Category: NBA

The Dallas Mavericks (22-45) complete their season series with the Cleveland Cavaliers (41-26) Sunday with an early 2:30pm CST tipoff at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. The two teams met Friday with Cleveland routing the Mavericks at American Airlines Center, 138-105. Cavs center Evan Mobley led all scorers with 29 points on 12-15 shooting, while the Mavericks were led by Cooper Flagg’s 25, as he emerged from an injury-related slump with a monster third quarter.

For the Mavericks, Friday’s game ended a one-game winning streak that was scarcely 24 hours old as they beat Memphis the night before, 120-112, ending an eight-game skid. For Cleveland, a won Sunday would equal their longest win streak since Feb. 20, as a tough run of the schedule including the Thunder, Celtics, Knicks, Pistons, Magic, and 76ers ended a win streak that reached seven games as the team brought aboard guard James Harden in a trade Feb. 3. While the team hasn’t yet replicated the wins from that honeymoon period, Harden’s time meshing with his new teammates looks promising as Cleveland gears for a deep playoff run.

The Cavaliers, who treated much of Friday’s matchup in Dallas as a tune-up game as they determine their playoff rotation and build chemistry with Harden, will bring a deeper roster to Sunday’s game as center Jarrett Allen and wing Max Strus plan to return from knee and foot injuries.

Game of inches

The Mavericks, for whom perimeter defense is already a nightly liability, were also without much size Friday to counter the Cavs’ relentless attacks at the rim. Forward PJ Washington and centers Daniel Gafford and Moussa Cisse were all unavailable, as frontcourts anchored by Marvin Bagley III and Dwight Powell got torched for 72 paint points achieved through a dazzling array of methods. Guard Donovan Mitchell got to his spots at will, making 10 of 12 two-pointers, while Harden and Mobley seemingly found a breakthrough building the pick-and-roll rapport that has proven elusive in their six weeks so far as teammates. Against the Mavericks, Harden and Mobley each seemed to speed things up with Harden attacking earlier off screens and Mobley rolling much harder to the basket, and the yield was lobs, pocket passes, and finishes with an easy rhythm as Harden was able to get Mobley switched onto guards and strike.

Allen, a more conventional kind of screener and roller than Mobley, is already a match for Harden’s style of play, with the 21.5 points per game he has averaged playing with Harden (not counting the game Allen left with injury against Detroit March 3) raising his season scoring average to 15.3. If the Mavericks offer the kind of resistance at the rim that was on display Friday (Washington, Gafford, and Cisse are all day-to-day), expect Harden to use this game as a laboratory to synthesize Allen’s and Mobley’s natural abilities, waiting a beat longer to accelerate around Allen’s hard screens, and finding the versatile Mobley further from the basket more often.

Welcome wagon

Max Strus also returns for Cleveland against the Mavericks; on Feb, 27, 2024 he caught fire late against a very different Mavericks club, connecting on five three-pointers in the game’s final five minutes, including the game-winner- a 60’ heave on a last-second inbounds that closed it with the Cavs up 121-119. Strus, a starter in 37 of the 50 games he has played this year, joins a wing core that had things humming against the Mavericks Friday, as Keon Ellis hit three of his five three-pointers in his first start for Cleveland and Plano native Jaylon Tyson made two of his three. The team was nearly as effective shooting beyond the arc, making 18 of 38, as it was in the paint.

How not to repeat history

While Flagg’s brilliant second half and Naji Marshall’s return to form Friday gave Mavericks fans something to cheer for besides the team’s draft lottery chances, there were not many other bright spots, as jumping out to an early two-bucket lead in the game’s opening minutes doesn’t qualify as a bright spot given what followed. In the game’s second quarter, in which the Mavericks actually played the Cavs to a 29-29 tie, eight Maverick turnovers led to 13 Cleveland points. Dallas went on to cough it up 17 times in the game overall, and although Ryan Nembhard’s 9-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio counts as a bright spot, the undersized Mavs backcourt’s inability to stop Harden and Mitchell made for bright spots for quite a few folks wearing wine and gold.

While the Mavericks will probably run some different lineups at the Cavs, the most likely result will be another early night on the bench for Harden, Mitchell, and Co., while the Mavericks get another long look at forwards Thomas Bryant and Nae’Qwan Tomlin, who combined to go seven-for-seven on two-point attempts. Winning is still the objective for this hard-playing Mavericks team, but its fans can be forgiven for quietly rooting for another strong Coop performance and no lost ground in the “other” standings if things go sideways as rapidly as they did Friday.

How to watch/listen

You can watch the game on NBA TV, KFAA Channel 29, or MAVS TV (streaming), or listen at 97.1FM KEGL (English), and 99.1FM KFZO (español).

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Hany Mukhtar scored four minutes into second-half stoppage time — the 25,000th goal in MLS history — and Brian Schwake earned his second clean sheet in his fourth MLS start as Nashville SC beat the Columbus Crew 1-0 on Saturday night.

Mukhtar subbed in to begin the second half for Nashville (3-0-1) before scoring for the second time this season. It was his 84th goal in 183 career appearances with the club.

The 34-year-old Schwake saved two shots for the shutout.

Cristian Espinoza collected his second assist of the season on Mukhtar's goal and defender Andy Nájar notched his first. Espinoza, in his first season with Nashville, had 70 assists in 218 appearances for the San Jose Earthquakes dating to 2019. Nájar had a career-high 10 assists with Nashville last season, his first with the club.

Patrick Schulte totaled three saves in goal for the Crew (0-2-2), who were also shut out at home last week in a scoreless draw with the Chicago Fire.

Nashville had three players receive first-half yellow cards — Jack Maher, Ahmed Qasem and Woobens Pacius. Sam Surridge and Mukhtar replaced Qasem and Pacius after halftime.

Twenty-year-old Taha Habroune had his first goal of the season and the second of his career waived off for Nashville in the 18th minute when Max Arfsten was caught offside after a video review.

