Category: Basketball

The Lakers followed the lead of their oldest member, the triple-double producing LeBron James, in dispatching the Wizards 120-101 at Crypto.com Arena on Monday night.

Two days off between games left James looking spry, with lob dunks and dunks on the fast break contributing to his 21 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. James was eight for 16 from the field in notching his third triple-double of the season and the 125th of his 23-year NBA career, ranking him fifth all time.

At 41 years and 90 days old, James once again became the oldest player in league history to record a triple-double, passing his previous mark (41 years, 79 days).

For James and his teammates, Sunday’s practice had “value” because it allowed them to clean up some things, do some “teaching” and get some “reps” that will pay off with the playoffs approaching.

They put that into action against the Wizards, but the Lakers did so without star guard Luka Doncic, who did not play after being given a one-game suspension by the NBA for his 16th technical foul.

Austin Reaves took over the primarily ballhandling duties with Doncic out, running the show in delivering a near double-double with 19 points and nine assists. Reaves was just four for 11 from the field and he missed all four of his three-point attempts, but he was 11 for 12 from the line.

Backup center Jaxson Hayes was outstanding in scoring 19 points on eight-for-eight shooting, including a three-pointer with six minutes and 41 seconds left.

Luke Kennard had 19 points off the bench, knocking down four of five from three-point range.

Deandre Ayton was a force for the Lakers, his efficient five-for-five shooting leading to 12 points, seven rebounds and three blocks.

Each of them played their part to help the Lakers win for the 12th time in 13 games and limit the effect of Doncic's absence.

Doncic leads the NBA in scoring (33.7 points per game), is fourth in assists (8.2), second three-pointers made (4.0) and first in points scored in the first quarter (12.0).

He’ll return against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night.

Although the Lakers won handily, it was against a Wizards team tied for the worst record in the NBA (17-58). Washington has lost 18 of its past 19 games.

Read more:Lakers hope two-day 'reset' will refresh them for final stretch of the season

For the Lakers (49-26), the game was about making strides from a practice they rarely get to have.

“The value is being able to continue to improve,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said before the game. “And again, I said this, we've placed a heavy emphasis on what we're teaching in film and what we're cleaning up in film, because we haven't had court time to do that. So [Sunday], it was some of the game clean-up stuff. All the guys got some reps doing some things that they probably won't do during a real game."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James had 21 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds, Austin Reaves added 19 points and nine assists, and the Los Angeles Lakers rolled to a 120-101 win over the Washington Wizards on Monday night.

It was James’ 1,228th career victory, including the playoffs, to tie Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for most in NBA history.

With Luka Doncic serving a one-game suspension after getting called for his 16th technical foul of the season against Brooklyn on Friday, an energized James led the Lakers to their 12th win in the past 13 games, attacking the rim from the start including throwing down two emphatic two-handed dunks set up by Reaves in the first quarter.

Luke Kennard and Jaxson Hayes each had 19 points off the bench, Deandre Ayton chipped in with 12, and the Lakers improved to 7-6 without Doncic in the lineup this season.

Los Angeles would have clinched a playoff berth and the Pacific Division title with the win and a Phoenix loss, but the Suns’ 131-105 victory over Memphis delayed the formality of securing a fourth straight trip to the postseason.

Will Riley led the Wizards with 20 points and Justin Champagnie had 18 as they lost for the 19th time in 20 games.

Washington was actually ahead by one point after the first quarter, but Hayes had the final five in an 11-0 flurry early that gave Los Angeles a lead they would not relinquish again. The Lakers closed the half on a 38-13 run and took a 21-point lead back to the locker room.

James helped quiet the Wizards for good after they cut the deficit to 10 late in the third, finishing with his third triple-double of the season and 125th in the regular season of his 23-year career.

Up next

Wizards: Host Philadelphia on Wednesday.

Lakers: Host Cleveland on Tuesday.

___

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

The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Utah Jazz 122-113.

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

Donovan Mitchell

34 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal

One might take this stuff for granted. You shouldn’t. This was Mitchell’s 32nd game of the season, scoring more than 30+ points. The fact that he did it while shooting 10-18 from the floor and without limiting Evan Mobley (who also scored 34 points) is everything you want from your star.

Everything…. except stellar defense. I can’t give him the full A+ because of that. Sorry, Don.

Grade: A

James Harden

13 points, 14 assists, 6 rebounds

Harden has now dished 28 assists across his last two games. That’s impressive. More impressive is how he kept the offense focused on feeding Mobley. The Cavs didn’t have it going from downtown (just 6-32 shooting), but they scored their most points in the paint all season — in large part due to Harden’s playmaking.

Again, lackluster defense is holding back his grade.

Grade: B+

Evan Mobley

34 points, 17 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, 1 steal

This was Mobley’s best game of the season. Aggressive drives and deep seals in the paint led to his highest scoring game since last year. Mobley made himself available early and often, playing with so much authority that Cleveland couldn’t help but play through him. More of this, Ev.

Grade: A+

Sam Merrill

9 points, 3 assists, 4 rebounds

Merrill turned Utah’s defense into Swiss cheese with his quick attacks off the catch and well-timed cuts. He’s blossomed into an all-around offensive player, dashing to the basket and even tossing a lob to Mobley in the second half.

That’s important to note, because Sam shot 0-8 from deep tonight but finished 4-6 inside the arc.

