Category: NBA

The Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans, and Memphis Grizzlies are well out of the play-in race and have their sights set on the loaded 2026 NBA Draft. As of this post, the three teams are separated by one game, with Memphis (23-44) having two fewer losses than Dallas (23-46) and New Orleans (23-46). As the season comes to a close, which teams are determined to scratch out a few wins, and which want to drop as far as possible? Here’s a look at where each team stands, how the draft affects them, and what the plan should be for the remainder of the season.

The NBA season has less than a month remaining, finishing on April 12. And it can’t come soon enough for the Mavericks, Pelicans, and Grizzlies. By then, the team with the worst record will have the sixth-best odds in landing a top-four draft pick (34.8%), including an 8.3% chance of landing the number one overall pick. Seventh has odds of 34.4% for a top-four pick and 8.2% for the number one overall. Eighth drops to 26.3% for a top-four pick and 6.0% for number one.

The Mavericks (23-46)

Dallas is hoping to stay on the magic carpet ride from last year’s draft, which landed them Cooper Flagg, the consensus number one overall pick. The 2026 draft is the last time the Mavericks will own their own pick until 2031. After the failed Anthony Davis experiment that shipped him off to the Washington Wizards at the trade deadline, Dallas shifted priorities to the upcoming draft. Since the deadline, the Mavericks are 4-15 and have dealt with a plethora of injuries. Shortly following Davis’s departure, the Mavericks made the decision to shut Kyrie Irving down for the rest of the year, hoping he comes back fully healthy next season.

With so many things going wrong this season for Dallas, they are hoping the one thing they can do right is get lucky with the ping pong balls again. Cooper Flagg is putting together a phenomenal rookie campaign, and his play is more than enough justification to keep watching the Mavs, but they should be losing (and losing a lot). The best way to fast-track the rebuild is to land a star for the second draft in a row. The remaining schedule for Dallas.

vs: ATL, LAC, GS, MIN, ORL, LAL, CHI

at: DEN, POR, MIL, LAC, PHX, SA

Of those 13 games, 9 are against teams with a .500 record or above. If the goal is to finish 6th in the tank race, this schedule should help, as it’s the third-hardest remaining schedule in the NBA. The goal for the Mavericks should be simple. Let Cooper Flagg be Cooper Flagg and lose organically. The best path forward for the Mavericks is to find a co-star (a real point guard) for Flagg.

The Pelicans (23-46)

New Orleans is a different story. The Atlanta Hawks own the Pelicans’ pick in this draft, so Zion and company have no incentive to be bad (they just are). But the Pelicans have been playing better basketball as of late. Since its historically bad 8-31 start, New Orleans has righted the ship, going 15-15 in their past 30 games. It’s clear the team wants to win, and with a good young core, it makes sense. That young core includes Trey Murphy III, Jeremiah Fears, Yves Missi, Derik Queen, and Zion Williamson, all of whom are 25 or younger. The Pelicans also have additional vets who help the team squeeze out wins: Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey, Dejounte Murray, and Herb Jones.

The Pelicans have had their own wave of injuries, most notably to Dejounte Murray, who returned in February after tearing his Achilles tendon in February 2025. Since his return, New Orleans has had some semblance of a decent basketball team, and with so much young talent, it’s no surprise the Pelicans are playing better than their record. Here is how the remaining schedule looks for New Orleans.

vs: LAC, LAC, CLE, HOU, ORL, UTA

at: NYK, DET, TOR, POR, SAC, BOS, MIN

Of the 13 remaining games for the Pelicans, 10 are against teams .500 or above, the fourth hardest remaining schedule in the NBA. If New Orleans wants to make sure Atlanta doesn’t land a top talent in this draft, it’ll need to keep winning. With a fresh start next year and up-and-coming talent, the Pelicans will be poised to get out of the NBA’s basement

The Grizzlies (23-44)

Memphis, like Dallas and New Orleans, hasn’t caught many good breaks. After their ascension to the second seed in the West in 2023, it’s been a major fall from grace for the Grizzlies. Much of their downward spiral has been due to the off-court issues of superstar Ja Morant, who has seen more time off the court than on. Memphis tried to change paths at this year’s trade deadline, holding several discussions with teams on Ja Morant, but couldn’t find a suitor. They did move former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz at the deadline, signaling the unofficial rebuild.

The Grizzlies have also had numerous injuries. Santi Aldama, Scotty Pippen Jr., Zach Edey, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope have all suffered season-ending injuries. Morant has a nagging elbow injury that could also sideline him for the rest of the season. With not much to work with and the Grizzlies owning their own pick, it makes sense for them to optimize their draft position. Morant could have played his last minutes as a Grizzly. Jackson Jr. is gone. Desmond Bane was traded in the 2025 offseason. The core is broken, and it’s time to develop a new one.

Memphis has young talent, but lacks a true number one. But if your roster has pieces like Jaylen Wells, Zach Edey, Cedrick Coward, GG Jackson, and Taylor Hendricks, all of whom are 23 or younger, you’re off to a good start. Here’s a peek at Memphis’s remaining schedule.

vs: DEN, BOS, SA, HOU, CHI, PHX, NYK, TOR, CLE

at: CHA, ATL, MIL, DEN, UTA, HOU

Of the 15 remaining games for the Grizzlies, 12 are against teams .500 or above. This is the NBA’s toughest remaining schedule. With the rebuild all but fully underway, the Grizzlies have a chance to add a top-tier talent to a solid, young core. And being a small market, you typically have to draft your talent. Not many superstars have Memphis, Tennessee at the top of their destinations list.