Nashville played to a 2-2 draw in Columbus last season and beat the Crew 3-0 at home.

The all-time series is tied 4-4-4.

Up next

Nashville: Hosts Orlando City on Saturday.

Columbus: Visits Toronto FC on Saturday.

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

LAS VEGAS (AP) — MJ Collins Jr. scored 20 points to lead No. 1 seed Utah State past No. 2 seed San Diego State 73-62 on Saturday to win the Mountain West Championship.

Collins was 8-of-15 shooting and 4 of 10 behind the arc with three steals for the Aggies (28-6). Mason Falslev, who was named Mountain West Player of the Year, had 16 points — 10 in the second half — and six assists. Drake Allen added 13 points and six rebounds.

The Aggies led by one point with 7:40 to go before going on a 12-2 run over the next three minutes, led by a pair of 3-pointers from Collins. The Aztecs (22-11) never got closer than eight points after that.

Reese Dixon-Waters led the Aztecs with 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting. BJ Davis scored 14 and Magoon Gwath had 12 to go with eight rebounds.

It's the final Mountain West Conference game for both teams. They'll head to the Pac-12 after this season. The Aztecs' 46 Mountain West tournament wins are the most in conference history.

The Aggies have punched a ticket to the NCAA Tournament, while the Aztecs will have to wait to see their fate on Sunday.

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The Boston Celtics won their 44th game of the season and the team’s 11th consecutive game against the Washington Wizards with a 111-100 showing on Saturday at TD Garden.

After two tough losses to the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder over the past week, Boston could have been at risk of suffering the team’s first three-game losing streak since going 0-3 to start the season.

Luckily, the Celtics were gifted with a matchup against the lowly 16-49 Wizards, the loser of 10 straight heading into the game.

Washington has not won a game against Boston since March 28, 2023, when Kristaps Porziņģis torched the C’s with 32 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 stocks — a game that might have inspired Brad Stevens to trade for the lengthy Latvian.

The Wizards had no such savior on Sunday, as Neemias Queta feasted on Washington’s porous post defense to the tune of 24 points and 10 rebounds, leading Boston to a 3-0 sweep of the season series.

Boston started Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, Jayson Tatum and Neemias Queta. Nikola Vučević, who is not expected to return until early April, was the team’s only inactive player.

Washington started Trae Young, Tre Johnson, Bilal Coulibaly, Will Riley and Alex Sarr. Anthony Davis, Kyshawn George, D’Angelo Russell and Cam Whitmore were all inactive.

Neemias Queta got the Celtics started strong by scoring 8 of Boston’s first 10 points. He finished the first quarter with 13 points on 6 makes — his highest-scoring quarter of the season so far — and 3 rebounds over the frame.

While Queta dominated, the rest of the team struggled in the first quarter, especially from the perimeter, where Boston only hit 2 shots. Jaylen Brown was the only other Celtic to make multiple field goal attempts, with 3 makes. Derrick White and Baylor Scheierman each chipped in one three-point make.

Keep feeding the big fella 🍽️ pic.twitter.com/qKbPMx72gU

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 14, 2026

Jayson Tatum started the game 0-4 from the field, with one good-looking layup attempt roll off the rim, and 0-2 from three-point range.

On the other end, the Celtics had a hard time stopping the Wizards’ perimeter attack. Washington made 7-16 of its three-point attempts during the quarter, outnumbering Boston’s made threes by five.

Despite the shooting deficit and a missed buzzer beater attempt by Payton Pritchard, the Celtics ended the quarter up 29-27.

The second quarter began with a pair of high effort plays by Luka Garza, who scored Boston’s first two field goals of the quarter and 6 points over the frame’s first three minutes.

The lid also came off the basket a few minutes into the quarter for Sam Hauser. He hit his first three-point shot of the night early in the quarter, then his second less than a minute later.

Behind Garza’s effort, Hauser’s three-point makes, and some beautiful defense, the Celtics went on a 17-2 run over the first half of the second quarter that gave Boston the first big lead of the evening.

Queta also came back in with about 7 minutes left to go in the second quarter and immediately looked as dominant as he did in the first.

He followed his 13-point first quarter with a 9-point second quarter, as he continued to feast on a defense that seemingly refused to guard him. He finished the half with 22 points on 10-12 (83.3%) shooting from the field, 6 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block.

Much like Hauser, Tatum came alive in the second quarter. He scored his first points on a pair of free throws with 3 minutes left to go in the half. Tatum then hit a three-point shot less than a minute later, and a slick midrange shot a minute after that.

JT from wayyy out 🎯 pic.twitter.com/S9A861HzPQ

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 14, 2026

Despite poor efficiency, Tatum finished the half on pace for a triple-double, with 7 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists, as well as 1 steal.

The Celtics went into the half up 64-41 after winning the second quarter 35-14.

Tatum followed up his strong finish to the second quarter with a couple of early makes in the third quarter, and had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds with more than 20 minutes left to go in the game. He continued to attack the Wizards’ defense and racked up 11 points, 6 rebounds and 1 assist over the quarter.

Queta, Boston’s MVP of the first half, did not attempt a single shot throughout the quarter, but continued to keep Washington’s offense in check during his time on the court.

The Celtics went up by 30 with 4 minutes to go in the third quarter, but finished the frame with a 93-72 lead over the Wizards.

The game was all but over by the time the fourth quarter began, but Washington did not give up.

The Wizards went on a 7-0 run to start the final frame against Derrick and the Whites (Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, Baylor Scheierman, and Luka Garza) in a late attempt to narrow the lead.

Garza hit a pair of free throws and a three-point shot, but was subbed out alongside Hauser in favor of Queta and Jaylen Brown with about 8 minutes to go in the game.

Brown immediately scored on a driving layup, but Washington scored the game’s next three field goals to chip the lead down to 14.

