge came up short of the green. His birdie chip from 20 feet to tie the hole — and win the match — narrowly missed.
Jupiter had taken a 3-2 lead after alternate shot involving all three players through nine holes.
LA won the first two holes of singles for the lead, only for Kisner to hit driver onto the green at No. 12 after Theegala had gone into a hazard. That tied the match at 4.
Jupiter regained the lead at 5-4 when Justin Rose three-putted from long range. Tom Kim hit his tee shot on a par 3 to 6 feet and Jupiter threw the hammer. LA accepted, meaning if it lost the hole it would lose the match. Tommy Fleetwood responded with a tee shot to 4 feet for matching birdies.
That sent it to the 15th and final hole, and Theegala's length — and accuracy — was the difference.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki had another rough spring training start Monday night.
Sasaki issued six walks while allowing five runs in two-plus innings against the Los Angeles Angels at Dodger Stadium. He threw 66 pitches, 32 for strikes.
The Japanese right-hander has a 15.58 ERA over four exhibition starts for the defending World Series champions. He has walked 15 in 8 2/3 innings, raising questions about his preparedness for the beginning of the regular season.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto starts for the Dodgers when they host Arizona in their opener on Thursday night.
Sasaki failed to get an out in the first. He hit Zach Neto with a 3-0 fastball before Mike Trout reached on a fielder's choice. Sasaki then walked three consecutive batters before he was replaced by Ronan Kopp.
The 24-year-old Sasaki returned for the start of the second. He hit Neto again and walked Trout before escaping the jam on a pair of grounders.
He issued a leadoff walk to Yoán Moncada in the third before striking out Jo Adell and Josh Lowe. Logan O'Hoppe then lined to second for the final out of the inning.
Sasaki was replaced by Ben Casparius after he walked Adam Frazier leading off the fourth. Frazier ended up scoring on Nolan Schanuel's sacrifice fly.
Sasaki signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers in January 2025, receiving a $6.5 million signing bonus because he was under age 25 and subject to international signing bonus pool rules. He had spent the previous four seasons in the Nippon Professional Baseball League in Japan.
Sidelined for much of last season because of a right shoulder impingement, Sasaki went 1-1 with a 4.46 ERA in eight starts and two relief appearances.
He returned in September and became a key piece of the bullpen during the postseason, giving up just one earned run over 10 2/3 innings and earning three saves to help the Dodgers win their second straight championship.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The mound visit Carter Baumler received from Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker wasn't to take the rookie right-hander out of his last spring training game, but rather to let him know he made the opening day roster.
Schumaker came out of the dugout after Baumler retired the first two Kansas City Royals batters in the fifth inning Monday night. Texas catcher Danny Jansen and all four infielders were also on the mound when the new Rangers manager told the 24-year-old reliever he will start the season in the Texas bullpen.
“I wasn’t expecting it. I was like, why is he coming out here? And he got on the mound and told me I made the team,” Baumler said during an in-game TV interview on the Rangers Sports Network. “I mean, honestly, I thought I was like getting taken out of the game. ... Obviously, whenever the manager comes out, you’re usually done.”
Jansen patted his catcher's mitt on Baumler's chest and the infielders offered their congratulations. Baumler, looking to make his major league debut after never pitching above Double-A, had a big smile on his face but composed himself to strike out Isaac Collins swinging on a 96.8 mph fastball to end the inning.
In his eight spring training games, Baumler allowed one earned run and struck out 10 over 9 1/3 innings.
Baumler hugged Schumaker when he got back to the dugout after the third out, then was greeted by high-fives from teammates.
Baumler was selected by Baltimore in the fifth round of the 2020 amateur draft out of high school in Iowa and had Tommy John surgery soon after that. He pitched in the Orioles organization from 2022-25, but was left off their 40-man roster last fall. He was scooped up by Pittsburgh in the first round of the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings in December and traded to Texas the same day.
“A few years ago I never would have expected this,” Baumler said. “Looking back ... I’m glad I kept my head down and kept hammering away.”
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 22 points, Jalen Williams added 18 in his return to the lineup and the Oklahoma City Thunder won their 12th game in a row Monday night with a 123-103 victory over the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers.
Jared McCain had 13 points for the Thunder in his first game in Philadelphia since last month’s trade. The defending NBA champions improved to 57-15, the best record in the league.