A photo finish

Given the motivations of the teams, the Pelicans will likely end up with the 8th spot in the draft, winning the most out of these three teams down the stretch. The Mavericks and Grizzlies both have difficult schedules to end the season and are incentivized to tank to optimize draft position. Although the Grizzlies have the toughest remaining schedule, most of the games are at home, whereas the Mavs will be spending more of their time of the road.

It’s impossible to tell who ends up with the 6th and 7th spots in the draft, but as Dallas learned in 2025, even the smallest percentage of margin matters. But in either spot, both teams are looking to turn the page and rebuild to contention with an absolutely stacked 2026 draft.

The Washington Wizards take on the top-seeded Detroit Pistons for the second time in a row on Thursday at Capital One Arena.

Game info

When: Thursday, Mar. 19 at 7:00 p.m. ET

Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.

How to watch: Monumental Sports Network, League Pass

Injuries: For the Wizards, Bilal Coulibaly (heel) and Alex Sarr (toe) are questionable, while Trae Young (quad), Kyshawn George (elbow), Leaky Black (ankle), Anthony Davis (hand, groin), Cam Whitmore (shoulder), and D’Angelo Russell (not with team) are out.

For the Pistons, Cade Cunningham (back) and Isaiah Stewart (calf) are out.

What to watch for

The Wizards host the Pistons again after the two teams tussled on Tuesday in a 130-117 contest that went Detroit’s way. The Pistons will be without Cade Cunningham, who left the previous game early with back spasms.

Bub Carrington is coming off arguably the best offensive outing of his career. The second-year guard went off for 30 points on 12-of-16 shooting to go along with six triples. He did not record a single free throw or turnover in the contest. With Detroit likely to have Carrington atop its scouting report this time around, Bub gets a chance to prove that the performance was no fluke.

Tre Johnson has been in quite the shooting funk of late. Over his last four games, the Wizards rookie has shot 12-of-48 from the field with a 20.8 percent clip from beyond the arc. Expect him to try to get back on track against the Pistons.

Good news, tankers: The Nets are playing the Thunder tonight. That alone should provide some solace, but you never know in today’s NBA. OKC just clinched the postseason last night, their 13th since 2010. If only the Nets could have some of their fortunes come this May (and June).

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🏀 KEY INFO

Who: OKC Thunder (54-15) at Brooklyn Nets (17-51)
When: 7:30 PM ET
Watch: YES Network

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💬 DISCUSSION

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Victor Wembanyama seems like a lock to win Defensive Player of the Year and get an All-NBA spot if he is eligible. Is there a chance he could also win MVP if the Spurs stay hot?

Marilyn Dubinski: The MVP hype is definitely on the rise for Wemby, but I can’t see him winning both in the same season this early in his career for a few reasons.  One is that voters may fear future voter fatigue will eventually set in, so they don’t want to give him too much, too early.  I also believe many voters have a block against giving players more than one award per season.  (I believe this is the same reason Tim Duncan never won DPOY: voters already had him on their MVP ballot.)  This is not to say Wemby will never win both in one season, but he’d be just the fourth player to ever do it, along with Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, which leads to my final reason why it won’t happen this season. Knowing the media, they’ll want Wemby to prove himself in the playoffs before putting him in that esteemed group (even if they are regular-season awards).

Bill Huan: I love Wemby to death, but MVP is out of reach. Shai has locked it up, and rightfully so: he’s been the best player in the league this year (and that’s also coming from a Jokic “glazer”) while also playing on the best team, and the narrative is on his side too after breaking Wilt’s 20-point streak. Wemby’s time will come, maybe as soon as next year, but for now, it’s Shai’s. 

Devon Birdsong: As Marilyn has very accurately pointed out, the MVP- DPOY double has only happened thrice in the history of both awards existing. It’s incredibly rare to begin with. Does Wemby have an argument for both? Yeah, I think he does. But so did David Robinson and Tim Duncan, with 1995 and 2002 both serving as perhaps the most glaring examples of seasons deserving that distinction. You can call it media bias, you can call it voter fatigue, you can call it a certain degree of veiled pettiness, but I just don’t see it happening this season (unless the games-played threshold is exceeded by the frontrunners). And in all fairness, both of Dave and Tim’s seasons were better than this season for Wemby. I absolutely see it happening in the future, perhaps even more than once, but I think we’ll all have to satisfy ourselves with the knowledge that Wemby is already good enough on both ends to be having this conversation at all. Besides, with the way things are going, there’s a chance that Wemby could pull off an even rarer feat: becoming only the 2nd player to ever win DPOY and Finals MVP in the same season. 

Jeje Gomez:I don’t think it will happen this season, unless he’s the only one out of the contenders to be eligible for the award. A lot of the conversation about the Spurs in the media, even among some apologists, is that their success is impressive, but they’ll need to show how good they are in the playoffs. I feel like they likely feel the same is true for Wembanyama. It’s not the most reasonable of takes, but I can understand the fear of anointing someone the most valuable player in the league only to see them flame out early in the postseason. Plus, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander actually does have a stronger case after putting together an even more efficient scoring season than last, while likely leading the Thunder to the league’s best record despite Jalen Williams’s long absence.

