Category: NBA

With six wins in their last seven games, the Lakers leap-frogged the Minnesota Timberwolves in the standings Tuesday after a convincing 120-106 win over the two-time Western Conference finalists.

The Lakers (40-25) own the valuable head-to-head tiebreaker against Minnesota (40-25) that could decide home-court advantage in the tight playoff race. The third- to seventh-place Western Conference teams are within 2.5 games in the standings, with the Lakers trailing third-place Houston (40-24) by just half a game.

Here are three takeaways from Tuesday’s win:

Getting defensive

Luka Doncic’s 31-point, 11-rebound and 11-assist triple-double stole the show Tuesday. Austin Reaves’ 29 second-half points turned a highly anticipated nationally televised game into a blowout. But the quiet force behind the Lakers’ recent surge is the team’s defensive improvement.

The Lakers were 23rd in defensive rating before the All-Star break, giving up 116.6 points per 100 possessions. They’ve jumped to 12th during the past 15 games with a defensive rating of 112.3.

Doncic credited the team’s improved effort and communication on defense. Some of it is simply time together.

“It’s later in the season, so obviously we’re heading towards the playoffs now,” forward Jake LaRavia said at practice Monday. “I couldn’t tell you why [the defense has improved], but it’s a good time to do it, that’s for sure. And I think we’re all getting closer with each other off the court and just continuing to build relationships and that helps when you get on the court as far as just being there for one another defensively.”

Read more:Luka Doncic has a triple-double as depleted Lakers defeat Minnesota

Guard Marcus Smart led the effort to hold Anthony Edwards, the NBA’s third-leading scorer averaging 29.6 points per game, to 14 points on two-for-15 shooting. It was his most inefficient shooting performance with more than 11 shots of his career. He missed nine of 10 shots from beyond the arc. Some were uncharacteristic misses on open chances, Lakers coach JJ Redick conceded, but he commended his players for making the majority of Edwards’ chances difficult.

“It starts with Smart, he was starting on him,” Doncic said. “But for guys like that, you need the whole team to stop them, not just one guy. So I think we did a great job.”

Tuesday's performance doubled down on one of the Lakers' best defensive games of the season when they held the New York Knicks to 97 points on Sunday. The 99-point defensive rating was the fifth time the Lakers held a team to less than 100 points per 100 possessions in a game, and the first time doing so against a team with a record of .600 or better.

Deandre Ayton shows his 'monster' side

With 33 missed shots between both teams in the first quarter, Deandre Ayton certainly had plenty of opportunities for rebounds, and the 7-foot center made the most of them.

Ayton almost single-handedly kept the Lakers in contention in the first half, scoring 12 of his 14 points in the second quarter and had a first-half double-double with 11 rebounds.

Ayton, who was scoreless in the first quarter but had six rebounds, scored three of his first four baskets off offensive rebounds. The only exception came when Reaves drove in the lane, wrapped a pass around his back and found Ayton cutting down the lane for a vicious two-handed dunk. The crowd roared.

“He was a monster,” said Reaves, who had 31 points and eight assists. “... He was the only person scoring for us efficiently and then just being high energy on the other end, just doing what he does. That’s what we need him to do. When he does that, we’re a different team and we’re thankful to have him.”

Read more:How Luke Kennard's prolific three-point shooting is transforming the Lakers

Ayton’s effort has waned throughout the season, sometimes resulting in him getting benched late in games. But he provided major lifts in marquee wins against the Knicks (six points, eight rebounds) and Timberwolves to earn the confidence and trust of his teammates.

The Lakers needed Ayton at his best after backup centers Jaxson Hayes (back soreness) and Maxi Kleber (lumbar back strain) were ruled out of the game about 15 minutes before tip-off. Hayes was starring in his reserve role in recent weeks, bringing much-needed energy off the bench and a seamless connection with Doncic, but hearing that Ayton would have to hold down the front line by himself gave the former No. 1 draft pick extra motivation.

“I know I'm the only big,” Ayton said, “so I try my best to stay out there as long as possible, especially down the stretch."

Lakers cruising without LeBron James 

LeBron James missed his third consecutive game, still recovering from a hip contusion suffered in a fall against the Denver Nuggets last week. The 41-year-old participated in on-court shooting Tuesday before the team’s walk-through but “probably just needs a couple more days,” Redick said.

The Lakers “obviously want him in the lineup,” Redick said, but they haven’t necessarily needed him this season when his absences typically open greater opportunities for Doncic and Reaves.

In 316 minutes on the court together, James, Doncic and Reaves have a net rating of -1.1 points per 100 possessions. James and Doncic have a -3.1 net rating together while the Doncic and Reaves duo is outscoring opponents by six points per 100 possessions. In their fifth season together, James and Reaves have their worst net rating together at -1.7.

Read more:'I always had a mission': How LeBron James has maintained peak performance

How the trio of ball-handling stars would coexist was one of the major questions entering Doncic’s first full season with the Lakers. But alternating injuries to James and Reaves have limited the group’s time together.

“The human struggle to want what you want while also having the emotional maturity and recognition that you have somebody next to you, it hasn’t been as clean,” Redick said before the game. “... There’s a clear pecking order when LeBron or when Luka and AR on the floor together with guys that are low usage players. That’s the nature of it. That’s the nature of nearly every Big Three that’s ever existed. We’re going to get there. We’ve seen some positive signs and I know LeBron, he recognizes the importance of having Luka as the engine. All he really wants is to impact winning.”