The Celtics took a timeout and got Jayson Tatum back on the court, but the Wizards continued to hit shots. With less than 5 minutes to go, Washington was only down by 12.

Nevertheless, a Tatum layup and a fourth Hauser three-pointer brought the lead back up to 17 with 2:31 to go in the game. The starting crew was then subbed out with about 1:33 to go, and the bench was able to finish the game.

Queta finished the game as Boston’s top scorer, with 24 points on 11-13 (84.6%) shooting from the field, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks.

The euro step 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/9o04tjtABo

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 14, 2026

Tatum finished with the second-most points on the team, with 20 points on 8-19 (42.1%) shooting from the field, 14 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals.

Overall, the Celtics shot less efficiently than the Wizards, hitting 44.1% from the field and 26.1% from three-point range, while Washington shot 44% from the field and 38.5% from the perimeter.

Nevertheless, Boston won the battle of the boards, with 62 total rebounds to Washington’s 47, and won the math game, taking 9 more shot attempts than the Wizards.

The Celtics’ next game will be against the Phoenix Suns at 7:30 p.m. EST on Monday, March 16, at the TD Garden.

The Washington Wizards traveled to Boston to face the Celtics on Saturday in the final game of a three-game road trip. Behind a sluggish second quarter and poor interior defense, the Wizards fell, 111-100.

Boston opened a 20-11 lead thanks to a flurry of Neemias Queta layups. But Tristan Vukcevic answered with a trio of 3-pointers in less than two minutes to tie the game at 20. Washington’s bench outscored Boston’s bench 16-3 in the opening frame to enter the second quarter trailing 29-27.

The second quarter was dominated by the Celtics, who opened on a 19-2 scoring run to take a 19-point lead. Washington scored just two points over the first 7:28 of the frame as Boston locked in on the defensive end. Trae Young added a few late buckets, but the Wizards entered halftime trailing 64-41.

Young connected with Bilal Coulibaly on a half-court lob and Will Riley added a few baskets in the third quarter, but it wasn’t enough to trim the deficit. Boston opened a 30-point lead halfway through the frame and looked poised for a dominant win.

Jaden Hardy scored 12 points on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting to pull the Wizards within 12 points, but it wasn’t enough as the Celtics pulled away.

The loss marked Washington’s 11th straight defeat and dropped the team to 16-50. Young finished with 11 points and six assists. Vukcevic led all Wizards with a season-high 22 points.

ITHACA, N.Y. (AP) — Fadima Tall scored 20 points and Olivia Hutcherson sparked a late surge to help No. 23 Princeton beat Harvard 63-53 on Saturday to win the Ivy League Tournament.

Top-seeded Princeton (26-3) avenged last season’s tournament semifinal loss Harvard. The Crimson beat Columbia 74-71 in last season's title game.

The Tigers have won six of the eight championships in the tournament’s history, and will make their fifth-straight NCAA Tournament trip and 13th appearance since 2010.

Harvard used a 20-8 run between the third and fourth quarters to knot it 51-all with 4:01 to play. But the Tigers answered with Hutcherson, who scored eight points in a 12-2 run to end it.

Tall shot 8 of 12 from the floor and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds to go with four steals and three assists. Ashley Chea added 13 points for the Tigers and Hutcherson finished with 12.

Karlee White scored 15 points and Olivia Jones added 13 for No. 3 seed Harvard (18-11).

Princeton shot 49% from the field compared to Harvard's 39%. The Tigers made 18 of 22 free-throws attempts while the Crimson hit 8 of 11.

Harvard beat Columbia 67-65 in overtime to reach the title game. Columbia beat Princeton in both regular-season matchups.

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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — Kaemyn Bekemeier scored 16 points, Lainie Douglas had 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Missouri State shut down Louisiana Tech 43-38 in the championship game of the Conference USA Tournament on Saturday.

Sixth-seeded Missouri State (22-12) allowed just 12 points in the second half and won despite suffering through a nine-minute scoreless stretch in the fourth quarter.

Maiesha Washington’s layup with 9:25 remaining gave the Bears a 39-31 lead. It was their last made basket and they held on to the win despite missing their last nine shot attempts.

Each team managed two points in the first nine minutes of the fourth quarter, then a 3-pointer from Paris Bradley got the Lady Techsters within 39-36 with 33 seconds remaining.

Missouri State's Bekemeier and Maycee James made two free throws each sandwiched around a layup by LaTech's Averi Aaron to finish the scoring.

Bradley scored 14 points and Aaron 12 for top-seeded Louisiana Tech (26-6), which had won 19 straight. The Lady Techsters missed 15 of 16 shots during one stretch of the second half.

The Bears scored the first six points of the third quarter to take a 29-26 lead.

The score was 31-31 with three minutes left when Douglas and Kendal Brueggen scored on consecutive possessions for a 35-31 lead. Bekemeier finished the quarter with a jumper in the final minute for a 37-31 advantage.

Missouri State will be playing in the NCAA Tournament for the 18th time.

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HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Erin Condron scored 22 points and grabbed 14 rebounds and UC San Diego took control in the second and beat Hawaii 60-48 in the Big West Conference championship on Saturday.

Makayla Rose scored 17 points for the second-seeded Tritons (24-8), who clinched the Big West's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year.

It’s the fifth conference title for the Tritons during their 14-year tenure under head coach Heidi Vanderveer.

Bailey Flavell scored 13 points for fourth-seeded Hawaii (22-11).

After losing its first three games in conference play, the Rainbow Wahine went on a tear and entered Saturday's game having won 16 of 17 games, including nine straight.

Down 28-20 at halftime, the Tritons outscored Hawaii 20-9 in the third and took a 40-37 lead with 16 seconds left in the quarter and led for the remainder. UC San Diego pulled away on 10-for-15 shooting in the fourth quarter.

