Category: NBA

NEW YORK — Two looks, and they both hit rim.

After clawing back from an eight-point deficit with just fewer than three minutes to play in the fourth quarter, the New York Knicks got a pair of clean looks with seconds left in their game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Yet, in what could be a potential NBA Finals preview, it was the Thunder who escaped Wednesday, March 4 with a 103-100 victory to improve their record to 49-15, the best mark in the NBA.

Thunder forward Chet Holmgren led all players with 28 points, 22 of which came in the first half.

Reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped 26 points and 8 assists, extending his streak of consecutive games with at least 20 points scored to 124.

Throughout the game, the Knicks tried to force the ball out of Gilgeous-Alexander’s hands, and he repeatedly made the right pass to open Thunder players.

The Knicks had six players reach double figures, with Karl-Anthony Towns leading the way with 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting. He also hauled in a game-high 17 rebounds, though he fouled out late in the game.

The Knicks fell to 40-23.

USA TODAY Sports provided updates and highlights from Wednesday night's Oklahoma City Thunder-New York Knicks game:

Thunder vs. Knicks highlights

End Q4: Thunder 103, Knicks 100

They got two open looks to tie the game, but both rimmed out.

Coach Mike Brown drew up a play that got Jalen Brunson an open look at a would-be game-tying 3 in the left corner. Brunson put up the shot but it bounced off the rim. The ball was tipped out to Knicks forward OG Anunoby near the top of the key. Anunoby scooped the ball, stepped back, but the shot fell short and bounced off front rim.

Simply put, the Knicks went cold at the wrong time. New York, which entered the fourth quarter with a three-point lead, shot just 33.3% in the final period, eventually ceding the lead to the Thunder.

Oklahoma City capitalized and attacked the paint, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hitting a few big baskets late, none other than a stepback 3, Oklahoma City’s final bucket.

Knicks down 3 with 6.0 seconds left to play

New York has battled back and has the chance to tie the game at 103. Coach Mike Brown called a timeout to draw up a play. Both teams are in the bonus, so the Thunder may opt to put New York on the line.

Thunder reclaim lead

After getting a quick blow on the bench, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has returned for Oklahoma City, which is now up 91-86, with 6:33 left to play in the game.

Gilgeous-Alexander, who has 21 points, extended his streak of consecutive games with at least 20 points to 124, which is just two behind Wilt Chamberlain's record of 126.

Josh Hart returns to the floor

After leaving the game early in the third quarter with an apparent back injury, Knicks forward Josh Hart has returned to the game.

End Q3: Knicks 80, Thunder 77

It's not that the Thunder shot poorly in the third quarter — they converted their attempts at a 46.7% clip — it's that they took seven fewer shots than the Knicks did.

And with those attempts, New York capitalized. The Knicks shot 14-of-22 (63.6%) from the floor in the third quarter to erase a 10-point deficit at the start of the quarter. And with the final shot of the third, a corner 3 from Mikal Bridges, the Knicks took their first lead since very early in the second quarter. Five different Knicks are scoring double figures, with Karl-Anthony Towns — who remains a perfect 6-of-6 from the floor — leading the team with 15 points.

For the Thunder, turnovers were the main issue in the third. After Chet Holmgren dropped 22 points in the first half, he failed to score a single point in the third. He continues to lead the team, though Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has added 19 points and 7 assists.

Knicks tie it up

The New York run in the third quarter has continued. The Thunder have committed several turnovers in the period, and a Jalen Brunson 3 that clanked off the rim before caroming off the backboard and through the net tied the game at 72 apiece with 2:56 left in the third quarter.

Alex Caruso heads to locker room

After taking a hard fall when attempting to haul in a rebound, Alex Caurso fell onto the court and immediately grabbed at his leg. He was slow to get up and trudged toward the bench, where he spoke briefly with a trainer. The two went into the locker room, though Caruso reemerged shortly after.

Knicks close the gap

New York has gone on an 11-4 run to close the deficit to 6 points with 5:28 left in the third quarter. Landry Shamet has come off the bench to spark the run with a couple of scoop layups, while Mikale Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns have also added baskets.

The Thunder are up 67-61.

Josh Hart heads to locker room

After airballing a corner 3 with 10:50 to play in the third quarter, Knicks forward Josh Hart immediately clutched at his lower back in apparent discomfort. At the next whistle, Hart took himself out of the game and headed into the New York locker room with a trainer.

