Category: NBA

CINCINNATI (AP) — Jalen Celestine and Jizzle James each scored 18 points and Cincinnati cruised past BYU 90-68 on Tuesday night.

Moustapha Thiam added 15 points and nine rebounds for Cincinnati, which shot 50% overall and 43.5% (10 of 23) from long range. Baba Miller chipped in with 15 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. Day Day Thomas scored 12 points.

Thiam’s dunk with 7:45 to play gave the Bearcats a 71-50 lead. Miller added a one-handed slam with 2:05 remaining.

Cincinnati (17-13, 9-8 Big 12) has won six of its last seven. BYU (20-10, 8-9) has lost three straight.

The Bearcats took the lead about three minutes in and led by as many as 16 points in the first half. The Cougars scored the first five points of the second half to get within seven points, but that was as close as they would get.

AJ Dybantsa scored 23 points and Robert Wright III added 21 for BYU. Aleksej Kostic scored 14 points.

Up next

BYU hosts No. 10 Texas Tech on Saturday in a regular-season finale.

Cincinnati ends its regular season at TCU on Saturday.

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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Bangot Dak scored a career-high 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and Colorado withstood Utah's second-half shooting barrage to beat the Utes 92-78 on Tuesday.

It was the 7-foot Dak's fifth double-double of the season and second this year against Utah. Isaiah Johnson also scored 22 points, Barrington Hargress scored 19 points and Jalin Holland 11 for Colorado (17-13, 7-10 Big 12).

Terrence Brown scored 26 points and Don McHenry 19 for Utah (10-20, 2-15).

A 13-13 contest with 14:46 left before halftime became one-sided as the Buffs went on to dominate and posted a 51-26 lead at halftime, shooting 67.9% (19 of 28) before intermission. Utah meanwhile shot 34.5% (10 of 29) and missed all nine 3-point attempts.

The Utes turned it around after the break and shot 73.9% (17 of 23) including 85.7% (6 of 7) from 3-point range and got back in it. McHenry's three-point play brought Utah within 69-60 with 8:58 remaining.

Colorado responded with Holland making a pair of foul shots, Dak made four straight and then a tip-in layup and Colorado stayed ahead by double digits the rest of the way.

Up Next

Colorado: Hosts No. 2 Arizona in a regular season finale on Saturday.

Utah: Ends the regular season at Baylor on Saturday.

___

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Ryan Conwell scored 23 points, he and Isaac McKneely combined for 10 3-pointers, and Louisville defeated Syracuse 77-62 on Tuesday night.

The Cardinals, who have fallen out of the Top 25 after losing three of their last four games, got 19 points from J’Vonne Hadley and 16 points from McKneely. Conwell and McKneely each buried five 3s and the Cardinals (21-9, 10-7 ACC) finished 14 for 35 from deep.

Naithan George scored 16 points, Nate Kingz 14 and Donnie Freeman 10 for Syracuse (15-15, 6-11). The Orange made only 4 of 19 from 3-point distance.

Louisville made 6 of 17 3-pointers in the first half and Syracuse was 0 for 11. The Cardinals took the lead for good with an 11-0 run that made it 21-10 nine minutes into the game. Later, a 10-0 run pushed the Louisville lead to 37-16 and the score was 39-21 at halftime.

The Cardinals made five 3s in the first 10 minutes of the second half, pushing their lead to 60-38. A few minutes later a 13-2 run had Syracuse within 62-51 but the margin never got down to single digits.

Syracuse has lost four straight games and six of eight overall.

Up next

Syracuse: The Orange wrap up the regular season with a home game against Pittsburgh on Saturday.

Louisville: The Cardinals finish at No. 22 Miami on Saturday.

The conference tournament runs March 10-14 at Charlotte, North Carolina.

___

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It was another defensive clinic for the Knicks.

In New York's 111-95 win over the Raptors in Toronto on Tuesday night, the Knicks held their opponent to under 100 points for the 11th time in their last 19 games. And the Knicks needed that defensive intensity as their offense went stagnant at moments in this one, allowing the upstart Raptors to hang around and even get as close to two points in the fourth quarter.

After going into halftime with a 10-point lead, the Knicks scored just 19 points in the third, allowing the Raptors to cut into the lead heading into the final frame. Knicks coach Mike Brown credited the defense for not letting the game get away from them.