Keldon Johnson has a strong case for Sixth Man of the Year, and Stephon Castle should get consideration for an All-Defensive team. Will they get the distinctions?

Dubinski: While both are equally deserving, I think Castle stands a better chance at All-Defense than Keldon does at Sixth Man.  I’ve been hyping Keldon’s case all season, but his impact seems to go relatively unnoticed by outsiders, and the odds have consistently had him behind Naz Reed, Jaime Jaquez and even Reed Sheppard at times.  Probably the fact that the Spurs’ second unit is so deep, combined with players like Dylan Harper stealing some spotlight from intrigued viewers, is not helping his case, but the good thing is, like Manu Ginobili before him, he doesn’t care.

Huan: I don’t think that there is any chance Keldon actually wins 6MOY, and I’d still bet on Castle getting on an All-Defensive team over Keldon being a finalist for 6th man. Currently, there are 12 names I’d say are fighting for 10 All-Defense spots, while Keldon seems to be behind the likes of Naz Reid, Isaiah Stewart, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and even Reed Sheppard for 6th man. Whether or not that’s fair is a separate discussion, but those are the reasons why I’d bet on Castle over Keldon. 

Birdsong: Keldon was arguably the frontrunner for the first two-thirds of the season, but his performances have been more uneven since his shoulder injury, and it’s been noticeable in the games the Spurs lost against the Knicks and Nuggets. The reality is that now more than ever, you really need a narrative to sell for awards, and Keldon’s isn’t the flashiest of sells. He’s not leading the other candidates in scoring and the Spurs are still really good without him, whereas the Heat and Timberwolves are more visibly dependent on Jaquez and Reid.  The sixth-man award has long been a scoring award, which is part of why Manu had so few. Like Manu, Keldon has some advanced stats that show his value, but they’re no longer obscene, so my guess is that it goes to Reid, especially if Minnesota secures a Top 4 seed in the West. Castle, on the other hand, should be a lock for All-Defense. The only question (in my mind) is whether it’s first team or second. My guess is he lands on the second, though it should arguably be the first. Good luck getting two Spurs on the first team, though, since it’s only ever happened once (Duncan and Bowen in ‘07), which feels insane. 

Gomez: I think the fact that 10 guys make the All-Defensive Teams while only one player gets 6MOY gives Castle a clear advantage. He definitely deserves a spot, and I’d be shocked if he wasn’t picked, assuming voters have been paying attention, which is not a given considering how some in the media still mispronounce Wembanyama’s name. Since Wemby is going to be in the first team, I feel like Castle is likely going to be on the second team. For Keldon to get some hardware, he would have to go on a tear in this last stretch, and he might have the opportunity with the Spurs resting some players. But I doubt Johnson would force the issue, and he might be getting rested as well at some point. Hopefully, he’ll at least be one of the finalists.

Mitch Johnson is leading the Spurs back to the playoffs while surpassing expectations. Can he win Coach of the Year, or do others have better cases?

Dubinski: I certainly think he has one of the best cases, but again, from what I’ve seen from the media, it might go to the Celtics’ Joe Mazzula for the job he’s done keeping them near the top of the East after most figured it would be a “gap” year, with Jayson Tatum missing most of the season and Boston having to salary-dump a lot of key players from their 2024 championship team. Is he more deserving than Mitch?  I don’t feel like it since they’re already a proven commodity and still have another MVP-level player in Jaylen Brown and a borderline All-Star in Derrick White, but I would understand the logic if Mazzula won over Mitch. 

Huan: I’d firmly place Johnson in the second tier of Coach of the Year candidates, with Joe Mazzulla and JB Bickerstaff fighting for first. Johnson is up against the likes of Charles Lee, Jordan Ott, and Mark Daigneault for that third and final spot, and there are credible arguments for each of them to be nominated. Even with my Spurs bias, I think Mazzulla is the obvious choice given what he’s accomplished with an undermanned Celtics roster this year, so Johnson won’t (and shouldn’t) win. Like Wemby, though, his time will come.

Birdsong: I certainly think that he *can*, but I’m not sure it’s likely unless the Spurs go on another prolonged tear. Most of the conversation seems to favor Mazzula in Boston and Jordan Ott in Phoenix. I think all three are deserving, but Ott’s is perhaps the most shocking, and Mazzula’s features the most well-known injury. If Mitch had, for instance, gotten the team to 50+ wins with Victor out most of the season, that probably would have earned him the award, but that’s just the kind of season it is. Consider that Pop only won three, and two of them came in championship seasons. The national media always wants the flashiest story, and that’s almost never the Spurs. My guess is that Ott is going to take it, especially if the Suns manage to get close to 50 wins and avoid the play-in.

Gomez: All awards are about narratives, and Johnson has been, fair or not, almost a footnote in what has been Wembanyama’s big comeback season after the deep vein thrombosis. It seems that Mazzula and Ott are getting rewarded for overachieving without a top player, and that doesn’t fit what Johnson has done, which is keep a young group engaged on both ends and playing selflessly despite this being just his first year as a head coach. Bickerstaff, meanwhile, will get consideration if the Pistons finish first, which is not something that the Spurs are likely to replicate in the West. It just doesn’t feel like it will happen for Mitch, unfortunately, but he at least got to coach an All-Star team.

