BOTTOM LINE: Sacramento plays the San Antonio Spurs after DeMar DeRozan scored 41 points in the Sacramento Kings' 116-111 win over the Utah Jazz.
The Kings are 12-34 against conference opponents. Sacramento gives up 120.6 points and has been outscored by 9.8 points per game.
The Spurs are 29-14 in Western Conference play. San Antonio ranks second in the Western Conference with 46.6 rebounds per game led by Victor Wembanyama averaging 11.2.
The Kings average 10.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.9 fewer makes per game than the Spurs give up (12.9). The Spurs average 118.8 points per game, 1.8 fewer than the 120.6 the Kings give up.
The two teams play for the third time this season. The Spurs defeated the Kings 139-122 in their last matchup on Feb. 22. Wembanyama led the Spurs with 28 points, and DeRozan led the Kings with 20 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: DeRozan is shooting 49.8% and averaging 18.8 points for the Kings. Daeqwon Plowden is averaging 1.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
De'Aaron Fox is scoring 19.1 points per game and averaging 3.7 rebounds for the Spurs. Wembanyama is averaging 2.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Kings: 5-5, averaging 114.0 points, 46.3 rebounds, 27.1 assists, 7.9 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 48.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.0 points per game.
Spurs: 8-2, averaging 121.8 points, 46.5 rebounds, 30.3 assists, 6.8 steals and 6.3 blocks per game while shooting 49.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.2 points.
INJURIES: Kings: Malik Monk: day to day (ankle), Domantas Sabonis: out for season (back), Devin Carter: out (calf), De'Andre Hunter: out for season (eye), Zach LaVine: out for season (finger), Drew Eubanks: out for season (thumb), Keegan Murray: out (ankle).
Spurs: Dylan Harper: out (calf), David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle), Luke Kornet: out (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Toronto Raptors (38-29, sixth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Chicago Bulls (28-40, 12th in the Eastern Conference)
Chicago; Wednesday, 8 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Toronto will try to break its three-game road skid when the Raptors visit Chicago.
The Bulls are 17-26 in conference play. Chicago ranks sixth in the NBA averaging 14.6 made 3-pointers per game while shooting 36.3% from downtown. Anfernee Simons leads the team averaging 2.7 makes while shooting 38.5% from 3-point range.
The Raptors are 28-16 in conference games. Toronto is 7-4 in one-possession games.
The Bulls are shooting 46.9% from the field this season, 0.4 percentage points higher than the 46.5% the Raptors allow to opponents. The Bulls average 113.6 points per game, 6.4 fewer points than the 120.0 the Bulls give up to opponents.
The two teams play for the third time this season. The Raptors defeated the Bulls 110-101 in their last meeting on Feb. 20. Brandon Ingram led the Raptors with 31 points, and Simons led the Bulls with 20 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Josh Giddey is averaging 17.9 points, 8.6 rebounds and 8.9 assists for the Bulls. Matas Buzelis is averaging 21.3 points over the last 10 games.
Immanuel Quickley is shooting 44.4% and averaging 17.1 points for the Raptors. RJ Barrett is averaging 1.9 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Bulls: 4-6, averaging 115.4 points, 47.2 rebounds, 27.9 assists, 7.1 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.6 points per game.
Raptors: 4-6, averaging 112.3 points, 39.4 rebounds, 25.4 assists, 8.6 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.7 points.
INJURIES: Bulls: Anfernee Simons: out (wrist), Isaac Okoro: out (knee), Noa Essengue: out for season (shoulder), Jaden Ivey: out (knee), Zach Collins: out for season (toe), Collin Sexton: out (leg).
Raptors: Collin Murray-Boyles: day to day (thumb).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Los Angeles Lakers (43-25, third in the Western Conference) vs. Houston Rockets (41-26, fourth in the Western Conference)
Houston; Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Los Angeles looks to keep its six-game win streak alive when the Lakers take on Houston.
The Rockets are 23-20 against Western Conference opponents. Houston averages 14.7 turnovers per game and is 16-7 when it turns the ball over less than its opponents.
The Lakers have gone 29-16 against Western Conference opponents. Los Angeles has a 7-2 record in one-possession games.
The Rockets are shooting 47.4% from the field this season, 1.0 percentage point lower than the 48.4% the Lakers allow to opponents. The Lakers score 6.5 more points per game (116.3) than the Rockets allow their opponents to score (109.8).
The teams meet for the third time this season. In the last meeting on March 17 the Lakers won 100-92 led by 36 points from Luka Doncic, while Jabari Smith Jr. scored 22 points for the Rockets.
TOP PERFORMERS: Kevin Durant is averaging 25.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists for the Rockets. Reed Sheppard is averaging 3.3 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LeBron James is averaging 21.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.9 assists for the Lakers. Doncic is averaging 33.5 points and 8.7 rebounds while shooting 49.4% over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Rockets: 5-5, averaging 108.5 points, 46.9 rebounds, 23.7 assists, 8.0 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 47.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.3 points per game.
