Rob Dillingham looked like something close to Gen Z Allen Iverson in college when he was tearing it up for the Kentucky Wildcats next to Reed Sheppard. The super shifty point guard was ripping deep three-pointers, cooking defenders off the bounce, and playing with a flair that energized fans and teammates alike. The Minnesota Timberwolves were so sold on Dillingham that they traded a first-round pick seven years out to move up to the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 draft to select him.
Dillingham could not get on the floor for a contending Wolves team in his first 1.5 seasons, so at the trade deadline Minnesota dealt him to Chicago for Ayo Dosunmu. Taking a flier on the 21-year-old guard made sense for a rebuilding Bulls team, but so far the change of scenery hasn’t benefitted Dillingham too much.
As the Thunder were crushing the Bulls on Tuesday night, Dillingham had one of the strangest turnovers you will ever see. Pushing the ball on the break, the Chicago guard accidentally heel-kicked the ball to OKC. This is something straight out soccer, but not sure if Messi himself could actually pull off if he tried. Watch the play here:
Some of these Rob Dillingham turnovers are mind-boggling. He just heel kicked the ball to the Thunder pic.twitter.com/ngAuzeJjBG
This feels absolutely impossible to recreate. If Dillingham tried to do it 100 more times, I don’t think he could. That’s yours truly on the clip, and I’m just glad I had the game recording when such a strange play happened.
Dillingham needs to do two things to save his NBA career: cut down the turnovers, and improve as a shooter. He has a nearly 20 percent turnover rate since entering the league, which is about twice as high as it needs to be given his other limitations. For such a small guard to succeed, they need to be able to drain threes off the dribble. Dillingham’s 44 percent college three-point stroke has fallen to 31.7 percent in the NBA. A lot of his issues could probably be fixed just by getting stronger.
Dillingham is really fun to watch when he’s on, but his significant lack of both length and strength hurts him. This is just a bizarre play. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen it before, and I doubt I’ll ever see it again.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 01: Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks shoots the ball during the first quarter of the game against the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden on March 01, 2026 in New York City. 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 Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When Mike Brown was hired as the new honcho in July, it was abundantly clear that the Knicks would fundamentally change their offensive identity.
And while the team has been pretty similar to last season in terms of offensive rating, efficiency, and their overall standing in the league, there’s one thing that’s been different: three-point volume.
The Knicks are eighth in 3PA/g with 39.5 following their win in Toronto on Tuesday night. Last year? They were 27th with 34.1. The overall efficiency hasn’t changed too much (up to 37.5% from 36.9% last year), but in shooting 5.4 more attempts per game, the shot diet has been considerably augmented. They went from 38.2% of their shots being from 3 to having 43.7% of their shots be from downtown, a solid increase.
The biggest change, though, is that the team is now hunting the most efficient shot in the modern NBA, the corner 3. And for the most part, they’re knocking them down.
That’s powered by some of the NBA’s most prolific corner 3 shooters, as Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby are 2nd and 3rd in attempts from the corner, respectively, while both are shooting over 42%. Deuce McBride, Landry Shamet, Josh Hart, and Jalen Brunson are also shooting over 39%. Hell, even Mo Diawara is on fire from the corner!
So the Knicks have shooters and a coach who prioritizes getting good, open looks at the most efficient spots. What could possibly go wrong?
The problem turns out to be that the Knicks aren’t the most consistent bunch. The numbers look spectacular, but not all “efficient” shooters are created equally. There’s the AJ Green’s of the world, that’s an absolute lock to at least go 3/6 or 4/10 even when he’s not 100% locked in. Then, there’s the type that will one game go 6/8 and the next game go 1/8, but ultimately average out at over 40%.
That’s, unfortunately, what the Knicks have been.
OG and Mikal both on this list.
Wrote about it this morning. Part of being the best role players in the NBA – something both were billed as – is consistency. Neither has been consistent enough for the Knicks given their other issues. https://t.co/tlRPeJURk7
As such, the Knicks have had some really bad shooting games. Through 62 games, here are the Knicks’ records when they shoot a certain percentage from 3:
Over 45%: 13-0 Over 40%: 20-5 Over 34%: 37-9 Under 34%: 3-13 Under 30%: 1-9
The Knicks have not lost a game where they shoot better than 44% from 3. They have not won a game where they shoot worse than 28%. Of course, it’s obvious that a team will do better when they make more 3-pointers, but this disparity is extremely jarring. In fact, here are the exact same splits from the 2024-25 season:
Over 45%: 11-1 Over 40%: 24-4 Over 34%: 40-13 Under 34%: 11-18 Under 30%: 5-13
With the larger volume of threes being taken this year, there’s less margin for error when they don’t go down. Last year, the Knicks were able to occasionally win when inefficient from 3 because they usually shot less than 30 a night when they weren’t falling. This year? They’re trying to shoot 35-40 per game, regardless.
There are pros and cons to both systems. Last year’s offensive system was more flexible, but the ceiling of the current team is much higher because they can absolutely destroy teams when they knock down a barrage of threes. It also makes it so that, as long as they make enough shots, the volume will usually have them out in front.
Of course, what matters is making the shots when it counts. The Knicks are the league’s best three-point shooting team in the clutch this season (while also, strangely, being the worst free-throw shooting team), but that’s not entirely what I mean by making it when it matters.
In three matchups with the top-seeded Detroit Pistons this season, the Knicks are shooting an abysmal 29.6%. While some of that is elite Pistons defense, a deeper dive shows that it’s just really bad shotmaking.
