ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MARCH 10: Nickeil Alexander-Walker #7 of the Atlanta Hawks reacts after a three-point score during the third quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at State Farm Arena on March 10, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Nets won two straight and then lost by 38 to the Pistons in a revenge game. It all checks out during this long, strange season. Egor Demin, Michael Porter Jr, Nolan Traore, and Day’ron Sharpe are all out. This comes after the news that Sharpe would be out for the remainder of the season. t
The trio of two-way players are available. We’ll see if/how they’ll surprise us tonight.
🏀 KEY INFO
Who: Brooklyn Nets (17-48) at Atlanta Hawks (34-31) When: 7:30 PM ET Watch: YES Network
✍️ Game Preview
This is also a night for Noah Clowney to do a bit more. Clowney has had plenty of bright spots this season and now that we’re moving in to the middle of March, this represents a chance for him to do a bit more on offense. Games like this will help him figure out what parts of his game can get better as he fights to be a starter next season. – Brian Fleurantin | Read more
💬 DISCUSSION
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PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 9: Jalen Duren #0 of the Detroit Pistons boxes out during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on November 9, 2025 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Detroit Pistons will be facing an undermanned, undersized edition of the Philadelphia 76ers tonight at Little Caesars Arena. The Sixers injury situation is gruesome. Not only are Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and Kelly Oubre out, but they are without the following big men — Joel Embiid, Adem Bona, Andre Drummond, and Johni Broome. “Who do they have left to play center,” you might be asking yourself. Well, I’m asking myself that, too, and I’m not really sure what the answer is. The only player they have taller than 6-foot-8 is Dominick Barlow, who has that beaten by one inch. Trendon Watford and Jabari Walker are their only other pseudo big men available, and they also have to manage 48 minutes at power forward somehow. Jalen Duren, who grew up in Pennsylvania and played high school ball in Philly, come on down. Paul Reed, who was waived by the Sixers and claimed by the Pistons a couple of years ago, it’s your time to shine. Let’s not let this winnable game slip away.
Game Vitals
When: 7 p.m. ET Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan Watch: Prime Video Odds: Pistons -14.5
Projected Lineups
Detroit Pistons (46-18)
Cade Cunningham, Marcus Sasser, Duncan Robinson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren
The Brooklyn Nets have shut down Day’Ron Sharpe, their 24-year-old back-up center, after he was diagnosed with a tear of his left thumb ligament, the team announced shortly before Thursday’s game with the Atlanta Hawks.
Brooklyn Nets center Day’Ron Sharpe has been diagnosed with an ulnar collateral ligament tear in his left thumb. Sharpe, who will require surgery to repair the ligament, will miss the remainder of the season. Further updates will be provided following the procedure.
The Nets did not initially state how Sharpe had injured his thumb or when but later Jordi Fernandez said the thumb had been bothering Sharpe all season and believed the injury may have occurred vs. the Grizzlies Monday. Indeed, Sharpe has been wearing a brace on his left thumb recently. Sharpe has become one of the NBA’s top back-ups and recently became the top offensive rebounder by percentage in NBA history (200 games or more.)
He’s the second Nets player in the last two days to get shut down. It was announced Wednesday that Egor Dëmin, who has been dealing with plantar fasciitis in his left heel since his pre-draft workouts a year ago, will also sit for Brooklyn’s final 16 games.
The decision also leaves the Nets short, literally and figuratively, at the 5 with only one natural center, Nic Claxton, although 6’11” Danny Wolf, more of a forward, is likely to fill in Thursday night. On Monday, the Nets did not renew 7-footer Grant Nelson’s 10-day contract; though Nelson profiles as somewhat of a tweener long-term, he certainly would give Brooklyn more size up front.
At the moment, Brooklyn is a half-game out of third place in the lottery standings and two games out of the worst record in the NBA. The decision to shut down two rotation players — particularly Sharpe — could certainly affect their ping-pong ball fortunes going forward.