Grade: B–

Keon Ellis

13 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, block

Ellis makes some great defensive plays. He also makes some bad ones. That’s something that’s become more apparent as he plays more minutes in Cleveland.

For every steal or block, there’s a blown switch or gamble that leads to a breakdown. Some of this should be cleaned up as Ellis becomes more familiar with his team. But some of the dangerous gambles he takes are inherent to his playstyle. He’s a high-risk, high-reward defender.

Ellis turned this into a positive outing by shooting 5-7 inside of two-point range.

Grade: B

Craig Porter Jr.

2 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds

Porter played his first game since March 13. It was a quiet performance, with Porter mostly getting his feet back under him rather than doing anything special.

Grade: C-

Tyrese Proctor

8 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist

Proctor was the best guard off the bench tonight. The rookie shot efficiently (3-6 from the floor) and fit in defensively. I’m excited to see him develop and hopefully crack the rotation next season.

Grade: B

Dennis Schroder

3 points, 3 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 steal

Schroder shot 1-4 and wasn’t particularly helpful on defense. That said, he didn’t turn it over and dished 3 assists. So it wasn’t all bad.

Grade: C–

Thomas Bryant

2 points, 7 rebounds, 3 turnovers

Bryant gets stretched thin against faster teams. We’ve seen that a few times this season. He finished as a team-worst minus-12 in 18 minutes.

Grade: D

The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Utah Jazz behind a monster game from Evan Mobley. Let’s go over today’s winners and losers.

WINNER – Evan Mobley

It’s not every night that Evan Mobley looks like a bully. But tonight, the Utah Jazz had no one who could defend Mobley in the paint.

Mobley commanded multiple bodies to stop him from burrowing his way under the basket for a bucket. That gravity made it easier for the Cavs offense to operate — as Mobley was routinely sucking in the defense and getting the Jazz to scramble.

All of that was made possible by Mobley’s 16 points in the first half. Each basket came in the paint, with Mobley going 8-11 from the field in the opening half. He was a dominant force, attacking in transition and sealing mismatches deep in the restricted area.

Mobley finished with 34 points, 17 rebounds and 3 blocks. It was his first game of 30+ points since March 19, 2025. If this is Mobley peaking, then he picked the right time. They’ll need this version of him in the playoffs.

This is the mentality that’s expected of Mobley. He won’t always be the focal point of an offense that is led by two ball-dominant guards. But when Mobley has a favorable matchup, he has to make it undeniable. Demand the ball and prove why you should have it. That’s what he did in Utah.

LOSER – 3PT Defense

Rinse and repeat.

The Cavs have an obvious weak point. They haven’t successfully contained the perimeter for most of the season. Whether it be due to simple miscommunications or over-helping on the backline, there’s a pattern that can’t be ignored.

Utah is the latest team to light up the Cavaliers from downtown. They connected on more than half of their attempts (15-29) and nearly shot it well enough to win the game.

Too often it seems like the communication on the perimeter is leading to these breakdowns. pic.twitter.com/eOi9hayZaM

— RealCavsFans.com (@realcavsfans) March 31, 2026

I’m more than willing to give credit where it’s due. The Jazz converted some difficult jumpers throughout the night. They did, however, also receive their fair share of quality looks. Again, this Cavs team is detached and far from playing on a string. Breakdowns are internal, with unforced errors resulting in open looks for their opponents.

This is difficult to fix on the fly. It’s one of the limitations they’ve faced since changing the roster in February. This team doesn’t have the continuity or chemistry required to be a flawless defensive team. They have just a few weeks to polish their scheme and get on the same page before the playoffs begin. That’s no small task.

It didn’t help that Cleveland shot just 6-32 from deep in this one. It was their worst three-point shooting game of the season.

But hey, credit to the Cavs for winning a game in which they were outscored by 27 points from deep.

WINNER – A Backcourt Trio

Let’s go down the list and give shout-outs to a trio of guards in the starting lineup. Sam Merrill, Donovan Mitchell, and James Harden showcased their own positives in this one.

Harden wasn’t overly aggressive in searching for his own shot. But he read the room and made a conscious effort to feed Evan Mobley. He repeatedly orchestrated the offense to center on Mobley — ultimately fueling the big man’s big scoring performance. Harden finished with 14 assists for the second game in a row.

Cleveland realized Evan Mobley had the biggest offensive advantage and kept him as a focal point from start to finish

Harden and Mitchell did a great job orchestrating that https://t.co/9jvxnl9dEW

— Tony Pesta (@Tony_Pesta) March 31, 2026

Meanwhile, Mitchell poured in a somewhat quiet 34 points. It’s the type of thing we’ve almost come to take for granted, considering how often it happens. This was Mitchell’s 32nd game of 30+ points this season alone. He did it on 10-18 shooting (11-12 from the free throw line).

Finally, Merrill continues to impress me with his on-ball creation. He’s made a genuine leap in terms of attacking the basket. Merrill has had success putting the ball on the floor and bursting around defenders for layups. And, he’s expertly cut his way to the rim for even more scoring opportunities.

Players like Merrill can easily fall into a box. Specialists who never become anything more. But Merrill has proven he can impact the game in multiple ways. That’s made him a starting-caliber player for the Cavs and someone who can surprise you on any given night.

Much to the delight of both organizations, the Cleveland Cavaliers did enough to pull out the 122-113 win over the tanking Utah Jazz to start their brief three-game road trip.