Open threes: 5-33 (15.2%) Wide-open threes: 19-56 (33.9%)
In the most recent defeat in Cleveland, the Knicks went an absolutely horrific 5-for-21 on wide-open triples. Maybe a good percentage of those bolsters an offense that was stuck in neutral all night there.
When the Knicks lose, it’s because they can’t make shots. Very few times (outside the 11-game stretch, of course) are they just completely overmatched and outplayed in all facets. There will be that game where Brunson is stuck in a box, and his supporting cast is either in street clothes or just not effective. There will be nights when important players are injured. There will be nights when the effort level isn’t there.
But a lot of times, it really just boils down to making open threes. When they make them, they’re extremely hard to beat.
NOBLESVILLE, IN - FEBRUARY 21: Keshon Gilbert #10 of the Capital City Go-Go dribbles the ball during the game against the Noblesville Boom on February 21, 2026 at the Arena at Innovation Mile in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Jeff Dean/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Yesterday, the Hawks took action to fill their third and final two-way spot with the signing of Keshon Gilbert. The report broken by Jake L. Fischer of the Stein Line substack:
The Atlanta Hawks are signing Keshon Gilbert to a two-way contract, according to league sources. Gilbert, repped by veteran agent Bill Neff, was with the Capital City Go-Go, and spent time with the Washington Wizards earlier this season.
Caleb Houston was recently converted from his two-way deal to a standard contract. In that space is now Gilbert, who played for the Wizards earlier this season.
Gilbert is a 22-year-old rookie guard who went undrafted from Iowa State. He’s a solid playmaker and defender with good size for a point guard.
He joins Christian Koloko and RayJ Dennis as the other Hawks on two-way deals.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 3: Doug Collins, Bob Costas and Mike Fratello smile before the game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the San Antonio Spurs on March 3, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
On Tuesday night, NBC flashed back to the 1990s and the result was more entertaining than any episode of Friends I’ve seen. With the NBA once more on the network this season as part of the league’s changing media rights landscape, NBC did a retro broadcast of the Sixers-Spurs game in Philadelphia. I adored it, despite the results of the game.
The network’s pregame show, featuring the likes of old-school NBA on NBC commentators Hannah Storm, P.J. P.J. Carlesimo and Isiah Thomas handled the pregame action, discussing the Sixers-Spurs game while mixing in clips from the ‘90s and the turn of the millennium to augment the retro feel. Sure, today’s younger fans want to know the latest on Victor Wembanyama and Tyrese Maxey, but seeing videos of former Sixers coach Larry Brown and NBA Finals matchups of yesteryear was a treat.
As things changed to actual in-game action, NBC brought the goods with the graphics package.
They were both great touches and the fact that the Sixers were donning their Allen Iverson-era throwback uniforms only made it that much more sweet.
A classic group of announcers were on the mic too with Bob Costas, Doug Collins and Mike Fratello, as well as Jim Gray as a sideline reporter. I have been vocal over the last 15 years about my disdain for Collins’ tenure as a coach in Philadelphia, but he was an excellent player as a Sixer and defining color commentator for the sport.
I love basketball history. If you’re a fan of the modern game, you should too. This isn’t to say that any teenager should automatically proclaim that Michael Jordan was better than their GOAT in LeBron James. Form your own opinions, but be informed of what transpired in the game, from the on-court action of the former legends to all the minutiae surrounding it that made us all fall for hoops in the first place. That connective tissue is everything. Sure, things have changed mightily over the decades. This game is airing concurrently on a streaming service, for instance, but our collective love of basketball still shines through.
This shouldn’t be a one-off thing. Doing it weekly would diminish the aura of it, but how about monthly at least? Maybe you can’t get the whole crew of announcers together for that many games, but if the broadcast, graphics, court and uniforms adhere to the era, let’s keep going with this blast to past. Perhaps it reels back in some lapsed NBA fans while also giving younger generations a reason to go on a Wikipedia or basketball-reference wormhole to learn about everything that led to Wembanyama and Maxey now being the kings of the court.
Center Deandre Ayton dunks in front of Pelicans forward Zion Williamson duing the Lakers' defeat of New Orlenas on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
A three-pointer clanked off the side of the backboard. Four players were whistled for technical fouls. Passes from the Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans sailed out of bounds.
The errors added up to an ugly game. The result, however, was beautiful for the Lakers, who notched a 110-101 comeback win over the Pelicans on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. They clawed back from an eight-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win their third consecutive game, showing the kind of resolve coach JJ Redick said he hasn’t seen since November when the Lakers started 15-4.
“Nights like this can change the trajectory for teams and players,” guard Marcus Smart said. “So hopefully this win and tonight, in the way, the fashion that we won it, kicks our confidence up.”
Here are three takeaways from the game:
Marcus Smart gives Lakers life
Lakers guard Marcus Smart passes the ball under pressure from Pelicans guard Saddiq Bey on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
With calm feet and fast hands, Smart reached in to swat the ball away from a driving Trey Murphy III. The final defensive flourish from Smart put a fitting full-stop on the Lakers' win as the former defensive player of the year set the tone with four steals and three blocked shots and made a key three-pointer in the fourth quarter to spark the comeback.
“He gave us life tonight,” Redick said.
The 12-year veteran was the only Laker to play every second of the fourth quarter, proving to be a vital piece of the closing rotation along with stars LeBron James, Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic.
Doncic led the Lakers with 27 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, although he had seven turnovers. James fueled the Lakers during the third quarter, scoring the team’s first nine points and finishing with 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Reaves shook off a bad offensive night to score eight of his 15 points in the fourth quarter.