Lakers: 9-1, averaging 120.7 points, 41.5 rebounds, 27.7 assists, 9.5 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 49.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.3 points.
INJURIES: Rockets: Jae'Sean Tate: out (knee), Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Alperen Sengun: out (back), Steven Adams: out for season (ankle).
Lakers: Maxi Kleber: out (back).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
INGLEWOOD, CA - MARCH 16: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs plays defense during the game against the LA Clippers on March 16, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Following a 5-1 home stand, the Spurs kicked off their road trip Monday night against a Kawhi-less Clippers team, narrowly escaping with a win.
The Spurs got off to a sluggish start, falling behind 17-3 in just the first four minutes of the game. It didn’t help that LAC started hot from deep, hitting three triples and directing their offense away from Wemby’s Go-Go Gadget arms. Following a timeout, San Antonio went on an 8-0 run to calm the Clippers’ storm. De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle got to the basket and scored at will, as they took advantage of LA’s lack of rim protection. The Spurs went 11-15 from two in just the first quarter, but 1-12 from deep kept them from blowing the doors wide open.
Defensively, the good guys weren’t bad, but LA’s hot shooting helped them score 37 in the opening frame alone. Thankfully, they soon grew cold, allowing San Antonio to go on a 15-0 run and lead for the first time. With Wemby back in the game, the Spurs also dominated the glass: San Antonio finished the first half with 12 offensive rebounds, and their inside dominance helped them turn a 14-point deficit into a 66-52 lead at halftime.
The Silver & Black continued to control play to start the third. LA couldn’t generate any offense with their shooting going cold and Wemby sealing off the basket, while the Spurs kept up their assault at the Clippers’ rim. As a result, San Antonio went on another run to push their lead to 24, which seemed like an insurmountable deficit for LA. Unfortunately, the good guys seemed to think the same, as they took their foot off the gas after Wemby subbed out. The Clippers began scoring from inside the arc, which coincided with San Antonio getting careless with the ball and chucking up bad shots. In the blink of an eye, the home team had cut the lead down to 8, forcing Mitch Johnson to play Wemby and his starters more minutes than expected.
As soon as the Alien came back in the game, the Spurs went on another run to regain their double-digit lead. However, LA would not go away, making it a two-possession game once again following a four-point play from Darius Garland. San Antonio’s late-game offense went into the gutter, forcing up bad shots and giving LA numerous chances to make a comeback. The Spurs needed two fortuitous foul calls from the refs and an unsuccessful challenge from Ty Lue to finally seal a 119-115 victory.
Game notes
The Spurs trailed 17-3 just four minutes into the game before going into halftime up 66-52. In other words, they outscored the Clippers by 28 in under a half, and also conceded just 15 points in the second quarter after giving up 37 in the first. San Antonio levelled up at will — a hallmark of an elite team — but they’ll need to maintain focus and hold on to big leads in order to truly have a chance at winning the title this year.
Wemby tweaked his right ankle in the second quarter after inadvertently stepping on Castle’s foot. That’s the same ankle that forced him to sit against Denver last week, but another angle seemed to show that it was his shoe that came off and twisted at an odd angle, and not his actual foot. Wemby did stay in the game, but it’ll be interesting to see if he’s on a minutes restriction against Sacramento given that it’s a back-to-back.
Carter Bryant’s confidence is growing every game. In the second quarter alone, he took a self-created step back three, attacked the basket and put in his own rebound, and drew a foul going downhill in transition. The decision-making is still spotty (like the three, which he missed), but that will improve with time. At the rate he’s grown this season, Bryant might see some legitimate minutes in the playoffs — a scenario that was unfathomable in October.
Play of the game
Defense —> offense from Area 51. What more can you ask for?
INGLEWOOD, CA - MARCH 16: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket during the game against the LA Clippers on March 16, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The San Antonio Spurs got their 50th win of the season against the Clippers in Los Angeles. They dominated the glass and got significant contributions from Area 51 plus more. It’s their first time reaching that many wins since 2016-17, and they still have 14 games left.
They came out stumbling like they had the Venice Beach flu, missing their first seven shots and were behind 14 points in fewer than five minutes. Their offense was getting out of the mud by the end of the first quarter, in part because of De’Aaron Fox’s rim pressure and Carter Bryant’s hustle, but they were slow to get back in transition and cover the 3-point line.
The Spurs’ ball movement and persistence to break into the lane closed the distance quickly in the second quarter. The other factor was that the Clippers’ half-court offense couldn’t sustain its production, and they weren’t allowed to advance on the break anymore. It was turning into a massacre going into halftime as the Spurs outscored them by 22 in the period.
They subsequently returned to blasting the paint like a wild ball and chain leveling a building. On top of that, Devin Vassell made sure to sprinkle in two 3-pointers, and they led by as much as 24 points.
Naturally, they got comfortable, and a Clippers surge followed when Castle checked out. By the fourth, Wemby’s length wasn’t the same intimidation factor since the Clippers were getting inside, and the frustration on the Spurs was palpable. They were hanging on for much of the period and even when they were about to pull away, Darius Garland nailed a four-point play to keep LAC in it.