The Lakers are 13-7 (65% winning percentage) in games without James this season and 26-18 (59%) with him in the lineup.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Japan’s Vissel Kobe claimed a place in the quarterfinals of the AFC Champions League Elite with a 2-1 win over FC Seoul of South Korea on Wednesday.

Yuya Osako and Yosuke Ideguchi scored late at home as Kobe advanced 3-1 over two legs in the round of 16. Patryk Klimala scored in the first half for Seoul.

Kobe becomes the second Japanese team to reach the quarterfinals after Machida Zelvia qualified on Tuesday.

Johor Darul Tazim of Malaysia also advanced despite a 1-0 loss at Sanfrecce Hiroshima, thanks to its 3-1 win in the first leg, to prevent a third Japanese reaching the last eight.

Buriram United of Thailand rounds out the eastern zone quarterfinalists.

The tournament is divided into two geographic zones until the quarterfinals. Games in the western zone have been postponed because of the Iran war.

All matches from the quarterfinal stage onward are scheduled to take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from April 16–25 but it’s unclear when games in the western zone can resume.

___

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

John Tonje has had a whirlwind couple of months.

The 24-year-old guard was traded from the Utah Jazz to the Celtics in the trade that sent Chris Boucher to Utah, and quickly became the Celtics’ third two-way player.

Tonje has split his time between the Maine Celtics and the Boston Celtics so far, and made his NBA debut on February 24th. Just a few days later, he scored his first NBA points in a game against the Brooklyn Nets at TD Garden.

“It all happened fast, it kind of caught me by surprise,” Tonje told CelticsBlog last month. “But I’m blessed to be in this position.”

On Tuesday night, Tonje recorded his best G League game yet. He exploded for 42 points on 12 of 20 shooting and sank 8 of his 10 three-point attempts. In turn, the Maine Celtics beat the Osceola Magic 119-112 to improve to 14-16 on the season. The Magic currently has the best G League record in the Eastern Conference, at 19-8.

☘️ John Tonje hits his 8th three of the night and is up to a career-high 40 points. pic.twitter.com/RNjnRbzdy8

— Maine Celtics (@MaineCeltics) March 11, 2026

John Tonje’s rookie campaign continues with the Celtics

Before the trade, John Tonje appeared in 32 games for the Jazz’s G League affiliate this season, the Salt Lake City Stars, averaging 18 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game.

That came on the heels of an NCAA Tournament run with the Wisconsin Badgers, in which he averaged 19.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Before Wisconsin, he spent four seasons at Colorado State and one year in Missouri.

A fun tidbit about Tonje is that he was high school AAU teammates with Baylor Scheierman in Nebraska, almost a decade ago.

And, Scheierman remembers him as a prolific scorer.

“He can score in a variety of ways,” he said. “He’s a good defender. I think those are the two biggest things that stood out to me back in those days. I was a completely different player and build back in those days, but I think those are the two things that stuck out the most, was just his physical maturity, it was just the ability to score.”

After being drafted 53rd overall by the Jazz back in June, Tonje assumed he’d be in Utah at least for a bit. But he landed in Boston, not even a full season into his NBA career.

And, the Celtics already feel different.

“I think it’s the culture — just the way that everyone is bought in there’s a little bit of aura, for lack of a better term, on the team,” he said.

For now, Tonje is getting up to speed with the Maine Celtics.

But, he’s also spent plenty of time with the parent club, joining the Celtics for their West Coast road trip last month on a 10 Day contract.

“Everyone’s been super welcoming, and Joe is super humble, so it’s been great,” he said. “Just kind of learning from him. And, knowing some of these guys from afar — getting a chance to meet them and be around them has been awesome.”

The Atlanta Hawks took on the Dallas Mavericks on March 10th at State Farm Arena. Ahead of the game, the Hawks were 33-31, above .500, on a 7-game win streak. Dallas had a record of 21-43. Atlanta has had recent victories over the Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks, and others.

Atlanta defeated Dallas 124-112, increasing their record to 34-31.

The Hawks are currently the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference, behind the 76ers and Miami Heat, while being ahead of the Charlotte Hornets and Bucks. Dallas Mavericks forward and no. 1 overall pick, Cooper Flagg did play in this game as he was dealing with an injury previously.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s Big Game

Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker had himself a game, especially in the first half, scoring 14 points and accumulating an assist. Alexander-Walker was an important piece to the Hawks tonight, making a lot of plays and getting off to a great start, especially from three.

Alexander-Walker did a good job of creating space against defenders to get good shots while driving past them to the basket at a high rate. Alexander-Walker was one of the better players on the floor.

Alexander-Walker concluded the game with 29 points, two rebounds, and three assists. Alexander-Walker was also 5/8 from three, with 15 points in that feat. Alexander-Walker has been averaging 19.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists in the regular season.

In the postgame press conference, Alexander-Walker stated that assistant player development coach Ashton Smith had been on him about “slowing down and playing with pace.”

What’s Next For Atlanta?

The Hawks are on an 8-game win streak, and they will face the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday, March 12th.

