NEW YORK (AP) — Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara each scored 18 points, and the Portland Trail Blazers coasted to 114-95 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night.
Donovan Clingan finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds and reserve Scoot Henderson had 16 points for the Blazers, who never trailed and led by as many as 31.
Nic Claxton had 12 points and 10 rebounds for the short-handed Nets, who have lost four consecutive games and 14 of 16. Leading scorer Michael Porter Jr. (ankle) missed his third straight game and Noah Clowney (rest) was held out.
Claxton recorded his 11th double-double of the season and 87th of his career, passing Sam Bowie for eighth-most in franchise history.
Portland, who opened its five-game road trip with a loss at Philadelphia on Sunday, went on a 10-0 run to start the first quarter and led 35-20 at the end of the period.
The Trail Blazers, who are a half-game behind Golden State for the ninth spot in the Western Conference playoff race, shut down the struggling Nets, who shot just 30 percent from the field and 14.3 percent from long distance to take a 65-41 lead at halftime.
Portland shot 51 percent from the field and 42 percent beyond the three-point line.
In Las Vegas, it'll be the High Rollers. Or the Outlaws. Or the Spades. Or, maybe this needs be decided by ballot.
In Seattle, is this even a discussion? It'll be the SuperSonics again. Now, will it be appropriate to wear those throwback Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton jerseys? We're not here to judge, only to help make sense of it all.
Let’s get down to businesses of the league expanding to 32 teams from 30 teams. Because expansion is all about business.
How much an NBA expansion team cost?
There is a price for any city wanting to join the NBA, and it’ll be extracted through an expansion team. According to ESPN, the fee expected from ownership groups in Seattle and Las Vegas will range from $7 billion to $10 billion. That means existing team ownership groups could pocket roughly $500 million.
Meaning the decision over expansion is the equivalent of 7-foot-4 Victor Wembanyama standing underneath the basket.
A slam dunk.
Is possible NBA expansion a surprise?
On December 16, at the NBA Cup championship game in Las Vegas of all places, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said the league would decide in 2026 whether to add two teams, and Las Vegas and Seattle were the most likely expansion cities.
“We’re in the process of working with our (existing) teams and gauging the level of interest and having a better understanding of what the economics would be on the ground for those particular teams and what a pro forma would look like for them,” Silver said.
The operative word being economics.
Under Silver, who took over as commissioner in 2014, NBA franchise valuations ballooned from approximately $500 million to almost $4 billion by 2024, according to Front Office Sports.
Last year the Los Angeles Lakers sold for $10 billion.
In the NBA’s executive offices, score is kept in part with dollar signs.
What’s next in NBA expansion talks?
The NBA's board of governors, which consists of the league’s 30 team owners, will meet next week to discuss adding expansion teams in Las Vegas and Seattle, according to ESPN.But that will not result in a binding resolution. ESPN reported something concrete is likely to come at the board of governors meeting in July.
The players have no say in matters of expansion.
What’s in it for the players?
Team owners will keep the massive expansion fees. So what’s in it for players?
It’ll be another 30 roster spots with an average salary this season that tops $10 million a year.
Why Seattle?
The NBA owes Seattle.
In 2008, the city of Seattle balked at building a new arena or renovating KeyArena. So the NBA allowed the owner of the Supersonics to relocate the team to Oklahoma City, where the Sonics became the Thunder.
But KeyArena, now known as Climate Pledge Arena, was redeveloped with private financing and reopened in 2021. The state of-the-art arena, home of the WNBA's Storm, is co-owned by Seattle and a group known as Oak View Group. It is NBA ready; so is the city.
The largest metropolitan area and media market without an NBA team? That's right, Seattle.
Why Las Vegas?
For decades, the major sports league treated Las Vegas like a scandal waiting to happen. Which meant, keep your distance.
Then came 2017, when the NHL awarded Las Vegas an expansion team, the Vegas Golden Nights. A year later, the WNBA moved the Aces to Las Vegas from San Antonio, Texas. In 2022 came the NFL’s turn, and the Raiders moved to Las Vegas from Oakland, California. Next up: Major League Baseball has cleared the way for the A’s to move to Las Vegas from Oakland.
Yes, there have been gambling scandals. But they can be traced to legalized gambling across the country, not Sin City.
In truth, the NBA was trailblazers and risk takers. In 2004, the league launched its summer league in Las Vegas.
Last summer, the NBA summer league drew 136,130 total fans over the 11 days games were played at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion. There were two sellouts, with a seating capacity of 17,500.
Other NBA expansion possibilities
Let’s say something goes wrong with Seattle or Las Vegas. There are other options for the league.
Though European expansion may be several years away, Nashville, Tennessee; Kansas City (Missouri or Kansas); and Louisville, Kentucky have emerged as possibilities. Looking beyond the borders, Vancouver, Montreal and Mexico City are possibilities. "Very doable,'' Silver has said of Mexico City.