The Spurs had to play the free-throw game in the last minute, and Vassell plus Fox delivered. They also got some help by the Clippers taking too long to shoot before fouling, and they weren’t 3-pointers, which played into the Spurs’ hands.
Observations
No Kawhi Leonard for the Clippers meant that they couldn’t bend the defense at mid-range, yet the Spurs still took them lightly and were a step slow to recover after helping. Stephon Castle’s top assignment became Garland. The latter’s shot creation caused the Spurs to over-help, as he set up 3-pointers, and he burned them with multiple of his own, yet he slowed down in part by his own hand, making lazy passes that ended in turnovers.
Luke Kornet’s absence opened the door for Mason Plumlee and Bryant to get minutes as the backup center. Bryant even got some time checking the burly Brook Lopez and was trying to front the entry pass to the post. He did well and played a key stretch of center in the fourth, but these types of challenges won’t always have positive results this early in his career. What counts is that he plays every game like it’s his last.
The Spurs can crank up the intensity with any squad. Bryant and Castle each recovered an offensive rebound after a free throw in the first half, and Johnson forced a turnover in Clippers territory while in full-court press. Yet they can also suffer terrible drop-offs, like six third-quarter turnovers, that reinvigorate the opponent, and sometimes the team has to win twice.
The threes weren’t falling in the first half, so the Spurs detonated in the paint for 42 paint points despite seeing more bodies up close because of a zone, and finished with 64. Their reinforcements, led by Johnson, were not effective in the second half, and it took major work in the trenches to get away. Keep in mind that the team had 22 offensive rebounds, a new season high, and those turned into 25 second-chance points.
Multiple penetrators next to the Wemby in the rotation ensure a high level of read-and-react offense in which opponents mostly pick the wrong poison. Castle was fearless when he put his head down, and even showed off some fancy dribbling. Most impressively, he finished with a 2.67 assist-to-turnover ratio.
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 16: Kristaps Porzingis #7 and De'anthony Melton #8 of the Golden State Warriors celebrate in the first quarter against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on March 16, 2026 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was the stoppable force meeting the movable object Monday night in Washington, D.C. The Golden State Warriors had lost five straight games and played without Al Horford and both Curry brothers. The Washington Wizards had lost 11 straight and was starting WNBA star Angel Reese’s brother and three players who weren’t alive yet when “Anchorman” was released.
But Kristaps Porzingis scored 30 points against his old team, De’Anthony Melton scored 27, and Gui Santos scored 18 in 28 minutes in a foul-plagued effort as the Warriors won, 125-117. It was a welcome win for the slumping Warriors, who have four games left on a cross-country road trip that heads to Boston Wednesday.
Was it a sloppy game of basketball? Yes it was, as seen when Pat Spencer and Jamir Watkins traded no-look passes to no one in the first quarter.
I regret to inform our readers that both players were definitively Shaqtin’ A Fool on that play.
Porzingis was the star, shooting 8-for-13 and making 13 of 14 free throws. He added five rebounds, four assists, three blocks, two steals, and a partridge in a pear tree. KP’s prettiest basket came on a great pass from Gary Payton II, who had 15 points off the bench.
Melton remains one of the NBA’s best signings this year, putting up 20+ points for the third time in four games. He shot 12-for-17 for the game and delivered one of the Warriors’ best dunks of the season when he elevated for an emphatic dunk over Sharife Cooper.
Golden State took a 17-point lead early in the second quarter, after Bub Carrington was called for a technical foul. Six minutes later, Trae Young and rookies Tre Johnson and Will Riley had brought the Wizards to within two points, though two free throws from new Warrior Omer Yurtseven gave them a seven-point halftime lead.
The Warriors got a huge break in the third quarter after another Shaqtin-adjacent play from Spencer. Second-year guard Bub Carrington broke Spencer’s ankles and dropped him, before sinking a jumper. Carrington appeared to continue chirping at the other end, and Scott Foster ejected him.
🔥 Bub Carrington breaks Pat Spencer's ANKLES – Scott Foster Ejected bub because it was too cold 🥶 pic.twitter.com/PQVfrT858B
It’s very rare that Scott Foster holds a grudge or makes an NBA game all about him instead of the players, so Carrington clearly said something bad like, “Say hi to your old friend Tim Donaghy” or “You were pretty unfair to Chris Paul.”
That was the story of the game: The Warriors took a big lead, the Wizards chipped away at it, but couldn’t quite catch up. The Dubs didn’t have the players to put away the Wizards, while the Wizards didn’t have the players, at all, especially with Young and the rookie Johnson staying on the bench for the whole final quarter.
The game wasn’t locked up until the Wizards started playing Porzingis like he was Bam Adebayo and sending him to the line every Warriors possession. The final dagger came when Brandin Podziemski (10 quiet points) rebounded a Porzingis miss and Gui Santos found Payton for a layup.
