CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand won the toss and chosen to bowl Wednesday in the fifth and deciding Twenty20 against South Africa at Hagley Oval.
After a run of low-scoring matches, the series is level at 2-2. South Africa won the first match by seven wickets, New Zealand won the second and third by 68 runs and eight wickets, respectively, and South Africa won the fourth by 19 runs.
Both teams named unchanged lineups for the first time this series.
South Africa has retained spinner Prenelan Subrayen, who made an impressive debut in the fourth match at Wellington on Sunday.
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Lineups:
New Zealand: Tim Robinson, Katene Clarke, Dane Cleaver, Nick Kelly, Bevon Jacobs, Jimmy Neesham (captain), Cole McConchie, Josh Clarkson, Zak Foukes, Kyle Jamieson, Ben Sears.
South Africa: Tony de Zorzi, Wiaan Mulder, Connor Esterhuizen, Rubin Hermann, Dian Forrester, Jason Smith, George Linde, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj (captain), Prenelan Subrayen, Ottneil Baartman.
BOTTOM LINE: Cleveland takes on the Miami Heat after Donovan Mitchell scored 42 points in the Cleveland Cavaliers' 136-131 win over the Orlando Magic.
The Cavaliers are 29-17 in Eastern Conference games. Cleveland is 2-5 in games decided by 3 points or fewer.
The Heat have gone 22-20 against Eastern Conference opponents. Miami is the Eastern Conference leader with 46.7 rebounds per game led by Bam Adebayo averaging 9.8.
The Cavaliers are shooting 47.9% from the field this season, 1.9 percentage points higher than the 46.0% the Heat allow to opponents. The Heat average 5.3 more points per game (120.2) than the Cavaliers give up (114.9).
The teams play for the third time this season. The Cavaliers won the last matchup 130-116 on Nov. 13. Jarrett Allen scored 30 points to help lead the Cavaliers to the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Evan Mobley is scoring 18.3 points per game and averaging 8.9 rebounds for the Cavaliers. James Harden is averaging 22.7 points and 5.2 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Adebayo is averaging 20.3 points and 9.8 rebounds for the Heat. Tyler Herro is averaging 2.5 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Cavaliers: 7-3, averaging 119.1 points, 43.4 rebounds, 26.9 assists, 6.2 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 49.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.5 points per game.
Heat: 5-5, averaging 121.9 points, 43.4 rebounds, 29.0 assists, 8.7 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 46.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 122.4 points.
INJURIES: Cavaliers: Craig Porter Jr.: out (groin), Jaylon Tyson: out (toe), Jarrett Allen: out (knee).
Heat: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Denver will try to keep its four-game home win streak intact when the Nuggets play Dallas.
The Nuggets are 26-16 in conference matchups. Denver is 8-11 in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Mavericks have gone 12-32 against Western Conference opponents. Dallas is 5-7 in one-possession games.
The Nuggets average 120.8 points per game, 1.8 more points than the 119.0 the Mavericks allow. The Mavericks average 10.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.6 fewer made shots on average than the 13.4 per game the Nuggets allow.
The teams square off for the fourth time this season. The Nuggets won the last meeting 118-109 on Jan. 15. Jamal Murray scored 33 points to help lead the Nuggets to the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Tim Hardaway Jr. is scoring 13.8 points per game and averaging 2.6 rebounds for the Nuggets. Nikola Jokic is averaging 25.0 points and 12.5 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Naji Marshall is averaging 15.3 points and 3.3 assists for the Mavericks. Cooper Flagg is averaging 20.0 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 6-4, averaging 123.0 points, 43.7 rebounds, 31.4 assists, 6.7 steals and 3.0 blocks per game while shooting 50.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.3 points per game.
Mavericks: 2-8, averaging 115.2 points, 44.6 rebounds, 27.5 assists, 7.4 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 46.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 127.5 points.
INJURIES: Nuggets: Peyton Watson: out (hamstring).
