Category: Basketball

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You need a long memory to remember the last time the Charlotte Hornets were this fun, and they’ll look to keep building the buzz against the Dallas Mavericks tonight.

Charlotte has rattled off four straight wins to stay within reach of the Top 6 in the East, and my Mavericks vs. Hornets predictions expect Brandon Miller to cash in, with his sharpshooting tormenting Dallas’ undermanned defense.

Cooper Flagg’s foot injury means we likely won’t see him go head-to-head with Kon Knueppel in a rookie-of-the-year showdown, but my NBA picks look at other storylines for this March 3 clash.

Mavericks vs Hornets prediction

Mavericks vs Hornets best bet: Brandon Miller Over 22.5 points (-115)

With this Charlotte Hornets offense now ranking just outside the Top 10 in points per game, the hype around the Brandom Miller, Kon Knueppel, and LaMelo Ball trio feels justified.

Miller, in particular, has been on a heater lately. He’s gone past this O/U number in his past three outings — and he’s 17-for-32 from downtown in that span. Going back further, Miller's averaging 24.3 ppg across his last eight contests.

The Hornets dropped 123 points on the Dallas Mavericks in a late-January matchup, and Miller finished with 23 points that night. Sign me up for a repeat performance.

Mavericks vs Hornets same-game parlay

Miller’s 3-point shooting has helped him post big point totals despite playing fewer than 30 minutes in four of his last five games — largely because of Charlotte's big fourth-quarter leads. He’s knocked down 4+ triples in five straight outings.

Charlotte enters as a big favorite, and I’m undeterred by the double-digit spread. The hosts are 9-1 ATS in their past 10 contests, while a depleted Dallas squad has lost eight of its last 10 games.

Mavericks vs Hornets SGP

• Brandon Miller Over 22.5 points
• Brandon Miller Over 3.5 threes
• Hornets -13

Our "from downtown" SGP: Moose on the loose

There’s never any doubt about whether Moussa Diabate is on the court. The man they call “Moose” gives the Hornets a spark on both ends of the floor, and he’s coming off a 13-11-5 effort against the Trail Blazers.

Diabate has logged 11+ rebounds in four of his last six games, and his assist numbers have spiked with 14 dimes across his past three contests.

Mavericks vs Hornets SGP

• Moussa Diabate Over 9.5 points
• Moussa Diabate Over 9.5 rebounds
• Moussa Diabate Over 2.5 assists
• Hornets -13

Mavericks vs Hornets odds

• Spread: Mavericks +13 | Hornets -13
• Moneyline: Mavericks +500 | Hornets -700
• Over/Under: Over 230 | Under 230

Mavericks vs Hornets betting trend to know

The Mavericks are just 10-16 ATS on the road this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Mavericks vs. Hornets.

How to watch Mavericks vs Hornets

Mavericks vs Hornets latest injuries

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There are a whopping 10 games on tonight’s NBA schedule, so the player prop markets are packed with options.

My top plays include Ty Jerome, the Memphis Grizzlies’ best (and arguably only) scoring option, and locking in Dejounte Murray’s point totals before sportsbooks fully catch on to his form.

Read more in my NBA picks for Tuesday, March 3.

Best NBA player props today

Player	Pick
Wendell Carter Jr.	Over 8.5 rebounds	+100
Ty Jerome	Over 17.5 points	-112
Dejounte Murray	Over 13.5 points	-120

Prop #1: Wendell Carter Jr. Over 8.5 rebounds

+100 at bet365

Wendell Carter Jr. has been dominating the glass lately, and the Orlando Magic big man will have a great opportunity to continue that against the Washington Wizards.

Carter is averaging 9.2 rebounds over his last 10 games and has pulled down nine or more boards in five of his last seven outings.

Meanwhile, the Wizards struggle on the glass, ranking dead last in both rebounding rate and opponent rebounds per game.

• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Monumental, FanDuel Sports Network Florida  

Prop #2: Ty Jerome Over 17.5 points

-112 at bet365

The Memphis Grizzlies are short on scorers right now, and Ty Jerome has stepped up as the last man standing.