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 16: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics dribbles the ball as Oso Ighodaro #11 of the Phoenix Suns plays defense during the game on March 16, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Jaylen Brown looked every bit the part of an MVP candidate Monday night at TD Garden.
With the crowd chanting “MVP” as he repeatedly marched to the free-throw line, Brown poured in 41 points to lead the Boston Celtics past the Phoenix Suns 120–112 in a back-and-forth affair. Devin Booker answered with 40 of his own, turning the game into a highly entertaining battle between two teams that have both outperformed expectations all season.
Suns surge early before Celtics respond
The opening quarter featured a choppy rhythm, with frequent whistles and free throws slowing the flow of play.
Phoenix set the tone early with an aggressive defensive approach out of the gates, pressuring the ball and jumping out to an early 8–0 lead. Boston gradually settled in, responding with defensive stops and beginning to find its offensive rhythm as the quarter progressed.
A late burst from the Celtics, sparked by typical energy from the bench, helped erase the early deficit and briefly push Boston in front. Still, after one quarter the Suns held a 32–31 lead.
Boston flipped the momentum early in the second quarter.
Derrick White caught fire offensively, knocking down multiple three-pointers during a quick scoring burst that pushed the Celtics back in front and forced Phoenix to burn an early timeout. White finished the half with 19 points, including four three-pointers in the second quarter alone, helping stabilize Boston’s offense.
The Celtics continued to move the ball effectively throughout the quarter, generating open perimeter looks and attacking mismatches inside. Boston shot 13-for-21 in the second quarter to take a 65–61 halftime lead, while Devin Booker paced Phoenix with 19 points and four assists in the opening half.
Booker was only getting started.
Booker catches fire in the third
If the Celtics were hoping the Suns might cool off coming out of halftime, Devin Booker had other plans.
The Phoenix guard erupted in the third quarter, scoring 23 consecutive Suns points during one stretch and repeatedly torching Boston from all three levels. Pull-up threes, midrange jumpers, drives to the rim — it didn’t seem to matter what coverage the Celtics threw at him.
At one point Booker had scored Phoenix’s last 21 points, single-handedly keeping the Suns within striking distance as TD Garden collectively braced for the next shot to fall.
But unlike many games where a scoring explosion flips the momentum entirely, Boston kept answering.
The Celtics continued to move the ball crisply on offense, generating open looks around the perimeter while attacking mismatches inside. Payton Pritchard knocked down a pair of timely three-pointers late in the quarter to keep Boston in front despite Booker’s barrage.
By the end of the third, Booker had piled up 35 points, but the Celtics still carried a 91–86 lead into the final quarter.
Brown closes the door in the fourth
The fourth quarter quickly turned into a tense back-and-forth battle.
Payton Pritchard helped Boston create early separation, drilling a deep 31-foot three-pointer early in the period to push the Celtics’ lead to nine and ignite TD Garden. But Phoenix refused to fade, getting timely scoring from Jalen Green and a surprising burst from Haywood Highsmith, who knocked down several difficult shots to keep the Suns within striking distance.
As the quarter progressed, the game tightened. Devin Booker continued to carry the Suns offensively, eventually reaching 40 points, while Boston’s offense briefly stalled amid a stretch of turnovers that allowed Phoenix to surge ahead midway through the quarter.
With the pressure mounting, Jaylen Brown took control.
Brown repeatedly attacked the paint and lived at the free-throw line, drawing loud “MVP” chants from the TD Garden crowd as he stepped to the stripe again and again. The chants only grew louder as the clock wound down, particularly after Brown stripped Booker to spark a transition opportunity that led to an easy finish for Jayson Tatum.
Moments later, Brown cleaned up a miss at the rim to give Boston the lead before returning to the free-throw line once again to extend it.
Phoenix still had chances in the final minute, but Booker missed a key free throw with 22 seconds remaining as Boston’s defense tightened down the stretch. The Celtics then played keep-away in the closing seconds before Jayson Tatum sealed the win from the free-throw line, allowing Boston to close out a hard-fought 120–112 victory.
The victory moves the Celtics to 45–23 on the season, keeping them firmly in the mix near the top of the Eastern Conference standings as the regular season enters its final stretch.
Boston will return to action Wednesday, March 18, when the Celtics host the Golden State Warriors at TD Garden.
DETROIT (AP) — Patrick Kane scored twice for Detroit to move into sole possession of fourth place on the all-time goals list for NHL players born in the U.S. and lead the Red Wings to a 5-2 victory over the Calgary Flames on Monday night.