BUFFALO, NY – South Florida’s NCAA Tournament opener against Louisville marks a homecoming for first-year coach Bryan Hodgson, who was born in western New York, went to college in western New York and started his coaching career in western New York, eventually working under current Alabama coach Nate Oats at Buffalo from 2015-19.

An Olean, New York native who attended Jamestown Community College and Fredonia State, Hodgson said he’ll have 38 relatives in attendance for the No. 11 Bulls’ matchup with the No. 6 Cardinals. He’s also been texting with a group of college coaches who hail from the region, including Florida assistant Carlin Hartman, Texas assistant Adam Cohen, Army head coach Kevin Kuwik and Rice head coach Rob Lanier, talking Buffalo Bills football and the local food scene.

Upset alert! Ranking 8 most likely upsets in NCAA first round

Bold predictions: March Madness top upset picks, surprises, sleepers

“This is home,” he said. “Just icing on the cake to be able to do that back here at home in western New York in front of friends and family, and really looking forward to the opportunity of playing against a very good Louisville team.”

The area is home — but this is only a visit.

Earlier on Wednesday, Hodgson turned down an offer to be the next coach at Syracuse, according to multiple reports. The Orange fired third-year coach Adrian Autry earlier this month and were attracted to Hodgson’s quick turnaround at 25-win USF, which took home the American Conference regular-season and tournament championships after posting just one winning season since 2019.

Ironically, the game against the Cardinals makes Hodgson the first coach from western New York to start tournament play in Buffalo since former Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim in 2014.

“When it comes to situations like these, we try to stay away from social media because everything is fake,” said senior forward Izaiyah Nelson. “Everybody goes on social media and says anything, and it's been happening for the last couple years. It's the same old things every year.”

USF heads into Thursday’s matchup on an 11-game winning streak, tied with Duke for the second-longest active run in the country. Known for a potent offense — USF ranks eighth nationally with 87.7 points per game — the Bulls’ defense has made huge strides of late, holding seven of their past nine opponents to under 67 points.

“Yeah, I'm just a firm believer that's just what good teams do. They get better and they play their best basketball in February and March,” Hodgson said. "Our guys have been locked in. They're very process driven. They're extremely selfless, and they wake up every morning with an intent to get better. That's really showed on the court.”

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But the Bulls will face two serious tests in Friday’s matchup against the Cardinals. The first is Louisville’s own electric offense and talent level, which is beyond anything USF has faced since a road loss to Alabama in December.

The second is the drama over Hodgson’s future that may not die down anytime soon, not with his name now being drawn in connection with the opening at Providence.

This is the dilemma for all up-and-coming coaches outside the major-conference structure: While every successful season and tournament appearance raises the profile of the coach and his program, this same success raises the likelihood he’ll be poached by a deeper-pocketed suitor.

“Does it look like we pay attention to any of that? We're out here playing basketball,” said Nelson. “We don't get into those kind of things. We come out here every day, grinding, working hard, and just keeping our head down, worrying about the next game.”

To his point, the scrutiny on Hodgson’s future didn’t slow the Bulls’ push for the program’s first conference tournament championship since winning the Sun Belt in 1990. Autry was dismissed on March 11, four days before USF topped Wichita State in the American final.

“Yeah, I'll say this: Time of the year doesn't matter,” he said. “I can tell you that my sole focus is on winning basketball games and enjoying every single second with this group of young men I have right now.”

And Hodgson can lean on his experience as an assistant, when Oats coached Buffalo to successive tournament appearances in 2018 and 2019 — beating Arizona as the No. 13 seed in 2018 and Arizona State as a No. 6 a year later — when his name was bandied about in connection with major openings.

“Yeah, you come in with a chip on your shoulder and an edge,” said Hodgson. “When we beat Arizona, our guys got on that plane from the Buffalo airport full-heartedly believing we were going to go in there to win that game.

“My guys in that locker room right now feel the same way. We know that we're here because of the work we've put in. There's no luck. I've got a great group of young men that believe in their abilities. They're confident in their abilities because, quite frankly, they work, and for us confidence comes from work.”

Louisville star Mikel Brown out vs South Florida

The Bulls received a major boost to their upset hopes with the news Louisville freshman star point guard Mikel Brown Jr. will miss Thursday's first round game with a back injury.

Louisville enters March Madness with a 7-5 record with Brown on the bench vs. a 16-5 record when he plays. Per CBBAnalytics.com, it averages 6.4 fewer points per 40 minutes (88.1 vs. 81.7) and shoots 4.8% worse from beyond the arc (38.2% vs. 33.4%) when he's not on the court.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: South Florida coach Bryan Hodgson back in NY, not staying for Syracuse

Just one more sleep until the start of the first round of the 2026 Men's NCAA Tournament.

The First Four is fun and all, but it's not nearly as fun as rolling out four different screens to watch keep up with March Madness.

Make sure to get your bracket filled out before the first game tips at 12:15 p.m. ET.

