Category: NBA

Los Angeles Clippers (30-32, ninth in the Western Conference) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (23-38, 11th in the Western Conference)

Memphis, Tennessee; Saturday, 8 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Clippers -6; over/under is 226.5

BOTTOM LINE: Memphis hosts Los Angeles looking to break its three-game home losing streak.

The Grizzlies are 18-25 in Western Conference games. Memphis averages 14.7 turnovers per game and is 12-16 when it turns the ball over less than its opponents.

The Clippers are 19-19 against conference opponents. Los Angeles ranks fourth in the Western Conference shooting 36.1% from 3-point range.

The Grizzlies average 115.6 points per game, 3.5 more points than the 112.1 the Clippers give up. The Clippers are shooting 48.1% from the field, 0.9% higher than the 47.2% the Grizzlies' opponents have shot this season.

The two teams square off for the fourth time this season. The Grizzlies defeated the Clippers 121-103 in their last meeting on Dec. 16. Cam Spencer led the Grizzlies with 27 points, and Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 21 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Cedric Coward is averaging 13.3 points and 6.1 rebounds for the Grizzlies. GG Jackson is averaging 17.0 points over the last 10 games.

Leonard is averaging 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and two steals for the Clippers. Brook Lopez is averaging 1.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Grizzlies: 3-7, averaging 117.1 points, 37.1 rebounds, 29.2 assists, 12.4 steals and 5.4 blocks per game while shooting 48.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.2 points per game.

Clippers: 5-5, averaging 112.7 points, 42.5 rebounds, 23.3 assists, 9.7 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 48.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.9 points.

INJURIES: Grizzlies: Santi Aldama: out (injury management), Taj Gibson: out (reconditioning), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: out for season (finger), Ja Morant: out (elbow), Zach Edey: out for season (ankle), Brandon Clarke: out (calf).

Clippers: Yanic Konan Niederhauser: out for season (foot), Bradley Beal: out for season (hip), John Collins: out (arm), Darius Garland: out (toe).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Charlotte Hornets (32-32, 10th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Phoenix Suns (36-27, seventh in the Western Conference)

Phoenix; Sunday, 10 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Charlotte hits the road against Phoenix aiming to prolong its 10-game road winning streak.

The Suns are 21-13 in home games. Phoenix is 7-7 in games decided by 3 points or fewer.

The Hornets are 18-15 in road games. Charlotte is fifth in the Eastern Conference allowing only 112.5 points while holding opponents to 46.9% shooting.

The Suns average 14.7 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.9 more made shots on average than the 12.8 per game the Hornets give up. The Hornets average 5.0 more points per game (116.2) than the Suns give up to opponents (111.2).

TOP PERFORMERS: Devin Booker is averaging 24.8 points and six assists for the Suns. Collin Gillespie is averaging 3.1 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Kon Knueppel is averaging 19.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists for the Hornets. LaMelo Ball is averaging 4.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Suns: 5-5, averaging 104.2 points, 46.1 rebounds, 23.8 assists, 8.4 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 41.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.1 points per game.

Hornets: 7-3, averaging 118.1 points, 48.1 rebounds, 27.1 assists, 9.1 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 45.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.0 points.

INJURIES: Suns: Jordan Goodwin: out (calf), Dillon Brooks: out (hand), Mark Williams: out (foot).

Hornets: Tidjane Salaun: day to day (knee).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Washington Wizards (16-46, 13th in the Eastern Conference) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (20-45, 13th in the Western Conference)

New Orleans; Sunday, 7 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Washington comes into the matchup against New Orleans after losing seven straight games.

The Pelicans are 11-21 in home games. New Orleans leads the NBA with 57.5 points in the paint. Zion Williamson leads the Pelicans averaging 15.8.

The Wizards are 5-24 on the road. Washington averages 15.1 turnovers per game and is 9-9 when committing fewer turnovers than opponents.

The Pelicans are shooting 46.3% from the field this season, 1.6 percentage points lower than the 47.9% the Wizards allow to opponents. The Pelicans average 112.2 points per game, 8.0 fewer points than the 120.2 the Pelicans allow.

The two teams match up for the second time this season. The Pelicans defeated the Wizards 128-107 in their last meeting on Jan. 10. Trey Murphy III led the Pelicans with 35 points, and Kyshawn George led the Wizards with 15 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Derik Queen is shooting 48.3% and averaging 11.9 points for the Pelicans. Saddiq Bey is averaging 21.1 points over the last 10 games.

George is scoring 14.8 points per game with 5.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists for the Wizards. Bilal Coulibaly is averaging 13.3 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 50.0% over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Pelicans: 5-5, averaging 117.9 points, 45.9 rebounds, 25.9 assists, 8.3 steals and 6.5 blocks per game while shooting 47.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.3 points per game.

Wizards: 2-8, averaging 112.6 points, 40.3 rebounds, 24.4 assists, 9.3 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 46.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 124.0 points.

INJURIES: Pelicans: None listed.