Did anyone else have a good Tuesday afternoon? What did you say? ██ ███████ dropping █ points? I have no idea what you’re implying. You’re speaking nonsense. Over here, we’re only focused on things that are actually real and matter, such as Utah staying inside the top five so they can have the best chance at keeping their pick. And that mindset begins tonight, as the third-seeded Knicks come to town looking to create some separation between them and the lower dwellers in the East. Albeit I did crack a smile at seeing Blake Hinson hit a dagger shot over Draymond Green Monday night, that win crossed some dangerous territory for Utah; the chosen children Mavs are only one game behind the Jazz in the Tankathon standings. As we all know, they are the most deserving of AJ Dybantsa after only being in the finals a pitiful two years ago.

It’s a perilous trajectory for Utah, considering the rebuild has yielded only one top-five pick and a couple of late lottery picks. Now they must call a forfeit against a cold-streaking Knicks team that has dropped three of their last four matches. New York has practically been playing on dead legs after playing 12 playoff contenders in their last 16 games. And they’ve mirrored a lot of the Jazz’s mistakes — during that stretch, they’ve recorded a higher turnover percentage (16.1%) than the founding fathers of poor ball security, as well as 33.6% three-point percentage that ranks 22nd in the league.

This is a team that threw in all their future chips for Mikal Bridges, who is literally being played off the floor by rookies. He’s been the weakest link of the Nova Knicks trio, scoring his fewest points per game since 2022 (15.2). They may chow down on the actively trying to lose each possession Jazz if they’d like, none of this concerns the front office, who have been throwing out lineups composed of guys on two-way contracts and guys fighting for their next contract.

Case in point, Monday night in the Delta Center, where the closing lineup consisted of Cody Williams, Elijah Harkless, John Konchar, Blake Hinson and Kyle Filipowski. Keyonte George played through two and a half quarters before unfortunately falling ill to cholera. Brice Sensabaugh had 21 points through three quarters before stubbing his pinky toe while walking back to the bench.

But what all eyes are actually falling on is the return of The Flamethrower. JC. Sixx. Manila Man. All the nicknames I could find online. Jordan Clarkson is welcomed home in the Delta Center for the first time since his departure in the offseason. We saw a glimpse of him in the Knicks orange when the Jazz visited them back in December, but now it’s really gonna hit home Though he’s been shackled to the Knicks bench, rarely playing over 10 minutes a game, Mike Brown would be a cruel and sickened man not to give him extended runtime against the city that embraced him with open arms for over six years.

The Knicks are going to hilariously beat them down, or at least in theory — no one is sure what Blake Hinson is capable of as of this moment. The Jazz are once again going to see how long they can get away with using the illness label on any player capable of contributing more than a single win share. Keyonte gets hit with a big fat questionable on the injury report, John Konchar is uncertain with left calf soreness, but Ace and Collier rejoin the team.

ESPN gives the Jazz a 13.5% chance to win. That’s a little higher than what I’m comfortable with, but one man’s toxic sludge is another man’s potpourri. It’s tough to say out loud that your team needs to be as bad as possible, but this is more about future survival in a brutal Western Conference than anything else.

Injury Report

Jazz:

QUESTIONABLE – Keyonte George (illness), John Konchar (left calf soreness)

OUT – Lauri Markkanen (right hip impingement), Jusuf Nurkic (nose surgery), Jaren Jackson Jr. (left knee surgery), Walker Kessler (left shoulder surgery)

Knicks:

QUESTIONABLE – Josh Hart (left knee soreness)

OUT – Miles McBride (hernia surgery)

How to watch:

Who: Utah Jazz (20-45) vs. New York Knicks (41-25

When: March 11th, 6:00PM Mountain Time

Where: Delta Center, Salt Lake City

Channel: Peacock, Jazz+, KJZZ

Radio: 97.5/1280 The Zone

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The Cleveland Cavaliers are in Orlando tonight for a matchup with the Magic. ESPN has live coverage from Kia Center at 7:30 p.m. ET.

My Cavaliers vs. Magic predictions note that James Harden already cooked Orlando once this season, and are calling for an encore effort from "The Beard" this evening.

Check out my free NBA picks and best bets for Wednesday, March 11. 

Cavaliers vs Magic prediction

Cavaliers vs Magic best bet: James Harden Over 19.5 points (-110)

James Harden has been solid since coming to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a blockbuster trade, averaging 19.3 points over 11 games. Not the numbers we saw in LA, but he’s also sharing the rock more. 

“The Beard” has cashed the Over in points in two of his last four, and he just dropped 21 on Monday night in a revenge game against the 76ers. 

Back in November, while still with the Clippers, Harden erupted for 31 points against the Orlando Magic. He’s also hit the Over in back-to-back road outings.

Cavaliers vs Magic same-game parlay

Donovan Mitchell has been a solid playmaker, averaging 5.8 dimes per night. While Harden’s arrival helps Cleveland facilitate, Spida has also been relied upon to pass more, now that Darius Garland is gone. 

The Louisville product has hit the Over in assists in three of his last four, and is averaging 6.4 dimes on the road. He's compiled 13 assists vs. the Magic this season across two meetings. 

Cleveland has won three of its last four games, covering tonight’s spread in each of those victories. It's also grabbed two straight wins against the Magic, winning 119-105 and 114-98. 

Cavaliers vs Magic SGP

• James Harden Over 19.5 points
• Donovan Mitchell Over 4.5 assists
• Cavaliers -3.5

Our "from downtown" SGP: Wading in the deep end

Dean Wade is averaging 1.3 makes this season, but he’s cashed the Over in triples in two of his previous three appearances.