After several minutes, Hart reemerged and took his spot on the bench, still grimacing. A trainer placed a black band around his chest and back.

Knicks post their lowest scoring first half of the season

New York, which shot just 35.6% from the floor in the first half, scored just 40 points before intermission, marking its lowest scoring first half of the 2025-26 season so far. The previous low was 42 points, which came Feb. 6 in an eventual 38-point loss against the Pistons.

End Q2: Thunder 50, Knicks 40

Although both these teams are playing the second legs of back-to-backs that started in different cities, it was the Knicks who displayed that more in the first half.

New York struggled to find the bottom of the net in the second period, shooting just 7-of-22 (31.8%) Oklahoma City emphasized closing out, contesting New York's perimeter shots and rarely giving away an open look.

Jalen Brunson shot just 1-of-8 in the half for 2 points, while center Karl-Anthony Towns attempted just 4 shots, though he made each one, scoring 9 points. Mohamed Diawara also has a team-high 9 points.

Thunder in the Garden, iPhone edition 🤳 pic.twitter.com/KMPw9ALOlM

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) March 5, 2026

The Thunder, meanwhile, are playing in control. They're shooting a reasonable 46.3% from the floor, but they're merely looking for the best shot available. As the Knicks have thrown bodies at Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the ball has swung around to find the open player. More often than not, that has been Chet Holmgren, who leads all players with 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including a blistering 6-of-8 (75%) from 3-point range.

Gilgeous-Alexander has added 11 points, but has a team-high 7 assists.

The Knicks' plan for SGA

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has started this game extremely well. He has been an efficient 4-of-7 from the floor — with no 3 pointers attempted — for 9 points. But the Knicks are closing his lanes to penetrate as soon as he attacks the paint. This is not at all dissimilar from the way other teams defend SGA, but he's quickly getting the ball out of his hands to find open teammates.

And, if they're not immediately open, OKC players have swung the ball around to find that open look. Gilgeous-Alexander leads all Thunder players with 5 assists.

It's a downpour! https://t.co/rUi6bXD70epic.twitter.com/gUOhjwsWK9

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) March 5, 2026

As the Thunder have settled, they've also opened their biggest lead of the game, 13 points, at 44-31.

End Q1: Thunder 25, Knicks 23

In many ways, this was a quarter the Knicks should've lost by a lot more.

They shot just 39.1% from the floor, and All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson finished the period just 1-of-5 for 2 points. They lost the rebounding battle by four. Yet, New York overcame early shooting struggles to get key stops on the Thunder late in the first to keep things manageable.

Chet Holmgren was the star for Oklahoma City, leading all players with 14 points. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander chipped in 9 on 4-of-5 shooting and added 2 assists.

The Knicks, meanwhile, have Mohamed Diawara to thank for this not being out of hand. He came off the bench and instantly drained a pair of 3s and also swiped the ball out of Jared McCain's hands for a steal that led to a Landry Shamet bucket. His play seemed to invigorate the Knicks, who had six different players score at least one point in the first quarter. Diawara and OG Anunoby tied for a team-high 6 points in the period.

Knicks coach Mike Brown was also called for a technical foul after he argued a non-call on a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drive, when Brown thought that Jalen Brunson had drawn a charge. Brown appeared to make like contact with the official, who only assessed the one tech.

Chet Holmgren comes out aggressive

As Oklahoma City has moved the ball around, it has often found forward Chet Holmgren, who has started the game 5-of-7 (including 4-of-6 from 3) for a game-high 14 points.

In fact, with 3:32 left to play in the period, he has outscored the Knicks entire team, which is 5-of-17.

Thunder vs. Knicks is underway

The Thunder came out strong and dictated pace, draining five of their first six field goal attempts. OKC pushed pace and moved the ball around to compromise New York’s defense, which was slow to help.

The Knicks, however, made their first shot before having their following five clank out. New York is getting quality looks, they’re just not dropping, particularly from 3; the Knicks have started the game just 1-of-6 (16.7%) from beyond the arc.

Despite that, New York is only down 17-10 midway through the period.

The MVP shows up to MSG dressed to the nines

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder, similar to many teams who get hyped up to play in this iconic venue, tend to play well here. It's the one trip Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder will make here this season — barring any potential matchup in the NBA Finals.

