UConn star Tarris Reed Jr. will end his college career on Monday, April 6, against the team with whom it first began.
The senior center started his career at Michigan, where he played two seasons before transferring to Connecticut in 2024. His breakout this season as a full-time starter has been well-documented and is a huge reason for the Huskies' NCAA Tournament run.
The 6-foot-11, 265-pound interior presence is averaging 14.8 points with 8.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game this season on 61.7% shooting, although his game has stepped up a notch in March Madness. Reed is averaging 20.8 points with 13 rebounds in the NCAA Tournament and has a strong case for being the best overall player in the 68-team field so far.
Despite Reed leaving the program, Michigan still boasts one of the best frontcourts in college basketball, led by a trio of first-year transfers in Aday Mara, Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr.
Why did Reed leave Michigan? Here's what to know of his transfer after the 2023-24 season:
Why did Tarris Reed transfer from Michigan to UConn?
Reed entered the transfer portal shortly after the 2023-24 season, which was the last campaign under former coach Juwan Howard at Michigan.
It wasn't a surprise to see Reed's name in the transfer portal, especially after Michigan went 8-24 in his first full season as a collegiate starter and considering the coach who recruited him to Ann Arbor, Michigan, was fired.
"I saw Coach Juwan got fired. Definitely, I feel like it was like a no-brainer in terms of the portal," Reed said April 5 before the national championship. "I hung around Michigan for a couple of weeks, and then they announced (Dusty May) was supposed to be the coach. I talked to him multiple times. I like Coach May, and he was just being super up front with who he was bringing in, who's looking at recruiting-wise.
"So, feel like just him being honest with me, and I'm being honest with him, it was the right way. So, it was no bad blood."
UConn was also coming off back-to-back national championships, and needed a center to replace Donovan Clingan, who went No. 7 overall to Portland in the 2024 NBA Draft. Reed was an obvious fit for UConn, as he was rated a top-100 transfer portal recruit and was a former top-35 ranked prospect out of high school.
“I chose UConn for its winning culture, commitment to player development and coaching style,” Reed told On3 upon committing in 2024. “Coach Hurley’s tough coaching style is known for pushing players into uncomfortable situations, making the uncomfortable seem comfortable. UConn provides the ideal setting and coaching for me to maximize my potential both on and off the court.”
Reed had a small role as a true freshman at Michigan in 2022-23 playing behind Hunter Dickinson. He averaged 3.4 points with 3.9 rebounds per game before becoming the full-time starter as a sophomore, raising his per-game totals to nine points with 7.2 rebounds a game.
Reed started one game last season at UConn, although he averaged 19.9 points per game. His game rose to a new level in 2025-26, which Michigan State coach Tom Izzo noticed while preparing for MSU's loss to UConn in the Sweet 16.
“His game has taken a monstrous jump,” Izzo said of the former Michigan State rival. “And with that size, that’s gonna be something. … Reed has gotten better and better and better. And he’s been a monster.”
Tarris Reed on playing Michigan, his former school
Reed expects the national championship game against Michigan, his former team, to be heated, as any national title match would be.
"I know a couple guys on the team," Reed said, "but I feel like at the end of the day it's the game for the national championship game, so I feel like they're going to be coming at my neck, we're going to be coming at their neck, so it's going to be a great, fun bloodbath and just a competitive game."
Only three players remain at Michigan from Reed's time there — Nimari Burnett, Will Tschetter and walk-on Harrison Hochberg. Burnett and Reed became close friends as Wolverines teammates and said they caught up at a Final Four fan event.
"Seeing that big smile on his face that he always carries, and having a chance to play against him knowing the story that we had two years ago is amazing," Burnett told reporters on April 5.
Tarris Reed stats
Here are Reed's year-by-year, per-game averages in college basketball:
2022-23 (Michigan): 3.4 points with 3.9 rebounds and 0.1 assists per game on 51.7% shooting
2023-24 (Michigan): 9.0 points with 7.2 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game on 51.9% shooting
2024-25 (UConn): 9.6 points with 7.3 rebounds with 1.0 assists per game on 67% shooting
2025-26 (UConn): 14.8 points with 8.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game on 61.7% shooting
In this corner, we have a potent Michigan squad that dominated the loaded Big Ten during the regular season and has seemingly flipped the switch to activate juggernaut mode in the NCAA tournament. The Wolverines hope to hoist a second championship banner and overcome a history of championship game disappointments.
Then there’s UConn, the most successful March Madness operation of the 2020’s thus far. The Huskies have already called upon some tourney magic to reach this point and are now seeking a third title in four years and seventh overall.
Here’s all you need to know about how, when, and whom to watch.
No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 2 Connecticut
Time/TV: 8:49 p.m. ET, TNT
If you’re a casual observer hoping to see a competitive event, there’s a strong possibility you’ll be disappointed given what we’ve witnessed over the last couple of weeks from the Wolverines. Their well-oiled offensive machine has made them the first team in tournament history to crack 90 points in their first five games. Michigan’s biggest concern is the health of standout forward Yaxel Lendeborg, but even if his minutes are limited by his bad left knee he will make the most of his time on the court. Meanwhile, Elliot Cadeau has been able to control the action on the floor even with a majority of his own shots not falling, and Aday Mara has dominated the paint on both ends. Those performances in turn have allowed Morez Johnson Jr. to orchestrate some spectacular finishes at the rim and helped emerging star Trey McKenney find open looks from the arc.