"We came out the third quarter... couldn't score the ball like we did in the first half, but we hung in there defensively," Brown said after the game. "And to hold a team like that that kicks out and runs in transition the way they do to 37 points in the second half, is a pretty good half defensively. We got to hang our hat on that end of the floor and our guys are doing it, they're doing it with physicality first and then trying to go get that ball off the glass second."

The Knicks limited the Raptors to just 13 fastbreak points for the game, and after Raptors star Brandon Ingram scored 26 points in the first half, he only scored five in the second half. A huge reason for that was Josh Hart's defense on the forward, earning him the team's defensive player of the game.

"Josh Hart was phenomenal in a lot of different areas," Brown said. "50-50 balls, guarding different guys. Skills, deflections, you name it. Josh seemed like he was everywhere tonight on that end of the floor."

During this stretch of defensive dominance, Karl-Anthony Towns' play on that end of the floor has seemingly improved as well. Not known for his defense, the Knicks big man had a block and a steal -- which led to a breakaway dunk -- but his defensive presence has not gone unnoticed. 

Brown was asked about Towns' contributions on defense and whether there's a correlation between the team's defensive success and the big man's improved intensity on that side of the ball.

"It's been huge. Again, I say this all the time, one guy can't guard one other guy in the league," Brown said. " It's almost impossible, especially when they do call fouls. And in the way the floor is spaced. It's tough to do that, and so you have to have five guys on a string. The game right now is space and pace, and everybody looks at KAT like, 'oh, you can't do it.' Well, he can do it. 

"He's showing he can do it, and we need him to continue to do it. Whether it's in the pick-and-roll, coming back in transition, coming over to help from the weak side or guarding this guy in a one-on-one situation. He's been fantastic."

Brown pointed out Towns' communication on the floor as a big factor. Towns is so loud that Brown can hear his big man talking to his teammates constantly, and because he's the big and can see everything from the back side, it helps the team as a whole and it showed. 

The Raptors scored just 13 points in the fourth quarter, as the Knicks went on a 16-2 run to end the game and improved to 4-0 against the division rival. They'll go for the season sweep of Toronto on April 10 at home.

And despite the offensive struggles in the third, Brown was encouraged by Tuesday's win overall and reiterated that leaning on the defense is important.

"We feel like we can score. It was a good offensive game, shooting 56 percent from the floor, 32 assists, but we didn't play well, especially offensively in the second half," Brown said. "To be able to know that you can hang your hat on that end of the floor is going to be huge for us because the ball doesn't always go in the hoop."

The Knicks hope to continue their defensive dominance when they host the defending champion Thunder on Wednesday night.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Mark Scheifele scored at 2:06 of overtime to lift the Winnipeg Jets to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night.

Cole Perfetti forced the extra frame for Winnipeg, tying the game 2-2 with just 38.6 seconds remaining in regulation. Dylan Samberg, who assisted on Scheifele's winner, also scored in the first period for the Jets, who went to overtime for the fourth consecutive game.

Teuvo Teravainen and Ryan Greene scored for Chicago. Connor Bedard picked up two assists.

Connor Hellebuyck made 18 saves for the victory. Spencer Knight stopped 29 shots for the Blackhawks.

The Jets pulled Hellebuyck for the extra attacker and netted the equalizer when Perfetti buried the late chance. The goal validated a second-period line shuffle that had Perfetti placed on a line with Adam Lowry and Gabriel Vilardi.

By forcing the extra frame, the Jets went to overtime for the fourth consecutive game. It was a crucial late push to grab two points as they kicked off a critical eight-game homestand.

Chicago’s special teams continue to be a primary driver of the squad’s offense. With Teravainen’s first-period goal, the Blackhawks now have a power-play goal in four consecutive games.

Winnipeg picked up its seventh straight home victory over Chicago and improved to 4-10 in overtime games this season.

Up next

Blackhawks: Host Vancouver on Friday.

Jets: Host Tampa Bay on Thursday.

___

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

The Dallas Mavericks, still without Cooper Flagg, started their longest road trip in 15 years, taking on the Charlotte Hornets. The six-game trip got off on the wrong foot with a 117-90 loss.

Let’s get to the grades!