VJ Edgecombe scored 35 points for the 76ers, who played without Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and Paul George. Philadelphia began the day as the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament but was just a half-game back of fifth-place Toronto.
Williams was back in the lineup after missing 16 games with a right hamstring strain.
PACERS 128, MAGIC 126
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Pascal Siakam scored 37 points and blocked Paolo Banchero’s attempted layup in the final seconds to help Indiana end their franchise-record 16-game losing streak with a win over Orlando.
Banchero scored 39 points for the Magic, who have lost five straight.
Banchero drove to the basket with a chance to tie the game after Orlando won a jump ball with 6.4 seconds left. But 7-foot-1 Jay Huff and the 6-9 Siakam were under the basket, and Banchero could not get the shot over them.
Jarace Walker had 20 points for the Pacers, and Aaron Nemith added 19. Andrew Nembhard, who hit a 3-pointer with 1:33 remaining for Indiana’s final points, finished with 13 points, 14 assists and seven rebounds.
PISTONS 113, LAKERS 110
DETROIT (AP) — Daniss Jenkins scored a career-high 30 points, including six in the final 34 seconds, and Detroit ended Los Angeles' nine-game winning streak.
The Pistons overcame 32 points from Luka Doncic and 24 from Austin Reaves to win their fourth straight and seventh in eight games. Jalen Duren added 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Doncic was cleared to play Sunday after the NBA rescinded his 16th technical foul of the season, which triggers a one-game suspension.
LeBron James went scoreless in the first half, but finished with 12 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.
SPURS 136, HEAT 111
MIAMI (AP) — MIAMI (AP) — Victor Wembanyama scored 26 points as San Antonio beat Miami Heat for their sixth straight win.
Wembanyama added 15 rebounds and five blocks for the Spurs. Keldon Johnson scored 21 points while adding six rebounds. Dylan Harper went 9 of 14 from the field (3 for 5 from 3-point range) to finish with 21 points.
Norman Powell led the Heat with 21 points. Tyler Herro had 18 points.
HAWKS 146, GRIZZLIES 107
ATLANTA (AP) — Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 26 points and eight Atlanta players scored in double figures as the Hawks routed Memphis.
Atlanta outscored the Grizzlies in the first three quarters and had an insurmountable 41-point advantage at 116-75 after three periods. The Hawks led by 10 points (32-22) after one and 25 points (71-46) at halftime on the way to their 11th straight home win and 13th victory in 14 games. Atlanta kept its lead around 40 points through most of the final period, which was won by the Grizzlies 32-30.
Onyeka Okongwu and Jonathan Kuminga scored 16 points apiece, CJ McCollum had 15 and Dyson Daniels 12. Corey Kispert, Zaccharie Risacher and Jock Landale each added 11 as the Hawks shot 49 for 92 (53%) from the field overall and 25 of 54 (46%) from 3-point range.
Atlanta (40-32) had its highest point total of the season. The Hawks entered the game in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, a half-game behind Toronto, which was playing at Utah later Monday.
GG Jackson scored 26 points, Tyler Burton added 20, Ty Jerome finished with 17 and Walter Clayton Jr. 16 for Memphis, which shot 33% (14 for 43) from 3-point distance.
BULLS 132, ROCKETS 124
CHICAGO (AP) — Matas Buzelis’ layup in the final seconds put Chicago ahead to stay and Collin Sexton came off the bench to score 25 points as Chicago beat Houston Rockets.
Houston’s loss, combined with San Antonio’s 136-111 win over Miami, allowed the Spurs (54-18) to clinch the Southwest Division.
The Bulls (29-42) led by as many as 22 points after scoring a season-high 41 points in the first quarter. But, Chicago trailed by four points late and needed Buzelis’ basket with 10.2 seconds remaining to move ahead to stay and post their first win over Houston in the teams’ last five games.
Kevin Durant fueled the Rockets’ (43-28) comeback by scoring 15 of his game-high 40 points in the fourth quarter. Durant was 15 of 23 from the field, marking the ninth straight game he shot 50% or better, which is the third-longest streak of his career.
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 23: Nickeil Alexander-Walker #7 of the Atlanta Hawks drives to the basket during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on March 23, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Atlanta Hawks delivered one of their most complete performances of the season Monday night, rolling past the Memphis Grizzlies 146-107 behind a balanced offensive attack and relentless pace at State Farm Arena.