The Wolverines can be beaten – they’re not undefeated after all –, and UConn is capable of it if a lot of things go right. First and foremost, the Huskies have to hit three-pointers. Braylon Mullins seems to have worked through his mini slump, but now Solo Ball and Alex Karaban must do the same. Another thing the Huskies must do is win the turnover battle. Their relentless ball pressure is effective against many opponents, but Michigan’s experienced handlers will be ready for it. Finally, Tarris Reed and Co. will at least have to hold their own for the Huskies on the glass and not allow Michigan to generate second-chance points.
When Connecticut basketball announced its return to the Big East ahead of the 2019-2020 season, it was a moment that signified the return of one of the original members and powerhouses of the conference.
It came at a time when relative newcomer Dan Hurley was working on bringing the winning culture and toughness of the Jim Calhoun era back, and was trying to find the right players to execute his vision and playbook.
Since then, in spite of his lone losing record at UConn in his first season, Hurley has not just restored those two things. He's returned the program to its national prominence. ... And has done it at an exceptional level.
Hurley has the Huskies sitting in the Men's NCAA Tournament title game for the third time in the last four seasons on April 6 vs. No. 1 Michigan. It's a level of work by Hurley that had former Auburn coach Bruce Pearl saying he's doing "stuff that John Wooden did" on TNT after UConn's Final Four win over No. 3 Illinois on April 4.
Should the Huskies be able to stop the Wolverines, the No. 1 team in KenPom, inside Lucas Oil Stadium, it'd be a remarkable and historic feat for the program, since not many Division I men's college basketball programs have done what they'll look to do in a four year span.
Here's what to know on UConn's national championship titles:
How many national championships does UConn men's basketball have?
UConn has won six national championships in men's basketball, with three of them coming under Calhoun, who is responsible for the Huskies' initial rise to a powerhouse program inside the Big East and the country.
The Huskies' first men's national championship came in 1999, when Calhoun's squad defeated Duke 77-74 inside Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. Richard Hamilton finished with 27 points against the Blue Devils, which featured NBA talent in Trajan Langdon and Elton Brand. To get to the finals, the Huskies defeated Ohio State in the national semifinals, the first Final Four in program history.
Calhoun would lead the program to two more national titles in 2004 and 2011, with the latter coming during the Kemba Walker postseason run that featured a famous step-back jumper in the Big East Tournament championship vs. No. 3 Pitt.
UConn's last two national championships under Hurley in 2023 and 2024 have made the Big East responsible for four of the last nine Men's March Madness titles heading into Monday's game.
Here's a breakdown of when the Huskies have won the Men's NCAA Tournament:
1999: beat Duke, 77-74
2004: beat Georgia Tech, 82-73
2011: beat Butler, 53-41
2014: beat Kentucky, 60-54
2023: beat San Diego State, 76-59
2024: beat Purdue, 75-60
UConn basketball record in Men's NCAA Tournament national championship game
UConn is an impressive 6-0 in the Men's NCAA Tournament national championship game. The Huskies are 2-0 in the title game under Dan Hurley.
Which team has most NCAA Tournament national championships?
UConn is tied for the third-most Men's NCAA Tournament titles with North Carolina at six. Only UCLA and Kentucky have more national titles than the Huskies.
Both Michigan and UConn are banged up entering the national championship game on Monday, April 6.
Wolverines star Yaxel Lendeborg, a first-team All-American this season, was limited to 14 minutes in Michigan's Final Four win over Arizona after suffering a knee injury in the first half. He also re-aggravated his ankle, stemming from earlier in the season in the Big Ten Conference Tournament.
Meanwhile, multi-year starting UConn guard Solo Ball's status is also unknown. Ball was seen with a boot on his foot during April 5's walkthrough, and coach Dan Hurley said he was unavailable for practice.
Both teams could look a bit different when they square off at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, or at least less than 100% healthy for the final game of the season.
Here's a look at our six most important players for the national championship between No. 1 seed Michigan and No. 2 UConn:
Most important players of Michigan vs UConn national championship game
Yaxel Lendeborg
In one way or another, Lendeborg's presence will be felt — or it won't.
The 6-foot-9 forward was one of the best players in college basketball this season, averaging 15.1 points with 6.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game after transferring from UAB. While Michigan still defeated Arizona 91-73 in the Final Four without Lendeborg only playing 14 minutes, the Wolverines are still — obviously — a much better team with Lendeborg in the fold.
Lendeborg was playing his best basketball heading into the Final Four, with consecutive performances of 25, 23 and 27 points against Saint Louis, Alabama and Tennessee respectively. He might not be as mobile against UConn as in prior NCAA Tournament games but can potentially still impact the game old-head style.
"He played the second half like a 38-year-old at the YMCA, and a really good 38-year-old at the YMCA," Michigan coach Dusty May said April 5. "Whatever version of Yaxel we get it's going to be somebody that helps us play better basketball."
Tarris Reed Jr.
UConn's offense runs through Tarris Reed Jr., a who has an argument as the most impactful player in the NCAA Tournament this season. The 6-foot-11 center is also facing his former team, adding potential fuel to the fire.
The first-year Huskies starter is averaging 14.8 points with 8.8 rebounds per game, although those totals have jumped to 20.8 points with 13 rebounds per contest in March Madness. He outdueled likely national player of the year Cameron Boozer and top-seeded Duke in the Elite Eight, finishing with a ridiculous stat line of 26 points with nine rebounds, three assists, four blocks and two steals on 10-of-16 shooting.
It's hard to imagine UConn having a path to winning without Reed.
