Category: NBA

With the Western Conference a tight-knit race yet again this season, this series will look at the standings and games to watch across the league as the Lakers look to secure home court and move up the standings.

The Lakers had a great road trip, winning five of their six games. However, the teams beneath them also performed well, with the Wolves beating the Rockets and the Nuggets currently on a four-game winning streak.

So, while LA has the tiebreaker over the teams they are competing with for playoff position, the race remains tight.

Here’s a look at the current playoff standings in the middle of the conference:
3. Lakers — 47-26, 10 GB
4. Nuggets — 46-28, 11.5 GB
5. Wolves — 45-28, 12 GB
6. Rockets — 43-29, 13.5 GB
7. Suns — 40-33, 17 GB

If Denver keeps on winning, it’ll apply pressure on LA to do the same. With only a game and a half separating the two teams, anything can still happen.

Let’s take a look at the big games to watch around the league for the next couple of days and who Lakers fans should be rooting for.

Friday

Jazz at Nuggets — It’ll probably be five wins in a row for Denver after they play Utah. While the NBA aims to discourage tanking, under the current rules, the Jazz have no incentive to win.

Rockets at Grizzlies — Memphis has lost 12 of their last 13 games. The Rockets are struggling, but it’s hard to imagine them losing to the Grizzlies.

Saturday

Pistons at Wolves — The Lakers lost to the Pistons, so they witnessed firsthand how tough they can be to beat. Perhaps this weekend, they can help LA out by beating Minnesota.

Jazz at Suns — Rooting for Utah to win in March is an exercise in futility.

Sunday

Warriors at Nuggets — Golden State is still trying to win games and potentially surpass the Blazers for the No. 9 seed in the West. With Steph Curry still out, they don’t have much firepower to compete with the Nuggets, but at least they are incentivized to do so.

Rockets at Pelicans — New Orleans has been playing better than their 25-49 record suggests. They are 5-5 in their last 10 games with wins over the Clippers and Raptors. They won’t be favored against the Rockets, but they’ll be at home and an upset is a possibility.

Monday

Wolves at Mavs — The Mavericks aren’t trying to win games. Check the box score at halftime and see if this contest is worth watching after that.

Suns at Grizzlies — The bad news here is that the Grizzlies play the Suns, and Laker fans want Memphis to win. The good news is the Suns are seven games back of the Lakers, so it’s virtually impossible for them to catch LA at this point.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Detroit Pistons
Date: March 28th, 2026
Time: 4:30 PM CDT
Location: Target Center
Television Coverage: ABC, FanDuel Sports Network – North
Radio Coverage: Wolves App, iHeart Radio

There are regular-season wins, and then there are the kind of wins that feel like they belong in a 30-for-30 intro montage. Wednesday night against the Houston Rockets was that kind of game for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Not just because of how it ended, but because of how many different ways it should have ended before it ever got there.

This wasn’t just another March game. This game was about standings math, playoff positioning, and psychological survival all wrapped into one. It was two teams entering with identical records, deadlocked in the Western Conference at the five seed, staring each other down with the kind of stakes that don’t need a playoff logo to feel like a playoff game. The winner gets separation. The loser gets anxiety.

And Minnesota walked into it shorthanded.

No Anthony Edwards.
No Ayo Dosunmu.

Which meant renewed responsibility for Mike Conley Jr., more on-the-fly adjustments, and a general sense that this was going to be one of those nights where everything had to go right just to have a chance. Meanwhile, Houston rolled in with Kevin Durant, size, athleticism, and every reason to believe this was their moment to seize control of the standings and snatch the tie-breaker with the Wolves.

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For about 44 minutes, Minnesota didn’t just survive. They controlled the game. The Wolves looked like the team with the clearer identity. They dictated the tempo, leaned into their physicality, and played through their size in a way that has become their most reliable offensive blueprint. The result? 63 points in the paint.

Defensively, they were connected. Rotations were sharp. The effort level, something that completely vanished during that California spiral, was back where it needed to be. The lead never ballooned into a blowout, but it lived in that steady 4-to-8-point range, the kind that tells you one team is just a little more in control than the other.

Then late in the game, Minnesota stretched it.

Eleven-point lead. Three and a half minutes left.

And if you’ve watched this team long enough, you already know what comes next.

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This is where the game turned from a basketball contest into something closer to a psychological endurance test.

Minnesota gave up a 12–0 run. The offense tightened. The ball movement stalled. The rhythm disappeared. And layered on top of that, the Wolves found themselves on the receiving end of a whistle pattern that, let’s just say, tilted things in a very specific direction.

Houston finished with 25 free throws. Minnesota got 10. That’s not just a discrepancy. That’s a storyline, especially when the Wolves are living in the paint all night. Then came the moment that flipped everything: a flagrant foul on Julius Randle running through a screen, which turned a tense finish into a full-on momentum avalanche. Free throws, possession, chaos.

The lead evaporated, and suddenly, everyone in Target Center found themsslves back in that familiar Wolves nightmare, the one where they snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Except this time, there was a twist.

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Down one, late, with everything unraveling, Julius Randle rose to the occasion and forced a massive bucket to put Minnesota back up by one. It’s the kind of shot that feels like it should be the story. The kind that usually becomes the defining moment, but Scott Foster and his crew had other ideas.

Houston’s final trip down the floor required an inbounds pass, and the refs took the opportunity to turn a Sengun flop into a Rudy Gobert foul-out, sending the Rockets to the free-throw line for the game-tying point.

Overtime.

And if that final minute of the 4th quarter felt like survival, what followed felt like punishment.

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In overtime, Minnesota was basically playing a game of musical chairs with its rotation.

No Edwards.
No Ayo.
Rudy Gobert fould out.
Jaden McDaniels injured.

Then Naz Reid gets hit with a charge call that somehow gets upheld despite Alperen Sengun very clearly not being set and then gets ejected for good measure.

So now you’re down basically… everyone.

Houston opened overtime on a 13–0 run. Minnesota has been outscored 26-2 over the course of six minutes. The Target Center crowd is already halfway out the door, fans muttering, typing the mental postgame recap that ends with “same old Wolves.”

Except… it wasn’t.

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Because out of absolutely nowhere, with a lineup that felt like it had been assembled five minutes earlier, Minnesota rips off 15 straight points.

Not a couple of lucky buckets. Not a mini run. A full-on reversal of reality.

The energy flipped. The defense tightened. The shots fell. The Rockets look stunned. And the Wolves, who had every excuse in the world to fold, just kept coming.

Down two in the final seconds, Durant got to the line (because of course he did) with a chance to swing things back.

Miss.

The subsequent intentional miss goes nowhere.

And just like that, the Wolves walk away with a win that makes absolutely no sense on paper and somehow means everything in the standings.

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Why This Matters More Than It Should

This wasn’t just about beating Houston. This was about survival in a stretch that could have buried their season.