Atlanta (40-32) seized control early and never let up, outscoring Memphis in every quarter but the fourth while shooting efficiently and spreading the scoring load across the roster. The Hawks led by double digits before halftime and blew the game open with a 45-point third quarter that turned a comfortable lead into a rout.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker paced Atlanta with 26 points on an ultra-efficient 8-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range, while adding six assists. Onyeka Okongwu and Jonathan Kuminga each contributed 16 points, combining for 10 rebounds and providing energy on both ends.
Veteran guard CJ McCollum orchestrated the offense with nine assists to go along with 15 points, helping Atlanta rack up a high assist total and maintain constant ball movement. The Hawks finished with multiple players in double figures, including Dyson Daniels (12 points), Corey Kispert (11), and Zaccharie Risacher (11 points, eight rebounds).
Atlanta’s depth proved overwhelming. The bench unit kept the pressure on throughout, with strong contributions from Jock Landale (11 points), Keaton Wallace (nine), and others as the Hawks shot over 50 percent from the field and knocked down 3-pointers at a high clip.
Memphis (24-47) was led by GG Jackson’s 26 points, while Tyler Burton added 20 and Ty Jerome chipped in 17. However, the Grizzlies struggled defensively and could not keep pace with Atlanta’s scoring bursts, particularly in the second and third quarters.
The Hawks built a 32-22 lead after one quarter and extended it to 71-46 by halftime. Their 45-point third quarter effectively ended any chance of a Memphis comeback, pushing the margin beyond 30 points.
Atlanta’s performance showcased its offensive ceiling crisp passing, efficient shooting and contributions from throughout the lineup while also highlighting improved defensive activity, forcing turnovers and limiting Memphis’ rhythm.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 18: Marcus Smart #36 of the Los Angeles Lakers in action during the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on March 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After having a relatively long stretch in which their entire rotation was available, the Lakers took the floor in Detroit on Monday without a starter in Marcus Smart and key reserve Rui Hachimura.
Both were listed as questionable in the initial injury report. Prior to the team’s loss to the Pistons, head coach JJ Redick provided updates on both, starting with Rui’s right calf soreness.
JJ Redick says Rui Hachimura was hit in his right calf in the Miami game and it tightened up on him in the Orlando game. He had a MRI that came back clean. He is day to day, per Redick.
Ironically, Rui missed the last game against the Pistons with right calf soreness in late December. It was, however, a short-term injury that Rui returned from in about a week. However, it does show that there’s a bit of a history with this injury.
As for Smart, he has taken a beat recently and while he was listed on the injury report with right ankle soreness, he was also dealing with a hip injury.
Redick added that Marcus Smart is dealing with a right hip issue from the Orlando game as well as the right ankle from the collision with Goga Bitadze. Redick said Smart is also day to day. https://t.co/HW2u9cgdmi
The collision in question was one of the most absurd calls of the season for the Lakers in which a fairly innocuous coming together with Goga Bitadze ended with Smart receiving a technical foul.
The refs just gave Marcus Smart a tech foul for this play.
Given his injury history and the beating he takes on a game-to-game basis, having him sit out for a night or two to heal up isn’t the worst thing. Especially given the Lakers’ upcoming schedule, which includes games against Pacers, Wizards and Nets, sneaking in some rest for players wouldn’t be a bad strategy.
As for Rui and Smart, it appears neither injury is serious. The Lakers should be able to welcome them back soon and potentially in their road trip finale on Wednesday in Indiana.
ATLANTA (AP) — Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 26 points and eight Atlanta players scored in double figures as the Hawks routed the Memphis Grizzlies 146-107 on Monday night.
Atlanta outscored the Grizzlies in the first three quarters and had an insurmountable 41-point advantage at 116-75 after three periods. The Hawks led by 10 points (32-22) after one and 25 points (71-46) at halftime on the way to their 11th straight home win and 13th victory in 14 games. Atlanta kept its lead around 40 points through most of the final period, which was won by the Grizzlies 32-30.
Onyeka Okongwu and Jonathan Kuminga scored 16 points apiece, CJ McCollum had 15 and Dyson Daniels 12. Corey Kispert, Zaccharie Risacher and Jock Landale each added 11 as the Hawks shot 49 for 92 (53%) from the field overall and 25 of 54 (46%) from 3-point range.