With so many offensive superstars around him, Smart has instead “starred in his role,” Redick said. The assignment is defense, a role Smart has dutifully filled his whole career.
“He’s just a winning player,” James said. “He always has been. Ever since I started watching him at Oklahoma State, all the way until being a pro.”
Jaxson Hayes stands up to Zion Williamson
Lakers center Jaxson Hayes falls after Pelicans forward Zion Williamson commits an offensive foul as Lakers guard Austin Reaves watches at at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Matching the physicality of Pelicans forwards Zion Williamson and Saddiq Bey was on the top of the Lakers’ scouting report. But the task is easier said than done.
Reaves admitted to being “terrified” of stepping in front of a driving Williamson to draw a charge. The 6-foot-6, 284-pound Pelicans forward is just as physical as he is athletic, creating a fearsome combination for defenders. Healthy for the first time in two seasons, Williamson led the Pelicans with 24 points on 10-for-18 shooting.
“We haven't seen somebody like that in a long time, right?” Smart said. “[With] his ability. But [being] willing to put your body there, take a charge, take an elbow to the face, box him out, go vertical, is definitely something that you got to be willing to do, and not everybody's willing to do it. And that's the difference in the game.”
Center Jaxson Hayes was up to the task. He absorbed a Williamson elbow in the fourth quarter and ended up in the front row of the stands holding his jaw. But the knock was worth it for the offensive foul that helped maintain the Lakers’ 14-0 run that quickly erased the Pelicans’ eight-point lead. The scoring streak started immediately after Hayes subbed back into the game with 7:20 remaining when he scored on his first possession, cutting to the basket for a dunk off an assist from Doncic.
Hayes had eight points, six rebounds and two blocks, playing nearly 23 minutes off the bench in his biggest workload as a substitute since Jan. 20 against Denver. After playing with Hayes in New Orleans during the center’s first two years in the league, Redick lauded the seventh-year pro's improvement. Hayes is sinking touch shots around the rim now. He has improved his decision making in the pocket. After getting benched for his defensive lapses last season, Hayes has impressed coaches with his consistent ability to stay vertical while protecting the rim. And he still brings the same trademark athleticism that made him the eighth overall pick in 2019.
“He consistently injects energy into the group when he runs the floor, blocks a shot, or he gets those dunks,” Redick said.
It's winning time
Lakers guard Luka Doncic motions across the court after Marcus Smart sank a three-pointer late in a win over the Pelicans at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday night. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
The Lakers steadied themselves with three wins over bottom-feeding teams. Now things get interesting.
With less than six weeks left of the regular season, the Lakers face a critical stretch of games that could shake up the playoff picture. Five of the Lakers’ next eight games are against the three teams directly ahead of them in the Western Conference, beginning with Thursday’s showdown in Denver. The Lakers are just half a game behind the Nuggets (38-24) for fifth place in the West. Behind conference favorites Oklahoma City and San Antonio, third and sixth place in the West are separated by just 1½ games.
Players are “aware” of the tight standings, Smart said. But the potentially season-defining stretch can’t be at the forefront of their minds now.
“We don't have the luxury to look ahead,” Smart said. “I think if we can stay that course and just focus [on] one game at a time, [we can] give ourselves a chance to do some things and catch a good rhythm.”
The Lakers also play fourth-place Minnesota (39-23) at home on March 10 and have consecutive road games at third-place Houston (38-22) on March 16 and 18.
ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 3: Justin Champagnie #9 of the Washington Wizards drives to the basket during the game against the Orlando Magic on March 3, 2026 at Kia Center in Orlando, 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Wizards lost another one — this time a reasonably competitive game (at least for a while) against the Orlando Magic. The final margin: 17.
That 17-point final gap sounds big for the words “reasonably competitive,” and those words in this case are not intended to convey the idea that the Wizards ever had a serious chance of winning. They did play Orlando about even in three of the four quarters, though it always felt like the Magic were just better and would eventually go on a run.
Will Riley goes for a layup in the team’s loss to the Orlando Magic. | Getty Images
That happened in the third quarter, which the Magic “won” by 13.
Although I’ve written variations of this next point many times the past couple years, it bears repeating: this kind of loss is by design. I mean, they gave 33 minutes to JuJu Reese, 31 to Leaky Black, and 20 to Sharife Cooper. This is not to slander any of them — if they work very hard and smart, each of them has the ability to be on NBA rosters and maybe in a team’s rotation for the next several years.
Possibly.
At this point, they’re G-Leaguers, 10-day, and two-way guys. Which is to say, not ready to offer serious competition to a professional team making a push to get their collective stuff together in time for the playoffs. Maybe that will be the Wizards in the future.
Thoughts & Observations
Trae Young will make his Wizards debut on Thursday against the Utah Jazz. Expect a tight minutes restriction, especially if he’s playing well. This one — and Sunday’s game at the New Orleans Pelicans are must lose for the Wizards.
After deploying a tiny lineup that got bludgeoned inside by the Houston Rockets, Washington opened even smaller. Kyshawn George was out with a “sprained elbow,” so head coach Brian Keefe started Will Riley, who’s…yet to develop muscles. Somehow, the Wizards (slightly) out-rebounded the Magic.
Coulibaly picked up two fouls in the first two minutes of the game. Keefe left him in, and he committed his third foul with five minutes left in the period. Given the team’s goals, and the reality that he wasn’t going to play more than 24 minutes, I thought Keefe should have let him continue playing — even with three fouls in the first quarter. Let him get the experience of defending through foul trouble.