Cavaliers vs Magic SGP

• James Harden Over 19.5 points
• Donovan Mitchell Over 4.5 assists
• Cavaliers -3.5
• Dean Wade Over 1.5 made threes

Cavaliers vs Magic odds

• Spread: Cavaliers -3.5 (-110) | Magic +3.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Cavaliers -165 | Magic +140
• Over/Under: Over 226 (-110) | Under 226 (-110)

Cavaliers vs Magic betting trend to know

The Cavaliers have hit the Moneyline in 18 of their last 24 games (+10.85 Units / 15% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Magic.

How to watch Cavaliers vs Magic

Cavaliers vs Magic 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.

Syracuse basketball is parting ways with coach Adrian Autry, the school announced March 11.

The Orange's season ended March 10 with their 86-69 loss to SMU in the first round of the ACC tournament. Syracuse finished 15-17 on the season as the post-Jim Boeheim era for the program struggles to find its footing.

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"It has been an honor to coach at my alma mater, " Autry said in the announcement. "I want to thank Chancellor Syverud, (athletic director) John Wildhack, Jim Boeheim, my team and my staff for their support."

Autry, a former Syracuse point guard, finishes his 3-year coaching tenure with a 49-48 record and no NCAA Tournament appearances. He was an assistant under Boeheim, who was second in all-time wins among Division I head coaches, from 2011-23 before being promoted, and was also coached by him as a player.

Syracuse was 12-5 on the season in mid-January but ended the year with losses in 14 of its last 17 games after starting with a 3-1 record in conference play.

Autry acknowledged he wasn't able to accomplish what he should've at Syracuse in his postgame press conference on March 10.

"I don't shy away from the job that I did," Autry said. "I'm harder on myself than anybody. I didn't get the results that we wanted."

Syracuse signed a pair of top-40 ranked recruits last offseason, including Kiyan Anthony, the son of Syracuse and NBA legend Carmelo Anthony. Kiyan Anthony wasn't able to find a rhythm as a true freshman, averaging 8 points per game on 39.9% shooting.

"Adrian first came to Syracuse as a student-athlete in 1990, and this program has been a constant in his life ever since: as a player, assistant coach, associate head coach and ultimately as head coach," Wildhack said. "His dedication to our student-athletes on and off the court never wavered throughout his time here, and we are grateful for his service and commitment to Orange Basketball."

There's a handful of coaches that could be tied to the opening at Syracuse, including former Syracuse guard Gerry McNamara, who led Siena to an NCAA Tournament bid for the first time since 2010 on March 10 after winning the MAAC. Saint Louis' Josh Schertz and USF's Bryan Hodgson, two of the hottest names in the coaching carousel, could also be options.

McNamara was a Syracuse assistant from 2009-24, including a season under Autry. He was a part of Syracuse's last national championship team in 2003, and has his No. 3 jersey retired at the school.

One thing's certain: Syracuse's next coach will be looking to revive a rather dormant program the last few years.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Syracuse fires Adrian Autry after 3 seasons without NCAA Tournament bid

The Dallas Mavericks are in the midst of a season-long road trip, looking to get a win over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night. The Hawks had other ideas, handing the Mavs a 124-112 loss.

Let’s get to the grades!

Max Christie: C

6 PTS / 3 REB / 1 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 25 MIN

Christie’s shooting woes continued (2-for-6), but the bigger knock on his grade is that he camps out (almost) exclusively at the three-point line when he doesn’t need to. His best stretch of the season came when he was driving and scoring at three levels. Maybe he’s trying to shoot his way out of a slump or maybe he’s quietly improving the Mavs’ draft odds, but it hasn’t been good of late.

Naji Marshall: B

14 PTS / 2 REB / 4 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 30 MIN

While not his best game, his overall numbers were probably somewhat impacted by Jason Kidd’s distribution of minutes. Regardless, Marshall scored efficiently in all aspects of the game, but he turned it over (3) and fouled (3) too frequently.

Cooper Flagg: B+

14 PTS / 12 REB / 5 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 32 MIN

Flagg is surely still recovering from his foot sprain. His shot isn’t quite right and his production overall is way down. Credit to Atlanta’s defense against him as well, as they often sent double-teams his way. He never quit, finding other ways to contribute, but it was a largely forgettable game for Flagg. The silver lining to a game like this is how a 19-year old rookie persists in doing little things such as driving and collecting fouls when his shot isn’t falling.

P.J. Washington: C

7 PTS / 5 REB / 0 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 29 MIN

Washington is a bit of a conundrum lately. He certainly hasn’t forgotten how to play, yet looks to not yet be himself. Tonight his shot wasn’t falling and he wasn’t able to do a whole lot else. Worse still, he held the worst plus/minus for the bulk of the game, demonstrating that his personal struggles indeed hurt the team overall.

Daniel Gafford: A-

14 PTS / 10 REB / 1 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 25 MIN

Gafford continues to give credence to the thought his long stretch of mediocre games was perhaps in part due to recovering from injury. Whatever the case, Gafford got back to some high-flying and dunking for the second game in a row, shooting well and even rebounding better than he has recently. Simply put – he looks better than he has in a while. His foul total was high, but over-aggression after being forced into passivity for so long is a fine exchange under the circumstances.