Here's a look at Thursday's full slate of games:

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March Madness first round schedule Thursday, March 19

• 12:15 p.m.: No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 TCU, CBS (Fubo)
• 12:40 p.m.: No. 4 Nebraska vs. No. 13 Troy, truTV (Sling TV)
• 1:30 p.m.: No. 6 Louisville vs. No. 11 South Florida, TNT (Sling TV)
• 1:50 p.m.: No. 5 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 High Point, TBS (Sling TV)
• 2:50 p.m.: No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 Siena, CBS (Fubo)
• 3:15 p.m.: No. 5 Vanderbilt vs. No. 12 McNeese, truTV (Sling TV)
• 4:05 p.m.: No. 3 Michigan State vs. No. 14 North Dakota State, TNT (Sling TV)
• 4:25 p.m.: No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 13 Hawai'i, TBS (Sling TV)
• 6:50 p.m.: No. 6 North Carolina vs. No. 11 VCU, TNT (Sling TV)
• 7:10 p.m.: No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 16 Howard, CBS (Fubo)
• 7:25 p.m.: No. 6 BYU vs. No. 11 Texas, TBS (Sling TV)
• 7:35 p.m.: No. 7 Saint Mary's vs. No. 10 Texas A&M, truTV (Sling TV)
• 9:25 p.m.: No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 14 Penn, TNT (Sling TV)
• 9:45 p.m.: No. 8 Georgia vs. No. 9 Saint Louis, CBS (Fubo)
• 10 p.m.: No. 3 Gonzaga vs. No. 14 Kennesaw State, TBS (Sling TV)
• 10:10 p.m.: No. 2) Houston vs. No. 15 Idaho, truTV (Sling TV)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What March Madness games are tomorrow? NCAA first round schedule

After a much-needed win on Monday in Washington D.C., the Golden State Warriors head north to try to make it two straight Ws. Unfortunately, they’re playing a much, much harder team: the Boston Celtics. In case you haven’t been paying attention to the NBA this year, the Celtics have had a magnificent season, despite Jayson Tatum’s Achilles tear … and, just as importantly, Tatum has returned.

While the Warriors are still missing a lot of key players, they are mercifully getting healthier. Quinten Post, and Gary Payton II, who were listed on the initial injury reports with questionable health, are now listed as available. Draymond Green, who has been a staple of the injury report lately, is nowhere to be found. And not only is Kristaps Porziņģis absent from the injury report for what is the Dubs’ third-straight game against one of his former teams, but Steve Kerr revealed that the former All-Star is ready for a minutes increase.

That said, Boston is still the much healthier team. Here’s the full injury report.

Warriors

Out — Steph Curry (right patellofemoral pain syndrome)

Curry has been traveling with the team, and Kerr revealed that he went through a workout on Tuesday. Golden State will provide an injury update on Saturday.

Out — Jimmy Butler III (right ACL surgery)

Butler, who is out until probably January or February, surprised the team by joining them on their six-city road trip. Hopefully that means that his rehab is going well.

Out — Moses Moody (right wrist sprain)

It looked like Moody was close to a return, but sadly that no longer is the case. It’s looking like he’ll probably miss the entirety of the road trip.

Out — Al Horford (right soleus strain)

No updates on Horford. He’ll probably be out for a while, but hopefully is back in time to get in a rhythm before the play-in tournament.

Out — Seth Curry (left adductor strain)

Still just four games played this year for the younger Curry brother. What a bummer.

Out — LJ Cryer (left hamstring injury management)

It’s really such a bummer that Cryer has dealt with so many injuries at a time when there would be a bunch of minutes for him. He’s really impressed in the rare instances when he’s been healthy.

Celtics

Out — Nikola Vučević (right ring finger fracture)

Vučević was playing a key role for the Celtics after coming over in a deadline trade, but suffered a finger injury in his 12th game with the team. He’ll be re-evaluated shortly before the playoffs.

Enjoy the game, Dub Nation. It tips of at 4:00 p.m. PT on ESPN.

The history books will rightfully remember last year's March Madness as a chalk, with four No. 1 seeds in the Final Four and three No. 2 seeds in the Elite Eight. But as the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament first round gets set to begin on Thursday, March 19, it's perhaps worth noting what happened to the bracket on the first two days of college basketball's biggest event in 2025.

Five double-digit seeds pulled off upsets in the first round, including four from non-power conferences. Only one (No. 10 seed Arkansas) advanced to the Sweet 16, which significantly reduced the brackets busted and eventually led to just the second Final Four featuring all No. 1 seeds since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985.

The 2026 NCAA Tournament field is also seen as top-heavy by college basketball experts, but there are several intriguing opportunities for a potential Cinderella to emerge this year. Here's a look at five March Madness first-round games that could produce an upset this week:

MARCH MADNESS: Predicting every Men's NCAA tournament game using AI

No. 11 VCU over No. 6 North Carolina

The school that went from the original First Four all the way to the Final Four 15 years ago is a potential Cinderella again in the South region of the 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket after a run to the Atlantic-10 Conference tournament championship. VCU has lost just once over the past two months and it slots ahead of UNC since Feb. 1 in the Torvik Rankings, which are based on offensive and defensive efficiency and weight recent performances more heavily than other predictive metrics. North Carolina, meanwhile, will enter the NCAA Tournament with back-to-back losses to Duke and Clemson and continues to be without freshman star Caleb Wilson. No game during Thursday's March Madness first-round action has a smaller spread than VCU vs. UNC (-2.5).

