Category: Basketball

After surviving a scare against No. 16 Siena in the first round of the Men's NCAA Tournament, Duke will be getting a big reinforcement to support Cameron and Cayden Boozer, Isaiah Evans, and Dame Sarr.

Forward Patrick Ngongba checked into the game in the first half against TCU for the first time since March 2 against NC State, as he plays through a foot injury. Ngongba arrived to the arena on a scooter, something Jon Scheyer said was a precaution rather than a necessity, per Tracy Wolfson.

REQUIRED READING: March Madness live scores: NCAA Round 2 updates, schedule, highlights, how to watch

Ngongba brings a physicality to the floor for Duke, something it was sorely missing in its first-round matchup against Siena. He averaged 10.7 points per game and six rebounds, serving as a complement to Duke's extremely capable scorers.

Here's the latest on Ngongba as he plays against the Horned Frogs.

Patrick Ngongba injury update

Ngongba has been nursing foot soreness that has kept him out since he played on March 2 against NC State. He was questionable until later March 21, with Jon Scheyer saying he had to get cleared to play.

"He needs to practice," Scheyer said on March 20, per ESP. "He needs to just be on the floor and move the way that he needs to be successful. He's been ramping up and doing a really good job. We just want to make sure he's feeling right to play at a high level. Not just to be out there, but to be him."

Even so, Ngongba arrived to the arena on a scooter and is expected to be on a minutes restriction against TCU. What his ceiling is is unclear, but Duke is undoubtedly glad to have his presence back in the paint for whatever he can give it.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Patrick Ngongba playing vs TCU as he continues to nurse foot injury

DARLINGTON, S.C. (AP) — The NASCAR team co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan continued its strong 2026 start in the Cup Series, locking up the top two starting spots Saturday at Darlington Raceway.

Daytona 500 winner Tyler Reddick, the first driver in NASCAR history to win the season’s first three races, qualified first for Sunday’s 400-mile race with a 169.152 mph lap on the 1.366-mile oval.

The 23XI Racing driver captured his 13th pole position despite smacking the wall with his No. 45 Toyota as he struggled with a new package that makes driving harder with higher horsepower and lower downforce.

“I tried to take it easy and just overdid the throttle,” Reddick said. “I kind of knew I was in trouble about a third of the way through, so I just had to hit the wall at that point.

“Just really proud of everyone at 23XI. It was a huge focal point with the adjustments to the engine and downforce to stay as strong as we have been the last couple of years. I knew it would be a huge challenge in qualifying today, and it was. I damn near wrecked.”

Teammate Bubba Wallace qualified second at 168.434 mph in his No. 23 Toyota for 23XI, marking the second front row sweep for the team founded by Jordan and NASCAR star Denny Hamlin. Reddick and Wallace are also ranked 1-2 in the points standings through five races.

“That’s Reddick for you,” Wallace said. “He pushes it to the limit. That was a hell of a lap. Just proud of the efforts of the team. Continue to ride the momentum from Race 1 to now and Darlington’s super tough. This package is a handful.”

Wallace dedicated the lap to his newborn daughter, who was born Thursday.

Chase Elliott qualified third after his No. 9 Chevrolet failed inspection twice before the session, resulting in the loss of pit selection and the ejection of car chief Matt Barndt.

Kyle Larson and Brad Keselowski rounded out the top five in qualifying.

Chris Buescher qualified sixth, but his No. 17 Ford also failed inspection twice. The team lost its pit selection and car chief Josh Sisco for the race.

___

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

BUFFALO, NY — Michigan State is headed back to the Sweet 16.

Coen Carr had 21 points and 10 rebounds as the No. 3 Spartans beat No. 6 Louisville 77-69 in the second round of the East region to book a trip into the second weekend for the 17th time under coach Tom Izzo.

Michigan State will next face the winner of Sunday’s matchup between No. 2 Connecticut and No. 7 UCLA.