Atlanta (40-32) had its highest point total of the season. The Hawks entered the game in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, a half-game behind Toronto, which was playing at Utah later Monday.
GG Jackson scored 26 points, Tyler Burton added 20, Ty Jerome finished with 17 and Walter Clayton Jr. 16 for Memphis, which shot 33% (14 for 43) from 3-point distance.
The Grizzlies lost for the 11th time in 12 games. Memphis' only victory in that span was a 125-118 decision over the Denver Nuggets on March 18.
The Hawks were without Jalen Johnson due to left shoulder inflammation.
Memphis was without Cedric Coward, who missed his third straight game due to personal reasons. The Grizzlies were also without Ja Morant, Brandon Clarke and Jahmai Mashack , who are recovering from injuries. And, Zach Edey, Santi Aldama, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Scotty Pippen Jr. are out for the remainder of the season with injuries.
Up next
Grizzlies: Host the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 10: Pete Nance #35 of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on during the first half of the game against the Phoenix Suns at Fiserv Forum on March 10, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Ahead of their matchup with the Clippers, 110 minutes prior to game time, the Bucks announced one expected move and one somewhat unexpected. First off, they are converting forward Pete Nance from his two-way contract to a standard, multi-year deal. But in order to do that, they needed to open up a slot on their 15-man roster (two-way players aren’t included in that number), so they elected to waive guard Cam Thomas. That one’s a bit surprising.
Let’s begin with Nance: he had just one game remaining of his 50-game eligibility given to two-way players, so if Milwaukee wanted to make him active in any NBA game after tonight, he would have to be converted to a standard deal before the deadline for doing so on April 12th. He’s impressed a fair bit since first seeing rotation minutes in mid-January: while he averages just 4.5 MPG in 12.1 MPG, he shoots a stellar 56.4% from the field and 47.9% from deep. That comes with what appears to be capable perimeter defense; I’ve heard his athleticism compared unfavorably to his older brother Larry Jr. and his father, a former All-Star, but he moves his feet quite well and stays in front of his mark. His playing time ebbed a little bit in February, though he’s since been pretty consistently above 15 each contest.
All that considered, the 26-year-old looked a lot like part of Milwaukee’s future, and he seemed a near-lock to be promoted from his two-way. While contract terms haven’t been reported yet (we’ll update this story when they are), it will likely be a minimum deal, and include team options and/or non-guaranteed salary after this year. This is typical of late-season two-way conversions, so he may still have to earn his 2026–27 roster spot during camp, if not in Summer League.
The 6’9” Northwestern alum will make about $277k the remainder of the year; his minimum salary is projected to be just under $2.6m in 2026–27, which will be his cap hit if it is a three-year deal. If this is a two-year deal expiring in summer 2027, his cap hit will be just under $2.5m. Milwaukee technically opened a two-way spot converting Nance, but the deadline to sign two-way players was March 4th, so it’ll remain open into summer.
Now onto Thomas. After four-plus years in Brooklyn, the high-scoring 24-year-old was waived mere minutes after the NBA trade deadline on February 5th. And not long after, the Bucks were reported as interested, so he signed on February 8th. According to Thomas himself, Milwaukee had been interested in him for years and apparently sold him as being a part of their future. No reason to believe Thomas was lying about this, but it appears their calculus changed.
The results looked good early, with a 34-point outing in his second appearance with the Bucks on February 11th, then 27 two games later. Since then, however, he’s struggled to make a similar impact. He was in double-digits in just five of his following 14 games and shot a poor 37.8% from the field. A slightly below average three-point shooter (34% for his career), he dipped to 25% on 32 attempts after that February 20th game. All told, he put up 10.7 PPG as a Buck on .431/.275/.754 shooting, all beneath his career averages.
At 6’4”, he’s too small to play anywhere but guard, and doesn’t have any defensive chops. While he can sometimes create for others and move the ball, he’s mostly a ballstop, though one really good at creating his own shot and getting to the line. His free-throw rate jumped in Milwaukee, but he sank them 10% less often than his career 85.8% as a Net.