The Wizards struggled frequently to get shots in the halfcourt. They had back-to-back shot clock violations in the first quarter. In the second, they committed consecutive backcourt violations.
Related: a recurring entry in my game notes was something along the lines of “nice move (or shot), but…” and the “but” would be followed by something about how hard the Wizards had to get a difficult shot. I made that note about Coulibaly, Tre Johnson, Will Riley, Bub Carrington, and Jaden Hardy.
Related-related: Difficult shot-making is valuable and necessary. But it cannot be the foundation of an efficient NBA offense. Much more valuable is the ability to generate easy shots. The Wizards aren’t there right now. It’s something that may come — they’re gaining experience, and they can improve with work on their bodies, skills, and decision-making.
From what I’ve seen so far, Reese has a very long ways to go to have an NBA career. He’s an undersized center whose best skill seems to be passing. He’s not a rim protector (by aptitude or athleticism). He was ineffective as a switch defender. He’s not nearly strong enough to bring high-level physicality.
Riley scored on a first-quarter possession that involved some fine moves and aggression. And it drove me nuts because it should have been illegal. On the move, I thought he double-dribbled once and committed at least three carries. Good move based on the way the NBA is currently officiated. It should have been a turnover.
From the notebook: Orlando’s offense is an incoherent mess.
Jaden Hardy is very confident in his ability to make shots.
Orlando shot 1-12 from three in the first half. They finished the game 10-25, which means they hit 9-13 in the second half. The quality of looks didn’t seem to change — just the result.
Coulibaly has been more aggressive offensively the past few weeks. One possession last night was a bit worrisome — he tried to post up on Tristan da Silva, got forced into a weirdly contorted fling, and got his shot blocked.
Every time I see Orlando play, I’m a bit underwhelmed by Paolo Banchero. That was true even last night when he had 37 points and 6 assists with very good efficiency. He seems heavily reliant on difficult shots and inefficient mid-rangers. Last night, he took mid-range faders when being defended by Riley — where Banchero has big size and strength advantages. I think center is the best position for Banchero and the Magic, except that his lack of rim protection might undermine their defense more than he’d benefit their offense.
Going by the Game Score metric on basketball-reference, this was the fifth best game of Jett Howard’s career. He scored 12 points on six shots.
Four Factors
Below are the four factors that decide wins and losses in basketball — shooting (efg), rebounding (offensive rebounds), ball handling (turnovers), fouling (free throws made).
The four factors are measured by:
eFG% (effective field goal percentage, which accounts for the three-point shot)
OREB% (offensive rebound percentage)
TOV% (turnover percentage — turnovers divided by possessions)
FTM/FGA (free throws made divided by field goal attempts)
FOUR FACTORS
WIZARDS
MAGIC
LGAVG
eFG%
50.5%
61.8%
54.3%
OREB%
27.1%
9.4%
26.1%
TOV%
12.2%
8.2%
12.8%
FTM/FGA
0.174
0.421
0.207
PACE
98
99.4
ORTG
111
129
115.3
Stats & Metrics
PPA is my overall production metric, which credits players for things they do that help a team win (scoring, rebounding, playmaking, defending) and dings them for things that hurt (missed shots, turnovers, bad defense, fouls).
PPA is a per possession metric designed for larger data sets. In small sample sizes, the numbers can get weird. In PPA, 100 is average, higher is better and replacement level is 45. For a single game, replacement level isn’t much use, and I reiterate the caution about small samples sometimes producing weird results.
POSS is the number of possessions each player was on the floor in this game.
ORTG = offensive rating, which is points produced per individual possessions x 100. League average so far this season is listed in the Four Factors table above. Points produced is not the same as points scored. It includes the value of assists and offensive rebounds, as well as sharing credit when receiving an assist.
USG = offensive usage rate. Average is 20%. Median so far this season is 17.7%.
ORTG and USG are versions of stats created by former Wizards assistant coach Dean Oliver and modified by me. ORTG is an efficiency measure that accounts for the value of shooting, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers. USG includes shooting from the floor and free throw line, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers.
+PTS = “Plus Points” is a measure of the points gained or lost by each player based on their efficiency in this game compared to league average efficiency on the same number of possessions. A player with an offensive rating (points produced per possession x 100) of 100 who uses 20 possessions would produce 20 points. If the league average efficiency is 115, the league — on average — would produced 23.0 points in the same 20 possessions. So, the player in this hypothetical would have a +PTS score of -3.0.
Players are sorted by total production in the game.
Mar 3, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) reacts to his three pointer against the Philadelphia 76ers during the third quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Poke the bear and you get the horns. Something like that. Everyone and their tax advisor knew that coming off their first lost in 10 games, the Spurs would come out swinging on Tuesday night. Boy howdy, did they wax the cow off that haystack.
Devin Vassell and Dylan Harper both had a game high of 22 points, while Victor Wembanyama slept walked his way to 10 points, 8 rebounds, with 3 steals and 6 blocks. 6 blocks. 6 blocks in 24 minutes of play. I couldn’t get 2 blocks on my daughter’s Fisher Price basketball goal in 6 years of play.
What a smooth shot. Devin Vassell, here, hoisted up a shot with such a perfect arch that even the CEO of McDonald’s was so impressed he forgot he was eating his own product that his company dispenses.
I am work shopping an alternative to “Area 51.” Don’t get me wrong, I love Area 51. But these two have an inexplicable mind meld going on whenever they share the court that it can only be described as ESP (extrasensory perception).
