JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Chris Ashby made 10 3-pointers and scored 34 points to lead Queens University to an NCAA berth in its first year of eligibility with a 98-93 win over Central Arkansas in the Atlantic Sun Tournament on Sunday despite 49 points by Camren Hunter.
The third-seeded Royals (21-13) of Charlotte, North Carolina, survived a late fourth-quarter collapse and Hunter's heroics to reach the NCAA Tournament in its fourth season of Division I play.
Queens had an 11-point lead with 3:25 remaining in regulation but couldn't handle the Bears' full-court pressure, turning the ball over five times while Hunter went on a 20-point scoring binge to tie the game at 82.
Ashby scored the first five points of overtime and the Royals kept the lead, making 9 of 10 free throws including two more by Ashby for a 95-90 edge.
All of Ashby's shots came from beyond the arc, finishing with a tourney record 10 made 3s on 19 attempts. Jordan Watford added 19 points, Nasir Mann 14 and Yoav Berman 10 with Avantae Parker collecting 10 rebounds to go with eight points.
Hunter bested his career high by 16 points, hitting 17 of 30 shots, including 8 of 12 on 3-pointers on his way to his tournament-record total. Ty Robinson added 16 points and Javion Guy-King 10 for the Bears (22-12), who were also seeking their first NCAA berth.
The teams combined for 74 3-point attempts, Queens making 16 of 38 and Central Arkansas 15 of 36.
Queens had a six-point lead in the first half before Central Arkansas closed the final 5 1/2 minutes on an 12-2 run to take a 34-30 lead.
TORONTO (AP) — Kelly Pannek scored an overtime winner to lead the Minnesota Frost over the Toronto Sceptres 3-2 on Sunday in the PWHL.
The Frost, who played without captain Kendall Coyne Schofield, picked up their first win in their second game following the Olympic break. Minnesota was coming off a shutout loss to the Montreal Victoire.
Toronto extended its point streak to four games despite the loss.
Forward Taylor Heise was in on all three goals for Minnesota. Her power-play slap pass set up Pannek for the winning goal seconds after Toronto’s Renata Fast was sent off for slashing.
Heise tied the game in the third period on another power play, beating Sceptres goalie Raygan Kirk with a slap shot. She fed Denisa Krisova on a breakaway for the Frost’s first goal in the first period.
Daryl Watts had a goal and assist for Toronto. Emma Woods had the other goal for the Sceptres.
Frost goalie Maddie Rooney made 22 saves for the win.
Toronto entered the game in sixth place but lost crucial points by failing to hold onto its third-period lead as the standings tighten ahead of the Walter Cup playoffs.
Up next
The Frost will host the Seattle Torrent on Wednesday.
DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 26: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks dunks the ball during the game against the Toronto Raptors on October 26, 2025 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. 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 Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks (21-42) start the second half of this road trip, playing the Toronto Raptors (35-27) on Sunday afternoon at the odd start time of 5:00 pm CST. Toss in the start of Daylight Savings Time and I expect both teams to be out of sorts. Dallas is riding a six-game losing streak, falling Friday to the Boston Celtics in a big way. The Raptors have lost four of their last five and need to find some consistency.
Here’s the main things you need to know:
WHO: Dallas Mavericks vs Boston
WHAT: Becoming one with road games.
WHERE: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario
WHEN: 5:00 pm CST
HOW: KFAA Channel 29, MavsTV streaming, NBA League Pass
Dallas has a more reasonable injury report compared to the past several games. The two-way guys are all out. Cooper Flagg is questionable with his ankle/foot injury he aggravated against the Celtics. Marvin Bagley is as well after being out since the Sacramento Kings game with a neck sprain. Dwight Powell is listed as probable with an injury I don’t remember him getting. Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington don’t carry any designations, a rarity this season given the ankle issues both have had.
The only player of note on the Raptors’ injury report is Brandon Ingram, who is questionable with an injury.
I wonder if anyone remembers the first time these teams met. It was one of the bigger Dallas wins this season, where they outraced the Raptors. Now, the Mavericks are just trying to make it to the end of the season with way too many road games left to go and the Raptors are not playing their best basketball as teams try to solidify their spots in the playoff race.