No. 11 South Florida over No. 6 Louisville

Only one team in this year's NCAA Tournament has a longer current winning streak than USF's 11-game streak entering its East region first-round matchup and six of the Bulls' past seven wins have been by at least 15 points. Guard Wes Enis has been held under 19 points just once in the past five weeks. Louisville also plays the same up tempo style as USF and the Cardinals are just 4-4 over their past eight games. They won't have star freshman guard Mikel Brown Jr. available again due to injury.

No. 11 Texas over No. 6 BYU

This West region first-round matchup will pit two teams with bad defenses that played much better earlier in the season. Now that Texas escaped with a buzzer-beater win over North Carolina State in the First Four, it gets a juicy upset chance against A.J. Dybantsa and BYU. The Cougars had a 7-9 record over the final two months of Big 12 play and uses one of the thinnest benches in the field. Though the Longhorns limped to the finish line with five losses in their final six games before Tuesday's NCAA Tournament triumph, they do have wins over Alabama and Vanderbilt on their ledger this season.

No. 12 Akron over No. 5 Texas Tech

Though Miami (Ohio) garnered most of the headlines out of the MAC with its undefeated run through the regular season, conference tournament champion Akron had the better offensive and defensive efficiency ratings and could take advantage of its draw in the Midwest region. Though Akron lost by 18 points to the only other power conference team on its schedule (Purdue), Texas Tech hasn't looked the same since star J.T. Toppin suffered a season-ending injury. The Red Raiders are 6-5 over their past 11 games, with three defeats in a row entering the NCAA Tournament.

No. 10 Missouri over No. 7 Miami

Missouri is a trendy pick in this West region first-round matchup because the game will take place in nearby St. Louis. The Tigers also had a strong surge through SEC play in February and early March, beating Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Texas A&M to secure an NCAA Tournament at large berth. Missouri, however, has lost three in a row, including an SEC tournament quarterfinal setback to Kentucky. But the Tigers already beat Kentucky on the road earlier this season and the crowd should be on their side this week.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness predictions: Men's NCAA bracket first-round upset picks

Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Lakers

March 18, 2026

Location: Toyota Center — Houston, Texas

TV: ESPN

Radio: KBME Sports Talk 790

Online: Rockets App, SCHN+

Time: 830pm

Probable Starting Lineups

Rockets: Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Jabari Smith Jr., Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun

Lakers: Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Lebron James, Marcus Smart, DeAndre Ayton

The NBA playoffs are just around the corner. Sure, there is still time for teams on the cusp to make one final push for the postseason, but for the most part, we know which teams are competing for an NBA title.

That said, many of the teams in the middle of the pack in each conference are jumbled up, so close together that a bad or good stretch could determine whether they get home-court advantage in their opening series or the conference semifinals.

As it stands right now, as of the afternoon of Wednesday, March 18, the Eastern Conference's No. 2 seed Boston Celtics are just eight games ahead of the No. 8 seed Atlanta Hawks. In the West, the No. 3 and 6 seeds are within 1.5 games of one another.

A lot could happen between now and the end of the regular season that could shape the postseason. That said, it's still interesting to look at where each team would fall if the season ended today.

NBA playoff bracket

Records and standings through games played on Wednesday, March 18

*-indicates play-in team

Eastern Conference

1. Detroit Pistons (49-19)
2. Boston Celtics (45-23)
3. New York Knicks (45-25)
4. Cleveland Cavaliers (42-27)
5. Toronto Raptors (38-29)
6. Orlando Magic (38-30)
7. Miami Heat (38-31)*
8. Atlanta Hawks (37-31)*
9. Philadelphia 76ers (37-32)*
10. Charlotte Hornets (35-34)*

Western Conference

1. Oklahoma City Thunder (54-15)
2. San Antonio Spurs (51-18)
3. Los Angeles Lakers (43-25)
4. Houston Rockets (41-26)
5. Denver Nuggets (42-27)
6. Minnesota Timberwolves (42-27)
7. Phoenix Suns (39-30)*
8. Los Angeles Clippers (34-34)*
9. Golden State Warriors (33-35)*
10. Portland Trail Blazers (33-36)*

When does NBA regular season end?

The regular season will end on Sunday, April 12. The play-in tournament will start just two days later on Tuesday, April 14 with games played through Friday, April 17.

The classic NBA postseason will begin on April 18.

How does NBA play-in tournament work?

The tournament is divided into three games for each conference.

The first game will see the No. 7 seed host the No. 8 seed with the No. 7 seed in the playoffs on the line. The loser will face the winner of the game between the conference's No. 9 and No. 10 seeds.

Whoever loses that third game will be eliminated from the postseason, while the winner will claim their conferene's No. 8 seed and a date with the No. 1 seed in the first round of the playoffs.

NBA playoffs schedule

• Play-in tournament: April 14-17
• First round: Begins April 18
• Second round: Expected to start early May
• Conference finals: Expected to start late May
• NBA Finals: June 3 - June 10/17 (dependent on series lengths)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who's in, out of NBA playoffs if the season ended today?