Point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. had 12 points and 16 assists for Michigan State. Forward Jaxon Kohler had 10 points and 6 rebounds. Guard Trey Fort (12 points) also scored in double figures.

Louisville was led by Ryan Conwell’s 21 points on 7 of 15 shooting. Adrian Wooley added 17 points and 4 rebounds.

After an early feeling-out period, the Spartans took a 19-12 lead with 11:55 to go in the first half after Kohler nailed a 3-pointer and a short jumper. At this point, 10 of Louisville’s 14 attempts from the field were from deep, with two makes.

While not able to get their own transition game working, some good ball movement in the halfcourt set helped the Spartans hang on for a 36-31 halftime lead. MSU had 12 assists on 13 made field goals and was shooting 46.4% from the field, though the offense was hampered by nine turnovers.

Louisville made just 12 of its 36 attempts in the first half, including 4 of 18 from deep, but was able to capitalize with nine points off MSU turnovers.

Louisville close within 50-47 eight minutes into the second half thanks to a corner 3 by 7-foot center Aly Khalifa. The Spartans responded with a 3 of their own by Fort, who went 3 of 5 from behind the arc, to lead 53-47 with 10 minutes left. The Spartans went into this final stretch having led for nearly 28 of the game’s 30 minutes.

The Cardinals and Spartans would continue to trade defensive stands for about the next two minutes, with a 3 by Wooley leaving MSU in front 55-50 with 8:20 left.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Steven Stamkos had two goals and an assist to lead the Nashville Predators to a 4-1 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday.

Stamkos opened the scoring 40 seconds in and added a power-play goal in the first two minutes of the second period as Nashville raced to an early three-goal lead. Tyson Jost and Ryan O’Reilly also scored for the Predators, who won their third straight and for the fourth time in six games. Justus Annunen made 39 saves and improved to 8-9-2.

With his second goal of the game, the 36-year-old Stamkos broke a tie with Brendan Shanahan and moved into sole possession of seventh place in the NHL with 238 career power-play goals. Phil Esposito is sixth overall with 246 man-advantage goals. Stamkos has 33 goals and 55 points this season.

Shea Theodore scored for Vegas, which lost its third in a row and for the sixth time in eight games. Akira Schmid stopped 16 shots.

Vegas carried the play throughout, outshooting Nashville 40-20. But, the Predators made the most of their shots with leads of 3-0 and 4-1 in the second period. The Golden Knights had a 20-4 edge in shots in the first period and a 10-5 advantage in the scoreless third.

Stamkos scored in the opening minute after Ryan O’Reilly won a faceoff and delivered a perfect feed in the slot.

Stamkos scored his 33 of the season on the power play at 1:24 of the second, with assists going to Filip Forsberg and Erik Haula. Tyson Jost made it 3-0 with the Predators' third short-handed goal of the season at 11:56. O'Reilly has the team's other short-handed scores this season.

Theodore got Vegas on the board at 13:10 of the second with a power-play goal before O’Reilly restored a three-goal lead for Nashville with a power-play score at 14:53, on a deflection of a shot by Stamkos.

Up next

Golden Knights: At the Dallas Stars on Sunday.

Predators: At the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

TORUN, Poland (AP) — Armand Duplantis won another pole vault world title after he was pushed all the way by Greece's Emmanouil Karalis on Saturday.

Duplantis won his fourth consecutive world indoor championships with a tournament record vault of 6.25 meters, a 10 centimeter improvement on his winning height a year ago in Nanjing.

The pair left behind the field at 6.05.

Duplantis cleared his first attempts at 6.10, 6.15 and then 6.25, when he wobbled the bar.

Karalis passed at 6.10 and 6.15, and missed his attempts at 6.25, finshing runner-up for a second straight year.

Duplantis put away his pole, foregoing attempts at 6.32 to break his world record of 6.31 that he set last week at the Swedish meeting named after him, the Mondo Classic.