Mavericks: Dereck Lively II: out for season (foot), Caleb Martin: out (foot), Kyrie Irving: out for season (knee), Daniel Gafford: day to day (shoulder), Brandon Williams: day to day (concussion protocol).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Orlando looks to stop its six-game skid when the Magic take on Sacramento.
The Magic are 22-15 in home games. Orlando is seventh in the Eastern Conference with 51.1 points per game in the paint led by Franz Wagner averaging 10.9.
The Kings are 6-29 in road games. Sacramento gives up 121.2 points to opponents and has been outscored by 10.4 points per game.
The Magic score 115.7 points per game, 5.5 fewer points than the 121.2 the Kings give up. The Kings average 110.8 points per game, 4.0 fewer than the 114.8 the Magic give up to opponents.
The teams square off for the second time this season. In the last matchup on Feb. 20 the Magic won 131-94 led by 30 points from Paolo Banchero, while Maxime Raynaud scored 17 points for the Kings.
TOP PERFORMERS: Wendell Carter Jr. is scoring 11.9 points per game and averaging 7.5 rebounds for the Magic. Banchero is averaging 26.4 points and 6.9 rebounds over the last 10 games.
DeMar DeRozan is averaging 18.2 points and 4.1 assists for the Kings. Raynaud is averaging 18.9 points and eight rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Magic: 4-6, averaging 120.7 points, 42.1 rebounds, 26.4 assists, 8.3 steals and 2.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.7 points per game.
Kings: 5-5, averaging 114.4 points, 45.0 rebounds, 28.0 assists, 5.9 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 48.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 121.6 points.
INJURIES: Magic: Franz Wagner: out (ankle), Jalen Suggs: out (illness), Anthony Black: out (abdomen), Jonathan Isaac: out (knee).
Kings: Domantas Sabonis: out for season (back), Precious Achiuwa: out (back), Russell Westbrook: out (foot), Killian Hayes: out (toe), De'Andre Hunter: out for season (eye), Zach LaVine: out for season (finger), Nique Clifford: out (foot), Drew Eubanks: out for season (thumb), Keegan Murray: out (ankle).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Mar 24, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Royce O'Neale (00) celebrates a three point shot against the Denver Nuggets in the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Phoenix Suns had themselves another heartbreaker tonight. Devin Booker had a chance to add another game-winner to his resume, but it was just off the mark.
Wow. Devin Booker had a clean look to win the game. Left it just short
It was a physical game with plenty of runs and swings from two potent offenses. Nikola Jokic had another effortless triple-double, pouring in 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 17 assists on 9-16 FG. Denver had seven players score 9 or more points, including 21 from Jamal Murray.
The Suns had their own balanced attack, with six players pouring in 11 points or more. Devin Booker finished with 22 points and 8 assists on 5 of 14 shooting. Jalen Green chipped in with 21 points of his own on 6 of 13 shooting from the floor. Phoenix also got some key contributions from its role players, with Grayson Allen adding 21 points and Royce O’Neale chipping in with 17.
This is the type of loss that all but punches your ticket into the play-in, barring an otherworldly finish to the final 9 games of the season.
Game Flow
First Half
The teams opened the game trading buckets early on. Then, the Suns turned it up a notch offensively to create a bit of separation.
A pair of Royce O’Neale and Collin Gillespie triples paced Phoenix. Gillespie poured in 8 points in a hurry against his former team to give Phoenix a 25-16 lead.
The Suns led by as many as 11 points in the opening quarter, despite getting outrebounded 15-9. Denver had 16 points in the paint in the opening quarter to Phoenix’s 12.
Phoenix also did a strong job of taking care of the basketball, as they did not commit a single turnover while dishing out 10 assists as a team in the opening 12 minutes.
After one, the Suns held a 35–28 lead. Collin Gillespie led the way with 8 points. Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale each had six points, connecting on a pair of threes each. One of those Allen threes just so happened to be the 1,000th of his career.