Throughout the season, we have used FTN’s new NBA StatsHub to help separate surface-level production from true impact. Those advanced metrics have provided the necessary context to effectively identify emerging stars, analyze trades, give insight into awards races, and provide analysis on the league’s top playoff contenders.

Now, as the regular season enters its final stretch, the focus shifts to identifying which stars are peaking at the right time. Using NBA StatsHub, let’s take a look at a few players who are playing at a high level since the All-Star break.

Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets

In the coming days, Kevin Durant will surpass Michael Jordan for the fifth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. Yet, the 37-year-old Durant, who suffered a torn Achilles tendon in the middle of his prime, isn’t just stat-padding his Hall of Fame resume.

Since the All-Star break, he’s averaging 25.9 points on only 17.5 field goal attempts per game. He’s the only player in the league averaging 25+ points while shooting 50%-plus from the field, 40%-plus from 3-point territory and 90%-plus from the free throw line.

He leads the NBA by a substantial margin in Points Over Expectation (+5.5) in that span, with Luka Dončić (+4.1) and Anthony Edwards (+3.8) a distant second and third, respectively.

Kon Knueppel, Charlotte Hornets

Earlier this season, we examined the league’s most underrated scorers using Field Goal Percentage Over Expectation and came away wondering if Kon Knueppel could be the NBA’s next superstar.

Since that point, he’s averaged 19.7 points per game while shooting 49.3% from the floor, including 44.0% from 3-point territory. Since the All-Star break, he ranks sixth in the entire NBA in Points Over Expectation. He’s been Charlotte’s most valuable player during that stretch, with an incredulous +22.4 Net Rating.

Knueppel was +500 in the Rookie of the Year race when we wrote Feb. 18 that he has been the NBA’s most impactful first-year player. One month later, he’s -200 to win the award, looking like a clear and obvious favorite if he can stay healthy during the final month of the regular season.

James Harden, Cleveland Cavaliers

Immediately following the Cavaliers trade for James Harden, ESPN gave Cleveland a B grade for the deal. CBS Sports gave Cleveland a C. Bleacher Report was the most critical, giving the Cavaliers a D+.

We gave Cleveland an A+ for the trade, arguing that Harden is still a high-impact player.

Since the trade, the Cavaliers own the second-best offensive rating in the NBA, despite Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen both missing substantial time due to injury.

A big reason for their success has been the play of Harden, who ranks 7th in the league in Points Over Expectation since the All-Star break. The team has a +4.7 Net Rating with him on the floor, benefitting from his playmaking ability, efficient scoring and veteran leadership.

The Cavaliers have emerged as the primary threat to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference. If healthy, they have their best chance to return to the NBA Finals since LeBron James left for the Lakers nearly a decade ago.

The Takeaway

Kevin Durant, Kon Knueppel and James Harden haven’t simply been filling the stat sheet on a nightly basis because they take a lot of shots or operate in a high-usage role for their respective team. These players are offering measurable, sustainable benefits to their club at the most important time of the season.

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If you thought the Utah Jazz’s overall record was bad, their mark against division rivals is even worse – and it’s not likely to get any better tonight against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

This feels like a hopeless task for a Utah team that’s 1-11 against the rest of the Northwest Division and firmly in full tank mode, but my Jazz vs Timberwolves predictions target one of the visitors’ youngsters getting a chance in the spotlight.

Check on my NBA picks for this clash on Wednesday, March 18. 

Jazz vs Timberwolves prediction

Jazz vs Timberwolves best bet: Cody Williams Over 20.5 points + rebounds + assists (-115)

The Utah Jazz don’t seem focused on boosting their win total, but the coming weeks give them a chance to evaluate their roster. That’s good news for Cody Williams, who has played 36+ minutes in six straight games, hitting this combo Over in five of them.

Williams posted an eye-popping 34-7-7 stat line on Sunday and should be active again as Utah navigates games without Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George.

Even though the Minnesota Timberwolves can be elite defensively, Williams doesn’t need to match his season averages to make this prop a winner.

Jazz vs Timberwolves same-game parlay

Even on the second night of a back-to-back set, the T-Wolves have the defensive studs to keep Utah at bay, but the offense will largely be in the hands of Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.

Randle is coming off back-to-back 32-point outings, and I expect DiVincenzo to bounce back from last night’s 0-for-8 dud, as he boasts a 39% mark from downtown.

Jazz vs Timberwolves SGP

• Timberwolves -13.5
• Julius Randle Over 25.5 points
• Donte DiVincenzo Over 14.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Stifle Tower

No one needs to tell the Jazz about Rudy Gobert’s impact. 

This SGP jumps on the Frenchman’s presence around the rim at both ends of the floor, and he’s coming off a monster effort last night, finishing with 19 rebounds and four blocks.

Naz Reid’s absence should also mean an uptick in minutes for Gobert.

Jazz vs Timberwolves SGP

• Rudy Gobert Over 12.5 points
• Rudy Gobert Over 13.5 rebounds
• Rudy Gobert Over 2.5 blocks
• Timberwolves -13.5

Jazz vs Timberwolves odds

• Spread: Jazz -13.5 (-110) | Timberwolves +13.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Jazz +550 | Timberwolves -800
• Over/Under: Over 230.5 (-110) | Under 230.5 (-110)

Jazz vs Timberwolves betting trend to know

The Timberwolves are 8-2 SU in their last 10 meetings with the Jazz. Find more NBA betting trends for Jazz vs. Timberwolves.