Hawaii used a 7-0 run in the final 1:44 of the first quarter to go up 13-6 at the end of one. In the second, UC San Diego scored five straight to get within 17-16 before Hawaii closed the quarter outscoring the Tritons 11-4.

Hawaii led 26-16 with 2 1/2 minutes left before the break having shot 11 fewer attempts than the Tritons who were (19%) 6-of-32 shooting. But despite having outshot UC San Diego 43% to 23%., Hawaii led only 28-20.

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Patience is the word I have used most when talking about the Phoenix Suns this season. With an influx of youth, patience must exist if proper development is going to happen. That process takes time if the goal is to produce real results. Productive NBA players. Reliable rotation pieces. If everything breaks right, maybe even a star.

Every player walks a different road through development. There is no clean formula. It is difficult to quantify exactly what turns a young prospect into a successful NBA player. Part of it falls into the ‘nature versus nurture’ conversation. Some players arrive with so much talent that failure rarely enters the equation. Others need the right environment. They need time to learn habits, sharpen skills, and grow into winning basketball. Development does not travel in a straight line.

With all of that said, I find myself questioning my own patience lately. The season has reached a strange intersection where development and opportunity are crossing paths.

We are starting to see flashes from Rasheer Fleming. He is getting real minutes in the rotation, and he looks comfortable out there. Comfortable and productive. Those minutes have come at the expense of players like Ryan Dunn and Isaiah Livers during this stretch of the season, but so be it. He’s earned his minutes.

Over the past 10 games for the Phoenix Suns, who has the highest +/-? That's right. It's Rasheer Fleming at +53. pic.twitter.com/Ay9aTMcwiH

— John Voita, III (@DarthVoita) March 14, 2026

That is how this process works.

Coaches experiment with combinations. Players receive opportunities. The ones who produce tend to stay on the floor. Right now, Fleming is taking advantage of the time given to him. How much of this transfers to the long term remains to be seen. In the short term it has been a lot of fun to watch.

And then there is Khaman Maluach.

The tenth pick out of Duke brings something to the roster that nobody else truly possesses. Size. Real size. That is where my patience begins to wear a little thin.

I am not pounding the table, saying Khaman Maluach needs 30 minutes a night. I understand the reality of the situation. A 19-year-old big man in the NBA has a lot to process, especially at that position. Opposing teams will test that quickly. You saw a glimpse of that in the game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Maluach came into the game and found himself matched up with Myles Turner. Turner stepped out behind the three-point line and began launching from deep. Suddenly, the advantage Maluach brings around the rim was pulled away from the paint.

That is the challenge modern big men face. Stretch centers change the geometry of the floor. They force defenders to step out into space, which removes the rim protection that makes players like Maluach valuable. It is something he will see many times throughout his career.

It is also where the development opportunity lives. Learning the footwork. Understanding the angles. Figuring out how to contest on the perimeter without giving up the drive behind you. Those are lessons that only come with time and repetition.

But then there is the other side of the coin.

Against the Toronto Raptors, Jordan Ott went small in the fourth quarter. Too small, as it turned out. Because once the Suns removed size from the floor, the paint opened like a freeway at midnight. Toronto attacked it without hesitation. The Raptors scored 36 points in the quarter, 20 of those coming in the paint, and suddenly a comfortable lead turned into a slow bleed.

That is where the value of Khaman Maluach enters the conversation.

Toronto is not a dangerous three-point shooting team. They rank 25th in the NBA from beyond the arc. The math tells you where the risk lives. If you are protecting a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, the equation says pack the paint, live with the outside shots, and trust the percentages to do their thing. Let them launch. Let them hope. Let them live in that uncomfortable space where the jumper has to bail them out.

Instead, once the Suns rolled out the small lineup, the Raptors smelled blood and went hunting at the rim.

That is where someone like Maluach could have mattered, even for a short stretch. Five minutes of size. Five minutes of length standing between the Raptors and the basket. Sometimes the presence alone changes decisions. Drivers hesitate. Lanes close. The geometry of the floor shifts.

And the numbers quietly back that up. Over the past 10 games, Maluach owns a 109.3 defensive rating. His net rating sits at +5.3, which ranks fifth best on the team during that span.

Now look, I know what this is. This is the classic “disease of the what if” game. Fans play it after losses. Writers play it after losses. You replay possessions in your mind, move one chess piece to a different square, and suddenly the ending looks different. I have done it plenty of times, and I’m doing it right now.

You can come up with ten different paths where the Suns walk out of Toronto with a win. Different rotations. Different lineups. Different adjustments. But in the end, the scoreboard does not care about the alternate timelines. The Suns lost the game.

But in the same breath, it reinforces a feeling that has been growing for me lately. At some point during this final stretch, the Suns should take the training wheels off Khaman Maluach.

Why? Because Mark Williams is still out. Because the reality of the standings is starting to settle in. I do not know if the sixth seed is truly attainable. The schedule tightens for Phoenix, and every night the teams above them keep rotating wins and losses like they are stuck in the same traffic loop. The Suns cannot gain ground. They are essentially locked into the Play-In unless something truly strange happens over the final weeks.

And that creates a rare window.

You are playing meaningful basketball. The games matter. The standings matter. The pressure exists. At the same time, you have an opportunity to develop your young center in real NBA situations. To give Maluach real run. Let him feel the pressure. Let him play fourth-quarter minutes that actually matter. Put those possessions on film. Study them later. Break them down over the summer. That is where growth happens. Not in empty minutes during a 20-point blowout, but in the moments when the building gets loud, and every possession feels heavy.

Look at what he has done recently.

Over the past 10 games, Maluach is averaging 12.7 minutes per night. In that time, he is producing 4.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks while shooting 63.6% from the field. If you per-36 that out, it’s 13.0 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks. That alone is solid for a young center learning the speed of the league.

But the impact goes a little deeper than the box score.