Brandon Williams: B+

18 PTS / 4 REB / 1 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 27 MIN

Williams was aggressive on both sides of the ball, setting an early tone driving and staying connected defensively. He notched his eighth-straight game in double-figure scoring on 4-for-10 shooting and was the Mavs’ leading scorer throughout nearly the entire night. He led the parade to the free throw line for Dallas and was excellent when he got there, converting at a 10-for-11 clip.

Max Christie: C-

11 PTS / 5 REB / 1 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 33 MIN

Christie couldn’t find the range but took a bit too long to pivot away from the longball in favor of driving more frequently. When he did the latter, better things happened. If you’re going to lead the team in shot attempts (15), converting more than 28% is a requirement.

Khris Middleton: B

9 PTS / 9 REB / 3 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 29 MIN

Middleton was a mixed bag, having chipped in solid point and rebound totals, but he turned the ball over often (three) and committed four fouls. Not his best night as a Mav, although a somewhat janky substitution pattern may have contributed to him not finding his flow.

P.J. Washington: B

13 PTS / 2 REB / 3 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 28 MIN

Washington’s output was very similar to Middleton’s, though he had fewer fouls and turnovers. The grade lands the same, however, as Washington was a near non-factor on the boards and had some bone-head plays that suggest he’s working his way back, which is exactly what he’s doing after a three-game absence.

Daniel Gafford: B

10 PTS / 5 REB / 2 AST / 2 STL / 1 BLK – 22 MIN

If taking shots to the head were a measure of success, Gafford would be MVP. He was the unfortunate recipient of a few blows that sent him to the floor, but nothing that kept him down for long. He had a much better game on Tuesday night than he has in recent days, though it’s not hard to imagine an even more efficient shooting night and/or a higher rebounding total.

John Poulakidas: N/A

0 PTS / 5 REB / 2 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 14 MIN

Making his Mavs’ debut, Poulakidas did a nice job. For a two-way player with virtually zero reps, pulling in five rebounds and dishing two dimes isn’t too shabby. Of course, we wanted to see the shooter shoot, but he instead deferred to his teammates so we’ll have to wait until at least next game to see what he can do in that department.

Dwight Powell: B

12 PTS / 4 REB / 3 AST / 1 STL / 1 BLK – 26 MIN

Powell was an efficient 3-for-5 from the floor to go along with 6-for-8 from the free throw line, doing little bits of everything. Unfortunately everything included two turnovers and three fouls along with nearly killing Ryan Nembhard in an all too familiar friendly fire collision.

Final Thoughts

Dallas reversed things this game, keeping close early and coming unglued at the end. To be plus-18 points from the free throw line, yet getting destroyed by a 27-point margin is puzzling (it was the three-point shooting that did it, if you’re curious). We’ll see what the rest of the road trip will bring!

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

You snooze, you lose.

Spurs veteran Harrison Barnes’ four-year-long streak of consecutive games played ended after he woke up from a nap with a sore left ankle, causing him to miss Tuesday’s game against the Sixers.

“He woke up from his nap and we found out,” Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson told reporters before Tuesday’s matchup in Philadelphia, per The Athletic. “So he’s with the medical staff now and hope it’s nothing serious.”

Barnes, 33, played in 364 straight games dating back to 2021 before he surprisingly popped up on San Antonio’s injury report.

The forward’s last missed game was due to a sprained right foot on Dec. 4, 2021, when he was a member of the Kings.

Barnes’ ironman streak trailed only Mikal Bridges among active players; the Knicks’ swingman has played in 618 consecutive contests, including New York’s 111-95 victory against the Raptors Tuesday night.

“At some point, he had to [miss a game],” Johnson added. “It speaks to the preparation that he does before he goes into the game. It speaks to the recovery process that he puts in after the game. He’s just a consummate pro. It’s a heckuva run that he had.”

In his most recent outing, Barnes notched three points and two assists in 17 minutes of action Sunday during the Spurs’ 114-89 blowout loss to the Knicks.

A key member of the Warriors during his first four seasons, including Golden State’s championship-winning team in 2015, Barnes has since bounced around to the Mavericks, Kings and Spurs.

San Antonio acquired Barnes in July 2024 as part of a three-team trade that sent veteran All-Star DeMar DeRozan to Sacramento.

In 60 games (49 starts) this season, Barnes is averaging 10.2 points and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 44.2 percent from the field.

Even without Barnes, the Spurs rebounded well from Sunday’s defeat at Madison Square Garden, as they steamrolled the Sixers 131-91 in Philadelphia.