How to watch Jazz vs Timberwolves

Jazz vs Timberwolves latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Yesterday’s announcement that Giannis Antetokounmpo would miss some time with a hyperextended left knee probably came as a relief to many Bucks fans. Milwaukee is 6.5 games out of the East’s 10th seed with 14 games remaining, making it essentially impossible to climb back into the race, so there are plenty who feel the star should be—or should already have been—shut down. The temptation to tank and improve lottery position remains, even as other teams that exited the playoff hunt earlier already tanked harder. Though the Bucks are just 2-6 since Giannis returned from his calf strain, they have only just now moved into a tie for the ninth spot with the Bulls.

Today, we have a report from The Athletic’s Eric Nehm—later echoed by ESPN’s Shams Charania—that Giannis and the team are “at odds” about what to do moving forward. The Bucks, probably on the same side as most fans, want Giannis to remain sidelined as the year ends. A fair ask, considering he’s missed 32 games this season with a variety of lower-body injuries and the team isn’t really battling for seeding. Ever the competitor, Giannis doesn’t want to do that, though: he wants to play, presumably when/if he’s cleared.

Whether the team’s medical staff clears him anytime soon is unknown. Yesterday’s report stated he’d be reevaluated in a week, so nothing appears imminent, but it’s not just the knee: he also sprained his ankle last week. Add that to the calf strain that hampered him from December into March, plus a groin strain in November, and it’s not hard to see him as less than 100% on the floor, no matter what he’s self-diagnosed. To the organization and fans, Giannis’ health is a top—probably the top—priority.

The issue here is weighing what makes Giannis happy. Even if they’re far removed from the race, he clearly wants to be playing. I don’t think the Bucks’ sole motivation here is necessarily to lose more games and move into a higher lottery position, even though this from Nehm might suggest that’s the case:

The Bucks, per league sources, have made it clear to their franchise centerpiece that it would be in their shared interest for him to sit out with the team currently 6 1/2 games behind the Charlotte Hornets for the final Play-In Tournament spot. While injuries have forced Antetokounmpo to miss 32 games already this season, league sources tell The Athletic the 10-time All-Star forward has informed the team he has no desire to cut his season short.

And later in the same article:

Bucks leadership has already approached Antetokounmpo about the idea of not playing another game for Milwaukee this season, which the franchise’s all-time leading scorer firmly rebuffed, league sources told The Athletic Tuesday.

“Shared interest” can merely just mean “we want you healthy, you want to be healthy” with no regard towards the standings. After all, it’s going to be tough for Milwaukee to move further down: at 28-40, they could stay in ninth depending on how Chicago finishes, but they are at least 4.5 games clear of other teams. Memphis is in eighth, with Dallas and New Orleans—who own the right to swap picks with Milwaukee—tied in sixth. All have 23 wins and either 44 or 46 losses. Even without Giannis, it will be nearly as hard to surpass those teams as it would be to make the playoffs. Those franchises are also trying to tank. On the flip side, they are 4.5 games clear of Portland in 11th, so the 9–10 range seems all but guaranteed, regardless of how long Giannis misses.

What I think this ultimately comes down to is being on the same page with Giannis. Of course, neither party wants him to sustain a more catastrophic, long-term injury. For their part, the Bucks want Giannis to extend this summer: he’s the most important player in franchise history, and without him, their profits completely dry up along with whatever title odds employing him brings (which are never zero, as long as he’s here, healthy, and in his prime). Giannis wants to be back in the business of competing in the playoffs, which could happen in Milwaukee as soon as next year if the Bucks play their cards right this offseason. One-year gaps in contention are common: see Golden State in 2019–20, Philadelphia and Phoenix last year, etc.

For Giannis’ part, he needs to listen to the medical professionals. On Sunday, he told trainers he thought he could have reentered the game, but they convinced him it wasn’t worth it since they were up double-digits at the time. Good on him for taking their advice. He said after the game he didn’t think he needed any imaging, but the Bucks had him undergo it yesterday anyway. Those results came back clean, per Doc Rivers.

I was in that postgame huddle on Sunday, and Giannis seemed outwardly positive about his conversation with the trainers and respected their opinion. But that’s just a single game, not the remaining 14, and it’s a medical opinion not being relayed by the front office. I don’t necessarily think this is the high drama some will undoubtedly spin it as, but the Bucks have a delicate line to walk here. Tanking isn’t something Giannis wants, and he’s going to approach this offseason looking for reasons to stay in Milwaukee. Being told not to play when he’s medically cleared—which he currently is not, we can safely assume—probably won’t sit well with him.

I’m of the belief that when the medical staff clears him to play, the front office should acquiesce. It’s incumbent on those professionals to clear him responsibly, affirming that no, he won’t be risking significant injury to play NBA basketball, whenever that may be. Whether that’s in a week or two, or it’s the final week of the season, we don’t know. But since his presence is pretty unconnected from their record at this point, and assuming Giannis continues respecting trainers’ opinions (he’s never indicated he has anything less than complete trust in them), the Bucks should let him play when they say it’s safe. Shutting him down unnecessarily strains a player-team relationship that must be preserved entering the offseason.

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