This game was much closer than it should’ve been in the fourth quarter. The Jazz were without six rotation players and came into this game losers of their last five and having dropped nine of their last 10.

Meanwhile, the Cavs rested two key rotation players, Max Strus and Jarrett Allen, in preparation for tomorrow’s game with the Los Angeles Lakers. That, combined with being without Dean Wade (ankle) and Jaylon Tyson (toe), left the Cavs thin on bench reserves. However, that itself doesn’t explain why this game was close late.

Cleveland simply couldn’t put the game away despite having several chances to do so early. They opened the second quarter on a 13-1 run, which allowed them to stretch their lead to 14, but they didn’t keep their foot on the gas, allowing the Jazz back into the game before the break.

This happened once again in the third quarter. The Cavs pushed the lead to 15 midway through the third, but then allowed the Jazz to claw back. They tied things up three-and-a-half minutes into the fourth and even took a brief two-point lead with five minutes left in the contest.

The Cavaliers’ starters were able to reassert control of the game from there. The offense executed well down the stretch thanks to a strong fourth quarter from Evan Mobley.

As was the case all game, the Jazz didn’t have an answer for Mobley inside. He did a good job of attacking in space, beating mismatches, and finishing lobs inside. This included putting the Jazz away with an and-one layup, an alley-oop from Sam Merrill, and an and-one pick-and-roll with James Harden on three-straight possessions, which started with four minutes to play in the fourth quarter. This took it from a three-point advantage to an 11-point one to help seal the game.

Mobley scored 10 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter. On the night, he finished with 17 rebounds, three assists, three blocks, and a steal on 15-21 shooting. This led to him leading the team in plus/minus at +21.

Not to be outdone, Donovan Mitchell also supplied 34 points. He did so on 10-18 shooting with five assists and a steal.

Harden once again showed his skill in manipulating the defense. He seemingly created open shots for his teammates every time down the court. This resulted in him racking up 14 assists for the second game in a row. He also had 13 points on 4-9 shooting to go along with six rebounds.

This game shouldn’t have been close based on how well the Cavs’ three best players performed. But, you’d also expect the team to shoot better than 6-32 (18.8%) from three.

Meanwhile, the Jazz were outclassed for most of the game, but their hot shooting kept them alive. They went 15-29 (51.7%) from beyond the arc. Allowing opponents to get hot from beyond the arc continues to be an issue for the Cavs.

The Jazz were led by 26 points from Cody Williams. Kyle Filipowski had 20 points and 10 rebounds on 7-12 shooting.

The Cavaliers will be back in action on Tuesday when they take on Luka Doncic and the Lakers. Tip-off is at 10:30 PM Eastern.

The Dallas Mavericks got blown out at home Monday night, losing 124-94 to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Dallas.

Cooper Flagg had a game to forget, as he couldn’t buy a bucket for the entire game. But it wasn’t just him that struggled. Almost every Mavericks was off, besides Brandon Williams.

The Mavericks were soundly outplayed in the first quarter, with the Timberwolves playing with playoff-like intensity. Flagg missed his first four shots, and was heavily bothered by Rudy Gobert’s rim protection.

The Timberwolves three point shooting carried their offensive output, and as usual the Mavericks did not respond in kind.

Flagg was able to get his first bucket on a beautiful cut to the rim, with a great pass from Brandon Williams. He followed it up with a great block on Gobert; although, he wasn’t able to hit the pullup jump-shot over the French big man. The Mavericks offense continued to struggle the rest of the quarter, with the lack of any three point shooters ruining the spacing.

The Timberwolves began to build a cushion in the third quarter, with the Mavericks having zero response to the early Minnesota run. Minnesota’s transition offense was especially crisp, with the Minnesota guards taking advantage of the Mavericks mistakes.

The overall difference in talent felt massive, and with the Timberwolves playing with playoff intensity, the Mavericks had no answer. The fourth quarter was mainly a formality, with the Timberwolves continuing the second half demolition of the Mavericks.

Cooper Flagg’s shot diet has to change

Flagg was pretty horrendous against the Timberwolves, as the pressure and physicality seemed to throw him of his rhythm.

It also didn’t help that he seemed absolutely terrified to shoot from behind-the-arc.

A microcosm of this issue came early in the second quarter, with Flagg settling for a terrible mid range jumper instead of an uncontested three. Obviously it doesn’t really matter for this season, but going forward it has to change, or Flagg’s scoring potential is capped.

It isn’t even the percentage that worries me, but rather the complete lack of confidence he feels in his shot. The Timberwolves perfectly exploited this, as they routinely gave him plenty of room in his isolation or pick-and-roll reps.

Hopefully an offseason of work can help the 19 year-old find his confidence, make-or-miss.

The Mavericks aren’t close… yet

A game like this truly illustrates the massive gap between a real deal contender, and the Dallas Mavericks.

While the Mavericks were without both Naji Marshall and P.J. Washington, it wouldn’t have mattered. The difference in execution, talent and intensity between the two teams was stark.

This game also showed how to build a great team around a slashing superstar wing, with Anthony Edwards not even being needed in this contest.

The Timberwolves three point shooting and point of attack defense are both elite, while the Mavericks have massive holes in both areas.

Hopefully the Mavericks realize this, and seek to actually address this in the offseason.

