Category: Basketball

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The Charlotte Hornets’ mid-season transformation has the team on track to compete for spot in the playoffs, and they’ll look to add a key victory over the visiting Miami Heat on Friday.

Heat vs Hornets prediction

Heat vs Hornets best bet: Hornets -7 (-110)

The Charlotte Hornets have won six in a row and covered in nine straight, and I expect them to extend those streaks with a comfortable win at home over the Miami Heat.

Heat vs Hornets same-game parlay

The Hornets sport the sixth-best defensive rating (109.9) across the last 25 games. In that span, the Heat's 112.2 defensive rating ranks 10th-best.

Charlotte has hit the Under at home more times than any other team this season, doing so in 21 of 30 games at Spectrum Center.

Heat vs Hornets SGP

• Hornets -7
• Under 229.5
• LaMelo Ball Over 11.5 rebounds + assists

Heat vs Hornets odds

• Spread: Miami +7 (-110) | Charlotte -7 (-110)
• Moneyline: Miami +240 | Charlotte -300
• Over/Under: Over 229.5 (-110) | Under 229.5 (-110)

Heat vs Hornets betting trend to know

The Hornets have covered the spread in 33 of their last 45 games (+20.90 Units / 42% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Heat vs. Hornets.

How to watch Heat vs Hornets

Heat vs Hornets latest injuries

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VAL DI FASSA, Italy (AP) — With neither injured Lindsey Vonn nor Mikaela Shiffrin starting a World Cup downhill on Friday, Emma Aicher seized her chance to cut the American superstars’ leads in the season-long standings.

Aicher, the Olympic downhill silver medalist, placed second — just 0.01 behind first-time winner Laura Pirovano, pushing Olympic champion Breezy Johnson down to third — and reduced Vonn’s lead in the downhill points race to just 14 with two races left.

Vonn’s hugely successful World Cup season at age 41 was ended by a nasty crash one month ago at the Milan Cortina Olympics that wrecked her left leg.

Aicher’s 80 World Cup points Friday also reduced Shiffrin’s lead in the overall standings to 139 ahead of another downhill scheduled Saturday.

The tightening race for the giant crystal globe trophy with eight races left could see Shiffrin make a rare start in a super-G Sunday. Chasing a sixth career World Cup overall title. Shiffrin has so far accrued all her points in slalom and giant slalom.

Friday’s race was a replacement for the downhill five weeks ago at Swiss resort Crans-Montana, abandoned after Vonn crashed and tore the ACL in her left knee.

Pirovano was a popular winner on home snow getting a first win, also a first podium finish, in her 125th World Cup start.

The 28-year-old Italian has been a model of consistency reeling off top-10 results this season and sixth place in the Olympic downhill at nearby Cortina d’Ampezzo.

An elusive first victory lifted Pirovano to third in the downhill standings, trailing 64 behind Vonn and 50 back of Aicher.

Pirovano was among the few racers to top 130 kph (81 mph) on a sunny, still and freezing day that was ideal for the marquee speed discipline.

Two former Olympic champions dropped out of contention after losing time on the bottom half of the 2.3-kilometer (1 2/5-mile) course.

Corinne Suter, the 2022 Olympics gold medalist, looked set to match her win last weekend at Soldeu, Andorra, but placed eighth, 0.49 behind Pirovano.

Sofia Goggia, the 2018 champion and bronze medalist at Cortina last month, was 0.90 back in 17th.

___

AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing

Two storylines arrived at the same building on Thursday night. Two very different roads that somehow crossed at the same intersection.

On one side, you had the Chicago Bulls. A team whose fan base is staring at the draft lottery like it is a lighthouse in the fog. They want losses. They want ping pong balls. They want the chance to grab a high pick in what everyone says is a loaded draft class. Development is not the priority right now. Evaluation is not the priority either. Injuries have piled up, tank mode is humming along quietly in the background, and they rolled into Phoenix ready to play hard, although not exactly carrying the burden of expectation.

Then you have the Phoenix Suns.

They are a team with injuries of their own. A team that has spent the entire season clawing and scratching to stay above the Play-In line, but cannot seem to overcome it. A team that built its identity on effort, disruption, and the belief that if they played hard enough for forty eight minutes, they could walk off the floor with a win.

Home court. Stakes on the table. A game they needed. And somehow the script flipped.

Because the Suns looked like the team that had nothing to play for. They looked like the team that could shrug and find a silver lining in a loss. The defense was abhorrent. Truly. It felt like watching a layup line that never ended. Chicago poured in 68 points in the paint, and if you were sitting in the arena, it probably felt like 120. Every drive found daylight. Every cut felt clean.

Collin Sexton treated the defense like a set of traffic cones. Tre Jones joined the party. The two guards combined for 51 points and only three made threes between them. They did the damage the old-fashioned way. They attacked downhill, over and over again, straight to the rim. The pattern repeated itself like a broken record. Chicago drives. Layup. Phoenix fires from three. Miss. Chicago rebounds. Pushes. Attacks again. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

This Suns team built a reputation this season on making life uncomfortable for opponents. They swarm passing lanes. They pressure the ball. They turn possessions chaotic. None of that showed up. And on the other end, the offense drifted into quicksand. Phoenix shot 28.3% from deep on 48 attempts. The rhythm never arrived. The energy never arrived either. They never led in the game against one of the worst teams in the league.

Yes, it is one game in an eighty-two game season. There is barely time to process it before the next tip off arrives. Another struggling opponent waits on the schedule tonight. Although a small whisper of concern creeps into the room after a night like that. Because when you fail to handle your business once, the margin for error tightens immediately. And this team is fighting for something real right now. Playoff positioning. Stability in the standings.

You cannot sleepwalk through games like that when the stakes are sitting right in front of you.

Bright Side Baller Season Standings

It has taken far too long for Oso Ighodaro to notch his second Bright Side Baller award. He has been one of many genuine, sun-soaked surprises of this season. But in a way, the delay fits exactly who and what he is.

He is the guy who doesn’t always scream for the spotlight. He doesn’t hunt the stats that lead to the headlines or the hardware. Instead, he just does the work. He does the little things. The screen assists, the dirty work in the paint, the rotations that coaches love and casual fans overlook. He is the glue holding the second unit together, an annoying fly on the wall for opposing offenses.