To this point in the season, Sharpe has appeared in 62 games for Brooklyn, the most of any Net. The team is also nearly seven points per 100 possessions better with Sharpe on the floor, also a team-best. This continues a three-year long trend with the bruising back-up big; since the beginning of the 2023-24 season, the Nets have a nearly even -0.09 net rating with Sharpe on the floor in 2,990 minutes, and a sad -8.54 net rating in the 8,062 minutes he has been sitting on the bench, per PBP Stats
As we’ve noted, on/off data isn’t the be-all end-all, there’s some wonky 3-point numbers involved, and Sharpe is no perfect center. Still, the UNC product has made a name for himself as one of the most effective reserves in the league. This season, he even made a high percentage of his shots around the rim — previously a wart in his profile. Is he aided by playing low-minute totals, often against other bench units? Perhaps. Still, his production this season was undeniable…
Players averaging 16+ points, 12+ rebounds, and 4+ assists per 36 minutes on 55% shooting or better this season:
Officially, Day’Ron Sharpe averaged 8.7/6.7/2.3 on 63.8% true shooting this season, playing 19 minutes a night. All of those numbers represent a career-high.
After leading the Nets to a comeback win against the Detroit Pistons on Saturday, Head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff was full of praise for Sharpe: “He’s got great size, he plays extremely hard, he’s physical on the interior, he doesn’t back down … The thing that stands out when you watch the tape is just the effort that he puts forth. And when you mix that effort with his size and skill, he can create problems for you on both ends.”
As for Brooklyn’s head coach, Jordi Fernández spoke about the injury before the Nets took on the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday evening, saying, “I’m very happy with what I’ve seen from Day’Ron, the hard work he’s put in and how much better he’s gotten.”
Fernández also added that he “believed” the injury occurred on Monday night against the Memphis Grizzlies, but that the thumb had been “bothering” Day’Ron previously.
Now, Day’Ron Sharpe can look ahead to the summer, where the Brooklyn Nets have a team option for the second year of the two-year, $12.5 million contract they signed him to last summer. The team could, of course, choose to decline that option and hope to sign Sharpe to a long-term deal. Either way, #29 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft has progressed quite nicely since arriving in Brooklyn, though his fifth season in the NBA has come to a premature end.
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 12: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder look on during the game on March 12, 2025 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Boston Celtics (43-21) at Oklahoma City Thunder (51-15) Thursday, March 12, 2026 9:30 PM ET Game #66, Road Game #35 TV: Prime Video Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub, WWLS/WKY, Sirius XM Paycom Center
The Celtics complete their 3 game road trip with a stop in Oklahoma City to take on the Thunder. The Celtics won the first game in Cleveland on Sunday and then lost to the Spurs on Tuesday night. The Thunder haven’t played since Monday. This is the first of 2 meetings between these 2 teams this season. They will meet for the final time in Boston on March 25. The Celtics are 47-59 against the Thunder overall all time and they are 22-30 in games played in Oklahoma City.
The Thunder won the Championship last season and in the off season, they did very little to change their team. They made no trades and brought in no new players. They lost Dillon Jones who went to the Wizards. They did re-sign Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Jaylin Williams and Ajay Mitchell. At the trade deadline, They traded picks to Philadelphia for Jared McCain and they traded Ousmane Dieng to Charlotte for Mason Plumlee, who they waived.
The Celtics are 2nd in the East, 3.5 games behind 1st place Detroit. They are 2 games ahead of 3rd place New York , 3.5 games ahead of 4th place Cleveland, 6.5 games ahead of 5th place Orlando and 6th place Miami and 7 games ahead of 7th place Toronto. The Celtics are 15-8 against Western Conference opponents. They are 22-12 on the road and 7-3 in their last 10 games. They are coming off a loss in their last game. (The Knicks, Cavs, and Raptors are playing as I write this so that may change.)
The Thunder are 1st in the West, 2.5 games ahead of 2nd place San Antonio, 10 games ahead of 3rd place Houston, 10.5 games ahead of the 4th place Lakers and 5th place Minnesota, 11.5 games ahead of 6th place Denver and 12.5 games ahead of 7th place Phoenix. They are 15-6 against Eastern Conference opponents. They are 27-6 at home and 9-1 in their last 10 games. They have won their last 5 games.