After that disastrous California trip where they couldn’t defend anybody and looked completely disconnected, the Wolves have now won four out of five games without Anthony Edwards.

That’s not accidental. That’s identity. They’ve rediscovered what works: defense, physicality, connected offense. Not hero ball. Not hoping Ant saves them. Actual structure.

And now they’ve put themselves in position to do something that felt impossible a few days ago.

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Detroit, and the Trap That’s Always There

As if Wednesday night wasn’t enough of a test, now comes the part where this team has historically failed.

They get to face a Detroit Pistons team missing their best player in Cade Cunningham, on an early-tip weekend game, with a chance to grab real momentum and go 3–0 through a brutal stretch.

It’s the amalgamation of every scenario this team has fumbled all season.

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Keys to the Game

1. Recommit to That Defensive Identity

What we saw against Houston, and before that against Boston, was the version of Minnesota that actually works. It wasn’t flashy. It wasn’t about one guy going nuclear. It was about five guys moving on a string, shrinking driving lanes, contesting everything, and forcing opponents to grind through possessions like they’re dragging a sled uphill.

That has to carry over. This team hasn’t shown success in winning shootouts. Their margin for error lives on the defensive end, and if they want to finish this gauntlet 3–0, it starts with bringing that same suffocating, connected effort for a full 48 minutes.

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2. Dominate the Paint Like You Mean It

The Wolves didn’t just edge Houston inside, they imposed their will with 63 points in the paint, and it changed the entire tone of the game. That’s not just a stat you glance at. It’s the identity they need to lean into when Edwards isn’t there to bail them out.

Now they get a Detroit team anchored by Jalen Duren. This is where Rudy Gobert has to be a monster again. Every rebound, every loose ball, every shot at the rim needs to be his territory.

Julius Randle can’t have another Portland-type night where the effort comes and goes. This is a grown-man game. You either win the paint or you spend the night chasing.

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3. Keep the Ball Moving

One of the weird silver linings of the Anthony Edwards absence has been how the offense has opened up. The ball has moved more. Players are cutting. Decisions are quicker. There’s less of that “everyone stand around and watch Ant cook” dynamic.

That has to continue.

Randle has actually struck a nice balance lately of attacking when needed, but also kicking out and trusting teammates. That’s the version of him that makes this offense dangerous. The moment this devolves into isolation-heavy, slow-developing possessions, you’re playing right into Detroit’s hands.

Minnesota doesn’t need a hero tonight. They need five guys making the right read, over and over again, until the defense cracks.

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4. Push the Pace When the Opportunity Is There

Without Edwards, the Wolves don’t have that same instant offense button, but they do have ways to manufacture easy points. And it starts with getting out in transition.

Players like Ayo Dosunmu and Bones Highland can push tempo, collapse the defense, and either finish or kick out for clean looks. That’s where this team can steal 10–12 easy points that don’t require half-court execution.

And against a Detroit team that wants to play physical and grind, those transition buckets are like cheat codes. They break rhythm, flip momentum, and turn a close game into a manageable one.

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5. Don’t Beat Yourselves (Because You Almost Just Did)

This is the one that matters most, because we just watched it nearly cost them everything.

Turnovers. Missed free throws. Mental lapses. Those three-minute avalanches where the entire operation falls apart and suddenly a comfortable lead is gone or a close game becomes a massive hole. It happened at the end of regulation against Houston. It happened again at the start of overtime. The Wolves were incredibly fortunate to survive it.

Detroit won’t care that Minnesota just pulled off one of the wildest wins of the season. If the Wolves give them those same openings, this game flips in a heartbeat.

So this is about discipline. Value every possession. Secure rebounds. Hit your free throws. Make the simple play.

It’s one thing to lose because the other team is better. It’s another to lose because you handed it to them.

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The Bigger Picture: One Win Away From Something Real

A few days ago, this team looked like it was spiraling: defense gone, identity gone, standings slipping, everything trending in the wrong direction at the worst possible time.

Now?

They’ve taken down Boston. They’ve survived Houston in a game that should’ve broken them three different times. They’ve won four out of five without Edwards and somehow rediscovered the version of themselves that actually has postseason teeth.

Yet this is the exact kind of spot where the old Wolves fold.

Emotional high. Undermanned opponent. Chance to stack a third straight win in a brutal stretch. Early tip on a weekend. Every possible ingredient for a letdown.

If this team is serious. If this stretch is actually the beginning of something and not just another hill on the roller coaster, then this is the game where they prove it.

Because the next rung on the ladder is right there again. Not handed to them. Not guaranteed. But right there within reach.

And after everything they just went through… it would be a shame to fall off it now.

At the bank this morning the teller was talking about movies and asked if I’d seen Sinners. When I said I had, she asked what I thought of it.

For better or worse, our expectations not only shape our realities, they often become them. I haven’t met anyone who’s seen Sinners and not enjoyed it; I said I’d loved it. Her face fell. She had not. I asked her why. She said she’d loved it up until the vampires. She didn’t understand “the point” of them. I asked if she’d known it was a vampire movie when she watched it. She hadn’t.

“A late March game in Charlotte” entered the NBA lexicon long ago for the league’s Lucifer franchise, i.e. the fallen. In 1988 Charlotte and Miami joined the league, followed a year later by Orlando and Minnesota. The Hornets built up talent their first four seasons, then were a winning team six straight, winning 50+ three times in a four-year span. If you weren’t alive then, you wouldn’t believe what a homecourt atmosphere The Hive was. One of the louder buildings in the Association. And they weren’t just home cooking. Guess who ended the 1996 Bulls’ 44-game home winning streak.

After last night’s 114-103 impressive Hornet win over the Knicks, “a late March game in Charlotte” may soon go the way of “literally” and get a second definition that contradicts the first. This year’s Hive looks nothing like last year’s team. Or the year before that. Or . . . well, this is quicker: the last time Charlotte made the playoffs, the retired Malcolm Brogdon was in college. The last time they won a playoff series, LeBron James played for St. Vincent-St. Mary High. Enough with the then. Get with the now.

Sometimes it’s not about who you are, but who you know. This is not one of those times. Who the Hornets are today looks nothing like who they were a year ago. Their top -five in minutes then: Miles Bridges, Josh Green, LaMelo Ball, Nick Smith Jr. and Tidjane Salaün. This year: Kon Kneuppel*, Bridges, Ball, Moussa Diabaté and Brandon Miller. Green and Salaün are down to ninth and 11th. Smith Jr. is down on the end of the Laker bench.

*I know it’s “Knueppel.” But I find it charming when a player smacks you in the face so unexpectedly with their potential for greatness that you only mess up the spelling once before it’s seared in your mind. When I was drafting the Kristaps Porzingis Know The Prospect, I initially thought it was “Kirstaps.” Still like that better.