Kane has 504 career goals, trailing Mike Modano (561), Keith Tkachuk (538) and Jeremy Roenick (513). The 19th-year veteran entered the night tied with Joe Mullen (502). Earlier this season, Kane passed Modano to become the highest-scoring American-born player in league history. Kane now has 1,383 career points in 1,355 games.
Emmitt Finnie, Moritz Seider and Dominik Shine also scored and Alex DeBrincat had three assists for the Red Wings, who started a four-game homestand by stopping a three-game losing streak.
J.T. Compher added two assists and John Gibson made 25 saves for Detroit, which moved into a tie with Montreal for third place in the Atlantic Division. The Canadiens have two games in hand on the Red Wings, who currently occupy the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Morgan Frost scored late in the first period to put the Flames on the board first, but Detroit scored three times in a span of 5:34 early in the second period to take control. Kane had the first and third goals in that surge.
Matt Coronato added a goal and an assist and Dustin Wolf made 20 saves for Calgary, which finished a five-game road trip through the Eastern Conference at 1-4. The Flames, who have the NHL's second-worst record ahead of only Pacific Division rival Vancouver, are 2-7-1 in their last 10 games.
The Warriors arrived at their Washington, D.C., hotel in the wee hours Monday morning, slept off a gut-wrenching loss in the mecca of basketball and took the court again later that night against the woeful Wizards in front of a half-empty arena.
It could have resulted in a one heck of an emotional hangover.
Instead, Draymond Green, Kristaps Porzingis and De’Anthony Melton all returned and led the way to a 125-117 win that snapped a season-long five-game losing streak for Golden State.
Steve Kerr reached a historic milestone with tonight’s win. Brad Mills-Imagn Images
What it means
The win was Steve Kerr’s 600th in his career as a head coach.
Despite being delayed with the Warriors’ depleted roster, the 12th-year coach became the fourth-fastest to reach the milestone, trailing only Phil Jackson, Pat Riley and Gregg Popovich.
Turning point
The Warriors pulled ahead for good toward the end of the first quarter.
The run happened to coincide with Porzingis entering the game for the first time.
Golden State struggled to separate from the lowly Wizards, leading 11-10 when the 7-foot-3 big man checked in at the 6:45 mark. Porzingis went on to lead the Warriors with 15 points before halftime as they opened a lead as wide as 17.
Kristaps Porzingis throws down a dunk AP
Trae Young, Porzingis’ onetime teammate, finished with 21 to match the Wizards’ top scorer and sank a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 54-52 shortly before intermission. They kept it within single digits for much of the second half, even though Young sat the entire fourth quarter.
But Washington was never able to recover from Porzingis’ initial stint.
MVP: Gui Santos
The Warriors’ ironman throughout this stretch of injuries shouldn’t be overlooked despite the returns of three of their key players. At this point, Santos has earned an important role no matter who is on the floor. The do-it-all wing trailed only Melton and Porzingis in the scoring column with 18 points and led Golden State with a game-best plus-20 in 28 minutes.
Draymond Green boxes out Julian Reese to grab a rebound. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Stat of the game: 62 points from players previously unavailable
The fact that the Warriors battled the Knicks so closely only looks more admirable when looking at what they were playing without. Porzingis led all scorers with 30 points in 25 minutes, Melton followed with 27 and while Green (five points) didn’t make much of an impact on the scoreboard, he led Golden State with eight rebounds and seven assists.
Up next
The Porzingis reunion tour makes its next step in Boston, when the Warriors visit the Celtics on Wednesday. Before they return home, Porzingis will have visited all five of his former teams.
When the Nets finally committed to tank, it was planned to be a shorter process rather than long.
That was 2024, and everybody knows the saying about the best-laid plans.
Multiple league sources told The Post that the idea remains the same: The Nets intend to flip the switch and try to compete as soon as next season.
Just how aggressive their rebuild is, and exactly what it looks like, is going to be determined by four or five touch points over the next 18 months.
How the Nets rookies develop, what kind of lottery luck they get, what happens in the upcoming playoffs, if a star becomes available and free agency will all play roles in shaping how Brooklyn’s rebuild goes.
“Yes, it’s all of the above,” a source told The Post. “There’s going to be like five touch points where you go OK, where’s the team.”
This draft is loaded, and the Nets will be in the lottery; the 2027 free agent class could be stacked, and they’ll have flexibility. Whether they become aggressive this summer, next summer or the trade deadline in-between remains unclear.
What’s crystal clear is they expect to compete sooner rather than later.
Think months, not years.
Nets coach Jordi Fernandez AP
Now, there is a huge gap between the Nets and, say, the reigning champion Thunder, whom they host Wednesday. The play-in is a viable holistic goal next year, but circumstances will determine when they ante up for a star.
Like the lyric says, there’s levels to this. And Brooklyn is just trying to climb up from the bottom one next season, rather than wallow in the basement for the better part of a decade, piling up lottery pick after lottery pick.