Jalen Green had himself quite the second quarter, pouring in 11 points in a flurry. From a straight-up “movement” perspective, it was the bounciest and most explosive he’s looked as a Sun.
Then came the response from Denver. They opened the 2nd quarter on a 13-6 push to even things up at 41 about halfway through the quarter.
A balanced Denver attack offensively was tearing the Suns’ defense apart, as the Nuggets took a 52-50 lead, which led to a Jordan Ott timeout to regroup.
The timeout did not slow the momentum, as the Nuggets continued to dominate the interior and extend their lead to 12. Denver poured in 39 points in the quarter, taking complete control offensively.
At the break, the Nuggets led 67-57. Jokic had a casual 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 9 assists at the half. Collin Gillespie and Grayson Allen led the way for Phoenix with 11 points each.
Second Half
The physicality of the third quarter picked up quite a bit, with Phoenix showing they were not going down without a fight.
Jokic kept carving up Phoenix’s defense as a playmaker, but the Suns got a boost from Royce O’Neale and Jalen Green to propel the offense after a mediocre 2nd quarter.
Every Phoenix right hook was answered with a Denver jab, it seemed. Until they didn’t.
Jordan Goodwin drilled a corner three to make it a four-point game, 94-90, with 1:14 left in the third. That was followed by a steal and a Grayson Allen three-pointer to make it a one-point game.
The offensive explosion led to some great defensive energy, including this rejection by Man Man.
Denver led 97-95 after three. The Suns scored 38 points in the quarter, making up ground from the previous dud of a second quarter.
The 4th quarter saw plenty of that continued intensity from both sides. Jordan Goodwin picked up full-court in his typical pesky fashion.
The Nuggets deployed a “hack-an-Oso” at the end of the game. He struggled all night from the line, but drilled a pair of late attempts to make him 3 for 7 on the night.
A late-game foul on Devin Booker put Jokic on the charity stripe in what was a three-point game, and he split the pair. The next possession, Booker drew a trip to the line and drilled them both to make it a two-point game with 1:21 remaining in the game.
Jalen Green slashed aggressively to the lane for a scoop and score to even it at 121 apiece. Jamal Murray answered with a tough fadeaway jumper, and Booker quickly responded with a mid-range hit of his own. Tied at 123 with 29.1 seconds left.
Jokic drilled an easy floater with 11.5 seconds left to give Denver a two-point lead. Timeout Suns. Devin Booker tracked down an errant pass from Royce O’Neale in the backcourt, leading to a scrambled possession, but ultiamtely Book got a clean look from three with a chance to win it. No good. Game over.
Up Next
The Suns will have a few days off but remain at home and host the Utah Jazz on Saturday night.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Mikael Granlund scored twice, Alex Killorn had a goal and an assist, and the Anaheim Ducks beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-3 on Thursday night.
Mason McTavish and Troy Terry also scored for the Ducks, while John Carlson had three assists and Lukas Dostal stopped 27 shots.
Anaheim grabbed a 2-1 lead in the second period, only to see Vancouver rally and tie the game twice before McTavish scored the winner at the 5:45 mark of the third.
Jake DeBrusk, Brock Boeser and Drew O’Connor scored for the Canucks, while Filip Hronek and Elias Pettersson each contributed a pair of assists. Kevin Lankinen made 29 saves.
Pettersson’s second assist of the night marked the 500th regular-season point of his NHL career.
Anaheim remains atop the Pacific Division with a five-point cushion on the second-place Edmonton Oilers.
Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas returned to the lineup after serving a five-game suspension for the knee-on-knee hit on Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews.
The blow left Matthews with a torn knee ligament that required season-ending surgery.
The Canucks got solid play from their special teams. DeBrusk and Boeser each scored power-play goals, and the penalty kill weathered a 95 second five-on-three before conceding Granlund’s goal late in a penalty to defenseman Elias Pettersson.