Perhaps the Mavericks will bring enough to out-hustle this Raptors team, but that depends largely on if Cooper plays. Or maybe Toronto will show up with some pride and torch Dallas . Basketball!
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!
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 26: Amir Coffey #2 of the Phoenix Suns during the second half of the NBA game at Mortgage Matchup Center on February 26, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Lakers 113-110. 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 Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Suns at the trade deadline had one goal in mind: to avoid the luxury tax line. This was a movement set by many teams in the league, and the Suns were able to do so. Little did everyone know, though, that by making this move, the team would also regain a valuable piece.
Amir Coffey has consistently brought energy and impactful plays for this team since his addition at the deadline
Love his hustle and grind to do the little things for Phoenix, definitely should not go unnoticed
As we all know, the Suns traded Nigel Hayes-Davis and Nick Richards to the Milwaukee Bucks for Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey. Anthony never actually came to Phoenix and was then eventually waived for standout two-way player Jamaree Bouyea. Yet, Amir Coffey was said to be a throw-in, someone who had fallen out of the Bucks’ rotation and someone many Suns fans did not think would make an impact.
Well, so far for the Suns, he has suited up in nine games, and even if he is not a hot commodity on the stat sheet post-game, his impact has definitely helped this Suns squad. As we all know, this team has not caught a break against the injury bug this season. Time and time again, we see the squad get fully healthy, only for someone to get hurt in that game.
Right now, for the Suns, Dillon Brooks, Jordan Goodwin, and Mark Williams are out, giving Coffey more of an opportunity to show what he can bring to this team. Just in his small sample size, he has shown to be more valuable in Ott’s system than in River’s over in Milwaukee. As I stated, it’s only been nine games, but in 16 minutes per game, he averages 5.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists, with 47/38/69 shooting splits.
Compare that to his time in Milwaukee: in just a third of the games, he is getting double or more minutes, points, rebounds, and assists while shooting +10% from three (8, 2.5, 0.9, 0.4). That should tell you multiple things.
One Coffey is still a valuable player in the right system.
Two that the Bucks still (due to Doc’s influence) fail to bring the best out of certain players.
He fits the system Jordan Ott wants, with his ability to shoot the three-point shot, alongside the hustle and dirty work this team envisages.
So far, all of that has been true, and recent performances support it. In the game against the Chicago Bulls, he had his best performance for the Suns. In 17 minutes, he posted a season-high 12 points with 4 rebounds, missing only one shot and making both of his threes. Once again, the stat line does not scream difference maker, but Coffey most certainly was.
In a game where the Suns shot 28% from three and had only two other players make multiple three-pointers (Grayson Allen and Devin Booker), his three-point shot was especially needed, given that he made them.
His first came with the Suns down seven in the fourth with just under three minutes to go. His hitting this three in clutch time when the team needed it most made it a four-point game.
His second three also came in another key moment, down six with under a minute left. Hitting another big three with just 45 seconds left made it a one-possession game.
Even if they lost, this game would not have been as close if Coffey had not given his best effort and almost helped them climb back in, his clutch gene kicking in. Once again, this is something many did not factor in when the Suns acquired him: that he would be helping the Suns almost pull out a win.
Not only does he have a good three-point shot, but he also hustles and rebounds effectively. As I mentioned, he had 4 rebounds in this game vs the Bulls, and 3 of them were offensive rebounds. Two of those actually ended up in the same possession, and Coffey was then rewarded a trio to the free-throw line for his hard work.
This is just another valuable aspect for a team that is in the top four in OREB per game at 13.2.
Coffey deserves his credit, even if he is not going to be dropping 25 or having a game with 15+ rebounds. His effort and determination to keep pushing through after not working out in Milwaukee are inspiring. I am very excited for his addition to this team, and can’t wait to continue seeing him improve within this system as his playing time increases.
This continues to push the narrative of the shift in culture, identity, and Phoenix that was brought this season. Something many clowned this offseason, but one that has clearly shown to be a core part of this team’s success, top to bottom.
CLEVELAND, OH - MARCH 8: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket during the game against the Boston Celtics on March 8, 2026 at Rocket Arena 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
James Harden
19 points, 10 assists, 4 rebounds
This game might have been different if Harden were more assertive at the start. Cleveland eventually found success in the second half by spamming the classic Harden pick-and-roll. With Neemias Queta on the floor for 53 minutes and being a giant weak point in pick-and-roll, it is puzzling that it took the Cavs so long to start picking on him.