Charlotte was in the lottery for nine consecutive years before breaking through. The Pistons are atop the East, but tanked for five straight years — averaging just 18.8 wins from 2019-24 — to accumulate elite talent like Cade Cunningham.
The Nets don’t plan to tank anywhere near that long. But like we said, mice and men…
With Brooklyn not having control of its own first-round pick in 2027, they’re no longer incentivized to lose. They’ll try to emulate shorter tanks like OKC — but that’s easier said than done, with no Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to build around.
“Our wins are not just the ones you see in the standings, and we’ve had that clear from the beginning,” said Jordi Fernández. “I know at times it may sound foreign for other people, but we have a plan. We know what we’re doing, and we’re confident that we’re going to be good for a long time. It’s just [that] it’s a process.”
The Nets’ lottery luck will play a factor in how fast they rebuild. Anadolu via Getty Images
There are a number of touch points that will steer that process. One highly-placed source suggested five.
Not in terms of importance but timeline. They could break down as follows:
Judging the rookie’s growth. From Egor Dëmin’s driving to Ben Saraf’s jumper to Danny Wolf’s finishing, their development must be evaluated.
“Right now we have this opportunity in front of us. These guys will play,” said Fernández. “We’ll have these different lineups to see what we have with particular players.”
“[The Nets] have a draft class underneath them,” a source told The Post. “How they develop will determine when [they] press go.”
So will what kind of lottery luck the Nets get in May. They entered Monday third in the lottery odds; finishing there could see them pick anywhere from first to seventh, with a drop-off after Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa and Cam Boozer.
Even though the Nets are nowhere near the playoffs, the postseason will shape their offseason. Underachieving can elicit breakups, and make stars available.
Sources told The Post that Brooklyn was interested in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Donovan Mitchell before entering their tank. If either became available — and the former is largely expected to — could the Nets circle back?
“They’ll have conversations [about stars],” one league source told The Post. “They already had conversations; they just weren’t quite the right time.”
Somewhere over the next 18 months should be the right time for Brooklyn. But circumstances will dictate when.
The Nets lost 114-95 to visiting Portland.
Brooklyn (17-51) solidified their hold on third in the lottery odds. They clawed within two games of Indiana and kept pace ½-game behind runnerup Washington. Besides resting Noah Clowney and Michael Porter Jr. missing a third straight game with a sprained ankle, the Nets kept the rest of their regulars on a short leash.
Two-way Chaney Johnson had a team-high 17 points and nine boards, pressed into playing backup center. Tyson Etienne and Ben Saraf each scored 15 points, the latter adding four assists and a career-high four steals.
“We didn’t come out with the kind of decisiveness to start the game,” said Danny Wolf. “And when you do that against a good team, you’re going to (lose). They’re going to open the door pretty quickly.”
Nolan Traore had just four points on 1-of-8 shooting, Jordi Fernandez admitting the point guard has hit the rookie wall.
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 16: Nickeil Alexander-Walker #7 of the Atlanta Hawks shoots the ball during the game against the Orlando Magic on March 16, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Atlanta Hawks were in action on Monday to face the Orlando Magic. No, it wasn’t the illustrious Magic City Monday that was canceled last week, but it was still a highly anticipated matchup between two of the hottest teams in the league.
The Hawks came in on a nine-game winning streak, while the Maguv were on a seven-game winning streak. The Hawks had a 2-0 advantage against the Magic coming into the game, but both teams looked completely different the last time they faced each other.
The Magic came in with a few injuries in this one, while the Hawks were fully healthy, as Jonathan Kuminga was available for this one.
The Hawks came out and were efficient, shooting 6-of-10 from the field, while holding the Magic to just 3-of-11 shooting. Nickeil Alexander-Walker started hot with eight points.
The Hawks had a nine-point lead in the first, but the Magic were able to trim their deficit as the quarter progressed. Jock Landale kept the Hawks afloat with a this three-pointer to extend their lead.
The Hawks maintained their lead throughout the second, even though the Magic made several attempts at a run. Kuminga made an impact in the second, getting to the rim for this bucket, plus the foul.
The Hawks turned defense into offense on this play, and Zaccharie Risacher got an easy dunk in transtion. The Hawks led by as much as 29 points in the quarter.
The Magic started to make things happen to start the fourth, and a small run helped them get their deficit to under 20 points. The Hawks were able to stay afloat for the most part, but a few mistakes continued to drain their lead as the quarter went on.
If it was one player who could calm down the Hawks, it was Alexander-Walker, and he did so knocking down two three-pointers in a row to bring the Hawks’ lead back to 20.
The Magic waved the white flag early pullun all their starters, but the bench players went on a run to cut down their deficit to 12 points. The Hawks were able to stand tight through their run, and walked away with their 10th straight win.