Since returning from injury at the end of January, the Grizzlies shooting guard has played eight games, averaging 19.6 points while hitting 41.2% of his shots from beyond the arc.

Tonight, he faces the Minnesota Timberwolves, who rank 16th in opponent 3-point percentage and might ease off in a game with a 14.5-point spread.

As long as sportsbooks offer reasonable lines on Jerome, betting the Over remains a solid play.

• Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: FanDuel Sports Network Southeast-Memphis, FanDuel Sports Network North

Prop #3: Dejounte Murray Over 13.5 points

-120 at bet365

I wouldn’t blame you if you forgot that Dejounte Murray now plays for the New Orleans Pelicans, having spent over a year sidelined recovering from an Achilles injury.

But in his three games back, Murray's already starting to look like the player we remember, putting up 15.6 points per game with a .545 effective field goal percentage. It won’t be long before sportsbooks fully adjust to his form.

His point total against the Los Angeles Lakers is set at 13.5. The Lakers rank 22nd in defensive rating and 27th in opponent eFG%.

• Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: GCSEN, SPECSN

These props are available now at bet365, one of our best betting sites.

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This Minnesota Timberwolves era started with a frustrating first-round loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, hinting at a budding rivalry.

Instead, Memphis has reshaped its roster, leaving Minnesota as a two-touchdown favorite tonight.

My Grizzlies vs. Timberwolves predictions expect Minnesota to excel at the rim, a conscious roster-building decision sparked by that playoff loss four years ago.

Find out more in my NBA picks for Tuesday, March 3. 

Grizzlies vs Timberwolves prediction

Grizzlies vs Timberwolves best bet: Rudy Gobert Over 11.5 points (-112)

Rudy Gobert continues to thrive on the boards for the Minnesota Timberwolves, averaging 15.7 rebounds in his last three games.

And more often than not, Gobert's rebounding leads to putback opportunities.

Against an undermanned and undersized Memphis Grizzlies’ lineup, the Timberwolves should feed Gobert early and often.

Grizzlies vs Timberwolves same-game parlay

Gobert has grabbed at least 13 rebounds in each of his last four games, and against such a depleted Grizzlies’ front line, more of the same should be anticipated. 

Meanwhile, not much should be expected from the 7-foot Santi Aldama in his first game since Feb. 4.

Grizzlies vs Timberwolves SGP

• Rudy Gobert Over 11.5 points
• Rudy Gobert Over 12.5 rebounds
• Santi Aldama Under 5.5 rebounds

Our "from downtown" SGP: Shooting Into Consistency

Jaden McDaniels’s shooting from deep has yo-yo’ed a bit lately, but he has still shot 44.3% from beyond the arc this season.

A looming blowout should be an opportunity for him to put up four or five 3-pointers to regain his rhythm.

Grizzlies vs Timberwolves SGP

• Rudy Gobert Over 11.5 points
• Rudy Gobert Over 12.5 rebounds
• Santi Aldama Under 5.5 rebounds
• Jaden McDaniels Over 1.5 threes

Grizzlies vs Timberwolves odds

• Spread: Grizzlies +14 (-110) | Timberwolves -14 (-110)
• Moneyline: Grizzlies +575 | Timberwolves -850
• Over/Under: Over 237.5 (-110) | Under 237.5 (-110)

Grizzlies vs Timberwolves betting trend to know

Minnesota is 20-11 SU at home this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Grizzlies vs. Timberwolves.

How to watch Grizzlies vs Timberwolves

Grizzlies vs Timberwolves latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Max Scherzer says the note his daughter composed asking the Toronto Blue Jays to re-sign the three-time Cy Young Award winner arose as his kids were writing letters to Santa Claus in December.

After Scherzer agreed last week to a $3 million, one-year contract to return to the Blue Jays, his wife posted on Instagram the handwritten note from their 8-year-old daughter, Brooke.