Hey, remember when I was just talking about ESP? Did you know that the late, great Dennis Hopper did a commercial praising the exploits of Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin? Well now you do.
Here, Devin Vassell channeled his inner Robin Hood and stole from the rich to give to the robo-advisors. On a team of Victor Wembanyams, Stephon Castles, and De’Aaron Foxes, it’s easy to forget that Devin Vassell is stacking together games played in this stretch run as he helps lead the Spurs to the playoffs.
Another day, another way for Stephon Castle to dunk his way into our hearts. He’s like Shia LeBouf in Transformers (2007): plucky, surprisingly good, and you really don’t mind the Linkin Park soundtrack even if hearing anything Linkin Park makes your ears taste Red Bull even if you like your Red Bull to taste like emo.
Look, I want to apologize from above for comparing our beloved Stephon Castle to Linkin Park. No offense to Linkin Park, but your nu metal/rap rock/alternative metal/electronic rock/pop rock is not enough to describe my love and admiration of Stephon Castle’s game. And I once went to a music festival (it was actually the State Fair of Texas) featuring Linkin Park with 30 Seconds From Mars opening for Linkin Park. But after my friend and I watched 30 Seconds From Mars (purely for Jared Leto) (it was the year when “Dallas Buyers Club” was an Oscar darling) open for Linkin Park, we skipped the main act (Linkin Park) to get a giant fried turkey leg because it’s Texas, and that’s what you do at the State Fair of Texas in 2014.
Dylan Harper out here in his bag waiting for us to say (in my best Stanley Tucci voice) “Girl, that Louis Vitton does not deserve to be hung off your arm.”
Julian Champagnie had no sense of dithering when he served up this soft lob to Luke Kornet to reward the big man for his block and hustle on the defensive end.
In a true display of overflowing of talent, the Spurs unleashed Carter Bryant to the tune of 25:35 minutes where he wreaked upon the basketball world a barrage of 11 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists in those almost 26 minutes. Feast your eyes as our young prodigy takes to the air in an aerial display of magnanimous marvel.
If you missed the game because you were too busy cataloguing your CD collection of Papa Roach, Limp Bizkit, and Evanescence, here are the full-game highlights:
Next up, the Spurs return home after a long road trip to take on the Detroit Pistons on Thursday, March 5, 2026.
The Mavericks were 1-4 over the last week and remain in 12th place in the West. They beat Brooklyn (123-114), and lost four largely uncompetitive games to Sacramento (130-121), Memphis (124-105), Oklahoma City (100-87), and Charlotte (117-90). Naji Marshall led the team in scoring with 20.3 points per game. Cooper Flagg (foot) remains out, while Naji Marshall (finger), P.J. Washington (ankle), and Marvin Bagley (neck) all missed time.
Grade: C-
Cooper Flagg’s return cannot come fast enough. The Mavericks are playing multiple two-way guys every night and have rotation players in and out. This was one of the most meaningless stretches of basketball the Mavericks have played since possibly the 1980s, as they did not play well and did not improve their lottery odds by a single point.
Max Christie and Khris Middleton played all five games. They averaged a combined 21 points per game on 38-of-101 shooting (37.6 percent). It was not a good showcase from them when they had an elevated offensive burden due to the injuries on the team. Dallas cycled point guards and centers and found nothing worthwhile in either category, outside of a remarkable stat line from Moussa Cisse against the Thunder: 12 rebounds, zero points, zero assists, zero blocks, and zero steals.
The Mavericks play three more road games this week, in Orlando, Boston, and Toronto. The talk is that Cooper Flagg could return in one of these games, and with him being from Maine, a homecoming in Boston could be on the horizon.
Straight A’s: Klay Thompson
Klay Thompson is in Dallas as a result of the falling out he had with Golden State over his role, and particularly with regards to coming off the bench. He came here to start alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, yet now he finds himself subbing in for Max Christie. Any player of his caliber and with his resume would have every right to demand a trade or pout. And yet, Thompson has not said a word. He has been a consummate professional, showing up to work every day and playing as well as he can. I am sure mentoring Cooper Flagg provides incentive to take a back seat on a bad team, but the fact that he hasn’t repeated the antics that led to an exit from the Warriors is commendable.
Currently Failing: Watchability
The Mavericks were already teetering on the edge of tolerable when Cooper Flagg was playing, but now that he has been out for an extended period of time, it’s clear where the joy from those games came from. It’s not even that Dallas is hurt or bad; it is that most of the guys they have healthy are either old or playing for their NBA lives. There are no future implications when Flagg does not play. This is not a Wizards or Nets situation, where they have loads of young guys that could be the core moving forward. This is as close to an existential crisis as basketball fandom gets.
Extra Credit: Khris Middleton
Middleton will be a Maverick for the rest of the year. There were reports of Denver having interest, but ultimately, it will be Dallas where the former champion will play out his 2026 season. Regardless of reasoning, the Mavericks will benefit from his decision. He is another winning vet that can help guide Dallas’ young star rookie and prevent a losing culture from seeping in. It also speaks to the quality of guys behind the scenes, at least to some degree, that he would want to play relatively meaningless basketball in the latter stages of his career when the option to ring chase was on the table. Khris Middleton, we will not forget what you have done here.
ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 19: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks dribbles the ball during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on January 19, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Todd Kirkland/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Milwaukee Bucks face off with the Atlanta Hawks tonight as both teams battle for play-in positioning. The Bucks (four games back) sit at 11th, while the Hawks are tied with the Hornets for 10th; a Bucks win means they would gain a full game on the Hawks. This will be the second matchup between these teams this season, with Milwaukee taking the first on MLK Day in Atlanta. With just one more matchup to come, the Bucks can claim the season series tonight.
Where We’re At
As I explained on today’s episode of Deer Diaries, the Bucks have lost three straight because their offence—which had been sustaining them—has deteriorated rapidly. Their defence has been consistently weak all season (even during the recent winning streak), so that was never going to bail them out. If they can’t recover their previous level of offensive efficiency, they’re finished. On the positive side, Giannis returned and, while he appeared rusty, I thought he looked solid athletically. Hopefully, he continues to improve in all facets as the games progress.
The Hawks are in a much better spot than they were when these teams last met, having won five of their last six games (granted, three of those came against the Wizards and Nets). The newly acquired Jonathan Kuminga has shocked everybody with his performance since getting dealt to Atlanta at the deadline, scoring a combined 64 points in his three games in a Hawks uniform (again, though, two came against the tanking Wiz). They’re also finally getting solid contributions from CJ McCollum, who had a rough start with the team since arriving.
Injury Report
For the Bucks, Taurean Prince (neck) is out. The Hawks have a clean bill of health.
Player To Watch
Giannis. Not because he’s the best player on the team, but because he’s coming back off a long injury-induced break. While GA looked decent athletically in his return, he went 7/18 from the floor (including some bad misses) and had three turnovers. How does he look tonight with the return game out of the way?
How To Watch
ESPN and FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin at 8:30 p.m. CST.
Jazz vs 76ers best bet: Keyonte George Over 20.5 points (-105)
Keyonte George is having a career year, averaging 23.8 points per game, substantially higher than last season’s 16.8 PPG. George is proving to be a key piece alongside Lauri Markkanen in the Utah Jazz rotation.
The Finnish star is sidelined with a back injury, so it was on George to pick up the offensive slack on Monday. While Utah still lost, he dropped 36 points. The Baylor product has hit the Over in points in two of his last three contests on the road as well.
George is averaging 23.8 PPG on the road and 26.5 points post-All-Star break.
Jazz vs 76ers same-game parlay
Ace Bailey is averaging 12.1 PPG, but he’s cashed the Over in three of his last five, and poured in 18 points on Monday.
Bailey also dropped 26 points last Thursday against the Pelicans, and with Markkanen sidelined, that means more shots to go around.
Brice Sensabaugh is averaging 2.4 makes from downtown since the All-Star break, and he’s hit the Over in triples in two of his last four contests. Opponents are shooting nearly 40% from deep against the Philadelphia 76ers across their last three games.
Jazz vs 76ers SGP
Keyonte George Over 20.5 points
Ace Bailey Over 16.5 points
Brice Sensabaugh Over 2.5 made threes
Our "from downtown" SGP: Music to My Ears
The Sixers have lost two in a row, and Utah only lost to the Nuggets by three points on Sunday. Their young guns will help make this one close.
Jazz vs 76ers SGP
Keyonte George Over 20.5 points
Ace Bailey Over 16.5 points
Brice Sensabaugh Over 2.5 made threes
Jazz +9.5
Jazz vs 76ers odds
Spread: Jazz +9.5 (-110) | 76ers -9.5 (-110)
Moneyline: Jazz +325 | 76ers -425
Over/Under: Over 240 (-110) | Under 240 (-110)
Jazz vs 76ers betting trend to know
The Utah Jazz have hit the Game Total Over in 31 of their last 50 games (+10.10 Units / 18% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Jazz vs. 76ers.
How to watch Jazz vs 76ers
Location
Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Date
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Tip-off
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
KJZZ, NBC Sports Philadelphia
Jazz vs 76ers latest injuries
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SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - DECEMBER 28: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives into Cody Williams #5 of the Utah Jazz during the second half of a game at Delta Center on December 28, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Sixers are coming off a rough one — getting blown out at home by the San Antonio Spurs, 131-91. The good news is they won’t have long to stew on it. Philadelphia hosts the Utah Jazz tonight on the second leg of a back-to-back, giving them a quick chance to bounce back.
Sixer fans know a tank job when they see one, and the Jazz are running a familiar operation this season. Utah is near full tank mode, banged up across the roster and sitting comfortably in the lottery race. That said, the pieces are starting to come together. The blockbuster acquisition of Jaren Jackson Jr. at the trade deadline gives them a legitimate cornerstone to build around, and he’ll eventually slot in alongside a frontcourt that already features Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler — the latter a pending restricted free agent.
Surrounding that frontcourt is Keyonte George, a guard in the middle of a genuine breakout. In 50 games, George is averaging 23.9 points and 6.4 assists on 46.1/37.3 shooting splits. His decision-making and efficiency have taken a leap, and he’s quickly establishing himself as one of the more exciting young guards in the West.
Beyond the headliners, Utah has quietly built some depth despite the losing record. Fifth overall pick Ace Bailey has put together a productive rookie campaign, and the roster is dotted with intriguing young pieces in Kyle Filipowski, Brice Sensabaugh and Isaiah Collier. The foundation is real — once they get healthy and stay healthy, they’ll be a threat in the West sooner than people expect.
On the Sixers side, things are trending in the wrong direction. The Spurs loss wasn’t just a bad night, the team looked gassed and disjointed from the opening tip. VJ Edgecombe exited that game after a hard fall and did not return, with the team citing back soreness. His status for tonight is worth monitoring. Joel Embiid and Paul George are both out, and Kelly Oubre — who missed the Spurs game with an illness — is also questionable.