Alexander-Walker finished with 41 points, Johnson finished with 24 points, 15 rebounds, and 13 assists, and Daniels finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds.
The Hawks will be back in action on Wednesday to face the Dallas Mavericks.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Kawhi Leonard is out with a sprained left ankle as the Los Angeles Clippers chase a play-in berth.
He missed Monday night's game against the San Antonio Spurs after getting hurt in the fourth quarter of a 118-109 loss to Sacramento on Saturday.
Leonard is sixth in the NBA in scoring, averaging 28.3 points to go with 6.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists. He's shooting 50% from the floor, 38% from 3-point range and 90% from the free throw line in 53 games.
Leonard can’t afford to miss any more than three games to remain in contention for the league's major awards. Players are required to appear in at least 65 of 82 regular-season games to be eligible for MVP, All-NBA and All-Defensive honors.
Coach Tyronn Lue hopes Leonard isn't out more than a few days.
“I really don't know yet,” he said before the game.
John Collins was set to start in Leonard's place against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs, who are second in the West.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - NOVEMBER 17: Head coach Kenny Atkinson of the Cleveland Cavaliers talks with Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the first half at Rocket Arena on November 17, 2025 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
Tuesday’s matchup will be the fourth and final time the Cleveland Cavaliers will take on the Milwaukee Bucks. So far, the Cavs have only had to deal with Giannis Antetokounmpo in one and a half of those games. They could be avoiding him again on Tuesday.
The Bucks have listed Antetokounmpo as questionable for Tuesday’s game with a left ankle sprain. Antetokounmpo left the Bucks’ win over the Indiana Pacers in the second half on Sunday with an injury that head coach Doc Rivers called a likely hyperextension at the time.
The Bucks’ goals for the remainder of the season are unclear. Antetokounmpo has been heavily involved in trade rumors at the deadline. All signs point to him being dealt in the summer. And if that’s the plan, there’s no point in having him play in what seem like meaningless games.
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Right now, Milwaukee is five and a half games behind the Charlotte Hornets for the 10th seed, which is the final spot in the Play-In. Additionally, the Bucks have won just two of their last 10 games. It certainly doesn’t feel like there’s much to really play for at this point, especially if it puts Antetokounmpo in harm’s way before a possible trade.
On the season, Antetokounmpo is averaging 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game on 62.4% shooting. Milwaukee has been 11-20 without Antetokounmpo this season and 17-19 when he suits up.
Antetokounmpo isn’t the only player the Bucks could be missing. Starting center Myles Turner is questionable for Tuesday’s game with a right calf strain. Additionally, Ousmane Dieng is questionable due to an illness.
The Cavs will be without Jarrett Allen (knee) for the sixth game in a row. Craig Porter Jr. (groin) and Tyrese Proctor (quad) are also out. Sam Merrill (hamstring) is questionable to return. Jaylon Tyson (ankle) is probable for Tuesday’s game.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 16: Jarrett Allen #31 high fives Craig Porter Jr. #9 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during a game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 16, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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 Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers haven’t looked like the same team in the last five games without Jarrett Allen. Unfortunately for the Cavs, they will have at least a few more games without their starting center.
The team released a statement on Monday evening that Allen would be out for all three games during the Cavs’ upcoming road trip with right knee tendinitis. That would have him missing Tuesday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Thursday’s game against the Chicago Bulls, and Saturday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans. The earliest Allen could return would be for next Tuesday’s home matchup against the Orlando Magic.
The Cavs have struggled without Allen in the five games he’s been out. They’ve dropped three of those contests, while giving up 128 and 130 points to bad offenses like Orlando and the Dallas Mavericks. Additionally, James Harden hasn’t been able to replicate the pick-and-roll success that he’s had with Allen with Evan Mobley. Even though the offense hasn’t been the issue, they also haven’t looked great.
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Allen first injured his knee in the second half of Cleveland’s March 3 win over the Detroit Pistons. When asked about Allen’s injury on Sunday, head coach Kenny Atkinson reiterated that he doesn’t “anticipate this to be long-term” and that they’re trying to be cautious with the injury with the playoffs around the corner.
Allen was playing the best basketball of his career in the month before the injury. In February, he averaged 22.3 points and 11.5 rebounds per game.
The Cavs have also been without Craig Porter Jr. and Tyrese Proctor in recent games.
Porter had an MRI that confirmed a left groin strain. He was initially injured in Friday’s victory over the Mavs. He’s expected to be sidelined for one to three weeks.
Proctor has been unavailable for the last few games with a right quad strain. Like Allen, he will also be out for the upcoming road trip. The team didn’t give a timetable for his return.
This Cavs’ season has been defined by injuries and trying to work new and returning players back into the lineup. Right now, the only hope is that the team will be healthy when postseason play begins next month.