“It’s the cutest thing you can possibly imagine when you read that, how much it meant to her to be in Toronto,” Scherzer told reporters Tuesday after his deal was finalized.

Scherzer said his kids were writing letters expressing what they wanted from Santa when Brooke approached him and his wife, Erica May-Scherzer. The 8-year-old asked for a stamp and then put it on a sealed envelope that she handed to her parents.

After Brooke went to bed, her parents opened the letter to see what she had written.

“Dear Blue Jays,” the note began, “I am so sorry that you didn’t win the World Series. I hope that you win next time. I hope my dad is back on the team. My whole family loves spending time in Toronto with our dad. We loved the aquarium, the (CN) Tower and of course the stadium. I am looking forward to come back next season. Love, Max Scherzer daughter."

Scherzer noted he and his wife didn’t send the letter to the Blue Jays.

“That’s a bad negotiating tactic,” Scherzer said with a laugh.

Scherzer, 41, wanted to return to Toronto after the Blue Jays came so close to winning the World Series last season. The Blue Jays led in the ninth inning of Game 7 before falling 5-4 to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 11th.

“Obviously we came as close as you possibly can to winning the whole thing - something you can never get over, forget or anything of that nature,” said Scherzer, who won World Series rings with Washington in 2019 and Texas in 2023. “That was a huge reason why I wanted to come back. This team can win. I wanted to be a part of it.”

Scherzer said he’s right on schedule for the start of the season after dealing with a thumb injury for much of last year.

“I feel healthy,” Scherzer said.

Scherzer went 5-5 with a 5.19 ERA in 17 regular-season starts last year. He also was the winning pitcher in Game 4 of the AL Championship Series with Seattle and made two starts in the World Series.

He wanted to return to Toronto but understood the uncertainty that comes with being a free agent. His deal with the Jays includes $10 million in available performance bonuses for innings,

“Free agency is a weird animal,” Scherzer said. “I’ve been through it many times. You think it’s going to go one way and it goes another way. I kind of knew not to get my hopes up, but like I said, I was going to be picky about where I went. I wasn’t just going to sign with anybody. There was only a couple of teams I’d sign with at this point in time, and obviously Toronto was one of them.”

___

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

College basketball might take the spotlight in March, but the idea that NBA teams aren’t playing hard in the run up to the playoffs has always been a fallacy. Look no further than the Denver Nuggets vs. Utah Jazz game on Monday night. The Jazz are playing out the string in another lost season, and their main objective at this point is to protect their draft pick. The Nuggets have been hit with the injury bug all year, but they’re still fighting for seeding in the Western Conference. What could have been an afterthought matchup turned into a super hard-fought, dramatic finish that also included a controversial play from the game’s best player.

The Nuggets beat the Jazz, 128-125. The most memorable moment of the game happened in the first quarter, when Utah guard Keyonte George tried to box out Nikola Jokic for a rebound, and ended up having the NBA’s heaviest player resting entirely on his back.

George is listed at 185 pounds. Jokic is listed at 284 pounds, with only Zach Edey and Jusuf Nurkic (who are both out for the season with injury) listed heavier. Watch Jokic and George fight for the rebound here.

This is a dangerous play. Jokic is a joy to watch, but the stress of this season is clearly getting to him. Jokic is sick of teams taking cheap shots against him, and we all saw how he reacted to Lu Dort’s dirty play against the Thunder last week.

To me, this is a clean box out by George. He’s keeping Jokic away from the rebound exactly how you’re taught: get low, stick your butt into the offensive player’s mid-section, and control the leverage game as you wait for the rebound. Jokic falling on his back is not the right way to handle this, and it could have resulted in injury.

George looked just fine on the night, scoring 15 of his team-high 36 points in the fourth quarter. George almost out-dueled Jokic and Jamal Murray (who dropped 45 points in the win), but the Nuggets are just too good. Maybe next year, Utah.

