MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MARCH 30: Ronald Holland II #00 of the Detroit Pistons and Donte DiVincenzo #0 of the Minnesota Timberwolves fight in the second quarter. Holland II and DiVincenzo were ejected from the game at Target Center on March 30, 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
The Detroit Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves could be a terrific matchup, but it’d be even better if both sides had healthy lineups. Unfortunately, neither do. Cade Cunningham and Isaiah Stewart, effectively the first and fourth(?) most important members of the Pistons, are out. For the Timberwolves, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, and Ayo Dosunmu will be absent. You can consider Edwards and McDaniels as fulfilling similar roles to Cunningham and Stewart (though as Minny’s best defender, he’s probably closer to Ausar Thompson), and Donsunmu is like Daniss Jenkins and Marcus Sasser combined. Those absences for the Wolves mean we will see veteran Mike Conley and second-year player Terrence Shannon Jr. enter the starting lineup. The game also has big NBA Draft implications, because the Pistons have the right to swap first-rounders in this year’s draft. Currently, the Wolves are in slot No. 22, and Detroit owns pick No. 28. A Pistons win can do nothing but help because Minnesota can’t fall enough in the standings to keep their pick.
Game Vitals
When: 5:30 p.m. ET Where: Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota Watch: ABC/ Fan Duel Sports Network Detroit Odds: Pistons -1.5
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 18: Charles Bassey #99 of the Boston Celtics looks on during the game against the Golden State Warriors on March 18, 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
BOSTON — Charles Bassey has played for five different NBA teams since being drafted in 2021. This season, he’s bounced around the league on Ten-Day contracts, enjoying stints with the Philadelphia 76ers and Golden State Warriors.
Since mid-March, he’s been with the Celtics; Bassey signed his first Ten-Day contract on March 15th, and his second this past Sunday.
And, while he doesn’t know what his future holds, this stint in Boston has stood out.
“This is professional,” Bassey told CelticsBlog. “Everything the coaches do, the players — it’s just direct. It’s just fun because everybody comes in and works, and they come in with a smile on their faces. It’s been great, to be honest. It’s been good being here.”
This month isn’t Bassey’s first experience with the Celtics. The 25-year-old spent this past Summer League with the Celtics, where he spoke openly about wanting to be a part of a championship-caliber organization.
Now, he’s seeing the behind-the-scenes of how the Celtics operate, and it’s struck him so far.
Optional workouts? Everyone files in, even the team’s stars, whether for rehab, on-court work, or film breakdowns.
“When the coach says, ‘Okay, there’s optional stuff, but you don’t [have to] come in’, everybody still shows up,” Bassey said. “That just helps the team grow, and helps build connection with the team. Guys are just coming in ready to work every day, regardless if it’s optional — you got to show up. They’re always in the gym, they’re always in the practice facility, so they put in the work. Me coming in and seeing that, it’s fun.”
His transition has been made easier due to the fact that the team is filled with familiar faces. Hugo Gonzalez, Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, Max Shulga, and Amari Williams were also all on the Summer League team — that’s five of the Celtics’ 13 rostered players.
On top of that, Bassey played against Luka Garza in college and knows both Garza and Neemias Queta from his time in the G League.
There’s a lot of familiarity with the coaching staff; he’s mostly worked with player development coaches Nana Foulland and Steve Tchiechang, both of whom he first got to know in July. Bassey oftentimes gets in post work before games alongside fellow center Williams.
A peak into pregame player development with Charles Bassey, who signed a new 10-Day contract
Player development coaches Nana Foulland, Da’Sean Butler, God Shammgod Jr., and Steve Tchiengang leading post drills here pic.twitter.com/GFJj9fO4mo
“Everybody I was working with in the summer leagues are the same coaches I’m working with right now,” Bassey said. “So, it’s just familiar faces.”
Bassey is now on his second Ten-Day contract with the Celtics — that contract expires on April 3rd, and his future in Boston is uncertain. The Celtics are required to have 14 players on their roster, so they’ll have to sign someone once Bassey’s contract expires. Bassey is an option, or the team could go with someone else, such as a former Ten-Day player like Dalano Banton.
For now, he’s working hard to stay ready in case an opportunity emerges.