Across those 10 games, he has logged 127 total minutes and sits at +20, which is tied for fourth best on the team during that span. In the fourth quarter minutes he has played, 26 total minutes, the Suns are a +6. Those are small samples, sure. Nobody is pretending otherwise.

But they are also signals. Signals that the size, the length, and the presence he brings can matter in real basketball situations. And if this team is already preparing itself mentally for a Play-In path, there is real value in seeing what your young 7’1” center looks like when the lights are bright and the stakes feel real.

So yes, patience still matters. Maluach is a young player, and confidence is a fragile thing, especially for a 19-year-old big man learning the pace and complexity of the NBA game. You do not want to throw him into situations that bury him mentally. At the same time, iron sharpens iron. There comes a point where development requires friction, requires pressure, requires real minutes that matter.

Maybe I am a little impatient, but I am ready to see the training wheels come off Khaman Maluach. Who knows what it could unlock?

There are lineup combinations sitting there waiting to be explored. One that continues to intrigue me is pairing Oso Ighodaro with Maluach. Oso does not space the floor, that much is known. Maluach, however, might eventually be able to. The shot is still very much a work in progress. He is 2-of-11 from deep this season, good for 18.2%, which is not scaring anybody right now. But repetition becomes retention, and repetition only happens when opportunity exists.

The Ighodaro/Maluach pairing has logged five total minutes together this season. Five. In that tiny window, the lineup is a +1, which does not tell you much statistically, but it is enough to make you curious about what it could look like with a real run.

My guess is the Suns stick to the plan. They will continue to manage Maluach carefully and limit his exposure as the season closes. That approach has been consistent all year.

Maybe it is the recent success of Rasheer Fleming that has me itching to see more from last year’s lottery pick. When you see a young player grab opportunity and run with it, the natural instinct is to wonder what the other young pieces might look like with the same runway.

Yet I arrive at the same destination I have returned to all season. Patience. That has been the theme of the year in Phoenix, and it is probably how this story continues to unfold. Still, I will admit it. I am ready to see more.

Despite strong box score games from Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr., the Bucks continued their losing ways against the soaring Atlanta Hawks—who now own a league-best nine-game win streak. In what has become a hallmark of the Bucks’ season, turnovers were again the bane of the Milwaukee’s game, while Wisconsin native Jalen Johnson led the way for the Hawks with a 23-point, 10-rebound, 12-assist triple-double. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast, Bucks In Six Minutes, below.

Player Grades

Ryan Rollins

31 minutes, 22 points, 3 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 blocks, 8/11 FG, 4/7 3PT, 2/2 FT -13

Rylo shot well throughout and carried the offensive load for the Bucks, especially in the first half where he had 15 points. He even had an absolutely nasty crossover combination and jelly finish in the third that would make Tim Hardaway Sr. blush. But the Hawks’ backcourt got whatever they wanted, too. Rollins can be an elite defender and he can be elite offensively; his jump this year has been incredible. To make the next leap, he has to pair the offence with the defence.

Grade: B+

Kyle Kuzma

24 minutes, 11 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 5 turnovers, 5/8 FG, 0/3 3PT, 1/2 FT -12

Kuzma was aggressive towards the rim and efficient when he got there. But he led the team with five turnovers and struggled keeping any of the Hawks off the offensive glass.

Grade: D+

Kevin Porter Jr.

30 minutes, 18 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 3 turnovers, 7/13 FG, 0/2 3PT, 4/4 FT, -19

KPJ finished with a nice stat line and was the only Buck outside of Rollins (and Portis in the first half) to really get anything going offensively. His herky-jerky play is flat-out difficult for defenders. Yet, it also makes things difficult for himself and his teammates at times, leading to a number of miscues. A pass that hit Sims in the head stands out, but there were a number of others that were just off the money, and even when these don’t result in turnovers they can break offensive flow. Still, the effort never dissipated.

Grade: B-

Jericho Sims

26 minutes, 7 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 turnovers, 2/2 FG, 3/4 FT, -7

Sims continues to be active, making himself available offensively. It’s obvious he’s much more comfortable in the short roll, getting and moving the ball. He even had a nice bounce pass assist to Kuzma in the second quarter. In saying this, he’s still prone to way too many unnecessary turnovers and he didn’t have his customary impact on the boards.

Grade: D+

Myles Turner

24 minutes, 8 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assist, 3/7 FG, 1/4 3PT, 1/1 FT, -16

It was another now-normal game from Turner, who had a moment here and there but generally seemed—and played like—an afterthought. The Hawks got to the rim with ease and, when they did miss, often got the offensive rebound. This isn’t all on Turner, of course, but a lot of it is. System, player, whatever it is, Turner continues to have a first year to forget in Milwaukee.

Grade:D+

AJ Green

21 minutes, 9 points, 2 rebounds, 3/6 FG, 2/5 3PT,1/1 FT,-5

Green made his opening shot and finished with the best plus/minus of everyone who played meaningful minutes for the Bucks. That says something. His nine points were the most he’s had in six games, too. Still, it’s hard not to notice how difficult a time Green has just getting the ball (in comparison to players with similar roles, like the Hawks’ Corey Kispert). Green’s lack of foot speed and size isn’t going away, but he continues to battle, and tonight was a better one than it’s been recently.

Grade: C

Bobby Portis

27 minutes, 14 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 5/15 FG, 3/7 3PT, 1/2 FT, -16

BP looked confident and came out firing—when does he not?—scoring 10 points in the first half. He struggled finding the net in the second half, though, and finished shooting just 33% from the field. The lack of interior presence defensively, let alone rim protection, again stood out too.

Grade:C

Pete Nance

15 minutes, 3 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1/2 FG, 1/2 3PT, -8

While he’s not the most gifted athlete, you could see Nance excel in a system and with teammates that play thinking basketball. This squad is not that and so Nance was largely invisible. He did no real harm, though.