After this game at Oklahoma City the Celtics will head home where they will host Washington, Phoenix and Golden State. Next, it is one game at Memphis before a 3 game home stand against Minnesota, Oklahoma City and Atlanta. Then it’s back on the road for a 4 game trip through Charlotte, Atlanta, Miami and Milwaukee. They will then play two games at home against Toronto and Charlotte before one game on the road at New York. They will finish the season with 2 games at home against New Orleans and Orlando.
The Celtics may be shorthanded in this game with 4 players listed on the injury report at this time. The good news is that Payton Pritchard has been upgraded to available. Jayson Tatum is out for injury management after playing the last 3 games they may want to monitor his workload. Derrick White is listed as questionable due to a right knee contusion. Nikola Vucevic is out due to surgery on his injured finger. I have no idea who will start if both Tatum and White are out. I made a wild guess it will be Sheierman and Harper, Jr.
The Thunder may also be shorthanded for this game. Isaiah Hartenstein will miss a third straight game due to a bruised left calf. Jalen Williams is listed as out due to a strained right hamstring. Thomas Sorber is out for the season with a torn ACL. Brandon Carlson has been ruled out for a seventh straight game due to a back strain. Once again, I really don’t know who will start for the Thunder but took a guess at it.
Probable Starting Matchups PG: Baylor Scheierman vs Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Celtics Reserves Payton Pritchard Hugo Gonzalez Luka Garza Amare Williams Jordan Walsh 2-Way Players Ron Harper, Jr Max Shulga John Tonje Injuries/Out Nikola Vucevic (finger) out Payton Pritchard (neck) available Jayson Tatum (injury management) out Derrick White (knee) questionable
Head Coach Joe Mazzulla
Thunder Reserves Branden Carlson Alex Caruso Isaiah Joe Jared McCain AJay Mitchell Aaron Wiggins Kenrich Williams
2 Way Players Brooks Barnhizer Branden Carlson Payton Sandfort Injuries/Out Branden Carlson (back) out Thomas Sorber (ACL) out Nikola Topic (G-League) out Jalen Williams (hamstring) out
Head Coach Mark Daigneault
Key Matchups Baylor Scheierman vs Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. He is shooting 55.1% from the field and 38.3% from beyond the arc. Gilgeous-Alexander is the reigning MVP and is one of the leaders to win it once again this season. He is the key to the Thunder’s winning ways. In order to slow the Thunder, the Celtics must slow down SGA. I’m just guessing that Scheierman will start at the point but White may play and it’s possible that Joe will go with someone else to start here.
Neemias Queta vs Chet Holmgren Holmgren is averaging 17.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.9 blocks per game. He is shooting 55.2% from the field and 35.6% from beyond the arc. Holmgren is a threat to grab rebounds and block shots near the basket and the Celtics need to try to keep him out of the paint. He can also hit threes and so the Celtics need to stay with him on the perimeter as well.
Keys to the Game Defense – Defense is always the biggest key to winning. This is going to be a tough matchup for the Celtics as the Thunder are first in the league with a defensive rating of 106.2 while the Celtics are 5th with a defensive rating of 111.8. The Celtics need to tighten up their defense and make playing defense a priority especially against this Thunder team that plays lock down defense. It will be even harder for the Celtics on defense if both Derrick White and Jayson Tatum are out.
Rebound – Rebounding is also a key to winning. The Celtics need to rebound on the defensive end to keep the Thunder from getting second chance points and they need to rebound on the offensive end to give themselves extra possessions. The Thunder are 15th with 43.8 rebounds per game while the Celtics are 5th with 46.3 rebounds per game. Much of rebounding is desire and effort and the Celtics as a team have to put in the extra effort to grab rebounds.
Take Care of the Ball – The Celtics need to keep their focus and not turn the ball over. The Thunder are 1st in the league with 22.1 points off turnovers per game. They are also 4th with 9.7 steals per game. The Celtics have to move the ball because they are a much better team when they move the ball and don’t over dribble. But they must focus and make careful passes and not get sloppy. They also have to be aware when dribbling the ball so as not to allow the Thunder to get steals. The Thunder will make them pay if they get sloppy and turn the ball over.