Karalis was runner-up at 6.05 and Australia's Kurtis Marschall third with a personal-best 6.00, marking the first time in history that three vaulters surpassed six meters in the same indoor contest.

Simon Ehammer of Switzerland reclaimed the heptathlon title with a world record score of 6,670, adding 25 points to the previous high set in 2012 by Ashton Eaton of the U.S. Ehammer was the world indoor champion in 2024 and runner-up last year.

Also, Zaynab Dosso of Italy won the women's 60-meter final — Olympic 100 champion Julien Alfred was third — Christopher Morales Williams of Canada and Lurdes Gloria Manuel of the Czech Republic won the men's and women's 400, and Josh Kerr of Britain the men's 3,000 six months after tearing his calf in the world outdoor 1,500 final in Tokyo.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Wizards point guard Trae Young is dealing with a pair of injuries and is out indefinitely, the team announced before Saturday's game against the Thunder.

Young re-injured his right quadriceps, sustaining a contusion during the third quarter of Washington's game against Golden State on Monday, the team said in a statement that also said he had lower back irritation.

“Yeah, he obviously got the contusion the other night, but he’s also been dealing with a little bit of back pain, so we obviously did a little bit of imaging,” coach Brian Keefe said before the game. “The back has been irritated. Don’t have a timeline on any of that stuff yet, but obviously, he’s out tonight.”

The team said both injuries are being treated conservatively and will not require surgery at this point.

Young, acquired in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 9, has appeared in five games with the Wizards, averaging 15.2 points and 6.2 assists.

Washington has lost its last 14 games.

___

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

Follow all of Saturday's NCAA Tournament second round games with USA TODAY Sports' live updates.

PHILADELPHIA, PA  — You just never know when a dentist on standby will come in handy.

That moment came Friday night inside Xfinity Mobile Arena for UCLA men’s basketball guard Skyy Clark, who had his front tooth knocked out after he dove to the floor in an attempt to get a loose ball against Central Florida’s Themus Fulks. 

"I didn't know (what would happen). The trainer, Alexa (Blatt), told us she was going to find a dentist. I thought I was going to be toothless for the night and get it fixed today," Clark told USA TODAY Sports outside of the Bruins' locker room on Saturday, March 21.

He lost part of his TOOTH on this play 😬 pic.twitter.com/6KU0HrjP1y

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 21, 2026

The 6-foot-3 guard received some immediate attention from UCLA’s medical staff at the bench after the incident. He checked back in toward the end of the game and hit a free throw with 2.3 seconds left to seal the victory for the Bruins.

The dentist who saved the day was Dr. Jeff Goldfine, who is the dentist for the Philadelphia 76ers in Philadelphia. Clark said he found out he was getting a new tooth 15 minutes after Blatt said she was going to find a dentist in the area.

"Went there (to the dentist's office), took me in around 11:30. I left around 12:45, 1 in the morning," Clark said.

UCLA shared a smile of Clark's new smile on social media on Saturday.

All smiles here 😁
 #GoBruins | #MarchMadnesspic.twitter.com/BMfvCoCUF2

— UCLA Men’s Basketball (@UCLAMBB) March 21, 2026

Clark described the procedure Goldfine performed as similar to one used for a root canal. He said Goldfine made the "whole process painless," telling a larger group of reporters at media availability that anesthesia was used.

"He had to take out the nerve, clean all the tooth, and take out the root," Clark said. "Then he had to nub it down and make a little fake tooth. (Then) cemented it on for temporarily."

When asked whether he's in any pain just over 12 hours after the procedure, Clark told USA TODAY Sports there is a "little soreness" in his mouth.

"Nothing crazy," Clark said.

The replacement tooth is only temporary, Clark emphasized. He'll need another procedure in a few weeks, once the Bruins' season is over, but there won't be any holdback in how he plays in Sunday's second-round matchup against No. 2-seed UConn. He'll wear a mouthguard for protection tomorrow, though.