The Ducks fell behind 1-0 in the opening frame, then outshot Vancouver 14-12 and scored a pair of goals over a 2:24 span.
McTavish got his first goal in 15 games. He buried his 14th goal of the season at the 5:45 mark of the third period, blasting a one-timer over Lankinen’s glove from the faceoff dot to give the Ducks a 4-3 lead.
Pettersson tallied his 500th regular-season point in his 533rd game. Thomas Gradin is the lone Canuck to hit the milestone faster, doing so in 529 games.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 06: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives past Quenton Jackson #29 and Aaron Nesmith #23 of the Indiana Pacers during the second quarter of an NBA game at Crypto.com Arena on March 06, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Lakers (46-26) aim to quickly get back on the winning column as they conclude their six-game road trip against the Indiana Pacers (16-56) on Wednesday.
Los Angeles looks to sweep the season series for the second straight year in a row.
The Lakers winning streak finally came to an end on Sunday against the Detroit Pistons. It was a bummer, but one that was bound to happen. After all, all good things come to an end and there’s always that next opportunity for them to build another streak. That can start as early as Wednesday’s game against the Pacers.
Now with a record of 23-14 in road games this season, the Lakers will close their current road trip against a Pacers team that has lost nine out of its last 10 games. Indiana is actually coming off a thrilling victory against the Orlando Magic — who the Lakers barely beat over the weekend — so it’s not like the Pacers are purposely losing games right now. Yes, their season is pretty much done, but it’s still too early to shut down their key players.
So on Wednesday, expect Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard and Obi Toppin to suit up. The Lakers didn’t have a problem with them in their last matchup at Crypto.com Arena because Luka Dončić went berserk. There’s a possibility that could happen again, especially since Indiana has no answer for him.
This Pacers team is statistically the worst in the league, rankingbottom five on offense and defense. Frankly speaking, losing to them is inexcusable, especially given how tight the race is now in the competitive Western Conference standings. The Lakers have to make sure that Siakam won’t be the best player on the floor on Wednesday night and guys like Jarace Walker and Nembhard don’t play extraordinarily well.
At this point, Indiana is playing with house money, so there’s no pressure on their side. It would be nice if the Lakers could take control of this from start to finish, unlike against the Pistons. In fact, most of their games in this road trip have gone down to the wire.
Hopefully though, they don’t always depend on their clutch performance to save them because, as we saw last game, it doesn’t always go their way. Let’s see if Wednesday’s game against the Pacers unfolds in a more dominant way for the purple and gold.
Notes and Updates
Random but something worth looking out for as of late: Austin Reaves’ minutes. Over the last 10 games, AR is averaging nearly 39 minutes per game. Before getting hurt, it was a little less than that. Part of why Reaves has been playing more is because head coach JJ Redick has shortened the rotation. It’ll be interesting to see if this continues.
Another trend worth noting is the decrease in LeBron James’s shot attempts. He hasn’t complained about it and likely won’t, but that’s also what happens when he’s playing alongside Reaves and Dončić. Still, James has the ability to impact the game in multiple ways and it’s been a joy to watch.
For the Lakers’ injury report, Rui Hachimura (right calf soreness) and Adou Thiero (left knee soreness) are questionable while Marcus Smart (right ankle contusion) is doubtful.
As for the Pacers, Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles recovery), Johnny Furphy (ACL recovery) and Ivica Zubac (rib fracture) are out.
Nembhard (calf contusion), Aaron Nesmith (rankle), Siakam (knee sprain) and Toppin (injury management) are all probable.
Miles McBride is in the final stages of his rehab from sports hernia surgery.
McBride has been scrimmaging with some of the Knicks’ younger players and coaches recently. Before Tuesday’s game, McBride was seen on the court doing his traditional pre-game warm-up routine.
All of these signs point to McBride returning to the court in the coming days.