Bright Side Baller Nominees

Game 62 against the Bulls. Here are your nominees:

Devin Booker
27 points (9-of-21, 2-of-7 3PT), 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 4 turnovers, +2 +/-

Grayson Allen
21 points (6-of-19, 5-of-16 3PT), 2 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, +9 +/-

Oso Ighodaro
10 points (5-of-5), 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover, +3 +/-

Amir Coffey
12 points (3-of-4, 2-of-2 3PT), 4 rebounds, 4-of-7 FT, +3 +/-

Ryan Dunn
6 points (3-of-7), 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 block, +7 +/-

Jalen Green
12 points (5-of-20, 1-of-8 3PT), 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover, -5 +/-

---

Who is worthy?

The Hawks came into Wednesday night four games up on the Milwaukee Bucks in the race for the Eastern Conference Play-In tournament. As added stakes, the Hawks famously own the pick that will turn out to be the better pick between the Bucks and the New Orleans Pelicans.

A win here essentially means both progress towards a postseason appearance AND a better draft pick. So, the importance of this one game out of 82 really couldn’t be overstated.

At the same time, one of the (if not THE) greatest slashers in of all NBA history had just come back from a calf injury, and so the Hawks had their hands full cutting off his path the basket.

The defensive gameplan was, initially, what it usually is when Onyeka Okongwu starts: put Okongwu on Giannis Antetokounmpo and have Jalen Johnson check the stretch center instead (in this case, Myles Turner). But the former matchup very quickly appeared one-sided.

One thing was very evident early on: Okongwu didn’t want to pick Antetokounmpo up outside of the three-point line. Even though he’s obviously not a threatening three-point shooter, it’s still not necessarily the right move to give ground and allow Antetokounmpo momentum heading into the paint.

Here is a classic example of what happened a lot in the first half:

Okongwu has defended Antetokounmpo well at times in the past, but he didn’t seem up for the task on Wednesday. In this one, he tries taking a charge at the free throw line. He had just picked up his first foul and didn’t want a second minutes into the game.

But it’s still just a poor decision from him, and frankly he knew it was just as the Greek Freak slithered by him for an easy dunk:

And a third example where Okongwu just slowly cedes ground until he gets blown by once again:

Something had to change. It was at this point that the coaching staff made a big gamble.

The plan they concocted: what if we put our point guard on Giannis?

Dyson Daniels isn’t just some point guard, of course. He finished second in Defensive Play of the Year voting a season ago. But to put your best perimeter defender on a guy who is three or four inches taller and outweighs him by some 40-odd pounds? That’s a risk.

To that point, the Bucks had scored 56 points in 18 minutes of game time, and Antetokounmpo led that charge with 12 points on 6-for-8 (75%) shooting.

The Bucks’ offense continued rolling after the assignment shift until halftime, shooting 62% from the field and 11-for-19 (58%) from three in the opening half en route to 71 points on a Milwaukee offensive rating of 148 — all truly ugly marks for the Hawks defense.

But the second half was a different matter — and it started with Daniels’ brilliance. The Hawks forced the Bucks to go 1-for-10 in their first ten shot attempts by cutting off the head of the snake.

Atlanta would live with Ousmane Dieng trying to replicate his hot shooting start — a start he did not replicate. Meanwhile, Giannis hardly saw the ball from great ball denial from Daniels off the ball.

On his first shot attempt of the second half, Daniels here picks Antetokounmpo up right at the top of the key (a big difference to how Okongwu handled the matchup), muscles with him in close quarters, and forces him into a fadeaway baseline jumper through great lateral movement:

Defense is a team effort, of course. Even after being switched off his main assignment, Okongwu along with others stayed focused in chipping in to double or wall off Antetokounmpo when needed.

Here’s an example of Daniels cutting off a drive — with a straight up double from Nickeil Alexander-Walker to force a pass out. Jalen Johnson closes out to the shooter with the remaining defenders in good position on the backside in case of a skip pass. Another empty possession forced:

And the Great Barrier Thief always has fantastic hand and eye coordination, using his quick mitts to strip Antetokounmpo to force a stop (this was registered as a block and not a steal):

These efforts helped the Hawks roll to a very satisfying 133-116 win.

The second half alone, the Hawks scored 65 points while allowing just 42 points and an 86 defensive rating. Giannis Antetokounmpo only scored six points on 3-for-6 (50%) shooting while being held to just one assist in that time period as well.

“It’s hard to come up with the superlatives for him defensively,” head coach Quin Snyder said after the game. “The fact that he can guard across different positions. You’re not going to stop Giannis, but you can try to make it hard.”

Daniels has gotten a lot of flak this season for a year in which some people believe is a step back for him. His issues shooting threes as a guard is very notable, and he’s taking by far the fewest three-point attempts per 100 possessions of his career.

After a historic season swiping the ball, his per-game steals mark has dropped from 3.0 to 1.9. He’s scoring less overall and less efficiently despite having the ball in his hands a lot more in the post-Trae Young world.

But both the eyes and the advanced stats should be able to see how incredibly valuable he is as a basketball player.

When you can go from shutting down the other team’s small guard to shutting down a 6-foot-11 behemoth and top five player in the world all while handling the ball on offense, that worth in versatility is something that is impossible to capture in any sort of data.

Did I mention he has also played the 15th most minutes in the NBA (as of Thursday afternoon) and has only missed three of 63 contests this season?

Put plainly: Dyson Daniels has a special skillset. He works extremely hard day in and day out, is always available, and operate key functions on both ends of the floor.

On offense, he’s been incredibly cautious but effective as a lead playmaker as of late:

Dyson Daniels last five games:

38 rebounds
36 assists
13 steals

2 turnovers

+/- rating: plus-101

— Kevin Chouinard (@KLChouinard) March 5, 2026

And on defense, by adding strength to his frame over his years of development, Daniels can now take on all sorts of defensive matchups — although his bread and butter remains smaller perimeter ball handlers. But to do that while taking over point guard duties midseason after Trae Young’s departure is nothing short of incredible.

In fact, as of yesterday afternoon, Daniels is the 16th best qualified player (and best Hawk) in plus-minus on-off splits. Over the course of the season, the Hawks are 8.8 points per 100 possessions with Daniels on the court compared to off the court:

Raw on/off numbers without adjustments or context just gives you glimpses and not the full picture, but among qualified players, Dyson Daniels is 16th in on/off per 100 (+8.8).