Grade: B
Donovan Mitchell
30 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists
We’ve seen Mitchell put the team on his back before. Many times in this specific matchup. But it’s not a great sign that Mitchell is being tasked with carrying the offense to this degree. It can bring out the worst in both Mitchell and the team at large. I wouldn’t say we saw the absolute worst of either of those things today, as Mitchell finished 9-18 from the floor, but it was far from ideal.
The Cavs are at their best when the ball is humming. Boston forces them into playing isolation basketball. That’s contributed to some of Mitchell’s high-scoring performances, but it leans into the Celtics’ style.
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Evan Mobley
24 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 blocks
This was one of Mobley’s better games this season. He took advantage of his favorable matchup and even managed to lift the Cavs with a pair of three-pointers. His defense, as usual, was superb. The Cavs just didn’t have enough firepower around him for this to tip the scales.
Grade: A-
Jaylon Tyson
8 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist
Boston provides a tough challenge for Tyson. They don’t give as much space in the pick-and-roll due to their willingness to switch everything. That limits Tyson on a day when he shot 2-6 from downtown.
Grade: C+
Dennis Schroder
2 points, 2 assists, 3 rebounds
This wasn’t one of Schroder’s strong performances. He fell asleep off-ball a handful of times and conceded some easy looks for Boston’s offense.
Merrill wasn’t able to free himself for most of the day. Boston did a fantastic job suppressing him as a three-point shooter. The few open looks he had didn’t drop. He finished 1-7 from downtown.
Grade: D+
Keon Ellis
0 points, 3 rebounds, 0 assists
Ellis helped to keep this game somewhat under control with his defense. This would have been a 30+ point loss without someone setting the tone. But he didn’t do enough to change anything truly, and he went scoreless, shooting 0-1 from the field.
Grade: D
Dean Wade
5 points, 4 assists, 5 rebounds
Wade committed a couple of tough luck fouls throughout the game, but was otherwise helpful on defense. I can’t say Wade was great on offense, but he wasn’t bad either. This was a fine game. Just OK.
Grade: B–
Thomas Bryant
3 points, 2 rebounds
Look, we’ve given Bryant plenty of credit recently. So it brings me no joy to say this was his worst game as a Cavalier. Poor shot selection and even worse mobility on defense. That’s tough. Bryant finished 1-6 from the floor.
Navy led 72-70 with 3.6 seconds remaining when Boston University basketball freshman guard Chance Gladden took the in-bounds pass, sprinted up court and sank a deep 3-pointer from the Navy logo on midcourt to send the Terriers to the Patriot League championship game, while ending the top-seeded Midshipmen's hopes of making March Madness.
"I saw three seconds to go, I was just sprinting up the court, and when I let it go, it felt so good, I knew it was in," Gladden said in a postgame interview with CBS Sports Network.
WHAT. A. FINISH.
CHANCE GLADDEN AT THE BUZZER SENDS @TERRIERMBB TO THE PATRIOT LEAGUE TITLE GAME.
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 8, 2026
The Terriers trailed as many as six points in the second half. Gladden's heroic shot came after Navy's Austin Benigni put the Midshipmen back up by two with 3 seconds to go after Gladden tied the score with a jumper inside the paint.
The win is a bracket-shifting one for the Patriot League. Not only does Navy get knocked out of the conference tournament game, but the conference will send a different representative to March Madness now with its automatic qualifier bid. The Midshipmen had been projected for a good chunk of the season as the conference's representative in bracketology predictions for several weeks after going 17-1 in the regular season.
It also snapped a 14-game win streak for Navy.
Boston University will now travel to Lehigh on Wednesday to play for the right to win the conference championship and earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The Terriers haven't won the Patriot League since 2020.
BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) — Two-time major champion Zach Johnson turned 50 on Feb. 24 and quickly cashed in Sunday in his PGA Tour Champions debut, closing with a 3-under 69 for a four-shot victory in the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational.
Johnson made an early bogey and that was his only blemish on the scorecard, adding four birdies to pull away on the Old Course at Broken Sound.