Wizards: Jamir Watkins: day to day (foot), Anthony Davis: out (finger), Tristan Vukcevic: day to day (thigh), Cam Whitmore: out for season (shoulder), Kyshawn George: day to day (elbow), D'Angelo Russell: day to day (not injury related), Alex Sarr: out (hamstring).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Dallas Mavericks (21-42, 12th in the Western Conference) vs. Toronto Raptors (35-27, fifth in the Eastern Conference)

Toronto; Sunday, 6 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Dallas will aim to break its three-game road slide when the Mavericks take on Toronto.

The Raptors are 16-16 on their home court. Toronto is the league leader with 18.8 fast break points per game led by RJ Barrett averaging 3.9.

The Mavericks are 7-23 on the road. Dallas ranks fourth in the NBA scoring 17.9 fast break points per game. Cooper Flagg leads the Mavericks averaging 3.5.

The Raptors score 113.5 points per game, 4.2 fewer points than the 117.7 the Mavericks give up. The Mavericks average 113.3 points per game, 1.3 more than the 112.0 the Raptors allow.

The teams square off for the second time this season. The Mavericks won the last meeting 139-129 on Oct. 26. Flagg scored 22 points to help lead the Mavericks to the win.

TOP PERFORMERS: Scottie Barnes is averaging 18.9 points, eight rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.6 blocks for the Raptors. Brandon Ingram is averaging 21.6 points and 4.2 assists over the past 10 games.

Flagg is scoring 20.3 points per game with 6.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists for the Mavericks. Brandon Williams is averaging 13.9 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 50.0% over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Raptors: 5-5, averaging 112.2 points, 40.2 rebounds, 26.7 assists, 9.1 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 47.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.6 points per game.

Mavericks: 2-8, averaging 108.9 points, 43.0 rebounds, 23.5 assists, 6.2 steals and 3.6 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.6 points.

INJURIES: Raptors: Collin Murray-Boyles: day to day (thumb).

Mavericks: Dereck Lively II: out for season (foot), Kyrie Irving: out for season (knee), Daniel Gafford: day to day (ankle), Marvin Bagley III: day to day (neck).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

BOSTON — One day before Jayson Tatum made his season debut, he opted to address his Celtics teammates and coaches. Before he could return to the floor after 298 days sidelined, he wanted to express his gratitude to everyone who allowed him to get to the point where coming back was a possibility.

First, Tatum address his teammates, who held it down all season en route to the second seed in the Eastern Conference. Following his return game, Tatum said this year’s Celtics team was probably the most fun team to watch around the league — and that watching them from the sidelines made him want to work harder in pursuit of a comeback.

“The joy and competitive nature that they displayed — I wanted to be a part of that,” Tatum said.

So, Tatum accompanied the Celtics for nearly every film session, practice, shootarond, and game — home or away. That allowed him to stay connected with the guys even through months of his being sidelined.

“Going through rehab and being injured is lonely,” Tatum said. “It’s not intentional. I couldn’t practice for a while, I couldn’t be in the game. When they were on the court, I was in the weight room, having to do my own thing. So you feel isolated, in a sense. But I just expressed that being around as much as possible, going to games, being on the plane, really made me feel like I was still very much a part of the team, and how thankful to the group for just being themselves.”

Jayson Tatum on his message of gratitude to the team yesterday:

“It was one, just being vulnerable, showing my appreciation to the team, of how they have played this season, how they motivated me every single day. The joy and competitive nature that they displayed, I wanted to… pic.twitter.com/qLWUZ8RpDR

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) March 7, 2026

In that same Thursday address, Tatum went out of his way to thank the coaching staff for going the extra mile throughout his recovery; the Celtics star would often be seen working with assistant coaches like Amile Jefferson and Tony Dobbins after practice, among others. And, before he began playing 5-on-5 with teammates, he oftentimes played with, and against, a slew of Celtics coaches.

“I was thankful to the coaches that extended their days a lot by helping me during rehab and on the court and pick-up games [for] my conditioning,” Tatum said. “I really just kind of telling everybody in the room that they all played a part in essentially helping me get to this moment.”

Joe Mazzulla himself brimmed with pride as he reflected on Tatum’s speech.

“He came on the other side of this better person,” Mazzulla said.

Jayson Tatum especially grateful for longtime trainer, Nick Sang

But, of all the gratitude he expressed, there was one person who he credited most for his recovery: his trainer, Nick Sang.

Sang, who has been working with Tatum and the Celtics since 2017, was in many ways the mastermind of Tatum’srecovery.

“He’s had the biggest role,” Tatum said. “For the last 10 months, I haven’t went 48 hours without seeing Nick. He was there, obviously, when I got injured. He’s been with me every step of the way. I’m very fortunate to have someone that is as selfless and dedicated as he is.”

Asked Jayson Tatum about the role Nick Sang has played in his recovery:

“He’s had the biggest role. For the last 10 months, I haven't went 48 hours without seeing Nick. He was there, obviously, when I got injured. He's been with me every step of the way. I'm very fortunate to… pic.twitter.com/66aNes407Y

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) March 7, 2026

On top of being Tatum’s dedicated trainer, Sang doubles one of Tatum’s closest friends.