Thomas will return to the free-agent market in search of a new home, but can’t play in the postseason, which he may have thought he was doing when signing with the Bucks. Since he was waived after March 1st, he is ineligible to appear in any playoff games, so he may opt to play in a non-NBA league and/or sit out to try again this summer. Last summer, he picked up his qualifying offer from the Nets in order to hit unrestricted free agency in 2026, rather than restricted free agency a year early. His $845k cap hit will stay on the Bucks’ ledgers until the end of June, but Milwaukee is far beneath the luxury tax line and can afford to keep that while adding Nance’s $277k.
What’s surprising here is that Milwaukee is waiving Thomas just over a month-and-a-half after signing him instead of Andre Jackson Jr. These were always the two most logical release candidates when it became clear Nance should be converted because they could be the Bucks’ only two unrestricted free agents this summer outside of Thanasis Antetokounmpo, who obviously wasn’t getting cut. Jackson has a fully $2.4m non-guaranteed team option for 2026–27, so waiving him or Thomas, who has no money due to him next year, means Milwaukee would owe $0 to either after the season. Gary Harris, Gary Trent Jr., and Taurean Prince each have player options for next year worth $3.8–3.9m; if the Bucks waive one of them, that $3.8m would need to be stretched over three years, so $1.3m in dead cap every season through summer 2029.
However, I got some intel last week that Jackson was the release candidate, echoed by some comments from Doc Rivers during a pregame presser. Jackson was a key rotation piece much of last season, even starting 43 games, but has been relegated to garbage time in 2025–26. In 37 games, he’s averaging just 2.7 PPG on a stinky .258/.176/.900 shooting in 5.9 MPG. Strictly a defensive player at this point, he’s never broken into this year’s rotation and has played upwards of 10 minutes just five times. He’s had 33 DNP-CDs and saw no on-court action for over two weeks surrounding New Year’s.
Rivers’ reticence to play him during a lost season seemed to spell doom for his NBA future, but he’ll survive for now. In fact, Thomas had increasingly been on the outs lately too, with two DNP-CDs last week after just three minutes on March 12th. So it’s not exactly out of the blue, and you’ll certainly find fans who agree with Doc benching him, given some of his struggles in Milwaukee. With Giannis injured again, Thomas got back on the floor for 23 then 15 minutes since Thursday, but a 14-point outing followed up by seven on Saturday wasn’t enough to save him.
Nevertheless, signing him was a low-risk endeavor, and with Nance looking the part of a future rotation piece, there is nothing to be mad about moving on from Thomas. Sure, maybe some preferred Jackson and would have given Thomas a new contract this summer, but in either case, the Bucks assure themselves of keeping Nance, which is the more important part. All that’s actually changed here is the decision between retaining Jackson or retaining Thomas into 2026–27. Best of luck to Thomas elsewhere, and we’ll always appreciate that first week.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 23: VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots the ball during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 23, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer season standings:
Tyrese Maxey – 22 VJ Edgecombe – 11 Joel Embiid – 9 Paul George – 6 Justin Edwards – 4 Kelly Oubre Jr. – 4 Quentin Grimes – 3 Jared McCain :’( – 3 Dominick Barlow – 2 Andre Drummond – 2 MarJon Beauchamp – 2 Adem Bona – 1 Cam Payne – 1 Jabari Walker – 1 Trendon Watford – 1 15th roster spot – 1
The Philadelphia 76ers — well, still the Hospital Sixers — fell 123-103 to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday evening.
The Sixers were without Joel Embiid (oblique), Tyrese Maxey (finger), Paul George (suspension), Kelly Oubre Jr. (elbow) and Quentin Grimes (illness). This was the final game of PG’s suspension and he is set to return to action on Wednesday.
So, VJ Edgecombe and company against the best team in the NBA, coming in on an 11-game win streak. It pretty much went as expected. In fact, I actually think it could have went much worse. The Sixers were never really in this one but they also didn’t let themselves completely fall out of it without a fight for the majority of it. Edgecombe was able to put up a floor-leading 35 points with a career-high seven threes. That part was fun at least.
The Sixers are off Tuesday before hosting the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night. As stated, PG is expected to return for that one.
Until then, let’s get to the Bell Ringer. Take a guess.
<p>(Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images
VJ Edgecombe got the Sixers’ night started with a triple on their first possession. He would end up knocking down a new career-high seven three-pointers in this one. That being said, it didn’t start as his most efficient night, shooting just 3-for-10 in the first frame, but he didn’t let it slow him down in the long run.