With Tuesday’s win, the Spurs improved to 44-17, three games back of the defending champion Thunder for the top seed in the Western Conference.

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers, without the services of Donovan Mithell, were able to avenge Friday’s loss to the Detroit Pistons by defeating them 113-109 on Tuesday evening.

The stats in the table below are taken from Cleaning the Glass.

	Effective Field Goal Percentage	Offensive Rebounding Percentage	Offensive Turnover Percentage	Free Throw Rate
Cavs	54.1%, 48th percentile	26%, 37th percentile	10.6%, 83rd percentile	23.3, 64th percentile
Pistons	56.5%, 64th percentile	25%, 31st percentile	14.9%, 45th percentile	28.6, 83rd percentile

Now, let’s dive into the numbers.

• Cade Cunningham went just 4-16 from the field. Head coach Kenny Atkinson called keeping him in check “the key to the game.” Cleveland didn’t have Dean Wade to guard Cunningham, but they were able to do it by committee as Jaylon Tyson and Keon Ellis stepped up in this matchup. It’s worth noting that Cunningham still had 14 assists, which speaks to how good of a player he is.
• The Pistons lost Cunningham’s minutes by 11. Cunningham drives everything that the Pistons do. If they aren’t succesful when he’s playing, they likely aren’t winning the game.
• Cleveland’s bench outscored Detroit’s 38-32. The Cavs received multiple big contributions off the bench. Their ability to stretch the lead in the second and third quarters was critical to getting this game over the finish line.
• The Cavs won the minutes Thomas Bryant was on the floor by 12. Jarrett Allen went down in the third quarter with a knee injury. This thrust Bryant into more critical minutes, and he performed admirably providing nine points and five rebounds in 16 minutes. “What a signing by our front office,” Atkinson said afterward. “He gives teams trouble because he can stretch the floor. … That’s really hard to defend.”
• Dennis Schroder provided 15 bench-points. Cleveland outscored Detroit by 16 when Schroder played. His scoring and ability to set up others has trasformed this team. This was a huge pickup at the deadline that has been unfairly overshadowed by James Harden.
• Jaylon Tyson went 5-12 from three. Teams are yet to treat Tyson as a bona fide three-point shooter. That should probably change as he’s made nights like this look routine as he came into this one shooting 46% from deep — the third-highest percentage in the league this season.
• Both teams had 11 second-chance points. The Pistons can really hurt opponents on the glass as they’re second in offensive-rebonding this season. Cleveland neutralized that advantage as they did a great job cleaning the glass. This went a long way in securing the victory.
• Cleveland turned it over just three times in the first three quarters. One of the best ways to ensure you have a good offense is to get a shot attempt every time down the court. The Cavs nearly did that. Doing this against a Detroit team that came into this one turning over their opponent more than anyone else in the league is quite impressive.
• The Cavs coughed it up seven times in the fourth quarter leading to 11 points of turnovers for the Pistons. If you want to know why this game became a little too closer for comfort down the stretch, look no further than the late giveaways.
• Cleveland is now 8-1 when Harden plays. This includes big wins over the Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, and now the Pistons. He wasn’t great in this game going, 5-17 from the field with five giveaways, but they likely don’t win this late without his ability to orchestrate the late-game offense.
• The Cavs went 7-12 on corner threes. They were deadly from this spot on the floor. The drive-and-kick game from Harden helped. Three of his seven assists led to corner triples.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Jaylon Tyson scored 22 points, James Harden added 18 and the Cleveland Cavaliers avenged a recent loss in Detroit by beating the East-leading Pistons 113-109 on Tuesday night despite playing without injured star Donovan Mitchell.

Evan Mobley also had 18 points and Dennis Schroder 15 for the Cavs, who split their four regular-season games with Detroit.

Mitchell sat out his fourth straight game with a nagging groin strain. Coach Kenny Atkinson said the seven-time All-Star is “trending better” but doesn’t know when he’ll be back to build chemistry for the postseason with Harden, who was acquired at the trade deadline.

Jalen Duren added 24 points and 14 rebounds and Tobias Harris scored 19 points — all after halftime — for the Pistons, who had their road winning streak stopped at six games. Cade Cunningham dished out 14 assists but scored only 10 on 4-of-16 shooting for Detroit.

The Pistons cut an 11-point deficit to one in the fourth, but Sam Merrill hit a big 3-pointer to help the Cavs hang on.