Be Focused and Ready for a Tough Game – The Thunder are a very good team and they play exceptional defense. The Celtics have to be ready to go to the basket if they struggle from three. They also have to be ready to shoot from midrange if both the paint and the perimeter are defended tightly. The Celtics must stay focused on playing hard for 48 minutes and on playing tough defense and on playing the right way. They can’t afford to let the Thunder play harder than them.
X-Factors On the Road – The Celtics are playing in their 3rd straight road game. The Thunder have the advantage of being at home in front of their fans and they have great fans. The Celtics need to overcome the distractions of travel and playing on the road in front of hostile fans. This is also the final game of a road trip and those are among the toughest games to win as the team is road weary and sometimes focus isn’t where it should be because of it.
Officiating – Officiating is always an x-factor. How the refs call the game has a big influence on how the teams play. Will they let them play or call every little bit of contact? Will they call it evenly or will they favor one team or the other. It all effects the outcome of the game and the Celtics need to play the right way and not allow the officiating to take them out of their game. They can’t let bad calls and no calls take away their focus.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 13: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns passes over Ben Sheppard #26 and Aaron Nesmith #23 of the Indiana Pacers during the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center on November 13, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Pacers 133-98. 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 Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s the second game of the Suns’ six-game road trip, and the Pacers are the most winnable game. The Suns cannot lose this game.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - MARCH 3: Jevon Carter #2 of the Orlando Magic defends as Sharife Cooper #13 of the Washington Wizards controls the ball in the third quarter at the Kia Center on March 3, 2026 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. (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Washington Wizards play the Orlando Magic at 7 p.m. ET. Watch on Monumental Sports Network. Chat on this posts as we root for Washington to victory! Yes, I wrote that with a straight face!
(Hopefully, no one drops 83+ points on the Wizards this time.)
Ivica Zubac hasn't taken the court since Feb. 2 due to a left ankle sprain, and while he was out he was traded from the LA Clippers to the Indiana Pacers. Thursday night, he will make his debut for his new team.
This season with the Clippers, Zubac averaged 14.4 points and 11 rebounds per game, shooting 61.3% from the floor. He will also provide a defensive presence in the paint that Indiana has lacked all season. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said Zubac would eventually play this season, this may have been a little quicker than his expected return but he is back.
While Zubac is back, the Pacers don't want him to start helping them win games quite yet. As part of the trade, Indiana's first-round pick this June goes to the Clippers, however, the pick is top-four protected. At 15-50, Indiana has the league's worst record, but with lottery odds, that makes just a 52% chance Indy gets to keep the pick. Indiana, Brooklyn, Sacramento and Washington are in a tight "race" to the bottom — they are all within two games of each other in the standings — and if the Pacers fall to the fourth-worst record, then they end up on the wrong side of those coin flip odds.
The Pacers traded a first-round pick for Zubac looking ahead to next season. That's when Zubac will be setting picks for a healthy Tyrese Haliburton (out for the season with a torn Achilles), as well as Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard — and maybe a young star they draft this June.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - FEBRUARY 27: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers argues a call with referee Karl Lane #77 during the second quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on February 27, 2024 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
They were also on the wrong end of a few calls that helped determine the game.
First, Keon Ellis was called for a shooting foul that he didn’t commit. When he tried to tell the bench to review the play, he was called for a technical. The foul was overturned on review, but the technical wasn’t.
Needing to use the review there cost them in the final 20 seconds of a two-point game. The ball appeared to have gone out of bounds off an Orlando player. The Cavs couldn’t challenge because they won their two challenges earlier in the game and aren’t allowed a third. Then, Desmond Bane hit a game-sealing three after the inbound to secure the victory.
If the call had gone the other way, the Cavs would’ve had a chance to tie or win the game on their final possession. It’s also worth pointing out that the league’s Last Two Minute report said that the call on the floor was correct.
Not being able to review the call in the moment is something that Donovan Mitchell took issue with.
“I’m having a hard time with the rule of once you’ve had two challenges you can’t get any more, especially when you win both,” Mitchell said in a cleveland.com article by Chris Fedor. “I don’t know what the rule should be. If you’re winning challenges, especially on calls that are very obvious, I think it’s something that should be talked about.”