The Jazz are several tiers below San Antonio, but this is shaping up to be another shorthanded night for Philly. Calling a regular season game a must-win is a strong statement, but this one is close. The Sixers are just 0.5 games ahead of the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat for the sixth and final playoff spot, and with the play-in looming, dropping a winnable home game against a depleted Utah squad would sting.
For Utah, Jackson Jr., Kessler, Markkanen, Jusuf Nurkic and Vince Williams are all out tonight. Keyonte George is expected to play. Philadelphia’s full injury report won’t drop until early afternoon, but Embiid and Paul George are confirmed out. Edgecombe and Oubre are the names to watch as tip-off approaches.
Can the Sixers stop the bleeding and secure a win against a team that’s actively trying to lose? Let’s find out.
Game Details
When: Wednesday, March 4th, 7:30 p.m. ET Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic Follow:@LibertyBallers
Federal prosecutors in the alleged rigged poker case involving NBA Hall of Fame player and on-leave Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said in court documents filed Tuesday that they expect to extend formal plea agreements to 12 defendants “in the coming days.” Negotiations are underway with several more.
“The government has had productive conversations with counsel for at least nine other defendants, and the government is reasonably optimistic that those conversations will lead to pretrial resolutions as to those defendants,” said the document.
A formal status hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Eastern District of New York courthouse in Brooklyn.
Thirty-one people were indicted on Oct. 23 on multiple wire fraud and conspiracy charges in what federal prosecutors described as a sprawling, Mafia-backed conspiracy to lure high-dollar players into poker games with famous athletes like Billups, then bilk them using tables fitted with sophisticated cheating mechanisms.
Those arrested included members of the Bonanno, Gambino, and Genovese organized crime families and Damon Jones, a former NBA player with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat.
According to New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, the scheme collected at least $7 million. Beginning in 2019, games were held in the Hamptons, Las Vegas, Miami, and Manhattan, according to U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr., and were found to have ensnared wealthy former athletes and amateur players.
“The scheme targeted victims known as ‘fish’ who were often lured to participate in these rigged games by the chance to play alongside former professional athletes who were known as ‘face cards,’” Nocella said at an Oct. 23 press conference. “The so-called face cards included the defendant Chauncey Billups, who at the time of the scheme was a former NBA player and is currently the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, and also Damon Jones, a former NBA player and coach.”
KOLKATA, India (AP) — New Zealand opener Finn Allen smashed the fastest-ever century in a T20 World Cup game to help the Kiwis defeat favorite South Africa by nine wickets in the first semifinal on Wednesday.
Allen’s blistering unbeaten 100 off 33 balls featured 10 fours and eight sixes and propelled New Zealand to 173-1 in only 12.5 overs to end South Africa’s hopes of reaching its second successive final.
Allen’s ruthless power-hitting saw the right-hander smash Marco Jansen for 4-4-6-6-4 to reach one of the most memorable hundreds in the tournament’s history and lift New Zealand to only its second final.
West Indies great Chris Gayle had the previous record with his 47-ball hundred against England in the 2016 tournament.
South Africa, which came into the playoffs on the back of seven straight wins in the tournament that included seven-wicket win over the Kiwis in the group stage, had used Jansen’s unbeaten 55 off 30 balls to score 169-8 after Mitchell Santner won the toss and elected to chase at Eden Gardens.
“Just tried to get in good positions and perform for the team,” Allen said. “We wanted to start well and put them on the back foot early. Easy for me when Timmy is going like that … training is really important to get a feel of the wicket. We knew it would be black soil, we had that intel.”
And the chase was all over inside the first six overs when Allen and Tim Seifert (58) raced New Zealand to 84-0. Both batters smashed Jansen for two sixes and three boundaries in left-armer’s first two overs and then Allen rounded off the power play by smashing Corbin Bosch for 22 runs in the sixth over.
The return of Kagiso Rabada and leftarm spinner Keshav Maharaj also couldn’t stem the flow of runs as the pair swelled the opening stand to 117 in only nine overs. Rabada got the consolation wicket of Seifert when he knocked the top of leg stump, but Allen kept coming hard on the bowlers with his amazing power-hitting.
Jansen was punished by Allen and Seifert as the left-armer conceded 53 runs off his 2.5 overs. Bosch gave away 35 of his two overs while Maharaj (0-33) and Lungi Ngidi (0-22) were smashed for 55 runs off their five overs.
“Massive credit to Finn Allen’s knock and Seifert’s knock to kill the game off as early as they did,” South Africa captain Aiden Markram said. “We expected the wicket to play really well, looked really good to the eye. Maybe we had to try and scrape our way to 190 and we’d be in the game.”
Jansen leads South Africa recovery
Left-handed Jansen led the recovery in the second half of the innings after the top-order had slipped to 77-5 in the 11th over against off-spin of Cole McConchie (2-9) and the leftarm spin of Rachin Ravindra (2-29).
Santner was quick to gauge the matchup and his ploy to give McConchie the new ball brought New Zealand two wickets in two balls when Quinton de Kock (10) was caught at mid-on and Ryan Rickelton sliced a catch to point off the first ball he faced from the offspinner.
Markram (18) and David Miller (6) couldn’t capitalize on dropped catch and fell to Ravindra with Daryl Mitchell holding onto the catches of both batters in the outfield.