Young, Riley, and Bilal Coulibaly all scored 21 points for the Wizards, who seem like they could be a dangerous team soon, if their coach was actually trying to win. But Washington is more concerned with preserving their top-8 protected pick in June than winning games, even when you’d think you’d want a No. 6 overall pick like Johnson to play in fourth quarters in close games.
But unlike the Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz in recent games, the Wizards simply refused to let the Warriors blow a win they effectively handed to them. Getting 65 bench points (versus 29 for the Wizards) went a long way, as did Santos’ four three-pointers and 16 energetic minutes from Malevy Leons (8 points, two offensive rebounds).
The Hawks are 5-0 in Kuminga’s games. Golden State is 1-4 with Porzingis.
The Warriors remain a half-game ahead of the 10th-place Portland Trail Blazers and somehow only one game back of the Los Angeles Clippers. At this point in the season, the Warriors can’t take any games for granted or let any win pass without savoring it. Monday, they stopped a skid and grabbed a win that would have been awful to let slip away.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - MARCH 16: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks looks to pass against Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at Smoothie King Center on March 16, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks took on the New Orleans Pelicans Monday night to close out a seemingly endless road trip. The Pelicans dealt Dallas a 129-111 loss, resulting in a potentially meaningful impact on each team’s draft chances this offseason. With the loss, Dallas and New Orleans are now tied in the standings, but the Pelicans have a 3-1 season series advantage (or disadvantage) over the Mavs.
Let’s get to the grades!
Ryan Nembhard: C-
2 PTS / 4 REB / 6 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 25 MIN
A 1-for-8 shooting night drives Nembhard’s grade down despite a solid assist total and even a few rebounds. He didn’t have much playing time, but regardless, there was very little to write home about Monday night.
Max Christie: B+
12 PTS / 4 REB / 0 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK – 32 MIN
Christie may just be finding his form again, with the second night of a back-to-back looking much like the first night. Christie didn’t light up the box score, but he hit his shots (4-for-7 overall; 4-for-6 from deep) and even played a bit of defense in a solid game where Naji Marshall and Cooper Flagg (rightfully) got a ton of touches, leaving him to make the most of what he could. Fewer three-point attempts and more drives or mid-range shots would have been nice, but you can’t argue with the results from deep in this one.
Naji Marshall: A+
32 PTS / 8 REB / 7 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 33 MIN
Although he wasn’t as blazing hot from the field as he was on Sunday, Marshall was by far the best player for the Mavs on Monday night and converted on half of his 24 shot attempts. He did just about everything right, and it’s a struggle to find anything to be unhappy about. Maybe no steals or blocks, but that is a nit-picky stretch. Marshall was just awesome across the board.
Cooper Flagg: B+
21 PTS / 7 REB / 8 AST / 2 STL / 1 BLK – 30 MIN
While not as dominant as Marshall was, Flagg had a great game in his own right. This is the second game in a row his turnover total was high (four), but his assist total was quite high as well. Once he refines that part of his game just a bit, he’s likely going to maintain those high-assist nights with low-turnover performances and it’s going to be amazing.
P.J. Washington: A-
18 PTS / 7 REB / 1 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 31 MIN
Washington has been showing glimpses of the player so many fell in love with. His grade drifts a bit high, in part because he re-established his baseline somewhat low of late. Monday night, he was 7-for-13, including 4-for-8 from deep, had zero turnovers, and committed only a single foul in a very nice complementary game.
Marvin Bagley: A-
9 PTS / 9 REB / 1 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 19 MIN
Bagley has largely won me over at this point (if not many games ago). He was 4-for-7, including hitting his only three-point attempt and sniffed a double-double in under 20 minutes. Even better, six of his nine boards were on the offensive end. This was an efficient game where Bagley, like Christie, made the most of his minutes and touches.
Khris Middleton: C-
6 PTS / 4 REB / 1 AST / 2 STL / 0 BLK – 18 MIN
It’s not immediately clear what happened with Middleton Monday night, but it wasn’t exactly pretty. He did a little bit here and there, but was only 2-for-9 in a game where he just never got comfortable.
Final Thoughts
The Mavericks have lost three of four matchups with the Pelicans, with whom they are now tied in the standings. The Pelicans are trending in the opposite direction as Dallas over the past few weeks, so the Mavs may just secure a lower place in the standings when all is said and done. While this obviously isn’t the goal, the silver lining to a tough season is a potentially better draft pick come summertime.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
NEW ORLEANS, LA - MARCH 16: Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans plays defense during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on March 16, 2026 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks lost 129-111 to the New Orleans Pelicans Monday night in New Orleans. This was the Mavericks fourth game in five nights, a rarity in the modern NBA, and the team certainly looked sluggish.
New Orleans waxed the Mavericks from about midway through the first quarter and never truly looked back. The Pelicans had a double-digit lead for most of the game and were never threatened after taking a six point lead at the end of the first quarter.
Zion Williamson led the Pelicans with 27 points on only 13 shot attempts. Naji Marshall led the Mavericks and all scorers with 32 points. The Mavericks will now take on the red-shot Atlanta Hawks next, winners of 10 straight games.