“That’s a bonus,” Tatum said. “[He’s] somebody that I know cares about me as a person and is invested as much as anyone you know.”

Tatum’s rehab began almost immediately after he underwent surgery in May. As such, Sang accompanied Tatum to all his offseason travels, and dove deep into the Achilles tendon recovery world to ensure that Tatum’s recovery plan was as optimal as it could possibly be.

“I’ve seen Nick work countless hours to research and call specialists and dot every I, cross every T, to make sure we were doing the right things, and make sure we didn’t skip any steps,” Tatum said. “Held me accountable every single day, pushed me when I didn’t necessarily want to be there, or when I doubted myself.”

Deuce is back, too

Jayson Tatum takes his usual place for pregame stretches with Nick Sang pic.twitter.com/dnr9m2EN16

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) March 6, 2026

In his first game back in nearly 10 months, he talled 15 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists en route to a 120-100 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. The Celtics outscored the Mavs by 20 points in his 27 minutes on the floor.

And, while Tatum’s recovery journey doesn’t end here — he made clear of that — taking the TD Garden parquet was a critical step he’s long been dreaming of. And, he credits Sang for helping him get there.

“I can never say thank you enough to him,” Tatum said. “He’s been with me every single day since I got injured. He’s a big reason why I was able to recover as fast as I did and make it to this point. It was on him. I can’t say enough good things about him, and I can’t thank him enough.”

Luka Doncic scored 44 points despite not playing the fourth quarter, and the Lakers defeated the struggling Indiana Pacers 128-117 on Friday night with LeBron James and Deandre Ayton out because of injury.

Doncic showcased his offensive wizardry, joining Kobe Bryant, Elgin Baylor and Jerry West as the only players in Lakers history to record at least 40 points in a season 10 times.

Doncic was 14 for 25 from the field, seven for 14 from three-point range and nine for 10 from the free-throw line. He also had nine rebounds and five assists.

Read more:Cal State Bakersfield basketball coach faces charges of pimping and possession of drugs and firearms

“I always want to be productive. But it’s just next-man-up mentality," Doncic said. "We have great guys on the bench. So, they help us win this game."

He had 22 points on seven-for-nine shooting in the first quarter, making all five of his three-pointers. It marked the fifth time in his career he scored at least 20 in the first quarter.

“I felt great,” Doncic said. “I felt like I had my legs working. But definitely needed to win this game, so we came out aggressive.”

The Lakers led 64-51 at halftime and Doncic had 29 points.

Doncic ended the third quarter by banking in a three-pointer with 5.3 seconds left and then pointing to his teammates on the bench. The shot gave the Lakers a 19-point lead.

“He can make every shot,” coach JJ Redick said. “I mean, he can make a step-back, left-wing bank shot that line drives and barely goes above the rim. He can make floaters. He can make floaters going left, right. He’s a shot-maker, but he’s also a playmaker.”

Doncic also had a solid game on defense, recording three steals and two blocks.

“I know people are not going to talk about it,” Doncic said. “So, I’m just trying to do my job, trying to be more aggressive, be more engaged. So, just trying to do better defensively.”

Austin Reaves had 19 points and five assists before fouling out with 4:58 left. Luke Kennard had 15 points and Rui Hachimura scored 13 points as the Lakers (38-25) bounced back from a tough loss at Denver on Thursday.

Pascal Siakam led Indiana (15-48) with 26 points, five rebounds and three assists.

James did not play after sustaining a left elbow injury against the Nuggets. Redick said James was “still banged up" but said the Lakers think he will play Sunday against the New York Knicks.

Ayton (knee) and reserve center Maxi Kleber (back) also are day to day, Redick said.

Read more:LeBron James breaks another Kareem Abdul-Jabbar record, but hurts his elbow in loss

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

As long as the Lakers have Luka Doncic on the court, they always have a chance of winning, regardless of the opponent.

And regardless of the circumstances.

The Lakers’ 128-117 Friday night win over the Pacers at Crypto.com Arena, which was the second night of a back-to-back and witnessed star forward LeBron James and starting center Deandre Ayton watching from the bench in street clothes, was a quick reminder.

Doncic, who entered Friday leading the league in first-quarter scoring (11.5 points), got off to one of his signature hot starts, scoring 22 points in the first quarter to give the Lakers an early advantage they didn’t relinquish.

“Some ridiculous shot-making,” coach JJ Redick said. “And a lot of ridiculous shotmaking against a lot of really good defenders.”

Friday marked Doncic’s league-leading fifth 20-point first quarter outing of the season, which is the most by any player in the play-by-play era (1996-97), according to ESPN.

“When you see a guy like him kind of getting to his spots, hitting his shots, it definitely just brings a different level to our group,” Luke Kennard said of Doncic. “Credit to him. Tough back-to-back. He played really well, gave us a chance to win in Denver. Got in late. He still came out and did what he does, and it got me ready to play. I know everybody else kind of fed into that, and he definitely set the tone for us.”

Already the league’s scorer, Doncic finished with 44 points on 14-of-25 shooting, including 7 of 14 on 3s, to go with nine rebounds and five assists in the 32 minutes he played in the first three quarters.