Aday Mara
Aday Mara saved his career-best performance for a perfect time against Arizona in the Final Four, scoring a career-high 26 points with nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks on 11-of-16 shooting.
The 7-foot-3 first-year transfer from UCLA will be tasked with stopping Reed, who has been a force to be reckoned with during the NCAA Tournament. Mara vs. Reed will be a strength-vs.-strength matchup for Michigan and UConn.
Solo Ball
Ball has been one of UConn's most-reliable 3-pointer shooters for three seasons, but the veteran starter could potentially miss the national championship due to injury.
The 6-foot-4 junior is a vital part of the Huskies' offense and is attempting 9.4 3-pointers per game in March Madness. Losing Ball would be a huge blow and would put added pressure on true freshman Braylon Mullins and fourth-year starter Alex Karaban, UConn's other top 3-point shooters.
"I'm just listening to the medical staff," Ball said when asked if he'll play Monday night against Michigan. "I've been preparing and doing rehab already. So definitely just preparing the same way as (if) I'm playing."
Alex Karaban
Alex Karaban is the "best babysitter," according to coach Dan Hurley. The fourth-year starter has been with the program for five years after redshirting as a true freshman, and is looking for third national championship as a player.
The NCAA Tournament's all-time wins leader among players is 3-of-18 shooting in UConn's last two wins over Duke and Illinois, and the Huskies will need its leader for their best shot at Michigan.
The 6-foot-8 wing stepped up and made a huge shot in UConn's upset win over Duke in the Elite Eight, although the 3-pointer to pull within two points with under a minute left was overshadowed by Braylon Mullins' heroic game-winning 3-pointer. Mr. UConn will be relied on in his final collegiate game.
Elliot Cadeau
A former five-star recruit, Michigan point guard Elliot Cadeau didn't live up to his potential in two seasons at North Carolina. The junior has been outstanding for the Wolverines in March Madness, though.
The 6-foot-1 guard is averaging an NCAA Tournament-leading 8.6 assists per game, serving as an offensive hub for Michigan's potent attack. He's also averaging 11 points per game and shooting 40.7% from 3-point range, and could be asked for more responsibility if Lendeborg is limited due to injury.
Regardless, the ball will be in his hands a lot in the national championship game.
Hurley led the Huskies to back-to-back national titles in 2023 and 2024, pushing UConn to six titles in program history (all of which occurred from 1999-onward). If he wins another, he would join a short list of elite men's college basketball coaches to win at least three NCAA championships.
Here's what you need to know about coaches who have won at least three national titles in NCAA history:
How many coaches have won three NCAA championships?
Sixteen NCAA coaches have at least two NCAA titles during their coaching careers, which includes Hurley. However, only six coaches have ever won more than three national championships during their careers.
The list that Hurley is looking to join includes UCLA's John Wooden; Duke's Mike Krzyzewski; Kentucky's Adolph Rupp; North Carolina's Roy Williams; UConn's Jim Calhoun; and Indiana's Bob Knight. Rupp was the first to achieve the feat in 1951, with Williams the most recent three-time national champion following the Tar Heels' 2017 championship.
With a win on Monday, Hurley would tie Calhoun with three titles, the most in Huskies' program history.
Men's college basketball coaches with most national championships
Here's a look at the list of NCAA men's college basketball coaches with the most national championships. Of note, current St. John's coach Rick Pitino is not on the list after having his second title, with Louisville, in 2013 vacated by the NCAA.
Obviously, the biggest thing on the line will be who wins the national title for the 2025-26 men's college basketball season. But, while a title would be significant for both programs, not all national championships are created equal: A win would mean something different for the Huskies as opposed to the Wolverines.
A win for the Huskies would cement them as a modern-day dynasty and move them further up the list of all-time national championship winners, while the Wolverines would break a historic title drought for the Big Ten Conference while becoming one of only a few programs to win multiple championships.
Ahead of their national championship meeting, here's a look at which programs have the most national titles in NCAA Tournament history:
Who has the most March Madness national titles?
UCLA leads all Division I men's basketball programs, with 11 championships. The Bruins' last championship came in 1995, when they defeated Arkansas 89-78.
The vast majority of UCLA's championships came under John Wooden between 1964 and 1975, when the program held a chokehold on the sport by winning 10 national titles in 12 seasons. That included a window of seven straight championships between 1967 and 1973.
Teams with most NCAA championships
While UCLA has the most national championships, Kentucky is a close second, with eight national titles. UConn enters its championship game appearance vs. Michigan with six championships, putting it in a tie for third with North Carolina.
Here's a look at the men's programs with the most NCAA Tournament national championships:
Regardless of who wins between the Wolverines, college basketball was guaranteed a new champion this season as early as the first weekend of March Madness, when last year's national champion was shocked with a second-round exit.
Here's what you need to know about who won the 2025 men's national championship, who has the most championships and past champions:
Who won NCAA championship last year?
Florida won the 2025 Men's NCAA Tournament national championship last season. The Gators defeated Kelvin Sampson's Houston 65-63 in the championship round at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
The Gators also defeated No. 16 Norfolk State (95-69), No. 8 UConn (77-75), No. 4 Maryland (87-71) and No. 3 Texas Tech (84-79) in their path to the 2025 Final Four. Florida defeated No. 1 Auburn 79-73 in the national semifinal.
The Gators entered the 2026 Men's NCAA Tournament having won the SEC regular season championship and earning a No. 1 seed in March Madness for the second straight season. The Gators opened March Madness with a dominant win over No. 16 seed Prairie View A&M (114-55) in the South Region.