In fairness to Jokic, he gets hit harder than anyone in part because he’s bigger than everyone. The Thunder played extremely physical defense on Jokic in last year’s playoffs led by Alex Caruso defending him in Game 7. Caruso was giving up so much size in that matchup that he essentially fouled Jokic every time down the floor and dared the refs to call it. They’re only going to call it so many times.

The 2026 playoffs are going to be so good, but let’s make sure it’s a safe, fair game for everyone.

Trae Young has yet to play a game for the Washington Wizards.

The four-time All Star has, however, already been ejected from a game as a member of the team.

That happened Monday night, three days before Young's expected debut for the team that acquired him in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 7. He has not played in an NBA game since Dec. 27 because of knee and quadriceps injuries.

Earlier on Monday, Young posted a video on Instagram that showed him in Wizards gear and ended with "3/5" on the screen, indicating the date Washington hosts the Utah Jazz later this week. Before his team's game against the Houston Rockets on Monday night, Wizards coach Brian Keefe said Young was trending toward being able to play in the Utah game.

Read more:Spurs' Luke Kornet wants Hawks to call off 'Magic City Monday' collaboration with strip club

Still, Young was in street clothes and watching the Rockets-Wizards game on the bench at Capital One Arena. During the third quarter, Houston’s Tari Eason shoved Washington’s Jamir Watkins to the floor, an incident that did not draw a whistle from the referees.

A few seconds later, after a foul was called on Eason for a different incident involving Watkins, Young stepped onto the court while yelling at referee Jacyn Goble apparently over the previous no-call against Eason. Goble called a technical foul on Young, then spoke with crew chief Tony Brothers and umpire Marat Kogut.

Brothers then announced that the technical foul had been called on Young for running onto the court and that Young had been ejected from the game. Eason also was ejected.

Young gave high fives to fans as he left toward the locker room. He did not speak to reporters after the Wizards' 123-118 loss but joked about his ejection on X.

Read more:Lakers are searching for some much-needed consistency

"Don’t expect me to get ejected too many more times D.C.," Young wrote, adding a crying-with-laughter emoji, "but I’m definitely bringing that energy & competitiveness when I’m back for my brothers!"

After the game, Keefe praised Young for having his fellow player's back.

“I think he was just sticking up for his teammates, which I thought was great," Keefe told reporters. "Obviously, the refs missed a call in which our guy got knocked down, and I loved how our teammates stuck with him. So, whatever happened in that moment, I was actually proud of him because he stuck up for his teammates and I really care about that type of stuff.”

Keefe added that it's an example of the type of engagement Young has shown since he's joined the team.

“It’s nothing that he’s not been doing the whole time since he’s been here," Keefe said. "He’s talking to everybody in every timeout. He sees so much. He has so much stuff to share. He’s completely engaged in the whole game. So I am not surprised that he stood up [for] his teammates. That’s the type of guy he is, and we’re lucky to have him.”

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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The Brooklyn Nets will try to break an eight-game losing streak as they visit the Miami Heat tonight.

Miami is playing better since the return of one of its star players, which is why I’m taking the home team to cover in my Nets vs. Heat predictions.

Let’s break down this matchup and see how bettors should approach it with my free NBA picks for Tuesday, March 3.

Nets vs Heat prediction

Nets vs Heat best bet: Heat -13 (-110)

The Miami Heat have won four of their last six games and are 6-3 against the spread in their last nine.

That’s more than enough to give them a leg up on the hapless Brooklyn Nets, who have lost eight in a row and only covered once in that span, losing five games by double figures.

The Heat have Tyler Herro (21.0 points per game) back in the lineup, further widening the talent gap between these teams. Brooklyn is by far the lowest-scoring team in the league (107.0 PPG) and won’t be able to keep up with Miami tonight.

Nets vs Heat same-game parlay

One reason I like the Heat to win in a blowout tonight is Herro's recent return, who should play a big role for Miami tonight. I’ll take Herro to hit the Over on both his points and assists totals, as he’s averaging 21 PPG and has dished out at least six assists in three of his last four games.