Doncic closed out the third by banking in a 29-footer over Quenton Jackson, giving the Lakers a 99-80 entering the final frame.

“I had my legs,” Doncic said. :They were working. But we definitely needed to win this game so we came out aggressive and made a statement.”

Austin Reaves (19 points, five assists) and Kennard (15 points, seven rebounds off of the bench) picked up the slack in the fourth so Doncic didn’t have to play in the final quarter. 

Reaves picked up his sixth foul in the fourth, just the second time in his career he’s fouled out of a game. 

What it means

Just one day after losing ground in the Western Conference standings with Thursday’s loss in Denver, the Lakers made up for it by beating the Pacers.

The Lakers, who improved to 38-25 on the season and are sitting at No. 6 in the West, moved to half a game behind the No. 5 Nuggets.  

Turning point

When Doncic hit a catch-and-shoot 3 at the 7:48 mark in the first quarter.

Doncic’s second 3 of the game started a personal 6-0 run the Lakers needed to prevent themselves from having another slow start. 

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The 27-year-old Slovenian guard scored 13 of the Lakers’ final 15 points of the first to give them a 35-27 lead going into the second. 

MVP: Luka Doncic

Friday was Doncic’s 10th 40-point game of the season.

Doncic broke a tie with Timberwolves star guard Anthony Edwards for the most 40-point games this season. 

Stat of the game: 12

Friday was Doncic’s 12th 40-point game as a Laker, passing Gail Goodrich (11) for the ninth-most in franchise history, according to the team.

Doncic is the fourth player in franchise history to record 10 or more 40-point games in a season, joining Kobe Bryant (four times), Elgin Baylor (three) and Jerry West (three).

Up next

The Lakers’ homestand will continue when they host the Knicks on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena. 

The Knicks have won 15 of their last 20 games, including a blowout win over the Nuggets in Denver on Friday. 

The Los Angeles Clippers didn’t just lose Thursday night. They unraveled.

What began as a comfortable night — Los Angeles once led by 25 points — ended in one of the strangest collapses of the season, punctuated by a stunning mental error from veteran guard Nicolas Batum.

With 16 seconds remaining and the San Antonio Spurs holding a 113–112 lead, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue inserted Batum into the game to inbound the ball. Batum found Brook Lopez at the top of the key, and Lopez quickly returned the pass.

There was one glaring problem.

Batum never stepped onto the court.

Still standing out of bounds, he caught the ball and was immediately whistled for a turnover — erasing the Clippers’ chance at a game-winning shot and forcing them to foul.

how do you make a mistake like this with the game on the line pic.twitter.com/uiHNmqlJGq

— Automatic (@automaticnba) March 7, 2026

The Spurs nearly gave the game back. Julian Champagnie missed two free throws, but San Antonio grabbed the offensive rebound. Rookie Stephon Castle later split a pair, the Spurs secured another offensive rebound, and a quick layup sealed the comeback.

For Batum, an 18-year veteran, it was a moment that will linger — a single step forgotten that turned a comeback opportunity into a collapse.

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After the game, fans trolled Batum on social media.

Batum and Lopez pic.twitter.com/p4B2li4e1U

— KATWrld (@kat_wrld) March 7, 2026

WHAT WAS BATUM THINKING?!?!

Spurs complete the 25 point comeback!

One of the worst collapses I’ve ever seen from the Clippers to end the game
pic.twitter.com/V6NKzPvNt1

— OddsJam Hoops (@OddsJamHoops) March 7, 2026

Before his toe injury, Knicks forward OG Anunoby was having one of the best seasons of his career, but he hasn't been the same since returning, until Friday.

In Denver, the old Anunoby showed up as he powered the Knicks to a dominating 142-103 win over the Nuggets in the first game of their West Coast road trip. Anunoby did it all; he led the team in scoring and helped defend one of the most potent offenses in the NBA. 

Here's Anunoby's statline against the Nuggets: 34 points (11 of 17 shooting, 6-for-11 from three) in 32 minutes, seven rebounds, five assists, four steals and one block. 

“He likes Denver. He likes altitude," Josh Hart said with a grin. "That's what he can do. You know, defensively guard one through five, and then offensively get the response and knock down shots. Get in the paint and just be a force.”

That force has been missing from this Knicks team since Anunoby went down to injury. He missed four games before returning on Feb. 19 against the Pistons. That night, Anunoby scored just eight points in 32 minutes. He had no rebounds or assists.

Since then, it hasn't been much better. Although Anunoby has eclipsed 20 points twice since -- not including Friday -- the "old" OG hadn't reared its head. But against former MVP Nikola Jokic and an elite Western Conference team, Anunoby gave the Knicks everything they needed to complete arguably their best game to date. 

"Before his toe injury, he was playing like this. I felt he was playing high-level basketball," head coach Mike Brown said of Anunoby. "I mean, it's just powerful. His decisions are quick, you know, he's touching the paint, and if you don't get to him, he's knocking the shot down. And then defensively, he's just on another level, man. If he keeps that up, that's Defensive Player of the Year-type stuff for sure.