However, No. 9 seed Iowa bounced Florida in the second round, 73-72, on a game-winning shot by Alvaro Folgueiras. The Gators had a shot at their own buzzer-beater, but ran out of time when guard Xavien Lee attempted to get to the basket and find one of his big men for a layup down low.
Todd Golden and Co. were seeking to become just the second program in NCAA history to repeat twice after winning national championships in 2006 and 2007.
UCLA leads all men's programs with 11 NCAA Tournament championships, the last of which came in 1995. Kentucky is No. 2 all time with eight titles, while UConn is tied with North Carolina with six (all of which came from 1999 onward).
Here's a look at the men's programs with the most NCAA Tournament national championships:
The first-team All-American forward and Big Ten Player of the Year was held to 14 minutes in the Wolverines' 91-73 dominant win over Arizona in the Final Four, as he dealt with ankle and knee injuries that were re-aggravated in the first half against the Wildcats.
Lendeborg, a first-year transfer from UAB, was the most sought-after transfer portal recruit last season and he has proved it in 2025-26. The 6-foot-9 forward is averaging 15.1 points with 6.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game this season, and his points-per-game average has risen to 19 points per contest in the NCAA Tournament.
Lendeborg returned late in the second half of Michigan's win, and will spend the next day preparing for his final collegiate game.
Here's everything to know of Lendeborg's injury before the national championship game:
Will Yaxel Lendeborg play vs UConn in national championship game?
Lendeborg is dealing with a sprained MCL and a tweaked ankle, which he has been playing with since the Big Ten Conference Tournament. He said he will play against UConn in the national championship game, although likely not at 100%.
"I'm sure he'll give it a go tomorrow, but that'd be entirely up to him and the medical staff," Michigan coach Dusty May said April 5.
Lendeborg explained what happened on the play after the game on April 4, and also said he's playing no matter what.
"I tried to go up for a dunk in between three people like a dummy," Lendeborg told CBS Sports after the game. "I stepped on (Arizona forward Motiejus) Krivas' foot, turned (and) felt the pain right away. My knee, at worst is like an MCL sprain. ... My ankle got re-rolled, so that's bothering me a little bit.
"But I'm going to feel good, I'm going to do a lot to work on it and I'm playing on Monday for sure, no matter what."
Yaxel Lendeborg injury update
Lendeborg exited the floor and entered the locker room with 8:51 in the first half against Arizona after injuring his knee and ankle. He didn't return for the first half but did start the second half with a brace on his knee, playing 14 total minutes.
Lendeborg, a projected first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, said his agent and his mom both said he should sit out the first half, but he declined. His imaging and MRI came back clear after testing on April 5.
When Lendeborg returned in the second half, he was clearly hobbled. May said whatever version of Lendeborg they get still makes the Wolverines a better team, though.
"He played the second half like a 38-year-old at the YMCA, and a really good 38-year-old at the YMCA," May said. "Whatever version of Yaxel we get it's going to be somebody that helps us play better basketball."
Yaxel Lendeborg stats
Here are Lendeborg's per-game averages in 2025-26, along with his final stats from each of Michigan's NCAA Tournament wins this season:
2025-26: 15.1 points with 6.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game on 52.3% shooting
NCAA Tournament
vs. No. 16 Howard: 9 points with 4 rebounds and 4 assists on 40% shooting
vs. No. 9 Saint Louis: 25 points with 6 rebounds and 2 assists on 69.2% shooting
vs. No. 4 Alabama: 23 points with 12 rebounds and 7 assists on 66.7% shooting
vs. No. 6 Tennessee: 27 points with 7 rebounds and 4 assists on 52.6% shooting
vs. No. 1 Arizona: 11 points with 3 rebounds and 1 assist on 75% shooting
DALLAS, TX - APRIL 5: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks drives to the basket during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 5, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Remember, at the beginning of this NBA season, when people compared Cooper Flagg to Andrei Kirilenko, also known as AK-47?
Kirilenko was an athletic defensive star, and many people thought that is where Flagg would end up.
Well, not so much.
He’s an excellent defender, as promised, but has also emerged as an offensive star. In the last two games, he has scored 96 points, and shot a collective 33-57, or 57.8%. He’s also shot 8-15 on his threes for 53.3%.
On Sunday night, Flagg followed up his 51-point game against Orlando with a near triple-double against the Los Angeles Lakers: Flagg had 45 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists.
He is the first rookie to have back-to-back 40-point games since Allen Iverson did it in 1997.
This comes near the end of the season as the league is witnessing an amazing Rookie of the Year race between Flagg and his former Duke teammate, Kon Knueppel, and it’s a great way for Flagg to put a bow on his season as it winds down.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 05: Neemias Queta #88 of the Boston Celtics dunks the ball against Brandon Ingram #3 of the Toronto Raptors during the first half at TD Garden on April 05, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
1. Big 4th Quarter
Through the first three quarters of this game the Celtics looked like they were stuck in mud when it came to their offense. After having some huge first halves in back to back games, Boston only had 80 points going into the fourth quarter, keeping Toronto in the game.
The Celtics would flip the switch in the final frame, outscoring the Raptors 35-24. Boston shot a ridiculous 14-21 (67%) from the field and only 2-4 (50%) from three point range while only turning the ball over once. Toronto shot 10-14 (71%) in the fourth quarter but Boston was able to force 6 turnovers on them, explaining the reason why the Celtics had 7 more shots.
The lineup they ran for most of the fourth quarter with Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Neemias Queta looks to be the closing group of the future going into the playoffs. This looks to be a potent end of game lineup that can space the floor and still defend. Excited to see this when the games really start to count.