In case this is indeed his one trip here, SGA made it count with his pre-game look.

SGA at MSG 🥶 pic.twitter.com/wPRgmWexVt

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) March 4, 2026

Thunder vs. Knicks starting lineups

Oklahoma City Thunder

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
• Luguentz Dort
• Cason Wallace
• Chet Holmgren
• Isaiah Hartenstein

New York Knicks

• Jalen Brunson
• Mikal Bridges
• OG Anunoby
• Josh Hart
• Karl-Anthony Towns

Thunder vs. Knicks injury report

After missing Tuesday night's game against the Bulls, reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is not on the injury report and is expected to play.

Oklahoma City Thunder

• Branden Carlson, out (lower back strain)
• Ajay Mitchell, out (left ankle sprain)
• Thomas Sorber, out (ACL)
• Nikola Topic, out (G League)
• Jalen Williams, out (right hamstring strain)

New York Knicks

• Pacome Dadiet, questionable (G League)
• Trey Jemison III, questionable (two-way)
• Dillon Jones, questionable (two-way)
• Miles McBride, out (core muscle surgery)
• Kevin McCullar Jr., questionable (two-way)
• Mitchell Robinson, out (left ankle)

Thunder vs. Knicks odds

Odds according to BetMGM as of Tuesday, March 3.

• Spread: Thunder by 4.5 (-110)
• Over/Under: 222.5 (O/U -114)
• Moneyline: Thunder -184, Knicks +150

How to watch Thunder vs. Knicks: TV channel, live stream

• Start time: 7 p.m. ET
• Location: Madison Square Garden (New York)
• TV channel: ESPN
• Live stream: ESPN, Fubo

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Thunder vs Knicks score, highlights: OKC wins clash of NBA contenders

DULUTH, Ga. (AP) — La’Nya Foster scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds, Erica Moon added 17 points, and Georgia Tech defeated Florida State 72-60 in a first-round game at the ACC Tournament on Wednesday.

The Yellow Jackets led for all but 2 minutes but didn't put the game away until a 9-2 run late in the fourth quarter gave them a 70-56 lead.

Talayah Walker had 16 points and seven rebounds for Georgia Tech (14-17), the No. 11 seed.

No. 14 seed Florida State (10-21) got 16 points from Sydney Bowles.

Georgia Tech spotted Florida State the first four points of the game but the Yellow Jackets hit five of their next seven shots to build a 14-6 lead halfway through the first quarter. Georgia Tech went up by 11 later in the quarter before Florida State cut the gap to 22-16 heading to the second.

Georgia Tech scored nine points in a 1:20 stretch of the second quarter to push their lead back to 10. It was 39-29 at halftime.

Each time Georgia Tech's lead reached 10 points in the first three quarters, the Seminoles bounced back. Georgia Tech went up 54-40 with 3 1/2 minutes left in the third but Florida State cut it to 56-48 by the end of the quarter.

Up next

Georgia Tech plays No. 6 seed Virginia Tech on Thursday. The winner will advance to the quarterfinals against third-seeded North Carolina.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Linda Caicedo scored the lone goal in the second half and Colombia defeated Argentina 1-0 in the SheBelieves Cup tournament on Wednesday.

The United States was set to play rival Canada in the later match at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field.

Caicedo, who plays professionally for Real Madrid, scored in the 64th minute to put Colombia in front. It was her 18th international goal and came off an assist from Leicy Santos.

The United States downed Argentina 2-0 in the SheBelieves opener on Sunday in Nashville. Colombia fell 4-1 to Canada in its tournament opener.

Shortly before the match, Bay FC announced that it had acquired Argentina defender Aldana Cometti from French club FC Fleury. Cometti joins the National Women's Soccer League club on a two-year contract with a team option for a third.

Argentina, ranked No. 30 in the world, made one other SheBelieves Cup appearance in 2021, finishing fourth. Colombia, ranked No. 20, previously played in the tournament last year and finished third.

Colombia will face the United States on Saturday in the tournament finale in Harrison, New Jersey. Argentina will play Canada in the early game.

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

Close your eyes for a second and picture this: 

A packed NBA arena somewhere far from Los Angeles — maybe it’s in Milwaukee, or Memphis, Orlando, or Indianapolis — and out of the tunnel walks the most recognizable basketball player on the planet wearing your team’s jersey. 