As this one played on, Edgecombe was really the main factor in the Sixers staying even relatively within the Thunder range throughout the night. The rookie was commanding the offense, stayed aggressive in transition to take any easy bucket the Sixers could get, took advantage of any open looks and hit a number of really difficult shots against a tough OKC defense.
Oh, and any inefficiency that affected him in the first half did not carry over to the second. Before halftime, Edgecombe shot 5-for-14 from the floor (3-for-8 from long range). After the break, the rookie shot 9-for-14 for field goals and 4-for-7 from beyond the arc.
I honestly think this was one of the very few best-case scenarios in this matchup. The reality was that the Sixers, sans four starters, were not likely going to beat the NBA-leading Thunder. Getting to see the rookie not only get more experience as the leader of the Sixers’ squad but to also look pretty damn impressive against a team like OKC individually is probably as good as it was going to get.
Edgecombe finished this one leading the field with 35 points on 14-for-28 (50.0%) field goal shooting and 7-for-15 (46.7%) from beyond the arc. He also had six rebounds, four assists and one steal.
VJ Edgecombe with his fifth triple of the evening. The rookie's up to 25 points and counting 🔥 pic.twitter.com/EXi0K0QOF9
Tyrese Maxey’s reaction to Jared McCain back-to-back threes
I may never stop laughing at this.
Just as we all knew would happen, Jared McCain wasted no time getting on the board when he was subbed in for Oklahoma City in the first frame. McCain quickly sank a triple on one possession before hitting a second triple right after off a pass and screen. The former Sixer, very fairly, had some things to say as he ran back up the court for defense.
And Tyrese Maxey, on the bench in plain clothes as he continues to recover from a tendon injury in his pinky, reacted like this:
ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 11: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket during the game against the Orlando Magic on March 11, 2026 at Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers will likely finish fourth in the Eastern Conference, but we don’t know who they’ll face in the first round of the playoffs, given how tight spots five through 10 are in the Eastern Conference standings. One of the many teams that they could play is the Orlando Magic.
The Cavs won the first two meetings of the year against the Magic before Orlando defeated them 128-122 a week and a half ago behind a phenomenal game from Desmond Bane.
The Magic have struggled since that win. They’ve lost five games in a row coming into this one, including on Monday at home against a bad Indiana Pacers team. We’ll see if they can rebound against the Cavs on Tuesday.
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE. The link to the 2016 championship shirt HERE.
Cavs injury report: Jaylon Tyson – OUT (toe), Jarrett Allen – OUT (knee), Craig Porter Jr. – OUT (groin), Tyrese Proctor – QUESTIONABLE (quad), Olivier Sarr – OUT (G League), Tristan Enaruna – OUT (G League)
Magic injury report for Monday’s game vs. Pacers: Jalen Suggs – OUT (illness), Franz Wagner – OUT (ankle), Jonathan Isaac – OUT (knee), Anthony Black – OUT (abdominal strain)
Cavs expectedstarting lineup: James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Sam Merrill, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley
Magic expected starting lineup: Desomond Bane, Jevon Carter, Tristan da Silva, Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter Jr.
The Sweet 16 is almost here – who’s still alive? We’re reviewing the week that was in the first week of the NCAA tournament and turning our focus to remaining teams. How bad (or good!) is your bracket? Join us in the SB Nation March Madness Feed and let’s talk about who’s most likely to make a run to glory.
Lakers stars LeBron James, left, and Luka Doncic walk off the court after a 113-110 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Monday. (Nic Antaya / Getty Images)
The brush from a fingertip toppled the Lakers’ longest winning streak in six seasons.
The Lakers’ nine-game win streak ended Monday with a 113-110 loss to the Detroit Pistons when Luka Doncic missed a game-tying three-pointer at the buzzer after LeBron James’ inbounds pass was deflected by Tobias Harris.
Doncic had 32 points, seven rebounds and six assists, but was three for 13 from three and missed two big shots in the final seconds.
The superstar guard had been on a historic heater, averaging 40 points over the previous nine games. With nine seconds left, James tried to inbound the ball over Harris and across the court to Doncic, who had to chase down the deflected pass that also went off forward Maxi Kleber’s arm. Doncic collected the ball and danced with Detroit forward Jalen Duren, pump faking, spinning and stepping back before launching a sky-high three.