HORNETS 117, MAVERICKS 90

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Brandon Miller scored 17 points, and Charlotte routed Dallas for its fifth straight victory.

LaMelo Ball added 15 points and nine assists to help the Hornets (31-31) reach .500 for the first time since Oct. 28 when they were 2-2.

Brandon Williams had 18 points for the sputtering Mavericks. They’ve lost 14 of 16.

Charlotte, playing on the first night of a back-to-back, got tremendous production from its bench, with the backups shooting 12 of 21 from 3-point range.

Grant Williams made four 3s, Josh Green and Sion James had three each and Pat Connaughton had two.

Charlotte was whistled for a season-high 31 fouls and Dallas went to the free throw line 42 times, making 31. However, the Mavericks made only 3 of 22 shots from beyond the 3-point arc and could never get on track offensively in the second half making just 11 field goals.

MAGIC 126, WIZARDS 109

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Paolo Banchero equaled a season high with 37 points, Desmond Bane scored 25 and Orlando eased to a victory over Washington.

Banchero went 15 of 21 from the field as Orlando shot 55.3% and dominated with its starters on the floor to end a two-game skid. The Magic are seventh in the Eastern Conference.

Jett Howard scored 12 points and Jalen Suggs, Jevon Carter and Moritz Wagner had 10 apiece for an Orlando team that was missing injured regulars Anthony Black (quad), Wendell Carter Jr. (ankle) and Franz Wagner (ankle).

Rookie Will Riley scored 19 points and Jaden Hardy added 18 for the Wizards, who had nine healthy players available and lost their sixth straight.

KNICKS 111, RAPTORS 95

TORONTO (AP) — Jalen Brunson had 26 points and 10 assists, Karl-Anthony Towns added 21 points and 12 rebounds, and New York beat Toronto for its fifth win in six games.

After snapping San Antonio’s 11-game winning streak on Sunday, the Knicks ran their win streak against Toronto to 12. The Raptors last beat New York on Jan. 22, 2023, a 125-116 win at Toronto.

The Knicks (40-22) became the third Eastern Conference team to reach 40 wins, joining Detroit and Boston. OG Anunoby scored 15 points against his former team, Landry Shamet and Josh Hart each had 12 and Mikal Bridges added 11 for New York.

Brandon Ingram scored 31 points and RJ Barrett had 20 for Toronto, which lost its fourth straight at home and dropped to 4-10 against Atlantic Division opponents.

Toronto’s Scottie Barnes scored 14 points, and Immanuel Quickley had 13 points and 12 assists.

New York had 17 turnovers, leading to 22 points for Toronto. The Raptors were sloppy, too, making 15 miscues that led to 17 points for the Knicks.

New York’s reserves outscored Toronto’s 26-8.

HEAT 124, NETS 98

MIAMI (AP) — Bam Adebayo had 23 points, nine rebounds and six steals, and Miami beat Brooklyn in the opener of a two-game series.

Tyler Herro added 22 points and Jaime Jaquez Jr. had 20 for the Heat, who won for the fifth time in seven games.

Adebayo and Herro each had 15 points at halftime, while Jaquez and Andrew Wiggins both had 13 as Miami built a 69-54 lead. The Heat shot 53% in the first two quarters before pulling away in the fourth quarter and leading by 27.

Noah Clowney scored 17 points for the Nets, who lost their ninth straight. Ziaire Williams had 16 points and Nolan Traore added 14.

Nets leading scorer Michael Porter Jr. had a miserable night, going 3 for 17 and missing all nine 3-point attempts. He finished with nine points.

Brooklyn hasn’t won since consecutive victories nearly a month ago.

SPURS 131, 76ERS 91

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Dylan Harper scored 22 points and Victor Wembanyama needed only 10 to help San Antonio bounce back from its first loss in 12 games and rout Philadelphia.

The Spurs hit 18 3-pointers and wrapped their annual rodeo road trip with a 5-1 record. They had won 11 straight games overall before they lost Sunday to the New York Knicks.

No worries in Philly about a losing streak. San Antonio never trailed and led by 49 points at the end of the third quarter.

Devin Vassell hit six 3-pointers and scored 22 points for the Spurs.

Tyrese Maxey scored 21 points for the Sixers. They scored only 11 points total in the third quarter.