Marvin Bagley: B+

7 PTS / 6 REB / 6 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 21 MIN

Bagley continues to do a variety of things, with the highlight of Tuesday night being his assist total. The Mavs’ backup forward/center led the team in that category. His shot was suspect (3-for-7) but he chipped in everywhere, including a bit from beyond the arc. Solid outing for Bagley as an overall positive force for Dallas.

Klay Thompson: A-

21 PTS / 1 REB / 1 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK – 28 MIN

Thompson was having a somewhat quiet night before a 10-point third quarter burst. He didn’t contribute much in other facets of the game, but as a primary shooter, he did his job just fine (8-for-16 including 5-for-11 from deep). He and Middleton were the cogs of a huge comeback that ultimately fell short.

Khris Middleton: A-

16 PTS / 1 REB / 2 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 24 MIN

Middleton often looks like he’s playing a slightly different game than his teammates. That is to say, you can see his brand of “veteran” in the little things – the way he works a possession, willingness to take a shot when the team is starved for a bucket and an overall calm that often steadies the team when they’re trying to make a run. Middleton shot well (5-for-8) and did a lot of little things

Final Thoughts

Dallas has been consistent for the last 20 games or so. They give up huge first quarter point totals regardless of the opponent, then spend the rest of the game putting on an entertaining show as they draw closer and closer. Jason Kidd’s spread of minutes is impressive – he’s not burning anyone out while doing just enough to collect losses. Whether it’s his intention or not, anyone supportive of tanking is probably enjoying this as much as anyone can enjoy a string of losses.

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

After 28 seasons as the in-arena voice of the Philadelphia 76ers, Matt Cord has announced he will retire, bringing an end to one of the longest-tenured runs as a PA announcer in NBA history.

After 28 years as the PA announcer for the @sixers I’m officially retiring at the end of the season. I’ve had the best seat in the house announcing for the best fans in the world. Thank you to the players and the 76ers organization. What a privilege it’s been. pic.twitter.com/CF3z2puy2h

— matt cord (@MattyCord) March 11, 2026

Cord’s path to the mic is a quintessential Philly story. He got his start in radio at 93.3 WMMR in the early ’90s, and the Sixers gig came about through a chance connection. When Pat Croce bought the team in 1996, he told Cord he loved the energy he brought to the mic at Philadelphia Wings lacrosse games — and offered him the job. Cord officially took over as the Sixers’ PA announcer in 1998.

From there, he made the role entirely his own. Known for the sharp contrast between his thunderous enthusiasm for Sixers players and the flat, disinterested tone reserved for visiting teams, Cord became as much a part of the game-night experience as anyone on the court.

And he was there for all of it. The 2001 Finals run. “Slam-it” Samuel Dalembert. Andre “Iguodalalala.” Joel “The Process” Embiid. For nearly three decades, his voice was the soundtrack to every Sixers home game — the one constant through every rebuild, every playoff push, and every era. Now, for the first time since the late ’90s, Sixer games will sound a little different.

Who replaces the iconic voice is anyone’s guess. The Sixers’ G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats, has had their announcer fill in for Cord at points throughout the season. It’ll be interesting to see if the Sixers go that route or bring in someone new entirely.

Whatever direction the organization goes, filling that seat won’t be easy. PA announcers don’t often get their flowers while they’re still on the mic, but Cord was always the exception. He wasn’t just a voice. He was part of the experience, part of the culture, and honestly, part of the team. Sixers fans will feel his absence the moment that first starting lineup is called and it doesn’t sound quite right.

Congratulations to Matt Cord on an incredible, legendary career.

Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown was tossed in the second quarter of Tuesday night's 125-116 loss to the San Antonio Spurs after being called for two technical fouls.

Brown started arguing with officials after he turned the ball over while going out of bounds, saying he felt that Spurs guard Stephon Castle had pushed him.

Then Brown began shouting at official Tyler Ford to state his case and didn't stop, even when another official, Suyash Mehta, called him for a second technical, leading to a game ejection. Brown had to be held back by teammates from going after the officials.

Ford said after the game the first technical was called because Brown was "aggressively pointing and using profanity and resentment to the no-call." The second technical was because Brown "aggressively approached a game official while pointing and using profanity."

The Celtics contingent had plenty to say about the officiating after the game.

"I just give a ton of credit to my high school principal. He had the balls to throw a student out. He didn't leave it to the hall monitor," Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. "He was a hell of a principal."

Brown, who was fined $35,000 by the NBA in January for his comments about the officials, took to social media posting, "this the (expletive) I be talking about."

Victor Wembanyama had 39 points and 11 rebounds for San Antonio in the victory.

"I disagree with it. The NBA makes a big deal about prime-time games and stars playing and being available," said Jayson Tatum, who scored 24 points in his third game back after returning from an Achilles injury. "National TV game, two of the best teams in the league, and you make a big deal about stars playing, then you (get) trigger-happy and throw somebody out the game, I disagree with it.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jaylen Brown ejected in loss to Spurs, rips refs on social media

Showing big fight fueled by Taurean Prince’s return and Kyle Kuzma’s 10k milestone, the Milwaukee Bucks couldn’t keep the momentum down the stretch, losing to the Orlando Magic 129-114. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast, Bucks In Six Minutes, below.