The Bruins and the Huskies are set for an 8:45 p.m. ET tipoff on Sunday night in Philadelphia. A win would advance UCLA to the Sweet 16 of the Men’s NCAA Tournament. 

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: UCLA basketball's Skyy Clark repairs damaged tooth, to wear mouthguard

Follow all of Saturday's NCAA Tournament second round games with USA TODAY Sports' live updates.

Houston breezed through its NCAA Tournament first round game on Thursday, blasting No. 15 seed Idaho, 78-47. Freshman star Kingston Flemings had 18 points in 27 minutes, shooting 8 of 12 from the field. Emanuel Sharp added 16 points and the Cougars led by 24 at halftime.

Saturday's second round opponent, Texas A&M, figures to provide a stiffer test. The 10th-seeded Aggies upset No. 7 seed Saint Mary's in the first round. Rashaun Agee did most of the damage scoring 22 points and grabbing nine rebounds. Texas A&M's defense forced 18 turnovers and held the Gaels to 38% shooting.

Upset alert! Ranking 5 most likely March Madness upsets in second round

March Madness games today: Ranking all 8 men's NCAA Tournament games Saturday

Here's what you need to know for Saturday's second round game with a trip the Sweet 16 to face the winner of No. 3 Illinois/No. 11 VCU next week in Houston.

HIT REFRESH FOR UPDATES.

Houston vs Texas A&M live score

What time is Houston vs Texas A&M?

• Time: 6:10 p.m. ET, Saturday.

What channel is Houston vs Texas A&M? How to watch, streaming info

• The game is airing on TNT, streaming via Fubo.

Houston vs Texas A&M prediction, odds

• Ehsan Kassim: Texas A&M
• Jordan Mendoza: Houston
• John Leuzzi: Houston
• Blake Schuster: Houston
• Moneyline: Houston (-500); Texas A&M (+375)
• Spread: Houston (-10.5)
• Over/under total: 143.5

Kingston Flemings 2026 NBA Draft prediction

Utah Jazz at No. 5 overall.

Kalbrosky's Analysis:

The Jazz currently have the worst defensive rating in the league but could potentially improve that by selecting Houston freshman Kingston Flemings. The All-Big 12 guard has several games when he has recorded at least three steals, notching eight against Arizona State earlier this season. He scored 42 points against No. 11 Texas Tech on Jan. 24 and had a strong performance against Baylor, recording 21 points with seven assists and two steals on March 4. With highs as high as his thus far, it will not take long for him to hear his name called on draft night.

See USA TODAY's full mock draft here.

Kingston Flemings stats

(all stats as of March 15)

• 16.4 points per game
• 3.9 rebounds per game
• 5.3 assists per game
• 47.5% field goal percentage
• 39.2% three-point field goal percentage

Houston NCAA Tournament history (since 2014)

• Appearances: 7
• Most recent appearance: 2025
• Games played: 26 (19-6)
• Highest seed: 1
• Lowest seed: 6
• Best finish: National Championship

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Houston vs Texas A&M live score update: March Madness time, TV channel

Follow all of Saturday's NCAA Tournament second round games with USA TODAY Sports' live updates.

Texas lost five of its last six games heading into the NCAA Tournament, but the Longhorns are kind of on a heater right now. After beating NC State in the First Four, Texas upset No. 6 BYU, despite AJ Dybantsa going for 35 points.

Can they keep it going against No. 3 seed Gonzaga?

Gonzaga needed to dig deep to get past No. 14 seed Kennesaw State in Thursday's first round.

Upset alert! Ranking 5 most likely March Madness upsets in second round

March Madness games today: Ranking all 8 men's NCAA Tournament games Saturday

The Owls got to within five points late before the Bulldogs sealed their eventual 73-64 win.

NEW YORK (AP) — Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs has been fined $25,000 for throwing his mouthpiece in the direction of the stands, the NBA announced Saturday.