THUNDER 116, BULLS 108

CHICAGO (AP) — Jared McCain scored 20 points, Isaiah Joe added 19 and Oklahoma City — playing without star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — beat Chicago.

The defending NBA champion Thunder held out Gilgeous-Alexander to manage an abdominal strain that sidelined him for most of last month. But even without the reigning MVP, they had more than enough to win for the sixth time in seven games. They lead the Western Conference at 48-15.

McCain made four 3-pointers. Aaron Wiggins scored 18 points. Jaylin Williams had 17 points and 16 rebounds. Cason Wallace had 17 points, and Chet Holmgren added 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Collin Sexton scored 20 points for Chicago, including a 3 in the closing minute that cut it to 112-106. But the Bulls got back to losing after stopping an 11-game skid with a lopsided win over Milwaukee on Sunday.

Guerschon Yabusele had a season-high 18 points and 12 rebounds for his third double-double in 11 games since a trade-deadline deal with New York. The 6-foot-8, 283-pound Frenchman made four 3-pointers.

TIMBERWOLVES 117, GRIZZLIES 110

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Anthony Edwards scored 41 points as Minnesota overcame a sluggish first half to beat Memphis.

The Timberwolves, who moved into fourth in the Western Conference over the weekend, have won four in a row and seven of eight. Memphis saw its two-game winning streak end.

Julius Randle added 23 points and 11 rebounds for the Wolves and Ayo Dosunmu contributed 14 points off the bench.

Jaylen Wells led Memphis with 19 points and Cedric Coward added 15. Memphis went on a 12-2 run to cut it to four points in the final minute but couldn’t complete the rally.

Edwards, fresh off being named Western Conference Player of the Week, took over in the fourth quarter. He scored 13 points, including three 3-pointers, as the Wolves pulled away. It was his ninth 40-point game of the season, and fans serenaded him with “MVP!” chants in the final minute.

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Tobi Lawal scored 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds, Neoklis Avdalas added 15 points and six rebounds, and Virginia Tech got by Boston College, 72-63 on Tuesday night.

Amani Hansberry and Ben Hammond each scored 11 for the Hokies (19-11, 8-9 Atlantic Coast Conference), who improved to 14-3 at home this season.

Virginia Tech led for all but 47 seconds of game time, taking the lead for good on an Avdalas 3-pointer to open the scoring. They led 35-24 at half after a 6-0 BC run brought the lead from 17 to 9.

The Hokies shot 43% from the floor and 46% from deep, while Boston College was 42% and 23% respectively.

The Eagles (10-20, 3-14) cut the lead to as few as six points late with a 9-0 run, but Tech held on to preserve the victory. BC won the glass battle, 36-32, and scored 42 of their points in the paint.

BC was led by Boden Kapke's career-high 25 points along with eight rebounds and Fred Payne's 16 points, 12 rebounds, and two steals. The Eagles lost their second straight game and have dropped nine of their last 10 contests.

Up next

Boston College: hosts Notre Dame on Saturday.

Virginia Tech: visits No. 13 Virginia on Saturday.

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The SLC Dunk Staff and I were talking in our group chat recently and the topic of “The Process” came up. We were originally bashing the NBC/Peacock broadcast for airing a commercial that referred to the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers as “two teams that never rebuild, they just reload.”

NBC and Peacock just aired a commercial for the Celtics-76ers matchup. It referred to them as “two teams that never rebuild, they just reload.” Philly recently went through the most extreme and notorious rebuilding process in NBA history. It had a name: the process.

— Paul Knepper (@paulieknep) March 1, 2026

Apart from the blatant lie told on national television about both franchises (the Kevin Garnett/Paul Pierce trade to Brooklyn was ABSOLUTELY a rebuild, but they got extremely lucky with Isaiah Thomas’ growth as a player) it did get us asking why we don’t have a name for our rebuild. We’ve done such a great job at accumulating this talent that I think it’s only fair that we get a name to commemorate the movement.

I’m brand new to this site and this group so I really would like to make a great first impression, and I think I have a couple of suggestions to give us our own “The Process.”

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The Expedition

Seems pretty fitting, right? Utah’s history is full of these stories of travel, exploration, and discovering the unknown. From the Navajo tribes who settled in the region around the 18th century to the expeditions lead by Spain’s Francisco Vazquez de Coronado while looking for the Seven Cities of Gold, Utah has a rich history of overcoming the odds to discover new realities. So why can’t we do that for our basketball team?