He’s announced in the starting five alongside your team’s superstar. 

“At forward, No. 23, standing 6-foot, nine out of St. Vincent’s St. Mary’s High School…LeBron James!”

The crowd would lose its mind. 

That’s the most recent retirement tour idea being floated by “Dan in Manhattan Beach,” — LeBron James signing one-week contracts with all 30 NBA teams next season for the ultimate farewell tour. 

Think about it like Taylor Swift’s ERAS tour only in the NBA. It would be the most absurd traveling circus in the history of professional sports. 

Bill Simmons read Dan’s idea as a half-serious experiment on a podcast for his website The Ringer on Tuesday.

The ultimate LeBron James retirement tour: a one-week deal with all 30 teams pic.twitter.com/F8fSjZE6xU

— The Ringer (@ringer) March 4, 2026

“What if instead of signing with any one team for next season, LeBron makes his retirement tour an actual retirement tour by signing a one-week contract with all 30 teams?” Simmons suggested to his co-host David Jacoby, reading Dan’s idea on the podcast.

One week with each franchise. At least one home game start. Limited-edition jerseys everywhere. Every city gets its moment with LeBron James. 

“This will never happen,” his co-host David Jacoby admitted. “But this is a brilliant idea.”

Of course it won’t. The NBA would collapse under the paperwork alone. 

But stop for a second and imagine it.

James throwing lobs to Anthony Edwards in Minnesota. 

Running the pick-and-roll with Nikola Jokic in Denver. 

A three-headed monster of James, Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg in Dallas.

A reunion in Miami, a reunion in Cleveland, heck a reunion with the Lakers!

Merchandise sales would explode. Ticket prices in every city across the country — including Canada would go through the stratosphere. Every city would be guaranteed at least one surreal night where the King briefly ruled their kingdom.

And the best part for LeBron? 

He would mathematically guarantee himself a championship ring no matter which team wins the Finals. A walking insurance policy for basketball immortality. And at the end of it all, James gets to pick which team he wants to play for in the NBA Playoffs. 

It’s ridiculous. It’s impossible. And it might just be genius. 

The alternative is James retires and we never get the farewell tour we’ve all been waiting for. Or, he stays with the Lakers or re-signs with the Cavaliers. Been there, seen that. 

In an era where sports often feel painfully predictable, maybe the craziest idea of all is to turn LeBron’s final act of his career into the biggest traveling show the NBA has ever seen.

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Shay Ciezki had 22 points and seven assists, Nevaeh Caffey scored nine of her 13 in the fourth quarter, and No. 13 seed Indiana overcame a 20-point deficit to beat Nebraska 72-69 on Wednesday in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament.

Indiana (18-14) has won four in a row and is 7-2 following its 0-10 start in Big Ten play.

No. 12 seed Nebraska (18-12) has lost seven of its last nine games and may have seen its NCAA Tournament bubble burst.

Amiah Hargrove led the Cornhuskers with 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting and Britt Prince had 20 points and eight assists. Logan Nissley scored 12 and Jessica Petrie added 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Ciezki had her 21st game this season with at least 20 points and passed Mackenzie Holmes (692 points, 2022-23) for second on Indiana’s single-season scoring list with 694 points this season.

Lenee Beaumont made two 3s in an 8-0 spurt that gave Indiana a 68-67 lead — its first of the game — with 1:06 left. Prince missed a pull-up jumper before Ciezki darted to the rim for a layup with 32 seconds to go. Hargrove had an offensive rebound and putback that made it a one-point game with 17 seconds remaining before Caffey made two free throws to cap the scoring.

Prince and Nissley missed potential tying 3-point shots in the closing seconds.

Beaumont scored 11 of her 14 in the second half and Edessa Noyan had 12 points and 10 rebounds for Indiana, which trailed 45-25 late in the second quarter.

Then-No. 25 Nebraska beat the Hoosiers 78-73 at home Jan. 8 to snap an eight-game skid in the series, which Indiana leads 14-7.

Up next

Indiana: Plays 11th-ranked and fifth-seeded Ohio State in the second round on Thursday.

Nebraska: Awaits a potential postseason invitation.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

The Utah Jazz will head to Philadelphia to take on the 76ers with a chance to improve their draft positioning even more. The Sixers will be without some key players so it makes this a little interesting for the Jazz.