The Knicks have nine regular season games left in the season. Their next game is in Charlotte on Thursday, the first of a four-game trip that concludes in Memphis next Wednesday.
McBride joined the team on its recent West Coast trip. I’d assume he is with them on this upcoming trip.
Whether he returns during the road trip or shortly thereafter, you should see McBride back on the court very soon.
He has been out since Jan. 28. At the time, he was sidelined with an ankle injury. McBride then underwent surgery to repair a sports hernia shortly after the Feb. 6 trade deadline.
For the most part, the Knicks have played well in McBride’s absence. They are 20-7 since Jan. 28. Landry Shamet, Mohamed Diawara and Jordan Clarkson are among a group of players who have filled the void with McBride out.
But there is no doubt that they are a better team when he’s healthy. Before he got hurt, McBride was averaging 13 points, 2.8 assists, 2.6 rebounds and one steal per game while hitting 42 percent of his threes.
KAT CALL
At the suggestion of assistant coach Rick Brunson, Brown went with a smaller lineup in the fourth quarter against New Orleans. Thanks to Jalen Brunson’s brilliance and that smaller alignment, the Knicks overpowered the Pelicans in the fourth on Tuesday. Karl-Anthony Towns played five minutes in the quarter and did most of his damage earlier in the game. He finished with 21 points and 14 rebounds. It was his 51st double-double this season. That is the most in the NBA. If Towns has looked more comfortable on offense lately, there’s a reason for that.
Brown has made some adjustments to his offense to help Towns on that end of the floor.
“I had to adjust to him…and that’s what a season’s about,” Brown said after Tuesday’s game. “We’re not playing the same way offensively as we did to start the year. So I had to make some adjustments to try to figure out how I can get him involved a little bit better, get him to feel a little more comfortable and it’s showing a little bit. He’s obviously put in the work but ... it’s a two-way street and it’s good to see him playing at the level he’s playing at right now.”
When asked about the adjustments, Brown shared some specific details.
“When he is at the four spot, we’ve really simplified it so that he doesn’t have to think as much. And when he doesn’t have to think as much, he can just react,” Brown said.
He added that some of the offensive tweaks were implemented to put Towns in his preferred spots on the floor.
“He loves being at the top of the floor; he’s not always there, but we’ve added a couple more things that put him there with appropriate space,” Brown said. “And then we found a post-up and an iso situation for him that is pretty good from a spacing standpoint in how he likes to operate. Those things, we didn’t have at the beginning of the year for him. So again, he's made adjustments, he’s kept working, he continues to work, but as the head coach, I have to make adjustments, too. Especially with him being one of our two best players.”
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Yegor Sharangovich scored in the fourth round of the shootout to lead the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night.
Olli Maatta and Zayne Parekh, each with their first goals of the season, scored in regulation time for the Flames, who have won four games in a row for the first time this season. Dustin Wolf stopped 23 shots.
Quinton Byfield scored both goals and Darcy Kuemper made 21 saves for Los Angeles, which has points in seven of their last nine but just three victories. They have dropped four straight.
With the loss the Kings fall three points behind the Nashville Predators for the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference.
Calgary tied the game 1-1 at 14:50 of the second period when Ryan Strome and Victor Olofsson combined to set up Maatta as the three veterans the Flames added at the trade deadline combined to get Calgary on the scoreboard.
Olofsson was part of the Nazem Kadri deal with Colorado. Maatta came over from Utah in the MacKenzie Weegar trade. Strome was picked up from Anaheim for a seventh-round pick to replace Kadri at center.
Maatta has one goal and five assists in 10 games with Calgary after recording just a single assist in 22 games with the Mammoth.
Byfield’s second of the night 17 seconds into the third period restored the Kings’ lead, but Parekh tied it with a power-play goal at 13:02.