Nets vs Heat SGP

• Heat -13
• Tyler Herro Over 20.5 points
• Tyler Herro Over 3.5 assists

Our "from downtown" SGP: The Heat Go Big

Along with my bets on Herro, I’m going to target two other Miami players to hit their props to bring in a long-shot SGP. That means taking Bam Adebayo to record his third straight double-double, along with picking Kel’el Ware to hit at least one 3-pointer, something the big man has done in eight straight games.

Nets vs Heat SGP

• Heat -13
• Tyler Herro Over 20.5 points
• Tyler Herro Over 3.5 assists
• Bam Adebayo double-double
• Kel'el Ware Over 0.5 made threes

Nets vs Heat odds

• Spread: Nets +13 (-110) | Heat -13 (-110)
• Moneyline: Nets +525 | Heat -750
• Over/Under: Over 226 (-110) | Under 226 (-110)

Nets vs Heat betting trend to know

Brooklyn is 1-7 ATS in its last eight games overall. Find more NBA betting trends for Nets vs. Heat.

How to watch Nets vs Heat

Nets vs Heat latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

As the Brooklyn Nets inch closer to finishing their season with one of their season objectives — top-three NBA Draft lottery odds — it’s time to put on our wishful-thinking cap and look ahead.

Assuming Brooklyn lands near the top of the board, there will be no shortage of intriguing prospects.

But the Nets already have intriguing prospects.

What they need is a franchise changer, someone who can lead them out of the league’s bottom tier and make becoming a Net feel appealing to an available star for the first time since the Big Three era.

“Identity” is a common cliché tossed around when discussing young teams trying to establish themselves.  But even if teams don’t formally sit down and define it, having a strong organizational culture has an impact on everything.

That’s why, depending on where the Nets land, the highest-rated player available might not automatically be the best fit for a rebuilding team still figuring itself out. Sean Marks & co. take high character very, very seriously when assessing prospects.

An unhappy star can derail a takeoff before the seatbelt sign even turns off. And after the time this franchise has invested in starting over, Marks cannot afford to miss.

At this stage of the process, you’d have to think Brooklyn’s guy has to be Duke’s Cameron Boozer, a two-time Gatorade National Player of the Year who is having one of the best analytical collegiate seasons of all time and checks other boxes as well.

He leads the country in Player Efficiency Rating, Offensive Box Plus/Minus, Box Plus/Minus, Win Shares per 40 minutes and total Win Shares. His 19.82 BPM and 13.31 OBPM are the second-highest marks posted since 2010-11, trailing only Zion Williamson’s 2018-19 run, which is about as elite a comparison as it gets.

Through 29 games, the freshman power forward is averaging 22.5 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and 1.8 steals.

Drafting four guards and a forward who operates like one in the 2025 NBA Draft doesn’t lock Brooklyn into targeting the frontcourt. The Nets will tell you it’s always about BPA, best player available. But it does matter when you’re sketching out the future.

At 6’10” and 250 pounds, with an uncanny playmaking ability from the 4, the 18-year-old offers size that creates offense instead of slowing it down. 

He plays advanced for his age, physically and mentally, like someone who already knows exactly what he’s good at and how to lean into it.

“Cam is never satisfied, I think that’s the great thing about him,” Duke head coach Jon Scheyer said.  “He’ll find something from tonight’s game, I’m sure, where he’s pissed at, he didn’t do as well, even though he had 32 (points), nine (rebounds) and four (assists). That’s what makes him special. I think when your best player is that way, it becomes contagious and have a big effect on the rest of the group.”

While his skillset should translate quickly to the NBA, some of the bully-ball stuff, lowering a shoulder into a defender’s chest and carving out space at the rim, probably won’t be as easy against grown men.

Still, that doesn’t mean he’s limited. He’s just taking what’s easiest right now. He can get downhill and finish with either hand, score on the block, face up and knock down a jumper, and even slide into catch-and-shoot threes off movement. The foundation is all there.