The incident occurred with 5:35 remaining in the first quarter of the Magic’s 130-111 loss to the Hornets on Thursday in Charlotte.

Suggs tossed his mouthpiece off the court after he was bumped by LaMelo Ball and received a technical foul.

He finished the game with ‌nine ⁠points on 4-of-12 shooting in 22 minutes.

___

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

Follow all of Saturday's NCAA Tournament second round games with USA TODAY Sports' live updates.

The NCAA Tournament's overall top seed Duke was in a first-round dogfight against No. 16 seed Siena on Thursday.

Afterward, Blue Devils coach Jon Scheyer called it his toughest March Madness moment.

"Toughest one," he told reporters after the 71-65 win. "Not close. Toughest moment, toughest game, toughest position I've ever been in in the tournament, no question about it."

Upset alert! Ranking 5 most likely March Madness upsets in second round

March Madness games today: Ranking all 8 men's NCAA Tournament games Saturday

You'd imagine things will only get tougher as the tournament goes on.

Up next for Duke is No. 9 seed TCU. The Horned Frogs beat No. 8 seed Ohio State, 66-64, on a late Xavier Edmonds bucket in Thursday's first round opener.

TCU has never won a Round of 32 game in March Madness. Is today the day?

Toppmeyer: If Jon Scheyer feels any Duke pressure, Coach K can relate

HIT REFRESH FOR UPDATES.

Duke vs TCU live score

What time is TCU vs Duke ?

• Time: 5:15 p.m. ET, Saturday.

What channel is Duke vs TCU? Streaming, how to watch

• The game is airing on CBS and streaming on Paramount+.

Duke vs TCU prediction, odds

Odds provided by BetMGM as of 1:15 p.m., Saturday.

• Ehsan Kassim: Duke
• Jordan Mendoza: Duke
• John Leuzzi: Duke
• Blake Schuster: Duke
• Moneyline: Duke (-800); TCU (+550)
• Spread: Duke (-12.5)
• Over/under total: 139.5

Cameron Boozer NBA draft stock, mock draft predictions

Boozer is widely projected as a top-3 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Here’s a look at where various mock drafts from major outlets have the Duke freshman going:

• USA TODAY (as of March 13):No. 3 overall to the Sacramento Kings
• ESPN (as of March 11):No. 3 overall to the Indiana Pacers
• CBS Sports (as of March 17):No. 3 overall to the Brooklyn Nets

Is Cameron Boozer related to Carlos Boozer?

Cameron Boozer and his twin brother, Cayden (also a freshman for Duke) are the sons of former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer.

Before his 13-year career in the NBA, Carlos Boozer was a standout forward for the Blue Devils under Mike Krzyzewski from 1999-2002. A member of Duke's 2001 national championship team, Carlos Boozer finished his three-year career with the Blue Devils with more than 1,500 points scored and started 93 of the 101 games in which he appeared.

Jamie Dixon coaching record: How long has Jamie Dixon coached TCU?

This is Dixon's 10th season as TCU's head coach. Dixon returned to his alma mater after after a 13-year run as head coach at Pitt.

Dixon is 199-137 with the Horned Frogs and has led TCU to five NCAA Tournament appearances.

Has TCU ever reached Sweet 16?

TCU reached the Regional Final in 1968 but only 23 teams were in the NCAA Tournament that year. So the Horned Frogs have never won a Round of 32 game.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Duke vs TCU score live update: March Madness highlights in NCAA Round 2

Follow all of Saturday's NCAA Tournament second round games with USA TODAY Sports' live updates.

Just like that, the career of one of the most interesting figures in recent college basketball history has come to an end.

Robbie Avila saw the door shut on his collegiate career with No. 9 Saint Louis losing 95-72 to No. 1 seed Michigan in the second round of the 2026 Men's NCAA Tournament on Saturday, March 21, at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York.