After Jalen Brunson scored on New York’s opening set, the Knicks trailed the rest of the game. This wasn’t sudden death so much as strangulation: the home team got the better position and steadily squeezed the air out of the visitors. The Hornets put up 65 in the first half and held the Knicks to 48 in the second, dominating the glass to an extent I can’t remember the Knicks being bossed, particularly not with Mitchell Robinson playing.

Never hurts when you luck into a goldmine, which Charlotte has with Knueppel. Combining Glen Rice’s height with Kemba Walker’s range and Dell Curry’s quick trigger, the rookie carries the aura of a 10-year vet. Fellow first-year Ryan Kalkbrenner is feckin’ yuge, even for a center. They’re young and alive and have no pressure and tons of fun. The past two months they’re 23-6. Now, Knicks fan, the bad news.

The Knickerbockers will end up second or third in the East, meaning they’ll face whoever’s sixth or seventh, which could be Atlanta, Toronto, Philadelphia, Orlando, Miami . . . or Charlotte. In 2023 the Knicks and Cavs were locked into the 4-5 seeds for so long I remember racking my brain for ways to write about them as the playoffs neared; so much had already been said. As we enter the final weeks of this season, the possibilities in the East are staggeringly vast.

I don’t want the Knicks to get the Hornets. I think they’d win, but I’d rather they not spend two weeks running themselves ragged against them before a likely no-holds-barred battle against Boston. I’d love for the Pistons to get the Hornets. I’d love for the Hornets to upset the Pistons. You’d have been committed for saying that two months ago. One collapsed lung + 23-6 for two months (including wins over the Spurs, Rockets and Celtics) = new expectations. Maybe a new reality?

Quoth rcnt123: “The Hornets are last year’s Pistons.” If they are, let this year’s Pistons duke it out with their Bizarro. The Knicks’ next game is a national tilt Sunday at Oklahoma City. If these Knicks stay true to form, they’ll look as good then as they did not last night.

The Golden State Warriors new they were taking a big risk when they acquired Kristaps Porzingis at the trade deadline. While Porzingis has at times been one of the most talented big men in the NBA, the Latvian has consistently struggle to stay on the court throughout recent seasons. A combination of injuries and chronic illness have limited him to fewer than 58 games in six of the past eight seasons. However, he seems quite happy to be working with Warriors lead physiotherapist Rick Celebrini.

“Rick is amazing,” Porzingis told reporters about Celebrini after Wednesday’s 109-106 victory over the Nets. “Rick is the GOAT.”

While Porzingis declined getting into the specifics of Celebrini’s treatment regiment with him, he is clearly confident that he is in good hands. It’s still early, but the recent signs have been positive. Porzingis has appeared in just 26 games this season, 17 with the Hawks and nine with the Warriors. However, he’s played eight of the Dubs last 11 games.

With free agency on the horizon, Porzingis is showcasing health at an ideal time for him. Perhaps his comfort with Celebrini will give the Warriors an advantage in extension negotiations, possibly creating a pathway to a team-friendly contract. On the season, Porzingis is averaging 16.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.4 blocks in 23.5 minutes per game on 44.4%/33.3%/83.5% shooting.

Adam Silver loves to to quickly react to public outcry. Sometimes, it works: the 2026 NBA All-Star Game was fun and competitive with shorter games and a USA vs. The World format after years of drab and uncompetitive play. The 65-game rule for award eligibility feels like more of a mixed bag: it does feel like some stars are resting less often to meet the threshold, but it also works against players like Cade Cunningham, who deserved a First-Team All-NBA spot this season but won’t get it because of an unfortunate collapsed lung late in the season.

The NBA’s newest crisis is tanking, and Silver is ready to address it. The commissioner gave some tough talk earlier this week regarding tanking, telling the assembled press: “We are going to fix this — full stop. Going into next season, the incentives (regarding the lottery and tanking) will be completely different than they are now.”

On Friday morning, the NBA dropped three anti-tanking proposals via ESPN insider Shams Charania. A vote is coming in May, and it’s likely to go into effect for the 2027 NBA Draft. Here are the three plans the league is considering:

1. 18 teams in draft lottery (seeds 7-15 in each conference) – flattened odds, with bottom 10 teams having an 8% chance, the remaining 20% odds distributed in decreasing order for 11 through 18, and and a lottery drawing for all 18 picks.

2) 22 teams in lottery using 2-year record (seeds 7-15, plus the four playoff first round exits in both conferences). Lottery teams would reach a minimum win total floor in each season, such as 25 wins. If a team falls short of the floor, it gets slotted to meet the floor. Top 4 drawn as part of lottery, as is currently.

3) 18 teams in a “5 by 5” lottery – bottom 5 teams have equal odds for the top pick, with lottery formed for picks 1-5. Bottom 5 teams have a floor at 10; those that fall out of top 5 get sorted in a separate drawing.

As I wrote the last time the NBA leaked some anti-tanking measures: “in rushing to find a medicine to cure tanking, the NBA risks giving itself bigger problems from the side effects.” It seems even more true now. Tanking is a problem to some degree, but it’s not among the league’s biggest problems, which should start with the length of the season, the pace of play, and the rules favoring the offense too much. These proposals will all have unintended consequences and threaten to make the NBA’s “tanking” issues much worse going forward.

There are a myriad of issues here. For one, it feels like it’s punishing the wrong teams. The NBA’s “tanking crisis” was caused by teams like the Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards actively resting healthy players to avoid winning games so they can maximize their ping pong balls. Well, the Jazz traded for Jaren Jackson Jr. and the Wizards traded for Trae Young and Anthony Davis so both can be competitive next year. These changes penalize teams like the Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls who eschewed tanking for years to try to win before coming to the realization that they couldn’t get out of the middle. The Grizzlies and Bulls both seem primed to “tank” next year — aka, undergo a full rebuild — but now they would be working with a completely different set of rules than the ones they made their recent trade deadline decisions under.

There’s also a lot of picks already traded under the current system. Those picks would become more valuable or less valuable depending on which rule change is adopted.

Consequences of lottery reform could be felt for teams that owe future firsts and swaps.

Starting in 2027, 21 teams have at least 1 first/swap owed in the next 7 years.

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) March 27, 2026

Imagine being the Portland Trail Blazers thinking you’re getting some primo Milwaukee Bucks picks after trading a franchise icon in Damian Lillard to them. Suddenly, the lottery could be open to playoff teams, and the chances of those picks paying off are greatly diminished.

Back to trades: one advantage the NBA has over other pro leagues in maintaining interest is all the trade chatter and offseason movement. It feels like speculating about trades is such a key factor in getting fans invested about the NBA, and these deals happen way more often in the NBA than they do in the NFL, MLB, or NHL. Adopting one of these anti-tanking measures could kill the trade speculation that makes the league so fun to follow. Star trades are good for the NBA, and under these rules teams would have more incentives to just hang onto their guys rather than chasing a big package of picks to kick start a rebuild. Does Silver really want a trade deadline every year where only sixth men are involved in deals?