He became the 22nd player to win his debut on the 50-and-older circuit. Stewart Cink (70) and George McNeill (72) finished second.
“Staying in modest shape to play with these guys ... because it’s still really good golf, highly competitive on a phenomenal track, I am humbled,” Johnson said. “I am extremely excited, and I have been excited. The first moment I stepped foot on these premises, I was like, ‘Hey, this is special.’”
Johnson finished at 11-under 205 and earned $330,000 to move to No. 3 in the Charles Schwab Cup. Cink remains atop the standings.
Johnson had not won since he captured the British Open at St. Andrews in 2015. He was U.S. Ryder Cup captain at Marco Simone in 2023, losing to Europe.
LOS ANGELES — Old man issues are catching up with 41-year-old LeBron James this season. He missed the first 14 games of the season with sciatica, and now, with the season winding down, there's this.
LeBron is out Sunday against the Knicks and is day-to-day going forward, with left foot arthritis, as well as a left elbow contusion, the team announced.
LeBron also missed the Lakers' previous game against Indiana. Los Angeles hosts Minnesota on Tuesday in its next game.
For the season, LeBron is averaging 21.4 points, 7 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game. He has already missed too many games to qualify for postseason awards, ending his record 21-season streak of making an All-NBA team. LeBron was named an All-Star this season.
LeBron is a free agent this season and has said he has not made a decision yet about his future, whether to retire or return to the court for another season (and if so, where?). Injuries and his health will play into that decision, although the expectation in league circles is he will play one more season (very possibly in a return to Cleveland).
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 08: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics and Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers chase a loose ball during the fourth quarter at Rocket Arena on March 08, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Celtics defeated the Cavaliers 109-98. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers lost to the Boston Celtics 109-98. Let’s go over today’s winners and losers.
LOSER – First Half Offense
No one can make every shot, even if they’re left wide open. But there are two things you can control. The quality of the shots you attempt, and whether or not you adjust when shots aren’t falling.
Cleveland wasn’t able to properly adjust throughout the first half.
It’s one thing to generate a three-point attempt by working into the paint and then kicking out to the perimeter. It’s another to rush into a three in semi-transition or by launching it over Boston’s drop coverage. Those shots are fine enough if you’re knocking them down at a decent rate. But if shots aren’t falling, those latter attempts start to look questionable.
The Cavs took a handful of open shots in the first half. None of them fell. So as the misses piled up, the not-so-good attempts in semi-transition or over the drop coverage felt jarring. Thomas Bryant’s quick trigger (0-4 from downtown) felt especially bad.
Overall, Cleveland shot 2-22 from deep in the first half. That’s hard to do.
In a vacuum, you can argue that the Cavs attempted shots that usually yield more points. But again, there comes a point where you have to read the game and make adjustments. They didn’t work hard enough to attack the basket and open up the perimeter. It was all frustration and settling for less in the first half.
WINNER – Evan Mobley
Boston is a difficult matchup for the Cavaliers. They always have been. But perhaps the only true advantage Cleveland has in this battle is in the frontcourt, where Mobley has a clear edge on any defender the Celtics can throw at him. That’s led to some efficient games from Mobley, including today.
Mobely found little resistance at the rim, speeding around Neemias Queta and Luka Garza. He also had success spacing the floor by knocking down two three-point attempts. This was an inside-out performance from Mobley that showcased one of the ways Cleveland can actually turn the tables on Boston.
There wasn’t a whole lot else to be happy about in this game. So, Mobley’s 24 points and 3 blocked shots are the only winner we’ll cover here.
LOSER – The Supporting Cast
Let’s get this out of the way. I’m not excusing some of the lackluster performances that we saw from the starting lineup today. Even Donovan Mitchell, who finished with 30 points on 9-18 shooting, was guilty of some bad offensive possessions. But I want to take a moment to round up the supporting cast and talk about multiple shortcomings without singling out any individual player in their own category.
We’ll start with Sam Merrill, who didn’t have a particularly bad game but suffers the most from this Boston matchup. The Celtics are a team that switches everything defensively. That pours water on the fire of Merrill’s screening action. It’s really hard to generate an advantage when the opponent is simply switching and sticking with you.