After Morgan Frost and Artemi Panarin exchanged goals in the first three rounds of the shootout, Sharangovich’s winner came when he mishandled the puck but it slipped through Kuemper’s pads.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 24: Head coach Kenny Atkinson of the Cleveland Cavaliers talks with Donovan Mitchell #45 during the first half against the Orlando Magic at Rocket Arena on March 24, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
You would not have believed that the Cleveland Cavaliers had just won a basketball game based on head coach Kenny Atkinson’s first comments in the press room after their 136-131 win over the Orlando Magic. In fact, you likely would have thought the Cavs were blown out.
“I just told the team, if we’re going to play defense like this, we’re going to have a short playoff stint,” Atkinson said in response to a question about Donovan Mitchell and James Harden lighting it up on offense. “Right now we have a mentality that we are just going to outscore people, and we all know come playoff time it’s not going to be that easy.”
Atkinson is referring to the Cavs allowing a mediocre Magic team to put up 131 points on the road – and on the second half of a back-to-back no less. The Cavs appeared to have put the clamps down some in the third quarter, but the Magic were never kept down long enough to stop the bleeding.
When asked what the biggest issue with the defense was, Atkinson again did not mince words. “The compete level, and then along with the compete level there’s an IQ level,” he said. “So if your compete level is not there defensively, you’re missing close outs, not understanding personnel, and that is the IQ part.”
Atkinson went on to outline that he’s most frustrated because he knows they’re capable of being better. “Our leaders got to take ownership, it really starts there. We have to switch our mentality right now.”
The Cavs are also working to determine who will make the playoff rotation and who won’t, and there may be an emphasis on favoring players who will compete on the defensive end. “We’re going to find the guys that’ll defend,” Atkinson said. “When the playoffs come, we lean on that, who can guard their position, who is going to be a high-level defensive player. That’s what gets you into the rotation.”
The Cavs are missing starting center Jarrett Allen, but that isn’t good enough of an excuse for Atkinson, and the same goes for our of the best defensive players in the league in Evan Mobley.
“He (Allen) is a big piece of what we do, but he’s not playing right now,” Mobley said. “So the next man up has to step up.”
“I don’t want to hear that,” Atkinson said with regard to Allen’s absence being the reason the defense has slipped. “We’ve got the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, we got the personnel.”
Mitchell echoed that sentiment, saying that the Cavs do not to rely on flipping a switch and upping the defensive intensity. “We have to better,” Mitchell said after the game. “I think we can take a step (defensively). It’s there, we got six straight stops a few nights ago against New Orleans. It’s there.”
On the flip side, the Cavs have been one of the best offensive teams in the league over the last month plus. But it clearly is not something they want to rest their laurels on heading into a tough postseason that will force them to face some physical teams like the Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, and/or the New York Knicks. Getting Allen back will certainly help, but without a collective mindset to be more defensive-focused, it might not matter too much.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The Memphis Grizzlies ruled out Ja Morant for the season because of a UCL sprain in his left elbow.
The Grizzlies said Tuesday night that Morant would need a platelet-rich plasma injection to aid with the healing. The Grizzlies expected Morant to make a full recovery in time for next season.
Morant, the 6-foot-2 guard in his seventh season out of Murray State, played in only 20 games this season for the Grizzlies. He averaged 19.5 points, the lowest since his second season in the league. The early end to the 26-year-old's season continues a trend for the oft-injured guard. He has played in only 79 games the last three seasons.
Morant sprained his elbow in late January after he had just missed two weeks because of calf soreness.
Taken second in the 2019 draft behind Zion Williamson, Morant was a nightly highlight film early in his career with the Grizzlies.
Morant challenged some of the NBA’s tallest centers with dunks at the rim and avoided defenders with whirling gyrations. His passes found cracks in defenses, and he regularly chased down blocks where he pinned the ball at the top of the square on the backboard.
Off-court troubles and growing behavior issues started surfacing in 2023 and diminished his impact on the court for the Grizzlies. Video in March 2023 of Morant flashing a gun at a Denver-area nightclub led to an eight-game suspension by the NBA even though no criminal charges were filed.