Let’s tackle each of the NBA tanking proposals one-by-one:

1. 18 teams in draft lottery (seeds 7-15 in each conference) – flattened odds, with bottom 10 teams having an 8% chance, the remaining 20% odds distributed in decreasing order for 11 through 18, and and a lottery drawing for all 18 picks.

Last year, the Dallas Mavericks jumped from No. 11 to No. 1 in the draft lottery. The San Antonio Spurs also jumped way up after Victor Wembanyama’s season-ending injury late in the year. Did good teams winning the lottery fix tanking? No! Tanking is worse than ever this year. This plan would have decent-to-good teams jump up more often, and bad teams staying bad. Given that it’s so hard to sign good free agents under the current rules, and that trades could become less frequent if this is adopted, the league risks its bad teams never getting any hope.

2. 22 teams in lottery using 2-year record (seeds 7-15, plus the four playoff first round exits in both conferences). Lottery teams would reach a minimum win total floor in each season, such as 25 wins. If a team falls short of the floor, it gets slotted to meet the floor. Top 4 drawn as part of lottery, as is currently.

OK, so now teams are just going to start resting their good players once they get to 25 wins. Genius.

3. 18 teams in a “5 by 5” lottery – bottom 5 teams have equal odds for the top pick, with lottery formed for picks 1-5. Bottom 5 teams have a floor at 10; those that fall out of top 5 get sorted in a separate drawing.

This only creates a bigger race to tank into the bottom five. When there’s eight teams that want those five lottery spots, you are going to have some ugly, ugly basketball.

Here’s another big picture thought:

Tanking is part of the NBA life cycle, and the league only needs a minor fix

The Detroit Pistons won 17 games three years ago and 14 games two years ago. Now they’re the best team in the Eastern Conference because they built through the draft. The Phoenix Suns went from the No. 1 overall pick in 2018 to the 2021 NBA Finals despite choosing the wrong player in Deandre Ayton. The Houston Rockets were in the dumps after the James Harden trade, but now have one of the NBA’s better young cores and should be set up for annual contention. The Spurs went from worst-to-first by landing Victor Wembanyama … and then also moving up in the lottery the next two years.

Tanking for a couple seasons is fine. The biggest issues happen when teams do it year after year. That’s why the most sensible tanking solution is this: teams can only pick in the top-5 two out of every three years, and after that your pick is frozen at the end of the lottery.

There are unintended consequences with my plan too, of course. Take the Wizards. They landed at No. 2 in the 2024 draft lottery, but fell to No. 6 with the NBA’s second-worst record last year. If they fall to No. 6 in this year’s lottery again, it would reset their tanking clock.

Ultimately, every tanking fix is going to have unintended consequences. We’ve seen that with the current reform that flattened the odds back in 2019, and subsequently caused wider tank races. The NBA needs to remember what’s really important beyond short-lived bad publicity: fans of bad teams need to find a way to have hope. The draft is the best way to do it, and the proof is in the standings that it has allowed the NBA’s worst teams to rebuild pretty quickly many times before.

My wildest tanking fix? Just have the league pick who they think deserves each draft choice. The NBA is in the business of selling stories. Let’s say the Grizzlies won the 2003 lottery instead of the Cavs. LeBron James going to the Grizzlies just isn’t as good of a story as it was with him going to his hometown team, and it probably would have cost the league a lot of money. Funny how things worked out so well. I think the same thing about Wembanyama: by going to the Spurs in 2023, he’s continuing that franchise’s long tradition of Hall of Fame big men and international stars. It just doesn’t hit the same if the Hornets won the lottery instead of coming in second. I realize this is extreme and I’m not even sure if I’m joking here, but league could just decide, hey, the Bulls deserve the No. 1 pick this year, and the Jazz and Wizards deserve to fall, because Chicago was more ethical in its team-building choices. I swear there are worse ideas.

The tanking discourse is out of control right now because the 2025 and 2026 drafts were so strong. Rushing into quick fixes without understanding the full scope of how it will change the league just feels so shortsighted.

I believe that adopting any of these three tanking measures would make things worse. It really feels like Silver is rushing this just because fans who will never watch the Utah Jazz or Washington Wizards are complaining about the integrity of the product. Silver would be wise to take a beat and assess the problem next year when there’s bound to be less tanking due to a weaker 2027 draft class. It isn’t good practice to rush into big decisions in any pat of life, and it feels like the NBA could be on the verge of making a big mistakes if they’re committed to finding a tanking solution immediately.

It’s not quite a Friday news dump, but it might as well be one.

In his latest attempt to thwart tanking, NBA commissioner Adam Silver leaked a few new rules he plans to implement to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Here are lots of words:

The NBA presented three comprehensive anti-tanking concepts to its Board of Governors on Wednesday, with modifications expected to each before a formal vote in May, per ESPN sources.

1. 18 teams in draft lottery (seeds 7-15 in each conference) – flattened odds, with bottom 10…

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 27, 2026

Like everything else the NBA does — see: the current CBA, All-Star Game format — this is so convoluted. How do you expect the average fan, the people who you are most trying to appease with anti-tanking rules, to understand or even care about this?

And how does this even help? Having a worse record still gives you a better chance at a higher draft pick. When teams don’t have the ability to build a competitive roster, losing games on purpose will still beat vying for a spot in the Play-In.

The idea of factoring in two years worth of records is also silly. You want teams to be more competitive, so you punish them for tanking, which will then make them even worse. How does that create competitive balance?

What about the teams who are just bad without tanking? The Chicago Bulls came into the season looking to reasonably compete (I know, I know). After being stuck in Play-In purgatory, Chicago fans are probably ecstatic the front office finally decided to go this route.

People make fun of The Process, but it worked. The Sixers were irrelevant basically from the time Allen Iverson was traded until Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons arrived — save for one playoff run where they benefitted from a significant injury to Derrick Rose. No, they haven’t won a championship, but they’ve built multiple rosters over the years that at least felt like they had a chance. And the tanking wasn’t full-proof — they selected Markelle Fultz first overall and Jahlil Okafor third. You still need to have an ounce of competence to make the strategy work.

Look at the top teams in the NBA. The Oklahoma City Thunder deployed the most brazen tanking strategy in professional sports and now they have a juggernaut. The San Antonio Spurs, an organization that’s considered a gold standard, tanked their way into Victor Wembanyama. The Detroit Pistons are led by No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham, but suffered plenty with other bad selections after tanking.

The bottom line is the best franchises find the best way to acquire talent. When you see teams like the Thunder and Spurs tank to build what will likely be dynasties, you know it’s a viable and effective strategy — if you draft properly and get a good bit of luck.