Similarly, Jaylon Tyson wasn’t getting the same opportunities he normally does. The short-roll isn’t as fruitful against a team that switches. There isn’t as much open space to attack. And, the Cavs’ offense wasn’t creating enough drive-and-kicks to reward him as a catch-and-shoot threat. Even when they did, Tyson missed a handful of open looks.
We mentioned Thomas Bryant already, but his 1-6 shooting and limited mobility were glaring today. The Celtics pose significant challenges for him.
Finally, the backcourt rotation didn’t have enough juice to compete. The trio of Dennis Schroder, Keon Ellis, and Craig Porter Jr. combined for 2 points on 1-5 shooting. Cleveland truly needed more from their bench to get over the hump today.
MILAN (AP) — AC Milan isn’t ready to yield to city rival Inter Milan in the Serie A title race.
Pervis Estupiñán scored the winner as Milan beat Inter 1-0 again in the Derby della Madonnina on Sunday.
The Rossoneri cut their city rival’s lead to seven points with 10 rounds of the season remaining, setting off joyous celebrations in the San Siro while Inter’s players questioned the referee for ruling out what would have been a very late equalizer.
Inter had the ball in the net in stoppage time after a quickly taken corner, but it was too quick for the referee, who hadn’t given the go-ahead for it to be taken and blew his whistle before the ball crossed the line.
Inter had won its last eight Serie A games since a 2-2 draw with Napoli on Jan. 11, and was 15 games unbeaten in the league since the last derby, also won 1-0 by Milan, in November.
Youssouf Fofana played Estupiñán through on the left and the Ecuador left back let fly with a powerful shot to the back of the net for what proved to be the winner in the 35th minute, just after Henrikh Mkhitaryan missed a great chance for Inter at the other end.
Mkhitaryan was one of three Inter players against two Milan defenders, but he was unable to beat Mike Maignan in the Milan goal.
Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni earned the game’s first yellow card for a clear foul on Adrien Rabiot. Both players needed treatment and Bastoni was to rue the challenge as he was unable to continue.
The tireless Luka Modrić was booked for Milan late on.
Inter was without Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Lautaro Martínez, who watched from the substitutes' bench.
Inter stayed on 67 points and second-place Milan moved to 60. Defending champion Napoli is third with 56 points.
Genoa thwarts Roma
Portuguese forward Vitinha scored for Daniele De Rossi's Genoa in a 2-1 upset win over Roma, dealing the visitors another blow in their quest for Champions League qualification.
Roma’s loss comes after last week’s 3-3 draw with Juventus, which is just a point behind in the fight for fourth place.
Roma and Como are level on 51 points, and though Como has the better goal difference, Roma won their encounter earlier in the season and head-to-head will be the determining factor if they finish level. Roma visits Como next weekend. The top four qualify for Europe’s premier club competition.
Junior Messias fired Genoa ahead from the penalty spot early in the second half.
Evan Ndicka quickly responded for Roma before Vitinha scored in the 80th, five minutes after going on as a substitute, to give the team coached by former Roma great De Rossi its second straight win at home.
Genoa climbed to 13th.
Also Sunday, Fiorentina drew with Parma 0-0, leaving it just outside the relegation zone, and Verona came from behind to win 2-1 at Bologna.
Earlier, Lecce defeated Cremonese 2-1 at home to leapfrog the visitors and leave them in the relegation zone in their place.
The Los Angeles Lakers will be without LeBron James for a second consecutive night.
James, who had been listed as a game-time decision after missing the second night of a back-to-back on Friday against the Indiana Pacers, has been ruled out of Sunday's matchup against the New York Knicks with left elbow discomfort and left foot arthritis.
After surpassing yet another absurd NBA record, James took a hard fall in the fourth quarter of Thursday's loss to the Denver Nuggets and landed on his left elbow. ESPN's Dave McMenamin later reported that head coach J.J. Redick said James "was icing his left elbow after the game and that he was experiencing enough discomfort that it caused him to be unable to finish the game."
LeBron James injury update
During the ESPN pregame show on Sunday, Malika Andrews reported that James sitting is "more the foot than the elbow," and that it'll be a day-to-day situation for him going forward.
James has had to battle through a few different injuries throughout his 23rd NBA season. His season debut was delayed until Nov. 18 due to sciatica, and his streak of 21 straight All-NBA selections officially ended in February after he missed his 18th game of the season, making him ineligible under the league's 65 games played requirement.