76ers are going to be pretty shorthanded tonight without Embiid, George, or Edgecombe. https://t.co/Zn27aAx820

— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) March 4, 2026

The Jazz will also be shorthanded with their standard injuries.

The @utahjazz injury report:

OUT – Jaren Jackson Jr. (left knee; injury recovery)

OUT – Walker Kessler (left shoulder; injury recovery)

OUT – Lauri Markkanen (right hip; impingement)

OUT – Jusuf Nurkic (nose; injury recovery)

OUT – Vince Williams Jr. (left knee)

— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) March 3, 2026

The big takeaway here is that Keyonte George is available. That alone means the Jazz have a chance to take this one. George has had an outstanding season and is showing, with every game, that he’s an pace for a big season next year.

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How to watch

Who: Utah Jazz vs Philadelphia 76ers

When: 5:30 PM MT

Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena – Philadelphia, PA

How to watch Utah Jazz vs Philadelphia 76ers: Jazz+, KJZZ

ROME (AP) — Lazio and Atalanta traded four second-half goals in a 2-2 draw in the first leg of the Italian Cup semifinals Wednesday.

Fisayo Dele-Bashiru took advantage of a through pass from former Atalanta midfielder Daniel Maldini to put Lazio ahead two minutes after the break.

Mario Pasalic equalized four minutes later for Atalanta by knocking in a rebound.

Boulaye Dia took advantage of a defensive error by Pasalic and quickly found the target from the center of the area in the 87th. Then United States international Yunus Musah equalized again for Atalanta in the 90th.

Como and Inter Milan drew 0-0 in the other semifinal on Tuesday.

The second legs are scheduled for April 21-22 and the final is May 13.

Atalanta has reached the final three times in the last seven seasons but has won the trophy only once — back in 1963. Lazio is a seven-time champion, having beat Atalanta for its most recent title in 2019.

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

The Cleveland Cavaliers took down the conference-leading Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, thanks in part to 22 points from Jaylon Tyson and how well he defended MVP candidate Cade Cunningham. Tyson stepped up admirably on defense as he was physical at the point of attack and did a good job of shadowing Cunningham everywhere he went on the court.

There was, however, one exception to this.

The league office took offense at a second-quarter play where Tyson comically embellished some contact from Cunningham. Tyson threw his head back and staggered from just inside the free-throw line to the baseline, trying to get a call that didn’t come. Fortunately for the Cavs, Evan Mobley was there to provide a late contest.

The league office deemed that Tyson’s embellishment of the contact rose to the level of a “flop.” He was fined by the league $2,000 on Wednesday evening. It’s worth noting that Tyson’s antics weren’t rewarded with an offensive foul in the moment.

It was a ridiculous flop from Tyson, but whether or not it was worthy of the $2,000 fine is up for debate. Tyson obviously oversold the call, but not in a believable way. Would he have been fined if he were slightly better at flopping? Is that the lesson here? And if so, is that what we should be enforcing?

Either way, it was still a great night for Tyson, who had a standout performance with his brother Jordyn, who’s getting ready to be a top pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, in attendance.

Tyson finished the game with 22 points on 5-12 shooting from three to go along with four assists and three rebounds.

HAMBURG, Germany (AP) — Two of Bayer Leverkusen's young players combined for a breakthrough goal to beat Hamburger SV 1-0 in the Bundesliga on Wednesday and boost the team's fading challenge for Champions League qualification.

Leverkusen was having a frustrating game, with a goal ruled out for handball and a penalty decision overturned on video review, before 20-year-old midfielder Ibrahim Maza and 19-year-old forward Christian Kofane combined for the only goal in the 73rd minute.

Maza drew in Hamburg players before flicking the ball on for Kofane, who lashed it into the top-left corner.

Hamburg's own young star Luka Vušković threw his boots against the bench in frustration at the end. The 19-year-old defender, on loan from Tottenham, had a shot blocked by Leverkusen goalkeeper Janis Blaswich in the final seconds and headed the rebound onto the crossbar. Hamburg is 11th and winless in three games.

Leverkusen remained sixth in the Bundesliga but cut the gap to fourth-place Stuttgart, the last team in the Champions League places, to three points.

Leverkusen coach Kasper Hjulmand made five changes to his lineup, partly due to injuries, and handed a first senior start to 18-year-old German-American winger Montrell Culbreath, who played 80 minutes.