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Mitchell is right to feel this way, and he did clarify that it wasn’t the reason they lost. It’s deflating to feel like the outcome of a game is affected by something neither team can control.
At the same time, missed calls happen to every team in every game in every sport. And it will keep happening as long as sports are played. It’s just as much part of the game as missed shots, turnovers, or the basketball itself.
There’s the thought that if there were more replay reviews, we’d somehow make things more fair. And while the increased use of replay does help get more calls correct, sports will never be completely fair. The more you try to make it that way, the more you end up highlighting that it isn’t, and never will be.
There’s also the fact that there’s no amount of replays that would make things better. If you’re allowed two challenges, you’ll always think you should be allowed three. And so on.
Additionally, there are calls that can’t easily be reviewed. For example, the missed goaltending call in the Cavs game against the Oklahoma City Thunder proved to be monumental. Instead of two points for the Cavs, OKC ended up with a transition three.
How are you supposed to stop that from happening? Should they halt play any time there’s a close call? That isn’t exciting. Do you give the team that was goaltended against two points? That would help, but it’s still unfair that OKC got a three in transition? Do you rewind the game to the time and score when the goaltend happen? That would be pretty anticlimactic. Not every problem has a clean solution, so you will never completely fix everything.
Adding more replays hasn’t made the product better in any sport; it just leaves you more unsatisfied while also derailing any momentum the game had. You will never create a system where every judgment call is right. And you know what, it’s okay to accept that’s just part of the game.
Sports and life in general are unfair. There’s a certain amount of luck involved in winning, which includes the officiating. That wasn’t on the Cavs’ side on Wednesday, and they weren’t good enough to overcome it. We’ll all be happier if we just accept that this is just part of the sport.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MARCH 7: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on during the game against the Orlando Magic on March 7, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Just a week ago, the Minnesota Timberwolves seemed to be heading in the exact right direction. They defeated the Toronto Raptors in one of their most complete performances of the season, securing their fifth straight victory and moving the Wolves into third place in the Western Conference for the first time since they were 1-0. The vibes were high.
Over the past three games, everything has completely flipped for the Wolves. They’ve decisively lost their last three games, all by double-digits or more. All areas of the game have fallen apart at one point or another during this stretch for the Timberwolves, which has made it impossible to focus on just one aspect.
It started Saturday afternoon at Target Center when the Timberwolves lost 119-92 to the Orlando Magic. The Wolves’ offense fell apart down the stretch of the first half as the Wolves went nearly five full minutes without a single point, allowing the Magic to go on a 16-0 run. After the game, Edwards either wasn’t sure or wasn’t willing to share what went wrong offensively.
The terrible offense continued into the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday when the Wolves scored just 45 points on 18-45 shooting from the field and 4-22 from beyond the arc. Minnesota’s first-half defense kept them in the game, but eventually, the pairing of Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves broke through, combining for 62 points in the 14-point win over the Wolves.
Edwards had an especially poor game, going 2-15 from the field, including 1-10 from deep. Ant did get to the line ten times to boost his scoring total a bit, but with the Lakers’ defense playing heavy in the gaps to take away driving lanes and passing angles, Edwards was unable to generate consistent offense, over-relying on his step-back 3-pointer while over-dribbling the ball instead of making quick decisions with the ball.
Anthony Edwards had possibly his worst performance of the season last night against the Lakers where he had 14 points on 2-15 shooting, 1-10 from three, 9-10 from the line, 4 assists and 2 turnovers
The following night, the Timberwolves finally got their offense back on track when they didn’t turn the ball over as they scored 128 points and made nearly 60 percent of their shots. Their issues violently shifted to the other side of the court, though, as the Wolves gave up 153 points, which tied the Clippers’ franchise record for points in regulation.
It was an extraordinarily ugly performance across the roster for the Wolves. Kawhi Leonard scored 45 points on 15-20 shooting, including six 3-pointers, and nine free throws to go along with five assists. The Clippers as a team shot 63.4 percent from the floor and 51.4 percent from beyond the arc while scoring 35 or more points in each quarter.
The poor defense of both Edwards and Julius Randle stood out most. The two leaders of the team were missing rotations, often forgot to box out, were ball-watching on many possessions, and overall provided little resistance to the LA offense.