Doncic had made those types of circus shots look easy during the Lakers’ winning streak, their longest since the championship-winning 2019-20 campaign. Though the dramatic run ended, it reintroduced the Lakers (46-26) as a legitimate playoff threat as they rose from sixth in the Western Conference to third. Lakers coach JJ Redick believed that all along.
“I thought we could be a good basketball team the entire season,” Redick said. “We saw flashes of it. We saw short stretches of it, but we're a good basketball team, and I think we have to continue to play together.”
Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt dunks over Detroit's Jalen Duren in the first half Monday. (Nic Antaya / Getty Images)
Austin Reaves had 24 points, dueling with Detroit’s Daniss Jenkins in the final moments. Reaves put the Lakers ahead by one with 29.7 seconds left with a driving layup, bullying Jenkins toward the basket. Jenkins got revenge by hitting a midrange baseline jumper over Reaves to put the Pistons back in front with 25 seconds left. In the back-and-forth fourth quarter, the Lakers blinked first as Doncic missed a go-ahead jumper with 12 seconds left.
Without star guard Cade Cunningham, who was out with a collapsed lung, Jenkins led the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons (52-19) with 30 points and eight assists. Forward Jalen Duren had 20 points and 11 rebounds.
The Lakers won five consecutive clutch time games before Monday, three requiring late comebacks. They had to repeat the process after the Pistons built a 14-point advantage in the third quarter.
The Lakers looked disjointed early as James, Doncic and Reaves combined on seven-for-28 shooting in the first half. James was held without a point in the first half for just the third time in his career and for the first time since Dec. 20, 2010.
The 41-year-old didn’t hit his first shot until the 5:54 mark of the third quarter, draining a three from the wing. It sparked a 20-6 Lakers run that James fueled on both ends. He blocked a shot from Paul Reed on the next possession. He then assisted a three-pointer from Reaves. He finished a layup in transition off a steal by Doncic and an assist from Reaves.
James finished with 12 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.
“I thought he did a good job of not just trying to score, but make the right play like he always does,” Redick said.
The Lakers were without Rui Hachimura and Marcus Smart. Both are day-to-day. Hachimura got imaging on his right calf and it came back clear, Redick said, after he took a hit against Miami on Thursday. Smart injured his right ankle Saturday when an Orlando player fell on his leg. Smart is also dealing with right hip soreness from another fall in that physical game.
Smart leads the Lakers in overall plus-minus, a quiet cog who connects the Lakers’ constellation of stars. Not having him “killed us,” Redick said.
The Lakers’ winning streak coincided with the team’s best run of health this season, Redick said. The Lakers hope that staying healthy and maintaining the level of play they discovered during the stretch can carry them through the final 10 games.
“We were able to stay resilient and come back,” James said. “So we’re a tough-minded [group].”
DETROIT, MI - MARCH 23: Ausar Thompson #9 of the Detroit Pistons plays defense during the game against Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers on March 23, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers’ win streak finally came to an end on Monday, but not without a valiant fight.
Despite trailing by as many as 16 points in the second half against the Pistons, the Lakers surged back to tie the game in the fourth before eventually falling down the stretch, losing 113-110.
The loss ends their win streak at nine games.
The two teams traded the lead multiple times in the final 40 seconds. Deandre Ayton and Daniss Jenkins each knocked down free throws. Reaves and Jenkins then traded jumpers. A miss by Luka allowed Jenkins to put Detroit up three before Luka’s desperation three off a broken play came up well short.
Both sides were shorthanded on the night, though Detroit more notably than LA. The Pistons are still without Cade Cunningham due to a collapsed lung while the Lakers saw both Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura miss the game due to minor injuries.
Unlike the previous meeting between the two teams, the Lakers held their own in the paint, outscoring the Pistons 58-48 in the paint. They also scored 16 fastbreak points to Detroit’s eight. The Pistons negated some of that by knocking down 11 threes to LA’s eight and turning 12 Lakers turnovers into 17 points.
Luka Dončić got things started with a midrange shot off the glass. Ausar Thompson responded with a wide-open dunk on the other end after a defensive collapse from the Lakers. Jake LaRavia, who was put into the starting lineup for the injured Marcus Smart, picked up two early fouls.
LA was one for nine from behind the arc.
Both teams were struggling to find consistency offensively. Detroit was shooting 22% from the field and Los Angeles was shooting 23%. Luka was leading the Lakers with five points and Austin Reaves had two points.