Keep in mind, this is a player scoring just 16 points per 100 on 52% TS%. pic.twitter.com/Flbmg1oQC6

— Wes (@bloghawk) March 5, 2026

Daniels starts a four-year, $100 million extension this offseason. If you simply read box scores and peruse his meager scoring numbers, it would be easy to assume his play this season should give Hawks fans pause about that price tag.

But the tape reveals a game-changing defensive player who can capably guard just about any player he’s assigned to guard.

So, it’s a major win that the Hawks have Daniels locked up for the foreseeable future. This kind of rare versatility gives the Hawks a number of solutions to in-game problems that few players, if any, possess on their own.

Payton Pritchard has become one of the most important offensive engines for the Celtics. Even with Jayson Tatum getting set to return, Boston needs him to produce.

Since Pritchard moved to the bench, the Celtics are 8-0 in games in which he scored 20+ points in and just 2-3 in games in which he scores 9 or less. Interestingly, Pritchard has not scored between 10-19 points since moving to the bench — it has been all boom or bust.

After trading Anfernee Simons, the Celtics don’t have the offensive juice to withstand bad performances from Pritchard, especially against good teams, which is when all of Pritchard’s duds seem to happen.

Yes, Jayson Tatum is coming back and he will help. That doesn’t change that if the Celtics are going to accomplish what they want to accomplish, they’ll need Pritchard to produce.

So why has he had these bad games?

A lot of these games are because he is taking less shots. Pritchard took 6 shots in the Nuggets loss, 4 shots in the Sixers game and 6 shots in the Hornets loss.

Confidence is a fragile thing that even the best players in the world deal with and Payton is no exception.

Almost impossible but true…

Payton Pritchard entered this past week with two career games of 24 minutes or more without scoring.

It happened tonight for the second time in three games.

— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) March 5, 2026

He isn’t taking a bunch of bad shots right now, either. The shots he is missing are the ones he usually makes.

pic.twitter.com/kk26lue909

— #LetsGoCeltics (@gobosceltics) March 5, 2026

pic.twitter.com/Upb9OxXDOG

— #LetsGoCeltics (@gobosceltics) March 5, 2026

He has to take and make these looks, because the Celtics are relying on him in a big way to be super productive. He can’t have these types of games when they matter in the playoffs.

For the season, Payton Pritchard is scoring 115.3 points for every 100 shots he takes. That ranks in the 70th percentile according to Cleaning the Glass. However, over the last 6 games, he is scoring 88.9 points per 100 shot attempts, which ranks in the 5th percentile.

He is also shooting 35.5% from two-point range over his last 6 games, which is among the worst in the NBA and down 20.8% from the 56.3% he typically is from inside the arc.

This is a slump, a major slump, but one that I have a lot of confidence he will get through.

I don’t think different coverages have created the recent struggles for Payton. I haven’t noticed any big changes as to the way teams are covering him.

You could chalk it up to bad shot luck. Pritchard is still getting good looks but he has just missed them in recent games. The NBA is a long season and you are going to have weeks that you struggle in and your confidence is a bit shaken.

However, there is one big question that remains: why does Pritchard struggle against good teams?

That seems like an oxymoron with a simple answer. Good teams have better players than bad teams do, which means they have better defenders, which makes it harder to score. If you are going to have an off night, it is more likely to come against a good team rather than a bad one.

Yet, I do think there are reasons to worry.

He has been bad against the Knicks this season, and that is a team the Celtics are probably going to play in the playoffs. Two of his worst games of the season came against the 76ers, a team that very well may be the Celtics first round opponent.

Boston is going to be relying on him in a big way to produce offense in the playoffs in ways they have never relied on him before.

His shooting percentages say that there isn’t any reason to worry about him in the playoffs. They are pretty constant, and good, in the regular season and the postseason.

I don’t think it is time to panic. Pritchard is a really good player that has been awesome for the last two seasons. However, I have my doubts and worries and this stretch has not eased those.

Maybe, this is a slump that he gets out of and he is awesome in playoffs. Maybe, we should be concerned and his play dips in the playoffs as the Celtics are bounced early. Either way, the playoffs always expose your biggest weaknesses and they will answer any questions we have about Pritchard in due time.

It's wild that we are about three-quarters of the way through the 2025-26 NBA regular season. Pretty soon, we'll be seeing the best of the best go toe-to-toe night in, night out in an effort to claim the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

Are the Thunder fated to repeat as champions? Will the Eastern Conference produce another unexpected representative? Are the Spurs and Nuggets legitimate title contenders?

These are all questions that NBA fans have been dying to know for months now, but there is still more than a month to go before the postseason begins on April 14.

There's still time for your favorite teams to make a push for the play-in, and possibly shock the world. However, it's still nice to look ahead at what could happen, or what would happen if the playoffs were to begin today.

Here's what the postseason would look like if the season were to end today:

NBA playoff standings

Eastern Conference

1. Detroit Pistons (45-16)

2. Boston Celtics (41-21)

3. New York Knicks (40-23)

4. Cleveland Cavaliers (39-24)

5. Toronto Raptors (35-27)

6. Philadelphia 76ers (34-28)

Western Conference

1. Oklahoma City Thunder (49-15)

2. San Antonio Spurs (45-17)

3. Minnesota Timberwolves (40-23)

4. Houston Rockets (38-23)

5. Denver Nuggets (39-24)

6. Los Angeles Lakers (37-25)

NBA play-in teams

Eastern Conference

7. Orlando Magic (33-28)

8. Miami Heat (34-29)

9. Charlotte Hornets (32-31)

10. Atlanta Hawks (32-31)

Western Conference

7. Phoenix Suns (35-27)

8. Golden State Warriors (32-30)

9. Los Angeles Clippers (30-31)

10. Portland Trail Blazers (30-33)

When does the NBA postseason begin?

The play-in tournament will begin on April 14, running through April 17. The traditional NBA postseason begins a day later, on April 18, running through the rest of April, all of May and well into June. The NBA Finals are scheduled to start on June 3, with Game 7 happening as late as June 19 if necessary.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA standings, updated playoff picture if season ended today

This year’s NCAA men's tournament bubble leaves much to be desired.

While there are some name brands hovering around an at-large bid, few have compiled the résumé to break out the first-four-out range and into the bracket.

Take the latest USA TODAY Sports stab at bracketology, where teams such as Indiana, Virginia Commonwealth, Cincinnati and California are on the outside looking in despite an unimpressive group in our last four in: UCLA, Santa Clara, Auburn and New Mexico.