Here are the numbers we noticed.
68: Pelicans points in the paint
The easiest number to look at after a blowout is how much paint points did the team give up, and Dallas didn’t disappoint there: the Pelicans nearly notched 70 points in the paint and rampaged toward the basket with ease all night.
Dallas started PJ Washington at center for the second straight game and this time got punished for it. The Cavaliers basically had just Evan Mobley as the only threatening big on Sunday, and couldn’t do much to punish the Mavericks small ball lineup. New Orleans plays a ton of bigs — Williamson, Yves Missi, Karlo Matkovic, and rookie Derik Queen. All four of those guys had positive impacts on the game, with Williamson shooting a nearly perfect 11-of-13 from the floor.
New Orleans as a team shot 29-of-41 from the restricted area. The makes and attempts are really bad for the Mavericks there, and they had zero juice on the their second back-to-back in five days.
2: Cooper Flagg free throw attempts
Cooper Flagg is getting a rookie whistle, which is going to drive Mavericks fans nuts, but it’s OK. It happens. Tonight’s game was particularly egregious though: Flagg shot 17 shots in the paint and only had two free throw attempts to show for it.
The highlight (or really lowlight) was in the second half when Flagg got the rim, got his shot blocked, but the Pelicans player in his follow through came down across Flagg’s face and whacked him in the head. I get it, NBA players are allowed to commit felonies as long as they get the ball first, but this was silly. Even if it’s not a shooting foul it felt like it should have been *something*, and it was just an a bad moment.
It’s annoying that this really only gets solved with Flagg not being a rookie anymore, and that doesn’t change for seven or so more months. Sigh.
39: Fastbreak points for the Mavericks
This was a wickedly fast game, both teams got up and down the floor a bunch. It’s not very often you’ll see a team score nearly 40 points in transition and get blown out.
This was just such an weird game. I don’t have much more to say about this stat other than it caught my eye. It’s hard to score 39 transition points and lose, and not only lose, but lose by a lot!
Lakers star Luka Doncic, left, shoots over Houston's Jabari Smith Jr. during the first half of the Lakers' 100-92 win Monday. (David J. Phillip / Associated Press)
In their first meeting of the season on Christmas Day, Lakers coach JJ Redick said the Lakers were “punked” by the Houston Rockets and vowed not to let it happen again.
On Monday, the Lakers displayed their toug to hness in a 100-92 win over the Rockets at Toyota Center.
Even when they missed 14 comsecutive shots at one point in the fourth quarter, the Lakers showed their resilience with a gritty defensive effort that kept them in the game. The Lakers scored only 17 points in the fourth, but they held the Rockets to just 12 points en route to their sixth consecutive win.
“They're a really good basketball team and they make you either play hard and match their physicality, and how they muck the game up, or you can lay down,” Redick said. “And we didn't lay down tonight. Had a deficit there in the third quarter. Our guys just kept playing.”
But three big baskets from Deandre Ayton (seven points, 11 rebounds) and a big three-pointer by Marcus Smart (11 points) helped the Lakers open their six-game trip with a win.
Sitting third in the Western Conference, the Lakers (43-25) will take a 1½-game lead over the Rockets (41-26) into their rematch on Wednesday night.
“Obviously, we have another one on Wednesday, but it was a very important game," said Doncic, who shot 14 for 27 from the field. We've been playing very good. Our defense has been pretty good, so just gotta continue that way.”
The Lakers threw double teams at Houston's Kevin Durant all game, limiting him to 18 points and forcing him into seven of the Rockets' 24 turnovers.
Durant shot only 16 times yet made eight. He was one for three in the fourth quarter and had just as many turnovers as points (two) in the final 12 minutes. One of those turnovers was on an eight-second violation.
“He’s one of the greatest players we’ve ever seen play," James said. "Obviously you got to try to show him different looks, try to keep him off-balanced and when he shoots, hope he misses. So, I thought we did a good job of having a game plan but also just switching up our pitches.
"You can’t show a great like that too many of the same coverages throughout the whole game. He’ll get a feel for it."
Doncic got off to what has become his typical first-quarter starts, scoring 16 points on seven-for-10 shooting. But Houston took a 58-51 lead at halftime after taking control of the boards in the second quarter. The Rockets turned six offensive rebounds into 13 points.
The Lakers also had a hard time scoring, shooting only 32% from the field and 13% (one for eight) from three-point range in the quarter.
After trailing by as many as 10 points in the third quarter, the Lakers surged and took an 83-80 lead heading into the fourth. After what happened in L.A. back in December, the Lakers were determined not to let Houston run away with the game.
After taking an 85-80 lead, the Lakers struggled to find consistent offense until Ayton checked back into the game with 4:52 left. Ayton scored on a tip shot to give the Lakers an 89-88 lead, then scored off a pair of offensive rebounds in the final 90 seconds to help keep the Lakers ahead for good. He finished with six points and five rebounds in the fourth quarter.