Grade: C-

Taurean Prince

12 minutes, 0 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, -9

Prince didn’t get a shot off in his 12 minutes of action. Like Nance, he’s ill-suited to this form of “basketball”.

Grade: C-

Gary Trent Jr.

14 minutes, 5 points, 1 rebound, 2/7 FG, 1/5 3PT, -2

At this point of the season, we know who Trent is and he did what he does—scored some points on inefficient shooting. Why Rivers decided to give him precedence over Thomas is baffling.

Grade: D

Doc Rivers

I get it, I really do—you can call all the plays you want and preach about Xs and Os until the cows come home but if the players don’t execute then it won’t work. Eventually, though, when the team keeps making the same mistakes and keeps looking disorganised, it’s got to come back to the one leading them. You’ve also got to leverage what you do have and, at this point of the season, look towards the future. While Cam Thomas might not be a part of that, he certainly warrants more of a look than what he’s being given.

Grade: D

Limited Minutes: Cam Thomas.

Garbage Time: Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Andre Jackson Jr., Gary Harris.

Inactive: Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Bonus Bucks Bits

• The Bucks allowed 34 points in the paint in the first half, but assistant coach and defensive coordinator Greg Buckner said that was part of the game-plan to stop the Hawks shooting threes. With the Hawks shooting just 31% from three in the first half, that arguably worked.
• Turnovers continued to plague the Bucks. They had 11 in the first half and another two on their first two possessions of the third quarter. Moments later, they had yet another—a five-second inbounds violation. Then one of the travelling variety. By the 8:17 mark of the third, they had six in that quarter alone. And after Kuzma threw one into the nosebleed section trying to find Green who was wide-open in the corner, I wondered if the Bucks would be better served not passing the ball at all and just taking turns shooting out of isolation.
• Footage showed Rollins receiving stitches in his hand at half-time. It was a quality close-up that I would deconstruct in my film studies classes for its symbolism and foreshadowing. Hats off to the camera crew who also captured him checking it at the final buzzer in a fitting bit of symbolic recall.
• Gary Trent Jr. checked in (relatively) early in the third—and that says all you need to know about how the Bucks were faring. Sorry, Gary. We’ll forever cherish your playoff explosion.
• Lisa Byington is great at what she does, but hearing her butcher Jock Landale’s name time after time was grinding—almost as grinding as seeing him collect offensive rebound after offensive rebound.
• In a bit of poetic symmetry, the Bucks turned the ball over nine times in the third quarter and were outscored by—you guessed it—nine points.
• In a bid to make next season’s dunk contest, Corey Kispert attempted two dunks. He made neither of them.
• Thanasis checked in with 4:06 left on the clock in the fourth. I miss the days he was the Bucks’ human victory cigar rather than their white flag. To his credit, he had a nice block.
• According to the commentary, Milwaukee finished with a season-high 22 turnovers, but the box score says only 20. I tend to believe the former.

Up Next

The Bucks get right back at it for the SEGABABA, taking on the Indiana Pacers in another afternoon time-slot. You can find all the action on FanDual Sports Wisconsin—tip off is at 2:30 p.m. CDT.

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NEW KENT, Va. (AP) — Incredibolt won the $500,000 Virginia Derby by four lengths on Saturday at Colonial Downs, earning qualifying points that left him tied atop the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.

Ridden by Jaime Torres, Incredibolt ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.76. He paid $14.40, $7.40, and $5.60.

The 50 points for winning tied Incredibolt with Paladin for first on the leaderboard with 60 points each. The top 20 horses earn a spot in the starting gate for the May 2 Kentucky Derby.

Riley Mott, who trains Incredibolt, would potentially join his Hall of Fame father Bill Mott, who trains Chief Wallabee, with starters in the same Derby.

“We’re optimistic and hopeful we can make it to the first Saturday in May,” said the younger Mott, who previously worked as an assistant to his father.

Grittiness finished second and Confessional was third. Buetane, trained by Bob Baffert, was fourth, followed by Lockstocknpharoah. The top five horses earned Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

Incredibolt surged through an opening mid-stretch and bounded clear of the field, finishing strong through the wire.

“He’s really matured and has a lot more confidence now,” Torres said. “I was just waiting for the right spot. This is a dream come true.”

Incredibolt has already proven himself at Churchill Downs, where he earned his first victory and his first stakes win. He has three wins in five career starts and earnings of $498,681.

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

All eyes have been on college basketball's freshmen standouts: AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson, Darius Acuff Jr., Caleb Wilson, Kingston Flemings and many others.

Then, there's Ebuka Okorie.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Stanford Cardinal freshman point guard wasn't highly recruited out of Nashua, New Hampshire, but he's worked hard on his game. He's rarely discussed, but will be a lot more if he keeps up what he's been doing.

In his first year, he averaged 22.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.6 steals per game, which earned him All-ACC Rookie and First Team honors. This season, he's been the seventh-best scorer in college basketball, and second among freshmen behind Dybantsa.

"It's pretty cool," Okorie told USA TODAY Sports. "It just goes to show that my hard work is paying off with the recognition that I'm getting ... and just like the way that I'm able to contribute to the team's success."

He added: "I like to measure my success on how the team is doing, really. You can have players scoring, putting up really crazy numbers and you check the box scores and their team is losing a lot. One of the main things I'm focused on is really just overall team success and winning as many games as possible."

Ebuka Okorie proves he is one of the top freshmen

Consider this: the last ACC freshmen guards to average at least 20 points per game were Georgia Tech's Mark Price (1982-83) and Kenny Anderson (1989-90).

Okorie scored 30 points or more in seven games, which tied with Marvin Bagley III for the most by any freshman in ACC history. He dropped 36 points against North Carolina on Jan. 14 and 40 points against Georgia Tech on Feb. 7.

Other ACC freshmen to drop 40 include Cooper Flagg, Tyler Hansbrough, Harrison Barnes, Olivier Hanlan and current Louisville freshman Mikel Brown Jr.