Celtics 4Q Shooting Zone Chart (Via NBA.com)
2. Neemias Queta is Peaking
When it comes to his play this season, I think Neemias Queta has exceeded all exceptions set for him and is just now starting to play his best basketball of the season right as the Celtics are heading into the playoffs. Queta had a great performance against the Raptors, finishing with 18 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks on 9-10 shooting.
His offense was carrying Boston for long stretches in the first half, dropping 16 points through the first two quarters and being the spark the offense needed when it stalled out. Queta did an incredible job when it came to cutting to the basket whether it was slipping out of screens or just running the running the fast break. His ability to overpower the Raptors weak center depth also helped when it came to grabbing offensive rebounds for put-backs.
The second half saw Queta turn into 2022 Robert Williams with his ability to block shots, with all 3 coming in the second half. His improvement on the defensive end with his timing on blocking shots has been incredible to watch this season and really does remind me a lot of Time Lord. He always had this ability but now that he has had the opportunity to shine, Queta is becoming a more dangerous player to this Celtics offense than anyone would have thought possible.
3. Jayson Tatum is Seeing Everything
For the 9th time in 14 games, Jayson Tatum has finished with a double-double scoring 23 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals. I don’t think I have ever seen a player go down with a major injury and come back playing arguably better than they were before but Tatum is starting to reach that point for me. I wanted to highlight his ability to see the floor with his passing because he made some incredible assists that arguable only he could have made possible.
Tatum had 3 assists in the first half but 2 of them highlight his mastery of passing out of the double team. When Toronto tried to pressure him, Tatum used his gravity to pass it to a wide open teammate who was able to finish with an easy basket.
When the fourth quarter came around, Tatum was a driving force as to why Boston was so successful with 4 assists. It is amazing to see the Raptors memorized with what Tatum is going to do with the ball in his hands that they completely disregard their defensive assignments to stop him. This leaves Tatum to just make some incredible passes to wide open teammates like this one to Pritchard.
4. Another Great Jaylen Brown Game
While some people out there were worrying about how Jaylen Brown was going to look when Jayson Tatum returned, it was pretty obvious that those concerns were incredibly overblown. Brown finished with another efficient scoring game against the Raptors with 26 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals on 11-20 shooting. Brown is currently ranked first in the Eastern Conference in 20+ point games this season with 62 and second in the NBA only behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who has 66.
Brown was able to get to the basket with ease in this game starting from the opening tip, making an effort to be aggressive. Ten out of his eleven baskets in this game ended in the painted area which doesn’t even sound real but Toronto just had nobody who could guard him inside, finished off with an emphatic dunk for the exclamation point. His one three pointer that he made looked similar to his shot in the corner against the Pacers in Game 1 of the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals. Similar to the Bucks game on Friday, Jaylen Brown made this game look easy and put up another MVP level performance.
5. Payton Pritchard 4Q Explosion
Going into the fourth quarter of this game, Payton Pritchard only had 6 points on 3-5 shooting which wasn’t bad but Boston needed a spark to ignite the offense and he did just that. Pritchard had 11 points, 2 assists, and 2 steals on 4-7 shooting in the final quarter of play and was the biggest reason why the Celtics were able to pull away from Toronto in this game.
Pritchard did a great job of being aggressive and looking for his shot, taking advantage of a Raptors team who was really fighting above their weight class and tiring out. He was able to exploit their lack of paint defense by driving to the basket and finishing over Toronto’s big men. On defense he was also factor, grabbing his first steal to continue a 16-4 run the Celtics had dating back to the 2:04 mark of the third quarter and getting his second one to essentially ice the game before the Raptors put in their reserves.
6. Jordan Walsh Big 3Q Minutes
I think an underrated stretch in this game were the 6 third quarter minutes that Jordan Walsh received where his defense made a legitimate impact. He had 4 points and 1 steal on 2-2 shooting in this quarter and it shows that Joe Mazzulla is starting to rely on him as the main energy provider off the bench.
Walsh was able to nab a steal on Brandon Ingram and outrun the Raptors defense for a dunk on his first basket and made a really a really nice reverse layup on his other. It is really interesting to see Mazzulla entrust Walsh with this role since it was interchangeable for most of the season with Hugo Gonzalez and Ron Harper Jr also seeing time. Walsh has been solid since return to the lineup and it is cool to see him run with the opportunity. I am excited to see him inevitably make a big play in a playoff game this year.
7. Nikola Vucevic Return
For the first time since May 6th, Nikola Vucevic returned to the Celtics rotation after suffering a fracted right ring finger. You could tell he was still trying to get back after missing a month of time but he had okay game, finishing with 4 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist on 2-5 shooting but was a -14 overall in 13 minutes.
I would say the best part about this game was his two man game with Payton Pritchard at the beginning of the fourth quarter. He was able to clear out space when Pritchard was attacking to the basket and it resulted in a basket and an assist in this time frame.
I think we are going to have to be patient with Vucevic’s return. It took him a few games to get going when he was first traded to the Celtics so once the playoffs come around I have faith that he will be able to mesh well together with the rest of the team. If not, Neemias Queta has been playing out of his mind recently so he could always get more minutes or they can see if Luka Garza can provide a spark from the back up center position. Overall though I think Vucevic will be fine and will provided much needed bench scoring in the playoffs.