I’ll admit to bias in being a pro-tank guy. I think about teams who are always in the lottery because they don’t have great front offices and they’re not attractive enough destinations for free agents. Even if they don’t tank, they still won’t be very good. Again, how do any of these rules help competitive balance? How can a team like the Washington Wizards get out of NBA hell without tanking?

NBA ratings are OK. There are great games being played almost every night. I just watched that Rockets-Timberwolves game the other night. It was awesome. I think the playoffs have a chance to be very competitive and a lot of fun.

We spend so much time focusing on tanking and not enough on the actual awesome games being played. If you don’t want to watch the Thunder destroy the Bulls, don’t want watch it. Flip on Hawks-Celtics or Heat-Cavs instead.

Tanking and load management are considered big problems with the NBA, but Silver hasn’t done anything to help either cause. Less games might be the answer to both, but then people would lose money.

And therein lies the problem — are you trying to produce the best product or trying to make the most money? Maybe by simply improving the product, the money will come. It’s hard to see how these rules do either.

The ascent of Caleb Williams in his second NFL season was dramatic. It was a rocky beginning, working with new head coach Ben Johnson for the first time, but by the midpoint of the season the two had managed to marry Johnson’s exacting passing demands with Williams’ creativity, giving Chicago something truly special.

One way this manifested throughout 2025 was Williams’ incredible ability in the clutch, leading the Bears’ to six fourth-quarter comebacks and six game-winning drives. He started to get the nickname “Iceman” as a result, referring to his cold nature with the game on the line. One problem: The original “Iceman” in sports isn’t happy.

Williams moved to copyright the nickname this offseason, and San Antonio Spurs legend George Gervin isn’t happy about it.

“I’ve been the Iceman for 40-something years,” Gervin said. “I never thought anybody would try to trademark it. He kind of knocked me out the box.”

Gervin garnered the nickname in 1974 after being drafted into the NBA by the Spurs following several successful ABA seasons. Teammates and fans said Gervin’s relaxed, loose play was effortlessly cool — they also noted that no matter how intense a game was, Gervin seemingly never sweat on the while playing basketball, hence the nickname. Between 1977-1982 the Spurs’ guard won four NBA scoring titles, peaking in 1981-82 when Gervin averaged 33.1 points-per-game on 50% shooting on the year. One of the best pure scorers in NBA history, Gervin was a nine-time All-Star, and was named to the All-NBA First Team five years in a row at his peak.

After learning about Caleb Williams’ trademark attempt Gervin has moved to trademark “Iceman” himself. Now it will be up to the United States Patent and Trading Office (USPTO) to decide who gets the nickname. There’s precedent from the USPTO to both award trademarks to the individual who first filed (which would be Williams), but also side with later filings if there has been a longstanding established history of usage (which would side with Gervin).

The battle over who owns “Iceman” is only just beginning.

It appears that Will Wade is looking to do things more by the book in his second opportunity at LSU.

At least, that's what the now-Tigers men's basketball coach, who was hired back at LSU and away from NC State after one season on Thursday, told a group of reporters from his car outside an airport in Baton Rouge.

"They're gonna kill me if I start answering questions. I'm trying to follow more rules this time," Wade said to the group of reporters as he was driven off.

Will Wade is back in Baton Rouge, four years after he was fired by LSU: "They're gonna kill me if I start answering questions. I'm trying to follow more rules this time."#LSUpic.twitter.com/wdjQKhzZoJ

— WBRZ News (@WBRZ) March 27, 2026

REQUIRED READING: Will Wade to LSU: Latest news on NC State coach leaving to return to Tigers

Wade reportedly agreed to a seven-year deal with the Tigers, who also fired Matt McMahon on Thursday after leading LSU to a 60-70 overall record in his four seasons at the helm.

"We are excited to welcome Will back home as the next head coach of the LSU Men’s Basketball program," LSU director of athletics Verge Ausberry said in a statement. "As LSU fans know well, Will is a consistent winner, a diligent program-builder, and a charismatic leader with an incredible ability to connect with his student-athletes and the fan base. Not only does he bring his postseason pedigree and an energetic presence, but he is innovative and strategic at a time in college athletics that requires both."

The 43-year-old coach has a history of rule-breaking from his first stint at LSU, and that is likely the source of his humor in that clip. Wade was fired by the Tigers in 2022 after the NCAA accused him of committing multiple Level I and Level II violations, including "lack of institutional control." That wasn't the first rule-breaking or scrutiny Wade was under at LSU, though. In 2019, Wade was involved in a federal investigation into corruption in college basketball recruiting, centered on paying recruits before the now-NIL era.

The NCAA issued Wade a two-year no-show cause and a 10-game suspension in 2023, the first season he was hired by Heath Schroyer at McNeese State. Schroyer was hired at LSU on Thursday for a senior administrator role that oversees the men's basketball program, a hire that was reported to be a significant factor in Wade's abrupt return to LSU after Wade denied rumors that his name was linked to LSU at the ACC tournament.

On the court, Wade won in his first tenure at LSU. He led the Tigers to a 105-51 overall record, an SEC regular-season championship in 2019, and four postseason tournament appearances, including three to the Men's NCAA Tournament.

LSU and NC State came to terms on a $4 million buyout for Wade to leave the Wolfpack. According to Wade's contract with the Wolfpack, obtained by the USA TODAY Network, the buyout for him to take another job was at $5 million before dropping to $3 million on April 1.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Wade 'trying to follow more rules this time' with LSU basketball

With LA up four and minutes away from sweeping consecutive road games against a fellow Western Conference foe, the team sets up on one of its final defensive possessions.

As they’ve done all game, the Lakers threw a double team at superstar Kevin Durant. His frustrations are clearly mounting over a blatant form of coverage he doesn’t encounter regularly.

Pounding the basketball in retreat, Durant passes out of the trap, pointing and directing to no avail as a cross-court pass creates no advantage with all Lakers in ready position. The weak side catch results in a Tari Eason airball over the outstretched contest of LeBron James.

The Rockets fall in crunch time and give LA a stranglehold on the coveted three seed.

Before the Pistons snatched away victory in the final seconds, the Lakers were in the midst of a nine-game winning streak. It was a run that featured the purple and gold slowing down some of the top stars in the league, doing so with an unorthodox, playoff-style approach to defense.

A variety of reasons contribute to the overall improvement on that end. There’s been a renewed effort across the board, led by LeBron’s role and usage being set appropriately, allowing him to devote more energy to “big man” responsibilities. Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić‘s increased physicality and intent, along with Deandre Ayton’s role rejuvenation, all play a part as well.

A major contributing factor is head coach J.J. Redick’s game planning and adjustment for each matchup, specifically tailoring coverage of the opposing star with his available personnel and the situation it calls for game to game.