“You just gotta come ready to walk, man,” Bassey said. “You never know — there might be opportunities. So you just gotta come ready to just work, show the coaches and the guys you’re ready to work and help the team any way you can.”
Mar 28, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) shoots during the first quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Usually, these Victor Wemanyama – Giannis Antetokounmpo match-ups have been must-watch TV, but with the latter out along with several more members of the Bucks’ main rotation, it was another methodical Spurs blowout win against a struggling opponent. Things were clicking offensively for everyone not named Wemby in this one, and they used a full team effort to put the Bucks away 127-95, despite Milwaukee trying to make things interesting with a hot third quarter that still didn’t even put a dent in the Spurs’ lead.
Stephon Castle led the way with an efficient 22-10-10 triple-double, and while it wasn’t his most efficient shooting night ever on just 7-21 shooting with no threes, Wemby still had 23 points, 15 rebounds and 6 assists. Six Bucks scored in double figures, led by 18 from Gary Trent and 15 from Myles Turner.
Observations
Am I the only one who hates this 2 PM Saturday time slot for NBA games? This may sound weird coming from someone who likes lazy weekends on the couch and watches plenty of Saturday afternoon sports during college football season, but this just doesn’t jive with NBA ball for me. (Maybe it’s also in the back of my head that Spurs and matinee games never go well together, but the early tip-off didn’t bother them today.)
I love a good revenge shot. Despite the score, it was a physical game with Wemby ending up on the floor multiple times. At one point in the first quarter, the Bucks had a 5 on 4 advantage because Myles Turner had knocked Wemby over on defensive rebound, and he was able to sprint down the court unimpeded for a dunk. But the Spurs were quickly able to quiet the crowd as Castle jab-stepped Turner to fake him out and send him backwards before burying the spot-up three. Overall it was a solid first quarter for the Spurs, who gradually built the lead up to 37-24 with methodical team work, 61% shooting and 19 combined points from Castle and Devin Vassell.
The shots weren’t falling for Wemby in this one, but his passing game was on point with three assists in the first half, including a Manu-esque behind-the-back pass to Castle for a dunk and alley-oop pass to Carter Bryant. Usually Wemby is on the the receiving ends of oops, but a recurring development lately has been him using his gravitational pull to find his open teammates, and despite his height, he’s surprisingly accurate as an oop passer. The Spurs still led by 22 at halftime despite just five points from Wemby.
Wemby finally got his first block early in the second half, which was one of his signature high-point blocks above the backboard square. I guess the refs are still new to seeing this from Wemby, because they called goal tending, which Mitch Johnson immediately and successfully challenged.
The Bucks threaded to make things interesting with a hot start to the third quarter by exploding from three (they hit 8 in the quarter after only 4 in the first half) and cutting the deficit to 13, but in yet another sign of how far this Spurs team has come, they didn’t panic or fold, but instead came out of timeout and promptly went on an 8-0 run, spearheaded by two Vassell threes and a Dylan Harper lay-up. Despite the offensive onslaught from the Bucks in that quarter, the Spurs still managed to outscore them by one by dominating the paint.
Luke Kornet finally attempted his first three of the season at the third quarter buzzer, and it circled around the rim and out. His reaction was typical hilarious Kornet, with him kneeling over with a smile a clinched fists, wishing so badly that a shot that didn’t matter would have gone in.
The Spurs opened the fourth on an 11-0 run with Wemby presumably trying to improve his numbers to make his MVP case, as he drove with determination and usually ended up getting fouled. He was laughing through it all, but otherwise it felt weird that he was still out there and playing so hard despite it being a blowout. He finally exited with under six minutes to go.
The loss means the Bucks will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2016, and it will be Doc Rivers’ first losing season since 2007 with the Celtics. But that is also a reminder to the Spurs: you don’t have to make the playoffs the year before to win a championship the next season. Granted, it won’t be on the back of a super team built the same way the 2008 Celtics were, but they also don’t have to listen to this “lack of experience” talk.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Paige Vanstee totaled 25 points and nine rebounds to help Grand Valley State beat Indiana (PA) 72-49 on Saturday and win a second straight Division II Championship.