Months later, Morant was seen on a livestream flashing a gun, this time from the passenger seat of a car. After the league investigation, Silver announced that Morant would start the 2023-24 season with a 25-game suspension.
Jan 16, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) and Houston Rockets forward Dorian Finney-Smith (2) reach for a loose ball in the second half at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
Well, now it’s the most important game of the season. And Houston has lost all of their “This is the most important game of the season” games before now.
The game is on ESPN, and the Rockets have had some stinkers on national television this season. I could look at the record, but ir’s gotta be like 3-15.
Plus, the Minnesota Timberwolves are without Anthony Edwards, and this Rockets team has historically decided not to try against teams without their stars (see: Warriors, Golden State).
It all adds up to a crushing loss to an undermanned team on national television tonight. It’s the death knell for this iteration of the Houston Rockets.
Jalen Brunson provided exactly what the Knicks needed Tuesday night to escape MSG with a win over the Pelicans.
Although New Orleans came in with a 25-47 record, they were up to try and take down the Knicks at home, and they nearly did. The Knicks were only up 109-107 with 4:28 to go in the game. And only up four points with 1:41 remaining.
In addition to some careless play by the Knicks, the Pelicans' young shooters got hot and New York needed all 121 points to come away with the victory. But without Brunson's fourth-quarter performance, it may have been a very different story.
The Knicks All-Star guard scored 15 of his 32 points in the final frame on 4 of 5 shooting, including 7-for-7 from the free-throw line. With seven minutes remaining and the Knicks only up five, Brunson scored 10 straight points and five of the team's final seven points down the stretch to salt the game away.
"That’s what great players do," coach Mike Brown said after the game. "Great players, when it matters the most, when the pressure’s the highest, sometimes that means drawing two and kicking it out to OG [Anunoby] for a wide-open three or someone else. He was great at that tonight.
"For who he is and for me as a coach, I never put a cap on those guys. You don’t put a cap on Steph Curry in Golden State. Jalen Brunson here, and Jaylen Brown in Boston. You let those guys be who they are."
Heading into the fourth quarter, Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns were having better offensive nights. Anunoby entered with 21 points while Towns had an efficient 16 to go with his eight rebounds.
But when the offense became stagnant and turnovers started to stack, Brunson took the game over, as he's done so much during his New York tenure.
Last season's Clutch Player of the Year showed his superstar status in the final four minutes of Tuesday's win. Brunson scored nine points, including knocking down five free throws to ice the game away.
"That’s a position he wants to be in," Josh Hart said of Brunson's takeover. "We want him in that position. You learn when you watch his game and play this game that the last 3-4 minutes of a game are winning time. That’s where your superstars show why they are at that level. That’s what he did."
PHOENIX (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 23 points, 17 rebounds and tied a season high with 17 assists to lead the Denver Nuggets over the Phoenix Suns 125-123 on Tuesday night.
Jokic made the go-ahead basket, knocking down a 12-foot jumper with 11.5 seconds left. Phoenix’s Devin Booker got a good look at a potential winning 3-pointer, but it bounced off the rim.
The Suns trailed 117-109 with 3:19 left, but methodically worked their way back. Booker made a tough jumper in the lane to tie the game at 123 with 30.2 seconds remaining. He had 22 points and eight assists.
Jokic had his NBA-leading 29th triple-double of the season by early in the third quarter. The three-time MVP shot 9 of 16 from the field and delivered several pinpoint passes, including one that went the full length of the court for a layup by Christian Braun.
The Nuggets have fought injuries for most of the season, but are now close to full strength. Jamal Murray had 21 points and Tim Hardaway Jr. added 18 off the bench.
Denver had a 10-point lead at halftime, but Jordan Goodwin and Grayson Allen made back-to-back 3s late in the third to help Phoenix cut the deficit to 97-95 heading into the fourth. Allen and Jalen Green both had 21 points.