"He's guarding point guards. I don't know how many times Jokic won MVP, but he's guarding him, and then he's guarding everybody in between. And it's just been phenomenal and fun to watch him because he can do a lot."

Jokic won MVP three times, and although he got his -- he scored 38 points in 31 minutes -- Anunoby and the Knicks defense did a great job to make it hard for the big man. 

In total, the Nuggets shot just 45 percent and were just 8-for-40 from three (20 percent). 

But offensively, that's where Anunoby's night was most like prior to the injury. After scoring just two points in the first -- the Knicks trailed by two after the first quarter -- he posted a team-high 12 points in the second to help New York go into halftime with a lead. He scored 14 more points in the third to put some distance between them and the Nuggets, and his two threes early in the fourth had Denver waving the white flag with nine minutes still remaining.

"OG had a whale of a game for us offensively. He was our [Defensive Player of the Game]," Brown said. "He was good." 

The Knicks now head to Los Angeles to take on the Lakers for the first of a back-to-back. New York will hope the old Anunoby is up for an encore.

After a frustrating loss against the Nuggets, the Lakers respond by beating the Pacers 128-117.

The game began with Jay Huff draining a 3-pointer for the Pacers. Rui Hachimura responded with a triple on the other end. Each team’s offense was strong, with both shooting 50%. Indiana was leading by two at the 6:32 mark. 

Huff was leading the Pacers with five points, and Luka Dončić had eight for the Lakers. 

LA started missing shots, which allowed Indiana to go up by four, before Luka helped the team wake up offensively with a 10-0 scoring run. He took over the quarter, draining all five of his shots from behind the arc, and had 22 points.

At the end of the first, the purple and gold were up by eight. The scoring run expanded to 18-6. 

He wasn't done yet … Luka finishes the first quarter with 22 points on 7 of 9 FG's and a perfect 5 for 5 from 3.

The Lakers lead 35-27 behind a Luka-led 18-4 burst. https://t.co/2vqDFz789v

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) March 7, 2026

The second period began with Indiana scoring six in a row. Jake LaRavia scored on a floater in the paint, giving the Lakers their first field goal of the quarter. The Pacers called a timeout after Jarred Vanderbilt stole the ball and passed to a wide-open Jaxson Hayes for the dunk. 

Out of the break, Indiana missed, but stole the ball from the Lakers on the other end, and it led to a dunk from Quenton Jackson. 

Vanderbilt was having a monster rebounding game with seven, the most of any Laker in the half. LA’s defense was failing them as they continued to allow the Pacers plenty of easy dunks, and they had 28 points in the paint. 

These Pacers are unbelievably athletic. They fly to the rim and finish with authority. LA remains up 51-47 midway through the second quarter.

— Edwin Garcia (@ECreates88) March 7, 2026

Luka kicked it into high gear once again, scoring five points, pushing his point total to 27 for the half with five minutes left to go. Luke Kennard had eight off the bench and was a perfect two for two from behind the arc.

With 3:25 left until halftime, LA was up by five.

Luke Kennard is having another productive night. He has 8 points, 3 rebounds, and just got his first assist, passing the ball to Jaxson Hayes for an easy two. The Lakers are in front 56-49.

— Edwin Garcia (@ECreates88) March 7, 2026

Marcus Smart drained two corner threes in a row, helping extend Los Angeles’s lead to double figures. LA went into halftime on a 13-2 scoring run and a lead of 13. 

Pascal Siakam was left wide-open for an easy dunk to start the third period. Andrew Nembhard scored two buckets in a row for five points. He was up to 17 points for the Pacers. Hachimura drained his second triple of the night and was the second Laker in double figures with 11 points. 

At the 6:50 mark, LA was up by 10. 

The Lakers built up their lead to 14 on a 9-2 scoring run. Luka was filling up the stat sheet, netting two blocks in this quarter. Siakam was leading the Pacers with 22 points. Los Angeles continued to dominate, and Luka knocked down a 3-pointer that banked off the backboard towards the end of the period.

Going into the fourth, LA was up by 19. 

The Lakers lead the Pacers 99-80. Luka Dončić has 44 points. His Lakers high is 49.

— Edwin Garcia (@ECreates88) March 7, 2026

The Lakers opened the final frame with back-to-back turnovers that led to four straight points for Indiana. LA then retook control of the game, building a massive lead. Reaves also entered double figures and fouled out late in the quarter.  Los Angeles then emptied their bench at the 3:42 mark.

Key Player Stats

Luka scored 22 of his 44 points in the first quarter. He also finished with nine rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks. Reaves had 19 points with two rebounds and five assists. Hachimura pitched in with 13 points and three rebounds.

Smart notched 11 points with three rebounds and three assists. Hayes had nine points with four rebounds and two assists. Kennard ended with 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Vanderbilt grabbed eight rebounds and dished three dimes.

The Lakers’ next matchup will be against the New York Knicks on Sunday at 12:30 PM PT.