Grand Valley State, the top seed, finishes 36-1 in snagging its third overall championship in three trips to the final. The Lakers lost one game last season — by two points — on its way to the title under Mike Williams. Its only loss this season under Williams was a 78-77 defeat at the hands of Wayne State in early February. Williams has won two straight WBCA NCAA Division II coach of the year awards.
Vanstee made 9 of 11 shots with two 3-pointers and 5 of 7 free throws for the Lakers. She added three steals and three blocks. Nicole Kamin and MacKenzie Bisballe both scored 18. Kamin added five rebounds and four assists, while Bisballe grabbed seven boards and blocked five shots.
Teresa Maggio scored 20 to lead the second-seeded Crimson Hawks (31-4), who advanced — under the guidance of coach Craig Carey — to the championship game for the first time in program history.
Bisballe and Kamin both had two baskets as the Lakers jumped out to a 10-2 lead in the first 4:22 and never looked back. They led 17-8 after one quarter, 41-24 at halftime and 58-35 heading to the final period.
Grand Valley State shot 62.2% overall, including 38.5% from 3-point range. Indiana (PA) shot 31.1% and missed 10 of 12 from beyond the arc.
Grand Valley State beat American International 58-52 to win the 2006 championship under coach Dawn Plitzuweit.
Mar 4, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) controls the ball while Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) defends during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
The Celtics could be extremely short-handed when they face the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday evening. Jayson Tatum (right Achilles repair management), Jaylen Brown (left Achilles tendonitis), Neemias Queta (right thumb sprain), and Derrick White (right knee contusion) are all questionable to play.
And, Nikola Vucevic remains out as he continues to recover from a fractured right ring finger he suffered on March 6th.
Brown, Queta, and White were all questionable ahead of Friday’s game against the Hawks with their respective injuries, but only Brown missed time. Joe Mazzulla said Brown was day-to-day and did not offer more specifics regarding the extent of his injury.
Sunday’s game is the first in a four-game Celtics road trip — and comes on the first night of a back-to-back for Boston. They’ll face the Atlanta Hawks on Monday, the Miami Heat on Wednesday, and the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday.
The Hornets will be mostly healthy except for Tidjane Salaun, who is out with a left calf strain.
How the Celtics, Hornets stack up
The Celtics and Hornets have faced off once this season, with Charlotte coming away with a 118-89 win over Boston on March 4th. That was one of the Celtics’ largest losses of the season, and came amid the Hornets playing some of their best basketball of the season.
The Hornets have been steadily climbing through the standings, and now have a 39-34 record, good for 8th-best in the Eastern Conference. They have a 13-5 record since the All-Star break, and could be a prospective first-round matchup for Boston.
The Celtics widened their lead for second place in the East with a 109-102 win over the Hawks on Friday.
After this game, the Celtics and Hornets will face off again on April 7th in Boston for one final regular-season match-up.
Celtics-Hornets tips off at 6pm ET on Sunday at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MARCH 14: Kevin Porter Jr. #7 of the Milwaukee Bucks drives to the basket during the second quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on March 14, 2026 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. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s quite possible we’ve seen the last of Kevin Porter Jr. in 2025–26. Prior to today’s game against the San Antonio Spurs, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said that he would be “surprised” if KPJ played again this season. The news was initially reported by Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
It’s been an injury-riddled season for KPJ, as he’s only been able to suit up for 38 games. This latest injury is right knee synovitis in the same knee he had meniscus surgery on in October, which caused him to miss four weeks. According to the Cleveland Clinic, synovitis is swelling of the synovial membrane that lines some joints in the leg. Porter has missed nine of the last 12 games with this latest ailment, last playing on March 17. When he has suited up, KPJ has put up some of the best numbers of his career since his last season in Houston, averaging 17.4 PPG, 7.4 APG, 5.2 RPG, and a shooting line of .465/.322/.878.
Milwaukee sits nine games back of the Heat for 10th in the East, and with a loss today, the Bucks will officially be eliminated from playoff contention. It’s likely the team will play this injury with more caution than the others. So, unfortunately for Porter, he’ll likely have to wait until next season to beat Bam Adebayo’s 83-point single-game scoring mark.