“He was amazing,” James said. “I mean, just the fact that he was sitting over there for as long as he did and stayed locked in on the game and came in and finished the game. He was able to get a tip-dunk, a couple of jump hooks around the rim, and a couple of rebounds. He helped us finish the game.”
Note: Lakers backup center Maxi Kleber did not play as he continues to recover from a lumbar back strain. "He's basically been shut down for five days to sort of heal,” Redick said. “He's not with us right now, and we hope he's able to join us later on in the trip."
Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic (77) shoots as Houston Rockets’ Amen Thompson (1) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, March 16, 2026, in Houston. (AP...
HOUSTON — It wasn’t the prettiest game.
And both teams seemingly showed the effects of a late start.
But at this point of the season, winning is what matters most, and that’s exactly what the Lakers did in their 100-92 victory over the Rockets at Toyota Center.
Luka Doncic led the Lakers with 36 points, six rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals.
Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic shoots as Houston Rockets’ Amen Thompson defends. AP
LeBron James had 18 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals. Marcus Smart finished with 11 points, shooting 3-of-7 on 3-pointers.
Austin Reaves struggled with his shot (5 of 18) but finished with 15 points, five assists and four steals.
What it means
The Lakers improved to 43-25 on the season, not only maintaining their No. 3 spot in the Western Conference standings, but giving themselves a cushion.
They also pulled off their fourth straight win over a team with a .600-or-better winning percentage.
Houston Rockets’ Kevin Durant is defended by Los Angeles Lakers’ Marcus Smart. AP
Turning point
When Tari Eason was called for goaltending on Deandre Ayton with 3:16 left in the game.
The score not only put the Lakers up 89-88, but it was technically their first made basket in eight minutes of game action.
The Lakers closed out the game on a 13-4 run.
MVP: Luka Doncic
Doncic had his sixth game scoring at least 30 points.
Luka Doncic shined once again. NBAE via Getty Images
Stat of the game: 15
That’s how many offensive reboudnds the Rockets grabbed.
The Rockets scored 23 second-chance points off of those extra opportunities, their biggest advantage over the Lakers, who scored 11 second-chance points.
But the Lakers scored seven more points from the three throw line.
Up next
The Lakers will play the Rockets again on Wednesday at Toyota Center for the second matchup of their six-game trip.
HOUSTON (AP) — Luka Doncic scored 36 points to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 100-92 victory over the Houston Rockets on Monday night in the opener of a two-game series between teams fighting for Western Conference playoff position.
Los Angeles moved 1 1/2 games ahead of Houston for third in the West standings. There were 13 lead changes in a game that had a playoff atmosphere, but the Lakers ultimately won their sixth straight.
LeBron James found Marcus Smart for a corner 3-pointer that put Los Angeles up 94-90 with 2 minutes remaining. James finished with 18 points, five rebounds and five assists.
Doncic hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the fading minutes of the third quarter to give the Lakers an 83-80 lead after trailing 57-51 at halftime. Doncic was 4 for 12 on 3s in the game and needs 11 more to match D’Angelo Russell’s franchise record of 226 in a season.
Doncic had his sixth straight game with 30 or more points but fell just short of his 12th 40-point game this season. He went 14 for 27 from the field.
Jabari Smith Jr. led Houston with 22 points. Amen Thompson had 19 and Kevin Durant added 18 for the Rockets, who committed 24 turnovers compared with just 12 for Los Angeles.
Houston was without Alperen Sengun, who was dealing with lower back pain. Sengun is averaging 20.2 points, second only to Durant for the Rockets.
The Rockets took the first meeting between the two teams this season, 119-96, in Los Angeles on Dec. 25.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 16: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket against Dorian Finney-Smith #2 of the Houston Rockets during the first quarter of the game at Toyota Center on March 16, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Lakers survived an ugly, ugly fourth quarter of basketball to come away with a sixth straight win, knocking off the Rockets on the road, 100-92.
An absolute rock fight broke out between the two teams in the fourth as they combined for just 12 points in the first eight minutes of the period. The Lakers eventually found offense, opening up a multiple-possession lead that proved enough.
In the end, some big baskets from Deandre Ayton and a strong defensive showing in the fourth proved enough to come away with yet another big win against a fellow playoff contender.
The game began with Clint Capela splitting a pair of free throws. LeBron James and Luka Dončić were leading the Lakers early with four and nine points, respectively. Jabari Smith Jr. started well for Houston with four points.
Both teams were shooting 60% from the field. The Rockets missed two 3-pointers, while LA made one.
Los Angeles went on a run that put them ahead by two at the 6:40 mark. Luka entered double figures with 14 points.
Fresh of his Player of the Week honor, Luka Dončić is hot early in Houston, hitting 6 of his first 8 shots, including 2 3's, for 14 of LA's 22 points in a 3-point lead.
Kevin Durant started cooking with eight points. Rui Hachimura provided a nice spark off the bench with four points. At the 2:16 mark, the Lakers were up by three. The purple and gold allowed Reed Sheppard to score a fast five points, cutting the lead to just one for LA.