“This time of year, with the standings the way they are, a chance to get the tiebreaker over Denver, we treated this like a playoff game,” Redick said after the team’s big home win over the Nuggets. “Our guys approached it like a playoff game. They played it like a playoff game. It wasn’t perfect, but they stuck with it.

“The winning plays really stood out. And then just their ability in high-pressure situations to execute multiple end-of-game situations was really high level.”

That approach began with doing things that normally spell death against a player like Nikola Jokic. It was decided early to switch any screen with the superstar big man, then front the post with the guard to deny the entry pass and close by sending a quick double to prevent any isolation play.

Watch them execute it in the defensive possession below. Luke Kennard and Jaxson Hayes are involved in the initial action. They switch the screen, with Kennard now responsible for fronting the post and making the pass as difficult as possible. Jokic catches it on the extended wing while the Lakers instantly show him bodies.

Notice the rotations around it. Every player is in sync with their close-outs. The ball swings a few times and leads to a Jamal Murray contested miss at the rim. The fellow Nuggets star, who’s had his way with LA in the past, was held to just 1-14 shooting that evening.

The Lakers didn’t shut down Jokic, as he still put up his numbers. But this aggressive, intentional defense forced him into 13 turnovers in their last two meetings.

“It was a total team effort,” Marcus Smart said. “To be able to adjust on the fly, we were throwing different looks at him. Not a lot of looks we threw at him; we practiced. It was just kind of go and make a play. I think that speaks volumes about the team, the chemistry that we’re building, and the chemistry with the coaching staff.”

That chemistry continued a few days later against the Rockets, as the Lakers brought out another unorthodox game plan.

In the clip below, the Lakers have Jake Laravia and Hayes involved at the top of the key. They “red” one through five, meaning to switch and hope to negate any advantage a screen may create. Then, Laravia comes to “fire”, or put two on the ball to get the ball out of Durant’s hands.

This way, it not only gets the ball out of the superstar’s hands but also lets the team dictate the terms of engagement for who gets the open shot.

LA trusted their rotations behind the aggressive on-ball coverage and lived with the Rockets’ wings being forced to playmake out of a four-on-three situation. Dorian Finney-Smith, under duress, heaves the ball over the head of his teammate out of bounds.

Durant was held to just two points in the second half, along with seven turnovers, the second most he’s had all year. He joins a host of stars LA has kept in check with this style, including Anthony Edwards at 2-15 shooting and Paulo Banchero at 4-14 shooting.

How this holds up against teams in a real playoff setting with time to prepare remains to be seen. Taking something away defensively will open up counters elsewhere. This aggressive switching style, with the tendency to overhelp, can create damaging mismatches and wide-open looks.

With that said, the Lakers are 13-2 in their last 15 games, posting the 10th-best defense during that stretch, and seem to be rolling high into the playoffs. It’s allowed a team made up of below-average to passable defenders at best to commit to a style that rewards them with wins for the effort they put in.

Whether this defense is legit or a “gimmick,” as Durant described it postgame, it has the Lakers believing and playing in lock step with each other. That’s just as, if not more than, important as anything Redick could draw up on his clipboard.

You can follow Raj on X at @RajChipalu

CHICAGO – Michigan vs. Alabama sounds like a football fan's dream. But Friday night's Sweet 16 game will be everything a basketball would want, too. Why? Expect plenty of fireworks.

Michigan averages 87.4 points per game, while Alabama leads the nation at 91.6 ppg. Giddy up.

Alabama has looked impressive with tournament wins over Hofstra (90-70) and Texas Tech (90-65), and even without Aden Holloway, the backcourt pairing of Labaron Philon (29 points vs. Hofstra) and Latrell Wrightsell (24 points vs. Texas Tech) have been lethal.

East is a Beast: When does a Sweet 16 resemble a Final Four? In the East Region of March Madness

Big Ten Player of the Year Yaxel Lendeborg leads the line for Michigan, with Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Aday Mara anchoring the post. The Wolverines were able to slow down the run-and-gun, high-flying Saint Louis offense in the second round. Can they do the same vs. the Crimson Tide?

The winner of tonight's game advances to Sunday's Elite Eight, where it will play the winner of No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 6 Tennessee.

Here's what you need to know for tonight's Michigan vs. Alabama Sweet 16 game, including predictions and how to watch.

HIT REFRESH FOR UPDATES.

Michigan vs Alabama live score

TEAMS	1H	2H	F
Alabama	—	—	—
Michigan	—	—	—

What time is Michigan vs Alabama?

• Time: 7:35 p.m. ET, Friday, March 27.

What channel is Michigan vs Alabama? How to watch, streaming info

• The game is airing on TBS/truTV, streaming via Fubo.

Michigan vs Alabama prediction, odds

Odds provided by BetMGM.

∎ Tony Garcia, Detroit Free Press: Michigan 94, Alabama 82

The Tide have the shooting and know their formula to win: "Execute the game plan, make shots, protect the way to ball, find a way to rebound," Oats said. Saying it is one thing. Doing it is entirely different. Michigan has more avenues to victory. If the shots aren't falling, it can go inside. If drop coverage isn't working on pick-and-rolls, U-M can hard hedge. If one player is having an off day, even Lendeborg, there is enough talent to offset that. Alabama doesn't quite have the same room for error. It must hit 3s, lots of them, to win this game. With the belief Michigan can eventually find a way to slow the Tide down as the game goes on, it's reasonable to think the Wolverines will be in a tight game that they eventually pull away in.

∎ Emilee Smarr, Tuscaloosa News: Michigan 95, Alabama 88

• Blake Toppmeyer: Michigan
• Paul Myerberg: Michigan
• Jordan Mendoza: Michigan
• John Brice: Michigan
• Matt Glenesk: Michigan
• Craig Meyer: Michigan
• John Leuzzi: Michigan
• Austin Curtright: Michigan
• Ehsan Kassim: Alabama
• Moneyline: Michigan (-500); Alabama (+375)
• Spread: Michigan (-8.5)
• Over/under total: 172.5

What did Nate Oats say about UNC basketball coach opening? 'I'm a glorified PE teacher.'

Nate Oats' name continues to circulate for the North Carolina men's basketball head coach job opening. Oats candidly answered questions about his future with Alabama on Thursday, March 26, one day before the Crimson Tide takes on No. 1 Michigan in the Sweet 16 from the United Center.

"As a young high school coach, I didn't think I'd ever be in this spot not too long ago. I'm not a guy that's always trying to jump around," Oats said. "The grass isn't always greener. I love Alabama. My girls love Alabama.

"I'm not looking to leave."

Oats continued: "I still can't believe I am getting paid this much. I'm coaching basketball guys," Oats said of his current contract with Alabama. "I did this thing for free at Maranatha [Baptist] for three years. … For the first 16 years I coached basketball, [I made] less than $500,000 total.

"My salary goes up half a million every year. I am a glorified P.E. teacher making too much money right now. So, I'm not going to complain."

Why isn't Aden Holloway playing for Alabama? Latest news on guard's arrest

Holloway was arrested on Monday, March 16 and charged with first-degree possession of marijuana and failure to affix a tax stamp after the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force found 2.1 pounds of marijuana in his residence.

He was transported to the Tuscaloosa County Jail and was set with a $5,000 bond, according to The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. The University of Alabama later released a statement and said he was removed from campus and won't return to the team until the university's office of student conduct finishes its investigation.

What Yaxel Lendeborg said about Alabama not recruiting him

Lendeborg played for the University of Alabama-Birmingham for two years in 2023-24 and 2024-25 before entering the portal at the conclusion of last season. When he entered, he had hoped to stay in-state.

"When I entered the transfer portal out of UAB, I was hoping to get recruited by Alabama. And when I didn't, it kind of hurt me a little bit. Not in a way that I can say 'I hate them.' It just bothered me a little."

"There's going to be juice for sure," Lendeborg said of playing Alabama. "I know I'm going to try my best to be the best player on the floor tomorrow for sure. All it is extra motivation for sure, just not in the sense where I'm like, 'this is what you guys missed on,' but like you guys could have called at least, or something like that."

Dusty May and Nate Oats refuted that Alabama never recruited Lendeborg, who was named Big Ten Player of the Year this season.

"Nate and I being friends, we talked through that process," May said. "And don't tell Yax, but they did try to recruit him."

Michigan PG Elliot Cadeau overcame hearing, vision issues

Elliot Cadeau is half-deaf in one ear, dealt with blurred vision in one eye. That hasn't stopped Michigan point guard from turning in his best season.

∎ Read more about Cadeau overcoming adversity via USA TODAY Sports' Paul Myerberg.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Michigan vs Alabama updates, news, prediction, how to watch Sweet 16

Oubre plans to play in Charlotte as Sixers gear up for 2 important games  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

CAMDEN, N.J. — Kelly Oubre Jr.’s self-reported status was straightforward after the Sixers’ practice Friday.

“I’m playing basketball tomorrow,” Oubre said.

The 30-year-old wing’s imminent return is more significant, positive injury news for a Sixers team that got Joel Embiid and Paul George back Wednesday in a blowout win over the Bulls.

Oubre’s missed the Sixers’ last eight games with a left elbow sprain. The Sixers face one of his former teams Saturday night in the Hornets. 

“I’m excited just to get back out there and bring the crazy,” he said.

Both the Charlotte game and the Sixers’ Monday night meeting with the Heat figure to be important ones in determining how the Eastern Conference standings shake out. 

The Sixers entered Friday night seventh in the conference at 40-33, a game ahead of the Hornets and the Heat. Their regular-season series against both teams are even at one game apiece. 

Charlotte’s been among the NBA’s best teams for two months and change. Since Jan. 22, the Hornets have gone 23-6. They’ve had the NBA’s No 2 net rating, No. 1 offensive rating and No. 5 defensive rating during that stretch, according to Cleaning the Glass. The Hornets held a 50-point lead over the Sixers back on Jan. 26.

“Listen, Charlotte’s obviously a big surprise to everybody, but they’re legitimately for real,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said. “They are very good. You guys can look at all the numbers … the record, who they’re beating, all that stuff is totally legitimate. It’s not like they’re doing it once in a while. It’s been a consistent thing here since the turn of the new year. So we’ve got to get ready to go. 

“The pace they’re playing at, the energy, the amount of people they’re playing. … There’s just no moments to relax or ease into anything. It’s just kind of on from the jump ball. I think it’s a tremendous test for us to see how we react to that and see how our bench can react to that, too. We’re going to have to play all these guys that have been playing, which I think is a positive for us. … They’re definitely going to play a lot of guys and with a lot of speed.”

While the Sixers will still be down a very speedy player in Tyrese Maxey, the Sixers’ All-Star guard has made obvious progress in recent days with his right pinky injury. 

Maxey took jumpers with his right hand following the Sixers’ practice. The Sixers announced on March 10 that he’d be re-evaluated in approximately three weeks. 

“I feel pretty good,” Maxey said Friday. “I just got a new splint. … I’ve been working conditioning-wise, doing all the things that they need me to do. So we’ll see.”

Maxey said he’s “learned patience” while rehabbing his injury and felt confidence in his teammates’ ability to “hold down the fort.”

“Our team has really done a good job of just maintaining all season,” he said. “So being able to have this time off, rehab and just let the pinky get better … it’s on my shooting hand. That’s the main reason. If it were on my left hand, no one would really even know I was hurt. I’d just be like, ‘Listen, I’m playing regardless.’ 

“But I’m just trying to get better every single day, stay with the team and keep doing the things that I’m asked.”

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The Washington Wizards are in full-blown tank mode, while the injury-riddled Golden State Warriors are essentially locked into a spot within the Western Conference Play-In Tournament.

Wizards vs Warriors prediction

Wizards vs Warriors best bet: Gui Santos Over 15.5 points (-112)

Already running low on quality scoring options, the Golden State Warriors suffered another devastating loss, as Moses Moody tore a ligament in his left knee. With Moody joining Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and a number of role players on the sideline, someone else will need to step up on offense.

Wizards vs Warriors same-game parlay

Washington could be without Alex Sarr and Tristan Vukcevic tonight, leaving the Wizards vulnerable on the glass. Golden State doesn’t have an elite rebounder, and with Al Horford and Quinten Post out again, someone else will need to step up to grab boards.

Santos has averaged 5.8 rebounds in 13 March games, grabbing 6+ six times.

Wizards vs Warriors SGP

• Gui Santos Over 15.5 points
• Gui Santos Over 5.5 rebounds
• Over 232.5

Our "from downtown" SGP: Podz & Porzingis

Brandin Podziemski has averaged 16.5 points and 5.9 rebounds across his last eight games, leading his team in rebounds in that span. He's scored 16+ four times in that span, including 20+ in two straight.

Podz recorded 7+ rebounds twice, and exactly six rebounds three more times.

Wizards vs Warriors SGP

• Brandin Podziemski Over 15.5 points
• Kristaps Porzingis Over 18.5 points
• Brandin Podziemski Over 6.5 rebounds
• Kristaps Porzingis Over 5.5 rebounds

Wizards vs Warriors odds

• Spread: Washington +14 (-110) | Golden State -14 (-110)
• Moneyline: Washington +650 | Golden State -1000
• Over/Under: Over 232.5 (-110) | Under 232.5 (-110)

Wizards vs Warriors betting trend to know

The Wizards have hit the Over in 18 of their last 25 games (+10.30 Units / 37% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Wizards vs. Warriors.

How to watch Wizards vs Warriors

Wizards vs Warriors 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.