That shifts Porter’s focus to the off-season, and it’s not guaranteed that KPJ returns to Milwaukee. Porter holds a $5.4m player option for 2026–27, making him an unrestricted free agent this summer if he declines it. If he opts out, the Bucks will have his Bird rights and access to the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception of $15.1m, giving Milwaukee the chance to give KPJ a raise themselves.
DETROIT (AP) — Catherine Dubois scored twice in a three-goal third period to rally the Montreal Victoire to a 3-1 victory over the New York Sirens on Saturday in a Takeover Tour stop at Little Caesars Arena.
Montreal (12-4-2-5) pulled within two points of the front-running Boston Fleet with three weeks left in the regular season.
New York (8-0-3-12) took a 1-0 lead when Casey O'Brien was in the right spot to knock in a rebound on a shot by Jaime Bourbonnais that goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens blocked but couldn't corral at 9:09.
Bourbonnais notched her ninth assist and Anne Cherkowski collected her sixth O'Brien's sixth goal of the season.
Dubois pulled Montreal even 1:54 into the third period and gave the Victoire a 2-1 lead less than five minutes later with her fourth goal of the campaign. Natálie Mlýnková earned her fifth assist on Dubois’ first netter. Shiann Darkangelo and Kaitlin Willoughby both notched their third assists on the go-ahead score.
Laura Stacey scored for the sixth time this season, adding an insurance goal at 7:29. Kati Tabin tallied her ninth assist and Hayley Scamurra collected her eighth.
Desbiens had 23 saves for Montreal.
Kayle Osborne stopped 26 shots in goal for New York.
Montreal outshot New York 29-24 after the Sirens had an 11-2 advantage in the first period.
New York had not shut out an opponent through the first two periods since Jan. 6 in a 2-0 victory over the Toronto Sceptres.
Up next
New York: Hosts the Minnesota Frost on Wednesday.
Montreal: Hosts the Vancouver Goldeneyes on Wednesday.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 31: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns handles the ball against Ace Bailey #19 of the Utah Jazz during the first half of the Emirates NBA Cup game at Mortgage Matchup Center on October 31, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Jazz 118-96. 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 Kelsey Grant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Who: Phoenix Suns (40-33) vs. Utah Jazz (21-53)
When: 7:00pm Arizona Time
Where: Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, Arizona
Watch: Arizona’s Family 3TV, Arizona’s Family Sports, NBA TV
Listen: ESPN 620 / S: KSUN
This will be the third and final meeting between the Suns and Jazz this year. The season series stands at 1-1 after an October in which they met twice.
The Suns come into this one as winners of just one of their last seven games. It is worth noting, however, that half of those six losses came in one-possession games.
It could be worse for Phoenix. The Utah Jazz come into tonight’s game as the winners of just three of their last nineteen, including a loss to Jokic and the Nuggets last night.
Probable Starters
Now, if you are like me, you see this Utah Jazz starting lineup and are a bit confused. Ace Bailey is playing center? Didn’t he get drafted as a wing? Well, my friends, the Utah Jazz are once again committing to the most horrendous of tanks. They are rolling out nothing but guards and wings in their starting lineup, so I just listed them from 1-5 based on height. Ace Bailey is the tallest of these five at 6’9”.
Injury Report
Suns
Grayson Allen – QUESTIONABLE (Knee)
Haywood Highsmith – OUT (Knee)
Dillon Brooks – OUT (Hand)
Mark Williams – OUT (Foot)
Amir Coffey – OUT (Ankle)
Jazz
Isaiah Collier – OUT (Hamstring)
Keyonte George – OUT (Hamstring)
Jaren Jackson Jr. – OUT (Knee)
Walker Kessler – OUT (Shoulder)
Lauri Markkanen – OUT (Hip)
Jusuf Nurkic – OUT (Nose)
What to Watch For
This shouldn’t be close. The Jazz are coming off the second night of a back-to-back and the Suns have mostly done well in taking care of business this season against poor teams. The Suns will be bigger and have both the rest and talent advantage.
I am hoping for a big lead early and some extended run for Maluach, Fleming, and Dunn throughout the game. With the season winding down towards the playoffs and the Valley Suns season conclusion, we are quickly approaching a point where these guys are going to get their minutes slashed. The only one that I think Coach Ott may keep in his playoff rotation is Fleming, as he seems to be the one of the three that Ott trusts the most.