Then, there’s the intangible: Boozer is the son of Carlos Boozer who played for four teams in a 15-year NBA career, twice being named to the NBA All-Star team and once to an All-NBA berth. He also won gold as part of the 2008 USA dream team in the Olympics and an NCAA championship. That has to matter. Cameron has a unique resource in pursuing his NBA dream.

What about the others at the top of everyone’s draft board. Darryn Peterson has seen his stock drop because of concerns related to nagging injuries and reliability and one decision-maker told ND this week that A.J. Dybantsa may not be the guy to “set your culture” because of maturity issues. As has been reported, the player the Nets take in the draft will likely be a big part of the draw for a superstar.

Brooklyn’s two most promising young pieces this season have come from backcourt backgrounds — Egor Demin and Nolan Traoré. Demin has already emerged as one of the top young 3-point shooters in the NBA, while Traoré is learning how to properly channel his explosiveness and use his speed to control tempo instead of just playing fast.

With two rising young talents in their backcourt, Boozer can slide in and form a dynamic two-man game with either to carve up defenses for the near future.

Whether lottery luck puts Brooklyn in a chance to immediately draft him, the Nets have options.

They control 10 first-round picks over the next five years, the second-largest asset pool in the league, 13 over the next seven. If they decide to move up, unlike last year, they have enough draft capital to make another rebuilding team at least pick up the phone.

Sitting around and waiting for a player of his caliber to fall into their lap isn’t a safe bet by any means.

If this rebuild is really about getting the plane off the ground and keeping it there, then this is the pick.

After feeling like Jarrett Allen was being wasted with the Cleveland Cavaliers at the start of the season, Allen saw an uptick of involvement around the trade deadline. This turned into a whole month of Allen seizing opportunities and showing a level of aggression we haven’t seen since his All-Star campaign in 2021-22.

It only feels right that in this first edition of Fear the Sword’s player of the week, we celebrate the fro and praise the campaign he is putting together.

Average player grade last week: A

Stats last week: 22.8 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists in four games last week.

Standout performance: 25 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists in OT loss to the Detroit Pistons on 2/27/2026.

Frankly, when I was thinking of other players in contention for this award, there was no argument for anyone other than Allen. He’s been on a different level for the better part of a month plus.

Last week he quelled any concerns regarding whether the month of February was going to be a fleeting memory or something of substance.

Allen’s peaks in his career have come frequently enough that fans aren’t surprised but more disappointed that they don’t translate to sustained aggression and success. While the arrival of James Harden has certainly gotten Allen more involved, his production came about before the Harden addition.

It was almost a month ago that Allen posted a 40-point game against the Portland Trail Blazers. From there, it was a different Allen for the Cavaliers. The level of involvement from Allen is tied to a winning formula as the Cavaliers are 11-2 when Allen scores 20+ points in this season.

This is because when Allen is active and engaged, he is about as dynamic of a pick-and-roll player as there is in the league. When active in the restricted area, he can also put his touch and vision on display as well.

Against Detroit, it felt like the full display of what a difference an engaged Allen does for Cleveland. The Cavaliers entered that game against Detroit without their star backcourt of Harden and Donovan Mitchell. In the past, this would have been a death knell for the offense. However, Allen stepped up to the call against the Pistons.

Allen played well against one of the best defensive bigs in the league, Jalen Duran. He was the tone setter for the Cavaliers. Allen was getting to the rack early and often against Detroit to the point where when Allen had the ball Detroit’s defense was crashing to meet him around the rim.

Allen was unfazed by the extra defensive attention as he finished 9-10 inside the paint, scoring 25 points, shooting overall 10-12 on the night. That level of scoring, combined with nine rebounds and four assists, would have led the Cavaliers to an impressive victory if not for the team making poor decisions down the stretch.

The talent for Allen has always been there; the level of engagement and enforcement has been what has waivered at times.

The attitude shift in Allen changes the identity of the Cavaliers as much as the acquisition of Harden. Allen has had multiple narratives in the past dangled over his head questioning his toughness. If this version of Allen comes with the Cavaliers into the postseason that is a game-changer for this team.

On behalf of Fear the Sword, Jarrett Allen, your award is in the mail.