According to a report by Aris Barkas of Euro Hoops, the NBA, FIBA, and EuroLeague will reignite negotiations about teaming up to revamp professional basketball in Europe over the next few days. While broad discussions surrounding an NBA Europe venture have circulated for years, there has been building momentum for a 2027 start. Barkas’ reporting suggests it really could be close to becoming reality. There seems to be a pathway for all three major basketball institutions to support the new league.

Since Barkas says many investors are hesitant to pour nine-figure investments into an upstart league, the NBA is more open to collaborating with the EuroLeague than at previous points. While the NBA once aimed to immediately take control of the league from current ownership groups, they now appear interested in collaborating with the league on a minor expansion from 20 to 24 teams. It’s unclear if the added teams would be specific NBA affiliates or if the NBA will simply provide smaller support to all 24 squads.

Barkas adds that the NBA’s collaboration with EuroLeague could also help ensure the new venture does not add further conflicts to FIBA’s international competition schedule. While the NBA largely functions independent of FIBA, since basketball powerhouses like the U.S. can often rely on non-NBA talent for qualifying tournaments during the season, the EuroLeague has had a much more contentious relationship with FIBA. Barkas speculates that the NBA’s added presence could help mend those fences.

2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer season standings:

Tyrese Maxey – 22
VJ Edgecombe – 12
Joel Embiid – 10
Paul George – 7
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

---

Towards the beginning of Philadelphia’s crucial road contest against the Heat, it looked like the Sixers might have contracted the South Beach flu. Miami was racing out for a ton of transition points and opened up a 13-point lead in the first quarter. However, the Sixers rallied to take a seven-point lead in the second quarter and a game of runs ensued. With Philadelphia leading by four with three minutes remaining, the Heat went on a 14-0 run to seize control and put the game away in an eventual 119-109 final. Tyler Herro scored eight of his game-high 30 points during that run. It was a disappointing loss for the Sixers, who now drop 1.5 games behind Toronto and Atlanta in the standings. With this result, Philadelphia also lost the season series, 2-1, to Miami, which could come into play with the Heat just 1.5 games back of the Sixers. Let’s talk Bell Ringer before we move onto Washington Wednesday night.

Paul George: 19 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover

It really is noticeable how much healthier George feels after his time off from the suspension. You could see it on his first bucket of the game when he drove down the lane and rose up for a two-handed dunk. Or when he raced ahead in transition to get ahead of the defense and lay a bucket in for a three-point play. PG was instrumental to the Sixers hanging around in the first quarter. He threw a perfect alley-oop pass to VJ Edgecombe from about 35 feet away. George also made a great play to dig down defensively and knock the ball away from Bam Adebayo from behind, then rushed over to present an outlet option for Dominick Barlow, who had hustled to the floor for the loose ball. As the game wore on, George’s shot grew colder, but I’d still chalk this game up as a good sign of things to come.

PG ends the quarter on a high note. He's got a team-high 11 and the Sixers closed the gap after a tough start. pic.twitter.com/lbj8IyVIBU

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) March 30, 2026

Tyrese Maxey: 23 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 blocks, 2 turnovers

Like many Sixers on the evening, Maxey had a cold shooting night from deep. I felt he nicely used the threat of his shot to work his way into easier mid-range looks on a few occasions. Tyrese also continued to attack, with a team-high seven attempts from the free throw line, and made some nice drive-and-kick reads to open three-point shooters. We also witnessed the growth in Maxey’s defensive game. On two separate occasions, Tyrese played outstanding isolation defense, staying with his man and blocking Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez as they went up for the shot, then collecting the ball to spur a transition opportunity. Overall, it wasn’t the best Maxey night, but remember he’s playing with a splint on his shooting hand after all.

A nice spurt from Maxey helps the Sixers close the gap. We got a ballgame heading into the fourth. pic.twitter.com/zDiJN6WYjs

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) March 31, 2026

Joel Embiid: 26 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, 3 turnovers

Joel was the most consistent offensive weapon for the Sixers. He displayed physicality early on with a couple back-down drives and buckets in the face of Bam Adebayo. Later, Embiid was the skeleton key to unlock the Miami zone, finding his sweet spot in the mid-range circle and rising up over the likes of 6-foot-5 Pelle Larsson. Joel tried his best to carry the team across the finish line, leading the Sixers with 10 points in the fourth quarter, including the big three-pointer to put them up by four late.

Big fella getting warm and we're tied up in Miami pic.twitter.com/yc87ERCBmK

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) March 31, 2026

MIAMI (AP) — Tyler Herro scored 30 points, Bam Adebayo finished with 23 points and 16 rebounds, and the Miami Heat used a 14-0 run in the final moments to rally past the Philadelphia 76ers 119-109 on Monday night.

Pelle Larsson added 20 points and a career-high 10 rebounds for Miami (40-36), which kept some realistic hope of getting out of the play-in tournament range — or at least getting into one of the top two spots and therefore assuring itself two chances of making the playoffs — alive with the win. The Heat are ninth in the Eastern Conference, in a virtual tie with No. 8 Orlando.

Joel Embiid scored 26 points for Philadelphia, which got a 23-point, nine-assist, seven-rebound night from Tyrese Maxey. Paul George added 19 points for the 76ers, who remained seventh in the East.

VJ Edgecombe had 13 points and five assists for Philadelphia, on a night where many from the Bahamas — his homeland — made the short trip to Miami and waved flags in the arena whenever he did something right.