KNICKS 121, PELICANS 116
NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson scored 32 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter, and New York beat New Orleans for its seventh straight victory.
Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby each added 21 points for the Knicks (48-25), who pulled within percentage points of the Boston Celtics (47-24) for second place in the Eastern Conference. Towns also grabbed 14 rebounds.
But it was Brunson who made the difference for the Knicks in a game that was close throughout the second half. He scored 10 straight points for New York midway through the fourth quarter, including back-to-back baskets after the Pelicans had cut it to 109-107 with 4 1/2 minutes remaining.
Zion Williamson scored 22 points and Jeremiah Fears had 21 for the Pelicans, who have lost two in a row after a three-game winning streak.
HORNETS 134, KNGS 90
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Coby White made six of Charlotte’s franchise-tying 26 3-pointers and finished with 27 points as it routed Sacramento for its fourth straight win.
LaMelo Ball had 20 points on six 3s and Moussa Diabate added 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Hornets (38-34), who pulled within two games of the Atlanta Hawks for sixth place in the Eastern Conference.
Daeqwon Plowden had 22 points and ex-Hornet Malik Monk had a career-high 14 assists for the Kings (19-54).
Kon Knueppel added four 3s for the Hornets as the rookie from Duke moved into second place in franchise history for 3s made in a season with 247. He needs 14 to pass Kemba Walker, now a player enhancement coach with the Hornets.
The 26 3-pointers matched the franchise record set on March 14, 2025, at San Antonio.
Charlotte raced to a 72-47 lead at halftime, shooting 13 of 29 from beyond the arc with Ball and White leading the way with four each at the midway point.
Charlotte pushed its lead to 46 early in the fourth quarter.
CAVALIERS 136, MAGIC 131
CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 42 points, James Harden added 26 and Cleveland beat Orlando to extend its winning streak to four games.
It is Mitchell’s sixth game with at least 40 points this season, tied for fourth-most in the league.
The All-Star guard also continued his mastery of the Magic. It was his third 40-point game in 23 regular-season meetings against Orlando. He is averaging 27.2 against the Magic, the sixth-highest scoring average of any player in NBA history against Orlando.
Harden, who was scoreless in the first half of Saturday’s game at New Orleans, had 22 points and three 3-pointers in the first half as the Cavaliers had a 72-68 lead at halftime. It was his most points in the first two quarters since being acquired by the Cavaliers.
Evan Mobley had 19 points for Cleveland, making all eight of his shots from the field, along with nine rebounds and six assists.
Paolo Banchero had 36 points for Orlando (38-34), which has dropped six straight and dropped into a three-way tie with Charlotte and Miami for eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
Tristan da Silva had 18 points, while Desmond Bane and Jamal Cain scored 17 apiece for the Magic.
CHICAGO (AP) — Hall of Fame slugger Frank Thomas has filed a lawsuit against the Chicago White Sox and accuses the organization with which he played the bulk of his career of unauthorized use of his likeness on uniforms.
The lawsuit was filed March 19 in Cook County, Illinois, and also named Nike and Fanatics as defendants.
Thomas seeks payment in excess of $50,000 and demands a jury trial.
Thomas said the defendants profited from selling items using his identity without his permission, notably the sale of City Connect 2.0 jerseys that bear his name without his consent.
Thomas claims he has received no compensation or other consideration from Nike, Fanatics and the White Sox for the use of his name and likeness
“The complaint we filed alleges violations of the Illinois Right to Publicity Act," wrote William T. Gibbs of Corboy & Demetrio, the law firm representing Thomas, in a statement. "Companies may not profit from anyone’s identity without their permission. We believe our filing speaks for itself.”
Thomas, a two-time MVP with the White Sox who hit 521 homers in a career that spanned from 1990 to 2008, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
The White Sox did not immediately return a request for comment Tuesday night.