8. Historic Paint Scoring
If you’ve noticed throughout the takeaways so far, I have highlighted the Celtics ability to get to the paint with relative ease against the Raptors defense. That is because Boston finished with a ridiculous 76 Points in the Paint compared to Toronto’s 58. This was the most points in the paint that the Celtics have scored in a game in the play-by-play era which is an incredible feat.
The Celtics are a team known for their three point shooting, averaging 41.8 threes a game but in this game they were only 8-28 (29%) shooting from beyond the arc. In the painted area, Boston shot 38-57 (67%), just getting whatever they wanted whenever they wanted against Toronto.
Celtics Shooting Zone Chart Full Game (Via NBA.com)
9. Defensive Improvements
Over the last two games, although Boston was blowing out their opponents, they also allowed back-to-back games with the other teams making 20+ three point shots. I didn’t file it away as a concern but it was just something that was very strange. All of my possible concerns were put to bed with this game against the Raptors where the Celtics defense held them to only 8-20 (40%) shooting from three and 40-84 (48%) shooting from the field.
The only reason why Toronto stuck around so long in this game was the fact that Boston wasn’t able to hit their threes to match. Although Boston had a little bit of a problem turning the ball over themselves with 15, they responded by forcing Toronto into 15 turnovers as well. The Celtics turned them into 26 points off turnovers and that was most relevant in the fourth quarter when Boston forced the Raptors into 6 turnovers.
10. Possible First Round Matchup
With the regular season quickly coming to an end, this game had some interesting implications for both the Celtics and the Raptors. With the Celtics win to push their record to 53-25, their Magic Number to clinch the 2nd seed in the Eastern Conference has been lowered to 2. This means that Boston needs either 2 more wins or the New York Knicks to lose 2 more games to official have home court advantage on their side of the playoff bracket.
The Raptors on the other hand needed to win this game to possibly avoid playing the Celtics as a part of the Play-In Tournament. Toronto is currently the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference but have the same 43-35 record as the Philadelphia 76ers who are at the 6th seed. If Toronto did end up in the Play-In and beat the 8th seed who is currently the Charlotte Hornets, they would face Boston in Round 1 of the Playoffs.
Thinking of a Toronto vs Boston matchup in the first round makes me think it will end similarly to the way this game played out. The Raptors would put up a good fight against the Celtics for the first three quarters of games but run out of gas in the end. At best I think Toronto could end up finishing similar to the Orlando Magic last season against Boston, losing in at most 5 games or get flat out swept.
The Warriors had the ball in the right hands in the final seconds of their 117-116 loss to the Houston Rockets on Sunday at Chase Center, but Steph Curry came up empty.
Golden State trailed by one point with 11.1 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter before Curry dribbled up the court to attempt the game-winning shot.
Defended by two Rockets at the top of the key, Curry threw up a deep shot that clanked off iron right before the final buzzer rang and ended the Warriors’ spirited fourth-quarter comeback attempt.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Warriors coach Steve Kerr was asked why he did not call timeout to draw up a play before the final possession.
“Well we didn’t want to take the timeout because we wanted to keep their defensive guys on the floor, that lineup on the floor,” Kerr explained. “You take the timeout, they just put all their Dobermans in and switch everything and it’s really hard to get a good look.
“I haven’t seen a replay yet. My gut is our spacing wasn’t great. I think I saw three guys on one side, we wanted to give Steph a high screen, pulling their weaker defenders in. He got a decent look, but it’s probably a good clip for us to have for these last games and the play-in, just to go over that again. I never really like to take timeouts in that situation if there’s time. I’d rather have the chaos that ensues and the matchups that you want. And so, the process was what we wanted, I’m not sure we got spaced very well, I’ll have to look at it.”
At the 0:12 mark in the clip above, both Kerr and Warriors forward Draymond Green can be seen emphatically motioning to, it appears, guard Brandin Podziemski, to come help set a screen for Curry, who ended up double-teamed on the final shot.
Curry also was asked about the final possession, and echoed similar sentiments as his coach, while stating he had no regrets from the sequence.
“We didn’t have a play call because we thought we were going to get a stop, but the usual kind of reaction there is to try and get, they had [Alperen] Şengün out there, is to try and get him in a pick and roll and see what they were going to do, but everything kind of got a little stagnant at the top of the key,” Curry said. “I haven’t watched the possession to see where there might have been a better option, but it seems there was a wall at the 3-point line and I couldn’t figure out exactly where to go.
“There’s no regrets there, you like the matchup with their lineup out there thinking you can get a good shot with whatever it was, 11-12 seconds left. Tough finish for sure, but proud of the way we fought down the stretch.”
While Curry was unable to hit the shot that ultimately mattered most, he still had an excellent game in his long-awaited return to the court, scoring 29 points on 11-of-21 shooting from the field and 5 of 10 from 3-point range in 26 minutes.
And, depending on the outcome of the game, maybe not even them!
“When we lose a game, our fans are so brutal on social that — and obviously I'm disliked by a number of different programs. When we lose, the celebration that goes on and the mocking, that's kind of like a loud external,” Hurley said Sunday, April 5.
But if he’s not coaching your team, Hurley is going to rub you like sandpaper with his yelling at the refs, snarking about officiating and ignoring the boundaries of the coach’s box.
Thus, those boos after UConn beat Illinois in the Final Four.
If Hurley was just some obnoxious coach, it would generate yawns or “this guy again” eye rolls. But Hurley and his team are really, really good. Like historically good. Especially at this time of year.
And that’s what really sets people off.