Player Grades

Kyle Kuzma

38 minutes, 33 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 12/21 FG, 6/10 3P, -16

Kuzma came to play tonight, and it’s a pity the team couldn’t rally around Big Kuz as he passed 10,000 career points. The big man was in attack mode throughout the first three quarters, driving with purpose and draining deep triples. He was a menace defensively too. Small demerits for losing his touch in the fourth quarter and for a ghastly -16 in the plus-minus. It feels deceptive, though. His energy and marksmanship stood out, carrying the team for significant stretches and fueling big runs.

Grade: A-

Ryan Rollins

40 minutes, 14 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 turnovers, 1 steal, 4/8 FG, 2/6 3P, -6

An up-and-down game for Ryan, with more significant downs than ups. His five turnovers led the team and contributed to a glaring discrepancy that largely decided the game. His giveaways were symptomatic of a player going too fast and losing control. His seven helpers are not to be overlooked, though, nor was his solid shooting.

Grade: C

Taurean Prince

17 minutes, 0 points, 3 rebounds, 0 assists, 0/4 FG, -6

Throw out the stats. In this case, they’re irrelevant. What mattered was heart, grit, and tenacity. Prince playing in a game this season was something no one expected (and no one had ever done before with the severe neck injury he suffered earlier in the season). Instead of giving up, Prince has been a vocal member of the Bucks’ bench and practices all season, while working diligently to get back on the floor. That season-long commitment was rewarded with a return to action. He’s got a ways to go in regaining rhythm and playing at game speed, but proved to everyone that his heart can never be questioned.

Grade: A

Ousmane Dieng

36 minutes, 12 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 5/8 FG, 2/4 3P, –8

Dieng played a nice all-around game, finding his shooting stroke and leading the team in rebounds.

Grade: B+

Giannis Antetokounmpo

32 minutes, 22 points, 6 rebounds, 10/18 FG, 3 assists, 4 turnovers, –16

An uncharacteristically sluggish game for the superstar, who was swarmed by two or three Suns every time he touched the ball. Giannis looked a bit hobbled and, for him, low-energy as he returns from injury. He missed some gimmes, didn’t always close out on shooters with his usual verve, and on a few occasions took defensive possessions off. His shoulder was wrapped, hinting at another lingering sore spot.

Grade: B–

Myles Turner

32 minutes, 22 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 7/13 FG, 5/8 3P, -2

Turner also came to play tonight, showing the kind of all-around impact player Bucks fans thought they were getting when he joined the team after a decade of tormenting them as a Pacer.

Grade: B+

AJ Green

15 minutes, 3 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1/2 FG, 1/2 3P, -12

Another no-show game for Green, who in better days would have connected on some long-range missiles to stem the bleeding in the fourth quarter, when the team most needed a lift. The one play that stands out for AJ came for the wrong reason: he fouled old friend Grayson Allen on a three-pointer at the close of the first quarter. Allen drained the jumper and the freebie, padding the Suns’ lead.

Grade: D

Cam Thomas

15 minutes, 8 points, 4 assists, 3/6 FG, 0/2 3P, -9

Cam’s downturn continued, with this game being more of the same from what we’ve seen over the past few weeks. I mean, Thomas was efficient with the court time he got—particularly with the four assists—but playing just 15 minutes with KPJ out is probably a reflection of where he’s at.

Grade: C

Pete Nance

12 minutes, 0 points, 2 rebounds, 2 turnovers, 0/2 FG, -5

Pete’s minutes weren’t bad, but he really did nothing of note. Two turnovers for a player like him isn’t great either.

Grade: C-

Doc Rivers

Plus side: the team didn’t fall into its familiar habit of a lackluster play to start the third quarter. They were the aggressors, running up an 11-point lead. Downside: the rest of the game, when the Bucks looked like they too often do, a team without an identity or requisite hunger to close out competitive games. How much of it falls on coaching, and how much on personnel—the team was missing Bobby Portis, Kevin Porter Jr., and Jerico Sims tonight—can be debated.

Grade: C+

Limited Minutes: Andre Jackson Jr.

DNP-CD: Gary Harris, Gary Trent Jr., Thanasis Antetokounmpo

Inactive: Bobby Portis, Jericho Sims, Alex Antetokounmpo, Kevin Porter Jr., Cormac Ryan

Bonus Bucks Bits

• Huge shout-out to Kyle Kuzma on passing the 10,000-point milestone. He went on one of his scoring benders that happens a few times every season, and was borderline unstoppable during stretches.
• Gary Trent Jr. has returned to the doghouse. Did not play. Was the only Buck taking extra shots after the game.
• Jalen Green clearly won the battle of the Greens, outscoring AJ 25-3. And let’s not forget that Jalen provided us with the first Fiserv wedgie in a while.

Up Next

The Bucks travel to South Beach for a Thursday night tilt against the Miami Heat. Catch the action at 6:30 p.m. CDT on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin.

Thanks to the wonkiness that is the NBA Cup, the Houston Rockets are making their third trip the Mile High City to take on the Denver Nuggets this season. Things do even out overall, as Houston got the Los Angeles Clippers three times in Houston and just once in Ballmer’s Toilet Emporium (I think Xiane said this once and it made me cackle, so he gets the credit if you like it).

The Nuggets have dealt with their fair share of injuries this season, but they still boast the league’s most efficient offense. While they don’t jack up a ton of threes, they get to the line a lot and make the highest percentage of threes (39%) in the league. Defensively, they’ve taken a step back this season. They don’t force a lot of turnovers, but when they do they make teams pay. They also rebound well on that side of the ball. Basically, if Houston turns the ball over more than a dozen times (which they will), they won’t have much of a chance. Denver is too good on offense to try to catch them from behind. And when they need buckets, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are two of the best in the league at creating good looks for themselves and teammates.