The Bruins earned their way back into the field thanks to an impressive home win against current No. 3 seed Nebraska. But UCLA is still a pedestrian 10-10 in games against Quad 1 and Quad 2 competition.

STARTING FIVE: Breaking down the loaded schedule on the final weekend

BUBBLE WATCH: The weekend games with the biggest tournament impact

Santa Clara has just one Quad 1 win, against conference rival St. Mary’s, but is 7-1 against Quad 2 teams. New Mexico remains in the bracket despite dropping two of three but it's hold is precarious. And nothing speaks better to this year’s flimsy bubble than Auburn earning an at-large spot at 16-14 overall, 2-7 on the road and 4-11 against in Quad 1 games.

But that’s still much better than, say, Indiana. The Hoosiers are a miserable 5-12 in Quad 1 and 2 games and lost at home to Northwestern late last month. They do have wins against UCLA, Purdue and Wisconsin, though.

One bubble team to watch is Cincinnati, which seemed to have its tournament hopes extinguished after losing at home to West Virginia on Feb. 5 to fall to 11-12 overall and 3-7 in the Big 12. The Bearcats have since rebounded to take seven of eight, including key wins against Central Florida, Kansas and Brigham Young.

March Madness bracketology: NCAA Tournament projection

March Madness last four in

SMU, Santa Clara, Auburn, New Mexico.

March Madness first four out

Indiana, Virginia Commonwealth, Cincinnati, California.

NCAA tournament bids conference breakdown

Multi-bid leagues: SEC (11), Big Ten (9), ACC (8), Big 12 (8), Big East (3), West Coast (3), Mountain West (2).

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness bracket predictions: NCAA Tournament bubble forecast

The Wizards rode homecourt advantage and contributions from up and down the lineup to grind out one of their most important losses of the season. It was Washington’s seventh straight defeat — exactly the kind of performance the franchise needed at this juncture of the season.

With an array of players sidelined with injuries, head coach Brian Keefe — who’d started the past few games that were small and tiny — went even smaller. Washington fell behind early and never seriously threatened to win the game.

The Jazz are in a late-season push of their own. They entered the game on a seven-game losing streak, and they also sat several of their best players with injuries. The remaining guys gave an egregious effort and their losing streak came to a halt.

Utah fans can blame career nights from Isaiah Collier (27 points, 11 assists) and Ace Bailey (32 points, including 7 threes) for the win.

Next up for the Wizards, another important opportunity to advance in the standings with a loss to the 19-44 New Orleans Pelicans.

Thoughts & Observations

• My notes degenerated into a record of Washington’s horrible defensive performance. An astonishing number of them included Leaky Black, who had an awful defensive game. I was running out of adjectives by the end. Some of it looked like…well…indifference isn’t quite the right word, but it’s close. Let’s just say Black did not compete like someone fighting for an NBA career. He was weak as a point of attack defender, didn’t react in situations where he was the help defender, and he missed box outs. Not too good.
• Trae Young’s first three three-point attempts were all bad shots. They were all from beyond what some in the league have started calling “four-point range,” and {whispers} Young actually isn’t a good extreme range shooter. On one, Young brought the ball up the floor, and pulled up from 28 feet without making a pass or running an action.
• Young’s court vision and some of his passes were nice and could be quite valuable when his better teammates are on the floor.
• A note I jotted: “Young is very easy to screen.”
• I had more notes tonight about Wizards “getting into their bags” to get difficult shots. Hopefully, they can develop their bodies and learn to use those skills to get makable shots. Or draw fouls. Or set up teammates for easy shots.
• Jazz analyst Thurl Bailey said during the broadcast that the knock on Young coming out of Oklahoma was that, “…his game wouldn’t translate to the NBA” and that “he’s proved a lot of people wrong.” This is crazy. People questioned his size and strength and whether he’d be able to defend effectively at that size. (The answer: no, he’s not able to defend effectively at that size. More to the point, these “knocks” weren’t bad — HE GOT PICKED FIFTH OVERALL.
• Utah’s Blake Hinson reminded me of former Bullets great Ledell Eackles. This is a compliment.
• One egregious defensive play happened late in the first quarter. Riley was ball watching from the weak side and lost track of Cody Williams, who cut behind him. Bub Carrington was low man and had help responsibility. Except, Carrington was ALSO ball watching and didn’t notice Williams cutting across his face.
• More bad defense? The Wizards went zone in the second quarter. Utah made two passes and got a wide open three because — for some reason — no one was guarding the area where the shooter was standing.
• On offense, the Wizards kept running actions that other teams use to force switches and get a favorable matchup. The Wizards got the switches, and then…just passed the ball to a teammate.
• Late in the second quarter, Bailey drove for a dunk. The play included pathetic perimeter defense from Black, late, small, and ineffective help at the rim (Carrington reacted late and did nothing). JuJu Reese should have been able to help, but he didn’t notice the drive until Bailey was at the rim.
• A note I jotted: “Bailey is going to petition the league to be defended by Black every game.” (You could replace that name with Collier, and it’d still work.“
• Kudos to Reese for grabbing 20 (not a typo) rebounds.

Four Factors

Below are the four factors that decide wins and losses in basketball — shooting (efg), rebounding (offensive rebounds), ball handling (turnovers), fouling (free throws made).

The four factors are measured by:

• eFG% (effective field goal percentage, which accounts for the three-point shot)
• OREB% (offensive rebound percentage)
• TOV% (turnover percentage — turnovers divided by possessions)
• FTM/FGA (free throws made divided by field goal attempts)

FOUR FACTORS	JAZZ	WIZARDS	LGAVG
eFG%	59.2%	58.4%	54.3%
OREB%	37.8%	34.9%	26.0%
TOV%	11.8%	20.4%	12.8%
FTM/FGA	0.141	0.286	0.207
PACE	93		99.4
ORTG	131	120	115.3

Stats & Metrics

PPA is my overall production metric, which credits players for things they do that help a team win (scoring, rebounding, playmaking, defending) and dings them for things that hurt (missed shots, turnovers, bad defense, fouls).

PPA is a per possession metric designed for larger data sets. In small sample sizes, the numbers can get weird. In PPA, 100 is average, higher is better and replacement level is 45. For a single game, replacement level isn’t much use, and I reiterate the caution about small samples sometimes producing weird results.

POSS is the number of possessions each player was on the floor in this game.