REQUIRED READING: They're married and both coaching in March Madness: 'Living the best life right now'

Avila started his career in 2022-23 at Indiana State, gaining acclaim for his style of play and goggles during Indiana State's NIT run two years ago. The player who earned many nicknames over the years, including "Cream Abdul-Jabbar," "The College Jokic" and "Larry Blurred" was a favorite of many college basketball fans.

He reflected on his fame and how it impacted his career following the loss.

"I take it with a grain of salt. Some days it's good, some days it's not good," Avila said of the attention he received. "When you're really, really good, the attention is awesome. When you're not, it's negative. So I kind of try not to let it play too big in my head.

"I'm just blessed to be able to play the sport I love at a high level. Hopefully I'll be able to play basketball for a long time."

After the run with the Sycamores, Avila was one of the top players in the transfer portal due to his 6-foot-10 frame, ability to shoot and as a playmaker at his size. Instead of opting for bigger programs, however, he chose to follow his coach, Josh Schertz, to Saint Louis.

Avila entered the second-round game needing 19 points to reach 2,000 for his career. However, he was limited to nine points on 3-of-13 shooting with the Wolverines very keyed in on taking him out of the equation.

Still, Avila finished his career with 1,990 points, 750 rebounds and 473 assists while shooting 51.9% from the field and 38.1% from 3-point range for his career.

Schertz reflected on Avila's career following the Billiken' loss on Saturday.

“Robbie's, he's somebody that I've said, when he came with us from Indiana State, I think he legitimized our program immediately," Schertz said. "He's, obviously, was one of the top recruits in the country, and to choose Saint Louis, and that was, was an incredible coup for us. He has, like I said, no coincidence that winning has followed him everywhere he's ever gone. He won in high school at a place that hadn't won. He went to Indiana State, a place that hadn't won. He came to St Louis, at a place that hadn't been winning, and won.

"We're only 23 months from being 14th in the A-10 to being one of the last 32 teams standing. If you look at it, it's been a quick, a quick trajectory, and he's had the most to do with that of anybody. I'm incredibly proud of him and his growth over the four years. I think he won 100 and some games, a little over 100 games in four years. He's been incredible, a great teammate, a great competitor, a great human being."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Saint Louis coach Josh Schertz on Robbie Avila: 'He legitimized our program'

HeraldKey reserve helps Celtics rally past zombie Grizzlies, avoid upset

GlobeJaylen Brown has 30 points as Celtics rally to defeat Grizzlies 117-112

What is the best soundbite in Boston sports history?

Robert Parish’s take on this Celtics group centers on teamwork and the return of a strong defensive identity

Celtics survive surprising battle from banged-up Grizzlies, need fourth-quarter rally for victory

Nikola Vucevic (broken finger) eager to again lend a hand to Celtics’ playoff run

Celtics GreenComments from the Other Side – Grizzlies 3/20/26

CelticsBlog10 Takeaways from the Celtics Grit & Grind Win Over Grizzlies

‘Ultimate competitor’ Luka Garza is embracing everything that’s made the Celtics special

Celtics stave off undermanned Grizzlies in 117-112 win

CLNS Media Robert Parish and Cedric Maxwell Share Legendary Celtics Stories

Celtics .com Keys to the Game: Celtics 117, Grizzlies 112

NBC Sports BostonCeltics-Grizzlies recap: C’s take control in fourth to extend win streak

Why Celtics should chase East’s top seed after Cunningham injury

NESNCeltics Reporter Calls Jaylen Brown One Of NBA’s ‘Five Most Impactful Players’

Jayson Tatum’s Return Drawing Strong Reaction From Paul Pierce

Celtics’ Nikola Vucevic Reveals Updated Injury Timeline Amid Finger Fracture

Luka Garza Explains How He’s Carving Out Role With Celtics

Mass LiveFormer Celtics forward nearly does huge favor for Boston after trade

Celtics get unfavorable news for playoff fate despite Grizzlies win

Former Celtics center suffers another new injury with Warriors

Celtics reserve explodes for best game of season in Grizzlies win

4 takeaways as Celtics beat Grizzlies, backup big man goes off

Celtics Wire Derrick White on playing all of 4th, Luka Garza helping Celtics win vs. Grizz