HAWKS 112, CELTICS 102

ATLANTA (AP) — Onyeka Okongwu and Jalen Johnson each scored 20 points, and three days after losing to the Celtics on the road, the Hawks responded with a win over Boston. It was Atlanta’s 13th consecutive home win.

Okongwu (20 points, 10 rebounds) and Johnson each had double-doubles. It was Johnson’s (20 points, 12 rebounds) 45th of the season.

A tightly contested first half with 10 ties and nine lead changes ended at 54-all as Nickeil Alexander-Walker hit a 27-foot 3-pointer to seal the first half. Atlanta carried that momentum into the third quarter, outscoring the Celtics 36-22 to take a 14-point lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

The Celtics climbed back from a 21-point deficit in the fourth quarter to come within eight points in the last two minutes. Johnson and Alexander-Walker helped put the game out of reach with four made free throws in the final minute.

Boston’s lineup looked different this time around, with Jaylen Brown returning after a two-game absence and Jayson Tatum on the bench with injury management. Tatum scored 26 points during the teams’ Friday meeting.

Brown had a team high 29 points and 10 rebounds. Luka Garza had 20 points and nine rebounds.

SUNS 131, GRIZZLIES 105

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Devin Booker scored 36 points on 16-of-24 shooting, Jalen Green added 21 points, and Phoenix beat Memphis.

Collin Gillespie had 11 points — all in the fourth quarter — and 10 assists for the Suns. Oso Ighodaro and Rasheer Fleming also scored 11 points.

Booker banked in a straight-away 3-pointer at the buzzer in the third quarter to give Phoenix a two-point lead. GG Jackson threw down a dunk to open the fourth that made it 91-all, but Fleming grabbed an offensive rebound and his putback with 11:14 left in the game gave Phoenix the lead for good.

Ighodaro followed with a dunk and Gillespie added a 3-pointer and a jumper before Jordan Goodwin stole a pass and fed Ryan Dunn for a fast-break dunk that capped an 11-0 run. Goodwin and Fleming made 3s 21 seconds apart that made it 108-95 with 6:59 remaining, and the Grizzlies trailed by double digits the rest of the way.

Tyler Burton led Memphis with 17 points and Cam Spencer scored 16. Jackson and Jahmai Mashack each added 14 points.

SPURS 129, BULLS 114

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had a season-high 41 points and 16 rebounds while collecting the fastest double-double in NBA history, and San Antonio won their ninth straight, defeating Chicago.

Wembanyama had 10 points and 10 rebounds in his first 8 minutes, 31 seconds on the court, collecting his 10th rebound 1:55 into the second quarter. Jim Washington of the St. Louis Hawks had a double-double in nine minutes against the New York Knicks on March 6, 1966.

Wembanyama punctuated his season-high with a driving, one-handed dunk for his final points midway through the fourth quarter. He was 17 for 27 from the field and 3 for 6 on 3-pointers in scoring at least 30 points for the 14th time this season.

Stephon Castle added 21 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds for San Antonio, which has has won nine consecutive games.

Bulls point guard Tre Jones had 23 points in his first game in San Antonio since being traded to Chicago as part of the deal that brought De’Aaron Fox to the Spurs. Leonard Miller added 21 points and Collin Sexton had 20 as the Bulls lost their fourth straight.

TIMBERWOLVES 124, MAVERICKS 94

DALLAS (AP) — Dallas native Julius Randle scored 24 points, Anthony Edwards had 17 points off the bench in his return following a six-game absence, and Minnesota beat Dallas.

Edwards was announced as a starter but was late to the court and replaced in the lineup by Mike Conley. Edwards checked in after 2:01 elapsed.

Edwards went in needing to play in every remaining Wolves game to meet the NBA’s 65-game minimum for eligibility for all-NBA consideration.

Ayo Dosunmu had 16 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists for his first triple-double since being acquired from Chicago at the trade deadline.

The Timberwolves (46-29) moved into sole possession of fifth place in the Western Conference, a half-game ahead of idle Houston.

Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert had 14 points and 10 rebounds. Donte DiVincenzo hit 5 of 9 behind the arc and finished with 15 points.

Daniel Gafford scored 21 points to lead the lottery-bound Mavericks (24-51), who have lost their last 13 home games.

CAVALIERS 122, JAZZ 113

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell each scored 34 points and Cleveland used a late fourth-quarter surge to beat Utah.

Mobley set a season-high for points, including eight dunks, and also had 16 rebounds and three blocks. The 7-footer capped the decisive 14-1 run with a three-point play that made it 117-106 with 3:14 remaining.

James Harden had 13 points and 14 assists for the Cavaliers, who have won five straight road games and six of their last seven overall.

Cody Williams scored 26 points, Kyle Filipowski had 20 and Ace Bailey added 19 for Utah. The Jazz have lost six straight and 10 of their last 11.

LAKERS 120, WIZARDS 101

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James had 21 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds, Austin Reaves added 19 points and nine assists, and Los Angeles rolled to a win over Washington.

It was James’ 1,228th career victory, including the playoffs, to tie Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for most in NBA history.

With Luka Doncic serving a one-game suspension after getting called for his 16th technical foul of the season against Brooklyn on Friday, an energized James led the Lakers to their 12th win in the past 13 games, attacking the rim from the start including throwing down two emphatic two-handed dunks set up by Reaves in the first quarter.

Luke Kennard and Jaxson Hayes each had 19 points off the bench, Deandre Ayton chipped in with 12, and the Lakers improved to 7-6 without Doncic in the lineup this season.