MADRID (AP) — Pathé Ciss' controversial goal in stoppage time gave Rayo Vallecano a 1-1 draw and shattered visiting Levante’s hopes on Monday of a rare win that would boost its chances of avoiding relegation from La Liga.
Levante started the night second from bottom in the table and went ahead when 20-year-old Carlos Espí headed the opener — his fourth goal in three games — four minutes before halftime.
However, in the fourth minute of second half added time, Ciss stole in at the back post to control a cross and stroke the ball past goalkeeper Mathew Ryan. Although Levante claimed he handled the ball before shooting, Ciss swore there was no touch.
“It wasn’t our day but we can’t always get what we want,” the Senegal midfielder said. “We suffered with a man less and maybe this point will be crucial at the season’s end.”
The man less was Nobel Mendy, who was shown a second yellow eight minutes after halftime.
The red card forced the home side into a reshuffle and it was more dangerous with 10 men than with 11 as Ciss’ last-gasp equalizer proved.
The result extended Rayo’s unbeaten run to six league games and the point lifted it two places into 13th.
Levante remained in the cellar. Although it has seven points from a possible nine in recent weeks, it was three points behind third-from-bottom Elche and five behind Alaves.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - DECEMBER 08: Naz Reid #11 of the Minnesota Timberwolves drives to the basket against Oso Ighodaro #11 of the Phoenix Suns in the first quarter at Target Center on December 08, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Phoenix Suns Date: March 17th, 2026 Time: 7:00 PM CDT Location: Target Center Television Coverage: FanDuel Sports Network – North Radio Coverage: Wolves App, iHeart Radio
For a few beautiful, deeply misleading moments in the third quarter against Oklahoma City, the Timberwolves had all of us believing again.
They were swarming defensively. They were forcing the Thunder into ugly, uncomfortable possessions. The reigning NBA MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, had been held to just four first-half points, blanketed by Anthony Edwards on the perimeter and rejected at the rim by Rudy Gobert. Ayo Dosunmu had caught absolute fire in the second quarter, piling up 15 first-half points and drilling threes with confidence. Julius Randle, who had looked like he’d been sleepwalking through parts of the post-All-Star schedule, suddenly seemed awake again, scoring efficiently around the basket and actually looking like the bruising, playoff-useful version of himself.
And despite all the usual self-inflicted nonsense, the turnovers, the loose rebounds they failed to secure, and the extra possessions they gifted away, the Wolves had built an nine-point lead. It wasn’t pristine, but it was gritty, it was competitive, and it felt like Minnesota had a real chance to walk into Oklahoma City, punch the champs in the mouth for the third time in four meetings, and announce to the Western Conference that the rumors of their collapse had been exaggerated.
Then the floor gave way.
Suddenly the defense lost its edge. Rotations were a beat late. Closeouts weren’t quite there. Those Thunder possessions that had looked so difficult in the first half started turning into open threes and comfortable rhythm looks. The Wolves’ offense, which had been hanging together through effort and timely contributions, started to grind and seize up. Ayo cooled off. Julius lost his edge. Edwards was trapped, crowded, doubled, and no one else could consistently rise up and punish Oklahoma City for overcommitting to him. The turnovers kept coming. The offensive rebounds kept coming. The second- and third-chance points kept piling up. And with every careless possession and every missed box-out, you could feel the game slipping.
By the end of it, the Wolves hadn’t just lost. They had been reminded, again, what the difference is between a team that plays like a champion and a team that keeps insisting it can just flip a switch whenever it feels like it. Oklahoma City looked like a team that knows exactly who it is. Minnesota looked like a team still arguing with itself in the mirror.
Now, if you’re feeling generous, and at this point I’m not sure how many Wolves fans still are, you can look at the glass half full and say Minnesota was right there. If they take better care of the ball, if they rebound with more force, if they stop tossing away possessions, maybe we’re talking about a statement win. Maybe we’re talking about a team that weathered a brutal week and still came out looking dangerous. Maybe we’re talking about momentum.
Instead, we’re talking about another demoralizing loss and another example of the gap between a team with championship maturity and one that is still trying to fake it until it makes it.
And now, because the Western Conference is the basketball equivalent of a highway pileup in freezing rain, the Wolves are sitting firmly in the six seed, just a game and a half ahead of the Phoenix Suns and the Play-In. Which means the next game on the schedule, a game that a month ago might have felt like just another meaningful late-season test, is now blaring red lights and sounding sirens.
Because this one is not just important.
This is a full-on HAVE TO WIN game.