All we need is ONE stroke of luck to reach a new reality for our team. Landing a Darryn Peterson or AJ Dybansta would certainly help us get there, and I know that our forward/center room is kind of crowded at the moment, but I think that someone like Cam Boozer would fit like a glove on this team. Even if we can’t get lucky this year, we just need the ping pong balls to bounce our way ONCE to bring us back to title contention.

Back to the Future

I’m not sure if this is a hot take or not, but Back to the Future III is my favorite of the entire franchise. I’m a sucker for a western movie and I love the idea of time travel so the third installment is obviously going to land as my favorite. If you’re reading this I’m sure that you can tell that all of the western scenes you see in the film were shot in Utah. Even if you didn’t know that I’m sure that you could have taken a guess.

As a brief synopsis of the franchise, Back to the Future is about discovering time travel and traveling back in time, Back to the Future II is about traveling to the future (among other things), and Back to the Future III is about traveling back in time so there will be a future. Sorry if I partially spoiled 35+ year old movies for you.

I think that if we could take a step back like we have been then we can really secure a future for ourselves. 

Race to Kings Peak

This last one is really just a chance for me to publicly admire the beauty that Utah has as a state. I mean, ain’t she a beaut?

Kings Peak is the highest peak in the state of Utah with an elevation of 13,528 feet (4,123 meters for our metric friends) and reaching the peak of our league is the entire point, right? We aren’t just playing games because we’re contractually obligated to; eventually we’re hoping to be where we were in the 90’s competing for championships (hopefully not against the next Michael Jordan, though). Racing to Kings Peak seems like the perfect analogy for what we’re trying to do as a basketball team AND we get to gush about how gorgeous the state is? Sounds like a win-win to me. 

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I’m sure there are 100 other examples that can be used, and I want you to sound off in the comments. If Philly of all teams can get a cool rebuild name then we deserve one too.

In his team’s first game of March, Bill Self watched Kansas men’s basketball fall behind a middling Arizona State team by seven points in the first half. 

Apparently, he’d seen enough.

The legendary Jayhawks coach was ejected from the matchup against the Sun Devils on Tuesday, March 6 with 6:07 remaining in the first half and No. 15 Kansas trailing, 23-16. ASU went on to upset No. 15 Kansas, 70-60.

Self appeared to be arguing a foul call against freshman phenom Darryn Peterson, which sent Arizona State to the free-throw line with a chance to extend its lead. He was assessed a double technical for his efforts, and Self was ejected.

Kansas HC Bill Self is given a technical and ejected from the game, after a foul was called on Darryn Peterson on this play. pic.twitter.com/3dOV8vKnHh

— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) March 4, 2026

BRACKETOLOGY: NCAA tournament projection has changes on bubble

With Self back in the locker room, the Jayhawks are being led the rest of the game by assistant coach and former Kansas star Jacque Vaughn. Vaughn picked up a technical foul with 43 seconds remaining in the first half.

It is just the third ejection of Self’s head-coaching career, which began in 1993 at Oral Roberts.

After an eight-game win streak appeared to right a frustrating season, Kansas has lost four of its past six games, with each of those losses coming by double-digit points.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bill Self ejected from Kansas basketball's game at Arizona State

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Khamari McGriff scored 18 points and Nate Johnson scored 16 points and Kansas State delivered another blow to West Virginia's NCAA Tournament hopes holding off the Mountaineers 65-63 on Tuesday night.

Reserve Chance Moore scored 18 points, Brenen Lorient scored 14 points, reserve DJ Thomas 12 and Honor Huff 11 for West Virginia.

It was the first win of the season for the Wildcats in which they didn't score 81-or-more points.

PJ Haggerty, the nation’s third-leading scorer, was unexpectedly scratched from the Wildcats' lineup posted an hour-and-a-half before the 7 p.m. CT tip-off. Haggerty wasn't listed on the team’s initial availability report released Monday.

Kansas State said in a release that Haggerty sustained an injury in practice in recent days. He’s listed day-to-day ahead of Saturday’s matchup at Kansas. Haggerty, the Wildcats’ starting point guard, entered Tuesday night second in the Big 12 in scoring, averaging 23.3 points per game.

Despite his absence Kansas State (12-18, 3-14) used a 21-0 run to take a 48-31 lead with 10:53 remaining, its longest scoring run of the season.