At the NBA trade deadline, the Sixers only subtracted from their roster. They moved Jared McCain and Eric Gordon and received no NBA player in return.

Daryl Morey was asked at his post-deadline presser if he believed in his team’s depth:

“We feel like we’re a deep team. Again, people might not agree, but we do feel like a deep team. In fact, there are many people who are writing that we’re a deep team, so it wasn’t just our opinion. … You for sure always want more good players than bad players. We still have two roster spots. We’ll see what those are still to come.”

The team used the open roster spots and luxury tax savings to sign Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker — two guys who were already here — and plucked Cameron Payne back from overseas. Nobody expected the team to add a star at the deadline, but any upgrade would’ve been welcomed — especially by the team’s franchise player of the last decade.

Instead, the Sixers’ lack of depth, scoring, shooting and rebounding have haunted them time and time again. It might be what ultimately costs them a guaranteed playoff spot.

Coming into the season, nobody knew what to expect from Joel Embiid and Paul George. Their absences were already been baked into any team-building designs this past offseason. At this very website, we essentially said we thought anything Embiid and/or George would provide this season would be gravy.

Still, the team came into the season with second-year big Adem Bona, veteran Andre Drummond and rookie second-rounder Johni Broome as the only true fives on the roster behind Embiid. Maybe the team believed Broome, who was a heavily experienced and accomplished college player, could contribute right away. And with the way Drummond started the season, the Sixers got away with it … until they didn’t.

No backup center is going to come close to matching Embiid’s production, but the Sixers are lacking stability at the position.

Drummond took a nasty fall in Brooklyn in late November. Prior to that, he’d been giving the Sixers almost starter-caliber minutes when Embiid was sidelined. Though he didn’t miss any time, Drummond’s play has declined. Since Nov. 29, his numbers are down across the board. He was clearly supplanted by Bona for the primary backup role. While Bona is plenty promising, he’s still inexperienced, which shows at times. As for Broome, he never came close to cracking the lineup and had surgery to repair a torn meniscus this past weekend.

Drummond’s inability to contain Neemias Queta, a nice player who looked like prime Dwight Howard Sunday night, was alarming. The veteran big is one of the best rebounders in NBA history, but Queta was able to get 10 offensive rebounds by himself. The Celtics had 19 as a team. It’s a season-long pattern as the Sixers sit 20th in the league in rebounding. Conversely, Boston is sixth.

Here’s another depressing stat: McCain scored more points Sunday than Quentin Grimes and Payne combined. Like Drummond, Grimes got off a tremendous start, but his production has fallen off a cliff. He showed signs of life coming out of the All-Star break, but scored just 14 points combined over his last two games. As for Payne, he’s coming into a difficult spot. He’s had to adjust to time differences, a different league and new teammates. We’ve yet to see him provide much, but that’s sort of to be expected, at least right away.

Some were quick to point to Tyrese Maxey jacking up 34 shots as a reason for the team’s loss to the Celtics. While it was clear Maxey was pressing and forcing things in the first half, the question becomes, who would you rather take the shots? VJ Edgecombe took 21. Kelly Oubre Jr., who didn’t have one of his best nights, took 10. Should they be running more actions to get Drummond threes? Should they let Barlow run point forward? With all due respect to those players, Maxey’s hyper-aggressiveness is sort of necessary on nights like that because of the roster construction. The common factor for most Sixers’ wins without Embiid has been big Maxey nights.

Of course, if you want to complain about the offensive sets the team is running, it’s hard to quibble with that.

Sure, Oubre can have the occasional 20-point night and Grimes has done it in the past, but there needs to be other options. Right now, the Sixers boast one of the worst benches in the NBA. They’re 28th in points and threes per game from their reserves.

Outside of Maxey and Edgecombe, the Sixers don’t take or make enough threes. It’s something Nurse has sort of brushed off here, but in the modern NBA, you have to take high-volume threes. They took 31 threes Sunday — 22 combined from Maxey and Edgecombe. Drummond was the only other guy to take at least four. The Celtics jacked up 49 triples with seven guys putting at least four up. The Sixers are 20th in the NBA in threes per game. Boston is second. Which team would you rather be?