Luka Doncic stepped up in James' absence -- and Deandre Ayton and Maxi Kleber -- on Friday, leading a shorthanded Lakers squad with 44 points to a 128-117 over the tanking Pacers. The Lakers will likely need a similar performance from Doncic again on Sunday to get past the Knicks, the East's No. 3 seed.
Mar 6, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) smiles at Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) while being congratulated by guard Payton Pritchard (11) during the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images | Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
In Jayson Tatum’s second game back, he scored 20 points in 27 minutes after a big 12-point first quarter. However, this afternoon belonged to Jaylen Brown who scored 23 points with 9 rebounds and 8 assists. The Celtics beat the Cavaliers, 109-98 to improve to 43-21.
Nikola Vucevic is the only Celtic who missed this one with his right ring finger injury. Boston started Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, Jayson Tatum and Neemias Queta. Donovan Mitchell returned for the Cavs after missing their last few games, they were missing Jarrett Allen, Max Strus and Tyrese Proctor. Along with Mitchell, they started James Harden, Sam Merrill, Dean Wade and Evan Mobley.
It was a bit of a slow start for the Celtics who were outscored 11-3 early in the game leading to a Joe Mazzulla timeout. Evan Mobley had 7 quick points for Cleveland.
Jayson Tatum looked like Jayson Tatum in the first quarter. He scored 12 points on 4/6 from the field as Boston finished the quarter on a 32-15 run to lead 35-26.
The 2nd quarter got off to a fast start for the Celtics with both Tatum and Brown on the bench. In the past Boston would crumble in those minutes but they’ve been playing those minutes all season and winning them by a lot. They outscored the Cavs 7-2 by the time that the Jays checked back in.
you kinda forget the celtics have been playing non tatum/brown minutes all season and winning them.
The 2nd quarter really belonged to the Celtics defense. Over the first 8:31 of the quarter, Boston held the Cavs to 7 points, 2 of which came off of a Mobley fast break dunk.
Cleveland finished with just 10 points in the quarter, 4/25 from the field and 0/14 from three. The Celtics led 56-36. Jayson Tatum led the team with 14 points while Jaylen Brown chipped in 11 of his own.
Cleveland opened the first 3:07 of the game on an 11-3 run.
Cleveland got going in the 3rd as they scored more points in the first 4:25 of the quarter (14) than they did in the entire 2nd. Joe Mazzulla called a timeout as the C’s lead was cut to 12 points.
Jaylen really got it going in the third quarter, he had 9 points in the first 7 minutes of the quarter, making 4 of his first 6 shot attempts in the period.
The Celtics bounced back well, taking a 25-point lead but an 8-0 Cavs run to end the quarter cut the Boston lead to 86-69. Brown led the team with 20 points while Sam Hauser had 15 and Baylor Scheierman had 13 of his own.
That carried over to the 4th quarter as the Cavaliers cut the Celtics lead to 91-81 on a 12-5 run in the first 3 minutes of the quarter.
JT cooled down after a hot start, with a stretch of 7 straight missed shots after his big 12 point first quarter. You can see he looks great; he just needs the conditioning to comeback. That will take some time.
A big pair of Payton Pritchard buckets settled the Celtics offense back down before a Jayson Tatum layup made it a 14-point game again. Then after Cleveland cut the lead back to 9, Jayson Tatum hit a big three to make the lead 12 once again.
That was the dagger as Cleveland missed back-to-back threes at the end of the game, allowing the Celtics to pull out the 109-98 win.
The bench gave big contributions too as Payton Pritchard scored 18 points and Baylor Scheierman scored 16. The Celtics shot 44% from the field and 39.5% from three while the Cavaliers shot 41% from the field and 29% from three. The Celtics next game is against the Spurs in San Antonio on Tuesday at 8 EST.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 08: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket around Jaylon Tyson #20 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first quarter at Rocket Arena on March 08, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
CLEVELAND — Not much went right for the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday afternoon. They couldn’t make a shot, struggled to stay with the Boston Celtics’ stars on the perimeter, and were outhustled all afternoon. This all led to a 109-98 loss to the class of the Eastern Conference that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score would indicate.