"I don't like to talk about ceilings with our team and players, but I mean ... (he's) one of the best players I've coached already, and not just freshmen. So, I don't know, I've coached some NBA guys," Stanford head coach Kyle Smith told USA TODAY Sports. "I don't want to put that much heat on him, but he's pretty talented."

Okorie doesn't place his focus on individual accolades, though. He keeps his head down, remains humble, stays grounded and continues to do what's got him this far. Okorie would rather do what it takes to help lead his team to the most victories.

His style of play, he said, is to read the defense and make the right play.

"The main thing is just trying to make the right play each and every possession, whether it's like getting downhill scoring or creating a scoring opportunity for my teammates," Okorie said.

When Stanford needed a bucket facing a two-point deficit with under a minute left against Pittsburgh in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament, Okorie delivered.

He made a play, driving to the basket, evading two defenders and scoring through contact. And one. He sank the free throw to give the Cardinal a one-point lead with 26 seconds left.

Pitt would ultimately advance, winning 64-63 after connecting on a third attempt, a putback tip-in with 0.4 seconds left in the game.

"Really proud of Ebuka," Smith told reporters after that game. "(We) challenged him to play the right way and he did. As a point guard, (he) really got us back in there, made a big shot, made his free throw. We needed one stop. We just couldn't come up with it."

Eight teams from the ACC seem primed to be selected to participate in the NCAA Tournament. One of Stanford's goals was to make it to the big dance, but it didn't help its chances with the loss against Pitt. The Cardinal do have some big wins throughout the season that could help their case.

Stanford basketball alum and Sacramento Kings rookie center Maxime Raynaud had words of encouragement for his alma mater, hoping it can somehow earn a trip to the tournament. The Cardinal's fate will be ultimately decided Sunday.

"I hope so, but I'm really proud of what they are accomplishing by being student-athletes there. It is one of the best, actually, it is the best university in the world, and being able to do both is really hard so I really respect that. At the same time I know they all came a long way," Raynaud told USA TODAY Sports. "Seeing the work that Coach Smith and the coaching staff has been doing with them is tremendous, turning them into men and better basketball players. I'm always rooting for them. It just sucks, I wish they won that one."

A student of the game, shaped by upbringing

Okorie was born and raised in Nashua, New Hampshire, to Nigerian parents, Charles and Ljeoma. Growing up, he watched his parents and family pour into him and his basketball aspirations.

Being raised under their household taught Okorie valuable lessons about discipline, preparation and sacrifice. Whether on or off the court, Okorie takes pride in representing his family's name and heritage.

"It means a lot, just being able to represent my family, even just like Nigeria in general," Okorie said. "My parents have sacrificed a lot for me to get to this position. My family in general, even my siblings growing up like, they would always help me with my basketball, whether it's passing to me, driving me to different basketball events."

He added: "Just seeing how hard my parents would work, each and every day, waking up early to drive me to school, or to drive to work, whatever it was. I feel like their hard work has sort of been instilled in me and I've just been trying to carry it on."

He's cultivated personality traits that translate directly back to the court.

"If you study for a test, and you're confident and you're not nervous at all, you'll do well," Okorie said of his parents' teachings. "They've told me to just apply that to life in general. For example, in basketball, if you prepare, if you get shots up beforehand, then in the game you shouldn't be nervous to take an open shot. Simple things like that, just to be prepared, have the discipline to work hard each and every day. It's just been like some of the main stuff that they've instilled in me from early age."

His parents continue their unwavering support for their son. Coming from New Hampshire, Okorie said they would travel to as many as games as possible, both in California and on the East Coast, sometimes flying 5-6 hours to and from games.

"It gets to a point I feel like they sort of, like, travel too much for my game. Like, I'll tell them to, like, relax," Okorie joked. "Whether they show up or not, I know they're going to be supporting wherever they are but the fact that they're even willing to come support me and fly across the country, it just gives me a little bit more motivation to go hard and play as hard as I can each and every game."

Although he grew up playing basketball in Nashua, Okorie traveled nearly 50 miles to Massachusetts for travel ball and AAU.

A student of the game, he's patterned his game after some of the top NBA players and scorers, including guys like Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard, James Harden and Isaiah Thomas.

At his 6-foot-1 stature, Okorie has learned to get his shot off over taller defenders.

"I'd say it comes with watching film and just overall experience, reading the defense and picking up on tendencies, like how the defense is guarding me and trying to figure out different ways that I can just navigate and get to the hoop and score," Okorie said.

However, one of the areas he knows needs improvement is his strength and conditioning.

"I feel like as I continue to put on more muscle, I feel like it would just open up all parts of my game," Okorie said. "Offensively and defensively, just like my movement on the court. That has to do with every single part of the game."

As he continues to grow as a ballplayer and individual, Okorie is discovering himself in sunny California. He's a big tennis fan, citing Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz as his favorites.

As his stock continues to rise and he garners more attention for his basketball abilities, Okorie plans to keep his head down and keep feeding into his craft.

"Staying close and communicating with my family, my close friends, just continuing to remain humble, stay grounded," Okorie said. "Just trust my work, continue to work hard and continue to do what I've done that has got me this far."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ebuka Okorie is best college basketball freshman no one talks about

There were moments in the third quarter when the game threatened to tighten, when the crowd inside the Frost Bank Center grew quiet and the visiting Charlotte Hornets found a rhythm. But each time the pressure mounted, the San Antonio Spurs had an answer. And more often than not, that answer came from Victor Wembanyama.

Behind another dominant night from their franchise centerpiece, the Spurs powered past the Hornets 115-102, controlling the tempo for most of the day and showing flashes of the balanced basketball they hope will carry them through the final month of the season.

“The third quarter got up and down a little bit, got a little open,” Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson said of the Spurs’ run in the second half. “I thought we did a really good job of getting our defense set and did a good job of making them play through their counters. I thought we did a good job of being connected in that set.”