Key to a Suns Win
While tonight shouldn’t be close, it has the potential to be a trap game. The Jazz have beaten good teams this year, such as Detroit and San Antonio. Utah is surprisingly 9th in the NBA in points scored. Of course, that number is boosted by the first two-thirds of the season when their players were actually playing. As a counterpoint, even with their best players playing for most of the year, the Jazz have given up more points than any other team in the NBA this season.
The Jazz are young and small tonight. If the Suns can crash the glass with effort, this should be an obvious win.
Prediction
I think the Suns will get out to a big lead early tonight, and I think Oso Ighodaro will have a big game. He is coming off of a battle with Jokic in which he put up 15 points and 6 rebounds on good efficiency. After matching up against the Joker, playing against anyone else has to feel like bowling with guardrails.
BENGALURU, India (AP) — Star batter Virat Kohli hit 69 not out off 38 balls, including five sixes and five fours, as defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by six wickets in the Indian Premier League season-opener on Saturday.
Devdutt Padikkal smashed a 26-ball 61, with four sixes and seven fours, as Bengaluru raced to 203-4 in 15.4 overs with 26 deliveries to spare.
Earlier, New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy picked up 3-22 in four overs on his IPL debut as Hyderabad finished with 201-9 in 20 overs. Stand-in skipper Ishan Kishan hit 80 off 38 balls, including five sixes, with Aniket Verma adding an 18-ball 43.
Chasing a par score at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru lost Phil Salt cheaply – out caught for eight.
But impact substitute Padikkal lived up to his role as he raced to 50 off 21 balls. He put on 101 runs off 45 deliveries with Kohli as Bengaluru set a hectic pace in its chase – 76-1 in powerplay and 100 off just 8.1 overs.
Padikkal was caught in the 9th over, but skipper Rajat Patidar didn’t let the momentum slip. He smashed 31 off 12 balls and put on 53 off 22 with Kohli for the third wicket.
Sunrisers’ impact player David Payne struck twice in the 13th over – Patidar and Jitesh Sharma (0) were caught off consecutive deliveries.
But Kohli paced the chase well and Bengaluru was never in serious trouble.
Kohli brought up his 64th IPL half-century off 33 balls to the delight of a packed home ground and then raced to the finish, hitting 18 off Harshal Patel’s four deliveries in the 16th over.
Tim David hit 16 not out off 10 balls, sharing a 40-run unbeaten stand with Kohli off 19 balls.
Hyderabad struggles
Put into bat, Hyderabad’s top order struggled against Duffy’s disciplined bowling. Big hitting openers Abhishek Sharma (7) and Travis Head (11) fell cheaply, while Nitish Reddy was out caught for 1.
Hyderabad was 29-3 in 4.2 overs, when Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen came to the rescue with 97 off 53 for the fourth wicket.
Kishan continued his T20 World Cup form to rescue his side, hitting five sixes and eight fours in his 27-ball 50.
Klaasen made 31 off 22, and looked good for more. He was adjudged caught at midwicket off Romario Shepherd. Phil Salt’s catch was reviewed by the third umpire and Klaasen was not pleased with the decision.
Salt pulled another one-handed stunner at the deep point fence – already a contender for catch of the season – as he dived to the right to dismiss Kishan in the 16th over.
With Hyderabad running out of batting, Aniket Verma (43) smacked four sixes and three fours in 18 balls to take his side past the 200 mark.
But it never looked enough against a raging Bengaluru batting side.
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 25: The sneakers worn by Chet Holmgren #7 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the game against the Boston Celtics on March 25, 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
MIAMI, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 09: Jaren Jackson Jr. #20 of the Utah Jazz reacts against the Miami Heat during the first quarter at Kaseya Center on February 09, 2026 in Miami, Florida. 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 Tomas Diniz Santos/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s a close one in this latest Utah Jazz Reacts survey results. The Utah Jazz are going to be very good next year, and I was curious who Jazz fans think will be the most important player. These results don’t include the potential results of the upcoming NBA lottery and draft, and that may change thinking come May, but they do involve the five core players of the Jazz right now: Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, and Walker Kessler. Here’s what Jazz fans said:
By one percentage point, Lauri Markkanen takes the lead as the most important Jazz player going into next season. Probably not surprising, as he’s the most well-known Jazz player. We’ll see how important Markkanen is next season as the Jazz play for wins and a chance at a championship. If Markkanen is your most important player, does that make for a championship team? We’ll find out.