For as badly as things ended, the game started well for the Cavs. Evan Mobley took advantage of mismatches early on as he scored nine of the team’s first 13 points. This led to Cleveland taking a brief five-point lead at the start of the game. That was as good as it would get.
Boston controlled the remainder of the quarter thanks to a strong opening from Jayson Tatum. He poured in 12 points on 4-6 shooting in the first to give his team a nine-point advantage after one.
Things went from bad to worse in the second.
The Cavaliers couldn’t buy a basket in the second quarter. Boston cut off lanes to the basket and made them a jump-shooting team, which proved to be the right strategy this afternoon. The Cavs failed to convert any of their 14 three-point attempts in the quarter and went just 4-25 from the field overall. This led to them scoring just 10 points in the quarter.
Boston didn’t take advantage as much as they should’ve. They scored just 21 points of their own, going 5-20 from the field (20%). But the 20-point advantage they took into the break was enough to cruise to the stress-free victory.
The Cavs were able to make the game more respectable in the second half. They cut Boston’s lead to eight midway through the fourth quarter, but it never really felt like they had a chance to actually win the game.
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The Cavaliers were led by Donovan Mitchell. He scored 30 points on 9-18 shooting with five assists in his return to the lineup after missing four games with a groin injury.
Mobley added 24 points and eight rebounds in the loss.
James Harden struggled to find his shot. He didn’t have his most efficient night from the floor, going 6-16, and he wasn’t able to make up for it by getting to the free-throw line. He ended the day with 19 points and 10 assists.
The Celtics were led by Jaylen Brown’s 23 points and eight assists. Tatum provided 20 points in his second game back from injury.
Payton Pritchard supplied 18 points, with each seemingly coming every time the Cavs were starting to turn the momentum of the game around. He has a knack for making back-breaking shots against the Cavs.
This was a disappointing loss for a Cleveland team that had really established good momentum over the last few weeks. They had big wins over the other top teams in the conference, the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons, in the James Harden Era. The Celtics could be a different story. Even though the Cavs didn’t play up to their skill level, the Celtics present a lot of problems for the Cavs with their wings and spaced-out offense.
The Cavs will be back in action Monday evening when they host the Philadelphia 76ers. Tip-off is at 7 PM.
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Sarah Fillier and Taylor Girard each scored twice and the New York Sirens defeated the Ottawa Charge 6-2 on Sunday in the PWHL.
The Sirens won at home against the Charge for the first time in the last five meetings at the Prudential Center and took a 2-1 advantage in the season series.
In an explosive first period between two of the higher-scoring teams in the league, the Sirens came away with a 3-1 lead. Maddi Wheeler, Fillier and Girard scored to give New York a 3-0 lead before Brianne Jenner connected for Ottawa.
Jenner's goal was her ninth of the season, tied for fourth in the league. Kristýna Kaltounková of the Sirens leads with 11.
After a scoreless second period, Ottawa closed to within 3-2 when Gabbie Hughes found the back of the net three minutes into the third period.
New York then clicked again on offense, getting goals from Girard, Ally Simpson and Fillier.
Fillier had an assist on Girard's first-period goal.
In the net, Kayle Osborne made 16 saves for New York (8-0-3-8, 27 points) and Gwyneth Philips stopped 26 for Ottawa (5-5-1-8, 26 points).
The game drew a Sirens-record attendance of 8,264. Among New York's promotions was #23HourPlay for International Women's Day, which was shortened by one hour due to the switch to Daylight Saving Time.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 01: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks in action against LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers at Madison Square Garden on February 01, 2026 in New York City. The Knicks defeated the Lakers 112-110. 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 Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Knicks (41*–23) visit the Lakers (38–25) at Crypto.com Arena in a nationally televised tilt. Los Angeles ranks middle-of-the-pack on both ends (12th in offense, 15th in defense) and is powered by Luka Dončić (32.5 PPG), Austin Reaves (23.5 PPG), and LeBron James (GTD, elbow). Favored to win, the Knicks will look to exploit the Lakers’ weak rebounding and push the pace against these plodders.
Tip off is 3:30 p.m. EST on ABC. This is your game thread. This is Silver Screen and Roll. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Practice kindness. And go Knicks!
* Should be one more, but the CIA made the win disappear.