The game was originally meant to be played in January but it was rescheduled when Hamburg’s stadium roof suffered structural damage following heavy snow and required urgent repairs.

The win over Hamburg is part of a crucial run of games for Leverkusen, which faces Arsenal in the Champions League round of 16 next week and is struggling to qualify for next season's Champions League after winning one of its previous four Bundesliga games prior to Wednesday.

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

Kristaps Porzingis won’t be playing in Thursday’s game against the Houston Rockets, but his presence on the team plane opens the door to the big man taking the court during the team’s three-game road trip.

Kristaps Porzingis is on the Warriors’ flight for their upcoming three-game road trip pic.twitter.com/X7uhSFeTce

— Dalton Johnson (@DaltonJ_Johnson) March 4, 2026

Just look at that guy! He’s got a drink, a fun checkered cap, a sassy Adidas jacket, and a winning smile! Forget POTS — this guy is H-O-T-Stuff!

He’s not playing against the Rockets, however, joining Steph Curry (knee), Moses Moody (wrist), Will Richard (ankle), Seth Curry (back), Jimmy Butler (ACL), and Paul Arizin (deceased in 2006) as Warriors not playing Thursday. Gary Payton II remains questionable with an ankle injury and is considered day-to-day, while Sean Keane is probable for the recap (hangnail, Xfinity internet connection).

For the Rockets, the injury news is essentially reversed. They’re getting two starters back, as All-Defensive guard Amen Thompson and forward/Kevin Durant burner target Jabari Smith, Jr. are both returning from ankle ailments Thursday. They’ve won four of their last five games and are playing on two days rest after surviving a Sharife Cooper scoring explosion to defeat the Washington Wizards, who signed Angel Reese’s brother Saturday and made him their starting center. They were clearly spooked by accidentally winning twice against the Indiana Pacers.

How does Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy feel about the health struggles of Porzingis, who was acquired at the trade deadline for Jonthan Kuminga and Buddy Hield in a deal that was 100% not a salary dump? He clarified that the team was confident about their medical information on Porzingis in an appearance on Tim Kawakami’s podcast, “The TK Show.”

That’s a great question, it’s a fair question. I think it’s really, really complicated. This is a unique situation. I’d say from our end, I feel good about, from the information we had, I feel good about our evaluation of what that was on the medical side. And for that reason, that’s why we made the trade.

Thanks for clearing that up, MDJ! Glad he feels good about his “mysterious” illness (as per Steve Kerr).

On a totally unrelated note, Jonathan Kuminga is averaging 21.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.3 steals for the Atlanta Hawks. However, he is questionable for Wednesday’s Hawks game with knee inflammation, so he’s still a Warrior at heart.

You can lead a player out of a Warriors uniform in 2026, but you can’t make him healthy. But at least you can get him a delicious drink for the plane.

Does defense really win championships? A good defense is important, but in the modern NBA, where spacing, pace, and shot-making dominate — elite offense has increasingly become a prerequisite to be a true title contender. Consider the last three champions. The 2025 Oklahoma City Thunder ranked third in offensive rating, the 2024 Boston Celtics finished first, the 2023 Denver Nuggets ranked fifth. In fact, only one of the six teams to reach the NBA Finals during that span finished outside the league’s top 10 in offensive efficiency. As the regular season enters its final month, the Eastern Conference has largely consolidated into four legitimate contenders – the Pistons, Celtics, Knicks and Cavaliers. Using FTN’s NBA StatsHub, we can take a deeper look at those teams through the lens of shot-making efficiency — identifying which of the East’s top seeds is best positioned to reach the NBA Finals.

Detroit Pistons

Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, deservedly well-respected for his ability to develop young talent, has engineered one of the most impressive turnarounds in the league in the Motor City, guiding the Pistons toward the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference after the team won just 14 games two years ago. He had a similar impact in his time with the Cavaliers, taking them from a lottery team and transforming them into a playoff contender in short order. The question surrounding Bickerstaff’s teams, however, has never been about regular-season success. The larger critiques have always been about whether the offensive formula that drives those regular season wins can hold up in the postseason – something that hasn’t happened to date. Using NBA StatsHub, it’s not difficult to see those same concerns rising to the forefront of Bickerstaff’s team once again – particularly after losing to the short-handed Cavaliers Tuesday. The Pistons have only three players posting a Field Goal Percentage Over Expectation above +3% this season, and that list doesn’t include their No. 1 or No. 3 scoring options:

• Jalen Duren: +4.9% FGOE
• Duncan Robinson: +4.7% FGOE
• Isaiah Stewart: +3.0% FGOE

As a team, the Pistons rank just 25th in three-point percentage and rely heavily on converting shots inside the arc to generate offense. The result is an offense that has been effective, but not elite in terms of efficiency. Detroit currently ranks 11th in offensive rating, making them the only top contender in the Eastern Conference sitting outside the league’s top five in that category — a potential warning sign with the playoffs approaching.