The Pistons had three players with two points with 6:26 left in the quarter.
The offenses started to pick up late in the frame as Luka was now in double figures with 17 points. Jaxson Hayes came in and was playing excellent defense with two blocks. Luke Kennard also drained his first triple of the game from the same spot he won Saturday’s contest in Orlando.
At the end of the first, the purple and gold were up by four.
Jarred Vanderbilt, who's been out of the rotation the last several games, got the Lakers two extra possessions late in the 1st, helping LA go up by 7 prior to a last-second 3 from Detroit to end the quarter.
Caris LeVert started the second period with a shot in the paint for the Pistons. On the other end, Jarred Vanderbilt had an easy dunk for LA. Detroit went on a 13-2 scoring run, giving them a seven-point lead.
Reaves stopped that run by converting on a three-point play.
In the quarter, the Lakers were shooting 42%, while Detroit was shooting 54%. Daniss Jenkins knocked down back-to-back triples, leading to a 10-point deficit for LA. Jenkins was leading all Pistons with 15 points.
With 3:25 left in the half, Los Angeles still only had one player in double figures.
LaRavia converted on a layup that stopped some of the bleeding. Duncan Robinson responded with two 3-pointers, giving the Pistons an even bigger cushion. The Lakers struggled through the end of the half, leaving them with a 13-point deficit at halftime.
Detroit had 5 made 3's in the 2nd Q, to 0 from the road-weary Lakers, helping the Pistons push to a 65-52 lead at the half.
Robinson started the third period with a quick six points off two triples. Reaves began this quarter with five points for LA. Luka started cooking with six points, trying to keep Los Angeles in it.
At the 6:50 mark, the Lakers were down by 11 thanks to the efforts of Luka and Reaves.
Jenkins knocked down his fourth 3-pointer of the game. LA went on an 8-0 run, led by LeBron as he started to heat up with his first points of the night. Reaves had 12 points in a big quarter of his own.
LeVert converted on a midrange jumper to slow LA’s surge.
It didn’t work, though, as the Lakers’ scoring run was up to 12-4, leading to a six-point deficit. They had gotten it to four before Jenkins scored on a layup. The Pistons were 8-20 from the field in the period.
The Lakers have been fantastic in the second half on this trip, and they start the 3rd Q here on a 27-18 push to cut a 13-point margin down to as few as 4.
LaRavia drained a 3-pointer that was much-needed both for himself and the team. LA ended the third on a 20-8 scoring run to make it just a two-point deficit. Luka and Reaves combined for 21 points in that quarter.
The final frame began with Jalen Duren getting fouled and converting on both free throws. After a flurry of turnovers and missed shots, the Lakers eventually got on the board with a layup by LeBron.
At the nine-minute mark, the game was tied.
Duren converted on a pair of free throws to give the Pistons the two-point edge to start a 6-0 run. LeBron cut the deficit in half with three free throws. With 5:50 left, Detroit was up by seven. LA went back and forth cutting the deficit from seven to five multiple times.
With 2:55 left, the Lakers were now within three.
Kennard was fouled from behind the arc and converted on all three free throws to tie the game. Harris then scored on the other end on a midrange jumper, giving the Pistons a two-point lead again.
Ayton was fouled and converted on a free throw to make it a one-point deficit with 1:56 left. With 39 seconds left, Ayton was fouled again and converted on both to give LA the lead by one.
Los Angeles did not manage to get the stop, sending Jenkins to the charity stripe where he converted on both to put Detroit back up by one with 34.6 seconds left. Reaves immediately scored on a shot in the paint, putting LA back up by one with 29.7 seconds left.
Jenkins then scored on the other end as Detroit took the lead again. Luka had the opportunity to put Los Angeles back ahead with an elbow jumper but missed. Jenkins was fouled and converted on both free throws to give the Pistons the lead by three with 9 seconds left.
The Lakers had the opportunity to tie it, but a broken play on the ensuing inbound led to a contested deep three from Luka falling short.
Key Player Stats
Luka finished with 32 points, seven rebounds and six assists. LeBron was held scoreless in a half for the first time since 2010. Still, a big second half saw him end with 12 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists. Reaves notched 24 points with five assists.
Ayton scored 13 points with 10 rebounds. Hayes logged 11 points with three rebounds and four blocks.
The Lakers’ next matchup will be against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday at 4:00 PM PT.