The Lakers were shooting nearly 70% for the quarter, but missed a pair of good looks in the final minute, and allowed 2 offensive boards on one trip, leading to an open 3 for Houston.
Austin Reaves opened the second period with a layup for Los Angeles. Smith Jr. responded on the other end with a triple. Reaves converted on another layup, giving him six points. After Jake LaRavia scored on a layup, Houston called a timeout.
Out of the break, Dorian Finney-Smith drained a 3-pointer.
In the battle of the bigs, Capela was winning so far with six points and three rebounds. Deandre Ayton had zero points with three rebounds and a steal. LaRavia and Reaves were both fouled a few times, converting on six free throws combined.
At the 7:25 mark, LA was up by four.
Houston jumped ahead after scoring four in a row. The Lakers retook the lead after Luka converted on a midrange jumper. Both teams started going back and forth, taking the lead. The Rockets were up by three with 2:45 left in the half.
At halftime, the Lakers were down by six.
The Lakers allowed the final 5 points of the 1st Q, and then the final 4 of the 2nd Q, with Houston taking a 57-51 lead into the half.
Amen Thompson started the third period with a layup for Houston. Smart responded on the other end with a layup himself, pushing his point total to eight. The Rockets were shooting 60% in the quarter, while LA was shooting 44%. LeBron had five of Los Angeles’ 10 in the quarter.
Luka began heating up, scoring a quick five points.
Over a two-minute span, the Lakers put together an 11-2 scoring run that gave them a one-point lead. The run had expanded to 23-7 until Houston surged for four in a row to stop some of the bleeding.
Lakers are on a 23-7 run to go up 80-74, capped by another 3 from Dončić, who's up to 31 points in his 29 minutes.
Heading into the fourth, Los Angeles was up by three.
The final frame started with both teams turning the ball over. LeBron then dunked on the other end off an assist from Reaves. Houston responded to make it a two-point game. LA started missing their shots, but their aggressive defense kept them in the lead and forced 20 turnovers for the Rockets.
Houston tied the game at the 6:52 mark.
The 23-5 margin in second-chance points was hurting the Lakers. The Rockets were on an 8-0 run. LeBron converted on free throws to cut the deficit to one for Los Angeles. Reaves had 15 points, but was a brutal 0-7 from behind the arc.
Durant picked up his sixth turnover.
After a rough seven-minute scoring drought for the Lakers, Ayton scored on a layup that was deemed a goaltend by Tari Eason. Luka then converted on a jumper to give LA a three-point lead.
With 2:14 left, Los Angeles was nursing a one-point lead.
Smart knocked down a big-time triple to put LA up by four. Ayton then ignited for two clutch buckets, pushing Los Angeles’ lead to eight with 43 seconds left. Reaves stole the ball and threw an assist to LeBron for a dunk that sealed the win.
Key Player Stats
Luka finished with 36 points, six rebounds and four assists. LeBron ended with 18 points, five rebounds and five assists. Reaves scored 15 points with three rebounds, five assists and four steals.
Smart notched 11 points. LaRavia pitched in with seven points and three steals. Hachimura had six points with three rebounds.
The Lakers’ next matchup will be against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday at 6:30 PM PT.
With the Nets hosting Portland — and rising Trail Blazers star Deni Avdija taking on Nets rookies Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf — Monday marked the first time three Israelis ever faced off in the NBA.
“Yeah, it’s special,” said Nets coach Jordi Fernández. “When other countries outside the US and Europe can be represented with three players here, it means the world, and it’s a special day that everybody has to enjoy. And I think they are already. …I don’t know Deni, but I’m sure he’s excited to play. I know Ben and Danny are.
“And that’s good. It’s one of the two times that we’ll see this and hopefully for many years, see how these guys grow. Obviously Deni, a career year and how much better he has gotten. And then our two young guys, they’re getting better. And I want to see this matchup over the years and how interesting, how cool it is to see them play against each other.”
Deni Avdija (R.) and Ben Saraf pose together after the Nets-Blazers game on March 16, 2026. NBAE via Getty ImagesDanny Wolf dribbles during the Nets-Blazers game on March 16, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
Wolf started a third straight game with Michael Porter Jr. out.
He came into Monday averaging 12.2 points and 6.2 rebounds over his prior ten games before Portland.
Porter missed a third straight game with a sprained right ankle Monday vs. Portland, but has resumed on-court work and appears to be close to a return.
“Yeah, I’m not qualified to talk about grades [on his sprain], but I can share that he did form shooting in the last game that we played, and [Monday] is going to be his first workout,” Fernández said before Brooklyn hosted the Trail Blazers. “So let’s see how he feels after it. He’s getting better, and then we’ll assess.”
Porter has sat out four of the past five games.
With 14 games left in the regular season, the Nets host the reigning champion Thunder on Wednesday.
Backup center Day’Ron Sharpe (left thumb UCL tear) and rookie lottery pick Egor Dëmin (left plantar fascia injury management) have both already been ruled out for the season. Veteran Terance Mann missed Monday’s tilt with left Achilles soreness and Noah Clowney was simply rested.