Phoenix has already beaten Minnesota twice. One of those losses was the season’s biggest collapse. Holding a sizeable late-game lead on the road in the desert, the Wolves hemorrhaged turnovers and free throws and somehow managed to bleed out in the final minute, snatching defeat from the jaws of what should have been a routine win. The Suns are sitting directly beneath them in the standings, holding the tie-breakers, with a chance to gain serious ground and shove Minnesota even closer to the trapdoor. And with Detroit looming twice, Houston twice, and games against Boston and others still ahead, this is not the time for the Wolves to make their margin for error any thinner than it already is.
This is where the season starts asking serious questions. Can they finally stop playing with their food? Can they take an inferior, injured team seriously on their home floor? Can they act like a group that wants one of those top six spots, or are they going to keep wandering through March like they’re entitled to a playoff berth because of what happened last spring?
The Keys to the Game:
#1 – Take care of the basketball.
The turnovers lately have not just been bad, they’ve been insulting. Against the Clippers and Thunder, Minnesota repeatedly sabotaged itself before the offense even had a chance to function. Against Oklahoma City, the Wolves meaningfully outshot the Thunder, and it didn’t matter because they kept ending possessions before they ever got a real look. You simply cannot beat good teams, or even beat decent teams cleanly, when you’re casually throwing away twenty possessions a game. Against Phoenix, that nonsense has to stop. No gifts. No shortcuts. No helping the opponent do its job.
#2 – Dominate the paint and the glass.
This is where the Wolves catch a real break. Mark Williams, whose last feisty battle with Gobert ended with Rudy’s flagrant two, will not be playing. That matters. A lot. Phoenix’s frontcourt is thinner now, and that means Gobert should walk into this game with the expectation that the paint belongs to him. Sunday in Oklahoma City was a pedestrian game for Rudy by his standards. Fine. Flush it. This is the bounce-back spot. He needs to inhale rebounds, protect the rim, and turn the paint into a miserable experience for anybody wearing a Suns jersey.
Randle also has to build on the good things he showed against OKC. There were real signs of life there. He found his shot. He was physical. It was in Phoenix last year that he started to really wake up late in the season and carry that into a strong postseason. This would be an awfully good time to start writing that script again.
#3 – Win the little hustle battles.
Phoenix is not overwhelming anybody with talent. They’re not steamrolling teams because they have more stars. They’re surviving and climbing because they play hard, they stay connected, and they do all the boring little things that add up to wins. They scrap for rebounds. They stay in possessions. They don’t beat themselves quite as often. That’s the exact mentality Minnesota has to mirror. No getting outworked. No giving up second-chance points. No mental nonsense at the free-throw line. Every small play in this game matters because the standings say it does.
#4 – Anthony Edwards has to look like Anthony Edwards.
Oklahoma City made life miserable for him and deserves credit for it. They loaded up, they doubled, they forced the ball out of his hands, and to Ant’s credit he largely stayed composed and used that attention to open things up for Ayo and others. But this is not the same kind of challenge. Dylan Brooks, one of the guys who tends to turn games against Ant into full-on personal vendettas, will not be there. Without him, Phoenix does not have the same kind of defensive shell. This should be an Ant game. A 40-piece kind of night where he bends the game to his will and makes a statement that Phoenix is not grabbing his team’s spot on his home floor.
That doesn’t mean hero ball. It doesn’t mean dribbling the air out of the ball and firing late-clock nonsense. It means smart aggression, rim pressure, and using his gravity to open everything else up.
#5 – Play intense, connected defense – especially on the perimeter.
The Wolves cannot let Devin Booker get loose. He cannot be allowed to stroll into the paint, find comfort, and start building one of those silky 34-point nights. He needs to be put in a straightjacket. This has to be a high-energy, high-effort, highly communicative defensive performance. The Wolves have the size advantage. They have the home crowd. They should have the desperation edge.
Phoenix, in a lot of ways, is playing with house money. They weren’t supposed to be here. To be fair, Minnesota wasn’t supposed to be here fighting to stay out of the play-in either. The difference is the Wolves put themselves here with all the avoidable nonsense, including the previous two losses to this same team.
That’s why the heat has been turned all the way up now. No more moral victories. This is one of those nights where the Wolves need to act like a team that understands what’s at stake. The talent edge is theirs. The size edge is theirs. The urgency edge had better be theirs. If they can’t get up for this game, if they can’t beat an inferior and injured Suns team that is openly trying to take their playoff spot, then at some point you have to stop doing the hopeful fan thing and come to the difficult conclusion: Maybe they don’t deserve one of those six spots after all.
But that’s the beauty and cruelty of the NBA in March. You don’t have to answer the question in theory. You answer it on the floor.
Tuesday night at Target Center, the Wolves have a chance to do exactly that.