Jansen and Tristan Stubbs (29) revived the innings with a 73-run stand as Jansen raised his half century with back-to-back sixes against Lockie Ferguson and South Africa accelerated well in the death overs by scoring 68 runs of the last six overs.
“When you see how good South Africa are, to put on a performance like that in a crunch game is pretty pleasing,” Santner said. “I guess today was just about trying to keep pressure on throughout, and when you take wickets consistently it’s a challenge to keep going with the bat.”
New Zealand will take on the winner of Thursday’s semifinal between co-host India and England.
VJ Edgecombe is the latest significant addition to the Sixers’ list of sidelined players.
A Sixers official said Wednesday afternoon that an MRI on Edgecombe confirmed the rookie suffered a lumbar contusion during the team’s blowout loss Tuesday night to the Spurs.
Edgecombe will miss the Sixers’ matchup Wednesday vs. the Jazz. He’ll be re-evaluated before the Sixers visit the Hawks on Saturday.
The 20-year-old guard picked up his back injury when he thudded to the floor after being fouled by Carter Bryant on a three-point attempt with 0.2 seconds left in the second quarter. He was officially ruled out at halftime. Backcourt mate Tyrese Maxey went to the Sixers’ locker room to see Edgecombe in the third quarter.
“No one likes getting hurt, but he was the same — smiling, happy,” Maxey said. “We had a good conversation. That’s my little bro. I’m going to check on him; I couldn’t continue the game without checking on him.”
Edgecombe’s played in 57 of the Sixers’ first 61 games and averaged 35.1 minutes. He’s posted 15.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.5 steals per contest during an excellent rookie season.
The 33-28 Sixers will remain without Joel Embiid (strained right oblique), Kelly Oubre Jr. (illness), Paul George (suspension) and Johni Broome (right knee meniscus surgery recovery) against the 18-43 Jazz. Quentin Grimes started in Oubre’s usual spot on Tuesday and Cameron Payne opened the second half instead of Edgecombe.
Utah enters Wednesday on a six-game losing streak and down several key players, including Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Walker Kessler.
VIRGINIA WATER, England (AP) — European players chanted, “Two more years!” when they won the Ryder Cup in New York, and Luke Donald listened. He was named captain on Wednesday for the 2027 matches in Ireland, making him the first captain in 30 years to lead in three straight Ryder Cups.
At stake for Donald is a chance to become the first Ryder Cup captain with three straight victories.
“The last two Ryder Cups have meant a lot to me and my family," Donald said. "I didn’t imagine this third time would come. Celebrating on that Sunday night in New York after a pressure-packed week in a tough environment, I thought maybe my job was done.
“But maybe there is a little more story to tell.”
Donald, a former world No. 1 from England, was never meant to be captain in the first place. He seemingly lost out when Europe chose Henrik Stenson to be captain for the 2023 matches outside Rome. But then Stenson gave up the job when he joined Saudi-backed LIV Golf, and Donald stepped in and hasn't missed a beat.
Donald led Europe to a resounding victory in 2023, and then last September at Bethpage Black led his team to a seven-point lead going into Sunday singles. It held on to win while coping with a hostile New York crowd.
That prompted U.S. captain Keegan Bradley to say, “I think he’s the best European Ryder Cup captain of all time, Luke Donald."
The 2027 matches — the 100th anniversary of the Ryder Cup — will be at Adare Manor in Ireland. Europe has not lost on home soil since 1993.
Donald said he wanted time to soak up the big win at Bethpage Black, and it was only about a month ago that he began to consider whether he wanted the job again and whether to risk what already has been a stellar performance.
“You obviously do question the possibility of losing if you go again,” he said in a video call. "That is always the possibility in sports. You can only give yourself the best opportunity. Winning and losing is not something you can control. You can give yourself an edge and that’s what I hope to do.
“Again, you have those thoughts that, ‘What if this doesn’t go right and we are the first team to lose at home in 34 years?’ Does that taint anything?” he said. “I think there was many more pros than there were cons, and that’s ultimately why I’m sitting here.”
Now it's up to the Americans to decide who will go up against Donald. Tiger Woods again is the top choice to lead Team USA. Woods turned down the job last time, leading to Bradley being appointed just 14 months before the matches.
“Whoever the captain is, it doesn’t really change my role,” Donald said. “My role is to formulate a plan to give our team the best opportunity and what the U.S. are doing is kind of inconsequential to that. I look forward to whoever it is.”
Bernard Gallacher from 1991 through 1995 was the last captain to serve three straight times, winning his last one at Oak Hill.
Donald was seen as an obvious choice for 2027, part of that a product of LIV Golf because of other potential captains — Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell — who are with LIV. Justin Rose had said at the start of the year he was more interested in playing for the 2027 team. Francesco Molinari was viewed as another option.
“History is obviously important to me. As a team, as Ryder Cup Europe, we all play for history," the 48-year-old Donald said. "We talk about it a lot, about the guys who paved the way for us and the responsibility we have to inspire next generations. But I don’t think I have ever thought about history through a personal lens. I just try to enjoy the journey and the day-to-day work to create an environment that gives the players the opportunity for success. That is what I focus on.”
Walter Hagen was a winning captain four times for the Americans, while Ben Hogan led the U.S. team to three victories, though neither was in successive matches and those occurred in an era of U.S. dominance before Europe was part of the Ryder Cup.
Tony Jacklin was European captain three times, and his players left with the gold trophy all three times. The last one in 1989 was a tie, and Europe retained the Ryder Cup as the defending champion. At stake for Donald is the first to win outright three straight times.