You can follow Karin on Twitter at @KarinAbcarians.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Filip Gustavsson made 30 saves and the Minnesota Wild scored three goals in a 3:07 span in the second period in a 4-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday night.

Third in the Central Division, Minnesota improved to 3-2 since the Olympic break. Vegas is second in the Pacific Division.

Mats Zuccarello opened the second-period scoring spree at 5:18 on a wrist shot. Zach Bogosian followed with a slap shot at 8:07, and newcomer Michael McCarron had a tip-in at 8:25. Vladimir Tarasenko scored with 4:18 left in the third, with McCarron assisting in his Wild debut.

Pavel Dorofeyev and Mitch Marner had third-period goals for Vegas, and Akira Schmid stopped 20 shots. Dorofeyev scored his 30th of the season, ending Gustavsson's shutout bid with a power-play goal at 2:17.

Robby Fabbri and Bobby Brink also made their Wild debuts following trades. Minnesota also acquired Nick Foligno from Chicago at the trade deadline. He'll join younger brother Marcus with the Wild.

Nic Dowd and Cole Smith made their Vegas debuts. Dowd came over Friday from Washington. The Golden Knights placed forward Mark Stone on injured reserve Thursday because of an upper-body injury.

Up next

Wild: At Colorado on Sunday.

Golden Knights: Host Edmonton on Sunday night.

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

Jayson Tatum got off to a 0-for-6 start in his return from a torn Achilles.

But he then drilled his next five shots and finished with 15 points on 6-for-16 shooting with 12 rebounds and seven assists in the Celtics’ 120-100 win over the Mavericks on Friday.

Tatum, who was off the court for 298 days following the torn Achilles suffered at Madison Square Garden in Game 4 of the Knicks-Celtics Eastern Conference semifinals, scored his first points on a put-back dunk.

The jam came on a missed 3 from Payton Pritchard with 1:16 to go in the second quarter, where Tatum — one of the best rebounding forwards of this era — easily boxed out Rookie of the Year contender Cooper Flagg to position himself for the two-handed slam to give the Celtics a 52-51 lead shortly before halftime.

“This is a huge step. I’ve still got a long ways to go,” Tatum told reporters after the game.

Tatum joins the Celtics as the team moves to 42-21, maintaining the second spot in the Eastern Conference, temporarily holding off the Knicks, who won 142-103 over the Nuggets on Friday night, improving to 40-23.

Tatum started and was a plus-20 in his 27 minutes, logging the fourth-highest total on his team during his return.

“Nights and days I dreamed about this moment,” Tatum said, according to NBA.com. “It’s been 42 1/2 weeks since I played in an NBA game. Just trying catch up on the speed … but the game started slowing down.”

Jaylen Brown, who has carried much of the offensive mantle in Tatum’s absence, paced the team with 24 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.

Flagg was held to just 16 points on just 7-of-23 shooting, adding eight boards and six dimes in the Dallas loss.

Boston will play the Cavaliers in an afternoon tip-off Sunday at 1 p.m.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Chris Kreider got the tying goal with 42 seconds left in regulation and Alex Killorn scored in the sixth round of the shootout, sending the Anaheim Ducks to a 6-5 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Friday night.

Kreider matched his career best with a four-point night for the Ducks, who won for the seventh time in eight games despite blowing a two-goal lead in the third period. Cutter Gauthier, who also scored in the shootout, and Leo Carlsson had a goal and an assist apiece.

Anaheim improved to 8-0 in shootouts this season despite going just 2 for 6 against Montreal, with even Mason McTavish failing to score for the first time in six tries this season.

Radko Gudas and Jackson LaCombe also scored, and Lukas Dostal stopped 23 shots in a rough performance before he came up big in the shootout. Anaheim earned its 19th comeback victory, matching Montreal for the NHL lead.

Cole Caufield scored two of Montreal’s three goals in the third period and Lane Hutson had a goal and two assists. Samuel Montembeault made 28 saves for the Habs, who have lost four of six.

Gauthier got his 32nd goal just 33 seconds after the opening faceoff, giving him seven goals in five games since the Olympic break.

Nick Suzuki answered moments later, securing the fifth consecutive 20-goal season for Montreal's captain.

After Gudas got his first goal since Nov. 19, Carlsson added his 21st goal early in the third off a 2-on-1 pass from Kreider.

But Caufield got his 36th and 37th goals of the season with Alexandre Carrier's tying goal with 8:13 left in regulation sandwiched between them.

With the Ducks in desperation mode, Kreider skillfully redirected Jacob Trouba’s shot from the point for the 21st goal of his first season with Anaheim.

Olen Zellweger committed a tripping penalty in overtime, but Anaheim killed the 4-on-3 disadvantage.

The Ducks played without new defenseman John Carlson, who flew to the West Coast on Friday after a late-night trade ended his 17 seasons with Washington. Montreal stayed pat at the trade deadline.

Up next

Canadiens: At Los Angeles on Saturday.

Ducks: Host St. Louis on Sunday.

___

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

The San Antonio Spurs escaped from the jaws of defeat with an epic comeback against the Los Angeles Clippers on the second night of a back-to-back. They also closed the distance further in the standings with the Oklahoma City Thunder (2.5).