From the opening minutes, San Antonio looked determined to dictate the pace. Instead of settling for early jump shots, the Spurs attacked the paint, forcing Charlotte’s defense to collapse and creating clean looks across the floor. The approach paid off quickly as San Antonio built a steady lead while Wembanyama rested during portions of the first quarter.

When the 7-foot-4 star returned, the offense began to revolve around him. Wembanyama showcased the full arsenal that has made him one of the league’s most unique talents—draining mid-range jumpers, stretching the defense with his perimeter shooting, and calmly setting up teammates when double teams arrived. By the end of the night, he had racked up 32 points in just 30 minutes, a stat line that felt almost routine given his control of the game.

“Victor was locked in and communicating. I thought Luke [Kornet] was really good too,” Johnson said of the Spurs’ defense in the paint. “I thought Luke and Victor did a great job of manning the middle. 18 assists and 30 points in the paint for them [Charlotte] are numbers that look good on the surface. We have to look back at the tape there.”

Still, Charlotte refused to go down without a fight. Rookie Kon Knueppel sparked the Hornets in the third quarter, pouring in 16 points in a burst that briefly gave the visitors hope. Meanwhile, LaMelo Ball started to find his range from beyond the arc. But foul trouble interrupted Ball’s rhythm and kept the Hornets from fully capitalizing on their momentum. Each time Charlotte threatened to close the gap, the Spurs calmly widened it again.

A powerful transition dunk from rookie Carter Bryant ignited the arena late in the fourth quarter, while strong efforts on the glass from Devin Vassell and the Spurs’ frontcourt prevented second chances for Charlotte. The Hornets never got closer than eight points in the second half, and San Antonio gradually stretched the lead back into comfortable territory. By the final buzzer, the Spurs had done exactly what good teams do against struggling opponents: control the game, weather the runs, and close the door.

it was another reminder for the Spurs of what the team can look like when its defense stays disciplined and its offense flows through its generational star. On a day when Wembanyama once again commanded the spotlight, the Spurs looked every bit like a team learning how to win together.

“I think I had a lot of responsibility in the loss against them [Charlotte],” Wembanyama said. “Today, we won three out of four quarters. So basically the whole game was steady.”

Game Notes

• San Antonio struggled from three-point range on the afternoon, going 11-for-33. However, rebounding is why the Spurs kept the Hornets at bay. Luke Kornet had his best game since returning from injury, pulling down four offensive boards, while Wemby and De’Aaron Fox had two each.
• Keldon Johnson rebounded from a poor outing on Thursday to score 13 points off the bench on 66 percent shooting in 20 minutes.
• The “French Vanilla” lineup of Wembanyama and Kornet got some minutes on Saturday afternoon, highlighted by Wemby’s lob pass to Luke that got the arena buzzing.
  “I thought the it worked well,” Coach Johnson said of the double big lineup. He added he may go to it more in the future, but wants to ensure the guys have enough reps to work together to get it down. “It’s tough to ask them to go out like that and have them execute at a high level if they haven’t had the reps to do it.”
• Speaking of Kornet, he had 10 points to go along with eight rebounds. If this is the Kornet the Spurs will get come playoff time, teams will find it very difficult to live inside the paint against this San Antonio squad.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Kyle Connor reached 30 goals for a franchise-record eighth time and added an assist, Connor Hellebuyck made 28 saves and the Winnipeg Jets beat the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche 3-1 on Saturday.

Connor broke a tie with Ilya Kovalchuk for the most 30-goal seasons in Thrashers/Jets history. Connor has reached the 30-goal mark in every season of his nine-year NHL career except for the 56-game COVID-19 shortened campaign when he had 26.

Alex Iafallo and Cole Perfetti, with an empty-netter, also scored for the Jets. Mark Scheifele had to two assists for push his season total to 51, one more than his previous best.

Martin Necas ended Hellebuyck's shutout bid with 1:16 left.

Mackenzie Blackwood made 15 saves for the Avalanche. They had won six in a row on the road.

Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns played in his 990th consecutive NHL game, surpassing Keith Yandle for the second-longest streak in league history. Phil Kessel is the leader at 1,064.

Up next

Avalanche: Host Pittsburgh on Monday night.

Jets: Host St. Louis on Sunday.

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

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Zennia Thomas scored 15 points, Nile Miller had 12 points and 13 rebounds, and Howard defeated Norfolk State 53-46 on Saturday to claim the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship for the first time since 2022.

The Bison defeated the team that beat them in the last three MEAC championship games. Saturday was the fifth consecutive time that the Bison and Spartans squared off in the championship game.

Howard and Norfolk State's dominance of the MEAC was evident during the regular season. Top-seeded Howard went 13-1 in the regular season and now has a 14-game winning streak. Second-seeded Norfolk State won 12 of its final 15 games, with each loss at the hands of Howard.

Ariella Henigan's mid-range jumper gave Howard a 51-45 lead with 2 1/2 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Norfolk State managed one free throw the rest of the way and the Spartans missed their last seven shots. Henigan made two free throws with 22 seconds left to set the final margin.

Henigan scored 11 points for Howard (26-7).

Jasha Clinton scored 11 points and Anjanae Richardson added 10 for Norfolk State (18-14).

Howard scored the last eight points of the first quarter to take a 16-9 lead but Norfolk State came right back in the second quarter, scoring seven points in the first 1 1/2 minutes to tie it up. A 3-pointer by Cire Worley put the Spartans up 23-20 in midway through the quarter and they held the lead until a jumper by Howard's Sa’lah Hemingway tied it at 27 heading to halftime.

Howard built a 42-33 lead through three quarters, despite shooting only 24% in the third quarter. Norfolk State shot 13% in the third.

Up next

NCAA Tournament pairings will be announced on Sunday.

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