Los Angeles would have clinched a playoff berth and the Pacific Division title with the win and a Phoenix loss, but the Suns’ 131-105 victory over Memphis delayed the formality of securing a fourth straight trip to the postseason.

Will Riley led the Wizards with 20 points and Justin Champagnie had 18 as they lost for the 19th time in 20 games.

THUNDER 114, PISTONS 110, OT

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 47 points and Oklahoma City defeated Detroit in overtime.

The reigning league MVP, and strong candidate to repeat, made 12 of 19 field goals and 21 of 25 free throws. He extended his NBA record for consecutive games with at least 20 points to 136.

The Thunder became the first team in the league to win 60 games this season, and it’s the first time Oklahoma City has won at least that many in back-to-back seasons. The Thunder’s 15th win in 16 games kept them two games ahead of the San Antonio Spurs atop the Western Conference standings.

Oklahoma City, which defeated the New York Knicks on Sunday night, looked sluggish against the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons, who were missing four of their five regular starters. Cade Cunningham remained out with a collapsed lung. All-Star Jalen Duren was out with a right knee injury and Tobias Harris and Duncan Robinson were out with right hip injuries. Isaiah Stewart, a key reserve, missed the game with a left calf strain.

Detroit had won five of six without Cunningham, and they hung tough on Monday. Paul Reed had 21 points and 10 rebounds, Javonte Green scored 19 points and Kevin Huerter added 17 for the Pistons.

DALLAS (AP) — Dallas native Julius Randle scored 24 points, Anthony Edwards had 17 points off the bench in his return following a six-game absence, and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Dallas Mavericks 124-94 on Monday night.

Edwards was announced as a starter but was late to the court and replaced in the lineup by Mike Conley. Edwards checked in after 2:01 elapsed.

Edwards went in needing to play in every remaining Wolves game to meet the NBA’s 65-game minimum for eligibility for all-NBA consideration.

Ayo Dosunmu had 16 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists for his first triple-double since being acquired from Chicago at the trade deadline.

The Timberwolves (46-29) moved into sole possession of fifth place in the Western Conference, a half-game ahead of idle Houston.

Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert had 14 points and 10 rebounds. Donte DiVincenzo hit 5 of 9 behind the arc and finished with 15 points.

Daniel Gafford scored 21 points to lead the lottery-bound Mavericks (24-51), who have lost their last 13 home games.

Mavericks star rookie Cooper Flagg scored 12 points on 5-of-19 shooting after starting 1 for 10.

The Mavericks’ home losing streak is their longest at the 25-year old American Airlines Center. It’s their longest since dropping their first 19 games at since-demolished Reunion Arena to begin the 1993-94 season.

Minnesota used a 19-2 run to open a 23-10 lead late in the first quarter and never again trailed. The Wolves led by as many as 33 points in the fourth quarter.

Up Next

Timberwolves: Visit Detroit on Thursday.

Mavericks: Visit Milwaukee on Tuesday.

___

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

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Devin Booker scored 36 points on 16-of-24 shooting, Jalen Green added 21 points, and the Phoenix Suns beat the Memphis Grizzlies 131-105 on Monday night.

Collin Gillespie had 11 points — all in the fourth quarter — and 10 assists for the Suns. Oso Ighodaro and Rasheer Fleming also scored 11 points.

Booker banked in a straight-away 3-pointer at the buzzer in the third quarter to give Phoenix a two-point lead. GG Jackson threw down a dunk to open the fourth that made it 91-all, but Fleming grabbed an offensive rebound and his putback with 11:14 left in the game gave Phoenix the lead for good.

Ighodaro followed with a dunk and Gillespie added a 3-pointer and a jumper before Jordan Goodwin stole a pass and fed Ryan Dunn for a fast-break dunk that capped an 11-0 run. Goodwin and Fleming made 3s 21 seconds apart that made it 108-95 with 6:59 remaining, and the Grizzlies trailed by double digits the rest of the way.

Tyler Burton led Memphis with 17 points and Cam Spencer scored 16. Jackson and Jahmai Mashack each added 14 points.

Phoenix shot 50.5% (55 of 109) and hit 17 3-pointers.

Up next

Suns: Visits Orlando on Tuesday.

Grizzlies: Hosts New York on Wednesday.

___

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

In a first half characterized by alternating runs — somtimes back-to-back — from Chicago (29-46) and San Antonio (57-18), it was the Spurs that pulled away behind a 35-19 second quarter — specifically the dominance of superstar Victor Wembanyama and stellar guards — Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper. The Spurs held a 31-18 rebound edge through the first 24 minutes of action, and managed to build on that disparity well into the second half (41-23 after three and 55-35 total).

San Antonio was led by Wembanyama (41 points, 16 rebounds, and 3 blocks) and Castle (19 points, 8 assists, and 8 rebounds). Julian Champagnie (13 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists) worked through a sluggish start, and Keldon Johnson (15 points) and Harper (13 points and 6 rebounds) were crucial during that second quarter push.

Former Spur Tre Jones (23 points and 3 assists) performed well enough for Chicago in the loss. Leonard Miller (21 points and 7 rebounds) had an outsized impact offenisvely for the Bulls, while Collin Sexton (20 points) played like he was competing with Rob Dillingham for playing time.