A few artillery strikes uncorked the Spurs’ offense, and Devin Vassell and a few others kept the pressure on when Victor Wembanyama checked out. Yet they were mostly sloppy and the help defense was a step slow, surrendering unnecessary 3-pointers and cheap fouls.   

They subsequently had trouble running their offense at the start of the second quarter, allowing multiple pick-6s, which allowed Kawhi Leonard to find his rhythm. Wemby checked back in and despite making a few baskets, he was pressing. He was unable to close the distance and then it became a 20-point crater in Luke Kornet’s minutes going into halftime. 

The strategy in the third quarter was to feed Wemby and use him as a decoy. They later found something when De’Aaron Fox got free for a floater to cut the deficit to 19- points, forcing the Clippers to call a timeout. They kept chopping away and flipped the script by the time the fourth quarter started.

Wembanyama checked back in while they were down seven with nine minutes left and the snowball effect continued until Leonard got hot again. Then every time it seemed one like team was about to gain an edge, the other side came storming back or made a mistake. It took late heroics from Wemby, Fox, Carter Bryant and Julian Champagnie to get away.

Observations

• This was San Antonio’s first of three games with the Clippers this season and the first time seeing them without Ivica Zubac. LAC had a few key guys out, yet still had an older shooting presence in Brook Lopez. He had a hot start that lasted until the third quarter.
• The defense was stuck in quicksand much of the night, not pressuring drives enough and being slow to recover to the perimeter. Their performance the previous night against a top-tier team wasted lots of physical and mental energy. The Clippers have been good, and the Spurs should have been better prepared for them like a top-three team in the conference because of the tension that will forever linger between the fans and Leonard. Still, being able to erase a 25-point deficit says a lot about their talent and resiliency, especially the late part of the fourth where they took the lead with Wemby resting.
• The Spurs did not push the pace enough and saw too much of the Clippers’ half-court defense. Part of the problem was taking the ball up slowly and getting scored on too often, which makes it take longer to get across half-court. The Clippers had the fresher legs in the open court, outscoring them 21-12, but wasting this much energy was a reason their defense was weaker in the second half.
• Champagnie emerged in the third quarter, making four 3-pointers, including two and three freebies when Leonard was on the bench. He was a big reason why the Spurs didn’t fall apart in the non-Wemby minutes. The team even mixed in and out of a zone in that stretch, and it got stronger as the game went on. Bryant’s hustle was another key factor in a late 13-0 run.
• Luke Kornet is a fine backup because of his rim protection, but opponents sag off him making it harder for the others to get loose, and he lacks the foot speed to keep up outside of the lane. It might be worth a try to experiment with some Bryant as a small-ball five in situations that are not favorable for Kornet when Wemby rests. He has a limited offensive game as well, but he’s fast and strong enough. 
• Leonard had the perfect blend of power and finesse as bodies bounce off of him and then he gently rises for a jumper. Nonetheless, Stephon Castle got the most time guarding him 25.5 hours after spending lots of time on MVP candidate Cade Cunningham.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Tyler Herro had 33 points, nine rebounds and nine assists and the Miami Heat snapped the Charlotte Hornets’ six-game winning streak with a 128-120 victory Friday night.

Herro was 8 for 10 from 3-point range, including one that broke a 108-all tie with 7:06 to play. That came during a 9-0 run after the Hornets led by two and was essentially the difference in the game.

Bam Adebayo added 24 points and 12 rebounds to help the Heat win their fourth straight game. Jaime Jaquez Jr. had 21 points off the bench. Miami was 18 for 38 (47%) on 3s.

Kon Knueppel scored 27 points for the Hornets, going 6 for 10 behind the arc. Brandon Miller had 22 points and 13 rebounds, while LaMelo Ball scored 21 points but was 7 for 22 from the field.

Charlotte fell back to .500 at 32-32. All the victories during the Hornets’ winning streak had been by 15 or more points, tying the 2017-18 Golden State Warriors for the second-longest streak in NBA history.

The first meeting between the teams in four months showed how much things had changed for the Hornets. Miami rang up a franchise-record 53 points in the first quarter of that Nov. 7 game, rolling to a 126-108 victory.

Charlotte had become the team hanging big numbers on opponents and tried to rally behind Knueppel, who hit consecutive 3-pointers to cut it to 120-117. But Herro hit a jumper and Dru Smith had a follow shot to push it back to seven.

ROCKETS 106, TRAIL BLAZERS 99

HOUSTON (AP) — Alperen Sengun scored 28 points, Amen Thompson had 26 and Houston used a dominant fourth quarter to beat Portland.

Sengun shot 11 of 15 from the field while playing just 26 minutes due to foul trouble, while Thompson converted all but one of his 12 shot attempts and scored eight points in the fourth quarter.

Houston trailed 85-77 after Matisse Thybuille drained a 3-pointer a minute into the final period, but Portland missed 11 of its next 13 shots and the Rockets went on a 23-4 run that covered close to eight minutes.