But the Wildcats proceeded to leave the door open failing to score a field goal in the final 3:48. McGriff made two free throws for a 57-39 lead with a 7:29 left.

West Virginia (17-13, 8-9) then outscored the Wildcats 19-1 down the stretch and got to with 61-58 with 48 seconds left before McGriff and Johnson each made foul shots to secure the win.

Up next

West Virginia: Wraps up the regular season on Friday against UCF.

Kansas State: Ends the regular season on the road against 14th-ranked state rival Kansas on Saturday.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Detroit Pistons 113-109. Let’s go over today’s winners and losers.

WINNER – Jaylon Tyson

Earlier this week, Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson was asked what the ideal role for Jaylon Tyson is. His response? Defend, rebound, and make open shots.

I’d say Tyson checked all of the above tonight.

Tyson led the Cavs with 22 points on 5-12 three-point shooting. Each of his makes came off the creation of other players, knocking down catch-and-shoot opportunities to punish the defense and reward his teammates. Tyson also played superb defense throughout the night, at times checking Cade Cunningham and helping to “drain his battery,” as Atkinson put it.

As for the rebounding, Tyson only finished with 3 rebounds. But make no mistake, he was fighting for every loose ball and boxing his man to secure defensive stops. All in all, it was everything the Cavs envisioned him doing in a big win over an Eastern Conference rival.

It can be tough for a young player to have their place in the rotation juggled as much as Tyson has recently. But when the details of the job are as clearly defined as they are, it makes it easier for Tyson to slot back into his role on any given night.

LOSER – Injuries

It feels like the Cavs have been bitten by the injury bug all season. They’ve been without key plays throughout the year, including tonight. And as the game went on, they lost another one.

Jarrett Allen left this game in the third quarter with a knee injury. It appeared to be a non-contact injury that happened as Allen was going after a rebound. That’s something no one likes to see. Until we find out more, we won’t know how bad this is. We’re hoping the four days off are enough to get Allen healthy and back on the court.

WINNER – The James Harden Step Back

Everyone is aware of James Harden’s patented step-back jumper. For many of us, that jumper brought nothing but pain for the past decade and a half.

But now that he’s doing it in a Cavs jersey? I have to say, it’s a piece of art.

Harden began this game by slamming on the brakes and nailing a step back jumper. A few minutes later, he turned Ausar Thompson fully around before smacking another three. Finally, he sent Cade Cunningham to Parma with a step-back that brought the crowd to its feet. Harden let that one linger, doing a mini-shimmy before (tragically) missing the attempt.

This wasn’t an efficient game from Harden. In fact, those two step-back jumpers were the only three-point shots he made tonight. But you know what, he made each one count.

WINNER – Hustle

We’ve all heard it. The Cavs are soft and can’t handle intensity. Certainly not against a bruising, physical team like the Pistons.

So, what happened tonight?

Cleveland established an early lead by beating the Pistons to loose balls. They gobbled up second-chance opportunities throughout the first half, setting the tone that they wouldn’t be folding over and taking a big loss on the glass tonight.

The Pistons eventually won the rebounding battle 44-38, but the Cavaliers finished with more offensive rebounds. And they forced Detroit into 13 turnovers behind 7 steals. The tenacity that Cleveland played with made it seem like maybe the difference in perceived toughness won’t matter so much once the ball is actually tossed into the air.

I don’t want to jinx anything, obviously. But this is consecutive games against the Pistons, where physicality was simply not a concern. The Cavs met and passed the test.

TORONTO (AP) — Marie-Philip Poulin scored in regulation and twice in a shootout and the PWHL-leading Montreal Victoire beat the Toronto Sceptres 4-3 on Tuesday night for their sixth straight victory.

Poulin, the Victoire captain, was playing her second game since returning from a knee injury sustained playing for Canada in the Olympics.

After Lina Ljungblom scored early in the third period to give Montreal a 3-2 lead, Jesse Compher tied it with 1:04 left and goalie Raygan Kirk off for an extra frame.

Hayley Scamurra also scored for Montreal, and Sandra Abstreiter made 23 saves.

Maggie Connors and Blayre Turnbull — on her bobblehead night — added goals for Toronto. Kirk made 31 saves.

Up next

Victoire: Host Boston on Sunday, March 15.

Sceptres: Host Minnesota on Sunday.

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AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey