Category: NBA

The Two-Timelines Bracket is rolling. The question isn’t who performed best; it’s who did you believe in the most?We’re talking eight ex-Warriors drafted after Kevin Durant left.

Jordan Poole ran through Alen Smailagic 85% to 15% in the first matchup, and James Wiseman crushed Ryan Rollins 80% to 20% in the second. Trayce Jackson-Davis just scored the first upset by upending Eric Paschall, 67% to 33%.

Now we’re here in the final matchup of the first round. And this one is different. Jonathan Kuminga was a top-five talent on a team that couldn’t figure out where to put him. Patrick Baldwin Jr. was a first-round pick who played 31 games in a Warriors uniform and never got a real shot. One relationship lasted five years and ended with a trade nobody wanted to process. The other lasted one season and ended up as a footnote in a trade. The bracket doesn’t care about that. It only asks one question: which one did you believe in more?

Remember folks, this isn’t about who was better. It’s about which kind of belief stays with you longer: the player you lived through, or the one you never got to fully see.

That’s the fight. And it refuses to let you off easy.

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(3) Jonathan Kuminga — “The Almost”

Five years.

That’s how long Warriors fans ran this particular emotional marathon. #7 overall pick in the 2021 draft Jonathan Kuminga arrived in Golden State at 19 years old, the second-youngest player in NBA history to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy. The hype was enormous. And it was warranted. There were SO MANY flashes of freakish athleticism, impressive scoring, and feisty defense. Year Three brought that perfect 11-for-11 game against Atlanta, the kind of performance that rewired your expectations for a random game in January.

Year Four forced the question of what Kuminga’s ceiling in Golden State actually was:

• December: Back-to-back 34-point performances against the Clippers and Suns, including the go-ahead free throw with 29 seconds left to seal the Phoenix win. Over four games that month he averaged 27 points on 64.3% true shooting. Kevin O’Connor posted “What if the Kuminga Truthers were right?” and it had 188,000 impressions. December felt like prophecy finally arriving.
• January: Ankle sprain on the 4th against Memphis. Missed 31 straight games. While he was out, the Warriors traded for Jimmy Butler and went 12-1 with the new core. By the time Kuminga returned, the rotation had moved on without him.
• The verdict: He averaged 26 minutes and 16.8 points before the break. That dwindled to 20.8 minutes and 12.2 after. The league doesn’t announce your demotion. It just cuts your minutes.

Then May 10, 2025 we witnessed Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Timberwolves. Steph Curry out with injury. Minnesota’s suffocating defense. The kind of playoff atmosphere that chews up young players. Kuminga walked into Chase Center and scored 30 points on 11-of-18 shooting against one of the best defenses in basketball. Steve Kerr called it one of the best games of his life.

Curry on Kuminga: "If we're going to win at the highest level, he has to be a part of it."

— Sam Gordon (@BySamGordon) April 4, 2025

By the summer of 2025, I was writing his season review at Dub Nation HQ with a title that asked the central question of his entire Warriors tenure: What is the happy ending in this relationship?

This season we learned after hella DNP’s and confusion about Kuminga’s role that the problem was structural and it never went away. Curry’s offense demands surrender to the ethos of Strength In Numbers. Kuminga’s game demanded ownership. Apparently, there was no version of Golden State where both could be true.

Then the Warriors traded him to Atlanta on February 5, 2026, for Kristaps Porzingis, four months after he had signed a two-year, $48.5 million extension with Golden State. He debuted for the Hawks on February 24th and scored 27 points on 9-of-12 shooting in 24 minutes off the bench. The first player in Hawks franchise history to score 25-plus in under 30 minutes in a debut. The Warriors spent five years trying to figure out what he was. He’s answering that question somewhere else.

Here is the thing about the emotional case for Jonathan Kuminga in this bracket: five years of hope isn’t a closed chapter. The Kuminga feelings aren’t past tense. They never fully arrived and they never fully ended. That’s The Almost. That’s the 3 seed in this bracket. And it’s perhaps the most complicated relationship anyone in this bracket ever had with Dub Nation.

Hawks announcers saw Jonathan Kuminga switch hands in the air on a dunk and IMMEDIATELY started clowning the Warriors for giving up on him 😭😭

"THANK YOU GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS! WE APPRECIATE IT”

“How you give up on a guy that young with that ability is beyond me” pic.twitter.com/7faJmMPiI5

— Hater Report (@HaterReport) March 2, 2026

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(6) Patrick Baldwin Jr. — “The Kid Who Deserved Better”

On draft night 2022, GSOM’s Marc Delucchi wrote that the 28th pick Patrick Baldwin Jr. arrived as a former top high school recruit with the potential to be an excellent floor spacer, joining a championship roster alongside Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and James Wiseman. The vision was real. You could see the shape of it. A 6’10” forward with a 7’2″ wingspan, and a shooting stroke that scouts loved. There was a path.

But PBJ only saw 31 games in a Warriors uniform with zero starts. He averaged 7.3 minutes per game and 3.9 points. That’s not a development failure; that’s a door that never opened.

"I'm 6'10 that can pass, dribble, and shoot. The three most important skills in basketball."

Patrick Baldwin Jr. giving @SteinyGuru957 a scouting report on himself.

— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) June 24, 2022

Then the Poole-Chris Paul trade happened on draft day 2023 and Baldwin went to Washington as fine print. Nobody celebrated it or really processed it. He was just suddenly gone from a team that had never fully given him the chance the draft night hype suggested he’d earned. Washington didn’t give him much either as he ended up bouncing to the Clippers, then the Sixers, and finally the Kangz. We’re talking ten-day contracts and the G League. The circuit of players the league keeps alive on the margins because they’re young enough and skilled enough that somebody might eventually get it right.

Look at this career stat line. Four years. Five organizations? 100 games total averaging 8.8 minutes per game lifetime. You cannot show what you are in 8.8 minutes a night. You cannot become what draft night suggested you might be in 8.8 minutes a night.

And here’s the thing that makes the Baldwin emotional case for this bracket real: he’s been showing, consistently, in the environments where he actually plays, that there’s something there. He’s been putting up 21 points and 8 rebounds a night in the G League this season in 35 minutes a game. That’s not a fringe player. That’s a player who never got the minutes.

Klay Thompson on Patrick Baldwin Jr.:

"PBJ has a beautiful shot. … What a steal we got in him. Just oozing with potential."

— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) February 25, 2023

The emotional case for Baldwin in this bracket isn’t complicated. You rooted for him because you liked him and because the door never opened wide enough for him to walk through. The potential was visible on draft night, the tools were real when he played, and the situation kept being exactly wrong in a way that felt like it had nothing to do with him. You checked the rotation for his name longer than the evidence warranted. You kept the faith because walking away from a player with a 7’2″ wingspan and a pretty stroke at 23 years old feels like giving up too early.

He’s still out there. The story isn’t over. And that’s exactly why the 6 seed belongs to him.

Patrick Baldwin Jr. might be the next great underdog story for the Kings 🔥 pic.twitter.com/cKPvn8B93w

— Allen Stiles (@The_StilesFiles) February 23, 2026

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This is where the bracket gets genuinely hard.

Kuminga’s ceiling was higher and the belief was deeper. Five years of emotional investment and a ceiling you watched flash in real time before a trade that still hasn’t fully landed. The feelings are complicated and unresolved.

Baldwin’s case is smaller in scale and cleaner in grief. You never got to see enough of him to know what he actually was. The Warriors didn’t give him a real shot, and now he’s out there putting up buckets in the G League.

One player gave you five years and left you with the residue of a complicated breakup. One player gave you 31 games and left you wondering about a road that never got traveled.

Which one stayed with you longer? That’s the vote.

The Houston Rockets continued with their sloppy and ugly offensive basketball, turning the ball over 22 times and falling apart down the stretch for a 100-92 defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Rockets scored four points in about a seven-minute stretch of the fourth quarter, as the Lakers went on a 13-4 run that closed out the game. Houston had no answers for a trap, a reoccurring problem this entire season. It’s amazing Ime Udoka has yet to find a solution. The Rockets scored 12 total points in the fourth.

The Rockets were led in scoring by Jabari Smith Jr., who had 22 points and 8 boards on 9-for-17 shooting, while Amen Thompson had 19 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists. Kevin Durant had 18 points and 5 rebounds on 8-for-16 shooting, but he was 0-for-3 from deep and turned the ball over 7 times. Just further proof of KD’s lack of playmaking chops, but Udoka keeps trotting him out as Houston’s primary playmaker. With Fred VanVleet out for the year and Alperen Sengun out right now, there was no one left to step up for the Rockets to make plays.

Reed Sheppard played 31 minutes, but he had just 11 points, 3 assists and 3 steals. He was just 1-for-6 from three. In fact, the Rockets were just 5-for-26 from three overall as a team, and while the Lakers weren’t much better at 8-for-34, Houston continues to struggle with the three ball and shooting in general.

The Lakers were led by Luka Doncic, who finsihed with 36 points, and Lebron James finished with 18.

L.A. now moves 1.5 games ahead of the Rockets in the west standings. While Houston is now just a half game ahead of the Denver Nuggets Minnesota Timberwolves.

These two teams meet again in Houston on Wednesday, but there’s not much reason to believe we see a different result.

Drake Powell is a man of very few, very polite words. Always smiling, an enthusiastic small-talker, though to this point, Powell is not one for detailed conversation with the media. That’s certainly fine, but if you’re craving more than a cliché from the #22 overall pick, you’re going to be disappointed. When asked what Head Coach Jordi Fernández has implored him to focus on over the final month of his rookie season, Powell says: “Just continue to trust the simple play, and just, consistency every night, and competing on the defensive end.”

This is a standard answer for the 20-year-old. Selfishly, I would love for Powell to provide more insight, just as many Nets fans would like to see him do more with the ball in his hands. Through 51 games with the Brooklyn Nets, Powell has taken 10+ field-goal attempts just four times. Given his pre-draft profile, which included one of the lowest NCAA usage-rates ever for a first-round pick, this isn’t too surprising. It can still be maddening, particularly because the flashes are so bright…

Drake really getting after it: pic.twitter.com/irDL7eVyEf

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) February 22, 2026

The rookie is shooting an abysmal 25.5% from three this calendar year, but 55% from two and 90% from the line for the season. Hey now. Powell is already one of the more interesting (or confounding, depending on your perspective) prospects the Nets have had in some time. It’d be nice to hear him discuss the vision for his offense beyond “continuing to be aggressive.”

He recently played three games with the G League’s Long Island Nets, averaging 15 points on 11 FGAs in three wins to begin March. In his first three games back with Brooklyn, Powell was more involved offensively (albeit with more minutes) culminating in a 4-of-13 performance with three assists against the Atlanta Hawks.

The tentative rookie praised the synergy between the G League and NBA sides, saying, “I think it’s just all one club. And the coaches down there, they’ve been up in Brooklyn during the summer, the time that I had over here, which was good.”

Powell also praised Head Coach Mfon Udofia, now in his third year, as a “great leader. Talks to me one-on-one, before and after the game. So yeah, he’s been great over there.”

This, however, is more than just a cliché from Powell. Udofia and his staff have been getting rave reviews since he took the job. Recall Noah Clowney’s breakout performances at the end of the 2023-24 season, when he was called up to Brooklyn to end his rookie campaign…

Clowney turns it over, but makes up for it with a game-saving block, his SEVENTH of the night pic.twitter.com/g1lRYU8sLS

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) April 11, 2024

Kevin Ollie, then the interim head coach in Brooklyn, had this to say about Clowney’s development: “He’s just growing down there, Mfon [Udofia] is doing a great job coaching him. Their coaching staff is doing a great job coaching him and putting him in positions to succeed, and he’s letting his seeds grow.”

Two years later, current head coach Jordi Fernández is delivering the same message, though after I used the phrase “down in Long Island,” he had to correct me: “One thing: We don’t like to call it ‘down’ or ‘up’ for obvious reasons. It’s a very good league where young players develop, and we’re the same club, so we have the same coaches. And to your question, I give them all the credit in the world. Like, [the players] come here, I don’t even have to practice with them. They’re ready to play, and they know what we’re doing. So a lot of credit to [Mfon] and the rest of the staff with how they’ve competed.”

And Fernández isn’t BS’ing. In each of the past four games, Brooklyn’s bench has far outperformed their starters. That’s a bench led by two-way players E.J. Liddell, Chaney Johnson, and Tyson Etienne, with appearances from Josh Minott, Ben Saraf, and recent 10-day contract signee Malachi Smith. And before that, who could forget The Grant Nelson Game? All have played for Long Island this season, some more than others (39 appearances for Smith). These players may not led Brooklyn to the Finals anytime soon, and if even one becomes an NBA rotation player, it’s a major success. Still, it’s tough to argue with the results. Over the past couple seasons — particularly in the spring — Brooklyn has taken healthy swings on players that thrived with their G League unit.

“It’s great group of guys down there,” said Josh Minott at Monday’s shootaround. “You know, the training staff really helped me with my ankle and things like that. So I don’t really notice any type of difference in terms of the professionalism, and just how those guys handle themselves, and we got to string together a couple wins. Overall, it’s just a great experience to get down there and, you know, get my bearings back.”

After the Nets acquired him in a trade with the Boston Celtics, Minott played three games in Long Island before quickly winning over some hearts in Brooklyn. March basketball, not always so miserable!

Josh Minott put up 24/3/1/3/3 today, a career-high in points while bringing defensive activity and general force/athleticism, the performance Nets fans have been waiting for: pic.twitter.com/rGGQqY6Lnz

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) March 13, 2026

Chaney Johnson hopes to be next up. Three years playing Division II basketball, two seasons with the Auburn Tigers, a stint with the Cleveland Charge, then a two-way signing with Brooklyn/Long Island. Now the 23-year-old is finally getting NBA minutes.

In Tuesday night’s loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, Johnson had a career night in his fifth NBA appearance despite playing a brand-new position…

Career night for Nets' two-way Chaney Johnson moonlighting as a back-up 5

17 points, five o-boards, four dunk attempts, 6 FTs: pic.twitter.com/CH8wqoToHE

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) March 17, 2026

Postgame, Johnson credited the Long-Island-to-Brooklyn-pipeline beyond the identical sets and terminology: “Coach [Udofia] and all the other coaches just give us confidence. I mean, basketball, you can put in all the work. You know, I hang my hat on hard work, but if you don’t have the confidence, then the work not gonna really get you nowhere, for real. So he just instilled confidence in us.”

General Manager Sean Marks has now held his position for a decade. Near the very beginning, in 2016, the Long Island Nets played their first game. In 2026, they are now a vital part of the franchise, particularly during a rebuild. Neither Joe Harris or Spencer Dinwiddie — two of Marks’ uncovered gems in the early days — played a single second for the Long Island Nets. It’d likely be a lot different today.

Jordi Fernández explains it simply: “They play the right way.”

The Long Island Nets play their next game on Tuesday night, continuing their playoff push with a visit to the Osceola Magic. The Brooklyn Nets, rostering plenty of Long Island call-ups, play their next game on Wednesday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Three years into Mike Krzyzewski’s tenure as Duke’s basketball coach, he hadn’t sniffed the NCAA Tournament as Bill Foster’s successor. The local media cranked up the heat ahead of a pivotal Year 4.

The Durham Sun noted Krzyzewski had benefited from mostly “favorable press” up to that point, but it was time to start winning — or face the music. A headline in the Sun after Duke lost 17 games in Krzyzewski’s third season blared: Pressure builds for Krzyzewski to win.

As sportswriter Al Featherston wrote, Krzyzewski “has produced few miracles,” although the scribe added it was too soon to label him “a loser.” The hometown newspaper ramped up criticism of Krzyzewski’s insistence on playing man-to-man defense, as the hot seat made its way to Duke.

“I’m sensitive to pressure,” Krzyzewski told the media in 1983. “I’m sensitive to how it affects my players.”

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Sensitive, maybe, but Coach K responded beautifully. His fourth season showed he had Duke on the upswing. He was onto something with that whole man-to-man defense idea, too.  

The Winston-Salem Journal predicted Duke would contend for last place in the ACC in 1984. Instead, Duke reached the NCAA Tournament, exiting in the second round.

Out with the pressure. In with the praise.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Duke’s 1984 season comes to mind because Jon Scheyer, Coach K’s hand-picked successor, faces some pressure, albeit of a different ilk, amid his fourth season.

Duke will get all of the pressure and none of the benefit of being the NCAA Tournament’s No. 1 overall seed. The selection committee did the Blue Devils no favors by slotting them into a loaded East Region that features a who’s who collection of elite coaches.

Jon Scheyer: Duke 'where you wanted to be' entering March Madness

Pressure becomes an omnipresent companion when succeeding a legend and coaching Duke. Enviable resources and a powerful brand accompany the job, too, and Scheyer continued Krzyzewski’s assembly line of talent.

Fresh off one-and-done Cooper Flagg, now here’s another freshman sensation, Cameron Boozer. He’s a 20-10-5 guy. That’s 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists. Actually, make it 25 or 30 points, on certain nights.

And, if Duke doesn’t win the grand prize with such a star-studded squad, it begs the question: Why not?

Duke possesses everything it needs to win a national championship. Of course, you could say the same thing about Arizona and Michigan, too.

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“This is what you wanted,” Scheyer said on ESPN on Selection Sunday. “This is right where you wanted to be, in a position to play in the NCAA Tournament. You’re the 1-seed. You’ve earned this opportunity.”

The tournament remains a volatile journey, even for blue bloods as good as this one — or as good as Scheyer’s previous team. One minute you’re up by 14 points in the second half of a Final Four game, the next minute Flagg is left trying to find the words to describe Duke’s “heartbreaking” collapse against Houston.

Even after that stunning exit, you were smart to double down if you owned stock in Scheyer and Duke.

Duke’s succession-of-a-legend plan fared better than most do. Coach K executed a clean handoff to his understudy, and every season of Scheyer ball exceeded the last.

• 2023: Second round.
• 2024: Elite Eight.
• 2025: Final Four.
• 2026: ?

The thing about consistently raising the bar? It makes ensuing leaps more taxing.

Don’t pity Scheyer. He signed up for this. Anyway, what most coaches would give to have his roster full of blue-chippers. More are on the way in Duke’s latest recruiting class, meaning this won’t be Scheyer’s last shot at a national championship, just his next shot.

Duke history of NCAA Tournament success in a coach's fourth season

Year 4 tends to be an inflection point for Duke coaches. Vic Bubas reached the Final Four in his fourth season in 1963 and won the third-place game. (Remember that old thing? I don’t. The third-place game predates me.)

Foster's Blue Devils reached the 1978 national championship game in his fourth season. Kentucky beat Duke in the finals. Foster left Duke in 1980 to coach South Carolina and later Northwestern. He never again reached the NCAA Tournament after leaving Duke.

Coach K turned the corner in his fourth season before exiting in the NCAA’s second round after Tommy Amaker missed what would’ve been a game-winning jumper against Washington. A swift exit, but 24 wins were enough to relieve the pressure and quiet the Durham Sun.

The headline in the newspaper the next day?

Krzyzewski’s program takes a giant step.

No more questioning whether Coach K was up to the job. Instead, Durham Sun sports editor Frank Dascenzo wrote this: “Krzyzewski’s fourth season was a bonanza. He didn’t strike a match. He lit a fire.”

Now, Scheyer carries the torch, and the Blue Devils burn red hot in his Year 4, that historically golden season for Duke coaches.

Blake Toppmeyer is a columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pressure on Duke, Jon Scheyer in NCAA bracket? Coach K can relate

There’s nothing — not even the champion who cuts down the nets on the first Monday night of April — that defines the Men’s NCAA basketball Tournament quite like an upset.

The 68-team event is designed to set aside spots for teams from the smallest schools and conferences in the sport and give them an opportunity to take on some of college basketball’s biggest juggernauts on the brightest stage the sport has to offer.

While a healthy percentage of those games are blowouts, others produce the kinds of results and moments that are only possible in March Madness. Over these next three weeks, Cinderella stories will be crafted and unlikely heroes will emerge.

March Madness expert picks: Bracket predictions for 2026 NCAA Tournament

March Madness Cinderella predictions: VCU, Akron top NCAA Tournament upset picks

One of the many quandaries facing the millions of people filling out brackets across the country ahead of the 2026 NCAA Tournament this week are identifying those underdogs and trying to correctly guess what seemingly overmatched teams will topple their favored opponents.

To help with that task, and to offer up some advice that surely won’t backfire, here’s a look at the eight most likely upsets for the 2026 NCAA Tournament:

March Madness upset predictions

For this exercise, 7-versus-10 and 8-versus-9 games were not considered, as the seed-line difference in those matchups is relatively negligible.

1. No. 11 South Florida over No. 6 Louisville

This one’s a trendy pick for a reason. Louisville and South Florida are stylistically similar, with both squads employing up-tempo, 3-point-heavy offenses. That would seem to favor the more talented Cardinals, but there are a number of factors that should make the Bulls bullish. For one, there are lingering questions around Louisville freshman star point guard Mikel Brown Jr., who has dealt with persistent back issues this season and whose playing status for the NCAA Tournament is unclear. With Brown, the Cardinals are 16-5. Without him, they’re just 7-5. Even if the projected NBA draft lottery pick is available — and if he is, he’s unlikely to be 100% — Louisville’s underwhelming group of big men may struggle with 6-10 South Florida forward Izaiyah Nelson, the American Conference player of the year who averages 15.7 points and 9.6 rebounds per game.

The Bulls are one of the hottest teams in the country, riding an 11-game win streak into the tournament, and that could very well continue, even as their level of competition ramps up.

2. No. 11 VCU over No. 6 North Carolina

North Carolina’s another ACC program dealing with an injury to a superstar freshman, though the Tar Heels’ outlook is more definitive. They’ll be without standout forward Caleb Wilson, who is sidelined for the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on a broken thumb. Since Wilson’s injury, coach Hubert Davis’ team is 5-4 after a 19-4 start. It has picked up some impressive wins in that time, beating tournament teams like Louisville and Clemson, but it will get a formidable challenge in the Big Dance from a VCU squad that has won 16 of its past 17 games — with the only loss coming on the road at Saint Louis in a game in which the Rams led for much of the night.

3. No. 11 Texas over No. 6 BYU

BYU still has its transformative freshman, A.J. Dybantsa, healthy and available, but it’s missing another critical piece in standout guard Richie Saunders, an 18-point-per-game scorer who’s out for the season. The Cougars are 5-5 since Saunders went down, but even before he tore his ACL on Feb. 14, his team was starting to slip, with a 2-5 mark after a 16-1 start. It’s a group that could struggle with Texas, which fits the time-honored mold of a talented power-conference squad that underachieves in the regular season before getting hot in March. The Longhorns have a bona fide stud in guard Dailyn Swain and a coach in Sean Miller who has experience advancing past the first week of the tournament.

This upset, of course, would require Texas knocking off NC State in a play-in game. And while Dybantsa has the talent and drive to single-handedly guide BYU on a deep tournament run, his team’s one of the more vulnerable top-six seeds heading into March Madness.

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4. No. 13 Hofstra over No. 4 Alabama

This upset pick was already generating traction shortly after the bracket was revealed, but it has become even trendier after Aden Holloway, Alabama’s No. 2 scorer, was arrested Monday and charged with two felony drug offenses. The university said Holloway has been removed from campus and won’t be with the team while his case is investigated, making a return for Friday’s game unlikely. The Crimson Tide shoot 3s at a higher rate than anyone else in Division I, making them an explosive squad offensively, but also making them more prone to an upset on an off shooting night and without Holloway, the team leader in made 3s, things get even more precarious.

Hofstra, meanwhile, has two road wins this season against power-conference opponents, Pitt and Syracuse, and has one of the country’s top scorers in guard Cruz Davis (20.2 points per game). The Pride are also third nationally in 2-point field goal percentage defense, according to KenPom, meaning they can neutralize Alabama inside the arc and hope its attempts from deep don’t connect.

5. No. 12 Akron over No. 5 Texas Tech

The Red Raiders have been a top-20 team throughout the season and were a popular Final Four pick as recently as a month ago, but once All-American forward JT Toppin was lost for the season due to a torn ACL, Texas Tech’s outlook changed dramatically. Since Toppin went down, the Red Raiders are 3-4 and, making matters worse, have more injury concerns after star guard Christian Anderson suffered what appeared to be a groin injury in the Big 12 tournament (the program has said Anderson will be available for the NCAA tournament). 

It’s a less-than-ideal situation heading into a matchup against a battle-tested Akron squad appearing in its fourth NCAA tournament in the past five years and boasting one of the best scorers in the country in guard Tavari Johnson (20.1 points per game). If the Zips — who have won 19 of their past 20 games and are 32nd in the country in tempo, according to KenPom — can dictate the pace of the game, watch out.

6. No. 11 SMU over No. 6 Tennessee

Like Texas-over-BYU, this is more of a matchup-dependent prediction, as Miami (Ohio) would have a much tougher time against a bigger, more talented Tennessee team should it continue its magical season with a First Four victory. SMU, though, could cause the Vols some problems. The Mustangs have one of the nation’s best backcourts in Boopie Miller, Jaron Pierre Jr. and BJ Edwards, who combine to average 49.5 points per game and could win a track meet against a Tennessee team that occasionally struggles to score.

7. No. 13 Troy over No. 4 Nebraska

Nebraska’s the only program from a power conference that has never won an NCAA tournament game, a drought that appears likely to end this year with a squad that went 26-6 in the regular season. The Cornhuskers stumbled down the stretch, though, going 6-6 in their final 12 games and could encounter some issues against a tough-minded Troy team that has a road win against San Diego State and a one-point, triple-overtime road loss to USC. This season, the Trojans are holding opponents to 31.3% on 3s, which could be a problem for a Nebraska team that makes its living beyond the arc.

8. No. 12 High Point over No. 5 Wisconsin

This one’s probably the least likely upset of all the games listed, if only because the Badgers are 15-5 since Jan. 6 and have as good of a guard tandem as there is nationally in Nick Boyd and John Blackwell, who combine to average 39.6 points per game. Still, High Point is far from your typical team from a one-bid conference, with a roster reportedly worth more than $4 million. The Panthers are 30-4 and have won their past 14 games, the longest active streak in the country. If nothing else, it wouldn’t be the first time in the past few years that Wisconsin has lost as a No. 5 seed to a purple-clad mid-major in the first round of the tournament.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness upset predictions: Ranking most likely first round surprises

It’s bracket season in America as millions of people are making their picks for the 2026 NCAA Tournament, hoping they draw up the perfect field en route to selecting the eventual national champion. Whether you’ve been following hoops all season or just participating for fun, we know how difficult it is to draw up a successful bracket, so we’re here to help.

In hopes of helping fill out brackets, we’re going to break down all 68 teams into tiers, from one-and-done to those with a real shot of making it to the Final Four.

March Madness printable bracket: Fill out for NCAA Tournament pools, picks

March Madness expert picks: Bracket predictions for 2026 NCAA Tournament

Just happy to be here

Prairie View A&M, Lehigh, UMBC, Howard, Long Island, Siena, Queens, Furman, Idaho, Tennessee State, Kennesaw State, California Baptist

For some programs, making the NCAA Tournament is the ultimate dream. Then the tournament comes and getting a No. 13, 14, 15 and 16 pits them against some really heavyweights. The odds of winning a game are so slim, and there’s a good chance the game is a blowout. However, it doesn’t ruin the fact these squads earned the right to be in.

There of course is a chance these teams pull off the major upsets, with two No. 16 seeds and 11 No. 15 seeds winning in the first round. But it doesn’t seem likely.

Upset contenders

Wright State, Penn, North Dakota State, Hawai’i, Troy, Hofstra, High Point, Northern Iowa, SMU, Texas, NC State

If your bracket ends up busted, there’s a good chance one of these teams is responsible.

It’s bound to happen too. Since the tournament expanded in 1985, there’s been at least one upset every year from a team seeded at least five seed lines worse than their opponent, according to the NCAA. On average, there’s at least four upsets in the first round.

The only question is figuring out which one of these teams will provide the shocker.

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Cinderella run to Sweet 16 

Akron, McNeese State, South Florida, VCU, Miami (Ohio), Santa Clara

Someone grab the glass slippers with these double-digit seeds capable of winning not just one, but two games in the first weekend of the tournament.

It’s almost a guarantee for it to happen as a double-digit seed has advanced to the Sweet 16 in 38 of the past 40 tournaments. They may not make it to the Final Four, but they’ll get to be the national darling for a full week.

Spoilers

Texas A&M, Missouri, UCF, Iowa, Saint Louis, TCU, Georgia, Ohio State, Villanova, Clemson, Saint Mary’s, Kentucky, Louisville

You may have the top seeds on the path to the Final Four. This group is capable of wrecking that.

What’s always intriguing about the teams seeded 6-to-10 is they have proven they can knock down heavyweights, they just weren’t able to do it on a consistent basis. All it takes is for these teams to get hot at the right time to provide some major upsets. These are the squads that can really mess up your bracket by taking out Final Four picks.

Can make major run

Utah State, UCLA, Miami (Fla.), BYU, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama

On paper, these teams have difficult paths toward deep runs, but it’s more than possible for these higher-seeded teams. 

Do not sleep on the capabilities of these squads. Utah State, UCLA, Miami and BYU ended their season in strong fashion and can carry the momentum into the tournament. While North Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama are first round upset candidates, they can easily shake them off to propel them toward a streak. Don’t be too shocked if a Final Four is in their sights.

Final Four is possible

Wisconsin, Texas Tech, Vanderbilt, Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska, Virginia, Gonzaga

Every team wants to reach Indianapolis, but it’s not a realistic path for everyone. These ones are capable of reaching it.

They’re proven contenders that did very well in the regular season and in conference tournaments, putting confidence in them winning the four games necessary to reach the semifinals. There may be one major concern with each of them, but they can easily make it non-existent.

Final Four or bust

St. John’s, Illinois, Michigan State, Purdue, Houston

The Final Four and a national championship has been the goal all season. Now they are positioned to fulfill the dream.

They aren’t exactly the top favorites, but these teams have all the right pieces to win it all. They have the right look and have proven they can beat elite teams, with the clutch factor needed to win those close battles. If you are wary of picking No. 1 seeds to win it all, these are great candidates to hoist the trophy to cap off the season.

National championship or bust

Iowa State, Connecticut, Florida, Michigan, Arizona, Duke

The ultimate heavyweights. From the start of the season until now, they’ve shown they can win it all. Now it’s time to actually do it.

This elite tier has separated themselves from the rest of the pack, playing an unreal brand of basketball that has mostly dominated every team in their way. They’re the clear favorites, and destined to be in the Final Four.

When you have the right pieces for a championship, winning it all is the only way to declare it a successful season. Falling short of it would be a major disappointment. Being a championship favorite is a heavy burden, but these six teams can handle the pressure. 

When it’s time to cut down the nets inside Lucas Oil Stadium, these ones have a great chance to be the lucky ones holding the scissors. 

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ranking every March Madness team: Who can win national championship?

It didn’t take as much effort as their last win over the Los Angeles Clippers, but the San Antonio Spurs’ Monday night victory in Southern California still went down to the wire. The Spurs nearly blew a 24-point lead in the 119-115 victory. Now the team will have a short rest before traveling north for the second game of a back-to-back against the Sacramento Kings.

The Spurs won both of their previous matchups with the Kings this season. Most recently, they defeated Sacramento 139-122 on February 21st, thanks to a dominant performance from Victor Wembanyama. Sacramento will be without key players like Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and Keegan Murray, and will rely on former Spur Demar DeRozan to generate offense.

On top of missing key players, the Kings are near the bottom of the NBA in offensive and defensive rating. If the Spurs can quickly recover from a tough game in Los Angeles the night before, they will have a favorable matchup awaiting them in Sacramento.

San Antonio Spurs (50-18) vs. Sacramento Kings (18-51)

March 17th, 2026 | 9 PM CT

Watch: KENS | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)

Spurs Injuries: Injury report filed at 1 p.m. CT

Kings Injuries: Devin Carter – Out (calf), Drew Eubanks – Out (thumb), De’Andre Hunter – Out (eye), Zach LaVine – Out (finger), Malik Monk – Questionable (ankle), Keegan Murray – Out (ankle), Domantas Sabonis – Out (knee)

What to watch for:

Sustaining defensive effort for 48 minutes

San Antonio thrived in spurts against the Clippers. When their defensive intensity was high, the Spurs locked down Los Angeles. When they took their foot off the gas, even a little bit, the Clippers went on big runs in the first, third, and fourth quarters that forced the Spurs to turn up the pressure. On paper, the game shouldn’t be close, but with limited rest and several players nursing injuries, the Kings can make things interesting. A consistent defensive effort could lead to a blowout Spurs victory.

Points in the paint

The Kings are particularly weak inside. Rookie center Maxime Raynaud shows a lot of potential, but he is not a rim protector. San Antonio should dominate on the interior. Wembanyama torched Raynaud in their last matchup, and the Spurs’ guards should have no issues getting into the paint and scoring against Sacramento’s defense. Relentlessly attacking the paint will be San Antonio’s best offensive strategy on Tuesday night.

Bench productivity

San Antonio’s bench struggled against the Clippers on Monday. Most of the Clippers’ late-game run came against second-unit dominated lineups. San Antonio is really missing Luke Kornet and Dylan Harper, who are recovering from minor injuries. The Kings are struggling with depth as well, as they battle injuries. Tuesday’s game represents a chance for the Spurs’ bench players to bounce back against a depleted Sacramento squad. San Antonio could use good performances from Keldon Johnson and Harrison Barnes to sustain momentum when the starters go to the bench.

There is a version of basketball history where Steve Kerr is simply a footnote. The sharp-shooting role player who happened to be in the right place at the right time with different dynasties under two of the greatest coaches who ever lived.

That version of history is not just incomplete; it fundamentally misunderstands how basketball history actually gets made.

Tonight in Washington, Steve Kerr became the fourth-fastest coach in NBA history to reach 600 wins, doing it in his 943rd regular season game. Only Phil Jackson (805), Pat Riley (832), and Gregg Popovich (887) got there faster. Red Auerbach needed 953. That is neither coincidence nor circumstance. That is a man who has been in the room where championship basketball gets made for so long that he eventually became the architect.

You cannot write the story of this league without Mr. Kerr, because he is one of the rare figures who didn’t just witness multiple eras of greatness. This gritty hooper carried their principles forward and helped reshape them into the modern game.

600th career win earns Coach Kerr the game ball! 👏 pic.twitter.com/TPmEEO6S27

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) March 17, 2026

As a player, he sat in Michael Jordan’s orbit and learned how to be lethal without needing the ball in his hands every possession. He shot 45.4% from three for his career, a number that still holds up against modern shooting standards. He won three consecutive titles with Chicago from 1996 to 1998, then left and won two more with the Spurs alongside Tim Duncan and David Robinson. Two different dynasties, two completely different systems, and two head coaches in Jackson and Popovich that Kerr soaked the game up from. Most players never figure out one championship culture. Kerr mastered both and contributed meaningfully to each.

That experience is exactly why his coaching career was never going to be ordinary. When he took over the Warriors before the 2014-15 season, Golden State was a team with talent, a developing identity, and a nagging feeling that they were underperforming their ceiling. Four years removed from their 2010 draft class, they had Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, but they needed someone who understood the difference between a good team and a great one from the inside out.

Kerr knew that difference personally because he had lived inside it long enough to recognize exactly what Golden State was missing and exactly how to unlock it.

What followed was one of the most sustained periods of excellence in modern NBA history. Four championships in eight seasons as head coach. The 2015 title ended a 40-year championship drought and the 73-win season in 2015-16 broke a record Kerr himself had helped set as a player with the 1995-96 Bulls. The 2022 title, won with an aging core navigating a different Western Conference landscape, may have been his best coaching performance of all. Then there’s his exploits coaching Team USA, including winning the last Olympic gold in Paris. The man simply does not stop collecting hardware.

And yet here we are watching a Warriors season that has been defined by injury and roster disruption, with Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler III both sidelined. The team is grinding through a play-in race with whatever pieces remain functional on a given night. It would be easy to let the weight of what this season has not been overshadow what is still being built.

Win 600 says otherwise.

The Wizards, bless their hearts, have become the canvas upon which NBA history keeps getting painted this month. One week ago Bam Adebayo put up 83 points on Washington’s head, passing Kobe and trailing only Wilt for scoring in a single game. I haven’t seen that many Wizards get served since the Battle of Hogwarts. Tonight they provided the backdrop for Kerr’s milestone in a 125-117 final. At this point, Washington has become a kind of accidental stage for the league’s milestones; a quiet backdrop where other teams come to carve their names into history.

But here is what win 600 actually represents beyond the number. It is a reminder that sustained excellence is not about avoiding difficult stretches. It is about continuing to work with discipline and precision through them until you look up and realize you have quietly been building something historic the entire time. He reached 600 not in spite of the difficult seasons, but because he kept coaching through them by adjusting, refining, and trusting a process most people abandon too early.

Kerr said the Warriors “needed the win” and shouted out his players and assistants for 600 wins.

“I owe, I guess, the honor to incredible talent and a great organization. … Most organizations are not this strong and this aligned. I’m very, very lucky.”

More: pic.twitter.com/eiWqQ6FJWb

— Sam Gordon (@BySamGordon) March 17, 2026

Nobody is perfect. No season is clean. No roster stays whole. You keep handling your business anyway, keep trusting the work, and one night in Washington you look up and realize you just set a career milestone. Kerr’s spent his entire basketball life absorbing greatness, refining it, and passing it forward. At 60 years old and 600 wins, he is no longer just part of the story.

He is one of the authors of the game as we know it.

When the Lakers and Rockets last met on Christmas Day, it was a very revealing game for LA. The Lakers were run off the floor and forced to really begin searching for answers to questions that it took them some time to solve.

Quite a bit has changed for the Lakers since that blowout loss, particularly over recent weeks. And while the Lakers are peaking, the Rockets are crumbling. The result was, at least on Monday, a much different game than the first meeting with LA surviving a rock fight of a fourth quarter to come away with a win.

It wasn’t pretty, but it had the feeling of a playoff game, which the Lakers have had many of recently. Grinding out a win on the back of defense and on a night when the offense was struggling is a notch in the belt for the Lakers, who haven’t done that much this year.

So, let’s dive into the win. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.

LeBron James

33 minutes, 18 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover, 4 fouls, 7-13 FG, 1-3 3PT, 3-4 FT, +13

There were some highs and some lows in this game defensively for LeBron. Early in the third quarter, the Rockets scored multiple times off whoever LeBron was guarding just cutting to the rim. One quarter later, he was a big part of the team’s fourth quarter defense that suffocated the Rockets.

He also had a couple of highlights early and late offensively. It wasn’t a great game from him on either end, but he’s definitely had worse.

Grade: B–

Marcus Smart

36 minutes, 11 points, 1 assist, 5 fouls, 4-9 FG, 3-7 3PT, +6

An odd game where Smart didn’t do a bit of everything and his stat line is pretty empty. However, anyone who watched the game knew Smart made a positive impact, including flying across the court to dive for a loose ball late in the game, a true peak Marcus Smart play.

40 seconds left when we're up 10 and he's still doing this. i love this fucking man so much pic.twitter.com/II4Ul2shJo

— vibesmerchants (@vibesmerchants) March 17, 2026

Grade: B+

Deandre Ayton

27 minutes, 7 points, 11 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 3-6 FG, 1-2 FT, +11

For three-and-a-half quarters, this was going to be a below average grade at best as actual Clint Capela was outplaying Lakers Clint Capela. And then he entered the game late in the fourth, completely swung things and helped the Lakers go on a run that won the game.

Grade: B+

Austin Reaves

40 minutes, 15 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, 1 block, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 5-18 FG, 0-8 3PT, 5-5 FT, +11

This was a pretty brutal Reaves game. If you have concerns about how he’ll fair against athletic defenders in the playoffs, this wasn’t a great game to disprove those narratives. Even if he also came up with a couple of big fourth-quarter steals, the Lakers need much more of him offensively.

Grade: C-

Luka Dončić

40 minutes, 36 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 4 turnovers, 1 foul, 14-27 FG, 4-12 3PT, 4-5 FT, +6

Luka absolutely carried the Lakers’ offense for big chunks of this game. He was back to his best with his shot-making and the Lakers needed every bit of it. If the Lakers had just a regular shooting night, those four assists are much higher, too.

Grade: A

Rui Hachimura

23 minutes, 6 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 turnover, 4 fouls, 3-6 FG, 0-2 3PT, -3

A quiet game from Rui. If he doesn’t have it going offensively, he loses value on the floor and, like everyone not named Luka, he did not have it going offensively.

Grade: C

Luke Kennard

17 minutes, 2 assists, 0-2 FG, 0-2 3PT, +3

This was pretty safely Luke’s worst game as a Laker, which is a fact that should be marveled at for how great he’s been.

Grade: D

Jaxson Hayes

12 minutes, 1 steal, 1 foul, 0-1 FG, -6

I had to double-check this to make sure he actually played 12 minutes and didn’t record a rebound.

Grade: F

Jake LaRavia

12 minutes, 7 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 turnovers, 1 foul, 1-2 FG, 5-6 FT, -1

This was an active game for LaRavia, both complimentary and derogatory. There were more than a few times where he found himself in a bad situation that he made worse. But he also got to the line six times, which was some much-needed points on a night where they were a premium as the game progressed.

Grade: B

JJ Redick

JJ has been coaching his ass off on this win streak. His best decision on Monday was going to Ayton late. After trying a small ball lineup that hemorrhaged offensive rebounds, Redick gave Ayton another shot and it immediately paid off. Spending the fourth quarter blitzing Kevin Durant worked wonders as well with Houston having no idea what to do.

Grade: A

Tuesday’s DNPs: Kobe Bufkin, Bronny James, Dalton Knecht, Adou Thiero, Jarred Vanderbilt

Tuesday’s inactives: Maxi Kleber, Drew Timme, Nick Smith Jr., Chris Mañon

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

HAMILTON, New Zealand (AP) — South Africa won the toss and elected to field Tuesday in the second Twenty20 cricket international against New Zealand at Seddon Park.

The Proteas lead the five-match series 1-0 after winning the first match by seven wickets on a low-scoring pitch at Mount Maunganui.

Allrounder Wiaan Mulder has replaced Jordan Hermann in the South Africa lineup.

New Zealand has made two changes, drafting in osh Clarkson and Lockie Ferguson in place of Bevon Jacobs and Zak Foulkes. Jacobs injured his knee while fielding in the first match.

This is New Zealand's first series since beating South Africa in the semifinals and then losing the T20 World Cup final in India earlier this month.

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Lineups:

New Zealand: Devon Conway, Tom Latham, Tim Robinson, Nick Kelly, Josh Clarkson, Mitchell Santner (captain), James Neesham, Cole McConchie, Kyle Jamieson, Ben Sears, Lockie Ferguson.

South Africa: Tony de Zorzi, Connor Esterhuizen, Rubin Hermann, Jason Smith, Dian Forrester, Wiaan Mulder, George Linde, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj (captain), Nqobani Mokoena, Ottneil Baartman.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Golden State Warriors (33-35, ninth in the Western Conference) vs. Boston Celtics (45-23, second in the Eastern Conference)

Boston; Wednesday, 7 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Boston plays the Golden State Warriors after Jaylen Brown scored 41 points in the Boston Celtics' 120-112 win against the Phoenix Suns.

The Celtics have gone 23-10 at home. Boston is seventh in the NBA with 12.7 offensive rebounds per game led by Neemias Queta averaging 3.0 offensive boards.

The Warriors are 14-20 on the road. Golden State ranks seventh in the Western Conference shooting 35.7% from 3-point range.

The Celtics average 15.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.7 more made shots on average than the 12.7 per game the Warriors allow. The Warriors are shooting 45.9% from the field, 1.8% higher than the 44.1% the Celtics' opponents have shot this season.

The teams square off for the second time this season. The Celtics won the last meeting 121-110 on Feb. 20. Payton Pritchard scored 26 points to help lead the Celtics to the victory.

TOP PERFORMERS: Brown is scoring 28.4 points per game with 7.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists for the Celtics. Derrick White is averaging 17.6 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 41.8% over the last 10 games.

Brandin Podziemski is averaging 13 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists for the Warriors. Gui Santos is averaging 15.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Celtics: 7-3, averaging 113.7 points, 47.8 rebounds, 27.5 assists, 5.8 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 46.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 104.7 points per game.

Warriors: 3-7, averaging 113.6 points, 43.1 rebounds, 29.7 assists, 9.3 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 45.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.5 points.

INJURIES: Celtics: Nikola Vucevic: out (finger).

Warriors: Quinten Post: day to day (foot), Jimmy Butler III: out for season (knee), Seth Curry: out (adductor), Al Horford: out (calf), Stephen Curry: out (knee), Moses Moody: day to day (wrist), LJ Cryer: out (hamstring).

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

Phoenix Suns (39-29, seventh in the Western Conference) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (41-27, sixth in the Western Conference)

Minneapolis; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Timberwolves -4.5; over/under is 221.5

BOTTOM LINE: Phoenix visits the Minnesota Timberwolves after Devin Booker scored 40 points in the Suns' 120-112 loss to the Boston Celtics.

The Timberwolves are 25-20 against Western Conference opponents. Minnesota has a 15-17 record against opponents over .500.

The Suns are 25-18 in conference games. Phoenix ranks last in the Western Conference scoring 42.7 points per game in the paint.

The Timberwolves average 13.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.7 more made shots on average than the 12.2 per game the Suns give up. The Suns average 14.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.4 more made shots on average than the 12.5 per game the Timberwolves give up.

The teams square off for the third time this season. The Suns won the last matchup 108-105 on Dec. 9, with Mark Williams scoring 22 points in the win.

TOP PERFORMERS: Julius Randle is averaging 21.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists for the Timberwolves. Jaden McDaniels is averaging 12.2 points over the last 10 games.

Royce O'Neale is scoring 9.9 points per game and averaging 4.9 rebounds for the Suns. Booker is averaging 24.7 points and 3.5 rebounds over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Timberwolves: 6-4, averaging 112.3 points, 41.5 rebounds, 23.9 assists, 8.1 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 49.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.9 points per game.

Suns: 6-4, averaging 111.9 points, 40.5 rebounds, 24.6 assists, 7.5 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 45.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.4 points.

INJURIES: Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards: out (knee), Naz Reid: day to day (shoulder).

Suns: Dillon Brooks: out (hand), Mark Williams: out (foot).

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

Los Angeles Clippers (34-34, eighth in the Western Conference) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (23-46, 12th in the Western Conference)

New Orleans; Wednesday, 8 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: New Orleans hosts Los Angeles looking to continue its five-game home winning streak.

The Pelicans are 14-30 in conference play. New Orleans is 7-34 against opponents over .500.

The Clippers are 21-21 against Western Conference opponents. Los Angeles ranks third in the Western Conference shooting 36.3% from 3-point range.

The Pelicans average 11.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.1 fewer makes per game than the Clippers give up (13.3). The Pelicans average 113.5 points per game, 6.2 fewer points than the 119.7 the Pelicans give up.

The teams meet for the third time this season. In the last matchup on March 2 the Clippers won 137-117 led by 23 points from Kawhi Leonard, while Jeremiah Fears scored 28 points for the Pelicans.

TOP PERFORMERS: Trey Murphy III is averaging 21.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.5 steals for the Pelicans. Saddiq Bey is averaging 19.7 points and 5.3 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Kris Dunn is scoring 7.7 points per game with 3.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists for the Clippers. Bennedict Mathurin is averaging 19.4 points and 5.8 rebounds while shooting 45.0% over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Pelicans: 6-4, averaging 120.5 points, 47.2 rebounds, 26.7 assists, 8.6 steals and 6.9 blocks per game while shooting 47.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.8 points per game.

Clippers: 7-3, averaging 123.8 points, 40.5 rebounds, 24.5 assists, 11.0 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 50.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.2 points.

INJURIES: Pelicans: Dejounte Murray: out (illness), Bryce McGowens: out (toe).

Clippers: Kawhi Leonard: out (ankle), Yanic Konan Niederhauser: out for season (foot), Bradley Beal: out for season (hip).

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

Oklahoma City Thunder (53-15, first in the Western Conference) vs. Orlando Magic (38-29, fifth in the Eastern Conference)

Orlando, Florida; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Thunder -9.5; over/under is 221.5

BOTTOM LINE: Oklahoma City is looking to extend its eight-game win streak with a victory against Orlando.

The Magic are 22-12 on their home court. Orlando ranks seventh in the Eastern Conference with 16.2 fast break points per game led by Franz Wagner averaging 3.8.

The Thunder are 24-8 on the road. Oklahoma City averages 118.5 points and has outscored opponents by 10.8 points per game.

The Magic average 11.7 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.5 fewer makes per game than the Thunder give up (14.2). The Thunder average 118.5 points per game, 4.3 more than the 114.2 the Magic allow.

The teams play for the second time this season. The Thunder won the last meeting 128-92 on Feb. 4, with Isaiah Joe scoring 22 points in the win.

TOP PERFORMERS: Desmond Bane is shooting 48.9% and averaging 20.6 points for the Magic. Paolo Banchero is averaging 24.2 points over the last 10 games.

Chet Holmgren is averaging 17.3 points, nine rebounds and 1.9 blocks for the Thunder. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 20.9 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 51.8% over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Magic: 7-3, averaging 118.7 points, 45.6 rebounds, 27.3 assists, 8.4 steals and 3.6 blocks per game while shooting 47.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.9 points per game.

Thunder: 9-1, averaging 113.1 points, 43.9 rebounds, 25.0 assists, 9.1 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 44.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.5 points.

INJURIES: Magic: Franz Wagner: out (ankle), Anthony Black: out (back), Jonathan Isaac: out (knee).

Thunder: Branden Carlson: out (back), Jalen Williams: out (hamstring), Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee).

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

Detroit Pistons (48-19, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Washington Wizards (16-51, 14th in the Eastern Conference)

Washington; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EDT

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Pistons -17.5; over/under is 234

BOTTOM LINE: Washington enters the matchup against Detroit as losers of 12 in a row.

The Wizards are 11-31 against Eastern Conference opponents. Washington has a 2-2 record in games decided by less than 4 points.

The Pistons have gone 32-11 against Eastern Conference opponents. Detroit leads the Eastern Conference with 13.3 offensive rebounds per game led by Jalen Duren averaging 3.8.

The Wizards are shooting 46.0% from the field this season, 1.8 percentage points higher than the 44.2% the Pistons allow to opponents. The Pistons are shooting 48.0% from the field, which equals what the Wizards' opponents have shot this season.

The teams square off for the third time this season. The Wizards won the last meeting 126-117 on Feb. 6. Will Riley scored 20 points to help lead the Wizards to the win.

TOP PERFORMERS: Bub Carrington is averaging 9.7 points and 4.6 assists for the Wizards. Bilal Coulibaly is averaging 14.7 points over the last 10 games.

Cade Cunningham is averaging 24.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 10.1 assists and 1.5 steals for the Pistons. Duncan Robinson is averaging 2.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Wizards: 0-10, averaging 115.5 points, 39.0 rebounds, 23.5 assists, 6.8 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 47.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 129.1 points per game.

Pistons: 5-5, averaging 116.1 points, 44.7 rebounds, 27.8 assists, 10.0 steals and 6.2 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.1 points.

INJURIES: Wizards: Anthony Davis: out (finger), Cam Whitmore: out for season (shoulder), Alex Sarr: out (hamstring), Leaky Black: out (ankle), Kyshawn George: out (elbow), D'Angelo Russell: out (not injury related), Trae Young: day to day (quad).

Pistons: Isaiah Stewart: out (calf).

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