Boston Celtics

When it was announced that Jayson Tatum would miss significant time to begin the 2025-26 season, expectations for the Celtics were understandably tempered. After playing alongside Kyrie Irving in his first two years in the NBA, Jayson Tatum had since led the Celtics in scoring in each of his six subsequent seasons. Naturally, when it was announced that Tatum would miss significant time to begin the 2025-2026 campaign, expectations for Boston were tempered – they entered the new campaign with a preseason win total of just 43.5 wins. Fast forward to March, and head coach Joe Mazzulla has Boston sitting at 41-20 and firmly in control of the No. 2 seed. A major reason for that success has been the Celtics’ depth of elite shot-makers. According to StatsHub, Boston has six players posting a 3%-plus Field Goal Percentage Over Expectation this season.

• Luka Garza: +6.6%
• Payton Pritchard: +4.3%
• Jaylen Brown: +3.7%
• Sam Hauser: +3.6%
• Jordan Walsh: +3.5%
• Nikola Vučević: +3.0%

Unlike Detroit, Boston’s primary scorers are all on this list, absent Derrick White, who has been more valuable as the team’s top facilitator this year. Jaylen Brown has taken a step forward as a lead option, while players like Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser have provided efficient perimeter scoring in complementary roles. The Celtics could have more help on the way, too. Reports indicate that Tatum is nearing a return from his Achillies injury, which would further strengthen the Celtics’ spacing and add another high-level shooter to an already efficient offense. The Celtics rank second in the NBA in three-point attempts per game, leaning heavily into their perimeter shooting and trusting that their collective shot-making will consistently put them in a position to win. This is a group that is more than capable of making a deep playoff run.

New York Knicks

After winning the NBA Cup, the Knicks spent the next month looking like one of the worst teams in the league. They went 7-11 across their subsequent 18 contests, ranking 25th in net rating in that span. New York has since found their groove, however, winning 15 of their last 19 games. They lead the NBA in net rating since Jan. 20 (+13.9). They rank seventh in offensive rating and have allowed the fewest points per 100 possessions during their recent hot streak.

Much of their success can be attributed to having an efficient superstar running the show in The Big Apple. Jalen Brunson owns a +4.2% Field Goal Percentage Over Expectation this season. He’s been even better of late, at 8.4% FGOE across the last month. New York’s other top offensive contributors, Mikal Bridges (+9.4% FGOE) and Karl-Anthony Towns (+6.4% FGOE) have also been playing excellent basketball as we approach the homestretch of the schedule. The Knicks are peaking at the right time of year and look as capable as any team in the Eastern Conference right now.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavaliers are the biggest wild card in the Eastern Conference this season. They entered the new campaign as the odds-on favorite to win the East, but injuries and a lack of consistent availability from their core four led to a tumultuous first half of their schedule. In early February, they abandoned their traditional core-four, trading Darius Garland to the Clippers  in exchange for James Harden – a gamble that has worked brilliantly to date. Cleveland is 8-3 since the trade, ranking seventh in the NBA in net rating during that span, despite Donovan Mitchell and other key players continuing to miss time due to various ailments. Tuesday, the Cavaliers defeated the No. 1 seed Pistons without Mitchell and Dean Wade, the latter of whom is their best perimeter defender. Harden has fully unlocked Jarrett Allen on the offensive end of the floor, evident from the fact that he leads the entire NBA in Field Goal Percentage Over Expectation during the last 30 days (min. 5 games played, 10 FGA/game). This roster doesn’t have the chemistry or cohesion of other contenders in the East, but they have re-emerged as the odds-on favorites to win the conference for valid reasons. The ceiling for the Cavaliers is arguably higher than any of Detroit, Boston, or New York.