ORTG = offensive rating, which is points produced per individual possessions x 100. League average so far this season is listed in the Four Factors table above. Points produced is not the same as points scored. It includes the value of assists and offensive rebounds, as well as sharing credit when receiving an assist.

USG = offensive usage rate. Average is 20%. Median so far this season is 17.7%.

ORTG and USG are versions of stats created by former Wizards assistant coach Dean Oliver and modified by me. ORTG is an efficiency measure that accounts for the value of shooting, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers. USG includes shooting from the floor and free throw line, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers.

+PTS = “Plus Points” is a measure of the points gained or lost by each player based on their efficiency in this game compared to league average efficiency on the same number of possessions. A player with an offensive rating (points produced per possession x 100) of 100 who uses 20 possessions would produce 20 points. If the league average efficiency is 115, the league — on average — would produced 23.0 points in the same 20 possessions. So, the player in this hypothetical would have a +PTS score of -3.0.

Players are sorted by total production in the game.

WIZARDS	MIN	POSS	ORTG	USG	+PTS	PPA	+/-
Julian Reese	38	74	178	17.2%	8.1	187	-2
Bilal Coulibaly	34	66	119	18.0%	0.4	99	-5
Anthony Gill	34	65	208	7.5%	4.5	100	-11
Tre Johnson	20	39	104	32.2%	-1.4	128	2
Trae Young	19	37	107	35.7%	-1.2	125	4
Leaky Black	39	76	110	16.3%	-0.6	29	-4
Bub Carrington	15	30	127	17.6%	0.6	19	-15
Sharife Cooper	4	7	105	16.7%	-0.1	40	-7
Will Riley	25	49	95	26.5%	-2.7	-9	-11
Jaden Hardy	11	22	66	27.4%	-2.9	-84	-1

JAZZ	MIN	POSS	ORTG	USG	+PTS	PPA	+/-
Ace Bailey	33	63	170	22.2%	7.6	293	8
Kyle Filipowski	31	60	144	22.5%	3.9	218	7
Isaiah Collier	29	56	135	36.2%	4.0	230	5
Cody Williams	36	70	172	12.9%	5.1	159	9
Mo Bamba	17	33	143	16.9%	1.6	156	3
John Konchar	37	71	67	7.6%	-2.6	66	6
Blake Hinson	22	42	125	17.1%	0.7	91	0
Brice Sensabaugh	24	46	90	33.1%	-3.9	16	9
Elijah Harkless	12	23	47	11.1%	-1.7	-150	3

CLEVELAND — Sam Merrill is a “sniper,” according to James Harden, but not the kind Harden is used to working with.

The man famous for declaring himself the “system” has perfected his own offense over his 17-year career that features floor spacers, rim runners, and him orchestrating everything at the top of the arc. Harden needs to know where everyone is on the court so that when the defense adjusts, he can whip the pass over to the open man.

Merrill can stand in the corner and wait for a pass, but that isn’t who he is. He’s a movement shooter that can bend a defense with his constant activity away from the play. That skill set plays well with seemingly every guard, but it isn’t exactly what you’d ideally pair with Harden.

However, the Cavs have gotten a new version of Harden, one that is in the process of blending his heliocentric system with Kenny Atkinson’s motion offense. And so far, the Cleveland Cavaliers couldn’t have asked for better results, particularly when Merrill and Harden share the floor.

In nine games together, the Cavs have scored 123.3 points per 100 possessions (95th percentile for an offensive rating) in the 205 minutes Harden and Merrill have shared the floor. The combination of Harden’s ability to manipulate the defense and make every pass, in addition to Merrill’s shooting, has made them a deadly pair.

“I think he’s just a really good player, and he fits with anybody,” Merrill told Fear the Sword. “He’s obviously a great passer. I think he has trust in me that he can throw me a pass late in the shot clock or a little off target and still have confidence I’m going to make it.”

The numbers show that Harden does indeed trust Merrill.

Harden has made 10.6 passes a game to Merrill, which is the most he’s averaging to any of his new teammates. Merrill is taking 4.1 shots per game off those passes and is knocking down 51.4% of his looks on those shots, which includes going 53.8% from three. This has led to 19 of Harden’s 71 assists in a Cavs uniform, resulting in a Merrill basket.

As impressive as the stats are, seeing how the duo has generated their success is even more impressive and what interests me. So much so, that I asked Merrill to watch some of these plays on my cracked cellphone screen and have him break down what he’s looking for when playing alongside Harden.

“For me, I’m just always trying to find a window for him,” Merrill said.

That’s a good rule of thumb, but it isn’t always required with a passer as gifted as Harden.

When watching the clip above, Merrill pointed out the three defenders who were down low at the start of the play, presumably to cut off a window to the basket. “I’m just trying to move up so he could see me.”

Those concerns were unnecessary. Harden doesn’t need to be able to see his teammate to know where they are.  “He’s smart enough to know that someone’s there. I don’t think it was an off-target pass. I think he was just hoping I’d be in the corner, and I ended up getting there.”

The most important thing when playing alongside Harden is to expect the unexpected.

“You’re taught to always be ready,” Merrill said.

This wasn’t a situation you’d normally expect to receive a pass. Harden is already going up with the shot when he decides to throw the bounce pass Merrill’s way.

You don’t see bounce passes outside the paint very often. “You’re not really used to it on the perimeter, but it’s a great pass obviously.” It being a bounce pass causes the shot motion to start lower than normal due to the height it’s received, but that isn’t much of a concern if you have as fast of a release as Merrill does.

As seen with these first two clips, Merrill can work as a prototypical catch-and-shoot player alongside Harden. In the following three, we see how Harden amplifies what Merrill does best: cause chaos off the ball.

Merrill’s movements aren’t scripted. He’s constantly reading and reacting to what the defense gives him, which can include attacking the basket when the defense gives him a chance to do so.

“I just saw no one at the rim [so I attacked],” Merrill said.

Merrill highlighted that he knows his defender is going to trail. Going under a screen against Merrill is a quick way to get pulled out of the game. Understanding that allows him to attack the rim in a situation where the big has vacated the paint to get to the level of the screen.

“I get around the screen, and there’s no one there (at the rim),” Merrill said. “So even if the pass isn’t there, it still opens things up.”

Getting to the basket is still the best place to score. Merrill has converted 81% of his looks at the rim, which is a higher-percentage play than a three-point opportunity for a 46% outside shooter.