College basketball has undergone so many seismic changes in the past decade that anyone watching has at least a mild case of whiplash. There are no constants, no continuity. Even Duke doesn’t seem quite so smarmy these days, going more than a decade without a title and losing to UConn in the Elite Eight in such shocking fashion that you almost felt sorry for the Dukies.
I said almost. Let’s not get carried away.
Yet UConn has been impervious to the turmoil. By winning their second consecutive title in 2024, the Huskies joined Duke (1991 and 1992) and Florida (2006 and 2007) as the only repeat champions since 1973.
Now UConn and those early-90s Dukies are the only teams to get three cracks at the title in four years since John Wooden’s heyday.
UConn is 18-3 in the NCAA tournament since 2021, and its 13-1 overall record in the Final Four is the best in tournament history. At 20-5, Hurley’s record in the tournament is third behind only Phil Woolpert and that Wooden guy.
Should UConn beat Michigan, Karaban will be the only non-UCLA player to win three NCAA titles.
“They have championship DNA,” Michigan coach Dusty May said. “This run they're on is one of the best — probably the best since John Wooden.”
But success has a very short shelf life in American sports. The only thing fans root for more than the dominance of a dynasty is seeing that dynasty get its comeuppance.
The New England Patriots. The New York Yankees. The Kansas City Chiefs. UConn’s women. We love to see them win and we root for them to lose.
And now Hurley and his UConn program have joined the ranks of the reviled.
“People don't necessarily want to see the same team win over and over again. And what coach Hurley's been able to do these last four years has been incredible and it's just adding to the history of college basketball,” senior forward Alex Karaban said.
“A lot of people don't want to see the Chiefs playing in the Super Bowl again. That’s kind of like the example that coach used for us, too,” he added. “People don't want to keep seeing the same team win, but why does that matter with us? We want to keep winning.”
That’s the thing with villains or bullies. The only way to stop them is to shut them down.
Until then, you can boo Hurley and UConn all you want. They’ll be too busy winning to care.
Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
Five reasons Michigan will beat UConn to win national championship
1. Nobody looks better than Michigan in this tournament
UConn has been playing well since halftime of the Duke game, but nobody has looked more dominant than Michigan throughout this entire tournament. The Wolverines won their past five games by an average margin of 21.6 points, with no game closer than a 13-point margin against Alabama in the Sweet 16.
In wins against Arizona and Tennessee, Michigan left no doubt by halftime as to which direction the game was headed. The Wolverines did it against Arizona despite star player Yaxel Lendeborg barely playing in the first half because of foul trouble and injury.
UConn can’t expect to rally against Michigan the way it did against Duke.
2. Wolverines have sufficient experience
Old teams win in March Madness. That’s a cliché for a reason — because it plays out time and again. Duke’s young team wilted in the second half against UConn. Arizona started three freshman in the semifinal loss to Michigan. You saw how that went.
Michigan’s national title hopes don’t rest on the shoulders of teenagers. The Wolverines start two seniors, two juniors and a sophomore. They’ve got ample depth, too, which became apparent and impressive while they established a commanding lead against Arizona even without Lendeborg on the court.
3. Michigan’s frontcourt is big and dominant
The length and wingspan of Michigan center Aday Mara is so extreme, he can almost dunk without ever leaving the floor.
The size of Michigan’s starting frontcourt goes like this: 7-3. 6-9. 6-9.
Nobody can match that. These aren’t big stiffs, either. The 6-9 Lendeborg went 3 for 3 from 3-point range against Arizona. He’s a good assist man, too.
UConn center Tarris Reed Jr. — he’s 6-11 — came up big in the Final Four win against Illinois. The Huskies will need Reed to be at his best against Michigan, but he’ll need help, too.
Somewhat lost in the fact that Michigan has topped 90 points in every game of the tournament is the fact that the Wolverines play tough defense. Arizona shot just 37% against Michigan.
Analytics guru Ken Pomeroy ranks the Wolverines No. 4 nationally for offensive metrics.
And, Michigan’s defensive rating? No. 1.
5. Michigan plays with winning attitude
This team is locked in and playing with swagger and guts. The Wolverines showed against Arizona they’re about more than one man, winning big on a night when the team’s star, Lendeborg, played only 14 minutes.
Simply put, the Wolverines just believe they should win. And, so, they do.
One reason Michigan won’t beat UConn
Taking down a dynasty is tough work
Michigan is the nation’s best team, but UConn is a dynasty, and dynasties are difficult to topple. Ask Duke.
UConn can match Michigan’s experience, and its winning attitude.
As Huskies coach Dan Hurley put it after UConn rallied against Duke, “We just believe we’re supposed to win this time of year.”
They usually do.
UConn’s 3-point shot can be an equalizer, too, if the Huskies get hot. They made 12 3-pointers against Illinois, after going 9 of 21 from distance in a Sweet 16 win against Michigan State.
UConn needs Reed to be tough on the interior and for Alex Karaban, Braylon Mullins, Solo Ball and Silas Demary Jr. to get their 3-point shots falling.
The stage at American Airlines Center on Easter Sunday felt exposed. LIke it was stripped of its stars. Sure, there was still LeBron James and on the other side of the court 19-year-old phenom Cooper Flagg, but there was no Luka Doncic making his return to Dallas. No Austin Reaves or Kyrie Irving either.
In their absence, multiple players on the Los Angeles Lakers roster will have an opportunity to step up and shine. One of those players is Luke Kennard.
For the Lakers, this is no longer about surviving a stretch without their top two scorers who average 58 points per game combined. This is about forging a new identity without them. One that will hopefully sustain them through not just the remainder of the regular season, but into the first round of the NBA playoffs as well.