Wembanyama figured in on nearly every consequential play for the first 6+ minutes of action — putting up 10 points, 5 rebounds, and a block for measure. Starting with Jones’ steal and reverse, Chicago spread its production out among the starters, and shot better from distance to stake itself to leads throughout the stanza. Jones took advantage of his familiarity with the rims to lead the Bulls in scoring, but San Antonio still went to the second period up 29-28.

Despite a brief halting of the offensive momentum to start the second, both teams — particularly Castle for San Antonio and Miller for Chicago — resumed the scoring pace. San Antonio was able to build its lead by cutting down the amount of open shots conceded and walling off driving lanes. After seeing two triples go down, Castle leveraged the threat of his outside shot to find San Antonio’s bigs deep in the paint, and the Spurs benefitted from entering the foul bonus to pad their advantage. Though an old Spur (Jones) scored last for Chicago, it was the brightest Spur (Wembanyama) that hit a three to send the Spurs to halftime up 64-47.

Though they looked like one YouTube video repeating the same dunk, Wembanyama strung together an impressive solo reel of dunks at the start of the third period, and San Antonio ran their lead up to 25. Meanwhile, Jones seemed like the only starter able to counter the Spurs meaningfully. Jones kickstarted a 10-0 run late in the frame, and yet Chicago could only draw within 19. San Antonio went to the fourth up 20.

Observations

• George ‘The Iceman’ Gervin.
• The Bulls and Hornets were the only NBA teams that could pull off the pinstripe look.
• Wow – a nightcap of Thunder and Pistons!
• The gentleman next to me on my flight Saturday (wearing a University of Arizona cap) gushed about Carter Bryant for the better part of the four hour trip. Apparently he was very happy as an alum to see the line of Wildcat players coming to San Antonio continue.
• Devin’s Deeds: Well into garbage time, Vassell clanked a fadeaway jumper, and in folllowing him back downcourt, he never gave up on the play and managed to swat away Buzelis’ floater (that was called for goaltending).
• Harrison Barnes WITH headband – 0 for 2 from three. #pobrecito
• Sequence of the Game #1: Some dogged defense later in the first half led to a Barnes steal, and Wembanyama spotted a streaking Castle down the right side for a slam off of two feet that Dominique Wilkins would have been proud of.
• Sequence of the Game #2: Though we’ve long been accustomed to Wembanyama’s greatness around the rim, the NBC broadcast team did a great job of affirming the unselifhness involved in San Antonio’s wings setting him up. (That rookie season of futile attempts to find Wembanyama seems like a distant memory).

Game Rundown

After the Bulls’ second basket at the rim in 72 seconds, Coach Johnson called a Pop-like timeout. San Antonio started the first couple of possessions with Wembanyama on the right block, but the forward succeeded four times from three different spots straightaway in the painted area. Chicago had a moderately easy time getting buckets on drives and held a slight advantage on several occasions. Successive triples from Isaac Okoro and Sexton put the Bulls up three, but those were immediately matched by a lightning fast seven point burst from Harper. Despite a very poor outside shooting start, San Antonio — starting with Harper’s scoring and ending with a Keldon Johnson three — left it up one.

Aside from Barnes’ first three points and an awkward Giddey floater, there was a scoring drought spanning the first three minutes of the second period. Then the floodgates shot open, as Miller got to double digits scoring with some sneaky hot shooting, while Giddey found his groove, as well. Champagnie saw a floater and a corner three go down, while Castle saw his first three go down, too. Castle’s catch-and-shoot three seconds later gave the Spurs their biggest lead (eight) to that point. San Antonio played its best two-way minutes to end the half, as the Bulls found themselves forcing things more noticeably. Aside from a Johnson score, Wembanyama and Castle carried the rest of San Antonio’s production to lead by 17 at the break.

Wembanyama’s personal 12-point burst in the third put the Bulls on the ropes, while Vassell encouragingly hit his first three during that barrage, too. Seconds after his re-entry, Miler hit yet another three for Chicago. Harper put up two quick scores on his own, and the comfortable 20+ point cushion allowed for the Spurs to try out different line-ups.

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For the Bulls fan’s perspective, please visit Blog A Bull.

San Antonio takes on Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors Wednesday night at 9:00 PM CDT on ESPN.

All Times EDT

Tuesday, March 31

MLB

Texas at Baltimore, 6:35 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Miami, 6:40 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, 6:40 p.m.

Washington at Philadelphia, 6:40 p.m.

Colorado at Toronto, 7:07 p.m.

Athletics at Atlanta, 7:15 p.m.

L.A. Angels at Chicago Cubs, 7:40 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Milwaukee, 7:40 p.m.

N.Y. Mets at St. Louis, 7:45 p.m.

Boston at Houston, 8:10 p.m.

Detroit at Arizona, 9:40 p.m.

N.Y. Yankees at Seattle, 9:40 p.m.

San Francisco at San Diego, 9:40 p.m.

Cleveland at L.A. Dodgers, 10:10 p.m.

NBA

Phoenix at Orlando, 7 p.m.

Charlotte at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m.

Dallas at Milwaukee, 8 p.m.

New York at Houston, 8 p.m.

Toronto at Detroit, 8 p.m.

Cleveland at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m.

Portland at L.A. Clippers, 11 p.m.

NHL

Dallas at Boston, 7 p.m.

Detroit at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.

Montreal at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.

N.Y. Islanders at Buffalo, 7 p.m.