“You see an open paint, you got to make the most of it. Get as many two-pointers as you can.”

Merrill’s off-ball movement has also made him deadly in screening actions, but how he does so with Harden is a little different. Merrill mentioned that he has to hold the screen a “half second” longer than normal to see how the defense reacts. Plays like this are why.

“I know [the defender] is going to show because that’s what he’s been doing. So if I can get uphill and then slip out, I know something is gonna open up there.”

Harden and Merrill are both feel players who are constantly evaluating and adjusting to what their opponents give them. 

“It’s just about reading the defense,” Merrill said.

This can also work to create easy looks for Harden.

As with the previous clip, Merrill quickly gets out of the screen, hardly touching the defender. “If he feels contact, sometimes that’ll create indecision with them where it’s like, ‘Am I supposed to switch now?’ Or whatnot.”

Creating this split second of indecision is all that he wants to do in these actions. That’s why he usually goes with this approach.

“I try to mix it up, but knowing that Isaiah Joe (Merrill’s defender) is probably going to try to show there, you just want to get some contact on Cason Wallace (Harden’s defender) there so he feels something. Maybe creates some indecision.” 

Where the contact comes is also important. In both of the clips where Merrill screens for Harden, he’s initiating contact with Harden’s defender on the defender’s right hip, allowing Harden to get to his dominant side. “If James can get to his left hand, he’s gonna get what he wants.”

The Cavs have done a great job of mixing Atkinson’s motion-based offense with Harden’s iso heavy sets. They’ve managed to keep elements of both, which can be seen in some of the ways they’ve used Merrill as simply a floor spacer alongside Harden, as well as incorporating his typical off-ball movement.

“James is playing within our style as well, but he has his style, of kind of spreading everybody out, get into his iso game, and play off of that,” Merrill said. “So it’s a little bit of an adjustment. Sometimes it’s a little more holding your spot as opposed to maybe cutting, but not something we’ve never done.”

Merrill isn’t someone who would necessarily fit into Harden’s traditional system, given his drastic off-ball movement. Then again, the Cavs didn’t trade for prime Harden, who needs things perfectly catered to him.

This version of Harden knows that he’s running out of time to win a championship to validate his legendary career. He’s going to work with the group he’s given. How quickly and easily he’s adapted his game to Merrill and the rest of his new teammates is proof of that.

“It’s one goal, and we all have that in common,” Harden said. “Whether I take four shots or take 20 shots, if we win the game, who cares?”

The final weekend of the regular season in many collegiate sports usually means a rivalry game. That is indeed the case in many basketball hotbeds around the nation as the men’s campaign concludes.

While these contests always mean bragging rights, there’s a bit more on the line for some of the involved teams as they hope to improve their positions for upcoming conference tournaments and of course for March Madness. Our last edition of the Starting Five offers Saturday double dips in the ACC and SEC, and the weekend lineup concludes with a Sunday top-10 showdown in the Big Ten.

BRACKETOLOGY: The latest tournament projection analyzes messy bubble

BUBBLE WATCH: The weekend games with the biggest tournament impact

Here’s a look at our picks of games to watch.

No. 22 Vanderbilt at No. 25 Tennessee

Time/TV: Saturday, 2 p.m. ET, ESPN.

A Tennessee win would complete a sweep of its in-state foe as well as lock in an SEC tourney double bye for the Volunteers. The 4 seed could also be in play for the Commodores if some tiebreakers go their way, but toppling the archrival Vols will be incentive enough. Their first encounter in Nashville was played at Tennessee’s preferred deliberate pace resulting in a 69-65 victory, so Vandy’s back-court duo of Tyler Tanner and Duke Miles will need some early makes to increase the tempo. Tennessee hopes to have top scorer Nate Ament back in the lineup after he sat out the win at South Carolina, but if he can’t go the interior defense will still be formidable thanks to J.P. Estrella and Felix Okpara.

Louisville at No. 23 Miami (Fla.)

Time/TV: Saturday, 2 p.m. ET, ESPNU.

The Hurricanes’ win at SMU this week effectively locked them into the No. 3 seed for the ACC tournament, but they’d still like to close the regular season on a high note on their home floor. The Cardinals have dropped their last three league road contests and could use a confidence boost entering the postseason. While a healthy Mikel Brown is capable of going nuclear, Ryan Conwell has been the steady hand in the Louisville lineup who will also demand attention from the Miami defense. The Hurricanes are led by the inside-out combo of Malik Reneau and Tre Donaldson.

No. 5 Florida at Kentucky

Time/TV: Saturday, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN.

With the SEC regular-season title secured, the Gators now turn their attention to improving their path to a repeat NCAA crown with a top regional seed. They’ll look to take the next step toward that goal at the expense of the wildly inconsistent Wildcats, who have likely done enough to remain on the right side of the bubble but seem destined for a brief stay in the dance. The Gators’ nine-point triumph over Kentucky in Gainesville three weeks ago was part of the late-season scoring surge for Xaivian Lee, whose contributions from the perimeter have made Florida’s experienced front line even more dangerous. The Wildcats will have to count on Otega Oweh to take advantage of the friendly rims at Rupp Arena.

No. 18 North Carolina at No. 1 Duke

Time/TV: Saturday, 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.

Like the SEC, the ACC race is already settled with the Blue Devils again ahead of the field. That will hardly affect the charged atmosphere at Cameron Indoor Stadium as Duke looks to avenge its lone league loss at the expense of its most despised rival. The Tar Heels will likely see Duke again in less than a week, but again, there will be no lack of intensity on either side. There might be good news for UNC if Caleb Wilson is able to return from a month-long absence due to a hand injury. The Heels have handled several opponents without him, but that likely won’t apply to Duke. Expect another big night from the Blue Devils’ Cameron Boozer as he plays for what will almost certainly be the final time in front of the Crazies.

No. 8 Michigan State at No. 3 Michigan

Time/TV: Sunday, 4:30 p.m. ET, CBS.

The Big Ten race is – stop us if you’ve heard this one before – over. The Wolverines have the top seed in hand, and the Spartans also have a double bye clinched. But did we mention this is a rivalry game? This one is also a rematch, with the Wolverines taking the first meeting 83-71 in East Lansing on Jan. 30. The Spartans had no answer for Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg in that one, though they’re hardly alone in that regard. When Michigan State needs to make something happen, Jeremy Fears is usually involved.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College basketball weekend schedule loaded with March Madness impact

Teams still out to prove they belong in the NCAA men's tournament have one final shot to impress in the last weekend of the regular season, and there are plenty of opportunities up for grabs.