Houston shot 67% in the fourth quarter, outscoring Portland 29-17.

Kevin Durant added 20 points for the Rockets (39-23), who entered the day tied for fourth in the Western Conference.

Jerami Grant led Portland with 21 points. Jrue Holiday added 20 points and 10 assists, while Donovan Clingan finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds.

CELTICS 120, MAVERICKS 100

BOSTON (AP) — Jaylen Brown had 24 points, seven rebounds and seven assists and Boston beat Dallas in Jayson Tatum’s first game in almost 10 months after rupturing his right Achilles tendon.

Tatum had 15 points on 6-of-16 shooting, 12 rebounds and seven assists in a rust-filled 27 minutes. He played in five- and six-minute spurts in his first game since suffering the injury in during Game 4 of Boston’s Eastern Conference semifinal loss to New York in May.

Derrick White added 20 points to help Boston win for the fourth time in five games. Dallas has lost six straight.

No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, a Maine native playing his first game in TD Garden, had 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists for Dallas. Klay Thompson finished with 19 points, and Naji Marshall had13 points.

Tatum missed his first six shots, including three 3-pointers. But he continued to look for his teammates and actively screening to initiate the offense.

KNICKS 142, NUGGETS 103

DENVER (AP) — OG Anunoby scored 34 points to power New York to a win over Denver, who lost All-Star point guard Jamal Murray to a sprained ankle Friday night just when its starting lineup was back together.

Josh Hart added 18 points and Karl-Anthony Towns had 19 points and 17 rebounds as the Knicks kicked off a five-game trip in resounding fashion, their starters taking the fourth quarter off to enjoy the rare rout.

The 39-point home loss tied the Nuggets’ record set against Chicago in 1998.

Nikola Jokic led Denver with 38 points but the Nuggets suffered their biggest loss of the season — both on the scoreboard and on the court with Murray’s injury.

Aaron Gordon (hamstring) played for the first time since Jan. 23 and Cam Johnson returned from a sprained ankle, giving the Nuggets their original starting lineup for the first time since Nov. 12.

SUNS 118, PELICANS 116

PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker scored 18 of his 32 points in the third quarter, and Phoenix held off New Orleans.

Jalen Green had 25 for the Suns, who led by 14 in the second half before the Pelicans trimmed the lead to one point.

Grayson Allen made two free throws with 9.8 seconds remaining to give the Suns a 116-113 lead. Zion Williamson made one of two and Booker made a pair with 7.8 seconds left. Herb Jones scored with 5 seconds to go but the Suns were able to run out the clock.

Trey Murphy III led New Orleans with 22 points. Williamson had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Saddiq Bey also had 19 points for the Pelicans.

Oso Ighodaro, starting for injured Mark Williams, had 13 points and six rebounds before fouling out with 1:08 remaining. Allen had 12 points and eight assists, and Collin Gillespie also had 12 points for Phoenix.

SPURS 116, CLIPPERS 112

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 27 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks as San Antonio rallied from a 25-point deficit to beat the Los Angeles Clippers.

Kawhi Leonard had 30 points and nine rebounds for Los Angeles, which had a three-game winning streak snapped.

San Antonio (46-17) has won 14 of 15 and is second in the Western Conference.

After defending a missed 3-pointer by Leonard, Wembanyama broke free for an uncontested dunk that gave the Spurs a 113-112 lead with 16 seconds left. Clippers forward Nicolas Batum turned the ball over on the ensuing possession when his foot crossed the boundary while inbounding the ball. Stephon Castle closed out the win by rebounding his own missed free throw and converting a layup with 1 second remaining.

After trailing 75-50 in the third quarter, the Spurs opened the fourth with an 18-5 run to take their first lead since the opening minutes.

Wembanyama blocked Kris Dunn’s reverse layup, creating a fast break that ended with an alley-oop dunk by Carter Bryant. Devin Vassell followed with a 3-pointer for a 99-97 lead.

Julian Champagnie finished with 20 points and nine rebounds for the Spurs, and De’Aaron Fox had 19 points and nine rebounds.

Brook Lopez had 26 points for the Clippers.

LAKERS 128, PACERS 117

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luka Doncic scored 44 points in the first three quarters Friday night, overcoming LeBron James’ absence and leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a victory over Indiana.

Doncic hit seven 3-pointers on a 14-for-25 shooting night and grabbed nine rebounds before sitting out the fourth for the Lakers, who rebounded from a road loss to Denver on Thursday and won for the fourth time in five games overall.

James sat out to rest his accumulation of minor injuries in his 23rd NBA season, but Doncic picked up any offensive slack from the start. The Slovenian superstar scored 22 points in the first quarter, topping 20 in the opening period for the fifth time this season — the most such first quarters in the NBA in one season at least 30 years.

Doncic capped his barrage by banking in his seventh 3-pointer late in his 15-point third quarter.

Doncic became only the fourth player in Lakers history to score 40 points in at least 10 games in a season, joining Kobe Bryant, Elgin Baylor and Jerry West. He also has the most 40-point games in the NBA this season, passing Anthony Edwards.