When the Wizards played the Spurs in late December, Jamir Watkins spent a bunch of time guarding Victor Wembanyma. Wemby faces physical, dogged defenders who get up under him all the time. Watkins seemed to present a new challenge.
The Wizards’ second round rookie mirrored Wemby’s lanky dribble and looked ready to rocket into the air at every moment to contest sky-high jumpers. In a game where the Wizards characteristically gave up a lot of points, Watkins changed the tenor by blanketing the Spurs’ best player.
The Wizards have found something here. They rewarded Watkins last month by converting his two-way contract into a two-year, fully-guaranteed deal.
His offense is, to put it mildly, a work in progress. But his defense jumps off the TV screen. There is elite potential here, and it is one of the current joys of watching this Wizards team.
Take this play from last weekend’s game against Oklahoma City:
The impeccable closeout might be my favorite thing here. He’s able to bound full speed to the perimeter, then slide his feet and shut off any advantage.
From there, he’s actually a beat slow to recognize that Jared McCain is spinning into a dribble hand-off. It simply doesn’t matter. Watkins beams back to the perimeter and blows up the whole play.
Already, Watkins is one of the best defensive playmakers in the NBA. Per Databallr, he ends 4.2 percent of his defensive possessions with a steal, block, or foul drawn — a 97th percentile figure.
The Wizards have him guard every position. In the same game against Cleveland earlier this year, he spent time on both Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen. He defends bouncing on his toes, as though every dribble is available for the taking. He has an impressive ability to balance in-your-jersey aggression with fundamental sliding and mirroring.
Watch him track Jamal Murray, recover from being screened, and contest his shot at the rim:
His length and quickness has made him an especially intriguing fit defending lead guards. He is at his best picking guys up high on the court and turning simple actions into a chore. But as we saw in the Spurs game, he is also an asset guarding (way) up in size. When Watkins is on the court, the Wizards are six points better per 100 possessions on defense.
Like most rookies, he has areas where his feel will improve and he can match his boundless athleticism with technique. He has an inclination toward gambling. Sometimes, he relies a little too much on his own athleticism — letting guys drive, then trusting himself to make an unlikely recovery. His off-ball recognition will get better with experience.
I’m most intrigued by his rim protection upside. As good as he is at blowing plays up and forcing turnovers, he can get better at understanding when guys like to get their shots off, and how he can generate a quality contest.
Watkins defends 10.3 shots at the rim per 100 possessions, which is the most in the entire NBA for qualified non-bigs. He is also tracked as the closest defender on more than 20 shots per game all over the court, another elite number. Still, he is only in the 17th-percentile at impacting those shots, meaning opponents are hitting those shots above their regular averages.
Those stats are admittedly noisy, and are partially a product of the Wizards’ general porous defense. But Watkins has room to grow in tracking guys over screens, staying down on fakes, and contesting straight-up at the rim.
He has all the tools to get there. He is clearly very good already. As moribund as the Wizards can look defensively at times, Watkins is a flash of lightning who catches opponents off guard and changes the shape of the game.
To hold onto a role in the NBA, he’ll have to find a role on offense. Promisingly, he’s shooting 34 percent on corner threes. (Don’t look at his above-the-break percentage.) Otherwise, while we’ve seen some brief flashes, he rarely gets the ball and doesn’t put up many shots. Given that he’s too small to carve out a niche as a small-ball five, he’ll have to gain more comfort and feel attacking from the perimeter.
With his defensive ability, he deserves a long leash. There’s not many guys in the NBA who can do what he does.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Magnitude beat race favorite Forever Young to win the Dubai Gold Cup on Saturday in the first major outdoors sporting event since the outbreak of the Iran War.
The 4-year-old American horse, ridden by Jose Ortiz and trained by Steven Asmussen, successfully resisted a determined effort from Japan's Forever Young with Ryusei Sakai on board, to win the almost $7 million first prize.