“I just gotta be better,” Edwards stated after the game, taking accountability for his performance. “Whoever I’m guarding. Trying to set the tone to start the game, I gotta be better. It’s just me, everything is about me.” Ant later said, “I gotta find a way to get us out of it, it’s all my fault.”
It’s a good sign that Edwards is recognizing that the problem and the potential solution both reside with him as the best player. The likelihood is that the Edwards and Timberwolves will turn it around because that has been their pattern for at least four seasons now. Every time their season feels on the brink of collapse, the Wolves have made fans, and those who cover them feel stupid for ever doubting them.
The issue is that the Wolves can’t just rely on what they’ve done in the past; they need to be better. Much better. While the last two seasons have undoubtedly been successful, as the Wolves made it to back-to-back Western Conference Finals, they also did not come close to winning either series, losing both series in five games.
Now 66 games into the season, the Wolves have shown little reason why they are a legitimate threat to win the championship. On the season, they are 11th in Offensive Rating, 12th in Defensive Rating, and 11th in Net Rating according to NBA.com. They are on pace for fewer than 50 wins and currently have a 5-9 record against the teams currently seeded one through six in the Western Conference.
Most notably, the Oklahoma City Thunder, who eliminated the Timberwolves in the West Finals a season ago, appear to be further ahead of the Wolves than at any time before. Despite being one of the most injured teams in the NBA, OKC leads Minnesota by 11 games in the standings. The Thunder seem primed to defend their title no matter who they face, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on track to win his second consecutive MVP award.
To a certain extent, it’s fair to believe the Wolves can “flip the switch” and perform at a higher level than they have in the regular season. Edwards specifically has shown the ability to turn up his level of play and intensity in the playoffs with his ability to wipe away any of the warts that had shown up throughout the year.
At a certain point, though, the numbers and level of performance in the regular season start to become damning. At no point during this regular season have the Wolves put together a weeks-long stretch indicative of a team that can win three or four straight rounds in the playoffs.
Edwards and the Wolves have just not played with the level of consistency indicative of a championship-caliber team. Maybe Oklahoma City is an unfair bar, given SGA is set to break Wilt Chamberlain’s record for consecutive 20-point games, but the Wolves’ play can’t vary so much that one night they score only 92 points and two games later they are giving up 153.
The Wolves’ season is still far from over. They currently sit just a half-game back of the three seed in the Western Conference, and everything is still left in front of them in terms of meeting preseason expectations. With just 16 games left on Minnesota’s schedule, though, this week’s stretch of awful basketball likely has to become a turning point that gets looked back on as when things began to change.
It has to be rock bottom. If it’s not, the roster and possibly beyond will look a whole lot different come next season.
There wouldn't have been much changes if Miami (Ohio) had won the MAC automatic bid, but now without it, how much has the March Madness picture been altered? Here is how the USA TODAY Sports Bracketology bubble looks after Miami (Ohio) lost.
As of the afternoon of Thursday, March 12, Miami (Ohio) is projected to make the NCAA Tournament. The RedHawks are slated as a No. 11 seed as the last four in.
With the loss, Miami (Ohio) joins the bubble picture and essentially pushes teams down the bracket. The MAC champion becomes a bid stealer since it would be a two-bid league instead of one, and teams could see their fate altered because of it.
An example is Auburn going down to the first four out after it was slated in the field, and San Diego State going from first four out to next four out.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - MARCH 11: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers controls the ball against Wendell Carter Jr. #34 of the Orlando Magic in the first half of the game at Kia Center on March 11, 2026 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. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers lost a tough one to the Orlando Magic last night. It wasn’t just that they had a disappointing effort on defense that led to their defeat. But it also felt like the officiating was working against them at key moments.
Kenny Atkinson deployed both of his coaches’ challenges throughout the game. Once on an out-of-bounds call in the first quarter, and later to reverse a shooting foul on Keon Ellis. Both were successful. But once the game was coming down to the wire, Atkinson wished he had a third challenge to use on a key call.