The Takeaway

Among Eastern Conference contenders, Boston’s offensive profile appears most sustainable to make a deep postseason run. They have a clear No. 1 scorer in Jaylen Brown, who is surrounded by a number of high-quality shot-makers. If Field Goal Percentage Over Expectation is any indication, we could be seeing the Celtics back in the NBA Finals this June.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Olivia Hamlin scored 16 points, Delaney Gibb and Lara Rohkohl each had 15, and Sydney Benally added 14 as BYU beat Houston 76-66 in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday.

After winning its first Big 12 Tournament game in its third season as a conference member, ninth-seeded BYU (21-10) will play eighth-seeded Utah in the second round Thursday.

BYU outshot 16th-seeded Houston 47% to 31% but had to overcome 22 turnovers and didn't have the game in hand until the final minutes.

Shun’teria Anumele scored 17 points and TK Pitts 14 for Houston (7-23). The two combined for eight straight points as Houston cut a 12-point deficit to three to open the fourth quarter. BYU held on, leading by five with 3:20 to go before scoring the next eight points with Hamlin making it 74-61 on a bucket in the paint.

Brinley Cannon hit a 3-pointer — her first shot of the game — to open the third and give BYU the lead for good. Rohkohl scored eight points on 4-of-5 shooting and BYU led 56-44 heading into the final period.

BYU never trailed but found itself tied at 29 at halftime after committing 15 turnovers, 10 in the first quarter when it led 11-10.

Jade Jones added 11 points for Houston.

BYU had won the lone regular-season matchup 79-64 on Jan. 10 against a Houston team that was missing four players, three of whom had been suspended for the game following their ejections after a scuffle against Kansas State on Jan. 7.

Up next

BYU: The Cougars, on a four-game win streak, swept Utah in two regular-season games, each time by 12 points.

Houston: Season is over after going 1-17 in Big 12 play before losing Wednesday.

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New Los Angeles Lakers president of business operations Lon Rosen has made a familiar hire, bringing another Los Angeles Dodgers suit with him.

The Lakers announced Wednesday afternoon the hiring of Michael Spetner as chief strategy and growth officer, a newly created position in which "he will be responsible for leading the organization's long-term business strategy, driving value and identifying opportunities for international growth."

"As we look to redefine what's possible across the sports landscape for fans and partners, we will build on the Lakers legacy and orient toward the future to consider what's next," Rosen said in the statement. "Michael's leadership will help us optimize our business to ensure long-term value."

Spetner has been the Dodgers vice president of business strategy and analytics since 2015, where he reportedly focused heavily on engaging with international audiences. The Dodgers' footprint in Japan has skyrocketed in the last two years after the signings of superstars Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, and Spetner reportedly helped the team capitalize on that by overseeing efforts to launch a fan club based in Japan and the creation of an immersive exhibit in Tokyo highlighting the team's history.

According to his bio on the Dodgers' staff directory, Spetner "developed analytical tools and frameworks to help business leaders across the organization leverage data and insights to make key decisions."

When Rosen first spoke with reporters in the days after his hiring, he mentioned that he "only dreamed of having the reach that the Lakers have" in his role with the Dodgers. Spetner was a major part of building towards that dream, and now he gets the chance to push the Lakers' growth even further as one of the earliest hires in new owner Mark Walter's ongoing front office overhaul.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Meet Michael Spetner, the Lakers latest front office hire from Dodgers

PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — A brawl between South Alabama and Coastal Carolina in the women's Sun Belt Tournament on Wednesday left eight players ejected and knocked a referee to the ground where she required medical attention.

There were under six minutes left in the fourth quarter when South Alabama’s Cordasia Harris and Coastal Carolina’s Tracey Hueston began fighting under the basket. Harris appeared to bump Hueston slightly from behind before Hueston turned around and began pushing and swinging at Harris, who pushed back.

Two referees, multiple teammates and staff members quickly worked to separate the women and a referee was knocked to the ground in the melee. She appeared to be hit in the head or neck area by Hueston as the referee was attempting to push her away from Harris.

She remained on the ground on her back while order was restored and multiple staff members and a medical professional ran onto the court to attend to her. A sheriff’s deputy also came onto the court after the fight ended.

There was no immediate update on the referee's condition.

Hueston and Harris were both given technical fouls and ejected, along with six other players who participated in the fight.

South Alabama won the game 80-70.

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