New Jersey at N.Y. Rangers, 7 p.m.

Ottawa at Florida, 7 p.m.

Philadelphia at Washington, 7 p.m.

Carolina at Columbus, 7:30 p.m.

Winnipeg at Chicago, 8:30 p.m.

Seattle at Edmonton, 9 p.m.

_____

ATLANTA (AP) — The Braves scored three runs in the first inning off a double from Matt Olson and a single from Mauricio Dubón in a 4-0 win over the Athletics on Monday night.

Mike Yastrzemski came in to relieve left fielder Eli White and hit a line drive triple to right field in the eighth inning. Dubón followed with a single to send him home.

Dubón, a two-time (2023, '25) Gold Glove-winning shortstop, came to the Braves in the offseason from a trade with the Astros.

Bryce Elder (1-0) pitched six innings and gave up five hits with five strikeouts and a walk.

Nick Kurtz and Shea Langeliers both went 0 for 4 for the Athletics. Brent Rooker went 2 for 4, but grounded to Dubón to start a double play that ended the eighth inning.

In the ninth, Jacob Wilson was thrown out at second on a ground ball by Lawrence Butler, who was originally ruled safe at first. The call was challenged and then overturned, resulting in a double play. Max Muncy hit an infield fly that Olson caught to end the game.

Jacob Lopez (0-1) pitched four innings for the A's. He gave up five hits, had five walks, three earned runs and no strikeouts.

Up next

Atlanta's Jose Suarez takes the mound against Aaron Civale as the series continues Tuesday.

___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

The Phoenix Suns started slow, but turned it up a notch in the 4th quarter to pull away and secure a road win in Memphis. It didn’t come without a fight from Memphis in the opening 36 minutes of play.

Devin Booker and Jalen Green paced the Suns early, and Collin Gillespie broke out of a shooting slump for a big fourth quarter. Booker poured in 36 points on 16-24 shooting. Green added 21 points on 9-18 shooting, and both star guards were able to stay under 25 minutes played. The rookies both looked great.

The Suns outscored the Grizzlies by 24 points in the final quarter on 60% shooting along with 6 threes to pull away for good.

Phoenix now holds a 3.0 game lead over the Clippers for the 7th seed in the West with seven games left to play. Tonight was win number 42 on the season.

Game Flow

First Half

Memphis jumped out ahead 13-9 early in the opening quarter. Phoenix took a 19-18 lead after a Jalen Green three, which took us to the first timeout of the evening. The ball was moving well early on.

JALEN GREEN UP TOP 😤 pic.twitter.com/dibX2lRiny

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) March 31, 2026

Devin Booker poured in 12 points in the first 7 minutes of the period. The ball movement was sharp after the break and led to a 28-19 Phoenix lead.

We got some early Khaman Maluach minutes again, and he made his impact on the glass and drew multiple trips to the line.

After the opening 12 minutes of play, the Suns led 34-31. The Suns allowed 16 points in the paint in the quarter. Devin Booker led all scorers with 12. Jalen Green chipped in with 8.

Things got sloppy. The Grizzlies jumped out to a 12-7 advantage in the second quarter to take a two-point lead, which prompted a Jordan Ott timeout to talk things over.

The Grizzlies showed they were not going to back down without a fight, as you’d expect from (most) professional sports teams. Phoenix wasn’t able to pull away despite strong offensive outputs from both Booker and Green.

STEAL. DUNK. REPEAT 🔁 pic.twitter.com/jY6WspSM4u

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) March 31, 2026

At halftime, Phoenix led 65-61. The Suns won the second quarter by just one point, 31-30. Booker and Green combined for 42 points on 24 shots. Memphis got some serious bench production, with 24 of its 61 points coming from the second unit.

Suns rookie big man Khaman Maluach had a career-high 10 rebounds at the half.

Second Half

The second half started with a continuation of the back-and-forth affair we saw in the opening two quarters.

Every time it looked like the Suns were going to pull away, this scrappy, young Memphis squad found a way to answer back. Memphis was matching the Suns’ physicality all night long, as they stormed in front to take an 86-83 lead.

Devin Booker continued to pour it in, hitting a 30-ball well before the 4th quarter even began.

Book slam for the 30-ball 📚 pic.twitter.com/YbFtzZ2csq

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) March 31, 2026

A Jordan Goodwin triple evened things up at 86 apiece. Rasheer Fleming followed that up with a vicious transition dunk, but as they did all night long, Memphis responded with a three-pointer the very next possession to retake the lead.

Phoenix took a two-point lead (91-89) into the 4th quarter after this ATO was executed to perfection.

BOOK AT THE BUZZER 🚨 pic.twitter.com/thz0PUHnGD

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) March 31, 2026

The Suns started to pour it on in the 4th, as the intensity went up a notch and it helped that the shots were falling. A 19-6 run gave Phoenix some breathing room, leading 110-95 in a flash.

Rasheer Fleming had 7 quick points along with Collin Gillespie’s five points to open the quarter, including a three-pointer that busted him out of his shooting slump. Look at the rook fly!

RISE UP ROOK 💥 pic.twitter.com/kB9qzYRT63

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) March 31, 2026

Phoenix won the final quarter 40 to 16. Everything was clicking for them on both ends of the floor, and they were able to give the starters some much-needed rest ahead of the second of their back-to-back set in Orlando tomorrow night.

Up Next

The Suns are back on the road tomorrow night in Orlando against the Magic.