With under 20 seconds to play, the Magic attempted to dump the ball into the post for Paolo Banchero. The entry pass sailed out of bounds — with both James Harden and Banchero making an attempt to catch it. It was unclear if either player touched the ball before it went out of bounds. In real time, the official did his best and determined it was Orlando’s possession. But on such a tough call, you would have liked to see a replay review.
Fortunately, it turns out the officials made the right call.
The NBA’s last two-minute report confirms that Harden touched the ball before it went out of bounds. That might not make you feel any better about the Cavs losing — but at least you can rest assured they weren’t screwed out of an opportunity to win.
The only missed calls included an uncalled foul by Sam Merrill and a missed travel from Desmond Bane. I think those two cancel each other out. Everything else was ruled correct by the league’s report.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MARCH 10: The sneakers worn by Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs during the game against the Boston Celtics on March 10, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, 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 2026 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
“Woke up today on the 12th of this month and I figured it’s time to move on from Superman!” Howard wrote on X. “Im no super human… I cry ! I struggle! I feel like everyone else. Through the lies, the media and the hate I still show love and Smile Through The Storm.
“But now Im taking off the cape and retiring from all basketball to pour into my family and give back to communities worldwide. I know some of you might think I thought he already ‘retired’ but I didn’t… the game retired me! I still had more left to give ! Yeah I did play professionally for 20 years and Im grateful to be able to say that but I can’t lie seeing these other players still going at it at age 40 inspired me to want to keep trying but now I believe my duty will be to pass it down to the next generation.
Former NBA player and slam dunk contest judge Dwight Howard looks on during the 2026 NBA All Star Saturday Night at Intuit Dome. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
“So Thank you to all my fans and supporters throughout this journey I love and appreciate yall dearly because without yall it would be no me!”
The 40-year-old, who had not played in the NBA since 2022 and last played in the “BIG3,” also announced a documentary about his career will release this year where viewers will learn the “truth” of how he was taken “advantage of by the world.”
“Also thank you to the Naysayers, the haters, the snakes, and people that came into my life to try to destroy me,” he wrote. “Because everytime yall did …it only made me stronger. When my documentary releases this year the world will know the truth about EVERYTHING! Then you will see how the sheltered little boy from college park Georgia who went to the same school from pre-k to 12th grade then straight to the NBA was taken advantage of by the world. But through it all still managed to keep SMILING.”
The timing is certainly interesting considering his spot in the headlines recently.
The divorce between Howard and the rapper/reality star on Monday followed shocking allegations made by Amber. She claimed Child Protective Services had gotten hold of his daughter in a recent video posted to social media and they have since not heard back from Howard.
It isn’t the first bump in the road for the couple. Amber, who goes by the name of Amy Luciani, filed for divorce herself in July 2025 — just six months after tying the knot — and called their union “irretrievably broken.”
Amber also filed for divorce on Monday but Howard’s documents were processed first.
Dwight Howard and Amy Luciani pose for a picture during the State Farm All-Star Saturday as part of NBA All-Star Weekend on Saturday, February 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NBAE via Getty Images
The Hall of Famer and eight-time All-Star has “demanded exclusive use of his Georgia mansion” in the separation, yet the couple still currently lives together and it’s seemingly not going well.
Within the last two weeks, police have been called to the residence three times for a “suicide threat call, a domestic incident and a theft report,” TMZ reported Monday.
Howard called the police on March 7 to claim Amber stole jewelry, his wedding ring and his phone and left in a gray Camaro while he was out picking up his daughter, per a 911 call obtained by TMZ Thursday. He was advised an officer would reach out to file a report.
That incident occurred two days before he filed for divorce.
Throughout his 18-year NBA career, Howard spent eight years in Orlando after he was the Magic’s No. 1 overall pick in 2004. He won three Defensive Player of the Year awards there.
Howard also had stints with the Lakers, Rockets, Hawks, Hornets, Wizards and Sixers. He concluded his time in the league with the Lakers in the 2021-22 season and he was later enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2025.
He spent the 2022-23 season with the Taoyuan Leopards of the Taiwan Professional Basketball League.
While LeBron James could still return to the Lakers’ lineup Thursday night, the team will have multiple key role players — including a starter — sidelined for the home game against the Bulls.