Celtics earn a surprisingly tough road win over scrappy Grizzlies

Today in Boston Celtics history: Bob Cousy goes for 50, Vitaly Potapenko, Norman Cook born

Celtics survive tough fight from Grizzlies for fourth straight win

Simone’s Six: Luka Garza, Derrick White, and what went wrong in Celtics-Grizzlies

BSJ Game Report: Celtics 117, Grizzlies 112 – White, Garza save Boston late

Hardwood HoudiniCeltics’ absence from devastating list shows why the franchise remains elite

Luka Garza keeps proving why he belongs in Celtics’ rotation

Celtics’ 17th title has aged like wine after brutal truth has been exposed

CLNS Media/YouTubeGarden Report: Celtics vs Grizzlies Postgame Show on CLNS – Boston Outlasts Shorthanded Memphis

Should Luka Garza get MORE Minutes in Celtics Rotation? | Garden Report SHORTS

Jaylen Brown Should be a SHOO-IN for First Team All-NBA | You Got Boston w/ Noa Dalzell

Yahoo SportsDerrick White is the top role player in the NBA

Fadeaway WorldNBA Most Improved Player Power Rankings: A Big Twist Late In The Season

SI .comBoston Celtics Mailbag: What Makes Derrick White a Special Defender

One Game on the Celtics’ Remaining Schedule Suddenly Got Incredibly Important

Celtics-Grizzlies Player Grades: Brown Great Again, Clutch 4th From White, Garza

HeavyJohn Wall Makes Bold Celtics Prediction, Names 7 NBA Contenders

Athlon SportsEvan Turner Comments on Jaylen Brown’s MVP Chances

WEEI/YouTube Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated discusses where the Celtics rank in the East | WEEI Afternoons

The Sports HubRecapping Bill Chisholm’s first year as Celtics owner

BasketNewsNikola Vucevic updates his injury status, reveals when he expects to return

This Rookie Makes NBA Superstars Look Lazy

Audacy Luka Garza becomes just the latest Celtics role player to rise to the occasion

Memphis Flyer Grizzlies Lose to Celtics at Home

Hoops Rumors Atlantic Notes: Vucevic, Celtics Cap, Minott, Barrett

Locked on CelticsDerrick White ELEVATES Celtics in Fourth, Luka Garza DOMINATES Glass, Celtics WIN!

NBA/YouTubeCELTICS at GRIZZLIES | FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS | March 20, 2026

NBA .comPlayer of the Night – Jaylen Brown – Mar. 20

NBC Sports Boston/YouTube POSTGAME POD: Luka Garza Powers Celtics to Gritty win over Grizzlies

TORONTO (AP) — Walker Zimmerman scored a goal in the 83rd minute, José Cifuentes added a goal, and Toronto FC beat the Columbus Crew 2-1 on Saturday.

Luka Gavran stopped two shots for Toronto (2-2-1).

Djordje Mihailovic played a corner kick into the center of the area where Zimmerman went up high and slammed a header inside the back post to give Toronto the lead for good.

The Crew’s Wessam Abou Ali opened the scoring in the fourth minute. Dylan Chambost played a long ball down the left side to Max Arfsten, who played an arcing cross to Abou Ali for a header from the top of the 6-yard box that slipped under the crossbar and into the side-net. Abou Ali has six goals and two assists in 10 career MLS appearances, nine starts.

Cifuentes scored his first goal for Toronto in the 56th minute to make it 1-1. The 27-year-old midfielder scored for the first time in MLS since July 12, 2023, when he had his only goal of the season in a 3-0 win over St. Louis.