This game is on national television, which has been a bugaboo for this Rockets squad, and it’s also a back-to-back, another bugaboo. Two bugaboos does not make a bugaright, so the deck is stacked pretty heavily against the good guys in this one. Denver didn’t play yesterday and are coming off a hard-fought loss against their nemesis, the Oklahoma City Thunder. That’s a recipe for a big first quarter from Denver and a sluggish start for Houston (which has been par for the course). I’d be surprised if Houston isn’t down double digits early and having to work out of that hole. I’d love to be proven wrong, but I’ve watched the same team you have all season.

Tip-off

9pm CT

How To Watch

Space City Home Network and ESPN

Injury Report

Rockets

Steven Adams: OUT

Fred VanVleet: OUT

Jae’Sean Tate: OUT

Nuggets

Peyton Watson: OUT

Cameron Johnson: GTD

The Line (as of this post)

DEN -5.5

Check here for updates

Looking ahead because we can

Friday night at home against the New Orleans Pelicans

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo made NBA history on March 10 against the Washington Wizards in his amazing 83-point performance.

It was the second-most points scored in a game in NBA history, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain's legendary 100-point effort in 1962.

As he kept piling up the points, Adebayo remained on the court deep into the fourth quarter of Miami's eventual 150-129 win, eventually surpassing the 81 points Kobe Bryant scored in 2006.

Adebayo also filled up the box score in several other categories during his 42 minutes of action. He collected nine rebounds, handed out three assists, blocked two shots and made a pair of steals.

And that just begins to tell the story.

Crazy stats from Bam Adebayo's 83-point game

• 83 points: second-most in a game in NBA history
• 36 made free throws: most in NBA history
• 43 free throw attempts: most in NBA history
• 22 3-point attempts: tied for third-most in NBA history

Adebayo's previous career high: 41 points

Bam Adebayo points by quarter

• First: 31
• Second: 12
• Third: 19
• Fourth: 21

Highest-scoring games in NBA history

Every high-scoring game in the NBA has its own story. Here's a quick look at the 10 highest totals in a game in league history:

• 1. Wilt Chamberlain, 100 (March 2, 1962)
• 2. Bam Adebayo, 83 (March 10, 2026)
• 3. Kobe Bryant, 81 (Jan. 22, 2006)
• 4. Wilt Chamberlain, 78 (Dec. 8, 1961)
• T5. Luka Doncic, 73 (Jan. 26, 2024)
• T5. David Thompson, 73 (April 9, 1978)
• T5. Wilt Chamberlain, 73 (Jan. 13, 1962)
• T5. Wilt Chamberlain, 73 (Nov. 16, 1962)
• 9. Wilt Chamberlain, 72 (Nov. 3, 1962)
• T10. Damian Lillard, 71 (Feb. 26, 2023)
• T10. Donovan Mitchell, 71 (Jan. 2, 2023)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA records fall in Bam Adebayo's incredible 83-point performance

Second in points, last in ethics?

That will be the accusation against the Miami Heat and Bam Adebayo, after the big man moved into second on the NBA’s single-game scoring list with 83 points against the woeful Washington Wizards on Tuesday. Adebayo surpassed the 81 points that Kobe Bryant scored in a 2006 game and left only Wilt Chamberlain, with 100 in a game in 1962, ahead of him on the all-time list.

Related: Miami’s Bam Adebayo erupts for 83 points, second only to Wilt in NBA history

The Heat won, 150-129, and basketball watchers quickly turned their attention to the most skeptical, cynical line of questioning possible: Was Adebayo’s achievement sullied by the Heat’s decision to build their gameplan around letting him pack the stat sheet as much as possible in a long-decided contest? On the record sheet, the answer will be no. But as most people in the NBA well know, the stat line takes a distant second place to fans’ perceptions of players and their accomplishments. And the manner in which the Heat helped Adebayo get to 83 will be under the microscope for a long time.

On the one hand: Anyone who takes issue with Adebayo scoring 83 points –more than the entire Milwaukee Bucks team managed in a game earlier this month – is a pedantic loser. This league holds 1,230 regular-season games each year. Just among starting players, that works out to 12,300 individual games per year. Exactly one of those opportunities, in the whole history of the NBA, has yielded more points than Adebayo put on the Wizards on Tuesday. Objectively, there is no such thing as a “cheap” way to do something that no player other than Wilt has ever done.

Moreover, Adebayo’s 43 field goal attempts are not a major outlier. Chamberlain put up a hilarious 63 shots in his 100-pointer, Bryant 46 on the night he scored 81. Adebayo was also busy in other respects; he pulled down a game-high nine rebounds, with eight of them coming on defense in his 42 minutes, the most of any player on court. It’s not like the 28-year-old was slacking on the other end.

On the other hand, what fun would sports be if we couldn’t spend time and energy tearing players down on the occasion of their grandest achievements? Where Adebayo’s game reaches the theater of the absurd is at the foul line. The previous record for free-throw attempts in an NBA game was 39, reached twice by Dwight Howard during the “Hack-a-Howard” era in 2012 and 2013. Teams knew Howard wouldn’t make much more than six in 10 free throws, and they felt fine sending him to the stripe to make 21 and 25 out of his 39 shots on those respective nights. Adebayo took a new-record 43 free throws on Tuesday and, to his credit, made 36 of them. Nothing dishonorable about cashing in one’s opportunities.