“Both those guys are going to try and come back,” said Lakers head coach J.J. Redick of Doncic and Reaves. “It’s our job to extend the season so that they can come back.”
The former 12th overall pick in the 2017 Draft was acquired from the Atlanta Hawks. NBAE via Getty ImagesBefore the Dallas game, Kennard was averaging 8.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. NBAE via Getty Images
Playing without their engine and their spark plug, the Lakers sputtered on Sunday against the Dallas Mavericks 134-128. But a silver lining in the loss was the play of Kennard.
The former 12th overall pick in the 2017 Draft was acquired from the Atlanta Hawks on Feb. 5 for Gabe Vincent and a future second-round pick. Kennard was always seen as a luxury for the Lakers, a spot-up shooter off the bench that could improve their paltry three-point percentage.
Thrust into the starting lineup at point guard in place of Doncic, Kennard was suddenly asked to do something he hasn’t done before in his nine-year career: become a playmaker.
Entering the game, Kennard was averaging 8.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. Through two-and-a-half quarters on Sunday, he had his first career triple-double, finishing with 15 points, 16 rebounds, and 11 assists. He also had the highest rating out of any Lakers player on the floor with a +8.
“It’s an encouraging sign. He did a nice job,” said Redick of Kennard’s performance. “Him playing 41 minutes and having to handle the ball that much is not a normal thing for him…but he did some amazing things.”
Before we get carried away, it’s worth noting that one game does not erase years of precedent. Kennard has built his career as a three-point specialist. A sniper that can hide in the corner, and space the floor. Asking him to morph into any version of Luka Doncic is not just ambitious, but it borders on reckless.
But honestly, what other choice do the Lakers have?
Without Doncic and Reaves, the offense doesn’t just shrink, it collapses inward. The geometry changes. A 41-year-old James will be asked to shoulder the offensive load, but he can’t have the ball in his hands for 48 straight minutes. And unless someone stretches the floor not just with shooting, but with decision-making, this team becomes predictable. Easy to guard. Easy to beat.
“We’re going to play lineups that haven’t played together all season,” said Redick before the game. “All the guys know that we need to step up. We need all hands on deck.”
One of those hands has to be Kennard.
Kennard has built his career as a three-point specialist. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn ImagesKennard’s offensive evolution is a must, and his defensive engagement is just as critical. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
He has to be aggressive. Not selectively. Consistently. That means hunting his shot, not waiting for it. That means turning a closeout into a drive, not a swing pass. That means reading the second defender, manipulating weak-side help, and delivering passes that create advantage—not just maintain it. Sunday was a promising start, especially when he threw a lob to James on the break in the third quarter.
But if the Lakers think they can outscore teams without Doncic and Reaves, they’re fooling themselves. This team’s margin for error just evaporated. Effort, communication, physicality—those aren’t optional now, they’re survival tools. And while Kennard’s offensive evolution is a must, his defensive engagement might quietly be just as critical.
Because on Sunday, it wasn’t even the Lakers offense that was the problem. It was the defense. Against a Mavericks team that was 24-53 and already looking ahead to ping-pong balls, the Lakers defense, that had held opponents to 115 points per game this season, allowed Dallas to score 134. Nearly 20 points more than normal.
“Missing those two guys is a big change,” admitted Kennard after the loss. “We did some really good things offensively, but it has to be defense for us. That’s what we have to hang our hat on going forward.”
Kennard isn’t being asked to replicate Doncic. That would be absurd. He’s being asked to expand—to stretch the edges of his game in real time, under pressure, with no runway. That’s where players either evolve or get exposed.
“It’s something I’ve never really done, being that involved and having the ball in my hands that much,” said Kennard of his new role. “I have to be better with it. The shots are going to fall, but it’s about getting everyone connected and being organized out there and just being confident with it. It’s something I’m looking forward to getting better with.”
If Kennard can sustain even 70% of what he showed on Sunday–double-digit assists, keep defenses honest with his shooting, and compete defensively–then the Lakers can stay afloat.
But if he shrinks—if he defaults back into being a spot-up spectator—then the Lakers season will be over sooner than later.
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Cooper Flagg (left, with LeBron James) was selected with the first overall pick by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2025 NBA draft [Getty Images]
Teenage rookie Cooper Flagg continued his superb run of form by scoring 45 points as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Los Angeles Lakers 134-128 on Sunday.
The 19-year-old had made history on Saturday when he became the first teenager to score 50 points in an NBA game - finishing with 51 points, including 24 in the fourth quarter, in a defeat by the Orlando Magic.
He followed up with a 45-point haul in the win over the injury-hit Lakers, adding nine assists and eight rebounds.
Flagg is the first rookie with back-to-back 40-point games since Allen Iverson in 1997, and is among the favourites to be named this season's rookie of the year.
The Mavericks started quickly against the Lakers, who were missing both the NBA's leading scorer Luka Doncic and rising star Austin Reaves, and were 41-30 up at the end of the first quarter.
LeBron James, 41, led the Lakers with 30 points, 15 assists and nine rebounds, while Luke Kennard had 15 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists.
PJ Washington scored 15 points for the Mavericks, Naji Marshall and Brandon Williams added 13 points, and Klay Thompson scored three three-pointers in his 11-point haul.
Lakers coach JJ Redick it was a "just a poor defensive night" for his side, adding: "We didn't start the game the right way and just played catch-up the rest of the game."
The Lakers are third in the Western Conference, with the 12th-placed Mavericks already out of play-off contention.