Patrick Schulte had four saves for the Crew (0-3-2). Columbus had 54% possession but was outshot by Toronto 13-9, 7-3 on target.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

Our NBA player prop projections are locked in for tonight’s clash in Central Florida between the Los Angeles Lakers and Orlando Magic, with the model highlighting several standout opportunities.

After digging into the data and lining it up against current market prices, we’ve identified the bets with the strongest value.

These Lakers vs. Magic predictions aren’t based on feel — they’re backed by the numbers.

If you’re putting together your card, these are the model’s top NBA picks for Saturday, March 21.

Lakers vs Magic computer picks for March 21

Lakers	Magic
Reaves o20.5 points -105	Bnachero o23.5 points -112
Doncic u8.5 assists  -110	Carter Jr. u7.5 rebounds  -140
James o5.5 rebounds -105	Bane u2.5 3-pointers  -170

Cash your ML bets quicker with bet365's early win payout!

Take advantage of the early win payout at bet365, where any pre-game NBA moneyline bet gets paid out as a winner if your team goes up by 20+ points!

Learn more about this feature, and all of bet365's offerings, with our comprehensive bet365 review!

Sign Up Now atimg src="https://img.covers.com/betting/sportsbooks/2/bet365.svg" alt="bet365" width="100" height="28" style="vertical-align: middle;"

21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER

Lakers computer picks

Austin Reaves Over 20.5 points (-105)

Projection: 22.3 points

While Austin Reaves is questionable for tonight, it’s worth noting he’s gone Over his 20.5-point line in four of his last 10 games.

He’s averaging an impressive 23.5 points per game this season — a notable jump from 20.0 last year — and has taken on a larger scoring role.

With the Los Angeles Lakers operating as the NBA’s highest-scoring offense over their last five games, this matchup against the Orlando Magic sets up well for Reaves to find success from the field.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet reaves Now at bet365!/span

Luka Doncic Under 8.5 assists (-110)

Projection: 8.0 assists

The Lakers have played at the fourth-slowest pace among road teams over their last five games, a tempo that could limit Luka Doncic’s playmaking opportunities against Orlando.

That trend supports the Under on his 8.5 assist line, a number he’s stayed below in six of his last 10 games.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet doncic Now at bet365!/span

LeBron James Over 5.5 rebounds (-130)

Projection: 6.3 rebounds

The Magic have played at the fifth-fastest pace in the NBA over their last five games, which should create more rebounding opportunities for the Lakers.

That uptick benefits LeBron James, who has gone Over his 5.5 rebound line in six of his last 10 games.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet James Now at bet365!/span

---

Magic computer picks

Paolo Banchero Over 23.5 points (-112)

Projection: 24.8 points

Orlando’s offense has been rolling at home, averaging a strong 122.6 points per game — the sixth-best mark in the NBA over the last five games.

Much of that production has been driven by Paolo Banchero, who has gone Over his 23.5-point line in six of his last 10 games.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet banchero Now at bet365!/span

Wendell Carter Jr. Under 7.5 rebounds (-140)

Projection: 7.2 rebounds

The Magic have ranked as the third-worst offensive rebounding team at home over their last 10 games, a trend that could limit Wendell Carter Jr.’s impact on the glass.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet Carter jr. Now at bet365!/span

Desmond Bane Under 2.5 3-pointers (-170)

Projection: 2.5 3-pointers

With the Lakers playing at the fourth-slowest pace on the road over their last five games, this matchup could feature fewer possessions for the Magic.

That slower tempo may limit Desmond Bane’s chances from deep, aligning with the Under on his 2.5 three-point line — a mark he’s stayed below in four of his last 10 games.

span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet bane Now at bet365!/span

How to watch Lakers vs Magic tonight

Location	Kia Center, Orlando, FL
Date	Saturday, March 21, 2026
Tip-off	7:00 p.m. ET
TV	SPECSN, FDSN FL

Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

MORE NBA PICKS

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