Saraf was available after having been listed as questionable with a left calf contusion.
The Nets started rookies Wolf, Nolan Traore and Drake Powell, along with Ziaire Williams and Nic Claxton.
Portland’s Damian Lillard and Shaedon Sharpe were both out. Chinese rookie Hansen Yang was with the G-League Remix.
Sep 26, 2022; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks talks to the media during media day at HSS Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
There’ve been rumors going back to trade deadline about how the Nets plan to move beyond their deep rebuild next season, but Brian Lewis writes more in detail on the team’s plan, quoting sources knowledgeable about things.
Multiple league sources told The Post that the idea remains the same: The Nets intend to flip the switch and try to compete as soon as next season.
Just how aggressive their rebuild is, and exactly what it looks like, is going to be determined by four or five touch points over the next 18 months.
A year and a half timeframe would mean big decisions in the 2026 Draft and free agency as well as the 2027 Draft and free agency.
Each of said “touch points” will determine just how fast the Nets move as they accelerate in their rebuild must as they did in Sean Marks first rebuild between 2016 and 2019, going from 21 to 28 to 42 wins and with a mostly homegrown cast attract two of the NBA’s top stars and lay the groundwork for the addition of James Harden.
How the Nets rookies develop, what kind of lottery luck they get, what happens in the upcoming playoffs, if a star becomes available and free agency will all play roles in shaping how Brooklyn’s rebuild goes.
“Yes, it’s all of the above,” one source told The Post. “There’s going to be like five touch points where you go OK, where’s the team.”
This draft is loaded, and the Nets will be in the lottery; the 2027 free agent class could be stacked, and they’ll have flexibility. Whether they become aggressive this summer, next summer or the trade deadline in-between remains unclear.
What’s crystal clear is they expect to compete sooner rather than later. Think months, not years.
Lewis enumerates the Nets current situation including development of the Nets five first round rookies in 2025 and their lottery pick in June. (Brooklyn currently has three picks in the 2026 lottery, currently the third best odds at the top pick as well as picks at Nos. 33 and 44, putting them second in Tankathon’s draft power rankings.)
But one of the more intriguing aspects of Lewis’ intelligence dump is how they believe that the playoffs will determine how some of the league’s top stars react to various playoff scenarios.
Even though the Nets are nowhere near the playoffs, the postseason will shape their offseason. Underachieving can elicit breakups, and make stars available.
Sources told The Post that Brooklyn was interested in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Donovan Mitchell before entering their tank. If either became available — and the former is largely expected to — could the Nets circle back?
“They’ll have conversations [about stars],” one league source told The Post. “They already had conversations; they just weren’t quite the right time.”
Of course, Sean Marks & co. thought that those two superstars, specifically, would consider the Nets before but were wrong. Indeed, the Nets failure to pair Mitchell with his friend Mikal Bridges was one consideration in their willingness to trade Bridges to the Knicks and get their lottery picks back in 2025 and 2026.
Also, Lewis notes that beyond circumstances, there’s timing. As Lewis notes, the Nets may very well have to swap first round picks with the Rockets in 2027 which will put an end to tanking. Moreover, the 2027 draft is seen as mediocre at best. So, in the meantime, it will be about development and evaluation.
“Our wins are not just the ones you see in the standings, and we’ve had that clear from the beginning,” Lewis quotes Jordi Fernández. “I know at times it may sound foreign for other people, but we have a plan. We know what we’re doing, and we’re confident that we’re going to be good for a long time. It’s just [that] it’s a process.”
CHICAGO (AP) — Josh Giddey had 16 points, 15 rebounds and 13 assists for his fourth triple-double in five games, and the Chicago Bulls blew out Memphis 132-107 on Monday night to hand the depleted Grizzlies their eighth straight loss.
Giddey is third in the NBA with 12 triple-doubles this season, trailing Nikola Jokic (27) of the Denver Nuggets and Jalen Johnson (13) of the Atlanta Hawks. Giddey is averaging 17.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 8.8 assists, all career highs. The fifth-year guard has been limited to 46 games this season by hamstring and ankle injuries.
Matas Buzelis led the Bulls with 29 points, including five 3-pointers. The second-year forward, who was the 11th pick in the 2024 draft, has logged three of the four highest-scoring totals of his career in just the last three weeks.
Tre Jones added 17 points and Rob Dillingham had 15 off the bench for the Bulls, who started a four-game homestand by winning for just the fifth time in their last 23 games. The Bulls, who are in 12th place in the Eastern Conference and six games out of the last play-in spot, outscored the Grizzlies 71-50 in the second half.
Cedric Coward led the Grizzlies with 17 points on 7-for-13 shooting, and Jaylen Wells and Taylor Hendricks each added 16 points. The Grizzlies, who have shelved standout Zach Edey for the remainder of the season and not had star Ja Morant play for nearly two months, were also without starters Ty Jerome (bruised shoulder) and G.G. Jackson (sore foot). Memphis is 3-15 in its last 18 games.