WASHINGTON, DC – Nearly all eyes will on the East Region's collection of Sweet 16 teams. It's got a little bit of everything. A blue-blood (Duke). A new-blood (UConn) and Hall of Fame coaches (Tom Izzo and Rick Pitino).

Friday night's showdown between No. 1 Duke and No. 5 St. John's tips off the fun at the Capital One Arena.

The Blue Devils, who haven't looked the part of the tournament's top overall seed in the first two rounds, may get a boost with the potential return of point guard Caleb Foster, who Jon Scheyer deemed a "game-time decision."

East is a Beast: When does a Sweet 16 resemble a Final Four? In the East Region of March Madness

Rick Pitino is back in Sweet 16: Examining St. John's coach's secret sauce to success

St. John's is coming off the high of knocking off another blue-blood, Kansas, with a buzzer-beating layup by Dylan Darling. The Red Storm's secret weapon may be Pitino, who is 12-1 in Sweet 16 games.

Tonight's winner advances to Sunday's Elite Eight where it will play the winner of Michigan State vs. UConn.

Here's what you need to know for tonight's Duke-St. John's showdown, including predictions and how to watch.

HIT REFRESH FOR UPDATES.

Duke vs St John's live score

TEAMS	1H	2H	F
St John's	—	—	—
Duke	—	—	—

What time is St John's vs Duke?

• Time: 7:15 p.m. ET, Friday, March 27.

What channel is St John's vs Duke? How to watch, streaming info

• The game is airing on CBS, streaming via Paramount+.

Duke vs St. John's prediction, odds

Odds provided by BetMGM.

• Blake Toppmeyer: Duke
• Paul Myerberg: St. John's
• Jordan Mendoza: Duke
• John Brice: Duke
• Matt Glenesk: St. John's
• Craig Meyer: Duke
• John Leuzzi: Duke
• Austin Curtright: Duke
• Ehsan Kassim: Duke
• Moneyline: Duke (-285); St. John's (+230)
• Spread: Duke (-6.5)
• Over/under total: 140.5

Caleb Foster injury update: Will Duke guard today play vs St John's

Could Duke have its point guard back for Friday's Sweet 16 game against St. John's?

Blue Devils coach Jon Scheyer told reporters during a media availability Thursday that Caleb Foster is going to be a game-time decision for Friday's 7:10 p.m. ET tip-off against the 5th-seeded Red Storm.

"He's in a position where he's going to try to do that tomorrow night," Scheyer told reporters. "... He's going to give it everything he has to go tomorrow night."

Foster has been out since March 7 with a foot injury that he sustained in the final game of the regular season against North Carolina.

Rick Pitino NCAA Tournament history: When was Rick Pitino's last Sweet 16 appearance?

Rick Pitino has been to 14 Sweet 16s. His last trip to the Sweet 16 prior to this season was in 2014-15 with Louisville.

What is Rick Pitino's record in Sweet 16 games?

The St. John's coach is a remarkable 12-1 in the Sweet 16. His lone loss was in 2014 with Louisville... to Kentucky.

Cameron Boozer NBA draft stock, mock draft predictions

Boozer is widely projected as a top-3 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Here’s a look at where various mock drafts from major outlets have the Duke freshman going:

• USA TODAY (as of March 13):No. 3 overall to the Sacramento Kings
• ESPN (as of March 11):No. 3 overall to the Indiana Pacers
• CBS Sports (as of March 17):No. 3 overall to the Brooklyn Nets

Is Cameron Boozer related to Carlos Boozer?

Cameron Boozer and his twin brother, Cayden (also a freshman for Duke) are the sons of former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer.

Before his 13-year career in the NBA, Carlos Boozer was a standout forward for the Blue Devils under Mike Krzyzewski from 1999-2002. A member of Duke's 2001 national championship team, Carlos Boozer finished his three-year career with the Blue Devils with more than 1,500 points scored and started 93 of the 101 games in which he appeared.

Rick Pitino history vs Duke: Christian Laettner shot

on the eve of another game against Duke, the memory is still fresh for Pitino, who was the coach at Kentucky in 1992 when Christian Laettner hit a game-winning shot at the buzzer to beat Kentucky and lift Duke to the Final Four.

The flashback still seems to make him edgy. He said Sunday he was "so sick of commercials with Christian Laettner hitting that shot over and over and over."

He said friends recently convinced him to watch a show on Hulu called “Paradise” but then learned Laettner’s shot is referenced in that, too.

"That’s cruel," Pitino said.

He got his own buzzer-beater from Darling Sunday. Now it’s on to Duke in Washington, D.C.

“You win some, you lose some,” Pitino said. “And I'm hoping we can get Duke at the buzzer next to make up for that Christian Laettner shot.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Duke vs St John's live updates, news, prediction, how to watch Sweet 16

March Madness is routinely a home for buzzer-beaters, prayers, Hail Mary lobs and miracles.

The 2026 Men's NCAA Tournament saw another addition to the madness Thursday, March 27: No. 2 seed Purdue eked out a 79-77 win vs. No. 11 Texas in the West Region after Trey Kaufman-Renn had a last-second putback following a Braden Smith miss.

As Boilermakers coach Matt Painter exited the court at the SAP Center in San Jose, he perfectly captured the sentiment of many college basketball fans around the country:

"Holy s---," Painter said in a video captured by Eli Gehn of WTHR-TV in Indianapolis (editor's note:explicit language used).

REQUIRED READING: Inside the game-winning play that advanced Purdue to Elite 8

Painter was slightly more composed when speaking about the play in Purdue's postgame news conference.

"We got a good shot there at the end," Painter said. "Braden, I thought he executed well, made the right read, and took the right shot. And perfect timing. That's what you want. You want a chance to get a stick back. If you don't, then you go to overtime.

"TK was around the basketball, and it's one of those things that happened, as coaches, you want to fill your defense, and you want the best defenders out there. Sometimes your best offense is a missed shot in those situations. You see it happen a lot, but we've also seen it where you do that and then guys make shots. You feel like, it doesn't matter as a coach either way. It's really, really difficult."

TREY KAUFMAN-RENN GAME-WINNER 🚨

PURDUE ADVANCES TO THE ELITE 8 🤯 pic.twitter.com/CYj7ltsGXT

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 27, 2026

Added Kaufman-Renn:

"I think when you give the ball to Braden, he can go by anybody in the country," he said. "We have plays designed for him to do that. I thought he got a good shot. Then Coach always says that it's not — a lot of times it's not the first shot that goes. They're the tip-in at the end of games. He said that my four years here, so it's kind of cool to actually experience that."

Next up for Purdue is No. 1 seed Arizona, with the West Region championship — and a spot in the Final Four — on the line. The Boilermakers and Wildcats play on Saturday, March 28 at 8:49 p.m. ET.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Matt Painter reacts to Purdue last-second win over Texas in Sweet 16