Or maybe there is, when a player’s team turns the late stages of the game into a joke whose sole purpose is to run up one guy’s numbers at the foul line. In the fourth quarter, Adebayo was 3-for-8 from the field and a gruesome 1-of-6 from the three-point line. But the Heat kept feeding him, and the Wizards kept fouling him to send him to the line. That would normally be no big deal, except Miami, leading by nearly 30 points in the final few minutes, repeatedly fouled the Wizards to speed up their possessions and get the ball back. Adebayo hit 14 of 16 foul shots in the final 12 minutes.

Even that doesn’t fully explain how farcical Miami’s effort to get Adebayo to 83 was. The Heat simply gave Adebayo the ball and had him run full steam ahead at the Washington basket, taking low-percentage shots that may or may not lead to a foul call. In just the final five minutes of a game that was long over, Adebayo went 1-of-5 from the field and 7-of-7 at the foul line, with his final points coming at the line with 1:16 left to push the lead to 150-126. You have to watch the video for yourself to understand how uninterested the Heat were in playing anything resembling regular “offense.” The end of this game was pure stat sheet-stuffing, which paid off in buckets when Adebayo nailed his 42nd and 43rd attempts from the stripe. Heat’s head coach, Erik Spoelstra, had the decency to sub Adebayo out eight seconds later, the big fella having inched past Bryant on the scoring list. It was not much different than a 10-year-old video gamer trying to run up a gaudy total against the CPU after school.

None of this means Adebayo’s night wasn’t extraordinary. Eighty-three is the highest point total in the league’s three-point era (since 1979), and for a frontcourt player to get there is truly out of this world. Only Joel Embiid in 2024 and David Robinson in 1994 had even gotten to 70 among big men in that span, and neither cleared 71. Adebayo – an excellent rather than an all-time great player – had a great enough game that historians won’t be able to ignore him. But the manner in which he got into the record books means the haters will still hate. Perhaps he’ll go for 84 sometime.

Wednesday will be a busy, finger-nail biting day for men's basketball teams on the NCAA Tournament bubble. And there are plenty of them in action.

Auburn, Indiana, West Virginia, Cal and Oklahoma may need more than one win this week to impress the selection committee.

SMU's win over Syracuse in the first round of the ACC tournament Tuesday was a must. As was Cincinnati's win over Utah in the first round of the Big 12 tournament.

Virginia Tech and Stanford's first round losses in the ACC tournament Tuesday pretty much removes them from bubble consideration.

March Madness hopefuls: NCAA Tournament bubble games to watch today

A lot has been made about Auburn's case. The Tigers (16-15) have to beat Mississippi State in the first round of SEC Tournament play (3 p.m., SECN). If the Tigers lose, they can kiss their at-large hopes goodbye no matter how many times Bruce Pearl says otherwise.

Indiana had a chance at a bubble play-in, but blew it at Ohio State over the weekend. The Hoosiers open Big Ten Tournament play at 6:30 p.m. (BTN) against Northwestern State winner.

Twelve teams have already punched their tournament tickets in Long Island (NEC), Queens (ASUN), High Point (Big South), Northern Iowa (Missouri Valley), Tennessee State (OVC), Furman (SoCon), North Dakota State (Summit League), Troy (Sun Belt), Gonzaga (WCC), Siena (MAAC), Wright State (Horizon) and Hofstra (CAA).

Bid thiefs: Power 5 teams that can steal NCAA Tournament bids

March Madness automatic bids: Who is in NCAA tournament field of 68?

March Madness bracket update: March 11

Last updated: 8 a.m., Wednesday, March 11

* bold means automatic berth clinched.

1. Duke, Michigan, Arizona, Florida
2. UConn, Houston, Illinois, Michigan State
3. Nebraska, Gonzaga, Iowa State, Texas Tech
4. Virginia, Alabama, Kansas, Purdue
5. Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Wisconsin, Arkansas
6. St. John's, Louisville, North Carolina, BYU
7. Kentucky, Saint Mary's, Utah State, Miami (Fla.)
8. Villanova, Iowa, Georgia, Saint Louis
9. TCU, NC State, UCLA, Clemson
10. UCF, Ohio State, Missouri, Texas A&M
11. Santa Clara, Miami (Ohio), VCU/Texas, SMU/Indiana
12. Northern Iowa, Hofstra, Yale, South Florida
13. Stephen F. Austin, Utah Valley, Liberty, High Point
14. Troy, UC Irvine, North Dakota State, Wright State
15. Idaho, Tennessee State, Siena, Furman
16. Queens (NC), Long Island, UMBC/Bethune-Cookman, Howard/Lehigh

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March Madness last four in

• Texas
• SMU
• VCU
• Indiana

March Madness first four out

• Cincinnati
• West Virginia
• Auburn
• Oklahoma

March Madness next four out

• Virginia Tech
• New Mexico
• Cal
• Stanford

NCAA Tournament bids conference breakdown

Multi-bid leagues: SEC (10), Big Ten (10), ACC (8), Big 12 (8), Big East (3), West Coast (3), Atlantic 10 (2), Mountain West (2).

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness bracket predictions, updates NCAA Tournament bubble, locks