Meydaan was third, followed by Imperial Emperor, both Irish horses.
There was a total of €12 million in prize money for the 9-horse race.
This could have been a matchup of two of the best young stars in the NBA. Instead, both the Detroit Pistons and the Minnesota Timberwolves are having their depth tested with Cade Cunningham and Anthony Edwards sidelined.
My Pistons vs. Timberwolves predictions and NBA picks see value in those injury absences on Saturday, March 28, with Naz Reid stepping up to fill the void.
Don't miss tip-off at 5:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
Pistons vs Timberwolves prediction
Pistons vs Timberwolves best bet: Naz Reid Over 14.5 points (-120)
It would be understandable to accuse me of suggesting this bet as a reaction to Scott Foster’s egregious ejection of Naz Reid in overtime in Wednesday’s utterly chaotic Minnesota Timberwolves win against the Rockets. Foster’s idiocy and the subsequent $50,000 fine levied on Reid do not hurt the motivation here, but the logic is actually much more tangible.
Jaden McDaniels has been ruled out for this matchup against the Detroit Pistons. Without McDaniels and Edwards around, more of the Timberwolves’ offense will run through Reid.
Yes, that is also true of Ayo Dosunmu, but with a tender calf, he may not be as frenetic in transition, and that could suddenly worry his points prop of 16.5 (with the Over juiced to -120 at bet365).
Reid, however, should see some minutes at the three in McDaniels’s stead, and he should take those added minutes and turn them into transition buckets, offensive rebounds and open 3s.
As much as Dosunmu and Bones Hyland have gotten the headlines for Minnesota finding some gear in transition, Reid deserves even more credit. He has always been eager to push it. He was running the floor with the “Twin Turbos” guards as soon as they were on the Timberwolves’ roster.
With Daniss Jenkins now carrying an inordinate workload for the Pistons without Cunningham, a few more transition opportunities may be available. Jenkins has turned over the ball at least three times in three of his last four games, including six against Atlanta on Wednesday.
Pistons vs Timberwolves same-game parlay
These are all bets on quality players taking advantage of added minutes due to stars’ absences. With Cunningham sidelined due to a collapsed lung, second-year St. John’s product Daniss Jenkins has cleared this points prop in his last four games, averaging 22.5 points and 13.75 shot attempts per game.
Pistons vs Timberwolves SGP
Naz Reid Over 14.5 points
Naz Reid Over 6.5 rebounds
Daniss Jenkins Over 16.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: No Edwards, No Problem
On a night-to-night basis, the Timberwolves are not better without Anthony Edwards, but they are more consistent. It is not a total surprise that Minnesota has gone 4-1 against the spread with Edwards sidelined by knee inflammation, with four of those five games hitting their Unders.
Pistons vs Timberwolves SGP
Timberwolves -2
Under 223.5
Naz Reid Over 14.5 points
Pistons vs Timberwolves odds
Spread: Detroit -1.5 | Minnesota +1.5
Moneyline: Detroit -125 | Minnesota +105
Over/Under: Over 221 | Under 221
Pistons vs Timberwolves betting trend to know
The Timberwolves have not only gone 4-1 ATS without Edwards since March 17, they have also exceeded bookmakers’ expectations by an average of 10.3 points per game, even when including the sole ATS loss. Find more NBA betting trends for Pistons vs. Timberwolves.
How to watch Pistons vs Timberwolves
Location
Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Date
Saturday, March 28, 2026
Tip-off
5:30 p.m. ET
TV
ABC
Pistons vs Timberwolves latest injuries
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Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much.
It’s the final stretch of the season, and your intrepid game thread writer has gone on vacation. While I’m on a boat in the middle of the ocean, you people get to watch the Spurs, and talk to each other in the game thread. No worries, I’ll be back before the playoffs. In the meantime: GO SPURS GO!!
[NOTE: while Mark is on vacation, the game prediction will be replaced by a random fact from the archives.]
Random Fact:
Scurvy isn’t real. It’s just something that Big Citrus made up to sell more fruit to pirates.
San Antonio Spurs at Milwaukee Bucks March 28, 2026 | 2:00 PM CT Streaming: NBA League Pass TV: Prime/FanDuel Sports Southwest Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