Every team on the bubble in the latest USA TODAY Sports Bracketology plays one more scheduled contest, and most of them aren't just playing a game, but going against opponents that can significantly alter their resume. Ranked foes, conference leads and fellow bubble members can very well change the tournament picture a week before the bracket is revealed.

BRACKETOLOGY: The latest tournament projection analyzes messy bubble

STARTING FIVE: Breaking down the loaded schedule on the final weekend

This won't be the last chance to impress the March Madness selection committee with conference tournaments on the horizon, but every result is magnified, and momentum could be just the secret sauce needed to go on one last run that leaves no doubt about making it on Selection Sunday.

Virginia Commonwealth at Dayton

Time/TV: Friday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2

Currently among the first four out, VCU gets a rare conference Quad 1 game at Dayton, giving the Rams an opportunity to improve their 1-5 mark in the category. A win could push VCU into the last four in range, and they can get a share of the Atlantic 10 championship with a victory and a Saint Louis loss to George Mason. However, the Flyers are hot, winners of six in a row, which includes a defeat of Saint Louis. Lose and the Rams likely need to win the conference tournament to make the NCAA field.

No. 20 Miami (Ohio) at Ohio

Time/TV: Friday, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2

One of the most-discussed teams in the country, Miami (Ohio) is one win away from a perfect regular season, yet there's still debate if it deserves to be in the tournament without an automatic bid. The RedHawks defeating the Bobcats would likely lock up a spot by pushing their record to 31-0. Since March Madness expanded in 1985, no team has ever had a perfect regular season and didn't make the bracket. The critics could be silenced and the rest of the bubble teams will be rooting for Miami to get the auto spot so it doesn't have to worry about another MAC team stealing a bid..

New Mexico at Utah State

Time/TV: Saturday, 4 p.m., Mountain West Network

The Lobos are holding onto a projected spot by a thread after a Senior Day loss to Colorado State was the second Quad 3 defeat of the season - a major no-no at this point of the calendar. The defeat can be rectified, but it comes in the biggest game of the year at Mountain West-leading Utah State. The Aggies are tough at home with a 13-1 record in Logan, and New Mexico was badly beaten by them on Feb. 4. A win will keep the Lobos afloat, but another loss surely makes way for someone to take their place.

Indiana at Ohio State

Time/TV: Saturday, 5:30 p.m. ET, Fox

A major Big Ten bubble battle. The Hoosiers are the first team on the wrong side of the cutline, coming off a dominant win at Minnesota to snap a four game skid. It's a Quad 1 chance at Ohio State - a type of win Indiana needs since it has a disastrous 2-10 record in the category. An impressive road victory could get it on the right side of the tournament outlook, but another lose could really make it bleak. The Buckeyes pretty much wrapped up a tournament spot last week after beating Purdue, but doesn't want to test its fate.

Auburn at No. 16 Alabama

Time/TV: Saturday, 8:30 p.m., ESPN

Another hot topic team, Auburn is the last team in the field and it will have to really earn that spot playing against rival Alabama. Even though the Tigers have an ugly 16-14 record, their four Quad 1 wins can't be dismissed and getting a fifth one − on the road against a ranked foe − would be noteworthy. However, Alabama has been really clicking recently and beat their in-state enemy already this season. Should Auburn lose for the eighth time in 10 contests, it'll be hard to justify they belong, even if Bruce Pearl continues to shout from mountain tops.

Other bubble games to watch

All times Eastern

Friday

• Central Florida at West Virginia (8 p.m., CBS Sports Network): A pair of bad losses have UCF reeling and in need of a win to avoid being a double-digit seed.

Saturday

• No. 19 Arkansas at Missouri(12 p.m., ESPN): With a rough NET ranking of 60, Missouri could use a ranked victory to stay away from being in the last four in range.
• Cincinnati at TCU (2 p.m., TNT/truTV): Back from the dead, Cincinnati can continue its climb toward the conversation with another road victory against a tournament team.
• SMU at Florida State (2 p.m., ACC Network): The Mustangs have lost three in a row and cannot afford falling to upstart Florida State if they wish to stay away from the First Four.
• California at Wake Forest (4 p.m., ACC Network): Plenty of work still needed from the Golden Bears, and improving a 4-5 Quad 1 record is a necessary step.
• Texas A&M at LSU (6 p.m., SEC Network): After a much-needed win over Kentucky, the Aggies can't fall against a SEC cellar-dweller if it wants to find a much more secure spot.
• UCLA at Southern California (9 p.m., FS1): Another top-10 win has UCLA back on solid ground, and it needs to take advantage of its reeling rival.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness bubble watch games that will alter NCAA Tournament field

This isn’t about Miami (Ohio) and its 30-0 record against a soft schedule.

This is about Auburn basketball’s collapse, and instead of owning up to his part in it, Bruce Pearl made the RedHawks out to be the scapegoat.

All Miami has done is beat 30 consecutive opponents. What’s Auburn (16-14) done? Well, it lost seven of its last nine, as Aubie fights to keep his head above .500.

Somehow, Auburn's position on the NCAA men's tournament bubble is all Miami’s fault, that mid-major that just keeps beating everybody on its schedule.

“Here's the deal. Are we going to select the 68 most deserving teams? Or are we going to select the 68 best teams?" Pearl said this week from his spot in the TNT studio.

Pearl’s stance: If Miami loses even one single game and fails to win its conference tournament, it shouldn’t receive an at-large bid to the tournament.

He subsequently stumped for Auburn’s credentials.

What’s this all about?

Nepotism, of course. A tale as old as time.

Pearl’s son, Steven, coaches Auburn — in part, because Pearl helped him get the job, a fact he admits.

Pearl kept Auburn in limbo leading up to this season: Would he coach? Would he run for political office? Would he retire?

He chose retirement, but not until six weeks before the season tipped off. His timing helped ensure Auburn would promote his son from associate coach to the head chair, while the elder Pearl shifted into an ambassador role and a special assistant to athletic director John Cohen.

Bruce Pearl admits to nepotism, helping Steven Pearl

Pearl, though, insists he’s not acting from a place of bias when he polishes Auburn.

“That's objectively how I feel,” he told OutKick.