Marcus Smart was ruled out of Thursday night’s game because of a right hip contusion. Getty Images
Smart, who was listed as questionable on the Lakers’ Wednesday evening injury report, was ruled out because of a right hip contusion.
The 32-year-old, 12-year NBA veteran had played in 41 of 42 games, including being a starter for 39 of those games, entering Thursday after having a six-game absence from Nov. 28-Dec. 7 because of back ailments.
Hayes missed his second straight game because of back soreness. Kleber was sidelined for the fifth time in six games because of a back ailment, officially being ruled out because of a back strain.
HOUSTON (AP) — Manager Mark DeRosa says his premature comment about the United States having already punched its ticket to the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals before facing Italy was just an “overly confident statement” and reiterated Thursday he knew nothing was guaranteed at that point.
DeRosa had made that remark on MLB Network’s “Hot Stove” before the 8-6 loss to Italy on Tuesday that caused the U.S. to lose control of its WBC fate. The U.S. still advanced to a Friday quarterfinal matchup with Canada thanks to Italy’s 9-1 win over Mexico on Wednesday.
“It’s just an overly confident statement on ‘Hot Stove,’ period, the end,” DeRosa said. “And it’s my fault. I felt good about where we were after Mexico.”
DeRosa also talked about the fresh start the star-studded U.S. team has now that its loss to Italy didn’t prove fatal to its title hopes.
“New lease on life for the boys, certainly,” he said. “I put ourselves in a tough spot. Tip our hat to Vinnie Pasquantino and Italy, truly. Went into that game a little overly confident and got a huge wake-up call.”
DeRosa’s comment prior to the Italy game garnered plenty of scrutiny after that loss, particularly since he had kept usual starters Bryce Harper, Cal Raleigh, Alex Bregman, Brice Turang and Byron Buxton out of his starting lineup. The U.S. needed to beat Italy to guarantee a spot in the quarterfinals. Losing left it subject to a series of tiebreakers, pending the result of Wednesday's Italy-Mexico game.
He explained those decisions Thursday. DeRosa said he wanted to give starts to Ernie Clement and Paul Goldschmidt because they could end up playing major roles off the bench at some point. He also said he was limited in which pitchers he could use because of “guardrails” set by MLB teams, who typically restrict how much their players throw at the WBC due to injury concerns.
“When I looked at the lineup, I felt confident going in – bottom line,” DeRosa said. “I mean, I also look at it from a player’s perspective. Like, Bryce Harper was struggling a little bit. I know it’s three games, but from the dugout – I played with him for a long time – so it’s like, ‘OK, maybe we get him off his feet a day. We get Goldy in there. We allow (Harper) to work with Sean Casey, Matt Holliday, maybe something clicks. And we get him right back in there and going.'”
DeRosa also had mentioned before Tuesday’s games that some of the U.S. players were “dragging.” The team buses had left later than usual after a Monday night victory over Mexico as players stayed in the locker room celebrating the win.
“Listen, us hanging out in a clubhouse is everything I ever dreamed of creating,” DeRosa said. “You’ve got to buy into this thing super quick and try and create a team. For those players to invite the coaches in and for us to spend time together and enjoy a huge win that we hadn’t had in 20 years was something that, I looked around the room and it was super special to me.
“We did not lose sight of the fact that we had to go out and play well against Italy. They played a hell of a game. They smacked us in the mouth early. They got up big. We went into that game prepared to win it. I think there’s a couple false narratives out there. But, no, I was well aware that we had to win that game based on all the scenarios that could take place.”
The U.S. is making some changes to its pitching staff heading out of pool play and into the quarterfinals.
Lefty Tim Hill and right-handers Will Vest and Tyler Rogers are stepping in for two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, Michael Wacha and Ryan Yarbrough. DeRosa said left-hander Matthew Boyd also has left the U.S. team to return to the Chicago Cubs’ spring-training camp.
“And I completely understand that,” DeRosa said. “There’s a lot of pressure from the parent clubs to get these guys ramped up for the start of the season.
"If he’s going to be the opening day starter for the Cubs, we had to guarantee him innings — the game’s got to dictate now. Pool play is a different animal. Trying to weave our way through it from a pitching standpoint, all bets are off now.”