The Celtics, despite missing Jayson Tatum all season, are second in the East with guys like Queta, Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh and Hugo Gonzalez giving them meaningful minutes while being on minimum contracts. They also acquired veteran big man Nikola Vucevic at the deadline.

The center position is an issue. The lack of scoring punch and shooting off the bench is an issue. Rebounding is an evergreen issue. With no reinforcements acquired at the deadline, the likely only way for the Sixers to remedy these problems is for Embiid and George to play.

Both should (hopefully) be ready to roll for the postseason. The issue could be getting there.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cavs fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

It’s been nearly a month since the Cleveland Cavaliers traded for James Harden. He’s played in eight games with the team, and the Cavs are 7-1 in those contests.

Cleveland didn’t trade for Harden to be a good regular-season team. At the same time, that’s all we can base it on right now.

How would you grade the Harden experience so far?

Additionally, the Cavs rocketed up the standings after a strong month of February. However, they may not have much further they can climb, considering the teams in front of them.

They’re currently fourth in the Eastern Conference behind the Detroit Pistons (8.5 games back), Boston Celtics (3.5 games back), and New York Knicks (1.5 games back). Additionally, they’re two games ahead of the Toronto Raptors.

Where do you think they’ll finish the season in the Eastern Conference hierarchy?

The Atlanta Hawks are arguably the NBA’s least distinguished franchise. The Hawks’ one NBA championship happened way back in 1958, and otherwise the team hasn’t even won the Eastern Conference during their existence. The team’s 2021 conference finals run was a rare re-introduction to national relevance for the franchise, but they followed it with a .500 season and eventually punted on that era when they traded Trae Young to the Washington Wizards earlier this year.

The Hawks just seem like they’re permanently stuck in play-in tournament range, and not even a huge stroke of luck could help change that. Atlanta won the 2024 NBA Draft lottery from the No. 10 spot, but unfortunately it was a notoriously bad class at the top, and Atlanta ended up choosing a player we didn’t even have ranked in the top-10. Zaccharie Risacher has had a disappointing start to his career so far, and once again the Hawks are as mid as can be.

There was real optimism the Hawks could take a leap forward this year. The addition of Kristaps Porzingis, a star leap from Jalen Johnson, and the free agent signing of Nickeil Alexander-Walker had sharp analysts like The Ringer’s Zach Lowe on the Hawks bandwagon entering the season. Instead, Atlanta is 31-31 after 62 games, which shouldn’t really surprise anyone, because .500 is what this team has consistently been over the last 70 years.

The Hawks are almost perfectly average this season in terms of points scored and points allowed. Oh, but there’s so much more than that.

Atlanta’s mediocrity actually goes all the way back to the 1950s. The Hawks aren’t just .500 over their last 62 games, they’re actually .500 over their last 90 games, their last 134 games, their last 348 games, their last 420 games, their last 1,570 games …

You get the picture.

This stat is cherry-picking a little bit, but it’s still remarkable. The Hawks have always been mid over the course of 70 years, despite playing in what’s been the league’s JV conference for the last 25 years.

There is some hope on the way for Hawks fans. The team made a brilliant trade for the New Orleans Pelicans’ unprotected 2026 first-round pick during the 2025 draft. The Pelicans are currently 19-43 and are the sixth-worst team in the NBA. The Hawks actually own the most favorable of the Pelicans’ and Milwaukee Bucks’ pick. The Bucks are 26-34, and would enter the lottery in the No. 10 spot if the season ended today. Atlanta is going to have outstanding odds at landing a top pick in an absolutely loaded draft class. Hawks fans, read our most recently 2026 NBA mock draft here.

Hey, there has to be some team that’s always losing to the Celtics and beating the Wizards in the East. Some teams are usually great, some teams are usually terrible. The Hawks are neither. They are simply pure mid.