Pearl, an experienced liar, might think that’s the case, but the truth is, we cannot possibly know how he’d objectively feel about this situation. Let us reiterate: Pearl coached Auburn for many years. He remains on Auburn’s payroll. His son coaches Auburn.

Does this sound like someone who could be objective?

“Am I rooting for son to make the NCAA Tournament? Of course I am!” Pearl said to OutKick. “Did I help my son get the job? Nepotism? Of course I did!”

Well, you said it.

No shame in rooting for your son, and Pearl is hardly the first coach to grease the wheels of nepotism. But, please, spare us from pretending you’re unbiased in this debate.

Miami (Ohio) athletic director calls Bruce Pearl's remarks 'disgusting'

Auburn is currently listed as the last team in the field in USA TODAY's latest bracket projection, while Miami (Ohio) is projected into the field as a No. 11 seed.

Indefatigable, Pearl kept his barrage of barbs coming at Miami (Ohio). He told Barstool he thought it possible the RedHawks would be in last place if they played in the Big East, which is experiencing the worst season of any of the major conferences.

David Sayler, the athletic director at Miami (Ohio), fired back that Pearl’s denigration of the RedHawks was “disgusting.”

At the very least, it’s blatantly biased, but none of it changes that the RedHawks are flourishing, and Auburn is suffering after Pearl’s ill-timed retirement and the Tigers’ subsequent nepo-hire.

Blake Toppmeyer is a columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bruce Pearl lies for Auburn basketball's March Madness case

We’re back! Welcome to the Celtics’ Top-5 Highest IQ Plays of the Week! 

Sure, we love the high-flying dunks and the deep, off-the-dribble step-back threes, but this is a place for the under-the-radar plays that might not get the credit they deserve. The plays that get the basketball sickos and nerds out of their chairs. The plays that even YOU could make in your weekly rec league game. 

Each week, the plays will be ranked from five to one—one being the smartest—and will only be taken from games that occurred within the past week. For this week, games from February 27th to March 5th are considered. The Celtics went 3-1 this week, with wins over the Nets, Sixers and Bucks, but a loss to the surging Hornets.

5. Grand theft White (Alvarado)

Jose Alvarado has made a reputation out of sneaking up from behind ball-handlers for steals—he even has his own nickname (Grand Theft Alvarado) that represents this niche skill. But Derrick White has some sneaky defensive tactics as well (and sadly no nickname to show for it). He has a knack for noticing the exact moment the ball-handler loses sight of him and picking the perfect time to pounce from behind. Then, once he makes the steal, he throws a timely and accurate bounce pass to Pritchard at the rim. I love you, DWhite.

4. Learning from your teammates

Look familiar? An underrated part of playing with Derrick White is that his teammates can learn from him. Pritchard has seemingly studied White’s uncanny ability to sneak up behind ball-handlers, because the way he does so on this play is quite Derrick-esque. As soon as Edgecombe turns the corner, PP locks in on his eyes—he’s staring at him to clock the exact moment he turns his head and loses vision of the right side of the floor. And as soon as VJ turns away, Pritchard pounces. Grand Theft Pritchard?  

3. Physical flopper

When you’re physical and intense in every basketball movement you do, as Hugo Gonzalez is, you’re bound to force the opposition to be extra aggressive. And you know what pairs well with the opponent’s overzealous physicality? Flopping. Here, Hugo notices that Turner runs into the screen with a little extra oomph, and he takes advantage by throwing himself into Myles’ body and causing an illegal screen. As if Gonzalez isn’t already enough of a nuisance on the offensive glass and as a point-of-attack defender, he might slowly be figuring out the NBA’s hidden flopping tricks, which will only make him more annoying to face.

2. Utterly classic Derrick White

All I can do is smile watching the absolute brilliance of this play from White. To start, Derrick’s weak-side help positioning is—to nobody’s surprise—exquisite. He plays both the roll and corner pass without overcommitting to either. And when the pass is thrown, White intercepts the ball and throws it off of Grimes in mid-air without skipping a beat. Oh, and then he extends an apologetic hand to Grimes, who he hit in the face in the process. He’s a nice guy, but he’s also an evil genius. Special stuff from White, one of the league’s smartest players.

1. The peel switch of my dreams

This could basically just be a Derrick White high-IQ plays article, but I’m here for it, because he and Scheierman execute one of the better peel switches I’ve ever seen on this play. It starts with Baylor, who does an excellent job waiting for the perfect moment to insert himself into Miller’s driving space. If he goes too early, he doesn’t give White enough time to get out to Bridges, but if he goes too late, he risks allowing Brandon an easy pull-up jumper. Once White notices that Scheierman takes Miller, he beelines to Bridges and comes up with the steal. It might be difficult to notice in real time, but this exchange makes Brandon Miller’s decision significantly more complicated.

VERONA, Italy (AP) — The Milan Cortina Winter Paralympics will officially open later Friday amid the tensions of war in the Middle East and with some countries intending to boycott the opening ceremony because of the return of the Russian flag to the global sports stage.

Ukraine is leading the list of countries not attending the opening ceremony in Verona to protest the decision of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to allow Russian athletes to compete under their own flag and with their national anthem. The Russian flag hasn’t been flown at the Paralympics since the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, while the national anthem has not been heard at any Olympics or Paralympics since the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Games.

The opening ceremony will take place at the Arena di Verona, marking the first time a Paralympic ceremony is held at a UNESCO World Heritage site. The ancient Arena has been retrofitted with new wheelchair ramps and accessible restrooms along with other safety upgrades.

The Milan Cortina Games mark the 50th anniversary of the Winter Paralympics. More than 600 athletes will compete across 79 events in six sports. It is the biggest Winter Paralympics ever, with a record female participation, according to the IPC.

Para cross-country skier Aboulfazl Khatibi is expected to be the only athlete from Iran participating in the Games that begin less than a week after the United States and Israel launched their military attack.

Khatibi was announced as Iran’s flagbearer but he will not actually carry the flag — volunteers will be handed the task for all nations because not all flagbearers will be able to attend the ceremony for logistics and training issues.

Many athletes will miss the opening ceremony as they are located in different competing clusters across Italy. The curling events began on Wednesday.

China arrives looking to establish itself as the main Paralympic powerhouse. The Chinese have topped the medal count in the Summer Paralympics every time since 2004, and four years ago topped the Winter Games for the first time with a record-setting performance.

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AP Winter Paralympics: https://apnews.com/hub/paralympic-games