NEW ORLEANS, LA - DECEMBER 22: Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans dribbles the ball during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on December 22, 2025 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks (23-45) head to Louisiana to face of against an old friend/foe in the New Orleans Pelicans (22-46). Dallas took the Cavaliers to the woodshed on Sunday afternoon and have had a full day to recover and get ready for tonight’s game. The Pelicans, meanwhile, just keep winning. They have no incentive to lose, seeing as they don’t own this year’s draft pick, but it’s been fascinating watching them from afar (yes I know they lose to the Rockets in maddening fashion on Friday).
Here are the main things you need to know:
WHO: Dallas Mavericks vs New Orleans Pelicans
WHAT: Heading to Louisiana for a Southwest Division game
WHERE: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana
WHEN: 7:00 pm CST
HOW: KFAA Channel 29, MavsTV streaming, NBA League Pass
The Mavericks injury report is worth taking a gander at before tipoff. The two-way guys are all questionable, so the coaching staff is still deciding if they should play or not. Daniel Gafford is going to miss this game, as is Klay Thompson (each is doubtful as of this writing). Caleb Martin is questionable. Everyone else should be playing unless I cannot read (entirely possible).
The New Orleans side of the report is clean, with Dejounte Murray listed as questionable with an illness. deThe line is a whopping 8.5 favoring the Pelicans. That reads weird to me but Dallas is on their fourth game in five nights and New Orleans has been off for a few days. Still, that’s a massive line for one bad team to be favored over the other. We’ll see shortly I suppose!
Be sure to chime in with your predictions in the comments!
Consider joining Josh and me on Pod Maverick live after the game on YouTube, we should start LATE. Thanks so much for spending time with us here at Mavs Moneyball. Let’s go Mavs!
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 14: Ben Saraf #77 of the Brooklyn Nets shoots a free throw during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 14, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Inhale. Exhale. Michael Porter Jr, Day’Ron Sharpe, Noah Clowney, Egor Demin, and Terance Mann are all out for Brooklyn. That’s great news for those getting ready for the big dance.
In the meantime, Brooklyn hoops. 15 games remain including tonight.
🏀 KEY INFO
Who: Portland Trail Blazers (32-36) at Brooklyn Nets (17-50) When: 7:30 PM ET Watch: YES Network
✍️ Game Preview
“Amazingly, this is the first meeting between the two teams this season. This is the second night of a back-to-back and game two of a six game road trip for the Blazers. Former Nets assistant coach Tiago Splitter is coaching the Blazers these days. And it feels like a lifetime ago, but Splitter got the job because the feds got Chauncey Billups in a sweep. If he can get them into the playoffs, there’s a chance he’ll be there permanently.” | Brian Fleurantin
💬 DISCUSSION
Share your thoughts and react, but please be respectful. NetsDaily prides itself on being a safe space for Nets and basketball fans alike to have healthy conversation. Reach out to Anthony Puccio or Net Income with any issues.
INJURY REPORT 3/16 @ BKN:
OUT Damian Lillard (L Achilles Tendon) Caleb Love (Two-Way) Shaedon Sharpe (L Fibula Stress Reaction) Yang Hansen (G League) Chris Youngblood (Two-Way)
DOUBTFUL Vit Krejci (L Calf Contusion)
QUESTIONABLE Robert Williams III (L Knee Inj Mgmt)
LONDON (AP) — Igor Thiago celebrated his first call-up to the Brazil squad by scoring Brentford’s second goal in a 2-2 thriller against Wolves in the Premier League on Monday.
Nearing halftime, the striker tapped into the empty net for his 19th league goal of the season.
A few minutes earlier, Michael Kayode's glancing header put Brentford 1-0 up. It was his first goal in his 41st league appearance for the Bees.
Adam Armstrong pulled a goal back for Wolves a minute before halftime to round off a thrilling half.
Wolves, the league's bottom side, equalized with 13 minutes left when Tolu Arokodare headed home at the back post.
The result extended Wolves' unbeaten league run to three games but it remained bottom of the table, 12 points from safety.
“We know where we are in the league, it hasn’t been good enough," Armstrong said, "but since I’ve come in it’s been very positive. The results have been changing. To get my first goal is nice but the main thing is to get the three points. We didn’t quite get that today but we’ll take the positives.”
Brentford stayed in seventh place, two points ahead of Everton but three behind Chelsea.
"We’re disappointed to have let the game slip," Bees captain Jordan Henderson said.
Just hours before kickoff, Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti named Thiago in the squad for friendlies against France in Boston on March 26 and Croatia in Orlando four days later.
The former Cruzeiro, Ludogorets and Brugge striker was one of nine forwards included in a 26-man list that featured Endrick of Lyon, Rayan of Bournemouth, and João Pedro of Chelsea but no Neymar, who has underperformed recently at Santos.
He has excelled for Brentford this season and could have scored one or two more against Wolves. His 19-goal tally is the highest ever by a Brentford player in one Premier League season.
